# The Baha'i World: Volume 20 (1986-1992) *Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.* --- > Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Universal House of Justice, The Baha'i World: Volume 20 (1986-1992), Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1998, bahai-library.com. > ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > VOLUME XX > > 142- 148 OF TH E BAHA'i ERA > 21 APRIL 1986- 20 APR fL 1992 A.O. > Th e Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar in New Delhi, India. > THE BAHA'i WORLD > AN INTERNATIONAL RECORD > > Prepared under the supervision > of the Universal House ofJustice > > VOLUME XX > > 142-148 OF THE BAHA'i ERA > 21 APRIL 1986-20 APRIL 1992 A.D. > > BAHA'i WORLD CENTRE > HAIFA > 1998 > © 1998 The Universal House of Justice > All Rights Reserved > > NOTE: The spelling of the Oriental words and proper names used > in this volume of Th e Baha'i World is according to the system of > transliteration established at one of the International Oriental > Congresses. > > ISBN 0-85398-994-X > > A Cataloguing-in-Publication entTy is available > from the British Library > > Set in Times New Roman at the Baha ' i World Cenháe > Printed in Italy, Stamperia Va ldonega > PREFACE > THE successive volumes of The Baha 'i World have come to be anticipated by Baha'is as > the record of their own collective endeavours on behalf of their Faith, of the establishment > and development of its administrative order throughout the world and as the source of data, > both historical and statistical, relating to the rise of the Faith during its fo rmative age. > For librarians and students The Baha 'i World represents a source of authentic inf01mation > about the aims, tenets, history, activities, organization and growth of a world religion that is > attracting ever-increasing public interes t. The editors therefore seek to preserve an even > balance between the presentation of material of supreme interest to believers and of a fai r > and objective picture to enquirers. In this they are guided by the policy of Shoghi Effendi, > Guardian of the Baha'i Fa ith, who directed the compilation of the successive volumes from > I to XII covering the years 1925 to 1954. The first volume, known as Baha 'i Year Book, was > in fact a one-year survey ; the next seven volumes were biennial, terminating in 1940; > vo lume IX recorded the four years from 1940 to 1944; volume X was again biennial and > volumes XI and XII presented the periods 1946 to 1950 and 1950 to 1954 respectively. > All these volumes were published in the United States under the supervision of the > Guardian of the Baha ' i Faith and the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly. Volume XIII, > which recorded the passing of the Guardian and the course and completion of his Ten Year > Crusade, covered the entire period from 19 54 to 1963 and was produced under the guidance > of the U niversal House of Justice, which thenceforth assumed responsibility for publication. > CONTENTS > > INTRODUCTION > > AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE BAHA'I FAITH, by David Hofman > > PART ONE > THE BAHA 'i REV ELATION > > I. EXCERPTS FROM THE BAHA ' i SACRED WRlTINGS > 1. Baha'u'llah ... .... ... ........ ................ .... .... ....... ........... .. ... ........... ... .... ........ ...... ... 11 > 2. The Bab .......... ...... ... .. ......... .. ..... ...... ..... ... ... .. .... ............... ...... .... ... ... ...... ....... . 17 > 3. 'Abdu'l-Baha .. ..... ........................... ..... ... ...... ... .. ...... ......... .. ..... ..... .... ...... .... .. 23 > > II. EXCERPTS FROM THE WRlTINGS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI > Excerpts from Call to the Nations 29 > > PART Two > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES > > I. THE SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF ' ABDU'L-BAHA'S VISIT TO THE WEST > 1. The Visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to the West .......................... ............................... 53 > 2. Commemorations of 'Abdu ' l-Baha 's Visit to the West 75 > > II. THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE F IRST S EVEN YEAR PLAN IN THE AMERICAS > 1. The First Seven Year Plan of the Baha ' is of the United States and Canada . . 78 > 2. Fiftieth Anniversary of the Faith in Latin America Celebrated 90 > > III. THE TEN Y EA R CRUSADE AND THE KNIGHTS OF BAI-IA 'U'LLAH 93 > > Vll > CONTENTS > > PART THREE > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA 'f ACTIVITIES > > I. THE SIX YEAR INTERNATIONAL TEACHING PLAN 1986-1992 > 1. The Completion of the Six Year International Teaching Plan > A. The Baha'i World Centtáe > a. Publication of the Kitab-i-Aqdas in English ......... ........... ............ ..... . 115 > b. Education of the Baha'i World in the Law of J:Iuq11qu 'llah ..... ......... 116 > c. Restoration and Protection of Holy Places ......... .. ..... .. .. .. ... ............... 120 > d. Signing of the Status Agreement ...... ............. ............ .................... .... 123 > e. The Arc and Tenaces on Mount Carmel ............................ ............... 124 > f. Broadening the Basis oflnternational Relations of the Faith 131 > g. Turmoil in the Middle East Enveloped the Holy Land .............. ........ 133 > B. World-wide Objectives > a. Carrying the Healing Message of Baha'u ' llah to the Generality of > Mankind .. ... .. ... . . ....... .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. ... .. ... ... . .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... ... ... . ... .. .. . 136 > b. Greater Involvement of the Faith in the Life of Human Society 149 > c. Increasing the Worldwide Availability and Use of Baha ' i literature 157 > d. Further Acceleration in the Process of Maturation of Baha'i Con1ll1unities .... .. .. ... .. .. . .. ... .. .. .. . .. ... .. ... .. .... .. ... .. .. ... ... ... ..... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... ... ... . .. ... .. . 160 > e. Promoting Universal Participation and the Spiritual Emichment of > Individual Believers ............................................ .... ... ... .............. .... ... 170 > f. Baba 'i Education of Children and Youth and Baha ' i Family Life 174 > g. Pursuing Social and Economic Development Activities in Well-Established Baha'i Communities ..................... .......................... ...... ..... ...... 179 > APPENDIX: "Health, Education and the Role of Women" .. .... ......... .... ... 191 > 2. Expansion and Consolidation of the Baha'i Faith: Sun1ll1aiy Statistics of the > Six Year Plan 1986- 1992.............................. .. .. ... .... .... ...... ...... .......... 192 > > II. THE Two YEAR SUBSIDIARY PLAN 1990- 1992 196 > > III. INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 1986- 1992 > 1. The Opening of the Fourth Epoch of the Formative Age ................. .. ......... . 225 > A . A Letter from the Universal House of Justice .... .... ... ..... .... ..... .. .... ... ...... . 229 > B . Statement by the Research Department on the Epochs of the Formative > A~ ..... .. ... ................................................................ .... ........ ...... ..... .. ..... .. 23 1 > C. International Collaboration Goals .... ......................................................... .. 236 > D. Public Recognition of the True Character of the Baha'i Community > a. "World Religious Statistics" ........................................ ......................... . 239 > b. "What is the Baha ' i Faith?" .. ..... .. ........ .. ... .. ................................ ....... ... . 242 > 2. Survey by Continents > A. Africa ....... .... ... .. .... .... ... ..... ..... ..... .. ... ....... ............ .... ..... ... ..... .. ................. . 247 > B. The Americas 269 > C. Asia 303 > D . Austtáalasia and the Pacific Islands 325 > E. Europe 349 > > Vlll > CONTENTS > > 3. The Persecution and Defense of the Baha'i Community ofiran 1986-1992 > A. The Baha'i Question .. .. .... ............ ....... ...... ....... ..... ........ ...... ...... .... .... ...... . 371 > B. Baha'is Killed in Iran Between Ri~van 1986 and 1992 ......... ....... .. ...... .. 383 > C. Baha 'is Killed in iran (1978-20 April 1992) ....... .. ............. .......... .... .. ... . 390 > D. Baha'is Who Disappeared Without Trace in Iran and are Presumed Dead > (1979-20 Apri l 1992) ........... ......... ............. .. ....................... .. .. .. ............. . 398 > E. Response of the United Nations to the Persecution of the Baha'is (1980- > 20 April 1992) .... ....... .. .......... ... ............. ...... .... ..... ..... .................. .. .. ........ . 401 > 4. Women's Activities 409 > 5. Youth Activities > A. Youth Year of Service 421 > B . European Baha'i Youth Council ... .... .......... .. ....... .... ............ ............ ..... . . 432 > C. Special Youth Projects .............................. ..... ....... .. ........ .... ................ ... . 443 > 6. Baha'i Scholarship > A. The Establishment of Baha'i Chairs at Universities ....... ..... ..... ..... ..... ... . 45 3 > B. Baha'i Courses in Universities .............. ...... ........................... ... ... .. ... .. ... 456 > C. Landegg Academy and Institute of International Education and Development 45 7 > D. General Systems Research Conference, Budapest 1987 .. ............. .. ..... ... . 459 > E. The Associations for Baha'i Sh1dies .............................. .. ...... ................ . 461 > 7. Baha'i Professional Associations ... ............................. .. ............................... . 471 > 8. Use of Computers by the Baha'i Community During the Six Year Plan 481 > 9. Relations Between National Spiritual Assemblies and Governmenta l and > Non-Governmental Organizations and with the Public in General ............ .. 485 > A. Brazil: Constitutional Reform .............................................. ......... ...... .. . 485 > B. South Africa: Views Submitted on Constitutional Reform 493 > C. Singapore: Statement on National Ideology ............................ .... .... .... .. . 500 > D. United States: Statement on Racia l Unity ........................ .. ...... ............ .. 502 > 10. Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World Order ofBaha'u'llah 508 > > IV.BAl-IA'i INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION > 1. The Baha'i Faith and the United Nations: Summary of the Years 1947- 1986 519 > 2. The United Nations Office of the Baha'i International Conununity 1986-1992 521 > Am1ex I ....... ................. .. ..... ... .......... ..... ... ....... ..... ....................................... . 527 > A1mex II ... ........ ..... .................................. .. ..... ..... .. ........ ....... .. ... .. ... ....... .... .. . 529 > Am1ex III ..... .... ........ ....... .. ..... .. ........ .. ..... .... .. ..... ...... ................. ..... ..... .. ...... . 536 > 3 . The Office of Public Information 537 > 4. The Baha'i Office of the Environment 541 > > V. RECOGN ITI ON OF THE BAHA ' i FAITH > I. Incorporation of National Spirihrn l Assemblies ........................................... 544 > 2. Incorporation of Local Spiritual Assemblies .. .. ... .. .. ....... .. ........................... . 550 > 3. A Selection of Other Documents Recording Official Recognition of the Faith > 4. The German Court's Legal Recognition of Assembly Status ... ................... 554 > A. The decision of the Federal Constih1tional Cami, in German....... .... .. .. .... . 571 > B . A Translation of this Deci sion into English.............. ......... ............... .......... 572 > C. An E lucidation of the Abbreviations Used 600 > D . Decision of the German Court: Background and Significance................... 602 > > IX > CONTENTS > > PART FOUR > > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH > > I. THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE > 1. The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice 609 > 2. The Sixth International Convention for the Election of the Universal > House of Justice .. ... ... . ... .. ..... ....... .. ... .. ... .... .. .. ... .. .. .............. ...... .. ... . .. .. .. . ... ... .. 618 > II. THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD > 1. The Hands of the Cause of God and the Extension of their Functions > into the Future > A. The Rulers and the Learned .. .... .. ... .. .. .. ..... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... . .. .. .. .. ... ... . .. .. .. ... 624 > B. The Hands of the Cause of God ............. ............. .. .. ........ ........ ..... ..... ...... 625 > C. The Continental Boards of Counsellors 626 > D. The International Teaching Centre ............ .......... ........................... ....... .. 630 > 2. The Work and Travels of the Hands of the Cause ............ ........................ ... . 634 > 3. Hands of the Cause Who Represented the Universal House of Justice at > Conventions for the Election of National Spiritual Assemblies ................. . 672 > 4. The Development of the Institutions of the International Teaching Centre and > the Continental Boards of Counsellors ... ........... ... ... .................... ..... .. ......... . 673 > > III. THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > 1. Introduction ........... .......... ........................ ........................................ .......... .... . 694 > 2. A Model Declaration of Trust and By-Laws for a National Spiritual > Assen1bly .................. ... .................................................. .......... ..... ................ . 696 > 3. A Procedure for the Conduct of the Annual Baha'i Convention ........ ... ...... . 705 > 4. New National Spiritual Assemblies 708 > > IV. THE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > 1. Introduction ............................................................... ........ .. ... .................... ... 718 > 2. By-Laws of a Local Spiritual Assembly ........ .......................... .......... .... ....... 720 > > V . THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRJQU'L-ADHKAR > 1. Foreword, by Horace Holley ... ..... ........................... ............. .............. .... ...... . 728 > 2. The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar .... ........ ..... ............. ... . 729 > 3. The Dedication of the first Mashriqu'l -Adhkar of the Indian Sub-Continent > and the International Teaching Conference, New Delhi, India, 1986 ........... . 731 > 4. The Temple ofBahapur as Silent Teacher ......... ....... ........ .... .......... ............. . 743 > > VI. THE NON-POLITICAL CHARACTER OF THE BAHA'i FAITH > 1. Excerpts from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi 754 > > VII. RELATIONSHIP TO GOVERNMENT > I. Loyalty to Government ..... ............................ ....... ....... .. ... .......... ... ... ................. . 761 > 2. The Baha'i View of Pacifism ........................................ ............ ..... ........... ...... .. 762 > 3. Summary of the Guardian's Instructions on the Obligations of Baha 'is in > Connection with Military Service ................. ... .. .................. ......................... 762 > > x > CONTEN TS > > VlII .BAHA ' i CALENDAR, FESTIVALS AN D DAT ES OF HI STORJCAL SIGN IFICANCE > 1. Foreword ............... ... ... .. ... ... ....... .. ....... ............ .... .. .......... ... .. ................ ... .. ... . > 2. Baha'i Feasts, Atmiversaries and Days of Fasting ................... .... .. ............. .. > 3. Baha ' i Holy Days on Which Work Should be Suspended ..................... ..... . > 4. Additional Material Gleaned from Nabil ' s Narrative Regarding the Baha'i > Calendar .... ........ ................................................... .. ............. ... ... .... .... .. ...... ... . > 5. Historical Data Gleaned from Nabil 's Narrative Regarding Baha'u' llah > 6. Dates of Historical Significance in the Rise of the Baha'i Faith ... .... ...... ... . . > > PART FIVE > IN MEMORIAM > Ahdieh, Mansour ....... .... ..... .... 873 Hopper Welsh, Eleanore Lorraine > Alm1adiyeh, Hedayatoullah 984 (Rene) ... ......... ...... ...... ... ......... . 916 > Aidun, Gol ............................. . 860 Iqani Koirala, Masheed 844 > Ariki, Pa Tepaern ............. .... .. 953 Jarral $alal:i ............. .. ....... .. .. .. 931 > Ashton, Beatrice Owen .. ....... .. 896 Jensen, Knud ................. .. ...... .. 885 > Baghdadi, Adib Radhi 912 Kanyerezi, Max .............. ....... .. 1013 > Bagley, Florence E. .. ......... .... . 1003 Kavelin, Howard Borrah 821 > Bausani, A lessandro .... ... ...... .. 895 Kazemzadeh, Kazem ......... .. .. . 945 > Bernal De Sanchez, Aura Maria 838 Khabirpour, 'Aziz .. ....... .. ... .... . 832 > Bishop, Helen Pilkington 1005 Khadem, Zikrnllah ............ ... .. . 839 > Blakely, Elsa Lilian (Judy) 929 Khan, Fazal Mohamad 784 > Camey, Magda lene Margaret 1021 Khazeh, Jalal ........ ............. .. ... . 788 > Caswell, Louise ............ ........ .. 867 Khianra, Dipchand L. ..... .. ..... . 829 > Dobbins , Bertha .... ... ........ ...... . 848 Laws, Frederick .. .. .............. ... . 892 > Duna, Rudolfo ........ ..... ......... .. 846 Leong, Yan Kee .. ... .......... ... .. .. 834 > Evans, Esther .. ..... ... ........... .. .. . 942 Lindstrom, Shirley ........ .. ... ... . . 920 > Featherstone, H. Collis 809 Lohse, Doris .......................... .. 970 > Fitzpatrick, Henry Bertran 877 Lutchmaya, Roddy Dharmah 940 > Fozdar, Shirin ........................ . 1027 Macdonald, Charles ............ .. .. 1015 > Francis, Dorothy .......... ... ... .... . 990 Malakooti, Ehsanollah 943 > Friedland, Eberhard K. 1025 Master, Mahvash .......... .... ...... . 977 > Garcia Vazquez, Manuel 955 Mazakmat, Apelis .................. . 853 > Giachery, Ugo ............ ..... .... .. . 777 McLaren, Edith ..................... .. 1011 > Gualavisi Farinango, Rufino 965 McLaughlin, Robert W . 950 > Gulick, Robert, Jr. .. .. .. .. ........ .. 882 Menking, JoAnne L. ............... 907 > Habibi, Habib ........... ............. . 947 Mingorance Fernandez, Jose 837 > I:Iaddad, Akbar .............. ........ . 991 Munje, Harilal ....................... .. 933 > Haenni de Bons, Mona 1010 Nahvi, Saeed ..... ............. .... ... .. 871 > Harvey, Winnifred ..... ...... ...... . 988 Navidi, Azizollah .... ...... .... ..... . 886 > Hawthorne, Rose ....... .... ... ..... . 914 Newman, Beatrice ............... .. .. 937 > Heller, Frances .... ..... ............. . 998 Nielsen, Lotus ............. .......... .. 101 8 > Hoahania, Hamuel ...... .......... .. 843 Nounou, Salim ...... ................ .. 975 > Hollibaugh, Eleanor ....... .. .... .. 868 Olson, Cynthia and Edgar 899 > H0eg, Johanne ........ .. ............. . 923 Ortiz Gutierrez, Aparicia 960 > XI > CONTEN TS > > Papai, Ludwig ... ... .. ................ . 997 Suleimani, Suleiman .... .. .. ....... 889 > Parsa Mazzoni, Noranieh ....... . 995 Sumah, Mohamed Lamin 875 > Perks, Thelma .... ............ ...... ... 903 Tanyi Tambe, Solomon 968 > Quigley, Robert Joseph 949 Te Paa, Epluáaim ...................... 971 > Rice-Wray, Edris Rawshan 958 Trojankova-Bendova, Juliana 857 > Rezvani, Monireh .................. . 1001 True, Edna M. ....... ......... ......... 925 > Robarts, Jolm ................... ...... . 801 Umegae, Kazutomo .. .. ......... .. .. 1026 > Saavedra Gallardo, Melit6n 921 Val~id-i-Tiluáani , Qudratu' llah 825 > Sabet, Habib .......................... . 961 Vajdi, Khodadad H. ........... .. ... 957 > Sabet, Ros tam ..... .............. ..... . 963 Villiers-Stuart, Jane .... .. .... ... .... 981 > Sala, Emeric ........................... . 993 Walker, Zlmarian Stoakley 935 > Sanchez Matiinez, Juan 880 Warde, Shirley A. ............. . . . . . . 1023 > Sears, William ....................... . 795 White, Tumanuvao William 851 > Shayani, 'Azizu' llah .. ......... ... . 910 Wi1manik and Mubarak ... ....... . 827 > Sivapiragasam, Kandiah 891 Wolcott, Charles .................. .. . 818 > Stebbins Dodge, Isabelle 858 Wotih Lamb, Dora (Dee) 918 > Storch, Juanita Marie ..... .. ... ... . 863 Zucker, Arthur Allen .... .......... . 1009 > > PART SIX > DIRE CTORY, BlBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY > > I. BAI-IA 'i DIRECTORY > 1. The Universal House of Justice ...... ..... ......... ... ..... ........ .. ............ ... ... ............ . 1033 > 2. The Hands of the Cause of God .. ................ .. .... .. ... .. ............. .... .. .. .... ...... ..... . 1033 > 3. The International Teaching Centre .. .. .. .... ..... ..... ... .. ... .. .. ..... ......................... .. 1033 > 4. Continental Boards of Counsellors ... .... ............ ... ....... ... .... .... ... ................ .. .. 1033 > 5. Baha ' i International Community .................. ... ..... .... .................................. .. . 1034 > 6. Na tional Spiritual Assemblies ....... ...... ..................... ..... ..... ..... ... ...... ... ....... ... 1034 > 7. Baha ' i Publishing Trusts .. ............ ..... ... ........ .... .... .... .. ..... ......................... .. ... 1035 > > II. BAI-IA 'i BIBLIOGRAPHY > 1. Baha 'u'llah's Best-Known Works 1037 > 2. The Bab's Best-Known Works 1039 > 3. 'Abdu ' l-Baha's Best-Known Works in English ......................... .. .............. .. 1040 > 4. Some Compilations from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, the Bab and > ' Abdu'l-Baha ...... ....... ...... .... ... .. .. ......... .. ........ ... ...................... ....... .... .. ... .. ... .. 1041 > 5. Shoghi Effendi' s Best-Known Works .. .... ...................... .... .. ... ..... ........... ..... . 1042 > 6. Language and Literature Achievements ........ .. .... ... .. ... ......... .. ........ ......... ...... .. .. 1043 > 7. A Bibliography of Theses Relating to the Baha ' i Faith ... ...... .... ......... ....... .. . 1044 > 8. A Patiial Listing of Cunent General Baha'i Periodicals > A. Produced Under the Auspices of Baha 'i Institutions ... ....... ......... .... ... ... . 1048 > B. Produced Under Non-Institutional Auspices ............... .. ... .. .... .... ..... ..... .. . 1049 > 9. A Partial Bibliography of Conm1ercially Produced Slide Shows on the Baha' i > Faith, 1971- 1992 ............................................ .. ......... ........... ....... ... .... .. ...... .... 1049 > > XII > CONTENTS > > III. ORIENTAL TERMS > I. Transliteration of Oriental Words Frequently Used in Baha'i Literature 1053 > 2. Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of the Persian Alphabet 1055 > 3. Notes on the Pronunciation of Persian Words ............. ...... .............. .. ........... 1056 > 4. Definitions of Some of the Oriental Terms used in Baha'i L iterature 1057 > > PART SEVEN > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS > > I. ESSAYS AND REVIEWS > 1. The Suffering, Tribulation, Exile, Captivity, and Confinement ofBaha'u'llah, > compiled by Donald R. Witzel ............ ... .......... .... ......... ... ..... ... ... ... .. ..... .. ...... 1069 > 2. The Concept of Law in the Baha'i Faith and the Law ofI:Iuququ'llah, > by Amin Banani . .... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. ..... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 1086 > 3. Interdependence of Baha'i Communities-Services of North American > Baha'i Women to Iran, by Baharieh Rouhani Ma' ani ... ...... ...... ... ..... .. ......... 1091 > 4. Jamal Effendi, by Elham Afnan ............. ....................................................... 1115 > 5. The Fundamental Principle: Agriculture and the Promise of Peace, by Paul > Hanley ...... ... .......... .. .. ..... ..... .......... ...... ......... ....... .... ...................................... 1119 > 6. The Spiritual Role of Art, by Ludwig Tuman .................................. ....... ...... 1136 > 7. Altruism and Extensivity in the Baha' i Religion, by Wendy M. Heller and > Hoda Mahmoudi ... .. .. .. ... ... .. .. ..... .. . .. .. ... .. ... .. .... ..... .. .. ... .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .... 1159 > > II. VERSE 1170 > > III. MUSIC 1188 > > X Jll > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > Frontispiece: The Mashriqu' l-Adhkar in New Delhi, India > > Part One: The Baha'i Revelation > > Page > An ornamental eagle in front of an entrance to the Mansion ofBaha'u 'llah at Bahji 10 > The doorway into the courtyard of the Mansion ofBaha'u'll3h at Mazra'ih ........ . 13 > The western doorway into the Shrine of the Bab ... ............ ..... .. ...... .... ....... ... ........ . 16 > Detail ofone of the columns along the Arcade of the Shrine of the Bab ....... ..... ... . 19 > The House of 'Abdu ' l-Baha in 'Akka, known as the House of' Abdu ' llah Pasha ... 22 > Detail of the House of'Abdu ' llah Pasha, in 'Akka 25 > The Seat of the Universal House ofJustice, on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel ..... 28 > Details of the pillars and gardens surrounding the Seat of the Universal House of > Justice ....... .. ... ...... .. ..... .. .. ..... ...... ... ... .. ..... ........................... .................... ....... . . 37 > Detail of a column and window of the Seat of the Universal House ofJustice ..... . 42 > The Resting Place of Shoghi Effendi, in the Great Northern Cemetery, London, > England .... .......... .. ............ .... ... ...... ..... ...... ..... ... ....... ..... ...... ...... .... ......... ... .. ... .. . 49 > > Part Two: The Commemoration of Historic Anniversaries > > ' Abdu ' l-Baha, the Master, in New York City; June 1912 ..... ... .. ............ ... ..... .... ... . 52 > 'Abd u'l-Baha in London, Eng land; September 1911 .................... ... .......... ... ....... . 56 > ' Abdu'l-Baha with Baha ' i friends in Chicago, Illinois; May 1912 ..... ....... ..... ..... . 60 > 'Abdu ' l-Baha in Brooklyn, New York, with His secretary, translators, and companions; June 1912 .. ..... .... .... ................... ..... ........... ... ..................................... . 62 > 'Abdu' l-Baha meeting with friends in Oakland, California; October 191 2 .......... . 63 > Banquet for ' Abdu'l-Baha in New York City; November 1912 ................. .. ..... ... . 66 > 'Abdu ' l-Baha with Baha' i friends in Ess lingen , Germany; April 1913 ... ........ ... ... 71 > ' Abdu'l-Baha with friends in the Austro-Hungarian Empire; April 1913 72 > Pioneer Vivian Lismore with Baha'i fr iends in Havana, Cuba, in 1943 .......... ... .. . 79 > Pioneer Gayle Woolson during formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of > San Jose, Costa Rica in April 1941 .................. ...... ...... .. .... ....... .................. ...... . 82 > > XIV > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > Pioneer Louise Caswell visiting Baha'i friends in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in > October 1941 ... .. .. ... .. ...... ... .. ... .. .. .. ...... .. ... .. ........ ... .. ... .. .. ... ... .. .. .... ... ... ... .. ...... .... . 83 > Pioneers Gladys Stua1t and Cora Oliver visiting a group of believers in Belize, > British Honduras, during the first Seven Year Plan ........................................... 86 > Pioneers Honor Kempton, Helen Robenson, and Dagmar Dole in Anchorage, > Alaska, in January 1944 ......... .. .. ....... .. ............................................................... 88 > The fiftieth anniversary of the fo1mation of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, being celebrated in October 1990 ...... ..... ............................ . 89 > Th~ fiftieth anniversary of the Baha'i community in El Salvador being celebrated > in November 1989 ......... ....... ............... ............................................................. . 92 > Friends gathered in Sydney, Australia, to commemorate the Centenary of the > Declaration of the Bab; May 1944 .... .. ............................................................... 98 > The Hand of the Cause of God Leroy Joas greeting the friends on behalf of the > Guardian during the first Intercontinental Conference, held in Uganda in 1953 . 99 > Knights of Baha 'u' llah to the Orkney and Shetland Islands, Charles Dunning and > Brigitte Hasselblatt, posing together in the 1950s ...... .. ..................................... 102 > Knights of Baha'u'llah to the Solomon Islands, Alvin and Gertiude Blun1, with > their daughter Keithie, Mr. John Mills, and the Head of the Bamu Tribe; 1954 . 103 > Knight ofBaha'u'llah to Goa, Feroza Yaganegi, with Mrs. Gulnar Aftabi; 1953 .. . 103 > Knights of Baha'u'llah to French Togoland, Vivian Wesson and David Tanyi, > with new believers in Accra in 1956 ...... ......................... ........ ........................... 104 > Knight ofBaha'u ' llah to the Queen Charlotte Islands, Edythe MacArthur; 1953 . 104 > Knights ofBaha'u'llah to the Canary Islands, Gertrude Eisenberg, and George and > Marguerite True, with Bany Tme; 1953 ................................... .. ...................... 105 > The first Baha'i World Congress, held at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1963 112 > > Part Three: International Survey of Current Baha'i Activities > > First page of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, in the handwriting of 'Abdu ' l-Baha 114 > Attendees of the I:Iuq11qu'llah Conference held in Haifa in January 1987 ............ . 116 > A deepening on the law ofl:luququ'llah in Kenya; November 1990 ..................... 119 > A luncheon held as part of the opening ceremonies of the north wing of the House > of 'Abdu' llah Pasha; Apri l 1990 ...................... .. ................................ 120 > Restoration of the stencilled artwork on the balcony of the Mansion of Baha 'u ' llah > atBahji; October 1987 ..... .. ................................ .. .......................... .................... 121 > The ceiling of the colonnade of the Sluáine of the Bab, being refinished in 1991 122 > A Status Agreement between the Governn1ent of Israel and the Baha'i World > Centre being signed; April 1987 .................................................. .. ...... .. ............ 123 > Members of the Universal House of Justice with architects Husayn Amanat and > Fariburz $ahba on the consháuction site; March 1988 .......... ...... .............. .. ........ 125 > Earthwork on the terraces below the Shrine of the Bab; October 1991 .................. 126 > The pool on Terrace Nine, built during the Ministry of' Abdu '1-Baha, incorporated > into the new te1Tace design .... ........ .. ......................... ....................................... .. 126 > Excavation of the site of the Centre for the Study of the Texts; Februa1y 1992 ..... 127 > Model of the buildings planned for the east and south side of the Arc .. .. .. ............. 128 > > xv > 1 '.• > LIST OF ILL UST RATIONS > > The Hand of _tJ1e Cause. of God Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum greeting the > President of the Marshall Islands, Amata Kabua, during his visit to the Baha'i > World Centre in June 1990 .. .... ... .. ... ...... ... ..... ... .. .. ... .... .. .. ... .. .. . .. ... .. .. ... . .. ... .. .. ..... 129 > The Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali-Akbar FurUtan greets Dizzy Gillespie during > Mr. Gillespie's visit to the Baha'i World Cenháe in July 1991 .. ....... ...... ... .. .... ... 129 > Members of the Universal House of Justice with the Prime Minister of the Cook > Islands, Sir Thomc,is Davis, during the Prime Minister 's visit to the Baha'i > World Centre in August 1986 .... .. .. .... ..... .... .............. ..... .......... .......................... 130 > The Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali-Akbar Furutan accompanying the President of > Israel, Chaim Herzog, during his visit to the Baha'i World Cenháe in May 1989 130 > The President of Honduras, His Excellency Jose Azcona-Hoyo, visiting the Baha' i > World Cenháe in May 1987 .. ......................................... ............ ................ ......... 130 > The British Ambassador to Israel, His Excellency Mark Elliot, and Mrs. Elliot, > visiting the Baha'i World Cenháe in June 1989 ........... ....... ..... ..... ......... ....... .... .. 130 > Participants in the External Affairs Conference held in Langenhain, Germany, > in November 1987 ....... .............. .. .... .... ..... .... .. ..... .............................................. 132 > Participants in the External Affairs Conference held at the Baha ' i World CentTe > from 30 December 1988 to 1Januaty 1989 ......... ........ ...... ...... ....... ... ........... ..... 133 > Baha'i World Centre staff helping each other learn how to use gas masks in > November 1990 ....... .. .......................................... ..... ..... ... .......... .. .. .... ..... ... ....... 135 > Baha ' i youth from Antsirabe, Madagascar, walking to a village to teach the Faith > in April 1988 ............... ... .............. ........... .................................. .................... .. ... 136 > In India, a bicycle for two was made in 1989 to facilitate teaching work .. ............ 139 > In the Solomon Islands, a motorized canoe being used as a Maritime Teaching > Institute; 1991 .. .. .. ... ... .... ... ... .. ..... .. ..... ... ... ... .. ... .. .. .... ... .. .. ..... .. ...... .. ..... .. ... ...... .. .. 140 > A teaching team emailing a new believer in Macau in May 1989 .... .. .... ........ ... .. .. 142 > El Viento Canta performing during the Baha'i International Music Festival held in > Gaborone, Botswana , in December 1989 ...... .. .. .......... ...... ..................... ..... ...... 144 > Irish Baha'i youth taking part in a Walk for World Peace in October 1987 ........... 147 > Counsellor Beatrice Asare presenting the Peace Statement to the Asantahene of > the Asante State of Ghana in September 1988 ................................................... 150 > Counsellor Viol ette Haake presenting the Peace Statement to the Deputy Prime > Minister of the Cook Islands in October 1990 .. .. ... ...... .. .. . .. .. ... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. . 150 > Baha ' i representatives presenting the Peace Statement to NATO Base persom1el in > Keflavik, Iceland, in October 1988 .. .. ... ........ ... .... ................ ................... ........... 150 > Baha'is in Lesotho receiving the United Nations' "Peace Messenger Award" in > September 1987 ............... ..... .................... .... ...... .... ... ........ ............... .. ... ............ 152 > Mr. Dexter King, son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Baha ' i Peace Conference held in Oslo, Norway, in October 1986 .... ... .................. ...... .......... ..... .... ... 153 > The President of France, His Excellency Franc;:ois Mitterrand, with a Baha' i pioneer to Reunion at a reception in Paris in March 1990 ... ........ ..... ..... .... ........ ..... 156 > The booth staffed by the Baha'i Publishing Tmst of Argentina during the International Book Fair held in Buenos Aires in April 1989 .. ....... .... ...... .. .. .... .... .... ..... 158 > Counsellor Edith Senoga visiting Baha ' i communities in western Uganda in Febmary 1990 .... ....... ........................................ ............... .. ....... ..... ... ... .. .................. 161 > > XV I > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > The National Spirihial Assembly of the Baha'is of French Guiana with two Auxiliary Board memb.ers in April 1987 .......... .... .. ........... ......... ........................... ..... 163 > Participants in the National Convention of the Baha' is ofCiskei in April 1987 164 > Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of Jamaica at the > International Convention in Haifa, Israel, in April 1988 .. ..... .. .. ...... ... ... ... ....... .. 165 > Counsellor Violette Haake at a meeting with Auxiliary Board members in New > Caledonia in November 1991 ............................ .................. ....... .... ... ..... ... .. ...... 165 > Participants in a conference for Auxiliary Board members ' assistants held in Swakopmund, Namibia, in July 1988 ........ ..... .. ......... ................ ... .. ......... .... ...... ... .... 166 > Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre Magdalene Carney visiting with the National Spirihial Assemblies of Senegal and the Gambia ............ 166 > The Hand of the Cause of God Amah1 ' l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum opening the > Local Baha'i Centre in Sheun"g Simi, Hong Kong, i1~ November 1990 ............... 168 > Counsellor Lucretia Warren with members of the National Spiritual Assembly of > Mozambique in front of their newly acquired National Centre, March 1989 .... 168 > The new offices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Kiribati, > dedicated in 1989 ... .. .. .... ........ .. ..... .. ... .. ......... .. ... ..... ....... ...... .. ....... .... ...... ... ... ... .. 168 > Friends gathered for the inauguration of the Baha'i Centre in Ndava, Burundi, in > October 1989 .... ..... ..... ... ... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ....... .. ... .. ... .. .. ... ..... ... .... ... .... .. ...... .. ... .. 168 > Children in a Baha'i tutorial school in Ngoakiri, Central African Republic; 1987 .. 174 > A Baha'i children's class in Florida, Uruguay, in November 1988 ...................... . 175 > A Baha ' i tutoria l school in Chaco, Paraguay, in March 1989 ................................ 176 > The wedding of two Baha 'i couples at the Lenakel Baha'i Centre on Taima Island, > Vanuatu, in January 1987 ....... .. .......... ....... ...... ....... ... ... .. ..... .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ...... ... .. ... 177 > Children from the Inarajan Baha'i School on Guam, in the Mariana Islands, planting acacia seedlings in October 1990 .............. ................................... ........ .. ... ... 179 > An experimental pepper farn1 being developed in Sarawak, Malaysia; 1988 181 > The Dorothy Baker Centre in Bolivia, used for environmental studies; 1987 ........ 181 > In Switzerland, Baha'is participating in the annual clean-up of marshland > fo1med where the Rhone Rivers flows into Lake Geneva; March 1992 181 > A Baha ' i doctor prescribing medicines to a patient she examined during a free > medical camp held on Bhit Island near Karachi, Pakistan; 1989 .. .. .. .... .... .... .... . 184 > Inauguration of a public well built by the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bata, > Equatorial Guinea; November 1988 .. .................... ......... ... ......... .... ...... .... .... ..... 185 > Participants in a fence-making course held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as a rural > development project in November 1988 ........ .. ........... .. .... ........ .. ..... .... ...... .. ...... 186 > A geography lesson at the Baha' i School of the Nations in Aracibo, Puerto Rico, > in April 1992 ... ..... .. .. .... .. .. ...... ... .... .. .. ... .. .......... .. ..... .. .. .... .. .. ..... .. .. ........ ..... .. .. .. .. . 187 > The children of the Mbabane Pre-School in Swaziland singing a song; 1987 187 > A Mobile Baha ' i Institute in Cotonou, Benin, in January 1989 ...... ... ... .... ..... ..... .. . 189 > The first Nineteen Day Feast possible since the 1930s was celebrated in Moscow > inAprill989 ...... ........ .... .. ...... ........ ..... ........... .. .................................................. 197 > The first open teaching project in modern Russia; Murn1ansk, July 1989 ..... .. .. .... 200 > A music group spontaneously forn1ed during a teaching project in Neptune, Romania, in July 1991 , attracting large crowds to gather around Baha 'is .................. 202 > > XVll > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > Travelling teachers from Brazil singing for youth in Poland in 1990 ............... ..... 202 > Members of El Viento Canta being interviewed at a radio station in Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 1990 ............ ....................... .............................. .................. ...................... 202 > Participants in the first National Baha'i Conference of the Soviet Union, held in > February 1990 near Moscow ...... .................. ................................................ ..... 202 > A group of Baha'is spent three weeks sailing on a Viking-styled ship down the > Volga and Don Rivers teaching the Faith during the summer of 1990 .. ... .... .. .. . 204 > The Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali-Akbar Funltan visiting Baha ' is in Samarkand > in April 1990 .. .. .... .. ... .. ... .. .. ..... ... .. ... .. ... ...... ....... .. ... .. .... ........ .... .. ... .. .... ........ ... .. .. 206 > A Baha'i delegation met with the President of Albania, His Excellency Ramiz > Alia, in his offices in Dunes in November 1991 ............... ..... ........................... 206 > Baha'is attending the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace, held in Ulaan-Baatar, > Mongolia, in September 1990 ... .. .... .... ... .. ... .. ... .. ..... ... . .. ..... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .... .. ........ 209 > Knight ofBaha'u'llah 'Abbas Katirai, who arrived, with his wife, Ric;Jvaniyyih, in > Sakhalin in March 1990 ................................................................... ... ............... 212 > Baha'is in Tallin, Estonia, in June 1987 ............................. .................................... 214 > Pioneers in Riga, Latvia, holding their first Nineteen Day Feast in September 1989 214 > Baha'is attending the National Teaching Conference held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in > October 1991 ...... ... ....... ..................... .. ..................... ....... .............. .... ... ......... .... 216 > Participants in the regional conference held in Odessa, Ukraine, in February 1992 216 > Baha'i youth from several countries staffing a display in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, in August 1990 .... .. ..... ..... .. ... ..... .. ... .. ....... .... .. ... .. .......... ..... ............ .. .. .. ... .. .. . 218 > Five members of New Zealand's Youth for One World, who travelled to teach in > eastern Europe during the summer of 1990 ... .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ..... .. ..... .. . .. ............ .. .. .. . 219 > Knight ofBaha'u'llah for Mongolia Sean Hinton, seated with the first native Mongolian Baha'i, Oyundelger; 1990 ........... ..... ................... ............ ... ..................... 220 > Friends posing with the first issue of the Russian Baha'i newsletter, The Express, > publishing in December 1991 ............... ............ ................................................. 224 > Members of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Marv, Turkmenistan, Russia. > Elected in September 1990 .... ...... ......... .. ... .... ... .. ...... .. ... ..... .. ... .. ... .. ........... .... .. .. 224 > Counsellor Donald Rogers meeting with community members in Kingston, St. > Vincent, in May 1986, to consult about the Six Year Plan ............................ ... . 226 > In Thailand, Baha'is living in refuge camp "Site Two" were married during aceremony held in October 1987 227 > American Baha'i ente1iainers Leslie and Kelly holding a press conference during > their teaching trip to Taiwan in May 1986 ............................ ... ... .. ..................... 235 > Two Baha'i youth pariicipating in a cross-border teaching project held in Zacatecas, Mexico, in July 1987 .... .. ..... ............. .. .............. ....................................... .. 237 > In St. Lucia, representatives of National Assemblies from thirteen eastern Caribbean countries gathered for a planning session held in October 1987 ....... ........ 238 > Representatives of fiv e National Assemblies and Baha'i International Community > offices in New York and Geneva met to discuss external affairs; Febmary 1988 238 > Pope John Paul II meeting the Baha'i representative to the World Conference on > Religion and Peace held in Italy in July 1991 .. .. .. ... .. .. . .. ..... .. ... .. .. ...... .. ...... ... .. .. . 245 > Presentation of the Peace Statement to the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, the > Right Honorable Sir Lynden Pindling, in February 1988 ................... ........... .... 245 > XVlll > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIO NS > > Liberian Baha'i refugee children in Cote d'Ivoire, March 1991. "Perchance ... the > brilliant pearls of the Kingdom ... " .......................................................... ......... . 246 > The President of the Seychelles, His Excellency Albert Rene, meeting with a > Baha'i delegation in Victoria in December 1991 ........................................ ..... . 248 > Baha'is taking part in a parade on the anniversary of the proclamation of independence of the Central African Republic, December 1986 .... .............................. . 249 > During a teaching conference in Assomada, Cape Verde, in 1987, two youth > present a theatrical piece about teaching in Iran .... ................................... ........ . 250 > In Burkina Faso, a training and refresher course for primary health workers being > held in Koalio in May 1990 ................................ ........... ... ..... ... .... .. ... ... ....... ..... . 252 > In Lome, Togo, children in the Rainbow International School and Kindergarten > during a Peace Festival held in March 1990 ......... ........ ......... ....... .... .. ..... ... ... .. .. 252 > A literacy class being held in Ginkongozo-Rugazi Prefecture, Rwanda, in 1988 252 > Staff members at Radio Baha'i Liberia (ELRB) in Monrovia in March 1987 254 > The Baha' i booth during the Transkei Agricultural Show held in Umtata in October 1990 ....... ............. ............................ .. .......... ..... ........................................... . 255 > Two young musicians playing at the Baha'i International Music Festival held in > Gaborone, Botswana, in December 1989 ........ .... .... ....... .................................. . 256 > The Baha'is of Manzini, Swaziland, laying the cornerstone of their regional > Baha'i Centre during a ceremony held in October 1990 ................................... . 258 > Participants in a Family Life Conference held in Limbe, Cameroon; February > 1991 áááááá ááááááá ááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá áááááááá áááááááááááááááááááá áá ááá ááá ááááááááááááááááááá 259 > Pottery being created during the National Baha'i Women's Conference in Nakuru, > Kenya, in February 1989 ............. ..... ................................................................ . 259 > A group ofBaha'is who walked 800 kilometres from their village to attend a conference held in the Fizi Zone of Zaire in July 1989 .... .... .... ....... ..... .... ... ...... .. ... . 259 > New Baha'is in Lewfen, Senegal, who embraced the Faith during the Viera Teaching Project in 1988 ........... ..... ..... ....... ..... ........... ....... .. ........ ..... .. .......... .. .... .. ...... . 259 > Youth participating in the 'Star 88' teaching project in Botswana; June 1988 261 > Counsellor Lally Wanen visiting with friends in the village ofKabwafu, Malawi, > in August 1990 .. ...... .......................... ..... .......... .................. .............................. . 262 > Teaching institute held at the William Masehla Baha'i Institute in Zambia; 1986 264 > Participants in a deepening seminar held in Gueckedou, Guinea; December 1990 264 > Baha'is helping with construction of their new Teaching Institute at Titye, Kashlu, > Kigoma, Tanzania in 1990 ... ................... ....... ............................. .. ............... ..... . 264 > On Rodriquez Island, friends in La Ferme pose with Counsellor Gilbert Robert > and his wife, Daisy Robert, during their visit in October 1990 ......................... . 266 > Friends working together to make mud bricks for the new Baha'i Primary School > in Yakandor, Pujehun District, Siena Leone; 1987 .................................... .... ... 266 > A Teaching fastitute being held in Bamako, Mali, in December 1987 .............. ... . 266 > A Baha'i doctor offering medicine to Liberian Baha'i refugees in Cote d'Ivoire . > March 1991 ...... ........ ...... .......... ... ... ... ..... ............. .... ..... ....... .............................. . 267 > Friends attending the Baha'i International Peace Conference in San Francisco, > California, in August 1986 ...... .................... ............. ....................................... .. 268 > Friends with plaque presented to the Brazilian Society of Educators for Peace; > 1989 270 > XIX > LI ST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > Members of the Raul Pavon teaching team with women in Puno, Peru. 1990 271 > Singers Seals and Croft participating in the Martin Luther King Day Parade in > Atlanta, Georgia, in January 1991 .. .. .. .. . .. .. ... .... .. ... .. ... ..... .. ..... ... .. ....... ...... .. ... .. .. 272 > Baha'is in Havana, Cuba, welcoming visitors from Mexico in November 1996 273 > In the United States, First Lady Barbara Bush welcomes a Baha'i International > Community representative to a White House reception held in June 1990 274 > In Guadeloupe, a Baha 'i reads "Education for Peace" during a World Religion > Day progranm1e held in January 1987 ............... .. .............................. ................ 274 > In Trinidad, Baha' is gather to commemorate the United Nations' Human Rights > Day in December 1988 .. ............ .. .............. ...... ..... ..... ... .. ..... ........ ..... ...... ..... ... .. . 274 > A Radio Baha'i, Bolivia, staff member during a campaign to fight cholera; 1991 278 > A Radio Baha'i, Panama, staff member preparing to broadcast music; 1987 278 > The staff of WLGI, the Baha'i radio station in Hemingway, South Carolina, in > November 1987 ................... ................. .. ..... .... .. ..... ............. .............. .......... .... .. 278 > Exterior view of the facilities for Radio Baha' i, Chile; February 1988 .................. 278 > Friends teaching the Faith during a radio interview held in Colima, Mexico; 1987 279 > A staff member of Radio Baha ' i, Ecuador, interviewing a villager; 1987 ............. 279 > Some of the friends who produce the weekly Baha' i radio programme in the Guajiro language in Maracaibo, Venezuela; 1990 ....... .......................... .... .... ....... ... 279 > Exterior view of the facilities for Radio Baha' i, Peru; 1988 279 > A Garifuna Baha'i teacher in the Carrib Territory of Dominica; 1991 285 > Participants in the second Regional Youth Conference for the Caribbean, held in > Grenada, August 1988 ........ ..... ....... .... .. .... .......... ...... .. .............................. ......... 288 > Participants in a youth conference held in Barbados in August 1990 ....... .. ...... ..... 289 > Teaching on the island ofCayemite, off the coast of Haiti, in November 1989 290 > Baha ' i participants in an orientation for a teaching proj ect in Belize; June 1990 290 > Children performi ng traditional dances in the Guaymi Cultural Centre in Panama. > April 1989 ............... ....................... .. .. ....... .......................... ............................... 292 > Friends gathered at the Peigan Baha ' i Institute, Alberia, Canada ; December 1989 295 > A Toba Baha ' i woman in the Chaco Region of northern Argentina ; 1989 296 > Students of violin at the School of the Nations, Brasilia, Brazil; 1988 .................. 297 > Exterior of the Maxwell Baha'i School near Vancouver, Canada; 1992 ....... ......... 297 > A Baha'i tutori al school in the Guajiro Region of Colombia; 1987 .................. ..... 297 > Nicaraguan youth who took training classes in children's education; January 1992 297 > Participants in a workshop that was part of the Baha'i winter school in Haiti; > March 1987 ................... ......... .... .. ... ... ..... ..... .... ......... ............. ............................ 300 > Martinique 's ninth National Convention, held in Fort-de-France; 1992 ...... ....... ... 301 > Members of a Baha ' i Regional Native Council in Panama taking a break from > their meeting to visit the House of Worship ; June 1991 .. .... ... .. ... .. ... ........ ... ... .. 30 1 > In Bermuda, friends gathered for a winter schoo l held in February 1987 ..... ..... .. .. 301 > A moilier and daughter at the Local Baha'i Centre in Tai Dong, Taiwan; 1988 302 > Baha'is consulting during the Vajdi Memorial Teaching Project held on Great > Nicobar Island in February/March 1990 .... ...................... ............... .. ... .......... .. .. 306 > Presentation of the Peace Statement to the wife of the Minister of Lands and Land > Development of Sri Lanka; June 1988 ..... ........ .................. ........ .... .................. . 307 > > xx > LIST OF ILLUSTRAT IONS > > T he Crown Prince of Thailand receiving a handmade art object from a young representative of the Sp iritual Assembly; September 1989 ..... .. .......................... ... 308 > The Minister of Tourism for Nepal , Ram Hari Joshy, award ing a prize to a w inner > of the Baha' i youth song contest held at Naw-Ri'.1z in Kathmandu ... .. .. ... .......... 308 > The Prime Min ister of Bang ladesh, Begum Khadela Zia, presenting Counsellor > Jab bar Eidelkhani with the "Young Scientist Award 1990"; July 1991 ... . ......... 308 > An Auxili ary Board member speaking about individual transformation during an á > interfaith seminar held in Coimbatore, India, in January 1991 ....... .......... .. ....... 3 10 > T he Hand of the Cause of God Amatu' l-Baha Ri'.1!)iyyih KMnum visiting w ith students from the School of the Nations in Macau in May 1989 ........................ .... 312 > The Prime Minister of India, H is Exce llency Raj iv Gandhi , presenting a "Friends > of Trees Award- 1986" to a representative of the Rabbani School ... ........... .. .. 312 > Students in a class at the Tadong School in Ranipul , Sikkim, in 199 1 312 > Participants in a Ba ha'i Children 's Institute held in Larut Matang, Ma laysia; > December 1987 ..... ... . .. ... . . ... ... .. .. ... .. ..... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ..... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ...... .. .... .. .. .. .. .. ... . 312 > A Baha' i doctor during a three-day med ica l clinic sponsored by the Nationa l Spiritual Assembly of the Phili pp ines at Naw-Ri'.1z 1987 .. .. ..... .... ... .... 3 15 > T he Local Baha ' i Centre at Ban Vieng Kham Ta i, Laos, dedicated in May 1986 . 3 17 > T he Local Baha'i Centre at Mandalay, Myanmar, dedicated in January 1991 3 17 > Baha'is participating in a World Religious Book Ex hibition held in Tokyo, Japan, > inJuly 1990 .. ....................................... ..... ..... ..... ...... .. ..... ................. ................. 318 > Baha'is participating in the third International Book Fair held Beijing, China, in > September 1990 . .. . .. .. .... ... .. .. ... .. . . ... ..... .. .. ... .. ... .. ... ... ... .. ... .. .. .... . ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ....... 318 > A Mangyan Baha'i family on its way to a teaching conference he ld in Mansalay, > Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, in 1986 ...... .............................................. ......... 322 > Baha'i children in Singapore supporting the co untry's Green and C lean Week in > November 199 1 by designing and displaying banners about the env ironment .. 323 > Two Baha' i friends at a National Teachi ng Conference in Sydney, Australia, "in > December 1987 .... .................................................... ..... ..... ........................ .... .... 324 > Traditional dancers fro m Kimama vi llage in the Western Province of Papua New > Guinea during a teaching project in 1989 .. .... ........... ............. ............. .... .. .... .. ... 326 > Baha' is dancing during a National Teaching Conference held in Ap ia, Samoa, in > July 199 1 .. .... ........ ... ....... .. ... .. ... .. ... ... .................................. .... .... ...... ......... ........ 327 > A New Zea land Baha' i with a long spear-like Maori weapon he turned into a digging tool as a g ift fo r the Baha'i House of Wo rship in India; 1988 ......... ......... .. 328 > Four Samoan Baha'i women visiting the Cook Islands in September 199 1 as part > of the Ocean of Light proj ect .. ... .. .. .. ... ... .. .. ... .. .. .... . ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. . .. ... ... . .. .. .. .. .. . .. . 329 > Mr. Peter Kaltoli, the first loca l person to become a Baha'i in Vanuatu (then ca lled > the New Hebrides), w ith Counsellors Bruce Saunders and Sirus Naraqi in 1991 330 > Counsell or member of the International Teaching Centre Donald Rogers visiting > Baha'is in Perth, Western A ustrali a, in 1990 ............... ... ........... ..... ................... 33 1 > In the Marshal l Islands, President Amata Kabuajoining Baha ' is during a dinner to > commemorate the Internati onal Year of Peace; October 1986 .......... ..... ........... 334 > In Western Samoa, Baha'is wa lking with the conmrnnity's fl oat in a parade to ce lebrate the 25th anniversary of the cou ntry's independence; June 1987 ............. 334 > > XX ! > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > In the Solomon Islands, Baha'i youth with the float they created to help celebrate > the 10th anniversary of the country's independence; July 1988 ..... ................ .. 334 > The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Eastern Caroline Islands; 1987 336 > Baha'i representatives to the meeting sponsored by the South Pacific Commission > and held in Fiji in September 1988 ........ .. .. .. .. .... ...... .. ............ .. .. .. ........ .... .......... 340 > Children attending the Baha'i kindergarten KoloJo 'ou, Nuku'alofa in Tonga; 1990 342 > Members of the group Youth for One World, which formed in 1990 to use music > to proclaim the Faith, posing in Masterton , New Zealand .. .......... .. ........ .......... 343 > A special prayer service held at the Baha' i House of Worship in Samoa during the > summer school in January 1987 ........................................................................ 346 > A day-long gathering for Baha'i families and their friends held at the Baha' i > House of Worship in Sydney, Australia, in 1988 .............................. .. .......... .... 346 > Participants in the European Baha'i Youth Conference held in July 1989 in the > Netherlands ............. .... .... .. ..................................... ... ................ ... ...................... 348 > A view of the Great Eastern Conference held in Dieburg, Germany; March 1987 350 > A mural painted by Baha'i youth of the Canary Is lands in 1988 .. ...................... .. .. 352 > The Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Ugo Giachery celebrating his 90th birthday > during the summer school held in Filipstad, Sweden, in July 1986 ..... .. .. .. .... .... 353 > Balloons being released in San Marino ' s main square during the European Baha'i > Youth Conference held in July 1989 ... .. .... .... .... .. ... .... .......... .. ................ .. ......... 354 > Participants in the National Baha' i Youth Conference held in Sete, France, in 1989 356 > Romani (Gypsy) Baha ' is ofTorreviej a, Spain, celebrate Naw-Ruz in 1987 .. .. ..... 358 > Mrs. Meherangiz M unsiff w ith a family of Gypsies she met during her trip to > Lappeeranta, Fi nland, in July 1987 .. .... .... .... .. ...... .... .............................. .. .. .. ...... 358 > Participants in a teaching project held in Cyprus in 199 l 358 > Counsellor Loui s Henuzet receiving the "Peace Messenger Award" on behalf of the > Baha'i community of Belgium during a ceremony held in Brussels; 1987 .. .. ... 360 > A group of new Baha' is in Koyuslukow, Sivas, Turkey, gathering to establish their > first Local Spiritual Assembl y; January 1992 ..................................... ........ ....... 361 > The first International Dialogue on the Transition to a G lobal Society being held at > Landegg Academy in Switzerland in September 1990 ...................................... 362 > Baha' is receiving a commemorative stamp issued by the Post Office of the United > Ki ngdom to honour Bernard Leach, a potter and a Baha'i; November 1987 ..... 364 > An exhibition of Baha' i books held as part of a Congress on Religious Studies at > the New University in Lisbon, Portugal, in January 1992 ...... .. ......................... 366 > An exhibition of Baha'i books displayed during the International Book Fa ir in > Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in October 1990 .. .. ...... ..... ............. .. ........... .. ................ .. 367 > Oneworld Publications' edition of The Hidden Words ofBaha ' u'llah displayed in > a Sherratt & Hughes bookstore in the United Kingdo m in July 1989 ...... .. .. .. .... 368 > The Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone with other participants in the > summer school held in Iceland in August 1987 ......... .. ........ ....... ....................... 369 > Participants in the opening of the first Baha' i Schoo l in Vej le, Denmark, in September 1989 ..................................................... ..... .. ..... .. .. .. .... ..... .. ..... ........ .. ...... 369 > The House of the Bab in Shiraz, being demolished by Iranian authorities soon after > the Islamic revolu tion in 1979 .................. .. .......... .. .................... .... ..... .... .......... 370 > > xxii > LIS T OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > A photograph taken around 1896, showing a Baha'i father and son in chains after > being arrested with fellow Baha'is. Both were subsequently executed ............ 372 > A photograph taken in May 1955, showing members of the Shah's army and Muslim leaders joining in the destruction of the National Baha' i Centre; Tihran, Iran 373 > The House of the Bab in Shiraz, a place of pilgrimage for Baha'is, was destroyed > by Revolutionary Guards in 1979 and later completely razed .. .. .. .. ..... ..... .... ..... 375 > Shortly after the Islamic Revolution , the National Baha' i Centre in Tihran was > confiscated by authorities ... ... ... .. ... .... ...... ... .. ...... ........ ...... ...... ........ .... ... .... ....... . 377 > Destruction of a Baha'i cemetery in Shiraz in 1979 ........ .. ... ... ............... .. ... .... .. .... . 381 > Light fixture on the colonnade of the Shrine of the Bab .... ... .... ..... ..... .... ....... ....... .. 382 > Individual photographs of some of the martyrs .. ........................ .. ....... ................... 399 > In the Gambia, participants in a Baha'i Women 's Institute held in the Regional > Baha' i Centre of Latri-Kunda in 1987 .. .. ........ .. .................. ... ......... ..... .. ... ....... 408 > In the United States of America, a reception to honour Laura Dreyfu s-Barney held > at the UNICEF House in Washington, D.C., in July 1988 ................. ...... ..... .... . 408 > In Chad, the "Roses Noires" Baha'i women's group ofSarh learning sewing skills > in June 1988 ............ ... ...... ..... ..... ....... .......... ... .. ....... ........ .... .. ................... ......... . 410 > In Malaysia, Richard and Mona Grieser meet with participants in the "Traditional > Media as a Change Agent" project in Sarawak; 1992 ............. ... ...... .... ..... ...... ... 412 > In Luxembourg, the Baha'i Women 's Union organized a conference with concert > heldin0ctoberl988 ........ ..... ..... ........... ................. .......... .... ..... .. .. .... .... .. .......... 413 > In Mexico, Rosalinda Espinoza de Frazelle talks about "Women and Peace" during a Baha'i women's conference held in 1987 ..... .. ........ .. ...... ....... .... ........ ....... 413 > In Bangladesh, Shirin Boman addresses a Baha ' i women 's conference held in > Dhaka in 1986 .... .......... ........................... ..... ... ..... .. ... .. ..... .. .. .. ... ....... ................. 413 > In Kenya, one of the fri ends makes a point during the National Baha' i Women 's > Conference held in the Nakuru Baha'i Centre in February 1989 ... .. ... ...... ......... 413 > Uruguay hosted an International Baha ' i Women ' s Conference held in Montevideo > in October l 989 .. ..... .... .. .. .. . .... . .. .. ..... ..... ... .. .. .. ... ..... . ... .. .... ... .... .... .. ...... .. .. .. .. ... ... 414 > A Pacific Baha'i Women's Conference held in Hilo, Hawaii , in mid-1991 415 > Louise Profeit-Leblanc gives a presentation during the Conference for the Association for Baha'i Studies held in Irvine, California, in September 1989 ............. 417 > In the Solomon Islands, Baha'i women and children presenting their custom dancing during the Women ' s Week celebrations held in September 1988 ....... ...... .. 418 > In Pakistan, a public meeting held in memory of Tahirih was organized by the > Local Ladies Committee of Karachi; August 1989 .. ...... .. ...... .... ...... .. ...... ...... ... 419 > In the Philippines, President Corazon Aquino and the Vice President of the All > Nations Women's Group, a Baha ' i, in May 1990 ..... ..... ........... .............. .. .. ..... .. 420 > Participants in the Rubi Institute International Training Course for Tutorial School > Teachers and Preparation for Youth Year of Service, Colombia; November 1986 422 > Youth volunteers in "The Temple Brigade" helping to clean the Baha'i House of > Worship in New Delhi, India, in 1988 .......... .................................... ........ ..... ... 423 > Some of the youth serving at the Baha'i World Centre in March 1990 ..... .... .... ..... 424 > A Baha' i youth of Vanuatu with students of the literacy class he teaches on Tanna > as part of his Year of Service; February 1992 ... ........... ...... ... .... ............... ... .. ... .. 426 > > XXlll > LIST OF I LLUSTRA TIO NS > > Youth Year of Service volunteers went into the Kalahari Desert in Botswana to > hold deepenings for the Baha' is who live there; October 1987 .. ...... ..... ...... 427 > In Hawaii , American Baha' i youth cooking during a two-week-long summer camp > held on Maui for Russian youth in 1988 ........... ....... ... .. ..................................... 428 > In the U.S. Virgin Islands, a Sparks for Peace team of Baha ' i youth reinstalling a > fence as a service project in a national park in 1989 . .. ... ... .. ..... .. .. .. .. .. .. ....... .. .. ... 428 > In the Dominican Republic, a yo ung graduate of the Olinga Institute courses in > service to the Cause teaching a children's class in 1991 .................................... 428 > In Luxembourg, Baha'i youth volunteers working to clean and maintain the Garden of Wiltz; 1990 ....... .. .. .... .... .. ... ... .. ....... .. .... ............. ........ ........ ... ... .. .... .. ... .. .. . 429 > In Uganda, part of the youth programme during the summer school in Mbale was > to help clean up the local hospital ; 1991 ... ..... .................................................... 429 > In Tonga, a Baha'i youth group after cleaning downtown Nukualofa in support of > World Health Day; 1990 ........... ... .. ...... ...... ... .. ... ..... ..... ........ ........... ........... .... .... 429 > In Scotland, youth participants in Operation Mona, after cleaning up a section of > the River Clyde in July 1986 .. .... .. .. ..... ..... ....... ..... .. ........ ......... .. .... .... .. ........ ...... 430 > In Singapore, yo ung Baha'is after helping to clean up a beach as a community service project in 1990 ... . .. ... ... ........ .. .. .. ..... ... . ..... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... ... .... ... ..... ........ .. .. .... .. . 430 > In St. Vincent, children and youth participating in a Baha' i-sponsored activity to > clean up Villa Beach; April 1992 ... .... .... .. .... ....... ......................... ...... .... ....... .... 430 > In Panama, Baha' i youth performing cultural dances as part of the International > Day of Peace activities in Boca de! Monte; 1989 ....... ......................... ........ ...... 431 > In Nigeria, members of the Baha ' i youth ' s football club, called The Peace Makers, > during the semi -final match in a local soccer competition; 1987 ............... ....... 431 > In Taiwan , six youth who enro lled in the Faith during the Muhajir Teaching > Project in 1987 are members of three ethnic minorities .. .............. .. ......... ... ..... . 431 > The third Peace Moves '89 Regional European Youth Conference, held in July > 1989 in Madrid, Spain ..... .............. ........ ....... ....... ....... .......... .... ....... ....... .... 436 > The members of the first European Baha' i Youth Council after their first meeting > in London , England, in November 1989 ..... ..... ..... ......... ... ........... .... .... ... ...... ... .. 437 > Participants in one of the four European Youth Conferences held in the summer of > 1991 took place in Neptune, Romania .. ... .. ........ ... .... .... .......... ..... ........ .............. 439 > Participants in the George Adam Benke Project in Bulgaria attending the National > Teaching Conference held in Plovdiv in October 1991 .... ....... ...... .......... .......... 440 > The members of El Viento Canta before beginning their tour of Europe in 1988 .. 443 > Members of El Viento Canta with children on the grounds of the Baha ' i House of > Worship near Kampala, Uganda, during their tour of Africa in 1989 ... ............. 444 > Members of El Viento Canta in U laan-Baatar, Mongolia, with Knight ofBaha'u ' llah, > Sean Hinton, and some of the first Mongolian Baha'is; 1990 ............. ....... ....... 445 > Members of the Wildfire Youth Theatre Group during a performance in New > South Wales, Australia, in February 1989 .. .......... ... ..... ... ...... .......... ..... ..... ........ 449 > Light in the Darkness performing during the European Baha'i Youth Conference > held in Neptune, Romania, in July 1991 .. ......... ....... ......... .... ... ..... ...... ...... .... ... .. 450 > Musical entertainment being presented during a youth conference held in Dar es > Salaam, Tanzania, in November/ December 1991 ........... ...... .... .... .... .. .... .......... 451 > > XX IV > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > Participants in Austria's National Youth Conference; Spital am Pyhrn; 1992 45 l > The Prime Minister of Guyana, His Excellency Hamilton Greene, addressing the > Caribbean Baba 'i Youth Conference held in Georgetown in August 1989 451 > Friends attending a youth institute in P01t Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in > December 1988 .. .. .. .. ... .. .... .. ..... ... . .. .... .... .. .. .. ... ... .. ... .. .. ... .. .... ..... ... .... ....... .. .. .. ... .. 452 > Participants in a quiz held during the National Youth Conference in Lahore, Pakistan, in September 1988 ............ ......... .... ............... ......... ........... .......... ..... .... ...... 452 > A group photograph taken during the International Youth Conference held near > Harare, Zimbabwe, in August 1990 ....... .. .. ...... ... ............ .... ... ............ ... ............. 452 > Two guest lecturers and friends associated with the Chair for Baha'i Studies at the > University oflndore, India, in January 1992 .. ........... ......... ..... ... ......... .. ... ...... ... 455 > The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Ru l~iyyih Khanum and Dr. Erwin > Laszlo followipg the General Systems Research Conference in Hungary; 1987 460 > Participants in the Australian National Baha ' i Studies Conference, held in Adelaide in March 1989 .. .... ... ..... .. .. .. ...... .. ... .. .. .... ..... .. ... .. ... .. .. ....... ... ... ..... .. .. ... .. ... ... 461 > The first meeti ng of the Association for Baba ' i Studies in East, Central, and South > Africa being held in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 1990 ........ .......................... 463 > The Association for Baha'i Studies, French-Speaking Europe, holding its third > annual meeting in Luxembourg in November 1986 .......... .... ................. .. ......... 465 > The Association for Baha'i Studies, German-Speaking Europe, during its fifth > ammal conference, held in Austria in 1989 ... ................... ... ....... .. .... ...... ..... ...... 466 > The Association for Baba 'i Studies, Japan, during its first a1mual conference, held > in Tokyo in December 1991 .. .... .. ... .. ... .. ............................. ....... ....... ... ..... ......... 467 > A speaker during the thirteenth meeting of the Association for Baha'i Studies, > N01th America , held in Ottawa, Canada, in October 1988 ........ ..... .............. .. ... 468 > A Seminar on Intercultural Issues preceding the Conference of the Association for > Baha ' i Studies held in Irvine, California, in 1989 ... ....... .. ..... ...... .. .................... 469 > The Association for Baha'i Studies, Papua New Guinea, holding its second conference, in Po1t Moresby in May 1989 .. ........................................ .......... .... ...... 470 > A member of the Baha'i International Health Agency visiting the home of a > Baha'i Health Education Agent in Sarh, Chad, in June 1988 ... ............ .... .... .. ... 4 72 > The European Baha ' i Business Fomm ho lding its second a1mual conference in > Paris, France, during the late summer of 1991 ... ............ .... .... .... ... ..... ..... ... .. ... .. 476 > Participants in Art Forum '9 1, held at the Baha'i Conference Centre in De Poort, > Netherlands .. ... ..... .......................... ...... ... .... ...... .... .. .............. ........ ..... .......... ... ... 479 > Art Forum East, held in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, in July 1991 ........................ 480 > Students at the Tadong Baha 'i School in Sikkim, India, learning to use computers > as part of their regular curriculum; 1991 ...... .. ... ..... ........ .... ... .... .... .. ... .. .. ... ... ... .. 483 > Dr. Ethel Martens at the Baha'i Internationa l Community display during at the > World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, in May 1988 . .. .. ... .. ... . .. 524 > A representative of the National Assembly of the Baha 'is of Brazil receiving the > United Nations' "Peace Messenger Award;" September 1987 ..... .. ................... 526 > Baha'i International Conmmnity representatives Mrs. Mary Sawicki Power and > Mrs. Tinai Hancock at a South Pacific Committee Conference held in Suva, > Fiji, in September 1988 ...... .. .................................. ............ ............................ ... 535 > > xxv > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul:J.iyyih Khanum presenting a > copy of the Baha'i Statement on Nature to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in Winchester, England, in October 1987 .... .. ..... ...... .. ... ......................... 541 > Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of > the Cook Islands; 2 February 1989 ......... ... ......... .. ........ ....... ..... ......................... 545 > Recognition of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Guinea-Bissau > in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution; 7 July 1988 .... .... ... ..... .. 546 > Receipt of the Declaration of Trust for the National Spiritual Assembly of the > Baha'is of Guinea; 29 May 1986 (first page) .................................................... 547 > Certificate of change of name from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is > of South and West Africa to the National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa; > 27 March 1987 .. .... .. ... .. ... .. .. . .. .. ... .. .. . .. ... .. ... .... .... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. ... ........ .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. . 548 > Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of > the West Leeward Islands; 23 October 1991 ..................................................... 549 > Decree by the Government of Quebec, Canada, regarding the Civil Registtáy of > Baha'i Local Spiritual Assemblies in Hull, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, > Longueuil, and Montreal; 1990 (first page) ....................................................... 551 > Registration of the Baha'is of Ashkhabad of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic by the Council of Religious Affairs at the Council of Ministers of the Union > of Soviet Socialist Republics; 25 Janua1y 1990 ................................................. 552 > Recognition of the Baha 'is of Dushanbe of the Tadzhik Soviet Socialist Republic > by the Council of Ministers ofTadzhikistan; 14 November 1990 .......... ........... 553 > Appointment by the Attorney General of a Baha'i Marriage Office in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Effective from 10 March 1988 ............................. 556 > Approval of a legal representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the > Baha'is of Burundi by the Minister of Justice, dated 12 October 1988 ............. 557 > Letter from the Ministry of Finance of Equatorial Guinea, recognizing the right of > the National Spiritual Assembly to be exempt from taxes; 29 April 1986 ........ 558 > Certificate of recognition of the Lomaivuna Baha'i Kindergarten by the MinistJ.y > of Education of the Government ofFiji; 21August1987 .................................. 559 > Circular Letter from the Minister for the AdministJ.áation of the Territories of > Gabon stating that the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Gabon 560 > may carry out all activities; 6 May 1987 .......................................................... .. > Ce11ificate registering the offices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the > Baha' is of Ireland as a place for the solemnisation of marriage; 8 September > 1988 ááá áááááááááááááááá áááááááááááááááááááá ááá ááá áá ááá ááááá ááá ááá áááá áááá áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá 561 > The Malawi Gazette Supplement, dated 7 November 1986, giving notice of the > licensing of the Baha'i Centre in Limbe, and the Baha'i Teaching mstitute in > Amalika Village, as a place for the celebration of marriages ......... .. ...... ........ ... 562 > Rental agreement between the Baha'i Property Incorporate and three individuals > for a Baha'i Centre, filed with the clerk of Courts on Santo Island, Kwajalein > Atoll, in the Marshall Islands; 14 November 1986 .................. ....... ..... ....... ....... 563 > Letter from the Department of Education for the Conunonwealth of the Northern > Mariana Islands recognizing Baha'i Holy Dates when children may be excused > from classes; 10 September 1987 ....... .. .......... .......... ............................... .. ........ 564 > > xxvi > LIST OF IL LUSTRAT IONS > > Notification by the Government of Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs and > Minority Affairs of the appointment of a Baha' i on the Advisory Council for > Minorities Affairs ...................... ............... ............. ..... ...... ..... ... ....... .................. 565 > Certificate of Registration of a Permitted School in Papua New Guinea for the > Baha' i Study Centre to operate as a high school; 14 November 1986 ...... ..... .... 566 > Marriage contract of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Philippines, which was approved by the government in 1987 ... ........... .. .................... 567 > Certificate of Registration by the Republic of Zambia of the William Mmuthe > Maseltha Baha' i Institute; 5 October 1988 ........... ... ...... ... ............... .... ....... ...... . 568 > First Day Cover of a commemorative stamp portraying the House of Worship in > Apia, issued by the Government of Western Samoa for Christmas 1988 .. .. .... .. 569 > The Postal Department of India depicted the House of Worship in New Delhi on a > postage stamp to mark the Diamond Jubilee of that city .................... .... .... ... ... . 570 > > Part Four: Th e World Order of Baha 'u 'llah > > Partial view of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice from the south 608 > Five Hands of the Cause leading friends attending the International Convention > towards the Shrine of the Bab for the observance of the Ninth Day ofRic;lvan ... 619 > A delegate casting her ballot during the election of the Universal House of Justice > during the International Convention held at Ric;lvan 1988 .. .............. ... ... .. ... ... ... 619 > A delegate expressing his views during a consultative session during the International Convention .. .. .... .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ...... ... .. ... ... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... .. ... ... ... ... ... .. .... .. . .. . .. ... .. 620 > A delegate during one of the special continental sessions held as part of the International Convention . ... . .. ... .. .... .. ... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. . .. ... ..... .. ..... ... ... .. ..... ... .. ... .. .. ... . .. .. . .. 620 > The Hands of the Cause of God Amatu ' l-Baha Ri'1l;iyyih Khanum, Dr. 'Ali- > Mul;ammad Varqa, and William Sears during International Convention, 1988 .. 622 > The members of the Universal House of Justice elected at Ric;lvan 1988 .. .. ... .. ...... 623 > The Hand of the Cause Jolm Robarts and his wife planting a tree in Northern Ireland during their visit there in August 1986 .......... .. .... .......... .. .......................... 638 > The Hand of the Cause H. Collis Featherstone and his wife attending the National > Convention in Mauritius in May 1987 ... ... ... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. . .. ... . .. ... .. .. .. ...... .. . ...... .. .. . 642 > Amatu ' l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum presenting a copy of the Peace Statement to the > Governor of Macau in April 1989 .. ....... ... ...... ....... .... .... .. .. ... ... .... ........ ........... ... 653 > The Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Ugo Giachery with Lilian Alai and Tosi Malietoa during the National Convention held in Apia, Western Samoa; April 1989 653 > The Hand of the Cause H. Collis Featherstone and his wife attending the Aboriginal Baha'i Institute held in Forsayth, Australia, in June 1989 ................ ........... 656 > The Hand of the Cause H . Coll is Featherstone and his wife visiting Ho Chi Minh > City, Vietnam, in August 1989 ...... ... .. ............. ... .......... ........................... .. ........ 658 > Amatu ' l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum meeting the President of Argentina, Dr. Carlos > Menem, during the "Uniting the Americas" conference; Febrnary 1990 ....... .. . 662 > The Hand of the Cause Mr. 'Ali-Akbar Furutan visiting with members of a Baha 'i > fa mily in Dushanbe, Tadzhik, in the Soviet Union, in March 1990 ... .. .......... .... 663 > > xx vii > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > The Hand of the Cause of God Wi ll iam Sears in Worcester, Massachusetts, in > October 1.99 1, encouraging the friends to fil l the Six Year Plan goa lsá .. ... L .. ... 668 > The Hand of the Cause Dr. 'Ali-Mul?ammad Varqa with Baha'i children in Greenland in Apri l 1992 ........................................................................................ .. .... 67 1 > T he members of the Uni versal House of Justice, fi ve Hands of the Cause of God, > Counsell or m embers of the International Teach ing Centre, and members of the > Continenta l Board of Counse ll ors in Haifa in May 1988 .................................. 682 > Counsellor Beatrice Asare be ing greeted by member of the U niversal House of > Justice Dr. Peter Khan in the Seat of the International Teaching Centre; 1988 .. 682 > The Hands of the Cause of God Dr. 'Al i-MuJ:iammad Varqa, Wil lia m Sears, > Amatu' l-Baha Rlil?fyyih Kha nu m, 'Ali-Akbar Furu tan, and H. Coll is Featherstone at the Mansion of Mazra' ih during the Counsell ors' Conference; 1988 .... 683 > Coun sell ors Robert Harris and Arturo Serrano consu lti ng w ith Coun sellor member > of the International Teaching Centre Dr. Magdalene Carney; May 1988 ......... 683 > The members of the Inte rnati onal Teaching Centre; June 1988 ...................... .. ..... 685 > The Continental Board of Counse ll ors for Africa in 199 1 .............................. .... ... 688 > The Continental Board of Counsell ors fo r the Ameri cas in 199 1 688 > T he Continenta l Board of Counse llors for Asia in 199 1 690 > T he Continental Board of Counse ll ors for Australasia in 199 1 ... ........ .... .......... .. .. 690 > T he Continental Board of Counsell ors for Europe in 199 1 .. .. ....... .. ............ .......... . 69 1 > In Suriname, Counsellor Jacq uel ine Delahunt consu lts w ith Mrs. Terry Madison > during the National Convention held in Paramaribo in April 1990 .................. . 692 > In Czechos lovakia, Counsell or Rul?u' llah Mumtazi visits with frie nds in Prague in > December 1986 ................................................ ..... .. ....... ...... ............................. . 692 > In Hawaii , Counsellor Gayle Morri son during a meeting w ith the National Spiritual > Assembly of the Hawaiian Islands and the Local Assembly of Honolulu ; 1987 692 > In Ko rea, Counse llor Kim Myung Jung j oins in the celebrati on of the Seventi eth > Anniversary of the Introdu ction of the Faith in Korea; Seoul , February 1992 .. 693 > In Guatema la, members of the Continental Board of Counsell ors fo r the Americas > and some Auxi li ary Board members meeting with members of the Nationa l > Sp iritual Assembli es of Central America; 1990 .. .. ...... .. ................... .. ............... 693 > In Bophuthatswana, Counsell or member of the International Teaching Centre > Dr. Magda lene Carney meets with Counsellors Dani el Ra moroes i and Lall y > Warren, and Auxiliary Board members Enos Makhele and Sohail Rowhan i; 1989 693 > Counse ll or Ursul a Milhl schl egel participates in the National Convention held in > Athens, Greece; April 1987 .................................... ..... .. .............. .. .. .. .... .. .......... 706 > > New National Spiritual Assemblies > > Page Page > Guin ea-B issa u (1989) ................ .. 708 West Leeward Islands ( 199 1) .. .. 7 11 > Macau ( 1989) ....... ....... .. .. .. ........ .. 709 Ango la ( 1992) ......... .. ... .... ...... .. 7 11 > Union of Soviet Socialist Rep ubli cs The Baltic States ( 1992) .......... . 7 12 > ( 199 1) ááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá áááá 709 Albania ( 1992) ....................... .. 712 > Ro mania ( 199 1) .. ............ .. .... .. .. .. . 710 Hungary ( 1992) .. ....... .. .... .. .... .. 7 13 > Czechoslovakia ( 1991 ) .. .......... .. .. 7 10 Po land (1 992) .. .... .. .. .. .. ....... .... . 71 3 > > XXV l ll > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Greenland (1992) . . 714 > (1992) ........ ....... ..... .... ...... ..... 714 Bulgaria (1992) 715 > > Re-established National Spiritual Assemblies > > Page Page > Zaire (1987) .. .... ........ ... ... ..... ....... . 715 Niger (1992) ......... ....... .. ...... ..... . 717 > Azerbaijan ( 1992) .. .... ..... ...... .... ... 716 Central Asia (1992) ..... .... ....... .. . 717 > Congo Republic (1992) ....... ....... . 716 > > Seven members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Loja, Spain, in October 1986 724 > The Local Spiritual Assembly of Ashkhabad, Turkmen, S.S.R., re-formed in 1989 > after a lapse of fifty years .. ... .. ..... .. ..... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. .... ... .. .. ... .... .. .. . ... .. ....... ... ...... 724 > The Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of District 10 in Ho Chi Minh City, > Vietnam, elected at Ri~van 1990 .. ..... ..... ........ ................ ...... .......... .... .... ... ........ 724 > Members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Johannesburg, South > Africa, consulting during a meeting in 1988 ........... ... .. ........... ........ ...... ........ .. .. 725 > Chi ldren gathered for Baha'i classes in the local l:{a:.:-:iratu ' l-Quds in Dzitya, > Yucatan , Mexico, in 1987 ......... ... .. .. ..... ...... ........ ..... .......... ..... .... .. ............ ... .... .. 725 > Members of local youth committees meeting with the National Youth Committee > of Germany to consult about the Six Year Plan. Mainz, Germany; March 1987 725 > A Nineteen Day Feast being. held áat the Khao-i-Dang Annex Refugee Camp in > Thailand in 1987 .............. :. .... .............. ............ ..... ... ...... .... ...... .... ...... ....... .. ..... .. 726 > Roslyn Buie reading a prayer during the devotional part of the Naw-Ruz celebrations held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in March 1992 . .... . ...... ... .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 726 > Children of Ambano, Madagascar, singing during the Naw-Ruz celebrations held > in their community in March 1991 .. ... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. . .... .. ... .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. .. .. .. ..... . ... ... 726 > Friends enjoying the Ayyam-i-Ha celebrations sponsored by the Local Spiritual > Assembly of San Jose, California, USA, in February 1988 .... .. .. ............. .......... 727 > A social activity held during a Weekend Baha'i School in Macau in January 1988 727 > Young friends providing entertainment during the Naw-Ruz celebration held in > Paramaibo, Suriname, in March 1988 ..... ......... ... ..... ...... ........ ....... ......... .. .... ... .. 727 > The Mother Temple of the Asian Continent, in New Delhi, India, on the day of its > Dedication, in December 1986 .. . ... .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. . .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 732 > The three Hands of the Cause of God who attended the Indian Temple Dedication: > Amatu ' l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum, William Sears, and Col lis Featherstone ...... 735 > Three choirs performing during the Indian Temple Dedication service ... ... ...... .. ... 736 > Arn atu ' I-Baba Ruf:iiyyih Khanum addressing the opening session of the International Teaching Conference held in New Delhi in December 1986 .......... ........ 739 > Exterior and interior views of the "Lotus ofBahapur" ... ..... .. .... .. .... ...... .. .... .... .. .. .. . 741 > Aerial view and details of the exterior of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar .. ........ ... ... ......... 742 > The British High Commissioner in Delhi during his visit to the Baha ' i House of > Worship in January 1989 ... .... ..... ... ......... .. ..... ....... .. ... ....... .. .... ...... ...... .... ........... 747 > The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church being escorted to the Temple for > an official vi sit in January 1989 ... ......... .. ... ....... .... .. ......... .. ...... .. .. .... ...... ............ 747 > > XXIX > LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS > > The Assistant Permanent Representative of Haiti to the United Nations at the > Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in February 1989 .............. ..... .......... ....................... ..... .. ..... 747 > The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka during his visit to the Temple in March 1988 .. .. 748 > The Ambassador of the United States to India attending the Dedication ceremo~ > nies for the House of Worship in December 1986 ..... ........... .. ......................... .. 748 > The Ambassador of Thailand to India at the Lotus Temple in April 1990 ............. 748 > The Vice-Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Broadcasting, Film and Television > at the Baha'i House of Worship in October 1990 ......... ...... .... .. ...... .......... ......... 749 > A delegation of Soviet film artists vis iting the Temple in January 1989 ..... .... .. ..... 750 > The Ethiopian Minister of Labour and Social Welfare during his visit to the "Lotus > ofBahapur" in January 1990 ........ ....... ......... ................................ ... ........ ... ....... 752 > > Part Five: In Memoriam > > Page Page > Giachery, Dr. Ugo ...................... . 778 Hollibaugh, Eleanor ..... .. ...... ..... . 870 > Khadem, Zikrullah (Dhikru'llah Nahvi, Saeed (Sa'id Na~vi) ....... . 872 > Khadim) ...... .... ....... ................ ... 788 Ahdieh, Mansour (Man~t'.ir > Khazeh, Jalal (Jalal'u'Ilah Kha<;li') 791 'Ahdiyyih) ............. ........... .. ... .. 874 > Sears, William ............................ . 797 Su mah, Mohamed Lamin ... .. .... . 876 > Roba1is, John .................. ..... ..... . . 806 Fitzpatrick, Henry Bertron ... ..... . 878 > Featherstone, Collis .. ..... ..... .... .... . 815 Sanchez Martinez, Juan ...... .. ... .. 881 > Wolcott, Charles ......................... . 819 Gulick, Robert Jr. ................. ... .. . 883 > Kavelin , Borrah .......................... . 823 Jensen, Knud .. ... ....... ..... ........ ... . 885 > Tihrani, Qudratu ' llah .... . 826 Navidi, Azizollah ('Azizu'llah > Winnanik and Mubarak ... .. .. ... ... . 828 Navidi) ...... .... .... .. .......... .. ....... . 888 > Khianra, Dipchand ..................... . 831 Suleimani, Suleiman (Sulayman > Khabirpour, 'Aziz ('Azizu' llah Sulaymani) ............................. . 890 > Khabirpur) .. ... ...... .. .... .. ... ... ...... . 834 Sivapiragasam, Kandiah ............ . 891 > Leong, Yan Kee ......... ..... ... ... ...... . 835 Laws, Frederick ...................... .. . 894 > Mingorance Fernandez, Jose .. ... . 838 Bausani, Alessandro ...... ........... . 895 > Bernal de Sanchez, Aura Maria .. . 839 Ashton, Beatrice Owens ...... ... .. . 898 > Khan, Fazal Mohamad ..... ... ....... . 841 Olson, Cynthia and Edgar ......... . 900 > Hoahania, Hamuel ...................... . 844 Perks, Thelma ........................... . 906 > Koirala, Masheed Iqani (Mashid Menking, Jo Anne .................... . 908 > iqani Koirala) .. ..... ...... .. .~...... . 845 Shayani, 'Azizu'llah ...... ........... . 911 > Duna, Rudolfo .. ......... .. .. .. ........ ... . 847 Baghdadi, Adib Radhi (Adib Ra<;li > Dobbins, Bertha ..................... .. .. . . 849 Baghdadi) ....... ... ... ... ............. ... 914 > White, Tumanuvao William ....... . 852 Hawthorne, Rose ........... ...... ..... . 916 > Mazakrnat, Apelis ...................... . 855 Hopper Welsh, E leanore (Rene) 917 > Trojankova-Bendova, Juliana ... . . 858 Lamb, Dora Worth (Dee) .......... . 920 > Dodge, Isabelle Stebbins ............ . 860 Lindstrom, Shirley (Adaz > Aidun, Go! .................................. . 862 Ayamdagoot) ......... ........ ........... . 92 1 > Storch, Juanita Marie ........... ... .... . 865 Saavedra Gallardo, Melit6n .. .... . 923 > Caswell, Louise ...... ........ ............ . 868 H0eg, Johanne ..... .... ......... ....... . 925 > > xxx > LIST O F ILLUSTRATIONS > > True, Edna ..... .... ..... ......... .. .. ...... . 928 Master, Mahvash ......... ... ...... ... .. 978 > Blakely, Elsa Lillian (Judy) .... ... . 930 Villiers-Stuart, Jane ..... ...... ..... .. . 983 > Jami~ , $ala~ ... ............ ..... ... ......... 933 Ahmadiyeh, Hedayatoullah > Munje, Harilal 934 (Hidayatu'llah A~madiyyih) .. . 986 > Walker, Zlmarian 936 Harvey, Winnifred ....... ............. . 989 > Newman, Beatrice .. .. .. ............. .... 939 Francis, Dorothy .... ... ... .. ........... . 991 > Lutchmaya, Roddy Dharma ...... .. 941 I:f addad, Akbar ....... ...... ...... ....... . 992 > Evans, Esther .. .. .. .. .... ...... ........ .. .. . 942 Sala, Emeric ... ........... ... .... ........ .. 995 > Malakooti, Ehsanollah (I~sanu 'llah Parsa Mazzoni, Noranieh > MalakUti) .................................. . 944 (Nuraniyyih Parsa Mazzoni) .. . 997 > Kazemzadeh, Kazem (Ka~im Papai, Ludwig .. ... .... .... .............. . 998 > Ka~imzadih) .. .. ........ .... ........... . 947 Heller, Frances Gordon ........... .. 999 > Habibi, Habib (I:fabib I:fabibi) .... . 948 Rezvani, Monireh (Munirih > Quigley, Robert Joseph ...... .. .... ... 950 Ri<;lvani) .................................. . 1002 > McLaughlin, Robert ...... ... ..... ... .. 952 Bagley, Florence .. ................ .. ... . 1004 > Pa Tepaeru Ariki (Lady Davis) .. . 955 Bishop, Helen .... ..... ....... ... ... .. .. . 1007 > Garcia Vazquez, Manuel ........... .. 956 Zucker, Arthur Allen .... ........ ..... 1009 > Vajdi, Khodadad ............ .. ......... . 957 Haenni de Bons, Mona ............ .. 1011 > Rice-Wray, Edris .... ... .. .. .. .... ... .... . 959 McLaren, Edith ... .. ... .... ... .. .... ... .. 1013 > Ortiz Gutierrez, Aparicia ............ . 960 Kanyerezi, Max .................... .. ... 1014 > Sabet, Habib (I:fabib Thabit) ..... .. 962 Macdonald, Charles .................. . 1017 > Sabet, Rostam (Rustam Thabit) .. . 964 Nielsen, Lotus ... .... .... .. ..... .... .. ... . 1019 > Gualavisi Farinango, Rufino ... .... 967 Camey, Magdalene ... ...... .... .. .... 1022 > Tanyi Tambe, Solomon ... ... .. ...... . 969 Warde, Shirley ................. ..... .. ... 1024 > Lohse, Doris ....... ........................ . 970 Friedland, Eberhard ....... .. ......... . 1026 > Te Paa, Ephraim .... ............... ..... .. 973 Umegae, Kazutomo .... .... .. ....... .. 1027 > Nounou, Salim ...... ........ .. ....... ..... . 976 Fozdar, Shirin ....... ......... ... ..... ... . 1029 > > Part Six: Directory, Bibliography, Glossary > > Relics ofBaha'u'llah, including His pen and pencase ..... ..... ..... ....... .. ... ..... ....... ... 1032 > The International Baha'i Archives Building, on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel .... 1052 > > Part Seven: Literary and Musical Works > > The Prison Cell in the Most Great Prison in 'Akka .... ... .. ..... ....... ..... .. ... ... .. ... .. . .. .... 1068 > Lua Getsinger, whom 'Abdu' l-Baha surnamed Liva (Banner) .......... .. ...... .. .. ... ... .. 1092 > Miss Lillian Kappes, Dr. Sarah Clock, and Dr. Susan Moody with Mu~tafa Khan > and Tahirih Khanum in Tihran, iran; circa 1912 .......... ............. .. ..... .. ... ... > Dr. Susan Moody with two young children on her lap. Tihran; circa 1912 ....... .. ... > =... 1093 > 1095 > Miss Lillian Kappes, Muchul Khanum, Dr. Susan Moody, Dr. Sarah Clock, and > Miss Elizabeth Stewart with children and a servant in Tihran; circa 1912 1097 > > xxxi > LIST OF ILLUSTRAT IO NS > > M iss Lillian Kappes with boys in the Tarbiyat Schoo l in Ti hran; circa 1912 1100 > M iss Lillian Kappes, Dr. Sarah Clock, Dr. Susan Moody, and Miss Elizabeth > StewartinTiluáan; 19 13 .... .... ......................... ..... ........ ....... ................................ 1102 > Dr. Genevieve L. Coy during her visit to Haifa in Apri l 1922, on her way to take > up her post at the Girl's Tarbiyat School in Tihran ..... .... ............ ..... ........ ...... ... . 1103 > Miss Adelaide Sharp with the Baha'i Youth Group in Tihran; circa 1937 ............. 1104 > Keith Ransom-Kehler at the seventh Persian National Baha'i Convention ; 1933 .. 1107 > Martha Root with Baha'i women in T ihran; 1930 ................................................. 1110 > Jamal Effendi with friends in Egypt ...... ............................................ ..................... 111 7 > Students of the New Era Development Institute's Community Development Facilitator Course planting rice w ith fellow Baba ' is in Maharashtra, India; 1991 1123 > Members of the Baha ' i communi ty of Caserta, Italy, pl anti ng aco rn seedl ings on a > hillside as an environmental project in March 1987 .... .. ...... .............................. 11 23 > A papaya farm in Dzitya, Yucatan, Mexico, which Baha ' is are working as a rural > development project; 1986 .............. .......... .... .............. .............. .... .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... 1 130 > A piggery project in Liancou1i, Haiti , conducted by the local Baha' i com munity; > 1987 ....... .... .. .............................. ........ .. ... .. ........... ......... ........ ............... .............. 1130 > T he Tahirih Farm in Moissala, Chad, initiated by the local Baha ' i community as a > social and economic development project; 1989 .............................................. . 1130 > A gift from the Baha'is of Alaska to the Baha'is of Samoa for the House of Worsh ip in Apia .... .... ..... .. .... ..... ....... ................. .... .. ........ .......................................... 11 37 > Roya Aschari playing the violin during Art Forum '9 1, organized by the Baha ' i > Association for the Arts and held at De Poort, Netherlands .............................. 1140 > Baha'is using street theatre to teach principles of development during an 'awareness camp' held in Jhapua, Madhya Pradesh, India; May 1988 ................ .. ...... I 144 > Detail of a tapestry by Vickie Hu Poirier made as a gift for the first Sino-American > Women's Confe rence, held in Beijing in 1990 ............ .. ...... .... .......................... 1151 > In Vanuatu, Baha'is in Lawital, Tanna, performing a custom dance during a Spirituali zation and Teaching Institute held in January 1992 .................... ....... .. ....... 1154 > The Baha ' i puppet theatre group known as El Retablo del Mosqu ito , from the May > Maxwe ll Cultural Centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, performing in 1988 ...... 1156 > A painting by a prisoner in Yazd, f ran , showing nine fel led trees representing the 115 8 > nine ma1tyrs of Yazd in the 1980s ..... ................................... ...................... ....... . > The Hux tables-a Baha'i fa mily on St. Helena Island, in the South Atl an tic; 1986 1161 > In Malawi, friends help to get the ca r of a visitor up the road; August 1990 .......... 1161 > Members of the Spirit ofBadi ' teaching project in New Zealand; 1988 ..... ........... 1161 > Children in the Baha'i literacy classes in the Upper Corentyne District ofBerbice, > Guyana, searching for letters whi ch spell "I Love Guyana"; 1990 .................... 11 64 > An American Baha'i Youth Year of Service volunteer in Botswana usi ng a globe > to make a point during a deepening session with some friends; 1987 .......... .... . 1164 > Women learning to read and write at the Baha'i Vocational Institute for Rural > Women in Kalyanpu ra, Madhya Pradesh, India; 1988 ..... .................. ....... ..... ... 11 64 > > XXXll > INTRODUCTION > > AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE > BAHA'i FAITH > > DAVID H OFMAN > > RELIGION has two objectives, the re- which a harassed humanity is striving. > generation of men and the advancement of Nation-building has come to an end. The > mankind. All men have been. created to anarchy inherent in state sovereignty is > cany forward an ever advancing civilization moving towards a climax. A world, growing > proclaims Baha 'u ' llah, and Th e purpose of to maturity, must abandon this fetish, recogthe one true God, exalted be His glo1y , in. nize the oneness and whol eness of human > revealing Himself unto men is to lay bare relationships, and establish once and for all > those gems that lie hidden within the mine of the machinery that can best incarnate this > their true and inmost selves. fundamental principle of its life.' 1 > These aims of religion, universal and Religion sees the course of history as > eternal, nevertheless have been conditioned an organic process, moving towards the full > to the capacities of each age or dispensation realization of all the potentialities implanted > and the great religions of the past have in man. The vicissitudes, the great advances, > developed their social orders within gener- the hiatuses it regards as the natural w1foldally definable times and areas. Judaism, for ment of that process just as the succession of > instance, attained its peak under Solomon bud, leaf, flower and frnit is the natural > and was confined, before the dispers ion, unfoldment in the life of a háee; or infancy, > to the Near East; Zoroastriani sm remained childhood, youth and maturity in that of a > Persian until the Arab conquest and the man. Indeed, Baha' i scripture explains, the > settlement of a renmant in Western India; process is the same. The sun is the effective > Christianity became the religion of Euro- agent in the organic life of the earth; religion > pean civilization; the building of the nation in that of humanity. Th e Sun of Truth is the > state undertaken by Islam remained a Muslim Word of God upon which depends the eduexperiment until feudal Europe learned the cation of those who are endowed with the > lesson and its city states gave way to and power of understanding and of utteran.ce. 2 > adopted the more advanced order. It has The creative Word, revealed in each stage of > remained for the Baha ' i religion to declare human progress by a Manifestation of God, > and promote the cause of world order- the and conditioned to the requirements of the > sine quo non of its existence- and to time, is the effective agent in the long, single > disc lose the concomitant unities of religion, process of humanity 's development from > of mank ind and of historical purpose. 'Unity > of fa mily, of lTibe, of city-state, and nation > I Shoghi Effendi, Guardi an o f the Ba ha ' i Faith, The > have been successively attempted and full y Unfold111e11t of World Civilization . > established. World unity is the goal towards 2 Baha'u ' llah , Dniyiry-i-Dlr11i0_. > 2 T HE BAHA ' I WORLD > > infancy to World Order. This truth is embodies that divine energy in an adminisenshrined in all revealed religion although it trative order capable of bringing within its > needs the illumination ofBaha'u' llah 's reve- shade all the diversified ethnic groups and > lation to enable men to perceive it. myriad types of the human race, who may > 'The first picture presented in the Bible find within its wide embrace a full, happy > is that of human unity in its simplest form; and purposeful life. Baha'i activity therefore > that of a single family. The last picture is that is directed not only, as in the past, to the > of a unity manifold and universal in which spreading of the Word, but to the establishall kindreds and tongues and peoples and ment of the fabric of that Order which, > nations are gathered into one and unified enshrined within the creative Word itself, > in the enjoyment of a common worship, a becomes the chief instrument for the further > common happiness, a common glory. diffusion and social application of the > 'The great problem which, according to Divine Message. This World Order, which > the Bible, confronts the human race in its the Baha'i Faith exists to establish, is none > progress is that of advancing from the bar- other than that long-promised Kingdom in > est, baldest unity through a long experience which peace, justice and brotherhood shall > of multiplying diversities till ultimately a prevail universally and 'the earth shall be > balance between the two principles is struck, filled with the knowledge of the glory of the > poise is gained and the two forces of variety Lord, as the waters cover the sea '. 3 The > and unity are blended in a multiple, highly establishment of this World Order is dependeveloped world fellowship, the perfection dent upon the regeneration of mankind > of whose union was hardly suggested in the which must tum again to God and recognize > prinlitive simplicity of early man.' 1 His purpose. The two aims of religion are, > This spiritual view of evolution is the therefore, interacting and interdependent. > constant theme of religion. Each revelation Such a world-shaking transformation > refers to the past, looks forward to the future ca1mot be brought about by any movement > and concentiáates upon the immediate need ofrefom1, however disinterested, nor by any > for spiritual regeneration and enlightenment. unaided human effort. Modem man has > The Prophet evokes in human hearts a sacri- turned away from God, and bereft of his > fic ial love which transcends self-interest and traditional sanctions, has inevitably wrecked > causes the early believers to dedicate them- his old order which, in truth, is lamentably > selves entirely to the practice and diffusion inadequate to modern conditions and is not > of the new message. As it spreads it works susceptible of repair. Soon, is Baha 'u' llah's > like leaven in society, reforming its morals, prophetic view of our day, will the presentuplifting its vision and promoting a greater day order be rolled up, and a new one > diffus ion of love in social action. spread out in its stead. Likewise, The signs > 'World history at its core and in its of impending convulsions and chaos can > essence is the story of the spiritual evolution now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailof mankind. From this all other activities of ing order appears to be lamentably defective. > man proceed and round it all other activities The current aim of religion, embodied in > revolve. ' 2 the aims and purposes of the Baha'i Faith, is > Unlike the revelations of the past, the the promotion of the next stage in the organic > Baha 'i revelation releases not only the process of human evolution- the coming of > creative Word necessary to the renewal of age of the human race. The achievement of > spiritual vitality in the human spirit, but this maturity will be attested by the unification of mankind and the federation of the > I George Townshend , The Heart of the Gospel, 1939. > 2 ibi d. 3 Habakkuk 2: 14. > INTRODU CT ION 3 > > world in a single, all-embracing world society 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Centre of the Covenantof human brotherhood. But great objectives its monuments and gardens, and of its 'worldare reached by dedicated pursuit of the shaking, world-embracing, world-directing > preliminary and intermediate stages of the administrative institutions' .1 > task, without ever losing sight of the The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha > ultimate goal, and this has been and is now is the charter for the development of the > the occupation of the Baha'i world commu- administrative order of the Faith. In this > nity- the completion within specified times majestic document, the child of 'that mystic > of specified goals. These teaching plans to intercourse between Him Who communiwhich the Baha 'is eagerly devote their lives cated the generating influence of His divine > do far more than simply increase the size Purpose and the One Who was its vehicle > and consolidation of that world conununity. and chosen recipient, ' 2 are delineated the > They are devised and launched by the head structure of the administrative order, its > of the Faith-the Guardian and now the modus operandi, its main institutions, the > Universal House of Justice-and are therefore chain of authority, the source of guidance > conceived from a global view, directed to and the position of every believer vis-a-vis > the immediate needs of the great objective, the Covenant. It has been well called the > conservative of the conununity's resources, 'Charter of the New World Order of > world-wide in scale permitting the organic Baha'u'llah'. > development of each part according to its The Tablets of the Divine Plan , a series > stage of growth but with due regard for the of fourteen letters written by 'Abdu'l-Baha > needs of the whole, fostering intensively the to the believers of the United States and > unity, the international co-operation, the Canada, some addressed to the entire comdiversification of the ethnic, religious and pany of believers in the North American > social backgrounds of its increasing mem- continent and others to those in named geobership and developing new resources for graphical areas of the continent, constitute > the next step fo1ward. the charter for teaching the Faith throughout > It should be noted that none of these plans the world. 'Abdu'l-Baha names the places, > is isolated in aim or conception but all are the people to whom teachers must go, the > directed towards the implementation of three conditions under which they must travel and > great charters, enshrined in Balla' i sacred settle and He reveals several prayers for > Writings, which authorize and guide the those who undertake this all-impo1tant task. > expansion of the Faith and the development All the international plans of the Faith > of its institutions. In past Dispensations the launched so far have set specific goals aimed > command to 'spread the Gospel' has been at implementing these three charters and it is > general and unspecified. It was the inspired incontrovertibly apparent that never in any > guidance of the beloved Guardian of the preceding Dispensation has the command to > Baha'i Faith which disclosed to a spiritually spread the Word of God been given, in the > delighted and grateful community yet sacred text, such explicit guidance and > another of the unique features of this Dis- detailed objectives. > pensation in the specific guidance given in As the Faith of Baha'u'llah increases in > these three chatters for the implementation size and influence other aims and objectives > of this eternal command. become apparent and possible of pursuit. > Baha'u'llah's Tablet of Carmel is the The relationship with agencies, institutions > charter for the development of the Baba ' i and authorities of the non-Baha ' i world > World Centre in the twin cities of 'Akka and > Haifa, the site of its most sacred Shrines- I Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America. > the tombs of the twin Prophets and of 2 Shoghi Effend i, Th e Dispensation of Bahn 'u 'l/tih. > 4 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > becomes an important consideration once the of the Baha'i conummity.' 3 'A chaste and > community emerges from obscurity, and has holy life must be made the controlling prinled to public relations programmes and the ciple in the behaviour and conduct of all > development of closer association with the Baha'is, both in their social relationships > United Nations . The Baha'i International with the members of their own conununity, > Community is accredited as a non-govern- and in their contacts with the world at > mental agency with consultative status to large. ' 4 'It requires total abstinence from all > the United Nations Economic and Social alcoholic drinks, from opium, and from > Council (ECOSOC) and in various ways to similar habit-forming drugs. It condel1Uls the > other agencies of the United Nations. The prostitution of art and of literature, the > fostering of this relationship has been the practices of nudism and of companionate > goal of all international plans so far, and is marriage, infidelity in marital relationships, > visualized as a continuing process. There are and all maimer of promiscuity, of easy > other objectives related to the special char- familiarity, and of sexual vices. ' 5 ' As to > acteristics of Baha'i life which become more racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for > and more important as the Faith grows and well nigh a century, has bitten into the fibre, > engages greater and greater public attention. and attacked the whole social structure of > They affect Baha'i individuals, conununities American society, it should be regarded as > and institutions alike. TI1ese objectives fall into constituting the most vital and challenging > two groups-those concerned specifically issue confronting the Balla ' i conununity [of > with standards of conduct and those which that country] at the present stage of its > relate to special Baha'i practices . evolution. ' 6 > The &tandards of conduct enjoined by The regeneration of men- the first objecthe Prophet are invariably different from tive of religion mentioned in this essay- is > and sometimes diametTically opposed to the therefore seen as the prime objective of the > generally accepted ones of His day. High Baha'i Faith. Membership in the Faith is > standards of conduct are, throughout Baha'i drawn from that society which permits and > scripture, constantly upheld and urged upon indulges itself in all those conupt, inrn1oral > the believers, but the Guardian of the Faith and prejudiced activities which Baha' is are > in an essay written in 193 8 addressed to the required to renounce, and since the Faith is > believers in the United States and Canada steadily but persistently growing in numbers > laid great stress upon the 'spiritual prerequi- there is reason to hope that slowly but surely > sites. . . which constitute the bedrock on a regeneration will take place. > which ... all teaching plans ... must ultimately Further, these Baha'i standards of conrest ... 1 He writes of ' .. . a high sense of duct are not for individuals alone. They must > moral rectitude in their social and administra- be the hallmark of Baha'i institutions and > tive activities, absolute chastity in their conununities. 'Such a rectitude of conduct,' > individual lives, and complete freedom from wrote the Guardian, ' must manifest itself, > prejudice in their dealings with peoples of a with ever-increasing potency, in every > different race, class, creed or colourá.2 In verdict which the elected representatives of > his expansion of this theme he declared that the Baha'i collIDmnity, in whatever capacity > 'This rectitude of conduct, with its implica- they may find themselves, may be called > tions of justice, equity, truthfulness , honesty, upon to pronounce. It must be constantly > fairn1indedness, reliability, and trustworth i- reflected in the busi ness dealings of all its > ness, must distinguish every phase of the life > 3 Shoghi EITendi , The Adve111 of Divine Justice . > 4 ibid. > 1 Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divin e Justice. 5 ibid. > 2 ibid. 6 ibid. > INTRODUCTION 5 > > members, in their domestic lives, in all man- Order which 'may well be regarded as the > ner of employment, and in any service they brightest emanation ' 3 of His mind and is > may, in the future, render their government none other than the long hoped for, Christor people." 'It must be made the hallmark promised Kingdom of God on earth. To > of that numerically small , yet intensely prepare men for the gifts of that Kingdomdynamic and highly responsible body of the peace, brotherhood, spirituality- and to raise > elected national representatives of every its very fabric in the world, are the immedi- > Baha ' i community, which constitutes the ate and long-time objectives of the Baha'i > sustaining pillar, and the sole instrument for Faith. > the election in every community, of that The energies of the Ba ha ' is therefore, in > Universal House whose very name and title, pursuance of these aims, flow in three major > as ordained by Baha ' u ' llah, symbolizes the channels: individual spiritual development, > rectitude of conduct which is its highest conveying the message of Bah a 'u ' llah to > mission to safeguard and enforce. ' 2 others , and developing the pattern of world > The attitudes deriving from such stan- society embodied in the Baha ' i administradards, and from all the varied teachings tive order. All these activities derive from > of Baha ' u' llah, must pervade all Baha'i the sacred text and it is the unique feature of > communities and imbue them with distinc- the Baha ' i revelation that whereas the first > tive characteristics which can be recognized, two are common to all revealed religions > amid the welter of opposing or mutually it is only Baha ' u'llah Who creates the instiuninterested groups and factions into which tutions and reveals the laws , delineates the > modern society is disintegrating, as easily as social order and establishes the principles > the features of an individual in a crowd. of the civilization to which His revelation > Those special Baha ' i practices which will will give rise. Neither Moses nor Christ, > inevitably characterize the Baha'i commu- Mul~ammad, Buddha, Zoroaster or Krishna > nity, are the regular observances of its Holy did this, although They all foretold that it > Days and Festivals, the abstention from would be done by Him Who would take the > work on nine such days during the year, the government upon Hi s shoulders and establish > observances by all members of the commu- the Kingdom in peace and righteousness. > nity of the annual fast, of the laws governing None of the traditional motives operates > marri age and di vorce, of dail y prayer, of the to create the Baha' i community, neither > invariable practice of consultation in all former associations, political or economic > affairs of life, and particularly by the regular identity of interest, racial or patriotic groupobservance of the Nineteen Day Feast. ing. Only the recognition and love of > The habitual practice of such laws and Baha ' u' llah brings into close relatedness > ordinances is an objective pursued by all and co-operative action people from every > Baha'is and Baha ' i families. human background , of all types of character > It is seen that the aims and purposes of and personality, divergent and diversified > the Baha ' i Faith may be stated as the raising interest. Through their brotherhood in > up of a world-wide community recruited Baha'u ' llah the old crystallized forms of > from every race, nation , colour, religious human divisiveness to which they formerl y > and social background known on the planet, belonged, whether of class, race, religion , > inspired, united and regenerated by the occupation, temperament or degree of civispiritual teachings and love of Baha ' u' llah, lization lose their rigidity and eventually > dedicated to the building of that New World disintegrate. The growing Baha ' i community > on the other hand is essentially based on > I Shoghi Effendi, Th e Adve111 of Divine Juslice. > 2 ibid. 3 Shoghi Effendi , God Passes By, p. 2 13. > 6 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > love, is a brotherhood, a family, each the needs and adjust the relationships of > member delighting in the diversity of its all races and peoples. A world executive, > membership, welcoming the former pariah backed by an international Force, will carry > or outcast as a new flower in the garden, out the decisions atTived at, and apply the > each as proud of his humanity as was ever laws enacted by, this world legislature, and > the fo1mer chauvinist of his country. will safeguard the organic unity of the whole > Within such .a community the sun of commonwealth. A world tribunal will adju- > Baha'u'llah's revelation can evoke new dicate and deliver its compulsory and final > morals , new attitudes , new conventions, new verdict in all and any disputes that may arise > hopes and visions, all enshrined within the between the various elements constituting > text of the revelation itself and which pro- this universal system. A mechanism of world > vide the spiritual atmosphere and distinctive inter-communication will be devised, embracculture of the new day . Such a community, ing the whole planet, freed from national > as it grows, becomes more and more a true hindrances and resháictions, and functioning > social order, providing a soil to human life, a with marvellous swiftness and perfect regularclimate for its best development, an arena ity. A world meháopolis will act as the nerve > for the practice of its highest aspirations, and centre of a world civilization, the focus > a beacon light to attract and guide the disil- towards which the unifying forces of life > lusioned, spiritually impoveri shed, frenetic will converge and from which its energizing > and frustrated peoples of the earth. influence will radiate . A world language will > The energies of this new culture, guided either be invented or chosen from amo ng > and conserved to the service of human wel- the existing languages and will be taught in > fare by the agencies of Baha'u ' llah's World the schools of all the federated nations as an > Order, will result in the proliferation of new auxiliary to their mother tongue. A world > arts and sciences, new social and economic script, a world literature, a uniforn1 and > relationships, new educational methods and a universal system of currency, of weights and > general accession of well-being and felicity. measures, will simplify and facilitate inter- > The vision of the Baha ' i Faith, though glori- course and understanding among the nations > ous, is a practical one, and the number 'Jf its and races of mankind. In such a world society, > dedicated promoters grows with increasing science and religion, the two most potent > speed. It is summarized in the fo llowing words forces in human life, will be reconciled, will > by the Guardian of the Baha' i Faith, in his co-operate, and will harmoniously develop. > essay The Unfoldment of World Civilization : The press will, under such a system, while > 'The unity of the hun1an race, as envisaged giving full scope to the expression of the > by Baha'u'llah, implies the establishment of divers ified views and convictions of mana world commonwealth in which all nations, kind, cease to be mischievously manipulated > races, creeds and classes are closely and per- by vested interests, whether private or public, > manently united, and in which the autonomy and will be liberated from the influence of > of its state members and the personal contending governments and peoples . The > freedom and initiative of the individuals that economic resources of the world will be > compose : ..:mare definitely and completely organized, its sources of raw materials will > safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as be tapped and fully utilized, its markets cofar as we can visualize it, consist of a world ordinated and developed, and the disháibution > legislature, whose members will, as the of its products will be equitably regulated. > hustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately 'National riva lries, hatred, and inháigues > control the entire resources of all the compo- will cease, and racial animosity and prejunent nations , and will enact such laws as dice will be replaced by racial amity, > shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy understanding and co-operation. The causes > INTRODUCTION 7 > of religious strife will be permanently any other agency that can stimulate the intelremoved, economic baniers and restrictions lectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the > will be completely abolished, and the inordi- human race. > nate distinction between classes will be 'A world federal system, rnling the whole > obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and earth and exercising unchallengeable authorgross accumulation of ownership on the ity over its unimaginably vast resources, > other, will disappear. The enormous energy blending and embodying the ideals of both > dissipated and wasted on war, whether eco- the East and the West, liberated from the > nomic or political, will be consecrated to curse of war and its miseries, and bent on > such ends as will extend the range of human the exploitation of all the available sources > inventions and technical development, to the of energy on the surface of the planet, a > increase of the productivity of mankind, to system in which Force is made the servant > the extennination of disease, to the extension of Justice, whose life is sustained t y its > of scientific research, to the raising of the universal recognition of one God and by its > standard of physical health, to the sharpening allegiance to one common Revelation-such > and refinement of the human brain, to the is the goal towards which humanity, impelled > exploitation of the unused and unsuspected by the unifying forces of life, is moving.' > resources of the planet, to the prolongation > PART ONE > > THE BAHA'i REVELATION > 10 THE BAl-L.\'i WORLD > > An ornamental eagle infront of an entrance to the courtyard of the Mansion of Bahri 'u 'llrih > at Ball}i. > I > EXCERPTS FROM THE BAHA'i SACRED > WRITINGS > > 1. BAHA'U'LLAH > > I > EXTRACTS FROM THE KrTAB-I-AQDAS > > 37 Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation you through the power of truth. We are truly > direct from God, ere the expiration of a full almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me will > thousand years, such a man is assuredly a arise and serve Me with such dete1mination > lying impostor. We pray God that He may that the powers of earth and heaven shall be > graciously assist him to retract and repudiate unable to defeat his purpose. > such claim. Should he repent, God will, no > doubt, forgive him. If, however, he per- 53 Should differences arise amongst you > sisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send over any matter, refer it to God while the > down one who will deal mercilessly with Sun still shineth above the horizon of this > him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Heaven and, when it hath set, refer ye to > Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise whatsoever hath been sent down by Him. > than its obvious meaning is deprived of the This, verily, is sufficient unto the peoples of > Spirit of God and of His mercy which the world. Say: Let not your hearts be perencompasseth all created things . Fear God, turbed, 0 people, when the glory of My > and follow not your idle fancies . Nay, rather, Presence is withdrawn, and the ocean of My > follow the bidding of your Lord, the Al- utterance is stilled. In My presence amongst > mighty, the All-Wise. Erelong shall clamorous you there is a wisdom, and in My absence > voices be raised in most lands. Shun them, 0 there is yet another, inscrutable to all but > My people, and follow not the iniquitous God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. > and evil-hearted. This is that of which We Verily, We behold you from Our realm of > gave you forewarning when We were dwell- glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for > ing in ' Iraq, then later while in the Land of the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of > Mystery, and now from this Resplendent the Concourse on high and a company of > Spot. Our favoured angels. > > 38 Be not dismayed, 0 peoples of the world, 58 Beware lest the desires of the flesh and > when the day-star of My beauty is set, and of a corrupt inclination provoke divisions > the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed among you. Be ye as the fingers of one hand, > from your eyes. Arise to further My Cause, the members of one body. Thus counselleth > and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are you the Pen of Revelation, if ye be of them > with you at all times, and shall strengthen that believe. > 12 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 105 W hoso interpreteth what hath been sent times, been regarded as lawful, to none is > down fro m the heaven of Revelation, and given the right to question His authority. > altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of Whoso will hesitate, though it be for less > them that have perverted the Sublime Word than a moment, should be regarded as a > of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid transgressor. > Book. > 163 Whoso hath not recognized this sublime > 121 When the ocean of My presence hath and fundamental verity, and hath failed to > ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is attain this most exalted station, the winds of > ended, tum your faces toward Him Whom doubt will agitate him, and the sayings of the > God hath purposed, Who hath branched infidels will distract his soul. He that hath > from this Ancient Root. acknowl edged this principl e wi ll be endowed with the most perfect constancy. > 132 0 peoples of the world! Give ear unto All honour to thi s all-glorious station, the > the ca ll of Him Who is the Lord of Names, remembrance of which ado rneth every > Who proclaimeth unto you fro m His habita- exalted Tablet. Such is the teaching whi ch > tion in the Most Great Prison: " Verily, no God bestoweth on you, a teaching that will > God is there but Me, the Powerful, the deliver you from all manner of doubt and > Mighty, the All-S ubduing, the Most Exalted, perplexity, and enabl e you to attain unto salthe Omniscient, the All-W ise ." In tn1th, vat ion in both this world and the next. He, > there is no God but Him, the Onmipotent verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most > Ruler of the wo rlds. Were it His Will, He Bountiful. He it is Who hath sent forth the > would, tluáough but a single word proceeding Messengers, and sent down the Books to > from His presence, lay hold on all mankind. proclaim "There is none other God but Me, > Beware lest ye hesitate in your acceptance of the Almighty, the A ll-Wise". > this Cause-a Cause before which the Concourse on high and the dwellers of the Cities 174 0 people of the world' When the Mystic > of Names have bowed down . Fear God, and Dove will have winged its fli ght from its > be not of those who are shut out as by a veil. Sanctuary of Praise and sought its far-off > Burn ye away the veils with the fire of My goa l, its hidden habitation, refer ye whatsolove, and dispel ye the mi sts of vain imagin- ever ye understand not in the Book to > ings by the power of thi s Name through H im Who hath branched from this mighty > which We have subdued the entire creation. Stock. > > 161 B lessed is the man that hath acknowl- 175 0 Pen of the Most High! Move Thou > edged his belief in God and in His signs, and upon the Tablet at the bidding of Thy Lord, > recognized that "He shall not be asked of the Creator of the Heavens, and tell of the > His doings". Such a recognition hath been time when He Who is the Dayspring of > made by God the ornament of every belief Divine U nity purposed to direct His steps > and its very foundation. U pon it must towards the School of Transcendent Onedepend the acceptance of every goodl y deed. ness; haply the pure in heart may gain > Fasten your eyes upon it, that hapl y the thereby a glimpse, be it as small as a > whi sperings of the rebe llious may not cause needle's eye, of the mysteries of Thy Lord, > yo u to slip . the A lmighty, the Onmiscient, that lie concealed behind the veils. Say: We, indeed, set > 162 Were He to decree as lawful the thing foot within the School of inner meaning and > which fro m time immemorial had been for- explanation when all created things were > bidd en, and forb id that whi ch had, at all unaware. We saw the word s sent down by > THE BAHA'I REVELATIO N 13 > > The doorway into the courtyard of the Mansion of Baha 'u 'llah at Mazra 'ih. > > Him Who is the All-Merciful , and We 176 0 people of the Bayan! We, veri ly, > accepted the verses of God, the Help in set foot within the School of God when ye > Peril, the Self-Subsisting, which He 1 pre- lay slumbering; and We perused the Tablet > sented unto Us, and hearkened unto that while ye were fast as leep. By the one true > which He had so lemnly affirmed in the Tab- God! We read the Tabl et ere it was revealed, > let. This We ass ured ly did beho ld . And We while ye were unaware, and We had perfect > assented to His wish through Our behest, for knowledge of the Book when ye were yet > truly We are potent to command. unborn. These words are to your meas ure, > not to God's. To this testifieth that which is > I The Bab. enshrined within His know ledge, if ye be of > 14 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > them that comprehend; and to this the the Kingdom, We would say: "In tn1th, God > tongue of the Almighty doth bear witness, if created that School ere He created heaven > ye be of those who understand. I swear by and earth, and We entered it before the > God, were We to lift the veil, ye would be letters B and E were joined and knit > dumbfounded. together." Such is the language of Our servants in Our Kingdom; consider what the > 177 Take heed that ye dispute not idly tongue of the dwellers of Our exalted > concerning the Almighty and His Cause, for Dominion would utter, for We have taught > lo! He hath appeared amongst you invested them Our knowledge and have revealed to > with a Revelation so great as to encompass them whatever had lain hidden in God's > all things, whether of the past or of the wisdom. Imagine then what the Tongue of > future . Were We to address Our theme by Might and Grandeur would utter in His Allspeaking in the language of the inmates of Glorious Abode! > > II > EXCERPT FROM THE LA WI:I-I-RA ' IS, TRANSLATED FROM THE PERSIAN > > WHEN I was still a child and had not yet and cummerbunds after the Persian fashion, > attained the age of maturity, My father the second wielding battle-axes, and the third > decided to make arrangements in Tihran for comprising a number of sergeants-at-am1s > the marriage of a grown-up brother of Mine; and executioners bearing clubs and canes. > and as is customary in that city, the wedding Finally a splendid figure , arrayed in regal > festivities lasted for seven days and nights. majesty, wearing a kingly diadem upon his > On the last day it was announced that a spe- head, and bearing himself with the utmost > cial entertai1m1ent named after Shah Sul~an haughtiness and grandeur- now advancing, > Salim would be presented on that same day . now pausing in his progress- came strutting > A large number of princes, dignitaries, and onto the scene and, with unparalleled solemprominent people of the capital were present nity, gravity, and sedateness, proceeded to > for the occasion, and I ascended to one of seat himself upon a throne, whereupon a volthe upper rooms of the building where I sat ley of shots was fired, a fanfare of tmmpets > down to observe the scene. Presently a tent was sounded, and the king and tent were > was pitched in the courtyard, and before enveloped in a pall of smoke. > long some small figures in human form, When the smoke had cleared, the king > each of which seemed no more than about a was seen to be ensconced upon his throne and > handspan in height, came out of the tent, and surrounded by a suite of ministers, princes, > raised the call "The Sultan is coming! Set and dignitaries of state who, having taken > out the chairs!" Other figures then emerged, their places, were standing at attention in his > some of whom were seen to be engaged in presence. At this moment a captured thief > sweeping, others in sprinkling water, and was brought before the king, who gave the > thereafter another character, who was pro- order that the offender should be beheaded. > nounced to be the chief herald, raised up his Without a moment's delay the chief execuvoice and bade the people assemble for an tioner proceeded to execute upon him the > audience with the king. Next, three groups royal sentence, whereupon a red-coloured > of figures made their appearance and took liquid resembling blood came trickling from > their places, the first group attired in hats his headless torso. This done, the king fell > THE BAl-IA'i REVELATION 15 > into conversation with those in attendance, eyes of this You th akin to that same specand while he was thus engaged, intelligence tacle. They have never been, nor will ever > arrived that rebellion had broken out on such be, possessed of any we ight, though it be to > and such a frontier. Thereupon the king the extent of a grain of mustard seed. How > reviewed his troops and despatched several greatly I used to marvel that men would > regiments supported by units of artillery to pride themselves upon such vanities, whilst > quell the uprising. A few minutes later can- those possessed of insight, ere they witness > nons were heard booming from behind the any evidence of human glory, perceive with > tent, and it was announced that the king's certainty the inevitability of its waning. > troops were at that moment engaged in battle "Never have I looked upon any thing save > with the insurgents. that I have seen extinction before it; and > I was greatly perplexed and bewildered to God, verily, is a sufficient witness ." > conceive the nature of this spectacle. When It behoveth eve1yone to traverse this brief > the show was over, the curtain of the tent was span of life with sincerity and fairness. > drawn. Then, after some twenty minutes, a Should one fai l to attain unto the recognition > man emerged from behind the tent carrying of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, let him > a box under his arm. at least comport himself with reason and jus- > "What is this box?" I asked him, "and tice. Erelong these outward trappings, these > what was the nature of this display?" heaped-up treasures, these earthly van ities, > "All these lavish trappings," he replied, these amassed battalions, this gorgeous > "the king, the princes, and the ministers , finery, these proud and overweening soulstheir pomp and glory, their might and power, all shall pass into the confines of the grave, > everything you saw, are all now conta ined as though into that box. In the eyes of those > within this box." possessed of insight, all this conflict, dissen- > I swear by My Lord Who hath brought sion and vainglory hath been, and will ever > into being all things through a single word be, like unto the sport of children. Take thou > from Him that, ever since that day, all the good heed, and be not of those who see and > trappings of the world have seemed in the yet deny. > 16 TH E B A H A' i WORLD > > Th e wes tern doorway into the Shrin e of the Bab. > THE BA l-IA' i REVELAT ION 17 > > 2. THE BAB > > I > EXCERPTS FROM TH E QAYYUMU'L-ASMA' > (SELECT!ONS FROM Tf-IE WRITINGS OF Tf-IE BAB) > > 0 PEOPLES of the world ! Whatsoever sanctified above the praise of all men. He is > ye have offered up in the way of the One veril y independent of the whole of creation . > True God, ye shall indeed find preserved (Chapter XXlll.) > by God, the Preserver, intact at God's Holy > Gate . 0 peopl es of the earthl Bear ye alle- ISSUE forth fro m your cities, 0 peoples of > giance unto this resplendent light wherewith the West and aid God ere the Day when the > God hath graciously invested Me tluáough Lord of mercy shall come down unto you in > the power of infa llible Truth, and walk not the shadow of the clouds with the angels > in the footsteps of the Evil One. 1 inasmuch circl ing around H im,5 exalting His praise > as he prompteth you to disbelieve in God, and seeking forgiveness for such as have > your Lord, and verily God will not forgive truly believed in Our signs. Veril y His > disbelief in Himself, though He will forgive decree hath been issued, and the conm1and > other sins to whomsoever He pleaseth. 2 of God, as given in the Mother Book, hath > Indeed His knowledge embraceth all things .. . indeed been revealed ... > (Chapter XVII.) Become as true brethren in the one and > indivisible religion of God, free from dis- > 0 PEOPLES of the East and the West! Be tinction, for verily God desireth that your > ye fea rfu l of God concerning the Cause of hea1ts should become minors unto your > the true Joseph and barter Him not fo r a bretluáen in the Faith, so that ye find yourpaltry price 3 established by yourselves, or selves reflected in them, and the y in you. > for a trifle of yo ur ea rthly possess ions, that This is the true Path of God, the Almighty, > ye may, in very truth , be praised by Him as and He is indeed watchful over your actions . > those who are reckoned among the pious (Chapter X L VI.) > who stand nigh unto this Gate. (Chapter XX!.) > BE Thou patient, 0 Qurratu '1- 'Ayn, for God > 0 QURRATU 'L-'AYN!4 We have, verily, hath indeed pledged to establish Thy soverdilated Th ine heart in thi s Revelation , which eignty throughout all countries and over the > stands truly unique from all created things, people that dwell therein. He is God and verily > and have exa lted Thy name through the He is powerful over all things. (Chapter Lf!J.) > manifestation of the Bab, so that men may > become awa re of Our transcendent powe r, THIS divinely- inspired Book hath firmly esand recognize that God is inm1easurably tablished His Proof for all those who are in > the East and in the West, hence beware lest > cf. Qur'an 2:204. > ye utter aught but the truth regarding God, > er. ibid . 4:5 1. > ct". ib id. 12:20. > for I swear by your Lord that this supreme > In these passages of the Qayyt'.1mu' l-Asma' the name Proof of Mine beareth witness tmto all things ... > Qu1Tatu'l-'Ayn (Solace of the Eyes) refers to the Bab > Himself. 5 > cf. Q ur'an 2:206. > 18 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 0 servants of God! Be ye patient, for, do it not, Our secret wi ll never be made > God grant, He Who is the sovereign Truth known to the people,6 wh ile the purpose of > wi ll suddenly appear amongst you, invested God in creating man is but for him to know > with the power of the mighty Word , and ye H im . Indeed God hath knowledge of all > sha ll then be confounded by the Truth itself, things and is self-sufficient above the need > and ye shall have no power to ward it off, 1 of all mankind . (Chapter LX!!.) > and verily I am a witness over all mankind. > (Chapter LIX) WHENEVER the faithfu l hear the verses > of this Book being recited, their eyes will > THE infidels of a truth , seek to separate God overflow with tears and the ir hearts wi ll be > from His Remembrance, 2 but God hath deeply touched by Him Who is the Most > determined to perfect H is Light3 through His Great Remembrance for the love they cher- > Remembrance, and indeed He is potent over ish for God, the A ll-Praised. He is God, the > all things .. . (Chapter LX/.) A ll-Knowing, the Eternal. They are indeed > the inmates of the all-highest Paradise > 0 PEOPLES of the earth! Verily the wherein they will abide for ever. Verily they > resplendent Light of God hath appeared will see naught therein save that which hath > in your midst, invested with this unerring proceeded from God, nothing that will li e > Book, that ye may be guided aright to the beyond the compass of their understanding. > ways of peace and, by the leave of God, step There they will meet the believers in Paraout of the darkness into the light and onto dise, who will address them with the words > this far-extended Path ofTruth 4 ... ' Peace, Peace ' lingering on their lips ... > God hath, out of sheer nothingness and 0 concourse of the faithful! Incline your ears > through the potency of His command, created to My Voice, proclaimed by this Remembrance > the heavens and the earth and whatever lieth of God. Verily God hath revealed unto Me that > between them. He is single and peerless in the Path of the Remembrance which is set fmih > His eternal unity with none to join partner by Me is, in very truth , the straight Path of > with His holy Essence, nor is there any sou l, God, and that whoever professeth any reliexcept His Own Self, who can befittingly gion other than this upright Faith , will, when > comprehend Him ... called to acco unt on the Day of Judgement, > 0 peoples of the earth! Verily His discover that as recorded in the Book no bene- > Remembrance is come to you from God fit hath he reaped out of God ' s Rel igion ... > after an interval during which there were no Fear ye God, 0 concourse of kings, lest ye > Messengers,5 that He may purge and purify remain afar from Him Who is His Rememyo u from uncleanliness in anti cipation of the brance [the Bab] , after the Truth hath come > Day of the One true God ; therefore seek ye unto yo u w ith a Book and signs from God, > whole-heartedly divine blessings from Him, as spoken through the wondrous tongue of > inasmuoh as We have, in truth, chosen Him Him Who is His Remembrance. Seek ye > to be the W itness and the Source of wisdom grace from God, for God hath ordained for > unto all that dwell on earth .. . yo u, after ye have believed in Him, a Garden > 0 Qurratu ' l-'Ayn! Proc laim that which the vastness of which is as the vastness of > hath been sent down unto Thee as a token of the who le of Paradise. Therein ye shall find > the grace of the merciful Lord , for if Thou naught save the gifts and favours which the > Alm ighty hath graciously bestowed by vircf. Qur'an 21 :40. tue of thi s momentous Cause, as decreed in > 2 cf. ibid. 4: 149. > 3 cf. ibid. 9:32. > the Mother Book. (Chapter LXJJJ.) > 4 cf.ibid.5:15-1 8. > 5 6 > cf. ibid. 5:22 . cf. ibid . 5:7 1. > THE BAl-IA'i REVELAT ION 19 > > Detail of one of th e columns along th e arcade of the Shrine of the Bab. > > SAY, 0 peoples of the world! Do ye dispute they shall be re warded with a sure stance in > with Me abo ut God by vi1iue of the names the presence of their Lord? He indeed > whi ch ye and your fathers have adopted for beareth witness unto all things .. . > Him at the promptings of the Evi l One? 1 When the verses of thi s Book are recited to > God hath indeed sent down this Book unto the infidels they say: 'G ive us a book like > Me with truth that ye may be enab led to rec- the Qur' an and make changes in the verses. ' > ognize the true names of God, inasmuch as Say: ' God hath not given Me that I should > ye have strayed in error fa r from the Trnth. change them at My pleasure. ' I fo llow only > Verily We have taken a covenant from every what is revealed unto Me. Verily, I shall fea r > created thing upon its co ming into being My Lord on the Day of Separation, whose > concerning th e Remembrance of God, and advent He hath, in very hi.1th, irrevocably > there shall be none to avert the binding co m- ordained. 2 (Chapter LX.Xf.) > mand of God fo r the purification of mankind , > as orda ined in the Book whi ch is writt en by 0 PEOPLES of the ea1th' Verily the hi.1e > the hand of the Bab. (Chapter LXVff !) God ca lleth saying: He Who is the Remembrance is indeed the sovereign T ruth fro m > DOTH it seem sháange to the people that We God, and naught remaineth beyond háuth but > should have revealed the Book to a man error,3 and naught is there beyond en-or save > from among themselves in order to purge fire, irrevocably ordained ... > them and give them the good tidings that > 2 er Qur' an I 0: 16. > I e f. Qur 'an 7: 69; 12:40. 3 > er ibid. 10: 33 . > 20 THE BA HA ' i WOR LD > > 0 Qurratu ' l- 'Ayn! Point to Thy trnthful 0 YE peoples of the earth! By the righteousbreast through the power of truth and ness of God, the True One, the testimony > excla im: I swear by the One true God, herein shown forth by His Remembrance is like > lieth the vicegerency of God; I am indeed unto a sun which the hand of the merciful > the One Who is regarded as the Best Lord hath raised high in the midmost heart > Reward 1 and I am indeed He Who is the of the heaven, wherefrom it shineth in the > Most Excellent Abode. (Chapter LXX!f.) plenitude of its meridian splendour ... > With each and every Prophet Whom We > 0 YE concourse of the believers ! Utter not have sent down in the past, We have estabwords of denial against Me once the Truth is lished a separate Covenant concerning the > made manifest, for indeed the mandate of Remembrance of God and His Day. Manithe Bab hath befittingly been proclaimed fest, in the realm of glory and through the > unto you in the Qur'an aforetime. I swear by power of truth, are the Remembrance of God > your Lord, this Book is verily the same and His Day before the eyes of the angels > Qur 'an which was sent down in the past. that circle His mercy-seat. (Chapter XCI) > (Chapter LXXXI.) > 0 HOUR of the Dawn! Ere the resplendent > HAD it been Our wish, We would have glory of the divine Luminary sheddeth its > brought all men into one fold round Our radiance from the Dayspring of this Gate, call > Remembrance, yet they will not cease to thou to mind that the appointed Day of God > differ, 2 unless God accomplish what He wil- will indeed be at hand in less than a twinkling > leth through the power of truth. In the of an eye. Thus hath the decree of God been > estimation of the Remembrance this command- issued in the Mother Book. (Chapter XC! V.) > ment hath, in very truth, been irrevocably > ordained ... GOD had, in truth , proposed Our Mission > God hath indeed chosen Thee to warn the unto the heavens and the earth and the > people, to guide the believers aright and to mountains, but they refused to bear it and > elucidate the secrets of the Book. (Chapter were afraid thereof. However, Man, this > LXXXV.) 'Ali, Who is none other but the Great > Remembrance of God, undertook to bear it. > SHOULD it be Our wish, it is in Our power Hence God, the All-Encompass ing, hath > to compel, through the agency of but one let- referred to Hirn in His Preserved Book as the > ter of Our Revelation, the world and all that ' Wronged One ', and by reason of His being > is therein to recognize, in less than the twin- undistinguished before the eyes of men, He > kling of an eye, the truth of Our Cause .. .. hath, according to the judgement of the > Truly other apostles have been laughed to Book, been entitled 'the Unknown ' ... 5 > scorn before Thee, 3 and Thou art none other Erelong We will, in very truth, tonnent > but the Servant of God, sustained by the such as waged war against I:Iusayn [Imam > power of Truth. Ere long We shall prolong I:Iusayn ], in the Land of the Eupluates, with > the days of such as have rejected the Truth the most afflictive torment, and the most dire > by reason of that which their hands have and exemplary punishment. ... > wrought,4 and verily God will not deal God knoweth well the heart of I~Iu say n , > unjustly with anyone, even to the extent of a the heat of His burning thirst and His longspeck on a date-stone. (Chapter LXXXV!f.) suffering for the sake of God, the Incomparable, the Ancient of Days; and unto Him God > cf. Q ur' an 18:42. is verily a witness. (Chapter X ff. ) > cf. ibid. 11: 120. > cf ibid. 6: I 0. > 4 5 > cf. ibid. 3 172. cf. Qur'an 33 :72. > THE BAHA ' i REVELATION 21 > THIS Book which We have sent down is INDEED We conversed with Moses by the > indeed abounding in blessings 1 and beareth leave of God from the midst of the Burning > wih1ess to the Truth, so that the people may Bush in the Sinai and revealed an infinitesirealize that the conclusive Proof of God in mal glimmer of Thy Light upon the Mystic > favour of His Remembrance is similar to the Mount and its dwellers, whereupon the > one wherewith Mul)ammad, the Seal of the Mount shook to its foundations and was > Prophets, was invested, and verily great is crushed into dust. .. > the Cause as ordained in the Mother Book. 0 peoples of the earth! I swear by your > (Chapter LXVI.) Lord! Ye shall act as fmmer generations > have acted . Warn ye, then, yourselves of the > WE have in truth sent Thee forth unto all terrible, the most grievous vengeance of > men, by the leave of God, invested with Our God. For God is, verily, potent over all > signs and reinforced by Our unsurpassed things. (Chapter LIII.) > sovereignty. He is indeed the appointed > Bearer of the Trust of God ... 0 QURRA TU ' L- 'A YN! I recognize in Thee > 0 Qurratu'l-'Ayn! Persevere steadfastly as none other except the ' Great Announce- > Thou art bidden and let not the faith less ment'-the Announcement voiced by the > amongst men nor their utterances grieve Thee, Concomse on high. By this name, I bear > since Thy Lord shall, by the righteousness of witness, they that circle the Throne of Glory > God, the Most Great, pass judgement upon have ever known Thee. > them on the Day of Resurrection, and surely 0 concourse of the believers! Do ye har- > God wih1esseth all things. (Chapter LXXXIV) bour any doubt as to that whereunto the > Remembrance of God doth summon you? > THIS Religion is indeed, in the sight of God, By the righteousness of the One true God, > the essence of the Faith of Mu~ammad; He is none other than the sovereign Truth > haste ye then to attain the celestial Paradise Who hath been made manifest tluáough the > and the all-highest Garden of His good- power of Truth. Are ye in doubt concerning > pleasure in the presence of the One True the Bab? Verily He is the One Who holdeth, > God, could ye but be patient and thankful by Our leave, the kingdoms of earth and > before the evidences of the signs of God. heaven in His grasp, and the Lord is in h-uth > (Chapter XL VIII.) fully aware of what ye are doing ... > Indeed I am but a man like unto you . > 0 MY servants! This is God's appointed Day However, God bestoweth upon Me whatever > which the merciful Lord hath promised you favours He willeth as He pleaseth, and that > in His Book; wherefore, in very truth, glorify which your Lord hath decreed in the Mother > ye abundantly the name of God while treading Book is unbounded. (Chapter LXXXVIII.) > the Path of the Most Great Remembrance .. . > Verily God hath granted leave to His 0 QURRATU ' L-' AYN' Say: Verily I am > Remembrance to say whatsoever He willeth the One Who is hailed in the Mother Book as > in whatever manner He pleaseth. Indeed the ' Great Announcement' . Say: TI1e people > whatsoever He chooseth is none other than have grievously differed over Me, whereas > what is chosen by Us. TI1e Lord, in truth, in truth there is no difference between Me > wih1esseth all things . (Chapter LCCCV!f.) and the Bab; and God, the Eternal Truth, is > sufficient wimess . (Chapter LXXVII.) > c f. Qur 'an 6:93 . > 22 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > Th e House of 'Abdu 'l-Baha in 'A kka, known as the House of 'A bdu 'llah Pasha. > THE BAHA'i RE VELAT IO N 23 > > 3. 'ABDU'L-BAHA > > DEARLY loved friends of ' Abdu' 1-Baha, their efforts to raise on high the Word of > Your letter bearing the happy news of the God, to shed abroad His holy fragrances, to > election of the Spiritual Assembly hath educate the soul s of men, and to promulgate > an-ived, affording great pleas ure in the the Most Great Peace, they must become > knowledge that-praise be to God!-the standard-bearers of guidance, and ensigns of > friends in your area have conducted the elec- the Concourse on high. Truly, those who > tion in a spirit of the utmost fellowship, have been elected are blessed, holy souls. > concord and amity, and have been successf-t.il When I read their names , my heart was > in electing consecrated souls and well- immediately filled w ith joy, joy at the > favoured servants of His heavenl y Threshold tidings that- praise be unto God!-souls > whose firmness in the Covenant is acknowl- have been raised up in that land who are seredged by the genera lity of th e believers. vants of the Kingdom, and who stand ready > Now, with all radiance, joy and heartfelt to lay down th eir lives in the way of the > devotion, attracted by the fragrances of God Peerless King. > and the confirmations of the Holy Spirit, the > members of this newly elected Assembly From a Tablet dated 29 May 1907 to the Assemb ly of > must devote themselves to service; and, in Chi cago. > > II > > SOON will the Western regions become importance to cruelties and injuries, but > as radiant as the horizons of the East, and the rather regard them as the wanton acts of > Sun of Truth shine forth with a refulgence children. For ultimately the radiance of the > that will cause the darkness of error to fade Kingdom w ill overwhelm the darkness of > away and vanish. Great is the multitude who the world of being, and the holy, exalted > will rise up to oppose you, who will oppress character of yo ur aims will become unmi syo u, heap blame upon you, rejo ice at yo ur takably apparent. Nothing shall remain > misfortunes, account yo u people to be concealed: the oli ve oil , though stored > shunned, and visit injury upon you; yet shall within the deepest vault, shall one day burn > yo ur heavenl y Father confer upon you such in brightness from the lamp atop the beacon . > spiritual illumination that ye shall become The small shall be made great, and the poweven as the rays of the sun which, as they erless shall be given strength; they that are > chase away the sombre clouds , break forth of tender age shall become the children of > to flood the surface of the earth with li ght. It the Kingdom , and those that have gone > is incumbent upon you, whensoever these astray shall be guided to their heavenly > tests may overtake you, to stand firm , and to home. > be patient and enduring. Instead of repaying > li ke with li ke, ye should requite oppos ition From a Tab let dated 14 November 1909 to an ind ividal, > with the utmost benevolence and lovi ng- publi shed in Crisis and Vic101y (London: Baha' i Pubkindness, and on no account attach li shin g Trust, 1988 ), p. 24. > 24 THE BAHA 'i WORLD > > III > > ERELONG the wicked-doers in that the hol y Manifestations, the people acted in > land will arise to heap denunciations upon just this manner; and now, in these days, > the true believers, and vent their spite upon it is inevitable that they will repeat such > the company of the faithful. Each day they actions, nay, act with greater perversity than > will inflict a galling wound, each hour a before . .. Hence it is certain that thou wilt be > stunning blow. Rebuking the friends for afflicted with adversities, tests and injuries > the love they bear Baha ' u'llah and 'Abdu ' l- for the sake of the Blessed Beauty; yet these > Baha, they will consider justified their afflictions shall be the purest bounties and > denunciations, their scorn and malice, and bestowals, and a token of thy acceptance at > spare no effort to do the friends whatever the Divine Threshold. > injury it lieth within their power to inflict. > Such conduct is at one with the modes and > practices of the people aforetime: in bygone Fro m an undated Tablet to an indi vidual , published in > centuries, in the days of the appearance of Crisis and Victo1y (London: 1988), p. 6. > > IV > > 0 THOU Pure and Omnipotent God! 0 the Pacific Ocean, to reach the shores of > Thou my kind Lord! Grant us such power as both East and West. > to enable us to withstand the peril s of the > entire world , and give us such mi ght as to > cause the waves of our endeavours, like unto From a Tablet to an indi vidual. > > v > 0 YE denizens of the Kingdom! unto you. It is high time that ye should, in > How many are those who devote their recognition of these manifold bounties, set > lifetime to pious worship and to asceticism, your hearts firmly upon Him, draw nearer > cherishing the ardent desire for admission unto His court and become so captivated and > into the Kingdo m. Yet they all failed. How- inflamed that the music of the hymns ye sing > ever, ye have achieved this goal and entered in praise of the Desired One may ascend > the Kingdom without any toil or hardship unto the Celestial Concourse, that each one > even as, in the days of Christ, the Pharisees of you may, even as a nightingale, warble > and the priests were denied access to the melodies in glorification of the Lord of > Kingdom while Peter, John and Andrew Hosts and be enabled to foster the education > attained thereto though they were neither of all mankind . > fanatical worshippers nor ascetics. Therefore > render ye thanks unto God, Who hath > crowned you with this diadem of eternal From a Tablet to the friends in Switze rland and > g lory and vouchsafed these endless favours Germany. > Tl-IE BAI-IA' i REY E LA TIO N 25 > > Detail of the Hous e of 'Abdu 'llah Pasha, in 'Akka. > > VI > > . .. THOU shouldst initially adopt that demeanour, thy fervour, thy chaste and lucid > course of prudence that the Faith enjoins. In utterance, thou shalt have succeeded in winthe early stages, thou shouldst seek out the ning the affection of one and all , then shall > company of the eminent members of the the porta ls of heavenly guidance be opened > populace and, turning thyself in utter lowli- wide; then shall the bounteous cup be borne > ness to the unseen realm of Glory, thou around and all the souls that drink therefrom > shouldst pray for succour and protection be inebriated with the wine of holy mysterso that the Holy Spirit may, through the ies and truths. > outpourings of its grace, grant thee its assistance. When, by thy godly conduct and From a Tablet to a n indi vidu a l. > 26 THE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > VII > > YE should strive to widen the circle of are of the finest, yet they do not realize that > those with whom ye enjoy friendly relations, all the powers of the earth are impotent > and to establish the closest contact with either to establish universal peace or to prothose benevolent souls whose only thought mote the oneness of the human world. > is to do good, who are labouring in the cause Nothing short of the power of the Word of > of universal peace, and who cherish no God and the breaths of the Holy Spirit can > desire but to wih1ess the unification of the ever succeed. > world of humanity. Ye should seek out the > company of such people as these, that ye > may imbue them with an awareness of the From a Tablet dated 13 Jul y 1912 to the Assembly of > heavenly Kingdom, for albeit their motives New York. > > VITT > > 0 THOU who art turning W1to theKingdom sweet music of their voices is causing the > of God! rea l essence of all things to move and > Thy Jetter hath been received and perused. quiver. > It affo rded us joy and pleasure, gave us good 0 my spiritual friend! Dost thou know > news and is a token of the wealth of thy from what airs emanate the notes sung by > love. This period of time is the Promised those birds? They are from the melodies of > Age, the assembling of the human race to peace and reconciliation, of love and unity, > the Resurrection Day and now is the great of justice and security, of concord and har- > Day of Judgement. Soon the whole world, as mony. In a short time this heavenly singing > in springtime, will change its garb. The turn- will intoxicate all humanity; the foundations > ing and falling of the autumn leaves is past; of enmity shall be destroyed; unity and > the bleakness of the wintertime is over. The affection shall be wimessed in every assemnew year hath appeared and the spiritual bly; and the splendours of the love of God > springtime is at hand. The black earth is will shine forth in these great fest ivals. > becoming a verdant garden; the deserts and Therefore, contemplate what a spirit of > mountains are teeming with red flowers; life God hath given that the body of the > from the borders of the wilderness the tall whole earth may attain life everlasting ! The > grasses are standing like advance guards Abha Paradise will soon spread a pavilion in > before the cypress and jessamine háees; the midmost heart of the world , under whose > while the birds are singing among the rose shelter the beloved shall rejoice and the pure > branches like the angels in the hi ghest heav- hearts shall repose in peace. > ens, announcing the glad-tidings of the > approach of that spiritual spring, and the From a Tablet dated 1903 to an indi vid ual. > THE BAHA ' i REVELATION 27 > > lX > > Q FRIENDS ofGod! Boundless treasure is in the hand of the > Do ye know in what cycle ye are created King of Kings! Lift the hem of thy gam1ent > and in what age ye exist? This is the age of to receive it. > the Blessed Perfection and this is the time of This is the time for growing; the season > the Greatest Name! This is the century of the for joyous gathering! Take the cup of the > Manifestation, the age of the Sun of all hori- Testament in thy hand; leap and dance with > zons and the beautiful springtime of the ecstasy in the triumphal procession of the > Eternal One! Covenant! Place your confidence in the > The earth is in motion and growth; the everlasting bounty, turn to the presence of > mountains, hills and prairies are green and the generous God; ask assistance from the > pleasant; bounty is overflowing; mercy uni- kingdom of Abha ; seek confirmation from > versal; rain is descending from the clouds of the Supreme World; tum thy vision to the > compassion; the brilliant sun is shining; the horizon of eternal wealth; and pray for help > full moon adometh the ethereal horizon; from the Source of Mercy! > the great ocean-tide is flooding every little Soon shall ye see the friends attaining > stream; gifts and favours follow one upon their longed-for destination and pitching > the other and a refreshing breeze is blowing, their tents, while we are but in the first day > wafting the fragrant perfume of the of our journey. > blossoms. > Ifwe are not happy and joyous at this sea- To the Asse mbl y in Samarkand , Russ ia. New translason, for what other season shall we wait and tion of a Tablet published earli er in Tablets of Abdu/- > for what other time shall we look? Bnha Abbas, p. 641. > > x > 0 YE beloved friends of God and hand- source of life in both worlds, and of salmaids of the Merciful! vation unto such as have gone astray . Today > Call ye to mind the blessed Name of our this hallowed Name serveth as a shield for > peerless Beloved, the Abha Beauty, in an all mankind, and as a veritable refuge for the > uplifting spirit of unbounded ecstasy and children of men. It is the wondrous accent of > delight, then unloose your tongues in His the Lord of Mercy, and His celestial melody. > praise in such wise that the realm of the Wherefore, 0 faithful friends, raise ye the > heart may be purged from the woes and sor- triumphal cry of Ya-Baha ' u' l-Abha! 0 ye > rows of the world of water and clay, that the who yearn after the Beauty of the Almighty! > great heights of spiritual perception may be Lift up your faces toward the Supreme Horiunveiled before your eyes, that the glorious zon. Rest not, even for a moment. Breathe > signs of His Divine Unity may shine not a single breath save in remembrance of > resplendent, a fresh outpouring of His grace His love and in recognition of His grace, in > may stream forth, and a liberal effusion of the promulgation of His Utterances and the > celestial confirmations may be vouchsafed vindication of His Testimonies. > unto you. Verily, this is the Magnet of divine con- > His Name is indeed the healing medicine firmations . This is the mighty Force which > for every illness, and imparteth warmth unto will surely attrnct heavenly assistance. > those starving with cold. It is the sovereign > remedy and the supreme talisman. It is the From a Tablet to a group of believers. > 28 Tl-IE BAI-L.\'i WORLD > > Th e Seat of the Universal Hous e of Justice, on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Tsrael. > II > EXCERPTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > FROM CALL TO THE NATIO NS > > HUMAN1TY, whether viewed in the the political and economic unification of the > light of man's individual conduct or in the world-a principle that has been increasexisting relationships between organized ingly advocated in recent times-provide in > communities and nations, has, alas, strayed itself the antidote against the poison that > too far and suffered too great a decline to be is steadily undermining the vigour of orgaredeemed through the unaided efforts of the nized peoples and nations. > best among its recognized rulers and states- What else, might we not confidently > men-however disinterested their motives, affirn1, but the unreserved acceptance of the > however concerted their action, however Divine Programme enunciated, with such > unsparing in their zeal and devotion to its simplicity and force as far back as sixty > cause. No scheme which the calculations years ago, 1 by Baha 'u'llah, embodying in its > of the highest statesmanship may yet devise; essentials God's divinely-appointed scheme > no docháine which the most distinguished fo r the unification of mankind in this age, > exponents of economic theory may hope to coupled with an indomitable conviction in > advance; no principle which the most ardent the unfailing efficacy of each and all of its > of moralists may strive to inculcate, can pro- provisions, is eventually capable of withvide, in the last resort, adequate foundations standing the forces of internal disintegration > upon which the future of a distracted world which, if unchecked, must needs continue to > can be built. eat into the vitals of a despairing society. > No appeal for mutual tolerance which the It is towards this goal- the goal of a new > worldly-wise might raise, however compel- World Order, Divine in origin, all-emling and insistent, can calm its passions or bracing in scope, equitable in principle, > help restore its vigour. Nor would any gen- challenging in its fea tures-that a harassed > era l scheme of mere organized international humanity must strive. > cooperation, in whatever sphere of human To claim to have grasped all the impliactivity, however ingenious in conception, cations of Baha'u'llah's prodigimis scheme > or extensive in scope, succeed in removing fo r world-wide human solidarity, or to have > the root cause of the evil that has so rudely fathomed its import, would be presumptuous > upset the equilibrium of present-day society. on the part of even the declared supporters > Not even, I venture to assert, would the very > act of dev ising the machinery required for 1 > Written in I 93 1. > 30 THE BAl-IA' i WORLD > > of His Faith . To attempt to visualize it in all that are implicit in Baha'u ' llah 's supreme > its poss ibilities, to estimate its future bene- declaration of the Oneness of Mankind- the > fits , to picture its glory, would be premature chief and distinguishing fea ture of the Faith > at even so advanced a stage in the evolution He proclain1ed? For the principle of the > of mankind. Oneness of Mankind, the corner-stone of > All we can reasonably venture to attempt Baha'u'llah's wo rld-embracing dominion, > is to strive to obtain a glimpse of the first implies nothing more or less than the enforcestreaks of the promised Dawn that must, in ment of His scheme for the unification of the > the fullness of time, chase away the gloom world- the scheme to which we have already > that has encircled humanity. All we can do is refen-ed. "Jn eve1y Dispensation," writes > to point out, in their broadest outlines, what 'Abdu ' l-Baba, "the light of Divine Guidance > appears to us to be the gu iding principles has been focused upon one central theme ... > underlying the World Order ofBaha' u ' llah ... . In this wondrous Revelation, this glorious > That the umest and suffe ring afflicting centwy , the foundation of the Faith of God > the mass of mankind are in no small measure and the distinguishing f eature of His Law is > the direct consequences of the World War 1 the consciousness of the Oneness of > and are attributable to the unwisdom and Mankind. " > sho rt-sightedness of the fra mers of the Peace How pathetic indeed are the efforts of > Treaties only a biased mind can refuse to those lea ders of human institutions who , > admit. . .. It would be idle, however, to con- in utter disregard of the spirit of the age, > tend that the war, with all the losses it are striving to adjust national processes, > involved, the passions it aro used and the suited to the ancient days of self-contained > grievances it left behind, has sole ly been nations, to an age which must either achi eve > responsible for the unprecedented confusion the unity of the world, as adumbrated by > into which almost every section of the Baha' u ' llah, or perish. At so critical an hour > civilized world is plunged at present. Is it in the hist01y of civilization it behoves the > not a fact- and thi s is the centra l idea I leaders of all the nations of the world, great > desire to emphasize- that the fundamental and small, whether in the Eas t or in the > cause of this world unrest is attributable, not West, whether victors or vanquished, to give > so much to the consequences of what must heed to the clarion call of Baha 'u' ll ah and, > sooner or later come to be regarded as a thoroughly imbued with a sense of world > transitory dislocation in the affairs of a solidarity, the sine qua non of loyalty to His > continually changing world, but rather to the Cause, arise manfully to cany out in its > fai lure of those into whose hands the imme- entirety the one remedia l scheme He, the > diate destinies of peoples and nations have Divine Physician, has prescribed for an > been committed, to adjust their systems of ailing humanity. Let them discard, once for > economic and political institutions to the all, every preconce ived idea, every national > imperative needs of a rapidly-evolving age? prejudice, and give heed to the sublime > Are not these intermittent crises that convulse counsel of 'Abdu' l-B aha, the authorized > present-day society due primarily to the Expounder of His teachings. "You can best > lamentab le inability of the world's recog- serve your country ", was 'Abdu ' l-Baha's > nized leaders to read aright the signs of the rejoinder to a high official in the service of > times, to rid themselves once for all of their the federa l government of the United States > preconceived ideas and fettering creeds, and of America, who had questioned Him as to > to res hape the machinery of their respective the best manner in which he could promote > governments according to those standards the interests of hi s government and people, "il > you strive, in your capacity as a citizen of the > Written in 193 1 and refers to the first Worl d War. world, to assist in the eventual application of > THE BAl-IA'i REVELATION 31 > the principle of federalism underlying the nay the human race as a whole should > government ofyour own countly to the rela- resolve, with eve1y power at its disposal, to > tionships now existing between the peoples destroy that govern ment. Should this greatand nations of the world." est of all remedies be applied to the sick > In The Secret of Divine Civilization, body of the world, it will assuredly recover > 'Abdu'l-Baha's outstanding contribution to fiwn its ills and will remain eternally safe > the future reorganization of the world, we and secure." > read the following: "A few ," He further adds, "unaware of the > "True civilization will unfurl its banner in power latent in human endeavour, consider > the midmost heart of the world whenever a this matter as highly impracticable, nay even > certain number of its distinguished and beyond the scope of man's utmost efforts. > high-minded sovereigns-the shining exem- Such is not the case, however. On the > plars of devotion and determination-shall, contrary, thanks to the unfailing grace of > for the good and happiness of all mankind, God, the loving-kindness of His favoured > arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, ones, the unrivalled endeavours of wise and > to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. capable souls, and the thoughts and ideas of > They must make the Cause of Peace the the peerless leaders of this age, nothing > object of general consultation, and seek by whatsoever can be regarded as unattainable. > every means in their power to establish a Endeavour, ceaseless endeavour, is required. > Union of the nations of the world. They must Nothing short of an indomitable determinaconclude a binding treaty and establish a tion can possibly achieve it. Many a cause > covenant, the provisions of which shall be which past ages have regarded as purely > sound, inviolable and definite. They must visionmy, yet in this day has become most > proclaim it to all the world and obtain for it easy and practicable. Why should this most > the sanction of all the human race. This great and lofty cause-the day-star of the > supreme and noble undertaking- the real firmament of true civilization and the cause > source of the peace and well-being of all of the glory, the advancement, the wellthe world-should be regarded as sacred by being and th e success of all humanity-be > all that dwell on earth. All th e forces of regarded as impossible of achievement? > humanity must be mobilized to ensure the Surely the day will come when its beauteous > stability and permanence of this Most Great light shall shed illumination upon the > Covenant. In this all-embracing Pact the assemblage of man." > limits and ji-ontiers of each and every In one of His Tablets 'Abdu ' l-Baha, > nation should be clearly fixed, the principles elucidating further His noble theme, reveals > underlying the relations of governments the following: > towards one another definitely laid down, "In cycles gone by, though harmony was > and all international agreements and obli- established, yet, owing to the absence of > gations ascertained. In like manner, the size means, the unity of all mankind could not > of the armaments of evety government have been achieved. Continents remained > should be strictly limited, for if the prepara- widely divided, nay even among the peoples > tions for war and the militmy forces of of one and the same continent association > any nation should be allowed to increase, and interchange of thought were well-nigh > they will arouse the suspicion of others. The impossible. Consequently intercourse, underfundamental principle underly ing this standing and unity amongst all the peoples > solemn Pact should be so fixed that if and kindreds of the earth were unattainable. > any government later violate any one of In this day, however, means of communicaits provisions, all the governments on earth tion have multiplied, and the jive continents > should arise to reduce it to utter submission, of the earth have virtually merged into one .... > 32 Tl-IE BAl-IA' i WORLD > > Jn like manner all the members of the human "the concourse of the rulers of the earth", > family, whether peoples or governments, revealed the fo llowing: > cities or villages, have become increasing ly " Take ye counsel together, and let your > interdependent. For none is self-sufficiency concern be only for that which profiteth > any longer possible, inasmuch as political mankind and bettereth the condition > ties unite all peoples and nations, and the thereof .. . Regard the world as the human > bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture body, which, though created whole and > and education, are being strengthened every pe1fect, has been afflicted, through divers > day. Hence the unity of all mankind can in causes, with grave ills and maladies. Not for > this day be achieved. Verily this is none one day did it rest, nay its sicknesses waxed > other but one of the wonders of this won- more severe, as it f ell under the treatment of > drous age, this glorious century. Of this past unskilled physicians who have spurred on > ages have been deprived, for this century- the steed of their worldly desires and have > the centwy of light- has been endowed with erred grievously. And if at one time, through > unique and unprecedented glo1y, power and the care of an able physician, a member of > illumination. Hence the miraculous unfold- that body was healed, the rest remained > ing of a fi'esh marvel eve1y day. Eventually it afflicted as before." . .. > will be seen how bright its candles will burn In a further passage Baha'u'llah adds > in the assemblage of man. these words: > "Behold how its light is now dawning "We see you adding every year unto your > upon the world's darkened horizon. The first expenditures and lay ing the burden th ereof > candle is unity in the political realm, the on the people whom ye rule; this verily is > early glimmerings of which can now be naught but grievous injustice. Fear the sighs > discerned. The second candle is unity of and tears of this Wronged One, and burden > thought in world undertakings, the consum- not your peoples beyond that which they can > mation of which will ere long be witnessed. . endure .... Be reconciled among yourselves, > Th e third candle is unity in freedom which that ye may need armaments no more save in > will surely come to pass. The fourth candle is a measure to safeguard your territories and > unity in religion which is the corner-stone dominions. Be united, 0 concourse of the > of the foundation itself, and which, by the sovereigns of the world, for thereby will the > power of God, will be revealed in all its tempest of discord be stilled amongst you > splendour. Th e fifth candle is the unity of and your peoples find rest .. .. Should any one > nations-a unity which in this century will be among you take up arms against another, > securely established, causing all the peoples rise ye all against him, for this is naught but > of the world to regard themselves as citizens manifestjustice." > of one common fatherland. The sixth candle What else could these weighty words > is unity of races, making of all that dwell on signify if they did not point to the inevitable > earth peoples and kindreds of one race. The curtailment of unfettered national soverseventh candle is unity of language, i.e. the eignty as an indispensable preliminary to the > choice of a universal tongue in which all formation of the future Commonwealth of > peoples will be instructed and converse. Each all the nations of the world? Some form of a > and every one of these will inevitably come to world super-state must needs be evolved, in > pass, inasmuch as the power of the Kingdom whose favour all the nations of the world > of God will aid and assist in their realization." will have willingly ceded every claim to > Over sixty years ago, 1 in His Tablet make war, certain rights to impose taxation > to Queen Victori a, Baha'u ' llah , addressing and all rights to maintain armaments, except > for purposes of maintaining internal order > Now we ll over a cen tury; the Tablet to Q ueen within their respective dominions. Such a > Victoria was written about 1870. > THE BAHA'i REVELAT ION 33 > state wil l have to include within its orb it an institutions in a manner consonant w ith the > International Executi ve adequate to enforce needs of an ever-changing world. It can > supreme and unchallengeable authority on conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor > every recalcitrant member of the common- can it unde1111ine essentia l loyalties. Its > wealth ; a World Parliament whose members purpose is neither to stifl e the flame of a sane > shall be elected by the people in thei r and intelligent patriotism in men's hearts, nor > respective countries and whose election to abolish the system of national autonomy > shall be co nfi rmed by their respective gov- so essential if the evi ls of excess ive centralernments; and a Supreme Tribunal whose ization are to be avoided. It does not ignore, > judgement will have a binding effect even nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity > in such cases where the parties concerned of ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of > did not vo luntarily agree to submit their case language and tradition, of thought and habit, > to its co nsideration . A world communi ty that differentiate the peoples and nations of > in which all economi c barriers wi ll have the world. It calls for a w ider loyalty, for a > been permanently demolished and the inter- larger aspiration than any that has animated > dependence of Capital and Labour definitely the human race. It insists upon the subordinarecogni zed; in which the clamour of tion of national impulses and interests to the > religious fa naticism and strife wi ll have been imperative claims of a unified world. It repuforever stilled; in which the fl ame of racial diates excessive centra li zation on one hand, > animosity wi ll have been finall y exti nguished; and di sclaims all attempts at uniformity on > in wh ich a single code of international law- the other. Its watchword is unity in diversity > the product of the considered judgement of such as' Abd u' l-Baha H imself has explained: > the world's federated representatives-shal l "Consider the flowers of a garden. > have as its sanction the instant and coercive Though differing in kind, colour, form and > intervention of the combined fo rces of the shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed > federated units; and finally a world commu- by the waters of one spring, revived by the > nity in which the fury of a capricious and breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays > militant nationalism will have been trans- of one sun, this diversity increaseth their > muted in to an abid ing consc iousness of charm. and addeth unto their beauty. How > world citizenship-such indeed ap pears, in unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and > its broadest outl in e, the Order anticipated plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruit, the > by Baha' u' ll ah, an Order that shall come to branches and the trees of that garden were > be regarded as the fairest fruit of a slowly all of the same shape and colour! Diversity > maturing age. of hues, form and shape enricheth and ador- > "Th e Tabernacle of Unity," Baha ' u' llah neth the garden, and heighteneth the effect > proclaims in His message to all mankind, thereof Jn like manner, when divers shades > "has been raised; regard ye not one another of thought, temperament and character, are > as strangers ... . Of one tree are all ye the fruit brought together under the power and influand of one bough the leaves .... Th e world is ence of one central agency, the beauty and > but one count1y and mankind its citizens .... glory of human p e1fection will be revealed > Let not a man glory in that he loves his and made manifest. Naught but the celestial > country; let him rather glory in this, that potency of the Word of God, which ruleth > he loves his kind. " and transcendeth the realities of all things, > Let there be no misgi vin gs as to the is capable of harmonizing the divergent > animating purpose of the world-wide Law of thoughts, sentiments, ideas and convictions > Baha ' u' llah. Far from aiming at the subver- of the children of men. " > sion of the ex isting foundat ions of soc iety, T he ca ll of Baha ' u ' ll ah is primarily > it seeks to broaden its basis, to remould its d irected against all fo rms of provincialism, > 34 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > all insularities and prejudices. If long-cher- give way to a new gospel, fundamentally > ished ideals and time-honoured institutions, different from, and infinitely superior to, > if certain social assumptions and religious what the world has already conceived. It > formulae have ceased to promote the welfare calls for no less than the reconstruction and > of the generality of mankind, if they no the demilitarization of the whole civilized > longer minister to the needs of a continually world- a world organically unified in all the > evolving humanity, let them be swept away essential aspects of its life, its political > and relegated to the limbo of obsolescent machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade > and forgotten doctrines. Why should these, and finance, its script and language, and > in a world subject to the immutable law yet infinite in the diversity of the national > of change and decay, be exempt from the characteristics of its federated units. > deterioration that must needs overtake every It represents the consummation of human > human institution? For legal standards, politi- evolution- an evolution that has had its earcal and economic theories are solely designed lies t beginnings in the birth of fa mily life, its > to safeguard the interests of humanity as a subsequent development in the achievement > whole, and not humanity to be crncified for of tribal solidarity, leading in turn to the > the preservation of the integrity of any constitution of the city-state, and expanding > particular law or doctrine. later into the institution of independent and > Let there be no mistake. The principle of sovereign nations. > the Oneness of Mankind- the pivot round The principle of the Oneness of Mankind, > which all the teachings of Baha ' u'llah as proclaimed by Balla 'u ' llah, carries with it > revolve- is no mere outburst of ignorant no more and no less than a solemn assertion > emotionalism or an expression of vague and that attainment to this final stage in this > pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely stupendous evolution is not only necessary > identified with a reawakening of the spirit but inevitable, that its realization is fast > of brotherhood and good-will among men, approaching, and that nothing short of a > nor does it aim solely at the fostering of power that is born of God can succeed in > harn1onious co-operation among individual establishing it. ... > peoples and nations. Its implications are Who knows that for so exalted a concepdeeper, its claims greater than any which the tion to take shape a suffering more intense > Prophets of old were allowed to advance. than any it has yet experienced will have to > Its message is applicable not only to the be inflicted upon humanity? Could anything > individual, but concerns itself primarily with less than the fire of a civil war with all its > the nature of those essential relationships violence and vicissitudes-a war that nearly > that must bind all the states and nations as rent the great American Republic- have > members of one human family . It does not welded the states, not only into a Union > constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, of independent units, but into a Nation, in > but stands inseparably associated with an spite of all the ethnic differences that charinstitution adequate to embody its truth, acterized its component parts? That so > demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its fundamental a revolution, involving such > influence. It implies an organic change in the far-reaching changes in the strncture of sostructure of present-day society, a change ciety, can be achieved through the ordinaty > such as the world has not yet experienced. processes of diplomacy and education seems > It constitutes a challenge, at once bold and highly improbable. We have but to turn our > universal, to outworn shibboleths of nationa l gaze to humanity ' s blood-stained hist01y to > creeds- creeds that have had their day and realize that nothing short of intense mental > which must, in the ordinary course of events as well as physical agony has been able to > as shaped and controlled by Providence, precipitate those epoch-making changes that > THE BAHA' i REVELATION 35 > constitute the greatest landmarks in the hands . It implies at once a warning and a > history of human civilization. promise-a warning that in it lies the sole > Great and far-reaching as have been those means for the salvation of a greatly suffering > changes in the past, they cannot but appear, world, a promise that its realization is at > when viewed in their proper perspective, hand. > except as subsidiary adjustments prelu ding Uttered at a time when its possibility had > that transformation of unparalleled majesty not yet been seriously envisaged in any part > and scope which humanity is in this age of the world, it has, by virtue of that celestial > bound to undergo. That the forces of a world potency which the Spirit of Baha'u'llah has > catastrophe can alone precipitate such a new breathed into it, come at last to be regarded, > phase of human thought is, alas, becoming by an increasing number of thoughtful men, > increasingly apparent. That nothing shoti of not only as an approaching possibility, but > the fire of a severe ordeal, unparalleled in as the necessary outcome of the forces now > its intensity, can fuse and weld the discor- operating in the world. > dant entities that constitute the elements Surely the world, contracted and transof present-day civilization, into the integral fmmed into a single highly complex organism > components of the world commonwealth of by the marvellous progress achieved in the > the future, is a truth which future events will realm of physical science, by the world-wide > increasingly demonstrate. expansion of commerce and industry, and > The prophetic voice ofBaha'u'llah warn- snuggling, under the pressure of world > ing, in the concluding passages of Th e economic forces, amidst the pitfalls of a > Hidden Words, the peoples of the world that materialistic civilization, stands in dire need > an unforeseen calamity is following them of a restatement of the Truth underlying all > and that grievous retribution awaiteth them the Revelations of the past in a language > tlrrows indeed a lurid light upon the immedi- suited to its essential requirements. And > ate fotiunes of sorrowing humanity. Nothing what voice other than that of Baha'u'llahbut a fiery ordeal, out of which humanity the Mouthpiece of God for this age-is capawill emerge, chastened and prepared, can ble of effecting a transformation of society > succeed in implanting that sense ofresponsi- as radical as that which He has already > bility which the leaders of a new-born age accomplished in the hearts of those men and > must arise to shoulder. women, so diversified and seemingly irrec- > I would again direct your attention to oncilable, who constitute the body of His > those ominous words of Baha'u'llah which declared followers tluáoughout the world? > I have already quoted: "And when the That such a mighty conception is fast > appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly budding out in the minds of men, that > appear that which shall cause the limbs of voices are being raised in its support, that its > mankind to quake." . .. salient features must fast crystallize in the > One word more in conclusion. The procla- consciousness of those who are in authority, > mation of the Oneness of Mankind- the head few indeed can doubt. That its modest > corner-stone of Baha'u'llah's all-embracing begimtings have already taken shape in the > dominion-can under no circumstances be world-wide Administration with which the > compared with such expressions of pious adherents of the Faith of Baha 'u ' llah stand > hope as have been uttered in the past. His associated only those whose hearts are > is not merely a call which He raised, alone tainted by prejudice can fail to perceive .... > and unaided, in the face of the relentless and > combined opposition of two of the most Excerpts from Th e Goal of a New World Order, in > powerfu l Oriental potentates of His day- Call to the Nations ( Hai fa: Baha'i World Centre, 1977). > while Himself an exile and prisoner in their C hapter II. > 36 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > FEW will fail to recognize that the Spirit dismay the bankruptcy of their ideas, and the > breathed by Baha'u'llah upon the world, and disintegration of their handiwork, would do > which is manifesting itself with varying well to him their gaze to the Revelation of > degrees of intensity through the efforts con- Baha'u'llah, and to meditate upon the World > sciously displayed by His avowed supporters Order which, lying enshrined in His teachand indirectly through certain humanitarian ings, is slowly and imperceptibly rising > organizations, can never permeate and amid the welter and chaos of present-day > exercise an abiding influence upon mankind civilization. They need have no doubt or > unless and until it incarnates itself in a visible anxiety regarding the nature, the origin, or > Order, which would bear His name, wholly validity of the institutions which the adheridentify itself with His principles, and ents of the Faith are building up tluáoughout > function in conforniity with His laws. That the world. For these lie embedded in the > Baha'u'llah in His Book of Aqdas, and later teachings themselves , unadulterated and > 'Abdu'l-Baha in His Will- a document which unobscured by unwarrantable inferences, or > confirms, supplements, and correlates the unauthorized interpretations of His Word . . .. > provisions of the Aqdas- have set forth in > their entirety those essential elements for the THE omushing forces so miraculously > constitution of the world Baha ' i Common- released through the agency of two indepenwealth, no one who has read them will deny. dent and swiftly successive Manifestations are > According to these divinely-ordained adniin- now under our very eyes and tluáough the care > istrative principles, the Dispensation of of the chosen stewards of a far-flung Faith > Baha'u'llah- the Ark of human salvation- being gradually mustered and disciplined. > must needs be modelled. From them, all They are slowly crystallizing into institutions > future blessings must flow, and upon them that will come to be regarded as the hallmark > its inviolable auth01ity must ultimately rest. and glory of the age we are called upon to > For Baha'u 'llah, we should readily recog- establish and by our deeds i1m11ortalize .... > nize, has not only imbued mankind with It would be utterly misleading to attempt > a new and regenerating Spirit. He has not a comparison between this unique, this > merely enunciated certain universal princi- divinely-conceived Order and any of the > ples, or propounded a particular philosophy, diverse systems which the minds of men, at > however potent, sound and universal these various periods of their history, have contrived > may be. In addition to these He, as well as for the government of human institutions. > ' Abdu ' l-Baha after Him, has, unlike the Such an attempt would in itself betray a lack > Dispensations of the past, clearly and specif- of complete appreciation of the excellence > ically laid down a set of Laws , established of the handiwork of its great Author. How > definite institutions, and provided for the could it be otherwise when we remember > essentials of a Divine Economy. These are that this Order constih1tes the very pattern of > destined to be a pattern for fuh1re society, that divine civilization which the almighty > a supreme instrument for the establishment Law of Baha ' u' llah is designed to establish > of the Most Great Peace, and the one agency upon earth? The divers and ever-shifting > for the unification of the world, and the systems of human polity, whether past or > proclamation of the reign of righteousness present, whether originating in the East or in > and justice upon the earth .... the West, offer no adequate criterion where- > Leaders of religion, exponents of political with to estimate the potency of its hidden > the01ies, governors of human institutions, who virtues or to appraise the solidity of its > at present are witnessing with perplexity and foundations. > THE BAl-IA'i REVELATION 37 > > Details of the pillars and gardens surrounding the Seat of the Universal Hous e of Justice. > > The Baha'i Commonwealth of the future, This new-born Administrative Order > of which this vast Administrative Order is incorporates with in its structure certain > the so le framework, is, both in theory and elements which are to be found in each of > practice, not only unique in the entire history the tluáee recognized forms of secular govof political institutions, but can find no ernment, without being in any sense a mere > parallel in the aru1als of any of the world 's replica of any one of them, and without > recognized religious systems. No form of introducing within its machinery any of the > democratic government; no system of autoc- objectionable features which they inherently > racy or of dictatorship, whether monarchical possess. It blends and harmonizes, as no > or republican; no intermediary scheme of a govermnent fashioned by mortal hands has > purely aristocratic order; nor even any of the as yet accomplished , the salutary h-uths > recognized types of theocracy, whether it be which each of these systems undoubtedly > the Hebrew Commonwealth, or the various contains without vitiating the integrity of > Christian ecclesiastical organizations, or the those God-given verities on which it is > Imamate or the Caliphate in Islam- none of ultimately fo unded. > these can be identified or be said to conform The Adminisháative Order of the Faith of > with the Administrative Order which the Baha 'u ' llah must in no wise be regarded as > master-hand of its perfect Architect has purely democratic in character inasmuch as > fashioned. the basic assumption wh ich requires all > 38 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > democracies to depend fundamentally upon laws requiring the election by universal sufgetting their mandate from the people is frage of all local, national, and international > altogether lacking in this Dispensation. In Houses of Justice, the total absence of episthe conduct of the administrative affairs of copal authority with its attendant privileges, > the Faith, in the enactment of the legislation corruptions and bureaucratic tendencies, > necessary to supplement the laws of the are further evidences of the non-autocratic > Kitab-i-Aqdas, the members of the Univer- character of the Baha'i Administrative Order > sal House of Justice, it should be borne in and of its inclination to democratic methods > mind, are not, as Baha 'u ' llah's utterances in the administration of its affairs. > clearly imply, responsible to those whom Nor is this Order identified with the name > they represent, nor are they allowed to ofBaha'u'llah to be confused with any sysbe governed by the feelings, the general tem of purely aristocratic government in view > opinion, and even the convictions of the of the fact that it upholds, on the one hand, > mass of the faithful, or of those who directly the hereditary principle and entrusts the > elect them. They are to follow, in a prayerful Guardian of the Faith with the obligation of > attitude, the dictates and promptings of their interpreting its teachings, and provides, on > conscience. They may, indeed they must, the other, for the free and direct election from > acquaint themse lves with the conditions among the mass of the faithful of the body > prevailing among the community, must weigh that constitutes its highest legislative organ . > dispassionately in their minds the merits of Whereas this Administrative Order cannot > any case presented for their consideration, be said to have been modelled after any of > but must reserve for themselves the right these recognized systems of government, it > of an unfettered decision. "God will verily nevertheless embodies, reconciles and assiminspire them with whatsoever He willeth," ilates within its framework such wholesome > is Baha'u' llah's incontrovetiible assurance. elements as are to be found in each one of > They, and not the body of those who either them. The hereditary authority which the > directly or indirectly elect them, have thus Guardian is called upon to exercise, the vital > been made the recipients of the divine and essential functions which the Universal > guidance which is at once the life-blood and House of Justice discharges, the specific > ultimate safeguard of this Revelation . ... provisions requiring its democratic election > Nor can the Baha'i Administrative Order by the representatives of the fa ithful- these > be dismissed as a hard and rigid system of combine to demonstrate the trnth that this > unmitigated autocracy or as an idle imitation divinely revealed Order, wh ich can never > of any form of absolutistic ecclesiastical be identified with any of the standard types > government, whether it be the Papacy, the of government referred to by Aristotl e i.n > Imamate or any other similar institution, for his works, embodies and blends with the > the obvious reason that upon the international spiritual verities on which it is based the > elected representatives of the followers of beneficent elements which are to be found > Baha'u ' llah has been conferred the exclusive in each one of them. The admitted evil s > right of legislating on matters not expressly inherent in each of these systems being rigrevea led in the Baha'i writings. Neither the idly and permanently excluded, this unique > Guardian of the Faith nor any institution Order, however long it may endure and > apati from the International House of Justice however extensive its ramifications, cannot > can ever usurp this vital and essential power ever degenerate into any form of despotism, > or encroach upon that sacred right. The abo- of oligarchy, or of demagogy which must > lition of professional priesthood with its sooner or later corrupt the machinery of all > accompanying sacraments of baptism, of man-made and essentially defective political > communion and of confession of sins, the institutions .... > THE BAHA' i RE VELA T!ON 39 > Significant as are the origins of this disillusioned and sadly shaken society can > mighty administrative strncture, and how- ill afford to ignore. > ever unique its features , the happenings that Compare these splendid manifestations of > may be said to have heralded its birth and the spirit animating this vibrant body of the > signalized the initial stage of its evolution Faith of Baha'u'llah with the cries and > seem no less remarkable. How striking, how agony, the follies and vanities, the bitterness > edifying the contrast between the process of and prejudices, the wickedness and divisions > slow and steady consolidation that charac- of an ailing and chaotic world. Witness the > terizes the growth of its infant strength and fear that torn1ents its leaders and paralyses > the devastating onrush of the forces of the action of its blind and bewildered statesdisintegration that are assailing the outworn men. How fierce the hatreds, how false the > institutions, both religious and secular, of ambitions, how petty the pursuits, how deeppresent-day society! rooted the suspicions of its peoples! How > The vitality which the organic institutions disquieting the lawlessness, the conuption, > of this great, this ever-expanding Order so the unbelief that are eating into the vitals of > strongly exhibit; the obstacles which the a tottering civilization! > high courage, the undaunted resolution of Might not this process of steady deterioits administrators have already surmounted; ration which is insidiously invading so many > the fire of an unquenchable enthusiasm that departments of human activity and thought > glows with undiminished fervour in the be regarded as a n ~cessary accompanin1ent > hearts of its itinerant teachers; the heights to the rise of !his almighty Arm of > of self-sacrifice which its champion-builders Baha'u'llah? Might we not look upon the > are now attaining; the breadth of vision, the momentous happenings which . . . have so > confident hope, the creative joy, the inward deeply agitated every continent of the earth > peace, the uncompromising integrity, the as ominous signs simultaneously proclaiming > exempl ary discipline, the unyielding unity the agonies of a disintegrating civilization > and solidarity which its stalwart defenders and the birth-pangs of that World Ordermanifest; the degree to which its moving that Ark of human salvation- that must > Spirit hath shown itself capable of assimilat- needs arise upon its rnins? > ing the diversified elements within its pale, > of cleansing them of all forms of prejudice Excerpts from The World Order of Bahn "u 'I/ah: Furth er > and of fusing them with its own shucture- Considerations and 771e Dispensation of Bah a '11 'I/ah, 111 > these are evidences of a power which a Call to the Nations. Chapter Ill . > 40 THE BA HA'i WORLD > III > THE contrast between the accumulating equilibrium'', He explains, "hath been upset > evidences of steady consolidation that through the vibrating influence of this > accompany the rise of the Administrative Most Great, this new World Order. Man- > Order of the Faith of God, and the forces of kind 's ordered life hath been revolutionized > disintegration which batter at the fabric of through the agency of this unique, this > a travailing society, is as clear as it is wondrous System, the like of which mortal > arresting. Both within and outside the Baha' i eyes have never witnessed." "The signs > world the signs and tokens which, in a of impending convulsions and chaos," He > mysterious manner, are heralding the birth warns the peoples of the world, "can now be > of that World Order, the establishment of discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing Order > which must signalize the Golden Age of the appeareth to be lamentably defective." ... > Cause of God, are growing and multiplying No machinery falling short of the standay by day. No fair-minded observer can dard inculcated by the Baha'i Revelation, > any longer fail to discern them. He cannot be and at variance with the sublime pattern > misled by the painful slowness characteriz- ordained in His teachings, which the collecing the unfoldment of the civilization which tive efforts of mankind may yet devise can > the followers of Baha'u'llah are labouring ever hope to achieve anything above or > to establish. Nor can he be deluded by beyond that "Lesser Peace" to which the > the ephemeral manifestations of returning Author of our Faith has Himself alluded in > prosperity which at times appear to be capa- His writings. "Now that ye have refi1sed the > ble of checking the disruptive influence of Most Great Peace," He, admonishing the > the chronic ills afflicting the institutions of kings and rulers of the earth, has written, > a decaying age. The signs of the times are "hold ye fast unto this the Lesser Peace, that > too numerous and compelling to allow him haply ye may in some degree better your > to mistake their character or to belittle their own condition and that ofyour dependents." > significance. He can, if he be fair in his Expatiating on this Lesser Peace, He thus > judgement, recognize in the chain of events addresses in that same Tablet the rulers of > which proclaim on the one hand the irre- the earth: "Be reconciled among yourselves, > sistible march of the institutions directly that ye may need no more armaments save in > associated with the Revelation ofBaha ' u' llah a measure to safeguard your territories and > and foreshadow on the other the downfall dominions ... Be united, 0 kings of the earth, > of those powers and principalities that for thereby will the tempest of discord be > have either ignored or opposed it- he can stilled amongst you, and your peoples find > recogni ze in them all ev idences of the rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. > operation of God's all-pervasive Will, the Should any one among you take up arms > shaping of His perfectly ordered and world- against another, rise ye all against him, for > embracing Plan. this is naught but manifest justice." > "Soon," Baha'u'llah's own words pro- The Most Great Peace, on the other hand , > claim it, "will the present-day Order be as conceived by Baha'u'llah-a peace that > rolled up, and a new one spread out in its must inevitably follow as the practical constead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth sequence of the spiritualization of the world > and is the Knower of things unseen. " "By and the fusion of all its races, creeds, classes > Myself," He solemnly asserts, "the day is and nations-can rest on no other basis, and > approaching when We will have rolled up can be preserved through no other agency, > the world and all that is therein, and spread except the divinely appointed ordinances > out a new Order in its stead. He, verily, that are implicit in the World Order that > is powerful over all things." "The world's stands associated with His holy name. In His > THE BA HA ' i REVELATION 41 > > Tablet, revea led almost seventy 1 years ago That mystic, all-pervasive, yet indefinable > to Queen Victoria, Baha'u'llah, alluding to change, which we associate with the stage > this Most Great Peace, has declared: "That of maturity inevitable in the life of the > which the Lord hath ordained as the sover- individual and the development of the fruit, > eign remedy and mightiest instrument for the must, if we would correctly apprehend the > healing of all the world is the union of all its utterances of Baha'u'llah, have its counterpeoples in one universal Cause, one common pari in the evo lution of the organization of > Faith. This can in no wise be achieved human society. A similar stage must sooner > except through the power of a skilled, an or later be attained in the collective life of > all-powe1fu l and inspired Physician. This, mankind, producing an even more striking > verily, is the truth, and all else naught but phenomenon in world relations , and enerror" ... "ft beseemeth all men in this dowing the whole human race with such > Day", He, in another Tablet, asserts, "to take potentialities of well-being as shall provide, > .firm hold on the Most Great Name, and to tluáoughout the succeeding ages, the chief > establish the unity of all mankind. There is incentive required for the eventual fulfilno place to fl ee to, no refitge that any one ment of its high destiny .... > can seek, except Him. " Only those who are willing to associate > The Revelation of Baha 'u ' llah, whose the Reve lation proclaimed by Baha 'u ' llah > supreme miss ion is none other but the with the consununation of so stupendous an > achievement of this organic and spiritual evolution in the collective life of the whole > unity of the whole body of nations, should, human race can grasp the significance of the > if we be faithful to its implications, be words which He, while alluding to the glories > regarded as signalizing tluáough its advent of this promised Day and to the duration of > the coming of age of the entire human race. the Baha'i Era, has deemed fit to utter. "This > It should be viewed not merely as yet is the King of Days," He exclaims, "the Day > anotl1er spiritual revival in the ever-changing that hath seen the coming of the Bestfortunes of mankind, not only as a further Beloved, Him Who, through all eternity, > stage in a chain of progress ive Revelations , hath been acclaimed the Des ire of the > nor even as the cu lmination of one of a World." "The Scriptures of past Dispensaseries of recurrent prophetic cyc les, but tions ," He further asserts, "celebrate th e > rather as marking the last and highest stage great jubilee that must needs greet this > in the stupendous evolution of man 's collec- most great Day of God. Well is it with him > ti ve life on this planet. The emergence of a that hath lived to see this Day and hath > world conununity, the consciousness of recognized its station ." ... > world citizenship, the founding of a world Though the Revelation ofBaha ' u ' llah has > civiliza tion and culture-all of which must been delivered, the World Order which such > syncluonize with the initial stages in the a Revelation must needs beget is as yet > unfoldment of the Golden Age of tl1e Baha ' i unborn. Though the Heroic Age of His Faith > Era-should, by their very nature, be is passed, the creative energies which that > regarded, as far as this planetary life is Age has released have not as yet crystallized > concerned, as the furthermost limits in the into that world society whi ch, in the fullness > organization of human soc iety, though man, of time, is to mirror fo rth the brightness of > as an individual, wi ll, nay must indeed as His glory. Though the framework of His > a result of such a consununation, continue Administrative Order has been erected, and > indefinitely to progress and develop. the Formative Period of the Baha' i Era > has begun, yet the promised Kingdom into > W ritten in 1936. Now more than a hundred. (The > which the seed of His institutions must ripen > Tabl e t to Queen Victoria was written about 1870.) remains as yet uninaugurated. Though His > 42 THE BA HA' I WORLD > > Detail of a column and window of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. > > Voice has been raised, and the ensigns of such moral and social gloom as can alone > His Faith have been lifted up in no less than prepare an unrepented humanity for the prize > fo1ty countries 1 of both the East and the she is destined to inherit. > West, yet the wholeness of the human race is Into such a period we are now steadi ly > as yet unrecognized, its unity unproclaimed, and irresistibly moving. Amidst the shadows > and the standard of its Most Great Peace which are increasi ngly gathering about us > unhoisted .... we can faintly discern the glimmerings of > For the reve lation of so great a favo ur a Baha' u ' llah's unearthly sovereignty appea rperiod of intense tmmoil and widespread ing fitfully on the horizon of history. To us, > suffering would seem to be indispensable. the "generation of the half-light'', living at a > Resplendent as has been the Age that has time which may be designated as the period > witnessed the inception of the Mission with of the incubation of the World Commonwhich Baha'u' llah has been entrusted, the wealth envisaged by Baha'u ' llah, has been > interval which must elapse ere that Age assigned a task whose high privilege we can > yields its choicest fruit must, it is becoming never sufficiently appreciate, and the arduincreasingly apparent, be overshadowed by ousness of whi ch we can as yet but dimly > recognize. We may well believe, we who are > Written in 1936, since when the number has called upon to experience the operation of > increased to 235 , compri sin g 190 independent coun - the dark forces destined to unloose a flood > tri es and 45 dependent territori es . > Tl-IE BAI-IA' j REVELATION 43 > of agonizmg afflictions, that the darkest "A new life," Baha' u' llah proclaims, "is, > hour that must precede the dawn of the in this age, stirring within all the peoples > Golden Age of our Faith has not yet struck. of the earth; and yet none hath discovered > Deep as is the gloom that already encircles its cause, or perceived its motive." "O ye > the world, the afflictive ordeals which that children of men," He thus addresses His > world is to suffer are still in preparation, nor generation, "the fimdamental purpose anican their blackness be as yet imagined. We mating the Faith of God and His Religion is > stand on the threshold of an age whose con- to safeguard the interests and promote the > vulsions proclaim alike the death-pangs of unity of the human race .. . This is the straight > the old order and the birth-pangs of the new. path, the fixed and immovable foundation. > Through the generating influence of the Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the > Faith announced by Baha'u ' llah this New changes and chances of the world can never > World Order may be said to have been impair its strength, nor will the revolution of > conceived . We can, at the present moment, countless centuries undermine its structure." > experience its stirrings in the womb of a "The well-being of mankind," He declares, > travailing age-an age waiting for the "its p eace and security are unattainable > appointed hour at which it can cast its unless and until its unity is firmly estabburden and yield its fairest fruit. lished." "So powerful is the light of unity," is > "The whole earth," writes Baha'u ' llah, His further testimony, "that it can illuminate > "is now in a state of pregnancy . The day is the whole earth. Th e one true God, He Who > approaching when it will have yielded its knoweth all things, Hims elf testifieth to the > noblest ji-uits, when fi'om it will have sprung truth of these words... This goal excelleth > forth the loftiest trees, the most enchanting eve1y other goal, and this aspiration is the > blossoms, the most heavenly blessings .. .." monarch of all aspirations." "He Who is > "The Call of God," 'Abdu'l-Baha has your Lord, the All-Merciful," He, moreover, > written, "when raised, breath ed a new life has written, "cherisheth in His heart the > into the body of mankind, and infi1sed a new desire of beholding the entire human race as > spirit into the whole creation. ft is for this one soul and one body. Haste ye to win your > reason that the world hath been moved to its share of God 's good grace and mercy in this > depths, and the hearts and consciences of Day that eclipseth all other created days." > men been quickened. Ere long the evidences The unity of the human race, as envisaged > of this regeneration will be revealed, and the by Baha'u' llah, implies the establishment of > fast asleep will be awakened." ... a world commonwealth in which all nations, > Unification of the whole of mankind is races, creeds and classes are closely and > the hallmark of the stage which human pe1rnanently united, and in which the autonsociety is now approaching. Unity of family, omy of its state members and the persona l > of tráibe, of city-state and nation have been freedom and initiative of the individuals that > successively attempted and fully established. compose them are definitely and completely > World unity is the goal towards which safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as > a harassed humanity is striving. Nation- far as we can visualize it, consist of a world > building has come to an end. The anarchy legislature, whose members will, as the > inherent in state sovereignty is moving hi.1stees of the whole of mankind, ultimately > towards a climax. A world, growing to control the entire resources of all the compomaturity, must abandon this fetish, recog- nent nations, and wi ll enact such laws as > nize the oneness and wholeness of human shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy > relationships, and establish once for all the the needs and adjust the relationships of all > machinery that can best incarnate this funda- races and peoples. A world executive, > mental principle of its life. backed by an international Force, will carry > 44 THE BAHA' i WORLD > > out the decisions arrived at, and apply the understanding and co-operation. The causes > laws enacted by, this world legislature, and of religious sháife will be pennanently > will safeguard the organic unity of the whole removed, economic barri ers and restrictions > comm onwea lth. A world háibunal will adju- will be completely abolished, and the inordidicate and deliver its compulsory and final nate distinction between classes will be > verdict in all and any disputes that may arise obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and > between the various elements constituting gross accumulation of ownership on the > this universa l system. A mechanism of other, will disappear. The enormous energy > world intercommunication will be devised, dissipated and wasted on war, whether > embraci ng the whole planet, freed from economic or political, will be consecrated to > national hindrances and restrictions, and such ends as will extend the range of human > functioning with marvellous swiftness and inventions and technical development, to the > perfect regularity. A world metropolis will increase of the productivity of mankind, to the > act as the nerve centre of a world civiliza- exte1111ination of disease, to the extension of > tion, the focus towards which the unifyi ng scientific research, to the raising of the stanforces of life will converge and from which dard of physical health, to the sharpening > its energizing influences will radiate. A and refinement of the human brain, to the > world lang uage will either be invented or exploitation of the unused and unsuspected > chosen from among the existing languages resources of the planet, to the prolongation > and will be taught in the school s of all the of human life, and to the furtherance of any > federated nations as an auxiliary to their other agency that can stimulate the intellecmother tongues . A world script, a world tual, the moral, and sp iritu al life of the entire > li terature, a uniform and universal system human race. > of currency, of weights and measures, will A world federal system, ruling the whole > simplify and facilitate intercourse and earth and exercising unchallengeable authorunde rstanding among the nations and races ity over its unimaginably vast resources, > of mankind. In such a world society, science blending and embodying the ideals of both > and religion, the two most potent forces the East and the West, liberated from the > in human life, wi ll be reconciled, will co- curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the > operate, and w ill harmoniously develop. The exploitation of all the available sources of > press will, under such a system, while giving energy on the surface of the planet, a system > full scope to the express ion of the diversified in which Force is made the servant of Jusviews and convictions of mank ind, cease tice, whose li fe is sustained by its universal > to be mischi evously manipulated by vested recognition of one God and by its allegiance > interests , whether private or public, and will to one conm1on Revelation- such is the goal > be liberated from the influence of contend- towards which humanity, impelled by the > ing governments and peoples. The economic unifying forces of life, is moving . > resources of the world will be organized, its > sources of raw materials will be tapped and > fully utilized, its markets will be co-ordinated and developed, and the distribution of Exce1vts from The Unfold111ent of World Civilizntion , in > its products will be equitably regu lated. Call to the Nations, Chapter IV. > > National rivalries , hatreds, and intrigues > will cease, and racial animosity and prejudice w ill be replaced by racial amity, > THE BAHA'i REVELATION 45 > > IV > > As we gaze in retrospect beyond the dwell in one common fatherland, which is > immediate past, and survey, in however the planet itself." > cursory a manner, the vici ssitudes afflicting What we witness at the present time, > an increasingl y tormented soc iety, and recall during "this gravest crisis in the hi story of > the strains and stresses to which the fabric civilization," recalling such times in which > of a dying Order has been increas ingly " reli gion s have peri shed and are born," is > subjected, we cannot but marvel at the sharp the ado lescent stage in the slow and painful > contrast presented, on the one han d, by evolution of humanity, preparatory to the > the accumulated evidences of the orderly attainment of the stage of manhood, the > unfoldment, and the uninterrupted multipli- stage of maturity, the promise of which is > cation of the agencies, of an Admini strati ve embedded in the teachings, and enshrined in > Order designed to be the harbinger of a the prophecies ofBaha'u ' ll ah. The tumult of > world civilization, and, on the other, by the this age of tra nsition is characteristi c of the > ominous manifestations of ac ute political impetuos ity and irrational instincts of youth, > conflict, of social unrest, of rac ial animosity, its follies, its prodigali ty, its pride, its selfof class antago nism, of immorality and of assura nce, its rebelli ousn ess, and contempt > irreligion, proclaiming, in no uncertain terms, of di scipline. > the co1Tuption and obso lescence of the insti- The ages of its infancy and childhood are > tutions of a bankrupt Order. .. . past, never agai n to return , while the Great > Age, the consummation of all ages, which > "The winds of despa ir," writes Baha'u ' ll ah, must signalize the coming of age of the entire > as He surveys the immed iate destinies of human race, is yet to come. The convulsions > mankind, "are, alas, blowing fro m eve1y of this transiti onal and most turbulent period > direction, and the strife that divides and in the annals of humanity are the essential > afflicts the human race is da ily increas- prerequisites, and herald of the inevitable > ing .... " "Such shall be its plight," He, in approach, of that Age of Ages, "the time > another corn1ection, has dec lared, "that to of the end," in whi ch the folly and tumult of > disclose it now would not be meet and strife that has, since the daw n of history, > seemly." "These fruitless strifes," He, on the blackened the ann als of mankind, wi ll have > other hand, contemplating the future of man- been finally transmuted into the wisdom and > ki nd, has emphatically prophesied, in the the tranquillity of an undisturbed, a universal , > course of His memorabl e interview w ith the and lasting peace, in which the di scord and > Persian orientalist, Edward G. Browne, separati on of the children of men w ill have > "these ruinous wars shall pass away, and given way to the worldwide reconciliation, > the 'Most Great Peace' shall come .... These and the complete unification of the di vers > strifes and this bloodshed and discord must elements that constitute human society. > cease, and all men be as one kindred and This will indeed be the fitting climax of > one family. " .. . that process of integration which , startin g > "All nations and kindreds," 'Abdu ' l-Bahi with the family , the small est uni t in the scale > likewise has written , " ... will become a single of human organization, must, after having > nation. Religious and sectarian antagonism, called success ively into being the tribe, the > the hostility of races and peoples, and differ- city-state, and the nation, continue to operate > ences among nations, will be eliminated. All until it culmin ates in the unification of the > men will adhere to one religion, will have whole world, the final object and the crown - > one common faith, will be blended into one ing glory of human evol uti on on this planet. > race, and become a single people. All will It is this stage whi ch humanity, w illingly or > 46 THE BA HA' l WORLD > > unwillingly, is res istless ly approaching. lt is in th e human kingdom man reaches his > for this. stage that this vast, this fiery ordeal maturity when the light of his intelligence > which humani ty is experiencing is mysteri- attains its greatest power and development .... > ously paving the way . It is with this stage Similarly there are periods and stages in > that the fo rtunes and the purpose of the Faith the collective life of humanity. At one time it > of Baha'u ' llah are indisso lubl y linked. It is was passing through its stage of childhood, > the creative energies which His Revelation at another its period ofyouth, but now it has > has released... that have instilled into entered its long-predicted phase of maturity, > humanity the capacity to attain this final the evidences of which are eve1y where apparstage in its organic and co llective evolution. ent. . . . That which was applicable to human > It is with the Golden Age of His Dispensa- needs during the early history of the race > tion that the consummation of this process can neither meet nor satisfy the demands of > will be forever associated. It is the structure this day, this period of newness and consumof H is New World Order, now stirring in the mation. Humanity has emerged ji-om its > womb of the administrative institutions He form er state of limitation and preliminmy > Himself has created, that will serve both as a training. Man must now become imbued > pattern and a nucleus of that world common- with new virtues and powers, new moral > wealth which is the sme, the inevitable standards, new capacities. New bounties, > destiny of the peoples and nations of the pe1f ect bestowals, are awaiting and already > earth. descending upon him. Th e gifts and bless- > Just as the organic evolution of mankind ings of the period of youth, although timely > has been slow and gradual, and invo lved and sufficient during the adolescence of > successively the unification of the family, mankind, are now incapable of meeting the > the tribe, the city-state, and the nation, so requirements of its maturity." ... > has the light vouchsafed by the Revelation This is the stage which the world is now > of God, at various stages in the evo lution approaching, the stage of world unity, which, > of religion, and reflected in the successive as ' Abdu'l-Baha assures us, will, in this > Dispensations of the past, been slow and centmy , be secmely established. " The Tongue > progressive. Indeed the measure of Divine of Grandeur," Baha'u'llah Himself affirms, > Revelation, in evety age, has been adapted "hath . .. in the Day of His Manifestation proto, and commensurate with, the degree of claimed: 'ft is not his to boast who loveth his > soc ial progress achieved in that age by a country, but it is his who loveth the world."' > constantly-evolving humanity. " Through the power," He adds , "released by > " ft hath been decreed by Us," explains these exalted words He hath lent a fresh > Baha ' u ' llah, "that the Word of God, and all impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds > the potentialities thereof; shall be manifested of men's hearts, and hath obliterated eve1y > unto men in strict conformity with such trace of restriction and limitation from > conditions as have been fore-ordained by God's Holy Book." > Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise ... A word of warning should, however, be > Should the Word be allowed to release uttered in this connection. The love of one's > suddenly all the energies latent within it, no country, instilled and sttáessed by the teachman could sustain the weight of so mighty a ing of Islam, as "an element of the Faith of > Revelation." "All created things," ' Abdu' l- God," has not, through this declaration, this > Baha, elucidating this truth, has affirmed, clarion-call of Ba ha 'u ' llah, been either con- > "have their degree or stage of maturity. The demned or disparaged. It should not, indeed > period of maturity in the life of a tree is the it cannot, be construed as a repudiation, or > time of its ji-uit-bearing .. .. The animal attains regarded in the light of a censure pronounced > a stage offu ll growth and completeness, and against a sane and intelligent pattáiotism , nor > THE BAl-IA'i REVELATION 47 > > does it seek to undermine the allegiance and destruction, must needs convulse the nations, > loyalty of any individual to his country, nor stir the conscience of the world, disillusion > does it conflict with the legitimate aspira- the masses, precipitate a radical change in > tions, rights, and duties of any individual the very conception of society, and coalesce > state or nation. All it does imply and ultimately the disjointed, the bleeding limbs > proclaim is the insufficiency of patriotism, of mankind into one body, single, organiin view of the fundamental changes effected cally united, and indivisible. > in the economic life of society and the To the general character, the implications > interdependence of the nations, and as the and features of this world commonwealth, > consequence of the contraction of the world, destined to emerge, sooner or later, out of > through the revolution in the means of the carnage, agony, and havoc of this great > transportation and conununication- condi- world convulsion, I have already referred in > tions that did not and could not exist either my previous conummications. Suffice it to > in the days of Jesus Cluáist or ofMuhanm1ad. say that this consummation will, by its very > It calls for a wider loyalty, which should not, nature, be a gradual process, and must, > and indeed does not, conflict with lesser loy- as Baha'u'llah has Himself anticipated, lead > alties. It instills a love which, in view of its at first to the establishment of that Lesser > scope, must include and not exclude the love Peace which the nations of the earth, as yet > of one's own counh-y. It lays, tluáough this unconscious of His Revelation and yet > loyalty which it inspires, and this love which unwittingly enforcing the general principles > it infuses, the only foundation on which the which He has enunciated, will themselves > concept of world citizenship can thrive, and establish. This momentous and historic step, > the sh-ucture of world unification can rest. It involving the reconstruction of mankind, as > does insist, however, on the subordination of the result of the universal recognition of its > national considerations and particularistic oneness and wholeness, will bring in its > interests to the imperative and paramount wake the spiritualization of the masses, conclaims of humanity as a whole, inasmuch as sequent to the recognition of the character, > in a world of interdependent nations and and the acknowledgment of the claims, > peoples the advantage of the paii is best to of the Faith of Baha'u'llah- the essential > be reached by the advantage of the whole. condition to that ultimate fusion of all races , > The world is, in truth, moving on towards creeds, classes, and nations which must > its destiny. The interdependence of the signalize the emergence of His New World > peoples and nations of the earth, whatever Order. > the leaders of the divisive forces of the Then will the coming of age of the entire > world may say or do, is already an accom- human race be proclaimed and celebrated by > plished fact. Its unity in the economic sphere all the peoples and nations of the earth. Then > is now understood and recognized. The will the ba1mer of the Most Great Peace be > welfare of the part means the welfare of hoi sted Then wi ll the worldwide soverthe whole, and the distress of the part brings eignty of Baha ' u' ll ah- the Estab lisher of > disháess to the whole. The Revelation of the Kingdom of the Father foretold by the > Baha'u'llah has, in His own words , "lent a Son, and anticipated by the Prophets of God > fi'esh impulse and set a new direction" to before Him and after Him- be recognized, > this vast process now operating in the world. acclaimed, and firmly established. Then will > The fires lit by this great ordeal are the a world civilization be born, flourish, and > consequences of men's failure to recognize perpetuate itself, a civilization with a fullnes s > it. They are, moreover, hastening its consum- of life such as the world has never seen nor > mation . Adversity, prolonged, world-wide, can as yet conceive. Then will the Everlastafflictive, allied to chaos and universal ing Covenant be fu lfilled in its completeness. > 48 THE BA l-IA' i WORLD > > Then will the promise enshrined in all the moment, and however dark the misery that > Books of God be redeemed, and all the enshrouds the world, the ability of > prophecies uttered by the Prophets of old Baha ' u' llah to fo rge, with the hanu11er of > come to pass, and the v ision of seers and His Will, and tluáough the fire of tTibulation, > poets be realized. Then will the planet, upon the anvil of this háavailing age, and > galvanized through the universal belief of its in the particular shape His mind has endwellers in one God, and their allegiance to visioned, these scattered and mutually > one common Revelation, mirror, within the deshi.1ctive fragments into which a perverse > limitations imposed upon it, the effulgent world has fallen, into one single unit, solid > glories of the sovereignty of Baha 'u ' llah, and indivisible, able to execute His design > shining in the plenitude of its splendor in the for the children of men. > Abha Paradise, and be made the footstool of Ours rather the duty, however confused > His Tluáone on high, and acclaimed as the the scene, however di smal the present outearthly heaven, capable of fulfilling that look, however circumscribed the resources > ineffable destiny fixed for it, from time we dispose of, to labour serenely, confidently, > immemorial, by the love and wisdom of its and unremittingly to lend our share of assis- > Creator. tance, in whichever way circumstances may > Not ours, puny mortals that we are, to enable us, to the operation of the forces which, > attempt, at so critical a stage in the long as marshall ed and directed by Baha'u' llah, > and checkered hi story of mankind, to arrive are leading humani ty out of the valley of > at a precise and satisfactory understanding misery and shame to the loftiest Sutlli11its of > of the steps which must successive ly lead a power and glory. > bleeding humanity, wretchedly oblivious of > its God, and careless ofBaha 'u ' llah, from its > ca lvary to its ultimate resurrection. Not ours, Excerpts from Messages to the Bahná; World and > the living witnesses of the all-subduing The Promised Day is Come in Call to the Nations, > potency of His Faith, to ques tion, for a Chapter V. > Tl-IE BAl-IA'i REVELAT ION 49 > > Th e Resting Place ofShoghi Effendi, in the Great No rth ern Cemete1y, London, England. > PART TWO > > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC > ANNIVERSARIES > 52 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 'A bdu 'l-Baha- th e Master- in New York City; June 1912. > I > THE SEVENTY-FIFTH > ANNIVERSARY OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA's > VISIT TO THE WEST > > 1. THE VISIT OF 'ABDU'L -B AHA TO THE WEST > SH ERNA D EA MER > > IN September 1910, 'Abdu ' l-Baha- the and Cairo. On 11 August 1911 He sailed > Head of the Baha ' i Faith-left His home in with a party of four to Marseilles, and prothe Holy Land and traveled first to Egypt, ceeded, after brief stays at Thonon-les-Bains > and then to the West, visiting England and and Geneva, to London , w here He arrived > Scotland, France, Germany, Hungary, Aus- on 4 September. A follower of Baha 'u ' llah > tria and Switzerland, and the United States - Sara Louisa, Lady Blomfield, whom > of Ameri ca and Canada. His journey lasted 'Abdu ' 1-Baha called Sitarih Khan um-put > for three years, and everywhere He went her apartment at 97 Cadogan Gardens at His > He proclaimed the Teachings of Baha ' u ' llah disposa l. "He arrived, and who shall picture > through word and through deed. Him?" she asks. > '"Abdu'l-Baha was at this time broken in A silence as of love and awe overcame > health", His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, tells us. us, as we looked at H im; the gracious > He suffered from several maladies figure , clothed in a simpl e white garment, > brought on by the strains and stresses of a over which was a li ght-co loured Persian > tragic life spent almost wholl y in exile ' aba; on His head He wore a lowand impri sonment. He was on the thresh- crowned taj , ro und which was fo lded a > old of three-score years and ten. Yet as sma ll , fine-linen turban of purest white ; > soon as He was released from His forty-year His hair and short beard were of that > long captivity ... He arose with sublime snowy whiteness which had once been > courage, confidence and resolution to con- black; His eyes were large, blue-grey with > secrate what little strength remained to long, black lashes and well-marked eye- > Him, in the evening of His life, to a service brows; His face was a beautiful oval w ith > of such heroic proportions that no parallel warm, ivory-coloured skin, a straight, > to it is to be found in the anna ls of the finely-modelled nose, and firm, kind > first Baha'i century. 1 mouth. These are merely outside details > He spent almost a year in Egypt, first in by which an attempt is made to convey > Port Said, and then in a residence in Ramleh, an idea of His arresting personality. His > a suburb of Alexandria, later visiting Zayrun figure was of such perfect symmetry, and > so full of dignity and grace, that the > Shoghi Effendi , God Passes By (Wi lm ette : Baha ' i > first impression was that of cons iderable > Publishing Tru st, 1987), p. 2 79. height. He seemed an incarnation of loving > 54 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > understanding, of compassion and power, classes. You are loosed from ancient > of wisdom and authority, of strength, and superstitions which have kept men igof a buoyant youthfulness, which some- norant, destroying the foundation of true > how defied the burden of His years; and humanity. The gift of God to this enlightsuch years! One saw, as in a clear vision, ened age is the knowledge of the oneness > that He had so wrought all good and of mankind and of the fundamental > mercy that the inner grace of Him had oneness of religion . War shall cease > grown greater than all outer sign, and the between nations, and by the will of God > radiance of this inner glory shone in the Most Great Peace shall come; the > every glance, and word, and movement as world will be seen as a new world, and all > He came with hands outstretched. ' I am men will live as brothers. 2 > very much pleased with you all. Your This was a powerful call to the West to > love has drawn me to London. I waited recognize the new Light from the East and > forty years in prison to bring the Message He expanded His theme when addressing > to you. Are you pleased to receive such a the congregation of St. John the Divine, at > guest?" Westminster, at the request of the Venerable > 'Abdu'l-Bah:i gave the Message of the Archdeacon Wilberforce. He spoke to the > Baha'i Faith, in eloquent and unequivocal Theosophical Society at their headquarters, > terms, in a number of public talks during His at the express request of their president, and > stay in England. The first was from the pulpit also to a meeting at the Higher Thought > of the City Temple in Holborn on 10 Septem- Centre in London. > ber 1911, at the invitation of the Reveiáend R. From the point of view of His hostess, > J. Campbell. "Oh Noble friends; seekers afte r however, "The history of 'Abdu'l-Bah:i 's > God!", He began: stay in our house lies in the relating of vari- > Praise be to God! Today the li ght of ous incidents, connected with individuals, > Truth is shining upon the world in its who stand out from amongst the crowd > abundance; the breezes of the heavenly of those persons who eagerly sought His > garden are blowing throughout all Presence" . > regions; the call of the Kingdom is heard Oh , these pilgrims, these guests, these > in all lands, and the breath of the Holy visitors! Remembering those days, our > Spirit is felt in all hearts that are faithful... ears are filled with the sound of their > The sea of the unity of mankind is lifting footsteps-as they came from every > up its waves with joy, for there is real country in the world! Every day, all day > communication between the hearts and long, a constant stream. An interminable > minds of men . The banner of the Holy procession! Ministers and missionaries, > Spirit is uplifted, and men see it, and are Oriental scholars and occult students, > assured with the knowledge that this is a practical men of affairs and mystics, > new day. This is a new cycle of human Anglican-Catholics and Nonconformists, > power. All the horizons of the world are Theosophists and Hindus, Christian Sciluminous, and the world will become entists and doctors of medicine, Muslims, > indeed as a garden and a paradise. It is the Buddhists, and Zoroastrians. There also > hour of unity of the sons of men and of called: politicians, Salvation Army solthe drawing together of all races and all diers, and other workers for human good, > women suffragists, journalists, writers, > Blomfield, Lady, The Chosen Highway (Wilmette: > Baha'i Publi sh in g Trust, 1967) , pp. 149- 150. For > 2 'Abdu '/-Baha in London; Addresses and Notes of > editorial consistency, the personal pronouns related to > 'Abdu '1-Baha in this and other old texts quoted in the Con versations (London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, > article have all been capitalized. 1982), pp. 19-20. > THE COMMEMORAT IO N OF HISTORlC ANNIVERSARIES 55 > poets and healers, dressmakers and great and women discussing Education, Socialladies, artists and artisans, poor workless ism , the first Reform Bill, and the relation > people and prosperous merchants, mem- of submarines and wireless telegraphy to > bers of the dramatic and musical world, the new era on which man is entering.3 > these all came; and none were too lowly, One day after a meeting when, as usual, > nor too great, to receive the sympathetic many people had crowded round Him, > consideration of this holy Messenger, who ' Abdu ' 1-Baha arrived home very tired . > was ever giving His life for others' good. 1 We were sad at heart that He should be so > "He rose very early, chanted prayers, took fatigued, and bewailed the many steps to > tea, wrote Tablets, and dictated others," be ascended to the flat. Suddenly, to our > Lady Blomfield tells us. "He then received amazement, the Master ran up the stairs > those who flocked to see Him, some arriving to the top very quickly without stopping. > soon after dawn, patiently waiting on the He looked down at us as we walked > doorsteps until the door would be opened for up after Him, saying with a bright smile, > their entrance." These visitors were received from which all traces of fatigue had > indi vidually, or by twos or threes. "Then, vanished: ' You are all very old! I am very > about nine o ' clock, He would come into the young!' Seeing me full of wonder, > dining room whilst we were at breakfast to 'Abdu ' l-Baha said: 'Through the power > greet us. 'Are you well? Did you sleep well?'" of Bah a 'u ' llah all things can be done. I > Certain of those who thronged to see have just used that power.' That was the > the Master, having travelled from far only time we had ever seen Him use that > countries, were naturally anxious to power for Himself, and I feel that He did > spend every possible moment with Him .. . so then to cheer and comfort us, as we > Therefore it came about that day after were really sad concerning His fatigue. > day, whilst the Master was teaching, the Might it not also have been to show us an > luncheon gong would sound, and those example of the great Reserve of Divine > who remained would be invited to sit at Force always available for those of us > food with Him. We grew to expect that who are working in various ways in the > there would be nineteen guests at table, so 'Path of the Love of God and of Mankind.' > often did this number recur. These were A celestial strength which reinforces us > much-prized times; 'Abdu ' l-Baha would when our human strength fails. 4 > continue the interrupted di scourse, or tell Another lesson was given to the friends > some anecdote, often humorous, mean- as they walked with 'Abdu ' l-Baha in > while frequently serving the guests with His Richmond Park "as the evening light was > own hands, offering sweets, or choosing wan ing. Rows of shining lamps beneath the > various fruits to distribute to the friends. 2 trees, stretching as far as our eyes could see > At the invitation of the Lord Mayor of into the distance, made that part of London > London, 'Abdu'l-Baha breakfasted with him into a glowing fairyland ." > at the Mansion House. On another occasion, ' I am very much pleased with this > He sat in the bow window in the after- scene. Light is good, most good. There > noon sunshine, His arm round a very was much darkness in the prison at > ragged but very happy little boy who had 'Akka,' said the Master. > come to ask for sixpence for his money Our hearts were sad as we thought on > box and for hi s invalid mother, whilst those sombre years within that dismal forround Him in the room were gathered men tress ... When we said 'We are glad ... that > > 1 3 > Th e Chosen Highway, pp. 150- 15 1. God Passes By, p. 285. > 2 4 > ibid . p. 161. Th e Chosen Highway, p. 169. > 56 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 'A bdu 'l-Baha in Passmore Edwards Settlement Hall, London, England; 29 September 1911. > > you are free ', He said: 'Freedom is not a presence and bearing is occasionally lighted > matter of place, but of condition. I was by a delicate and tactful humour, which is as > happy in that prison, for those days were unaffected as it is infectious and delightful." > passed in the path of service. To me She continued: > prison was freedom. Troubles are a rest On His last afternoon in London , a > to me. Death is life. To be despised is reporter called to ask Him of His future > honour. Therefore was I full of happiness plans ... When, in answer to this query, > all through that prison time. When one is 'Abdu ' l-Baha told in perfect English of > released from the pri son of self, that is His intention to visit Paris and go from > indeed freedom! For self is the greatest there to Alexandria, the press representaprison. When this release takes place, one tive evinced surprise at His faultless > can never be imprisoned. Unless one pronunciation. Thereupon 'Abdu'l-Baha > accepts dire vicissitudes, not with dull proceeded to march with a free stride up > resignation, but with radiant acquies- and down the flower-scented drawing > cence, one cannot attain this freedom. ' 1 room, His Oriental garb contrasting > Lady Blomfield recorded a number of strangely with His modern surroundings; > stories such as these, but, she wrote, "There and, to the amusement of the assembly, > is a note in 'Abdu'l-Baha's character that uttered a string of elaborate English words, > has not been emphasized, and without [including 'hippopotamus', H.M. Balyuzi > which no idea of Him is complete. The tells us on p.155 of his book about' Abdu'limpressive dignity which distinguishes His Baha2] laughingly ending, 'Very difficult > English words I speak! ' > The Chosen Highway, p. 166. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTOR IC ANNIVERSARIES 57 > On 3 October 'Abdu'l-Baha was sched- The visit of one man made a profound > uled to leave for Paris. The secretaries and impression upon us: 'O 'Abdu ' l-Baha, I > friends were ready to start for the train, but have come from the French Congo, where > 'Abdu ' l-Baha sat cal mly writing. W hen I have been engaged in mitigating the > rem inded that it was time to leave, He looked hardships of some of the natives. For sixup, saying: "There are things of more impor- teen years I have worked in that country.' > tance than trains," and He continued to write. 'It was a great comfort to me in the dark- > Suddenly in breathless haste a man ness of my prison to know the work which > came in, carrying in his hand a beautiful you were doing. '2 > garland of fragrant white flowers. Bow- Horace Holley, who was an eyewitness, > ing low before the Master, he said : 'In the was quoted as saying that "As London > name of the disciples of Zoroaster, The emphas ized the social and spiritual as pects > Pure One, I hail Thee as the "Promised of Bahaism, so Paris reveal ed its intellectual > Shah Bahram"! ' Then the man, for a sign, content and unparalleled power of defigarlanded 'Abdu' l-Baha, and proceeded nition ."3 One reality 'Abd u' l-Baha clearly > to anoint each and all of the amazed defined is that man- the true man- is soul , > friends who were present with precious oil , not body. For example, on 17 November > which had the odo ur of fresh roses . This 'Abdu ' l-Baha told the frie nds: > brief but impressive ceremony concluded, T here are in the world of humanity > 'Abdu ' I-Baba, having carefully divested three degrees; those of the body, the soul , > Himself of the garland, departed for the and spirit. The body is the physical or > train . We had witnessed a so lemn act in the animal degree of man. From the bodily > Mysterious Sacred Drama of the World. point of view man is a sharer of the > 'Abdu' l-Baha's sojourn in London was animal kingdom .... unlike the animal, man > ended. We stood bereft of His presence. 1 has a rationa l soul , the human intelli- > In Paris, an apartment was fo und for gence. This intelligence of man is the > 'Abdu ' l-Baha by H ippolyte and Laura intermediary between hi s body and his > Dreyfus-Barney at 4 avenue de Camoens, sp irit. . .. Illumined by the spirit through > adjacent to the Trocadero Gardens where the the instrumentality of the soul, man ' s radi- > Master often took so litary, restful walks. As ant intelligence makes him the crowningin London , every morning, point of Creation. But on the other hand, > the Master expounded the principles of when man does not open his mind and > the Teaching ofBaha' u' llah to those who heart to the blessing of the spirit, but > gathered round Him , the learned and the turns his sou l towards the material side, > unlearned, eager and respectfu l. They towards the bodily part of hi s natu re, then > were of all nationalities and creeds, fro m he is fa llen from his high place and he > the East and from the West, in cluding becomes infer ior to the inhabitants of the > Theosophists, agnostics, materialists, spiritu- lower animal kingdom .4 > alists, Christian Scientists, social reformers, As events brought closer the outbreak > Hindus, Sufis, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoro- of the first World War, 'Abdu' l-Baha also > astrians, and many others. Often came described the causes of war in no uncertain > workers in various humanitarian societies, terms. For example, on 21 October, 'Abdu'lwho were strivi ng to reduce the miseries of Baha told the friends that "The news of the > the poor. These received special sympathy Battle of Benghazi grieves my heart. I wonder > and blessing ... > Th e Chosen Highway, p. 18 1. > 2 3 > Ba lyuz i, H.M. , 'Abdu "/-Baha (Oxford: Geo rge 'Abdu"/-Baha, p. 159. > Ronald, 1987), p. 155. 4 > ' Abdu ' l- Baha, Paris Talks (London: Baha 'i Publ ish- > The Chosen Highway, pp. 173- 174. ing Trust, 1972), pp. 96-97. > 58 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > at the human savagery that stil l exists in the politics are feeble.' Speaking of religion > world! " He continued: and science, the two great wings with > How is it possible for men to fight from which the bird of humankind is able to > morning until evening, killing each other, soar, He said: 'Scientific discoveries have > shedding the blood of their fel lowmen: increased material civilization. There is > And for what object? To ga in possession in existence a stupendous force, as yet, > of a part of the earth!. . . However great happily, undiscovered by man. Let us > the conqueror, however many countries supp licate God, the Beloved, that this > he may reduce to slavery, he is unable to force be not discovered by science until > retain any part of these devastated lands spiritual civilization shall dominate the > but one tiny portion-his tomb! .. . But human mind. In the hands of men of > war is made for the satisfaction of men's lower material nature, this power would > ambition; for the sake of worldly gain be able to destroy the whole earth. ' 2 > to the few, terrible misery is brought to This is a very prescient and profound > numberless homes, breaking the hearts of statement considering Japan's later experihundreds of men and women! How many ence in the second World War. > widows mourn their husbands, how many But 'Abdu'l-Baha did not dwell on the > stories of savage cruelty do we hear! ills of the world around Him. Rather, He > How many little orphaned children are focussed His audiences on the prescription > crying for their dead fathers , how many for remedying those ills. "A ll true healing > women are weeping for their slain sons! comes from God!" He told His aud ience on > There is nothing so heart-breaking and 19 October. "There are two causes for sickterrible as an outburst of human ness, one is material, the other spiritua l. If > savagery! 1 the sickness is of the body, a material > The Japanese Ambassador to Madrid, remedy is needed, if of the soul, a spiritual > Viscount Arawaka, and hi s wife were in remedy." 3 Baha'u ' ll ah had come to bring > Paris at the same time as 'Abdu ' 1-Baha and the spiritual remedy that humanity needs for > were told of His presence. They were this Day. > anxious to meet Him , but the wife of the During His last public talk in England, to > Ambassador had a severe cold and could not the Theosophical Society, on 30 September, > go out. Upon hearing this, 'Abdu'l-Baha He had for the first time made a systematic > offered to call upon them . Accordingly, they presentation of some of the basic principles > met in the Tapestry Room of the Hotel of the Faith of His Father; in Paris He pred 'Jena. sented them again and again . Shoghi Effendi > 'Abdu ' l-Baha talked with the Ambas- summarized these as follows : > sador and his wife of conditions in Japan, The independent search after truth, > of the great international importance of unfettered by superstition or tradition ; the > that country, of the vast service to oneness of the entire human race, the pivmankind, of the work for the abolition of otal principle and fundamental doctrine of > war, of the need for improving conditions the Faith; the basic unity of all religions; > of li fe for the worker, of the necess ity of the condemnation of all forms of prejueducating girls and boys equally. ' The dice, whether religious, racial, class or > religious ideal is the soul of all plans national; the harmony which must exist > for the good of mankind. Religion must between religion and science; the equality > never be used as a tool by party politi- of men and women, the two wings on > cians. God ' s politics are mighty, man's > 2 Th e Chosen Highway, pp. 183- 184. > 3 Paris Talks, p. 19. > I ibid. pp. 28- 29. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 59 > > which the bird of human kind is able to of night is past, the Sun has risen.' 'But, > soar; the introduction of compulsory Master, how shall it be with the blinded > education; the adoption of a universal eyes that cannot see the Sun's splendour? > auxiliary language; the abolition of the And what of the deaf ears that cannot > extremes of wealth and poverty; the hear those who praise its beauty?' 'I will > institution of a world tribunal for the pray that the blind eyes may be opened, > adjud ication of disputes between nations; that the deaf ears may be unstopped, > the exaltation of work, performed in the and that the hearts may have grace to > spirit of service, to the rank of worship; understand.' As 'Abdu ' l-Baha spoke, the > the glorification of justice as the ruling troubled mien of the artist gave place to > principle in human society, and of reli- a look of relief, satisfied understanding, > gion as a bulwark for the protection of all joyous emotion. 3 > peoples and nations ; and the establish- "It was of great interest'', Lady Blomfield > ment of a permanent and universa l peace wrote, "to notice the effect the presence of > as the supreme goal of all mankind .. . I 'Abdu'l-Baha had upon some children. One > "The words of 'Abdu'l-Baha can be put little girl whispered, 'Look, that is Jesus > on to paper," Lady Blomfield wrote, "but when He was old.' Perhaps their unstained > how to describe the smile, the earnest plead- nature sensed the breath of holiness which > ing, the loving-kindness, the radiant vitality, was always with Him, and caused these little > and at times the awe-inspiring authority of ones to liken Him to the most Holy One of > His spoken words? The vibrations of His Whom they were conscious." 4 > voice seemed to enfold the listeners in an This effect was dramatically displayed > atmosphere of the Spirit, and to penetrate two days before the close of' Abdu'l-Baha's > to the very core of being. We were experi- vis it in Paris, when a woman came hurencing the transforming radiance of the Sun riedly into the gathering at the avenue de > of Truth; henceforth, material aims and Camoens: > unworthy ambitions shrank away into their Oh, how glad I am to be in time! I must > trivial, obscure retreats." 2 tell you the amazing reason of my hurried > In fornrnl talks in Paris, 'Abdu'l-Baha journey from America. One day, my little > continued to use the " unparalleled power of girl astonished me by saying: 'Mummy, if > definition" of the Baha' i Faith to explain the dear Lord Jesus was in the world now, > human mind, body, sp irit, and soul, the Holy what would you do?' ... ' I wou ld feel like > Spirit, God, and the relationship between all getting on to the first train and going to > of these. With individuals He went from the Him as fast as I could.' 'Well , Mummy, > general to the specific, such as the evening He is in the world .' ... 'What do you > an artist was presented to Him in the home mean, my precious? How do yo u know?' > of Monsieur and Madame Dreyfus-Barney: I said. ' He told me Himself, so of course > ' Thou art very welcome. I am happy He is in the world.' Full of wonder, I > to see thee. All true art is a gift of the thought: Is this a sacred message which is > Holy Spirit. ' 'What is the Holy Spirit?' ' It being given to me out of the mouth of my > is the Sun of Truth, 0 Artist.' 'Where, babe? And I prayed that it might be made > where, is the Sun of Truth?' 'The Sun of clear to me. The next day she said, insis- > Truth is everywhere, It is shining on the tently and as though she could not > whole world.' ' What of the dark night, understand: 'Mummy, darlin ', why isn 't > when the Sun is not shining?' 'The darkness you gone to see Lord Jesus? He's told me > > God Passes By, pp. 28 1-28 2. 3 ibid. p. 182. > 2 4 > Th e Chosen Highway, p. 181. ibid. p. 186. > 60 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > 'Abdu 'l-Baha with Baha 'i friends in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois, > on3Ma y /912. > two times that He is really here, in the In the course of His several visits to > world.' ' Tiny love, Mummy doesn ' t Egypt He had more than one interview > know where He is , how could she find with the Khedive, ' Abbas I:Iilmi Pasha II, > Him ?' ... I was naturally perturbed. The was introduced to Lord Kitchener, met > same afternoon, being out for a walk with the Mufti, Shaykh Mu~ammad Bakhit, as > my child, she suddenly stood still and well as the Khedive's Imam, Shaykh > cried out, 'There He is! There He is!' She Mu~ammad Rashid, and associated with > was trembling with excitement and several 'ulamas, pashas, Persian notables, > pointing at the windows of a magazine members of the Turkish Parliament, > store where there was a picture of editors of leading newspapers in Cairo > 'Abdu'l-Baha. I bought the paper, found and Alexandria, and other leaders and > this address, caught a boat that same representatives of well-known institutions, > night, and here I am. 1 both religious and secular. 3 > "The reader will understand that it is 'Abdu'l-Baha embarked on His second > impossible to find fitting words for the journey to the West on the steamship Cedric, > thoughts and feelings which were with us setting out on 25 March 1912 and sailing via > in those Paris days", Lady Blomfield Naples direct to New York. He arrived in > concludes. 2 America on 11 April. > From France, ' Abdu ' l-Baha returned to He comes on a mission of international > Egypt in December 1911 where He again peace, to attend and address the Peace > took up His residence in Ramleh. Conference at Lake Mohonk the latter > part of thi s month , and to address various > I ibid . pp. 185- 186. > 2 3 Cod Passes By, p. 283. > ibid. p. 187. > THE COMMEMORATIO N OF HI STORIC A NNIV E RSA R IES 61 > > peace meetings , educational societies, attain to perfection except thro ugh the > religious organizations, etc.' , wrote uplift of spiritual civ ili zation .2 > Wendell Phillips Dodge, a reporter for the ' Abdu 'l-Baha proclaimed the message of > New York City News Association, who universal peace from the Atlantic to the > boarded the Cedric at quarantine and Pacific coast of North Ameri ca and back > interviewed 'Abdu ' l-Baha coming up the aga in. For eight months He traveled, often > bay. The story was given to all of the having as His hostess Grace Robarts, a > New York newspapers and, through the teacher of domestic science in a college in > Associated Press, was sent to newspapers Canada. He would ask her to go ahead and > throughout the world. 1 secure an apartment for Him and prepare it > Indeed, 'Abdu ' 1-Baha spoke of world for His arrival. Then she wo uld serve as > peace during His first public add ress in housekeeper and hostess. "S he kept the > America, given on ly three days after His home imm aculate," we are told, "and always > arrival to the congregation of the Church of ready for the constant stream of guests from > the Ascension in New York City. morning to ni ght, Baba' is and enquirers and > Today . the world of humanity is in soul s in difficulty to whom 'Abdu' l-Baha > need of internation al unity and concilia- was always the loving Father." 3 > tion. To estab lish these great fund amental Volumes have and wi ll continue to be > principles a propelling power is needed . It written about the activities of ' Abdu ' 1-Baha > is self-evident that the unity of the human in America, but in God Passes By Shoghi > world and the Most Great Peace cannot Effendi selects seven which he states fully > be accompli shed through material means. demonstrate the importance of that visit: > They cannot be establi shed through The layin g with Hi s own hands, of > political power, for the political interests the dedication stone of the Mashriqu '1- > of nations are various and the policies of Adhkar, by the shore of Lake Michigan > peoples are divergent and conflicting. . .. the dynamic affirmation by H im of the > They cannot be fo unded thro ugh racial implications of the Covenant instituted by > or patriotic power, for these are human Ba ha ' u ' ll ah, fo ll owi ng the reading of the > powers, selfish and weak. The very nature of new ly translated Tablet of the Branch, in > racial differences and patriotic prejudices a general assemb ly of His fo llowers in > prevents the realization of this unity and New York ... the moving ceremony in > agreement. Therefore, it is evidenced that Inglewood, Cali forn ia, marking His spethe promotion of the oneness of the king- cial pilgrimage to the grave of Thornton > dom of humanity, which is the essence of Chase, the ' first American believer,' and > the teachings of all the Manifestations of indeed the first to emb race the Cause of > God, is impossible except through the Baha'u'llah in the Western world; the > divine power and breaths of the Holy symbolic Feast He Himself offered to a > Spirit. Other powers are too weak and are large gathering of His disciples assemincapable of accomplishing this. bled in the open air .. . at West Englewood, > For man two w ings are necessary. One in New Jersey; the blessing He bestowed > wing is physical power and material on the Open Forum at Green Acre, in > civ ili zation; the other is spiritual power Maine .. . which was to evolve into one of > and divine civil ization . With one wing the first Bah a ' [ summer schools of the > on ly, flight is impossible. Two wings are Western Hemisphere ... His address to an > essential. Therefore, no matter how much > material civilizati on advances, it cann ot ' Abdu ' l-Baha, Th e Pro111u/gatio11 of Un iversal Peace > (Wilmette: Baha' i Pub li shing Trust, 1982), pp. 11 - 12. > T/i e Bafia á; World, vo l. VII I (Wilm ette: Baha ' i Pub- > Star of tlie West, vo l. 111 , no. 3, p. I (28 April 19 12). li shin g Committee, 1942), p. 658. > 62 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > 'Abdu 'l-Baha in Brooklyn, New York, in June I 9 I 2 with His secretary, Mirza Ma~mud-i­ > Zarqani, His translators A~mad Sohrab and Amin 'ullah Farid, and His companions > 'Ali-Akbar Nal5J!javani, Valiyu 'llah Varqa and Siyyid Asadu 'llah Qumi. > > audience of several hundred attending the as a loving contribution ... It was truly a > last session of the newly-founded Baha'i symbolic seed sowing for countless of thou- > Temple Unity held in Chicago; and, last sands of similar loving contributions ... 2 > but not least, the exemplary act He per- The second act highlighted by Shoghi > formed by uniting in wedlock two of His Effendi- the affirmation by 'Abdu'l-Baha of > followers of different nationalities, one of the implications of the Covenant instituted > the white, the other of the Negro race. 1 by Baha' u'llah-took place in New York > 'Abdu'l-Baha laid the cornerstone of the City. The Tablet of the Branch revealed by > first Baha'i House of Worship of the West Baha'u'llah in Adrianople, had recently been > on 1May1912, in Wilmette, lllinois. translated, and read, in part: > For the doing of the first work a golden There hath branched from the Sadratu 'ltrowel was presented ... 'Abdu'l-Baha next Muntaha this sacred and glorious Being, > called for the implements necessitated by this Branch of Holiness; well is it with him > the gravelly nature of the soil, and in that hath sought His shelter and abideth > response there was brought to Him first an beneath His shadow. Verily the Limb of > axe and then a shovel. With these tools of the Law of God hath sprung forth from this > the everyday life of the workers of the Root which God hath firmly implanted in > world 'Abdu'l-Baha and friends from every the Ground ofHis Will, and Whose Branch > race present, excavated a resting place for hath been so uplifted as to encompass the > a stone which had been brought to the spot whole of creation... Render thanks unto > > 1 2 > God Passes By, p. 288. Star of the West, vol. III , no. 4, p. 6 ( 17 May 1912). > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 63 > > 'Abdu 'l-Baha in Oakland, California, at a meeting with the friends at the home of > Helen S. Goodall, 12 October 1912. > > God, 0 people, for His appearance; for the Blessed Beauty among its distinctions > verily He is the most great Favor unto you, is that He did not leave people in perthe most peifect bounty upon you; and plexity. He entered into a Covenant and > through Him every mouldering bone is Testament with the people. He appointed a > quickened. Whoso turneth towards Him CENTER OF THE COVENANT. He wrote with > hath turned towards God, and whoso tur- His own pen and revealed it in the Kitabneth away from Him hath turned away from i-Aqdas, the Book of Laws, and Kitab-i- > My Beauty, hath repudiated My Proof, and 'Ahd, the Book of the Covenant, appointtransgressed against Me. He is the Trust of ing Him ('Abdu ' l-Baha) the Ex- pounder > God amongst you, His charge within you, of the Book . .. This is an explicit text of > His manifestation unto you and His appear- the Blessed Beauty. So there is no excuse > ance among His favored servants ... 1 left for anybody. 2 > When this Tablet was read to the assem- 'Abdu'l-Baha had already traveled to the > blage on 19 June, 'Abdu ' l-Baha declared His West when He heard that Thornton Chase > own station: the Center of the Covenant. had passed away on 30 September. He jour- > In fom1er cycles no distinct Covenant neyed from San Francisco to Los Angeles > was made in writing by the Supreme Pen; especially to visit the grave of the "first > no distinct personage was appointed to American believer'', and on 19 October He, > be the Standard differentiating falsehood with about twenty-five of the friends, took > from truth ... But in this Dispensation of the streetcar to the cemetery in Inglewood > > 1 2 > Shoghi Effendi , Th e World Orde1' of Ba ha 'u 'I/ah Star of the West , vol. 111 , no. 14, p. 9 (23 November > (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publi shing Trust, 1982), p. 135. 1912). > 64 THE BAHA 'i WORLD > > where He scattered flowers over Chase's How many blessed souls have longed for > resting place. this radiant century, their utmost hopes > Then, still facing the grave, He turned and desires centered upon 'the happiness > in the direction of ' Akkci and chanted the and joy of one such day as this ... ' 3 > Tablet of Visitation- the Tablet which On 16 August 1912 'Abdu'l-Baha traveled > is read in the Shrines of the Bab and to Green Acre, an estate of nearly two hun- > Baha'u'llah. Following that, He chanted a dred acres on the banks of the Piscataqua > prayer for Thornton Chase and spoke of River in Eliot, Maine. It was owned by > the services which that dedicated man Sarah Farmer, who had opened it in 1894 as > had rendered to the Faith .... At the con- a conference center for people of advanced > clusion of His visit, 'Abdu ' l-Baha knelt and liberal views. Two years later she had > on the ground and kissed the grave of embraced the Baha'i Faith, and while on > Thornton Chase. 1 pilgrimage to ' Akka she had offered the facil- > He asked the friends to visit the site every ities to 'Abdu ' l-Baha, thus making Green > year on His behalf. Acre one of the earliest Baha'i endowments > 'Abdu'l-Baha gave a unity feast in West in America. > Englewood, New Jersey, on Saturday 29 June 'Abdu'l-Baha spent one week at Green > for the Baha'is of New York City and the Acre. Some of His efforts, I:Iasan Balylizi > vicinity. About three hundred attended. wrote, > There in the fragrant pine grove, on a ... were inevitably directed towards counbrightJune day, 'Abdu'l-Baha, Himself the tering the effects of the eccentric ideas > host, smiling joyously and radiating the being disseminated by various pseudospirit of good wi ll, welcomed the happy mystics and cranks who were attracted to > friends .... He talked to them from the the free platform provided there. On one > center of a large circle around which the occasion He was seen distributing sweets > tab les were arranged. He said [in paii]: 2 to a group of people, telling them that > ' This is a delightful gathering; you have they ought to eat and enjoy their food ... > come here with sincere intentions, and the Spirituality, He said, had nothing to do > purpose of all present is the attainment with abstaining from food, with the > of the virtues of God. The motive is mortification of the flesh. On another > attraction to the divine Kingdom. Since occasion He spoke about the rigorous > the desire of all is unity and agreement, disciplines of the ascetics, and the harm > it is certain that this meeting will be pro- ensuing from them. He cited superstitions > ductive of great results ... Such gatherings to be found in India. He also had to face > as this have no equal or likeness in the fortune-tellers and palmists whom He > world of mankind, where people are treated with great ki ndliness. 4 > drawn together by physical motives or in On 20 August Fred Mortensen arrived at > furtherance of material interests, for this Green Acre to see 'Abdu'l-Baha. "In my > meeting is a prototype of that inner and youth'', he wrote later, "my environment > complete spiritual association in the eter- was not of the best and being around boys of > nal world of being. True Baha'i meetings hard character I guess I determined to be as > are the mirrors of the Kingdom wherein tough as any, which I very easily did ... " He > images of the Supreme Concourse are had gotten into trouble with the law, and > reflected . In them the lights of the most Albert Hall, a Baha'i, had helped to get him > great guidance are visible ... Rejoice ... out of prison and had told him about the > > 1 3 Promulgatio11, pp. 213-214. > 'Abdu á1-Baha, pp . 309-310. > 2 4 > Star of the West, vo l. Ill , no. 8, p. 16 (I August 19 12). 'Abdu '/-Baha , pp. 240-241. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIV ERSARIES 65 > > Baha'i Faith. Mr. Mortensen, in Minneapolis, this temple was founded for the unification > Minnesota, wanted to meet 'Abdu'l-Baha. of mankind, the law preceding and creat- > When he heard a rumor that He might not ing it came forth in the manifest Word .. .. > travel to the West he determined to go to see That is why Baha' u'llah has conunanded > Him. "As my finances were low I of neces- that a place of worship be built. .. 2 > sity [lay on the rods between the wheels of " ... and, last but not least," Shoghi Effendi > trains] to Green Acre." There, ' Abdu'l-Baha wrote of'Abdu ' l-Baha's activities in America, > greeted him warmly and asked if he had had was "the exemplary act He performed by > a pleasant journey. uniting in wedlock two of His followers of > I explained to Him how I rode on the different nationalities, one of the white, the > trains, after which He kissed both my other of the Negro race ... " The two Baha'is > cheeks, gave me much fruit, and kissed were Louisa Mathew and Louis Gregory, > the dirty hat I wore, which had become and their union apparently came about in the > soiled on my trip to see Him. 1 following way. > Shoghi Effendi included ' Abdu ' l-Baha's Miss Mathew and Mr. Gregory had met > address to an audience attending the public each other as Baha'i pilgrims visiting > session of the Baha' i Temple Unity as having 'Abdu ' l-Baha in Ramleh, and in the Holy > special significance. This took place on Land, " . .. and although greatly attracted to > 30 April in the Masonic Temple in Chicago. each other not even dimly realized its future > The Baha' i Temple Unity was a national bearing." In America, ' Abdu '1-Baha gave > organization created in March 1909 at a Miss Mathew a white rose to give to > convention called under 'Abdu'l-Baha' s direc- Mr. Gregory, and in other ways conveyed > tion to carry out the construction of the first that He wished her to marry Mr. Gregory. > Baha'i House of Worship in the West. It was Curiously enough after this love began > incorporated in the State of Illinois and to grow in my heart & the desire for > invested with full authority to hold title to the marriage whereas before I only liked > the Temple property and to provide ways and Mr. Gregory as a friend . Later ' Abdu'lmeans for its construction. The fourth annual Baha said before Dr. Getsinger, Fareed & > convention of Baha'i Temple Unity was being others in the train to Chicago to me, 'How > held while ' Abdu ' l-Baha was in Chicago. are you & Mr. Gregory getting along?' > Among the institutes of the Holy Books Startled I answered, ' What do you mean, > is that of the foundation of places of wor- we are good friends? ' To which He replied > ship. That is to say, an edifice or temple is emphatically & with His face wreathed > to be built in order that humanity might in mischievous smiles, ' You must be very > find a place of meeting, and this is to be good friends .. . Later. .. He told Louis it > conducive to unity and fellowship among would give Him much pleasure if he & I > them. The real temple is the very Word of would marry, which came as an utter > God; for to it all humanity must tum, and surprise to Louis who had no thoughts of > it is the center of unity for all mankind ... marriage. 'Abdu'l-Baha said, 'What is the > Temples are the symbols of the divine matter? Don ' t you love her?' 'Yes as a > uniting force so that when the people friend ' Louis said. 'Well think of it' said > gather there in the House of God they may 'Abdu'l-Baha, ' &let me know; ... marriage > recall the fact that the law has been is not an ordinance & need not be obeyed, > . .rev...ealed _for J:b.em _and J:hat-1.h.e Jaw .J.s J:o .but _i.t w..o.uld .gi v_e ..me Jllll.Cb ple.asur.e if > unite them. They will realize that just as you & Miss Mathew were to marry.' > > Star of the West, vol. XIV , no. 12 , p. 367 (March > 1924). 2 > Promulgation , p. 65. > 66 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 'Abdu 'l-Baha at a banquet held in His honor at the Great Northern Hotel in New York > on 23 November 1912. > > The wedding took place at noon on no less than eight months, would be beyond > 27 September 1912 in the parsonage of the scope of this survey. Suffice it to say that > an Episcopal church in New York City. in the city of New York alone He delivered > 'Abdu'l-Baha was on a train headed public addresses in, and made formal visits > westward from Denver at the time, but to, no less than fifty-five different places .... > His encouragement 'contributed to the Secretaries of State, Ambassadors, > Baha' i atmosphere of the wedding' . 1 Congressmen, distinguished rabbis and > ' Abdu ' l-Baha 's activities with the Ameri- churchmen, and other people of eminence > can Bah a' is were designed to " .. .pave the attained His presence, among whom were > way for the erection of their central House of such figures as Dr. D.S. Jordan, President > Worship, to fortify them against the tests they of Leland Stanford University, Prof. Jackwere soon to endure, to cement their unity, son of Columbia University, Prof. Jack of > and to bless the beginnings of that Adminis- Oxford University, Rabbi Stephen Wise > trative Order which they were soon to initiate of New York ... Alexander Graham Bell, > and champion'', wrote Shoghi Effendi . Rabindra Nath Tagore, Hon. Franklin K. > No less remarkable were 'Abdu'l-Baha's Lane, Mrs. William Jennings Bryan, > public activities in the course of His associa- Andrew Carnegie, Hon . Franklin Maction with the multitude of people with whom Veagh, Secretary of the United States > He came in contact during His tour across a Treasury, Lee McClung, Mr. Roosevelt, > continent. A full account of these diversified Admiral Wain Wright, Admiral Peary, > activities which crowded His days during the British, Dutch and Swiss Ministers in > Washington .. . 2 > Morrison. Gay le. To Move the World (Wilmette: > Baha ' i Publi shing Trust, 198 2), pp. 66-68. God Passes By , pp. 288-290. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 67 > ... pictures from the tragic past ... must There is no other reality of meaning to the > have many a time overpowered Him with different religions . Their purpose is one, > feelings of mingled gratitude and sorrow, the teaching is one. 2 > as He witnessed the many marks of 'Abdu'l-Baha moved on to London on > respect, of esteem, and honor now shown 16 December. Lady Blornfield again put > Hirn and the Faith which He represented. her residence in Cadogan Gardens at the > "O Baha 'u 'llah! What hast Thou done?" disposal of the Master, and it seemed that > He, as reported by the chronicler of His His first visit to the British capital was being > travels, was heard to exclaim one evening reenacted . There was, as before, a stream of > as He was being swiftly driven to fulfil visitors from every walk of life at all hours > His third engagement of the day in Wash- of the day and into the night. > ington, "O Baha 'u '!!ah! May my life be One day a woman asked to be permitted > sacrificed for Thee! 0 Baha 'u '!!ah! May to see the Master. 'Have you an appointmy soul be offered up for Thy sake! Ho w ment? ' ' Alas! No.' ' I am sorry,' answered > full were Thy days with trials and tribula- the over-zealous friend who met her in > tions! How severe the ordeals Thou didst the hall, 'but He is occupied now with > endure! How solid the foundation Thou most important people, and cannot be dishast finally laid, and how glorious the turbed.' The woman turned away, feeling > banner Thou didst hoist! " 1 too humble to persist in her appeal, but, > ' Abdu ' l-Baha bade farewell to the Ameri- oh! so bitterly disappointed. Before she > can Baha'is and sailed for Europe on board had reached the foot of the stairway, she > the S.S. Celtic on 5 December, arriving at was overtaken by a breathless messenger > Liverpool on 13 December 1912. He stayed from 'Abdu'l-Baha. 'He wishes to see you, > in that port city for two days, speaking to the come back! He has told me to bring you > Theosophical Society on 14 December, and to Him.' We had heard His voice from the > at Pembroke Chapel, a Baptist Church, on door of His audience room speaking with > 15 December. "When I was in America, I authority: ' A heart has been hurt. Hasten, > had many opportunities of addressing the hasten, bring her to me!' > Theosophical Society there'', He began His Another day, whilst several personages > first talk. were talking with 'Abdu'l-Baha, a man 's > The Theosophists are very dear to me, voice was heard at the hall door. ' Is the > for they have abandoned all prejudice .... lady of this house within?' ... After a while > All the religions of the world are the poor fellow began his pitiful story: 'I > submerged in prejudice. A Jew is a Jew was not always as you see me now, a disbecause his father was before him. A reputable, hopeless object. My father is a > Christian is such for the same reason, and country rector, and I had the advantage of > it is the same with a Musselman. All being at a public school. Of the various > follow the precepts of their fathers, refus- causes which led to my arrival at the > ing to go forth and seek for themselves ... Thames embankment as my only home, I > All the different religions of God that _need not speak to you. Last evening I had > have risen on the face of the earth have decided to put an end to my futile, hateful > one purpose: to educate man and to life, useless to God and man! Whilst takinform him of the spiritual, the luminous, ing what I had intended should be my last > the divine, so that he may partake of walk, I saw "a Face" in the window of a > heavenly spirit and find eternal life, show newspaper shop. I stood looking at the > forth the virtues of mankind, and from a face as if rooted to the spot. He seemed to > world of darkness enter a world of light. > 2 Star of the West, vo l. Ill , no. 17, p. 3 (19 January > I ibid . p. 293 . 19 13). > 68 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > speak to me, and call me to Him! 'Let me in the fields. I can earn what I need for my > see that paper, please,' I asked. It was the simple wants. When I have saved enough > face of 'Abdu'l-Baha. I read that He is I shall take a little bit of land, build a tiny > here, in this house. I said to myself, 'If hut upon it in which to live, then I shall > there is in existence on earth that person- grow violets for the market. As He says > age, I shall take up again the burden of my 'Poverty is unimportant, work is worship .' > life. I set off on my quest. I have come I need not say "thank you," need I? Farehere to find Him. Tell me, is He here? well. ' The man had gone. 1 > Will He see me? Even me?' Of course He During ' Abdu'l-Baha's first visit to > will see you. Come to Him. In answer to Britain the only city He had stayed in > the knock, 'Abdu ' l-Baha Himself opened beside London was Bristol. During the > the door, extending His hands, as though nearly six weeks of His second visit He > to a dear friend , whom He was expecting. not only revisited Bristol, but also trav- > ' Welcome! Most welcome! I am very much eled to Edinburgh and Oxford. Every > pleased that thou hast come. Be seated.' place He went He was welcomed by dis- > The pathetic man trembled and sank tinguished leaders of thought. However, > on to a low chair by the Master's feet, as when it was suggested that a meeting > though unable to utter a word . The other might be arranged between King George V > guests, meanwhile, looked on wonderingly and 'Abdu ' l-Baha, 'Abdu ' l-Baha advised > to see the attention transferred to the against it. He had come to the West to > strange-looking new arrival, who seemed meet the poor, He said, not monarchs and > to be so overburdened with hopeless noblemen. He would meet any seeker > misery. 'Be happy! Be happy! ' said with affection, but had no particular wish > 'Abdu ' l-Baha, holding one of the poor to meet the rulers. Moreover, He noted, > hands, stroking tenderly the dishevelled, such moves could be misunderstood and > bowed head. Smiling that wonderful misconstrued, and might create alarm. 2 > smile of loving compassion, the Master On 22 December 'Abdu ' l-Baha attended > continued: 'Do not be filled with grief a performance of Eager Heart, a play prewhen humiliation overtaketh thee. The sented at Church House, Westminster. > bounty and power of God is without limit This was a memorable occasion, as it > for each and every soul in the world. Seek was the first time He had ever witnessed a > for spiritual joy and knowledge, then , dramatic performance. The Master wept > though thou walk upon this earth, thou during the scene in which the Holy Child > wilt be dwelling within the divine realm . and His parents, overcome with fatigue, > Though thou be poor, thou mayest be rich and suffering from hunger, were met by > in the Kingdom of God. ' These and other the hesitation of Eager Heart to admit > words of comfort, of strength, and of them to the haven of rest which she had > healing were spoken to the man, whose prepared, she, of course, failing to recogcloud of misery seemed to melt away in nize the sacred visitors. The Master > the warmth of the Master' s loving pres- afterwards joined the group of players. It > ence. As the strange visitor rose to leave was an arresting scene. In the Eastern set- > Him Whom he had sought and found, a ting the Messenger, in His Eastern robes, > new look was upon his face , a new erect- speaking to them in beautiful Eastern words > ness in his carriage, a firm purpose in his of the Divine significance of the events > steps. 'Please write down for me His which had been portrayed.3 > words. I have attained all I expected, and > even more.' 'And now what are you 1 > Th e Chosen Highway , pp. 159-161. > going to do?' I asked. 'I'm going to work 2 'Abdu "/-Balui, p. 370. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 69 > On Christmas night, 'Abdu'l-Baha When He reached Cadogan Gardens that > visited the poor of the Salvation Army night, it was apparent that the condition of > Shelter, Westminster, where each year a the unfortunate had distressed Him. > Christmas dinner is provided for those As always, He did not dwell on the probwho have no homes and no friends, and lem. True help for the poor in this Day could > but for the shelter would have no lodg- only be found in His Father's Teachings, and > ings. There were about 1,000 present on the most useful immediate action that one > this occasion. It was a most impressive could take would be to spread the Message. > scene-the dinner for the homeless and During a discussion of Spiritual Assemblies > the Master from the East delivering held on 16 January He said: > Christ's message to the poor. As a true All the deliberations, all consultation, > test of attention, many of the hungry men all the talks and addresses must revolve > forgot to eat and listened intently ... around one focal center and that is: > 'I feel tonight great joy and happiness TEACH THE CAUSE! TEACH! TEACH! > to be in this place, because my meetings Convey the Message! Awaken the souls! > and callings have ever been mostly with Now is the time of laying the foundation . > the poor, and I call myself one of them . Now must we gather brick, stone, wood, > My lot has ever been with those who have iron, and other building materials! Now is > not the goods of this world. When we not the time of decoration. We must strive > look at the poor of humanity, we behold a day and night and think and work. What > world of brothers. All are sheep of God; can I say that may become effective? > God is the real shepherd .. . Consider His What can I do that may bring results? > Holiness Christ: He appeared in the world What can I write that may bring forth > as one of the poor. He was born of a fruits? Nothing else will be useful, today. > lowly family; all the apostles of Christ The interests of such a Glorious Cause > were of humble birth and His followers will not advance without undivided attenwere of the very poorest of the com- tion. While we are carrying this load we > munity. This is what Christ states in the cannot carry any other load! 2 > Gospels . "It is easier for a camel to go On 21 January 1913 , ' Abdu'l-Baha left > through the eye of a needle than for a rich London for Paris, where He stayed at 30 rue > man to enter into the Kingdom of God." ... St. Didier. This second visit to the French > Sorrow not, grieve not. Be not unhappy capital, which lasted two months, > because you are not wealthy. You are the assumed certain characteristics of its > brothers of Jesus Christ. Christ was poor; own ... numbers of Baha' is had arrived > Baha'u'llah was poor. For forty years from the East for the specific purpose of > He was imprisoned in poverty . .. .Be ever attaining His presence ... Moreover, vicishappy ... Trust in God .. .' I situdes of fortune had brought to Paris a > At the close of His talk, ' Abdu'l-Baha multitude of emigres from iran and the > made a contribution to the Shelter so that Ottoman Empire. These men were from > the poor might have a similar dinner on New the ranks both of reactionaries-supporters > Year's night. He was shown all around the of the old regime-and of liberals and > hostel, and at the door he said to the attendant constitutionalists. Many of them sought > in charge, "May God prosper you . May you ' Abdu'l-Baha and requested to meet Him. > all be under the protection of the Almighty!" To them , too, He gave of His time > impartially. 3 > 3 Th e Chosen Highway, pp. I54-I 55. > 1 2 > Star of the West, vol. III , no. I8, pp. 8-9 (7 February Star of the West, vol.IV, no. I, p. I6 (2 I March I9 I3). > I9I3). 3 > 'Abdu '1-Bahci, p. 372. > 70 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > I:Iaji Amin, who was the trustee of the Miss Edith Sanderson's, were also venues > I:Iuquq, had brought seven hundred pounds for these gatherings which 'Abdu ' l-Baha > to present to ' Abdu ' l-Baha. In a humorous addressed from time to time. 3 > mood, 'Abdu' l-Baha said that the I:Iaji had On 17 February, ' Abdu'l-Baha accepted > brought seven hundred pounds, but had an invitation to speak at Pasteur Monnier's > already obtained a thousand pounds from Theological Seminary in Paris. The audience > Him for this and that. Zarqani comments was composed of professors, clergy, and > that one indeed marvelled at the way theological students, and they had prepared > 'Abdu'l-Baha administered His finances. a list of questions: "Who was Christ, and > He spent freely to uphold the dignity of what was He? What is your belief about > the Faith, and gave generously to relieve Him"; "What is the similarity between the > distress and poverty, and to aid the sick. Cause of Christ and that of Baha'u'llah? > But He Himself did not possess a good And what relation do they hold towards each > winter coat. His attendants had to beg other?"; "What is the relation of Christ and > again and again to obtain His permission Baha'u'llah with God?"; and, "Is the unificato order a new coat to be made for Him. 1 tion of religion possible? If so, w hen and how > Lady Blomfield wrote: and through what channel will it be realized?" > One striking fact was that 'Abdu'l- 'Abdu' l-Baha answered each question > Baha never asked for donations, and even clearly and reasonably, explaining the Faith's > refused to accept money or any costly gifts teachings on progressive revelation as He > that were offered to Him. One day in my had to audiences all during His travelspresence a lady said to Him: ' I have here Christi an, Jew, and Muslim. "In short", He > a cheque from a friend, who begs its ac- concluded, > ceptance to buy a good motor-car for your ... misunderstanding between the religions > work in England and Europe.' The Master is conducive to differences . When these > replied: 'I accept with grateful thanks the misunderstandings and blind imitations > gift of your friend. ' He took the cheque are forgotten then the unification of the > into both His hands, as though blessing it, religions will become a reality. > and said 'I return it to be used for gifts to ... there have been wars and rumors of > the poor. ' 'We have never seen the like war amongst the people of the world for > before. Surely such deeds are very rare' , many thousand years; much innocent > it was whispered amongst the friends .2 blood has been shed, many kingdoms and > A number of Iranian students visited empires have been laid waste. Now it is > 'Abdu' l-Baha on January 31st. He spoke enough! Religion must be the means of > to them about agriculture and industry and good fellowship and love. It must upraise > commerce and told them that Iran needed the standard of harmony and solidarity. > iron-smelting plants, because industry If religion is conducive to hatred and > and agriculture alike depended on found- enmity, irreligion is better, because such > ries. In the evening of that day a meeting pseudo-religion gives no result, nay rather > was held at the home of Monsieur and its existence is harmfu l to the welfare of > Mme Dreyfus-Barney. These weekly meet- the body-politic. > ings of the Baha'is, to which seekers and Pasteur Monnier asked, "Is your aim to > enquirers came as well , were a regular found a new religion?" > feahire of the life of the Paris community. 'Abdu' l-B aha answered: "Our aim is > Other homes, M . and Mme Scott's and to free the foundations of the religion of > God from dogmas, for the Sun of Reality > 1 'Abdu '/-Bahri , pp. 373-374. > 2 The Chosen Highway, p. 157. 3 'Abdu '/-Balza, p. 376. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 71 > > 'Abdu 'l-Bahci with Bahci 'i friends in Esslingen, Germany, on 4 April 1913. > > is prevented from shining forth by black By the end of March 'Abdu'l-Baha felt > impenetrable clouds. We desire to dispel strong enough to make another journey, so > these clouds, so that the regions of the took the train from Paris to Stuttgart, arrivworld may be flooded and illumined with ing during the evening of 1 April. He stayed > its luminous rays, so that these foul clouds in the Hotel Marquardt and soon established > may never return. The rays of the Sun of His routine of meeting with the friends in > Reality may encircle all countries, for this His hotel in the mornings, and going out > Sun has no beginning and no ending." 1 to meetings at their homes or elsewhere in > The strain of His continual travels began the afternoons and evenings. One day He > to trouble 'Abdu ' l-Baha in Paris. He did "remarked that the hotelier might leave his > not sleep well and occasionally had a fever. hotel and seek refuge elsewhere, because of > The food at His hotel did not agree with such numbers pouring in. Indeed the staff of > Him, and by 26 February He had succumbed the hotel were shaken and astonished to see > to a severe cold. Meanwhile, the Baha'is of so many of their countrymen pay such atten- > Germany were pleading with Him to visit tion and respect to an Easterner who, as it > their country, and He received a letter from seemed, had come from nowhere." 3 > Mr. and Mrs. Stark inviting Him to visit On 2 April He went to the home of Herr > Hungary. During the first week of March, a Wilhelm and Frau Marie Herrigel, where a > group ofBaha'is from Germany arrived with great number of people had gathered. "How > their pioneer teacher, Miss Alma Knobloch. are you all?", He asked, and addressed them > They once again begged for the bounty of in Persian which was translated into English > receiving Him. 2 by Mirza AJ:.imad Sohrab, and then rendered > into German by Herr Herrigel. > Star of the West, vol. IV, no. 3, pp. 54-5 (28 April 1913). > 2 3 > 'Abdu 'I-Balza , p. 379. ibid. p. 380. > 72 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > 'Abdu 'l-Bahti > visited Budapest > and Vienna after > His travels in > North America. > This photograph > was taken in April > 191 3, during His > one-month stay in > the Austro- > Hungarian Empire. > > Praise be to God! because your faces Meetings were held in the homes of other > are radiant with the light of the G lory of Baha'is including Herr Eckstein, Consul > God; yo ur hearts are attracted to the Albert and Frau Alice Schwarz, and Herr > Kingdom of Abha ... .Your hearts are illu- Friedrich and Frau Annemarie Schweizer. > minated, your inner vision clear. ... You During the evening of3 April, ' Abdu ' l-Baha > must live in accordance with the Teach- addressed a large audience in the upper hall > ings of Baha'u'llah. Be loving to all of the City (Burger) Museum, on 5 April > mankind. Consort with all religions in spoke to the Esperanto Society, and on > amity and fragrance. You must be the 6 Apri l gave a well-attended public talk at > cause of the education of the world of the Obere Museum. "We have had some > humanity. At present the world is still wonderful meetings", Alma Knoblock wrote > very dark. From one side there threatens to her sister Pauline (Mrs . Joseph Hannen), > the darkness of ignorance; from another but "the one in Esslingen surpassed them all." > side black enmity is visible; from the other It was the children's meeting, last > side we hear of war and rumors of war. Friday, April 4th, 1913 , in the afternoon. > We must, like a candle, shine with the light They had secured a very pretty hall , which > ofBaha ' u'llah, in order that through your was most beautifully decorated with > efforts this darkness may be dispelled. 1 greens, plants and flowers, with large and > small tables near the walls and round > 1 tables in the center. About fifty children > Star of the West, vol. IV, no. 4, p. 67 ( 17 May 1913). > THE COMM E MORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 73 > > and eighty adu lts were present. In a smaller to form the first nucleus. Baha' i friends > room adjoining the hall the children had all over the world are requested to help > been assembled holding flowers in their by sending good advice and propaganda > hands, forming two lines for 'Abdu' l-Baha literature. 3 > to pass through. It looked most beautiful as From Budapest, 'Abdu ' l-Baha went to > 'Abdu' l-Baha came upstairs. He passed Vienna on 19 April, where He took residence > through a short hall and looked so pleased in the Grand Hotel. His first courtesy call in > and delighted to see the dear children. 1 that city was to the Turkish Ambassador in > 'Abdu ' I-Baba intended to leave for Vienna, who was so impressed by this visit > Budapest on April 7th, but was persuaded that he insisted on keeping ' Abdu ' l-Baha for > by Consu l Schwarz to visit Bad Mergen- luncheon. The Master spoke to the Theosotheim, approximate ly sixty miles distant phists of Vienna on three occasions , was > from Stuttgart, where the Consul owned visited by Iranian residents of the Austrian > the hotel and the mineral bath. ' Abdu'l- capital, and was the guest of the Persian > Baha said at Bad Mergentheim that since Minister. Before 'Abdu ' l-Baha left Vienna > He had left Persia He had never until then Frau Tyler called to express her newly-found > heard so many nightingales singing in devotion, and He also received among others > such beautiful sutToundings. However, He Baroness von Suttner, a well-known worker > would not stay for more than one night. 2 for the cause of peace. > On 8 Apri l, ' Abdu'l-Baha reh1rned to "As you may know," Wi lhelm Herrige l > Stuttgart and then caught the 8:00 p.m. train wrote to the Star of the West at a later date, > for Budapest which He visited "at the invita- "I was invited by our dear Master, ' Abdu'ltion of the Hungarian Peace, Esperanto and Baha, to accompany Him from Stuttgart to > Feminist societies, and of the Oriental Com- Budapest and Vienna. While in Vienna He > mercial Academy... He spoke to a great permitted a sculptor to mode l Him, and this > public gathering arranged by these institu- sculptor asked me to spread copies of this > tions and besides, on three evenings, to the statuette ia all Baha'i centers of the world. > Theosophical Society, to the Star of the East Therefore, I am sending one to yo u for > members and the Turanian Society. About reproduction in the Star of the West. This > 800 peop le listened to His address .... statuette can be ordered through me ..." 4 > During 'Abdu ' l-Baha's sojourn in Bu- 'Abdu'l-Baha left Vienna and traveled back > dapest He received many distinguished to Stuttgart, where He arrived on 25 Apri l > visitors, among others the celebrated and took rooms again in the Hote l Mar- > Hungarian Orientalists, Prof. Vambery quardt. During this second visit to Stuttgart, > and Prof. Goldzieher. Prof. Robert Nadler, which also lasted a week, He was not well. > a Hungarian painter of great renown, A co ld contracted in Budapest had persisted > made a portrait sketch of 'Abdu ' l-Baha. and was now affecting His chest. > More important than the outward hon- The Baha 'is of Stuttgart had arranged > ors given to Him is that His words and and advertised a meeting for the evening > personality gave a new start to the Baha' i of the 25th at the Burger Museum. In the > Cause in Hungary, which is on the border afternoon the condition of His chest worsof the East and the West... 'Abdu'l-Baha ened, causing great concern. Physicians > honored Mr. Leopold Stark, whose ad- to ld Him that He should not go out... His > dress is II Nyulucta 5, by charging him to health was for the purpose of serving the > unite all those in Budapest who are likely Faith ['Abdu'l-Baha said]. While Wilhelm > > 1 S1ar o/1he Wes!, vol. IV, no. 9, p. 155 (20 A ugust 3 Siar of !he Wes!, vol. IV, no. 5, p. 86 (5 June 19 13). > 1913). 4 > Siar of the West, vol. IV , no. 9, p. 158 (20 August > 'A bdu '1-Bahci , p. 383. 19 13). > 74 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Herrigel was giving a talk in His stead, it was the anniversary of the birth of > He walked into the hall, to the utmost ' Abdu'l-Baha, but He told them that the > delight and surprise of the audience, and day should be considered and celebrated > using His full voice delivered a discourse only as the anniversary of the Declaration > on the need of world peace and the power of the Bab. That was why it was a blessed > that guarantees it. 1 Day. It was incidental that He had been > On the morning of May 1st 'Abdu ' l- born on the same date. The Feast was > Baha met the Baha'is of Stuttgart in groups . celebrated in the evening at the home of > He spoke very tenderly to them. To one Laura and Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney ... > group He said that He wished to converse May 30th witnessed a noteworthy gathwith them, but His chest was not helpful ; ering at the home of the Dreyfus-Barneys, > He would always anticipate their good when diverse nationalities were represented . > news. To another, He spoke of the two Consul Schwarz had come from Germany > ways in which people say farewell ; for and spoke at the meeting. In His talk, > some, memories gradually fade away, but ' Abdu ' l-Baha underlined the true import > others keep their memories ever fresh .. . of that harmonious and loving association > To a third group He said that, although of people of so many origins, brought about > His time in Stuttgart was limited, He by the power ofBaha' u ' llah .. .. > hoped that the harvest would prove limit- On June 12th at 8 a.m. 'Abdu' l-Baha left > less. Then He left for Paris. His hotel for the station. There He spoke > On this third visit to Paris, 'Abdu'l- with the Baha'is who had come to say > Baha resided at Hotel Baltimore, in ave- farewell, urging them to be united at all > nue Kleber... His physical strength had times. At noon His train left for Marseilles, > suffered greatly and He was unable, on which it reached twelve hours later. He > several occasions, to go to the meetings stayed the night at a hotel next to the > held in the homes of the Baha' is. But He station, and boarded the P. & 0. steamer, > was always receiving visitors at the hotel , Himalaya, at 9 a.m. the next morning. > giving a talk whenever they gathered in 'Abdu' l-Baha's historic tour of the West > numbers. He also kept, as far as possible, was over. 3 > His daily habit of a walk out of doors . Shoghi Effendi puts the journey into this > [On I 0 May] He spoke of the Cove- perspective: > nant, that its purpose was to safeguard the A most significant scene in a centurystrength and the power of the Cause; old drama had been enacted. A glorious > without it the circle of Baha'is would chapter in the history of the first Baha' i > have broken up completely. ' Some peo- century had been written. Seeds of > ple have imagined,' He said, 'that the undreamt-of potentialities had, with the > Blessed Perfection had taken relations hand of the Center of the Covenant Himbetween father and son into account. self, been sown in some of the fertile > They do not know that He has instituted fie lds of the Western world. Never in the > the power of the Covenant for the propa- entire range of religious history had any > gation of the Cause of God and for the Figure of comparab le stature arisen to > victory of His Word.' 2 perform a labor of such magnitude and > On May 23rd, Baha'is came with bou- imperishable worth.4 > quets of flowers throughout the day, as > > 1 3 > 'Abdu '1-Bahii, p. 389. ibid., pp. 394-395. > 2 ibid ., pp. 390-392. 4 > God Passes By, p. 294. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES > > 2. COMMEMORATIONS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA's VISIT > TO THE WEST > > FROM August 1911 to December 1913 , During the weekend of 26 and 27 June > 'Abdu' l-Baha traveled through North America 1987, approximately 1,500 picnics were held > and Europe writing, what Shoghi Effendi across the United States to celebrate the > calls in God Passes By, a "glorious chapter Unity Feast 'Abdu ' l-Baha had hosted in > in the history of the first Baha' i century." West Englewood, New Jersey, on 29 June > "Never in the entire range of religious 1912. The Hand of the Cause of God > history had any Figure of comparable stature William Sears, Counsellors Wilma Brady > arisen to perform a labor of such magnitude and Robert Harris, and members of the > and imperishable worth," he continued. National Spiritual Assembly attended the > Celebrations of the seventy-fifth anniversary special picnic held on the site in New Jersey > of those travels were held by Baha'is in hallowed by the presence of the Master. > those countries which 'Abdu ' l-Baha visited. In New York City, on 8 July 1987, a copy > of The Promise of World Peace was pre- > THE UNITED STATES sented to William F. Gibson, the chaimrnn > A moving event was held in the Baha'i of the National Association for the Advance- > Temple in Wilmette, Illinois, on 1 May 1987, ment of Colored People. The presentation > where friends gathered to commemorate the was made by the Secretary of the National > laying of its foundation stone by 'Abdu'l- Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the > Baha. Twelve believers who had met the United States, whose remarks included > Center of the Covenant shared some of their statements made by 'Abdu'l-Baha when He > recollections of Him. On the following day, addressed the fourth annual convention of > a formal commemorative program in the the NAACP in Chicago on 30 April 1912. > House of Worship was attended by a number The presentation was made during the > of civic leaders. annual convention of the NAACP, and was > Meetings held in Chicago between 1 and given an enthusiastic reception by the > 5 May included commemorations of the audience. > Master's talk in All Souls Church, and His > address to the National Association for the CANADA > Advancement of Colored People. The Hand of the Cause of God William Sears > Near Boston, Massachusetts, Dr. Firuz visited all ten provinces of Canada and two > Kazemzadeh spoke about 'Abdu'l-Baha's territories from 30 August to 9 September > life, and the significance of His visit to 1987-the period corresponding to 'Abdu'l- > America, during a meeting held on 5 June at Baha's sojourn in that country. Baha'is all > the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in over the country held special teaching > Cambridge. The following day, Boston's projects during the same period, both in > Baha'i community held a ceremony to honor support of Mr. Sears' efforts and to supplethe couple who founded Freedom House, an ment them. > organization dedicated to bettering the lives In Montreal, firesides were held in French > of minority youth by enabling many to go to and English, during which Mr. Sears shook > college. Following the presentation, Baha'is the hand of each child present and gave each > and their friends walked along the path taken one a souvenir. Nightly firesides were held > by the Master during His visit to Boston . by the friends for the eleven days in Halifax > 76 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > and throughout Nova Scotia. In Winnipeg, a At the end of 1987, 210 Baha' is from > new Baha'i Center was opened and, in France and Switzerland met for a winter > Calgary, a Baha'i meeting was attended by school held at Sevrier. The high point of the > more than 1,000 friends . During a meeting schoo l was the evening commemorating the > in Vancouver, the friends were urged to seventy-fifth anniversary of ' Abdu'l-Baha's > become more heroic, more saintly, and to visit to the West through lectures and audioappreciate their station as Baha'is. In White- visual aides. > horse, Baha'i children presented the Hand of > the Cause with their impressions of ' Abdu' 1- UNITED KINGDOM > Baha in prose and poetry. In the Northwest In late February or early March 1988, > Territori es, a two-day conference was held members of the Bristol Baha'i community > for the fr iends. In Toronto, two people celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of > embraced the Faith during Mr. Sears' visit. the visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to Bristol in 1913 . > A Peace Train paralleling 'Abdu ' l-Bah a's The event was held in the Holiday Inn with > journey from Montreal to Niagara Falls v ia about 260 people attending, including 50 > Toronto carried 127 Baha'is on 6 and 7 Sep- guests of Baha'is. One special guest was the > tember 1987. Five hundred other friends resident at 17 Royal York Crescent, where > greeted the travellers at stops along the ' Abdu'l-Baha had stayed while in Bristol. > route. Hundreds of copies of Th e Prom.ise of The program included music, a slide show > World Peace were de li vered by the train of 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit to England pretravellers, and the Baha ' i message was given sented by Counsellor Adam Thorne, and a > to scores of people, including the Mayor of reading of"The Seven Cand les of Unity" by > Niagara who expressed interest in learning some of the Baha'i children. > about the Faith. > GERMANY > FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu ' l-Baha > The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu' l- Rul?iyyih Khanu m joined approximate ly > Baha Ru!;iiyyih Khanum, accompanied by 1,200 friends gathered in Stuttgart on 9 April > Mrs. Violette Na~avani, traveled to Europe 1988 for a conference held during the festivto participate in some of the activities held to ities related to the seventy-fifth anniversary > commemorate the Master's visits on that of the Master's visit to that country. A lso > continent. present at the conference were member of > In France, the Hand of the Cause took the International Teaching Center Anneliese > part in a National Teaching Conference held Bopp, Counsellor Ursula Milhlschlegel, and > in Paris on 28 and 29 November 1987 which members of the National Spiritual Assemb ly. > was attended by about 500 friends. In adc Amatu'l-Baha Ru!;iiyyih Khanum addressed > dition to talks given by Amatu ' l-Baha, the conference in the German language. > Counsellor Agnes Ghaznavi and members of On 10 April, the Hand of the Cause was > the French National Spiritual Assembly the specia l guest at a festive event held > addressed the gathering, stressing the needs in the historic Kurhaus in Bad Cannstatt, > of the Six Year Plan. Stuttgart, to commemorate the seventy-fifth > Following the Conference, the Local anniversary of the visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to > Spiritual Assembly of Pari s entertained Germany. The Mayor of Stuttgart, Dr. Man- > Ru!;iiyyih Khanum at lunch, then conm1emo- fred Rommel, gave the welcoming address > rated her visit by going to the Eiffel Tower to the nearly 900 friends and guests who > to have a photograph taken in the same place had gathered for the event. fn her ceremonial > where the beloved Master had been photo- address, Amatu' l-Baha Ru!;iiyyih Khanum > graphed seventy-five years earl ier. fondly recalled her time in Germany in 1936 > THE COMMEMORAT ION OF HI STOR IC AN NIV ERSAR IES 77 > and 193 7, and spoke of the early followers UNITED KINGDOM > of Baha'u'llah in that land. Counsellor On 30 June 1988, the first Human Rights > Anneliese Bopp, Dr. Massoud Berdjis and Award presentations in the United Kingdom > Werner Gollmer spoke of the li fe, teachings were made at St. John 's Church, Westminster, > and travels of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and selections London, commemorating the Master's visit > fro m His Writings were read. Press confer- to London in 1911. The six recipients were: > ences were attended by representatives of Dr. Edward Carpenter, awarded for his work > major newspapers and broadcast services. in the field ofreligious unity; the Right Reverend Bishop Trevor Hudd leston, honored > HUNGARY for hi s work to promote racial uni ty; the late > On 9, 10 and 17 April 1988 the Baha ' is of Richard St. Barbe Baker, whose award was > Budapest held celebrations to mark the an ni- received on his behalf by the Chairman of > versary of 'Abdu' l-Baha's visit to that city, the Men of the Trees; the late Bernard Leach, > w ith the Austrian musical group The Dawn- whose awa rd was received on his behalf by > Breakers participating. The main event took his wife, Janet Leach; Bob Geldof, for his > place in the home of Barbara Maennig, work to aid the famine victims in Ethiop ia, > with about twenty friends from Hungary and the awa rd being received on his behalf by > Austria attending. The program consisted of Dr. Gessess, Director of Band Aid; and > a spiritual portion w ith music, and a social Bertha Bradby, for her work for women's > potiion with refreshments. rights. An article about the ceremony was > published in the Church Times, the official > AUSTRIA newspaper of the Church of England. > On 16 April 1988, the Hand of the Cause > of God Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum FRANCE > joined the Baha ' [ communi ty in celebrating Acti vities celebrating 'Abdu' l-Baha's jow11ey > the anniversary of 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit to through Marseilles led to extens ive procla- > Vienna. The event was held in the Ingeni eur mation of the Fa ith in March 1989. After an > und Architektenverein, and people of capac- official ceremony held in the Pala is du Faro, > ity in Austrian society had been sent special a public meeting was held in the Odeon > letters of invitation. Counsellors Ursula Theatre. Announcements of the event were > Milhlschlegel and Leo Niederreiter also broadcast on radio and television, printed in > attended the ceremony, as did friends from newspapers, and distributed throughout the > many parts of Europe. In honor of the occa- city on 11 ,000 posters of different sizes. The > sion, the Local Spiritual Assembly produced theme of the program was peace, and about > a German publication entitled, 'A bdu 'l-Baha 160 people attended. A variety of music and > im Wien, and a committee of the National a slide sho w were presented, foll owed by a > Spiritual Assembly published a booklet, also concert by an American Baha'i piani st, Marc > m German, entitled, 'A bdu 'l-Baha im Ochu , who accompanied his performance > Budapest. with comments on the Peace Statement. > II > THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY > OF THE FIRST SEVEN YEAR PLAN > IN THE AMERICAS > > 1. THE FIRST SEVEN YEAR PLAN OF THE BAHA'is OF THE > UNITED STATES AND CANADA > Sl-IERNA D EA MER > > "'T' > 1 RAVEL ye to the East and to the West unto the ancient inhabitants of the > of the world and summon the people to the Arabian Peninsula, who, prior to the Rev- > Kingdom of God," 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote to elation of Mu~1ammad, were like savages. > the Baha'is in the United States and Canada When the Mu~iammadan Light shone > only three-and-a-half years after His historic forth in their midst, they became so enkinvisit to America in 1912. In a series of Tab- dled that they shed illumination upon the > lets that have come to be known collectively world. Likewise, should these Indians > as the Tablets of the Divine Plan, ' Abdu'l- be educated and properly guided, there > Baha exhorted the American Baha'is to can be no doubt that through the Divine > spread the Faith. " ... do ye not think it per- teachings they will become so enlightmissible to leave [any] region deprived of ened that the whole earth will be > the breezes of the Morn of Guidance. " illumined. > In a Tablet revealed on 8 April 1916 in All the above countries have importhe garden outside the Sllfine ofBaha'u'llah, tance, but especially the Republic of > 'Abdu ' l-Baha specifically told the North Panama, wherein the Atlantic and Pacific > American friends to carry the Faith through- Oceans come together through the Panout the Hemisphere: ama Canal. It is a center for travel and > Alaska is a vast counliy ... yet the call passage from America to other continents > of the Kingdom of God is not yet raised of the world, and in the fitture it will gain > through that spacious territory. most great importance. > Likewise the Republic of Mexico is Likewise the islands of the West Indies, > ve1y important .. . such as Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, > Similarly, the six Central American Jamaica, the islands of the Lesser Anti- > Republics, situated south of Mexico-- lles, Bahama Islands, even the small > Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicara- Watlings Island, have great importance; > gua, Costa Rica, Panama and the seventh especially the two black republics, Haiti > country Belize or British Honduras ... and Santo Domingo, situated in the clus- > You must attach great importance to ter of the Greater Antilles. Likewise the > the Indians, the original inhabitants of cluster of the islands of Bermuda in the > America. For these souls may be likened Atlantic Ocean have importance. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSAR IES 79 > > Mrs. Vivian Lismore, seated second from left, pioneered to Havana, Cuba, during the Seven > Year Plan. She is shown in her home in 1943, surrounded by Cuban Baha 'is. > > Jn a similar way, the republics of the that your heads shall be crowned with the > continent of South America-Colombia, diadem of everlasting so vereignty, and at > Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, British Guiana, the threshold of oneness you will become > Dutch Guiana, French Guiana, Bolivia, the favored and accepted servants. 1 > Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, A few individuals and local communities > Venezuela; also the islands to the north, responded immediately to the Master's call. > east and west of South America, such as Martha Root took her first journey around > Falkland Islands, the Galapagos, Juan South America in 19 19, and in February > Fernandez, Tobago and Trinidad. Like- 1921 Leonora Holsapple became the first > wise the city of Bahia, situated on the Baha' i to live in Latin America when she > eastern shore of Brazil. Because it is moved from the United States to Bahia, > some time that it has become known by Brazil, to teach the Faith. But in the main, > this name, its efficacy will be most potent. 'Abdu'l-Baha's mission went unfulfilled > .. .send to those parts fluent speakers, because no institutions existed capable of > who are detached from aught else save arousing unified action. > God, attracted with the fragrances of It was left to Shoghi Effendi, after the > God, and sanctified and purified from all passing of 'Abdu'l-Baha, to slowly, painsdesires and temptations. Th eir sustenance takingly, raise up the Administrative Order, > and food must consist of the teachings of first in the United States and Canada, and > God. First they must themselves live in then elsewhere around the world. Nor was > accordance with those principles, then > guide the people ... Should you be aided 1 > ' Abdu ' l-Baha, Tablets a/the Divine Plan (Wilmette: > to render such a service, rest ye assured Baha ' i Publi shing Trust, 1977), pp . 3 1- 34. > 80 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > this undertaking only a matter of estab lishing American believers dated 10 January 1936, > Assemblies and committees. The Guardian he directed the friends towards a more active > had to help the community to move beyond teaching program. > the subjective and personal elements of faith This new stage in the gradual unfoldto a world of action . There needed to be a ment of the Formative Period of our Faith > transition from the idea of teaching as an into which we have just entered-the > individual achievement to an understanding phase of concentrated teaching activitythat the greatest results for the Faith came synchronizes with a period of deepening > when these separate efforts were gu ided and gloom, of universal impotence, of evercoordinated. increasing destitution and widespread dis- > In a letter written to the North American illusionment in the fortunes of a declining > Baha' is dated 2 1 April 1933, the Guardian age. This is truly providential and its sighelped the friends understand the develop- nificance and the opportunities it offers us > ment of the Faith during its first forty years should be fully apprehended and utilized. 2 > in America: In his message to the 1936 Convention of > The first of these four decades ( 1893- the Baha'is of the U nited States and Canada, > 1903), characterized by a process of slow the Guardian moved from the general to the > and steady fermentation, may be said to specific in terms of teaching goals: > have culminated in the historic pilgrimages WOULD TO GOD EVERY STATE WITHIN AMER I- > undertaken by 'Abdu'l-Baha's American CAN REPUBLIC AND EVERY REPUBLIC IN > disciples to the shrine ofBaha'u'llah. The AMERICAN CONTINENT MIGHT ERE TERMINA- > ten years which followed ( 1903- 1913), TION THIS GLORIOUS [FIRST BAHA'i) CENTURY > so full of the tests and trials which EMBRACE LIGHT FA ITH BAHA'U ' LLAH AND > agitated, cleansed and energized the body ESTABLISH STRUCTURAL BASIS HIS WORLD > of the earli est pioneers of the Faith in that ORDER. 3 > land, had as their happy climax 'Abdu'l- > "The Convention was electrified", wrote > Baha's memorable vis it to America. The > Garreta Busey in an article entitled "Unitthird period (1913-1923), a period of quiet > ing the Americas". "Tardily aware of the > and uninterrupted consolidation, had as its > instructions given so long ago by the Master, > inevitable result the birth of that divinelyonly half comprehending their implications, > appointed Administration, the foundations > slow to believe in their own ability to pursue > of which the Will of a departed Master > a teaching program so much more extensive > had unmistakably establ ished. The remainthan that of the present time, the American > ing ten years (1923- 1933), distingui shed > Baha'is were at first dazed and then galvathroughout by further internal developnized into action by the sweeping demands > ment, as well as by a notable expansion > of the message." 4 > of the international activities of a growing > Between Ric;lvan 1936 and 1937 Baha'i > community, witnessed the completion of > groups or individual believers were estabthe superstructure of the Mashriqu ' llished in five of the twelve unopened States > Adhkar-the Administration's mighty bu lor Provinces-Nebraska, Wyoming, Oklawark, the symbol of its strength and the > homa, North Dakota, and North Carolinasign of its future glory . 1 > and the Faith had been carried to forty-two > The first stage of the fonnative period > came to end in 1935, Shoghi Effendi > announced, and in a letter to the North Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America (Wilmette: > Baha'i Publi shing Committee, 1947) , p. 6. > 3 ibid. p. 6. > 1 4 > Shoghi Effend i, The World Order of Bahci '11 '//ah The Bahci á;World, vol. IX (Wi lmette : Baha ' i Pub- > (W ilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 80. li shing Committee, 1945), p. 187. > THE COMMEMORAT ION OF HI STORIC ANNIVERSARIES 81 > > new cities in North America. But the work aid all the fa ith, the determination and > in Latin America was largely untouched. energies of which it is capable, and set > Garreta Busey stated: out, single-minded and undaunted, to > To most of the people in the United attain still greater heights in its mighty > States, the countries in South and Central exertions for the Cause of Baha 'u ' llah. 2 > America, thus opened up before us, were In his message to the Convention of 1937, > unknown , romantic lands much more Shoghi Effendi first called the teaching inidistant than the continent of Europe soon tiative the Seven Year Plan, adding to the > to be closed to us completely. Teaching in goals before the American believers that of > the United States and Canada seemed completing the exterior ornamentation on > already to tax to the utmost our spiritual the House of Worship in Wilmette: > energies. How then could we succeed in DUAL GIFT PROVIDENTIALLY CONFERRE D > establishing the Cause in every republic AMERJCAN BAHA'i COMMUNITY INVESTS RE- > of the southern continent? The time for CIPI ENTS WITH DUAL RES PONSIB ILITY FULFIL > the unfoldment of that particular phase of HISTORJC MISS ION. FIRST PROSECUTE UNrN- > the Divine Plan had, however, come, and TERRUPTEDL Y TEACHING CAMPAIGN INAUGU- > on May 19 the Guardian cabled his call for RATED LAST CONVENTION rN ACCORDANCE > pioneers permanently to reside in Central DIVINE PLAN. SECOND RESUME WITH INFLEX I- > and South America, and gave £3 00 as the BLE DETERMrNATION EXTERJOR ORNAMENTA- > nucleus of a fund for the new teaching TION ENTIRE STRUCTURE TEMPLE .... ADV ISE > work. The action of the National Spiritual PROLONGATION CONVENTION SESS IONS EN- > Assembly in response to these messages ABLE DELEGATES CONSU LT NATIONAL AS- > was the estab li shment of a special teach- SEMBLY TO FORMULATE .FEASIBLE SEVEN > ing fund of $30,000 in the national budget YEAR PLAN TO ASSURE SUCCESS ... NO SACRI- > and the appointment of the first Inter- FICE TOO GREAT FOR COMMUNITY SO ABUN- > American Committee. 1 DANTLY BLESSED REPEATEDLY HONORED.3 > Shoghi Effendi was pleased with the ini- "At the beginning of the Seven Year > tial response, but on 30 May 1936 he wrote to Plan," Leroy Joas reported in an article > the Baha' is of the United States and Canada: entitl ed "Teaching in North America", "after > A systematic, carefully conceived, and the Fa ith had existed in this country for 43 > well-established plan should be devised, years, there were 72 Spiritual Assemblies > rigorously pursued and continuously in 26 States and Provinces, with 24 Baha'i > extended. Initiated by the National repre- Groups and 246 Isolated Believers with > sentati ves of the American believers, the the Fa ith established in 303 cities. In the > vanguard and standard-bearers of the remaining seven years of the first Baha'i > radiant army of Baha' u' llah, this plan century, the American Baha'is were called > should receive the whole-hearted, the upon .to establish .the Faith in 34 new States > sustained and ever-increasing support, and Provinces, 10 of .which did not have > both moral and financial, of the entire even one Baha ' i. Furthermore, these areas > body of His followers in that continent. .. were found to be among the most backward, > The fi e ld is immense, the task gigantic, not only from the standpoint of religious > the privilege immeasurably precious. Time intolerance, but also in the way of educais short, and the obligation sacred, tional development, cultural achievements, > paramount and urgent. The American and economic welfare." 4 > community must muster all its force , > concentrate its reso urces, sum mon to its 2 > Messages ta America, p. 7. > ibid. p. 9. > ibid. p. 187. 4 > I Th e Balui 'i World. vol. IX, p. 202. > 82 T HE BAHA'i WORLD > > Th e first Local Spiritual Assembly of San Jose, Costa Rica, organized on 21 April 1941, was > also the first Local Assembly in Central America. Pioneer Gay le Woolson stands back center. > > The challenge of bringing the Faith to its undoubted sovereignty, are receiving > Latin America was even more daunting as fresh luster every day and its manifold > in that vast area there was only Leonora institutions are driving their roots deeper > Holsapple, still at her post in Bahia, Brazil; and deeper into its soil. Blest and honored > Isabel Dodge, who had gone with her geolo- as none among its sister communities has > gist husband to his job site in Chupaca, Peru; been in recent years, preserved through > and one or two other resident Baha' is. The the inscrutable dispensations of Divine > task would have been insurmountable Providence for a destiny which no mind > without the constant love, encouragement, can as yet imagine, such a community > and vision offered by the Guardian. For cannot for a moment afford to be content > example, on 25 November 1937 he wrote: with or rest on the laurels it has so deserv- > ... As I lift up my gaze beyond the edly won. It must go on, continually go > strains and stresses which a struggling on, exploring fresh fi e lds, scaling nobler > Faith must necessarily experience, and view heights, laying firmer foundations, shedthe wider scene which the indomitable ding added splendor and achieving added > will of the American Baha'i community renown in the service and for the glory > is steadily unfolding, I can not but marvel of the Cause of Baha'u'llah. The seven > at the range which the driving force of year plan which it has sponsored and with > their ceaseless labors has acquired and which its destiny is so closely interwoven, > the heights which the sublimity of their must at all costs be prosecuted with > faith has attained. The outposts of a Faith, increas ing force and added consecration. > already persecuted in both Europe and All should arise and participate. Upon the > Asia, are in the American continent measure of such a participation will no > steadily advancing, the visible symbols of doubt depend the welfare and progress of > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 83 > > Pioneer Louise Caswell visits some Baha '£friends in the Parque La Concordia in > Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in October 1941. > > those distant communities which are now and nations of the Old World, invest the > battling for their emancipation. To such a Seven Year Plan, now operating in both > priceless privilege the inheritors of the the northern and southern American conshining grace ofBaha ' u' llah cannot surely tinents, with a significance and urgency > be indifferent. The American believers that cannot be overestimated. 2 > must gird up the loins of endeavor and The Seven Year Plan can be divided into > step into the arena of service with such four periods: (I) from Ricfyan 1937 to 1939; > heroism as shall astound the entire Baha'i (2) from Ri<;lvan 1939 to mid-point in the > world. Let them be assured that my Plan; (3) from October 1940 to Ri<;lvan > prayers will continue to be offered on 1942; and (4) the final two years . > their behalf. 1 The first phase was characterized by > And on I 0 September 1938: friends traveling to teach. Mr. and Mrs. Louis > I feel tru ly exhilarated as I witness the Gregory spent several months in Haiti, and > ever-recurrent manifestations of unbroken left a number of serious students of the > solidarity and unquenchable enthusiasm teachings. Mrs . Nellie French sailed by ship > that distinguish every stage in the pro- around South America and had particular > gressive development of the nation-wide success in Bahia, where she met up with > enterprise which is being so unflinchingly Leonora Holsapple, and in Lima, where she > pursued by the whole American Baha'i worked with Isabel Dodge. Mrs. Frances > community. The marked deterioration in Stewart attended the People's Conference at > world affairs, the steadily deepening gloom Buenos Aires in November 1937, and found > that envelops the storm-tossed peoples interest among the Latin American delegates. > > Messages to America, pp. I 0-11 . 2 ibid. p. 14. > 84 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Beatrice Irwin devoted some six months STEP PROGRESSIVE, SYSTEMATIC PENETRA- > to teaching in Mexico City and other Mexican TION LA TIN AMERICA. UPSURGE BAHA'U- > towns during 1937, lecturing, holding study 'LLAH'S IMP ELLING SP IRIT CAN NOT, WILL > groups and supplying literature to people of NOT, BE STEMMED IMPEDED. METHODICAL > influence and capacity. Mrs. Stewart also ADVANCE ALONG LINE TRACED PEN 'ABDU ' L- > went to Mexico City and found it possible to BAHA IRRESISTIBLE. GUATEMALA, HONDU- > instruct a group who, on 21 April 1938, pro- RAS , SALVADOR, NICARAGUA, COSTA RICA, > ceeded to establish the first Local Spiritual PANAMA , CUBA, DOMINICA, HAITI IMMEDIATE > Assembly in the Americas outside of the OBJECTIVES. THOUGH POLITI CALLY UNSET- > United States and Canada. TLED , RELIGIOUSLY INTOLERANT, SOCIALLY > The National Spiritual Assembly of the BACKWARD CLIMAT ICALLY INHOSP ITABLE, > United States and Canada invited a represen- THESE UNEXPLORED TERRITORIES HOLD > tative of the new Local Spiritual Assembly of FORTH INESTIMABLE PRIZES AUDACIOUS > the Baha'is of Mexico City to participate in ADVENTURES PATH BAHA'i SERVICE. 2 > the National Convention held in April 1939. That same year, the Guardian's inspiring > Four Mexican Baha'is accepted the hospital- and challenging message "To the beloved of > ity, including Sra. Maria del Refugio Ochoa, God and the handmaids of the Merciful > recorded as the first Mexican Baha ' i. "The throughout the United States and Canada'', > occasion was one of great rejoicing," we are The Advent ofDivine Justice, was published. > told by Garreta Busey, "inspiring both to the "Be unrestrained as the wind, " is > older community and to the new believers, Baha'u' llah's counsel to every would-be > who on their return to Mexico City, incorpo- teacher of His Cause, "while carrying the > rated their assembly, began issuing a News Message of Him Who hath caused the dawn > Letter, and plunged into the work of translat- of Divine Guidance to break. Consider how > ing the Writings into Spanish." 1 the wind, faithful to that which God hath > The Guardian sent a cable to the Conven- ordained, bloweth upon all regions of the > tion, praising the American Baha' is on the earth, be they inhabited or desolate. Neither > victories they had won, and setting out the the sight of desolation, nor the evidences of > new work to be accomplished: prosperity, can either pain or please it. It > BRILLIANT CONCLUSION SECOND YEAR SEVEN bloweth in eve1y direction, as bidden by its > YEAR PLAN EVOKES UNIVERSAL ADM IRATION Creator." > BAHA'i WORLD, DEEPENS SP IRITUAL "And when he determineth to leave his > CONSC IO USNESS MITIGATES HARDSHIPS ITS home, for the sake of the Cause of his Lord, " > INCREAS INGLY HARASSED COMMUNITIES. Baha' u' llah, in another passage, referring to > CLOS ING PHASE TEMPLE ORNAMENTATION such a teacher, has revealed, "let him put his > ALREADY ENTERED. INITIAL STAGE INTER- whole trust in God, as the best provision for > CONTINENTAL TEACHfNG CAMPA IGN SUC- his journey, and array himself with the robe > CESSFULLY TERMINATED. FIRM ANCHORAGE of virtue .... If he be kindled with the fire of > IN STITUTIONS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER His love, if he forgoeth all created things, > PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED EVERY STATE the words he uttereth shall set on fire them > PROVfNCE NORTH AMERI CAN CONTINENT. that hear him. "3 > MEXICO, LYING FOREFRONT SOUTHWARD The community of the organized > MARCHING ARMY , RECENTLY ENLISTED. promoters of the Faith of Baha ' u' llah > PEDRO ESP INOSA 'S AUSP ICIOUS ATTENDANCE in the American continent- the spirititual > CONVENT ION WELCOME EVIDENCE. SETTLE- > MENT CENTRAL AMERICAN REPUBLICS NEXT > 2 Messages to America, p. 20. > 3 Shoghi Effendi, Th e Advent of Divine Justice (Wil- > Th e Bahri "i World, vol. IX, p. 190. mette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, rev. ed. 1984), p. 50. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 85 > descenants of the dawn-breakers of an Another North American Baha'i who > heroic Age, who by their death pro- gave his life to spread the Faith was Mathew > claimed the birth of that Faith-must, in Kaszab, who had been a student at the > turn, usher in, not by their death but Un iversity of New York when he met > through living sacrifice, that promised Mrs. Louise Talbot and learned about > World Order, the shell ordained to Baha'u' llah. "From that moment, Mathew's > enshrine that priceless jewel, the world real life began", wrote Loulie Mathews. > civi lization, of which the Faith itself is "The heroic age of the Bab and the martyrs > the sole begetter. 1 absorbed his mind and The Dawn-Breakers > By now the response was too great to became his constant companion .. . " > chronicle with individual's names, specific "When Shoghi Effendi's Advent of Divine > locations, and exact dates. But at least two Justice was published in February, 1939 ... > North American dawn-breakers did sacrifice [its] dynamic utterances carried Mathew > their very lives to spread the Faith during the away, and without delay he set out for > Seven Year Plan. Panama." The Inter-America Committee > "Departure South America by wish of asked him to go on to Nicaragua, and, "the > beloved Guardian!" May Ellis Maxwell good so ldier of Baha'u ' llah that he was, he > had cabled before departing from New accepted our suggestion ... " 3 > York on 24 January 1940 on the steam- He went to work in the gold mines of > ship Brazil. "She was able to teach 'one Blue Fields. He described the deplorable > lovely woman on the boat, the wife of a conditions of poverty and vice and was so > distinguished arn1y man"', Marion Holley appalled by the ignorance of the miners' > wrote about the trip. chi ldren, that he took a night shift and > In Rio de Janeiro, with the aid of taught school in the day time. When I > Leonora Holsapple who had come from remonstrated with him because he was > Bahia, she arranged two teas at her hotel, giving himself no time for sleep, he > the Gloria, one for nineteen guests, while replied that his time was so short he could > a third meeting was held at the home of not afford to sleep! All his efforts at bet- > Mr. and Mrs. Lee Worley. She spoke also terment in Blue Fields having failed, he > to the president of the Homeopathic returned to Managua. > College. Yet despite these two weeks of Sudden ly, while walking on the street, > exhilarating success, she was eager to he was arrested. The reason given was > reach Buenos Aires ... that he uttered words in criticism of the > They arrived [May Maxwell and her Nicaraguan government. This may have > niece, Jeanne Bolles] on February 27th, been the reason or not- the cause is very > after one-day stops in Santos and Mon- obscure. He remained in prison from > tevideo .. . On the night of February 29th March 1st to 23rd. As sudden ly as he was > they dined alone in her room at City interned, he was liberated. > Hotel ... her mood was radiant. But the He determined to leave Nicaragua, > next morning a terrible pain came high in sensing danger, and began to make prepaher breast, and though the doctor reas- rations for his departure. When they were > sured them both, by afternoon 'the Wi ll complete, he came to say goodbye to our > of God took her from our midst'. first native believer, who was teaching > "Priceless honor (of a) martyr's death!" school nearby. He was loved by the > Shoghi Effendi included in his tribute to > May Maxwelt. 2 2 > Th e Baha'i World. vol. VIII (Wi lmette: Baha'i Publi sh in g Committee, 1942), pp. 631 - 642. > ibid. p. 7. 3 > I Th e Baha'i World. vol. IX , pp. 614- 615. > 86 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Pioneers Gladys Stuart and Cora Oliver, sitting on the left side of the stairs, visit a group of > believers in Belize, British Honduras, during the Seven Year Plan. > > children of the school, who gathered around Aires, and groups in Havana, Tegucigalpa, > him and sang their songs for him ... Guatemala, Montevideo, and Panama. As > When he reached the airport, an officer early as April, Shoghi Effendi cabled to the > stepped forward and presented a warrant Convention his joy that the believers had > for his arrest. The day was September 28th outstripped the goal set for 1939-1940. By > of 1942. It was some time before his friends April 1942 the number of assemblies was > .learned the sad news. On November first nine: Mexico City, Puebla, Buenos Aires, > Mathew was attacked by an illness the Montevideo, Tegucigalpa, San Salvador, > nature of which was never learned, hi s San Jose, Puntarenos, and Havana. > condition was so grave that he was moved In his message to the National Convenfrom the dungeon to the guard's hospital.... tion of the Baha' is of the United States and > At that time death seemed imminent Canada sent on 26 April 1942, Shoghi > but his strength slowly returned and he was Effendi wrote: > sent back to the prison. On December 28 ... FIRST BAHA' I CENTURY FAST RUNNING OUT. > the authorities announced that he was AGON IES TRAVAILI NG AGE INEXORABLY > free, but must leave the country. Silently CULM INATING . BAB ' S STIRRING UN IQUE IN- > and alone, he took a plane to Mexico C ity JUNCTION DIRECTING PEOPLES WEST LEA VE > and there reembarked for Brownsville, THEIR C ITI ES ENSURE TRIUMPH DIVINE CAUSE > Texas, where he di ed January 13th, 1943. 1 RECORDED CENTURY AGO QA YYDMU'L-ASMA'. > > By mid-point in the Seven Year Plan, in BAHA'U'LLAH ' S S IGNIF ICANT SUMMONS > October 1940, assemblies had been estab- CAL LI NG UPON ALL PRESIDENTS REPUBLICS > > lished in Mexico City, Bahia, and Buenos WESTERN HEM ISPHERE C HAMP IO N CAUSE > JUSTI CE ISSUE D SEVENTY YEARS AGO JN > 1 HI S MOST HOLY BOOK. BROAD OUTLINES > The Baha 'i World, vol. IX, pp. 6 15- 6 16. > THE COMM EMOR AT IO N OF HISTORI C ANN IVERSAR I ES 87 > 'A BDU ' L-BAHA'S MATCHLESS DESIGN CON- evolves. Threads of friendly human con- > CE IV ED TWENTYF IV E YEARS AGO BENEFIT tacts weave back and forth, bringing out > NORTH AMERICAN BELIEVERS TRANSMITTED in ever elaborated beauty the Divine Plan > POSTERITY TABLETS DIVINE PLAN. SEVEN of World Unity.' As individuals became > YEAR ENTERPRISE REGARDED INITIAL STAGE more active, the communities as units > EXECUTION WORLD MISSION ALREA DY began also to take on more responsibilities, > LAUNCHED. GIGANTIC TEMPLE UNDERTAK- demonstrating their growing maturity > ING CONSTITUTING MAJOR OBLIGATION THIS under the Administrative Order. One sign > ENTERPRIS E, VIRTUALLY CONSU MM ATE D. of their development was the recognition > VAST INTERCONTINENTAL TEACHING CA M- of the Costa Rican assemblies and that of > PAIGN VISIBLY YIELDING FIRST FRUITS EVERY Montevideo by their respective govern- > REPUBLI C LATIN AMERICA. UPON CRUCIAL ments. The Assembly of Buenos Aires now > YEAR AHEAD HI NG E FORTUNES HI STOR IC accepted the responsibility of publishing > CRUSADE ... MYS ELF DEPRIVED PERSONAL PAR- and disseminating Baha ' i books in Latin > TICIPATION TASK ALLOTTE D PROSECUTO RS America. The Mexican assemblies were > EPOCH MAKING PLAN IMP ELLED DEPUTI ZE carrying on extension work in various > FIVE MEMBERS AMERICAN BAHA'i COM MUN I- parts of their country. San Salvador had > TY HELP FULFILL MY BEHALF WHATEVER PIO- begun teaching in Santa Ana, the second > NEER FIELD MOST VITAL ITS URGENT largest city of El Salvador. Youth groups > REQU IREMENTS . PLEDG ING FIV E THOUSAN D and children's classes were organized ... 2 > DOLLARS ACCOM PLISHMENT THIS PURPOSE. 1 Nor was the work in North America > In "Uniting the Americas", Garreta Busey neglected. " ... on March 28 , 1944, we find > reported: 136 Spiritual Assemblies, 197 Baha'i > ... the most noticeable characteristic of Groups, and the Faith vigorously functioning > this last period of the Seven Year Plan in over 1,300 cities on the North American > was the work undertaken by the local continent;-the Faith of Baha' u'llah shining > believers. Many of them were engaged in in resplendent glory from the vast expanses > translating Baha' i literature. The Mexican of Alaska to the Keys of Florida; from the > believers .. . had begun that great task. It isolation of Prince Edward Island to the > was continued by the Baha'is of Buenos sunny shores of California." 3 > Aires, and in Uruguay three believers, In addition, the exterior ornamentation of > having finished the "Thirty-Six Lessons'', the Baha 'i House of Worship was completed > embarked upon the gigantic task of trans- in 1943. > lating "The Dawn-Breakers" .. . Shoghi Effendi cab led to the friends > Latin American teachers arose. gathered for the All-American Centennial > Sr. Tormo went, with Wilfred Barton, to Convention on 13 April 1944: > Paraguay. Sr. Ulloa went from Costa Rica The greatest collective enterprise ever > to Panama to assist the pioneers there. launched by the Western fo llowers of > Study groups in three cities of Argentina Baha' u' llah and indeed ever undertaken > were taught by believers from Buenos by any Baha'i community in the course of > Aires. The Baha'is of Santiago were car- an entire century, has been gloriously > rying the Faith into other parts of Chile. consummated. A victory of undying fame > As time went on the visits between has marked the culmination of the fifty > communities were more frequent until in year long labors of the American Baha'i > 1941 the Inter America Committees community in the service of Baha' u' llah > wrote: 'Thus the Divine Plan continually > 2. The Baha 'i World, vo l. IX, pp. 197- I98. > Messages to America, p. 55. J ibid. p. 202. > 88 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Pioneers Honor Kempton, Helen Robenson and Dagmar Dole shown in Anchorage, Alaska, > in Januaiy 1944. > > and has shed imperishab le lustre on the To the band of pioneers, whether settlers > immortal records of His Faith during the or itinerant teachers, who have forsaken > first hundred years of its existence. The their homes, who have scattered far and > exploits that have marked the progress of wide, who have willingly sacrificed their > this prodigious, this three-fold enterprise, comfort, their hea lth and even their lives > covering a field stretching from Alaska for the prosecution of this Plan; to the > in the North to the extremity of Chile in several committees and their auxiliary > the south, affecting the destinies of so agencies that have been entrusted with > great a variety of peoples and nations, special and direct responsibility for its > involving such a tremendous expenditure efficient and orderly development and > of treasure and effort, calling forth so who have discharged their high responsiremarkable a spirit of heroism and self- bilities with exemplary vigor, courage > sacrifice, and undertaken notwithstanding and fidelity ; to the national representatives > the vicious assaults and incessant machi- of the community itself, who have viginations of the breakers of ' Abdu ' l-Baha' s lantly and tirelessly supervised, directed > Covenant, and despite the perils, the trials and coordinated the unfolding processes > and restrictions of a desolating war of of this vast undertaking ever since its > unexampled severity, augur well for the inception; to all those who, though not in > successful prosecution, and indeed assure the forefront of battle, have through their > the ultimate victory, of the remaining financial assistance and through the instrustages of the Plan conceived, a quarter of mentality of their deputies, contributed to > a century ago, by 'Abdu ' l-Baha for the the expansion and consolidation of the > followers of Baha'u 'llah in the North Plan, I myself, as well as the entire Baha'i > American continent. world, owe a debt of gratitude that no one > THE COMMEMORATIO N OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 89 > can measure or describe. To the sacrifices my own behalf, as well as in the name > they have made, to the courage they of all Baha'i communities sharing with > have so consistently shown, to the fidelity them, at this great turning-point in the > they have so remarkably displayed, to history of our Faith, the joys and triumphs > the resourcefulness, the discipline, the of this solemn hour, feel moved to convey > constancy and devotion they have so the expression of our loving admiration, > abundantly demonstrated, future genera- our joy and our gratitude for the brilliant > tions viewing the magnitude of their conc lusion of what posterity wi ll no > labors in their proper perspective, will no doubt acclaim as one of the most stirring > doubt pay adequate tribute- a tribute no episodes in the history of the Formative > less ardent and well-deserved than the Age of the Faith of Baha' u'llah, as well > recognition extended by the present-day as one of the most momentous enterprises > builders of the World Order ofBaha'u'llah undertaken during the entire course of the > to the Dawn-Breakers, whose shining first Century of the Baha'i Era. 1 > deeds have signa lized the birth of the > Heroic Age of His Faith . > . . . to all the privileged attendants of > such an epoch-making Convention , I, on Messages In America, pp. 69- 7 1. > > ' > _ _..._á _j_ ' > > Celebration of the fiftieth anniversaiy of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Salvador, Bahia, > Brazil- the oldest Assembly in South America. > Mrs. Margot Worley, seated center, served on the first Local Assembly. > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 2. FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAITH IN LATIN > AMERICA CELEBRATED > > FROM Ric;Ivan 1937 to Ric;!van 1944, the While in Argentina, Amatu'l-Baha, ac- > Baha'is of the United States and Canada companied by Mr. Monadjem and a member > engaged in the first Seven Year Plan in of the National Spiritual Assembly, had an > response to the call from the Guardian: interview with the President of Argentina, > WOULD TO GOD EVERY STATE WITHIN AM ERI- Carlos Menem , and two Cabinet members. > CAN REPUBLIC AND EVERY REPUBLIC IN The Hand of the Cause also called on the > AMERI CAN CONTINENT MIGHT ERE TERMI NA- Mayor of Buenos Aires and presented him > TION THIS GLORIOUS [IST BAHA'I] CENTURY with a copy of the pamphlet "A Pattern for > EMBRACE LIGHT FAITH BAHA'U ' LLAH AND Future Society'', which consists of an extract > ESTABLISH STRU CTURAL BASIS HIS WORLD from the writings of Shoghi Effendi on the > ORDER. coming world civilization. > By the end of the Plan, the Faith had been Media coverage of the conference was > established from Alaska to Chile. No state in excellent. There were items on both radio > the United States, province in Canada, or and television, and articles in several newscountry in Latin America was without a papers including one with two full pages, > group of believers. Celebrations of the 50th one of which was in color. > anniversaries of these victories were held > throughout Latin America. BOLIVIA > About 150 Baha'is and their friends attended > ARGENTINA a public meeting held in the salon of the > The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha National Library in Bogota on 12 December > Ru~iyyih Khanum attended the "Uniting the 1991 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of > Americas" conference held in Buenos Aires the Faith in Bolivia. Rosario de Moazes > from 27 February to 1 March 1990 to cele- presented a short summary of the Baha' i > brate the fiftieth anniversary of the Faith in activities during the Faith' s half-century in > Argentina. the country, and Roberto Nothaft gave a talk > The conference also honored the memory on the Baha ' i Faith and the new World > of May Bolles Maxwell, the mother of Order. > Rul~fyyih Khanum, whose flame-like love A story about the celebration was broadfor the Cause led her, at the age of seventy cast on the television news that evening. > and in ill health, to voyage to Buenos Aires > and, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, "lay BRAZIL > down her life in such a spirit of consecration The Local Spiritual Assembly of Salvador, > and self-sacrifice as to merit the crown of in the state of Bahia, Brazil, is the oldest > martyrdom". Assembly on the Continent. Established in > About 1,250 attended the conference 1940, it is the "Mother Assembly" of South > including Counsellors Eloy Anello, Isabel America. > de Calderon, and Shapoor Monadjem. As On 16 October 1990, the Local Spiritual > many as 400 of the participants were not Assembly held a reception to celebrate its > Baha'is and, during the course of the three fiftieth anniversary. About two hundred > days, twelve people enrolled in the Faith. people attended, including Margot Worley, > THE COMM EMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 91 > > one of the first Baha' is of South America enriched by the music performed by a choir > and a member of the first Local Spiritual called "Heredia Canta." > Assembly. Also attending was Rolf van > Czekus, a member of the Continental Board CUBA > of Counsellors in the Americas. On 2 December 1989, the Baha'is of Cuba > The Assembly received messages of filled the National Center in Havana to > congratulations from the Governor-elect, celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the > Antonio Carlos Magalhaes, the commanding establishment of the Faith in their country. > officer of the consular corps of Bahia, and Songs and dances were performed and, folmany other non-Baha ' is. Commendations lowing a lavish luncheon , a commemorative > were also received from the National cake was served. > Spiritual Assembly of Brazil , the National Perfecto Rerez Toledo, the first Cuban to > Spiritual Assembly of the United States, and recognize Baha' u ' llah, spoke to the Baha'is > a large number of Local Spiritual Assem- and their guests. Evoking those early days > blies in Brazil. of 1939, he paid tribute to the Baha'is who > As part of the anniversary events, two helped to found and develop the Cuban > special prayer sessions were held at the Baha'i community: Philip and Laily Marangraveside of Leonora Stirling Armstrong, gella, Josephine Kruka, Jean Silver, William > "the spiritual mother of the Baha' is of Brazil'', de Forge, Emogene Hoagg, Gayle Woolson, > with many local Baha'is attending. and Ruth Moffett. He also mentioned > A photographic exhibit of the first fifty the Hands of the Cause of God Zikrullah > years of Baha' i activities in Bahia was Khadem [Dhikru'llah Khac:Iim], Dr. Ugo > assembled and displayed, and a video docu- Giachery, and "the unforgettable Dorothy > mentary of the history of the Cause in Bahia Baker." > was launched. An article about the development of the Faith in Bahia was published in EL SALVADOR > A Tarde, the widest circulated newspaper in On 12 November 1989, the Baha' i community > the state. of El Salvador celebrated the Anniversary of > the Birth ofBaha ' u ' llah and the fiftieth anni- > COSTA RICA versary of the arrival of the Faith's first > The fiftieth anniversary of the election of the pioneer to their country, John Eichenauer. > first Local Spiritual Assembly of San Jose, Mr. Eichenauer was able to be present for > Costa Rica, was held on 21 April 1991 in the the occasion. > auditorium of the Federal College of Engi- The program was held in the Instituto > neers and Architects in San Jose. The event Baha' i Jamaliyyih, about 35 kilometres from > was attended by the head of the national the capital, with more than 200 people > Social Security system, a representative of attending. One of the friends talked about > the Governor of the Province of San Jose, the year 1920, when the Hand of the Cause > the President of the San Jose City Council, of God Amelia Collins had walked the > and the Rector of the University of Costa streets of old San Salvador saying the Great- > Rica. est Name, and Mr. Eichenauer told of how, > Special guest for the celebration was hearing of this, he was inspired to go to > Mrs. Gayle Woolson, one of the first two El Salvador to pioneer. > pioneers to Costa Rica and a member of the The Faith enjoyed extensive television > first Local Assembly. The other special exposure during the weeks preceding the > guest was also a member of the first Assem- celebration. During one interview, the > bly, Mrs. Consuelo Miranda Yda . de Araya . Baha' is were able to speak for two hours on > The beautiful commemorative program was the Baha'i approach to peace in response to > 92 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > The first pioneer to El Salvador, Mr. John Eichenauer (seated center with the Greatest Name > plaque), returned to celebrate the Baha 'i community 's fiftieth anniversary. The event was > held at Jamaliyy ih Baha'i Institute on 12 November 1989. > > generally helpful and friendly questions from national theater. A local newspaper pubthe moderator and the television audience. lished an article about the commemoration. > > PARAGUAY URUGUAY > A memorial service for the first Baha'i of A series of events called "Days of Peace on > Paraguay, Sr. Roque Centurion Miranda, the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Baha ' i Faith > was held on 30 January 1990 to commemo- in Uruguay", organized by the Maldonado > rate the thirtieth anniversary of his passing community and held from 18 to 20 November > on that date. A floral offering was carried to 1988, was given extensive media coverage > the Baha' i Cemetery in Lambare, and under in the area. > the pine trees by his gravesite prayers were Activities began with a slide show of the > read and Sr. Centurion Miranda's two daugh- Baha'i Holy Places and a presentation of > ters shared anecdotes about their father. statistical information about the Faith in > During the evening of 30 January, a pro- Uruguay. On the second day members of > gram was held at the National Baha'i Center the Baha' i community visited a home for > in Asuncion to celebrate the fiftieth anniver- the aged and the Children's Council, and > sary of the Baha'i Faith in Paraguay. The held a youth gathering. On the third day, a > Director of the Performing Art School of program for chi ldren was held with clowns > the Municipality of Asuncion participated, and acting. The final activity was a presentaas did Mercedes Janet, a noted actress. A tion about women and peace. > young student gave a reading of the biogra- A display of books and photographs about > phy of Sr. Roque Centurion Miranda as a the Baha'i Faith was exhibited at the Baha' i > Paraguayan citizen, and as a lover of the Centre for the three "Days of Peace". > III > THE TEN YEAR CRUSADE AND THE > KNIGHTS OF BAHA'U'LLAH > > Adapted from a talk gi ven by > MR. ' ALf NAKHJAVANi > to the Baha' i World Centre staff in April 1992 > > MANY of us are working here and abroad di ffus ion of that same light over one hunto prepare for the events of the coming Holy dred and thirty-one additional territories > Year-the Centenary of the Ascension of and islands in both the Eastern and West- > Baha'u' llah. Among the events whi ch will ern Hemi spheres, through the operation > be held in the Holy Land will be a reception of a decade-long world spiritual crusade > for the Knights of Baha' u'll ah. These pre- whose termination will, God willing, > cious souls had a unique part to play in an coincide with the Most Great Jubilee > extremely important period of Baha' i his- commemorating the centenary of the dectory, the Ten Year Crusade. As we look back laration ofBaha'u' llah in Ba~dad. 1 > over the development of the Faith during the The tenth part is everything we will be > one hundred years since the passing of the doing till the end of the Dispensation of > Blessed Beauty, it is appropriate to take the Baha'u'llah. Shoghi Effendi continues: > time to review a subject which engaged the And finally the tenth part of this mighty > entire Baha' i world during the latter years of process must be the penetration of that > the ministry of Shoghi Effendi. light, in the course of numerous crusades > The signifi cance of the Ten Year Crusade and of successive epochs of both the Forwas described by Shoghi Effend i in a mative and Go lden Ages of the Faith, into > message he sent to the Intercontinental Con- all the remain ing territories of the globe > ference in America on 4 May 1953. It was through the erection of the enti re machina long message, read to the assemb ly by ery ofBaha'u'llah's Admin istrative Order > Amatu' l-Baha Rt'.tl~iyyih Khanum, towards in all terri tories, both East and West, the > the end of which he reviewed the entire stage at whi ch the light of God 's triumspiritual evolution of humanity. He sa id that phant Faith shining in all its power and > this process-this stupendous vast process- glory will have suffused and enveloped > consists of ten parts. Part one consisted of the entire planet. 2 > all of the Prophets of God before the Bab. Of the entire range of the Baha' i Dispen- > Part two began with the Bab, and then fol - sation , we are in the tenth part. The ninth > lowed five parts rep resenting major phases part-only ten years-was the Ten Year > of the Faith up to 192 1. The eighth part was > hi s own ministry up to 1953. > 1 Messages to rhe Baha 'i World, A compi lat ion of > Then he wrote: > letters from Shogh i Effend i (Wilmette: Baha' i > The ninth part of this process-the Publi shing Tru st, 195 8), pp. 154- 155. > stage we are no w entering- is the further 2 > ibid. p. 155 . > 94 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Crusade. And in the entire range of the uni- Seven Year Plan there would be a Ten Year > versal process of spiritual evo lution of Plan, not only for the United States and Canhumanity this stage stands out. This is an ada, but for the entire Baha' i world. > indication of the importance of the topic. Therefore, that third Seven Year Plan was > cancelled, and was superseded by the Ten > TEACHING PLANS Year Plan. The first Plan with world-wide > From 1844 to 193 7 there were no Baha'i international collaboration was the Ten Year > Teaching Plans. The friends knew about Crusade. > teaching, about traveling to teach, and about At the mid-way point of the Ten Year > martyrdom. 'Abdu'l-Baha had encouraged Plan, Shoghi Effendi passed away. The > the friends to form local assemblies and to Hands of the Cause of God took over custoset up funds and associations, and He had dianship of the Faith and the Spiritual > given the American believers the Tablets of Crusade was completed. The Universal House > the Divine Plan but there was no Adminis- of Justice came into existence and it took > trative Order to prosecute this vision. one year to review the situation before it > During the first years of his ministry, developed, after consultation with the Hands > Shoghi Effendi began to create the structures of the Cause, the Nine Year Plan, from 1964 > that we know today. He named the United to 1973 . Following Shoghi Effendi's style, > States as the crad le of the Administrative the House of Justice gave a year of respite > Order as there was one National Spiritual from Ric;lvan 1973 to 1974, then gave the > Assembly there as well as for Canada, and friends the Five Year Plan to carry out from > they had been the recipients of the Tablets of 1974 to 1979, followed by the Seven Year > the Divine Plan. Everything in terms of the Plan, 1979 to 1986, and the Six Year Plan, > formal inauguration of the Administrative 1986 to 1992. Now we have the Holy Year, > Order began with the North American Baba'i Ric;lvan 1992 to 1993 , then we are to have > community. For 16 years, from 1921 to the Three Year Plan, 1993 to 1996. What will > 1937, he said he built up the Administrative happen after that, only Baha'u'llah knows. > Order in the United States and Canada. > Then, at Ric;lvan 193 7, he gave them the first MESSAGES LEADING UP TO THE > Seven Year Plan. Although it was a national TEN YEAR CRUSADE > plan, the messages were shared with the The Guardian used the word "Crusade" as > Baha'i world collectively. far back as 1939. Of course, this word has > At the end of the first Seven Year Plan, historical connotations in connection with > in 1944, the Guardian gave the American the military expeditions of the European > friends a two-year respite. Then he gave them Christians who went to the Holy Land to libthe second Seven Year Plan, from Ric;lvan erate Jerusalem from Muslim rule. In 1939, > 1946 to 1953. During the second Seven Year two years after the inauguration of the first > Plan of the United States, he urged the other Seven Year Plan of the American believers, > ten National Spiritual Assemblies to have he began to use the term "Crusade" instead > Plans, too. Consequently, the second Plan was of "Plan." In his Persian writings he used > paralleled by other Plans in Asia, Africa, the word "Jihad," which is "Holy War." He > Europe and Australasia. subsequently used "Crusade" for the second > In letters from the Guardian, there was Seven Year Plan, and then for the Ten Year > reference to a third Seven Year Plan to take Plan so that the latter became known as > place after three years of respite. However, the Ten Year Crusade, even more than the > he changed his mind and decided that imme- Ten Year Plan. He sometimes referred to the > diately upon the completion of the second pioneers as "crusaders ." > THE C OMMEMORATIO N OF HISTORIC A NN IVERSARI E S 95 > > Shoghi Effendi did not give the Baha'i National Assembly. In this letter he stated > world any indication of this Crusade in the that at the end of the Two Year Plan, > earlier years of his Guardianship. However, the Baha'i world was to have undertakings > in 1951 , six years before he passed away, which would involve and engage all National > when he began to build up the World Centre Assemblies, and there were eleven at that > by inviting outstanding believers to come to time. > the Holy Land to serve on the International In this letter he also gave the Baha'i world > Baha' i Council or to come as Hands of the a foreshadowing of two stages: one period > Cause of God, he started referring to some- with undertakings involving all National > thing very great that was going to happen. Spiritual Assemblies, that is, the Ten Year > For example, on 25 February 1951 , in Crusade; to be followed throughout the > a letter to the British National Spiritual Epochs of the Formative Age by enterprises > Assembly (and almost on the same date he which would be launched by the Universal > sent a cable to the American National Spiri- House of Justice. I remember the discustual Assembly repeating virtually word for sions in Tihran by the scholars of the Faith > word what he had told the British Baha ' is), about why Shoghi Effendi had said that > he instructed the British Baha'i community those enterprises would be embarked upon > to have a Two Year Plan, beginning in 1951 by the Universal House of Justice. Why > and ending in 1953, to recruit pioneers to didn ' t he say under the aegis of the > Africa. Guardianship? > On the success of this enterprise, [the In this one short paragraph, Shoghi > Two Year Plan] unprecedented in its Effendi told the friends about the future in > scope, unique in its character and immense two ways. First something great was going > in its spiritual potentialities, must depend to happen, then major enterprises were to > the initiation, at a later period in the For- occur under the aegis of the Universal House > mative Age of the Faith, of undertakings of Justice. > embracing within their range all National Nine months later, on 30 November > Assemblies functioning throughout the 1951, the Guardian sent a message in which > Baha' i World, undertakings constituting he said that the Baha'i World would hold > in themselves a prelude to the launching intercontinental conferences for the first > of world-wide enterprises destined to be time. There had always been local and > embarked upon, in future epochs of that national conferences. Now, he said, the > same Age [the Formative Age] , by the Faith was entering a new phase. > Universal House of Justice , that will Forthcoming celebrations must be > symbolise the unity and coordinate and signalized through inauguration long > unify the activities of these National anticipated intercontinental stage in > Assemb lies. 1 administrative evolution of Faith marking > This was the first hint Shoghi Effendi its gradual development through succesgave of the Ten Year Crusade. Under the sive phases of local , regional, national, > Two Year Plan, he had instructed only five international Baha' i activity. Initiation > National Assemblies to work together to this highly significant measure further > open Africa south of the Sahara and he put cementing Baha' i National Assemblies in > these National Assemblies under the aus- five continents of globe will be acclaimed > pices and coordination of the British by posterity as counterpart to consolidation Faith at its World Centre through > Unfo lding Destiny : Th e Messages fro m the Guardian recent formation International Baha'i > of the Baha 'i Faith to the Baha 'i Community of the Council in Holy Land. 2 > British ls/es (London: Baha ' i Publi s hing Tru st, > I 98 I), p. 261. 2 > Messages, p. I 7. > 96 TH E BAHA ' I WORLD > > This was another hint that the Baha'is nigh, to resolve never to flinch, never to > were to engage in collaboration involving all hesitate, never to relax, until each and > National Spiritual Assemblies very soon. every objective in the Plans to be pro- > At Naw-Ruz 1952, Shoghi Effendi claimed, at a later date, has been full y > announced that the eleven National Spiritual consummated.2 > Assemblies of the Baha'i world were to be That shook the Baha'i world. The friends > joined by a twelfth, the Halo-Swiss National reali zed that while there was a wonderful > Assembly. He praised the work of Dr. Ugo thing happening- there would also be national > Giachery in that cable, and said how impor- Plans; each of these twelve National Spiritant it was that at the beginning of this new tual Assemblies was going to have its own > international phase we had a new National Plan, just as the Halo-Swiss was to have its > Spiritual Assembly. own Plan- and that there would be some > Anticipate entrusting to the youngest rough times ahead. > among the twelve National Assemblies of Then came the auspicious moment, on > the Baha' i World a specific plan enabling 8 October 1952, when Shoghi Effendi > it, in conjunction with its sister National announced the summary of the Ten Year > Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'i World, Crusade. He gave the Baha'i world the Cruto promote in the course of the ten years sades ' s objectives, and the preamble of the > separating the second from the Most Great message read as follows: > Jubilee the Global Crusade designed to Feel hour propitious to proclaim to the > hoist the standard of Baha' u' llah in the entire Baha'i world the projected launching > remaining states, dependencies and islands on the occasion of the convocation of the > of the whole planet. 1 approaching Intercontinental Conferences > Here it was : the first intimation of the Ten on the four continents of the globe the fate- > Year Crusade. laden, soul-stirring, decade-long, world- > The next message I want to quote was embracing Spiritual Crusade involving the > written in June 1952 and was heartrending: simultaneous initiation of twelve national > No matter how long the period that Ten Year Plans and the concerted particiseparates them from ultimate victory; pation of all National Spirih1al Assemblies > however arduous the task; however formi- of the Baha ' i world aiming at the immedidable the exertions demanded of them; .. . ate extension of Baha'u' llah's spiritual > however grievous the ordeal of temporary dominion as well as the eventual establishseparation from the heart and nerve-center ment of the struchire of His administrative > of their Faith which future unforeseeable order in all remaining Sovereign States, > disturbances may impose upon them, I Principal Dependencies comprising Princiadjure them, by the precious blood that palities, Sultanates, Emirates Shaykhdoms, > flowed in such great profusion, by the Protectorates, Trust Territories, and Crown > lives of the unnumbered saints and heroes Colonies scattered over the surface of the > who were immolated, by the supreme, the entire planet. The entire body of the > glorious sacrifice of the Prophet-Herald avowed supporters of Baha' u 'llah's allof our Faith, by the tribulations which its conquering Faith are now summoned to > Founder, Himself, willingly underwent, achieve in a single decade feats eclipsing > so that His Cause might live, His Order in totality the achievements which in the > might redeem a shattered world and its course of the eleven preceding decades > glory might suffuse the entire planet- I illuminated the annals ofBaha'i pioneering.3 > adjure them, as this solemn hour draws > ibid., pp. 38- 39. > 1 3 > Messages, p. 23. ibid., p. 41. > THE COMM E MORATION OF HISTORIC A NN IVERSARIES 97 > He went on giving a summary of these the clouds which immediately after its rise > goals. This message had an electrifying in those somber surroundings obscured its > effect on the friends. splendor. It was destined to mount to its > By May 1953, Shoghi Effendi had already zenith in the far-away city of Adrianople, > announced not only the summary but the and ultimately to set in the immediate > details of the Ten Year Plan. Intercontinen- vicinity of the fortress-town of' Akka. 1 > tal conferences were held. To each one he In these three short sentences, Shoghi > sent a special message enumerating all the Effendi described the process of the Revelagoals pertaining to that continent. He sent tion of Baha'u'llah. What happened during > Hands of the Cause to be present at the the period of the Bab should be considered > Conferences, with a designated Hand repre- as the period of the dawn. As the rim of the > senting him personally. All of this happened orb of the Sun appeared-sunrise-that moduring that Holy Year. ment was the birth of the Baha' i Revelation > in the Siyah-Chal in Tihran. That began the > first Holy Year. The Morning Sun was seen > HOLY YEARS in Baghdad, the Declaration by Baha'u'llah > The Guardian first used the term "Holy Year" of His Mission. The process reached its zenith > in a letter written on his behalf by his secre- in Adrianople, when Baha'u' llah wrote His > tary to the American Baha'i community in letters to the Kings, the Proclamation of His > November 1951. He explained in that letter Faith: That "Sun" proceeded on its predesthat the Holy Year was to mark the Year tined path and then set in the city of' Akka, > Nine, a reference to the Bab's prophecy that at Bahji, in 1892. As to the second Holy Year: > in the Year Nine-that is nine years after sunrise fixed the time for the first Holy > 1844, His own Declaration-the Promised Year, and sunset will fix the time for the > One would come and the new Revelation second Holy Year. > would be born. The first Holy Year, announced by > The Year Nine began from the time when Shogh i Effendi, stretched from 15 October > Baha'u'llah received the intimation of His 1952 to 15 October 1953, and during this > Revelation in the Siyah-Chal in Tihran. He time the first four Intercontinental Conferentered the Siyah-Chal in August of 1852, ences were held. The second Holy Year, > and stayed in that Black Pit for four months . announced by the Universal House of Jus- > Shoghi Effendi explained that this intima- tice, is to begin at Ric;lvan 1992 and end at > tion- this dream or mystic experience that Ric;!van 1993 with commemorative events to > Baha'u'llah wrote about-occurred at the be held in the Holy Land in May 1992, and > mid-way point of this period of four months. the second Baha' i World Congress in New > Baba ' u 'llah entered the Siyah-Chal approxi- York in November 1992. > mately on 15 August, so Shoghi Effendi took > 15 October as the beginning of the Holy > CENTENARIES > Year. > To better understand the Holy Years, I Another subject which might be helpful as > refer you to this passage from God Passes By: background is the centenaries we have had > The first dawnings of that Light of so far during the Formative Age. The first > peerless splendor had . .. broken in the city was the Centenary of the Declaration of the > of Shiraz. The rim of that Orb had now Bab, the First Jubilee, in May 1944, the > appeared above the horizon of the Siyah- > Chal of Tihran. Its rays were to burst 1 > Shoghi Effendi , God Passes By (Wilmette: Baha'i > forth, a decade later, in Baghdad, piercing Publishing Trust, 2nd ed. , 1987), pp. I 02- 103. > 98 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > Friends from Australia and New Zealand gathered in Sydney for the > Dedication of the National Ifazirat 'ul-Quds and the Commemoration of the Centenary > of the Declaration of the Bab, 20 May 1944. > > highlights of which were celebrations held Conferences convened by the Universal > all over the Baha'i world. The second was House ofJustice. Hands of the Cause of God > the Centenary of the "Martyrdom of the Bab went to all of these Intercontinental Conferin July 1950, for which Shoghi Effendi called ences. Six of the Hands first visited the > on the entire Baha'i world to hold commem- House of Baha' u ' llah in Adrianople before > orative events. Next was the Birth of the scattering, carrying with them a copy of the > Revelation of Baha' u ' llah, the intimation of portrait ofBaM'u'llah taken in Adrianople, > His Mission, referred to by the Guardian as which the friends at these conferences were > the Second Jubilee, or sometimes the Great privileged to view. The Centenary of the > Jubilee. This was the beginning of the first Ascension ofBaha'u'llah is ahead of us, and > Holy Year, as described above, and its high- the beginning of the Holy Year, Ric;lvan > lights were the first four Intercontinental 1992 to Ric;ivan 1993 . The highlights will be > Conferences. the events here and in New York. > The fourth centenary was the Centenary > of Baha' u' llah's Declaration in April 1963. THE TEN YEAR CRUSADE > This was the Third Jubilee, or, as Shoghi > Effendi called it in other writings, the Most Shoghi Effendi sent his manuscript of the > Great Jubilee. The highlights were worldwide Ten Year Plan to two National Spiritual > celebrations, particularly culminating in the Assemblies, the United States ahd the British > first Baha'i World Congress held in London . Isles, asking each of them t6 publish it. It > Next was the Centenary of the Revelation of is called, The Bahti 'i Faith 1844 to 1952, > the Suriy-i-Muluk in Adrianople where, Information Statistical and á Comparative, > Shoghi Effendi said, the Sun "had reached and it is in two parts. The first part consists > its zenith." This was in September 1967, and of statistics of the Baha' i world as of 1953. > the highlights were the six Intercontinental The second part is called, "Supplement: Ten > THE COMMEMORATIO N OF HISTORIC ANN IV ERSARIES 99 > > The Hand of the Cause of God Leroy Joas greeting the friends on behalf of the Guardian > during the first Baha'i Intercontinental Conference, held in Kampala, Uganda, > from 12 to 18February1953. > > Year International Baha'i Teaching and Africa, thirty countries in Europe, twenty- > Consolidation Plan 1953-1963." The bottom seven countries in the Americas. However, > of the cover reads: "Compiled by Shoghi during the evolution of the Plan, one new > Effendi, Guardian of the Baha' i Faith." From territory was added raising the total to one > pages 50 to 74 are the details of the Ten hundred and thirty-two, as will be explained > Year Crusade as laid out by the Guardian in later. > full detail and in full splendor. The next goal was the translation and > The first goal was, "Adoption of prelimi- publication of Baha'i literature into ninetynary measures for the construction of one additional languages, the names of which > Baha'u'llah' s Sepulchre in the Holy Land." Shoghi Effendi specified. There were to be > Some of the friends asked if Shoghi Effendi forty in Asia, thirty-one in Africa, ten in > was plaiming to build a superstructure for Europe, ten in the Americas, and he assigned > the Shrine ofBaha'u'llah. He answered that responsibility for translating and publishing > what he had in mind was to cleanse the these books and publications to designated > sun-oundings of the Shrine and to create the National Spiritual Assemblies. > I:Iaram-i-Aqdas. This was accomplished. The fourth goal concerned the construction > The second goal was the opening of one of two Mashriqu ' l-Adhkars, one in Tihran > hundred and thirty-one virgin territories, and one in Frankfurt. Circumstances in Iran > whose names he specified. At that time did not pennit the construction of the Temple > roughly the same number of territories had in Tihran so, at a later date, he announced > already been opened, so opening one hun- that the Kampala Temple in Uganda would > dred and thirty-one new territories was equal replace the Temple in Tihran as a goal. A > to doubling the number of "countries within few months later he added Sydney, Australia, > the pale of the Faith." There were forty-one so two Houses of Worship were erected > countries in Asia, thirty-three countries in instead of the one in Tihran. > 100 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Next was the acquisition of a site for the of religious courts, and indeed a reduction of > Temple on Mount Carmel. Mrs. Amelia Collins the power and authority of religious courts. > provided the funds, and Shoghi Effendi was This was studied very carefully by the > able to purchase that very precious and impor- Hands of the Cause, who produced docutant property which had been blessed by the ments expla ining why this goal was not > footsteps of Baha 'u' llah Himself at the time feasib le under current circumstances. > He revealed the Tablet of Carmel. The next goal was the codification of the > Another goal completed was the erection Laws and Ordinances of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. > of the first dependency of the Temple in Shoghi Effendi himself worked on this, and > Wilmette, the Home for the Aged. a large package of his notes was passed to > Next was the purchase of Temple sites in the Universal House of Justice when it was > eleven countries, which he named-three on elected. These form the basis of the present > the American continent, three in Africa, two in Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i- > Asia, two in Europe and one in Australasia. Aqdas that was published, almost ninety-five > The eighth goal was, "Development of the per cent of which was the work of Shoghi > functions of the institution of the Hands of Effendi. The Universal House of Justice > the Cause". That became very important as completed and published the book. > the years went by. During the years that he Next was the estab li shment of six Baha' i > was alive after launching the Ten Year Plan, courts in chief cities of the Middle East. He > Shoghi Effendi added more Hands to the named them: Tihran, Cairo, Baggdad, New > number he had already appointed, then called Delhi, Karachi, Kabul. None of these were > on them all to appoint Auxiliary Boards of possible, some for the same reason that a > nine for each continent. Later he said that court could not be established in Israel, and > there should be two Auxiliary Boards instead others because in those countries they were > of one-one for protection and one for ultra-orthodox in their attitudes. The friends > teaching the Faith. Towards the end of his tried and were able, for example in Pakistan, > life he added more Hands of the Cause, and to have the Baha' i marriage certificate > described them as the Chief Stewards of the recognised, which is part of the work of a > Embryonic World Commonwealth. As can be Baha'i court, so some aspects of the goal > seen , the institution of the Hands developed were achieved . Likewise in New Delhi it > very rapidly during those four-and-on e-half was possible to obtain official recognition of > years. the Baha' i marriage certificate. > The ninth goal was the establishment of The twelfth goal was the extension of the > a Baha ' i Court in the Holy Land. Shoghi international Baha' i endowments in the Holy > Effendi did not intend for there to be a court Land. Shoghi Effendi acquired many parcels > which would supervise and oversee the of property both in Bahji and in Haifa during > judicial decisions of National Spiritual As- the four years he was ali ve at the beginning > semblies, since the Head of the Faith was of the Plan. Had he not acquired these propsupervising and coordinating the work of the erties on Mount Carmel we would not be > National Assemb lies. The intention was ab le to work on the Arc and Terraces as we > something different. Just as other religions are now. > in Israel had certain rights according to the Construction of the International Baha' i > civil and religious laws of the land and had Archives Building was a goal which caused > the right to have religious courts, so too tremendous problems. Shoghi Effendi had > should the Baba' i Faith have a right to a reli- the design made by Mason Remey, under his > gious court in Israel. But that court never own supervision, and had it erected but could > materialized because there occurred a trend not complete it. During the last few years of > in Israe l towards referral to secular instead the Plan, after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 101 > > the building was completed under the direc- related to the goal above. As was explained, > tion of the Hands of the Cause in the Holy some of these National Assemb lies could > Land and all the archives that had been kept not be incorporated. > in the three rooms to the south of the Shrine The twenty-first goal was the establishof the Bab were transferred to the new ment of six national Publishing Trusts. All of > location. these were established-two in the Americas, > It was a goal to construct a Tomb for the two in Asia, one in Africa and one in Europe. > Wife of the Bab in Shiraz. The National Spiri- Next, "Participation by the women of Pertual Assembly of Iran did its best, but until sia in the membership of National and Local > today it has not been possible to achieve this Assembl ies," was accomplished with flying > important goal of the Ten Year P lan. colors. The first year that this permission > The next goal was the transfer of the was made effective two Baha'i women were > remains of the Father ofBaha'u ' llah and the elected to the Nationa l Spiritual Assemb ly > Mother and the Cousin of the Bab to the Baha'i off ran. (Incidentally, Shoghi Effendi gave > cemetery in Baghdad. The remains of the the same instruction to the National Spiritual > Father ofBaha'u'llah were actually transferred Assembly of Egypt and Sudan, one year after > and they are now in the Baha'i cemetery. Persia.) > But the remains of the Mother and the Cousin The next goal was the establi shment of > of the Bab have sti ll not been identified. seven Israeli branches of National Sp iritual > These are among the last wishes of Shoghi Assemblies. This was ve1y interesting. Shoghi > Effendi that wil l have to be carried out in Effendi established under Israeli law what > future years. are today called "friendly societies." Instead > The sixteenth goal was the acquisition of of ca lling them, let us say, "Baha'i Holding > four Baha'i Holy Places in iran and 'Iraq. Societies," he had each one named after a > Circumstances did not permit any progress National Assembly operating at that time: > in realizing the goal in 'Iraq. In Iran , how- for example, the National Spiritual Assembly > ever, although it was possible to acquire two of the Baha'is of the United States- Israel > of the properties, these were subsequently Branch. One of the wonderful things that he > confiscated by the authorities after the did was to incorporate one of these "friendly > Revo lution. societies" in the name of the National Spiri- > The seventeenth goal was the establish- tual Assembly of the Baha' is of Iran- Israel > ment of forty-eight new National Spiritual branch. Shoghi Effendi used to say that in > Assemblies. All of these were estab lished Iran the authorities did not recognize us but > during the Ten Year Crusade. in Israel the National Spiritual Assembly of > The next goal was met with the acquisi- Iran had been incorporated. He transferred > tion of forty-nine new I:Ia?'.iratu' 1-Quds. property in the names of these various legal > The acqui sition of forty-nine national entities. On Panorama Road, above the Shrine > endowments and the framing of national of the Bab, there is still a piece of land > Baha' i constitutions for each of the new recorded in the land registry in the name of > National Spiritual Assembl ies was the next the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is > goal. Unfortunately in some countries, such of Iran-Israel branch. > as Iran , it was not possible to incorporate the The twenty-fourth goal was the establish- > National Assembly. However, national con- ment of a national Baha'i Printing Press in > stitutions were drawn up and the National Tihran. This was with the understanding that > Assemb lies operated within the terms of the National Assembly of iran would be > these documents. incorporated and have its own printing press. > Next was the incorporation of fifty-one This was not possib le. However, the National > National Spiritual Assemb lies, which is Assembly of iran succeeded in estab li shing > 102 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > an informal publishing house which pub- he named them. It was subsequently learned > lished Baha'i books without actually owning that there were Baha'is in some of these > a printing press. The books were typed, areas, whose presence had not been reported > mimeographed, bound and distributed. Many to him . A few territories were opened by > books in our Baha ' i library today are those traveling teachers. We will discuss these > published during that period of the Ten Year matters later. > Crusade. It was not official, but it was on the The last goal, the twenty-seventh goal, > path to the fulfilment of this goal fonnulated was the convocation of the Baha' i World > by the Guardian . Congress áin 1963 in Bag!:!dad. As events > Baha'is had ties with the United Nations, unfolded, it was not possible to have the Conbut Shoghi Effendi made it a goal to rein- gress in Bag!:!dad and it was held in London . > force them. Two years before he passed away, In retrospect it seems so appropriate that it > the persecutions in Iran allowed the friends was held in London because that was where > to develop much closer connections with Shoghi Effendi had passed away. Many > various UN agencies such as the Security Baha'is went to that first Congress, on the one > Council, the Human Rights Commission and hand to pay their respects to their Guardian > other agencies in New York. The Guardian who had passed away while labouring for > seemed to have anticipated this development, the Cause at the mid-way point of his Spiriand urged the friends to build on those rela- tual Crusade, and on the other to celebrate > tionships. This process has continued, and the one hundredth anniversary of the Declanow we have an efficient office in New York, ration ofBaha'u ' llah. > another in Geneva, yet another in the Pacific, After giving the friends the objectives > and so on. of the Ten Year Crusade, Shoghi Effendi > For the purposes of the Ten Year Crusade explained that it was to have four phases. > Shoghi Effendi treated the Soviet Union as The first phase was the opening of the virgin > two parts, the European section which he territories, to occur over the first year. Durcounted as part of Europe, and the Asian ing the year he named the Knights as they > republics which he regarded as part of Asia. arrived at their pioneer posts. Second was > According to his reports, there were thirteen the acquisition of national I:Ia~iratu'l-Qudses > unopened republics in the Soviet Union and and endowments, over a period of two years. > There was a tremendous effort by the Baha'is > all over the world to win these goals. Third, > the multiplication of Baha' i localities and the > formation of sixteen new National Spiritual > Assemblies over a period of two years. This > was done. And then, just before his passing, > he said the fourth phase was to witness a > vast increase in the number of believers and > localities and the erection of the Temples of > Africa, Australasia and Europe. The Hands > of the Cause of God continued working on > this fourth phase for the rest of the ten years. > > Charles Dunning, the Knight of Baha 'u 'llah THE KNIGHTS OF BAHA'U'LLAH > for the Orkney Islands, The word translated as "knights" was used by > with Brigitte Hasselblatt, the Knight of Baha'u'llah in His Writings. 'Abdu'l-Baha > Bahci 'u 'llahfor the Shetland Islands, also used the word, as well as the word > c. 1954. "horsemen." By knights they meant heroes: > THE C OMME M ORATIO N OF HI ST ORI C ANN IVE RS ARI ES 103 > > pioneers who would go to these unconquered regions. This caught the imagination > ofBaha'is all over the world. > About a month later, Shoghi Effendi > explained what he had in mind. In letters > written on his behalf, he gave many explanations, two of which I will quote from: > There are no objections to more than > one pioneer settling in these areas [meaning these virgin areas]. If the original one > to whom the territory has been assigned > [meaning the NSA] cannot proceed at this > moment, they will still be reaching their > goal even though someone else might > reach that point sooner than they. All who > proceed to these points at this time will be > designated as Knights ofBaha'u'llah and > their names be carried on the Roll of > Knights ofBaha 'u 'llah Alvin and Gertrude > Honor to be deposited permanently in the > Blum at their post in the Solomon Islands with > Shrine of Baha'u ' llah. > their daughter, Keithie (front) , John Mills > All pioneers reaching virgin areas at > (left) and the Head ofthe Bamu Tribe in 1954. > this time are carried on the honor roll as > they used the word as translated by Shoghi Knights of Baha'u'llah. In other words, > Effendi with a lower case "k." Shoghi Effendi there may be four or five Knights of > took this word and used it as an accolade. It Baha' u 'llah for one country. The Guardbecame a title, with a capital "K." After ian has been considering how long this > annow1cing the goals of the Ten Year Crusade, period of settlement by the Knights of > Shoghi Effendi made this announcement on Baha'u'llah should continue, but has not > 28 May 1953: yet set the date. Up until that time, every > Planning inscribe, chronological order, individual settling in a virgin area will be > names spiritual conquerors illuminated carried on the honor roll. > Roll of Honor, to be deposited entrance > door inner Sanctuary Tomb ofBaha' u'llah, > as permanent memorial contribution > champions His Faith victorious conclusion > opening campaign Global Crusade . . . 1 > This was the first time he had used the > words "Roll of Honor." It was a new term > for the Baha'is, as were "Holy Year" and > "Crusade," and of course, "Knights" as a > title. As we just saw, Shoghi Effendi wanted > one hundred and thirty-one countries and > territories of the world opened to the Faith > during one year. To encourage the friends to > arise, he said he would open a list upon > Feroza Yaganegi (left), one of the Knights of > which he would inscribe the names of those > Baha 'u 'llah for Goa, with Gulnar Aftabi, > wife of the other Knight of BahQ 'u 'llahfor > Messages , p. 49. Goa in 1953. > 104 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Shoghi Effendi had named 131 territories > to be opened, including Anticosti Island in the > Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. The National > Assembly wrote to Shoghi Effendi to state > that no pioneer could go to Anticosti as it > was owned and entirely controlled by a paper > company. Only people employed by that > company could go there, and Baba' is had > been unsuccessful in obtaining jobs. Two > further possibilities were for hunters or for > people related to the islanders to go there, > but neither of these were opened to Baha'is. > Shoghi Effendi wrote back to tell them to > choose another island. They consulted and > The Knights of Baha 'u 'llah for French > chose the Gulflslands, which Shoghi Effendi > Togo/and, David Tanyi (second from left) > approved. > and Vivian Wesson (second from right), > In the end, the National Assembly was > with new believers in Accra in 1956. > able to open Anticosti Island, as originally > envisaged. Shoghi Effendi named a Knight > Friends started rushing : they longed to for Anticosti and it is on the Roll of Honor. > be on the Roll of Honor and among the Because the Gulf Islands had already won > Knights of Baha'u'llah. When you examine the honor of being a virgin territory which > the Roll of Honor today you will see that produced a Knight, the Baha'i world ended > some of the difficult countries only have one with 132 virgin territories instead of the > solitary Knight, and some of the easier coun- original 131. > tries have five, six, seven Knights. One may note that 122 territories opened > Then, in May 1954, came this ominous by Knights of Baha'u ' llah do not equal the > announcement: 132 virgin territories named by Shoghi > The Roll of Honor, after the lapse of > one year since the launching of the World > Crusade, is now closed, with the exception of pioneers who have already left for > their destination, as well as those first > arriving in the few remaining virgin > territories ... 1 > When Mr. Abbas and Mrs. Rezvanieh > Katirai went to the Sakhalin Islands in 1990, > they became Knights since it was the last > unopened territory left from the Ten Year > Crusade. They set the seal on the Knights of > Baha' u'llah. > The total number of territories opened by > Knights was 122, with a footnote which reads, > "Including the Gulf Islands, supplementing > the Anticosti Islands, both in Canada." The > story of this footnote is as follows. Edythe MacArthur, who moved to the Queen > Charlotte Islands of Canada in 1953 and > Messages, p. 69. > was named a Knight of Baha 'u 'llah. > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 105 > > Effendi. This is because 10 were opened by Shoghi Effendi had planned to deposit it > other means. There were some countries where because when he sent a picture of the new > there were Baha' is about whom Shoghi door to the Shrine (the present door to the > Effendi had never received reports. When he Shrine) to the American National Assembly > learned of these he announced in one of his he asked them to pub lish the picture and > Ri9van messages that he now considered describe it and to add that immediately > these countries a lready opened. As the behind this door the Roll of Honor would be > Baha'is there had gone before the opening of deposited. > the Ten Year Crusade they could not be A map has also been made. It is in the > named Knights. In other cases, countries style of the maps of Shoghi Effendi, and > were opened by traveling teachers who shows the 132 territories. From each country > could not reside there-Baha ' is who went there is a line on which the name of each > back and forth- and through them people Knight is written, and like an arrow the line > enrolled in the Faith. Usually it was not just pierces the country. It is in color, and will > one person, but a whole group of people also be displayed. A copy will, of course, be > who went at different times. Together there made available to the friends . > were JO territories in these categories which > explains the 122. > The total number of Knights was 257: > 131 men; 126 women . The total number of > Knights still alive is 159. The total number > still living at pioneering posts is 14. The > number settled during the lifetime of Shoghi > Effendi and still at their post is 10- God > bless them. The number of Knights intending to be present at the Centenary events in > the Holy Land is 108. > > THE ROLL OF HONOR > The Roll of Honor is on a parchment that > Shoghi Effendi himself ordered. He also > found the artist who would put the names on Th e Knights of Baha 'u 'llah to the Canary > the Roll. It has spaces, like cartouches, for Islands, Gertrude Eisenberg (right) and > each country, in four columns. If there was George and Marguerite True, with the > more than one Knight of Baha' u' llah for a True 's son Barry in 1953. > country their names were written in smaller > letters, and if there was just one name, that > name enjoyed the full space of the cartouche. > This Roll of Honor wi II be displayed when > the Knights of Baha ' u' llah come to the World > Centre. The next day, it will be placed in a [Reprints of the Roll of Honor as well as the > special sealed box and then laid by Amatu'l- map showing the 132 territories drawn by > Baha Rlil)iyyih Khanum at the entrance to Shoghi Effendi , are enclosed in the cover > the Shrine of Baha'u' llah. We know where pockets of this volume of The Baha 'i World.] > 106 THE BAHA 'f WORLD > > THE KNIGHTS OF BAHA'U'LLAH > > LISTED BY VIRGIN TERRITORIES AND DATES OF SETTLEMENT > 1953-1990 > > ADMIRAL TY ISLANDS BALEARlC ISLANDS > Violet Hoehnke VII 1954 Virginia Orbison VIII 1953 > Jean Deleuran XII 1953 > ALBANIA Tove Deleuran XII 1953 > Found to be already open Charles Ioas I 1954 > > ALEUTIAN ISLANDS BARANOF ISLAND > Elaine Caldwell VIII 1953 Grace Bahovec > Jenabe Caldwell VIII 1953 Helen Robinson IX 1953 > Elinore Putney V 1954 Gai l Avery II 1954 > > ANDAMAN ISLANDS BASUTOLAND > Khodadad M. Fozdar XI 1953 Elizabeth Laws X 1953 > Frederick Laws X 1953 > ANDORRA > William Danjon X 1953 BECHUANALAND > Audrey Robarts II 1954 > ANTICOSTI ISLAND John Robarts II 1954 > Mary Zabolotny IV 1956 Patrick Robarts II 1954 > > Supplemented by: BHUTAN > GULF ISLANDS Ardeshir Faroodi VI 1954 > Catherine Huxtable IX 1959 Shapoor Rowhani VI 1954 > Clifford Huxtable IX 1959 > BRlTISH CAMEROONS > ASHANTI PROTECTORATE Enoch Olinga X 1953 > Benedict Eballa IV 1954 > BRlTISH GUIANA > AZORES Malcolm King X 1953 > Lois Nolen X 1953 > Richard Nolen X 1953 BRlTISH HONDURAS > Cora Oliver IX 1953 > BAHAMA ISLANDS Shirley Warde X 1953 > V. Gail Curwin X 1953 > Gerald Curwin X 1953 BRlTISH TOGOLAND > Ethel Holmes X 1953 Albert Buapiah IV 1954 > Maurice Holmes X 1953 Edward Tabe IV 1954 > Andrew Matthisen I 1954 > Nina Matthisen I 1954 > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC AN N I VERSARIES 107 > BRUNEI CYPRUS > Harry Clark II 1954 Abbas Vakil VIII 1953 > Charles Duncan II 1954 R. Hugh McKinley IX 1953 > John Fozdar IV 1954 Violet McKinley XI 1953 > Samira Vakil XI 1953 > CANARY ISLANDS > Gertrude Eisenberg X 1953 DAMAN > George True X 1953 Ghulam Ali Kurlawala VI 1953 > Marguerite True X 1953 > Shoghi Riaz Ruhany VI 1954 DIU > Gulnar Aftabi XII 1953 > CAPE BRETON ISLAND Kaykhusraw Dehmobedi XII > Frederick Allen X 1953 1953 > Jean Allen X 1953 Bahiya Rowhani XII 1953 > Grace Geary X 1953 > Irving Geary X 1953 DUTCH GUIANA > Elinor WolffX 1953 > CAPE VERDE ISLANDS Robert WolffX 1953 > Howard Menking I 1954 > Joanne Menking I 1954 DUTCH NEW GUINEA > Elly Becking X 1953 > CAROLINE ISLANDS Lex Meerburg IV 1954 > Virginia Breaks XI 1953 > DUTCH WEST INDIES > CHAGOS ARCHIPELAGO Matthew Bullock XI 1953 > Puva Murday V 1957 John Kellberg IV 1954 > Marjorie Kellberg IV 1954 > CHANNEL ISLANDS > Ziaoullah Asgarzadeh IX 1953 ESTONIA > Evelyn Baxter IX 1953 Opened by traveling teachers > > CHILOE ISLAND FALKLAND lSLANDS > Zunilda de Palacios X 1953 John Leonard II 1954 > Louise Groger VI 1954 > FAROE ISLANDS > COCOS ISLANDS Eskil Ljungberg VIII 1953 > Frank Wyss VI 1955 > FINNO-KARELIA > COMORO ISLANDS Opened by traveling teachers > Mehraban Sohaili VIII 1954 > FRANKLIN > COOK ISLANDS K. Gale Bond IX 1953 > Edith Danielsen X 1953 J. Jameson Bond IX 1953 > Dulcie Dive I 1954 > FRENCH CAMEROONS > CRETE Meherangiz Munsiff IV 1954 > Rolf Haug X 1953 Samuel Njiki IV 1954 > 108 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > FRENCH EQUATORIAL GREECE > AFRICA Am in Banani VIII 1953 > Max Kanyerezi IX 1953 Sheila Banani VIII 1953 > Carole A llen IX 1953 > FRENCH GUIANA Dwight A llen IX 1953 > Eberhard Friedland X 1953 > HADHRAMAUT > FRENCH SOMALILAND Adib Baghdadi XII 1953 > Fred Schechter VIII 1953 Wahida Baghdadi XII 1953 > Fahimah El ias V 1954 Husayn I:Ialabf II 1954 > Sabri E li as V 1954 > HAIN AN > FRENCH TOGOLAND John Z.T. Chang VIII 1959 > David Tanyi IV 1954 > Mavis Nymon V 1954 HEBRIDES > Vivian Wesson V 1954 Gerald ine Craney X 1953 > > FRENCH WEST AFRICA lT ALIAN SOMALILAND > Labib I~fahanf XI 1953 Sohei l Samandari III 195 3 > Habib I~fahani IV 1954 Mehd i Samandari XI 1953 > Ursu la Samandari XI 1953 > FRISIAN ISLANDS > Elsa Grossmann IX 1953 JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLAND > Geertrui Ankersmit X 1953 Adela I. de Tormo X 1953 > Ursu la Yon Brunn X 1953 Salvador Tormo X 1953 > > GALAPAGOS ISLANDS KARIKAL > Gayle Woolson IV 1954 Salisa Kermani VIII 1953 > Haik Kevorkian V 1954 Shirin Noorani VIII 1953 > > GAMBIA KEEWATIN > Feriborze Roozbehyan II 1954 Dick Stanton IX 1953 > > GILBERT & ELLICE KEY WEST > ISLANDS Arthur Crane VII 1953 > Elena Fernie III 1954 Ethel Crane VII 1953 > Roy Fernie III 1954 Howard J. Snider IX 1953 > > GOA KAZAKHSTAN > Roshan Aftabi VII 1953 Found to be already open > Feroza Yaganegi VII 1953 > KIRGIZIA > GRAND MANAN ISLAND Found to be already open > Doris Richardson IX 1953 > KODIAK ISLAND > Jack Huffman VI 1953 > Rose Perkal VII 1953 > Bernard Guluáke II 1954 > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC AN NIVERSARIES 109 > > KURJA-MURJA ISLANDS MAHE > Munir Vakil I 1954 Lionel Peraji X 1953 > Khodarahm Mojgani III 1954 > LABRADOR Qudratollah Rowhani III 1954 > Howard Gilliland IV 1954 > Bmce Matthew IV 1954 MALTA > Una Townshend X 1953 > LATVIA Olga Mills XI 1953 > Found to be already open John Mitchell VII 1954 > > LEEWARD ISLANDS MARGARJTA ISLAND > Earle Render X 1953 R. Katharine Meyer X 1953 > Ben Weeden X 1953 > Gladys Weeden X 1953 MARJANA ISLANDS > Charles Dayton II 1954 Robert Powers Jr. V 1953 > Mary Dayton II 1954 Cynthia Olson V 1954 > David Schreiber II 1954 > MARQUESAS ISLANDS > LIECHTENSTEIN Gretta Jankko III 1954 > Amir Huschmand > Manutschehri VIII 1953 MARSHALL ISLANDS > Marcia Atwater VIII 1954 > LITHUANIA > Opened by traveling teachers MAURITIUS > Ottilie Rhein XI 1953 > LOFOTEN ISLANDS > Mildred Clark VIII 1953 MENTAW AI ISLANDS > Loyce Lawrence VIII 1953 Ral~matu 'llah Muhajir II 1954 > Iran Muhajir II 1954 > LOY AL TY ISLANDS > Daniel Haumont X 1955 ST. PIERRE AND > MIQUELON > MACAO Ola Pawlowska X 1953 > Frances Heller X 1953 > Carl Scherer XIJ 1953 MOLDAVIA > Loretta Scherer XII 1953 Annemarie Kriiger > > MADEIRA MONACO > Ella Duffield IX 1953 Nellie French IX 1953 > Elizabeth Hopper IX 1953 Azizullah Navidi II 1954 > Sara Kenny IX 1953 Shamsi Navidi II 1954 > Adah Schott IX 1953 Olivia Kelsey III 1954 > Florence Ullrich III 1954 > MAGDALEN ISLANDS > Kathleen Weston IX 1953 MONGOLIA > Kay Zinky IV 1954 Sean Hinton XII 1988 > ll0 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > MOROCCO PORTUGUESE TIMOR > (INTERNATIONAL ZONE) Florence Fitzner VI 1954 > Manoutchehr Hezari IX l 953 Haro ld Fitzner VI 1954 > Hormoz Zendeh IX l 953 Jose Marques VII 1954 > E lsie Austin X 1953 > Mohammed Ali Ja lali X 1953 QUEEN CHARLOTTE > Hossein Rowhani Ardekani ISLANDS > XI 1953 Edythe MacArthur VIII 1953 > Nosrat Rowhani Ardekani > XI 1953 REUNION > Ali Akbar Hassanzadeh Opal Jensen X 1953 > Rafii-Rafsandjani XI l 953 Le land Jensen III 1954 > Shayesteh Rafii-Rafsandjani > XI 1953 RHODES > Abbas Rafii Rafsandjani Elizabeth Bevan I 1954 > XI 1953 > Mary L. Suhm IV l 954 RIO DE ORO > Richard Suhm IV 1954 Amin Battah X 1953 > Evelyn Walters IV l 954 > Richard Walters IV 1954 ROMANIA > Fereidun Khazra i XI 1968 > NEW HEBRIDES > Bertha Dobbins X l 953 RUANDA-URUNDI > Dunduzu Chisiza VI 1953 > NICOBAR ISLANDS Mary Collison VI 1953 > Margaret Bates VII l 957 Rex Collison VI 1953 > Jeanne Frankel VII 1957 > ST. HELENA > NORTHERN TERRITORIES Elizabeth Stamp V 1954 > PROTECTORATE > Julius Edwards IX 1953 ST. THOMAS ISLAND > Martin Manga IV 1954 Elise Schreiber II 1954 > > ORKNEY ISLANDS SAKHALIN > Charl es Dunning X 1953 Abbas Katirai Ill 1990 > Rezvanieh Katirai III 1990 > PONDICHERRY > Saeed Nahvi VII 1953 SAMOA ISLANDS > Shyam Behari Lal VIII 1953 Li lian Wyss I 1954 > Shokat Nahvi XI 1953 > SAN MARINO > PORTUGUESE GUINEA Tabandeh Payman IX 1953 > Hilda Rodrigues IX 1953 Sohrab Payman IV 1954 > Jose Xavier Rodrigues IX 1953 > SARDINIA > Mari e Ciocca XI 1953 > THE COMMEMORATION OF HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES 11 1 > > SEYCHELLES ISLANDS SPANISH MOROCCO > Kami! Abbas XI 1953 (continued) > Abdul Rahman Zarqani I 1954 Luella McKay X 1953 > Bahia Zeinol-Abedin X 1953 > SHETLAND ISLANDS Fawzi Zeinol-Abedin X 1953 > Brigitte Hasselblatt IX 1953 > SPANISH SAHARA > SICILY MuJ:iammad Mu~tafa X 1953 > Carol Bagley X 1953 > Florence Bagley X 1953 SPITS BERGEN > Gerrald Bagley X 1953 Paul Adams VI 1958 > Stanley Bagley X 1953 > Susan Bagley X 1953 SWAZILAND > Emma Rice X 1953 John Allen IV 1954 > Valera Allen IV 1954 > SIKKIM Bula Mott Stewart IV 1954 > Udai Narain Singh VIII 1953 > TADZHIKISTAN > SOCIETY ISLANDS Found to be already open > Gretta Lamprill X 1953 > Gladys Parke X 1953 TIBET > Udai Narain Singh IX 1955 > SOCOTRA ISLAND > Mirza Aqa Khan Kamali- TONGA ISLANDS > Sarvistani III 1955 Stanley Bolton Jr. I 1954 > Dudley Blakely VII 1954 > SOLOMON ISLANDS E lsa Blakely VII 1954 > Alvin Blum III 1954 > Gertrude Blum III 1954 TUAMOTU ARCHIPELAGO > Jean Sevin I 1954 > SOUTH WEST AFRICA > Ted Cardell X 1953 UKRAINE > Found to be already open > SOUTHERN RHODESIA > 'Izzatu'llah Zahra'i VI 1953 UZBEKISTAN > Claire Gung X 1953 Found to be already open > Eyneddin Alai XII 1953 > Tahereh Alai XII 1953 WHITE RUSSIA > Kenneth Christian I 1954 Helmut Winkelbach XII 1978 > Roberta Christian I 1954 > WINDWARD ISLANDS > SPANISH GUINEA Esther Evans X 1953 > Elise Schreiber V 1954 Lillian Middlemast X 1953 > > SPANISH MOROCCO YUKON > Earleta Fleming X 1953 Joan Anderson IX 1953 > John Fleming X 1953 R. Ted Anderson IX 1953 > Alyce Janssen X 1953 > N > > View of the interior of the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, as it looked when thousands of Saha 'is gathered for > the first Saha 'i World Congress, held from 28 April-2 May 1963. > PART THREE > > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY > OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES > > 142-148 OF THE BAHA'i ERA > 21 APRIL 1986-20 APRIL 1992 > > '-"" i > > First page of the Kitab-i-Aqdas in the handwriting of 'Abdu 'l-Baha. > This Tablet belonged to Baha 'u '!!ah Himself. > I > THE SIX YEAR INTERNATIONAL > TEACHING PLAN 1986- 1992 > > 1. THE COMPLETION OF THE SIX YEAR INTERN A TI ON AL > TEACHING PLAN > > A. THE BAHA'f WORLD CENTRE > > a. Publication of the Kitab-i-Aqdas in considered by the review committee and the > English draft was amended as needed. During the > In its Ric:Ivan message of 1986, the Universal same period a companion work, Questions > House of Justice announced that the time and Answers, was also translated from the > had come for the preparation of a copiously Persian for inclusion in the volume; this > annotated English háanslation of the complete work consists of questions put to Baha'u'llah > text of the Most Holy Book. The accom- regarding certain laws of the Aqdas, and His > plislm1ent of this project was specified as a responses. > major goal of the Six Year Plan for the Parallel with this process, researchers > World Cenháe. Its publication was scheduled began collecting pertinent passages from the > during the Holy Year. Baha' i Sacred Writings, the Holy Books of > Shoghi Effendi himself had already háans- the past, the interpretations of Shoghi Effendi > lated just over one-third of the text of the and other materials needed in the prepara- > Aqdas. The basic task, then, was to provide tion of the extensive annotations that were > suitable renderings of the remaining passages to accompany the text. A list of the items > of the Book. This was initially assigned to a requiring notes was first prepared and > conmlittee ofháanslators at the World Cenháe. approved. In composing the notes, the focus > Their work was subsequently reviewed and of concentration was on those points about > revised a number of times until an accept- which the reader would need elucidation. > able version was approved. The standards The notes are not intended to be a compreadopted to guide the translation were accu- hensive commentary on the text, which would > racy of meaning, beauty of language, and be a task beyond the capacity of present > conformity of style with that employed by resources. > Shoghi Effendi. The volume also include_s a preface, an > During the course of the work, a well- inháoduction, Shoghi Effendi ' s description of > advanced draft was shared with a number of the contents of the Book, supplementary > knowledgeable Baha'is around the world who passages, a synopsis and codification of the > were asked for their comments and sugges- laws and ordinances of the Aqdas, a glossary > tions. The points they submitted were then and an extensive index. > 116 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Attendees of the Jfuququ 'llah Conference held at the Baha'i World Centre in Janumy I 987 > From left to right, fiáont row: Mr. Hugh Chance, Dr. 'Ali-Muhammad Varqa, Mr. Salim > Nounou, Mr. Hadi Rahmani. Middle row: Mr. Jan Semple, Mr. 'Ali NaY!Javani, > Mr. Glenford Mitchell, Mr. Mas 'iid Khamsi, Mr. Hushmand Fath eazam, Dr. Amin Banani, > Mr. Charles Wolcott, Dr. Dmyush Haghighi. Back row: Mr. Parviz Hatami, > Mr. Khudarahm Payman, Dr. David Ruhe, Mr. Borrah Kave/in, and Mr. David Hofman. > > b. Education of the Baha'i World in the The first compi lation was supplemented > Law of J.luququ'llah in due course by a study guide comprising > The Universal House of Justice decided to a simple codification of the law, a brief > initiate a program of education about the law history of the development of the institution > of l:J.uququ'llah for Baba ' is throughout the of l:J.uququ 'llah, and the text of an informaworld to explain the details and, above all, tive address given at the International Baha' i > the spiritual significance of this law, and had Convention in 1988 by the Trustee of > a compilation of texts on l:J.uququ 'llah pre- l:J.uququ'llah, the Hand of the Cause of God > pared and sent to all national communities in Dr. 'Ali-Muhammad Varqa. These materials > 1985. With these materials in hand, educa- were translated into many languages and > tion of the body of beli evers became a goal were further supplemented by the production > of the Six Year Plan. of many other educational items in different > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACT IVITIES 117 > parts of the world. To prepare for the world- Kitab-i-Aqdas, the progress of the buildwide application of the law, the Universal ing projects on Mount Carmel, the conclu- > House of Justice called the first }::Iuququ ' llah sion of the Six Year plan, the inception of > Conference in the Holy Land in 1987, the Holy Year-animates the expectations > attended by the Trnstee, five of his deputies, of the Baha' i world, sets the stage for > representatives of the International Teaching mightier endeavours than have already > Centre and the World Centre ' s Department been attempted, and points us all to the > of Finance. opening of a new phase of history. It > Of the many meetings and conferences seems fitting, then, that the sacred law > subsequently held on }::Iuququ'llah during which enables each one to express his or > the Plan, the gathering called by Dr. Yarqa her personal sense of devotion to God in > in conjunction with the 1988 International a profoundly private act of conscience > Convention and attended by over fifty depu- that promotes the common good, which > ties and representatives, including seven directly connects the individual believer > Continental Counsellors, deserves mention. with the Central Institution of the Faith, > This conference promoted increased cooper- and which, above all , ensures to the obeation among the institutions of the Faith in dient and the sincere the ineffable grace > the implementation of the goal and gave a and abundant blessings of Providence, > renewed impetus to the education of the should, at this favourable juncture, be > believers. embraced by all who profess their belief > One of the steps taken by the Trnstee in in the Supreme Manifestation of God. > preparation for the worldwide application of With humility before our sovereign Lord, > the law was to greatly increase the number we now anno1mce that as ofRi9van 1992, > of deputy háustees on all continents as well the beginning of the Holy Year, the Law > as the number of representatives selected by of I:Iuququ ' llah, the Right of God, will > these deputies to assist them in their work. become universally applicable. All are > N umerous activities for the education of the loving ly called to observe it. > friends were also undertaken by the Conti- In response to this am1ouncement Hand > nental Boards of Counsellors and the of the Cause of God Dr. 'Ali-Mul~ammad > National Spiritual Assemblies. Yarqa called another Internationa l }::Iuququ- > Perhaps the best indicator of the success ' llah Conference to prepare for the universal > of these efforts was the increase in the num- application of the law. This was held at > ber of believers observing this law. During Landegg Academy in Switzerland in August > the Six Year Plan the amount received by 199 1, and was attended by twenty-three > the I:Iuququ 'llah fund greatly increased. One deputy trustees from all over the world. > of the most gratifying aspects of this increase In November 1991, following consultawas the number of payments received from tion with the Trustee, the Universal House > Western believers who, although not then of Justice announced the establishment of > obligated to fulfill the law, paid the I:Iuququ- a central office for I:Iuqi'.1qu' llah in the Holy > 'llah eagerly because of their love for Land. One of the fruits of this new develop- > Baha'u' llah and their increased awareness of ment was the publication in January 1992 of > its importance. the first edition of a }::Iuququ'llah newsletter > In 1991 the Universal House of Justice designed to link the greatly increased numannounced in its Ri9van message that the ber of deputy trnstees and representatives > law of }::Iuququ 'llah would become, as of the around the world by exchanging news of > following Ri9van, universally applicab le: their activities and providing them with > Such an exceptional confluence of immi- helpful material for their rapidly expanding > nent achievements- the publication of the functions. > 11 8 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > LIST OF COMPILATIONS ANO CODIFICATIONS OF ~IUQUQU'LLAH (BY LANGUAGE) HELO > IN Tl-IE BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE LIBRARY > > The Research Department of the Universal Huququ 'llah (June 1986); and, Development > House of Justice prepared: Compilation of of Huqilqu 'llah (March 1987). These have > l:fuqilqu 'llah (July 1985); Codification of been translated into the following languages: > > Language Title Publisher Year > > Afrikaans Hugt'.1gu'llah, die reg va n God - Abri dged NSA of So uth Africa 1988 > Compilati on and Codificati on > > Amharic Ye Hugt'.19u'llah hig ater ):'.a le trazi - Abridged NSA of Ethiop ia 199 1 > Compilation > Be):'.e ariestu sir l:'.e takafafelul:'.e Hugugu 'llah hig NSA of Ethiopia 199 1 > Codification > Ara bic Huqugu'llah - Co mpil at ion Ed itora Baha ' i, Brasil 1986 > Hugt'.1gu'llah - Compi latio n NSA of Pakistan 1986? > Chinese "Hu ku gu la" gu-gui BPT of Malaysia 1987 > Danish Hugt'.1gu ' llah, Guds rel - Compi lation NSA of Denmark 1989 > Dutch Hugugu ' llah, het recht van God - Compilation NSA of the Netherlands 1988 > English Hugugu ' Jl ah - Compilation NSA of New Zealand 1985 > HuqC1gu ' ll ah, the Ri ght of God - Compil at ion BPT of Un ited Kingdom 1986 > Hugt'.1qu ' ll ah - Deve lopment and Codification BPT of Malaysia 1987 > and Abridged Compilation > l-lugt'.1gu ' Jl ah - Compi lation NSA of Malaysia 1985 > The Law of Hugt'.19u'Jl ah - Codification and NSA ofTranskei 1987 > Deve lopm ent and Abridged Com pil ation > l-lu9C1qu'Jl ah - Comp il at ion BPT of Indi a 1986 > l-lugC1gu'Jlah, a Stud):'. Guide - Codification and BPT of United Kin gdo m 1989 > Development, and The Right of God > (by Dr. Varga) > l-luqC1qu'Jl ah, the Ri1jht o f God - Comp ilation BPT of United Kingdom 1989 > Huqugu'llah - Compilation Baha ' i Canada Publications 1989 > Finnish Hugugu ' ll ah, Kokoelma - Abridged NSA of Finla nd 1991 > Compilation > French Hugt'.1gu ' ll ah ou le droit de Di eu - Compil ation MEB of Belgium 1987 > Hugugu ' Jlah , hi storigue et codification MEB of Belgium 1987 > German Hu9C1gu'Jlah - Comp il ation NSA ofGennany 1987 > Systematische Darstel lung des Hugugu'llah- NSA ofGennany 1987 > Gesetzes - Codification > I ban Hugt1qu'Jl ah - Comp il ation State Baha ' i Co un cil of 1992 > Sarawak, Ma laysia > > Icelandic Login um Huqugu'llah - Abridged Compilation Icela nd 1992 > INTE RNA TIO NA L SURVEY O F CURRE NT BA HA' I ACT IVIT IES 119 > > Language Title Publisher Year > Ita li an Huq(1gu ' ll ah - Co mpilati on Casa Ed itrice Baha' i 1987 > Korean Hugugu ' ll ah - Compi lation Seoul 1992 > Norwegia n Lovem om Hugugu ' ll ah - Co mpi lation Baha' i Forlag 1990 > Persian Hugugu ' llah - Compi lation Dr. Varga, Canada 1984 > Spanish El Huqugu'llah ):' los Fondos Baha' is Editorial Baha' i de Espa na 199 1 > Swedish Huguqu ' ll ah - Co mpil ati on Baha' i fo rlaget 1988 > Tamil Hukukull a - Abridged Comp ilation BPT Committee of Ma laysia 1987 > Urd u Hugugu ' llah BPT of Pakistan 1986 > > A deepening in the law ofHuququ '!!ah at Menu Balui 'i Institute, Western Province of Keny a, > November l 990. > 120 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > A luncheon held as part of the opening ceremonies of the north wing of > the House of 'Abdu 'llah Pasha, 28 April 1990. > > c. Restoration and Protection of Holy On 19 June 1990, the Universal House of > Places Justice sent the following messages to all > The Office of Holy Places mobilized most of National Spiritual Assemblies: > its resources and efforts during the Six Year REJOICE ANNOUNCE COMP LETION RESTORA- > Plan to accomplish two major tasks: the TION NORT H WING OF HOUSE OF 'ABDU ' LLAH > restoration of the north wing of the House of PASHA IN 'AKKA PERMITTING FIRST VISIT > 'Abdu'llah Pasha; and completion of the ADDITIONAL AREA THIS HOLY PLACE BY > urgently needed architectural, photographic, CURRENT GROUP PILGRIMS ON SEVENTEENTH > and inventory documentation of the Holy JUNE. WING CONTA INS HALL JN WHICH > Places-sacred and priceless legacies that 'ABDU'L-BA HA HELD FEASTS AND OTHER > > must be protected from environmental and GATHERINGS AND ALSO ROOM OCCUPIED > political perils. In addition, several other BY SHOGHI EFFEND I DURJNG BOYHOOD, BOTH > major projects were completed. ROOMS BEFITTINGLY FURNISHED BY AMATU ' L- > The restoration of the north wing of the BAHA RU~liYYIH KHANUM. > House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha began in 1987 During this time, RuJ:iiyyih Khanum also > and took three years to complete. The personally undertook the furnishing of two > project-phase two of an overall plan for the additional rooms in the south section which > building-followed restoration of the south were then opened to pilgrims, namely the > wing, which had been completed in 1983. biruni of 'Abdu'l-Baha and a room that was > The restoration was based on the design used for teaching children. > work of architect Mr. Saeed Samadi, with Several properties encroaching on the > the work supervised and managed by archi- courtyard of the House or bordering the > tect Mr. Fariburz $ahba. walls were also acquired, ensuring the future > INT ERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 121 > protection of the perimeter. The vaults and - The ceiling of the colonnade of the > underground sections were surveyed. Shrine of the Bab was plastered and refinished > In addition to the work on the House of and the specially designed brass ornamental > 'Abdu'llah Pasha, architectural, as built, light fixtures were affixed, completing the > drawings of most of the Holy Places were design of the Hand of the Cause of God > completed, together with photo-documenta- William Sutherland Maxwell for this part of > tion of the buildings and their contents. the superstructure. > Identification and description of items The superstructure of the Shrine was careaccording to museum standards neared com- fully washed, and the dome was repainted > pletion. The following major tasks were also and protected against rain water seeping into > accomplished during the Plan: the interior. A new scaffolding system for > - The coordinates, both latitude and accessing the interior and exterior of the > longitude on the Israeli Grid, of the resting dome was erected. > place ofBaha'u'llah were finally established - The Room in which Baha'u'llah passed > accurately, enabling the direction of the away in the Mansion of Bahji was com- > Qiblih to be ascertained from any point on pletely restored. Particular care was taken > the earth's surface. to replicate the beautiful pattern of the stencilled artwork both in this room and in the > balcony area. > - Detailed research on the Prison Cell of > Baha'u'llah was undertaken in preparation > for its complete restoration. This was accomplished with the cooperative efforts of the > Israeli Antiquities Authority. The plaster > layer covering the walls was removed to > expose the stones that were there at the time > ofBaha'u'llah. > - The Ri<;[van Garden fountain was carefully excavated after serious cracks developed > in the structure, and it was completely > restored. The Pump House erected by the > Guardian over the older structure that was in > place at the time of 'Abdu'l-Baha and which > had collapsed, was also restored. Extensive > restoration work also took place on the pebbled paths and the exterior of the building > housing the Room ofBaha'u'llah. > Using old photographs and photogrammetric measurement techniques, drawings > were made of the original bench of Baha'u- > 'llah and the other benches used by pilgrims. > This was done in preparation for completely > rebuilding the benches. > A property within the Firdaws Garden > that was sometimes used by the Master was > Restoration of the stencilled artwork on the re-acquired. > balcony of the Mansion of Baha 'u 'llah at - The property of the Junein Garden, > Bahji, October 1987. which Baha'u'llah used at one time, was > 122 THE BAHA'f WORLD > > acquired and restoration begun . It is located - All remains of Baha' is still in the Musin Nahariyyih, close to Mazra'ih. lim cemetery in Tiberias were transferred to > - Tiles on the roof of the International the Baha'i cemetery in En Gev which houses > Archives Building were removed and protec- the remains ofBaha'u'llah's faithful brother > tive layers placed. The roof was completely Mirza Mul:iammad Quli and his family. > re-tiled. - The land for a Baha ' i cemetery in > - The Monuments of the Greatest Holy Jerusalem was acquired, the Qiblih coordi- > Leaf, the Purest Branch, Navvab and Munirih nates established, and the perimeters for the > Khanum were carefully cleaned and restored. cemetery secured and built. > - At the Haifa Cemetery, following the - The property ofKhan-i-'Avamid, which > establishment of the Qiblih coordinates and does not belong to the Faith but which is > the demolition of old structures that were ille- visited by pilgrims during the pilgrimage > gally occupied, work began to align graves program, was surveyed and documented for > and paths, erect new retaining walls, and future purposes. > complete landscaping. > > The ceiling of the colonnade of the Shrine ofthe Bab was plastered and refinished, and > the specially designed brass ornamental light fixtures were affixed. 1991. > INT ERNATIO NA L SU RV EY OF CU RR EN T BAHA' I AC TI VITI ES 123 > d. Signing of the Status Agreement is the H ead of the Baha' i Faith and its > Supreme Institution in accordance with its > Adapted from a letter from the Universal > Constitution. > House of Justice to the Baha 'is of the world > The Government of Israel recognizes > dated 30 April 1987. > that the holi est places of the Baha' i Faith, > On 22 April 1987, in a ceremony at Israel ' s in accordance with the Baha ' i Sacred > Foreign Ministry, an Agreement comprising Scriptures, are located in Israel , and conan exchange of letters was signed by firms that the Universal House of Justice > Mr. Shimon Peres, Vice-Premier and Forei gn is the Trustee of the Baha' i International > Minister, on behalf of the Government of Community over the Holy Places of the > Israel and Mr. Donald Barrett, Secretary- Baha ' i Faith in Israel and over the Baha ' i > General of the Baha' i International Community, endowments in Israel. > on behalf of the Baha' i World Centre. These friendl y relations trace their foun- > Among the contents of this Agreement are dation to the inspired initiatives of 'Abdu ' lthe following statements of recognition: Baha Himself, particularly during the period > The Government of Israel recognizes following the Revolution of the Young Turks > the members of the Baha' i Faith as a rec- in 1908 when a general amnesty was effected > ognized religious community in Israel in for religious and political prisoners held > accordance with Article 2 of the Palestine under the old regime. The prestige acquired > Order in Council, 1922- 1947, and con- by the Faith through the dynamic force of > firms that the Baha'i World Centre is the the Master' s unique spirit was demonstrated > world spiritual and administrative centre after his release from imprisonment in the > of the Baha ' i world community and that actions He took to establish His residence in > the Universal House of Justice in Haifa Haifa at the foot of Mount Carmel, to inter > > A Status Agreement was signed by His Excellency Shimon Peres, Vice-Premier and Minister > of Foreign Affairs (center) , and by Mr. Donald Barrett, Secretary-General of the Baha 'i > International Community (right) , on 22 April 1987. Minister Mosh e Shahal (left) looks on. > 124 THE BAHA' i WO RLD > > the sacred remains of the Bab in the mauso- action of the Government thus signals the > leum which had been erected by Him on the ripeness of the time to pursue the obligation > spot designated by Baha' u' ll ah Himself, and acutely fe lt by th e entire Baha ' i worl d to > to trave l extensively in the West. Subsequent bring to frnition, as soon as possible, the > to these travels, it was more conspicuously work begun by Shoghi Effendi in the erecillustrated through the excell ent relations He tion of the Archives Building and carried > fo rged with high and low alike, the social forward in the completion fo ur years ago of > impact of His liberal min istrations to the the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. > needs of the people in the Holy Land, and The plans to be made and the material > the conferring of a knighthood upon Him by requirements fo r so extraordinary an underthe Bri tish Crown. taking will , of course, be communicated to > This legacy of prestige was evident in the friends in due course. > the recognition accorded Shoghi Effendi > as Head of the Faith by the authori ties of e. The Arc and Terraces on Mount > the Bri tish Mandate. The extent of the Carmel > Guardian's energeti c exertions to achi eve In His soul- stirring Tabl et of Carmel, > recognition of the independent status of the Baha 'u ' ll ah glorified M ount Carmel and > Fa ith, whose permanent spiritual and admin- declared that God had made it " the dawningistrative centres in the Holy Land, is beyond place of His signs and the dayspring of the > the scope of this letter and must, in due time evidences of His Revelation. " He also combe afforded fu ll háeatment in the work of municated to 'Abdu ' l-B aha His majestic > fu ture historians. Let it suffice to reaffim1 vision fo r the holy mountain. > here that what he was able to accomplish ' Abdu ' l-BaM undertook the great work > during the years of the Mandate, in securing of erecting a suitable resting place fo r the > custody of Baha ' i properties in obtain ing Sacred Remains of the Bab . He Himself > official protection of the Holy Pl aces, recog- consháucted the original mausoleum, and > nition of the Baha'i marriage certificate and in 1909 interred in it the Blessed Dust of > of the Baha' i Holy Days, and relief fro m the Bab. Soon after 'Abdu ' l-Baha 's pass ing, > certain taxes, combined to reflect a status for Shoghi Effendi added three additional > the Faith whi ch was accepted by the new rooms, and in 1953 compl eted the spl endid > Government when the State of Israe l was superstructure of th e Holy Shrine, designed > established in 1948. by Mr. Sutherland Maxwell. He also beauti- > Dear Friends, the Status Agreement now fied the holy spot with magnificent gardens, > achieved makes an indelible mark on the and took the first steps to shape the lower > Formative Age of our Fa ith, assuming a spe- nine terraces. > cia l place among the swiftly accum ulatin g With the Tablet of Carmel as his gu ide, > evidences of the divine confomations which the Guardian initiated consháuction of a series > have thus fa r distinguished the opening of buildings upon an arc on Mount Carmel > period of the fo urth epoch of that Age. that would constitute the adminisháative > One practical and spi ritually confirming center of the Baha' i world. Shortly before > effect of the signing of the Status Agreement his death in 1957 he oversaw the completion > is that it brings us within reach of the real- of the Archives building, the first of fi ve > ization of the beloved Guardian 's vision for buildings to rise in the immediate vicinity of > the Arc on God ' s Holy Mountain. For with the sacred resting pl aces of four members of > the Agreement in hand formidable obstacles the Holy Family. After the passing of the > to the execution of the Arc Proj ect have been beloved Guardian, the challenging task of > removed. The conjunction of the completion erecting the remaining four buildings of the > of the architect's design and the favo urable Arc and of compl eting the terraces became > IN TERNAT IO NAL SU RV EY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 125 > > Members of the Universal House of Jltstice with architects Husayn Amanat and > Farfburz $ahb6 on the construction site, March l 988. From left to right: Dr. Peter Khan, > Mr. Glenford Mitchell, Dr. David Ruhe, Mr. David Hofman , Mr. 'Ali Na!E!Javani, Mr. Hugh > Chance, Mr. Amanat, Mr. Sahba, and Mr. Borrah Kave/in. > > the responsibility of the Universal House of extension of the International Archives > Justice. Building. A brief description of each of > In 1983, the Seat of the Universal House these will convey an impression of their > of Justice, designed by Mr. Hossein Amanat, significance for the Fa ith. > was completed at the apex of the Arc. Then The Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab. > in 1986, as the Six Year Plan opened, the In His plans for the development of > House of Justice announced its plan to com- Mount Carmel, 'Abdu ' l-Baha envisaged > mence rearing the remaining buildings on nineteen monumental tenaces from the > the Arc, employing designs by the same foot of the mountain to its crest, nine > architect. It also appointed Mr. Fariburz leading to the tenace on which the Shrine > $ahba, the architect of the Indian House of of the Bab itself stands, and nine above it. > Worship, to design the terraces above and These plans were often refetTed to by > below the Shrine of the Bab, and to function Shoghi Effendi, and he completed in > as Project Manager for constrnction of the preliminary form the nine tenaces constiadditional buildings envisaged in the plan. tuting the approach to the Shrine fro m the > In a letter to the fo llowers of Baba 'u ' llah central avenue of the fom1er German > throughout the world, dated 31 August 1987, Templer Colony. > the Universal House of Justice wrote, in part: The International Teaching Centre > Five closely related proj ects demand will be the seat of that institution which is > our attention: the erection of the three specifically invested with the twin funcremaining buildings on the Arc and, added tions of the protection and propagation of > now to these, the conshuction of the the Cause of God. The institution itself, > terraces of the Shrine of the Bab and the referred to by the beloved Guardian in his > 126 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Earthwork on > the terraces > below the > Shrine of the > Bab in > October 1991. > > Some historic features > of the terraces, such as > the water cistern and > pool built during the > Ministry of > 'Abdu '1-Bahti, have > been retained and > incorporated into the > new terrace design. > Ninety percent of work > on the main terrace had > been completed by > 15February1991. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' i ACTIVITIES 127 > Excavation of the site > of the Centre for the > Study of the Sacred > Texts, between the > Seat of the Universal > House ofJustice and > the International > Archives Building, > in February 1992. > > writings, was established in June 1973, decades its functions must grow, it will > bringing to fruition the work of the Hands serve as an active centre for knowledge in > of the Cause of God residing in the Holy all fie lds, and it will become the kernel of > Land and providing for the extension into great institutions of scientific investigation > the future of functions with which that and discovery. > body has been endowed. In August 1988, the Mount Carmel > The Centre for the Study of the Texts. Projects Office was estab lished in Haifa to > This bui lding will be the seat of an institu- design the terraces of the Shrine of the Bab, > tion of Baha'i scholars, the efflorescence to take charge of the project management > of the present Research Department of and construction administration of all the > the World Centre, which will assist the projects, and to represent the Baha'i World > Un iversal House of Justice in consulting Centre in all matters related to the projects > the Sacred Writings, and will prepare and act as liaison between the Universal > translations of and commentaries on the House of Justice and consultants, contracauthoritative texts of the Faith. tors, and the different departments and offices > The International Archives Building. of the Baha'i World Centre as eventual users > We have decided to construct, westwards, of the buildings and faci lities to be conan extension to the basement of the present structed. From its establishment to Ric;!van > Archives Bui lding to provide accommo- 1992 the office grew to include structural, > dation for the central office of the ever- mechanical , irrigation, and electronic engi - > growing Archives at the World Centre. neers, architects, and experts in the area of > This institution is charged with responsi- management, design and supervision. > bility for the preservation of the Sacred Throughout the Six Year Plan many chal - > Texts and Relics and the historic docu- lenges were met in pursuing the vision of > ments of the Cause of God. Baha'u ' llah, 'Abdu ' l-Baha, and Shoghi > The International Baha'i Library. Effendi. The House of Justice advised the > This Library is the central depository of Baha' i world that it must accumulate a fifty > all literature published on the Faith, and million dollar reserve before any construction > is an essential source of information for could begin, a goal achieved by February > the institutions of the World Centre on all 1991. Other challenges included meeting legal > subjects relating to the Cause of God and procedural requirements of the national > and the conditi ons of mankind. In future and municipal governments and their agencies. > 128 THE BAHA 'i WORLD > > With the problems came unexpected the Bab, the facing of its wall with stone and > bounties. The City of Haifa announced its reinforcement of its base, and the extension > hopes to renovate the harbor and to begin to of the te1nce gardens eastward over a new > restore the nineteenth-century German Tem- building that will house workshop service > pler Colony which lines Ben Gurion A venue areas for the gardens, thereby making the ternorthward from the foot of the terraces. race symmetrical on both sides of the Shrine. > Plans were made for a promenade at the In June 1991 phase two commenced: > crest of the mountain above the projected excavation for the Centre for the Study of the > nineteenth terrace. Through the efforts of the Texts and for the extension of the Archives > Mount Carmel Projects Office, these exter- building, an unusually massive excavation > nal, independent plans are being integrated for the nine levels of the new buildings, six > to the extent possible with the grand design of which will be below ground. The excess > for the World Centre properties. rock from the construction site was trans- > The official approval of the Town Plan- ported down the mountain to raise and shape > ning Scheme, essential for the initiation of the lower terraces, while a thirty-meter-high > the Projects, was given by the Local Town retaining wall, anchored by deep-seated > Planning Committee and Haifa City Council metal bars, stabi li zed the mountain behind > on 11 October 1989. District Commission the future buildings. > approval to the proposed Scheme was given The Universal House of Justice wrote to > on 23 July 1990. In the course of mnnging the followers of Baha 'u ' llah throughout the > for the Town Planning Scheme and the world on 31 August 1987: > various building permits, much time was The great work of constructing the > devoted to identifying and documenting the terraces, landscaping their surroundings, > properties making up the Baha' i World and erecting the remaining buildings of the > Centre holdings on Mount Carmel. Arc will bring into being a vastly aug- > On 24 May 1990, the Universal House of mented World Centre structure which > Justice sent the following message to all will be capable of meeting the challenges > National Spiritual Assemblies: of corning centuries and of the tremen- > With feeling of profound joy announce dous growth of the Baha' i community > to followers of Baha'u ' llah in every land which the beloved Guardian has told us to > that on morning of twenty-third May, one expect... . Thi s is the time for which we > hundred forty-six years after the Declara- must now prepare ourselves; this is the > tion of the Bab, work on extension ter- hour whose coming it is our task to hasten. > races commenced. This historic occasion > marked by visit His Shrine and Shrine of > 'Abdu' l-Baha by Hands of the Cause of > God Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum and > 'Ali-Akbar Furutan, the members of the > Universal House of Justice and Counsellor members of the International Teaching > Centre with Fariburz ~ahba, architect of > the Terraces and manager of the Arc > Project to pray for Divine confirmations > enable uninterrupted prosecution this > majestic enterprise. > The first phase of the Terraces Project was > the lengthening and reinforcement of the Model of buildings on the Arc as seen > main terrace on which stands the Shrine of from the northeast. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF C URR ENT BAl-IA' i ACT IVITI ES 129 > > Th e Hand of th e Cause of God Amatu 'l-Baha Riihiyyih Khanum greets the President oft he > Marshall Islands, Amata Kabua, during his visit to the Baha'i World Centre, 23 June l 990. > > Th e Hand of the Ca use of God 'A li-Akbar Fun/tan greets well-known musician and Baha'i > Dizzy Gillespie during Mr. Gillespie's visit to the Baha'i World Centre on 17 July 199 l. > 130 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > M embers of the > Universal House > of Justice at the > Mansion of Bahji > with the Honourable > Sir Thomas Davis, > Prime Minister of > the Cook Islands > (secondfiáom right, > Font), who vis ited the > Bahiz 'i World Centre > in August 1986. > > The Hand of > the Cause of God > 'A Ii-Akbar Funltan > accompaning the > Presiden t of Isra el, > Chaim Herzog (centre) > during his visit to the > Baha 'i World Centre > on. 25 May J989. > / > > Above: The President of Honduras, His > Excellency Jose Azcona-Hoya, visiting the > Baha'i World Centre on. 30 May J98 7. > > Right: The British Ambassador to Jsrael, His > Excellency Mark Elliot, and Mrs .Elliot (centre), > visiting the Baha'i World Centre 28 Jun e J989. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 131 > f. Broadening the Basis of International In 1985, the Universal House of Justice > Relations of the Faith addressed all of humanity about the central > As Islamic religious leaders increasingly as- issue facing the human race-global peace. > sumed control of the Revolutionary Republic In a letter "To the Peoples of the World" > of Iran in the years following 1979, the entitled The Promise of World Peace, the > country's government began to lend official Statement cha1is the one course that can lead > support to a systematic, organized campaign humanity into the next century, and offers > to destroy eve1y trace of the Baha'i Faith in countless evidences that global peace is > the land of its birth. "It is absolutely certain within our grasp. "If the Baha' i experience > that in the Islamic Republic of Iran there is can conháibute in whatever measure to reinno place whatsoever for Baha'is and Baha'ism," forcing hope in the unity of the human race," > the President of the Revolutiona1y Court in the House of Justice stated in the concluding > Shiraz announced. section, "we are happy to offer it as a model > Baha' is of the world tushed to the defence for study." > of their co-religionists. Guided by the Univer- As soon as the Statement had received the > sal House of Justice, the Baha' i International signature of the Universal House of Justice, > Commmlity sought intervention by the United presentation copies were sent by courier > Nations Secretary-General and by United to the waiting National Assemblies through- > Nations specialists in human rights ; National out the world who had already been asked to > Spiritual Assemblies sought swift and clear seek audiences with the Heads of State of > condemnation of the persecution from their their respective nations and territories. This > governments and from other national lead- fo1mal approach to the leaders of the world > ers; and Loca l Spiritual Assemblies sought was the first stage in a program of dishibution > support for the Baha' is of iran tluáough the designed eventually to enlist the pa1iicipation > media and tluáough their local govermnent of every follower ofBaha 'u 'llah and to reach > representatives. millions of human beings with the message > These actions coincided with a new stage of peace. > in the unfoldment of the World Order of The combined effo1is of the Baha'is on > Baha'u' llah- the introduction of social and behalf of their co-religionists in Iran, in supeconomic development projects, an integral port of social and economic development, > part of Baha ' i activity. After decades of and pursuant of world peace resulted in the > energy concenháated on the establishment of emergence of the Faith from obscurity. All > groups at the loca l level across the entire over the world at all levels of society people > planet, some critical mass had been reached became aware of Baha 'u'llah and the > which gave Baha ' is the human and material followers of His Faith. Awareness brought > resources needed to apply the Teachings of curiosity; Baha ' is were asked for more > Baha 'u' ll ah to solve the most practical of information, and they strnve to provide it. > problems. Health, education, appropriate It became clear that coordination was > teclmology, enviro1m1ental studies ... individ- needed to best cha1mel these eff01ts in exterual Baha ' is had always worked to help the nal affairs and public relations. The Universal > conmmnity at large, but all Baha'is were House of Justice created an Office of Public > enjoined to work toward "the ordering of Information in 1985 as a specialized agency > human affairs in such a way as to bring in to of the Baha'i International Conmmnity to > being a world unified in all the essential systematize the handling of inf01rnation on the > aspects of its life. " (L etter from th e Univer- Cause at the international level. The report > sal Hous e of Justice to the Baha 'is of th e of its activities during the Six Year Plan can > World, dated 20 October l 983) be found starting on page 537 of thi s volume. > 132 Tl-IE BAl-IA ' i WORLD > > The House of Justice also convened a the United Kingdom, and the United States > planning meeting for all senior staff members to send representatives to meet with a memof Baha ' i International Community offices in ber of the Universal House of Justice and > Haifa, New York and Geneva who worked with representatives of the United Nations > in external affairs and public relations. Held Office and the Office of Public Information > in New York City from 31 October to of the Baha ' i International Community. > 7 November 1986, the meeting marked "a Presentations were made by National > new, potent stage in the development of the Spiritual Assembly representatives on the > external affairs of the worldwide Baha' i relationships they had established with their > community," the House of Justice wrote to national governments. Next, the possibilities > those gathered. "This stage .. . is characterized and dynamics were explored of the crossby the new, inescapable challenges immedi- national sharing of human resources as a > ately to be met as a direct result of the means of supporting the diplomatic or public > operation of the omushing processes through information work. Reports were presented > which are evolving the reconstructive influ- about the activities of the Baha' i Internaences ofBaha 'u ' llah 's World Order." tional Community's United Nations Offices > Representatives of the National Spiritual in New York and Geneva, the Office of Public > Assemblies of Canada and the United States Inf01mation in Haifa and New York. Then, > were also asked to join in the deliberations consultation was held on communication > to "pave the way for closer collaboration in and coordination concerning external affairs > fields United Nations and public information between the Baha'i World Centre and > activities" and "further reinforce divinely National Spiritual Assemblies. > ordained ties two leading Baha' i communities It was a "ground-breaking event," the > N01ih America." member of the Universal House of Justice > One year later, the Universa l House of stated. "Foundations have been laid upon > Justice called an International Conference on which we can build more 'stately mansions ' > External Affairs, held from 27 to 29 November for the Cause of God." A proposal was > 1987 at Langenhain, Ge1many. Specifically, put forward for follow-up meetings: a Panthe Supreme Body invited the National European Conference; and a meeting for > Spiritual Assemblies of Austria, Belgium, representatives of five National Assemblies > Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Genuany, (Canada, France, Germany, the United King > the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Nor- dom, and the United States). This recomway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, mendation was sent to the House of Justice. > > Participants in > the External Affairs > Conference held in > l angenhain, > Germany, fiwn > 27 to 29 November > 1987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' f ACTIVITIES 133 > The Universal House of Justice called for WORLD-REDEEM ING MESSAGE VAST REGIONS ... > a Pan-European Meeting in 1988. It was SOV IET UN ION AND EASTERN EUROPE. REJOICE > held from 25 to 28 December at Langenha in, JN MOUNTING PRESTIGE CAUSE GOD WORLD- > Germany, and was attended by thirty-eight WIDE. INVITE ALL FRIENDS JOIN IN OFFERJNG > representatives from nineteen countries. Again PRAYERS THANKSGIVING BAHA ' U'LLAH FOR HIS > reports were given of relevant activities, SUSTA INED ABUNDANT BLESSINGS." > insights were shared from experience gained, > and consul tation was held on proposals made. g. Turmoil in the Middle East Enveloped > One such proposal was that perhaps a Baha' i the Holy Land > International Community office for European On 2 August 1990, the Government of Iraq > Affa irs cou ld be estab lished to contribute to invaded Kuwait. The international reaction > the ongoing growth and unified actions of which quickly followed suggested the probaexternal affairs work and to help mobilize bility of a concerted military effo1i to reverse > the energy of the European commun ities for the invasion. One feature of the mounting > the development of the Cause. crisis was a threat by Iraq that if it were > A meeting of senior officers of Baha'i attacked by any nation it would attack Israel > International Community offices in Haifa, in retaliation. Consequentl y, the Israeli gov- > New York, and Geneva, and representatives ernment began a series of civi l defence > of five National Sp iritual Assemblies (Can- measures, and the Universal House of Justice > ada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, began to review actions that could be taken > and the United States) took p lace at the to protect the Baha'i Holy Places and the > Baha'i World Centre from 30 December to staff of the Baha'i World Centre. > 1 January 1989. "FAR-REACHING DELIBERATIONS On 29 August, the Universal House of > CENTRED ON INC REAS ED EXTERNAL ACTIV ITIES Justice appointed an Emergency Prepared- > FAITH", the Universal House of Justice wrote ness Task Force to act as li aison w ith the > to all National Spiritual Assemb li es on Israel Civi l Defence officials and provide > 5 January 1989. "MUCH ENCOURAGED EV I- the World Centre with info rmation as > DENCES EVER CLOSER TIES COLLABORATION needed. On 30 September the World Centre > WITH UN ITED NATIONS, ITS AGENCIES A D staff was advised that emergency supplies of > NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS MANY LANDS, food wo ul d be distributed the fo llowing > RESULTING EXPANDED SP HER E INFLUENCE week, and that 20-litre j errycans of water > FA ITH FIELD INTERNAT IONAL INITI ATIV ES. should be fil led, battery-operated radios and > HEARTENED BY REVIEW INDICATING fNCREAS - flas hli ghts checked, and plastic tape for seal - > ING OPPORTUN ITIES SHARE BAHA ' U' LLAH 'S ing w indows should be stored in a readily > > Participants in the > External Affairs > Conference held at > the Baha'i World > Centre, Haifa, Israel > 30 December 1988 > to 1 January 1989. > 134 THE BAl-L.\'i WORLD > > accessible place. The staff received training has also been cancelled. The House of > in use of the protective kits distributed by Justice hopes it will be possible to conthe Israeli Government, and gas masks and vene such a conference at a later date. > kits were handed out on 5 November. The friends should not allow their con- > In each principal work place at the World cern about the situation in these regions > Cenháe, an emergency team was appointed to deter them from their efforts to proand a "safe room" assigned. The rooms mote the vital interests of the infinitely > were stocked with supplies of food, water, precious Faith of God. > and protective materials, and several air raid On 7 January 1991 , the Universal House > drills were held for emergency preparedness. of Justice wrote to all National Assemblies : > On 8 October 1990, a letter to National We are conscious that the friends > Spiritual Assemblies was written on behalf around the world are concerned by the > of the Universal House of Justice which read: unsettled conditions in the Middle East, > The Universal House of Justice has so we are writing to assure you that we > been following with close attention the have taken all steps that are necessa1y to > development of the situation in the Mid- safeguard the essential requirements of > dle East, and has decided to postpone all the Cause of God. > pilgrimages which have been scheduled In January 1981 we addressed a mesbetween the beginning of the pilgrimage sage to all Continental Boards of Counseason on 29 October and 31 December sellors through the International Teaching > 1990. Messages to this effect are being Centre, and a copy of that message was > sent to all those who have been invited shared at that time with all National Spirifor that period. tual Assemblies. It confitmed that if at > The Baha'i World Centre itself will any time communication with the World > continue to function as usual, as it has Centre would be cut off, the Counsellors > during all the previous disturbances which would, both collectively and individually, > have tluáeatened or shaken the Holy Land. assist National Spiritual Assemblies to > Whatever háanspires, we can be confident ensure the unintem1pted continuation of > that it will be but one more step in the the normal administration of t11e Faith by > mysterious unfoldment of God 's Major these Assemblies until conununications > Plan for the unification of the world and could be restored. > the establishment of His Kingdom on We rely now, as then, on the Continenearth. tal Boards of Counsellors and the National > On 3 December 1990, the following letter Spiritual Assemblies to ensure that the > to National Sp iritual Assemblies was sent on all-important work of teaching the Faith > behalf of the Universal House of Justice: and consolidating its institutions will con- > Further to our letter of 8 October 1990, tinue with unabated zeal in every part of > in view of the continued unsettled condi- the world. > tions in the Middle East, the Universal On a number of occasions in the his- > House of Justice has decided that pilgrim- tmy of the Faith the World Centre has > ages to the Holy Land up to the end of been threatened by dangers of various > March 1991 should be cancelled. The kinds, and the knowledge of how the > individual pilgrims scheduled for this Almighty has preserved the vital interests > period are also being informed. of His Faith in the past will reinforce the > For the same reason, the conference certainty of all the believers that whatever > for the Counsellors which was scheduled occurs will but serve to carry forward the > to be held in the Holy Land from 28 realization of His immutable purpose for > December 1990 tluáough 3 January 1991 mankind. > INTERNATIONA L SU RV EY OF C URRENT BA HA' i ACT I V ITI ES 135 > We shall remember you all at the of governments had launched a massive > Sacred Threshold and shall pray for the aerial attack against Iraq, and that work was > bounties of Baha' u ' llah to guide and sus- suspended for the day. > tain you in the execution of your vital At about 0315 on 18 January staff > responsibilities in the promotion of His members were awakened by the sounds of > Cause. explosions, air raid sirens going off, and > Meanwhile, World Cenháe staff had been telephone calls fro m neighbors announcing > organized into "Neighborhood Groups," with that Iraq had started its retaliatory raids > "telephone trees" so that information could against Israel. Once again work was susbe distributed systematically during non- pended for the day. > office hours. Additionally, a number of staff The Baha' i World Cenháe stayed on > members had been ttáained in first aid and "emergency footing" for the duration of the > cardiopulmonary resuscitation. War-from 17 January to 28 February 1991 . > On 15 January 1991 , the Universal House Work was suspended for four days , and > of Justice wrote to the friends at the Baha' i hours were shortened for eight days. > World Cenháe: During the "100 hours" of the Gulf War, > We have noted with waim appreciation a total of thirty-nine missiles were reported > the devoted sp irit in which, despite the to have been fired at Israel during 18 sepaincreasingly tense situation in the Middle rate attacks. Of these, six landed in the > East, the friends are going about their Haifa/Akka area causing extensive property > usual business; and we wish to assure you damage but no injuries. There was no damof our continued prayers that the Blessed age to any of the Baha ' i prope1iies. > Beauty will sunound the World Cenháe On 28 February 199 1, the President of the > with His protection now as in the past. United States, George Bush, announced that > Every practical step is being taken to the multinational fo rce was stopping all > attend to the needs of the World Cenháe as offensive action. At noon the Israeli Civi l > circumstances require. Defence authoriti es said the emergency was > The Emergency Preparedness Task over, and that people could pack their gas > Force w ill keep you info1med and advised masks in their original boxes and unseal > as necessary. The Task Force has our full their "safe" rooms. The Baha' i World Cenconfidence, and we urge you to fo llow its tre went off "emergency footing". The Gulf > instructions in case of a real emergency War was over. > arising from the situation in the Gulf. > Our hea1is are now huned to the dear, > steadfast friends in Iraq, Kuwait and adj acent counháies. We invite you to join us in > praying on their behalf at this time when > great danger bangs over them. > At midnight on 15 January 1991 Eastern > Standard Time in the United States (0700 on > 16 January in Israel), the United Nations' > deadline fo r Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait > passed. That day the World Cenháe staff > members were adv ised to start carrying their > gas masks with them at all times . > At approximately 0530 on 17 January, the > staff was advised by way of the Ne ighbor- World Centre staff help each other learn > hood Group "telephone ttáees" that a coalition how to use gas masks in case of an attack. > 136 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > Baha 'i youth ofAntsirabe, Madagascar, walking to a village five kilom eters away to teach > the Faith on 2 I April I 988. > > B. WORLD-WIDE OBJECTI VES > > a. Carrying the Healing Message of communities witness the beginnings of that > Baha'u'llah to the Generality of Mankind entry by troops promised by the beloved > The Six Year Plan witnessed a further emer- Master and which Shoghi Effendi said would > gence of the Faith from obscurity as the lead on to mass conversion." In a summary > fo llowers ofBaha 'u ' llah spread His message report of the Plan the National Assembly > in new and creative ways to an increas ingly of Brazil made a comment which could be > diverse audience throughout the world. The echoed by many sister communities : "The > Universal House of Justice, in its message of preoccupation with teaching on a wide scale > Ric;lvan 1992, declared that the proclamation was a tonic in this Six Year Plan, and efforts > of the Faith "attained an entirely new stage" were made to help the diverse regions to tum > during this period. The emollment of at least examples of successful proj ects into founone and a half million new Baha'is was one tains of enthusiasm to stimulate the whole > consequence. country." > Although some form of large-scale en- > L ARGE- SCALE ENROLLMENT rollment occurred on every continent, the > In its Ric;lvan 1987 message the Universal most dramatic numbers of new believers > House of Justice a1mounced that "the stage entered the Faith in Asia. India launched > is set fo r universal, rapid and massive growth approximately 300 teaching projects, more > of the Cause of God." One year later it than doubling the number of Baha ' is from > shared the news that "more and more national fewer than 1 million to more than 2.2 million. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACT IVITIES 137 > The Baha'i population in Bangladesh increased volunteered their serv ices, and fifteen local > from 9,000 to nearly 63,000 believers, al- youth spent six months to one year each > most a sevenfold gain; during a single three- serving full-time on the teams. > month period in 1988 alone, some 5,000 In Brazil entry by troops was also purnew souls embraced the Cause and 108 new sued systematically, with the establislunent > Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed. By of a national Department for Teaching on a > the end of the Plan the populations of nearly Wide Scale. Special materials were prepared > one hundred villages in Bangladesh were and seminars regularly held, leading to such > won over to the Faith. Two major projects successes as 1,500 emollments in Pauda Lima > in Taiwan resulted in a sevenfold increase and nine hundred in the southern conmmnity > in the community from fewer than 2,000 to of Alvarado, where many of the new believmore than 14,000 believers; during the early ers had been made aware of the Faith > months of its Muhajir Project the National through a Baha' i school in the town. > Assembly of Taiwan reported an average A year of teaching in Ecuador dedicated > of ten to fifteen individuals enrolling per to the Hand of the Cause Dr. Rahmatu ' llah > day. National communities doubled in Hong Muhajir brought some 2,300 people into the > Kong, trebled in Pakistan, and, with at least Faith during its first eight months by targettwelve full-time mass teachers in the field ing five goal areas and offering four weekeach year, the Philippines witnessed an in- long teacher-training institutes. The work of > crease of some 37,000 believers. full-time teams from within Ecuador was > India's Muhajir Project, which alone was supplemented by visiting teachers from seven > responsible for bringing more than 14,000 countries, and forty-si x new Baha ' is joined > souls into the Cause, demonstrated how the more experienced teachers to make the > systematic efforts could bring about large- campaign a success. > sca le enrollment. Spanning a little over one Short-term mass teaching projects also > year, the project consisted of three "move- achieved impressive results. A month-long > ments": an initial teaching conference and project in Venezuela, spearheaded by an > call for volunteers followed immediately by international travelling teacher, welcomed > a week-long teaching campaign; the creation 400 believers into the Cause and formed > of a local task force to organize permanent twenty-six new Local Assemblies; another > teaching and community activities; and ap- series of projects in that country, dedicated > pointment of assistants to Auxiliary Board to the Baha ' is of Iran and called We Cannot > members to help the task force create strong Fail Them, resulted in more than 1,000 en- > Local Spiritual Assemblies. rollments. A total of 548 Bolivians joined > The powerful effects of applying orga- the Faith in one week when ten teams of > nized and concentrated teaching efforts to Baha'is, inspired by a two-day conference > a particularly receptive area were also in Sucre on the theme of entry by troops, > witnessed on the other side of the world set out for ten different places to proclaim > in Guyana, where a tluáee-year pilot project Baha' u' llah's message. In tota l nearly 2,000 > launched in 1989 was instrnmental in new souls embraced the Faith in the most > achieving the Plan 's final success of almost receptive areas. > 36,000 new believers. The Resident Teacher Although ongoing campaigns spanning > Project began with thi11een overseas believ- several years and invo lving numerous teachers and sixteen local believers teaching full- ers contributed significantly to large-scale > time; within six months, 12,000 people had enrollment, focus and dedication were more > declared their faith in Baha'u ' llah. During important characteristics of teaching teams > this pilot project, forty-two local teachers than size . When a team of twelve teachers > and eighteen international participants from five different counháies spent nine > 138 THE BAHA'l WORLD > > weeks among the Garifuna people of Belize, REACHING P EO PLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS > more than 1,000 embraced the Faith. One When two pioneers settled in Sakhalin in > of the most dramatic teaching victories oc- 1990, the last remaining territorial goal > ctmed in Pem where 1,764 people became named by Shoghi Effendi in his Ten Year > Baha'is during five days of teaching follow- Global Plan was fulfilled. After the miracuing a two-day mass teaching workshop in lous opening to the Faith of the Soviet Union > the Lake Titicaca region; at one high school and Eastern Europe and the successfu l > in the area, the principal, all teachers and prosecution of the subsidiary Two Year > students emailed. Teaching Plan in those areas, the Universal > In Trinidad and Tobago teaching projects House of Justice was able to state in its > with a few full-time, self-supporting teach- Ri~van 1992 message that "the Faith of > ers and one homefront pioneer who arose for Baha'u'llah is represented in every country > about nine months increased the number of on earth." > Baha'is by more than 5,000. In 1988, the Baha'i conmmnity's success > Although Asia and Latin America proved in the wide diffusion of Baha'u'llah's mesthe most receptive to enháy by háoops, sage and settlement of its adherents was > focused teaching efforts achieved a fair mea- publicly recognized when the Encyclopaedia > sure of success on all continents. In Kenya a Britannica, in its Britannica Book of the > variety of short-term projects led to the en- Year, tem1ed the Faith the second most > rollment of 17,950 people, and in Nigeria widely spread religion after Christianity. > 802 members of the Yoruba háibe were The numerica l enrollment victories of the > brought into the Cause by six youth who Six Year Plan were possibly exceeded by > spent one week visiting five vi llages. In the achievements in increas ing both the diversity > Mariana Is lands a full-time teaching team of the populations with whom the message > serving on Saipan for three months in 1990 was shared and, more impmiantly, the diverenro lled more than 1,000 believers. In Fiji sity of the Baha'i conummity itself. Ongoing > the Olinga Project, carried out between efforts to spread the Faith to all comers of > August 1989 and July 1991, brought into the the globe were expanded by campaigns to > Cause some 1,5 00 individuals, with almost share its teachings with a greater number of > equal propotiions from each of the islands' etlmic groups and to reach individuals from > major ethnic groups. all social sháata. > Even in Europe, where growth in numbers Within national borders the dissemination > remained relatively slow until the former of Baha'u ' Jlah ' s teachings to all areas > Eastern Bloc dramatically opened to the Faith, continued. Thus in South America Baha'is > the effects of pointed and consistent efforts established themselves in all the states of > were fully demonsháated. "The whole Italian Brazil; in Chile they created a "virtual chain > Baha'i community has been galvan ized by a of communities reaching from the far nmih > new spiritual atmosphere," reported that and extending to the far south" ; and in > cow1try's National Assembly after between Paraguay Local Assemblies were elected in > sixty and seventy people began attending almost every pati of the counh-y. Japan 's > each fireside in the goal town of Portici. One goal of having Baha'is in all the country ' s > of the main features of this project was the prefectures was accomplished during the > inunediate involvement of the newly enrolled Plan. In Taiwan 145 new localities, including > Baha' is in the consultative process and their three previously lU1opened islands, claimed > ass umption of responsibility for specific new adherents. In the Philippines 1,800 new > activities. Within a year approximately 100 localities were opened. Nations as diverse as > people had embraced the Faith and enro ll- No1way and Malawi were similar in their > ments continued at a fairly steady pace. fulfillment of geographic distribution goals: > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA ' i ACTIVITIES 139 > > Norway reached its aim of opening all coun- music dming gatherings. A substantial > ties to the Faith, in the process bringing increase in declarations of faith among > the message to seven different islands, while Carolinians and Chuukese on Saipan in the > Malawi achieved its objective of 1,500 Mariana Islands occurred when, at the > localities. Baha'i Center, Chuukese believers shared > In addition numerous minority groups Baha'i songs, along with island da nce and > were reached for the first time, from the food , with their relatives. > Dhimal and Sherpa of Nepal to the Gypsies The Guaymi Cultural Center in Panama, > of Thailand and the Travelling People of inaugurated in 1987, provides an outstanding > Ireland. In the Philippines thirty-eight new exa mple of the Baha ' i community's efforts > háibal areas were opened to the Faith. Mali to help an indigenous people preserve its culreported that all ethnic groups in the counháy tural heritage and simultaneously strengthen > could count at least one Baha ' i. In Taiwan the Faith. The Center became the focus of a > tluáee entirely tribal Local Assemblies were Guaymi tutorial school network and cultural, > formed. health and agricultural activities, all support- > Just as geographic representation was ed by the broadcasts of Radio Baha'i Panama. > often widened by foc used teaching in partic- Effo1is were made in many countries to > ular areas, so was greater ethnic diversity reach people from all social strata with an > attained by concenháated efforts. In Spain emphasis on people of capacity . Courtesy > an international conference to analyze the calls on government officials were made, inprocess of teaching and deepening Gypsies, terfaith prayer gatherings sponsored and > followed by three national consultative attended, and receptions held to inháoduce > meetings and a compilation on the subject Baha'i professionals to their colleagues. > issued by the National Assembly, resulted in Many government and religious leaders, > a considerable increase in Gypsy enrollments. professionals and academics who were made > In Ausháalia formation of the Aboriginal and aware of the Faith's central teachings re- > Islander Working Group in 1988 was fol- sponded favorably. > lowed by a surge in conversions among those In several countries consistent effo1is to > populations. Ausháia experienced group dec- inform government officials about the Faith > larations among Turkish workers when it were rewarded when they began attending > "concentrated on making their participation and even addressing Ba ha ' I-sponsored events. > in our community life possible" tluáough lan- Cabinet ministers and chiefs in Botswana > guage courses, specia l unity feasts and folk often attended Baha'i events, and the > > In India, a bicycle > for two was made > to facilitate travel > teaching in Uttar > Pradesh. 1991. > Since women cannot > travel alone in this > area, th e cycle made > it possible for two > women or husband > and wife teams to > participate in the > teaching work. > 140 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > counháy's Minister of External Affairs ad- of prominence, during the Plan it was cardressed a reception held in honour of the ried to peoples everywhere from all walks of > African Board of Counse llors. Five minis- life. Such were the accomplishments in > ters in Bangladesh attended functions at the bringing Baha'u'llah's healing message to > National Center, and in Hong Kong the people of all national, ethnic, economic and > Director of Environmental Protection and educational backgrounds that the Universal > the Consuls-G eneral of Israel, Panama and House of Justice affamed at Ridvan 1990 > Chile participated in a celebration of the that: "a significant milestone in the fourth > Birthday ofBaha ' u' llah. epoch" had been reached, and "the Adminis- > Two of the most significant signs of trative Order now embraces a community of > growing govenm1ent awareness of the Faith wider diversity than ever before." > occurred at the end of the Plan. Brazil 's > Federal Chamber of Deputies announced > its intention to conu11emorate the Centenary CH INESE TEACHING > of the Ascension of Ba ha' u' llah with a spe- The House of Justice has repeated ly emphacial solenm session; and the Prime Minister sized the importance of teaching the Chinese > of Guyana, the Honorable Hamilton Green, people around the world. The establishment > addressed the United States' National Con- in March 1989 of the Baha'i International > vention at Ridvan 1992. Community 's Office of Public Infotmation in > One activity which conháibuted very sig- Hong Kong, and the launching of the Chinificantly to the Faith's emergence from nese edition of One Country in mid-1990, > obscurity was the continuing disháibution of were two major steps taken to atháact the > The Promise of World Peace. By Ri~van interest of the world's Chinese population. > 1987 the statement had been presented to Additionally, the appoinh11ent of the Baha'i > heads of state, a large number of the mem- Conmuttee for China by the House of Justice > bers of national governments, diplomats, in June 1989 signalled the importance of > teachers, háade unionists, leaders of religion, careful planning and coordination of various > eminent members of the judiciary, the efforts in this area. > police, legal, medical and other professions, Between 1988 and 1990, the Hand of > members of local governments, clubs and the Cause of God Amatu ' l-Baha Rul:iiyyih > associations, and thousands of individuals . Khanum, accompanied by Mrs. Violette > While initial presentations had concentrated Na1!!javani, visited mainland China four > on national govenm1ent leaders and people times. She met with numerous prominent > > Jn the Solomon > Islands, Auxiliary > Board members have > overcome the problem of transport > between the many > islands by using a > motorized canoe to > serve as a Maritime > Baha'i Teaching > Institute. J99 I. > INTERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAH A' I ACTIVITIES 141 > > people, particularly in Beijing and Dalian, The Green Light Expedition videotape > showed slides of her trip to the Amazon was broadcast in five segments i11 Guangzhou > entitled the Green Light Expedition to vari- in November 1989, reaching approximately > ous distinguished guests, and addressed five million peopl e. The same month a camstudents and staff at Nanka i University in era crew from China National Te levision > Tianjin, where both Martha Root and Agnes in Beijing visited Bahapur, India, to include > Alexander had also spoken during their the House of Worship in a documentary film > visits to China. Her four visits included a about India. > one-month trip, in the summer of 1988, to The videotape Jewel in the lotus about > Guangzhou (Canton), Urumqi, Beijing, the Temple in India was aired in Tianjin > Shanghai, Suzhou and Guilin, as well as a in two segments in January 1992, reaching > one-week trip to Tibet in 1990. more than 3.5 million viewers each time. > In the fa ll of 1989 she made a five-week The nanation was dubbed in Mandarin, and > trip to Taiwan, travelling over 2,000 kilome- Baha' is in the area reported encmmtering > ters and visiting some mass-teaching areas , people who were deeply moved by the film. > as well as major cities. During this visit A series of ten-minute radio programs > she presented a special copy of the Peace produced by the Baha' i Office of the Envi- > Statement in Chinese to the Minister for ronment of Taiwan, an agency of the National > Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, was received by Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan, reached > the Minister of the Interior and the Secreta1y- approximately three million primary school > Genera l of the National House of Represen- students. These weekly programs, which > tatives, and had interviews with severa l contained Baha'i spiritual principles and > maJOr newspapers. which mentioned the name of the Faith, > While in the Far East A mah1 ' l-Baha also were broadcast to primary schools tluáoughattended a large forma l banquet organized out Taiwan for a ten-week period begi1ming > by the Spirih1al Assembly of Hong Kong in in March 1992. The M inistry of Education > honor of the passage, by the Legislative sponsored and partially funded these educa- > Council , of " the Baha'i Ordinance" Act, and tion programs. > visited U laan-Baatar in Mongolia for one The Chief of the Beinan Tribe in Taiwan, > week, in 1989. Chen Wen-Sheng, adopted the Faith in > The Hand of the Cause of God H . Co llis August 1990. He was the first tribal chief of > Featherstone and Mrs. Madge Featherstone Taiwan (and greater China) to become a > travelled to China for the first time in Baha'i. His son, Chen Chien-Hong, the next > September 1988. They visited Guangzhou, hereditary chief, also emailed at the same > Lanzhou and Beijing before departing at time. The Beinan Tribe (also known as the > the begi1ming of October. During a tour of Puyuma Tribe) is the fifth most populous of > Zhongshan University (Sun Yat-sen Univer- the nine major aboriginal tribes in Taiwan. > sity) in Guangzhou, Mr. Featherstone was Taiwan ' s Ministry of the Interior reported > invited unexpectedly to speak to the sh1dents the total popul ation of the Beinan to be over > of the Department of Philosophy about the 8,5 00 at the end of 1988. > Faith. Two days later he presented a lecture Efforts were made to share ideas about > on "The Baha'i Fa ith: Its History, Teachings Chinese teaching among national conmmniand World-wide Development. " The sub- ties . The International Chinese Teaching > jects covered included the oneness of Conunittee sponsored six highly successful > mankind, the oneness of the Prophets, the international teaching conferences around > relation of Baha' u ' llah to the Founders of the globe between 1988 and 199 1. In order > the previous religions and the importance of to exchange ideas and strengthen their teacheliminating prejudices. ing program, members of the Taiwanese > 142 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Members of a teaching team enrolling a new believer in Macau in May 1989. > > conmmnity visited twenty-o ne countries MASS MEDIA > which had established Chinese Teachi ng When the Six Year Plan began, the press > Conm1ittees . was aware of the Baha'i Fa ith largely > In some countries assoc iation with Chinese because of the persecutions in Iran. Wide > co11ill1tmity organizations fac ilitated Chinese distribution of the peace statement provided > teac hing, as in Hawaii, where interaction opportunities to broaden that image . Increaswith the Worldwide Farmers' Association ingly, members of the media sought out > opened the door to sponsorship of a China Baha 'is fo r stories on their peace-related > Peace and Friendship Tour in 1992. More activities, and even the press which had been > than one hundred Chinese community lead- resistant to the Faith in some areas became > ers in Hawa ii were presented with the Peace more receptive. The shift in press interest > Statement. from the persecuti ons in Iran to the teach- > The quantity of Baha'i li terature in ings of Baha'u ' llah was exemplified in the > Chinese languages was greatly increased United States, where the number of significant > during the Plan. The Baha ' i committee for articles about the Baha ' i Cause increased > China and the International Chinese Teach- from approximately 2,000 to 3,800 per year. > ing Conu11ittee jointly worked on trans lating This greater publicity provided the .necesse lections from Gleanings jimn the Writings sary incentive for Baha' is to develop more > of Baha 'u '/Lah under the auspices of the sophistication in dea ling with the media, and > Baha ' i World Centre. Other translations were encouraged them to produce more acceptmade of selected compilations produced at able material for use in radio, television and > the World Centre. A group of Baha ' is in newspapers. > China translated a compilation of various Radio was widely used for proclamation, > Writings and prayers which was subsequent- and Baha' i radio operations became increasly published by the Spiritual Assembly of ingly involved in teaching effmis . In addition > Maca u. to the progranuning on newly launched > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 143 > Baha'i-owned radio stations in Chile and world market. Large-scale distribution of > Liberia, and the continuing broadcasts of videotapes and audio-tapes has been steadily > Baha'i stations in the United States, Ecuador, expanded by IBA VC from its bases in the > Panama, Pem, and Bolivia, Baha'i programs United States and Venezuela, and the new > were aired on non-Baha ' i stations in very Music Clearinghouse began a libraiy of music > many countries, including such places as tapes by Baha ' i composers and perfom1ers > Guyana, Belize, Grenada, Hawaii, Puerto developed for radio, Nineteen Day Feasts > Rico, Malaysia, Thailand, Spain, Chad and and other uses. > Lesotho. In Rwanda, broadcast of a weekly A number of regular television programs > ten-minute radio program began in 1989 and about the Faith were also aired. The > quickly attracted a large audience. The fol- Canadian-produced Bahci 'i Perspective was > lowing year, when civil disturbances made broadcast a total of sixty-six hours ; Baha' is > travelling extremely difficult, the program in El Salvador produced fifty-four episodes > became one of the few means still available of a weekly program; a thirty-minute program > for teaching. The listeners were invited to was shown twice monthly in Dominica; > send questions, and the subsequent corre- twelve shows on the Faith were screened in > spondence led to an average of ten Kenya; and Alaska produced four awarddeclarations per day. wim1ing, sixty-second public service an- > In El Salvador public service a1mounce- nouncements called Peace Talks. > ments about peace were broadcast twenty Numerous single-episode programs were > times per day for one month, and in the produced, such as half-hour shows screened > Republic of Ireland feahire subjects on the tluáoughout the United Kingdom and Portu- > Faith were transmitted on all but one of the gal, a panel discussion on peace with > newly legalized local stations. Radio stations representatives of various religions in > throughout the length of Chile aired selec- Lesotho, and the broadcast of a Baha'i chiltions from The Hidden Words on an hourly dren ' s program on Transkei television. In > basis for over a month as a public service many countries television news coverage of > project; and Baha'i stations repeatedly pre- Baha'i events included interviews with local > sented the Writings. Baha ' is, trave lling teachers and Counsellors. > The International Baha ' i Audio-Visual Further significant programs included: the > Centre (IBA VC), through its offices and broadcast of the International Convention > representatives in several lands, continued video in Bolivia, Saint Lucia, South Africa, > to support Baha' i spot use of radio and tele- Sri Lanka and Thailand; references made to > vision by providing materials and advice. the Faith on C-SPAN and CNN in the > Over fifty workshops and training seminars United States; and a seven-minute story on > in the production and use of audio-visual the Faith which aired nationwide in prime > media were conducted by IBA VC in thirty- time in Australia. > seven countries and in all continents of the Proclamation in newspapers increasingly > g lobe. Ten different monographs were pro- included regular publication of selected > duced during the Plan, ranging from relating Writings, press releases about Baha'i events, > spirihiality to media subjects to highly and feature a1iicles prepared about the Faith > specific 'how-to ' papers, such as how to pre- and its followers. > pare radio spot announcements. IBA VC By the end of the Plan most National > distTibuted radio scripts and tapes in various Assemblies had a public relations office or > languages to countries throughout the world, committee to prepare and review informaand adapted many films and videotapes, tion about the Faith. In most cases, the > including the Green light Expedition , to officer chiefly concerned with the work also > the various television standards used in the served as the national representative for the > 144 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > global network created by the Baha' i the end oft11e Plan, Hawaii called its external > International Community's Office of Public affairs program an indispensable part of its > Info1mation, receiving news from this source. teaching work. > Many Local Assemblies also appointed > individuals or cmmnittees to monitor the THE ROLE OF THE ARTS > public relations activities of the conm1unity. > That day will the Cause spread like wildfire > The Office of Public Infmmation created a > when its spirit and teachings are presented > manual to guide the work of these agencies, > on the stage or in art and literature as a > distributing it tluáough its worldwide netwhole. Art can better awaken such noble > work. Some national conm1w1ities also held > sentiments... especially among the mass of > training sessions, such as Brazil ' s "Latin > the people. > American Baha ' i Seminar on Public Rela- > (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi > tions and External Affairs" in early 1992, > Effendi dated 10 October 1932, Baha 'i News, > and Canada's public affairs training confer- > 73 [May 1933] p. 7.) > ences held across the country. Training was > also held locally in Bangladesh, Ecuador, The truth of these words was increasingly > Mauritius, Norway, Thailand, Taiwan, demonstrated as a growing number of music, > Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe. drama and dance performances proclaimed > The majority of training in public rela- both the content and spirit of the Baha'i > tions occurred through practical experience, teachings to ever-wider audiences. Most of > as the media increased their attention to the performing arts groups were composed > Baha'i activities during the Plan. One prom- of youth. > inent example of iliis was in Hawaii where El Viento Canta (The Wind Sings), a > specific issues such as the status of women group which formed while its members > and the state of the environment were identi- were serving at the Baha ' i World Centre, > fied from the Peace Statement, and an shared Latin American fo lk music as well as > external affairs officer was made responsible the principles of the Faith with audiences > for developing a portfolio on each issue. At throughout Europe, Africa, the fo1mer Soviet > > El Viento Canta pe1forming in Botswana in December J989 during the Bahiz 'i International > Music Festival held in Gaborone. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' i ACT IVITIES 145 > > Union, Mongolia and China. The group Theatre Festival in Canada . Peace Child, a > played to substantial audiences (for example, musical drama produced by a committee of > 3,000 attended one concert in Spain) and the National Assembly of the Hawaiian > received extensive radio and television cov- Islands, was performed at the Kennedy Cenerage which often included long interviews ter in Washington, D.C., and a documentary > and led to many enrollments. was made of it by a major television net- > Another Latin American youth group, work. In Australia an Aboriginal theater > Planeta Paz (Planet Peace), began perfonning group called The Storytellers was fo1med. > in Brazil in August 1991 and spearheaded a The power of dance to transcend language > national proclamation effort in Argentina in barriers and connect hea1is was demonsháat- > December. Each show combined music with ed by the enthusiastic responses of audiences > Baha ' i themes, folk music and slide shows , to various performing groups. For example, > opening with a tribute to Baha'u'llah and dance groups called Youth Workshops > ending with invitations to embrace the Cause. formed throughout the United States and at > The National Assembly of Brazil attributes Canada's Maxwell School; Youthquake toured > at least three hundred declarations of faith to in the United Kingdom; and a well-known > their concerts in that country. Lakota Sioux Indian believer perfo1med a > Other musical groups formed by youth háaditional hoop dance in numerous commuincluded Let It Be This Generation which nities in Canada, the United States, Europe > completed a 150-concert tour of Canada; and elsewhere. > Light in the Darkness, a European group Baha'is also used other fine arts to spread > which attracted eighty new believers during the message. In Denmark an exhibit of > one concert in Romania; and the Carmel artwork based on Baha'i quotations and ac- > Minstrels , six young Guyanese musicians companied by Baha'i books was displayed > who shared the Baha'i message throughout three times. Excerpts from the Peace Statethe Caribbean in 1987. Travelling to other ment formed the basis of an art exhibit in > continents to perfom1 was not unusual: Belize. The organizers of a peace festival in > Malawi's Kwayera Mbee was invited to tour Japan invited the Balla ' is to conháibute a > Europe; the Thailand performances of a display that blended photographs, háaditional > group from New Zealand and Australia floral arrangements, artwork on peace themes > ca lled Wildfire led to hundreds of enroll- by local children , and Baha'i books. > ments ; and New Zealand's Youth for One Consultation on the use of arts in teaching > World taught the Faith in Hong Kong. was facilitated by the founding, in August > Music played a pa1iicularly impmiant role 1986, of the International Baha ' i Associain Africa, where numerous local choirs were tion for Arts, by several forums held at > formed and Baha' i songs composed. The Landegg Academy in Switzerland, and by > International Music Festival in Botswana the development of the Baha ' i Youth Instiwas described by the nation's Assembly as tute in Costa Rica as a center for háaining > "one of the most significant achievements" youth to use arts in service to mankind. Conof its Plan, and Kenya 's Assembly reported sultation was followed by teaching projects > that "many of our Baha'i communities have having an explicitly artistic emphasis. The > been kept alive because of music and thou- European Baha ' i Youth Council organized > sands have become Baha'is because ofit." a project called Peace Through A1iistic > The history and principles of the Faith Expression in Yugos lavia in 1990 during > were also widely shared through drama. The which hundreds attended special open-air > Sacred Writings were combined with music concerts. In Belize a 1988 project which > and dance to tell the story of the Bab when centered around the arts was reported to > Badasht was performed at the International result in at least seventy-nine enrollments. > 146 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In 1991 the Music, Arts and Drama "many Baha'is have concrete personal goals." > Committee of Czechoslovakia organized a In Brazil a Campaign oflndividual Teaching > one-week Art Forum in collaboration with from Heart to Heart had 500 regular particithe Baha'i Association For Arts chapter in pants over a two-year period. Zimbabwe > Bratislava; Baha'i artists and musicians from reported that a corps of travelling teachers, > more than fifteen countries, including repub- averaging between six and ten individuals, > lics of the former Soviet Union, shared ideas was in the field at any given time. The > for proclaiming the Name of Baha'u'llah, National Assembly of Switzerland estimated > and public performances were held daily. In that some 2,000 teaching activities were > 1988 approximately 1,000 people participat- ca1Tied out by 230 believers. India reported > ed in Canada's first Festival of the Human that the number of friends taking part in > Spirit, a four-day series of workshops, ex- teaching activities increased tenfold. > hibits and performances on using the arts in Teacher training took a variety of forms, > teaching. from orientation sessions for travelling teachers and pioneers to seminars and institutes > E XPANDI NG THE TEA CHIN G FORCE open to all believers. Several pennanent in- > Efforts to encourage and support individual stitutes provided ongoing training, such as the > teaching, provide teacher training and estab- '!!mi Teaching Institute in Lahore, Pakistan, > lish permanent teaching teams all helped which in l 991 began to offer ten days of > stimulate an increase in the number of dedi- classes per month, and the Jamaliyyih Institute > cated souls actively spreading Baha' u' llah's in EI Salvador which trained approximately > Message. The Universal House of Justice I 00 teachers. Annual national and regional > reiterated the crucial importance of personal teaching conferences were held on all > teaching in its Ric;!van l 988 message, saying: continents. > "Every individual believer- man, woman, One paiiicular innovation which expanded > youth and child- is summoned to this field the teaching force was the Universal House > of action; for it is on the initiative, the reso- of Justice's call for sho1i-term pioneers. In > lute will of the individual to teach and to September 1989 National Assemblies were > serve, that the success of the entire commu- assigned a number of short-term pioneering > nity depends." goals measured by months of service. Be- > National Assemblies encouraged individ- cause the believers filling these goals did not > ual initiative in a variety of ways. A series of intend to stay permanently (some stayed > Vision to Victory conferences in the United only three months) they were freed from the > States ended with participants submitting need to find employment, and thus more of > personal pledges of teaching service. The the friends were able to participate. > National Assembly of the Eastern Caroline The teaching work was also carried out > Islands sent a booklet called A Personal by permanent teams in a number of coun- > Teaching Campaign to all Local Assemblies tries. For example, the permanent teams of > to be shared with their communities. Numer- Guyana's Resident Teacher Project inspired > ous National Assemblies sent circular letters similar teams in Belize, Brazil, EI Salvador > to Local Assemblies and held local seminars and Honduras; and full-time teams were > on the topic . formed in four states of the United States > While evidence of increased individual near the end of the Plan. Also in the United > personal teaching is not easily monitored, States, approximately 1,000 teaching institutes > National Assemblies on all continents made were formed, with members committing > observations such as "a greater commitment themselves to teach a particular segment of > to individual teaching"; "more involvement the population over a period of at least five > and efforts in the field of teaching"; and years. Teaching institutes were also tried in > INTERN AT IONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 147 > > five pilot areas of Turkey and then spread all from Costa Rica joined the teaching proover the country. grams in Honduras. > A highlight of the teaching work was > the growing involvement and initiative of INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION > indigenous peoples. Fo llowing a seminar in With strong encouragement from the Uni- > Bolivia in July 1989 on the development of versal House of Justice, many steps were > the Faith among the Indian peoples of Latin taken to win the goals of international col- > America, a one-week teaching project was laboration in the teaching field . Conferences > held during which some 500 people emolled. on border teaching were held in Europe and > The seminar had been attended by seventy Centra l America, and successful exchanges > Balla ' is representing nine distinct indige- of teachers took place when the Thai-Camnous groups from eight countries. In 1986 a bodian border opened for trade in 1991. > gathering of all the sacred societies of the Major internationa l collaboration among in- > Peigan Reserve in Albe1ia, Canada, was stitutions was achieved when the Promise of > called by Elder Joe Crowshoe, a Balla' i, to World Peace Tour was organized: sixty-two > exp lain the teachings and plan for further Balla'is from eight nations travelled to the > intersocietal gatherings . Soviet Union in 1989 to disseminate the > Indigenous believers increasingly volun- Peace Statement. > teered travel teaching services. Four Garifuna Probably the most dramatic examples of > teachers from Belize and Honduras formed a international collaboration occuned when > team called Trail of Light and shared the the countries bordering Eastern Europe were > Faith with the Carib descendants of their given responsibility for quickly organizing > ancestors in Dominica. Mayan believers teaching plans and sending teachers when > played a significant role in a 1989 project in the Eastern Bloc opened to the Faith. Myriad > Mexico which led to the enrollment of 220 other international teaching projects were > people in the first week. Teams of Bri Bri canied out collaboratively during the Plan. > > !rish Baha'i youth walked ji-om Cork to Limerick, a distance of 64 miles, on behalfof World > Peace in October 1987. > 148 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > YOUTI-I with a focus on reaching refugees from > The Six Year Plan witnessed a widespread Mozambique. In the Netherlands the Youth > acceptance by Baha'i youth in many parts Committee composed its own plan and invitof the world of the concept of a period of ed each youth to choose a personal goal > service, undertaken generally as a temporary toward its fulfillment. > interruption to their formal educational program and devoted fully to the promotion of HOUSES OF WORSHIP > the teaching work. Youth in all continents Since the Mother Temple of the Indian subwere reported to be in the forefront of teach- continent was dedicated to public worship in > ing activity. In its Ridvan 1992 message the December 1986, more than thirteen million > Universal House of Justice affirmed that people have crossed its threshold, one day > Youth activities took on a special char- alone registering 143,635 visitors; it is now > acter shaped by the idea of a youth year one of the most visited religious edifices in > of service. The involvement of the youth India. As the Temple's fame spread, its visiin the Six Year Plan as short-te1m pio- tors ' log became a roster of dignitaries from > neers, travelling teachers and projecteers around the globe: heads of state, government > had a profound effect on the teaching ministers, ambassadors , scholars and reliwork overall... gious leaders wrote of their admiration for > Youth dominated the teaching work in the unique strncture, and for the principles > Eastern Europe. Other examples of signifi- that inspired its singular and enthralling > cant youth activity include the four STAR beauty. > teaching projects carried out between 1987 The Houses of Worship on each of the > and 1990 in Botswana with international other continents continued to act as silent > participation, and the ongoing Sparks of teachers of the Cause. The national commu- > Peace project which brought youth together nities in Australia and Samoa took particular > every summer for an intensive campaign advantage of their Mashriqu'l-Adhkars to > throughout the English-speaking Caribbean. introduce prominent people to the Faith; > The United States reported that youth partic- special services held in conunemoration of > ipated in nearly every ongoing project and United Nations Days were well attended by > comprised most of the full-time teaching people of capacity from many professions. > teams. The initiative taken by youth to form Refurbishment of the Temple in Uganda > music, dance and drama groups to proclaim began, to make it once again East Africa 's > the Faith is yet another aspect of the promi- jewel. In Panama the national secretariat > nent role they played in the teaching work. was moved to the Temple grounds and a > The level of initiative and organization large auditorium consháucted for visitors. At > demonstrated by youth also rose, as exem- the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette, > plified by the establishment by the House of U.S.A., a long process of rehabilitating the > Justice in October 1989 of a European Baha' i architectural concrete components began. > Youth Council charged with coordinating In 1991 Germany ' s House of Worship was > the various activities of the European Baha ' i classified as a Cultural Monument under > youth and representing them in dealings with the provisions of the Historical Monument > other youth groups and agencies. In Malawi Preservation Law. In all of the Houses of > a strong National Youth Committee planned Worship, many teaching programs compleand canied out the Collis Featherstone Project mented the regular worship services. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 149 > > b. Greater Involvement of the Faith in the 1987 the Kansas State House of Representa- > Life of Human Society tives in the United States also encouraged > When the Six Year Plan began, the Universal study of the peace statement. > House of Justice had just offered, in The As government officials became increas- > Promise of World Peace, the experience of ingly aware of Baha'i teachings and activities > the Baha'i community as a model for the related to peace and world order, Baha'i > peoples of the world to study. Throughout communities took bolder steps to assert to > the six years the believers increasingly shared those in authority the indispensability of > that experience through association with indi- Baha'u'llah's principles. In countries underviduals and organizations working to solve going constitutional revisions such as Brazil, > the problems addressed by Baha'u'llah. By Haiti, Paraguay, South Africa and Thailand, > Ridvan 1992 Baha'i views and participation National Assemblies submitted to their govwere actively sought by individuals and gov- ernments documents offering suggestions > ernments alike. for new national constitutions. The President > of the South African Law Commission, the > judge acting on behalf of the government, > CONTACT WITH PROMINENT PEOPLE AND commented that the Baba' is were the one > AUTHORITIES group whose ideas had provided a "spiritual > The Promise of World Peace, which intro- and moral foundation" for a constitution. > duced people from all walks of life to the Baha'i views were also made known to > Baha'i Faith, led to unprecedented contacts various governmental organizations concerned > with prominent people and government with solving social problems. In May 1991 > authorities. By the end of the Plan Baha'i the National Assembly of Barbados submitviews on peace had been shared with gov- ted The West Indies in the 90's and > ernment authorities in nearly every nation of Beyond-A Baha 'i Perspective to the West > the world. Indian Commission Preparing the West > A sample of the prominent people who Indies for the Future, a body established to > were presented with the Peace Statement study the future of the Caribbean community > includes: all 559 senators and congressmen and regional unification. A number of presenundertaking to write Brazil's new constitution; tations were also made to that Commission > delegates to the Chuuk State Constitutional on behalf of other National Assemblies. In > Convention and the Federated States of Taiwan the Ministry of the Interior arranged > Micronesia National Constitutional Conven- a special seminar called "Resolving Social Ills > tion, both in the Eastern Caroline Islands; through the Teachings of the Baha' i Faith." > and the presidents of seven South American Significant connections were also made > nations attending an intergovernmental meet- with professionals of many specialties. Seming in Uruguay. Presentations of the statement inars were held to share Baha' i ideas with > to government and media officials in Cuba experts in various fields, receptions for > were reported to have been warmly prominent Baha'i professionals brought > received. them together with colleagues who were not > After the Baha 'is of Cambridge, Massa- Baha'is, and monographs providing a Baha'i > chusetts, U.S.A., presented The Promise of perspective in special fields such as educa- > World Peace to their city council, the council tion and the environment were distributed . > unanimously passed a resolution encourag- Baha'is also helped form professional assoing citizens to read and study the document ciations related to peace, such as the > and paid tribute to the Baha'is for their lead- Association of Physicians for Peace and the > ership in a range of peace-related issues. In Association of Educators for Peace, both in > 150 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > Counsellor > Beatrice Asare > presents a copy > of the Peace > Statement to > the Asantahene > of the Asante > State of Ghana > at his palace in > Kumasi in > September > 1988. > -.; > "' > > Counsellor Violette > Haake presents a copy > of the Peace Statement to the Deputy > Prime Minister of the > Cook Islands, > Mr. lnatio Akaruru, in > October J990. > > Baha 'i representatives > present a copy of the > Peace Statement to > NA TO Base personnel > in Kejl.avik, Iceland, > in October J988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' i ACTIVITIES 151 > Brazil. Baha'i involvement with social and In 1988, Baha' is in Burkina Faso were > economic development projects also brought the only members of a religious community > the Faith to the attention of professionals in in the country to take part in a commemoradevelopment-related fields, such as educa- tion of the UN's International Peace Day > tion and health care. and Children's Day; and for the first time in > The presentation of awards sponsored that country, Baha'is were invited to particiby Baha'i communities to honor individuals pate in an official UN Day reception. > for their service to humanity created many The National Assembly of Venezuela paropportunities to meet and encourage com- ticipated in a meeting of the UN Economic > munity leaders. In Alaska the Honor and Social Council for Latin America which > Kempton Award for Service to Humanity, led to the Assembly's hosting a meeting > which is named after the woman known to of non-govenm1ental organization represen- > Baha'is as the spiritual mother of Alaska and tatives; Baha' is subsequently helped to form > Luxembourg, continued to be presented the Association of Non-Governmental Orgaaimually; each year more than 100 guests, nizations in Venezuela. > including prominent figures , attended the Baha'is demonstrated their belief in reliawards banquet. Presentation of the National gious unity tluáough closer association with > Assembly of the Hawaiian Islands' annual other religions. The Inter-Religious Under- > Agnes Baldwin Alexander Award for Ser- standing Association was formed by fifteen > vice to Humanity received substantial press groups in India including Baha' is; a significoverage. In 1988 the Baha' is of the United cant relationship was reported to have > Kingdom presented their first Human Rights developed between the Baha'is of Nepal and > A wards as pati of their commemoration of the Asian Conference on Religion and Peace; > the 75th anniversary of 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit an "active and thriving link" was established > to London. between Baha'is and the Interfaith Group > which represents most religions in Fiji; and > LIKE-MINDED 0RGANIZA TIONS Guatemalan Baha'is participated in a Con- > Baha' is contributed their knowledge of gress for Peace with representatives of all > Baha'u'llah's Teachings and their time to the country 's religious denominations. In > many of the organizations which promote 1990 the Baha ' i International Community > Baha'i ideals. Numerous individuals volun- formally associated itself with the World > teered with local and international groups, Conference on Religion and Peace. > such as commissions working to prevent The interfaith groups occasionally addmg abuse. In addition, Baha' i communities dressed a pressing social need. In Zimbabwe > increased their support of United Nations' members of an association of religious > activities and their involvement in interfaith groups collaborated with UNICEF to help > associations. alleviate the physical sufferings of children > Some of the most substantial collabora- in southern Africa. In Hawaii the Council of > tion with United Nations initiatives took Churches co-sponsored the first Institute for > place in the United States where the National the Healing of Racism in that state. The insti- > Assembly, through its office at the United tute was formed by the Baha' is, modelled > Nations , worked throughout all six years after similar institutes in North America. > toward the ratification of various UN human Baha' is often addressed envirom11ental > rights Conventions, helped to commemo- issues by co-sponsoring fomms , seminars > rate the International Year of Peace and the and exhibits in conjunction with other > International Year of Literacy, and became groups. For example, the National Assembly > more actively involved in UN Association of the United States became a member of the > activities. Global Tomonow Coalition, an organization > 152 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > of 150 groups involved in issues related to Rights Day have evolved into a government > resources, the environment and sustainable event in Berrnuda. Essay contests on peace, > development. That Assembly also became a sponsored in a number of lands, draw the > member of the Advisory/Planning Board of attention of youth to the teachings of the > the North American Environmental Sabbath Faith. > Committee; a Baha'i symbol now appears on Balla 'i organizations were foimed to prothe newsletter masthead and Baha'i quota- mote Baha'i principles among specific audiences > tions were included in 10,000 kits distributed including the Baha'i Medical Association in > for a special event. France and Health for Humanity in the > United States. > COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES When renewed incidents of interracial > Increasingly, Baha'is not only participated violence erupted in the United States, the > in activities with like-minded organizations, Baha'i community was already offering its > but also initiated their own events and orga- healing perspective on the problem through > nized groups dedicated to addressing problems distribution of the statement The Vision of > facing society. Race Unity: America's Most Challenging > Numerous Baha'i seminars, conferences Issue, and through the holding of a series of > and public meetings were augmented by Institutes for the Healing of Racism. > unique events such as Brazil 's International > Exposition on Education for Peace, carried S IGNS OF RECOGNITION > out with the collaboration of twenty-three A growing number of prominent individuals > embassies and educational institutions, and and groups sought the support of Baha' is > Singapore's Arts for Nature exhibit which during the Plan. Invitations to participate in > earned favorable recognition from the Min- peace-related activities, public mention of > istry of the Environment and the Council of Baha'i views by prominent people, and > Women's Organizations. requests for advice all pointed to increasing > Several events initiated by Baha'is have recognition that the Faith offers solutions to > gradually become a part of life in the greater the crises facing humanity. > community. Annual Race Unity celebrations Milestone changes occurred in recogniare held in hundreds of United States cities. tion of the Faith by public officials. The > Observances of World Religion Day have Prime Minister of the Cook Islands , Sir > become annual national events in Suriname. Thomas Davis, accompanied by Lady Davis, > The Baha'i commemorations of UN Human visited the World Centre in August 1986 to > > In Lesotho, Baha 'is > were invited to the > Royal Banquet Hall on > 15 September 1987 to > receive the United > Nations' "Peace Messenger Award" for the > • community's involvement in peace activities. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 153 > consult with the Universal House of Justice Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Comabout world peace. Later that year the Presi- mission. In 1992 the Baha'i representative to > dent of Dominica quoted from The Promise the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia, was > of World Peace during a radio broadcast invited to a gathering of 500 religious leaders > on the International Day of Peace. In April convened by former President Jimmy Carter > 1990 President Amata Kabua of the Mar- to explore religious involvement in "Project > shall Islands, while officially visiting Israel, Atlanta," a social and economic development > came to Haifa with his secretary and his project. The Baha 'i representative was then > ambassador to confer informally with mem- elected to the project's six-member Advisory > bers of the Universal House of Justice on the Council. > role of the Marshall Islands in establishing Intensive Baha'i involvement in ecologyworld peace. related activities led to requests for Baha'is > Baha ' i views on issues related to social to take greater leadership roles. Two memjustice were sought by the Central American bers of Hawaii's National Assembly were > Institute for Business Administration during the only religious representatives among > its seminar on "Post-War National Recon- sixty-two groups invited to patiicipate in the > struction in El Salvador"; the Vice-President Governor's statewide Eaiih Day planning > of Guyana requested a meeting with the session in 1990. A member of the United > National Assembly of that country to discuss States National Assembly's Washington, D.C., > Baha'i participation in the "Social Impact staff became pa1i of a working group to draft > Amelioration Program"; and the Macau suggestions for the United States govern- > Basic Law Consultative Committee asked ment's Ea1ih Summit position paper m > the Macau Spiritual Assembly to send three 1992. > representatives to a joint meeting with the Awareness of the Baha'i teachings on > Basic Law Drafting Committee from China religious unity were demonstrated when a > and various religious groups, after which the Baha' i became the only non-Buddhist speaker > Baha' is were asked to submit their views in invited to address a public meeting held in > a formal paper. conjunction with the "Asian Buddhist Con- > In the United States Mrs. Coretta Scott ference for Peace" in Mongolia. In Guyana > King, wife of the late civil rights leader, Baha'is were appointed to the President's > the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs. > invited Baha'is to co-chair the National Baha'is were included in panel discussions > Religious Involvement Committee of the on "Action Through Faith" and "East Meets > > Mr. Dexter King > (right) , son of Dr. > Martin Luther King, > Jr., was the keynote > speaker at a Bahiz 'i > Peace Conference > held in Oslo, Norway, > on 23 October 1986. > Here he is being interviewed by the press. > 154 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > West" at the International People's College Mental Health in New Zealand; and the > in Denmark. director of Ghana 's Institute of Renewable > Baha'is in Hawaii were asked to serve in Natural Resources spoke to a group from > a significant number of advisory groups: the Cameroon's International Relations Institute > Governor's Permanent Commission for the on "Religion in a World in Search of Peace > Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, -A Baha'i Approach" and on agroforestry, > Jr., Week; the Governor's Commission on noting that the Faith offers solutions to glothe Status of Women; and the Governor's bal environmental problems. > Task Force on AIDS. Also in Hawaii, the The Faith was also directly presented to > chairman of a government task force chose the world of academia during meetings with > the Baha'i submission on education refmm professors, presentations of The Promise of > for broadcast on the radio. World Peace to university faculties, and > conferences related to religious studies. A > ACADEMIC CIRCLES visiting professor at Belgium's University of > In 1990 in the United States the Baha'i Chair Antwerp taught a course on the Faith to the > for World Peace was established at the Uni- faculty of the Comparative Religion Departversity of Maryland's Center for International ment; a member of Portugal 's National > Development and Conflict Management. Pro- Assembly spoke at the Congress on Religious > posed by a non-Baha'i professor in response Studies held at the New University of > to the Peace Statement, the Chair was created Lisbon; and the National Assembly of Guyana > to conduct and publish research, design sent an overview of Baha'i community procourses and lead seminars in the fie ld of grams to 240 faculty members of the > Baha'i studies and world peace within an University of Guyana. > interdisciplinary context; to initiate public Awareness of the Baha'i Faith among > fornms for discussing the issues proposed in scholars increasingly led to its inclusion in > The Promise of World Peace; and to establish university courses. In some cases Baha'i > academic links with, and provide technical approaches were incorporated into the study > assistance to, Baha'i institutions in the fields of other issues , such as at the University > of peace education and international devel- of California, Santa Cruz, U.S.A., where the > opment. The creation of the Chair marked Baha' i Club helped to design a course called > the first initiative by a prestigious insti tution "The Economics of a World Commonof higher learning to fornmlate a serious pro- wealth." In Guatemala 300 student teachers > gram of Baha'i studies. Later that year Indore studied the booklet Education for Peace over > University and the National Assembly of a period of twenty sessions. In other cases > India signed a document establishing another the Faith itself became the subject of study: > Cha ir for Baha' i Studies with a similar range lectures were given in comparative religion > of functions to be developed. courses at Bermuda College, Malawi 's > Recognition of the Fa ith ~ s principles as Chancellor College and the University of > legitin1ate and irnportant subj ects of study Zimbabwe; the Faith was pari of an extenwas cultivated when Baha'is delivered papers sion course on religious studies at Fij i's > and lectures relating the teachings to current University of the South Pacific; and entire > issues. A Baha ' i scholar presented his analy- courses on the Faith were offered at Brazil's > sis of the Third World debt at the prestigious Federal University of Santa Catarina and the > World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzer- Univers ity of Hawaii ' s Hilo Campus. An > land; papers on refugee mental health and office of the United States National Assema case study on a Baha'i refugee settlement bly drafted A Curriculum Guide to the > program were received with considerable Baha'i Faith to help college professors > interest at the World Conference on Refugee include the Faith in their courses. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACT I VITIES 155 > > Two institutions which contributed to the should guide the nation, the Assembly of that > increasing respect afforded the Faith in country offered its Statement on the National > scholarly circles were the Associations for Ideology, which recommended that consulta- > Baha'i Studies, with their international co- tion be applied to the whole decision-making > ordinating centre in Canada, and Landegg process. Two pioneers at the University of > Academy, founded in Switzerland in 1988. Benin conducted a research project in which > Baha'is also influenced the curriculum of they used consultation with local farmers to > public schools at the primary and secondary demonstrate its value in rural development. > levels. In Australia, after a retired Baha'i Increasingly, a variety of organizations > teacher offered a multifaith religious educa- recognized the value of this important Baha ' i > tion course to Queensland school officials, principle, and requested advice and training. > the Queensland Department of Education In 1986, following a three-hour session on > invited a Baha 'i representative to be present consultation led by Baha ' is, the Social and > at Curriculum Development Committee Ethics Committee of the Canadian Nuclear > meetings, and the State Religious Education Association requested that the Baha ' is facili- > Advisory Committee voted to offer commit- tate discussion between the various factions > tee membership to officers of the Faith. In in the nuclear energy debate. A mayor in > Peru high school teachers assigned research New Zealand called the Local Assembly on > concerning the Faith as homework, refer- behalfofhis city council to request a meeting > ring to Radio Baha'i as a resource. British on consultation; the council met with three > Columbia's Ministry of Education in Canada Baha ' is who explained and demonstrated the > accepted The Hidden Words and The Seven concept. > Valleys as literature which could be studied > in high schools. PROMOTING EQUALITY OF THE SEXES > The believers initiated and supported numer- > ADVOCATING CONSULTATION ous activities to promote the equality of men > As Baha'is worked to improve the level of and women. In most cases this took the form > consultation within their communities (see of enhancing the status of women. Baha' is > also "Higher Levels of Consultation," p. 167), sponsored hundreds of conferences open to > they simultaneously increased efforts to the public; formed Baha ' i women's groups > share this dynamic concept with the rest of which associated with other organizations > the world. pursuing similar aims; and participated in > Education about consultation took various various commissions and projects dedicated > forms. In Guyana members of the Women's to equality of the sexes. (See also "Women's > Affa irs Task Force presented the principle Activities", p. 409.) > to sixteen representatives of women 's groups; Local, regional and national conferences > the Baha'i model was demonstrated in a were hosted by Baha'is to address this issue > graduate course at the University of Hawaii in such diverse locations as Cape Verde, > to overwhelmingly positive response; and Chad, Grenada, Korea, Paraguay and Spain. > Tonga ' s National Women's Greater Involve- The most noteworthy of these gatherings > ment in the Life of Human Society Committee were: a 1988 international women's confersponsored a highly successful conference on ence in the United States which provided a > consultation. forum for more than 1,000 women from > In different ways, Baha'is seized opportu- sixty-five countries to discuss their role in > nities to educate decision-making bodies the global peace-making process; the > about the impo1iance of consultation. When Pacific Women's Conference spearheaded > the government of Singapore invited groups by Hawaii ' s South Hilo Local Assembly in > to submit their views on the core values that 1991 and attended by seventy people from > 156 THE BAI-IA •j WORLD > > seventeen nations; and a Caribbean Women's contributions to food production in Africa > Conference held in the Leeward Islands in and the importance of their involvement in > 1988 with pa1iicipants from twelve countries. all levels of decision-making. > Baha'i groups forged links with non- A number of related projects and com- > Baha' i associations working toward similar missions benefited from the involvement of > goals by registering with umbrella organiza- individual oelievers and Baha'i communities. > tions, co-sponsoring events and speaking at The Faith was represented by both women > meetings. The Baha ' i Women 's Committee and men at meetings called by the UN Comof Singapore collaborated with the Sin- mission on the Status of Women, including > gapore Council of Women's Organizations , global and regional conferences, seminars > which is composed of thirty-four groups; two and workshops. During the Plan fifteen state- > Baha' is served as Executive Board members ments were presented to the Commiss ion on > for a combined total of four years. In Nigeria such topics as social and economic developthe Baha'i Women's Development Board ment, education and the status of girls. One > registered with the National Council of direct result of this involvement was a joint > Women's Societies. Ireland's Baha'i National project supported by the United Nations > Committee for Fostering the Equality of the Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) > Sexes fom1ed strong ties with other commu- called "Traditional Media As Change Agent." > nity groups. In cooperation with various consultants > Since 1988 a representative of the Faith Baha' i agencies, National Assemblies, and > has served as convenor of "Advocates for UNIFEM, Baha'is created a project using > African Food Security: Lessening the Burden traditional means, such as music and dance, > of Women," a coalition of United Nations to stimulate discuss ions about women's > agencies with non-governmental and inter- and men's roles in society. The project > governmental organizations. Participants commenced in localities in Bolivia, Brazil, > educate policymakers about women's vital Cameroon, Malaysia and Nigeria. > > The President of > France, His Excellency > Franr;ois Mitterand, > with Mrs. Peggy > Maichoo, pioneer > to Reunion (right), > at a reception at the > Elysee Palace in Paris, > in commemoration > of International > Wom ens ' Day, > 8 March 1990. > INT ERNA TION AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACT IVITI ES 157 > > c. Increasing the Worldwide Availability has a permanent collection of 1,000 volumes > and Use of Baha'i Literature and also sells Baha'i books. In addition, the > A worldwide increase in the translation, Local Spiritual Assembly ofMoissala, noting > production, distribution and use of Baha'i the paucity of educational facilities available > literature was designated as a priority during to villagers , started a mobile library in colthe Six Year Plan with a view to proclaiming laboration with the Local Spiritual Assembly > the Faith and its principles to all sections of of Munich, Ge1many; it contains both > society and broadening the Baha'i commu- Baha 'i and general reference materials and > nity's understanding of Baba 'u' llah and His travels between villages, spending one day > Message. This objective was energetically in each place. > addressed throughout the Baha' i world in a > number of ways. PRO DUCTION AND TRANSLATION > Trans lations of Baha ' i literature were signifi- > AVAILABILITY cantly increased in a number of languages, > Efforts to present Baha' i literature to both covering a greater range of subj ect matter. > the general public and the Baha'i commu- Spiritual Assemblies strnve to enrich Baha' i > nity were intensified, taking m any fo1ms. literature in national and local languages . > The most widespread were the participation Many such efforts were acclaimed for their > of Baha'is in book fairs and exhibitions, the conháibution towards the preservation of culdistribution of Baha' i literature to public ture and heritage. In Dominica, for example, > libraries, and the establishment of book the first háanslation of The Hidden Words > depots and lending libraries. It is not possi- into Creole was received with appreciation > ble to enumerate the achievements of every by a high-ranking government official and > community in this sphere of activity, but to was seen as advancing the culture of the > focus on the accomplishments of a few is island. > revealing. The National Spiritual Assembly of > In India the Baha'is participated in some Switzerland published a booklet in Ladin, a > thirty-eight book fairs, held nearly two main dialect of Romansch, the fourth lanhundred book exhibitions and established as guage of Switzerland; the booklet was > many as 110 book depots an d 865 lending disháibuted to the media and to agencies > libraries. In one Indian state the Baha'is engaged in preserving the language. In the > received a request from the Director of Netherlands a national teaching conference > Public Libraries for 3,000 copies of Baha' i was organized by a Loca l Assembly to celebooks to be distributed among the 1,500 brate the publication and to develop plans > public libraries throughout the state. In for the use of a compilation of the Writings > Argentina the Baha'is took part in the ammal of 'Abdu ' l-Baha in Frisian, a language of the > Buenos Aires Book Fair, one of the most Frisian Islands and the northern Netherlands. > important in Latin America, drawing nearly In Togo and Benin, where selected Writa million people each year. At the Interna- ings were háanslated into the native tongues > tional Book Fair held in Yugos lavia and of villagers, a powerful effect on Baha' i > attended by nearly 400,000 people, the conmmnities was achieved. To encourage > Baha' i Book Distribution Service of Austria application of Baha'i teachings certain háibal > gave out some 2,800 items. Baha'i publish- chiefs also made recordings of the obligaers attended three ammal International Book tory prayers so that illiterate villagers could > Fairs in Beijing, China. In Chad the Olinga listen to the Words of Baha ' u ' llah; other > Bookstore-Library was opened in Moissala audio recordings of the Writings amplified > in the presence of religious, civi l and military this mode of learning prayers and studying > leaders; the library, open to the public daily, the Creative Word. > 158 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In Papua New Guinea a booklet of prayers the publication of a number of bibliographies > from several of the world's major religions of Baha' i works and an English-language > was translated into Nalik, one of the local Baba 'i dictionary. Two more concordances > languages, the first book ever printed in that were added to the seven already available, > language; a written forn1 of Nalik had to be and the Sacred Writings in an electronic > created by Baha'is before this could occur. format became accessible for the first time > The booklet, entitled Saaule Nakmai, a tradi- through the publication of two software > tional Nalik call for assistance from God, programs. > was part of the Baha' i community's contri- With the overall enrichment of Baha'i > bution to the United Nations International literature throughout the world, it became > Literacy Year. necessary to ensure that the desire to create > A clear trend emerged and gained momen- variety did not overshadow the need to make > tum during the Plan to produce more Baha'i basic Baha' i literature available to the > literature on a broader range of subj ects. masses of humanity. Cognizant of this need, > New Baha' i publications appeared on themes the International Teaching Centre fostered a > such as health and hea ling, marriage and program that is now known as the "core > family, decision-making and consultation, literature" program. Core literature refers to > implications and applications of peace, and a a selection of titles comprised of Holy Writrange of social and economic development ings, works on the Life and Miss ion of > issues. Prior to the Plan only a handful of Baha'u' llah, and introductory and deepening > Baba ' i publications existed on the subject of materials, which are printed in large numliteracy. By its close, the number of Baha'i bers and made available to the friends at > publications related to literacy easily reached affordable prices. The list of titles chosen > forty. Among the languages in which Baha' i as core literature for a given language not > literacy materials can now be found are: only is unique to that language, but grows > Hindi and Marathi for India; French and and changes as the community develops and > Creole for Haiti; Lunda for Zambia; Guaymi as the general enrichment of literature > for Panama; and Spanish, Portuguese and progresses. > Quechua for Latin America. Nowhere did this approach prove more > It is also interesting to note the marked useful than in the former Eastern Bloc, > upsurge in the publication of Baha'i refer- where the sudden opening of the countries of > ence materials. The Six Year Plan witnessed the region to the rest of the world in late > > An estimated > 1,000,000 people > visited the > i nternational Book > Fa ir held in Buenos > A ires in April I 989. > Th is was th e sixth > year the Bahri 'i > Publishing Trust of > Argentina participated in the Fair and > its booth attracted > much attention. > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 159 > 1989, and the large-scale teaching efforts systematize efforts in translation, publication > that followed, created an unprecedented and distribution on the various continents. > demand for Baha'i literature. In languages Likewise, the first International Chinese > spoken in those countries experiencing large- Baha'i Writers' Seminar was held in Malayscale expansion, namely Albanian, Bulgarian, sia in June 1991, which explored the need > Romanian and Russian, a packet of basic for suitable Baha'i materials in Chinese. In > core literature was printed in large quantities order to enhance the range of Baha'i literato put essential items into the hands of the ture available in Arabic, a committee known > people. While the production and distribu- as the "Reviewing Board of Baha'i Literation of core literature was vigorously pursued, ture in Arabic" was appointed by the House > parallel plans were developed to create a of Justice in September 1991, with its base > broad spectium of Baha'i literature in these in London. A Baha'i publishers' conference, > languages. Both processes gradually gath- held in England in February 1992, was > ered momentum during the last two years of attended by forty-four representatives of > the Plan and will continue for many years to twenty-two publishers from seventeen councome. tries. As an outgrowth of that conference, > However, it was not only in the former the International Association of Baha' i > Eastern Bloc where this approach proved Publishers was formed with its base in the > useful. Core literature programs were also Netherlands. > developed for languages spoken in other > regions of the world where large-scale expan- DISSEM INATION > sion is taking place, including Hindi, Khmer, The capacity of the Baha'i world to dissemi- > Lao, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Portuguese and nate literature on specific issues to thousands > several vernacular languages of Africa, such of people increased enormously. The release > as Bemba, Igbo, Yoruba and Sara. of The Promise of World Peace provided > the impetus for the development of this > COLLABORATION capacity. > Greater collaboration among Publishing Since the appearance of the Peace State- > Trusts and Baha'i publishers was brought ment, some National Spiritual Assemblies > about by technological advances in the field have published items focusing on issues relof printing and the increase in organizational evant to their own countries and have called > capacity throughout the Baha 'i world. On an upon their national communities to use these > operational level, closer collaboration was publications extensively in their proclamawitnessed in the increasing number of Pub- tion and teaching efforts. The most outstanding > lishing Trusts sharing computer discs and/or example is the statement prepared by the > films of manuscripts to facilitate the printing National Spiritual Assembly of the United > of the same book in different locations, thus States in 1991 entitled The Vision of Race > avoiding the cost, difficulties and delays of Unity: America 's Most Challenging Issue. > transporting books over long distances and There is every indication that this newly > across borders. acquired capacity will be fully utilized in > On an organizational level, this collabora- the dissemination of the Statement on > tion was reflected in the number of international Baha'u'llah. Issued in April 1991, the Stategatherings and consultative meetings about ment had already been translated into at least > literature which took place during the Plan. forty-eight languages by the close of the > In 1987, for example, Argentina held the Plan, and reports were received at the World > first Baha' i conference on the production of Centre of its presentation to many prominent > literature in Spanish to coordinate and figures in various lands. > 160 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > d. Further Acceleration in the Process of An illustrated booklet outlining the major > the Maturation of Baha'i Communities tasks of a Local Assembly was distributed at > The Six Year Plan itself, its goals and the a national convention in Togo. > method used to fommlate them, reflected a Seminars, workshops and regular visits > new level of community maturity. In its let- provided the other major fom1 of education. > ter of2 January 1986 the Universal House of In the United States, Auxilia1y Board mem- > Justice stated: "This new process ... signalizes bers, assistants, Counsellors and National > the inauguration of a new stage in the Assembly representatives conducted a series > unfoldment of the Administrative Order." of eighteen local conferences as part of the > "Local Spiritual Assembly Development > STRENGTHENING LOCAL SPIRITUAL Program" launched in 1989. The sessions > ASSEMBLIES were based on training modules and on a > In some areas of the world, most notably new compilation prepared at the National > Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union Center called Developing Distinctive Bahti 'i > and East Asia, the number of Local Assem- Communities: Guidelines for Local Spiritual > blies significantly increased, reaching and Assemblies. > sometimes surpassing national goals. A mile- Members of the various institutions > stone in Local Assembly formation occurred working together in Spain established tl1e > when the central authorities in Moscow "Consolidation Project for Local Spiritual > approved the Baha'is' application to restore Assemblies." A similar National Conunittee > the long-lost Assembly of Ashkhabad for the Support of Local Spiritual Assem- > ('Ishqabad) in 1989. Yet the primary empha- blies was created in the Netherlands. > sis during the Plan was on encouraging In the Philippines a simplified Local > existing Local Assemblies to manifest their Assembly manual translated into Tagalog > full potential. was distributed during seminars run by the > National Assemblies created innovative Area Teaching Committees' "Local Spiritual > and effective deepening programs for mem- Assembly Development Project." A "Travel > bers of Local Assemblies, and Auxiliary Deepeners' Program," created in Tanzania, > Board members and their assistants worked worked with twenty Assemblies during the > tirelessly to nmture these vital institutions. Plan, and the National Assembly of Ethiopia > Local Assemblies took greater initiative in conducted mini-deepenings for members of > holding regular meetings, canying out their its urban Assemblies. > administrative functions, reformillg themselves The Assembly of Chad reported that > without outside assistance, and conducting individual Baha'is travelled thousands of > extension teaching projects. kilometers per year by bicycle to regularly > A number of National Assemblies pro- visit, encourage, deepen and deliver mail to > duced deepening materials for their local Local Assemblies, greatly contributing to > institutions. In Brazil a set of nine booklets their development. Similarly, in tl1e Central > called Forming Conscientious Local African Republic, the assistant secreta1y of > Spiritual Assemblies was shared with more the National Assembly rode some 1,200 > than 200 Local Assemblies. Standards for kilometers by bicycle to hold institutes for > organizing and conducting secretariat and thirteen Local Spiritual Assemblies in five > treasury tasks were formulated by the locations, reaching nearly 300 individuals . > National Assembly of the Eastern Caroline The effects of such efforts could be seen as > Islands and sent to all Local Assemblies. local institutions began demonstrating more > The National Assembly of Fiji taped and responsibility and initiative. > distributed materials related to Assembly Local Assemblies increasingly handled > development in Fijian, Hindi and English. their basic duties without undue reliance on > INT ERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURREN T BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 161 > > Counsellor Edith > Senoga (second from > left) visits Baha 'i > communities in the > remote western region > of Uganda , near the > Ruwenzori Mountains; > Februmy 1990. > > National Assemblies . For example, by the Local Assemblies in Bolivia organized and > end of the Plan, incorporated Assemblies in locally financed regional conferences with > Singapore and Hawaii were handling their between 200 and 600 participants each. Fifty > own administrative work to maintain incor- Canadian Assemblies initiated their own > poration, and eight Assemblies in Taiwan deepening programs and fourteen were overhad assumed responsibility for their own seeing the functioning of bookstores and > local centers. The minutes of Norway 's info1mation centers at the end of the Plan. > Local Assemblies showed these institutions Eleven Local Assemblies in Transkei adopted > to be increasingly advising individuals on and pursued twenty-four extension teaching > their personal problems and on avenues for goals. > service to the Cause. Hawaii reported that > the number of personal cases reaching the D EVELOPING LOCAL BAHA'I COMMUNITIES > National Assembly radically decreased after "It is not enough to expand the rolls of > the Auxiliary Board members held deepen- Baha'i membership, vital as that is, " the > ings with Local Assemblies on how they Universal House of Justice reminded the > might handle this aspect of Assembly believers of the world in its message of > responsibility themselves. Ri~van 1989. "Souls must be transfmmed, > Many Assemblies went beyond bas ic communities thereby consolidated, new > functioning and fully developed loca l models of life thus attained." > activity plans. All Local Assemblies in the It is difficult to measure the develc.pment > Netherlands composed their own arumal of local communities, because no numbers > plans which were then confim1ed by the can be applied to the spirit at a Holy Day > National Assembly. Thailand reported that celebration, to the level of cooperation > four Assemblies created their own plans, among the friends on a daily basis, or to > became financially self-sufficient and the creativity poured into preparation for > supported surrounding communities. Italy's a Nineteen Day Feast. However, as the > National Assembly dissolved its National National Assembly of the Cook Islands > Corrunittee for the Assistance of Local reported, " .. .if the spirit of enthusiasm and > Assemblies because of the level of maturity loving unity among the members of our > that had been achieved. community has anything to do with the > Finally, more Assemblies developed maturity of the community, then we have > sufficiently to begin initiating activities of made great strides over the past six years in > benefit to the wider community. Several this area. " The National Assembly of Nepal > 162 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > similarly reported, "no doubt the greatest of members of the Mura Tribe, was elected > progress during the Six Year Plan has been at Ri~van 1990. The number of native Seneregistered in the area of the maturation of galese on the National Assembly of that > local communities." country reached eight in the last year of the > The successes of large-scale enrollment Plan; as the number of pioneers decreased, > in various parts of the world created an the Senegalese have "taken over, in the > immediate and pressing need for community administration as in the teaching, and in so > consolidation. India's "Muhajir Project" doing, have developed a greater sense of > combined deepening with mass teaching, belonging to the Faith". The Pygmies of the > using a mobile deepening institute to help Central African Republic fom1ed their first > newly formed communities to hold Nineteen Local Assembly in 1987. > Day Feasts, Holy Day celebrations and to Another sign of maturation was the > perform administrative functions. Also in attention given to achieving greater equality > India, the Baha'i Academy in Panchgani between men and women within the Baha'i > significantly contributed to the process of community. Women's issues and the topic > consolidation through well-designed courses of equality were studied at numerous Baha'i > which were attended by Baha ' is from both schools, conferences, mini-courses and sem- > India and abroad, and conferences and semi- inars, and entire conferences focusing on > nars for Auxiliary Board members and women were held in countries as diverse as > assistants. Puerto Rico, Korea, Austria, Mauritius and > In the Khulna area of Bangladesh, where Cape Verde. > the populations of approximately 100 vil- Baha'i groups were formed to provide > lages came close to becoming 100 percent support for women and to encourage com- > Baha'i, the Regional Teaching Committee munities to address the issue of equality. > designated a few as "model Baha'i villages" The Women's Association for Development > and focused efforts on making the difference of Peace and Unity in France consisted of > between Baha'i and other villages readily ninety members in four regional groups and > apparent. held deepenings at various Baha'i gather- > One outstanding sign of community ings. In Spain the National Committee for > growth was the greater participation of Women was created to provide articles, > native believers in activities and institutions. lectures and deepenings. A committee in the > As culh1ral expressions of indigenous people Eastern Caroline Islands, which was formed > were better incorporated into Baha'i com- to foster equality, developed a participatory > munity life and as Baha'is sought to preserve workshop on the topic. > the most positive aspects of native cultures, Women from rnral areas and indigenous > loca l people took greater responsibility for tribes also exhibited greater pariicipation in > their Baha'i communities. Zimbabwe, for community life. In Costa Rica in 1992, tluáee > example, reported that one of the highlights indigenous communities were represented > of the Six Year Plan was the transfom1ation by women at the National Convention for the > of pioneer-dominated activities into collec- first time. In India large numbers of women > tive efforts supported by local believers. were reported to be taking responsibility for > The increased number of native believers the affairs of the Faith in Rajasthan, and in > elected to institutions reflected this greater November 1988 sixty-two Indian women > participation. At the end of the Plan the from thirteen villages attended a deepening > majority of the members of twenty-two Local conference at the Malhousi Baha'i Center in > Assemblies in Guatemala were indigenous Uttar Pradesh, a reported "miracle" for > people. The first indigenous Local Assembly women to leave their homes to share their > in the Amazonas State in Brazil, composed views with others. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURREN T BAHA'i ACTIVIT IES 163 > STRENGTH EN ING NAT IONAL SPIRJTUAL Baha'i elections, often carried out by the > ASSEMBLIES Counsellors, contributed to greater Assem- > Between 1986 and 1992, new National Spiri- bly maturity and improved the quality of > tual Assemblies were formed or re-fo1med in elections, so that they reflected an increas- > Angola, the Congo Republic, Guinea, Guinea- ingly spiritual atmosphere. One recurring > B issau, Greenland, Macau, Niger, the West deepening program, which was developed in > Leeward Islands, Zaire and throughout East- Hawaii for delegates, evolved into a national > ern Europe and Central Asia. The twelve educational program on the electoral process. > National Assemblies formed at Ria:van 1992 Higher levels of cooperation and greater > alone equalled the total number in the world understanding of how to apply Baha'i prinof forty years ago. ciples were reported by Assembly members . > Overall, National Assemblies functioned Kenya reported growth in planning, consulmore effectively as secretariats improved; tation and organization, stating "members are > elections more closely reflected the Baha'i more committed, more loving, more vigoridea; Assemblies delegated more tasks to ous, and they have been trying to play their > strong committees or councils; and members rightful role as 'servants'." Togo's Assembly > generally developed greater understanding reported becoming more understanding of > of their roles. the importance of administering with justice > Record-keeping and organization of the the affairs and property of the Faith. The > administrative work of Assemblies improved National Assembly of the Hawaiian Islands > with greater access to office technology. declared that its degree of growth "is > Membership records were computerized reflected in the fundamental unity among > in numerous places , including Dominica, its members, the increased reliance on the > Taiwan, Sri Lanka, the Eastern Caroline power of divine assistance in decision- > Islands and Zimbabwe; and many secretari- making, and the constant attempt to make > ats tluáoughout the Baha ' i world acquired decisions based on principle and to arrive at > word processors and fax machines to facili- consensus and wrnnimity ... " > tate their correspondence work. In Canada In several communications to National > comprehensive information on localities was Assemblies, the Universal House of Justice > entered into a database and a history of Local recognized greater Assembly maturity by > Assembly establishment was compiled. delegating more responsibility to these insti- > The emphasis in some areas on educating tutions . In 1986 Assemblies were urged to > convention delegates in the unique nature of develop their own national archives, and in > > The Spiritual > Assembly of the > Baha 'is of French > Guiana, with two > A uxilimy Board > members, in > April 1987. > 164 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > 1990 the House of Justice encouraged and Assemblies in the Netherlands worked > National Assemblies to begin selecting pio- together to provide deepenings and children's > neers to be deputized and to match them with classes. In some cases Local Assembly > sponsors, thereby complementing the efforts collaboration was international: seventy > of the International Deputization Fund. believers from twenty-five localities in > Some National Assemblies, in turn, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom > moved to decentralize their activities as their met in 1988 to consult on ways they could > communities and workloads grew. Malay- join efforts to better teach in their local > sia's first State Baha'i Councils were communities. > established, and several oflndia's Councils, Regional consultations among National > created in 1986, developed sufficiently to Assemblies provided additional opportuniinclude their own secretariats, committees, ties for exchange. In October 1990 the > Feast newsletters and journals. Encouraged Continental Board of Counsellors in the > by the Co unsellors to appoint stronger Americas organized a meeting in Guatemala > committees, Hawaii held its first two- for seven Central American National Assemday National Committee Training Institute, blies. Thirty-seven representatives of the > focused on making committees into effec- twelve National Assemblies of the Eastern > tive arms of the Assembly, with authority Caribbean met in Saint Lucia in 1987 to > to act without further approval except in foster collaboration among the participating > cases involving a principle, policy or major communities. That same year representafunding . tives of the Assemblies of Hong Kong, > Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan began what > COLLABORATION AMONG INSTITUTIONS became annual joint meetings ; they were > As Baha'i institutions at all levels matured, joined by the new Assembly of Macau in > greater efforts were made toward sharing 1990. Representatives of the Assemblies of > ideas and encouraging collaboration in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bangcommon goals among Local Assemblies, ladesh, India, Nepal, Sikkim and Sri Lanka > National Assemblies, and between the elected met in India in 1989. Several joint meetings > and appointed institutions. and institutes have been held between the > At least twenty collaborative endeavors Assemblies of Thailand and Laos. > involving 105 Local Assemblies took place In Africa members from the National > in Canada; forty-one Assemblies in Guyana Spiritual Assemblies of Zimbabwe, Zambia > participated in regional conferences in 1991 ; and Malawi met with Counsellors in 1988 to > > Participants in the > National Convention > of the Baha 'is in > Ciskei, April 1987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 165 > > .... ... ' > > - . .... ' e • > > ....... ...,, > '..,.... > • I • > ' , ••• 4 > ~ ' > > ' ' > ' > ' •' ' 11 •• • > I • • ~ I > > •• e I 4 I I • I > > .. . > ' ~ I 1 • •••• ' ( 1• > , ~ > . -' ' . '' . > > Members ofthe National Spiritual Assembly Counsellor Violette Haake (right) meeting > of the Bahri 'is ofJamaica at the Interna- with Auxiliary Board members in > tional Convention in Haifa, Israel, 1988. New Caledonia in November 1991. > > discuss the goal of entry by troops on both institutions in Belgium. Several National > that continent. In Europe that year members Assemblies made observations similar to > of the National Assemblies of the United Hawaii's: "Trust and confidence between > Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland met the institutions and the collaborative spirit of > in Belfast with some 150 Baha'is from learning from each other, growing and > both countries to consult on winning border- working together have characterized the two > teaching goals. The Netherlands reported arms of the administrative order. ... " > greater collaboration among the National This spirit of cooperation manifested itself > Assemblies of Belgium, Gem1any, Luxem- in gatherings of representatives of all the > bourg and the United Kingdom, including the institutions. One conference held in Moscow > regular exchange of teachers. in 1990 was sponsored by the National > In June I 987 the Universal House of Assembly of Germany and attended by > Justice assigned international collaboration members of three Continental Boards of > goals to National Assemblies. National com- Counsellors and all Assemblies involved in > munities were encouraged to aid each other teaching in the Soviet Union. > with teaching, contribute toward properties A national Six Year Plan conference in > and needed equipment, share course materi- Canada brought together representatives from > als and collaborate on literature translation every institution, which then was followed > projects. (See also "Increasing ... Baha' i by five meetings for large groupings of > Literature'', p. 157.) Local Assemblies and, finally, six smaller > In May 1986 the House of Justice regional gatherings. Togo's National Assemannounced an expansion of the Boards of bly reported that a "big step forward in > Counsellors and the Auxiliary Boards, and the process of maturity" took place when > throughout the Plan these institutions forged members of both institutions held two conever-stronger relationships with National and secutive meetings to discuss divergent points > Local Assemblies. A few examples of efforts of view on the best time in the teaching > to increase consultation between Counsellors process to elect Local Assemblies. The frank > and Assemblies include joint regional and consultation "brought the participants to tum > national conferences of the elected and to the directives and advice of the Guardian > appointed institutions held in Pakistan; annual and of the Universal House of Justice. This > meetings between the Assembly of Chad effort... has released an energy which has > and its Auxiliary Board members; and annual spurred our efforts during the last three > weekend meetings with representatives of months of the Plan." > 166 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Participants in a conference for Auxiliary Counsellor member of the International > Board members' assistants held at Teaching Centre Magdalene Carney met > Swakopmund, Namibia in July 1988. NSAs of Sen egal and Gambia, May 1990. > > COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF Advanced technology- including fax > NEWS machines, conference calls and electronic > Baha'i news and ideas continued to be shared mail- enabled a worldwide network of > among the believers primarily through pub- Baba' i communication to be established. > lications and radio, but communication was Electronic bulletin boards such as "Newsenhanced by increasing access to television, wire" in the United States, and international > fax and electronic mail. When the Office and national computer networks such as > of Public lnforn1ation at the Baha'i World "bahai-net," allowed individual believers in > CentTe a1mounced the creation of a Baha'i far-flung locations to exchange ideas and > International Information Network to better make contacts. The regular use of satellites > coordinate effmts to proclaim the Cause and to link believers in the Cook Islands, > defend its interests, another step was taken Hawaii, Western and American Samoa and > toward increasing unity through improving the United States, beginning in 1986, forecommunication among Baha'is. shadowed a time when satellites would > Newsletters for assistants to Auxiliary connect the whole Baha'i world. > Board members and regional bulletins pub- In 1990 the Media Services Depa1tment > lished by Teaching Conmlittees complemented of the United States National Center began > national newsletters and Feast letters to regularly producing Baha 'i Newsreel, a videoform the backbone of inforn1ation exchange. tape highlighting Baha' i events around the > Baha ' i radio stations, which by the end of world. Six editions of the newsreel were > the Plan were broadcasting an average of produced and sent to almost all National > thirteen hours per day each, seven days a Spiritual Assemblies during the Plan. In the > week, year-round, also served to unite final year, tapes also became available in > believers in their listening areas. Particularly Spanish and French. > in Africa, radio was used to announce The importance of face-to-face communi- > Feasts, Holy Days and teaching campaign cation was not lost in the midst of the new > events; in India national public radio was possibilities opened up by technology. The > available for a1mouncements. Radio has United States initiated two programs to > served as a primary vehicle for conmlllnica- foster greater unity among members of its > tion in rmal areas of South America, where geographically widespread community: the > a considerable amount of programming is "Weekend Visits Program," begun in 1989, > done in native languages such as Guaynli, brought groups of fifteen to thirty Baba ' is to > Quechua, Mapuche and Aymara. the National Center to exchange thoughts > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 167 > and concerns with the National Assembly; "families" for a demonstration of consultathe "Town Meetings Program" begun in 1990 tion in this context; the groups discussed > and planned by the Treasurer's Office and the rights and responsibilities of each family > members of the Auxiliary Boards, "fostered member, family discipline and the eliminaincreasingly open and frank discussion with tion of prejudice. > the conununity and has provided. .. vital National Assemblies in Bolivia, Guyana, > information about many aspects of the com- Mali and Norway reported reserving time > munity's life." during their meetings for regular study of > In Taiwan the National Assembly and passages in the Baha'i Writings on consultanational committees held meetings around tion. > the country to help members meet as many > individual believers as possible. In Zimbabwe SUPPORT OF THE FUND > the Regional Teaching Committee system The health of the Baha'i Fund is yet another > created a communication network using trav- indicator of the community's developing > eling teachers to deliver news and messages. maturity. Although there is no way to measure the spirit of sacrifice and sense of duty > HIGHER LEVELS OF CONSULTATION behind voluntary contributions, effo1is by > A sign of growing maturity in Baha'i com- local believers to take more responsibility > munities was the importance given to better for the needs of national and international > practicing the art of consultation. The believ- funds indicate spiritual growth. > ers developed materials, organized classes In 1989 Landegg Academy held its first > and seminars, and began Assembly meetings study course on "Effective Fund Managewith deepenings on this fine art. ment for the Development of the Faith," > Among the materials created and distrib- which illustrated the importance of fostering > uted were Brazil ' s Baha'i Consultation and a spiritual basis for donations . > Consult to Decide Better; audio-visual aids In the United States the "Local Assembly > and a booklet were produced and dissemi- Goals Program for the National Fund" > nated in Bangladesh; a complete course was was launched in October 1990. Based on > prepared in Madagascar; and a document factors such as locality size and past record > was written for presentations during Baha' i of donations , the National Assembly made > hannattan schools in Togo. specific recommendations to a number of > Consultation was often studied in confer- Local Assemblies which reflected the level > ences, institutes and summer schools in of sacrifice felt to be within the local commany countries. India organized an annual munity's power. > conference on it, and workshops were held In Canada the Loca l Assembly of West > in Botswana, Burkina Faso, Denmark, El Vancouver, British Columbia, initiated what > Salvador, Luxembourg and Spain. became a national program to contribute in > The practice of consultation formed a specified units toward elimination of the > major portion of several courses. During a 1990- 91 National Fund deficit. > nine-day workshop in Australia, Baha'is from The number of regular contributors to the > three Aboriginal Reserves elected a mock National Fund of Thailand increased four- > Assembly and practiced consulting on hypo- teenfold after the national treasurer began > thetical issues; an Auxiliary Board member making personal visits to communities and > joined the process, thereby helping partici- sessions on the Fund were included in nearly > pants to gain insight into the role of that all schools and conferences. > institution. At a conference in the Western Local communities in several countries > Caroline Islands sponsored by a Regional regularly supported their National Funds by > Teaching Committee, participants formed planting crops to sell just for this purpose. > 168 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Hand of the > Cause of God > Amatu 'l-Baha > Ruhiyyih > Khanum opening the local > Baha'i Center in > Sheung Shui, > Hong Kong, in > November J990. > > Right: Counsellor Lucretia Warren with > members of the National Spiritual Assembly > of Mozambique in fiwit of their newly > acquired National Baha'i Center, 1989. > > Above: The new > National Office of the > National Spiritual > Assembly of the > Baha 'is of Kiribati > which was dedicated > in 1989. > > Right: Friends > gathered at the Baha 'i > Center in Ndava, > Burundi, for the > inauguration held > 22 October 1989. > INT ERNAT ION AL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 169 > Frnit grown on the national endowment LEGAL RECOGNITION OF BAHA'i > property at Fam1ers, St. Thomas Parish, INSTITUTIONS > Barbados, was used to make jam to sell fo r The Universa l House of Justice was able > the Fund. The Local Assembly ofNyiakungu, to call fo r the re-formation of the National > Kenya, grew and sold tomatoes to become Assemblies of the Congo Republic and Niger > the first Assembly to meet its contribution at Ri9van 1992 after the Faith had been > goal for the National Fund. The Local Assem- legally recognized by the authorities in both > bly of Tshilaka, Zaire, harvested crops of countries. These significant events were part > coffee, com, manioc, beans and peanuts to of a trend toward governments ' officially > benefit the Fund. Believers in Danane, Cote recognizing the Faith's independence. This > d'Ivoire, cultivated rice for three consecu- facilitated the incorporation of its Assemtive years to support their Local Fund. blies, and acceptance of the legality of Baha'i > maniage and absences of Baha'i students > BAHA'I PROPERTIES from public schools on Holy Days . > As the Baha ' i community expanded, a greater A milestone in legal recognition of the > number of localities were able to build, Faith occurred in Germany in February 1991 > purchase or rent local, regional and national when the Federal Constitutional Court, > Baha'i centers. Efforts were also made to the highest legal authority in the country, > renovate existing properties, encouraged by affirmed the legality of Assemb ly bylaws, > the message from the House of Justice in upholding the constih1tional appeal made by > October 1990 outlining standards for main- the Local Spiritual Assembly of Ti.ibingen > taining Baha 'i properties. after a series of lower courts had refused > New national centers were acquired in incorporation. The lower courts had based > Ciskei, Macau, Mozambique, Romania and their decision on the grounds that the author- > Saint Lucia. In Botswana, Project "Buy a ity granted to the National Assembly in the > Brick" was initiated in 1988 to accelerate bylaws of the Local Assembly violated the > contributions for the new center. The great- legal principle requiring all legally incorpoest number of new regional centers were rated associations to be autonomous . In a > acquired in African countries such as decision with far-reaching implications, the > Burnndi, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Siena Leone Federal Court affi1med the right of the > and Zimbabwe. More than 200 local centers Baha'is to organize as a hierarchically > were opened throughout the world. shuctured legal community according to the > Two of the most significant achievements revealed Law of God. Because the decision > in this area were the constmction of the was based partially on the constitutional > Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent, right to freedom of religious practice, the > which was dedicated to public worship in Court declared its recognition of the Faith as > December 1986 (see pp. 731-740), and the an independent religion, stating, "the characopening of the De Poort Conference Centre ter of the Baha ' i Faith as a religion and the > in the Netherlands in June 1987. De Poort, Baha'i Community as a religious community > which means "the gate," is owned and oper- is evident, in actual everyday life, cultural > ated by the Dutch Baha'i community and tiáadition, and in the understanding of the > hosts gatherings sponsored by members of general public as well as of the science of > the European Baha ' i community and various comparative religion. " The Court even took > other organizations. the rare step of issuing a statement to the > Renovation of a number of Baha'i proper- press explaining its decision. > ties also took place, the most extensive being In June 1988, the Legislative Council of > the refurbishment of the Houses of Worship Hong Kong passed an ordinance giving the > in Kampala, Uganda, and in Wilmette, U.S.A. Baha ' i Assembly a new status which may > 170 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > well afford the Faith further legal protection lifted. Chicago' s Board of Education in > in the years beyond 1997 when Hong Kong the United States, the Superintendent of > becomes a part of the People ' s Republic of Education for the Northern Mariana Islands, > China. The National Assembly of Saint Germany's Bavarian State Ministiáy for > Lucia was also incorporated, and the Ciskei Education and Culture, and the Cantonal > Assembly's constitution was approved by its authorities in Bern, Switzerland, all gave > Government. permission for Baha'is to be absent on Holy > Government documents acknowledging Days. In Zimbabwe the Holy Days are listed > the Faith were used in India, where the on government calendars. Authorities in > Director of the Census instlucted all enu- three counties of the Republic of Ireland > merators to record the Baha'i Faith as an have granted a holiday to all pupils for the > independent religion and list the believers Birthday of Baha 'u 'llah. > properly. In Turkey, some fifty believers > were able to change the religion section e. Promoting Universal Participation and > of their birth certificates from "Islam" to the Spiritual Enrichment of Individual > "Baha'i. " In Austria, Baha ' i credentials Believers > became accepted as valid documents for In its Ric;lvan message of 1988, the Universal > obtaining visas, and, in Saint Lucia, Baha ' i House of Justice wrote: > registration of births and deaths was ... it is on the initiative, the resolute will > recognized. of the individual to teach and to serve, > The National Spiritual Assembly of the that the success of the entire community > Hawaiian Islands was issued mailboxes in depends .... The ultimate tiáiumph of the > the State Senate and the House of Represen- Cause is assured by that 'one thing and > tatives to receive copies of all bills before only one thing' so poignantly emphasized > the legislature. Baha'i institutions received by Shoghi Effendi, namely, 'the extent to > tax exemptions in Equatorial Guinea, Guinea- which our own inner life and private > Bissau, New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands, character mirror forth in their manifold > and Uruguay. aspects the splendor of the eternal princi- > Advances were made in recognition of ples proclaimed by Baba 'u 'llah'. > Baha' i maniage. The Nigerian government > pern1itted Baha'i institutions to issue gov- UNIVERSAL PARTI CIPATION > ernment maniage certificates; five additional Baha'i institutions nurtured believers toward > Local Assemblies in Uganda were authorized higher levels of participation in community > to conduct legally valid marriage ceremo- life and service to the Cause by using educanies; Baha'i marriages were recognized for tional methods that reached the widest > the first time in an additional nine National possible Baha'i audience, and by relating the > Assembly areas; and Baha'i marriage offic- Teachings to the particular backgrounds of > ers were appointed in Grenada, Guyana, the individuals in the community. > Pakistan, Saint Lucia and Transkei. A wide Baha ' i audience was reached > Progress was also made toward excusing through ongoing study guides published in > more students and teachers from schools on national newsletters, such as the course on > Baha'i Holy Days. In Ecuador permission the Kitab-i-Iqan that ran in the October and > was granted for the Raul Pavon School to November 1989 issues of The American > close on Holy Days. In Uganda the Educa- Bahiz 'i and was reproduced by the National > tion Department of Mbale granted students Assembly of the Hawaiian Islands and > exemption from classes on the nine Holy mailed to all believers through Local Assem- > Days, the first instance of Holy Day recogni- blies. In addition, a study guide on the > tion since the 1979 ban on the Faith was Epistle to the Son of the Wolf was published > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 171 > in the Febrnary, March and April 1991 issues. Particular efforts were made to help > Other methods used to reach believers believers integrate their ethnic identities and > included an experimental program in India their Baha'i identities, particularly for indigoffering insh-uction through television, and enous people entering the Faith. In New > increased use in Brazil of riverboats to carry Zealand a "Whare Wananga" (School of > Baha'is along the Amazon River and its trib- Leaming) was established in June 1987 to > utaries, providing deepening from village to provide twice-yearly intensive courses for > village. the Maori Baha'is on the teachings and > Correspondence courses were used to history of the Faith and the relationship > reach believers who might not otherwise between Maori culture and the teachings . > have access to regular deepenings or be able Also in New Zealand 107 Maori Baha' i > to attend Baha'i schools. During the Plan women, including National Assembly and > courses were developed in places such as National Teaching Committee members, > Canada, El Salvador, Bangladesh, Thailand, held their first National Women's "Hui", or > Burkina Faso and Tanzania, and previously traditional gathering, in Febrnary 1987. In > published lessons continued to be disháibuted May of that year the National Convention > in Saint Lucia, India , Botswana, Chad and of New Zealand was held for the first time at > Malawi. In Belize, Brazil and Bangladesh, a "marae" (háaditional Maori meeting place). > all of which experienced the challenges of The message from the Convention to the > consolidation fo llowing large-scale emoll- World Centre said the decision to hold the > ments, at least one correspondence course convention at a "marae" tapped the spiritual > was sent to each new believer. Zimbabwe reservoir of the indigenous culture. > reported that 4,5 00 believers participated in In the United States in August 1988, > correspondence courses. Courses specifi- Native American men and women representcally for children were published in Taiwan ing fifty háibes gathered under a giant tent > and Malaysia. surrounded by teepees near the sacred burial > New believers were helped to establish site of Chief Sitting Bull at Standing Rock > the foundations of their Baha'i identities in Reservation in South Dakota to attend the > a variety of ways, the most common being Baha'i-sponsored "Fifth Continental Indigethe sending of Baha'i books, compilations of nous Council". Written pledges to serve the > the Writings, or correspondence courses with Cause and carry the Faith to Africa, Europe > welcome cards. In Guyana a "National and South America were received by the > Deepening Program" for new believers was National Assembly on the last night of the > launched in 1992, in which 1,000 have Council. In July 1989 Baha'is from eight > pa11icipated. In the Netherlands all new countries joined seven Counsellors for a > believers were invited to the National Center conference in Bolivia on the development of > to meet the National Assembly and study the Faith among the indigenous peoples of > the administration, and to a special weekend Latin America. Deepening conferences and > of study at De Po011 Conference Centre. training programs specifically for the Lunda > The National Assembly ofBurw1di regularly people of Zambia also resulted in offers to > reserved one day of its program of classes háavel to teach and homefront pioneer. In > fo r new Baha'is to ask questions. The Saint Lucia assistance was provided for > National Assemb ly of Rwanda regularly indigenous believers to take part in overseas > corresponded with new believers , sending conferences and teaching projects. > news, deepening courses and selections from Zimbabwe provides another example of > the Holy Writings. In Puerto Rico several success in encouraging the pai1icipation of > regional conferences for new believers were native believers. The majority of Regional > held. Teaching Committee members were local > 172 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Baha'is, ninety percent of Convention dele- basics of Baha'i life by producing two comgates were indigenous, deepening institute pilations, Prayer and Meditation and Shining > teachers were indigenous and classes were Examples, and then launching a National > conducted in vernacular languages. Teaching Conmlittee plan, printed in booklet > Strengthening the Baha'i identities of fo1m, called Spiritualization in Action. Meetnew believers was particularly crucial in ings on each island conducted by National > areas where mass enrollment had occmTed. Assembly members began in November > The method used by resident teaching teams 1991. The Spiritual Enrichment Committee > in Guyana of immediately revisiting new produced a series ofleaflets on the requisites > believers, providing deepening, and involv- for spiritual growth to be used to stimulate > ing them in the teaching work right away, consultation during Nineteen Day Feasts. > spread to other countries experiencing entry Material promoting reflection on spiritual > by troops. For example, a 1988 teaching principles was also provided to national > project in Bolivia began with a two-day conmmnities by the Universal House of > spiritualization and training course at the Justice. A compilation on tmstworthiness > Firdawsi Institute in Caracollo, resulted in prepared by the Research Department of the > the enrollment of more than 1,000 new souls Baha' i World Centre was sent to all National > and ended with deepening courses designed Assemblies in January 1987, and extracts > to maintain the momentum of expansion and from the Writings concerning the sanctity of > consolidation. Baha'i marriage, together with a statement > on preserving Baha'i maniages, were sent > INDIVIDUAL SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT in December 1990. > Regular deepenings sponsored by Baha'i > institutions or initiated by individual believ- LITERACY > ers, and armual summer, winter and spring In its Ri<;lvan 1989 message the Universal > schools held regionally or nationally contin- House of Justice stated that "further systemued to provide consistent opportunities for atic attention needs to be given to the > the Baha'is to develop their understanding eventual elimination of illiteracy from the > of the Teachings and to experience the spiri- Baha'i community, an accomplishment > tual unity of these gatherings. The focus of which would, beyond anything else, make > study shifted more and more to the Life of the Holy Word accessible to all the friends > Baha'u'llah as the Holy Year approached. In and thus reinforce their efforts to live the > Alaska all believers were sent a copy of the Baha'i life." > Statement on Baha'u' llah. The importance of such a campaign was > The Assembly of Thailand reported greater again emphasized when the House of Justice > enthusiasm and participation in Baha' i sum- wrote a Jetter to all National Assemblies > mer and winter schools when the programs on 10 July 1989, calling on each to address > were changed from lecture format to interac- itself to this objective. "Access to [the Holy > tive learning. Word]," the Jetter read, "constant study of > The word "institute" was used to designate it and daily use of it in our individual lives > a variety of Baha'i educational entities, from are vital to the inner personal háansformation > comprehensive consolidation and spiritual towards which we sháive and whose ultimate > enrichment programs, to permanent facilities outer manifestation will be the emergence of > offering regular courses, to one-time week- that divine civilization which is the promise > end workshops. of the World Order ofBaha'u'llah." > One example of a comprehensive program Baha'is responded to this call in various > was Hawaii's Spiritualization Campaign, ways, participating in commemorations of > which focused the entire community on the the United Nations International Literacy > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 173 > Year in 1990, joining local adult literacy which described the society-building proprograms and creating their own programs. cesses of the Baha'i community and the > operation of the Administrative Order using > BAHA'i SCHOLARSHIP the language and concepts of general evolu- > Notable advances were made in the develop- tion and systems theories, was ve1y well > ment of Baha'i scholarship during the course received. Contact with this society, later > of the Plan, such that an increasing number renamed the International Society for the > of believers were engaged in analyzing the Systems Sciences, was maintained through > problems of humanity and demonstrating the the presentation of papers with Baha'i conefficacy of the Baha ' i teachings in solving tent at each of its annual meetings. (See also > these problems. "General Systems ... ", pp. 459-460) > The process of relating the Teachings to In 1988 Switzerland 's Landegg Conferthe cunent issues of concern to the people of ence Center, a venue used for conferences, > the world was fostered by the activities of seminars and summer schools since being > the Associations for Baha' i Sh1dies which acquired by Baha ' is in 1983, became the > are to be found now in every continental home of Landegg Academy which offers > area, and which attract a growing number seminars, symposia, conferences and fornms > of people, both Baha'is and others, to their for Balla ' is, such as a conference for young > periodic meetings on such topics as racial professionals on "Reaching People of > unity, the equality of men and women, the Capacity," and for the wider academic > development of world order, and the spiri- community, such as symposia on conflict > rual foundations of social development. (See resolution and the global environmental > also pp. 461-470) crisis. In September 1990 the historic first > A significant role is played by the Associ- "International Dialogue on the Transition to > ation for Baha'i Sh1dies in North America, a Global Society," organized by Landegg in > which has published proceedings of some of cooperation with the Vienna Academy for > its conferences in books such as Unity: The the Srudy of the Furure and the University of > Creative Foundation of Peace; Racial Unity: Maryland, brought together eighty leaders of > An Imperative for Social Progress; The thought from around the world to present > Bah6. 'i Faith and Islam; and Th e Baha 'i papers and discuss the changing world > Faith and Marxism .. order. > The inauguration in 1988 of Th e Journal In August 1989 Landegg launched the > of Baha 'i Studies, a quarterly, trilingual "Ce11ificate Programme in Baha ' i Srudies." > journal that publishes articles by scholars of Designed to foster systematic Baha ' i scholthe Baha'i Writings, created a fornm open to arship as called for by Shoghi Effendi, the > all researchers . three-year independent srudy course requires > Several Baha' is participated in a scientific pa11icipants to spend the month of August > conference organized by the International each year at Landegg and to submit a num- > Society for General Systems Research in ber of papers throughout the rest of the year. > Budapest, Hungary, in 1987. Dr. Ervin The program began with twenty-eight > Laszlo, a renowned scientist and member of srudents from eleven countries. > the Club of Rome, had encouraged the The establishment of Baha'i Chairs at > Baha ' is to participate and requested that a universities in the United States and India > paper on the Faith be presented. The Baha'i also marked a significant step in the devel- > Community as a Model for Social Change, opment of Baha'i scholarship. > 174 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > > f. Baha'i Education of Children and traditions of child education had been estab- > Youth and Baha'i Family Life lished ten or twenty years earlier, previously > The education of chilc!Jen and youth and the weak Local Assemblies were beginning to > nurturing of Baha'i families have been im- function and new generations of stalwart > p01iant components of several recent Plans . believers were arising . > However, the efforts required to open new Following this letter and others in a simiareas to the Faith and to consolidate new lar vein, the idea of placing emphasis on > communities often meant that few resources children and youth increasingly became the > were available for this crucial concern. Dur- focus of the believers' thinking, consultation > ing the Six Year Plan the institutions of the and planning. In Africa, Latin America and > Faith, encouraged by the Counsellors, gave Asia, as a result of large-scale enrollments > fresh attention to the needs of children and among the masses, many Baha'i communiyouth. As the Plan drew to a close the training ties were particularly obliged to take a new > of children 's teachers and the development look at the challenges of chi ld education. > of children's materials were progressing In Colombia, beginning in 1990, háaditional > with increased vigor and resolve, often as campaigns of expansion and consolidation > a major activity of the growing number of were altered to pay greater attention to > permanent teaching institutes. children and junior youth and, through them, > Renewed focus on the imp01iance of to their parents. In the Caribbean also, it > educating children, youth and fa milies, and was found that where organized children's > greater understanding of the requirements classes occurred, they provided the greatest > for building successful programs, were major access to the people. In many villages of the > achievements of the Plan in this area. world it was not only Baha ' i children but > also children and junior youth in the general > BAHA ' I C I-llLD REN ' S EDUCATION population who showed an ardent desire to > A December 1988 letter from the Interna- receive Baha'i education. As the Plan drew > tional Teaching Centre to all Continental to a close, more communities were incorpo- > Counsellors shared a vision of the children rating the establishment of children's classes > of the world as teachers of their own genera- into their plans of action for large-scale > tion, and as agents for the deepening of expansion. > others, placing pa1iicular emphasis on chil- Teachers of children's classes were trained > dren aged ten to sixteen. The Counsellors during a number of seminars organized by > had seen how in conmmnities where strong national and local Baha'i institutions and by > > Children in a Bahri 'i > tutorial school in > Ngoakiri 11, in the > Central Aji-ican > Republic, 1987. > INTERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF C URRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 175 > permanent institutes. The International Teach- children. Nicaragua 's first National Chiling Centre, in a letter to all Counsellors in dren's Conference was held in Managua > November 1992, foresaw the Six Year Plan in 1990, with more than forty children from > setting the stage for the corning Three Year six communities participating in deepenings, > Plan, and stated that "the rapid multiplica- singing, games and the breaking of a > tion of programs for the training of children's traditional "piiiata" filled with gifts. Two > class teachers represents one of the most children's conferences were held in Japan in > promising developments of institutes around the last year of the Plan. The first "Children's > the world". Unity Camp" was organized in Malaysia. > The Ruhi Institute in Colombia continued > to train youth as facilitators capable of stim- CURRI CULA AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS > ulating other youth to educate themselves Efforts to create materials for use in chilin order to become effective Baha'i teachers dren's classes were carried out in a number > for the children in their communities. Ruhi of countries. The Children ' s Education Task > materials are designed to help the believers Force in Australia developed a complete curlearn to study the Sacred Writings on their riculum of Baha'i studies for children up to > own and to apply them in their daily lives, age fifteen and worked to fulfill its National > thus spurring them on to higher and higher Assembly's international collaboration goal > levels of service to the Cause. The materials to produce and exchange materials with > were also used in other Latin American coun- other National Assemblies in the Pacific. > tries, several African nations and in India. The School of the Nations in Brazil and the > The National Assembly of India published Maxwell International School in Canada > one of the Ruhi Institute manuals in Hindi, each began long-range projects of rewriting > and in June 1991 held an intensive course to the curricula of their academic courses to > prepare over forty individuals as trainers of reflect a spiritual approach to the subjects > children's class teachers. This effort formed and to provide appropriate ethical content. > part of a program to train hundreds of teach- Curricular materials for Baha'i children's > ers in the Hindi-speaking states. classes were developed in many communi- > The New Era Development Institute in ties , including Canada, Fiji, France, Gabon, > India and Nur University in Bolivia also pre- Kenya, Norway, Singapore, Thailand and > pared material for training teachers. the United States. > Special activities to complement classes A number of National Assemblies and > added to the positive Baha'i experiences of Baha' i educational institutions developed > > A Bahci 'i children 's > class in Florida, > southern Uruguay, > poses for a happy > photograph, > November J988. > 176 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > A Bahci 'i tutorial > school in Chaco, > Paraguay, in > March 1989. > > curricula for teaching comparative religion reserved for children. Chile published chiland the Baha'i Faith in public schools. A dren's letters and artwork in a quarterly > particular milestone was the approval of a bulletin called Capullitos, and a publication > Baha'i curriculum for public schools in the for children called Light of the Lotus was > states of New South Wales and Queensland, produced in the Canary Islands. > in Australia. The Chilean Ministry of Education approved the inclusion of study programs YOUTH > about the Faith in the general high school cur- Throughout the Plan the Baha'i education of > riculum, and the National Assembly prepared youth took a variety of forms, including > teachers for this task. Courses on religion and national and international youth conferences > moral education prepared by Baha'is were á (often organized largely by the youth themused in Brazilian public schools, and efforts selves), deepening retreats, youth camps > were made to introduce courses on the and week-long study institutes. For example, > Faith in the educational systems of Bolivia, in the United States an international youth > Cameroon and Spain. conference organized in 1988 attracted some > Near the end of the Plan, Malawi's 8,000 participants. Youth schools, youth > Regional Education Officer in the Southern symposia and forums for young profession- > Region accepted a plan for Baha'is to present als, held at Landegg Academy in Switzerland, > the history and moral teachings of the Faith among other places, provided opportunities > in secondary schools . Also, a curriculum on for intensive study and international exthe Faith developed by the National Assem- change. > blies of Jamaica and of Trinidad and Tobago Education programs that focused on prewas submitted to the Caribbean Examina- paring youth for the teaching field proved > tions Council for use in the English-speaking particularly successful. In the summer of 1991 , > Caribbean islands. following several intensive teacher háaining > Publications for children also helped to courses for youth that were sponsored by the > involve children in the rhythm of Baha'i National Teaching Committee in the United > community life. A one-page lesson in every States and included field experience, some > Feast letter in Zimbabwe was said to be in- sixty full-time teaching teams arose. Some > shumental in establishing children's classes of the youth became so excited by their > in rural areas; a separate Feast letter for chil- experiences that they decided to postpone > dren was distributed in Brazil; and in Puerto their studies for one year to continue teach- > Rico a page of the national newsletter was ing full-time. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIV!TlES 177 > > ASSISTING PARENTS and fifty children needing medical háeat- > Parental guidance is central to the education ment, were commended by the government. > of Baha'i youth and children, and a number In Papua New Guinea a National Women's > of programs were devised to help parents Conference in October 1987 covered the > prepare for their vital role. Efforts were háaining of children. > made to ass ist African mothers who wished The Baha' i Mothers' Deepening Project of > to supplement their education so that they the Baha'i National Teaching Committee of > would be better prepared to educate their the Philippines was designed to give Filipina > children; the African women Counsellors in Baha'i mothers and future mothers guidance > particular saw this as a worthy mission and on the care, education and training of chilundertook extensive travels to further this dren; on maintaining a Baha'i atmosphere in > aim. The Baha'i Programme for Mothers, an their homes; and on cultivating rapport with > expanding series of booklets published by their husbands and fami lies. The intensive > the National Spiritual Assembly of Kenya, project began in February 1988 with the > provided guidance on raising healthy chil- holding of twenty-one Mothers ' Deepening > dren, teaching good character and creating a Classes in different parts of the counh-y, and > spiritual home environment. Translated into culminated in seven large Family Life Conalmost forty languages, the booklets are ferences in March and April 1988. A meeting > widely used by parents throughout Africa, to explore the principle of the equality of > and in 1987 a set was sent by the House of women and men was held in Cote d'Ivoire in > Justice to all National Assemblies. October 1990, in which the Baha'is were > The Baha 'i Education Network Commit- joined by a dozen other concerned parties to > tee in Canada collaborated with various Local discuss the role of women as the first educa- > Assemblies to sponsor more than thirty tors of their children, the importance of > workshops on helping parents teach values mutual support and common goals among > and virtues to children. The workshops were women, and ways to enhance understanding > attended by over 1,000 people, half of whom between mothers and daughters. > were not Baha'is. In Costa Rica a conference devoted to fami ly consultation and BAHA'i MARRIAGE AND FAM ILY LIFE > parent-child relations was well attended. Various efforts were made throughout the > In July 1986 classes for women in Pakistan world to develop programs to foster wholeon the basics of health care, hygiene and the some Baha'i family life, including deepenings, > feeding of infants, attended by fifty women conferences and special classes at summer > > Th e wedding of two > Bahti 'i couples at the > l enakel Bahti 'i Centre > on Tanna island in > Vanuatu. > Janumy 1987. > 178 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > and winter schools. Baha'i families were interest among the participants, and invitaencouraged to become fully involved in tions to address the public followed. A > practicing the basic teachings of the Faith, National Women's Conference, held at the > with emphasis on prayer, maintenance of a Nakuru Baha'i Center, Kenya, in February > loving and humble attitude toward others, 1990, focused on the spiritual, intellectual > reading of the Writings, upholding family and material well-being of the Baha'i family; > unity through consultation and encouraging the National Women's Committee arranged > teaching of the Cause. television publicity and invited women rep- > A conference was held in Cameroon in resentatives of the Government of Kenya to > June 1986 to discuss the development of take part. The Baha'i youth of the Andaman > women, marriage, family life and child edu- and Nicobar Islands joined other island youth > cation. Also in Cameroon, mothers and to form a discussion group on Baha'i marfathers were invited to paiiicipate in regional riage in July 1990. The State Baha'i Council > conferences on family life held periodically of Andhra Pradesh in India held a "Baha'i > during the Plan; topics discussed included Family Conference" in November 1990. > chastity, consultation in the family, the role In addition to studying the topic of family > of fathers, discipline without physical pun- life, communities worked to create Baha'i > ishment, and the effects on children of activities for families to enjoy together. > parents' words and deeds. Every year the House of Worship in Sydney, > The Baha'is of San Juan, Pue1io Rico, Australia, hosted a Children's Day celebrasponsored weekly talks on "Marriage as a tion in which families participated in readings, > Fortress for Well-Being". The talks, pre- prayers and festivities. In Liberia a 400-acre > sented by a Baha'i psychiatrist under the fatm owned by the National Assembly was > auspices of the Auxiliary Board, attracted used early in the Plan as a center for the > media attention which led to five radio sta- education of families. In Belize a nineteentions' broadcasting weekly announcements day program of readings and activities for > about the project, and one popular station' s families was distributed. The Assembly of > airing two-hour "call-in" shows for several Sri Lanka reported that its efforts to hold > months on topics related to healthy marriage. family conferences and deepenings and to > Elsewhere around the world, a prominent arrange individual visits to homes resulted > Baha'i psychiatrist conducted a one-week in an increase in the number of identifiable > seminar on marriage at the Landegg Academy Baha'i families. > in Switzerland in 1986, which participants Families were the focus of teaching > reported was practical, scholarly and cre- efforts in one city of El Salvador. A Local > ative. In September 1987 the National Baha'i Spiritual Assembly chose a middle-class > Women's Committee of Zaire held a Re- neighborhood where a Baha'i family lived > gional Women' s Conference in Kinshasa, in which to proclaim the Faith during March > Zaire, on marriage, family life and the edu- 1990. Of the 355 families visited by memcation of children. A traveling teacher visited bers of the Baha'i community, almost all > Singapore in August 1989 and conducted a accepted literature, and follow-up visits > workshop on "Marriage and Family Life", were made to thirty-six families. About fifty > which focused on setting life goa ls, defining people from the neighborhood attended at > one's personality, determining what one has least one evening event. By the end of four > to offer the Faith, and examining one ' s weeks ten people had embraced the Faith > expectations from a partner. A traveling and there continued to be interest among > teacher in Lesotho conducted a three-day In- people in at least ninety households. Classes > ternational Deepening Institute on Marriage in morality and virtues were established and > and Family Life; the issues provoked intense offered to the children in the neighborhood. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAI-IA'i ACTIVITIES 179 > g. Pursuing Social and Economic Develop- strengthened existing programs to ensure > ment Activities in Well-Established Baha'i that new ventures proceeded from a strong > Communities foundation. Baha'is worldwide now general- > The dramatic worldwide expansion of Baha'i ly possess a much clearer understanding of > social and economic development activities the unique Baha 'i approach to development > since the October 1983 message by the and have gained invaluable experience in > Universal House of Justice contributed in developing the art of applying spiritual conno small measure to the emergence of the cepts to the practical challenges of daily > Baha'i community from obscurity and con- life. At the conclusion of the Plan a reported > stitutes one of the distinguishing characteristics 1,344 Baha'i development endeavors were > of the development of the Cause of God functioning throughout the world under the > in the past decade. The virtually exponential jurisdiction of 137 National Spiritual Asexpansion achieved in the number of devel- semblies . (See Appendix.) > opment activities during the Seven Year Baha'i programs established a reputation > Plan (1979- 1986) became more gradual dur- for honest management and altJ.uistic service. > ing the Six Year Plan as Baha'i communities Collaboration with other organizations gained > momentum as support was received from > organizations such as UNICEF, the United > Nations Development Fund for Women > (UNlFEM), and governments as widespread > as Canada, India and Norway. Baha'i institutions began to be identified as important > contJ.áibutors to international development, > while the Baha'i administJ.áative network was > seen as a potent force for coordinating > development activities within a global framework. Many communities developed their > consultative skills in order to more effectively identify feasible projects, formulate the > necessary plans, and guide the resulting > undertakings. The wisdom of starting small > and ensuring that initial activities could be > canied out successfully with local resources > became increasingly evident. Assemblies > became more adept at recognizing whether > and how proposed development projects > would contribute to the sttáengthening of the > community. Many communities, especially > those with permanent programs, began taking > steps to ensure that effective development > activities would continue even if external > sources of supp01i were to be withdrawn. To > an ever greater degree, National Spiritual > Jn Guam, l 8 children from the Jnarajan Assemblies recognized the importance of in- > Baha'i School planted 600 acacia seedlings creasing the local communities' awareness > on 2 l October l 990. A statement of appre- of needs and possibilities, and of guiding > ciation was issued by the Forestry Division and coordinating the efforts resulting from > of Guam's Department of Agriculture. such awareness. Administtáative capabilities > 180 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > grew and Baha ' i institutions continued the objective was to supplement or improve the > process of building the organizational infra- nutritional value of the local diet, while in > structure needed to guide and nurture more other instances the friends contributed their > complex programs. The diversity of Baha'i labor to cultivate a communal field to raise > development undertakings also increased money for a useful purpose, such as the > dramatically. A high proportion of these Baha'i Fund, a Baha'i center or a tutorial > ventures, especially in basic education and school. For some communities agricultural > vocational training, targeted women and self-sufficiency was the goal. > youth. A highly successful fish culture program > Effective models for stimulating self- was implemented by the Baha 'is of Enteban > sustaining community development were Ulu in Malaysia. The seven fish ponds profo1mulated and refined during the Six Year duced enough fish to meet the needs of the > Plan and, as Baha'i communities throughout entire village of two hundred people. > the world began to address their develop- The Community Development Program > ment concerns, a remarkably diverse pattern of the Rabbani School, Gwalior, India, > of activities emerged. From modest coopera- achieved notable success with its model farm. > tive agricultural projects which raise funds The farm enabled this residential school > for construction of a local Baha'i center, to to become almost self-sufficient in food > community health education programs which production, while providing a real-world > increase the prevention of endemic diseases; laboratory for the students to learn practical > from ttáee-planting efforts to training semi- agricultural skills, and setting an outstanding > nars which combat racism; from programs example for area farmers. Technical assiswhich offer succor to orphaned children to tance was offered to local agriculturists who > those which confront the problems of mug wanted to introduce ecologically sound > abuse; Baha'i communities discovered myriad farming practices. > ways to express their faith through service to In Queensland, Australia, forty acres of > humanity. New ttáaining programs for teach- bushland were donated by a Baha'i family > ers of Baha'i childiáen's classes emerged, based to be used by Aboriginal people for growing > on an increasingly sophisticated understand- bananas and other crops. It was dedicated > ing of the learning needs of prospective in a ceremony attended by many Aborigines > teachers who generally possessed limited as well as the Hand of the Cause of God > educational backgrounds and teaching expe- H. Collis Featherstone. > rience. Baha ' i educators began rewriting > traditional academic curricula to reflect the INTEGRATED COMMUNITY D EVELOPM ENT > spiritual perspective of the teachings. They Certain Baha'i development programs have > also developed curricula for public schools, been conceived and designed with a confor adult literacy programs, and for courses scious understanding that all social and > on the Faith or on human values. All these spiritual needs are interrelated. This requires > notable areas of progress either emerged or that social and spiritual change go hand in > became more evident during the Six Year hand, progressing from simple to more com- > Plan, and are described in more detail below. plex unde1iakings. Activities of the Bayanda > Project in Zaire and the New Era Develop- > AGRICULTURE ment Institute in India are examples of this > Small-scale agricultural activities, including approach. > training courses for the improvement of fa1m- From the first contact of the Bayanda > ing practices and productivity, were carried people (the Pygmies of northeastern Zaire) > out by a number of Baha' i communities in with the Faith, they received assistance and > developing counttáies. In some cases the encouragement from the Baha 'i community. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BA HA'I ACT IVI TI ES 181 > > An experimental > p epper farm is a > Bahci 'i economic > development project > in Sarawak, > Malays ia. 1988. > > Jn Bolivia, Baha 'is > use the Dorothy > Baker Center for > Environmental > Studies. 1987. > > Jn Switzerland, > Bahci 'is participate > in the annual cleanup of the marshland > form ed where the > Rhone River flows > into Lake Geneva. > March 1992. > 182 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > During the Plan agricultural activities enabled Community responsible for conducting the > the Bayanda to improve their diet and to activities of the Faith related to the environbecome relatively self-sufficient; classes were ment. A compilation entitled Conservation > held for the children; many adults learned of the Earth's Resources was subsequently > to read and write: and health education issued by the World Centre. Communities > programs improved nutrition, sanitation and and schools sponsored environmental educahygiene. The Bayanda developed greater tion and action programs involving wetlands > confidence and a new vision for their future conservation, afforestation, pollution control, > thus enabling them to interact more success- teclmological advancements, community refully with the wider community. sources and energy efficiency. Outstanding > The Community Development Facilitator environn1ental programs were canied for- > Program of India 's New Era Development ward in Taiwan and Bolivia. During the > Institute trained young people to stimulate final year of the Plan the Office of the Enviand assist local communities to embark on ronment and the Baha'i community of Brazil > the path of self-sustaining development. Dm- diligently prepared for the Earth Summit to > ing the closing months of the Plan institute be held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. > staff reported major success in implementing Among other Earth Sunmlit activities, a > a new model for community development in major recognition award was to be bestowed > which a group of highly unified trainees with upon the Baha'i Vocational Institute for > modest development-related skills spent four Rural Women in Indore, India, for its guinea > or five days in a village and conducted a worm eradication project. > training institute for the local youth. The During the concluding year of the Six Year > program included moral education classes, Plan twenty-six Baha'i tree-planting proj ects > conununity service activities and training were undertaken, along ,with twenty-six > in a practical skill which could be learned other enviro1m1ental activities. Many of > quickly . The unity and spirit of service these activities were conducted in support of > exemplified by the group of visitors, who government-sponsored programs or to mark > would share in the life of the village for a World Environn1ent Day and Earth Day. > relatively extended period of time, com- Some of the more notable initiatives during > bined with integrated spiritual education and this period were those of the Anis Zunuzi > valued community service, had a profound Baha'i School in Haiti and the Rabbani > impact. In one instance the entire village School in India, where tree nurseries were > enrnlled in the Faith and appeared ready to established and many thousands of seedlings > introduce important changes in the organiza- were planted in villages. In 1986 the Rabbani > tion of village life based on their growing School received a national award for its > understanding of the Baha ' i teachings. afforestation activ ities. Subsequently, its > wasteland reclamation effo11s, both at the > CONSERVATION/ENVIRONMENT school farm and in the surrounding villages, > Creation reflects the names and attributes of which had already reclaimed many acres of > God, and mankind has a profound responsi- salt-affected soil, attracted widespread attenbility to protect the natural environment and tion from government authorities of Madhya > preserve its ecological balance. Thus , in its Pradesh. This continuing project was con- > 1989 Ric;lvan message the Universal House ducted in collaboration with the Society for > of Justice called on Baha ' is to increase their Promotion of Wasteland Development in > activities in support of environmental con- New Delhi. > setvation, and in October it announced the Among others, collaborative tree-planting > establishment of the Office of the Environ- eff011s were conducted in Colombia and > ment as an agency of the Baha'i International Guam. In Colombia Baha'i youth joined > INT ERNATION A L SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACT IVITIES 183 > forces with a group called the Corporation to HEALTI-1 > Defend the Bucaramanga Plateau and planted The importance of both preventive and curanumerous trees. On the island of Guam, a tive health care is clearly stated in the > group of eighteen Baha'is assisted a govern- Writings . When the Universal House of > ment foresháy agency in its tree-planting Justice released its message on social and > work. economic development in 1983, there was > A very successful environmental program only one modest Baha'i health care project > was developed in Taiwan where the National in operation; by the end of the Six Year Plan, > Assembly's Baha'i Office of the Environ- national communities around the world had > ment and the Taiwan Council of Agriculture undertaken fifty-six health projects of varycollaborated in a "Nature Awareness Educa- ing scopes. > tion Project." During 1990 thirty-six workshops Baha'i community health education proon environmental education for more than grams were conducted in Burkina Faso, > 750 kindergarten and elementary school Cameroon, Chad, Colombia, Ecuador, India, > teachers were conducted. A second series of Kenya, Laos , Malawi, Malaysia, Swaziland, > twenty-seven workshops was held in 1991. Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia > Public awareness of the Faith in Taiwan and Zimbabwe. Generally speaking, proconsequently rose and cordial relations with grams were organized to serve areas having > government authorities were promoted. a significant number of relatively well- > In Cochabamba, Bolivia, the Dorothy established Baha'i communities . Participating > Baker Center for Environmental Studies, communities nominated one or more mature > a private non-profit institution owned by and dedicated believers to receive háaining > Baha 'is, managed an environmental research which would prepare them to serve as voluncenter and an interactive educational fac ility. teer health educators. The initial course > The Center developed a unique approach to normally lasted approximately two weeks, > environmental studies integrating elements focusing on inununization, basic hygiene > of academic and environmental education, and sanitation, maternal and child health, > sustainable agriculture and health care. nutrition and first aid. The participants also > In Northern Ireland believers organized received intensive spiritual education based > an environmental education program to learn on the Baha'i teachings, such as learning > about community resources. Topics included prayers and passages on health from the > wind power, conversion of agricultural Writings . A further development of the comwastes, small-scale water power, integrated munity health workers' program was the > education of children, tree planting, fish selection and training of some of the experistocks in the area, willow biomass and fuel enced vo lunteers to serve as háainers for > from the wetlands. Similarly, the Associa- future participants. > tion for Baha' i Studies in Colombia and a The volunteers, working with their Local > socio-eco logical group of the United Nations Assemblies in a mutually supportive way, > organized an ecological fo1um entitled "Edu- were expected to offer at least several hours > cation has an Enviromnental Conscience." of service per week to their local communities, > In Brittany, France, Baha ' is joined members often working in tandem with govenm1ent > of a regional Society for the Study and Pro- health workers. In some cases, usually > tection of Nature to carry out a tluáee-week where funding had been obtained from an > conununity service project to beautify a international development agency, it was > nature reserve ; tasks included collecting possible to provide minimal full- or patifirewood, clearing the land, making observa- time staff support to coordinate activities > tion lookouts for animal and bird watchers, and maintain contact with the volunteers. > and painting and repairing a house. Overall, dropout rates were very low and > 184 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Dr. Zeeba Faroughi > prescribing medicine > to a patient she has > examined during a > ji-ee medical camp > held on Bhit Island > near Karachi, > Pakistan. 1989. > > indicators of community health status sug- medical assistance were also pursued in the > gested that the programs were having a Baha'i world. A few Baha'i communities > significant impact. The outstanding success and individuals constructed small rural hosof several of these programs attracted the pitals or clinics to serve areas with limited > attention of development agencies and gov- access to medical care. In such areas the proernments at local, national and international vision of curative care as well as preventive > levels. health measures contributed significantly to > For example, the Baha ' i Community De- the leve l of health of the communities which > ve lopment Project on Health commenced they served. > operation in Sarh, Chad, in 1984 as a The Bayan Project in Palacios, Honduras, > humanitarian relief project in response to composed of a small hospital with out-patient > the emergency situation which had resulted services, was established in 1985 by two > from civil war and widespread famine. The doctors and their families who pioneered to . > project expanded rapidly, and by the end of this remote area on the Caribbean coast. > the Plan community health workers were Before its establishment the nearest hospital > providing health care services in almost sixty was more than four hundred kilometers > villages to more than 12,000 people. The away and was only accessible by air or water > project, which received support from inter- transport. The new hospital provided medinational funding agencies, was praised by cal consultation and surgical treatment, and > Chadian government officials. In 1991 a its staff conducted health education in the > government official stated that the Baha'i local area. The hospital received support > health program had been responsible for from various Baha'i and non-Baha ' i sources. > blocking the spread of a cholera epidemic Baha'i communities in several counháies, > into the district of Moyen-Chari, where the especially Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, > project operated and the largest concentra- conducted medical camps in areas where > tion of Baha'i communities in the country access to medical facilities was limited, > was found. The health program also gave offering free consultations and basic medirise to the development of a network of eigh- cines. Camps specializing in eye and dental > teen tutorial schools serving over 1,300 care were particularly effective. > children. One of the most successful medical assis- > In addition to health educational programs, tance programs was conducted in Guyana > a number of endeavors aimed at offering where a number of Baha'i physicians from > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 185 > other countries offered their professional substance abuse, orphans and homeless peoservices to the health authorities on a short- ple, the elderly and handicapped, persons > tem1 basis. Some physicians made repeated with marital difficulties, refugees and victims > visits, providing specialty care and conduct- of disasters . > ing in-service seminars for medical staff. In Hawaii the Baha'i Community Assis- > Following this initiative, arrangements were tance Program (B-CAP) was established in > made to provide shipments of medical sup- 1987 to provide deepening and counseling > plies to hospitals. Not only did the success on marriage and remarriage, assistance for > of these activities foster wa1m relations family problems, a food bank and an elders ' > between the Guyanese authorities and the program. Three essential characteristics of > National Assembly of Guyana, but it also B-CAP were its reliance on Baha'i Writings > inspired the creation of a similar program in for approaches to personal problems; refer- > Nicaragua. rals to professional agencies, doctors or > social workers qualified to handle particular > RACE UNITY ACTIVITIES problems; and Local Assembly supervision > Baha'i communities in the United States of each program. B-CAP, as an arm of the > launched institutes for racial understanding National Assembly of the Hawaiian Islands, > and cooperation in response to this, "the became a means by which the Baha'i commost vital and challenging issue" facing the munity could begin to take care of its own > American nation. In addition to many con- members, as well as train a cadre of > ferences and seminars, training sessions were volunteers. > conducted for members of several local In Brazil the Lar Linda Tanure Center for > police departments at their request. Within Social Well-Being, begun in 1986, offered > a framework emphasizing the oneness of shelter, aid and education to needy children > humanity, police officers and cadets were who were referred by the Juvenile Justice > encouraged to adopt positive attitudes and Court in the Amazonas area. It had thirty > behavior in their interactions with minority resident children, with 150 children attending > groups. its preschool and youth programs. The Center fo1med part of the Association for the > SOCIAL SERVI CES Coherent Development of the Amazon. Its > Tluáoughout the world Baha'i communities activities for youth emphasized moral eduoperated programs offering compassionate cation and agricultural skills. The Center > assistance to people in need: sufferers from also provided courses for women in health, > > In auguration of a > public well built for > the community by the > Local Spiritual > Assembly of Bata, > Equatorial Guinea. > November 1988. > 186 THE BAHA 'i WORLD > > hygiene, nutrition and the prevention of program. It taught village women, most of > disease. whom came from extremely isolated tribal > A number of American and Canadian areas in Madhya Pradesh and many of whom > Baha'i communities assisted refugees and had never been away from home before, > new immigrants to adapt to life in North to read and write, and provided training in > America. Often the Baha'is conducted classes practical skills which would enable them to > in English as a second language, helped the be self-supporting in their home conununities. > newcomers to find jobs, and oriented them Moral education, personal hygiene, nutrition > to available social services. and basic agricultural techniques were also > Several Baha'i conununities assisted with taught by a devoted staff which surrounded > disaster relief operations in the wake of the young women with loving-kindness and > devastating storms. Relying on prayer and personal attention. The consistent result was > consultation, Baha'i conununities drew upon a dramatic transformation in the characters > the friends' sp irit of service to play an and competence of the participants, and the > important role in quickly and calmly mobi- women' s home communities shared in these > lizing the community during emergencies benefits upon their return. > and in coping with the lingering effects of a Another project, involving Baha'i comdisaster. As one examp le, in the aftem1ath munities in Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, > of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the Baha ' is of Malaysia and Nigeria, promoted the equality > the Virgin Islands actively assisted with of men and women. During the programs > food distributions, counseling, provision of men and women examined traditional gender > temporary roofing for homes of the elderly, roles based on the perspective of the Baba' i > management of a shelter, and opened a local teachings. The facilitators strove to create a > Baha'i center to a homeless family-all this loving, supportive atmosphere to encourage > despite the fact that many of the Baha'is' participants to modify their behavior in > own homes were damaged or destroyed. appropriate ways. In Bolivia, Cameroon and > Malaysia these activities were supported by > WOM EN UNIFEM. > Many Baha'i development act!Vlt1es fo- In Uganda the Baha'is collaborated with > cused specifically on realizing the potential the Uganda Women ' s Finance and Credit > of women. The Baha ' i Vocationa l Training Trust and the Uganda Women Lawyers ' > Institute for Rural Women in Indore, India, Association in a five-day gathering which > is the longest-running example of such a enhanced the participants' knowledge of > > Participants in a > fence-making course > held by Bahri 'is in > Addis Ababa, > Ethiopia, as a rural > development project > in November 1988. > INTERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CU RR ENT BAHA ' i AC TI VITI ES 187 > > A geography lesson at the Baha'i School of the Nations in Arecibo, > Puerto Rico, in April I 99 2. > > The children of the Mbabane Pre-School in Swaziland pose for the photographer while > singing one of their favorite songs; I 987. > 188 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > financial management, marketing, book- These schools conducted simple village-level > keeping, legal issues and laws of marriage programs which provided basic education for > and succession. The workshop, which brought children with limited educational opportutogether nearly thirty leading women, had nities. > the overall aim of enabling these women to In many cases Baha'i tutorial school > become more effective in guiding their own teachers themselves possessed only modest > destinies and in contributing to the progress levels of education, but they often compenof their country. sated for their lack of academic training > through their love for the children and the > YO UTH spirit of service which animated their work. > Youth around the world provided much of Likewise, the wholehearted support of the > the energy, enthusiasm and spirit of service sponsoring local Baha' i community contribanimating Baha' i development programs by uted to the success of such ventures. The > participating in a broad range of community teacher frequently functioned as a key > service activities, and especially as tutorial believer who stimulated a wide variety of > school or children's class teachers. A large activities in the local Baha' i community, and > number of proj.ects were also specifically the tutorial school became a center for addiaimed at enhancing the social and spiritual tional activities. During the Plan many > development of these young people. Two Baha'i tutorial schools, even some of those > such locally initiated programs in the United which had commenced operating under a > States, the Elbow Learning Lab and Fathers háee, evolved to t11e stage of offering a basic > Incorporated, gained warm commendation primary school education in accordance with > and recognition for their services. The Elbow the government-approved curriculum. > Learning Lab in Griffin, Georgia, helped At the end of the Plan the most notable > to meet the remedial education needs of tutorial school programs were those oflndia, > children and youth in a low-income area where Baha' is operated almost 200, and > where illiteracy and other social problems Zaire, where over ninety were functioning. > were widespread. In July 1992 the project Other countries with major tutorial school > received recognition as a "Point of Light" programs included Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, > from the President of the United States. Chad, Colombia, Malawi, Panama and the > Fathers Incorporated provided academic assis Philippines. > tance and positive role models for inner-city In contrast to tutorial schools , Baha 'i > youth in Detroit, Michigan, with the goal of academic schools are formally established > improving academic competence and enhanc- institutions which have, or seek, official > ing self-esteem. Activities included workshops accreditation from government authorities . > and consultations on marriage and family These schools employ full-time staff and > life, interviewing and resume writing, dress, usually offer academic subj ects which are > behavior, peer pressure and substance abuse. taught according to government standards. > Knowledge of the program's success spread During the Plan the number of Baha ' i > in the wider communi ty, and outside finan- academic schools increased fro m forty-one > cial assistance was rece ived to help fund a to one hundred and seventy-eight largely due > summer project. to the evolution of many tutorial schools. In > general, enrollments substantially increased, > BAI-IA' i S CHOOLS the range of subjects taught broadened, and > At the end of the Plan there were almost 500 physical faci lities were expanded or > Baha ' i tutorial schools se1ving an estimated upgraded. Major academic schools include > 20,000 children in developing countries in the New Era, Rabbani and Tadong Schools > Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific. in India; the New Day Schoo l in Pakistan; > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 189 > the Santitham School in Thailand; the Ruaha Masetlha Baha'i Institute in Zambia had per- > School in Tanzania; School of the Nations haps the most highly diversified programs. > in Brazil; the Anis Zumizi School in Haiti; Others effective in promoting development > Colegio Nill in Chile; the Raul Pavon School activities included the Vocational Institute > in Ecuador; and the Maxwell International for Rural Women in India, the Djalal Eghrari > School in Canada. Polytechnic Institute in the Amazon region > Baha'i schools increasingly distinguished of Brazil, the Ruhi Institute in Colombia, the > themselves through their academic achieve- Yukon Institute in Canada and, in the United > ments and the praiseworthy character of their States, the Native American Baha'i Institute, > students. The schools generally followed a the Louis Gregoty Institute, and Louhelen, > formal academic program, as established by Bosch and Green Acre Baha 'i Schools. > the educational authorities, complemented by > regular prayers, religious studies, commu- LITERACY > nity service and vocational training. Several Access to the transforming power of the > schools pioneered efforts to infuse Baha'i Word of God is an essential human right. > concepts into their entire academic curricula. In July 1989 the Universal House of Justice > In addition to schools operated by Baha'i called on all National Assemblies to aim at > institutions, a number of private educational the elimination of illiteracy from the Baha'i > establishments were founded by believers community. In response to this call many > who strove to operate their programs in ac- Baha'i communities and the offices of the > cordance with the basic principles, aims and Baha'i International Community actively > objectives which vivify Baha'i development supported the United Nations International > activities. Nill University in Bolivia and the Literacy Year in 1990 and either instituted > School of the Nations in Macau are perhaps literacy programs or began to support existthe best known of these institutions ofleaming. ing ones. > During the Plan the number of reported > TRAINING INSTITUTES Baha'i literacy programs, many of them > During the Six Year Plan several permanent short-term, rose from sixty-seven to 186. > Baha' i institutes emerged as major centers Their goal was to teach reading and writing > of the Faith's social and economic develop- to youth and adults who either had been > ment activities. The New Era Development deprived of a formal education or who > Institute in India and the William Mmutle had left school functionally illiterate. Baha' i > > A Mobile Baha'i Institute in Cotonou, Benin, > in January 1989. > 190 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > educators specializing in literacy began public schools. The Baha' is of Namibia were > to advocate an approach using "root" or invited to participate in efforts to restructure > "generative" words with spiritual meanings the national education system, while the > in order to teach vocabulary while evoking Baha'i community of Swaziland has been > meaningful discussions on vital issues. Re- involved in a significant manner in the trainsults have indicated the effectiveness of this ing of preschool teachers nationwide. Also in > approach for teaching literacy and, of equal Swaziland two Baha ' i educators have been > importance, for stimulating personal growth developing core international curricula for > and community development. environmental education based on the per- > For example, in Panama, Guaymi Indian spective of the teachings. > Baha'is collaborated with government liter- Ongoing teaching efforts in colleges and > acy instructors to develop a literacy course universities have resulted in a large number > in their native tongue focusing on the use of of short courses on the Baha'i Faith and its > words having spiritual significance as part of principles. The most notable achievements > a systematic effort to preserve and revive were the establishment of two university > traditional culture. Chairs related to Baha ' i Studies: one at the > The most ambitious literacy project was University of Maryland in the United States > established by the National Assembly of India. in January 1990 and one at Indore Univer- > Its goal was to eventually achieve universal sity in India in April 1990. > literacy among the more than two million The accomplishments of the Baha'i com- > Baha'is in the subcontinent. Comprehensive munity in the area of social and economic > teaching materials were developed for courses development during the Six Year Plan reflect > in the Hindi and Marathi languages, and ini- great audacity and cornn1itrnent to service. > tial tráaining sessions for prospective trainers The believers worked to apply spiritual prinof literacy instructors were conducted. ciples to practical needs. The goodwill > towards the Cause generated by these > CURRICULUM D EVELOPMENT services has created countless opportunities > A number of National Spiritual Assemblies for the future. The friends have seen that > and Baba' i educational institutions have their endeavors in the path of service, no > developed curricula to teach comparative matter how modest, have set in motion proreligion. Baha' is have also contributed to cesses which will long continue to produce > improving the overall curricula of some beneficial effects. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CU RR EN T BAHA'i ACT IV IT I ES 191 > > APPENDIX > > Bahn 'f lnlernationa/ Community Statement, Ninlh Meeting of !he Committee of Represen tatives of Governments > and Administralions, South Pacific Commission, 23rd lo 27th May 1988, Noumea, New Caledonia. > > Health, Education and the Role of Women > The Ba ha' i International Community representing the Baha'i Communities of the Pacific Region wishes to express > its appreciation to the South Pacific Commission for the invitation to attend thi s meeting of the Committee of Governments and Administrations. Although we are keen ly in terested in the variety of concerns bein g discussed at this > meeting, we would like to direct our comments to the areas of health and ed ucation. The dynamic relationship > between these two dimensions of human development is fu ndamental to the realization of all others. > Baha'is beli eve that health is more than the absence of disease or infirmity. In add ition to the three w idely recogn ised aspects of health-physical , mental and soc ial wel l-being- the spiritual dimension is likewise important > and shou ld be manifested not on ly in the indi vidua l, but also in the life of the family and the community. > Consequently, Baha'i communities stri ve to address the needs of indi vidua ls, fam ili es, and the communi ty as a > whole in their activities. The role of education in the reali za tion of thi s harmonious ba lance between all aspects of > life cannot be overemphas ized and the ed ucation of wo men is of particul ar importance in thi s process. > Women, as the main agents of primary health care, play an essen tial role in mai nt aining fam il y and commun ity > hea lth. They are the ones who are most aware of sickness and su ffering in the communi ty because of their soc ial > ro le as nurturers and care-takers of the youn g, the old , the sick and the handi cap ped, and they exert an important > inn uence on health habits in the fam il y. Although it is o ften recogn ised that primary hea lth care has to respond to > the needs of people, and that women have the most extens ive awareness of these needs, their opinion is hard ly ever > so licited when hea lth care programmes are being formul ated. > In order fo r communities to benefit from the knowledge whi ch wo men possess, a renewed self-confide nce of > wo men has to be encouraged. Women have to learn to regard themselves as capable human beings with important > contributions to make on the basis of their life experience and their accumul ated wealth of knowledge. Furthermore > a conscious effort has to be made to enable women to organise and to vocalize the information they have acqu ired. > If thi s partic ipation is to become a real ity, women mu st penetrate all levels and all areas of the hea lth care system. They have to be doctors, nurses, community deve lopment agents, educators, agricu ltural extens ion workers, > public health officials, pl anners, legis lators, politicians. At the same time , they have to enco urage the participation > o f people at the grass-roots, incl udin g women and women 's organizations, in th e decisions affectin g indi vidua l and > co mmuni ty hea lth . None o f these resu lts can be reali zed unl ess special efforts are made to organise education and > vocational and professiona l training in such a way that more girls and wo men can take advantage of them . > Investing reso urces in primary health care programmes which includes health education and the app lication of > health promoting activities based on simple but scientifica ll y so und measures in which women can participate at the > local level, is likely to prov ide more benefits than traditional efforts ded icated to the formation of highl y skilled > physicians who practice medicine in clinics and hospital s. > Primary health care activities should be fu ll y integrated w ith the activities of other sectors involved in community devel opment, agriculture, education, pub li c works, housing, and communication, and the local population > shou ld be active ly involved in the formulation and impl ementation of these activities , so that health care can be > brought into lin e with loca l needs and prioriti es. These priorities will be based on decisions resulting from a continuo us d ialogue between the people and the se rvices. > The Baha' i In ternational Community is active ly involved in primary health care. In India, Ma lays ia, Tanzania, > Kenya, Zambia and many more countri es inc lu din g the Pacific region , Baha ' i vi ll ages are implementing health and > educat iona l programmes of many kinds and are hav ing much success. It is our view that these programmes are successful because the ove rall ed ucation of women is the key facto r and conseque ntl y they recogn ize their own va lue, > thereby enab lin g them to participate more readily in decisions concerning their communitys' hea lth. > While the Baha'i International Community continues to work toward the improvement of li fe in our commun ities thro ugh these programmes we also welcome the opportunity to lend sup port to health programmes which > req ui re loca l as we ll as profess iona l volunteers. > 192 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 2. EXPANSION AND CONSOLIDATION OF THE BAHA'i FAITH > > SUMMARY STATISTICS > OF THE SIX YEAR PLAN 1986- 1992 > > WORLD TOTALS > 21April1986 20 April 1992 > National Spiritual Assemblies................. ..... ....... .......... ...... .. 148 165 > National I:Ia'.?iratu ' l-Quds ... ...... ............... ..... .. ....... ... .. ...... .... . 141 146 > Baha'i Temples. ... ...... ........ .... .... ..... ....................... ..... .......... . 6 7 > Sites for national Baha'i Temples. .............. ..... ....... ... ... ... .. ... 124 127 > Baha' i Publishing Trusts... .................................................... 25 28 > Languages into which Baha'i literature has been translated. 802 NIA+ > Baha'i schools ............................................ .. ....................... .. 599 666 > Social and economic development projects ..... ........ .. ..... .. ... . 431 678 . > (other than schools) > Countries that exempt the Baha'i community > from payment of taxes on properties .... .. .. ......... .. ...... ..... .. . . 61 77 > Countries that recognize Baha'i Holy Days ... .... ....... .. ...... ... . 76 81 > -. > Countries that recognize Baha ' i maITiage ....... ...... .... ........... . 60 70 > Localities where Baha'is reside .... ..... ... ..... ..... .. .... ... .. ... .. ...... . 114,988 120,046 > Isolated centres and groups .................. ..... ........ ... ...... ..... ..... . 89,658 99,611 > Local Spiritual Assemblies ... ........ .... .. ... ....... .... ... ..... .......... .. . 25 ,33 0 20,435* > > + No information available. > * Between 1986 and l 988, a numerical dec rease of 11 ,000 Local Spiritual Asse mblies and 6, I 00 loca liti es > occurred in India due to rev ised civil areas of jurisd iction. Similar changes took place in some other countries. > > I > AFRICA > 2 l April I 986 20April 1992 > National Spiritual Assemblies..... ............... .. .......... ....... .. .. .... 43 47 > National I:Iaziratu '1-Quds ............ ... .............. ..... ........ ...... ...... 41 42 > Baha' i Temples.......... ....................... ..... ....... ..... ....... ....... ...... 1 1 > Sites for national Baha'i Temples ....... ... ...... ...... ..... ........ .... .. 36 36 > Baha'i Publishing Trusts. ............. .......... ......... ............. ......... 4 4 > Languages into which Baha' i literature has been translated. 266 NIA > Bahc't' i schools .. ... .. ... .. . .. . .. ... ... ... ... .. .. .... .. . .. .. .. ... ...... .. .... .. ... .. .. 143 166 > Social and economic development projects ..... ........... ..... ..... 139 120 > (other than schools) > Countries that exempt the Baha' i community > from payment of taxes on properties. .... ....................... .. ... 16 21 > INTERNATIONAL SU RVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIV ITIES 193 > > Countries that recognize Baha'i Holy Days .. .... ...... .... ..... ..... . 16 18 > Countries that recognize Baha'i marriage ....... ... ..... ....... ...... . . 10 13 > Localities where Baha' is reside .. ................... .... .... .. ....... ..... ... 36,145 33,270 > Isolated centres and groups ... ....... .. ... ..... .. .. .. ... ....... ... ... .. ..... .. . 29,878 27,366 > Local Spiritual Assemblies ..... ..... ... .. ...... ............ .... ............ ... . 6,267 5,904 > > AMERlCAS > 21April 1986 20April 1992 > National Spiritual Assemblies..... ......... ... .... ...... .. .. .... ... .. ... .... . 41 43 > National I:Ia?'. iratu ' l-Quds ... ... .... .. .. .... ... ....... .... .... .. ...... ........... 40 41 > Baha'i Temples .. .. .................. .... ............... .. .. ....... .... .. ... ...... ... 2 2 > Sites for national Baha'i Temples....... .. ...... ........... ... .. ....... .... 32 31 > Baha'i Publishing Trusts........................... ............. ............. ... 3 3 > Languages into which Baha'i literature has been translated. . 172 NIA > Baha'i schools ..... ... ... .......................... .. ...... ....... ........ .. ... ....... 106 184 > Social and economic development projects ... .. . .. ... .. . ........ .. .. . 98 195 > (other than schools) > Countries that exempt the Baha'i community > from payment of taxes on properties ............ ... .. ..... .. ..... ... .. 18 23 > Countráies that recognize Baha'i Holy Days .. .. .. ..... ..... ..... .. .. .. 24 25 > Countries that recognize Baha'i marriage .... ..... .... ..... .. ........ .. 13 17 > Localities where Baha' is reside ....................... .. ......... .. .... .... . . 26,514 27,470 > Isolated centráes and groups ..... .... .... ... ......... ...... .... ...... .... .... ... 20,303 22,079 > Local Spiritual Assemblies .... ... .. .. ... .... ........ ... ... .. ..... .. ... ... ... .. . 6,211 5,391 > > ASIA > 21Aprill986 20April 1992 > National Spiritual Assemblies ....... ~ .................. ..... ... .. .. ..... .... . 27 29 > N ational I:Ia?'. iratu ' l-Quds ....... ....................... ... ...... .... ........ .... 23 25 > Baha'i Temples ....... .. ......... ............... ..... ... ... ...... ...... .. .......... .. 0 > Sites for national Baha'i Temples ..... ..... ..................... ......... .. 22 24 > Baha'i Publishing Trusts ....................................... ...... .......... . 8 9 > Languages into which Baha' i literature has been tráanslated .. 174 NIA > Baha'i schools ... .................. ....... .. ... ....... ..... ....... .... ......... ..... .. 342 300 > Social and economic development projects ........... ............. .. 15 1 232 > (other than schools) > Counháies that exempt the Baha'i conununity > from payment of taxes on properties ... ..... ........... ....... ..... ... 11 13 > Countráies that recognize Baha ' i Holy Days ....... .. .. .. ..... .. .... . .. 13 13 > Countráies that recognize Baha ' i marriage ......... .. ... .. ..... ....... . . 12 12 > Localities where Baha'is reside .. ..... ...... ... ....... .. .. ... ............. .. . 46,270 51 ,119 > Isolated cenháes and groups .... ........ ..... .... ..... .. ... ....... ......... .... . 34,976 43,700 > Local Spiritual Assemblies ........... .... .. ......... ... ......... ....... ... .... . 11 ,294 7,419 > 194 TH E BAH A' I WORLD > > AUSTRALASIA > 21 Aprill986 20April 1992 > National Spiritual Assemblies ... .... ....... ........ .... ................. .... . 17 17 > National I:Ia~iratu' 1-Quds ............. ... ... ..... ..... ..... ... ... ..... ..... ... .. 17 17 > Baha' i Temples ........ ....... .... ....... ... .. ....... ... ... ............ ... ..... .. .. .. 2 2 > Sites for national Baha' i Temples .... ... .... ........ ............ ... ... ... .. 15 16 > Baha'i Publishing Trusts .... .... ... .... .. ....... .. ..... ................... ... .. . 2 2 > Languages into which Baha'i literature has been translated .. 110 NIA > Baha'i schools .................................. .. .... ...... ....... .. ........... ..... . 8 16 > Social and economic development projects > (other than schools) ... ... .... .... ...... .... ............... .. ... ......... .. .... . 20 101 > Countries that exempt the Baha' i community > from payment of taxes on properties .... ..... .................. .. .. ... 8 8 > Countries that recognize Baha'i Holy Days .. .. ... ........ .. ... ..... .. 11 12 > Countries that recognize Baha'i marriage ..... .... ..... .... .. ... ..... .. 16 18 > Localities where Baha' is reside ............ ..................... .. .... ... .. . 3,062 4,094 > Isolated centres and groups ....... ............. ... ...... ......... ...... ... ... .. 2,257 3,218 > Local Spiritual Assemblies ... .. ........... ............. ........... .... ...... .. 805 876 > > EUROPE > 21Aprill986 20April 1992 > National Spirih1al Assemblies .. ..... .. ...... ..... .... ... ...... ............... 20 29 > National I:Ia~iratu'l-Quds........... . ....... .. ...... . ........... .. ........ . ..... 20 21 > Baha'i Temples ..................... .................................... .. ......... .. > Sites for national Baha' i Temples .................. .. .................... .. 19 20 > Baha'i Publishing Trusts .. ......... .. ........................................... 8 10 > Languages into which Baha' i literature has been translated.. 80 NIA > Baha'i schools ... ....... ..... .... .. ...... ..... ... ....... ....... ..... ... ...... ......... 0 0 > Social and economic development projects ... .... ... .. .. ........... .. 23 30 > (other than schools) > Countries that exempt the Baha'i community > from payment of taxes on properties ... ... ........ .... .... ... .. .... ... 8 12 > Countries that recognize Baha' i Holy Days .. ...... .. ...... .. ....... .. 12 13 > Countries that recognize Baha'i marriage ............ ... ... .......... .. 9 10 > Localities where Baba' is reside ...................... .. .. .. ............. .. .. 2,997 4,093 > Isolated centres and groups .. ................ ....... ..... ........ .. ... .... .... . 2,244 3,248 > Local Spirih1al Assemblies ............. .. ........ .......... .. .... ..... ...... .. 753 845 > II > THE Two Y EAR SUBSIDIARY PLAN > 1990-1992 > > ON 8 Febrnary 1990, the Universal House COUNTRIES AS POSSIBLE UP TO AND INCLUD- > of Justice sent the following cable to the fol- ING RTQV AN I992. > lowers ofBaha'u ' llah throughout the world: CALLING UPON THOSE NATIONAL ASSEM - > FAR-REACHING EVENTS BEING ENACTED BLI ES EUROPE, AS IA AND AMER ICA WH ICH > WORLD STAGE, PARTICULARLY JN EASTERN BEAR PRIMARY RESPONSIB ILITY FOR IND IVID- > EUROPE AND SOV IET UN ION, ON THRESHOLD UAL NATIONS INVOLVED, TO CONSULT WITH > FINAL FATE-LADEN DECADE CENTURY OF COUNSELLORS AND FORMULATE DETAILS > LIGHT, PROVIDE FURTHER DRAMATIC SPEC IFIC GOALS INCORPORATING AND SUP- > EV IDENCE RES ISTLESS OPERAT ION OF GOD'S PLEMENTING THOSE ALREADY ADOPTED AND > MAJOR PLAN FOR TRANSFORMATION OF IN PROCESS ACCOMPLISHMENT UNDER SIX > HUMAN SOCIETY. RAPID UNFORESEEN DEVEL- YEAR PLAN. MOVED PAY TRIBUTE PRESENT > OPMENTS NECESS ITATE CORRESPONDING HOUR REMARKABLE UNSUNG ACH IEVEMENTS > PARALLEL ACCELERATION IN LIFE-GIVING THOSE INSTITUTIONS A D INDIVIDUAL > ENTERPRISES BEING PURSUED BY INHERITO RS BELIEVERS PRESE TL Y LABOURING AD- > BAHA°U'LLAH'S RESPLENDENT REVELATION. VAN CEMENT CAUSE IN EASTERN EUROPE AND > REJOICE THEREFORE ANNOUNCE LAUNCHING SOVIET UN ION, ACHIEVEMENTS WH ICH HAVE > AT RIQVA. 1 OF SUBSID IARY TWO YEAR BLAZED TRAILS FOR COMING LARGE-SCALE > TEACH ING PLA N FOR VAST REMA IN ING IN ITIATIVE. CALL UPON BAHA'i WORLD AR ISE > REACHES EASTERN EUROPE AND AS IA. SUPPO RT DIFFUS ION WORLD-REDEEMING > MOMENTOUS STEP INVOLVES FURTHER SYS- MESSAGE FAITH GOAL AREAS THROUGH SET- > TEMATIC UNFOLDMENT PROVISIONS TABLETS TLEMENT PIONEERS AND THROUGH DISPATCH > MASTER-PLAN OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA ALREADY STEADY FLOW TRAYELLING TEACHERS, ESPE- > IN ADVANCED STAGE OF OPERATION OTHER CIALLY THOSE WITI-1 KNOWLEDGE LANGUAGES > AREAS PLANET. REG IONAL ENTERPRISE, CON- COUNTRIES AND REPUBLICS EASTERN BLOC. > CEIVED IN CONSU LTATION INTERNAT IONAL CONCOM ITANT TH ESE MEASURES, VITAL > TEACH ING CENTRE, DES IGNED SIG NIFI CANT- ONGOlNG PROCESS CHINESE TEAC HING RE- > LY RE INFORCE CURRENT SIX YEAR GLOBAL CEIVING FURTHER IMPETUS. > PLAN. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE ATTRACTION BROAD VISTAS NOW OPEN TO FA ITH GOD > NUMEROUS NEW SU PPORTERS FA ITH , GREAT PROVIDE UN PRECEDENTED OPPORTUN ITI ES > INCREASE TRANSLAT ION, PUB LICATION AND WIN FRESH VICTORIES AS WORTHY OFFERING > DISS EMINATION BAHA'i LITERATURE IN SACRED THRESHOLD BLESSED BEAUTY > REQUISITE LANGUAGES ENTIRE AREA, AND OCCAS ION COMMEMORATION FIRST CENTE- > EXTENSION BENEFICENT INFLUENCE DJVINEL Y NARY HIS ASCENS ION COMING HOLY YEAR. > APPOINTED ADMIN ISTRATIVE ORDER THROUGH fMPLORING ABUNDANT OUTPOURING DIVIN E > ERECTION FRAME-WORK LOCAL NAT IONAL CON FIRMATIONS PARTI CIPANTS ALL FACETS > BAHA'i INSTITUTIONS IN AS MANY EASTERN HISTORIC SIX YEAR CAMPAIGN. > 196 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND > The countries included in what was known He expressed the wish that Budapest "might > as the Eastern Bloc had witnessed signifi- become a centre for the reunion of the East > cant developments in the spread of the and West, and that from this city the light > Cause towards the end of the nineteenth might emanate to other places". The first > century and in the early decades of the twen- Local Spiritual Assembly in Budapest was > tieth. In Baha'u ' llah 's lifetime, Baha'is were elected in 1939. > living in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and The indomitable Martha Root visited > Turkistan (now known as Central Asia) , the Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, > first Baba' is settling in the latter in 1882. Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania > A flourishing Baha ' i community devel- and Yugoslavia during the 1920s and 1930s. > oped in Ashkhabad ('lshqabad) and became Queen Marie of Romania penned her hearta centre of Baha'i scholarship. In 1902, felt tributes to Baha' u' llah and His Message, > construction began in Ashkhabad of the first earning the immortal distinction of being the > Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the Baha'i world, an first among royalty to raise her voice in His > act characterized by Shoghi Effendi as "the praise. Small Baha' i communities grew in a > first major undertaking launched through the number of these lands. Yuk Echtner, in > concerted efforts of His followers in the Czechoslovakia, learned of the Faith in 1925 > Heroic Age of His Faith". Russia became and later was imprisoned for being a Baha'i. > the first country to extend full recognition, Bulgaria was blessed from 1930 to 1954 by > justice, and protection to the followers of the the selfless labours of Marion Jack, whom > Baha'i religion. Strong Baha' i communities, Shoghi Effendi called a "shining example to > with their own Local Spiritual Assemblies, pioneers'', and by the laying to rest in its soil > were eventually established in Moscow, of her and of Adam Benke, the pioneer from > Balm, and other centres in the Soviet Union; Germany whom Shoghi Effendi designated > indeed in 1925 two National Spiritual as the first European Baba' i martyr. > Assemblies, that of the Caucasus, with its Esperanto played an important role in the > seat in Baku, and that of Turkistan, with its spread of the Faith in these regions, particuseat in Ashkhabad, came into being. larly in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, where > The Faith had also attracted the attention believers continued to reside throughout the > of prominent figures in Russia, such as Leo entire period. The earliest records of the > Tolstoy. A Russian translation of the Kitab- Baha'i Faith in the Baltic States mention > i-Aqdas had been made by Aleksandr four persons in Lithuania in the early 1930s > Grigorevich Tumanskil and a compilation of who were Esperanto correspondents of > the Writings of Baha'u'llah in Arabic was Dr. Hermann Grossmann and his wife, Anna. > published in St. Petersburg in 1908. The These men showed interest in the Baha'i > poetess and dramatist Grinevskaya had writ- teachings and were eventually visited by > ten two dramas, one on the Bab and one on Martha Root in 1934. One of the earliest and > Baha'u'llah; they had been performed in most outstanding believers in Poland was > St. Petersburg and other places, including in Lidia Zamenhof, daughter of the creator of > Germany after they had been translated by Esperanto. > the poet Fielder. With the consolidation of Communist rule > In the countries of Eastern Europe outside in the Soviet Union, restrictions began to be > the Soviet Union, the Faith had been intro- imposed upon Baha'i communities, becomduced by various means . 'Abdu'l-Baha ing more pronounced in 1928 and increasing > Himself visited Budapest in 1913 and during the next ten years. The Soviet authoraroused the interest of eminent Hungarians. ities confiscated documents, books, and a > INT ERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACT IVITI ES 197 > > The Saha 'is of > Moscow celebrating > a Nineteen Day > Feast for the first > time since the 1930s. > The event took place > in the Hainsworths' > home. 9 April 1989. > > printing press, dissolved Baha'i committees, Romania and White Russia (Belarus) and > and took over Baha'i schools. Hundreds of for consolidating Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, > Baha'is were imprisoned, some were Hungary, Poland, the Russian Soviet > sentenced to exile in Siberia and other penal Federated Socialist Republic (S.F.S.R.), and > settlements, and others were deported to Iran. Yugoslavia. > The National Assembly of Turkistan was The National Spiritual Assembly of the > dissolved. The Temple in Ashkhabad was Baha 'is of Iran was made responsible for > expropriated and turned into an art gallery. opening Kirgizia (later named Kyrgyzstan), > A small number of Baha'is continued to Mongolia, Tajikistan (Tadzhikistan) and > reside in the region, striving to keep the Uzbekistan, and for consolidating Azerbaijan, > flame of their faith alive in the face of inten- Am1enia, Georgia, and Turkmenistan. > sive atheist propaganda, the ever-present The National Spiritual Assembly of the > danger of renewed persecution, and the United States was responsible for opening > disability imposed by the prohibition of Kazakhstan, Sakhalin, and the Ukraine. > teaching religion to anyone under the age of Goals for the translation of Baha'i literaeighteen. For these reasons, the flow of news ture into many of the languages of these > from the Baha 'is in the Soviet Union to their countries were also part of the Ten Year > fellow believers outside virtually ceased, á Crusade. > and only very gradually over the years did it The Guardian expressed all these goals as > become possible to re-open avenues of being subject to "circumstances pem1itting." > communication in a few instances. Nevertheless, activities were carried out > World War II and the subsequent advance with increasing efficacy through all the > of Communism in Eastern Europe left only succeeding decades. The Baha'is of Germany > tiny remnants of Baha'i communities. and Austria in particular were spurred on by > Devoted individuals and families remained words of the Guardian such as these: > steadfast through many difficult years. De- ... a community that has achieved so > spite this situation, Shoghi Effendi included much in the past for our Faith, that has > all these territories in his Ten Year Plan, been so dearly loved by 'Abdu'l-Baha, > unveiled in 195 3, as follows. and is destined to spread, as He foretold, > The National Spiritual Assembly of the light of God 's sacred Revelation not > Ge1many and Austria was made responsible only in the heati of Europe but throughfor opening Albania, Estonia, Finno-Karelia, out that dark, war-devastated spiritually > Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia (Moldova), famished continent. (22 November 1946) > 198 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > .. .carry the fame of this community ... The work continued patiently, and quietly, > as far as the Eastern fringes of the Asiatic with relays of travelling teachers continually > continent. (30 October 1951) crossing and recrossing these lands, contact- > The administrative base from which it ing old believers, bringing new souls into > must spread out into Eastern and South- the Faith, and fostering wann relationships > ern Europe, and beyond these spheres with seekers. Such was the danger that little > into the heart of Northern Asia, as far as if any of this activity could be reported to the > the China Sea, must first be thoroughly Baha'i world. Already during the latter years > consolidated. (30 October 1951) of the Guardian's lifetime it was found that > The beloved Guardian referred to these there were Baha'is living in certain of the > tasks as "the Mission envisaged for them by Central Asian republics which had previously > 'Abdu ' l-Baha, and now confirmed through been reported to be virgin territories. Later > the provisions of the Ten-Year Plan". (14 Firaydun Khazra' i settled in Romania and > August 1957) Helmut Winkelbach settled in White Russia > As the years passed and new National (Belarus), becoming Knights ofBaha'u ' llah. > Assemblies came into existence, some of the Moldavia (Moldova) was opened to the > goals originally allotted to the community of Faith by a single believer, Annemarie Kri.iger, > Germany and Austria were reassigned. The who through persistent visits and teaching > newly formed National Assembly of Austria brought the first native Moldavian into the > was given responsibility for Czechoslovakia, Faith in Kishinev (Ch~ in~u); she was > Hungary, and Yugoslavia. The National As- named a Knight of Baha'u'llah by the Unisembly of Finland was given responsibility versal House of Justice for this achievement. > for the goals in Estonia, a country whose In 1979, a Baha'i of Polish background, Alma > language is akin to Finnish. TI1e National Monadjem, pioneered with her family to Po- > Assembly of Sweden was given responsibility land and settled on the farm of her ancestors. > for Latvia and Lithuania. Responsibility for During the 1980s, accounts were found in > Sakhalin was transferred from the National the International Archives of the pioneering > Assembly of the United States to that of work done in Albania by Mr. Refo <;:apari, a > North East Asia (later Japan). Fi1mo-Karelia Baha'i of Albanian descent from New York > ceased to be a separate Soviet Socialist Re- who had anived in Tirana in 1931. He had > public (S.S.R.) and became an Autonomous stayed in Albania and died there alone and > Soviet Socialist Republic (A.S.S.R.) of the of starvation. Meanwhile, a flourishing Baba 'i > Russian S.F.S .R. community had been established which had > When persecutions in the Cradle of the conesponded with the Guardian. The records > Faith made it no longer feasible for the revealed that the conditions of World War II > Iranian Baha ' i community to pursue its and its afte1math had dispersed these believgoals in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and ers, and indicated that members of > Mongolia, responsibility for these areas was Mr. <;:apari's family might be living in Yutransferred. Mongolia and the republics of goslavia. The National Assembly of Austria > Centrnl Asia for which Iran had been therefore sent Baha ' is to look for them. The > responsible were given first to the National search was fruitful, and these faithful, long- > Assembly of India, then to Germany, while suffering believers put the Baha'i institutions > the Caucasian republics (Almenia, Azerbaijan, in touch with another member of their family > and Georgia) were transferred directly to who had been living as the only Baha'i in > Germany. The Central Asian republic of Albania for forty years, raising her children > Kazakhstan and the Ukraine remained under as firm believers in the Faith. Thus began > the jurisdiction of the National Assembly of the unprecedented efflorescence of the > the United States. Baha'i community of Albania. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 199 > The emergence of the policies of glasnost An example of the kind of painstaking, > and perestroika in the mid-1980s and the re- persistent work which helped make possible > forms launched in the Soviet Union aroused the open teaching projects of the Two Year > intense interest in the countries which were Plan, comes from an individual who saw a > responsible for the establishment of the need and arose to fill it. In October 1987, > Faith there. These new opportunities and the Lynda Godwin made her first journey to the > steps necessary to take advantage of them Soviet Union, travelling under the auspices > were major themes of the consultation at the of a programme called Citizen Diplomacy, > Counsellors' Conference held in the Holy which encouraged individuals to design pro- > Land at the end of 1986. Shortly thereafter jects of cultural exchange between Americans > the National Assembly of Germany held a and Soviets. She developed one project, > special conference, at the end of March 1987 called the Soviet/American Teachers Task > in Langenhain, for the representatives of Force, which brought American teachers to > the various responsible National Assemblies the Soviet Union to team teach in Soviet class > and committees to consult on the situation. rooms, and another called Birthday Friends > This was immediately followed by a "Great for Peace, which made pen pals out of Soviet > Eastern Conference" in Dieburg. At the re- and American children with common birth > quest of the National Assembly of Germany, dates. The projects were so successful that > which attached great importance to these she was invited back numerous times, making > conferences, the Universal House of Justice more friends each visit as she worked with > sent one of its members to represent it. At Soviet guides and translators and ananged > that time it was unclear whether the precious for visitors to stay in Soviet homes. Between > opportunities then available would remain October 1987 and April 1992, Lynda Godwin > for long. It was decided that, in either even- made at least twenty trips into what became > tuality, it was vital for the Baha'is to seize the forn1er Soviet Union, each time intrntheir chance without delay. Two Counsellors ducing a new group to the region and finding > particularly stimulated and assisted the teach- different avenues for exchange. > ing work in Eastern countries: 'Abbas Katirai Two plans projected by the Universal > in Asian Russia and Sohrab Youssefian in House of Justice were the opening of Baha'i > Albania and Romania. Paul Semenoff was Inforn1ation Offices in Moscow and Budanoteworthy for his work in European Russia pest. Documentation was prepared, a search > and the Ukraine. was begun for suitable premises in both > The fourteen believers who made up the cities, and a formal approach was made to > Hungarian community in 1987 were blessed the appropriate agency of the Soviet Governto be visited by the Hand of the Cause of ment on behalf of the Baha'i International > God Amatu'l-Baha R!'.Il_iiyyih Khanum, who Community. However, events advanced so > inspired them with a vision of the future. rapidly that these initiatives were subse- > The Hand of the Cause also visited Mongolia quently superseded by the rapid spread of > in 1989, where she was invited to give lec- the Faith in both countries and the establishtures about her travels and about world peace ment of Local and National Assemblies. > to students of English at a university. In some The accelerating growth of the Baha'i > cases, the Faith could be directly promoted, communities and the drastically changing > as in Poland where a Baha ' i booth was set conditions in the Soviet Union and the Eastup at the World Esperanto Congress in 1987 ern Bloc impelled the Universal House of > and public events were held to proclaim the Justice to call for a subsidiary Two Year > Faith. But generally, teaching consisted of Teaching Plan to rnn from Ric;lvan 1990 to > making friends and preparing for a time when Ric;lvan 1992, with greatly increased goals > restrictions on religion would be lifted. for all these lands. > 200 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 2. TRA YELLING TEACHERS AND PLONEERS > The laws concerning the practice and shar- Statement, holding fund-raisers , and giving > ing of religion in the Soviet Union had interviews about the project during the > begun to change in 1989, the same year that course of a year, sixty-two Bahi'is from > the Berlin Wall was breached. Restrictions eight nations entered the Soviet Union under > on bringing in literature were lifted and the the auspices of Youth Ambassadors Internafirst open teaching event occurred when tional. They presented 3,000 copies of the > Baha' is from Scandinavia participated in the Peace Statement and proclaimed the Teach- > Murmansk Peace Festival organized by the ings of Baha ' u'llah from public platforms, > Red Army. In August 1989, an individual in schools and universities, and in Soviet > working in the region wrote: "This is a very homes. The man largely responsible for the > special moment in the history of the Russian first public presentation of the Statement in > nation and the Soviet peoples. It is a mo- Kazan later embraced the Faith, was elected > ment, I feel, as do most of those who are chairman of the first Spiritual Assembly > deeply involved in the work there, especially there, and eventually was elected to the first > created by God to facilitate the presentation National Spiritual Assembly of the Union of > of the Greatest Gift, the Message which the Soviet Socialist Republics at Ri~van 1991. > King of Glory has brought for all mankind. As laws and attitudes changed, a hunger > There are mighty spiritual forces at work for information about the Faith became evithroughout the length and breadth of that dent, and Lynda Godwin found herself in the > land .. . forces which make possible the real- position to help meet this need. She was able > ization of the most audacious of plans. All to draw on her experience and contacts from > that is required is for the instruments of His leading projects sponsored by non-Bahi'is > Faith, we the believers, to be present, to hT1st to organize explicitly Baha ' i endeavours. A > fully in and be willing to follow the clear company called Inter National Soviet Redirection given by Bahi' u ' llah. " sources, Inc. was formed to oversee the work. > In November 1989, The Promise of World Another group of Bahi ' is in the United > Peace Tour became the largest group of States created the Soviet-American Cooper- > Bahi ' is ever invited to enter the Soviet ative Society, and in Canada NetEast was > Union with a specific Baha ' i purpose ap- established to assist Canadian Bahi'is to unproved by Soviet officials: to disseminate derstand the needs of the Faith in the Soviet > the Peace Statement. After studying the Union and how they could be of service. > > Th e Baha'i display at > the Murmansk Peace > and Environment > Festival, organized > by the Red Army in > July 1989. This was > ~ the first open > teaching event in the > U.S.S.R. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 201 > Among the projects Lynda Godwin and Canta perform at its next destination, as they > others organized were two international deeply missed being near the spirit of the > women's forums which allowed Baha'is and group. One admirer journeyed thirty-two > non-Baha'is from different backgrounds to hours . > share their ideas about the issues facing Another perforn1ing group which had > women; two business seminars in the Ukraine formed at the Baha'i World Centre and > to share the Baha'i principles related to eco- which greatly stimulated the teaching work > nomics and ethics; the Lesson in Peace in the Soviet Union was Daystar. Twentyteaching trip; and tours of the musical per- three singers and dancers and a French mime > formers Red Grammer, El Viento Canta, and artiste spent July 1990 enchanting hearts, > Days tar. making friends, and sharing Baha'u ' llah' s > In fact, Baha'i musicians and singing Message in the major cities of the Soviet > groups responding to the call of the Two Union. The group travelled with eight Soviet > Year Plan brought many people into contact guides and stayed in Russian homes, learnwith the Baha'i Faith for the first time. A ing as much as they could about the culture > variety of talented performers drew large they were privileged to visit. > crowds in the streets, parks, schools, and Among the venues for Daystar's welltheatres of the Eastern Bloc, as they demon- attended concerts were parks, a philharmonic > strated the unique beauty of art expressed in hall, a children's camp, and the dining car of > praise of God. When audience members the train from Leningrad to Kiev. A presensought the source of the artists' special tation on the Faith, which included slides, > spirit, they found Baha'u'llah. was shown nightly in hotel lobbies. The > El Viento Canta, a group which had group's members had the honour of being > formed at the Baha'i World Centre and which the first Baha'is ever to visit Chernovtsy, in > had travelled throughout Western Europe the Ukraine, where they met children who > and Africa sharing traditional Latin Ameri- had never before seen anyone from outside > can music and teaching the Faith (see also Russia. > "Special Youth Projects'', p.443), began a In the summer of 1991, six youth formed > three-month tour of the newly opening areas Daystar II as part of the "Youth Can Move > in January 1990. Their route took them from the World" project. The project drew on the > Yugoslavia to Hungary, Poland, Estonia, spirit and talents of Daystar, another music > Russia, the Ukraine, Siberia, and Mongolia. group called Bridges which played folk, > They played before audiences ranging from bluegrass, contemporary, and country music > fifty to 1,000, and performed and were inter- from the United States, and thirty-eight other > viewed on television in Yugoslavia, Hungary, international participants. The group was > and in Leningrad and Moscow in Russia. divided into three teams, each assisted by > Following El Viento Canta's concerts, four or five Russians who served as guides > lively discussions of the Faith continued for and translators. Through their efforts people > hours around the stage and in coffee shops, were able to witness, some for the first time, > hotel lobbies, and private homes . One night living examples of the transforming power > in Odessa, conversations about the Faith were ofBaM 'u'llah. > in progress in four dormitory rooms at once, Light in the Darkness, a music group > in English, German, Spanish, and Russian. It which had formed in Italy in December 1988, > was not uncommon for people to stand in spread the Faith in Yugoslavia, Poland, and > line for over half an hour after conce1is to Romania during the Plan. Audience memregister in a guest book for later contact and bers at their concerts heard the principles of > literature. More than once, audience mem- the Faith explained between the singing of > bers travelled many hours to see El Viento Baha ' i songs and popular songs about peace. > 202 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > A music group spontaneously formed among participants in the Tahirih II Teaching Project > in Neptune, Romania, in July J99 J. ft pe1formed in the streets, causing crowds to gather. > > Travelling teachers ji-om Brazil sing for Members of El Viento Canta giving a radio > young Fiends in Poland in J990. interview in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, 1990. > > Baha 'is attending the first National Baha 'i Conference to be held in the US.SR. in about > 60 years. The event took place on 24-25February1990 near Moscow. > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAH A' I AC TIV!Tl ES 203 > At the end of each concert, audience mem- Renowned violinist Bijan Khadembers were directly invited to join the Baha'i Missagh shared his talents during one of the > community. public concerts associated with the Ali Forum. > In summer 1991, Light in the Darkness Mr. Khadem-Missagh and singer Ahdieh > performed at the first European Youth Con- Pakravan also brought the name of the Faith > ference in Neptune, Romania, and at other to many of the inhabitants of Dushanbe, > locations in the area. When the group took a Tajikistan, during concerts given in the > break during one concert that had 1,000 autumn of 1991. > spectators, people began lining up at a Baha'i The European Baha' i Youth Council > information booth near the stage. Eighty of helped channel the energies of European > them declared their belief in Baha' u 'llah. youth into the work of the Two Year Plan > The world renowned jazz musician Dizzy by organising teaching projects in Czecho- > Gillespie mentioned the Baha'i Faith from slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and > the stage during concerts in East Berlin, Yugoslavia during the summer of 1990. In > Moscow, and Prague in May 1990. The addition, the George Adam Benke Project > musical tour was organized by professional held in the autumn led to the forn1ation of > agencies in honour of a European event the first Local Spiritual Assembly in Bulgaria > called One World Week. At each concert, since World War II. The Youth Council > about 2,000 people heard the announcement continued to contribute significantly to the > that the performance was a contribution of teaching work during the remainder of > the Baha'i community to the special week the Plan. (See also "European Baha' i Youth > and that it was dedicated to peace and global Council", p.432.) > understanding. The East Berlin concert was With the Tablets of the Divine Plan as > attended by the President of the East Geiman their guide, a group of youth from the United > Parliament, and portions of it were broadcast States formed the Marion Jack Teaching > on East Gern1an television. In Moscow, the Project in the summer of 1990 to bring > performance was held under the patronage Baha 'u'llah's Message to the Soviet Union. > of Mrs. Raisa Gorbacheva and was followed Canying 10,000 copies of the Peace Stateby a one-hour press conference attended by ment and 2,000 copies of The Hidden Words > eighty international journalists. The Presi- in Russian, the youth travelled from the > dent of the new Republic of Czechoslovakia, Ukraine to Siberia. When members of the > Vaclav Havel, and his wife attended the con- team visited the village ofKolodnia, Siberia, > cert in Prague. Following a press conference the chief invited them to return to "our > with about one hundred reporters, Dizzy village and tell us how to become a Baha'i > Gillespie and the Baha'i representatives were village". A second Marion Jack Project was > received privately by the President. organized for January 1991, and Marion > In July 1991, an International Baha'i Art Jack III took place that summer. > Forum, held in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, While members of the first Marion Jack > brought together approximately fifty aiiists Project were traversing the Soviet Union > from around Europe and the Soviet Union to west to east, nineteen Baha' is from nine > exchange ideas, share their work, and dis- countries were sailing south down the Volga > cuss the contributions artists could make to and Don Rivers from Petrozavodsk toward > the coming Baha'i Holy Year. An art gallery the Black Sea. A group of Soviet citizens had > exhibited works by Baha'i artists, and every decided to build three Viking-style ships and > evening for a week, public performances sail them from the Soviet Union to the Holy > were held. Two musicians embraced the Land. When Captain Alexander Dubovsky, > Faith during the week. who had become a Baha'i in the summer of > 204 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 1989 at an Army-sponsored peace fair, heard streets, in the houses of the friends where we > of the plan for the Golden Age Mission, he were received with unforgettable hospitality, > recruited Baba'is for it. When none of the on the beach, in the hall of the Albanian Parother passenger groups showed up for the liament, in hotels, in universities, and musical > journey, it became a mission for Bah a 'u 'llah. academies-and enrolments occurred every- > Down the rivers they sailed, going ashore where". > and teaching by setting up display stands In August 1991, thirteen Baha' is from six > with pictures and Baha'i literature in town European countries took part in teaching > after town. Conditions were extremely rug- projects in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and in > ged, as the little ships (18 x 20 metres) had Bishkek, Kirgizia. The teams set up book > no cabins and were caught in storms several stalls in a busy square, in a town, and at a > times . Yet each member carried a copy of university; spoke about the Faith to mema letter of encouragement from the Universal bers of a spiritual organization; and were > House of Justice, and they "huddled around interviewed for radio and television. > it during storms, shouted it in exaltation and On 1 January 1991, a French Baha'i > mutmured it in wonder and praise". In al- group, calling itself Caravan of Peace, was > most every port of call, one or more people able to present the Peace Statement to the > embraced the Faith, and eleven members of authorities of Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. > the ships' crews became believers. Although The collapse of the Eastern Bloc's politithe Baha'is had to end their journey in the cal, economic, and social systems, coupled > Soviet Union, the ship called "Hope" arrived with the region's emergence from decades > in Haifa in September with twenty-four of isolation, created great demand for infor- > Russians aboard . The travellers spent three mation on a wide range of topics. Baha ' i > days meeting with members of the Baha' i experts in various fields travelled to the area > World Centre staff and visiting the Holy to share their professional experience and to > Shrines. explain how Baha'u'llah's principles speak > Many groups organized themselves dur- to the needs of the modem world. > ing this period to make short-term teaching The Hand of the Cause 'Ali-Akbar Furutan > trips. For one week in June 1991, fifteen was able to visit Russia in 1990 after > Baha' is from Austria and Italy travelled to more than sixty years away. He was invited > Albania and were able to enrol 150 people to speak to the approximately 380 particiinto the Faith. "Teaching was carried out pants of the "International Conference of > everywhere", a participant reported, "in the Young Psychologists" at Moscow University. > > A group of nineteen > Baha 'is spent three > weeks sailing down > th e Volga and Don > Rivers on this and > two other Viking - > style ships in the > summer of 1990, > teaching the Faith > to both ship crews > and dock-side > visitors. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 205 > Mr. Furutan also gave a lecture on education sought information about life outside the > at the Murmansk Institute of Pedagogy. Eastern Bloc. In addition to coverage of the > Counsellors conducted seminars on moral events described above and fairly regular > education in Albania and Czechoslovakia, interviews of travelling teachers around the > and possibilities for future cooperation and region, several films on the Faith were > exchange were discussed. Also in Czecho- broadcast. Russian television aired a docuslovakia, an environmental consultant was mentary on the Baha'i Faith called "A > able to approach high-ranking government Temple on My Way" which was produced > officials responsible for environmental issues. by the Russian company Rus-film. The video > In 1988, a presentation entitled "Participa- "Jewel in the Lotus'', about the Baha'i > tory Radio for Rural Development: the House of Worship in India, was broadcast > Baha'i Experiments" was presented at the on national television in Bulgaria through the > International Colloquium on Communication unified efforts of the Varna Baha'i commuand Culture in Bled, Yugoslavia. nity and travelling teachers. Polish television > A number of Baha'i doctors were able aired a documentary about the Faith called > to consult their Eastern European colleagues "The Fold of the Ninth Prophet". > for the first time . In the spring of 1990, a As the teaching work began to include > doctor visiting Uzbekistan was able to share more and more native believers, (see also secthe Faith at a hospital in Tashkent. In every tion on "Numerous New Supporters attracted > depa1tment, at least one doctor read the to the Faith'', p. 207 .) teaching conferences > Peace Statement and discussed it with fellow were held to stimulate and coordinate these > physicians. In the autumn of 1991 , a Baha ' i efforts. The first national teaching conferwas invited by the Institute of Preventative ence in Albania, held in Durres in November > Medicine in Uzbekistan, to present two pa- 1991 , drew 200 Albanian Baha'is from ten > pers at a congress of genetics and molecular different localities and fifty travelling teachbiology. The doctor was able to mention the ers. A journalist who attended all the sessions > Faith in his speech and during informal talks decided to spread the Faith through his > with doctors and scientists. He stressed the newspaper. The teaching conference ended > impo1tance of cooperation between the East with a public meeting at a hall in the centre > and the West. of the city. The first national teaching confer- > Three doctors from three different coun- ences of Bulga1ia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, > tries spent twelve days in August 1991 at the and Yugoslavia also occurred in 1991. In > university town of Olomouc, Czechoslova- January 1992, the first teaching conference > kia, where they conducted an unprecedented of Croatia and Slovenia took place in Kranj. > combined course in medical English and Approximately 400 believers performed > "The Promise of World Peace" for a group "the prince of all goodly deeds" during the > of Czechoslovakian doctors. Also at the Two Year Plan, leaving their homes to reset- > University of Olomouc, the Baha'is helped tle in the Soviet Union or Eastern Europe. > organize a symposium called "Rational Faith The final two pioneering goals of the Ten > and Blind Science?" which was addressed Year Crusade were fulfilled when Sean > by a Baha'i physicist from Germany. Two Hinton settled in Mongolia and 'Abbas and > Baha 'is were frequent visitors to Czechoslo- Ric;lvaniyyih Katirai settled in Sakhalin. As > vakia, where they lectured on psychology at the Plan progressed, native believers began > different universities and assisted with the arising to pioneer. The first Slovak hometeaching work. front pioneers of Czechoslovakia moved to > Media coverage of many Baha'i-sponsored Jindrichuv Hradec in 1991. The first Ukraievents was excellent, as journalists eagerly nian pioneer settled in Minsk in early 1992. > 206 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Th e Hand of the Cause of God 'A li-Akbar Funitan in Samarkand (US.SR.) , visiting with > some Baha 'i fiáiends on 1 April I 990. > > Baha'is meeting with the President of Albania, His Excellency Ramiz Alia, in his offices in > Durres, J November J99 I. Shown Ji-om left: Mrs. Luci Bylykbashi of the Local Assembly of > Durres, President Alia, Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre Farzam > Arbab, Mrs. Laurie Arbab, and Mr. Gian-Franco Mazzoni of the National Assembly of Italy. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITI ES 207 > > 3. NUMEROUS NEW SUPPORTERS ATTRACTED TO THE FAITH > By the end of the Two Year Plan, more than heart from reading it in Baha 'u 'llah and the > 12,000 people in Eastern Europe, the former New Era. > Soviet Union, and Mongolia had embraced Also in Albania, a young man approached > the Cause of Baha' u'llah and thousands some travelling teachers to ask them where > more had been exposed to His Message. they came from, and upon hearing of the > Many who had not formally emolled in the Faith, said that a Faith like this can only > community had expressed their deep appre- be hue. He said the oneness of mankind is > ciation for the teachings and helped make it the highest aspiration of today's man. After > possible for them to spread. emolling in the Faith three days later, the > People from all backgrounds became Baha'is. man shared the teachings with a co-worker > The comments of one travelling teacher in who then requested a meeting with the trav- > Albania were very typical: "Many different elling teachers . After some discussion, this > kinds of people accepted the Faith-cultured man called on yet another friend and said, "I > people, artists, professionals, students, musi- have met some Italian friends who have > cians, actors, directors, judges, refugees and disclosed to me a religion that spiritualizes > the unemployed". A seventy-year-old nun, democracy and democratizes spirituality." > after forty-eight years of service to the Cath- Both men joined the Faith, the latter returnolic Church, accepted the Baha' i Faith in ing to his home, waking up his wife and > Maribor, Yugoslavia. After reading Thief in seventeen-year-old son, and sharing the > the Night, she said, "I came to the clear Cause with them. Both accepted Baha'u'llah > understanding that I have to strive for com- that night. > plete integration into the Baha' i community." In Romania, 350 people in at least sixty > In the village ofKolindo in Sakhalin, a mayor different localities accepted the Faith during > and leaders of the indigenous minority were a three-week teaching campaign. > among more than 150 people who declared In the Soviet Union, it was more common > their allegiance to Baha'u'llah. for those first hearing about the Faith to ea- > A readiness to accept the Faith quite soon gerly begin an intense study and application > after first hearing about it was not unusual in of its teachings which could continue for a > Eastern Europe. In one case, a Baha'i was number of years before emolment in the > speaking to an Albanian lawyer regarding community. Travelling teachers were often > official recognition for the Faith when the amazed at the depth of tmderstanding and > lawyer said, "I have always believed in these commitment demonstrated by seekers and > teachings . Please register my name. I want new believers. > to be a Baha'i." The Baha' i who had been One of the numerous examples of this > speaking to her was surprised by her readi- comes from the Ukraine. A man was exness and asked for an opportunity to explain posed to the Faith at a Baha'i business forum, > more. During the next fifteen minutes, she and after the Baha'is left, he continued to > stopped him two or three more times, repeat- think deeply about what he had learned. He > ing her wish to emol. The next day, when began abstaining from the use of alcohol and > contacted by one of the local believers, the then made the major decision to resign his > lawyer said, "I have consulted all my membership in the Communist Party, a > friends ... . They all want to join [the Fa ith]". move that would cause him to lose his job as > When she was visited later by her original manager at a large plant. He formed the goal > teacher and was offered a wall hanging with of creating his own business based on the > three prayers on it, she said she already principles learned at the Baha'i fornm. He > knew the short obligatory prayer almost by also decided that although he would like his > 208 THE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > family members to become Baha'is, and that One of the people to declare his faith in > according to tradition he could issue this de- the Soviet Union just before the Two Year > cree, he would instead expose them to the Plan was a sixteen-year-old boy who immeteachings and let them reach their own con- diately taught his mother what he had learned. > clusions. "My whole family will be Baha'i A few months later, she enrolled and set in > someday but it must be when they discover motion the Russian film project about the > it in their hearts," he said. Faith. She in tum taught her parents who > For several years prior to 1990, four men brought nine residents of their Ukrainian > from Leningrad University had studied the village into the Faith. > Faith without knowing that there were any Much of the teaching work was facilitated > Baha' is in their city or that there was litera- by the enthusiastic support of non-Baha'is > ture in Russian. The situation came to light who appreciated Baha'i prmciples and conwhen the men wrote a letter to the Associa- tributed to their diffusion. One family, who > tion for Baha'i Studies in Canada. When a discovered the Baha ' i Faith when they > pioneer later visited them, she found four offered to host a travelling Baha'i in their > dedicated believers. home, called themselves devout atheists, yet > When a travelling teacher asked a mem- they regularly talked late into the night with > ber of a new Local Spiiitual Assembly about their guest about God, religion, Christianity, > the election, the relatively new Baba 'i ex- and the Teachings ofBaha'u'llah. Each day > plained in great detail the whole election they would share what they had learned with > procedure, including rules for absentee votes co-workers. When Baha'is returned to the > and tellers, and showed the ballot that had city for other teaching projects, the family > been carefully prepared. The visitor stood in repeatedly allowed their home to be used as > silence as the native believer demonstrated a central point of contact for Baha 'is needhis clear understanding of the important pro- ing to exchange messages. Another woman > cess of which he had become a part. who hosted a travelling Baha'i made her > A fervent eagerness to share their new- modest flat available for firesides, coming > found Faith with others was common among home from work each night and preparing > new believers throughout the Eastern Bloc. food for twenty-five to thirty-five people on > Speaking about some of the 126 people who a tiny two-burner stove. > enrolled in Bulgaria duriI1g December 1991 Following a Baha 'i business seminar in > and January 1992, one travelling teacher the Soviet Union, one company chief called > said, "Watching them teach and talk about all his employees together to announce that > Baha'u ' llah made one wonder whether these the office would begin applying some newlyare the ones who could cross the seven leamed spiIáitual principles to its work. He > valleys in 'seven steps, nay rather in seven told the employees that they would be using > breaths, nay rather in a single breath'". consultation so he could hear their cont1ibu- > Within a day or two of enrolling, some of tions and feedback. This was an entirely new > them took full responsibility for the teaching concept, and the employees were amazed. > efforts, translating talks and articles, distrib- In one of the Soviet cities where the music > uting leaflets, giving public talks, inviting group Daystar performed, the director of a > people to join the Faith and giving their philharmonic hall offered the facility and the > phone numbers as contact points. In Albania, staff at no charge. F ollowmg El Viento Cana travelling teacher found that "once they ta' s tour, university students in another city > heard about the Faith, they immedi ately be- instantly prepared the necessary documents > came active so as to make their contribution to make the visits of more Baha'i groups > to the establishment of the World Order of possible and offered to cover the expenses of > Baha'u'llah". the concert hall and accommodations. > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'f ACT IVITIES 209 > One university student in the Ukraine, fact, the Ministry co-sponsored the event, > who was not a Baha'i, received the highest which was initiated by Baha'is and wellmark in his class for his presentation on the received by the 300 university professors, > Faith in a course called "Scientific Atheism". teachers, educational administrators, and > The student had discovered the teachings students who attended. The Ministry offiwhen he volunteered to help guide a group cials said the symposium had provided them > of travelling teachers. He read all the books with the impetus they needed to begin > he was given and prepared a thirty minute changing their educational system in a > oral presentation which won the praise of his fundamental way. > professor. After a successful public meeting in Sofia, > In Mongolia, the organizers of the eighth Bulgaria, a high government official asked > Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace invited the Baha'is to help draft legislation on relithe Baha'i International Community to send gious tolerance. In Tajikistan, a member of > representatives. The delegation received a the Supreme Soviet attended quite a few > warm response to its statement, "The Com- Baha'i meetings and expressed several times > mon Goal of Universal Peace in Buddhism her great respect and love for Tahirih and > and the Baha'i Faith'', which was delivered for the Baha ' i Faith in general. The forn1er > by the only woman speaker at the gathering. President of Uzbekistan said he was deeply > A Baha'i International Community represen- impressed and highly interested in the Faith > tative was the only non-Buddhist speaker to after visiting the House of Worship in India > address a public meeting arranged for the and then meeting Baha'is back in Uzbekistan. > conference's final day. After the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the > Other support for spread of the Faith came Republic of Croatia was visited and presentfrom the organizers of the centenary Univer- ed with The Promise of World Peace, he said, > sal Czech Exhibition. The Bahi'is were the "Your Peace Message has been studied in > only religion to have a special exhibit, be- our Ministry and we support this initiative". > cause the organizers were attracted to the One of the prominent people who not > concept of the oneness of religions and felt only supported the Baha'is but joined the > the Baha'i Faith could represent all the faiths. community was the first Deputy Minister of > The Albanian Minister of Education Culture of Tajikistan, who became a Baha' i > attended the opening session of a national along with twenty-four members of the > symposium called "A New Framework for Opera Choir in Dushanbe, after the concert > Moral Education" held in Tirana in 1991. In of Bijan Khadem-Missagh in 1991. > > ' The delegation of the > Baha 'i International > Community, which > was invited to attend > the eighth Asian > Buddhist Conference > for Peace, held in > Ulaan-Baatar, > Mongolia, in > September J990. > 210 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > For both those who declared their belief realized that they are not alone in their strugin Baha'u'llah and those who chose to take gles. Even the West is going through hard > more time to investigate, their encounters times and must change. We can encourage > with the Faith often meant an end to many each other and share skills to implement upforms of isolation. Living in societies where to-date thinking as we jointly prepare for the > ideas were tightly controlled, spiritual needs twenty-first century." A Soviet participant in > were not acknowledged, and interaction the school said it was the first time she had > with foreigners was extremely limited, the seen the eyes of the businessmen shine. > people of these regions had been deprived of When the first Moscow Baha'i conference > exposure to the world's growing acceptance took place in December 1990, it was a comof oneness. At one international women's pletely new experience for the Soviets to > forum which the Baha'is organized in Len- openly gather for expressly spiritual reasons, > ingrad, a participant commented that it was a to meet people from different areas without > whole new thought for her to realize that she the need for suspicion, and to realize that > was part of a global sisterhood. Similarly, a there was no hierarchy among them. Even > Baha'i who travelled to the Soviet Union though they had known there were Baha 'is > and participated in a Baha'i business forum scattered throughout their vast country, it > observed: "The Soviets made a 180 degree was the first time they actually sat side by > tum from the first day to the last. They side. > > 4. TRANSLATION, PUBLICATION, AND DISSEMINATION OF B AHA 'f > LITERATURE IN REQUISITE LANGUAGES OF THE ENTIRE AREA > > In the early years of the twentieth century, in Romanian included a prayer book printed > a number of translations of Baha'i Sacred in 1982, Bah6 'u 'llah and the New Era in > Writings and introductory materials about 1983, and The Hidden Words in 1984. The > the Faith were produced in the languages of Eastern Literature Committee in Germany > the region that later became the Eastern was particularly active, preparing and pub- > Bloc. As already mentioned, a Russian trans- lishing Baha'i literature in most of the > lation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas was made, and languages of the countries for which the > a compilation of the Writings ofBaha'u ' llah German community had responsibility. > was published in St. Petersburg in 1908. In However, as manuscripts were not allowed > addition, Paris Talks was printed in Polish into or out of the countries of the Eastern > in 1915. Literature printed in Albanian in- Bloc before the collapse of communism, > cluded Words of Wisdom in 1930, the Kitab- the translations were often done by native > i-Iqan in 1932, and Baha 'u '!Lah and the speakers living in exile, many of whom did > New Era in 1933. A Bulgarian translation of not speak the most current version of the > The Hidden Words was printed in 1937. language. In 1989, the laws restricting reli- > During the decades that followed, a few gious literature in the Soviet Union were > other publications were also produced. An lifted, and in 1990 the Spiritual Assembly of > Introduction to the Bah6 'i Faith in Albanian Moscow obtained government permission > came out in 1954. Paris Talks was printed in to have Baha' i books published in Russian. > Estonian in 1968. A book of selections from Despite the obstacles that existed when the > Baha 'u '!Lah and the New Era in Hungarian Six Year Plan began, nearly two dozen > was printed in 1979, followed by a selection Baha'i books, booklets, Tablets and introof prayers in 1981 , and The Hidden Words ductory pamphlets were translated and > in 1982. A Polish translation of The Hidden printed in Russian during this period. Also, > Words was produced in 1979. Publications 50,000 copies of a Russian edition of > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACT IVITIES 211 > the Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali Akbar cancellation in 1989. At the close of several > Furlitan's book Mothers, Fathers and Chil- book fairs , Baha'i books were donated to the > dren were printed in 1992. Lenin Library in Moscow which in tum dis- > To serve the needs of the rapidly expand- tributed them to other libraries, including > ing Baha'i communities in Albania, Bulgaria, one of the main libraries in Leningrad. > Romania, and Russia, particular effo1is were An annual international book and video > made to quickly print large quantities of"core fair in Budapest, Hungary, first held in 1989, > literature" in the languages of these coun- included Baha'i participation every year. > tries. (See p.158 for an explanation of the The Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom > core literature programme.) In all the nations organized the Baha'i booth, which was visitof the former Eastern Bloc, previous transla- ed by prominent people such as the Minister > tions were revised, new translations made, of Education, and drew the attention of the > and reprints of existing materials produced. Hungarian National Television and Radio > The translations and publications are too Company. Hundreds of items of literature > numerous to list, but a few examples will were distributed each year. > provide a sense of the range of projects The Baha'i Committee for Eastern Literaundertaken in such a short period of time. ture organized a very successful book fair > During the Two Year Plan, prayer books in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in 1989, at which > were printed in Azeri, Croatian, Macedonian, 4,500 copies of the Perspective Series > and Slovene; the Kitab-i-Iqan was printed in booklet The Bahci 'i Faith in Serbian were > Romanian; Selections from the Writings of disháibuted. The following year, the Baha'i > Ba!ui 'u 'llah was printed in Hungarian; the Book Distribution Service Austria participat- > Kitab-i- 'Ahd was printed in Polish; The Re- ed in the thirty-fifth International Book Fair > ality of Man was printed in Czech and in Belgrade. Approximately 2,000 introduc- > Slovak; Paris Talks was printed in Serbian; tions to the Faith, 700 copies of The Promise > The Promise of World Peace was translated of World Peace, and one hundred copies of > into Estonian, and printed in A1menian, prayers were distributed. > Georgian, and Latvian; Baha 'u 'llah and the A Baha'i Book Exhibition, held in Riga, > New Era was translated into Lithuanian; and Latvia, in October 1990 under the auspices > Pathway to Peace was printed in Mongolian of the Central Latvian State Library, attractand Uzbek. The Hidden Words was published ed some 600 people. Following the exhibit a > in Armenian in the prestigious bimonthly great number of the Baha 'i books were connewspaper Punik in 1991. tributed to the State Library. > Even before the Two Year Plan, book It is difficult to convey the significance of > fairs in the Eastern Bloc had provided an im- the translation, production, and distribution > po1iant vehicle for bringing Baha'i literature work which intensified during the Two Year > to the attention of a wide audience, and they Plan. Perhaps its importance can be hinted at > continued to serve this vital function . by recounting the story of a Russian believer, > The German Baha'i Publishing Trust, in who, when she saw Baha 'u 'llah and the New > collaboration with other Baha'i Publishing Era in Russian for the first time, was "like a > Trusts, began its successful biennial repre- starving person who just found food" . She > sentation at the Moscow International Book grabbed two copies, held them to her breast > Fair significantly before the Two Year Plan, and cried, "Now my friends can see that I > and continued participation until the fair's am telling the truth ... they can read these". > 212 THE BAHA •j WORLD > > Knight ofBaha 'u 'llah > 'Abbas Katirai (left) > arrived in Sakhalin > on 24 March 1990 > with his wife, > Ri pioneer goal of the > Ten Year Crusade. > > 5. DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER > > By the end of the Two Year Plan, 127 Local for the largest country of the world; reflected > Spiritual Assemblies had formed throughout on the high expectations of the Guardian > Eastern Europe, Mongolia, and the former concerning the progress of the Faith in the > Soviet Union. Baha'is were residing in more Soviet Union; and prepared the delegates for > than 700 localities. In a region of the world their heavy responsibility. Mr. Furutan also > where just a few short years earlier it had read, in Russian, the message from the > been illegal to openly teach the Faith, the ad- Universal House of Justice to the Baha' is of > ministrative order brought by Baha'u ' llah the U.S .S.R. for Rigvan 1991. > had taken root. When the time came for representatives > of other National Assemblies to present gifts > The Spiritual Assembly of the Union of to the new Assembly, the Soviet Baha'is > Soviet Socialist Republics also felt moved to proceed to the front of the > In March 1990 the Hand of the Cause of hall and make their contributions. Some > God 'Ali Akbar Furutan, who had lived in gave books, others funds , and others rethe Soviet Union from 1914 to 1930, study- counted the great difficulties they had faced > ing at Moscow University and serving the during the past decades and expressed their > Cause in Ashkhabad, returned to the U.S.S.R. utmost joy about the formation of the > and witnessed the re-election of the Local Assembly. For more than ninety minutes, > Spiritual Assembly of Moscow after a lapse Baha'is from throughout the Soviet Union > of some fifty years. Slightly more than one proceeded to the front to express their joy. > year later, at Rigvan 1991, he returned again, In March 1992, after the dissolution of > this time as a representative of the Universal the Soviet Union, the Spiritual Assembly of > House of Justice to attend the historic elec- the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was > tion of the first Spiritual Assembly of the renamed the Regional Spiritual Assembly of > Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. the Commonwealth of Independent States, > In the three major addresses Mr. Furutan the Baltic States and Georgia. At Rigvan 1992 > gave to the Convention in the Russian lan- this Assembly was renamed the Regional > guage, he related some of his early experiences Spiritual Assembly of Russia, Georgia and > in Moscow; spoke about the spiritual impor- Armenia, and the territory under its jurisdictance of the election of a Spiritual Assembly tion was reduced. Four other National or > INTERNATIONAL SURV EY OF CURRENT BAH A' i A CTIVITI ES 213 > Regional Spiritual Assemblies were estab- 150 believers, the majority living in Baku. > lished to cover the territory of the former Furthermore, the Baku Assembly was offi- > U.S.S .R.: the National Spiritual Assembly of cially registered. > Azerbaijan; the Regional Spiritual Assembly Teaching and consolidation were carried > of the Baltic States; the Regional Spiritual out in the early stages of the Six Year Plan > Assembly of Central Asia; and the Regional by travelling teachers making contact with > Spiritual Assembly of the Ukraine, Belarus relatives in Azerbaijan. Many of the descenand Moldova. dants of the early believers had kept their > deep love for the Faith through all the years > The Regional Spiritual Assembly of of religious oppression. Later in the Plan > Russia, Georgia and Armenia radio and television interviews brought the > At the beginning of the Six Year Plan, there Faith to the attention of the public. > had been seven believers in Russia. Baba' is By the end of the Plan, four long-term > from various countries had been studying in pioneers had settled in Azerbaijan. Like the > the U.S.S.R., and a young couple from the travelling teachers, they played a crucial role > United Kingdom had settled in Moscow in in the development of the community, and > 1982. After the beginning of the Six Year their effmis produced notable results . > Plan, other pioneers followed who greatly At Ri<;lvan 1992, the National Spiritual Asassisted the teaching work which had been sembly of Azerbaijan, with its seat in Baku, > persistently pursued by relays of travelling was elected after a lapse of more than fifty > teachers for many years. years. > In 1990 'Abbas and Ri<;lvaniyyih Katirai > settled in Sakhalin, for which they were The Regional Spiritual Assembly of the > named Knights ofBaha'u ' llah, thereby com- Baltic States > pleting the pioneering work called for by the The Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and > Guardian at the opening of the Ten Year Lithuania were independent countries before > Crusade. At the end of the Six Year Plan, being annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. > there were some forty pioneers in Russia. These republics became sovereign countries > By Ri<;lvan 1992 there were some thirty again in 1991. > Local Assemblies in Russia, one in Armenia At Ri<;lvan 1992 the first Regional Spirand one group in Georgia. Assemblies in itual Assembly of the Baltic States was > Moscow, Ulan-Ude, Kazan, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk established with its seat in Tallinn, Estonia. > and Kholmsk were registered, and a local One hundred Baha' is from the Baltic States > centre had been purchased in Kazan. The and ten other countries filled the hall to > Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is capacity for this historic firs t convention, at > of Russia, Georgia and Armenia was over- which the Hand of the Cause of God ' Ali > seeing the largest Baba 'i territorial area in Akbar Furutan represented the House of > the world, with a general population of over Justice. Mr. Furutan spoke in Russian when > 15 5 million. conveying the love and greetings of the > House of Justice to the friends. > The National Spiritual Assembly of Estonia, whose population of nearly two > Azerbaijan million is eighty per cent Lutheran, had only > There is no accurate record of the number of three Baha ' is at the beginning of the Six > believers in Azerbaijan at the beginning of Year Plan, including Brigitte Lundblade, > the Six Year Plan. The goal of the Two Year who had returned to her country of birth in > Plan was to form two Local Assemblies. By April 1989. Other pioneers joined her, and > Ri<;lvan 1992, Azerbaijan had three Local their dedicated efforts led to the formation of > Assemblies, five groups and approximately two Local Assemblies: one in the capital city > 214 THE BAHA'l WORLD > > Balui 'is in Tallinn, Estonia, US.S R. on 7 June J987. From left to right: Johannes Palu, > Raja Palu, Antonina Apollo, Vjaceslav Hromov. > > Jn Riga, Latvia, pioneers Darrel and Sylvia Vice, with their children Tamara and Talis, > held theirfirst Nineteen Day Feast on 7 September 1989. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIV ITI ES 215 > of Tallinn formed at Ric;lvan 1990, and one in formulated a one-year teaching plan which > Tartu, formed at Ric;lvan 1991. was received by the assembled believers with > Latvia, with a population of nearly three joy and appreciation. > million people, has three primary religions: > Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Russian The Regional Spiritual Assembly of the > 01ihodox. The first Local Spiritual Assem- Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova > bly of Riga, the Latvian capital, was formed In the Ukraine, three Local Assemblies had > in January 1991. By the end of the Plan, two been formed by 1990 as a result of the conpioneers resided in this country. solidation work of travelling teachers and a > Lithuania, with a population of nearly four few pioneers. By Ric;lvan 1991 the commumillion, is ninety per cent Roman Catholic. nity had grown to six Local Assemblies and > The first Local Assembly of Vilnius, the 200 believers; by the end of that year, > Lithuanian capital, was formed in Septem- eighteen long-te1m pioneers were settled in > ber 1990. In January 1992 Lithuania held its various parts of the country. The Plan ended > first large-scale teaching project called with some 250 believers in the Ukraine. > "Project Kaunas". It was sponsored by the Belarus (White Russia) had been opened > International Goals Committee of Sweden by Knight of Baha'u'llah Helmut Winkeland proved to be very successful. The Plan bach in 1978, who stayed for two years. He > ended with four pioneers in Lithuania. returned in 1986 with his wife, Olga, a > native of that country. Their teaching efforts > The Regional Spiritual Assembly of and the an-ival of one more pioneer pro- > Central Asia duced a group of eight believers by Ric;lvan > The population of this region is approximate- 1991. By September that year a Local > ly fifty million and includes the republics of Assembly had been formed in Minsk. Other > Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turk- enrolments occun-ed after a group of twenty > menistan and Uzbekistan. There is no accurate enthusiastic travelling teachers came through > record of the number of believers in these from the United Kingdom. By the end of the > republics at the beginning of the Six Year Plan there were twenty-three adults, six > Plan; however, by the end of the Plan, there youth and one Local Assembly in Belarus. > were approximately 500 Baha' is, and all the Moldova began the Six Year Plan with > goals had been achieved, with eight Local one believer. In May 1991 the first Local > Assemblies established or re-established. The Assembly was formed in C hi§in~u (Kishhistoric re-establishment of the Local Spiri- inev), and a pioneer from the United States > tual Assembly of Ashkhabad had taken place an-ived. At the end of the Plan there were > at Ric;lvan 1989, and the Assembly had been approximately fifty believers in Moldova. > registered the same year. The first Local At Ric;lvan 1992 as a result of the teaching > Assembly in Tajikistan had been formed in activity during the Two Year Plan, the > Dushanbe at Ric;lvan 1990 and was recog- Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Ukraine, > nized by the Ministry for Religious Affairs in Belarus and Moldova was formed with its > November of that year. A local centre had seat in Kiev. The Hand of the Cause of God > been purchased in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Dr. 'A li -Mul~ ammad Varqa represented the > At Ric;lvan 1992 the Regional Spiritual House of Justice at this Regional Convention. > Assembly of Central Asia with its seat in By then there were six Local Assemblies in > Ashkhabad was re-formed, having previously the Ukraine with two, Kiev and Odessa, offiexisted fro m 1925 to 1939 as the National cially registered; one Local Assembly in > Spiritual Assembly ofTurkistan. lnspired and Belarus; and one in Moldova, all goals > guided by the Counsellors at the Convention, having been achieved. A local centre had > the new National Assembly immediately been purchased in Chi§ in~u, Moldova. > 216 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Seventy-five Baha 'is from twelve cities and villages attending the National Teaching > Conference held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from 25 to 27 October 1991. > > Participants in the regional conference held in Odessa, Ukrain e, > fro m J4 to J6 Februmy, J992. "Fellowship, deepening, and rich artistic presentation filled > our hours, " according to the conference report. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 217 > Other Countries of the Former Sofia. By the end of the Six Year Plan, there > Eastern Bloc were 400 Baha'is residing in twenty-five > ALBANIA localities with ten Local Assemblies. The > The goal of the Two Year Plan for Albania first National Spiritual Assembly of Bulgaria > was to establish one group of nine adults and was elected at Ri9van 1992 in the presence > open three localities, but by the end of that of the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu '1- > Plan there were between 3,000 and 4,000 Baha Rul)iyyih Khanum, the representative > Baha 'is in Albania with eighteen Local Spir- of the Universal House ofJustice. > ihial Assemblies and fourteen groups. The Nearly 200 people from eighteen counnumber of travelling teachers and the subse- háies and twenty-one localities in Bulgaria > quent diffusion of the Faith had accelerated attended the Convention, which was held in > dramatically following the contacts made Sofia. "Bulgaria is bursting into a beautiful > with descendants of the <;apari family in and abundant spring which seems symbolic > 1985 in Tirana. These áactivities had been of the wonderful, united, enthusiastic and > enthusiastically promoted by the National happy spirit animating the first Baha'i Con- > Assembly of Italy, which had been asked to vention held in this promising land," it was > lead this work, sharing the responsibility long reported. On the last day of the Convention, > held by the Baba 'is of Germany. the participants accompanied the Hand of the > The National Spiritual Assembly of Albania Cause to the burial places of Adam Benke > was elected at Ri9van 1992 at a Convention and Marion Jack in the central cemetery of > attended by over 180 Albanian Baha'is from Sofia. That evening, ninety per cent of the > all parts of the country. The news of this audience, carried away by sheer joy, opti- > Convention and the announcement of the mism and exuberance about the significance > election of the Assembly was broadcast of the convention, danced together holding > the following day by the national television hands, a snaking column winding around the > during prime-time news. aisles of the hall. > > BULGARIA C ZECHOSLOVAKIA > The original Six Year Plan goal for Bulgaria At the begi1ming of the Six Year Plan there > was to establish one group of nine believers were fifteen believers in Czechoslovakia, > and open six localities. With the Two Year and the initial goal was to form one group of > Plan the goal was expanded to establish two nine adults and open five localities to the > Loca l Spiritual Assemblies and open six Faith. With the Two Year Plan this goal > localities to the Faith. was raised to forming four Local Spiritual > The first Local Spiritual Assembly was Assemblies, opening six localities and formformed in Plovdiv in January 1991. During ing a National Spiritual Assembly at Ri9van > the week of the election there were teaching 1992. These goals were all surpassed. The > activities in which thirty-one people em- first Local Assembly was elected in Prague > braced the Faith. In March 1991 the Local in June 1990. Approximately forty-five per > Spiritual Assembly of Sofia was re-formed, cent of the growth in the number of believers > and by Ri9van there were 150 Baha'is in during the Six Year Plan occurred during the > eight localities with three Local Assemblies. final year. By the end of the Plan, Czecho- > During that same year the first National slovakia had five Local Spiritual Assemblies, > Teaching Conference was held and the first seven groups and approximately 170 believ- > National Teaching Committee appointed. ers, including forty-one pioneers. > The Faith was officially registered in The National Spiritual Assembly of > Bulgaria on 26 November 1991, and by that Czechoslovakia was elected at Ri9van 1991 > date a small Baha'i centre had been rented in in the presence of the Hand of the Cause of > 218 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > God Dr. 'Ali-Mul;ammad Varqa as repre- in that region was elected in March 1992 in > sentative of the Universal House of Justice. Erfurt. By the end of the Six Year Plan there > The Convention participants reported: "In- were approximately fifty Baha'is in the eastdeed, a new and glorious chapter in the ern part of Germany, with two Local Spiritual > history of the Baba' i community of Czecho- Assemblies and twenty pioneers. > slovakia has opened. The future is truly > dazzling. We stand committed to face these HUNGARY > prospects united in service to our beloved The goals of the Six Year Plan for Hungary > Lord, ever mindful of the immeasurable sac- were to form two groups of nine adult > rifices made by those heroic souls whose Baha'is each and to open six localities. In > immortal services have brought us to where 1987 Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum visitwe now stand." ed Budapest, greatly encouraging the small > number of local friends and inspiring an > EAST GERMANY increase in the flow of travelling teachers. > Although the territories of both parts of By 1989 there were five pioneers residing > Germany had always been under the juris- in three localities. In that same year the first > diction of the National Spiritual Assembly of summer school was held, followed by one > Germany, that Assembly had experienced each subsequent year. By 1990 there were > great difficulty in making contact with the forty believers, including eight pioneers. > few Baha'is living in the East until the fall of The Local Assembly of Budapest was rethe Berlin Wall in 1989 and the opening of fom1ed in the presence of a Counsellor, the > the frontier. members of the National Spiritual Assembly > In September 1990, just before the unifi- of Austria, and fifty Hungarian believers and > cation of the two parts of Germany, the Austrian visitors, at what was called the most > National Spiritual Assembly obtained offi- joyous Ric;lvan since before World War IL > cial recognition from the Cabinet Council's The friends recalled the historic visit of the > Department of Religious Affairs as "The beloved Master to Budapest and His stay > Religious Community of the Baha'is in the only a few metres from the place the election > German Democratic Republic". This far- was being held. > sighted action by the National Assembly By 1991, after a number of teaching > ensured the recognition of the Faith in each projects and the formation of the first Nationof the five new eastern states of the united al Teaching Committee, the community had > Federal Republic. The first Local Assembly grown to two Local Spiritual Assemblies > > - Bah a'i youth from > several different > countries staffing > a display in > Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, on > 27 August 1990. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 219 > and eight localities, and there were nineteen Council of Ministers, in Warsaw, thus ensurresident pioneers. By the end of the Plan ing full legal status for existing and future > there were 130 believers, four Local Spiritual Assemblies. The National Assembly was > Assemblies, twenty-six localities and twenty- elected at Ri<)van 1992 in the presence of the > five pioneers scattered around the country. Hand of the Cause of God Amatu 'l-Baha > The first National Spiritual Assembly was Ru]:iiyyih Khanum, who served as the repreelected at Ri<)van 1992, with the Hand of the sentative of the Universal House of Justice. > Cause of God 'Ali Akbar Furutan represent- Almost the entire Polish Baba 'i community > ing the Universal House of Justice. After the and guests from thirty-four countries attenddevotional part of the Convention, the ap- ed the first National Convention, held in > proximately 160 participants from nineteen Warsaw. The Convention paid a special tribcountráies were thrilled to witness the enrol- ute to Knight ofBaha'u'llah Ola Pavlovska, > ments of three more Hungarian friends into who after many years in the pioneering field, > the Faith. was able to return to her native Poland. > > POLAND ROMANIA > Poland was opened to the Faith in 1926 by After the communist takeover of Romania > Martha Root, who visited again in 1932. following World War II, the Baha'is were > After the seeds she planted lay dormant for forbidden to teach the Faith. In 1989 governmany years, the Faith began to blossom in ment restraints relaxed, and the Faith began > 1990 when Baha'is from many countries, to spread with the support of travelling > particularly Germany, the United Kingdom teachers from Austria and Germany. At the > and Ireland, responded to new teaching outset of the Six Year Plan the Romanian > opportunities. In 1991, Ola Pavlovska re- Baha'i community consisted of three students > turned to the land of her birth and settled in from Germany and one native believer. > Warsaw. By the beginning of the Six Year By Ri<;lvan 1989 six localities had been > Plan thirteen believers were reported to be in opened to the Faith, and there were sixteen > Poland; by the end of the Two Year Plan adult believers. Many music groups and > there were approximately eighty. travelling teachers continued to spread the > By April 1992, there were seven Local Faith in different parts of the country, lead- > Assemblies in Poland, and the Baha'i Faith ing to the holding of the first National Baha'i > was officially registered and recognized by Teaching Conference in 1990, at which forty > the Department of Religious Affairs of the people became Baha' is. > > Five members of > New Zealand 's > Youth for One > World, who travelled > to East Germany in > the summer of J990, > then went on to > Romania. > 220 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > The Knight of Baha 'u 'llah for Mongolia, Sean Hinton (left) seated with the first native > Mongolian Baha 'i, Oyundelger; 1990. > > By Ric}van 1991 the great receptivity of four Local Spi.J.itual Assemblies, increase the > the Romanian people and the ardent services number of localities to thirteen and form the > of the Baha ' is had raised the community to National Assembly . All of the goals were > twelve Local Assemblies, twenty-eight groups reached except the formation of the National > and fifty-seven isolated centres, with some Assembly, which could not be achieved due > 1,000 believers in all. A firm foundation had to the extreme political unrest in the counhy > been created for the election of the National The National Assembly of Austria con- > Assembly that Ric}van, in the presence of the ti.J.med to be responsible for the Faith in > Hand of the Cause Amatu ' l-Baba Rul:iiyyih Yugoslavia throughout the period. After the > Khanum, representing the House of Justice. political breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 two > The historic Convention was covered on Regional Teaching Committees were fom1ed > a forty-minute-long national television pro- to cover the geographical areas of the fom1er > gramme which included an interview with republic. They were named the Regional > Rul:iiyyih K.hanum. A dynamic press confer- Teaching Committee of the Baha'is ofBosniaence with twenty-four journalists was also Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and > held. During the Convention and closing pub- Serbia; and the Regional Teaching Commitlic meeting, the 300 participants welcomed tee of the Baba'is of Croatia and Slovenia. > forty-four new believers into the Faith. Despite the challenges of ethnic rivalries, > Following the Convention, Amatu'l-Baha political unrest and exháemely diverse cultures > Rul:iiyyih Khanum visited the grave of Queen and languages, Baha'i travelling teachers, > Marie of Romania with Baha'i friends. mainly from Austria, contributed greatly to > the growth of the Faith in Yugoslavia. > YUGOSLAVI A Greater awareness of the Faith had been > The goal of the Six Year Plan for Yugoslavia raised in 1988 when BaM' is presented pawas to form two groups of nine adults and to pers on current issues at several conferences. > open eleven localities. The goal of the By the end of the Plan the former Yugosubsidiary Two Year Plan was to establish slavia had approximate ly 120 believers, > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 221 > including twenty pioneers, and four Local of 1990, the music group El Viento Canta > Assemblies. In April 1992 the Faith was communicated the Baha'i spirit to nationofficially recognized in Slovenia. wide television and radio audiences, and the > second and third Mongolians became Baha'is. > MONGOLIA One of these new believers, Burembayar, > When Sean Hinton, a young Baha'i from translated the first Baha ' i prayers into > Australia, first entered Mongolia in December Mongolian. > 1988 to do research, it was still a virgin terri- The goal of the Two Year Plan was to > tory and one of two remaining pioneer goals establish one group and to open three localifrom the Ten Year Crusade. Mr. Hinton was ties. Travelling teachers from Germany, > named a Knight ofBaha'u'llah for being the Switzerland, Canada, the United States and > first Baha' i to settle in Mongolia. He spent Malaysia were among those who visited the > several prolonged periods in the country country, and two new pioneers, one from > studying Mongolian folk music, sometin1es Germany and one from the United States, > in very remote areas of the Altai Mountains. joined Mr. Hinton in settling there. > In 1989, the first Mongolian enrolled in the Toward the end of 1991 responsibility for > Faith. the Faith in Mongolia was transferred from > Amatu'l-Baha R1ll_iiyyih Khanum visited the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany > Mongolia for one week in May 1989. She to the Spiritual Assembly of Singapore. The > gave a series of lectures about her travels formation of the first Mongolian Local Spirand about world peace to university students itual Assembly in Ulaan-Baatar was reported > studying English in Mongolia. In the spring at Ri~van 1992. > > 6. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE Two YEAR PLAN > There is no doubt that the day will come hitherto unmatched vigour, to atone for > when the very people who are now their past failures. They will join the > engaged in destroying the foundations of ranks of the followers of Baha 'u ' llah and > faith in God and promoting this baseless arise to promote His Cause ... > doctrine of materialism will arise and, by This time seems finally to have come. An > their own hand, snuff out the flame of this indication of the extraordinary achievements > commotion .. ., made during the sho1t span of the Two Year > the Guardian wrote in 1923, concerning Plan can be seen from the listing of the goals > the events then transpiring in Russia. at the outset of the Six Year Plan, the goals > They will sweep away the entire structure established for the Two Year Plan, and the > of their unrestrained godlessness and actual situation in each country at Ri~van > will arise with heart and soul, and with 1992 when both plans came to an end. > 222 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN EASTERN EUROPE AND MONGOLIA > > Six Year Plan Two Year Plan > Territory Achievements > Goals Goals > > Albania Open to the Faith One group of9 in 18 LSAs > Tirana 21 other localities > Open 3 localities NSA formed and > registered at Ri<;lvan > 1992 > > Bulgaria Form 1 group of9 Form 2 LSAs 10 LSAs > Open 6 localiti es Open 6 localities 25 localities > NSA formed at > Ri<;lvan 1992 > > Czechoslovakia Form 1 group of 9 Form 4 LSAs 5 LSAs > Open 5 localiti es Open 6 localities 11 localities > Establish NSA at NSA formed at > Ri<;lvan 1992 Ri<;lvan 1991 > > Former East Form 4 groups of9 Form 6 LSAs 2 LSAs > Germany Open 30 localities 26 other localities > At least 12 groups > > Hungary Form 2 groups of9á Form 5 LSAs 4 LSAs > Open 6 localities Open 13 localities 17 localities > Establish NSA at NSA formed at > Ri<;lvan 1992 Ri<;lvan 1992 > Poland Form 4 groups of9 Form 6 LSAs 8LSAs > Establish NSA at 29 other localities > Ri<;lvan 1992 NSA formed at > Ri<;lvan 1992 > Faith registered > > Romania Open 6 local iti es Form 4 LSAs 25 LSAs > Open I 0 localities 485 localities > Establish NSA at NSA formed at > Ridvan 1992 Ridvan 1991 > > Yugoslavia Form 2 groups of9 Form 4 LSAs 4 LSAs > Open 11 localities Open 13 localities 20 other localities > Establish NSA at Political situation > Ri<;lvan 1992 did not allow NSA > to be formed > > Mongolia Open to the Faith Establish 1 group I LSA in Ulaan- > Open 3 localiti es Baa tar > INTERNA TIO NAL SURVEY OF CUR RENT BAHA' I ACT IVITI ES 223 > GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION > > Six Year Plan Two Year Plan > Territory Achievements > Goals Goals > > Armenia Conso lidate LSA in Yerevan LSA Yerevan > > Azerbaijan Consolidate Establish 2 LSAs 3 LSAs > 5 other localities > NSA at Ri<;!van > 1992 > > Belarus (Bielarus) Reopen to the Faith Form LSA in 1 LSA in Minsk > Minsk > > Estonia Form 1 group of9 Form 1 LS A 2 LSAs > Open 4 localities 3 other localities > > Geo rgia Consolidate Form 1 LSA in 1 group in Tbilisi > Tbilisi > > Kazakhstan Consolidate Form ILSA 1 LSA > Form 1 group 1 loca lity > > Kyrgyzstan Consolidate Form 1 LSA in 1 LSA in Bishkek > (Kirgizia) Bishkek (Frunze) > > Latvia Form 1 group of9 Form 1 LSA 1 LSA > in Riga Open 3 localiti es 2 other localities > > Lithuania Form 1 group of9 Form 1 LSA 1 LSA > in Vilnius Open 3 localiti es 2 other localities > > Moldova Settle one pioneer Form 1 LSA in 1 LSA in Kishinev > (Moldavia) Kishinev (Chi~ in~ u) > (Chi~in~u) > > R ussia Groups of 9 in Len- Form at least 7 25 LSAs > ingrad & Moscow LS As Mo re than 50 other > Open Petrosko i I LSA and 3 locali - localiti es > Open at least 6 ties in Sakhalin NSA formed at > local ities Establi sh NSA at Ri<;!van 1991 > Ri<;lvan 1992 > > Tajikistan Consol idate LSA in Dushanbe 1 LSA in Dushanbe > (Tadzhikistan) 3 other localities > > Turkmenistan Consolidate Form 2 LSAs 3 LSAs > 3 other localiti es > 224 THE BAHA ' I WORL D > > GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENTS I N TH E FORME R SOVIET UNION (CONTINUED) > > Six Year Plan Two Year Plan > Territory Achievements > Goals Goals > > Ukra ine Conso lidate Form 4- 5 LSAs 7 LSAs > More than l 0 other > loca liti es > > Uzbekistan Consolidate Form 2 LSAs in 2 LSAs in Tashkent > Tashkent and and Samarkand > Samarkand 2 other localities > > Th e first issue of the > Russian Baha 'i newsletter, "The Express", > is done after friends > worked all night to > meet their selfimposed deadline. > December 1991 . > > Th e first Local > Spiritual Assembly > of the Baha 'is of > Marv, Turkmenistan, > Russia. Formed on > 23 September 1990. > III > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF > CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES > 1986-1992 > > 1. THE OPENING OF THE FOURTH EPO CH OF > THE FORMATIVE AGE > S HER NA DE AME R > > The Reve lati on of Baha' u' llah, whose supreme mi ss ion is none other but the achi evement of [the] > organi c and spi ri tual unity of the whole body of nati ons, should .. . be regarded as ... marking the last and > highest stage in the stupendous evolu tio n of man' s collective li fe on this planet. 1 > > THE growth of the Baha ' i Faith could be the International Baha'i Council, in 1951, as > charted, Shoghi Effendi wrote, in terms of the foremnner of the Universal House of > th1ee major stages : the Heroic Age (1844- Justice. > 1921) associated with the Central Figures of The third epoch encompassed 1963- 1986, > the Fa ith; the Formative Age (1921- ), during when the influence of the Faith began > which the Administrative Order would be extending into the world at large, and the > established; and the Golden Age, which wi ll Baha' i conmmnity began to demonstrate its > see the emergence of the Kingdom of God potentialities. The third epoch began with > on earth. the inaugural election of the Universal House > Within each Age, Shoghi Effendi described of Justice, and witnessed the writing of the > distinguishable periods. In the Formative Age constitution of that Supreme Body, the > he used the tenn "first epoch" for the period codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, and the > 1921-1 944/46, when the foundations of the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy when the > Administrative Order were first erected- Universal House of Justice moved into its > the Local and National Spiritual Assemblies. pe1manent Seat at the apex of the Arc on > The second epoch encompassed 1946-1963, Mount Carmel. The institutions of the Conwhen the Faith spread, its administration tinental Boards of Counsellors and the > matured, and its World Centre was consoli- International Teaching Centre were created > dated. A notable fea ture of this epoch was and developed during the third epoch. > the designation by Shoghi Effendi, beginning The opening of the fourth epoch of the > in 1951 , of Hands of the Cause of God to F01mative Age of the Faith was announced > ass ist him, and then, in 1954, of Auxiliary in a letter dated 2 January 1986, written by > Boards to assist the Hands. He also created the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is > of the world. In that letter, a process was > Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Balin '11 '/liili outlined whereby the task of fommlating > (Wi lmette : Baha' i Publi shing Trust, 1974), p. 163. national goals would devolve largely on the > 226 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > National Spiritual Assemblies, in consultation period from 1979 to 1986. At the end of this > with the Boards of Counsellors, rather than Plan, Baha'is were living in 116,707 localibeing specified by the Universal House of ties around the world, representing about > Justice or the International Teaching Centre. 2, 100 ethnic groups with members who had > Emphasizing the significance of this devel- embraced the Faith. One hundred and fortyopment, the House of Justice stated that eight National Spiritual Assemblies and 32,854 > " ... we have no hesitation in recognizing that Local Spiritual Assemblies were elected at > this new development in the maturation of Ri~van 1986, and thousands of properties > Baha'i institutions marks the inception of enhanced the ability of the Baha'is to carry > the fourth epoch of that Age". forward the work of the Cause. > The concept of national goals had first The numerical growth in the rolls of > been introduced by 'Abdu'l-Baha in a series believers reflected the growing spiritual transofletters He had written to the Baha'is of the formation of the lives of the believers. From > United States and Canada between 1916 and the early days of the Cause Baha 'is had > 1917. Called the Tablets of the Divine Plan, founded schools and hospitals, homes for > they had offered a vision of the Faith spread the aged and charities for the poor. As > around the world and encouraged the friends Baha ' is developed the attitudes of service > to act on that vision. Shoghi Effendi had used called for by their Faith, they found new > the Tablets of the Divine Plan as the charter abilities to translate its Teachings into > for a series of Plans he designed to spread the action. By the end of the Seven Year Plan, > Faith, and to provide an administrative order an Office of Social and Economic Developfor the community. The Universal House of ment had been established at the Baha' i > Justice had continued to develop Plans for World Centre to help coordinate the more > the Baha'i world, in consultation with the than one thousand projects initiated by Baha'is > International Teaching Centre after that insti- in the fields of agriculture, community develtution was created in 1973. opment, health, education, improvement of > The last Plan of the third epoch was the the status of women, environment, and other > third Seven Year Plan, which covered the areas of activity. > > Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre Donald Rogers (center) facilitated > community consultation on th e Six Year Plan held in Kingstown, St. Vincent, in May 1986. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF C URR ENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 227 > The increasing numbers of Baha'is and World Peace to the Heads of State of their > the activities they sponsored demanded a respective nations and territories, and by > corresponding maturation of the institutions Ri9van 1986 a total of 138 such presentaof the Faith. Births were recorded, marriages tions had been made. Concunently, the > conducted, and funerals organized. By the Baha'i world community began to distribute > end of the Seven Year Plan, locally spon- The Promise of World Peace to other leaders > sored children's classes were held in 165 of society as well as to their friends and > countries or territories, youth activities in neighbours, so that within eighteen months > 143, and special women's activities in 116 of its release, more than a million copies, in > countries or territories. Funds were raised, some seventy languages, had been presented. > newsletters were published, properties were The law1ching of the Peace Message had > acquired, and legal recognition of the Faith an electráifying effect upon the Baha'is of the > was attained. world, and evoked a new confidence in the > In 1985, the development of the Faith elected administrators of the Faith. But the > took a dramatic new course with the release most dramatic development of the Faith's > of The Promise of World Peace, a Jetter institutions during the third epoch was the > from the Universal House of Justice to the result of forces outside of the control of the > peoples of the world. This was the first time believers. In its 1986 Ri9van message to the > the House of Justice had ever addressed Baha ' is of the world the Universal House of > itself directly to the generality of human- Justice wrote: > kind, and it took up the central issue facing The opening of [the Seven Year] Plan > the human race in the closing years of the coincided with the recrudescence of savtwentieth century. (For the full text of Th e age persecution of the Baha'i community > Promise of World Peace see pp. 324-333 of in Iran, a deliberate effort to eliminate the > The Baha 'i World, volume XIX.) Cause of God from the land of its birth. > The Universal House of Justice asked the The heroic steadfasmess of the Persian > National Spiritual Assemblies around the friends has been the mainspring of tráeglobe to present copies of The Promise of mendous international attention focussed > > Jn Thailand, Baha 'is in a refi1gee camp called "Site Two North Camp" were married > during a ceremony held on 7 October 1987. > 228 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > on the Cause, eventually bringing it to the Each N ational Spiritual Assembly was > agenda of the General Assembly of the also asked to meet with a member of the > United Nations, and, together with world- Continental Board of Counsellors before > wide publicity in all the media, accom- Ric:lvan 1986, "so that from this initial conplishing its emergence from the obscurity sultation a basis will be laid for consultation > which characterized and sheltered the on the goals at the National Conventions". > first period of its life. Delegates from throughout each country > The implications of the Faith's emer- gathered during Ric:lvan and shared their > gence from obscurity were discussed during thoughts and feelings about the proposed > the fifth Baha'i International Convention, goals, then took new ideas home to be disheld in the Holy Land from 30 April to cussed at the grassroots level. Meanwhile, the > 2 May 1983. Among the themes especially National Assembly members elected during > emphasized was the importance of the fol- the Conventions consulted with Counsellors > lowers of Baha'u'llah living up to the high about the ideas presented by the delegates > standards set by the Blessed Beauty, so that and drafted a set of goals for the Six Year > Baha'i institutions and community life can Plan to be considered at the Baha'i World > confidently welcome examination by the Centre. > peoples of the world. Each set of goals was evaluated by the > To ass ist National Spiritual Assemblies Universal House of Justice and the Internadetermine their own levels of maturity, the tional Teaching Centre in relationship to the > Baha'i World Centre's Department of the country's strengths and weaknesses as > Secretariat sent a letter on behalf of the Uni- described by the National Assembly itself > versal House of Justice to each Assembly on and in relationship to the goals of other > 25 November 19 84, asking it to evaluate its National Spiritual Assemblies. If the goals > community's strengths and weaknesses: seemed within the country's potential and > the broader direction of the Faith's develop- > 1. Current Status and Specific Needs of ment, they were warmly endorsed. Where > the Baha'i Community. What distinctive further consideration was needed, they were > strengths and weaknesses do you see in referred back to the Spiritual Assemblies > your community? Are there any unusual concerned for consultation and revision. > features of the condition of the Faith in It was this involvement of the total > your community which must be taken community in setting goals through selfinto account in the fo1mulation of the evaluation, consultation at all levels, and full > next Plan? cooperation between the appointed and > 2. Condition of the Nation. Do the social, elected arms of the Administrative Order > political and economic trends indicate that was a new feature of the development > any unusual opportunities or difficulties of the Faith, one that distinguishes the fourth > for the development of the Baha'i com- epoch of its history. > munity in the immediate years ahead? Once the goals of the new Plan were set > and published, the friends began working > The assessment of each country's toward their fulfilment. As one result, by the > strengths and weaknesses became "the pre- end of the first six years of the fourth epoch, > liminary steps in goa l-setting", the Universal at least one and a half million new Baha'is > House of Justice wrote to all 1-fational Spir- had emolled in the Faith. The community's > itual Assemblies ill a letter dated 25 February s~ccess in á the wide difflision of Baha 'u- > 1986. They "will undoubtedly be of great 'llah's Message was publicly recogmzed > assistance to each one of you as you enter when the Encyclopaedia Brita1mica, in its > the next stage of the process". Britannica Book of the Year for 198 8, > INTERNA TIO NAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 229 > described the Faith as the second most of the Baha ' is in Iran brought the Faith to a > widely spread religion after Christianity. new level of recognition, and the increasing > In addition to the Six Year Plan goals set maturity of its life gives its experience great > by the National Spiritual Assemblies for importance for the social and moral developthemselves, the Universal House of Justice ment of humanity generally. The views of > assigned international collaboration goals Baha'is are being sought by people working > for National Assemblies. Communities who on problems at local, national, and internahad the advantage of bonds that crossed tional levels. Examples of this are replete in > nationa l borders, such as commonality of the pages of this volume. > language, racial background or cultural That the world sorely needs an encouragtraditions, were asked to work together to ing model as it moves into the twenty-first > support international projects including cenh1ry is made only too clear with any > teaching activities, the translation and distri- cursmy glance through a daily newspaper. > bi1tion of Baha'i literature, the development In The World Order of Baha 'u '!!ah, Shoghi > of Baha ' i, educational material for children, Effendi referred to the "two-fo ld process" > and the production of audio-visual materials. which is "to bring to a climax the forces > In many cases communities were asked to that are transforming the face of our planet". > supply funds to support social and economic One process is destructive, the other is condevelopment activities, or other work of the strnctive. "The constructive process stands > Faith in other lands. associated with the nascent Fa ith of Baha- > The international collaboration goals were 'u' llah, and is the harbinger of the New World > conveyed to all National Spiritual Assem- Order that Faith must erelong establish. " > blies in a letter from the Universal House of In a world the structure of whose political > Justice dated 5 June 1987. and social institutions is impaired, whose > The goals are devised not only to ac hieve vision is befogged, whose co nscience is > objectives, but to encourage mutual coop- bewildered, whose religious systems have > eration and sharing of ideas between become anemic and lost their virtue, this > National Spiritual Assemblies, processes healing Agency, this leavening Power, > which will strengthen the Baha'i world this cementing Force, intensely alive and > conununi ty and enable it to present to all-pervasive, has been taking shape, is > mankind the pattern of a truly organic, crystallizing into institutions, is mobilizuniversal, diversified but united society. ing its forces, and is preparing for the > Both the change in the numbers of fol- sp iritual conquest and the complete > lowers of Baha'u'llah and the way in which redemption of mankind . 1 > they are working together are altering the > 1 Th e Wo rld Order of Bnhri á11 'l/rih , p. 195. > public image of the Faith. The persecution > > A. A LETTER FROM TI-IE UNIVERSAL HOU SE OF JUSTICE > 2 January 1986 fac ing the Baha'i wo rld community, has, at > To the Baha ' is of the World the conclusion of their historic conference, > been transmuted into fee lings of deepest > Dearly-loved Friends , joy, gratitude and love. > The eager expectation with which we wel- Graced b y the presence of the Hands of > comed to the World Centre, on 27 December, the Cause Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum, > sixty-four Cow1sellors from the five conti- Ugo Giachery, ' Ali-Akbar FurUtan, 'Alinents to discuss, with the International Teaching M u l~anunad Varqa and Collis Featherstone, > Centre, the challenges and opportunities the Conference was organized and managed > 230 Tl-IE BAHA.'i WORLD > > with admirable foresight and efficiency by by commemorations around the world and > the International Teaching Centre, whose the inauguration of His Covenant will be > individual members watched over and served celebrated, in the City of the Covenant, by > untiringly the needs of the participants and the holding of the second Baha' i World > the progress of the Conference itself. Congress. > Convened in the concourse of the Seat of The beloved Counsellors, strengthened > the Universal House of Justice as the Coun- and enriched by their experience in the Holy > sellors of the Baha'i world entered upon Land, will, as early as possible, consult with > their new five-year term of office, within all National Spiritual Assemblies on meamonths of the te1mination of the Seven Year sures to conclude triumphantly the cmTent > Plan and the opening of the new Six Year Plan, and on preparations to launch the Six > Plan, its aura heightened by the spiritual Year Plan. In anticipation of those consultapotencies of the Holy Shrines and the tions, National Spiritual Assemblies will > euphoric sense of victory and blessing now receive the full announcement of the aims > pervading the entire Baha'i world, the Con- and characteristics of that Plan, so that > ference attained such heights of consultative together with the Counsellors they may > exaltation, spirituality and power as only formulate the national plans which will, for > those serving the Blessed Beauty can enjoy. each community, establish its pursuit of the > The organic growth of the Cause of God, overall objectives. > indicated by recent significant developments This new process, whereby the national > in its life, becomes markedly apparent in the goals of the next Plan are to be largely > light of the main objectives and expectations formulated by National Spiritual Assemblies > of the Six Year Plan: a vast expansion of and Boards of Counsellors, signalizes the > the numerical and financial resources of the inauguration of a new stage in the unfold- > Cause; enlargement of its status in the world; ment of the Administrative Order. Our > a world-wide increase in the production, beloved Guardian anticipated a succession > distribution and use of Baha'i literature; a of epochs during the Formative Age of the > finner and world-wide demonstration of the Faith; we have no hesitation in recognizing > Baha'i way of life requiring special consider- that this new development in the maturation > ation of the Baha 'i education of children and of Baha'i institutions marks the inception of > youth, the strengthening of Baha 'i family the fourth epoch of that Age. > life and attention to universal participation Shoghi Effendi perceived in the organic > and the spiritual enrichment of individual life of the Cause a dialectic of victory and > life; further acceleration in the process of the crisis. The unprecedented triumphs, genermaturation of local and national Baba 'i com- ated by the adamantine steadfastness of > munities and a dynamic consolidation of the the Iranian friends, will inevitably provoke > unity of the two arms of the Adminisháative opposition to test and increase our sháength. > Order; an extension of the involvement of the Let every Baha'i in the world be assured that > Baha'i world conununity in the needs of the whatever may befall this growing Faith of > world around it; and the pursuit of social and God is but incontrovertible evidence of the > economic development in well-established loving care with which the King of Glmy > Baha'i conununities. These are some of the and His martyred Herald, through the > features of the Six Year Plan which will open incomparable Cenháe of His Covenant and > on 21 April 1986 and tenninate on 20 April our beloved Guardian, are preparing His > 1992. humble followers for ultimate and magnifi- > Ric;lvan 1992 will mark the inception of cent triumph. Our loving prayers are with > a Holy Year, during which the Centenary of you all. > the Ascension ofBaha'u' llah will be observed The Universal House of Justice > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF C URRENT BAHA ' i ACTIV ITI ES 231 > > B. STATEMENT BY THE RESEARCH D EPARTMENT ON > THE EPOCHS OF THE FOR1\1A TIVE AGE > > 5 February 1986 In relation to the Heroic Age of our Faith, > To all National Spiritual Assemblies the Guardian, in a letter dated 5 June 194 7 > to the American Baha' is, specified that this > Dear Baha'i Friends, Age consisted of three epochs and described > In the letter dated 2 January 1986 written the distinguishing features of each: > by the Universal House of Justice to the > ... the Apostolic and Heroic Age of > Baha ' is of the world, reference was made > our Faith, fell into three distinct epochs, > to the inception of the fourth epoch of the > of nine, of thirty-nine and of twenty-nine > Formative Age. In response to questions > years' duration, associated respectively > subsequently put to the House of Justice > with the Babi Dispensation and the minisabout the periods related to the earlier epochs > tries ofBaha 'u ' llah and of 'Abdu'l-Baha. > of that Age, the Research Department was > This primitive Age of the Baha' i Era, > requested to prepare a statement on the subunapproached in spiritual fecundity by > ject. This has now been presented, and a > any period associated with the mission of > copy is enclosed. > the Founder of any previous Dispensation, > Kindly share this material of topical interwas impregnated, from its inception to > est with the friends, as you deem fit, so that > its termination, with the creative energies > it may be studied in their deepening classes, > generated through the advent of two > summer schools, conferences and similar > independent Manifestations and the estabgatherings. > lishment of a Covenant unique in the > With loving Baha'i greetings , > spiritual annals of mankind.7 > For Department of the Secretariat > The Formative Age, in which we now > live and serve, 8 was ushered in with the > The Epochs of the Formative Age > passing of 'Abdu ' l-Baha. 9 Its major thrust is > Prepared by the Research Department ofthe > the shaping, development and consohdat10n > Universal House a/Justice > of the local, national and international insti- > INTRODUCTION tutions of the Faith. 10 It is clear from the > In disclosing the panoramic vision of the enumeration of the tasks associated with the > unfoldment of the Dispensation ofBaha'u 'llah, Fonnative Age that their achievement will > Shoghi Effendi refers to three major evolu- require increas ingly mature levels of functionary stages through which the Faith must tioning of the Baha ' i community: > pass- the Apostolic or Heroic Age (1844- > During this Formative Age of the Faith, > 1921) associated with the Cenháal Figures of > and in the course of present and succeedthe Faith; 1 the Formative or Transitional Age > ing epochs, the last and crowning stage > (1921- ),2 the "hall-mark" 3 of which is the rise > in the erection of the framework of the > and establishment of the Administrative Order, > Administrative Order of the Faith of > based on the execution of the provisions of > Baha' u' llah- the election of the Universal > 'Abdu' l-Baha's Will and Testament; 4 and, the > House of Justice-wi ll have been com- > Golden Age which will represent the "conpleted, the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Mothersunm1ation of this glorious Di spensation".5 > Book of His Revelation, will have been > Close examination of the details of Baha ' i > codified and its laws promulgated, the > history reveals that the individual Ages are > Lesser Peace will have been established, > comprised of a number of periods- insepathe unity of mankind will have been > rable parts of one integrated whole. 6 > 232 THE BAHA ' i WO RLD > > achieved and its maturity attained, the began in 193 7, with the inception of the First > Plan conceived by 'Abdu ' l-Baha will have Seven Year Plan of the North American > been executed, the emancipation of the Baha ' i community, and concluded with > Faith from the fetters of religious ortho- the successful completion of the Ten Year > doxy will have been effected, and its Crusade in 1963. 19 The second epoch of > independent religious status will have 'Abdu ' l-Baha 's Divine Plan commenced in > been universally recognized, .. . 11 1964 with the inauguration of the Nine Year > Plan of the Universal House of Justice.) > The epochs of the Formative Age mark The prin1ary focus of this statement is on > progressive stages in the evolution of the the epochs of the Formative Age of the Disorganic Baha ' i community and signal the pensation ofBaha'u'llah. > maturation of its institutions, thus enabling > the Faith to operate at new levels and to THE F IRST EPOC H OF TH E FORMATIVE AG E > initiate new fimctions. The timing of each 1921- 1944/46 > epoch is designated by the Head of the Faith, The first epoch of this Age witnessed the > and given the organic nature of evolutionary "birth and the primary stages in the erection > development, the transition from one epoch of the framework of the Administrative Order > to another may not be abrupt, but may well of the Faith". 20 The epoch was characterized > occur over a period of time. This is the case, by concentration on the fom1ation of local > for example, in relation to both the inception and national institutions in all five contiof the Formative Age and the end of its first nents, 21 thereby initiating the erection of the > epoch. In re lation to the former, the passing machinery necessary for future systematic > of 'Abdu ' l-Baha is the transitional event most teaching activities. This epoch was further > often identified with the close of the Heroic marked by the launching, at the instigation > Age and the beginning of the Formative of the Guardian, of the First Seven Year Plan > Age. 12 However, the Guardian also asserts (1937- 1944) by the American Baha ' i comthat the Apostolic Age of the Faith con- munity. This Plan, drawing its inspiration from > cluded "more particularly with the passing the Tablets of the Divine Plan, represented > [in 1932] of His well-beloved and illustrious the first systematic teaching campaign of the > sister, the Most Exalted Leaf-the last survi- Baha'i community and inaugurated the inivor of a glorious and heroic age". 13 With tial stage of the execution of'Abdu'l-Baha' s > regard to the termination of the first epoch Divine Plan in the Western Hemisphere.22 > of the Formative Age, Shoghi Effendi has > placed this between the years 1944 14 and THE S ECOND EPOCH OF THE FORMA TTVE AG E > 1946. 15 1946-1963 > Before describing the individual epochs This epoch extended the developments of the > of the Formative Age, it is important to com- first epoch by calling for the "consummation > ment on the use of the term "epoch" in the of a laboriously constmcted Administrntive > writings of the Guardian. In a letter dated Order",23 and was to witness the formul ation > 18 January 1953, written on his behalf to a of a succession of teaching plans designed to > National Spiritual Assembly, it is explained facilitate the development of the Faith beyond > that the term is used to apply both to the the confines of the Western Hemisphere and > stages in the Formative Age of the Faith, and the continent of Europe. 24 This epoch was > to the phases in the unfoldment of 'Abdu ' l- distinguished, in the first instance, by the > Baha's Divine Plan. 16 We are currently in sinmltaneous and often spontaneous prosethe fourth epoch of the Fom1ative Age 17 and cution of Baha' i national plans in both the > the second epoch of 'Abdu' l-Baha's Divine East and the West. 25 For example, in a letter > Plan. 18 (The first epoch of the Divine Plan written at Naw-Ruz 105 to the Baha'is in > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURR EN T BAHA'I ACT IVITIES 233 > the East, the beloved Guardian listed the the Guardian and proclaimed the commencespecific plans tmdertaken by the United States, ment of the third epoch of the Fmmative > British, Indian, Persian, Australian and New Age, an epoch which called the Baha ' is to a > Zealand, and 'Iraqi National Spiritual Assem- yet more mature leve l of administrative > blies, and indicated that this concetied action functioning, consistent with the expected > signa lized the transition into the second vast increase in the size and diversity of the > epoch of the Formative Age. 26 The internal community, its emergence as a model to > consolidation and the administrative experi- mankind, and the extension of the influence > ence gained by the National Assemblies was of the Faith in the world at large. The House > utilized and mobilized by the Guardian with of Justice, in a letter dated October 1963, > the launching of the Ten Year Crusade 27- a stated: > crusade involving the simultaneous prosecu- > Beloved friends , the Cause of God, > tion of twelve national plans. The plans > guarded and nutiured since its inception > derived their direction from ' Abdu ' l-Baha's > by God's Messengers, by the Cenháe of > Divine Plan, and the goals were ass igned > His Covenant and by His Sign on earth, > by Shoghi Effendi from the World Centre of > now enters a new epoch, the third of the > the Faith.28 A second distinguishing feature > Fom1ative Age. It must now grow rapidly > of this epoch was the "RISE" 29 and " STEADY > in size, increase its spiritual cohesion and > CONSOLI DA TION" 30 of the World Centre of the > executive ability, develop its institutions > Faith. > and extend its influence into all strata > The second epoch thus clearly demonstrated > of society. We, its members, must, by > the ft.niher maturation of the institutions of > constant study of the life-giving Word, > the Administrative Order. It witnessed the > and by dedicated setvice, deepen in spiriappointment of the Hands of the Cause,31 the > tual understanding and show to the world > inháoduction of Auxiliary Boards, 32 and the > a mature, responsible, fundamentally asestablishment of the International Baha' i > sured and happy way of life, far removed > Cotmcil.3 3 The culminating event of the epoch > from the passions, prejudices and disháacwas the election of the Universal House of > tions of present day society.36 > Justice in 1963 . It fmiher demonsháated the > more effective and co-ordinated use of the The period of the third epoch encomadminisháative machinery to prosecute the passed tluáee world plans, involving all > goa ls of the first global spiritual crusade, and National Spiritual Assemb lies, under the > the emergence in ever sharper relief of the direction of the Universal House of Justice, > World Centre of the Faith. namely, the Nine Year Plan (1964- 1973), the > Five Year Plan (1974- 1979), and the Seven > TH E TH IRD EPOCH OF TH E FORMATIVE A GE Year Plan (1979- 1986). This third epoch > 1963- 1986 witnessed the emergence of the Faith from > In addressing the British National Sp iritual obscurity 37 and the initiation of activities > Assembly in 195 1, the Guardian foreshad- designed to foster the social and economic > owed "world-wide enterprises destined to be development of commutlities. 38 The institution > embarked upon, in future epochs of that of the Continental Boards of Counsellors > same [Formative] Age, by the Universa l was brought into existence39 leading to the > House of Justice". 34 In announcing the Nine establishment of the International Teaching > Year Plan, " the second of those world- Centre.40 Ass istants to the Auxiliary Boards > encircling enterprises destined in the course were also introduced.4 1 At the World Centre > of time to cany the Word of God to every of the Faith, the historic construction and > human soul" ,35 the Universal House of Justice occupation of the Seat of the U niversal > embarked upon the process anticipated by House of Justice was a crowning event. 42 > 234 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > TH E FOURTH EPOCH OF THE FORMATIVE AGE This new process ... signalizes the inau- > 1986- guration of a new stage in the unfoldment > In a letter dated 2 January 1986 written by of the Administrative Order. Our beloved > the Universal House of Justice to the Baha' is Guardian anticipated a succession of epochs > of the World, the Supreme Body announced during the Fmmative Age of the Faith; > the inception of the fourth epoch of the we have no hesitation in recognizing that > Formative Age. It highlighted the significant this new development in the maturation > developments that had taken place in the of Baha'i institutions marks the inception > "organic growth of the Cause of God" 4 of the fourth epoch of that Age. 44 > during the course of the recently completed > third epoch, by assessing the readiness of the > Baha'i community to begin to address the FUTURE EPOC HS > objectives of the new Six Year Plan sched- The tasks that remain to be accomplished > uled to begin on 21 April 1986, and, outlined during the course of the Formative Age are > the general aims and characteristics of this many and challenging. Additional epochs > new Plan. Whereas national plans had previ- can be anticipated, each marking significant > ously derived largely from the World Centre, stages in the evolution of the Administrative > in this new epoch the specific goals for each Order and culminating in the Golden Age > national community will be fommlated, within of the Faith. 45 The Golden Age, itself, will > the framework of the overall objectives of involve "successive epochs" 46 leading ultithe Plan, by means of consultation between mately to the establishment of the Most > the particular National Spiritual Assembly Great Peace, to the World Baha'i Commonand the Continental Board of Counsellors. wealth and to the "birth and efflorescence > As the Universal House of Justice states: of a world civilization". 47 > > NOTES > > Shoghi Effendi , Citadel of Faith (Wil mette: Baha ' i I 0 ibid . p. 324. > Publishing Trust, 1980), pp. 4- 5. Letter dated 11 Citadel. of Faith, p. 6. Letter da ted 5 June 1947 to > 5 Jun e 1947 to the American Baha ' is. the American Baha'is. > 2 Shoghi Effendi , Th e World Order of Ba hit '11 'llith 12 God Passes By, p. xiv . > (W ilmette: Baha ' i Publi shin g Trust, 1974), p. 98. 13 The World Order of Bahit '11 'I/Ith, p. 98. Letter > Letter dated 8 February 1934. dated 8 February 1934 . > 3 Th e World Order of Ba hit 'u 'I/Ith , p. 156. Letter 14 Citadel of Faith, p. 5. Letter dated 5 Jun e 1947 to > dated 8 February 1934. the American Baha ' is. > 4 Citadel of Faith , p . 5. Letter dated 5 June 1947 to 15 Messagesto theBahit 'iWorld, 1950- 195 7 > the American Baha'is. ( Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Tru st, 197 1), p. 89. > 5 Th e World Order of Bahit '11 'I/Ith , p. 156. Letter Cabl egram dated 23 Augu st 1955. See al so letter > dated 8 February 1934. dated 18 January 1953 written on behalf of the > 6 Shoghi Effend i, God Passes By (Wilmette : Baha 'i G uardi an to the Nationa l Spiritual Assembl y of the > Publi shin g Trust, 1970) , p. xv. United States (reference cited in no. 16 below). > 7 Citadel of Faith, pp. 4- 5. Letter dated 5 June 1947 16 Bahit 'i News, no. 265, March 1953, p. 4. Letter > to the American Baha' is. dated 18 January 1953 written on behalf of the > 8 Th e World Order of Bahit '11 'I/Ith, p . 98. Letter G uardi an to the National Assembl y of the U. S. > dated 8 February 1934. 17 Letter dated 2 Janu ary 1986 written by the Univer- > 9 God Passes By, p. xiv. sa l House of Justice to the Baha' is of the World. > INTERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURR ENT BAHA'I ACT IV IT IES 235 > 18 Uni versa l House of Justice, Wellspring of Guid- 34 Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny (Lond on: > ance (W il mette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1969), Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1981), p. 261. Guardian's > p.25. Letter dated Ric;lvan 1964 from the Universal postscript to a letter dated 25 February 195 1, > House of Justice to the Baha'is of the World. written on hi s behalf to the National Assembly of > 19 Baha'i News, no. 265, p. 4. Letter dated 18 January the Bri tish Isles. > 1953 wri tten on behalf of the Guardi an to the 35 Wellspring of Guidance, p. 14. Letter dated Oc to- > National Spiritua l Assembl y of the United States. ber 1963 written by the Un iversal House of Justi ce > 20 Citadel of Faith , p. 5. Letter dated 5 June 1947 to to the Baha' is of the World. > the Ameri can Ba ha'is. 36 Wellspring of Guidance, pp. 17- 18. Letter dated > 2 1 Messages to th e Baha'i World, 1950- 1957, p. 19. Oc tober 1963 written the Universa l House of Jus- > Cablegram dated 24 December 195 1. tice to the Baha'is of the World. > 22 Citadel of Faith, p. 5. Letter dated 5 June 1947 to 37 Letter dated 19 May 1983 written by the Universal > the American Baha'is. House of Justice to the Baha' is of the World. > 23 Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated 5 June 1947 to 38 Letter dated 20 October 1983 written by the Uni - > the Ameri can Baha'is. versal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the World. > 24 ibid. p. 6. 39 Wellspring of Guidance, p. 139. Cablegram dated > 25 Messages to th e Bahii 'i World, 1950- 1957, p. 13. 2 1 June 1968 fro m the Universa l House of Ju sti ce > Cablegram dated 25 April 195 1. to the Ba ha'fs of the World. > 26 Tawqi'at- i-M11barakih, 102- 109 8.E. (Ti lm\n: 40 Letter dated 8 June 1973 written by the Universal > Baha' i Publish ing Trust, 125 B.E.), pp. 99- 188. House of Justice to the Baha ' is of the World . > Letter dated Naw-Ruz 105 8.E. to the Baha' is in 4 1 Letters dated 8 Ju ne 1973 written by the House of > the East. Justi ce to the Continental Board of Counse ll ors, > 27 Citadel of Faith, p. 140. Letter dated 20 August and, 7 October 1973 to the Baha'is of the World . > 1955 to the American Baha' is. 42 Telex dated I February 1983 written by the Uni ver- > 28 Messages to the Baha'i World, 1950- 1957, pp. sa l House of Justice to the Baha' is of the Worl d. > 151 - 153 . Letter dated 4 May 1953. 43 Letter dated, 2 January 1986 written by the Univer- > 29 ibid., p. 13. Cablegram dated 25 April 1951. sal House of Justice to the Baha' is of the World. > 30 Messages to the Baha'i World. 1950-1957, p. 13. 44 ibid. > Cablegra m dated 25 Apri l 195 1. 45 Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated 5 June 1947 to > 31 ibid., pp. 18- 20. Cablegram dated 24 December the American Baha' fs. > 195 1. 46 Messages to the Baha'i World, 1950- 1957, p. 155. > 32 ibid., p. 44. Cablegram dated 8 Oc tober 1952. And , Letter dated 4 May 1953. > pp. 127- 128. Letter dated October 1957. 47 Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated 5 June 1947 to > 33 ibid., pp. 7- 8. Cab legram dated 9 January 195 1. the Ameri can Baha' fs. > > American Baha'i > entertainers Leslie > and Kelly (second and > thirdfi'om left) in > Taipei, Taiwan, during a news conference > held in May J986. > 236 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > C. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION GOALS > > IN addition to the Six Year Plan goals set in June 1987. As the Plan progressed goals > by National Spiritual Assemblies for them- were added, eliminated or modified. > selves, the Universal House of Justice This information is based on coITesponassigned international collaboration goals for dence and other material received by the > National Assemblies to support and assist Department of Statistics before the end of > each other in a variety of ways. These special 1992; only goals achieved by Ric;lvan 1992 > goals were conveyed to National Assemblies are included. > > Summary of Collaboration Achievements by National Baha'i Communities > > AFRICA: 44 > 13 Provision of international travelling teachers > 18 Cross-border teaching activities > Assistance with special teaching activity > 4 Emichment and translation of Baha ' i literature and training material > 8 Development and provision of Baha' i educational material for children > > AMERICAS 154 > 78 Provision of international travelling teachers > 25 Cross-border teaching activities > 2 Assistance with special teaching activity > 10 Emichment and translation of Baha' i literature and training material > 29 Development and provision of Baha'i educational material for children > 4 Development of audio-visual material > 4 Contribution of funds to acquire/maintain property > 2 Miscellaneous collaboration > > A S IA 138 > 34 Provision of international háavelling teachers > 3 Cross-border teaching activities > 12 Enrichment and translation of Baha'i literature and training material > 15 Development and provision of Baha' i educational material for children > 8 Establishment or consolidation of national communities > 38 Conháibution of funds to acquire or maintain property > 7 Conháibution of funds to acquire or equip a mobile institute or vehicl e > 3 Conháibution of funds to establish rnral schools > 7 Contribution towards youth patticipation in Baha ' i schools > 4 Support of twin-city projects > 7 Miscellaneous collaboration > > AUSTRALAS IA 41 > 25 Provision of international háavelling teachers > 1 Assistance with special teaching activity > 13 Development and provision of Baha'i educational material for children > Conháibution of funds to acquire/maintain property > Miscellaneous collaboration > INT ERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURREN T BAHA ' i ACTIVITIES 237 > EUROPE 98 > 33 Provision of international travelling teachers > 37 Cross-border teaching activities > 1 Assistance with special teaching activity > 3 Enrichment and translation of Baha'i literature and training material > 12 Development and provision of Baha'i educational material for children > 2 Development of audio-visual material > 5 Contribution of funds to acquire/maintain property > 3 Contribution of funds to acquire/equip a mobile institute or vehicle > 2 Miscellaneous collaboration > > WORLD TOTAL 475 > 183 Provision of international travelling teachers > 83 Cross-border teaching activities > 5 Assistance with special teaching activity > 29 Enrichment and translation of Baha'i literature and training material > 77 Development and provision of Baha'i educational material for children > 6 Development of audio-visual material > 8 Establishment or consolidation of national communities > 48 Contribution of funds to acquire/maintain property > 10 Contribution of funds to acquire/equip a mobile institute or vehicle > 3 Contribution of funds to establish rnral schools > 7 Contribution towards youth participation in Baha' i schools > 4 Support of twin-city proj ects > 12 Miscellaneous collaboration > > Two Bahit 'i youth fi'om the United States participate in a cross-border teaching project > which took place in Zacatacas, Mexico , in July 1987. > 238 TH E BAHA'i WORLD > > In St. Lucia, representatives of National Assemblies from thirteen eastern Caribbean countries and the International Baha 'i Audio-Visual Center gathered for a Planning Conference > heldfi'om 16- 18October1987. > > Representatives offi ve National Assemblies and Bahiz 'i International Community offices in > New York and Geneva met in Februaiy 1988 to discuss external affairs work of the Faith . > Represented were: Canada, France, Germany, th e United Kingdom and the United States. > INT E RNATIONA L S URV EY O F C URR ENT BA HA'I A CTIVITIES 239 > D. PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE TRUE CHARACTER > OF THE BAHA 'f COMMUNITY > > Of the myriad examples ofpublic recognition of the true character of the Bahti 'i community > mentioned throughout this volume, two have been chosen for reproduction: "World Religious Statistics," an article published in the 1988 Britannica Book of the Year; and "What > is the Baha'i Faith?", a leaflet published by the [Roman Catholic) Bishops' Conference of > England and Wales' Committee for Other Faiths . > > a. World Religious Statistics > Reprinted from the 1988 Britannica Book of the Year > > The 1987 table below gives details of the global spread of the world 's 16 largest faiths or > ideologies. It illustrates the articles on the various religions by showing each religion's continental statistics in the overall global context. It also demonstrates an extraordinary > religious development of the 20th century religious pluralism. > As the right-hand column demonstrates, over 14 major religious systems are each now > found in over 80 countries. C hristianity, Islam, and the Baha' i World Faith are the most global; agnosticism and atheism are also widespread. Hinduism has recently spread to 88 > countries, Buddhism to 86. > This 20th-century spread has brought the religions into contact with each other as never > before. Thus we find Filipino Catholics and Korean Protestants in Saudi Arabia, Gujarati > Hindus in rural England, Tibetan Tantrists in Wales, Muslim mosques in every capital of > Western Europe including Rome. The long-term effects of this mass proximity are sure to be > profound. They are certainly resulting in unprecedented interest in other people's religions, > expressed in seminars, courses, discussion, dialogue, tolerance, and even acceptance. > (David B. Barrett) > > NOTES : > C ontinents. UN demographic practice divides the world into e ight continental areas as shown below (see United > Nations, World Population Prospects , New York, 1986, with population of all countries covering the period 1950- > 2025). Countries. The las t co lumn enumerates sovereign and nonsovereign countries in which each re ligion has a > s ignifi cant followin g. Rows. The li st of re li gion s is arranged by descending order of magnitude of global adherents > in 1987 (las t two columns but one). Adherents. As defin ed and enumerated for eac h o f the world 's countries in > World Christian Encyclopedia ( 1982) , projected to mid-1 987 C hristians. Followers of Jes us Christ a ffili ated to > churches (church me mbers, including ch il dren), plus persons pro fessi ng in census or poll s though not so affi li ated. > Other Christians. Catholics (non-Roman), marginal Protes tants, crypto-Chri sti ans, and adherents of Afri can, > As ian , Bl ack, and Latin-American indigenous churches, Muslims. 83% Sunni s, 16% Shi 'ahs, I% other schools. > Nonreligious. Persons professing no re ligion, non-believers, agnosti cs , free thinkers, dereligion ized sec ul ari sts > indifferent to all reli gion. Hindus. 70% Va\shnavites, 25 % Shaivi tes, 2% neo-Hindus and reform Hindus. Buddhists. 58% Mahayana, 38% Theravada, 6% Tantri sm. Atheists. Persons profess ing atheism, skepti cis m, disbeli e f, > or i1Teli gion, including anti reli gious (opposed to all reli gion). Chinese folk religionists. Followers of traditi onal > Chinese reli gion (local de ities, ancestor veneration, Confuci an ethics, Taoism, uni versism, di vin ation, some Buddhi st elements). New-Religionists. Foll owers of As iatic 20th-century New Reli gions , New Reli gious movements, > rad ical new cri sis reli gions , and non-Christian syncreti sti c mass reli gions, all fo unded si nce 1800 and mostl y since > 1945. Jews. 84% Ashkenazim , 10% Ori entals, 4% Sephardim Confucian s. Non-Chinese fo ll owers o f Confucianism, mostl y Koreans in Korea. Other religionists. Inc ludin g 50 minor world reli gions and a large number o f spiritist reli gions, New Age reli gions , quasi re li gions, pseudoreli gions, parare li gions, religious systems, mystic systems, > reli gious and semireli gious brotherhoods of numerous varieti es. Total Population. UN med ium variant figures for > mid-1 987 , as give n in World Population Prospects ( 198 6) pages 72-77 . > 240 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > ADHERENTS OF ALL RELIGIONS BY EIGHT CONTI ENTAL AREAS, 1987: > > A frica East Asia Europe Latin > A merica > > Christians 27 1,035,700 78,100,000 4 13,920,700 395,554,500 > > - Roman Catholics 102,522,200 9,204,000 257, 155,000 37 1,863,600 > > - Protestants 71,883,000 32, I 00,000 76,652,000 13,960,000 > > - Orthodox 24,746,700 8 1,000 35,606, 100 570,000 > > - Anglicans 22,389,900 334,000 32,886,200 1,2 10,000 > > - Other Christians 49,493,900 36,38 1,000 11 ,62 1,400 7,950,900 > > Muslims 245, 1 I 0,500 23,795,000 8,90 1,500 645,000 > > Nonreligious 1,495 ,000 64 1,756,600 50,923,940 13,237,000 > > Hindus 1,4 10,000 10,100 590,000 660,000 > > Buddhists 12,800 154, 796,300 2 16,000 490,000 > > Atheists 240,000 I 36,886,000 I 7,803,000 2,53 8,000 > > Chin ese folk religionists 9,500 179, 103,100 49,000 60,000 > > New-Re ligionists 13,000 42 ,2 17,200 34,000 370,000 > > Tribal religionists 68 ,219,450 730,000 100 1,160,000 > > Jews 257,000 1,800 1,483,600 990,000 > > Sikh s 26,000 1,000 215,000 6,000 > > Shama nists 1,000 I 2,500,000 400 400 > > Confucians 500 5,900,000 1,000 500 > > Baha'is 1,265,000 48 ,400 70,500 570,000 > > Jains 47,500 500 9,900 2,000 > > Shintoists 50 3,400,000 360 800 > > Other religionists 65,000 62,000 3 10,000 6,768,800 > > Total Population 589,208,000 1,279,308,000 494,529,000 423,053,000 > > Th is article updates the Ma cropcedia arti cles the B udd ha and BUDDHISM; CHRISTI AN ITY; > EASTERN ORTHODOXY; Mul:iamrnad and the Rel ig ion of !SLAM; JUDA ISM; PROTESTANTISM; > Th e Study and C lass ifi cation of RELIGIONS; ROMAN CATHOLIC ISM; and Micropcedia entries > on the vari ous denominations. > I NTE RNA TIO NAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I AC TI V IT I ES 24 1 > ADHERENTS OF ALL RELIGIONS (CONT.) > > Northern Oceania South Asia U.S.S.R. World % Coun- > America tries > 232,048,400 2 1,287,100, 129,076,700 103,373,400 1,644,396,500 32.9 254 > > 9 1,209,800 7,434,000 8 1,694, 100 5, 111 ,900 926,194,600 18.5 242 > > 94,965,500 7,5 10,000 26, 142,100 8,803,800 332,016,400 6.6 230 > > 5,910,000 507,400 3,200,000 89,442,300 160,063,500 3.2 98 > > 7,5 11,000 5,350,000 290,000 400 69,971,500 1.4 148 > > 32,452, 100 485,700 17,750, 500 15,000 156,150,500 3.1 110 > > 2,682,600 96,000 547,350,500 3 1,807,200 860,388,300 17.2 172 > > 21,047,700 2,884,400 20,65 1,100 84,332,030 836,327,770 16.7 220 > > 8 10,000 295,000 65 1,9 18,900 1,200 655,695,200 13. 1 88 > > 190,000 16,000 153,585,000 320,000 309,626,100 6.2 86 > > 1,073,000 512 ,000 5,300 ,000 60,774,500 225, 126,500 4.5 130 > > 110,000 16,000 8, 169,400 100 187,517,100 3.7 56 > > 1,075 ,600 6, 100 66,990,000 200 110,706,100 2.2 25 > > 60,000 8 1,000 24,508,200 0 94,758,750 1. 9 98 > > 8,084,000 86,000 4,050,000 3,123 ,000 18,075,400 0.4 125 > > 9,500 6,600 16,340,000 50 16,604,150 0.3 20 > > 200'1..._ 200 10,000 250,000 12,762,200 0.2 IO > > 10,000 ' 200 2,000 200 5,914,400 0.1 3 > > 310,000 59,000 2,300,000 5,000 4,627,900 0.1 205 > > 2,000 900 3,400,000 20 3,462,820 0.1 10 > > 1,000 500 200 100á 3,403,010 0. 1 3 > > 750,000 25,000 230,000 6,000 8,216,800 0.2 170 > > 268,264,000 25,372,000 1,633,882,000 283,993,000 4,997,609,000 100.0 254 > > l.. > 242 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > b. Getting to Know People of other Faiths > (A leaflet published by the [Roman Catholic] Bishops' Conference of England and Wales' > Committee for Other Faiths) > > What is the > Baha'i Faith? > > To a Baha'i there is no demarcation between religion and everyday life. The most > Introduction important prayer, Baha ' is say, is a person's > daily life. Religion, in other words, is an atti- > In the Vatican II ' Declaration on the rel a- tude towards God reflected in life. > tionship of the Church with Non-Christians' > we find that the Church speaks with warmth Today there are between 5 and 6 million > and openness and greets People. of Faith as Baha'is in the world, extending over more > partners in a single great enterprise. These than three hundred and forty countries, terrireligions contain much that is good and holy tories and island groups. In England there > and provide ways of salvation for millions of are 6,000 registered Baha'is (1989) with 180 > people all over the world. Throughout the local Assemblies, resident in over 400 localdocuments of Vatican II we find encourage- ities. At least 9 people are needed to fonn a > ment to respect, accept and meet as friends, local assemb ly. The Scriptures of the Baha' i > those who profess faiths different from our Faith consist of the writings of the founders > own. The Baha'i Faith will be introduced and are translated into over six hundred > here in this spirit. languages. The rapid growth they have > experienced puts them in the category of a > world religion, the youngest in the line of > Who are the Baha'is? the prophetic tradition. > > The Baha ' i founders sprang from Islam ic > roots, but are seen by the Baha'is as found- Origins of the Baha'i Faith > ing a religion that fulfils all previous > religions . Today Baha'is are people who for- The Forerunner of the Baha'i Faith Was a > merly had different religious backgrounds. young Persian merchant known as the Bab > They have been Christians, Jews, Muslims, (the Gate), who in 1844 proclaimed Him- > Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zoroastrians or self to be a Messenger of God and a herald > else they had no religion at all. They give of One greater than Himself-One who > equal homage to all the past prophets, but would inaugurate a new era in religion and > believe that religion progressively evolves, civilization. Like earlier Messengers of God, > and that Baha'u'llah is God's spokesman for the Bab was opposed and denounced. After > this age . Although Baha'is are from differ- six years of persecution He was publicly > ent religious, racial , national , economic and martyred at the age of 30 in Tabriz. > soc ial classes, the Baha'i teachings have > given them a higher loyalty- the loyalty to Its founder was Baha'u'llah (the Glory of > humanity. God), a Persian noblem an who in 1863 > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 243 > declared Himself to be the One whose com- the elimination of prejudice of all kinds, uniing the Bab and all the previous Prophets versal education, elimination of extráemes of > had foretold. Like His predecessor, He wealth and poverty, the protection of culwas bitterly opposed and persecuted. During tural diversity. It also advocates individual > nearly forty years of exile and imprison- search after truth, the harmony of science > ment He cormnitted to writing the teachings and religion, use of an auxiliary universal > of His revelation, some of them in letters language and world government. > to the most important kings and leaders of > religion, as well as teaching and training His > followers. His fourth and last place of ban- The Baha'i House of Worship > ishment, reached in 1865, was the prison city > of 'Akka (Acre), Palestine, where He passed A Baha' i house of worship is open to people > away in 1892 at the age of seventy-four. of all nations, races, classes and creeds. It is > a place of prayer and meditation for all, a > Its authorised interpreter and exemplar was gift from the Baha'is and a demonstration of > Abdu'l-Baha (the servant of the Glory), eldest their faith of the oneness of God, the oneson of Baha'u'llah, who was appointed by ness of His Prophets and the oneness of > his father as the Centre of His Covenant and mankind. > the one to whom all must tum for instruction > and guidance. Abdu'l-Baha was the close There is one major Baha' i House of worship > companion and constant helper of his father, in each continent. For local regular gatherwhose sufferings he shared. He remained a ings the Bah a' is hold meetings in their > prisoner until 1908, when the old regime in homes or in hired halls. The community has > Turkey was overthrown and all religious neither a priesthood nor rituals. The Baha' is > and political prisoners throughout the Turk- see their teachings as a ringing call to action. > ish Empire were liberated. Afterwards he They see them as offering hope, courage and > tráavelled widely in Egypt, Europe and vision, in a world beset with universal > America, explaining and exemplifying the problems . > principles of the Faith and inspiring and > directing the activities of its followers > throughout the world. He passed away in Baha'i Administration > Haifa in 1921 , mourned by people of all > faiths. His life was and continues to be a Consultation is the keynote of all Baha' i > shining example to all. In his will and testa- administration. > ment, Abdu ' l-Baha appointed his grandson, There is no clergy and no ritual. > Shoghi Effendi, to be the Guardian of the The Scripture is in written fom1, preserved > Faith, and the interpreter of its scripture. and authentic . Administrative bodies are > Under his guiding hand, the faith spread rap- called Spiritual Assemblies; they are local, > idly. He passed away in London in 1957. national and international. All Assemblies > Since 1963 the Faith has been under the meet in a spirit of prayer. > guidance of the Universal House of Justice. > These spiritual Assemblies are elected by > the people, but their responsibility is trust > The Baha'i Faith .... from God to whom alone they are answerable. > Proclaims:- The Oneness of God, the Oneness of Religion and of Mankind, and the There is no seeking for votes, no candiequality of men and women. It encourages dates, no platfo1m promises, no parties. > 244 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Nineteen Day Feast is a community 2. In what areas would cooperation with > occasion, for the reading of prayers, dis- people of Baha'i faith be most fruitful > cussion of affairs with the Local Spiritual and possible? > Assembly, and material refreshment together. > Suggested further reading > The Universal House of Justice-an elected ' The Baha'i Faith' Leaflet published by the > International body constituted by Baha'u' llah Baha'i publishing Trust, 6 Mount Pleasant, > as the supreme legislative and governing Oakham, Leicestershire. > body of the Faith-carries out its duties at ' The Baha'i Faith' Booklet Ibid. > the Baha' i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. ' Gleanings from the Writings of > Baha'u' llah' . > Only members of the Baha'i Faith may con- 'Paris Talks' by Abdu'l-Baha. > tribute to the Baha' i Fund. ' Guidance for Today and Tomorrow' by > Shoghi Effendi. > Questions for discussion 'Baha 'u'llah and the New Era' by Dr. J. E. > Esslemont. > 1. Baha' is clearly place great emphasis on A complete catalogue of Baha ' i literature can > social teaching and the community of be obtained by writing to: The Baha'i Pubhumankind. How do we as Christians re- lishing Trnst, 6 Mount Pleasant, Oakham, > spond to the social teaching of the Church? Leicestershire LE15 6HY. > > This is part of the series of leaflets prepared for the Catholic community by the Committee > for Other Faiths . Understanding andji-iendly relations with those who believe in God and > live their lives with religious principles and purpose contribute to the harmony of society > and the happiness of all. The series offers useful information to those who want to overcome > the obstacle of ignorance and promote through dialogue, prayer and action the Catholic > Church 's teaching of respect and love for all peoples. > > The Committee is grateful to its member Sr. Elizabeth West YSCJ for this contribution > + Charles Henderson > Chairman > > COMM ITTEE FOR OTHER FAITHS PUBLICATIONS > "Getting to Know People of Other Faiths"- introduction to the seri es. "Ne ighbours and Neighbourhood- a Catholic introduction to liv in g with neighbours of other Faiths". "W hat is Islam?". "What is Buddhism?" . "Who was the > Buddha?". "What is Hindui sm?". "The Mosq ue- th e Muslim Hou se of Prayer" . "What is the Baha ' i Faith?" . "Ou r > S ikh Ne ighbou rs". " Is God at work outs ide the Church?". "Chri stian Prayer and Eas tern Meditation" . > > ORDERS may be sent to: C.F.O.F., 6a Cresswell Park, London SE3 9RD. Orders up to 25 lea fl ets will be c harged > at !Op per lea fl et plus 50p postage and pack in g. Orders in bundles to 50 of the same leaflet £3.00 post free (U.K. > onl y) . Pl ease make cheques payab le to: N.C.F. (Other Faiths). Postage increases should be added. > > Further information and copies of these leaflets can also be obtained from: > The Multi-Faith Ce11tre, Harbome Hall, Old Church Road, Harbome, Bir111i11gham Bl7 OBE and The Westmiuster Interfaith Programme, 110 Thornbury Road, Osterley, Middlesex TW7 4NN. > > COMMITTEE FOR OTHER FAITHS > Bishops' Conference of England and Wales > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 245 > > / > I > > II > I > ' . > > Pope John Paul JI, and Franco Ceccherini (left) representing the Baha 'f International > Community, at a meeting between the International Council of the World Conference on > Religion and Peace held 4 July 1991. > > Baha'i representatives presenting a copy of The Promise of World Peace to the Prime > Minister of the Bahamas, the Right Honourable Sir Lynden Pindling, on 3 February 1988. > 246 TH E BAH A ' i WORLD > > It is said that in > South Africa, a > diamond mine is > discovered. Although > this min e is most valuable, yet after all it is > stone. Perchance, > God willing, the mine > of humanity may be > discovered and the > brilliant pearls of the > Kingdom be found. > - 'Abdu 'l-Baha > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES > > 2. SURVEY BY CONTINENTS > > A. AFRICA > > BARA 'is in the approximately fifty diverse projects in the areas of health and education > countries which made up the African conti- which gained the respect of governments > nent in 1986 faced a daunting array of and the peop le involved. > challenges. Few areas escaped the effects The perseverance of the African believers > of political strife, extreme poverty, under- and pioneers brought the continent closer to > developed infrastructure, and the ravages of its destiny, as illumined by the words written > civil wars . Yet the believers, seeing these on behalf of the Guardian: > problems in the larger context of God's Africa is truly awakening and finding > unfolding plan , ever kept in view the beauty, herself, and she undoubtedly has a great > strength, and potential of Africa. message to give, and a great contribution > Faced with limited material means, the to make to the advancement of world > Baha'is continued to seek out and capitalize civili zation . To the degree to which her > on the unique resources existing in their people accept Baha'u' ll ah, will they be > countries. In areas where illiteracy rates blessed, strengthened, and protected. 1 > were high and televisions scarce, radio was > widely and effectively used to share the Faith Government Relations > and to connect its adherents. Recogni zing Much of the political life of Africa in the late > the importance and pervasiveness of music twentieth century was characterized by upin African culture, the believers shared their heaval and violence, as many nations on the > Faith through song and organized music fes- continent struggled to establish new directivals to stimulate the development of this tions following their independence. Yet > art forn1 . The warn1th and hospitality charac- Baha'i communities in Africa were able to > teristic of much of African society and the remain politically neutral while gaining goventhusiasm and dedication of the African ernment permission and even support for > Baha'i youth created a recipe for continued their activities by following Baha' u'llah 's > teaching success. Teachings on loyalty to government and > At the same time, Baha' i communities non-participation in partisan politics. The > strove to develop the resources they had Baha'is worked to create and respond to > identified as lacking when the Six Year Plan opportunities for educating public officials > began. Noting the crucial need for meeting about the Faith, and growing awareness led > places, the believers found ways to stretch to new legal rights being granted. > limited funds and build or acquire more Baha'i delegations met with Heads of > local and regional centres than any other State and high government officials in a > continent. Recognizing the importance of number of African nations, presenting some > providing Baha' i literature in the many lan- with copies of The Promise of World Peace. > guages of Africa, the believers made great During the Plan, the Peace Statement was > strides in the area of translation . Understand- presented in person to the Presidents of > ing the contributions which Baha'u'llah's > Teachings make to the field of development, 1 > 4 June I954 to the British Africa Committee, > the believers established and expanded published in Unfolding Destiny, p. 330. > 248 THE BAHA'f WORLD > > Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa; ments . Extensive Baha'i participation in the > the King of Lesotho; and the House of Chiefs Kenya Expanded Programme for Immunizain Botswana, the nation 's highest traditional tion (see subsection on Social and Economic > body. When the Baha'is of the Seychelles Development, p. 179) over a period of five > met with the President of the Republic, years helped to estab li sh a good working > France Albert Rene, in December 1991 , the relationship between the Government and > delegation found that the questions he asked the Baha'is. Similarly, relations between the > demonstrated he was already well-informed Malawi Government and the Baha'is were > about the spread of the Faith in the Indian strengthened in 1990 when the Primary > Ocean region. Health Care Programme began. > A meeting with the President of Zaire, The establishment of Radio Baha'i Liberia > Mobutu Sese Seko, which took place in in 1987 drew attention and praise from > November 1990, resulted in the gradual government officials. At the inauguration > emergence of the Faith from obscurity in ceremony, the Assistant Minister for Posts > that country; the National Spiritual Assem- and Telecommunications spoke of his admibly received requests for Baha'i literature ration for the Baha' is and their talent for > from other important government dignitar- maximizing materials and human resources . > ies, and then distributed books at all levels. He stated, "Radio Baha' i, in our view, is a > When the King of Lesotho, His Majesty significant achievement ... a turning point in > King Letsie III, met with the Baha'is in our existence as a nation." > April 1991 , he expressed his admiration for Some of the most significant fruits of the > the Baha'i principles and his hope that they growing awareness of and respect for the > would spread across his country. work of the Baba' is came in the form of > The Peace Statement was also distributed legal recognition of the Faith's institutions. > to the Chairman of the Counci l of State in Five National Assemblies were formed or > Ciskei, several hundred administrative author- re-formed in Africa during the Plan, and > ities in Burkina Faso, Government ministers three of these Assemblies received official > in Togo, countless Government officials in recognition. In 1988, the Government of > Transkei, and the Head of State of Rwanda Guinea-Bissau signed a document recogni zthrough the Chief of Etiquette. ing the National Spiritual Assembly, and in > In addition to meetings with officials, 1989 the Government Gazette published the > Baha'i involvement in development projects "Official Recognition and Statutes of the > brought the Faith to the attention of govern- National Spiritual Assembly"; in September > > The President of > the Seychelles, His > Excellency Albert > Rene (centre) met with > a Bahir. 'i delegation > in Victoria on > 31December1991 . > Counsellor Gilbert > Robert (second from > right) joined five > representatives of > National Assemblies > of the Indian Ocean. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACT ! VfTfES 249 > 1991, the Government of the Congo acknowl- Yet another sign of good relations > edged the legal existence of the Baha' i between Baha' is and African governments > comm unity; and in December 1991, the was the increasing frequency with which > Government of Niger authorized Baha'i governments invited Baha'is to participate > institutions in that country to engage in the in official functions and to contribute their > activities of the Faith. ideas. > The National Spiritual of Assembly of When the Government of Uganda orga- > Zaire was re-formed in 1987; the National ni zed a National Seminar for Religious > Assembly of Guinea-Bissau was formed in Leaders in July 1989 to discuss ways the > 1989; and the Assemblies of Angola, of the Government and religious institutions could > Congo Republic, and of Niger were estab- work together in harmony, the Baha'is were > lished in 1992. invited to send six representatives. The Pres- > Baha' i marriage was recognized by sev- ident of Uganda opened the seminar, urging > era l governments. In September 1988 the re ligious leaders to play their part in reha- > Baba' is of Nigeria were granted a marriage bilitating the moral conduct of society. He > licence which authorized them to hold wed- emphasized the importance of women in > dings at the National Teaching Institute in society and the role of science and technol- > Oghara, Bendel State. The licence is a privi- ogy in development. The Baha ' is responded > lege granted only to some religions . In 1989 to his challenges by preparing a written > the federal government granted the Faith, as statement with quotations from the Writings > a religious institution , authori zation to issue on the equality of men and women, the hargovernment marriage certificates. mony between science and religion , and > In Uganda, additional Local Spiritual work as worship . The statement was distrib- > Assemb lies were empowered to conduct uted to all seminar participants. > Baha'i marriages, extending the general rec- During the seminar, Uganda ' s Minister of > ognition granted just prior to the beginning State invited the Baha' is to meet with him > of the Plan. Baha' i marriage was also recog- later, which three members of the National > nized in Guinea-Bissau. Assembly did . During the meeting, the Min- > In Zimbabwe, recognition of the Faith ister asked questions about the origin of the > resulted in Baha ' i Holy Days being listed on Faith and its administrative structure, and > government and pub lic school calendars to the Baha'i delegation spoke about the relamark when teachers and students could be tionship of the Faith to government and the > excused from class. Baha' i perspective on peace. The Minister > > Baha 'is taking part in > a parade in Bangui on > the occasion of the > twenty-eighth > anniversaty of the > proclamatio11 of > Indep endence of the > Central African > Republic. > 1 December 1986. > 250 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > was presented with the Peace Statement and religion was allocated eight minutes in an > a copy of The Earth is But One Country. evening programme which was performed in > When the Rural Development Office of the presence of the Head of State, the Prime > the Transkei Government began to plan an Minister, many other high officials, and an > event for World Environment Day in 1990, audience of more than 1,500 people. The > members of the organizing committee met Baha'i presentation was very well received . > Baha'is who worked in the water department The Head of State pointed out in his closing > and, through them , became fully acquainted speech that what Zambia needs is unity in > with the Baha'i Office of the Environment in diversity; the master of ceremonies, a staff > Transkei. The two Baha'i water department member of the State House, introduced the > officials, who shared Baha'i concepts related Baha'i group by saying, "they have a beautito the environment, were asked to help ful message to give"; and the audience > organize the event. The Baha'is were also applauded the message from the National > requested to prepare a statement on behalf Spiritual Assembly when it was delivered. > of the Chairman of the Military Council to Members of the National Spiritual Assembe broadcast over the radio, and they were bly of Kenya were routinely invited by the > invited to participate in a radio panel Office of the President to attend official > discussion . functions. Baha'i representatives were also > The Baha'is of Zambia reported that "sig- consistently invited to attend major events in > nificant progress towards the recognition of Cape Verde, as the Faith is one of only four > the Faith" took place in October 1990 when officially recognized religions in the coun- > Baha'is received, for the first time, an invita- try. In Botswana, cabinet ministers and > tion from the Cabinet to participate in the chiefs often attended Baha'i activities. The > nation's independence anniversary. Each Baha'is of Togo were invited by the Chief > of State to have a stand at an international > commercial fair; the Baha'i exhibit was > visited by thousands of people, including the > Chief of State and his entourage. > > Universities > Politicians were not the only leaders of > thought to become more familiar with the > Baha'i Faith. African academicians also > expanded their knowledge of the Teachings, > and the Faith was recognized as a topic worthy of serious study by a growing number of > universities. The Faith was included in > courses taught by both Baha'i and non- > Baha' i professors. > By the end of the Six Year Plan, the Faith > had been part of the curriculum at the University of Swaziland for more than four > years. Baha'is taught the history, principles, > and administration of the Faith to third year > students. In 19'9 l, university officials asked > During a teaching conference in Assomada, the Baha'is to develop a curriculum on spe- > Cape Verde, in 198 7, two youth present a cific Baha'i subjects in relation to African > theatrical piece about teaching in iran. customs and traditional religions. > INTERNATIO N AL SURV EY OF C URRENT BAH A 'i A CT IVITI ES 251 > Courses based on Baha'i principles and Kenya, the head of Christian Religious Edutaught by Baha ' is were offered several times cation at Shanzu Teacher Training College > at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. in Mombasa invited three Baha ' i speakers to > In 1989, Dr. Tim Rost designed and taught address first-year sh1dents at the school. The > courses called "Peace and Justice" and "Reli- 420 students subjected the speakers to many > gion and Development" . This led members questions. The Faith was added to the syllaof the Department of Religious Studies to bus of the College's religious education > visit the House of Worship in Kampala to section as a new topic of study. > familiarize themselves with the Faith and its Other African nations where the Baha'i > institutions. Faith was included in post-secondary courses > In 1991, Dr. Mark Perry was invited to of study included: South Africa, where it > join the Department at Makerere University was part of the syllabus for a course called > to teach special courses on "Religion and "Science and Philosophy of Religion" at the > Social and Economic Development' and University of Westville, Durban, in Natal; > ''Research Methods". The course on devel- Zimbabwe, where portions of the curriculum > opment, which examined the contributions for comparative religious studies at the Unithat religion can make to the transformation versity of Zimbabwe and Gwem Teacher > of Ugandan society, included a specific dis- Training College included the Faith; and > cussion on the Baha'i Faith. The course on Sierra Leone, where a pioneer started a > research methods generated a great deal of course on the Faith at Makeni Teachers > interest in, and discussion of, fundamental College. > spiritual principles . > When the Spiritual Assembly of Malawi Social and Economic Development > responded to a request for information from In its message to the Baha ' is of the world at > the Head of the Department of Religious Ric:lvan 1990, the Universal House of Justice > Sh1dies at the University of Zomba, the wrote, 'The affairs of mankind have reached > Baha 'is discovered that the professor had a stage at which increasing calls will be > already been using Bahri 'u '!!ah and the New made upon our community to assist, through > Era to teach the Faith in his classes. After advice and practical measures, in solving critmeeting with some Baha ' is, he invited them ical social problems''. Development projects > to address his students, who responded were one type of assistance offered to an > enthusiastically to the presentation and asked ailing humanity. During the Plan, existing > many questions. progranm1es were expanded and new initia- > Talks on the Faith were also given at tives launched. The majority of the Baha'i > Malawi 's Chancellor University in a course social and economic development projects > on comparative religion. At the end of the in Africa related either to health care or > Six Year Plan, the government approved a education. In fact, Africa was the continent > plan for the Baha'is to present the Faith, its with the greatest number of health-related > history and moral teachings, in teacher háain- projects. > ing colleges around the country. In accordance with a philosophy of devel- > In Burkina Faso, the Higher School of opment which emphasizes local self-reliance > Law of the University of Ouagadougou gave and self-determination, the Baha'i health > permission for two courses on "The Pro- professionals trained local believers to > gramme of Baha ' u ' llah for Peace" to be become leaders in health education. In Zaire, > taught, fulfilling one of the National Assem- the Regional Social and Economic Developbl y's goals for the Six Year Plan. One of the ment Conm1ittee of Kivu (CREDESE) > Baha ' is of Burkina had already given two prepared participants in its programmes to > courses on the Baha'i Faith and peace. In teach different health-related subjects using > 252 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Jn Burkina Faso, a > training and reji-esher > course for primm y > health workers was > held.fimn 4 to 7 May > 1990 in Ko alio as > part of an on-going > sanitation and > nutrition educational > project sponsored by > the National Baha'i > Social and Economic > Development > Committee. > > Jn Lome, Togo, > children in the > Rainbow International > School and Kindergarten present their > cultures during a > Peace Festival held > March 1990. > > Jn th e Prefecture of > Ginkongozo- Rugazi, > Rwanda, children, > paren ts and tutors > can be seen during > a literacy co urse > held in J988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 253 > simple teaching aids. This training was part received support from international funding > of CREDESE's support for the activities of a agencies. Training programmes for commularge number oflocal Baha'i Councils work- nity health workers were also conducted in > ing to transforn1 their communities. In Cameroon, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda. > Zambia, instrnctors from the William Mmutle Throughout the Plan, Canadian Baha'i > Masehla Baha'i Institute travelled to villages Dr. Ethel Martens háained Baha'is in Kenya > to give seminars on the causes of various and Swaziland to become primary health > illnesses and how they can be prevented. care workers. > The Masehla Institute also offered its first In several areas where access to hospitals > All-Women Training Programme for Com- was limited, Baha' is helped to provide > munity Primary Health Educators. maternity and emergency care. By 1991 , the > Throughout the Six Year Plan, Baha ' i Hakim Dispensary in Moissala, Chad, which > volunteers assisted with the operation of opened in 1985, had a permanent staff of > the Kenya Expanded Progranune for Immu- seven and operated a laboratory and a pharnization, helping to inocu late more than macy. In Swaziland, the Piggs Peak Clinic, a > 7 ,500 children. In 1988, Balla 'i participation private facility operated by a Baha ' i doctor, > became more formalized under the name offered regular medical consultations and > Kenya Baha'i Social Mobilization Pro- conducted a health ouháeach progranm1e > granu11e for Inununization, the first project which included visits to outlying rural areas > Baha'is embarked upon in collaboration with and the screening of school children for > the Canadian Public Health Association. diseases. > Working with the Kenya Expanded Pro- Education was the other area of deve lopgranm1e for Inmmnization, the Baha'is ment which received the most attention in > offered a series of seminars to train primary Africa. Zaire had one of the most notable > health care workers to educate people about progranunes of tutorial schools in the Baha'i > the importance of inununization. Other sem- world, with approximately ninety operating > inars brought together various members of toward the end of the Plan. By Ric;lvan 1992, > communities interested in health, such as Baha ' i tutorial schools in Chad were serving > medical personnel, traditional healers, and more than 1,3 00 students. Baha'is in Swazilocal officials, to share info1mation and land operated tluáee preschools and one > ideas. The project was approved by Kenya's primary school using a cmriculum largely of > Ministry of Health. their own design. This curriculum was > In September 1990, the Baha'i adminis- approved by the educational authorities for > trator of the inununization progranune was use in schools throughout the country. In > invited by the Ministry of Health to attend a Tanzania, the emolment of the Ruaha Techseries of workshops on health care planning, nical Secondary School grew from 160 > and he chaired one of the sessions. The Dis- students at its opening in 1986 to 400 by > trict Conm1issioner of Bungoma, where the Ric;lvan 1992. > workshops took place, conunended the A conunittee appointed by the Universal > Baha'is, in both his opening and closing House of Justice worked during the Plan to > statements, for their good work in the promote the development of educational > Disháict. activities in Africa. The Central and East > Conummity health workers were also African Regional Development Conmlittee > trained in Burkina Faso, where members of (known as READCO), which was appointed > the Health and Nutrition Project taught basic in November 1985, produced a wide range > nutrition and sanitation and provided first of educational materials for Baha'i chilaid care. In Chad, the Conmmnity Develop- dren's classes, conducted institutes for the > ment Project on Health expanded and háaining of children's class teachers, and > 254 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > sponsored conferences and workshops on dedicate this regular programme to the > Baha'i education. African child. Baha'i Writings and United > Nations statistics on the plight of children > Radio were broadcast. Baha'i children also pre- > The first Baha'i radio station on the African pared a special forty-five-minute edition of > continent, Radio Baha'i of Liberia, was the radio programme, "Kids' Special'', aimed > officially inaugurated on 21 March 1987 in a at presenting the Baha'i teachings. > ceremony attended by the Assistant Minister On a Sunday morning in September 1991 , > of Telecommunications, the Deputy-Minister Radio Transkei aired the first of nine fifteenof Information, a traditional chief, media minute programmes based on The Promise > representatives and several hundred Baha'is. of World Peace. Each segment consisted of > The event was covered on national news, music, an introduction, a reading from the > and several days of continuous announce- Peace Statement in the Xhosa language, and > ments over national radio followed. By the quotations from the Bible and the Writings > end of its first year, Radio Baha'i Liberia's of Baha'u'llah. A Baha'i prayer and music > broadcasts had already stimulated consider- closed each broadcast. > able growth in the Baha'i community. A Radio Lesotho gave the Baha'is a fifteenreport from a station staff member in March minute time slot every Sunday evening for > 1988 read, "We simply cannot keep enough one year. Beginning in September 1990, > Baha'i literature ... Some have walked miles "Tumelo Ke Thebe" ("Faith is a Stronghold") > to the station to get us to tell them more ... covered topics such as life after death, mar- > There have been enrolments at the station, riage and divorce, and The Promise of World > and demand from listeners for more Baha' i Peace. Each programme concluded with > programming." readings from the Sacred Texts. > Regular radio programmes prepared by Weekly radio programmes were also pro- > Baha'is were also aired on non-Baha ' i duced in Burkina Faso, the Central African > stations. The Local Assembly of Bamenda, Republic, Chad, Ciskei, and Rwanda. In > Cameroon, produced a weekly programme Madagascar, a Nineteen Day Feast tape procalled "Mothers, Fathers, and Children". duced by the Radio and Television Team of > When the Bamenda Baha'is joined other the National Assembly was regularly aired > religious groups and government authorities on National Malagasy Radio. > to plan a week-long celebration of the African News stories about Baha 'i events and > Day of the Child in 1991, they decided to interviews with travelling teachers were > > Staff members at > Radio Baha 'i Liberia > (ELRB) in Monrovia > in March 1987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIV ITI ES 255 > > Jn Transkei, hundreds > of people stopped at > the Baha 'i booth to > learn about the > Faith during the > Agricultural Show > held in Um ta ta fi"om > 9-12 October 1990. > > broadcast on radio in Cameroon, Guinea- two weeks, a total of2,500 people signed the > Bissau, Kenya, and Sierra Leone. The first guest book at the display, and during a public > such interview to be aired in Equatorial meeting on the exhibition 's last day, thirteen > Guinea- with a travelling teacher and two people enrolled in the Faith. In Transkei, a > National Spiritual Assembly members- oc- public meeting called "The Pre-Conditions > cuned during the Plan. of Peace in Southern Africa and the World" > In a number of African countries, includ- followed the second annual week-long book > ing Cape Verde, Togo, and Uganda, radio display in the Unitra Library, creating a sigwas used to announce Baha'i activities and nificant amount of interest in the Faith. In > Holy Days. Zimbabwe, two displays were organized in > libraries. > Book Exhibitions Agricultural fairs provided forums for the > Many Africans discovered the Creative Word display of Baha ' i literature in several southof Baha 'u ' llah for the first time when they ern African nations. In addition to regular > came upon book exhibitions organized by displays at regional and national fa irs in > Baha'is. Universities, libraries , and agricul- Zambia and Zimbabwe, a booth was orgatural fairs were the most common venues. nized at the Transkei Agricultural Show in > Book displays in the students' halls of Umtata in October 1990. Approximately > residence at Nigeria's University of Benin dm- 400 people visited the booth, including the > ing four evenings in January 1989 attracted Minister of the Department of Agriculture, > approximately 1,400 students. The Peace and many Baha'i books in Xhosa and English > Statement was the most popular document at were sold. > a book exhibition held at the University of The National Assemb ly of Burkina esti- > Zambia in 1988, and another display was mated that 1,000 people visited Baha'i book > organized in 1989. Hundreds of students vis- exhibitions held in Ouagadougou, Koudougou, > ited a book exhibition at Kenya's Kenyatta and Dedougou Fada during 1987. Then in > University near the end of the Plan. Two 1988, the Baha ' is mounted an exhibition of > successful book displays were held at the books related to peace and chi ldren after > University ofTranskei . being invited by the Government to play a > The municipal library of Atakpame, central role in the commemoration of Inter- > Ogou, Togo, was the site of a Baha' i exposi- national Peace Day and Children 's Day. The > tion in September 1990 which was visited by exhibit was officially opened by a represen- > 300 people on the first day. In the following tative of the Head of State, who , with his > 256 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > entourage of government officials and ambas- Music > sadors of various countries, listened to an ... the Manifested Light, Bahli 'u 'llah, in > introduction to the Faith. this glorious p eriod has revealed in Holy > A week-long book exhibition was held at Tablets that singing and music are the > the Independence Hotel in Burkina Faso in spiritual food of the hearts and souls. In > 1989, and in 1991, the Baha'is of Ouaga- this dispensation, music is one of the arts > dougou organized three book and poster that is highly approved and is considered > exhibitions with the assistance of the United to be the cause of the exaltation of sad > Nations Infom1ation Centre and the Move- and desponding hearts. > ment for Civil Rights of Burkina Faso. The Th erefore ... set to music the verses and > exhibits were displayed during a one-week the divine words so that they may be sung > convention and included a stand at one of with soul-stirring melody in the Assemthe entrances to the marketplace. Some of blies and gatherings, and that the hearts > those who visited the display were invited to of the listeners may becom e tumultuous > a fireside and later embraced the Faith. and rise towards the Kingdom of Abha in > Thousands also heard of the Faith at Togo supplication and prayer. 2 > Fair 2000, where the Baha' is displayed liter- On a continent where music has long > ature. Book and poster exhibits followed by played an exceptionally important role in > public conferences were found to be suc- conmmnity life, it was natural for those > cessful in that country. Book displays in who embraced the Cause of Baha 'u 'l lah to > urban areas were used to proclaim the Faith express their love of the Blessed Beauty and > in the Gambia, and in Rwanda, a public share His principles through song. During > reading room was opened at the National the Six Year Plan, music festivals and com- > Centre. petitions were sponsored, new Baha'i songs > were composed, and a number of music > groups were formed both to spread the > Cause and to emich the spirihial life of the > believers. > The Continental Board of Counsellors > organized three Inter-Regional Music Festivals in 1989. Held in Botswana, Liberia, > and Kenya, these festivals encouraged and > inspired musicians across the continent and > gave birth to many other music-related > activities . > Despite the political h11111oil in Zaire 111 > late December 1991, the Baha'is managed to > attract more than 1,8 00 people to the first > Baha'i Youth Music Festival in Kaboke > Nudu, Fizi. Eighteen choirs and youth clubs > presented songs, plays, and poems on the > theme of "The Life, the Mission, and the > Sufferings of the Blessed Beauty". Ananged > as a means of preparing the youth of the > > 'Abdu ' l-B aha , Bahlr 'f World Faith: Selected Writings > The Baha 'i International Music Fes tival in of Bahlr '11 '//lrh and 'Abdu '/-Bahlr (Wilmette: Baha'i > Gaborone, Botswana in December I 989. Publishing Trust, 1976), p. 378. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 257 > South Ki vu province for the Holy Year ( 1992- National Assemblies taking part in the bi- > 93 ), the festival generated much enthusiasm, annual event. The awards ceremony was held > with some groups composing and performing before an audience of approximately 300 > more than twenty songs. film-makers, writers, and journalists from > The Baha'is of Transkei held a National three continents and was broadcast on radio > Music Festival in 1989 in Umtata which was and television. > attended by about one 100 people from > seven communities. The festival generated ~a~iratu'l-Quds > considerable publicity in the press and on Africa stood out for the number ofI:Ia~iratu ' l­ > radio. That same year, the National Music Quds which were acquired or built on the > and Drama Committee of Zambia organized continent during the Plan. Particularly in > a competition on the use of the Faith's prin- areas where individual houses were insufficiples in music. Arumal music and drama cient for gatherings, I:I~iratu'l-Quds provided > competitions were held in rural areas of crucial meeting places for the believers. > Zimbabwe during the Plan, and the Spiritual Inauguration ceremonies for the local, > Assembly of Botswana called its Interna- regional, and national centres provided > tional Music Festival in Gaborone "one of the oppo1tunities to share the Faith with surmost significant achievements of the Plan". rounding communities. > In Mauritius, the Baha'is organized cultural Local centres were built or acquired or > activities for non-Baha'i guests to mark the land obtained in at least fifteen African > World Music Day. countries, including the war-ravaged Angola, > At a cultural festival held in Uganda in Liberia, and Mozambique. An estimated > August 1991, the Baha'is ofMbale came first thi1ty-five local centres were established in > in the competition for composed songs. The Uganda. The believers in a Local Spiritual > National Assembly noted that the festival Assembly area of Burundi whose members > provided a great opportunity for proclaiming were all Pygmies fmished building their own > the Faith, and opened new avenues of collab- local centre by Ri<;ivan 1992. The Local > oration with rural women's organizations. Spiritual Assembly of Gamma Koni Koni in > The festivals provided just one forum for Guinea also constructed a local centre withlocal music groups to perform. Local singing out any outside assistance. Local initiative in > groups were also active in teaching and com- Guinea-Bissau resulted in the purchase of a > munity life in the Central African Republic, local centre. At the inauguration ceremony > Chad, Mauritius, and Rwanda. In Kenya , for the cenháe of Agboville, Cote d'Ivoire, > eight choirs performed at a Holy Day cele- tluáee dignitaries were presented with casbration in 1988 attended by more than 900 sette tapes of the Peace Statement in the > people. The group Kwayera Mbee, which local dialect. > formed in Malawi, sang at youth conferences Inauguration ceremonies fo r regional cenin Botswana and Zimbabwe and was invited tres were regularly attended by prominent > to tour in Europe. The Nationa l Assemblies people who praised the establishment of > of Equatorial Guinea and Siena Leone such institutions. The first regional Baha' i > reported that a number of local songs were centre in Siena Leone was dedicated at > composed on Baha'i themes during the Plan. Pujehun at a ceremony in January 1987 > A film about the role of music in bringing attended by the Paramount Chief, a member > about racial integration was awarded a spe- of Parliament, and the Inspector of Schools. > cial prize by the National Spiritual Assembly When the Regional Cenháe of Tabligbo, > of Burkina during the 12th Panafrican Film Togo, was inaugurated in June 1987, a repand Televis ion Festival in 1991. The resentative of the regional prefecture spoke > National Assembly joined other African hopefully about how the cenháe would serve > 258 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > the interests of both the area and Togo in market. Regional centres were also estabgeneral. When a new regional I:Ia~iratu'l ­ lished in places such as Cape Verde, Ghana, > Quds was opened at €urepipe, Mauritius, in Mali, and Transkei. > November 1986, the Mayor of Curepipe, In September 1987, Mauritius dedicated a > who was formerly Minister of Health of the new national I:Ia~iratu'l-Quds in Port Louis > Mauritian government, praised the Faith in a in a ceremony that included participation of > speech which concluded with the hope that the Governor-General of the nation, and was > the new centre would "dispel social and spir- publicized in newspapers and on radio and > itual darkness in this region". His talk was television. In November 1987, the Baha'is > heard on radio and television. of Mozambique acquired their first national > The first regional centre in Burundi was cenháe, and in 1990, Ciskei opened its first > inaugurated in January 1989, on a road lead- national I:Ia~iratu'l-Quds. At Ri~van 1992, > ing out of Bujumbura which is widely the National Cenháe of the Cenháal African > travelled by people bringing products to Republic was inaugurated in Bangui. > > Th e Baha 'is of > Manzini, Swaziland, > laying the cornerstone for their > Regional Bah6 'i > Centre during a > ceremony held on > 15 October 1990. > > Women > The emancipation of women, the achieve- are welcomed into full partnership in all > ment of full equality between the sexes, is fields of human endeavour will the moral > one of the most important, though less and psychological climate be created in > acknowledged prerequisites of peace. The which international peace can emerge. 3 > denial of such equality perpetrates an The National Assemblies of a number of > injustice against one half of the world's African countries noted that women participopulation and promotes in men harn1ful pated in Baha' i activities to a greater degree > attitudes and habits that are carried from than previously, and they used their creativthe family to the workplace, to political ity and energy to initiate projects which > life, and ultimately to international rela- would lead to their further emancipation. > tions. There are no grounds, moral, > practical, or biological, upon which such 3 > Universa l Ho use of Justice, Th e Promise of World > denial can be justified. Only as women Peace. > INT ERNAT ION AL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'I AC TIVITI ES 259 > Left: Participants in > a Family Life Conference held in Limbe, > Cameroon, on > 17Februmy 1991. > > Below: Participants > in the National Baha 'i > Women's Conference > held at the Nakuru > Baha 'i Centre in > Kenya; February 1989. > > Below: This group of Baha 'is walked 800 > kilometres fi'om their village to attend a > Baha 'i conference held in th e Fizi Zone of > Zaire in July l 989. > > Some of the new > Baha 'is in Lwefeu, > Senegal, who > embraced the Faith > during the Viera > Teaching Project in > 1988. > 260 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > New national women's committees and family Baha' is in Cameroon and N igeria particicommittees were born in various countries, pated in the project 'Traditional Media as > and regular meetings among women were Change Agent' supported by the United > instituted, from the national to the vi llage Nations Development Fund for Women > level. (UNIFEM). In cooperation with various > Conferences were the most common type National Assemblies, Baha' i agencies , conof activity organized both by and for women. sultants and UNIFEM, Baha'is used > Regional and national gatherings were held traditional means, such as music and dance, > in many countries. Among the most note- to stimulate discussions about men 's and > worthy were: the International Women's women's roles in society. In Liberia, a > Conference held in Nigeria in November Balla 'i woman was recognized by the Minis- > 1991 which was attended by more than 200 try of Information, Culture and Tourism for > people coming from sixteen countries and starting the first magazine in the country > representing 44 ethnic groups; the National dedicated to advancing the status of women. > Women 's Conference in Mauritius in August A Baha'i villager from Zaire organized the > 1987 which drew members of seven Mothers' Committee of South Kivu with the > National Assemblies and participants from goals of liberating women from the back- > Reunion, Madagascar, Cote d' Ivoire, and breaking labour of grinding maize; teaching > France; and the first Baha'i Women's Con- literacy; establishing creches for the care of > fe rence in the Wes tern Region of Ghana, infants whose mothers work in the fields; > held in a mud-walled centre filled with bam- supplying pure drinking water; forming > boo benches aITanged for the 78 Baha' is local stores for the sale of their products; and > attending. protecting pregnant women from hard field > Women comprised the majority of partic- labour. > ipants at three consecutive conferences in Baha'i involvement in development > Za ire, each of which devoted a special ses- projects led to education of the public on the > sion to women. Held in July 1989 in Fizi, status of women in the Baha'i teachings. > Mwenga, and Bukavu, the conferences drew Interaction with other women's groups and > thousands of people, some of whom had to participation in special events also served > walk 800 kilometres to reach the gathering. this purpose. In Uganda, a written statement > The final conference in Bukavu was covered on the Baha'i perspective on women was > by four radio and newspaper jomnalists and presented to religious leaders during a > attended by the Regional Secretary for national seminar organized by the govern- > Women's Affairs. ment in July 1989. In December 1989, a > Some of the conferences focused on discussion-debate on "The Rights of Women > development projects related to the advance- and Social Progress" was held in Cote d'Ivoire > ment of women. Following one conference under the patronage of the Minister of Priin Cameroon in the summer of 1986, literacy mary Education and the President of the > classes were established for wo men in nine Federation of African Jurists. Baha'is fully > conununities. At Kenya 's amm al women 's pa1ticipated in activities marking National and > conference in 1989, a presentation was made International Women' s Days in Cameroon, > on income-generating proj ects, and partici- Nigeria, and Uganda. > pants visited a hospita l and heard a talk > called "Spiritual Life, Immunization, and Youth > Nutrition" . An interview with a panel of The endurance of youth under arduous > Baha 'i women was recorded for broadcast conditions, their vita lity and vigour, and > on a telev ision progranune called "Women their ability to adapt themselves to loca l > and Development". situations, to meet new challenges, and to > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 26 1 > impart their warmth and enthusiasm to > those they visit, combined with the standard of conduct upheld by Baha ' i youth, > make them potent instruments for the > execution of the contemplated proj ects . > Indeed, through these distinctive qualities > they can become the spearhead of any > enterprise and the driving force of any > undertaking in which they participate, > whether local or national. 4 > The quotation above was reprinted in a > compilation called Youth Can Move the > World prepared by the National Youth Committee of Nigeria and published in 1991. By > this time, the youth of Africa had already > demonstrated the truth of these words by > their actions during the Six Year Plan. > Increasingly, they took the initiative to organize conferences, teaching campaigns, and > children ' s classes, and accepted responsibility for their own Baha ' i education. > The youth of Botswana organized several > international youth conferences which were > well attended and received media coverage. Baha 'i youth participating in the "Star 88" > The 1987 conference, which included partic- teaching project in Botswana; June 1988. > ipants from seventeen countries, was opened > by a member of Parliament and closed by National and regional youth conferences > Chief Seepapitso IV. Eighteen countries were organized in Mauritius, Senegal, and > were represented by the 130 youth attending Togo. "The Role of Baha'i Youth" was the > the conference in 1988, and most of the theme of two regional conferences held in > sess ions were conducted by African youth. Ma lawi in 1990. A number of conferences > During the 1989 conference, called "A New took place at the Na ti onal Centre in Sierra > Spirit, A New Generation- Peace'', eighteen Leone, and the youth of Kenya held annual > indigenous youth accepted the Faith. conferences. > The international youth conference held Conferences stimulated you th to increase > in neighbouring Z imbabwe in August 1991 their service to the Cause, and often this > was completely organized by youth between took the forn1 of joining or creating teaching > the ages of thirteen and eighteen. More than proj ects . Following the success of the 1987 > seventy youth from eleven countries studied European Youth Third World Teaching > their role in the community, learned about Project in Botswana, which involved eleven > the Youth Year of Service, and prepared for young Baha ' is from five countries who each > the coming Holy Year. In Gabon, youth pre- served at least one month in the Kalahari > sented the entire programme of workshops Desert communities, a series of summer > and talks at a national youth conference in teaching proj ects was born. "S tar 88" began > December 1988. with a two-week orientation programme at > the University of Botswana which acquainted > From a letter of the Uni versal House of Ju sti ce to al l the international participants with aspects of > National Spiritual Assembl ies, 25 May 1975. traditional African cu lture and provided an > 262 TI-IE BAI-IA ' [ WORLD > > opportunity to learn from experienced teach- the Collis Featherstone Project which brought > ers. The youth were also educated about the healing Message of Baha 'u ' llah to refuhow to begin village development projects. gees from Mozambique. > The Star projects continued throughout the In February 1988, more than two hundred > remainder of the Six Year Plan. people attended a round-table conference in > The National Spiritual Assembly of Cameroon called "The Challenge to the > Zambia reported that the youth of Lusaka African Youth in the Modern World". Orgaorganized themselves to participate in all the nized by the Yaounde University Baha'i > country's teaching plans. One example Club, the conference was held to inspire the > comes from 1989, when the youth created a Cameroon youth to higher ideals and to prolarge book display at the Lusaka Public vide a sense of direction for all young people. > Library and placed banners and posters all The progranm1e included addresses by tluáee > over the town announcing the exhibit. Local university lecturers from different departradio and television stations broadcast inter- ments. A thirty-minute interview with a > views with the Baha ' is associated with the Baha'i speaker was broadcast tluáee times by > display, and newspapers can-ied stories on it. the national radio station. > As a result of the proclamation, at least eigh- In addition to helping Baha'i communities > teen people emolled in the Faith. grow, African youth contributed to commu- > Zambian youth also played a major role nity development by organising deepenings, > in a proclamation project organized by the assisting with children's classes, and under- > Baha'is of Ndola in November 1988. They taking service projects. The youth of > helped distribute more than two thousand Mizpah, Zimbabwe, built a Baha ' i Youth > pamphlets to government offices, banks, Library out of ttáee branches, plastic sheets, > schools, hospitals, shops, newspaper offices, fence wire, and thatch for the roof. A sevenand private industries, while inviting people teen-year old girl was elected librarian. A > to a public meeting. A report from the Local youth library was also established by the > Spiritual Assemb ly of Ndola said, "The Nationa l Youth Conunittee of Malawi, news > reception of the public was ovetwhelming", of which was reported in the first issue of > and the meeting was covered in the Times of Malawi Saha 'i Youth Newsletter, published > Zambia. in July 1990. > The Spiritual Assemb ly of Malawi The youth of Zimbabwe also produced > reported that the country ' s sttáong National their own publication, The Saha 'i Star, > Youth Committee planned and carried out through which they encouraged their friends > > Counsellor Lally > Warren (standing on > the far left) , visiting > with ji-iends in the > village of Kabwafi1, > Malawi, during > August I 990. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I A CTIVITIES 263 > throughout the country. The National Spir- raised up 353 new believers . In the same > itual Assembly commented at the end of the area in 1988, twenty-eight Local Assemblies > Plan that "It has been very encouraging to and 643 enrolments were the result of the > witness the involvement of Baha'i youth in Olinga-Akwa lbom Teaching Project. Durthe work of teaching, adminisháation, trans- ing the first three years of the Plan, at least > lation of the Baha'i books in vernacular five large-scale teaching projects were carlanguages ... " ried out in Nigeria. > Such initiative was also seen in the Sey- In December 1988, 414 new believers, > chelles, where the Youth Task Force, born including ten chiefs, embraced the Faith and > in 1991, demonstrated its capacity to move ten new Assemblies were formed during the > quickly on assignments. Representatives as- two-week Behin/Calabar-Mamfe Road Teachsisted with deepening classes, visited the ing Project. The teachers involved were all > Bougainville community to discuss mainte- native believers. The Kay Wilson Teaching > nance of the future regional I:Ia?'.iratu'l-Quds Project held in Nnewi, Anambra State, and > of South Mahe, and visited the Takamak the Elizabeth Gibson Project, both held in > community to discuss the formation of a for- 1989, together were responsible for more > mal programme for the friends. The youth of than 1,400 enrolments. The projects in Nigeria > Gabon were rep01ted to be holding regular were can-ied out in a wide variety of setdeepening classes in four cities, and in South tings, bringing the Faith to Christians, > Africa regional and local youth committees Muslims, and traditional village elders. Over > were formed . and over, success was attributed to the unity > In March and April 1992, a six-week- among the teachers. > long development institute for youth was Teaching projects led to almost 18,000 > held in Cote d'Ivoire. This was the first enrolments in Kenya and almost 16,000 in > attempt in West Africa to give youth specific Chad. > training, both practical and spiritual, to pre- National Assemblies reported noticeable > pare them for a year of service in their increases in the number of individuals taking > countries. responsibility for the teaching work outside > of projects organized by the institutions of > Teaching the Faith. Greater awareness of the teaching > Forn1ally planned projects and individual needs and commitment to fulfil them were > efforts to attain personal goals comple- noted in Btfrkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, and > mented the teaching achieved through all Transkei. The National Assembly of Tanzathe activities summarized in the previous nia could only attribute approximately 35 per > sections. cent of the new believers to formally > The teaching projects held in Africa dur- planned and funded projects, suggesting that > ing the Plan-many dedicated to Hands of much individual teaching took place. In > the Cause of God or outstanding teachers in Zimbabwe, a corps of travelling teachers > Africa ' s history-are too numerous to was trained whose members were continurecount. However, a few examples drawn ous ly active ; an average of six to ten > from the dramatic story of the Nigerian com- teachers were in the field at any given time. > munity ' s expansion illustrate the readiness The National Spiritual Assembly of Uganof many Africans to accept the Message of da wrote: "As evidenced by the increased > Baha 'u'llah . communication between the Assembly and > During the first week of the Enoch Olinga individual believers, there was quite an > Project in Eket, Nigeria, in 1987, twenty increased number of individuals who dedidedicated Nigerian teachers brought four- cated themselves more to serve the Cause, > teen new Local Assemblies into being and especially the youth. The result of it all is > 264 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Teaching institute held > at the William Masehla > Bahri 'i Institute in > Zambia; J986. > > Participants in a deepening seminar > held in Gueckedou, Guinea, fi'om > 2 6-3 J December J990, included > two members of the Auxilimy Board > and seven members of the > National Spiritual Assembly. > > Bahri 'is working on the construction of > their new Teaching Institute at Titye, > Kasulu, Kigoma,Tanzania in 1990. > INT ERNA TIO NAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA ' l ACT IVIT IES 265 > that there are now more workers for the officer duties. The Spiritual Assembly of > Cause than before." Bophuthatswana organized a fruitful seminar in 1989 to generate ideas on maintaining > Local Spiritual Assemblies Local Spiritual Assemblies. > With increasing public attention being As Assemblies ga ined experience and infocused on the Cause of God, it becomes creased their understanding of the institution, > imperative for Baha'i institutions to im- they took more initiative and responsibility, > prove their perforn1ance, through a closer sometimes collaborating with neighbouring > identification with the fundamental verities Assemblies . One example comes from > of the Faith, thrnugh greater conformity Burkina Faso, where in 1989, about thirty > to the spirit and form of Baha'i adminis- members of the eight Loca l Assemblies of > tration and through a keener reliance on the Zecco region organized a teaching project > the beneficial effects of proper consulta- in the village ofNibrogo. On the third visit to > tion, so that the communities they guide the village, 100 people embraced the Faith > will reflect a pattern of life that will offer and a new Assembly was formed. The same > hope to the disillusioned members of group of Assemblies later launched proj ects > society.5 in Ziou and Affombissi. > In order to further educate members of In 1990 and 1991 , the Local Assembly of > Local Spiritual Assemblies about their Nabou, Burkina Faso, canied out two phases > duties and foster greater maturation of these of a successful teaching campaign called 'El > crucia l institutions, a variety of methods Bab' which opened fifteen localities, resulted > were used to overcome obstac les in Africa in the forn1ation of ten new Local Assemsuch as the difficulty of travel, poor systems blies, and emolled more than three hundred > of communication, and low leve ls of people. > literacy. In Transke i, eleven Local Assemblies > In Chad, believers used bicycles to travel adopted twenty-four extension teaching goals, > thousands of kilometres to visit, encourage, visiting the areas at least once a month and > and deliver mail to Local Assemblies. In some as often as weekly. The National > Tanzania, twenty Assemblies were reached Spiritual Assembly wrote: "One of the > by the Travel Deepeners Programme. In Togo, encouraging points about these campaigns is > an illustrated booklet on the major tasks of that they have all been organized by the > the Local Assembly was published and dis- respective Local Spiritual Assemb lies and > tributed to all the delegates at the National supported by the whole nation". > Convention in 1988. One example is the cooperation between > In Rwanda, some Local Assemblies were the Local Assemblies of Umtata and Pelini > invited to send two representatives to a deep- to teach the Faith in Mngamnye. Their conening institute and teaching project, which tinuous collaboration to organize numerous > so stimulated participants that they helped to trips, proclamation events, and deepenings > fonn fifteen new Assemblies and were able resulted in the re-fo rmation of the Assembly > to elect their own Assemblies the follow ing ofMnganmye. > year without assistance. Of the many new Local Spiritual Assem- > The National Assembly of Zimbabwe blies that were formed in Africa during the > sent a letter to every member of a Loca l Plan, severa l examples are noteworthy. In > Assembly along with deepening material, 1987, due to the efforis of the Baha'is ofBataland distributed info1rnation on elections and imo in the Central African Republic, that > countly fo1111ed its first Local Assembly made > From a letter of the Un ive rsal House of Just ice to the up of Pygmy believers . Two members were > Baha ' is of th e World , Ric:l van 1990. later able to attend the National Convention. > 266 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > On the island of > Rodriguez, in the > Indian Ocean, some > of the Baha 'is of > La Ferme pose with > Counsellor Gilbert > Robert, shown fourth > from left, and his wife, > Daisy Robert, on far > right, during the > couple's visit to the > island in October > 1990. > > Jn Sierra Leone, > Baha 'is in Yikandor, > Pujehun District, > work together to make > mud bricks for a new > Baha 'i Primary > School. Jn addition to > labour, the friends > contributed cash, > wood, stones, and sand > for the construction; > 1987. > > A Teaching Institute > being held in Bamako, > Mali, on 19 and > 20 December 1987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I A CT IVITIES 267 > Liberian refugees held fast to the importance spiritual, social and material progress. > of the Baha'i Administrative Order, establish- Access to it, constant study of it and daily > ing a Local Assembly in a camp in Nigeria use of it in our individual lives are vital to > and virtually transferring the membership of the inner personal transformation towards > three Assemblies from Liberia to Cote which we strive and whose ultimate outer > d 'Ivoire. There the community expanded to manifestation will be the emergence of > include twenty-five Local Assemblies and that divine civilization which is the promnearly one thousand believers, both Liberians ise of the World Order ofBaha'u'llah. > and I vorians. During the Plan, efforts continued to be > The Baha ' is of Ethiopia rose to the chal- made to provide the greatest access to the > lenge of replacing the one Assembly of Addis Sacred Writings by háanslating the Holy > Ababa with twelve new ones when the gov- Word into as many languages as possible. > erm11ent sectored the city into districts, each Among the African languages into which the > with its own municipal seat. The National Writings were translated were: Kwangali in > Assemb ly considered the community 's re- Namibia, Kimndi in Bumndi, Kinyarwanda > sponse to this opportunity to be the single in Rwanda, Bambara in Mali, Tigrinya in > most important achievement of the Plan, as Ethiopia, and Fang in Equatorial Guinea. > it increased the base of the work-force in the Translations were made into multiple local > area. Deepening courses were provided for vernaculars in Burkina Faso, Cote d ' Ivoire, > the urban Assemblies, which in tum strength- South Africa, and Uganda. > ened the believers under their jurisdiction In order to bring the Creative Word to > who increased their participation in the illiterate seekers, the Writings were recorded > activities of the Faith. on audiotape in languages such as Portuguese Creole in Guinea-Bissau and Santiago > Literature Translation Creole in Cape Verde. > In a letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies The Cenháal African Republic, Transkei, > dated 10 July 1989, the Universal House of Malawi, and Zambia reported great sháides > Justice wrnte: forward in the area of háanslation, with the > The Holy Word has been extolled by the latter increasing its production by using pro- > Prophets of God as the medium of celes- fessiona l translators whose work was then > tial power and the wellspring of all reviewed by Baha' is . > > Dr. Bahman Sadegzadeh, an Auxiliary > Board member, > handing medicine to > Liberian Baha 'i > reji1gees in Cote > d 'Ivoire during a > conference held in > March 1991 . He also > addressed the fi'i ends > on the subjects of > hygiene and the use > of natural remedies. > 268 TI-IE BAHA'f WORLD > > 0 ye friends of God! > Exert ye with heart and > soul, so that association, > lo ve, unity and agreement be obtained > between the heart... > Should success crown > your enterprise, America > will assuredly evolve into > a center/ram which > waves of spiritual power > will emanate ... > - 'Abdu 'l-Baha > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 269 > > B. THE AMERICAS > MOST of the countries ofNorth and South Assemblies in their growing relations with > America share important commonalities in governmental and non-governmental organirelation to the Faith, such as relative free- zations and with the public in general'. Condom of worship and freedom to teach. tacts with government officials and profes- > However, any summary of activities in the sional and conununity affairs organizations > vast area of the Americas must be read with were particularly notable in the Americas, > an awareness of the significant cultural, eco- where they continued to develop throughout > nomic, and political differences between the the Plan, increasingly leading to invitations > United States and Canada on the one hand for Baha ' i participation and advice. > and the region of Central America, South One of the most outstanding examples > America, and the Caribbean on the other. of this trend comes from Brazil, where the > The Baha 'i communities in each area Baha'i conmmnity responded to the needs of > tended to capitalize on their strengths. Thus its nation at a unique historical moment. > when it is reported that large numbers of Possessing a strong national administration, > individuals enrolled in the Faith in the a diverse conmmnity, and an ample amount > Americas, many of them indigenous peoples of translated literature, the Baha ' is were > who then arose themselves to share the Mes- ready to seize the opportunities presented by > sage, it is Latin America which provides this Brazil's transition to democracy which virnews. In this region, a general openness to tually coincided with the begirming of the > religion, increasingly active native believers, Six Year Plan. Before the Plan began, the > and good relations with governments com- Baba ' is reported that few prominent people > bined with severe economic crises to create were aware of the teachings of the Faith. > an environment in which people searched By the end of the Plan, contacts with govfor deeper solutions to their immediate prob- enunent officials were so extensive and > lems and found them in the Baha'i Faith. consistent that the country's Federal Cham- > In the United States and Canada, where ber of Deputies had announced its intention > material and political conditions were much to commemorate the Centenary of the Asmore stable but where there are many groups cension ofBaha 'u ' llah with a special solenu1 > working to solve social problems, the session. > believers spread understanding of the Faith After twenty years of military rule, a > to a large extent through deepening their civilian president took office in Brazil in > relationships with service organizations, high April 1985, and in February 1987 a Constitugovernment officials, and the media. Using tional Assembly was installed to draft a new > their resources in communications, the fine constitution. This political change transpired > arts, and the academic realm, the Baha'i amidst economic turmoil, including high > conununities of the United States and Canada foreign debt, more than two hundred per > generated more widespread awareness of the cent inflation and a steadily widening gap > Faith and greater respect for its activities between the wealthy and the poor. In 1987 > than ever before. the National Spiritual Assembly presented > twenty proposals concerning law, human > Greater Involvement with Society rights, international relations, education, the > In its Ric)van message of 1988, the Universal economy, the rights of indigenous peoples, > House of Justice wrote that a new stage had the rights of women, and other subjects to > been reached in the external affairs of the the 559 Congressmen writing the country's > Cause. This stage was ' characterized by new constitution. Each Congressman also > a marked maturation of National Spiritual received a folder including The Promise of > 270 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > World Peace, information on the Faith, and In August 1986 a group of Baha'i physia letter from the National Assembly stating cians established the Brazilian Society of > the basic contributions the Baha'i Faith Physicians for Peace to awaken professioncould give to the new constitution . More als in medicine to the importance of their > than one hundred cables and letters and contributions to peace. The Society was also > many telephone calls were received express- to serve as a forum for studies on scientific, > ing gratitude for the suggestions provided. ethical, psychoaffective, educational, social, > In 1992 the Brazilian Government selected and spiritual aspects of peace. A decision was > the Baha'i report "Religions and Environ- taken by the Brazilian Society of Physicians > ment- A Specific Approach for the World for Peace to work for the elimination of > Ecological Crisis" to be included in its prejudices of race, class, nationality, and > report for the United Nations Conference belief, promoting unity among peoples, and > on the Environment and Development (also to avoid any involvement in political or > known as the "Earth Summit"), at the re- ideological disputes. > quest of the Brazilian Forum of Spiritual The Society's inaugural ceremony was at- > Traditions and Environment. And then, just tended by 120 doctors, the presidents of the > a few days following the close of the Six Medical Association and the Medical Coun- > Year Plan, the President of Brazil ' s Federal cils, professors of medicine in universities , > Chamber of Deputies spoke to forty-five and the most outstanding authorities in medfederal deputies about the magnitude of the icine and health of the region. Hundreds of > Personality and Teachings of Baha' u ' llah, cables and letters of support came from phyquoting from His Writings on the establish- sicians and hospitals. These included special > ment of a new world order. messages sent by the Brazilian Office of the > Involvement of Brazilian Baha'is in the United Nations Organization and the intersocial issues facing their country went be- national entity Physicians for Prevention of > yond contact with government officials to Nuclear War, whose founders , Drs. Lown > include sponsorship of and support for orga- and Chazov, were awarded the Nobel Prize > nizations working toward Baha'i principles. for Peace. > Through these activiti es, the believers were The inauguration included lectures about > able to simultaneously proclaim the Faith 's the role and the influence of physicians in seteachings, form relationships with like- curing peace, preceded by the announcement > minded people, and work toward social that the initiative was launched by a group of > change. Baha' i physicians. The Peace Message of the > > Th e bronze plaque > reads: "The earth is > but one country and > mankind its citizens. > -Bahti 'u 'llah (1817- > 1892)." The group is > shown with one of > three such plaques > presented, along with > copies a/The Promise > of World Peace, to > the Brazilian Society > of Educators for > Peace. 1989. > INT ERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITI ES 271 > > Members of the > Raul Pavon Teaching > Project held in Peru > in 1989 are shown > with members of > the Moth ers ' Club > in Puno. > > Universal House of Justice was presented in or approving new constitutions. Presentaan audio-visual programme by a member of tions were made on behalf of the National > the Auxi liary Board. Assemblies of Barbados and Guyana to the > Later in the Plan, the Brazilian Society of West Indian Commission Preparing the > Educators for Peace was formed which be- West Indies for the Future, a body estabgan organizing seminars for teachers. Then lished to study the future of the Caribbean > in 1990, the Brazilian National Assembly conununity and regional unification. In > sponsored the first International Expos ition El Salvador, the Central American Institute > on Education for Peace with the pariicipation for Business Adminisháation invited Baha ' is > of twenty-three embassies and educational to participate in a seminar on a Post-War > institutions. Displays featured the efforts of Reconstruction Plan. > various countries to reach peace tluáough In some counháies authorities recognized > education. the importance of the Faith by including > Permanent monuments to peace bearing Baha'is in official proceedings or sending > quotations from Baba 'u 'llah were erected in officia ls to Baha ' i events . In January 1987 > 1986 and 1991. The first stands near the spot the Bahit' is of Trinidad and Tobago were the > where the borders of Argentina, Brazil, and first presenters during an inter-faith service > Paraguay touch, in Foz do lguaya, and it is follow ing the formal opening of Parliament. > inscribed with the symbol of the Greatest In Barbados, the Prime Minister opened a > Name, the symbol of the UN International Caribbean Peace Conference sponsored by > Year of Peace, and the words, "The earth is Bahit'is in October 1986. In Guyana, the > but one count1y and mankind its citizens. Vice President requested a meeting with the > Baha 'u'llah (1817-1892)". The second National Assembly to discuss Bahit 'i particimonument was erected in the city ofFlorian- pation in the "Social Impact Ameliorati on > opolis, Brazil, in December 1991, bearing Program". By the end of the Plan, Guyana 's > quotations related to the disintegration of the then-Prime Minister Hamilton Green had > old world and the emergence of the new. become so familiar with and respectful of > Baha ' i communities in other nations of the the Faith, that he addressed the National > Americas also contributed to their govern- Convention of the Baha'is of the United > ments' efforts to bring about positive socia l States at Ric;lvan 1992. > change. Written statements offering Baha' i Bahit'is also tried to contribute to the > perspectives were presented in Paraguay and conununities in which they lived by work- > Haiti to individuals responsible for writing ing with existing organizations concerned > 272 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > with community affairs and organizing or after the Local Assembly of Saskatoon creco-sponsoring events of benefit to the wider ated an environment desk. > society. As their conháibutions came to be Racial unity was a major focus of the > known, Baha'is were increasingly invited to work undertaken by believers in the United > share their views and experiences. Baha'i States. The long-standing involvement of > perspectives on the topics of the environ- Baba ' is with commemorations honouring > ment, race unity, and world peace were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , continued to expa1iicularly sought out. pand. In 1988, Coretta Scott King invited the > The National Assembly of the United Baha'is to co-chair the National Religious > States co-sponsored two Global Structures Involvement Committee of the Ma1iin Luther > Convocations on Environment and Develop- King Federal Holiday Conunission, and in > ment, in 1989 and 1992. The Assembly also 1992 a member of the National Assembly > continued to conháibute to the work of the was invited to serve as co-grand marshall of > Global Tomonow Coalition, an organization Atlanta, Georgia's King Day Parade, speakof more than 150 members involved in is- ing to a rally of one hundred thousand > sues related to resources, the environment, people. In June 1991, the National Assembly > and sustainable development. Just prior to issued the statement Th e Vision of Race > the end of the Plan, a member of the National Unity-America's Most Challenging Issue, > Assembly's Washington, D.C., staff became which by the end of the Plan had sold appart of a working group to draft suggestions proximately two hundred thousand copies. > for the United States Government's position The Baha'is in the United States increaspaper to be presented at the Earth Summit. ingly received requests for support and > Baha'is in Mexico participated in a public consultation from organizations wanting to > fornm in Mexico City in March 1991 called improve race relations. As early as 1987, for > "Preservation and Improvement of the Envi- example, a governor's aide in Kansas reronment", joining representatives of several quested that the Baha'is help train local law > Latin American countries. The Latin Ameri- enforcement officers in racial issues and colcan Council of Churches invited the Baha ' is laborate with the state Boards of Education > of Ecuador to collaborate on a round table to develop local programmes dealing with > discussion called "The Churches and Ecolo- racial problems in schools. > gy". Ba ha' is in Canada were invited by Baha ' is throughout the Americas conháibthe Saskatchewan Environmental Society to uted extensively to the promotion of world > help plan education programmes for schools peace. The Presidents of seven Cenháal and > > Jn the United States, > Baha 'i singers Seals > and Croft participate > in the Martin Luther > King Day Parade held > in Atlanta, Georgia, > on 21 Janumy 1991. > Th e Parade was > televised, and the > reporter spoke of the > Saha 'i principles of > race unity. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 273 > South American nations received The representatives of all the religions being prac- > Promise of World Peace during an intergov- ticed in the country. > ernmental meeting in Uruguay in October Celebrations of United Nations Days and > 1988. A milestone was reached in Cuba Years and public meetings held to discuss > when , in 1986, the Baba' is were ab le to UN-related issues occurred regularly in a > distribute the Peace Statement to a number number of countries. In the United States parof prominent people for the first time. The ticularly, the National Assembly increased > same year, the President of Dominica, His its support of United Nations initiatives- > Excellency Sir C larence Seignoret, quoted such as the International Year of Peace and > from the Statement during a radio message International Literacy Year-and worked to > he delivered on the International Day of support ratification of UN human rights con- > Peace. ventions on torture, the elimination of all > In July 1987, five outstanding Baha'i forms of discrimination against women, and > professionals visited Costa Rica to give pre- the rights of children. > sentations at a Seminar on Family Education Early in the Plan, an ad hoc group of orfor Peace held at the University for Peace in ganizations working for U.S. Congressional > San Jose. During the Plan, Costa Rican ratification of the United Nation Genocide > Baha'is were honoured by Peace Radio, of Convention invited the Baha'is to particithe University for Peace, with a certificate of pate, and the National Spiritual Assembly > thanks for support and collaboration; the be- took a leading role; within one year, the conlievers worked with the University in various vention was ratified . The National Spiritual > activities, including a large peace conference Assembly's representative to the United > and a series of forums on educating chi ldren Nations also became heavily involved in UN > for peace. In Venezuela, four believers spoke Association activiti es, serving as Chair of > at the First International Encounter for the UNA-USA Executive Committee of the > Peace, Disarmament and Life, and an expo- Conference of United Nations Representasition of photographs and quotations was tives in New York and later as a member of > displayed at the site. A course based on the the Board of Governors of that body. > Peace Message was prepared for schoo ls in The UN International Year of Peace was > Haiti, and annual peace fairs were held in celebrated in the United States with an > Belize City, Belize. In both 1990 and 1991 , International Peace Conference held in San > the Baha'is of Guatemala participated in Francisco in August 1986 and attended by > the Congress for Peace which involved 7,800 people. In Bolivia, the Ministry of > > Balui 'is of Havana, > Cuba, welcome the > visit ofMrs. Carmen > de Burafato, member > of the National Assembly of Mexico (seated > centre), and Miss > Teresa McGregor, a > member of an Auxiliary Board in Mexico, > (second from left) in > November 1986. > 274 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In the United States, > First Lady Barbara > Bush welcomes > the Baha'i International Community > Representative, > Daniel Wegener, to > the White House > during a reception > held on 20 June > 1990 for delegates to > the United Nations' > "World Conference > on Education for > All". > > In Guadeloupe, ~RTS-Pl'P > Mr. Louis Luce > reads the Bahci 'i > ~ > statement > "Education for > Peace", while > Mr. Kamran, chairman of the World > Religion Day > activity, looks on; > 18January1987. > > In Trinidad and > Tobago, friends > gather to commemorate the United > Nations' Human > Rights Day on > I 0 December 1988 > in Port of Spain. > INTE RNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRE T BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 275 > Foreign Affairs and Religions invited the 1987 when he visited and spoke about com- > Baha'is to be part ofa commission responsi- puters and about world peace to professors, > ble for the International Year of Peace students, and prominent people. The creation > activities. Baha ' is in Grenada supported the of the Association for Baha 'i Studies in Chile > International Literacy Year, 1990, by host- led to interaction with experts in many fields. > ing a Literacy Conference which included Efforts to contribute to the fi eld of educaa panel of experts and was opened by the tion included co-sponsorship by the Baha'i > Governor General. Other support of United community of Bucaramanga, Colombia, and > Nations activity included participation by the Latin American Language Centre of a > the Venezuela Baha'is in a meeting of the forum in October 1988 called "Excellence in > UN Economic Commission for Latin Ameri- Education", which attracted 70 people; disca and the Caribbean, following which the tribution of the monograph Educaci6n Moral > National Assembly helped forn1 the Associ- to educators in the Dominican Republic; and > ation of Non-Governmental Organizations. organization of a seminar on education by the > Canadian Baha'is worked with a team at the Center for Baha'i Studies in Ecuador, which > University of Ottawa's Human Rights was followed by Baha' i participation in > Research Centre over a two-year period to national consultation organi zed by the Minismount a nationwide campaign of activities try of Education. In March 1987 the Baha' is > for the 35th Anniversary of the Universal of Manizales, Colombia, held their first Peace > Declaration of Human Rights. Baha'is in Encounter with non-Baha ' is in the field of > Bermuda sponsored regular commemorations education. Paiiicipants analyzed issues such > of Human Rights Day, which eventually be- as the principles governing peace, the nature > came government-sponsored events. of man, and the dynamics of consultation, > Greater involvement in society also meant and worked to define their own attitudes and > that Baha' i professionals in the Americas decide on actions to take toward achieving > formed new relationships with colleagues peace. > and contributed to their fields by forming > associations and sponsoring seminars and Mass Media > conferences. In Guyana, for example, dinner The instruments of mass media were widely > receptions were held for visiting profession- used to foster awareness of the Faith in the > als to introduce them to their colleagues; Americas. As in other areas of the world, > visitors included artists, an ophthalmologist, oppotiunities greatly increased for Baha'is > and an expert in the area of drug abuse to share the principles of Baha'u'llah and > prevention who gave presentations to social to announce their events through radio, teleworkers, health professionals, doctors, and vision, and newspapers, and media coverage > medical students during a seven-country tour of the Baha' i community's activities was > of Central and South America. unprecedented. > An Association for Baha'i Studies con- Radio was the medium through which the > ference on science and religion held in widest variety of people in the Americas > October 1987 in the United States provided heard about Baha' u'llah, given its unique > opportunities for Baha'is to make val uabl e abi lity to reach remote areas and transcend > connections with eminent members of the the barrier of illiteracy. In addition to the regscientific community. A conference entitled ular programming on Baha'i-owned radio > "The Architecture of the Baha 'i Ed ifices" stations in Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, > held in Uruguay in July 1988 attracted thirty Peru, and the United States, weekly pronon-Baha ' i professionals. A Baha' i with grammes were aired in Belize, Dominica, > expertise in computer science opened many Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and > doors to professional circl es in Colombia in the West Leeward Islands. > 276 THE BAl-IA ' i WORL D > > Chile provides an example of the use of well-known media personality, created a > radio as a strong force for teaching and com- radio programme háansmitted from 10 p.m. > munity development, particularly among the to midnight from Monday to F1iday, designed > Mapuche Indians. Given the expense of to create a meditative atmosphere each > travel relative to the income level of much of evening using se lected poems, stories, > the population, limitations on travelling to legends, and writings from different sacred > teach in Chi le made the advantages of radio scriptures, accompanied by specially selectparticularly welcome. ed music. The popularity of the programme > For five years preceding the launching grew rapidly, and by early 1989 it was > of the Six Year Plan, Baha'is participated estimated that between 10,000 and 15,000 > in a weekly programme reaching the entire listeners in the metropolitan area of Santiago > country, creating the basis for a regular and nearby small towns were enjoying it > listening audience. And for a brief period in each evening. > 1986, selections from The Hidden Words of As phone calls and letters mTived, the own- > Baba ' u ' llah were read every hour all day on er of the station approached Mr. Amenabar, > twenty-eight stations. Then, having obtained conunending him on his initiative and offerapproval for their own frequency a few ing to repeat the same programme on > months before the Plan, the Baba'is launched co-owned stations in three other centres. > Radio Baha ' i de Chi le on 20 December 1986. Mr. Amenabar began making increasing use > The station was establ ished in Labranza, of the Writings of, and literature about, the > Commune ofTemuco, in the heart ofMapu- Baha'i Faith, always mentioning the source > che Indian territory. Radio Baha'i Chile both of the work, creati ng a wide public awarecontributed to the preserva tion of Mapuche ness of the Faith. Many people appearing at > culture and welcomed the contributions of firesides and public talks first heard about > the native population to its mission. the Faith through this programme. > In July 1988, six Mapuches attended the Further tribute to the positive effects of > station ' s first institute held in part to train the progranune was accorded by the Miniscommunity members to support the work try of Telecommunications when it awarded > of the station. Early in 1989, Radio Baha ' i the owner of the station a free frequency in > Chile was chosen by the Government as the the Va lparaiso area (where previously it was > prime vehicle for a development project in- impossible to obtain a frequency), in recogvolving bilingual literacy classes in Spanish nition of the "special programme dedicated > and Mapuche. Two rural Mapuche Baha'i to peace and unity". > schools were among ten selected to serve as Special broadcasts in other parts of the > liaisons between the station and the students Americas also reached large audiences. In > for the project, for which the Regional June 1986, the official government shmtwave > Ministry of Education provided materials , in Cuba, Radio Havana, invited Baha'is to > scripts, and planning, and Radio Baha 'i taped be on a show called "Religion in Cuba". An > and transmitted broadcasts. The project, interview with the chairman of the National > according to the Nationa l Assembly, indicat- Assembly about the principles, history, and > ed the recognition accorded by the Ministry current development of the Faith was broadof Education to the status and capacity of cast at intervals for a total of six hours > Radio Baha'i. in seven languages . In Ja nuary 1987, the > The initiative of an individual believer in Baha'is of Guadeloupe received wide radio > Santiago, Chile, also resu lted in unprece- coverage of their activities for World Relidented radio proclamation for the Faith and gion Day. For the nine days smTotmding the > a positive conháibution towards peace and event, eight different radio stations broadconununity health. Francisco Amenabar, a cast various interviews and programmes, > INTERN AT! ONAL SURVEY OF C URRENT BAHA ' I ACT IV IT IES 277 > > and on the day itself, the most popular com- evident from the active participation of inmercial station aired a two-hour phone-in digenous friends , mostly youth, and greater > show with a prominent Baha ' i. In Peru, the participation by women. > Baha ' is produced an educational radio One of the exciting developments in the > series, broadcast in Aymara and Spanish, use of television in the Americas came in > which addressed subjects such as rural fami ly Puerto Rico in early December 1989, when > life, prayer, consultation, and the value of the Baha 'is were asked by the local televinative languages. During December 1991 , sion station whether they wou ld produce a > public service announcements about peace ninety-minute holiday special programme, > were aired twenty times a day on two sta- fea turing guests from different religious > tions in El Salvador. backgrounds speaking on the theme of peace. > In late 1991 , the Baha'i community of The station offered to pay fo r the production > Argentina reported a great increase in its crew and to donate sh1dio and air time, if the > opportunities to proclaim the Faith through Baha' is would build the set, obtain the hosts > radio broadcasts and interviews. In Almirante and guests, and write the script. The pro- > Brown, the five- to-ten minute slot originally gramme was táansmitted on various cable > given to the Baha'is on the local FM radio services reaching fourteen localities . It was > was increased to an hour-and-a-half every shown on six consecutive days at various > Saturday dming which the diverse themes of times . Publicity for the Baha' i-sponsored > the Cause could be discussed. In La Rioja, programme included radio spots on two stathe Faith was proclaimed for fifteen minutes tions a thirty-second television announcement > after the presenter of the programme "Can- shown frequently, street banners at major > tares de! Litoral" ("Songs of the Littoral") intersections and the shopping mall, and alleft the radio booth and handed the micro- most one thousand flyers handed out by the > phone to the Baha ' is to talk about the Faith television station ' s pers01mel. > and its principles . During an interview with In 1988 the Baha' i Office of Public Afthe Baha'is by Radio Nacional in Mendoza fairs for the Greater M ilwaukee, Wisconsin, > which lasted one hour and fifteen minutes , area in the United States was given the > the interviewer showed great enthusiasm and Conmmnity Access A ward for Religious > receptivity towards the Faith and Baba 'u ' llah. Progranuning by Viacom, the cable televi- > This programme prompted calls from listen- sion service for the Milwaukee suburban > ers who expressed their happiness at hearing area. The Baha ' i Broadcast Media Task > such a message of peace. Force used "The Spiritual Revolution", a > One sign of the movement toward more series consisting of thirteen half-hour intersophisticated use of radio was the holding views with a number of knowledgeable > of several Radio Baha' i Seminars in Latin Baha' is about the Faith, and adapted it for > America during the Plan. The second semi- local use by adding an inháoduction and an > nar, held in Lima, Pem, in 1988, was attended ending which explained how viewers could > by more than fifty radio experts, six mem- obtain further info rmation about the Faith. > bers of the Continental Board of Cow1sellors, Another regular television programme > all the members of the International Baha ' i aired in El Salvador: a weekly show of fifty- > Audio-Visual Centre, and representatives of four episodes called "Journey Towards the > seven Baha ' i radio stations (five of them Future". Also in El Salvador, fifty-two interindigenous peoples). Reporting on the fourth views used to promote public meetings were > seminar, held in Cochabamba, Bolivia, in aired free of charge. > 1991 , the Latin American Radio Adv isory In 1987, the Public Information Office at > Committee commented that signs of increas- the United States National Baha'i Center > ing mat11rity within the radio fa mil y were was asked by two television enterpri ses to > 278 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Left: All of the > resources of Radio > -- Baha '£, Bolivia, > - being used in a > campaign to fight > cholera in 1991. > > Above: The staff of the Baha 'i radio station WLGI > Hemingway, South Carolina, U.S.A. November 1987. > Left: A staff member at Radio Bahci 'i, Panama, in > Boca de! Monte, preparing to broadcast music; 1987. > > Exterior view of the > Baha'i radio station in > Labranza, Chile, > in February 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAI-IA'i ACT IVITIES 279 > > Below: Baha 'is teach the Faith during a radio > interview held in Colima, Mexico, in l 987. > > Above: A staffmember > of Radio Balui 'i Ecuador (left) interviews a > villager as part of the > " Walking Together" > project; J987. > > Right. The first > weekly Baha'i radio > programme in the > Guajiro language > aired on > 2 September J990 in > Maracaibo, Venezuela. > > ~--á-~ > - .91&NVENIDOS á > . llftOIO IRHlt'I . > > - > OCL > UGO TITICllCll > .... . ISOKHi > Leji: Exterior view of > Radio Baha'i on Lake > Titicaca, Peru; J988. > This, like all Baha'i > - ~á-.~áá' .._,. > radio stations, is > - .... ~ t• ..,:,"}' community-based > .:. á..~~ > ~J;._-_.::-á.f~~á. ~ áá.$.~~: and participatory. > 280 THE BAI-IA'f WORLD > > supply Baha'i public service announcements teachings with television audiences. The Infor a cable channel to use on its satellite ser- ternational Convention video was broadcast > vice to cable television systems throughout in Bolivia and St. Lucia in 1988, and the > the United States, and for the Max Media Canadian music video "Mona" was shown > organization to distribute to thousands of nationwide in Paraguay in October 1986. > cable system operators for regular local use. Newspaper coverage of the Faith in- > In 1988 the Global News Network also creased and broadened its focus from the > requested Baha' i public service announce- persecutions in Iran to Baha' u ' llah and His > ments to be telecast over its new satellite and Teachings. The National Assembly of the > cable television channel. United States reported that during the Plan > In May 1988, the Baha' i community of the number of articles on the Faith increased > Alaska received an award from the Interior from an average of 2,000 per year to 3,800. > Alaska Ecumenical Peace with Justice Regular quotations from the Writings ap- > Council, in Fairbanks, for the "Peace Talks" peared in papers in Guyana and Haiti, and > television campaign. "Peace Talks", devel- special features included a full page summaoped in 1987, comprises four sixty-second ry of the Peace Statement in Ecuador and > public service television and radio announce- an eight-page supplement in El Salvador's > ments , using ideas adopted from the Peace Diario El Mundo , which was sold to 40,000 > Statement. Each announcement focuses on a people. > different aspect of the theme, "Peace is The Public Relations Committee of the > More Than Just an End to War", and con- National Assembly of Guatemala achieved > veys the overall concept that achieving real extensive press coverage of the Faith in the > peace involves change in many areas of hu- first few months of 1987. In early January, > man interaction. At least 35,000 households the most widely read newspaper in the counin the Anchorage area and more than 240 try, Prensa Libre, published an article on > villages in Alaska regularly received the an- the inauguration of the House of Worship in > nouncements. They were also aired on radio India. A few weeks later the Committee arand television all across Canada in English, ranged a press conference with Counsellor > French, and Inuktitut, as well as on local Arturo Serrano of Mexico during one of > television in the Arecibo region of Puerto his frequent visits to Guatemala. In early > Rico . February two leading newspapers interviewed > In Canada, at least 66 hours of the pro- Mr. Hassan Sabri, head of the Office of > gramme "Baha' i Perspective" were broadcast Social and Economic Development at the > on cable television during the Plan. In Feb- Baha ' i World Centre. All newspaper a1iicles > ruary 1992, the new season began with a included photographs, and the interviews > thirty-minute talk about Baha'u ' llah based often quoted the Baha ' is. > on the Statement on Baha'u' llah, which had In the Bahamas in 1988, the National > been prepared by the Office of Public Infor- Assembly answered charges made against > mation at the request of the Universal House the Faith by delineating Baha'i principles > of Justice. According to the repo1i, "The and providing a comprehensive history of > programme is not only excellent for Baha ' is the Faith in a long letter which appeared in > studying the Statement on Baha'u'llah, but it the Nassau Guardian. > also is perhaps the most complete half-hour An overall increase in media coverage of > summary ofBaha ' u ' llah's life and teachings Baha'i activities was reported in a number of > that exists on video" . countries, including Chile and the Dominican > Baha ' i videotapes, such as those showing Republic. The Baha' is of Bermuda reported > highlights of the International Convention, that their Public Relations and Communicaprovided another vehicle for sharing the tions Committees were in regular contact > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIV ITIES 281 > > with representatives of all types of media, In an exchange of "war toys for peace > and it became commonplace for visiting prom- toy", the children of Ensenada were invited > inent Baha'is to be interviewed. Friends to exchange their rifles, swords, toy soldiers, > travelling to teacher in St. Lucia were also etc. for other toys suggesting peaceful activsubjects of television and radio interviews, ity. Most of the new toys were donated by > and a reporter was sent to cover regional the Baha' is of several communities near San > consu ltatio n between Caribbean National Diego, California, in the United States. The > Spiritual Assemblies. Newspaper artic les public and media response to this particular > about the Faith multiplied in Argentina, and event was extremely positive. > at the end of the Plan the National Assembly During the weeks preceding the El Salvasaid "the doors of radio stations are com- dor Baha ' i commun ity's celebration of the > pletely open ... " Proclamation via media was Anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u' llah and > called a "strong suit" in Bel ize, where teach- its own fiftieth anniversary in 1989, the > ing teams often found people who were Baha'is enjoyed extensive television expoready to become Baha'is after listening to sure and excellent publicity in newspapers, > weekly radio programmes. Television broad- including three major dailies, two of which > casts featuring Baha'i travelling teachers contained full-page articles featuring verses > also reached nationwide audiences in that of Baha'u'l lah. The Baha' is were able to > coun try. The National Assembly of Suriname speak for two hours on the Baha'i approach > stated that because of the mass media, "the to peace during a special television inter- > Name of Baha'u'llah is well-known to the view, responding to generally helpful and > population." friend ly questions from the moderator and > The Baha'is in the Arecibo region of the television audience. During a second > P uerto Rico establ ished such a friend ly rela- showing the following Sunday, the moderationship with the local media that they began tor phoned one of the Baha'is to say that it > having difficulty keeping up with the publ ic- had been one of the most significant proity opportunities presented to them. By early grammes he had ever produced. He asked > 1990, the newspapers were regularly pub- whether the Baha'is, though removed from > lishing articles, photographs, and publicity political contention, could teach the spirit > for the twice-monthly Baha' i television pro- and methods of Baha'i consu ltation to the > gramme. One of the local radio stations adversaries in the nation 's confl ict. > invited the Baha'is for a two-hour interview > on the Faith. The interview was aired " live", The Arts > and also taped to be repeated in the future. T he arts were used to proclaim the principles > A wave of publicity for the Faith oc- of the Faith, to directly teach about the > curred in Mexico in early 1990 during the Cause, and to celebrate the diverse cu ltures > first phase of an intensive cross-border represented in the Baha'i community of the > teaching project, held in Ensenada, Baja Americas. The media used included music, > California. As a result of continuous contact drama, dance, slide shows, painting, video, > with the media, supplying key individuals and puppetry. > in television, newspapers, and radio with in- The Canad ian Baha'i community stands > formation on the Faith and regular news out for its use of virtually all these artistic > releases about the different activities of the media to proclaim the Faith. Finding itself, at > project, there were more than fifteen articles, the beginning of the Plan, with good resourceleven radio interviews, numerous thirty- es in the arts, and noting a growing openness > second "spots" and several announcements to diverse forms of cultural expression in the > on the local evening television news country, the community particularly moved > programme. to fulfil its Six Year Plan goal "to make use > 282 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > of drama and singing m the teaching and provide opportunities for sharing the Faith > deepening work". with different groups in the community. > In order to provide a forum for the Held in the city 's Centennial Theatre, the > exchange of ideas on how best to achieve event included dance, theatre, readings, muthis goal, the Baha'i Arts Council, Canada, sic, and visual arts from different cultures > sponsored "Invitation 88: A Festival of the dedicated to the promotion of unity through > Human Spirit". Held at the University of diversity. More than seven hundred people > Western Ontario, London, Ontario, during attended the concert, including local authorithe summer of 1988, the festival attracted ties and representatives of the media. > approximately 1,000 participants at various In many regions of the Americas, music > times to its programme of workshops, exhib- was used for proclaiming the Message, either > its, and performances. through the songs themselves or through the > A report reads : "During the course of the musicians speaking of the Faith in between > festival we recognized in each other diverse numbers and during publicity interviews. > and previously undreamed of capacities for Reporting on the "Concert for Peace" given > creativity and expression of the Faith". The in July 1987 by Baha'i pianist Alfredo > festival impressed both Baha'is and the gen- Speranza at the Solis Theatre, Montevideo, > era l public with the excellent quality of Uruguay, the National Assembly called it > performances, talks, workshops, and displays "an important success which attracted almost > and reflected the words of the Universal a thousand spectators to ... the principal hall > House of Justice: "New prospects for teach- in the country". Invitations were sent around > ing the Cause at all level s of society have the country through Local Spiritual Assemunfolded". blies, schools and universities, and the > That same year the Canadian youth troupe media. The artist, an Italian citizen born in > Let It Be This Generation won the hearts of Uruguay, was interviewed by reporters from > youth in high schools, colleges, universities, television channels, radio stations, and newsand community centres across the country papers, with mention made of his Baha' i > during a nationwide, ISO-performance, peace- beliefs and his worldwide service on behalf > promoting tour. The presentation, based on of the Faith. In addition, Maestro Speranza > the inevitability of peace and the steps to spoke at two public meetings at the National > attain a united global community, communi - Baha'i Centre on the subjects of music, > cated its ideas through dance, slide shows, unity, and the Baha' i Faith. > music, theatre, and movement. The troupe Starting in October 1986, the Louis G. > performed in high schools, jw1ior high schools, Gregory Baha 'i Institute in Hemingway, > elementary schools, and public places, and South Carolina, U.S.A., held annual oneestimated that about 12,000 people saw the week Peace Feasts: four-day programmes of > show, aside from television audiences. The jazz, gospel, and contemporary music, dance, > team also gave away between six and eight and addresses by distinguished speakers. > thousand copies of the Peace Statement. In 1987, the Governor of South Carolina, > The Sacred Writings, along with music Carroll Campbell, Jr., issued a proclamation > and dance, were used to tell the story of the designating the week of 14-20 September as > spiritual and social revolution of the Faith of Peace Week in the State. > the Bab at an international theatre festival in In March 1987, the small Baha'i commu- > Canada in 1990. The production , named nity of the city of Araguari, Brazil, > "Badasht", drew audiences totalling nearly (population 30,000) organized a big public > 450 people. musical show called "A Chance for Peace" > Baha'is in Vancouver, Canada, organized performed by Baha' i musicians from a larga "Peace of Art" concert in May 199 l to er neighbouring community. The show > INTERNATIO N AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACT I VIT I ES 283 > attracted an audience of a tho usand and Atlanta Baha'i Youth Workshop to give a > received wide press and radio coverage. si ngle performance of a programme entitled > Hundreds of pamphlets were given to the "Barriers to Peace" in October 1989, resultpublic. The same show was later sponsored ed in the youth giving a number of repeat > by another small community, where five performances and remaining all day in the > hundred attended. school. > A singing group fro m Guyana called The During the week before the scheduled > Carmel M instrels performed throughout the performance, the high school had expericountry and completed a Caribbean tour in enced an increase in racial tension among the > 1987. The group was included in several students. After consultation with a Baha' i > national and governmental events and per- yo uth attending the schoo l, the principal and > formed fund-raising concerts for social and the Board of Education decided to use the > economi c development projects. Atlanta Baha' i Youth Workshop as a tool to > In Puerto Rico, at least five concerts were help defuse the tensions. The Workshop's > presented to audiences of more than a hundred four performances of song and dance were > people. A ll of these included presentation of arranged with ninety-minute breaks in > the Faith and di stribution of literature. between to enable students to meet with > Theatre groups capitalized on the inherent members of the Workshop and to consult > drama of the Faith, presenting its history and about rac ism. Much of the discussion led to > principles on stage. In Brazil in 1988, a the- proposed so lutions from the Baba' i perspecatrical prod uction relating the life of Muna tive. Enthusiasm about the programmes > Mal~mudnizhad , the youngest of the ten quickly spread. Students encouraged others > women martyred on 18 June 1983 in Shiraz, to participate and many students and teachers > Iran, rece ived official authorizatio1-;-after attended more than once. > government review, to be presented any- Slide shows were used in several counwhere in the country. It marked the first time tries to present the main points of The > a production by Baha'is, using a cast of both Promise of World Peace. A slide show > Baha'is and non-Baha'is, received such based on excerpts fro m the Statement was > recognition. shown to about five thousand students and > Baha'is in Arequipa, Peru, formed a teachers in seventeen primary-secondary > group in 1986 ca lled Universal Peace The- schools of Co lomb ia in 1986. The proatre which attracted favourab le notice fro m gramme was first conceived as a deepening > the Director of UNESCO clubs in Arequipa. tool for Baha' is, but its use as a teaching aid > After hearing a rad io interview with the was discovered when a group ofBaha'is in a > group, he invited the ir patiicipation in the teaching campaign decided to present the > December ce lebration of H uman Rights Day sl ide show in a school , and it was well > at the National Cu ltural Institute. They were received. Baha' is were invited to return to > heard on radio stations and performed for one of the schools until they had shown the > students in schoo ls of Arequipa "teaching audio-visual presentation to nearly thousand > the concept of world citizenship in support students. > of the Internation al Year of Peace". Two other slide shows based on the Peace > Baha'i Youth Workshops- youth groups Statement were shown wide ly throughout > using dance and drama to convey the princi- Brazil. "From War to Peace" was directed > ples of the Faith-multiplied in the United toward ad ult audiences and "The Peace > States, formi ng in dozens of cities. One ex- Pigeon" was aimed at children. fn 1989, the > amp le of their power comes from Georgia . Secretary for Education and Cul tural Mat- > What began as an invitation by the Milton ters of the State of Espirito Santo authorized > High School in Alpharetta, Georgia, for the the Baha' is to give talks abo ut the Peace > 284 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Statement in all the public schools in the the show, the performers would tell their > state, opening the way for a great number of audience that Baha'u'llah is the Messenger > students to see the slide shows. of God for our time, and they would invite > The Promise of World Peace was also those who identified themse lves with His > the inspiration for an art exhibit sho wn for Message to embrace the Cause. During the > six days in 1986 and co-sponsored by the first two months of its perfonnances, the > National Spiritua l Assembly of Belize and group presented twelve shows in the > the country ' s National Arts Council. The Brazilian states of Sao Paulo, Parana, and > "Peace Exhibit" was arranged around ex- Santa Catarina. During this time, 150 peocerpts from the Message and quotations ple embraced the Faith through the group 's > from the Writings in beautifu l calligraphy by presentation. In the four following months, > a Baha'i artist. The art gallery was filled Planeta Paz, ass isted and guided by the > with works in a variety of med ia- painting, Auxiliary Board members in each counháy, > drawing, graphics, scu lpture, need lework, perf01med in more than ten cities in Argentina, > and stained glass- all on the theme of Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay. > peace. A poetry competition for children and A support group háavelled ahead of Planeta > youth from severa l schools and colleges was Paz and organized institutes to prepare local > publici zed on radio, and winners were an- communities for mass teaching. Local youth > nounced at the exhibition, where gifts were were deeply involved in the consolidation of > awarded by the Committee. those who enrolled in the Faith as a result of > At the opening ceremony for the exhibit, the performances. Severa l articles in newsthe Mayor of Belize City, who is himself an papers, some radio and two telev ision > artist, spoke briefly, and then the wife of the interviews helped bring the musical group to > President of Belize cut the ribbon starting the attention of the general public. The final > the event. It is estimated that three hundred result was more than 500 new believers and > to four hundred people saw the exhibit and proclamation to thousands. > received pamphlets on peace. Carrying on a tradition of cultural ex- > In 1989, the video production "Peace ... the change among indigenous peoples from > Promise" won an award as a finalist among divergent paits of the Americas, begun by > more than three thousand entries from more a group called Trail of Light in 1982, a fourthan thi1ty countries at the International Film person Garifuna (Carib) team from Honduras > and Television Festiva l in New York. and Belize shared dances, music, and legends > Some performing groups used a wide from their culture, as well as describing how > variety of artistic media to teach the Faith. the Baha'i teachings of unity and diversity > An idea put forward at the Baha ' i Interna- have encouraged them to be proud of their > tional Youth Conference in Brazil in 1991 heritage . Among the teaching activities of > became a reality: a performing arts group this new Tra il of Light was the presentation > ca lling itself Planeta Paz (Peace Planet) was of cultural performances at five schools in > formed , with five members from Argentina, St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 1988 . It > one from Uruguay, and four from Brazil. was repo1ted that at one school a teacher > The show consisted of music with Baha'i became so enthusiastic about the team ' s prethemes, folk music, dancing, and a slide sentation that he closed the programme with > show conveying the principles of the Faith. a sunm1ary of the Faith ' s teachings on unity > A display about the Faith was also put up at and diversity. The hi story of the Garifuna > each venue. people is intimately linked with St. Vincent, > Each Planeta Paz concert began with a wh ich, in their folklore, is the place of their > háibute to Baha'u'llah, stating that He gave origin and the most beloved of all places to > His li fe for peace and unity. At the end of them. > INT ERNATIO NA L SURV EY OF CU RR EN T BAl-I A 'i ACT IVITI ES 2 85 > "Play Jazz for Peace" was the name of a In January 1989, the Baha'is of Argentina > concert organized by a travelling teacher in reported that the Baba ' i Cultural Cenháe of > June 1989 in Caracas, Venezuela. More than Buenos Aires , named the May Maxwell > four hundred people attended the concert at Cenháe, was rmming a puppet show for the > which a group of professional musicians children of the disháict every fifteen da ys, > played tunes inspired by the . ideal of peace. and an average of fifteen children not from > At the same time, the Baha'i community of Baha'i families were attending. The show, > Caracas mounted an exposition of Sacred presented by El Retablo de! Mosquito (The > Writings and photographs related to the Mosquito ' s Retable), a group made up of > peace theme, which was viewed by several BaM' is and their friends, was also being taken > hundred people. to events arranged by other organizations. > From June 1989 until the end of the Plan, > Baha' is in El Salvador sponsored seven Large-scale Enrolment > musical and art festivals in cooperation with Special focused teaching proj ects involving > other loca l organizations. Audiences ranged cooperation among various institutions, fullfrom sixty to three hundred people. An arts time teams , Baha'i radio broadcasts, and > festiva l was also organized in Nicaragua by enthusiastic youth all played important roles > the National Baha ' i Youth Conm1ittee in in bringing about large-scale enrolment in > 1989. About three hundred people attended Latin America and the Caribbean. A variety > the three-hour event which both proclaimed of projects- some with very few teachers > the Faith and raised funds for the pediaháics and a short amount of time- met with sucward of a hospital in the city of Jinotepe. cess, demonstrating the great receptivity of > Puppetry also served as an effective vehi- the souls in these areas. > cle for teaching. The People of Paradise The most outstanding example of large- > Puppets of Barbados performed before hw1- scale enrolment came from Guyana, where > dreds of children at Baha'i and non-Baha 'i during the first year of a three-year pil ot > function s, using puppettáy to address issues teaching proj ect, more than 20,000 enrolof social concern, such as the use of illegal ments were reported. This more than doubled > drugs. In Guyana, about thirty-five believers the number of Baha'is from two to five per > took part in four puppet workshops in three cent of the country 's population of 750,000. > regions of the country during 1991 , learning The first 5,000 Baha ' is embraced the Faith > how to use this art to proclaim the Faith. during the project's initial six weeks. > > A Garifuna Baha'i > (right) travelled to > teach the Faith in > the Carib Territory > of Dominica during > f > Januwy and > Februwy J99 J. > 286 THE BA HA ' I WORLD > > Conceived at the Baha'i World Centre by Several of the teaching groups found that > the International Teaching Centre in consul- someone accepted the Fa ith in every home > tation with the Universal House of Justice, they visited, and sometimes whole families > the project was launched in October 1989 became Baha'is. One of the teams was based > under the direction of the enthusiastic Na- in the village of Crabwood Creek, which > tional Spiritual Assembly . It had two goals: subsequently enrolled a thousand believers, > large-scale expansion and conso lidation to or about twenty per cent of the village popuhelp raise the number of Baha'is in Guyana lation. The community held its Nineteen Day > to an appreciable percentage of the entire Feast in the park, as no house was large > population, and the training of existing enough to accommodate all who arrived. > human resources and an ever-increasing A visit in March 1990 by two Counsellors > number of new believers to become dedicat- from the International Teaching Centre helped > ed workers for the Faith. to clarify the impmiance of the proj ect's > Guyana was chosen for the project be- second goal of consolidation: to raise up ten > cause of the success Baha ' is had had to fifteen per cent of the new believers as > in teaching projects there, the continuous dedicated workers, primarily tluáough "good > support given to teachers by the National teaching" and a mature, systematic approach > Spiritual Assembly, the Baha'is' good rela- to deepening through the Institute Protionship with the authorities, and the fact gramme. > that the community had a significant number The Institute Programme involved new > of deepened and dedicated youth. The size Baba' is in basic deepening courses to help > of the community was also deemed suitable each develop a spiritual identity. Intensive > for a pilot project, and Guyana ' s racially study of the Creative Word was put into > di verse population seemed to be the most action tluáough various paths of service, conreceptive in South America. foming the believers in their newly found > Twelve experienced Baha'is from Brazil, Faith, and preparing them for more special- > Canada, Pern, the United States, and Vene- ized Institute courses such as teacherzuela were selected by the Continental training and children ' s education. More than > Board of Counsellors to serve as resident a thousand new believers participated in the > teachers for the project. Selection was based progranm1e during the project's first year. > on a number of spiritual and material consid- Children's classes were also held in all > erations, but primarily on each individual' s of the teaching areas, and deepening was > capacity to be obedient to the institutions pursued thrnugh radio ; the National Assemand to reach a unified vision with their bly increased its radio time from tluáee > fe llows. The overseas teachers were joined progranm1es per month to two per week and > by twenty-six local Baha'is who gave from added a devotional programme every day. > six to twelve months to the proj ect. Small In addition, the concept of revisi ting newly > full-time teaching teams spread over six dif- enrolled believers soon after their enrolment > ferent areas of Guyana, with a goal . of and providing deepening on prayer and > establishing teams in all regions of the teaching became part of the method used by > country. the resident teams. > The teaching work was carried out using One consequence of this attention to > various methods: proclamation events, mar- simu ltaneous expansion and consolidation > ket displays, use of the media, presentations was the significant involvement of new > to schools, and service projects. Baha ' i Infor- believers in service and teaching. Hundreds > mation Centres were established throughout of new believers in the eastern part of Guythe country to coordinate teaching activities ana arose to ca rry out conununity service > and make Baha' i literature available. proj ects developed at Feast consultations. > INTERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAI-1.. \' i ACT IV ITI ES 287 > They worked in a spirit of cooperation and A five-day teaching campaign in February > service to humanity to design and construct 1992, which constituted one element of the > a children's playground, build a seventy-foot ongoing Muhajir Project begun in Septembridge to link two villages, and improve the ber 1991 , also focused on areas reached by > condition of a local hospital. A series of Radio Baha ' i broadcasts. During the five > literacy programmes was also developed in days, more than five hundred people recogdifferent parts of Guyana, and a three-day nized Baha' u ' llah, five new Local Spiritual > Baha'i Peace Festival sparked invitations for Assemblies were formed, and thirty-eight > the Baha'is to speak to a community service localities were opened. > group and make similar presentations to The important role played by youth in > students in sixteen schools in the area. large-scale expansion also deserves special > When the National Assembly, in February mention. Just one example comes from > 1990, called for an increase in the number of Colombia, where a team composed of an > believers involved in teaching, the number Auxiliary Board member and seven youth > quadrupled. This broader base of participa- brought 1,245 new believers into the Baha'i > tion in the teaching field contributed to the community during the initial three-month > success of the pilot project; at its conclusion, phase of an ongoing proj ect. > Guyana had approximately 36,000 new During the period between September and > believers. December 1988, the team travelled to fifteen > Teaching teams (see next subsection) also communities in the departments (states) of > met with success in Ecuador, where a year Atlantico, Bolivar, and Sucre. Each day > of teaching dedicated to the memory of the began with prayer, study, and the memoriza- > Hand of the Cause Ral:unatu'llah Muhajir tion of the Holy Writings. A slide show > brought at least 2,300 people into the Faith. based on the Peace Statement was shown in > Begi1ming in January 1990, teachers from high schools and some public places, and a > seven countries supplemented the full-time conespondence course was offered to inter- > Ecuadorian teams in visiting each of the five ested people. The team then visited homes > goal areas targeted by the National Spiritual teaching the Faith directly, using the booklet > Assembly. Four week-long teacher-training l et 's Get to Know the Baha 'i Faith. > institutes were held as part of the project, as Two special aims of the project were the > well as several weekend training seminars. formation of youth groups and finding youth > The effectiveness of radio in preparing capable of carrying out regular children' s > large numbers of people to accept the Faith classes. Youth were also encouraged to focus > was demonstrated repeatedly in Bolivia. on service and develop community projects. > Following a two-day training course at the One teacher later returned to the community > Firdaws i Institute in November 1988, forty of Santa Catalina and found youth group > of the sixty patiicipants volunteered to visit members had already initiated a children ' s > communities in listeners' range of Radio class and were teaching a group of thirty stu- > Baha'i. During nine days , more than a thou- dents how to read, using the Baha ' i literacy > sand people embraced the Faith. The project, training booklet, God Illumines Us. > designed by the National Teaching Commit- While large-scale emolment was taking > tee in collaboration with a member of the place in South America, numbers were also > Continental Board of Counsellors and of the dramatica lly increasing in the Caribbean. A > National Assembly, continued, and by the report from the National Spiritual Assembly > end of February 1989, it had attracted and of Haiti in September 1988 relayed news of > confirmed more than 2,000 believers. In ad- the large-scale enrolments occurring in that > dition, fifty communities were opened to the country: It wrote: "Joyously inform results > Faith, some of which became entirely Baha' i. first phase Sununer Teaching Campaign. > 288 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > [Two thousand, three hundred and seventy- with the teaching, deepening meetings were > one] adults, youth, children accepted organized and Baha ' i children's classes > Baha'u'llah. [National Teaching CommitteeJ formed. A large amount of Baha'i literature > planning second phase emphasis consolida- was distributed, along with prayers and piction new believers. [Eight]-D ay Deepening tures of the Indian Baha'i Temple. During > Institute planned ... for new Baha'is." regular visits to the new believers, the project > In 1991 , 34 people took pmi in a teaching members showed films and conducted deepinstitute held to prepare believers for entry ening sessions. > by troops in Haiti. As a result, two teaching Even very short-term projects brought > teams were formed and they visited Bainet, in hundreds or even thousands of believers, > Blockhaus, Lavalee, and Musac during July strikingly demonstrating the receptivity of > and August. The role of the teams was both souls in Latin America to the Teachings of > to teach and deepen new believers, and by Baba 'u' llah. > the end of the four-week campaign, more In just two days in Febrnary 1990, 228 > than 3,300 people had embraced the Faith souls embraced the Cause in the Southern > and some 135 localities had been opened. Teaching Project in the town of Alvorada, > A three-week teaching activity in Trin- Brazil. The joint efforts of an Auxiliary > idad and Tobago in the beginning of 1989 Board member, four Local Spiritual Assembrought five hundred new believers under blies, travelling teachers from three states, > the banner of the Cause of Baha'u' llah. The and pioneers resulted in this exciting camactivity was part of the ongoing Covenant paign. For fifteen years Alvorada had had a > Project, carried out in memory of the es- Baha' i school, so many of the new Baha'is > teemed Mr. H. Bonah Kavelin, late member were long-time friends of the Faith and were > of the Universal House of Justice. In June already quite familiar with its teachings. > and July of that year, 850 new believers The unified efforts of a member of the > were enroll ed in Chaguanas in the central International Teaching Centre, a member > part of the country, after the visit of a special of the Board of Counsellors, four Auxiliary > teaching team aided by tluáee members of the Board members, and members of the > National Teaching Conm1ittee, two full-time National Spiritual Assemblies of Peru and > teachers, one travelling teacher and a few Bolivia rekindled the Lake Titicaca region > other Baha'i friends. of Peru in September 1988. A two-day mass > An important pmi of the Covenant Project teaching workshop attended by sixty teachwas the consolidation process; simultaneous ers was followed by a five-day teaching > > Participants in the > second Regional > Youth Conference/or > the Caribbean, held > in Grenada Ji-om l 2 > to 14 August 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACT IVITIES 289 > project in which 1,764 new believers em- greater attention to be paid to the consolidabraced the Cause of the Blessed Beauty- tion component of large-scale teaching. > 738 youth and 1,026 adults, almost half of Honduras began the Plan with a relatively > whom were women. large Baha'i population and freedom to > A one-day sháike and demonsháations teach, but faced the challenge of developing > which blocked roads did not hinder the strong Baha'i communities following mass > progress of the Baha'i teachers, who enrolment. Throughout the Plan, teams were > succeeded in their efforts. One historical used to continue proclaiming Baha'u'llah's > highlight was the teaching carried out at a Message to the large, receptive audiences > high school in Villa Quebrada, where the while simultaneously working to establish the > principal, all the teachers and students en- foundatio ns for self-sustaining communities. > rolled in the Faith. The project culminated in One of the goals of the Plan for Honduras > a two-day conference where results were was "to ensure mass teaching and the enevaluated and future directions suggested. trance of troops in the Garifuna areas''. One > Ten vo lunteers offered to continue with con- step in accomplishing this goal was Project > solidation work. Muhajir, the first phase of which was the > formation of a permanent team of five > Teaching Teams members in Janua1y 1989. The team visited > The large-scale enrolment experienced in Baha'i Garifuna conunw1ities for approxi- > Guyana was intimately linked with the use of mately seven days at a time to proclaim, > teaching teams in that country. The work of teach, and deepen. They worked to enrol > teams , both full-time and pe1manent (long- new Baha ' is, establish children's classes, > te1m) also contributed to the rapid growth of ensure the celebration of the Nineteen Day > the Baha ' i community in a number of other Feasts, and train several key Baha'is to carry > countries in the Americas. In addition to the on these activities. An important aspect of > advantages of concentrated resources and the plan was to make return visits to each > continuity provided by teams, such a method village to reinforce prev ious efforts and > of organization allowed new believers to continue the consolidation process. > work with more experienced teachers and The team worked w1der very arduous > native believers to join with travelling teach- physical conditions: all transportation was > ers. This diversity demonstrated the by foot or dugout canoe and food was > principles being taught, and the variety of critically scarce even for the indigenous > talents represented on the teams allowed population. However, in the first five months > > Participants in a > youth conference > held in Barbados in > August 1990. > 290 TH E BAl-IA'i WORLD > > On the island of Cayemite, off the coast of Haiti, a member of a teaching team (right) shares > the M essage of Baha 'u '!!ah in !h e village of Anse-a-Macon during a project held in > November 1989. > > The Baha'i teachers who participated in a five-day orientation as preparation for the second > phase of the Mirza Mihdi Project in Belize fi-mn 15- 19 June 1990. As a result of this phase > of the Project, 32 7 people enrolled in the Faith. > INTERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' f ACTIVITIES 291 > > of the project there were about a hundred level of service to the Cause, as well as to > new enrolments, and the team felt a firm the team , was a continual source of inspirafoundation was being established for entry tion for all", the National Spiritual Assembly > by troops. By the end of its first year, Project reported. By the Institute's end, the local be- > Muhajir reported more than 1,300 new be- lievers had committed themselves to hold > lievers, many from the Garifuna area. four firesides every Baha'i month, and to > On 1 January 1990, Project Olinga was establish and carry out at least seven study > launched in the same area, bringing into the groups and four children's classes weekly. > community 1,419 new believers in the first From Santa Rosa, the team went to Flor > eight weeks . During the rest of 1990, more de Campo, a neighbourhood of the nation 's > than 7,000 men, women, and children were capital , Tegucigalpa, to help that Assembly's > enrolled in the Faith in Honduras, largely teaching campaign. Over the next week > due to the effoiis of teaching teams. another three hundred souls were enrolled in > Under the inspired guidance of Counsellor the Cause. Many of the earlier new Baha'is > Hidayatu'llah Al:imadiyyih, one team grew were visited in their homes, and meetings > during a six-month period into five teaching were held to inspire the new believers. > teams composed of old and new Garifuna From Tegucigalpa the team journeyed > believers working in different areas of the to El Tular, a small town in the south of the > coast developing weekly adult study groups country. After four days, more than 400 > and children's classes. The project carried on more people joined the Faith, including two > following Counsellor Al:imadiyyih 's death in policemen, four school-teachers, the Post > August, and by November, nearly one hun- Office chief, and other prominent people in > dred weekly study classes involving more the community. Nightly meetings were well > than five hundred new Baha'is in twenty- attended, and hundreds of pamphlets, bookfive communities were being held, as well as lets, and prayer books were distributed. > some thirty children's classes. The work of teaching teams in Honduras > Five-day training sessions were held on continued in 1991. On 24 June of that year, > five occasions to inspire more believers to a teaching team of nine youth and one adult, > participate in the work of the teams . More from Honduras, Canada, Iran and the United > than fifty Garifuna believers at one time or States, enrolled 99 people in Tegucigalpa. > another were involved in the teaching work. The National Spiritual Assembly reported > In December, under the guidance of the that the total number of enrolments in the > National Teaching Committee, a teaching capital in the preceding year had reached > team composed of three Garifunas, two one thousand. > Latin-Hondurans and one pioneer travelled The ninth pem1anent teaching team was > to three different areas of the country to formed in the State of Santa Barbara in > assist the mass teaching efforts. 1991. A member of the National Spiritual > In the first area, Santa Rosa de Copan, the Assembly who arose to serve full-time in > group attracted 254 men, women, and chil - the teaching work coordinated the team's > dren to the Faith during a five-day period. efforts. In the period between January and > Joined by youth and two pioneers in Santa July 1991 , five thousand people embraced > Rosa de Copan, the group also helped to the Faith in Honduras. > organize four evening meetings, and partici- Success with full-time and permanent > pated in an Entry by Troops Institute teams was also experienced in Belize during > sponsored by the National Teaching Com- 1988 and 1989, after which the Mirza Mihdi > mittee. Teaching Project was launched in February > "The spirit of love and fellowship among 1990 by a group of twelve teachers from > the Santa Rosa believers and their outstanding Belize, Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, and the > 292 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > United States. The first nine-week phase of on 15 June 1990. More than thirty teachers, > the project, which concentrated primarily on building on the successes of phase one, enthe Garifi.ma people, resulted in more than a rolled 327 new believers. > thousand souls being enrolled in the Faith. "We have received reports full of joy > The town of Dangriga, in Stann Creek from the teaching field' ', began an article > district, was chosen as the main base for the in a newsletter from the National Spiritual > project. Two houses were rented- one for Assembly of the Dominican Republic in > female and the other for male members of 1990. It referred to the full-time work of > the team-with one of the homes being used five Balla' is teaching the Faith in a special > also as a teaching centre for deepenings and project dedicated to the memory of Dr. > evening programmes. For the first six weeks Abmadiyyih. Their efforts were supported > the teachers stayed only in Dangriga, during by other Baha'is who were able to serve for > which time 450 people embraced the Faith. varying lengths of time, from one week to > Then for the last three weeks of the project more than a month. > the twelve teachers, plus a few Baha 'is who "The latest news is that there are 46 new > were on spring vacations from schools, went believers in the province of San Juan, and > to villages in the district and to Punta Gorda 36 new Baha'i adults plus 36 children in > in neighbouring Toledo district. Barahona. The key is to instrnct and inte- > "One man in Punta Gorda knocked on the grate these believers at once to achieve the > door of the Baha'is'', it was reported. "He transformation which is the purpose of the > had come in from a village especially look- Faith of God. With this in mind, the project > ing for them. He told them that he had heard teams are incorporating the new believers in > about Baha'is on Radio Baha ' i Ecuador and the teaching work, and deepening institutes > he wanted to join the Faith. Several times, are being planned." > both in Dangriga and Punta Gorda, Baha'is The work of permanent teaching teams > were stopped in the street by receptive souls was also reported in El Salvador, where > asking if they could join the Faith." members participated in national teaching > The project's successes, in addition to projects under the supervision of the National > the team's original goal of bringing tluáee Teaching Conunittee and coordinated by the > thousand Garifuna people under the baimer Regional Cormnittees . In the United States > of Balla 'u 'llah, inspired a second phase of also, approximately one thou sand teaching > the Mirza Mihdi Project. Phase two of the teams were formed, with members commitproject was held for nine weeks begim1ing ting themselves to regularly teach a certain > > Children pe1form > traditional Guaymi > dances as part of th e > closing ceremony of > the Bilingual Training Seminar, held > on 21 April 1989 in > the Baha 'i Guaymi > Cultural Centre in > Panama. The training > was in Spanish and > Guaymi literacy. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVIT IES 293 > segment of the population for a period of at listeners, included reports of lost animals, > least five years. Several full-time teams requests for transportation, announcements > composed of youth also met with success in of classes, medical services available, and > that counhy other topics of general interest. > Also in 1989, the radio station sponsored > Indigenous Peoples the Sabanero Festival in Boca de Soloy, > A particular strength of the teaching work in attracting over two hundred participants . > the Americas was the attention given to Sabanero, the original language of the > sharing the Cause with indigenous peoples Guaymi, embodies and preserves both the > and incorporating the positive aspects of culture and the religion of the people. It has > their cultural traditions into Baha'i comnm- come to be spoken only by the older generanity life. Increasingly indigenous peoples tion. A special guest who had been invited to > from all parts of the continent arose to spread sing háaditional Sabanero songs and promote > the Faith themselves. Guaymi culture, commented that his partici- > The efforts made by the Baha'is of Panama pation in the Festival was due to the > to conháibute to the preservation of Guaymi sincerity of the Baha'is and their awareness > culture exemplify this háend. In Febrnary 1987, of the importance of preserving the Guaymi > the Guaymi Cultural Cenháe was inaugurated culture. He presented three gifts to the > in Boca de Soloy (Chlliqui Province), Panama, Baha'i Guaymi Cultural Cenháe. > to become the focus of a Guaymi tutorial That same year, the personnel at Radio > school network as well as cultural, health, Baha'i's háansmitter link in Soloy participatand agricultural activities. The inauguration ed in a bilingual (Spanish-Guaymi) seminar > was attended by well over two thousand on education and literacy held at the Cultural > people, including the general Chiefs of three Cenháe. Staff members also took an active > provinces, representatives of the national role in a teaching campaign in the Guaymi > government and members from nine indige- area of Tole and helped with elections of > nous tribes of six counháies. Local Spiritual Assemblies. > During the Plan, the Cenháe sponsored The work of the Faith in preserving > regular deepening institutes for groups of Guaymi culture was noted by the director of > twenty-five live-in students at a time. The a Guaymi dance group during its perforinstitutes combined study with service, such mance at the Twelfth National Craftsmanship > as making recordings for Radio Baha'i Fair held at Atlapa Convention Centre in > Panama and preparing Cenháe land for the August 1989. The group of sixteen Guaymi > planting of beans and yucca. The Centre also Baha'is, who called their presentation "Trahosted special events such as a Health Day ditions of Guaymi Dances", came from Boca > in June 1988 which brought together twenty- de Remedio, an indigenous community whose > two Guaymi women to study nuháition and population is entirely Baha' i. > preventive medicine in honour of the fortieth During a seminar on the development of > anniversary of the World Health Organi- the Faith among the Indian peoples of Latin > zation. America held in Bolivia in July 1989, the > The work of the Cultural Cenháe included case of the Guaymi of Panama was cited as > the work of Radio Baha' i Panama, also one example of a people who decided to reestablished with the goal of cultural preser- create their own culture in relationship to the > vation and education. For example, in 1989 Faith, drawing upon the Creative Word to > Radio Baha'i Panama began broadcasting strengthen their culture's positive characterpublic service messages six days a week to istics. Some of these characteristics include > help provide a means of communication in religious devotion, courtesy, hospitality, cothe Guaymi area. The messages, sent in by operative work, education in traditional > 294 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > values, strong family life, and a love for three hundred were present from all parts > nature. of Canada, including some members of the > The importance of our demonstrating Canad ian National Spiritual Assembly. The > appreciation for indigenous cultures was Naat owa'pii Centre in Brocket, Albertaeloquently emphasized by the Hand of the the heart of Blackfoot Indian area-was > Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih officially dedicated in a special ceremony. > Khanum in a telegram she sent from the At the end of her trip she crossed the > heart of Canada's Blackfoot Indian area in border into the United States and visited > 1986: "Feel very strongly world-wide com- the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota > munity Baha'is especially pioneers, teachers, where a concentrated teaching plan was unmust learn show proper respect profound derway. "We slept at the Oglalla Community > customs and spiritual associations indige- Co llege", Amatu'l-Baha wrote, "and held a > nous peoples if we desire share bounti es large potlatch and powwow in this important > Baha'u'llah's Message with them. All too centre in the heart of Sioux Indian territory. > often, alas, we neglect follow beloved Mas- Sioux believers and others from as far away > ter's footsteps who showered deep love and as Navajo Reservation [Arizona] ensured a > understanding, sincere praise and respect on most happy and memorable evening for us > those of different backgrounds. Such loving all. This impotiant reservation now has ninerespect other people 's way and deep feeling teen Local Assemblies, one of the all-Indian > essential if we intend pass healing cup this ones showering me with special gifts." > Revelation to other lips ." In August 1988, also in South Dakota, > Amatu' l-Baha's extensive travels in Canada native men and women, Baha'i and nonand the United States visiting with Native Baha'i, representing fifty tribes, gathered > American leaders and participating in tradi- under a giant red and white tent surrounded > tional gatherings powerfully demonstrated by tepees, near the sacred burial site of Chief > the truth of her words. In Montreal, she Sitting Bull at Standing Rock Reservation, > spent time on the Kahnawake Mohawk in Indian Memorial Park, Mobridge, to attend > Reserve with Grand Chief Joseph Norton the Fifth Continental Indigenous Council. A > and Chief Eugene Montour, and in Regina, telex describes the gathering: "We ... assem- > Saskatchewan, she had lunch with promi- bled beneath a canopy of unity, on a plain > nent Indian leaders, including a number of surrounded by the Missouri River, today > women. In Frobisher Bay, she attended part audaciously pledge our warrior peace-making > of Spirit North Council, a gathering of one spirits to win the foremost objective of the > hundred believers and guests, approximately Six Year Plan-to carry the healing Message > sixty per cent native Eskimos and Indians. of Baha'u'llah to the generality of Man- > Amatu'l-Baha reported that a moving com- kind." Written pledges to serve the Cause > memoration of the Martyrdom of the beloved and carry the Faith to Africa, Europe, and > Bab was "held outside on hill overlooking South America were received by the National > unbelievably beautiful Frobisher Bay full of Spiritual Assembly on the last night of the > scintillating pack ice, touched all heatis, Council. > and I was able share petals from Threshold The Council was attended by distin- > Baha'u'llah's Shrine in Bahji with friends .... " guished visitors including a member of the > Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum was also Universal House of Justi ce, for whom an > the special guest at a ceremony on the Honor Dance was performed; a Counsellor > Peigan Reserve which was presided over by member of the International Teaching Centre; > Chief Crowshoe, the only surviving chief of four Continental Counsellors; and members > five chiefs who had given her the name of the National Spiritual Assemblies of > Natuocist during her visit in 1960. Over Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 295 > On the closing day the National Spiritual Gordon Tong, one of the original group that > Assembly visited the Looking Horse family, had worked to found the Institute. > keepers of the Sacred Pipe of the Lakota In September 1986 it was announced that > people. The Assembly presented the family The Promise of World Peace had become > with gifts including a framed photograph available in summary form in the Navajo > of 'Abdu ' l-Baha. The National Spiritual language on cassette tape. The publication > Assemb ly members then met with the was one result of a translation institute > Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council in which served the double purpose of produc- > Eagle Butte where they presented individual ing new translations of the Creative Word > copies of the Peace Statement. The Council and deepening the thirteen participants. > members also received copies of The Seven Throughout the Plan, the Native American > Valleys and the Four Valleys, this book Baha'i Institute addressed the educational > having special significance as the numbers needs of the local population, initiating a > seven and four have great importance 111 tutoring programme in conjunction with a > their traditions. nearby school and holding classes on Navajo > "Native Americans and the Promise of culture. > Peace" was the theme of a Unity Council The education of young Indians was also > Fire held in August 1986 at the Native Amer- addressed by Baha'is in Brazil, where the > ican Baha'i Institute in Arizona, U.S.A . Mr. Polytechnical Rural Institute Djalal Eghrari > Maynard Eakan, an Inuit Baha'i, had trav- entered into an agreement with FUNAI > elled to several Reservation communities to (National Foundation of the Indian) to serve > invite the Navajo, Hopi, and Pueblo friends, the Indians of the Amazonas region. > more than one hundred of whom attended. The significance of the teaching work > Highlights of the Council Fire were a among indigenous peoples was also featured > Saturday evening performance by the Pine at the International Indigenous Believers' > Springs Singers, a group of children who Seminar held in Sucre, Bolivia, in July 1989. > had become popular performers of Navajo Seventy Baba' is representing nine distinct > traditional songs and dances under the guid- indigenous groups from eight countries, > ance of the Pine Springs Baha' i community; seven Counsellors, eight Auxiliary Board > a talk explaining to the group the symbolism members, members of the National Spiritual > of the beautifully carved and decorated Assembly of Bolivia, and pioneers discussed > "talking stick" given to him in Alaska; and the participation of indigenous peoples 111 > Saturday afternoon prayers at the grave of building an ever-advancing civilization. > > Friends gathered at > the Peigan Balui 'i > Institute in Alberta, > Canada, in > December 1989. > 296 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > This seminar was followed by a National in order to participate in a teaching project > Teaching Conference attended by more than in Paraguay and Argentina. It is also an old > two hundred Baha'is. Following the confer- Toba custom for the women to chant a > ence, nineteen teams went out "in search of prayer for the dawn to wake the family in the > souls ready to accept the Faith". This one- morning; the chant is said to be "from the > week-long teaching project resulted in five Maid of the Heavens". > hundred enrolments and the opening of ten A substantial increase in enrolments took > new communities. place among the Amerindian and Bushnegro > The results of teaching work among the populations of Suriname, and Guatemala > Toba people of northeastern Argentina over finished the Plan with twenty-two Local > a period of more than fifteen years were Assemblies counting indi genous members > demonstrated when the Toba inaugurated in the majority. The first Local Spiritual > a District I:Ia~iratu ' l-Quds in May 1986 in Assembly of the Mura Tribe in Amazonas > Puerto Tirol, a small town near the provin- State, Brazil, was formed at Ri~van 1990 > cial capital. At the time, the Tobas numbered after a tráibal vi llage, located twelve hours by > 54,000, making them the second most nu- boat from the village of Bernri, was visited > merous tribe in Argentina . The first teaching by some of the friends. The Mirza Mihdi > teams into the Toba region in 1970 had been Projects in Belize attracted an estimated > headed by Hooper Dunbar (then a pioneer in 1,200--1,500 Garifuna people into the Cause. > Argentina), and fittingly, Mr. Dunbar was Teaching among the Garifuna people in > present for the inauguration of the Toba Honduras (see also p. 284) also bore frnit. In > Distráict Centre. Sixteen years after the first 1989, the National Assembly reported the > contact, there were thi1ty-five localities and enrolment of more than 1,3 00 new believers > twelve Local Assemblies; three local centres in the Garifuna area, and between January > had been acquired and a Baha'i tutorial and September 1990, a total of over seven > school had begun operating. thousand people accepted the Faith. One > Many Baha'i teachings were found to be project, carried out by twenty-four women, > compatible with Toba custom, including the men, youth, and children who organized > importance of music and of dawn prayer. meetings in thirteen different cornrnunities > New Baha'is among the Toba began making on the north coast of Honduras, resulted in > songs from the Writings and even revived new enrolments reaching I, 170 in their area. > their old tribal songs again. Two members In Ecuador, full-tin1e teams spent several > prepared their native instruments and songs months teaching the Quechua-speaking > > A Toba Baha 'i > woman jiáom the > Chaco Region of > northern Argentina; > 1989. > INTERNAT IO NAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIV ITI ES 297 > > Left: Students of > violin at the School > of the Nations in > Brasilia, Brazil. The > School was opened > on 1 September 1980, > and in December > 1987 was officially > inaugurated at its > new permanent > headquarters. > > Above: The exterior of the Maxwell International Baha'i School near Vancouver, > Canada; 1992. > Right: A Baha'i tutorial school in Colorado > in the Guajira region of Colombia, in 1987. > > Right: Jn Nicaragua, > young Baha 'is meet > with Costa Rican > youth who offered > teacher training > classes in Januaiy > 1992. The young > travellers are working with believers > who want to learn > how to give ch ildren 's classes in their > own communities. > 298 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Indians in Imbabura Province, their efforts in Dominica during September 1988. This > resulting in 250 enrolments during this peri- visit corresponded with the ammal celebraod. Also in that counháy, the Peace Statement tion of Carib Week. The Carib Chief, Irvince > was presented to the Chief of the Saraguro Auguiste, whose council acted as host to the > Indians and the governor of the Colorado In- group during its stay, received the group at > dians, both of whom then gave authorization the airport. On arrival at Bataka in the Carib > to teach among their people. Tenitory, a local television team was wait- > A significant sign of the teaching work's ing, wishing to make a feature on the Carib > success came when greater numbers of language. The dance team was interviewed > indigenous believers arose to become teach- and an impressive five-minute feature was > ers of the Cause themselves. In Costa Rica, aired on cable television. The group's activiindigenous believers were reported to have ties were also mentioned several times on > participated in large numbers of teaching the national radio station and in the weekly > projects. Interchanges took place between newspaper. > the Bribri and the Guaymis, including joint At the gala cultural show held for Carib > visits to the Baha'i Guaymi Cultural Cenháe Week, the group presented a twenty-minute > in Soloy, Panama, and to the International performance of drnnm1ing and dancing to > Native Council in June 1991. Teams ofBri- the 500-strong audience, as special guests of > bri teachers actively collaborated in teaching the Carib Council. At the close of the proprojects in Honduras for a number of gramme the Carib Council presented gifts of > months. A teaching team which worked in baskets and carved calabashes to each team > four Garifuna villages of Honduras in 1990 member. This was reciprocated by a presenincluded two Belizean Garifunas, two Costa tation from the team to the Council. In > Rican Bribri, twelve Honduran Garifunas, addition, presentations of the Peace Stateone Misquito Indian, two Latin-Hondurans, ment were made to other officials and the > and others. This effort was dedicated to the Kitab-i-Iqan was presented to the Carib > late Counsellor AJ:imadiyyih, and resulted in Chief. > 1,207 new souls embracing the Faith. During their stay the team members also > The first week of a teaching proj ect visited local craftspeople and elders to dislaunched on the eve of Naw-Ruz 1989 in cuss aspects of their culture, and further > Quintana Roo, Mexico, was significant for performances were given. A local historian > the leading role played by the Mayan believ- remarked that this was the first time a cultural > ers. The campaign resulted in ninety-four exchange of Garifuna-speaking people had > adults, forty-seven youth, and seventy-nine taken place in Dominica. > children embracing the Faith. > In the summer of 1990, new Baha ' is con- Academic Circles > háibuted greatly to a teaching project on In its Ric:lvan 1990 message to the Baba' i > Canada's Peigan Reserve, being responsible world, the Universal House of Justice > for half the enrolments. By December of that praised efforts that had been made to reach > year, the total number of enrolments had such a wide variety of indigenous peoples, > reached eighty-five since the sunm1er effort stating "we have achieved a marvellous dibegan, and registration cards were coming versity in the large numbers of etlmic groups > into the National Cenháe from Peigan at the represented in the Faith ... " Then it called > rate of twelve or so eve1y week. on the believers to increase the conmmnity's > The four-perso n Carib (Garifuna) Baha'i diversity in yet another direction, by sháiving > music and dance team Trail of Light from to share the Message with "people of capaci- > Belize and Honduras made a memorable ty, including persons of accomplishment and > one-week visit to their fellow Carib people prominence in the various fields of human > INT ERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 299 > endeavour". One avenue of this pursuit led excellent opportunity for Baba 'i as well as > to the world of academia. non-Baha'i academics to discuss common > Efforts to relate the Baha 'i teachings to questions of scholarship and to engage in an > the thoughts and problems of the wider soci- in-depth discussion of the points raised in > ety led to greater interaction between the broad range of presentations. > Baha ' is and educators from the university to "Vast changes on the international scene > the primary school. As understanding of the have prompted talk of the emergence of a > principles of the Faith grew, so did inclusion 'New World Order', began the description > of the Faith in cunicula. of a course offered by the Faculty of Part- > In the United States, strong relationships time and Continuing Education at the > had been forged with members of the aca- University of Western Ontario, Canada, in > demic community before 1990, but in the spring of 1992. The subject had been > January of that year a milestone was reached suggested by the Association for Baha'i > when a Memorandum of Understanding was Studies Campus Club at the University. > signed to establish the Baha' i Chair for The course description in the Faculty's > World Peace at the University of Maryland's catalogue continued: "The phrase 'new world > Center for International Development and order ', coined by the Baha'i Faith in the > Conflict Management. Proposed by a non- 1800's, articulates a vision ofa new, unified > B aha ' i professor in response to the Peace world order, and its premises serve as a > Statement, the Chair was created to conduct point of departure for this series of info1mal > and publish research, design courses and lead lectures and discussions on the world as it > seminars in the field of Baha' i studies and might be." The class topics were "Moral > world peace within an interdisciplinary con- Foundations of a New World Order", "The > text; to initiate public forums for discussing International Economy: New Disorder", > the issues proposed in The Promise of World "Political and Legal Dimensions of World > Peace; and to establish academic links with, Order'', "Feminism: International Movements > and provide teclmical assistance to, Baha'i Towards Equity", "Environment: Globa l > institutions in the fields of peace education Directions in Education", and "Racial Diand international development. The creation mensions of a New Social Order". > of the Chair marked the first initiative by a The Association for Baha'i Studies, with > prestigious institution of higher learning to its headquarters in Canada, continued to > fornrnlate a serious programme of Baha'i sponsor annual conferences on themes from > studies. the Writings , and published some of the > A variety of contacts between Baha' is proceedings, such as Unity: The Creative > and university professors had preceded Foundation of Peace; Racial Unity: An Imthis momentous event. For example, in perative for Social Progress; and Th e Balui 'i > December 1987, the New England Regiona l Faith and Marxism. In 1988, the quarterly, > Committee of the Association of Baha'i trilingual Journal of Bahri 'i Studies was > Studies in North America held a conference inaugurated to create a forum for all reon the relationship between the Baha ' i Faith searchers of the Baha ' i Writings. (See also > and Cluáistianity at Harvard Divinity School. sub-section on the Associations for Baha'i > A number of prominent non-Baba ' i speakers Studies, pp. 461-470.) > joined the Baha'i speakers to address many Other universities in the Americas also > current theological issues. offered opportunities to study the Faith. A > During the same month, a Baha'i seminar course on the Faith was established in > was held as part of the conference of the Brazil 's Federal University of Santa Catarina, > American Academy of Religion in Boston, and lectures were given in comparative > Massachusetts. The Conference provided an religion courses at Bermuda College. In > 300 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Guatemala, the booklet Education for Peace the Middle East, the history of the Faith, the > was studied with a group of three hundred Covenant, group dynamics, children's rights, > student teachers at a college for twenty race unity, prayers, the creative power of the > periods of forty minutes each. In the United Word of God, and the subject of peace. > States, a document called "A Cuniculum In 1988, the National Spiritual Assembly > Guide to the Baha'i Faith" was drafted to of Jamaica was asked to prepare a detailed > help college professors include the Faith in curriculum for a chapter on the Baha'i Faith > their courses. The National Assembly of in the first year compulsory Caribbean Ex- > Suriname reported that a number of non- amination Council Course on comparative > Baha' i individuals had written theses related religion. The Assembly, working in conto the Faith. The Baha'i Club at the Univer- junction with the National Assembly of > sity of California, Santa Crnz, helped design Trinidad and Tobago, submitted the material > a course called "The Economics of a World for consideration. > Commonwealth" for an Elderhostel pro- The Faith was also included in the curricgramme in 1988. ulum of at least one government primary > In 1991 , the Baha'i community of Joao school in Bennuda. In Peru, high school > Pessoa, in the State of Paraiba, Brazil, suc- teachers assigned research of the Faith, > ceeded in having study of the Baha'i Faith refening to Radio Baha'i as a resource. > included in the ctmiculum of the Ecumeni- In 1991 the Ministry for Education for > cal Institute of Theological Sciences. The British Columbia, Ca nada , approved study > Institute, which was founded in March 1990, of The Hidden Words and The Seven Valleys > offers undergraduate studies in theology and the Four Valleys as valid for meeting > for high school teachers of religion. poetry requirements. At Maxwell Interna- > The efforts of Baha'is to have the Faith tional Baha'i School, students memorized an > included in primary and secondary curricula extract from The Hidden Words each week > also bore fruit. Study programmes about as part of their English literature progra1m11e. > the Baha'i Faith for basic general education On weekly work sheets they recorded their > in public schools in Chile were approved by understanding of the metaphors and symbolthe Ministry of Education in June 1989. In ism used, and they sometimes compared the > response to this, the National Spiritual metaphor or symbol with a previously studied > Assembly's Department of Education held extract. Teachers found that this exercise > several training courses for teachers of the stimulated students' use of their reflective > Faith. Topics of study included geography of and contemplative powers. > > Participants in a > workshop that was > part of the Saha 'i > winter school held in > Haiti in March l 98 7. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I AC TIVITI ES 301 > > Leji: Jn Martiniqu e, > the ninth National > Convention was > held at Fort-de- > France; 1992. > > Right: Jn Panama, > members of a > Balui 'i Regional > Native Council > taking a break from > their meeting in > Sa lay to visit the > House of Worship on > 27June1991 . > > Left: Jn Bermuda, > friends gathered for > a winter school held > in Februa ry 1987. > 302 TH E BAHA ' I WORLD > > How good it would be... > that through this going > and coming they [Baha 'i > travelling teachers] may > establish the oneness of > the world of humanity, > summon the people to the > Kingdom of God and > spread the teachings. > - 'A bdu 'l-Baha > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACT IVITI ES 303 > > C. ASIA > > DURING the Six Year Plan, more than teachers found hundreds of thousands > one million souls embraced the Cause in of people eager to embrace Baha'u ' llah ' s > Asia. Although such large-scale enrolment Teachings about the oneness of mankind. > in the Faith provided a special energy and In India, where the legal abolition of > excitement to the work on the continent, it the caste system had not eliminated longwas not new to the region, which boasted a standing attitudes which support it, the > number of devoted fourth-generation believ- Baha'i community more than doubled its > ers. Thus the believers were also able to membership, reaching well over two million > focus their energies on the major challenge believers. The State Baha ' i Councils, created > of cha1melling this widespread love and in 1986, launched approximately three > belief into knowledge and action that would hundred teaching projects , and the number > transform conmmnities. of believers participating in teaching and > Several Baha'i principles, identified at the consolidation activities multiplied ten times. > beginning of the Plan as needing attention if Groups of Baha'i teachers followed in the > communities were to truly develop, were footsteps of the late Hand of the Cause of > given particular focus . Extreme conditions God Dr. RaJ:imatu' llah Muhajir, often carryof inequality between men and women, for ing out their teaching in his name. > example, and lack of full participation by In the state ofUttar Pradesh, an estimated > women in Baha' i activities were addressed 100,000 people enro lled dming one month > with education and encouragement. Illiteracy of teaching organized by the State Baha'i > among much of the mral population was Council. Three simultaneous projects held in > confronted by ever-expanding development June 1988 focussed on women, youth, and > projects. Believers were trained for their families. The percentage of women accountwork in the administtáative order with semi- ing for enrolments was impressive compared > nars and educational materials. Efforts were to previous experience in India . > made to reach individuals with formal edu- A variety of methods were used to pursue > cation and prominence so that their expertise the enormous task of consolidation in Uttar > could be called upon during this complex Pradesh. Audio-cassettes with a talk in the > process of social change. Hindi language, the Words of God, Baha'i > " It is not enough to expand the rolls of prayers, and Baha ' i Temple dedication > Baha ' i membership, vital as that is", wrote music were prepared. On another audio-casthe Universal House of Justice in its Ri~van sette, information on the history of the Faith, > message of 1989 . "Souls must be ttáans- the Covenant, the administration, and the > formed, communities thereby consolidated, principles were all woven into a folk song > new models of life thus attained." The sung in typical village style which was taped > Baha'is of Asia reached out in a variety of by one of the village groups. In addition, > directions to pursue this noble goal. typical village-style dramas using various > Baha ' i subjects were being prepared for > Large-scale Enrolment video-taping and mass distribution. A pup- > Dramatic teaching campaigns that led to pet show was also being developed. > large-scale enrolment were certainly among Late in 1988, the State Baha' i Council of > the most striking of all the activities carried Uttar Pradesh arranged for nine peopleout on the continent of Asia. In an area of members of the Continental Board of Counthe world with firmly rooted traditions of sellors, the Auxilia1y Board, the National > social separation based on religion, gender, Spiritual Assembly, and development project > education, and cultural background, Baha ' i staff- to visit six villages. The village of > 304 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Rajja-ka-Purwa of Panchayat Bamnouti-a was spent praying and meditating upon > full Baha'i village- was holding regular the Word of God and attending deepening > Local Spiritual Assembly meetings, Nine- classes . Following this, the teachers were > teen Day Feasts, Fund collections, children's expected to maintain contact with the new > classes, tutorial school sessions and socio- believers through visits and conespondence. > economic development programmes. The The second movement involved the cre- > Continental Board of Counsellors reported ation of a task force for permanent teaching > that because of the visitors, "for the first activities. Members travelled to the new > time, the village women dressed in their areas, conducted deepening classes and > finery and sat on the same ground as the invited the more enthusiastic new Baha'is > menfolk". In another village, "because of a to institutes at central locations. In eve1y > large munber of women guests, the village village a teaching conunittee was formed to > women came shyly forward to sit alongside organize Feasts, children's classes and youth > the menfolk for the first time. Usually for activities, establish literacy classes where > any video film they sit on the roofs so the possible, hold deepenings, and communicate > men can't see them. At every village the with the State Baha'i Council. The commitwomen were encouraged to respond and did tee also encouraged as many believers as > so." possible to attend the election of the Local > Teaching projects dedicated to the late Spiritual Assembly for the area. > Hand of the Cause Dr. Muhajir were canied The third movement was intended to creout in the states of Tamil Nadu, Orissa and ate strong Local Spiritual Assemblies from > Karnataka. the very outset. Assistants to the Auxilia1y > The success of the Muhajir Project in Board members were appointed in all areas . > Tamil Nadu-more than 5,000 enrolled dur- The task force, along with the local conuniting a six-month period- inspired a second tees and the assistants, canied out local > phase which then outsháipped the first in teaching projects. Thus, teaching campaigns, > its achievements. In a nine-week period, activities to strengthen local communities, > 14,000 people embraced the Teachings of and expansion at the local level were all > Baha'u ' llah. being canied out simultaneously. > Near the closing of the first part of the The dynamic example of Dr. Muhajir > project, a Counsellor, tluáee Auxiliary Board was also the inspiration for a teaching and > members, three State Council members and consolidation project in Orissa held from > about thirty-five of the teachers involved in May to November 1990. Earlier in the Plan, > the proj ect gathered in high spirits to evalu- Orissa had experienced large-scale emolment, > ate its success. It was determined at this including 2,600 declarations in October > conference that the proj ect consisted of tluáee 1988, a number which rose to 5, 150 by early > movements. December. The Muhajir Project of 1990, > The first movement was a series of teach- which itself brought 1,75 0 people into the > ing campaigns. The process consisted of a Faith, gave particular attention to consolteaching conference, a call for volunteers fol- idation. > lowed by an institute for the volunteers , and Of the newly enrolled Baha ' is, 95 were > finally , the launching of the teaching cam- particularly encouraged to attend Pe1manent > paign. During the campaign, five days were Teaching Institute courses, to work with the > spent teaching and emolling new believers, Mobile Deepening Institute, to go to local > and on the sixth day the teachers returned to conferences, and to participate in Assembly > the areas where the teaching had taken place teaching activities. As a result of this inuneand invited the new believers to a deepening diate involvement in the Faith, sixty of these > class in a nearby village. The seventh day new Baha 'is imn1ediately began assuming > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'I ACT IVITIES 305 > responsibilities in their home communities Radio Pakistan, and the meeting was > by assisting in the conducting of Nineteen reported in six newspapers, mostly on their > Day Feasts, Holy Day programmes, and front pages. The National Assembly > children's classes. reported that following this event, "Every > One goal of this Muhajir Project was to day, both morning and evening, editors and > revisit the mountainous west of Orissa and reporters have been visiting to contact the > to deepen the many tribal people who had Baha'is in their houses! They come to colaccepted the Faith out of love but whose lect information for their papers as well as > understanding of its teachings was relatively for themselves ." > limited. This goal was vigorously pursued In August 1986, the first Baha'i press > and resulted in a good number of believers conference in the history of Bangladesh > with deepened understanding and knowl- was organized by the Local Assembly of > edge of the Faith. Mymensingh, with all twenty-four invited > The Muhajir Project launched in Kama- .representatives of national and local newstaka in July 1988 won the support of the papers attending. Focusing on the Interna- > District Assistant Commissioner and the tional Year of Peace, the presentation drew > Chairman of the town municipality and praise from the audience. When questions > brought wide media coverage. Five district- were invited from the members of the press , > level newspapers reported all the Baha' i an editor said, "We have nothing to say > activities, and one paper agreed to publish except to appreciate the Baha 'i Faith, and > "Baha'i Views" as a regu lar weekly feature . these goals are our hearts' wishes ... please > The project attracted more than three hun- say what kind of help we can offer." > dred people from colleges and offices to Positive public relations and intensive > embrace the Faith. teaching activity caused the total number of > Professionals and more formally educated Baha'is in Bangladesh to almost double > people became Baha' is in other regions of between September 1988 and September > India as well. A significant percentage of the 1989. Much of the activity took place in > 20,000 people who joined the Cause in the Khulna. The Quddus Project, which began > Morena Distráict of Madhya Pradesh in 1988 in that district in November 1988, had > were doctors, engineers, schoolteachers, and brought 7,500 seekers into the Cause by > other professionals. October 1989. A highlight was the emol- > In remote Gum.la, India, approximately ment of two entire villages of the Monda > 7 ,000 people in villages scattered among the Adibashi tráibe and the formation of its first > hills and valleys in thick forests were also Local Assembly. > touched by the Teachings of Baha' u ' llah. Bangladesh surpassed its Six Year Plan > The people had never embraced any estab- goal for Local Assembly formation, raising > lished religion before. the number from 143 to 630. In the Rajshahi > Successes like those in India were also District, Assemblies were fo1med despite > experienced by its notiheastem neighbour, considerable obstacles, such as conmmnica- > Bangladesh. The Baha'i community there tion problems, lack of books in the local > increased five-fold, with one hundred vi l- language, illiteracy, and the extreme poverty > lages becoming almost completely Baha' i. of the tribal people. About twenty youth > A public gathering on peace held in the contributed to the formation of sixty Assem- > Distráict of Khulna, Bangladesh, at the begin- blies during fiv e months of a special project > ning of the Plan created a great deal of in 1991. During this time, three of the vilinterest in Baha 'u'llah's Teachings. A part lages in Rajshahi- Galimpur, Bahanpur and > of the talk given by an Auxiliary Board Fulkuri-were named " model Baha'i vilmember before 150 peop le was broadcast on lages" by the Regional Teaching Committee. > 306 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Baha 'is consulting > during the Vajdi > Memorial Teaching > Project held on > Great Nicobar ji-om > 21 February to > 9 March 1990. > > All over Asia, Baha'i communities dra- students and teachers saw the dynamic > matically expanded. In the Andaman and perf01mances of the Baha'i youth. After > Nicobar Islands, one of the community's Six the shows, held in universities, schools, col- > Year Plan goals was fulfilled when three leges, public parks-and even one benefit > hundred people enrolled and fifteen locali- for the flood victims of Chumpon Provties were opened during a four-week period, ince-850 young people became Baha'is. > allowing the establishment of twenty-five The Thai youth contributed much to the > Local Assemblies. The number of Baha'is teaching work of the seven-day tour and > in the Philippines increased by 37,000. The added their beautiful Malay and Indian clas- > Hong Kong community more than doubled sical dances to the shows. The tour helped to > during the Plan. The Pakistani community raise the total of new believers in the south > tripled. And in Taiwan, the increase was of Thailand to 1,900 (between June and > more than seven hundred per cent. November). > The power of the performing arts in > stimulating large-scale enrolment was dem- People of All Backgrounds > onstrated in Hong Kong and Thailand. One The Cause of God has room for all. It > of the tours of the Wildfire Theatre Group, would, indeed, not be the Cause of God if > composed of youth from Australia and New it did not take in and welcome everyone- > Zealand, generated unprecedented media poor and rich, educated and ignorant, the > coverage for the Faith in Hong Kong, in unknown, and the prominent-God surely > both Chinese and English-language news- wants them all, as He created them all. 1 > papers and on television and radio. As the In accord with this counsel, efforts to > first ente1iainment group ever to enter nine bring the healing Message of Baha 'u' llah to > Vietnamese Refugee Camps and Detention large numbers of people were not limited by > Centres, they won the admiration and praise focus on certain geographic areas or particuof the United Nations High Commission for lar populations. Believers in Asia particularly > Refugees and local Social Service Agencies. expanded their efforts to share the Faith > The National Assembly credited the five tal- with individuals from a wide variety of geoented youth with advancing entry by troops graphic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. > in the territory "through their untiring and > noble efforts". > During Wildfire's tour of southern Thai- 1 > From a letter written on behalfofShoghi Effendi, > land in November 1989, more than 8,000 I 0 December 1942. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 307 > > Presentation of the > Peace Statement to > Mrs. Dissanayake, > the wife of the > Minister ofLands and > Development of > Sri Lanka, on > 7June1988. > In the Philippines, the number of locali- Saeed Hindi Teaching Project, carried out in > ties with resident Baha'is rose from 5,500 to lower Punjab in February 1990, resulted in > 7,300. This included the opening of38 islands more than five hundred new believers from > located near strong Baha'i communities, Muslim, Hindu, and Ahmadi backgrounds, > some of which accounted for the 38 new and teaching among the Hindus in Sindh > tribal areas opened to the Faith. The people resulted in several thousand souls entering > on ten islands of Myanmar heard of the Faith the Faith. > for the first time. New tribes gaining representation in the > Teaching in Taiwan resulted in all nine Faith in Asia included the Monda and > major tribes being represented in the Faith, Arakan in Bangladesh, the Dhimal and > with Local Assemblies established in six of Sherpa in Nepal, the Phuket Sea Gypsies in > the tribal areas. Assemblies made up entirely Thailand, and thirty-two ethnic groups in > of tribal peoples were formed among the India. In Myanmar, members of the Eikaw, > Tsao, Bunung, and Peinan. Also in Taiwan, Insa, Naga, and Lwalla tribes were introthe number of localities reached rose from duced to the Faith. > 130 to 275. This included the opening of > three islands which previously had no Prominent People > Baha'is. In a Tablet to an individual believer, 'Abdu'l- > Increases in localities were also achieved Baha advised: > in Japan, where the goal of having Baha'is You should always seek to guide promin all the country's prefectures was reached inent p eople inasmuch as once such a > for the first time ; in Korea, where the goal of person is regenerated he is likely to bring > 300 localities was surpassed by more th an about the quickening of a thousand souls. > 200; and in Pakistan, where the number of Thus the spirit of truth would flow forth > localities rose from 270 to more than seven unimpeded into the veins and arteries of a > hundred. The last remaining territorial goals multitude. 2 > named by Shoghi Effendi in his Ten Year By Ri4van 1988, the Universal House of > Global Plan were fulfilled during the Six Justice noted "a remarkable display of inter- > Year Plan when Sean Hinton opened Mon- est" in the Baha'i community by prominent > golia in 1988 and Abbas and Rezvanieh > Katirai settled in Sakhalin in 1990. 2 > Translated from the Persian, in Prominent People. > The teaching in Pakistan reached people > Compiled by the Research Department of the Univerfrom a variety of religious backgrounds. The sa l House of Justice; 1990. > 308 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Jn Thailand, the > Crown Prince receives > the winning art piece > made by a youth > during the country's > National Youth Week > in I 989. The gift is > being offered by a > youth representative > of the Spiritual > Assembly, which had > been invited to make > the presentation to > the Prince. > > In Nepal, the Minister > of Tourism, Ram Hari > Joshy (left) , awards a > prize to one of the > winners of the Baha'i > youth song contest. > The occasion was a > Naw-Riiz party held in > Kathmandu which was > attended by more than > 80 people, including > 20 non-Bahiz 'is. > > Jn Bangladesh, > Prime Minister Begum > Khadela Zia presents > Counsellor Jabbar > Eidelkhani (left), with > the " Young Scientist > Award I 990" during > a ceremony in Dhaka > on 5 July 1991. > Th e award was in > recognition of > Mr. Eidelkhani 's work > on computers in the > Bengali language. > INTERNAT ION AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 309 > personalities, and by Ridvan 1992, it was The Spiritual Assembly of Hong Kong > able to share the news that "the drive of the reported that significant progress was made > ramified proclamation campaign has pro- in developing relationships with prominent > duced a public resonance about the Faith, people in that country. Meetings were > which can be said to be known to the most arranged and the Peace Message presented > significant public institutions and prominent to 80 religious leaders, consuls general, edupersons on eaiih". cators, business leaders, and press agencies. > In Asia, the Mother Temple of the Indian In 1991, the Anniversary of the Birth of > Sub-continent, dedicated in New Delhi in Baha'u' llah was celebrated in Hong Kong > December 19 86, undoubtedly provided the witl1 a banquet attended by 82 people, includgreatest number of opportunities for promi- ing the Consuls General of Israel, Panama > nent people to come in contact with the Faith and Chile, representatives of the Xin Hua > (for details, see aiiicle on Indian Temple). News Agency, and the Director of Environ- > However, persistent effo1is by the believers mental Protection for Hong Kong. The > in a variety of Asian countries to bring statement Baha 'u 'llah and the Peace State- > Baha'u'llah's Teachings to the attention of ment were presented as gifts. > people of capacity were also rewarded. Members of the Baha'i conununity of > As occurred on other continents, many Thailand consulted with hundreds of people > government authorities were introduced to of capacity during the Plan, including rethe Faith through Th e Promise of World presentatives of the Economic and Social > Peace. In addition to being distributed to Conunission for Asia and the Pacific, the UN > ministers , ambassadors, and local officials, High Commission for Refugees, the National > this Statement was presented to the Presi- Women's Council, city mayors, college prodent of Bangladesh in December 1991; the fessors, and labor union representatives. > Governor of Macau in April 1989; and the The Constitution Drafting Conunittee of > President of Singapore. In Korea, the State- Thailand became aware of Baha'i views > ment was given to 2,000 notables throughout when the Spiritual Assembly submitted > the Plan. selected Baha'i Writings to that body for its > The presentation to the President of consideration in writing the new national > Bangladesh took place when a group of constitution. > Baha'is was invited to the annual general Prominent Baha' is visiting Taiwan were > meeting of the Society for the Rule of Law introduced to the Ministers of Foreign > at which the President and the Finance Min- Affairs, the Interior, and Conununication; > ister were the prominent guests. At the end the Director of the Government Information > of the meeting the two officials also received Office; the Deputy Director of the Council > Call to the Nations and The Baha'i Faith: of Agriculture; and the mayors of six cities. > An Introduction. Contacts were established between Baha' is > Baha'is invited in 1987 to attend birthday and lawyers, judges, and teachers . Opportucelebrations for Her Majesty Queen Sirikit nities for interacting with professionals > of Thailand had the great honour of present- increased after the Baha' i Office of the > ing the Peace Statement into the hands of Environment for Taiwan was established in > Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on 11 1989. > August at the Chitrlada Palace. Over 3,000 Between 1988 and 1990, the Hand of > people were present, representing a whole the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul_1iyyih > range of business, cultural, social, and other Khanum, accompanied by Mrs. Violette > organizations. Copies of the Statement were Na~avani , visited mainland China four > later presented to the King and Queen and times. She met with numerous prominent > the Prime Minister, tluáough their secretaries. people, particularly in Beijing and Dalian, > 310 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > showing slides of her trip to the Amazon organizations working to solve problems > entitled the "Green Light Expedition" to which the Baha'i Writings address. > various distinguished guests, and addressed The National Assembly of tire Philippines > students and staff at Nankai University in submitted two proposals to the Constitu- > Tianjin, where both Martha Root and Agnes tional Commission in August 1986 for > Alexander had spoken during their visits to possible inclusion in the new constitution. > China. Her four visits included a one-month The proposals concerned the provision of > trip, in summer 1988, to Guangzhou (Canton), free education and the principle of inculcat- > Urumqi, Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Guilin, ing a consciousness of tire essential unity of > as well as a one-week trip to Tibet in 1990. the human race as the only viable standard > In the fall of 1989 she made a five-week for social and economic justice. In Taiwan, > trip to Taiwan, during which she "circumam- the Ministry of the Interior organized a spebulated" that island, travelling over 2,000 cial seminar called "Resolving Social Ills > kilometres and visiting some of the mass- through the Teachings of the Baha'i Faith". > teaching areas, as well as its major cities; In Singapore, after a White Paper on the > during this visit she presented a special copy Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill was > of the Peace Statement in Chinese to the published in 1990, the Government asked for > Minister for Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, was feedback from the public, and the Spiritual > received by the Minister of the Interior and Assembly submitted a statement. The Asthe Secretary-General of the National House sembly presented another statement on the > of Representatives, and had interviews with core values the nation should be embracing > several major newspapers. after the government requested opinions on > While in the Far East she also attended a this subject. > large formal banquet organized by the Spir- Respect for Baha' i contributions was > itual Assembly of Hong Kong in honour of demonstrated in Macau when the Basic Law > the passage, by the Legislative Council, of Consultative Committee invited the Spiritual > "the Baha'i Ordinance" Act, and visited Assembly to send three representatives to > Ulaan-Baatar in Mongolia for one week, in its first meeting with the Basic Law Drafting > 1989. Committee from China in 1990. After pro- > In addition to presenting Baha'i views viding written documents on the history and > through meetings with prominent people and status of the Faith, the Assembly was asked > presentations of the Peace Statement, the to submit its views to the Committee in a > believers made contact with individuals and formal paper. > > SEMINAR O N > Auxiliary Board > ELIGION IN THE ARMC member V. Thamil > Chelvi speaking about > individual transforma- > Of THE S OR tion during an interfaith seminar on "The > Role of Religion in the > Harmonious Blending > ofthe Soul Force" held > at Coimbato re, India, > on 12 Januaiy 1991. > INT ERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I A C TIV ITIES 3 11 > Good relationships were also established Training courses for teachers enabled many > with religious leaders in Asia. In October of the schools to expand their activities > 1987 the Baha ' is of India co-sponsored a beyond mere functional literacy and numerseminar called "Religion in the 21st Cen- acy to include a range of primary classes . > tury" with the World Conference on Religion Fourteen tutorial schools operated under > for Peace. During the 1991 gathering of the the auspices of the Rabbani School Rural > Asian Conference on Religion and Peace in Development Project in Madhya Pradesh, > Nepal, Baha' is participated in workshops, India. The Proj ect served twenty villages in > read prayers at the interfaith service, and pre- the area of Gwalior. The schools taught the > pared a statement on the Faith for publication government curriculum plus moral education, > in the conference magazine. A representa- personal health, and hygiene, each administive of the Baha'i International Conununity tered by the local community it served. > was the only non-Buddhist speaker invited The Baha'is encouraged a number of > to address a public meeting in conjunction educational initiatives at refugee camps in > with the Asian Buddhist Conference for Thailand. In 1986 it was reported that a > Peace in Mongolia in 1990. school at the Viehiamese "Site Two" camp > had opened and was serving three hundred > Social and Economic Development students in eight classes . Courses were > Asia stands out among the continents for its taught in English and Chinese. In July 1986 > progress in the area of social and econ0111ic a second school to teach English was opened > development, with more than 530 proj ects with 90 students. Other schools existed at > operating during the Plan. Tutorial schools, Khao 1 Dang and Khao 1 Dang Am1ex. > academic schools, literacy projects, and Teachers at each of the schools contributed > health care proj ects accounted for the major- their services voluntarily. In 1989 the school > ity of the undertakings. at Ban Vinai refugee camp was reported to > The Philippines operated a very successful have 150 students. > programme of tutorial schools, each involv- Academic schools- formally established > ing one or more teachers conducting classes institutions which had or were seeking official > in reading and writing, character training, accreditation from government authoritiesand other elementa1y subj ects under the aus- also operated, employing fu ll-time staff, > pices of a Baba 'i administrative institution. using rented or specially built faci lities, and > In 1992 it was repo1ied that twenty such offering traditional academic subjects. With > schoo ls in the Philippines were serving more over 1,300 students, India 's Tadong Baha'i > than five hundred students, over half of School was the largest fu ll academic school > whom were girls. operated by institutions of the Faith during > The National Baha'i Development Institute the Plan. The school offered classes from > in Bangladesh, which assumed responsibility nursery school through grade 10, having > for coordinating development programmes earned the reputation as one of the best > in the country in 1987, oversaw nineteen schools in Sikkim. > tutorial schools serving approximately tluáee The New Era High School in Panchgani, > hundred students. In 1991 the New Garden India, continued to successfully háanslate the > School, operating from the National Baba 'i ideals of Baha'i education into notable > Cenháe, reported an enrolment of 56 stu- ach ievements. Having statied operation in > dents . 1945, New Era is one of the longest-estab- > The National Assembly of India oversaw lished Baha'i schools in the world. By the > the largest system of tutorial schools in the close of the Plan, it was offering schooling > Baha'i world, with nearly two hundred pro- for over 550 boarders and 130 day students > grammes and more than 10,500 students. from kindergarten through grade 12. > 312 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > The Hand of the > Cause of God > Amatu 'l-Baha > Rilhiyyih Khanum > visiting with students > fi"om the School of > Nations in Macau on > 4 May 1989. > > The Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi > (left) , presents the "Indira Gandhi Friends of > Trees Award- 1986 " to the Rabbani School. > > Above: Pupils during one > of their classes at the > Tadong School in Ranipul, > Sikkim, in I 99 I. > > Left: Participants in the > Baha 'i Children's Institute > held in Lantt Matang, > Malaysia, from 7 to > I 3 December I 987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 313 > In 1986 half of the grade 12 students at In 1991 the National Spiritual Assembly > New Era passed their examinations with dis- outlined the first phase of the National > tinction. In 1989 the grade I 0 results helped Baha'i Literacy Mission, which was develplace the school in the "merit" level among oped in consultation with the Indian Task > the schools in India. The School's academic Force for International Literacy Year. The > programme was recognized by London Uni- programme was proposed to take place in > versity as able to conduct GCE "O" and "A" seven Hindi-speaking states, and to later > level examinations, and the school was rec- expand to include Marathi-speaking states. > ognized by the Central Board of Secondary Classes would be conducted by volunteers > Education in New Delhi. The Junior College chosen by their State Baha'i Council in conwas also recognized by the Maharashtra sultation with their Local Assembly and the > Board of Education. During 1990 the science Auxiliary Board members. > stream of the Junior College was begun, and The Department of Social and Economic > a one-year kindergarten was re-established. Development oflndia assumed responsibility > The Santitham School in Thailand, which for coordinating the training and an-anging > the Baha' is began operating in 1971, em- for the production and distribution of literbarked on a large-scale programme of capital acy materials. The proposal emphasized the > development over the period 1982- 1992. In importance of involving the State Baha'i > 1991 it was reported that the school had Councils, the Local Spiritual Assemblies, > 50 students enrolled in the nursery school, and the Auxiliary Board members and their > 242 in the kindergarten, thirteen in the assistants in monitoring the programme. > newly opened first primary grade class, and The first training session was held in > 35 in the commercial section. Delhi in March 1991. The last two days > Baha'i principles were also incorporated were devoted to the preparation of literacy > into the curriculum of the privately-operated materials in Hindi, which were soon field > School of the Nations in Macau, which tested and made available to all Hindibegan operating in 1988. Offering a bilin- speaking areas of the country. In November > gual programme in English and Chinese, the 1991 literacy materials began being develschool was serving 270 students represent- oped in the Marathi language. Both the > ing thirty-four nationalities by the end of the Hindi and Marathi materials offered a philo- > Plan. sophical background, teachers' notes, and > Baha'i efforts to promote literacy, both practical lesson plans. > through assisting with established pro- By 1992 it was reported that literacy > grammes and developing new ones, received classes, using the materials developed > added stimulus when the Universal House of th.rough the programme, had commenced in > Justice sent a letter to all National Spiritual Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. > Assemblies in July 1989 emphasizing the At the same time, literacy classes were also > critical importance of giving people access to being sponsored regularly by the New Era > the Holy Word. The House of Justice urged Development Institute, the Rabbani School, > the believers to support the United Nations the Baha'i Vocational Training Institute for > International Literacy Year 1990 and to con- Rural Women , and a number of local comtinue to seek opp01tunities to make progress munities. > in this area . National Baha'i literacy pro- In Bangladesh, courses in literacy and > grammes evolved during the Plan, with the vocational training were offered by the > development of appropriate literacy materi- Baha'i Hostel to teenage boys from tribal > als being given greater priority. Nowhere villages. The students were also deepened in > was this process more noticeable than in the Faith so that they could assist with teach- > India. ing, deepening, consolidation of Spiritual > 3 14 THE BA HA' I WORLD > > Assemblies, and teaching children's classes. surprised at how much they could teach their > All the gradu ates from the first year's course children through games and discussion. The > achieved full literacy, and were expected to women themselves seemed also to fe el more > return to the villages to assist with teaching aware of their own potential. They began > in the tutorial schools. to come forward to participate, offer ideas, > The third major type of development organize, and most significant of all, to lead. > proj ect undertaken in Asia, besides schools In this aspect the project was a definite sucand literacy proj ects, involved health educa- cess in training more women local managers > tion and medical services. and developing the status of women. > A Health Awareness Project was launched The project also stimulated other develin 1989 by the National Baha' i Women's opment activities in the area. Conmmnity > Conunittee of Malaysia, in response to members became aware of their need to do > requests from women from different areas more for themselves and thus to take on > of the country. The obj ective of the five-year other development projects such as the pavprogramme was to assist women to be more ing of a di1t track, literacy classes, and > self-reliant by providing education in health educational activities for children. > and child development. A variety of medical services was offered > The progranune was implemented in in Bangladesh, one of the most extensive > three mral areas of the country at Bukit being medical camps to serve the needs of > Tunggal Estate, Bintasan in Sabah, and people who could not otherwise afford > Kampong Bugudiyan in Sarawak. The initial health care. These were organized under the > response was enthusiastic and other villagers auspices of the National Baha' i Developalso participated. The medical officers began ment C 01mnitt~e , and many were held in > regularl y visiting the villagers to check on memory of Hands of the Cause of God and > conm1on problems, and the villagers them- the mattyrs of Iran. The progranm1e began > selves, with the assistance of selected in mid 1986, offering treatment to over > volunteers, learned about hygiene. 2,400 people in its first year. During 1987 > The willingness ofBaha'is to reach these and 1988 more than 1,000 people were > remote conmmnities brought much admiration treated ammally, and in a single month, > and positive publicity for the progranune, May 199 1, more than 1,000 people received > and the conunittee was invited to extend the ass istance at Khulna and in cyclone-ravaged > proj ect. This second phase involved ten areas of the country. A further 475 people > low-income areas throughout Malaysia with received treatment at six camps held during > seven different etlmic groups , and was September 199 1. > successfull y completed in 1990. Education The Glory Clinic, which began operations > in health and chil d development was in Febrnary 1985 , continued to provide free > offered, and mothers were helped to create or low-cost medical services to the people > an improved learning environment for the ofRajshahi , Bangladesh. By 1992, the clinic > children and to develop resource centres for was serving about 2,000 people annually. > their communities. Another health care service project > The in1pact of the project was ev ident in conunenced in Bangladesh in June 1990 to > the improved cleanliness of the conmmnities provide primary hea lth care to people in vilinvolved and in the increasing number of lages near the site of the future Masluáiqu ' 1- > health-related questions posed. Very often Adhk in the more remote and conservative areas, check-ups and the provision of medicines > women would ask questions related to for minor ailments. One doctor visited the > myths, fa llacies, and superstitions about site every two weeks, and complicated cases > health . Women in the ten communities were were referred to the nearest hospital. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF C URRENT BAI-IA'i ACTIVITIES 315 > In July 1991 , a health project started as Quetta, and Rawalpindi. As a result, thouan outreach programme of the New Garden sands of people received medical care. > School in Bangladesh. The purpose of the In August 1986, it was proposed that a > project was to provide basic health educa- health education programme be started for > tion on personal and environmental hygiene the Mangyan people in the Philippines . The > to children attending the school and to their Baha'i community focused on improving the > mothers. health of the children in Mansalay through > Baha'i communities throughout India immunization, and by helping the existing > also offered medical treatment to isolated health service centre. It also sought to propopulations or communities without access vide health education to the mothers of the > to formal health care services. The extensive immunized children. > health programmes offered by the Rabbani The project strategies included: training > Community Development Project included tutorial school teachers in basic health > sponsorship of medical camps, distribution education, conducting education campaigns, > of Vitamin A and iron tablets, participation bringing the drugs from Meháopolitan Manila > in immunization programmes, and education to Mansalay, establishing cenháes for immuon topics such as the importance of pure nization, and making home visits. The > drinking water and of keeping the village project was supported by the Department of > environment clean. Hygiene, disease trans- Health which provided some basic medimittal, infant care, nutrition for pregnant cines and vaccines and, in 1988, a fo1U1al > women and nursing mothers, control of > malaria, use of oral rehydration techniques, > and an understanding of different types of > fever were also addressed. Many of the > activities conducted were in collaboration > with regional medical departments. > The New Era Development Institute in > Maharashtra, India, sponsored a primary > health care education programme which > focussed on prevention. The programme's > three elements were: a) training courses for > voluntary community health workers, b) inservice training in which the community > health workers returned each month for a > one-day programme, and c) health education > programmes in which films were shown > and discussion groups conducted in the > communities. > For many years before the Plan, volunteer > doctors in India staffed medical camps > which successfully provided háeatment to a > large number of people. During 1990 and > 1991 it was reported that approximately ten > medical camps were being conducted every > year. In neighbouring Pakistan also, more > than twenty medical camps were held annu- Dr. Sa eed Takizadeh during a three-day > ally between 1988 and 1992, organized by medical clinic sponsored by the National > the Local Spiritual Assemblies of Karachi, Assembly of the Philippines in 1987. > 3 16 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Baha 'is and a govenunent agency unit on rural conmmnities. Students were trained, > malaria control. encouraged, and assisted to establish service > In Laos, 45 Baha'i village health volun- cenháes in their home communities. As with > teers were trained in 1991. The programme the community development programme, > emphasized communication skills and educa- the basis of this programme was the application techniques designed to encompass local tion of high moral and ethical concepts in > health customs and conditions and seven a practical way oriented towards human > elements of primary health care: health dignity, self-reliance, and service to the > education, promotion of good nutrition, ma- community. > ternal and child health care, immunization, India 's Rabbani School also oversaw > basic san itation , treatment of common an extensive conmmnity development prodiseases and injuries, and prevention and gramme. The school fatm offered agricultural > control of locally endemic diseases. training to the students, and enabled the > A training session was also conducted school to attain self-sufficiency in food proat a university for 25 government health duction. Farmers from surrounding villages > leaders, which resulted in Baha'is receiving were welcome to attend háaining courses > official letters of recognition fro m the held on the school property, assisting them > government. to achieve higher productivity. > Nearly all Baba ' i development projects The school initiated extens ive waste land > involved some form of education, but a reclamation activities which provided a > few focused intensely on educating local valuable model for local communities. This > people to direct the course of their own com- aspect of the Rabbani programme was conmunity development. In India, the New Era ducted in co llaboration with the Government > Development Institute (NEDI) conducted a Department of Waste Land Reclamation , > programme to train community development with the ultimate result that all available > facilitators. This one-year course was land became usable, and productivity was > designed to train the students to encourage substantially improved. > and advise rural communities in planning Other community development activities > and implementing their own social and eco- conducted at the school included village > nomic development activities. health education, adult literacy classes, the > The programme began in 1989, serving founding and support of fourteen village > fifteen to twenty volunteers each year. Both schools, the promotion of the use of approspiritual and practical components were priate technology in villages (including the > included in the programme, and during the promotion of smokeless, energy efficient > three trimesters the following subj ects were cooking stoves), and vocational training > covered: the spiritual and ethica l basis for both for students and for unemployed vill age > development, communication and commu- youths. > nity, women in development, afforestation, One innovative project in the area of rural > adult education, community health, adminis- development in India, conducted in April > tration and management, rural teclmology, 1988, used the medium of drama to motivate > agriculture, children's education, and public tribal villagers in self-development. The > speaking. The students also spent signifi cant proj ect was organised by the Jhabua loca l > amounts of time in host villages. centre of the Baha'i Vocational Institute for > At the same time, NEDI's rural technol- Rural Women, Indore, and sponsored by > ogy training progranm1e worked to provide CAPART (Ministry of Rural Development > vocational skills and knowledge to rural Gove1m11ent oflndia). > youth and thus enable them to earn an The proj ect operated in five villages in > income while providing serv ices needed in the Tirnbua distr ict. Five organizers from > INTERNATJONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 317 > each of these villages were chosen and to collaborate with others in projects of > trained in the need for mral development at social and economic development?" > a vi llage level, deepening their own under- By Ric;lvan 1992, the Universal House of > standing of the problems, needs, and demands Justice cited advances in the consolidation > of village life and how to take initiative to of the Baha' i administrative system as one > resolve them. Then these women created of the major indicators of progress in the > plays using local costumes and folk music Baha'i community. > to highlight issues relating to health, child One sign of institutional flexibility in > care, hygiene, water sanitation, forest devel- Asia was the establishment in both India and > opment, education, self employment, family Malaysia of State Baha'i Councils under the > planning, and many other in1portant devel- National Assembly, due to the special condiopment issues. tions which applied in both countries. India > established its State Councils at the begin- > Maturation of Institutions ning of the Plan while Malaysia ' s first > The Universal House of Justice, in its letter Council was elected in October 1991. > of Ric;lvan 1987 to the Baha' is of the world, Increased communication and cooperation > stated that when the Six Year Plan began, among Assemblies of various regions also > the administrative institutions of the Faith signified greater administrative maturity. > were already beginning to show signs of in- Joint regional meetings of the Spiritual > creasing maturity- enough, in fact, to Assemblies of Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, > prepare them for the task of fo1mulating Singapore, and Taiwan were established in > their own objectives. In its Ric;lvan 1989 1987 and continued throughout the Plan. > message, the House of Justice asked, "Have Joint meetings and institutes were held > we not witnessed the increasing strength of between the Spiritual Assemblies of Thailand > National and Local Spiritual Assemblies in and Laos. On the local level, ammal intertheir ability to conceive and execute plans, Assembly conferences were conducted in > in their capacity to deal with governmental Pakistan, in addition to regional conferences > authorities and social organizations, to re- of Local Spiritual Assemblies and members > spond to public calls upon their services and of appointed institutions. > > The Local Baha'i Centre at Ban Vieng Kham The local Baha 'i Centre of Mandalay, > Tai, Laos, was dedicated 2 May 1986. Myanmar, was dedicated 4 January 1991 . > 318 TH E BA HA' I WORLD > > fn Tokyo, Japan , Baha 'is participated in a World Religious Book Exhibition, which was held > from 19 to 2 3 July 1990. Baha 'i books in Japanese, English, and German were displayed. > Th e official attendance number fo r the exhibition was 153,467 persons. > > fn Beijing, China, Baha 'is participated in th e third International Book Fair, which was held > from I to 7 September 1990. Bahil 'i books in Portuguese, English and German were displayed. Fair mganizers estimated that there were about 70, 000 visitors during the week. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I A CTIV!TlES 319 > As Local Assemblies became stronger among the 1,500 public libraries throughout > and more self-sufficient, they took on greater the state. > responsibilities. In Singapore, incorporated In the state of Karnataka, India, Baha' is > Local Assemblies began handling their own placed literature in four major libraries : the > annual administrative work associated with Legislative Library, used by members of the > maintaining incorporation, and several As- State's Legislative Assembly and Legislasemblies took on responsibilities which had tive Council; the Secretariat Libra1y, for the > previously been canied out at the national use of government officials working in the > level, such as organizing Holy Day cele- Secretariat building; the State Library, which > brations, maniages, and funerals. Thailand is open to the general public; and the City > reported that the number of actively func- Central Library, which serves the people of > tioning Local Spiritual Assemblies tripled, Bangalore City. Most of the books were in > and four developed to the extent that they the local Kannada language. > created their own plans, became financially A set of twenty-four books was also preself-sufficient, and supported activities of sented to Karnataka 's State Librarian, who > the surrounding communities. The National was so impressed with the volumes that a > Spiritual Assembly of Nepal wrote, "No request was made for another two sets of the > doubt the greatest progress during the Six same books to be distributed to the State > Year Plan has been registered in the area of Libra1y, the Library's copyright section and > the maturation of local communities." the Parliament Library of New Delhi. > Singapore Baha'is reported that the hlrn- > Distribution of Literature over of Baha ' i books in public bookstores > The sacred task of bringing all humanity into indicated a demand for this literature. Comcontact with the Writings ofBaha'u ' llah was mercial outlets in Malaysia and Thailand > pursued in Asia largely through participation were also selling Baha'i books. > in book fairs and contributions to public and To make the Sacred Writings more readily > university libraries, and through the estab- available to believers, regional libraries, booklishment of book depots and lending shops, or book depots were established in > libraries. Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, and > Baha'i publishers attended three annual Taiwan. In India, 110 book depots were set > International Book Fairs in Beijing, China. up in 17 states, and 865 lending libraries > In India, the Baha' is participated in some were created. > 38 book fairs and held nearly two hundred The Baha'i Publishing Trust of Hong Kong > book exhibitions during the Six Year Plan. was established in April 1992. > In Hong Kong, thousands of people visited > the Baha'i booth at the International Book Women > Fair held in August 1991; more than 10,000 On a continent where women have traditioncopies of pamphlets and other free literature ally not been permitted to be full participants > were distributed, and a substantial number in all fields , and have not received encourof books were sold. agement to think independently or to openly > Baha ' i books were donated to universities speak their minds, great efforts were made > in Korea, Nepal, and Macau, and in Laos the to help women overcome baniers to investi- > Ministry of Culture granted pe1mission for gating the Baha'i Faith and to address the > Baha' i literahire to be placed in the Lao needs of women in their conmmnities. > PDR National Library. In one Indian state A dramatic departure from traditional > the Baha' is received a request from the women's roles occurred when 62 women in > Director of Public Libraries for three thou- India attended a deepening conference given > sand copies of Baha' i books to be distributed by the State Baha' i Council ofUttar Pradesh > 320 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > at the Malhousi Baha 'i Centre in November There was a great spirit of camaraderie > 1987. They came from thirteen villages, present among all the women." > transported to and from their homes by jeep. Women's conferences were also held in > Some were attending such a conference for Bangladesh, Japan, and Korea. More than > the first time, and their enthusiasm was nota- 200 women participated in a national womble. In repo1iing on the event, the director of en's conference held in Myanmar in May > Baha'i Tutorial Schools for Uttar Pradesh, 1988. In Malaysia, three women made a four- > Mr. P.C. Agnihohi said, " ... Very often you day journey to attend a women's conference > ask about miracles in the Baha'i Faith. This held in the village of Kg. Belimbing Besi in > gathering itself was a miracle, where ladies February 1989, which atháacted fifty-five > had come outside of their homes to discuss other participants from six communities. > the evils of society and to give their views." In addition to working toward making the > He called the event "a unique occasion for Baha ' i community fully reflect the principle > enlightening the women of this area", sug- of equality, Baha'is made efforts to promote > gesting that a women's winter school in the equality in the wider community. > region could help to "activate the other half In Singapore, the Baha'i Women' s Comof India's strength, the ladies, who have mittee worked with the Singapore Council of > been imprisoned within four walls for. .. so Women's Organizations, an umbrella body > many centuries". of thirty-four affiliated women's groups. > Large numbers of women were reported Two Baha'is served on the Executive Board > to be taking up responsibilities in the Faith for a total of four years. The Baha'i Women's > in Rajasthan, India, according to a report Committee also organized a "Women for > from Counsellor Zena Sorabjee in March Peace" conference in 1988 which had fifty > 1991 , who saw this activity as one sign of participants. > the emergence of the Faith in this state. The On International Women ' s Day in 1988, > community encouraged this pa1iicipation by Mrs. Shirin Fozdar of Singapore was given a > having a bulletin for women printed in the plaque of appreciation for her work support- > Hindi language. ing equality and women's rights . More than > The first Training Institute for Baba 'i one hundred people attended the celebration > women in Uttar Pradesh atháacted 29 pa1iici- organized by the Singapore Council of > pants from thirteen villages. The event, held Women. Mrs. Fozdar was described as an > in May 1991, took place at the Narayan Rao ardent champion of women's rights, an > Vakil Institute in Malhousi. "Women were influential leader, an idealist, and a wellable to participate practically in every lesson known social worker. She founded the Sinthat was conducted," it was reported, "and gapore Council of Women, through which > they asked many questions, giving an idea she worked to bring discrimination and malof the social conditions prevalent in their treatrnent of women to the attention of the > villages, how they could be improved, and public and campaigned against the practice > what the women could do for the bettern1ent of polygamy. Her activities included leading > of their own lives and those of their families. delegations to international conferences, lec- > "The principle of justice was emphasised. turing by invitation in various cow1tries, and > Some of the women had not gone anywhere sta1iing schools for rural children in both > outside their own village.... The evenings Thailand and India. > were spent in singing and folk dancing .... It In Malaysia on 25 August 1988, National > was an exháemely loving and united atrno- Women ' s Day and the Silver Jubilee of the > sphere .... No-one thought twice about Baha ' i National Council of Women's Organizations > women from different backgrounds meeting were celebrated, with the Baha ' is playing > together and enjoying each other's company. a prominent role. The Malaysian Baha'i > INTERNATIONAL SURV EY OF C URRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 321 > Women ' s Committee was an affiliate of the residential training courses, and staff mem- > NCWO and one of its most active support- bers from the Institute travelled frequently to > ers. The occasion was attended by Her villages to stimulate interest in the pro- > Majesty, the Queen of Malaysia, Sultanas of gramme, to support those women who had > different states, the wives of governors, graduated from the Institute, and to consoliprominent women leaders, and 1,000 guests. date the gains which the women had > The Baha'i Women's Conunittee was in- achieved. At the end of the Plan, the Institute > volved in the organization of the celebration began seeking funds for a three year training > and was entrusted with the production of programme designed to train two hundred > souvenir progranunes for each function . A young women as community workers in > Baha'i was one of three women selected rural communities around Indore. > to represent the women of Malaysia m a The activity of the women of the villages > pledge-taking ceremony. in the Bastar tribal area clearly indicates the > International Women's Day 1989 was type of fundamental changes which the > commemorated by the Baha'is of Bangkok, Institute endeavoured to promote. Among > Thailand, with a two-hour progranune in a the prevailing social customs which they > popular shopping mall. Hundreds of people challenged were child marriages, the dowry > heard readings from the Baha'i Writings con- system, wearing of the veil, and the use of > cerning women. Many pamphlets on peace drugs and alcohol. > and women were distributed, and staff at the > mall invited the Baha'is to propose future Strengthening Families > activities which would promote peace. A truly Bahit ' i home is a true fortress > The State Minister for Religious Affairs upon which the Cause can rely while > of Bangladesh was among the dignitaries plarming its campaigns. 3 > who attended the conference "Equality of The need to continue the work of creating > Men and Women-a Prerequisite for World families based on equality between women > Peace" held in Dhaka in September 1991. In and men and respect for the rights and > addition, the president and general secretary responsibilities of all family members led to > of the Bangladesh Women Writers' Associ- a focus on this topic during conferences and > ation and journalists from several national special seminars. > newspapers attended the talks. Ammal semi- Five regional Baha ' i family conferences > nars promoting equality and special courses were organized in Bangladesh and ten marfor vocational training of women and girls riage seminars held in Malaysia. The subject > were also sponsored in Bangladesh. of marriage and family life was also > Just after the Plan began, the Madhya included in all national and regional confer- > Pradesh Council of Science and Technology, ences of both countries and in winter schools > Government of India, Bhopal, requested the and training institutes held in the former. > Baha ' i Vocational Institute for Rural Women All the State Council/State Teaching > in Indore to conduct a workshop on the Committees of India introduced the topic of > socio-economic development of tribal women marriage and family life at least once a year > in Madhya Pradesh and appropriate technol- during summer schools and conferences. > ogy. Many representatives from government Twenty-five family conferences were held > agencies attended. This was the fust work- in ten states and special material for guiding > shop sponsored by a government agency at a parents was produced. > Baha'i Institute. > The work of the Baha'i Vocational Institute > for Rural Women in India continued during 3 > From a letter written on behalf or Shoghi Effendi, > the Plan. The Institute offered a variety of 6 November 1932. > 322 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > A Mangyan Baha 'i > family on its way to a > teaching conference > held in Mansalay, > Oriental Mindoro, > Philippines, in 1986. > > Workshops on family life were conducted The Environment > in Singapore and Thailand, and one national Baha'u'llah taught that nature reflects the > and two local family conferences were held names and attributes of God and is the > in Korea. Also in Thailand, a Baha'i doctor expression of God's Will in the contingent > wrote and published a book called Bahci 'i world, and a number of Baha'i communities > Family Life and produced two cassette tapes in Asia acted on this understanding by > which were broadcast on the radio. contributing to the work of environmental > In the Philippines, the Baha 'i Mothers ' protection agencies and initiating projects of > Deepening Project of the Baha ' i National their own. In a number of countries, Baha 'is > Teaching Committee provided guidance on became known as supporters of environmenthe care, education and training of children; tal education and protection. > on maintaining a Baha'i atmosphere in the After the National Spiritual Assembly of > home; and on cultivating rapport with hus- Taiwan established the Office of the Envibands and extended-family members. The ronment in Taiwan in 1989, the Council of > intensive project began in February 1988 Agriculture of the Executive Yuan (Senate) > with the holding of twenty-one Mothers' agreed to co-sponsor a series of teacher > Deepening Classes in different parts of the training workshops on environmental educacountry. tion. During a twelve-week period in 1990, > In Pakistan, at least ninety women the Baha'i community conducted 36 workattended classes on health, hygiene, and shops on environmental education for more > feeding of infants which were held as part than 750 kindergarten and elementary school > of free medical camps run by Baha' is in the teachers. Following this success, a second > summer of 1986. series of twenty-seven workshops was held > The Spiritual Assembly of Singapore in 1991. The Baha' i Environmental Protecreported that one of its community' s tion Education Programme was the first of > strengths was its relatively large number of its kind of co-sponsorship between the > strong Baha'i families. An increase in the National Assembly and a major Taiwanese > number of identifiable Baha'i families was governmental agency. > also reported by the Spiritual Assembly of An article on the Office of the Environ- > Sri Lanka, which credited special confer- ment, published in Taiwan's largest evening > ences, deepening materials, and individual newspaper, resulted in the Baha'is receiving > visits to families. over two hundred requests for participation > INTERNATION AL SURVEY OF C URRENT BA HA'i AC TIVITI ES 323 > in a correspondence course they had devel- seminars, exhibits, displays, and contests > oped on the environment. The Council of about the environment. Baha'is in Malaysia > Agriculture also asked the Office to assist it and in Singapore spoke to Rotary Clubs > in formulating its plan for protecting and about uniting efforts to confront environbuilding up Taiwan's ecological resources. mental problems. > The Office of the Environment in Taiwan In 1986 the Rabbani School in India was > also produced a radio series on the environ- awarded the "Indira Gandhi Friends of the > ment, called "Only One World", which was Trees A ward" for its service in the field of > funded by the Ministry of Education. The reforestation. An extensive effort had been > fifteen-minute programmes began broad- launched in 1985 which included the plantcasting to 2,400 elementary schools across ing of trees and the development and > the country in March 1992. maintenance of plant nurseries, both at the > An exhibition involving more than sixty school and in smTounding villages. > pieces of artwork related to the environment Recognition of Baha'i initiatives led to > was organized by the Baha'i Women 's Com- invitations to participate in various projects > mittee of Singapore in 1990. The "Aris for related to the environment. Singapore's > Nature" display caused the Baha'i commu- Baha' i community was invited by the Minisnity to be recognized by the Ministry of the try of the Environment to gather signatures > Environment and the Singapore Council of for the Earth Pledge to be presented at the > Women 's Organizations as a major propo- Earth Summit in 1992. Representatives of > nent of environmental protection. the World Wide Fund for Nature in Hong > Baha 'is in Singapore also carried out the Kong invited a Baha'i to visit a nature > "Grow With Nature Banner Proj ect" in 1991 , reserve and a conservation studies centre. > organizing pupils from thirty-five schools to The Friends of the Earih in Hong Kong > send eighty banners on environmental themes invited Baha 'is to participate in an event > which were then displayed along a river. called "Ecology in the Light of Religion" > In Thailand, the Baha'i community which then resulted in another invitation to > worked with various agencies to organize speak on the issue. > > Balui 'i children > support Singapore's > Green and Clean Week > in November 1991 by > displaying banners > about the environment they had > designed and put up > along the river. > 324 TH E BAHA'i WORLD > > Know ye ofa certainty > that in whatever > meeting ye may enter, > in the apex of that > meeting the Holy > Spirit shall be waving > and the heavenly confirmations of the > Blessed Pe1fection > shall encompass all. > -'A bdu 'l-Baha > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 325 > > D. AUSTRALASIA > > DURING the Six Year Plan, there were a of ocean. While this presents unique chalnumber of highly significant developments lenges to the development of the Faith, it > in Australasia, which reflected the growing also offers opportunities the like of which > maturity of the various national Baha'i com- may occur nowhere else in the world. In > munities in that vast region of the planet, many small countries of Australasia, the > and the increased receptivity of its peoples Baha'i community has become a substantial > to the Message ofBaha'u'llah. and visible proportion of the total popula- > One of the most heartening features was tion, and the character of its community life > the emergence into the forefront of Baha'i is readily perceived by all; thus its unity and > activity of the indigenous believers in the harmony, the diversity of its composition, its > Pacific Islands. The services rendered by the commitment to the process of change, its > valiant pioneers are unforgettable, and are respect for indigenous culture, and its openyielding their fruit in the full involvement ness to new ideas are evident, and are > of the islanders in the teaching and adminis- attractive to seekers. > trative work of the Cause. This welcome These circumstances have also made it > development provides a striking example of possible for the Faith to be proclaimed to the > the practice of the oneness of mankind, and highest levels of government and to people > offers the promise of the even more prodi- of influence in the society, with the result > gious achievements of the peoples of the that the Baha'is have won the friendship and > Pacific Islands in the construction of the respect of heads of state and of government > World Order of Baha'u'llah in the future . in a number of nations, and Baha' i concepts > Associated with this development has been and perspectives have been offered to the > the great participation of the indigenous solution of the issues arising as these nations > Baha'is of such countries as Australia, New seek to find their place in a fast-changing > Zealand and Hawaii in all aspects of Baha'i and interdependent world. > community life. In the light of these considerations, the > Amidst culh1res which have traditionally future for the Baha'i Faith and its communot accorded to women the freedom to par- nity in Australasia must be regarded as > ticipate as equal to men in the activities of extiáemely bright It must surely build on the > society, the Baha' i community in Austiáala- impressive strength it has now acquired, and > sia has attracted favourable attention for the proceed to victories of a magnitude which > involvement of women in its affairs at all will astonish both admirers and adherents, > levels, including service in its international and will propel it forward to the attainment > and adrninistiáative institutions. Educational of its high destiny. > programmes, training institutes and conferences have aimed to encourage and prepare Indigenous Peoples > Baha' i women and girls to fulfil their Great as are the services rendered by pioordained role as full participants in commu- neers, and unforgettable as are the deeds > nity life, and to encourage men and boys to they accomplish, "they cannot take the > give their total support to such vital endeav- places of the indigenous element which > ours. must constitute the bed-rock of the Com- > The Australasian region is composed munity, carry on its own affairs, build its > largely of island states, which have rela- own institutions, support its own funds, > tively small populations and which are publish its own literature, etc. A mother > separated from each other by vast expanses gives bi1ih to a child, but the child then > 326 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > A group of traditional > dancers, Bahti 'is from > Kimama Village in the > Western Province of > Papua New Guinea, > involved in a teaching > project in 1989. > > has to grow for itself. The older it gets, of the trip from his home to the Convention > the more responsible it is for its own in Melbourne to devise a 6,500 kilometre > acts. 1 route, visiting Baha'is and teaching along > As teachers of the Cause reached a more the way. When he met with the believers in > sophisticated understanding of how to share northeast Australia in June 1988, it marked > the Revelation of Baha'u'llah in its purest the first meeting between Aboriginal Baha'is > form without adding their own cultural from the far-flung northwest and northeast > biases to the Message, methods of teaching regions. > indigenous peoples evolved and greater On the south coast of New South Wales, > numbers responded. Native peoples took the a tribal elder of the Yuin people enrolled > initiative to teach their kin, and added their in the Faith in 1989. Well-known throughout > unique perspectives to the consultative pro- the country, Mr. Gubboo Ted Thomas was > cess through greater participation in the a keynote speaker at the "Earthwalk Conferadministrative order. ence" in April 1989, a major gathering at > The Aborigines of Australia enrolled in Ayers Rock which was attended by indigethe Faith in large numbers during the Six nous people from North America, Africa, > Year Plan, mainly in the relatively isolated New Zealand, and parts of Australia. > region of the northwest. Several prominent Baha' is expanded their knowledge of > Aborigines embraced the Cause, and the Aboriginal culture and provided opportunirespect and attention they commanded in ties for public education during several > their cornrnunities induced greater numbers peace-related expositions they sponsored. At > to listen to the Message. In July 1986, Jack one peace festival co-sponsored by Baha 'is > Malardy, tribal leader of the Kanadjarrie in Caboolture, Queensland, in October 1986, > people, and his wife, Lilly, became the first an Aboriginal pavilion displayed artifacts > Aboriginal believers in the region of Bidy- from a museum, story-tellers recounted traadanga, Western Ausháalia. In the spring of ditional legends, craftsmen demonsháated > 1988, when Mr. Malardy was 90 years old, their skills, and video presentations educated > he was elected as a delegate to the National viewers about Aboriginal culture. When > Convention of Australia. He took advantage Baha'is held an exposition in conjunction > with a local annual festival in Herberton > From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to > the N ational Spiritual Assemblies of Brazil , Peru , > Shire, north Queensland, the same month, > Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, 3 Jul y 1957, in the Jittabul Aboriginal tribe of Ravenshoe > The Importance of Teaching the Masses , p. 12. strongly supported them. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRE NT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 327 > > Baha 'is from all > around Samoa > converged on their > National Centre in > Apia in July 1991 > for a National > Teaching Conference. > Many of the friends > danced, p roviding > an opportunity f or > the children to see > and learn cultural > traditions. > > Following the "Tablelands Peace Expo" in the audiences said they were delighted > in May 1986, which was attended by 4,500 that they, and especially their children, could > people, the Office of the Premier of New catch a glimpse of the beauty of their cul- > South Wales, Special Advisor on Community tural heritage". > Relations, wrote a letter to the organizing In a report about the activity taking place > committee, saying that "yours is so far one among the Aborigines of northwest Australia > of the most successful peace initiatives in during the Plan, one observer commented on > the whole of the Commonwealth of Australia. the intangible aspects of the changes occur- > You can also proudly take the title that you ring. "It is of qualities like gentleness and of > have involved more Aboriginal people than emotional and spiritual bonds between peoany other peace initiative in any State or ple, that a revolution is being forged in the > Territory." northwest. It is no media event. The profile > One of the first teaching trips initiated stays low, but the roots of fa ith, without > and undertaken by Aboriginal believers which no civilization can long endure, go > occurred in July 1991 when two Baha'is deeper into the soil." > from Queensland travelled to Kowanyama The Baha' is of New Zealand named > in the remote "Gulf Country'', where they Maori teaching a priority for the Six Year > enrolled six more Aborigines. When added Plan. The growing commitment of Maori > to the existing community, this provided Baha'is to teaching contributed noticeably to > enough believers to form the Local Spiritual an increase in enrolments. More and more, > Assembly there. Baha'i activities incorporated elements of > Also in 1991 , Aboriginal men, women, Maori culture. > youth , and chi ldren from eight areas in Early in the Plan, a delegation of Baha' is > northern Queensland, the Northern Territory, led by Maori Elder Ephraim Te Paa preand Western Australia, fanned a group sented copies of The Promise of World > called The Storytellers as a means of sharing Peace to the first Maori Governor-General > Baha' u'llah's Teachings with other Aborigi- of New Zealand, the Most Rev. Sir Paul > nes. The shows included traditional dances, Reeves. Copies of the statement in both the > singing, playing of the traditional wind Maori and English languages were presented > instrument, the didgeridoo, and a play about after an exchange of Maori greetings, and at > the connection between traditional laws and the end of the visit, the Governor-General > laws suited to new times. A report on several bade farewell with a traditional Maori > of their first performances stated: "Aborigines embrace . > 328 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In 1987, New Zealand's National Con- and teachings of the Faith in conjunction > vention was held on a marae-a traditional with study of Maori culture. Seventeen > Maori meeting place-for the first time in believers attended the first course at the > the thirty-one years since the establishment Kearoa Marae. > of the National Assembly. A call to unity in In 1988, a Maori carving became a highly > the Maori language was sent from the significant symbol of the power which > gathering to the Baha'i World Centre, the Baha'u'llah's Revelation possesses to unite > message stating that the momentous deci- and yet still preserve diverse cultures. The > sion to hold the Convention on a marae had carving, a long spear-like Maori weapon > tapped the spiritual reservoir of the indige- converted into a digging tool, was given as a > nous culture. gift from New Zealand's Baha'i community > Another first occurred when a marae was to the Bahe\. 'is oflndia to mark the first amlichosen as the venue for a major National versary of the opening of the Baha'i House > Teaching Conference in October 1987. Coun- of Worship in that country. It was unveiled > sellor Lisiate Maka of Tonga was given a during a moving ceremony in Whangarei, at > customary welcome with full Maori protocol, the workshop of its creator, Master Carver > to which he responded in his mother tongue. of the Tai Tokerau people, Mr. Wallace > The National Assembly called the gathering Heteraka. The participation of some of the > a "hallmark conference" symbolizing a tran- country's prominent Maori leaders and local > sition the New Zealand community was dignitaries contributed to the stirring blend > passing through. "There was a strong shar- of tradition and change. From Whangarei, > ing of cultures and a welding together of the carving was taken to the Baha' i World > groups in an atmosphere of joy and empa- Centre and then to the Indian Temple. > thy'', the Assembly reported. The participation of Maori believers in > The National Spiritual Assembly of New Baha'i community life steadily increased. > Zealand acted to deepen understanding of The first Maori family pioneered during the > the relationship between Maori culture and Plan, and in early April 1992, a large per- > Baha'u'llah's Revelation by establishing a centage of the Maori Baha'is attended a > Whare Wananga (School of Learning) for national hui (gathering) at Tanuwhara Marae > Maori Baha'is in June 1987. The Whare to discuss initiatives of the Maori friends > Wananga took the form of intensive courses and to consult on teaching and deepening. > held on maraes at least twice a year in differ- An Auxiliary Board member reporting on > ent parts of the country to study the history the event said, "Nearly every believer stood > > Wallace Heteraka > (centre), a Maori > Baha'i from N ew > Zealand, converted > a long sp ear-like > Maori weapon into a > digging tool as a gift > from New Zealand's > Bahci 'i community to > the Baha 'is of India ; > 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIV ITI ES 329 > and spoke from the heart without feeling traditions and to draw on their particular > intimidated. It was wonderful to see friends strengths as teachers. The name of the ongowho had never spoken before at any hui I ing project was suggested by indigenous > have attended, speak quite freely ." Counsellor Betra Majmeto. > The Baha'i population of the Mariana In June 1991 , about fifty Baba 'is repre- > Islands, which grew from approximately senting Australia, Fiji, the Hawaiian Islands, > 250 to 1,400 during the Plan, was reported to Kiribati, the Mariana Islands, the Marshall > have become noticeably more representative Islands, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, and > of the ethnic groups on the islands. On Tuvalu met in Samoa to prepare for the cam- > Guam, a grassroots institute devoted to paign. A representative of the International > teaching and deepening among Microne- Teaching Centre, all members of the Board > sians met with unprecedented success during of Counsellors for the region, members of > the final year of the Plan. More than 90 new National Spiritual Assemblies in Australabelievers, mostly youth, became very active sia, Auxiliary Board members, and the > in the teaching work. On Saipan, substantial Knight ofBaha'u'llah for Samoa, Mrs. Lilian > enrolments took place among the Carolin- Ala'i, were present. "We marvel at the > ians and Trukese, largely as a result of power of the Holy Spirit which has instantly > gatherings at the National Centre where created a Pacific family in an intimate atmo- > Trukese believers shared the Faith and cele- sphere of joy, empathy and genuine love," > brated their cultural traditions with their participants reported. "The Pacific Ocean > relatives. will be set ablaze, turning the 'water hemi- > In Tuvalu, all the teaching in the outer sphere ' into an ocean of light that will > islands during the Plan was carried out by illuminate the earth with Baha'u ' llah 's > local believers. Revelation." > Near the end of the Six Year Plan, the This preparatory meeting motivated a > initiative demonstrated by Australasia's group of four Samoan women, headed by > indigenous peoples rose to an entirely new Her Highness Tosi Malietoa, to visit the > level with the inauguration of the Ocean of Cook Islands for one week. It marked one > Light teaching campaign. Inspired by the of the first times a group of women from > Trail of Light project in the Americas, this Samoa had travelled overseas to teach the > campaign in the Pacific sought to support Faith. The women visited the President of > the efforts of indigenous Baha 'is to express the House of Ariki and Pa Ariki, and the > the Faith within the context of their own Queen's Representative and his wife. They > > In response to the call > for travelling teachers > to arise during the > Ocean of light project > four Baha 'i women > ji'Oln Samoa travelled > to the Cook Islands in > September 1991. A > welcoming fri end fi'om > the Cook Islands is > second fiwn right. > 330 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Mr. Peter Kaltoli > (centre) , the first > local believer in > Vanuatu, shown > with members of the > Continental Board of > Couns ellors Bruce > Saunders (right) and > Sirus Naraqi; 199 l. > > were given a Polynesian-sty!~ official wel- very quiet and stood at the back, but when it > come by one of the local Queens, and they was his tum to speak, it was as though a > travelled to the island of Mangaia, which light bulb had been turned on inside him. He > never before had been visited by royalty. seemed to radiate from his love for > During this visit to the Cook Islands, Tosi Bah::i 'u' llah. > Malietoa was interviewed by radio, televi- A traditional Maori welcome began a > sion, and newspaper reporters. To each of meeting held in New Zealand in January > these she explained that the main purpose of 1992 to examine the role of the Maori and > her journey was to promote peace and unity Pacific Island believers in the Ocean of Light > among mankind. campaign. Organized by the National Spiri- > The Baha'is of Efate Rural, Vanuatu, tual Assembly of New Zealand, the gathering > exemplified the initiative being taken by was attended by 600 people, including Counindigenous believers when they organized a sellor member of the International Teaching > teaching project to celebrate the Anniversary Centre Joy Stevenson, the Australasian Counof the Birth of Bah::i'u'llah in 1991. Two sellors, and Auxiliary Board members. Talks > groups of about twelve Bah::i'is each walked were interspersed with singing and dancing > from the picnic site where the community by Maori, Tongan, and Samoan friends, and > was commemorating the Holy Day to neigh- participants reported that "awareness of spebouring groups of houses to share the Faith. cial forces set in motion by the Ocean of > "Today is a Baha'i Holy Day," one of the Light campaign was heightened". > friends would begin, and after a brief expla- Just before the close of the Six Year Plan, > nation of the Faith, the teacher would say, the spirit of the Ocean of Light project > "In honour of the occasion we would like to touched the community of Vanuatu in a siggive you a gift". Then the listeners would be nificant way. The events of March 1992 > presented with copies of The Promise of dramatically demonstrated how hearts were > World Peace in either Bislama or English, as opened when Pacific Island Bah::i'is prethe recipient preferred. sented the Faith to their peers in a traditional > Baha'i men, women, youth, and children manner. > all participated in this activity, and all of the As part of the campaign, Counsellor > adults and youth took turns giving the talks. Afemata Moli Chang of Samoa, a traditional > If a male spoke, then a female presented the High Chief, re-enacted the landing of his > Peace Message, and vice versa. There was ancestors at Port Resolution, this time bringone youth who, according to the report, was ing the Message of Bah::i'u'llah. Samoans > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 331 > had brought Christianfty to Vanuatu in the Cause their own and arising to serve in their > 1800s. own unique ways crowned the achievements > The people on the island of Tanna had of Australasian communities during the Six > been eagerly awaiting a special message, Year Plan. > believing that 1992 would be significant for > them. They happily greeted Mr. Chang, who Activities Among the Chinese > wore his traditional dress as a High Chief of The friends of Australasia also reached out > Samoa. to the Chinese population in their midst. The > One of Tanna's most respected chiefs, Baha'is of Hawaii reported that their efforts > Chief Fangota, honoured Mr. Chang by to share the Faith with the Chinese popula- . > presenting him with a kava root, a highly tion of the islands resulted in much greater > valued cultural symbol. He said, "I give you diversity at Baha'i-sponsored events. "By > the key of my life'', a statement which, the end of the Six Year Plan it was not > according to custom, means that he and his uncommon to witness public events at the > people will follow the teachings given to Baha'i National Centre filled to capacity > them. with Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, African- > Another chief told of a dream he had of Americans, Tongans, Hawaiians, Caucasians, > a person coming to his village bearing aloft Fijians, Persians ... ". > a bright light. This happened a few days The National Spiritual Assembly of the > before Mr. Chang arrived on Tanna. He later Hawaiian Islands presented more than 100 > had a dream of two horses racing towards Chinese community leaders with the Peace > him. He put out his arms and was able to Message during the first year of the Plan and > stop one of them. On Tanna, horses repre- regularly distributed fifty copies of the > sent courage and power: the fact that he Chinese edition of One Country. When the > could stop a horse confirmed to him that the International Society for Chinese Philosophy > light that he saw in the first dream had the brought 200 scholars together in July 1989 > power and that he must now join the Faith. in Hilo, a Baha'i presented a paper on the > By the time of National Conventions at evolution of Chinese and Western philoso- > Ri~van 1992, several countries had been phies toward a universal philosophy for > touched, inspired, and challenged by the world peace and unity. The Baha'is were > Ocean of Light and mentioned its influence granted permission to have a book and pamin their convention messages. This shining phlet display during the conference, and > example of indigenous peoples making the conference officials requested sufficient > > Counsellor member of > the International > Teaching Centre > Donald Rogers > (back row fourth jiáom > right) visiting Bahri 'is > in Perth, Western > Australia, in 1990. > 332 TI-IE BAHA'I WORLD > > copies of the Peace Statement to give to each Student Association at Waikato University. > participant upon registration. Most of the Chinese people had never been > The Local Spiritual Assembly of South in a Maori meeting hall before so their pri- > Hilo established an annual Gordon Tong mary goal was to learn more about Maori > A ward, named after a believer of Chinese culture and to teach people about Chinese > descent from Hawaii who was killed while culture. Additionally, there was extensive > serving the Cause. That Assembly also spon- discussion of the Baha'i Faith and its > sored welcoming parties for Chinese students principles. > entering the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Weekly firesides, Sunday afternoon talks, > In 1992, interaction between the National and English classes held at the Cabramatta > Assembly of Hawaii and the Worldwide Farm- Centre in New South Wales, Australia, > ers Association resulted in co-sponsorship of attracted many Asian visitors to the warm > a China Peace and Friendship Tour. Parti- atmosphere, with regular announcements of > cipants constituted the first large group of activities made on the radio. Baha'i study > Baha'is to visit China under co-sponsorship courses presented in Chinese were held sevofa Baha 'i community. eral times at the Yerrinbool Baha' i School. > In Australia, several cultural evenings pro- Articles and advertisements about the > vided forums for Chinese artists and speakers Faith appeared in the Chinese Herald, Austo share their traditions with Baha'is and the tralia's Chinese weekly newspaper with a > general public and to learn about Australian circulation of 9 ,000 in all the major cities of > culture. Distinguished Chinese scientists, the country. > physicians, academics, and students attended > such an event organized by the Baha'is of Peace Activities > Sydney in April 1987. The evening, titled Foilowing the release of The Promise of World > "Dragon Night", included music, demonstra- Peace in October 1985, Baha' is around > tions of classical painting, and screenings of the world increased their involvement with > cultural films. organizations and events promoting peace, > In 1988, a multicultural evening in Aus- sharing the message of the Universal House > tralia attracted more than 500 people, 300 of of Justice as widely as possible. Thus when > whom were Asian guests from China, India, the Six Year Plan began, in the middle of the > Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, International Year of Peace (IYP), Baha'i > Vietnam, and Thailand. Highlights of the activity in this area was in full swing. A > evening included an address by the Deputy- number of significant and well-attended > Chairman of the Ethnic Affairs Commission events took place in Australasia. > for New South Wales, musical presenta- Numerous peace expositions, festivals , > tions, demonstrations of classical Chinese and fairs met with stunning success in Auspainting and cultural dances, and an expla- tralia . More than 4,000 people attended a > nation of the geographic significance of "Festival of Peace" organized by the Local > Australia with translations in Mandarin. Spiritual Assembly of Fremantle, Western > In New Zealand, an unusual cross-cul- Australia, in September 1986. The two-day > tural event allowed Chinese and Maori event included forty stalls, twenty-two > people to learn about each other's customs. workshops, live entertainment, a programme > More than 100 Chinese people met with for children, an art exhibit, and a film festi- > Baha'is in a traditional Maori gathering val. In August 1988, a second peace festival > organized by the Local Spiritual Assembly took place in Wes tern Australia, this time > of Hamilton in consultation with the commemorating the 25th anniversary of > Waikato Chinese Association, the Chinese Martin Luther King, Jr. 's famous "I have a > Heritage Society, and the International dream" speech, delivered in Washington, > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 333 > D.C. All the exhibitors, entertainers, and "Peace Messenger", one of only 300 organispeakers who participated in "Celebration of zations worldwide to be so named. > a Dream" were presented with copies of the Significant peace-related activities took > Peace Statement. A report on the event, place all around the Pacific. The Balla 'is > which was attended by 4,500 people, said: of Fiji made major contributions to Peace > "The unity and devotion of the Wes tern Week in November 1988, held to mark the > Australia Baha'i community ... has demon- 20th anniversary of the National Council > strated in undeniable terms the power of the of Women in Fiji. The Baha'i National > Baha'i message and this has been clearly Women's Committee organized a devotional > recog- nised in the comments from non- programme, which was highly praised, and > Baha 'is praising the spirit and organization the believers participated in a peace march, > of the Festival and noting the diversity of carrying a banner which displayed a quotathe Baha'i community." tion from the Writings of Baha'u'llah. An > Also in Australia, a Peace Garden was article submitted by the Baha'i National > dedicated in Toowoomba in 1987. The gar- Council of Women on the contributions of > den is circular to symbolize the gathering of women to peace was published in the Fiji > the races, nations, classes, and religions, and Times, and a group of Baha'i youth perhas nine pathways leading to the centre. formed a musical drama before an audience > The Balla' is were recognized for their of 900 people. > efforts by the Australian Government. In In Papua New Guinea, 1,000 people > 1986, the Foreign Affairs Department of the attended a highly successful peace festival > International Year of Peace Secretariat asked held in Lae in July and August 1986. The > the Baha 'i community ofTasmania to deliver festival was opened by the Vice-Chancellor > peace kits to all the schools in the State. of the University of Technology and attended > Direct praise of the efforts made by Baha'is by the Premier of the Province. Panellists > came from Mrs. Stella Cornelius, Director of representing many professions and several > the International Year of Peace for the religions led seven seminars on peace. An > Government. She wrote: "The Baha'i partic- opening concert was attended by 700 people. > ipation in the International Year of Peace A peace exposition initiated by the > has been inspirational. I know this to be true National Assembly of Papua New Guinea > both nationally and internationally. Baha'i garnered the enthusiastic support of Port > expos itions in 1986 have brought together Moresby Baha'is and prominent community > dozens of seemingly diverse themes, and members. Held at the end of August 1986, > thousands of seemingly diverse people .... the exposition attracted 2,000 visitors. A > All over Australia, I have noticed with joy- high point of the event was a peace forum > ous acknowledgement, how members of the attended by 250 university students, profes- > Baha'i Faith have made themselves part of sors, and government officials. Counsellor > other IYP programmes. With impeccable Tinai Hancock presented a Baha'i perspecobjectivity they have brought reconciliation tive, and eight other distinguished speakersto factions in the cause of peace-building. including the Governor-General of the country > The history of the year must include how -delivered talks. > much we owe to the Baha'is .... To all the In the latter months of 1986, several more > participants I say: 'Your work for IYP will major peace-related activities took place > go far beyond the confines of this year. It is in Papua New Guinea. On 2 September, > a blessing for all times. '" the Baha'is of Port Moresby presented The > In 1987, the United Nations Secretary- Promise of World Peace to the Central > General designated the National Spiritual Provincial General Assembly and the Gov- > Assembly of the Baha' is of Australia as a ernment of the Central Province. The > 334 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In the Marshall > Islands, President > Amata Kabua (second > from left), and First > Lady Ernaline Kabua > (secondfiáom right), > join Bah dinner to commemorate the International > Year of Peace; > 24 October 1980. > > The Baha'i float > entered in the > parade held in Apia, > Western Samoa on > 3 June 1987 to > celebrate the 25th > Anniversary of the > Independence of > Western Samoa. The > Baha'i float won > third place in the > competition. > > Bah float they created to > help celebrate the 10th > anniversary of the > independence of the > Solomon Islands. > About 20,000 spectators saw it in a parade > held in July 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 335 > Deputy Premier requested the presentation American-stopped to speak in schools, > after he had received the Peace Statement in before community organizations, and on > a private presentation the day before. radio and television, always emphasizing the > On 24 October, the Baha'is ofLae hosted oneness of mankind. The ship's captain was > seventy people, including leaders of the quoted in the Samoa News of 7 August as > Government, the University of Technology, saying, "Once this is universally recognized, > and the community, at a peace luncheon to humanity will then be able to develop a sysobserve United Nations Day. At the same tem that is fair for everyone". > time, the Baha'is of Goroka began a threeday celebration of the International Year of Prominent People > Peace which included the dedication of a Courtesy calls paid to government officials, > Peace Park and an inter-faith prayer meeting public events organized to commemorate > in the new park. special days, and awards banquets honouring > In Hawaii, a Baha' i float with a world outstanding community service provided some > peace theme won the first place Mayor's of the opportunities for prominent people in > Award, non-commercial category, in the Australasia to become better acquainted > annual Aloha Week parade in 1986. Multi- with the Faith. > coloured flowers displayed the earth with The Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook > two doves, and floral flags of many nations Islands received the Peace Statement in > encircled the float. Parade observers and October 1990 during a courtesy call paid by > television audiences equalled approximately Mrs. Violette Haake. It was reported that > half a million people. he was most appreciative and stated that he > To celebrate World Peace Day in Hawaii was very happy with the Baha' is of the Cook > in 1986, the Baha'is took part in a Candle- Islands and their loyalty to the Government. > light Peace Walk and released more than When Counsellor Haake returned to the > 11,000 copies of The Promise of World islands in April 1991 , she met with the > Peace through publication as a local news- Prime Minister, the Queen's Representative, > paper insert. On the same day in Honolulu, and a number of other prominent people. > the Local Assembly achieved publication of An Aux iliary Board member wrote in a > the Peace Statement in the combined Sunday report about Mrs. Haake's visit that a noticeedition of the Advertiser Star-Bulletin with able change had occurred in the attitudes of > an approximate circulation of 300,000. leaders toward the Baha'i Faith. "Every dig- > Other peace-related events sponsored by nitary visited by the Counsellor was aware > Baha' is included: a Peace Symposium held of the Baha'i teachings and knew some of > on Guam which exposed the community "to the Baha'is," Auxiliary Board member > the public as never before"; an inter-religious Teata Makirere wrote. On the Twelfth Day > observance of the 40th anniversary of the of Ri<;lvan, the Queen's Representative, his > UN Declaration of Human Rights at which wife and an attendant, the Speaker of the > the Governor of Guam gave the primary Parliament, the Minister of Health and his > address; and a national peace conference in wife, the Ombudsman, and the former Prime > the Marshall Islands, co-sponsored with the Minister, Sir Thomas Davis, attended a Unity > Peace Corps, called "What is the meaning of Feast. The Speaker of the Parliament comworld peace to me?" mented during the evening that "I can feel > As these events were occurring, a group from your prayers, readings, and the talk by > of eight young Baha'is was sailing the the Counsellor that your thinking and my > Pacific in the Iron Butterfly to promote own thinking are the same". > world peace. The youth-two Tongans, four Toward the end of the Six Year Plan, Sir > New Zealanders, one Iranian, and one Thomas Davis, who had visited the Baha'i > 336 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > World Centre and consulted with the Uni- Amata Kabua-were welcomed to that State > versal House of Justice in August 1986 (see with flowers or fruit baskets sent on behalf > pp. 152-153), referred to "the new world of the Hawaiian Baha'i conununity. > order perceived by Baha'u'llah" in a paper Earlier in the Plan, in September 1986, a > written as his contribution to the Pacific delegation of seven members of the National > Islands States and World Peace Project. Spiritual Assembly of Samoa met with the > In August 1990, all thirty-one members Prime Minister of Western Samoa, His > of the Constitutional Convention of the Fed- Excellency Afioga Vaai Kolone. The delegaerated States of Micronesia were presented tion presented the Peace Message and called > with copies of The Promise of World Peace attention to the persecution of the Baha'is > by members of the National Assembly of the in Iran, spoke of the principle of loyalty to > Eastern Caroline Islands. The presentation government, and assured the Prime Minister > was made during a brief recess in a conven- of the Assembly's willingness to sponsor a > tion session, called by the President who special service in the House of Worship in > announced the purpose of the pause. Three honour of the 25th anniversary of Western > Baha'is came forward bearing copies of Samoa's independence, inviting representathe Peace Statement, each gift-wrapped, tives of all religions and strata of society to > personally addressed to a delegate, and participate. > accompanied by a letter from the National In the Western Caroline Islands, the Pres- > Assembly. The Constitutional Convention is ident of the Republic of Palau, seven > held every ten years to review and make members of his cabinet, and the Attorneyamendments to the country 's constitution, General all received copies of the Peace > with the delegates representing the highest Message in 1991. The National Spiritual > ranks of elected officials of the nation-state Assembly of New Caledonia and the Loyalty > governors, senators, and congressmen. Islands met with one of the Melanesian High > Welcome gifts were presented by the Chiefs from the South Province of New > National Spiritual Assembly of the Eastern Caledonia after he had received the Peace > Caroline Islands to members of the South Message. In French Polynesia, tribunal > Pacific Forum during its meeting in Ponape presidents, mayors, military personnel, and > in 1991. Dignitaries visiting Hawaii-includ- members of the Senate received The Promise > ing United States President George Bush, of World Peace during a 42-day intensive > former presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy campaign conducted by a team of local > Carter, and Marshall Islands President believers in November and December 1991. > > Photo of the National > Spiritual Assembly of > the Baha 'is of the > Eastern Caroline > Islands taken in 1987. > That Assembly presented copies of the > Peace Message to > participants in the > i.l South Pacific Forum > in 1990. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 337 > The Baha'i Faith became quite well- university professors, doctors, lawyers, media > known among prominent people in Hawaii, people, United Nations personnel, ethnic > as evidenced by the invitations the Baha'i council leaders, and consul-generals from > community received to be represented at overseas legations attended. The programme > important gatherings. In December 1988, featured musical performances, the reading > the Director of the Baha'i Office of External of a passage from Baha'u'llah 's Writings, > Affairs was among the 200 delegates and and a ten-minute talk. All guests were given > observers invited to consult on Hawaii 's a copy of The Promise of World Peace and a > future role in the Pacific at the "Governor's red rose as they left. > Congress on Hawaii's International Role", The Baha'is of the Hawaiian Islands celeconvened by Governor John Waihee. brated Naw-Ruz 1990 with an International > Baha'is were appointed to the Governor's Literacy Year Banquet which included the > Commission on the Status of Women, the presence of fifty special guests. The Gover- > Governor's Task Force on AIDS, and the nor of the State of Hawaii, a State Senator, a > Permanent Commission for the Commemo- State Representative, the managing director > ration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week. of a television station, and the head of the > Two members of the National Assembly University of Hawaii Institute for Peace were > were the only representatives of a religion among those attending. > among sixty-two environmental groups to be A special dinner in honour oflnternational > invited to participate in the Governor' s state- Year of Peace was hosted by the National > wide Earth Day planning session. Assembly of the Marshall Islands in 1986. > The Governor of Hawaii invited the President Amata Kabua, cabinet members, > director of the United States Commission on and other high officials were present. A sim- > Civil Rights in Hawaii and the head of the ilar occasion for local and traditional leaders > state's Affirmative Action programme to was held on the island of Milli. > attend a presentation by the Baha'is of the President Kabua visited the Baha'i World > statement, The Vision of Race Unity. Centre during his trip to Israel in June 1990 > In Tonga, 200 copies of Complete Obe- (see also p. 129 and p. 153). In January 1992, > dience to Government were published and the National Assembly of the Marshall > distributed to government leaders to famil- Islands worked with the Continental Board > iarize them with the Baha'i teachings on this of Counsellors for Australasia to host a > subject. The National Assembly of Tuvalu reception for the President, members of the > reported that Baha'is were well represented cabinet, foreign ambassadors, and the Presiin non-governmental agencies and at gov- dent of the Chamber of Commerce. > ernment functions during the Plan. When the Baha'is of Australia held a spe- > Baha'is created opportunities to meet cial service at the House of Worship in 1986 > community leaders by organizing public cel- to commemorate United Nations Day and > ebrations of Naw-Ruz and by sponsoring celebrate the International Year of Peace, > special gatherings to commemorate events the Governor-General made an official visit > related to the teachings of the Faith. and read one of the selections for the pro- > One celebration ofNaw-Ruz in Auckland, gramme. It appears to mark the first time a > New Zealand, in 1991 became an occasion Head of State participated in a service at a > for sharing the Faith with community lead- Baha'i House of Worship. > ers. The Local Spiritual Assembly invited Through the Human Rights and Minoriabout 140 guests to join 100 Baha'is for a ties Portfolio of the Office of External > special dinner at one of the city's leading Affairs in Hawaii, the National Assembly > hotels. Many of Auckland's city councillors, hosted at the National Centre numerous digdistrict court judges, high school principals, nitaries concerned with racial unity. Among > 338 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > those visiting the Centre were the founder Women > of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), the In a letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies > president of the Hawaiian chapter of the dated 23 January 1985, encouraging the > NAACP (National Association for the Ad- Baha' is to plan for the International Year of > vancement of Colored People), and the Peace, 1986, the Universal House of Justice > publishers of the Afro-Hawaii News. wrote: "Calling upon local and national > In Hawaii, numerous prominent people Baha'i communities to sponsor a wide range > were introduced to the Faith when they of activities which will engage the attention > attended awards banquets sponsored by the of people from all walks of life to various > Baha 'is. The Agnes Baldwin Alexander Award topics relevant to peace, such as: the role of > for Service to Humanity was bestowed bi- women .. ." This challenge was taken up by > annually, honouring individuals such as a the Baha'is of Australasia. > chairman of several organizations in Hono- Throughout the International Year of > lulu devoted to self-help housing projects, Peace, the Baha'is of Hawaii organized conand the head of the University of Hawaii ferences on "The Role of Women in Peace". > Institute for Peace. Presentation of the During the following two years, "Especially > Award in December 1986 was carried out in for Women" conferences were held on each > conjunction with the presentation of a spe- of the major islands. A Pacific women's > cial International Year of Peace Award to conference called "Empowering Women to > United States Senator Spark Matsunaga. Achieve" was co-sponsored by the National > Baha' is also worked to create links with Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii, the Local > fellow professionals and religious leaders. In Spiritual Assembly of South Hilo, the Hilo > New Zealand, a series of symposia called College Club and the University of Hawaii > the Auckland Forum included speakers from at Hilo in the final year of the Plan. More > a variety of backgrounds. In Australia, the than seventy people representing seventeen > Baha'i Business and Professional Associa- countries participated in activities designed > tion held regular functions with speakers to help women develop leadership skills. > on business-related topics. The Baha'is of The Baha'is of Papua New Guinea orga- > Hawaii sent representatives to professional nized a number of women's conferences and > gatherings such as the State Conference on weekend institutes, and sessions on equality > Global Education in 1988- 1989, the Pacific were incorporated into youth conferences. > Rim Lawyers Conference, and the Pacific One national conference, co-sponsored by > Educational Conference. A Baha'i also par- the Baha' i community and the Morobe > ticipated in the Asia Pacific Dialog. Women's Association in July 1989, received > At a special "Prayers for Peace" gathering significant attention from the media when > in Hawaii in 1991 honouring visiting Pope several prominent people attended. Among > Shenouda III, head of the Coptic Christian the participants were the President of the > Church, Baha'i prayers were chanted and the National Council of Women, the President > Peace Message was presented to the Pope. of the Morobe Women's Association, the > Also in Hawaii, Bishop Joseph Ferrario Regional Member for Morobe Province in > received the pamphlet "What is the Baha'i the National Parliament, and the wife of the > Faith?" (see pp. 242-244 for the full text of Prime Minister. > the pamphlet) and then requested 250 copies To meet one of the goals of the Six Year > to be distributed among his church's leaders. Plan, the National Assembly organized a > More than 200 professionals attended a talk regional women's conference which was > by a Baha'i at a seminar held during the held at Moreguina Station, Cape Rodney, in > International Conference of the Council of September 1991. Attended by over 200 peo- > Churches in Canberra, Australia. ple from four provinces, the conference gave > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 339 > many participants their first opportunity to A series of women's conferences was > stand up and address a large gathering. A also organized in the Solomon Islands by the > highlight of the event was the performance National Women's Committee, and women's > of a drama portraying the life of Tahirih conferences took place every few months at > which was written and produced by the Port the beginning of the Plan in Tonga. Baha'i > Moresby Baha'i Women's Literacy Group. consultation was the topic of one conference > Reports from a number of conferences in for sixty women in Tonga, held in October > Papua New Guinea mentioned that contrary 1986; the topic was new to the women of > to traditional custom, the men took care of Ma' ufanga, who responded with enthusiasm. > the cooking, washing, water-fetching, and One particularly successful women's conchild-minding during the gatherings, thereby ference in New Caledonia and the Loyalty > leaving the women free to focus on the dis- Islands highlighted the lives of Tahirih and > cussions. In some remote villages, this was Bahiyyih Khanum as models for present-day > considered a major achievement. Non-Baha'i women. > visitors were impressed by witnessing such Baha'is served as representatives to variexamples of principle in practice. ous women's organizations, sharing their > In New Zealand, more than 100 "hand- viewpoints and contributing to the work > maidens of all ages" met in the heart of the already under way to raise the status of > tribal area of Ngati Tuwharetoa in February women. A major breakthrough for Baha'i > 1987, for the first women's hui (traditional women in the Pacific took place when, after > gathering) . Members of the National Spiritual years of involvement between the Baha'i > Assembly, members of the National Teach- International Community and the South > ing Committee, and irnmigrant women from Pacific Commission, the Commission invited > the Pacific Islands sang, prayed, laughed, Baha'i women from around the Pacific, as > and confronted difficult issues together. members of a non-governmental organiza- > Participants in another women's hui, held tion, to attend a Regional Women's Affairs > in May 1991 at the Tutanekai Marae in meeting in Fiji in September 1988. The > Rotorua, reported the following: "We South Pacific Commission is made up of > addressed, with courage, conviction and twenty-seven member nations from the > audacity, the diverse, frightening, challenging Pacific region, as well as France, the United > and thrilling matters affecting us, our homes, Kingdom, and the United States. > our families, our work, our intellect and our Two members of the Continental Board > souls .... The result is that we leave here with of Counsellors in Australasia and thirtyour vision clear, our purpose unshaken, our six Baha'i women from nineteen Pacific > zeal undiminished, our hopes undinm1ed. countries attended the conference, which was > We know we are destined to achieve great organized to assist Pacific women policythings for our beloved Cause". makers and trainers to review the programmes > Baha'is were among those who helped for women. Recommendations from the > organize the first International Indigenous conference to the South Pacific Commission > Women's Conference, called "Finding Com- reflected a weighty contribution from Baha'i > mon Ground". Held in Australia in July pa1ticipants. > 1989, and funded by UNESCO, the confer- The Commission also invited three > ence was attended by more than 1,000 Baha'i women to serve as resource people > women. The gathering began with a two-day on a panel discussion addressing health and > celebration of the arts of indigenous peoples. education, economic planning, and rural > Topics discussed during the conference development, in relation to women. > included women and racism, education, and Following the gathering, the Baha'i pardomestic violence. ticipants met for three days to discuss the > 340 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Two members of the > Continental Board > of Counsellors, > representatives of the > Baha 'i International > Community, and > Baha 'i women from > 19 Pacific countries > 1 attend a meeting > sponsored by the South > Pacific Commission > and held in Fiji in > September I 988. > > relationship between the conference and the a music festival, at which a well-known > Six Year Plan, particularly in regard to pro- band performed songs about peace, women, > motion of equality in the Baba' i community. and a safe and happy home. When four > When the six delegates from the Mariana judges presided over a competition among > Islands returned home, the Baba 'i Public thirteen groups for best songs and perfor- > Affairs Committee sponsored a post-confer- mances, the winning group was the Baha'i > ence forum at the Hilton Hotel on Guam. Dawnbreakers from New Ireland. Baha'is > The delegates, all featured speakers at the also set up a bookshop for the event and > conference, shared experiences and impres- handed out flyers with songs, prayers, and > sions of the conference, as well as their Baha'i Writings. > recommendations for the next Women's In Port Moresby, two Baha 'is were invited > Affairs Conference. to participate in planning the Women 's Day > Other recognition of Baha'i work on events, and one of them was chosen to be > women's issues came in New Zealand when Mistress of Ceremonies. The Baha'is took > the Baha'i Women's Committee was invited part in all the activities-reading Baha'i > to become affiliated with the National Coun- prayers, serving as judges for several events, > cil of Women. The speaker who proposed presenting a short drama, performing tradithe admission during the Council's annual tional dancing, and singing in a choir. Baba ' i > conference in September 1986 spoke appre- books, posters, and pamphlets were on disciatively of her branch' s good relationship play at a stand. "The word 'Baha'i' seemed > with the Baha'i community. The vote of to be on everybody's lips through the day", > acceptance was unanimous . one participant said. > In Papua New Guinea, Baha'is achieved In 1986, the National Women's Council > representation on the National Council of of Vanuatu asked two Baha'i women to help > Women in 1989, fu lfilling one of their goals set up a non-political, non-denominational > for the Six Year Plan. At the time of this women 's committee for the Port Vila municachievement, the Baha'is were already col- ipal area. The two women were subsequently > laborating with other women's organizations elected President and Vice-President of a > of East New Britain to prepare for celebra- committee of twelve. Eventually, a place was > tions of National Women's Day. reserved for a Baha'i representative. Two > In the town of Rabaul, Papua New Baha'i women also served for several years > Guinea, Women's Day was celebrated with on the National Women's Council. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHki ACTIVITIES 341 > Baha'i women of the Solomon Islands As efforts were made by Baha'is all over > contributed to Women's Week in 1988, Australasia to raise awareness of women's > which was sponsored by the Honiara Council potential and seek ways to remove barriers > of Women. Baha'is marched in a parade; a standing in the way of women's progress, > Baha' i prayer was chosen as the first prayer signs emerged of greater participation by > for the official opening following the march; Baha'i women in the areas of teaching and > and the President of the Honiara Council- a the administration of the Cause. > Baha'i and the only female lawyer in the At the 1990 National Convention of Kiri- > Solomon Islands-was chosen to deliver an bati, two indigenous women were elected to > address . the National Spiritual Assembly, for the first > For National Women 's Day in Samoa in time in the history of Kiribati. In 1991, a > 1990, the Baha' is created a float in the shape Gilbertese woman was elected as chairman > of a bird completely covered with fresh of the Assembly. In relation to this occurflowers and a sign that read "Equality of rence, Counsellor Ben Ayala said, "When I > Men and Women". The Baha'i women was assigned to work in Kiribati over five > walking in the parade with the float sang, years ago, the women were subdued-they > "With two wings, we will fly ... " kept quiet. Gradually, with the constant > The Baha'i Women's Committee of Fiji encouragement of the Auxiliary Board > was represented at a national "Women in members, they came out of their shells and > Development" conference held in July 1986. began to speak up . At the Convention all > A Baha'i stall displayed pamphlets and women delegates very actively participated > handicrafts. In July 1991 , the Baha' is of in the consultation." > Australia were represented at the "Recogni- In 1989, the Baha' i women of the island > tion for Women in Australia" seminar hosted of Yap in the Western Caroline Islands were > by the House of Representatives Standing reported to be holding regular weekly meetings > Committee on Legal and Constitutional at the Baha'i Centre in Colonia. Invitations > Affairs, Office of the Status of Women and to the public to join these gatherings were > the Department of the Prime Minister and being broadcast over radio repeatedly on > Cabinet. Monday and Tuesday mornings. Eleven > In March 1989, United Nations ' Interna- women from American, Palauan, Ulithian, > tional Women's Day was celebrated in and Yapese backgrounds attended the first > Australia with a special service at the Baha 'i meeting and discussed the role of women in > House of Worship in Sydney. Eminent working for peace in the family, the village, > community leaders were among the readers and the world. > at the service, including the President and The National Spiritual Assembly of the > Vice President of the Women's International Marshall Islands reported that an "increase > League for Peace and Freedom. of women's participation in the teaching > In 1989, the Baha'i women of Guam work is witnessed in all Baha'i communities > formed a Baha 'i Women' s Association- a throughout the Marshalls". > step towards achieving some of their goals for A report from the Continental Board of > the Six Year Plan. The purpose of the Asso- Counsellors in November 1988 relayed news > ciation was defined as "promotion of the role of the active involvement of Papua New > of women in working for peace in the family, Guinea women in the administrative chanthe community, and the world through edu- nels of the Faith, with the proportion of > cation, spiritual enrichment, investigation of women on national and regional committees > the true significance of the equality of men close to fifty per cent. The report also noted > and women, and through appropriate philan- the full support for women's initiatives being > thropic and social service activities". demonstrated by men. > 342 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In Tonga, the > Baha'i kindergarten > Kolofo'ou Nuku'alofa > is located in the > National Bahd 'i > Centre and is run > by the National > Children 's Committee. > Only four of the > twenty-one students > of this Englishlanguage school are > Baha 'is; 1990. > > Education of Children The project began in August 1991, and by > We prescribe unto all men that which will the end of the Plan, at least seven Baha'i > lead to the exaltation of the Word of God preschools were being operated by local > amongst His servants, and likewise, to the communities, with demand for more conadvancement of the world of being and tinuing to grow. Integral to the programme > the uplift of souls. To this end, the great- was the involvement of mothers. > est means is education of the child. To Progress was made around Australasia > this must each and all hold fast. 2 in the area of developing curricula for chil- > One of the most outstanding achieve- dren's classes. The National Child Education > ments in the area of Baha'i education in Committee in Hawaii created a standard cur- > Australasia came when in 1988 the Depart- riculum for Baha'i education and sent teams > ment of Education in New South Wales, to meet with Local Assemblies and present > Australia, granted permission for Baha'i model classes. In Samoa, a children's curricreligious instruction to take place in state ulum was developed, translated into various > schools. Classes in primary schools in New vernaculars, and distributed to all Local > South Wales grew to such an extent that Assemblies holding classes. Systematic lesparents asked for classes to continue in the son plans were also developed in Fiji. > high schools. Later, the State Department In Papua New Guinea, the Child Educaof Education of Queensland invited a Baha'i tion Committee prepared a curriculum for > representative to be present at meetings of primary classes. A resource centre for child > the Curriculum Development Committee, education material and teacher training operand the State Religious Education Advisory ated in the town of Goroka. In the Marshall > Committee voted to offer membership to the Islands, a manual written in Marshallese was > Baha'i Faith. distributed to all Local Assemblies holding > In Kiribati, a preschool project initiated classes. New materials for children's classes > by a small group oflocal women and coordi- were developed in Australia, including five > n.ated by the National Child Education textbooks and audiotapes of songs and > Committee gained recognition from national stories. > and international organizations, such as the Regular children's classes were held in > University of the South Pacific and UNICEF. virtually all Local Spiritual Assembly areas > in New Zealand, the Marshall Islands, and > Baha'u'llah, fro m a Tablet translated from the Per- Tuvalu. Regular activities for junior youth, > s ian, in Bahn 'i Education, p. 3. such as special camps, were organized in > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAI-IA'i ACTIVITIES 343 > Australia and Hawaii, and an institute for Several musical performances drew quite > pre-youth to study the Peace Statement was large audiences. "Peace Child'', a musical > established in New Caledonia. drama produced in Hawaii by the National > Spiritual Assembly's International Year of > Performing Arts Peace Committee, had an average of 900 > Music, dance, and drama acted as powerful people at each of three performances, in > links between the various cultures of Aus- addition to a special presentation for more > tralasia and the wide range of people waiting than 500 school children. A major television > to hear Baha'u'llah's Message of unity. network also produced a prime-time news > In Samoa in 1987, Baha'is were involved feature on the drama. > extensively in Arts Fiafia, a celebration Also in Hawaii, a musical drama called > honouring both traditional art fo1ms and "On the Road to Montgomery"-written, > modem creative expressions. Baha'is helped produced, and directed by a Baha'i-was > erect and paint displays, performed in the given a major perfo1mance at the War > International Folk Dance Troupe, and dis- Mem01ial Convention Hall for Martin Luther > played original paintings. Interest in artist King Week. > Duffy Sheridan's portrait of 'Abdu' l-Baha About 1,000 people attended a musical > led to a ten-minute television special on the history of New Zealand hosted by the > painter and his art. Baha'is of Lower Hutt in November 1990 > In the Marshall Islands, a number of peo- and held in Wellington's Michael Fowler > ple were introduced to the Faith when they > participated in a multicultural variety show > to celebrate Naw-Ruz in 1991. Music and > dance played important roles in conferences > of Ausháalian Aborigines, and they helped > to attract many people from the sunounding > communities. > Several perfonning groups went on tour, > using their talents to spread the teachings. > The Wildfire Theatre Group from Ausháalia > toured every year of the Plan, offering a programme of music, dance, and comedy on > peace themes. Their performances were seen > all over Australia, in Eastern Europe, and in > parts of Asia. Youth for One World formed > in New Zealand and toured throughout the > country and in Eastern Europe, Australia, > and the Cook Islands. The Storytellers > formed and toured among the Aborigines of > Austráalia. > The Rainbow Dancers, a twenty-person > theatre group composed of Aborigines, > Australians, Chinese, Maoris, Persians, and > Tongans received extensive publicity on > television, radio, and in the press for its per- Posing on a playground in Masterton, New > fo1mances around Australia of ethnic songs Zealand, members of Youth for One World, > and dances . New Caledonia 's music group a group which form ed in 1990 to use music > Tcho Era toured New Zealand. to proclaim the Faith. > 344 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Centre. Called "New Zealand Panorama", where the International Convention of 1988 > the production was an official project for the and several women's conferences during the > celebrations marking the 150th anniversary Plan were reported on television. In the > of New Zealand's founding document. Pro- Eastern Caroline Islands, the text of Th e > ceeds from the show benefited the Child Promise of World Peace was read in English > Cancer Foundation. The Assembly reported six times on Ponape radio. > it was the first time so many non-Baha ' is Baha'i-produced programmes were heard > had gathered in such a prestigious venue and on radio and seen on television. "Practical > heard the principles of the Faith. Peace" was the title of a four-programme > series based on The Promise of World Peace > Mass Media and aired over the National Radio network > Press coverage of Baha'i activities increased of New Zealand. Produced by a Baha ' i for > in a number of Australasian nations. The Radio New Zealand' s Continuing Education > National Assembly of Australia reported Unit, the series was broadcast in September > that media achievements were "remarkable", and October 1986. Also in October 1986, a > with newspaper articles escalating from 45-minute documentary about the making > ninety-five in the second year to 400 in the of the music video "Mona with the Children" > last. More than 1, 100 articles were printed was shown on New Zealand National Teleduring the Plan. Radio programmes in Aus- v1s10n. > tralia increased from seven to a final count In the Western Caroline Islands, after preof 100. At one point the Australian Broad- vious unsuccessful attempts to have Baha' i > casting Commission requested a half hour videos shown on television, permission was > interview with a member of the National granted in August 1988 to show "Mona with > Assembly to discuss basic information about the Children". Subsequently, four additional > the Faith. The number of television pro- Baha' i films were televised. The Baha'i > grammes rose from four in the first year to media staff in Yap reported: "It has been genthirty during the final year. In July 1987, a erally observed that the airing of these videos > seven-minute story on the Faith was broad- has created a ...respect for and acceptance of > cast in prime time. the Baha 'i Faith and the Baha' is in Yap". > To facilitate use of radio, the National In the Cook Islands, a thirty-minute > Assembly of Australia prepared an introduc- musical fireside which aired in September > tory Baha' i radio manual and distributed it 1990 began a series of four locally produced > to all Local Spiritual Assemblies and groups Baha'i television programmes broadcast on > with public stations in their areas. A data- Cook Islands Television. Other educational and > base was also created listing all public informative programmes followed. Weekly > stations accessible to Bah:i'is, and a large radio programmes were aired for several > number of scripts and sample cassettes were months in 1989 in Ponape, Eastern Caroline > dispatched to institutions and individuals. Islands. In the Solomon Islands , the National > In Samoa, the involvement of Baha'is in Assembly was offered a fifteen-minute proany conference was published in local gramme on Radio Solomon beginning in > papers. Radio Vanuatu featured news items August 1988. It marked the first time > and interviews about the Faith on a number Baha' is were given time on this station, > of occasions. Local communities in Hawaii which reached 5,000 villages throughout the > were provided with public inforn1ation kits islands. > on special events and Holy Days to use Radio Baha' i Hawaii, a weekly one-hour > when contacting the media. talk show on the Faith, began in 1990. This > Baha ' i news was also of increasing inter- led to an invitation for the Bah:i'is to join > est to the media of Papua New Guinea, the Olelo Project, a programme to train > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 345 > community organizations in the use of tele- which provided opportunities for new visivision. Baha' i programmes were featured at tors to enjoy the beauty and peace of the > least four times a year on statewide televi- Temple and for Baha' is to meet people from > sion, and a thirty-minute Baha'i programme different community organizations working > on public access cable television was shown toward similar aims. > every Sunday morning. The Governor-General of Australia, Sir > Excerpts from the Writings appeared in Ninian Stephen, and Lady Stephen, attended > the sole local newspaper of New Caledonia a service held in October 1986 in celebration > almost weekly during the whole Plan. For of the International Year of Peace. These > two years, the National Spiritual Assembly special guests were escorted into the House > of the Mariana Islands placed selected Writ- of Worship by the Hand of the Cause of God > ings in the region's major newspaper, Pacific Collis Featherstone. At least 300 of the 850 > Daily News. Toward the end of the Plan, a attending were guests of the Faith, including > Local Assembly in Samoa sponsored daily political and community leaders, media > radio programmes which included prayers representatives, and a high-ranking Tibetan > and readings in the mornings and at midnight. Buddhist monk. A programme for 200 chil- > Hawaii's Office of External Affairs officer dren was simultaneously held in a large tent > was invited to write a monthly column on on the Temple grounds. Afterwards, 1,000 > "Unity in Diversity" for Aji-o-Hawaii News , people were served lunch on the lawns. > in which he regularly quoted from the Baha'i The main service included the perfor- > Writings. mance of a choir which deeply moved the > guests. Following the service, a member of > Houses of Worship Parliament wrote: "I felt that only in heaven > The world of existence may be likened to would I enjoy such peace and beauty." > this temple and place of worship. For just Several special services spoke to the > as the external world is a place where the Asian population of Australia. In October > people of all races and colors, varying 1987, approximately 170 people, forty-five > faiths, denominations and conditions come of whom were of Chinese origin, attended a > together-just as they are submerged in service with readings in various Chinese diathe same sea of divine favours-so like- lects, Vietnamese, Khmer, and English. On > wise, all may meet under the dome of the the Chinese New Year in February 1989, > Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and adore the one more than 350 attended a service conducted > God in the same spirit of truth; for the in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and English. > ages of darkness have passed away, and In June of that year, prayers for China and > the century of light has come. 3 world peace were offered at a service > The Baha'i Houses of Worship in Australia attended by 250 people. > and Samoa continued to serve as meeting- Other special days commemorated by > places where members of the diverse human services in Australia ' s House of Worship > family could worship together in peace. In included World Environment Day and > addition to regular weekly services, a variety United Nations International Women's Day > of special services were devoted to various Eminent cornnmnity leaders were among the > themes, such as the environment, children, 400 people who attended services for Interand peace. national Women 's Day in March 1989. > The House ofWorship in Sydney, Australia, W arid Environment Day was observed > was the site of numerous special services in June 1991 with a completely filled auditorium. > 'Abdu ' I-Baha, The Promulgation a/Universal Peace, National Refugee Week, 18-24 June > pp. 65- 66. 1989, sponsored by the Refugee Council of > 346 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > A special prayer service held at the Baha'i House of Worship in Samoa > during the summer school in January 1987. > > A day -long gathering for Baha 'i families and their friends held at the > Baha 'i House of Worship in Sydney, Australia, in 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF C URRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 347 > > Australia and by Austcare, was marked with attended a special service held to mark the > a service attended by representatives of the culmination of a year of activities in support > Department of Immigration, Local Govern- of International Year of Peace. Among the > ment and Ethnic Affairs; the National 400 people present were the Prime Minister > Refugee Council; Austcare; UNICEF; and and his wife, the Speaker of the House, > the Australian Council of Churches. members of the Parliament, and members of > Annual events at the Australian House of the diplomatic corps representing many races > Worship included United Nations services and religions. Readers for the service > attended by a range of prominent people, included United Nations officials; staff from > and celebrations of United Nations Children's government offices, the University of the > Day. For the latter event, invitations were South Pacific, and the Peace Corps; and > sent to local schools and organizations and individuals from Japan, Tonga, and New > advertisements were placed in local news- Zealand. A programme on peace took place at > papers. At the celebration in 1992, twenty- the ancillary building following the service. > five children read during the programme. His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II was > Children also played major roles in ser- also present for a service in May 1987 comvices at the House of Worship in Samoa. memorating the 25th anniversary of the > Universal Children's Day was celebrated in independence of the state of Western Samoa. > October 1987 with the participation of Scouts, More than 400 people heard a beautiful > Cubs, Rangers, Guides, Brownies, and Path- choir and listened to readings given by a > finders. Altogether, 122 children and youth variety of government officials. After the > were present, and twenty-two readings were service, the ancillary building was filled > presented by children ranging from a four- with guests who witnessed the presentation > year-old Baha'i to a teenage Scout. The cel- of a gift to His Highness: a large portrait of > ebration of this day in 1989 included 200 the Malietoa rendered in oils by a Baha'i > participants and focused on "The Rights of artist, Duffy Sheridan. > the Child". The ancillary building was deco- Samoan Independence Day was comrated with the artistic creations of ninety memorated annually with a special service > Baha'i children who had gathered for a con- in the Temple. > ference just prior to the service. In 1990, following a parade to mark the > When a National Youth Conference called 50th anniversary of the service of His High- > "Youth for Peace" took place in Apia in ness Malietoa Tanumafili II to the people of > October 1986, a special service for youth Wes tern Samoa, guests filled the House of > was held at the Temple. Worship to commemorate the event. > The Temple was honoured several times The Government of Western Samoa > with the presence of Samoan royalty. In issued four new postage stamps of religious > October 1986, His Highness Malietoa buildings in December 1989, one of which > Tanumafili II and members of his family featured the Baha'i House of Worship. > 348 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > ...the breaths of the Holy > Spirit [should} be diffused > to all parts of. .. Europe, that > the call of the Kingdom of > God may exhilarate and > rejoice all the ears, the > divine principles bestow > a new life, the different > parties may become one > party, the divergent ideas > may disappear and revolve > around one unique center .. > - 'Abdu 'l-Baha > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 349 > > E. EUROPE > > THE drama of God's unfolding Plan played Europe ananged meetings to consult on > itself out with special poignancy in Europe common goals and to plan joint teaching > where, for the first time in many decades, projects. Such gatherings were coordinated > the Faith was allowed to be openly spread among the communities of Finland, Norway, > in the countries of the former Eastern Bloc. and Sweden; the Republic of Ireland and > Although Baha'is had continued to live the United Kingdom; and Austria, Denmark, > behind the Iron Curtain during the long France, Germany, the Netherlands, áand > period of prohibitions against religion, and Switzerland. In April 1988, seventy believindividuals had been able to quietly lay the ers from twenty-five localities in Belgium, > foundations for acceptance of the Faith in France, and the United Kingdom met to > these regions over many years, it was not consult on ways the countries could collabountil the period of the Six Year Plan that pio- rate more closely in their Baha'i work. > neers and travelling teachers gained the Representatives of European National Teachfreedom to openly teach about Baha'u'llah. ing Committees met in Paris in January 1990 > One by one, the countries of Eastern Europe to consult on the final phase of the Six Year > and the former Soviet Union lowered the Plan. > baniers that had separated them from the Collaboration and unity among Counsel- > West, and Baha'is responded to this oppor- lors, a National Spiritual Assembly, Auxiliary > tunity. Board members, and teaching committees > Such a challenge stimulated activity in bore sweet fruit in Portici, Italy, where a > Western Europe. Europeans were foremost long-term project led to more than a 100 > among the teachers who answered the call to enrolments in the first year. The initiative > share the Faith with their formerly isolated began in 1989 and quickly galvanized the > neighbours, and the excitement created by community, as enrolments stimulated greater > responding to this urgent need could not enthusiasm for teaching. Counsellors, Auxilhelp but affect the ongoing work in the iary Board members, and the National > West. Particular strides forward were made Teaching Committee organized systematic > in the areas of teaching minorities, gaining deepening and consolidation, immediately > legal recognition of the Faith, and advancing involving new believers in the consultative > Baha 'i scholarship. process and the teaching work. > Yet even close cooperation among the > Teaching institutions of the Faith would not have led > Sharing the Message of Baha'u'llah in to teaching success without the commitment > Europe during the Six Year Plan was charac- of individuals to arise and play their roles. In > terized by increasing collaboration among reporting on the successes of reaching goals > the institutions of the Faith and by renewed of the Six Year Plan, numerous National > individual dedication to winning goals, both Spiritual Assemblies in Europe noted an > of which prepared the believers in Western increased commitment to individual teach- > Europe for the unprecedented challenge of ing, and a trend toward setting and working > responding to the opening of Eastern Europe. toward personal teaching goals . As the > (For a more detailed account of the history National Spiritual Assembly of Iceland, for > of the Faith in Eastern Europe and its example, reported: " ... the friends are stronger > progress up to 1992, see the article on the Baha 'is, more knowledgeable Baha' is, more > Two Year Subsidiary Plan, pp. 196-225.) dedicated Baha'is, and more vigorous, more > From the beginning of the Six Year Plan, eager Baha 'i teachers than at any previous > National Spiritual Assemblies in Western time". > 350 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Some 800 Baha 'is > attend the Great > Eastern Conference > held in Dieburg, > Germany, in March > 1987-shortly before > the opening of countries of the former > Eastern Bloc. > > In March 1987, two significant confer- the Message of Baha'u'llah. The Spiritual > ences bore witness to the important roles Assemblies of Austria, Finland, Germany, > played by both institutions and individuals Italy, and Sweden were each given key > in spreading the Cause. Both conferences responsibilities for directing the teaching > were organized as forums for consultation work in these newly-opened countries. > on the situation in Eastern Europe. The first When the Berlin Wall crumbled in 1989, > gathering, held in Langenhain, Germany, the Baha'is of Germany responded with > comprised representatives of the Continental speed and imagination, distributing thou- > Board of Counsellors in Europe, the Euro- sands of copies of The Promise of World > pean Continental Pioneer Committee, and Peace and sending almost twenty pioneers > the National Spiritual Assemblies involved into East Germany. The National Assembly > in the work in the East. It helped bring about of Germany also organized large-scale > a common understanding of the situation in teaching projects in Bulgaria beginning in > Eastern Europe, of the wide differences 1990. > among the various countries, and of the need When the twenty-three-year ban on > for the closest collaboration among the religion in Albania was lifted in 1990, > Assemblies and Committees involved. The Baha'is from Austria, Italy, and Germany > second conference, held in Dieburg, began making regular teaching trips to this > Germany, and called the "Great Eastern country. Starting in 1991, Italy virtually > Conference", was directed to the mass of blanketed Albania with travelling teachers in > believers in Germany and Austria. It an organized campaign. In October 1991, > included prayers, talks, consultation, and Italy arranged the first National Teaching > music, impressing the 800 participants with Conference in Albania. > the urgency of the teaching work and its Baha'i teachers from Germany, Ireland, > importance in relationship to the develop- and the United Kingdom were among those > ment of the Faith in the world as a whole. who developed the Faith in Poland. Partici- > Both conferences were important enough to pants in Poland' s first summer school in > be attended by a representative of the 1990 worked together on a service project > Universal House of Justice. which they reported knit together pioneers, > Because of such cooperation and commit- native believers, and travelling Baha'is from > ment, when the baniers separating Western the various Western European countries. > and Eastern Europe began to come down, The first pioneers to Central Asia, > the Baha'is were ready to reach out with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania came from > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'[ ACTIVITIES 351 > > Western Europe. Among the individuals When it became possible to perform in Eastwho contributed to the growth of the Faith in ern Europe, the group undertook a threethe former Soviet Union were members of month tour of this vast region, delighting > the Promise of World Peace Tour wh ich audiences and stim ulating teaching which > travelled to the area in December 1989 led to many declarations. > under the auspices of Youth Ambassadors Also contributing to the progress of > International in the United States and the teaching in Eastern Europe were the musical > Foundation for Social Innovation in Moscow. groups Light in the Darkness from Italy, the > The idea for the tour was born when four- Dawnbreakers from Austria, Turning Point > teen Soviet youth were hosted by Baha' is at from Ireland, and Dulcamara from Spain. > a summer camp in Hawaii in 1988. In > December 1989, a group of sixty-two Baha' is Youth > led by Annette Donner spent five days in Before the countries of Eastern Europe began > Moscow and four days in Kazan, becoming opening their doors in 1989, and Western > responsible for the birth of the Baha'i European Baha'i yo uth flooded these areas > community in the latter city. The Peace bearing the precious gift of Baha'u'llah's > Statement was distributed during home Message, education had been taking place > visits by youth and presentations to various and systems of communication had been > institutions such as a university and a hospi- established to prepare th is Army of Light. In > tal. Millions of Soviet citizens heard of the fact, the energy, dedication, organization, > Faith during television and radio interviews and cooperation demonstrated by the youth > with members of the Tour. of Europe throughout the Six Year Plan > Numerous other Americans and Canadians made possible the historic formation of the > helped spread the Faith in the former Soviet European Baha'i Youth Counci l in August > Union during dozens of teaching trips orga- 1989, which in turn stimulated youth activnized by individuals as soon as this ity to rise to an entirely new level. (For a full > opportunity presented itself. account of the events leading to the forma- > Cross-border cooperation among European tion of the Counci l and the activities > nations continued with an Eastern European initiated by that body, seep. 432.) > Teaching Conference held in Hofl1eim , As early as July 1986, 150 youth from > Germany, in March 1990. The event was fifteen countries, meeting at the Landegg Conattended by 950 Baha'is from at least twenty- ference Centre in Switzerland for a youth > five countries, including Czechoslovakia, East school, resolved to share plans, projects, > Germany, Hungary, Romania, the Soviet and reports of successes as they launched a > Union, and Yugos lavia. Baha'i Youth Movement in Europe. They > One of the greatest teaching tools in were insp ired and edified by the presence of > Europe proved to be music, as exemplifi ed the Hand of the Cause of God 'A li-Akbar > by the dramatic impact of the singi ng group, Furutan and 'At El Yiento Canta (see also p. 444). Formed A European Baha' i Youth Movement > while its members were serving at the Information Centre was established in the > Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, the group Netherlands to serve as a channel for regular > performed traditional Latin American music communication. A newsletter called Baha'i > and taught the Faith following concerts. Youth Movement-Europe began publica- > Toward the beginning of the Plan, El Yiento tion in August 1986. > Canta dazzled large audiences in Austria, Just three months later, in October, > Belgium , Cyprus, France, Gerniany, Greece, representatives of the National Youth Com- > Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, mittees of Europe met in Strasbourg, France, > Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. to "forge lasting links of understanding that > 352 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > will bind the Baha'i youth of Europe for In October 1987, Irish youth and their > years to come" and to make practical plans Baha'i friends from four other countries > of action for the next six years. The twenty- walked sixty-four miles, from Cork to > eight youth from eleven nations who were Limerick, on a March for World Peace. Sevgathered requested the Continental Board of eral hundred copies of the Peace Statement > Counsellors in Europe to consider creating a were dish"ibuted along the route, including > body that would provide direction and coor- one each to the Lord Mayor of Cork and the > dination to European youth activities. Mayor of Limerick. Pa1iicipants said the > Representatives of the National Youth example of recent martyrs in iran and > Committees of nineteen European countries the unifying effect of the cross-section of > took part in the first European Youth Semi- humanity the group represented eclipsed > nar, held at the Landegg Conference Centre the physical strain of the long walk. The > in Switzerland in May 1987. Three members National Assembly commented that the > of the Continental Board of Counsellors in march signalled a change in the youth of > Europe participated, as did members of nine Ireland, who showed themselves to be ready > Na ti on al Spiritual Assemblies. and eager to carry the healing Message of > Following one international youth confer- Bahci'u'Ilah to a waiting world. > ence in August 1987, nine mini-buses filled Exhilarated by the success of a national > with dedicated youth left Manchester, youth school held in the Canary Islands in > England, for service and teaching projects April 1988, fourteen young Baha'is offered > throughout the United Kingdom. The con- their services for projects in four towns. Subference had been attended by 1,3 00 youth stantial financial contributions were offered > from forty-two countráies, and included nearly to support a travelling theatre group to teach > fifty challenging workshops led by experts the Faith in the towns of Fuerteventura, one > on topics related to careers, the contempo- of three inhabited islands lying off the coast > rary world, the arts, and correlation of the of Morocco. The next month Baha'i youth > teachings with current thought. Significant were given permission to paint a large wall > features of the event included the eager mural in front of a university campus which > participation of many ethnic minorities of led to a number of inquiries and a repeat of > the Manchester area, an art exhibit, a Baha'i the mural in two other cities. The mural > film festival, and the debut performance of a depicted representatives of different races > Baha'i choir which was a Six Year Plan goal and the words, "The earth is but one counhy > for the youth. and mankind its citizens". > > Mural painted by > Bahit 'i youth on the > wall of a university > campus in la Laguna, > Tenerife, in the Canary > Islands in 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 353 > Nineteen Baha'i youth from eight coun- Also in the summer of 1988, the youth of > tries were among the 700 participants at the Norway experienced great success using a > 44th World Esperanto Youth Congress held variety of teaching methods. In late June and > in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, in July 1988. It early July, a series of service projects carried > marked the first time an official delegation out by twenty Norwegian youth and two > of Baha'i youth was invited by 'the World Swedish guests attracted much attention from > Esperanto Youth Organization to attend the local people and tourists, and resulted in a > Congress as observers. Baba' is presented newspaper article. Activities included painttwo lectures (one on consultation and the ing the exterior of a museum, cleaning a > other on the Faith, accompanied by a slide beach, entertaining with music at five instiprogramme) ; participated in an International tutions, and co-organizing, with a local group > Evening; comprised half the audience of an called SOS Racism, an international feast. > inter-religious meeting during the Congress; In July and August, a four-week intensive > and were the subject of an article in the Con- proclamation and teaching effort in the area > gress newspaper. chosen to be the focal point of teaching in > International gatherings continued: in Norway received extensive media coverage. > August 1988, the first Iberian Youth Confer- The project began with a peace march led by > ence was held in Lisbon, Portugal, with more a horse-drawn decorated wagon carrying > than 120 participants from nine European youth who distributed invitations for firecounháies. The same month, a European sides and visited social institutions to > Baha ' i Youth School was held at De Poo1t entertain with music. The march led to the > Conference Centre in the Netherlands, with site of a sununer school which attracted 230 > participants coming from twenty-four coun- Baha'is and guests from twelve counháies. > tries. A distinct feature of the school was the Following the school, youth spent two > support demonstrated by the national institu- weeks teaching. First they used a questiontions, the Counsellors, and the Auxiliary naire to interview peop le about peace and > Boards. All nine members of the National held multicultural events in the evenings, > Assembly of the Netherlands attended, as did one of which drew sixty non-Baha'is. Then > Assembly members from Belgium, Canada, youth spent a week studying the enviromnent > Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the and cleaning a main river in the city of > United Kingdom. A special sub-committee Trondheim. > set up teaching projects during and after the A new nation-wide enthusiasm for teachconference. ing in Sweden was generated by the Eskil > > Th e Hand of the > Cause of God > Dr. Ugo Giaclwy > (third jimn left) > celebrates his > 90th birthday > during the summ er > school held in > Filipstad, Sweden, > in July I 986. > ' > .. - > 0 ! •••••••••••• > :.----~~ > 354 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > More than 500 balloons being released > from San Marino 's > main square during > the European Bahiz 'i > Youth Conference > held in San Marino > in July 1989. > > Ljungberg Project, based in Uppsala and The spirit and participation of the youth > initiated in January 1989. A team of six was still strong by the summer of 1989. Five > youth greatly assisted the project by moving major regional "Peace Moves" conferences, > to Uppsala, some to work full time on the held days apa1i, drew large crowds and > activities. Newspaper articles on two major further galvanized the youth. The first of the > events-a World Religion Day celebration gatherings, which took place at De Poort, > and a cultural evening-were among at least attracted participants from fifteen countries. > ten items to be printed about the Faith in the After intensely studying the writings of > first two months of the campaign. Almost all Shoghi Effendi during the seven-day conferhigh schools and junior high schools in the ence, the youth committed themselves to > area welcomed visits by the Baha'is, and honour their brethren in the Cradle of the > weekly meetings in a rented centre attracted Faith by proclaiming and teaching the Faith > a steady flow of interested people. on an unprecedented scale. > The youth of the Netherlands reached out Significant public recognition was granted > to their teachers in March 1989. All 319 the approximately 600 youth from twenty > teachers at the Technical University in Delft countries who gathered for the regional conreceived a copy of the Peace Statement and ference in San Marino at the same time. The > a letter from the Delft Baha'i Student Circle conference was held under the patronage of > containing a plea for the coming together of the Ministry of Education and Culture of San > science and religion as a necessary prerequi- Marino, with the collaboration of the State > site for world peace. The project was reported Tourist Bureau. It was officially inaugurated > in the Delftse Post. by the Minister of Education and Culture in > Also in March 1989, 300 Baha' i youth the presence of the Minister of Transport and > profoundly impressed the eminent scholar Communications, Tourism and Sports, who > Professor Ervin Laszlo when they attended also gave a speech. Other guests included > his series of lectures on evolution presented the Ambassador of Italy in the Republic of > in Viserbella, Italy. Professor Laszlo was San Marino, government authorities, jourreported to have remarked on the maturity of nalists, and television reporters . The opening > the Baha'i youth and the pertinent questions ceremony was broadcast on San Marino > posed during a debate on the Laszlo theory. state television. > A guest of Professor Laszlo, Professor Mazulli A delegation composed of one represenof Bologna University, also expressed his tative for each country taking part in the > amazement at the capacity of the youth. conference, accompanied by the Minister of > 356 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Participants in the > National Baha 'i Youth > Conference held in > Sete, France, in 1989. > > In the summer of 1991 , the European auspices of the European Youth Centre of the > Baha' i Youth Council organized regional Council of Europe. In 1992, the European > conferences in Estonia, France, Ge1many, Baha' i Youth Counci~ appointed a Repreand Romania, and launched sixteen major sentation Committee responsible for further > teaching projects. During the course of the developing relations with European youth > year, teaching projects organized by the organizations and other agencies on its > Council in collaboration with national insti- behalf. > tutions were carried out in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Signs of cooperation between National > Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Youth Committees and their non-Baha ' i > Turkey. peers included the following: the National > In January 1992, the first European youth Youth Committee of Ireland became an > conference on Baha'i activities in universities associate member of the country's National > was held in Brno, Czechoslovakia. Twenty- Youth Council; the Youth Committee of > four delegates from twelve nations consulted Luxembourg was invited by Luxembourg's > on how to improve efforts in this vital area. National Office of Youth to participate in a > One of the main functions assigned to the Youth Festival; and youth in Norway helped > European Baha ' i Youth Council by the members of the Youth and Environment > Universal House of Justice was to represent, organization and the World Wildlife Fund > on a conti.nental basis, the European Baha' i to clean a river. Baha'i youth in the United > youth with non-Baha'i youth groups and Kingdom were active in the British Youth > other agencies. TI1is was done, while on a Council. A national youth conference held > national level, a number of Youth Commit- in Germany to commemorate the 75th annitees also successfully forged links with other versary of ' Abdu'l-Baha 's visit to that land > youth organizations in their countries . included an inter-religious service attended > In December 1988, the Peace Moves by 280 people. > Committee (the precursor of the European In addition to the workshops and semi- > Baha' i Youth Council) was represented at a nars organized for youth by Auxiliary Board > meeting of the Council of Europe 's European members, National Youth Committees, and > Youth Foundation in Strnsbourg, France. organizers of surnn1er schools, Landegg > Soon after its formation the European Baha' i Academy in Switzerland contributed signifi- > Youth Council participated in the Second cantly to the education of European youth, > Annual Conference on Intolerance held in providing a venue for their meetings and > Strasbourg, in December 1989, under the sponsoring forums that spoke to their > INTER NAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 355 > Education and Culture and by a representa- the conference were the emolment of seven > tive of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is new believers, the dispersal of 100 volunof the Republic of San Marino, went to the teers to a dozen cities to carry out projects > Government Building where they were organized by the National Teaching Comgranted an official audience by Their Excel- mittee, and contributions to the Arc Fund. > lencies the Captains Regent (Heads of State) The remaining two Peace Moves conferof the Republic of San Marino. During the ences were held in Sheffield, England, and > course of the audience, a proclamation was Thorshavn, Faroe Islands. > read by the Italian Baha'i representative on These five conferences in 1989 marked a > behalf of the whole group. turning point in the European youth move- > Six articles were published before and ment. Participants reviewed the many teachduring the conference in the most important ing activities undertaken by the youth during > newspaper of San Marino, thus increasing the first half of the Plan, rejoiced over the > significantly the publicity already staited successes achieved, and eagerly anticipated > when 7,700 invitations were sent to heads of the appointment of the first European Baha'i > families residing in the Republic. Also, a Youth Council. After the Youth Council was > number of copies of the Peace Message were formed in August 1989, it acted to further > distributed among the citizens of the Re- stimulate and coordinate the teaching activpublic during a very joyful afternoon which ity, particularly in the newly-opened Eastern > began with the release of over 500 balloons Europe. (See also chapters on the Two Year > from San Marino's main square. Plan and on the European Baha ' i Youth > With high spirits, the conference partici- Council.) > pants joyfully am10unced the initiation of Beginning in January 1990, the Council > an Arc Project Fund for youth in the name began sponsoring annual conferences for > of the beloved Hand of the Cause Dr. Ugo representatives of European National Baha' i > Giachery, who had just passed away. " It has Youth Committees to consult on the future > motivated the participants to return to their direction of the continent's youth. In April > home communities as ambassadors of the 1990 the first issue of the European Baha 'i > Cause in order to obtain outstanding goals Youth Newsletter was published. > for the Arc Fund, and to be the spearheads During the summer of 1990, the Youth > of the maturation of the Baha ' i local and Council organized teaching proj ects in five > national communities and to wholeheartedly Central and Eastern European cow1tries. The > invite their peers to join them and become projects constituted the first formal Baha'i > spiritual revolutionaries determined by teach- youth teaching enterprise in the formerly > ing His Cause to break loose from the communist countries of Europe. > manipulation of the old world order", the Youth from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, > youth wrote. The campaign eventually raised Hungary, Romania, and the former Soviet > close to $200,000. Union were among those attending the 1991 > The 700 youth from twenty-six countries conference for members of Youth Commitwho met in Madrid, Spain, for the third tees, held at De Poort. Also attending was a > regional conference constituted the largest representative of the newly-formed Turkish > group of Bah::i' is ever to have gathered in National Baha'i Youth Committee, and just > that country. The reading of a soul-stining two months later that body organized two > message from the youth of Iran and the Regional Youth Seminars reaching more > active presence of youth from North Africa than 100 youth. The participants discussed > posed a challenge to the European youth to the Mission of Baha' u' llah, transformation, > seize their abounding opportunities to teach individual initiative, and the meaning of > the Cause. Among the irmnediate results of having vision. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF C URRENT BAH A' i AC TIVITIES 357 > particular needs. Among the offerings were By 1987, a Baha 'i not of Romani descent, > forums for young adult Baha'i professionals Eliane A. Hopson, had been given the honour > on topics such as "Reaching People of Capac- of representing the Romani Union, a nonity" and "Alternative Futures : the Baha'i governmental organization, at the United > Model in Perspective". Annual symposia Nations. That year a Baha ' i delegation parprovided opportunities for youth to explore ticipated in the First World Romani Congress > critical social issues in consultation with in Spain, where the leader of the Romani > experienced adults . Union mentioned the Baha' is favourably. > The representative to the United Nations > Minorities reported that the Romani leadership was out- > Minmities in Europe- including ethnic groups spoken in its praise of the activities of the > traditionally excluded from power- received Baha'is in the interests of the Romani people. > special attention from the Baha 'is. The She observed that the Romani Union leaders > groups which responded with the greatest "hope to channel their ancestral resiliency > enthusiasm to the Faith were the Gypsies 1 toward the social evolution needed at this > and the Sami 2 people. time for their survival in a new civilization'', > At the beginning of the Plan, Spain had and some of them look toward the Faith "for > two small groups of Romani believers in two spiritual guidance and confirn1ation of their > towns . By the end of the Plan, Romani and own hope for unity and progress". > other Gypsy Baha'is resided in at least twenty- Good relations between the Baha'is and > three localities, and accounted for the mem- the Romani Union were established early > bership of five Local Spiritual Assemblies. in the history of the organization when its > Several national consultative meetings were founder, Dr. Jan Cibula, a Swiss physician > held on the subject of sharing the Faith with of Gypsy origin, accepted the help of a > Gypsies, including an international confer- Baha' i in drafting the group ' s by-laws. The > ence in May 1987. The National Spiritual Baha' i, a member of the Local Spiritual > Assembly sent a compilation on the topic to Assembly of Bern, also helped the Romani > all local communities. Union obtain accreditation with the United > Romani artists in Spain, both Baha'i and Nations, since the group ' s aim is to preserve > non-Baha 'i, pa1iicipated in a Flamenco Fes- the cultural heritage of the Gypsies and to > tival organized by the Spiritual Assembly of unite their various organizations worldwide. > Malaga to mark the end of the International The Austrian Baha ' i community actively > Year of Peace, 1986. Original songs were supported an International Roma Summer > perforn1ed before an audience of 200. The School organized by the Romani Union in > Malaga Assembly reported that it was "the July 1990. Held in Vienna, the school drew > first time that Romani Baha'is have pre- participants from all over Europe. The > sented themselves in public to sing in Baba' is were invited to give talks about the > honour of Baha'u ' llah. We consider this to Faith. Also in Austria, a Roma Club was > be an outstanding event.. .. " fo1med by a Baha'i in Burgenland to assist > Romas in that area. > The term "Gypsies" is sometimes used interchan ge- > Gypsies in Cyprus also showed interest in > ably with the terms " Romani people" or " Roma peo- the Faith, and enrolments occurred among > pl e"; however in some cases the term " Romani" them. > refers to a parti cul ar sub-group of Gypsies. Many members of minority groups > The term Sa mi re fers to indi genous peopl e of a region > responded most enthusiastically to the Baha'i > known as Lapland which compri ses northern Norway, > Sweden, Finland , and the Kola Penin sula of Russ ia. teachings when they were shared by a > It is so metimes used interchangeabl y with the term member of another minority group, some- > " Lapp" . tin1es from across the world. When a > 358 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Romani (Gypsy) > Bah Spain, celebrate Naw- > Ruz in 198 7. > > Mrs. Meherangiz > Muns if! (seated left) > with a Gypsy family > she met during her > trip to Lappeeranta, > Finland, in July 1987. > > Participants in a > teaching project held > in Cyprus in 1991. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I A CTIVITIES 359 > Peruvian Indian woman and her children set- In Sweden, contact was made with a numtled in Spain, the Gypsy Baha'i community ber of Sarni cultural agencies, and teaching > in her area began steadily growing. The pio- among the Samis generally increased. A > neer family had a special way of transmitting teaching project among the Samis of > the Message from heart to heart and inspiring Finland, Norway, and Sweden took place for > the Gypsies to further share the Message three weeks in April 1990. When the first > with their relatives . Local Spiritual Assembly oflnari, Filtland, was > The Sarn.i people of Lapland enthusiasti- fo1med that year, north of the Arctic Circle, > cally received travelling Native American two of its members were Sarni people. > Baha 'is. When an American Lakota Sioux Other examples of Baha'is reaching out > Indian, a renowned hoop dancer and flute to minority groups include: the enrolment of > player, visited Lapland in 1986 and per- large groups of Turkish workers in Gem1any > fo1med in Sarni villages, his artistry and and in Austria after the Baha'is organized > stories of the Native American peoples language courses, special unity Feasts, and > powerfully affected the Sarni people. opportunities for cultural exchange; the cre- > In 1987, two more Native Americans ation of a Regional Committee for the Basque > travelled and taught the Faith in Lapland for People in Spain; and the emol:ment of indifive weeks, carrying their love and the viduals from Ireland's Travelling People. > American Indian culture to the Sarni people > of Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The teach- Recognition > ers represented the Baha'i community at the During the Six Year Plan, governments, > annual meeting of one of the major Swedish public figures, people in positions of author- > Sarni organizations in Kiruna, above the ity, and religious leaders publicly and legally > Arctic Circle. Then they continued to touch recognized the independence of the Baha'i > hearts during their participation in the annual Faith and the importance of the contribu- > Arctic Baha'i Midsummer Camp in Karesu- tions made by the Baha'i community. These > ando, where one of them conducted a peace achievements signified ever-growing public > pipe ceremony at the riverside. At one of the awareness of the unique nature of the Cause > many firesides and public meetings held in of Baha'u'llah and the relevance of His > Finland, a Sarni youth choir performed, and Teachings to modem life. > Indian dancing was demonstrated. During One of the most significant breakthroughs > the visit of one of the friends to a Lapp cul- occurred in Germany, where the Federal > tural centre in Sweden, a Sarni flag, adopted Constitutional Court, the highest legal > the year before for use by all Sarni people, authority in the country, affirmed the legalwas raised for the first time in history, in ity of Local Spiritual Assembly by-laws. In > honour of the visiting Baha'i. February 1991 , the Court upheld the consti- > Three Native Americans continuing the tutional appeal made by the Local Assembly > tradition of the Trail of Light visited Finnish of Tiibingen after a series of lower courts > and Swedish Lapland in 1988. Their visit challenged the validity of its incorporation. > developed into a mutual sharing of cultures. The lower courts had based their decision on > The highlight was reported to be the day six the grounds that the authority granted to the > village women, five of whom were Sarni, National Spiritual Assembly in the by-laws > came to a handicraft circle, and the conver- of the Local Assembly violated the legal > sation lasted from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., principle requiring all legally incorporated > covering such topics as the role of women in associations to be autonomous. With its > the family and the world today, establishing a decision in favour of the Local Assembly, > nmturing atmosphere in the village, cultural the Federal Court affirmed the right of > minorities and their role, and world peace. the Baha' is to organize as a hierarchically > 360 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Counsellor Louis > Henuzet (left) > receiving the "Peace > Messenger Award" > on behalf of the > Baha'i community of > Belgiwnfrom the > director of the > United Nations Information Office in > Brussels: 1987. > > structured legal community according to the granted official permission for the National > revealed Law of God. Spiritual Assembly to hold its National Con- > Because the German Court's decision was vention. The National Assembly also obtained > based partially on the constitutional right to a post office box in its name and a telephone > freedom of religious practice, the Court registered in the name of the Baha 'is of > declared its recognition of the Faith as an Turkey. Also during the Plan, the religion > independent religion, stating that "the char- section of the birth certificates of about fifty > acter of the Baha'i Faith as a religion and friends were changed from Islam to Baha' i. > the Baha'i Community as a religious com- These were significant developments in this > munity is evident, in actual everyday life, officially secular but largely Muslim country. > cultural tradition, and in the understanding In Austria, Baha' i credentials became > of the general public as well as of the science accepted as essential documents for refugees > of comparative religion". The Court even by Ministry and Police authorities for the > took the rare step of issuing a statement to issuing of visas. In Sweden, the National > the press explaining its decision. (For the Spiritual Assembly was fully recognized by > full text, see p. 571) the immigration authorities as the proper > The independence of the Baha'i Faith was authority for deciding who is a Baha'i. In the > also affirmed in Belgium. In 1986, the fol- United Kingdom, the chairman of a Local > lowing paragraph appeared in the official Spiritual Assembly was given the authority > government publication, Impots sur !es to validate passport applications. Contribu- > Revenus: "It is accepted that the Baha'i tions to the National Baha'i Fund of Denmark > World Faith is a religion; its aim is to spread were declared tax-deductible in November > the ideal of Baha'i life based on principles 1988, and contributions to the Local Baha'i > of brotherhood, unity of mankind, and peace Fund of Geneva, Switzerland, were granted > among peoples, as proclaimed by Baha' u' llah, the same status that year. In Germany, the > Founder of the Baha'i World Faith, and on Baha'i House of Worship was classified as > the development of Baha'i institutions in the a cultural monument under the Historical > world .... " Monument Preservation Law, and a four- > A number of milestones in the area of page article on the Faith accompanied by > official recognition occurred in Turkey in photographs was included in a public school > 1987. For the first time, the Government textbook. It was the first extensive reference > INTERNATIONAL SURV EY OF C URRENT BAHA ' I AC TIVITIES 361 > to the Faith to appear in a book officially Sikh, Christian, Zoroastrian, and African > approved for use in German public schools, and American Indian leaders to take a more > according to the knowledge of the National active role in promoting world peace". A year > Assembly. later, the Baha'i community of Prato, Italy, > Baha'i Holy Days were recognized in was recognized for its outstanding activities > several countries and students granted in support of peace with an invitation by the > permission to be absent from school. In Municipality of Prato to collaborate on an > Germany, the Bavarian State Ministry for international meeting on peace. Two Baha'i > Education and Culture sent a circular letter speakers were among the eminent scientists > to educational authorities in January 1987 and physicians from many countries who > explaining a new policy to excuse Baha'i conducted two days of seminars. > students from school on the nine Holy A representative of the Baha' i Interna- > Days. In the Republic oflreland, three inter- tional Community met with the Pope in July > denominational "Project Schools" closed 1991 as part of a delegation from the Interon 12 November in observance of the Anni- national Council of the World Conference > versary of the Birth of Baha' u'llah. In on Religion and Peace. The World Confer- > Switzerland, the cantonal authorities in Bern ence on Religion and Peace represents about > delivered a seven-page decision in favour of ten religions. > the right of Baha'i children to be excused Baha'is in the United Kingdom were > from school on the Holy Days. invited to send a representative to an historic > In addition to being legally recognized, meeting of the Houses of Parliament in July > the increasing status being accorded the 1988. The secretary of the National Spiritual > Faith was demonstrated by the actions of Assembly joined representatives of Buddhist, > public figures and institutions. This included Christian (Franciscan Catholic) , Hindu, > invitations to participate in important inter- Muslim, Jewish, and Sikh groups at a gathfaith gatherings on an equal basis with ering in the House of Commons organized by > representatives of other major religions . the International Consultancy on Religion, > A news story by United Press Interna- Education, and Culture. Called the "All Party > tional on 28 October 1986, reporting on the Conservation Group of both Houses of > Prayer Surnnnt for Peace sponsored by Parliament and the World Wide Fund for > Pope John Paul II in Assisi, Italy, stated that Nature, United Kingdom'', the meeting > "John Paul exhorted the Baha'i, Buddhist, marked the first time speakers of Faiths other > Hindu, Moslem, Jewish, Jainist, Shintoist, than the Anglican Church were allowed to > > Jn Koy uslukow, > Sivas, Turkey, a > group of women who > have just become > Baha 'is are meeting to > establish their Local > Spiritual Assembly. > January 1992. > 362 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > meet in the House of Commons and present on the endowment land which the believers > their views to both Houses. Each participant had been cultivating. The Ministry said that > submitted a statement giving brief details of the Baba' is were the only recipients of this > what his or her Faith was doing, or propos- kind of gift, as other groups had not handled > ing to do, with regard to conservation, and government help in such a responsible way. > why it was involved in the movement. The > texts of the presentations were reproduced in Baha'i Scholarship > U.K. parliamentary journals circulated to the By establishing and improving programmes > parliaments of Australia, Canada, India, and for the systematic study of the Baha' i Faith, > New Zealand. and sharing the Faith with scholars at > In 1989, the Netherlands' Council of academic gatherings, the Baha'is of Europe > Chmches invited the Baha'is to attend the advanced Baha'i scholarship and enhanced > country's first Churches Day. The series of its reputation in the academic community. > meetings and workshops was attended by The Landegg Conference Centre in > about 16,000 people, including Christians, Wienacht, Switzerland became the home of > Hindus, and Muslims, the majority of whom Landegg Academy in 1988, and began offerhad never heard of the Faith before. ing a series of seminars, conferences, and > On 23 May 1986, representatives of reli- forums for Baha'is interested in serious study > gions other than the Baha'i Faith joined of the Cause and the development of Baha ' i > devotional services for peace in the European scholarship. Annual symposia for youth, on > House of Worship for the first time. Dming such topics as conflict resolution and the > the rest of the Six Year Plan, a number of global environmental crisis, provided opporinter-faith services were held in the Temple. tunities for participants to explore critical > In a calendar distributed throughout the social issues. In September 1990 the historic > Republic of Ireland by major companies in first "International Dialogue on the Transition > 1988, the National Centre of the Baha' i to a Global Society", organized by Landegg > Faith was listed first among seven religions, in cooperation with the Vienna Academy for > under the heading "Major Religious Denom- the Study of the Future and the University of > inations". Maryland, brought together eighty leaders of > In Iceland, the trustworthiness of the thought from around the world to present > Bahi'is was recognized when the Ministry papers and discuss the changing world order. > for Forestry gave the Bahi ' is 3,000 saplings In August 1989, Landegg launched the > of three different kinds of trees to be planted "Certificate Programme in Baha' i Studies" > > CD > Th e first International Dialogue on > the Transition to a > Global Society held > at Landegg Academy > in Switzerland in > September 1990. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'f ACTIVITIES 363 > (see also p. 457.) Designed to foster system- As an extension of the symposium, the > atic Baba' i scholarship as called for by Ministry of Education arranged for two > Shoghi Effendi, the three-year independent smaller symposia to take place at the universtudy course required participants to spend sities of Gjirokaster and Elbasan. The > one month each year at Landegg and to meeting at the University of Gjirokaster was > submit papers throughout the rest of the attended by over 200 professors, educators, > year. The programme began with twenty- and students, and the meeting in Elbasan > eight students from eleven countries. attracted 100 participants. In addition to the > In November 1991 , Landegg Academy's symposium and its satellite meetings, a > efforts to share the fruits of Baha'i scholar- number of other activities were conducted > ship with a wider audience brought the by the Landegg team. These included dis- > Academy into contact with educators in the cussions with faculty members of Tirana > formerly isolated Eastern Europe. Landegg's University working to develop a curriculum > Institute of International Education and on the philosophy of religion; a meeting > Development collaborated with the Albanian with Ministry of Education officials about > Ministry of Education to organize a national pre-school education; and consultations with > symposium in Tirana called "A New Frame- the editors and staff of a textbook publishing > work for Moral Education". Described as house who wanted to discuss ways moral > "successful beyond all expectations", the education could be incorporated in school > symposium was conducted by a team of books. > fourteen Baha ' is from six countries who had In June 1987, the Dutch Baha'i commubeen invited by the organizers from Landegg nity officially opened the doors of De Poort > Academy. More than 300 university profes- ("the gate"), a new conference centre built to > sors, teachers, educational administrators, become "a centre of Baba' i scholarship and > and students from around Albania attended. a beacon for seekers, not only for the areas > A group of fifty participants travelled every in which it is established, but for the Netherday from the city of Durres on a bus put lands and the greater part of northwest > at their disposal by the local authorities. Europe". During the remainder of the Plan, > The main part of the programme consisted this venue was used for a variety of forums, > of presentations by Baha'is: "Living in a seminars, and conferences. > Rapidly Changing Society: Transition to Annual conferences of European chapters > Maturity"; "A New Frame for Moral Educa- of the Association for Baha'i Studies contintion: A Di scussion of Guiding Principles"; ued to be held, including regional gatherings > "Moral Capabilities"; "Spiritual Qualities"; for English-speaking, German-speaking and > "A Pedagogy for Moral Education"; and "The French-speaking Europe. The Association for > Role of Consultation". The plenary sessions Baha'i Studies for French-speaking Europe > were chaired by the Vice-Minister of Educa- established contacts with institutions of > tion. Albanians and members of the Landegg higher education and scholars, and organized > team participated in panel discussions. conferences devoted to themes of general > "D iscussion groups were lively", accord- interest. The proceedings of these meetings > ing to the report. "At the beginning, the were published. > Albanians were timid about participating in A new ABS chapter was formed in Spain, > the discussions, but gradually they began to and its first conference was held in Barcelona > express their own views. By the end, there in September 1988. Thirty of the 150 particiwas no doubt that the majority had accepted pants were not Baha'is, including prominent > the framework presented to them and were people from the academic realm and the > eager to apply it to their own individual world of art. At least four newspapers pubsituations." lished articles about the gathering. > 364 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > The Association for Baha' i Studies chap- thought, attempting an interdisciplinary apter in Austria established relations with the proach that included moral and social factors. > Vienna Academy for the Study of the Future. Several Baha'is participated in a scientific > Also in Austria, four public lectures were conference organized by the International > held at the University oflnnsbruck. Society for General Systems Research in > A course on the Baha'i Faith was taught Budapest, Hungary, in June 1987 (see also > in the faculty of comparative religions at p. 459). At the request of the Universal House > Belgium's University of Antwerp in 1989. of Justice, Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum > Dr. Suheil Bushrui taught the course while headed the Baha'i delegation which included > serving as a visiting professor in the Depart- Mrs. Violette Na!sb.javani and Dr. Janet > ment of English Literature. Khan from Haifa, and Dr. Ingeborg Franken > Baha'i scholars took part in a number and Dr. Udo Schaefer from Germany. The > of academic conferences. In October 1986, conference, held in a city visited by 'Abdu'l- > Baha'is from several countries attended a Baha and much admired by Him, attracted > "Physis" conference in Florence, Italy, held some of the foremost systems scientists from > under the official sponsorship of the Ministry Eastern Europe and the West. They were > of Culture and the City of Florence with par- drawn from such disciplines as mathematics, > ticipation of the General Evolution Research physics, engineering, economics, manage- > Group, the Club of Rome, and the United ment, and the biological and social sciences. > Nations University. Physis is described as a A featured speaker was the President of the > new science, integrating the living and the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. > non-living, arising out of recent thinking Dr. Ervin Laszlo, a renowned scientist > among scientists on the nature of man. Con- and member of the Club of Rome, had > nected with the conference, Baha'i scientists encouraged the Baha'is to participate in the > and academics hosted a reception for the Budapest meeting during a visit to the > twelve members of the General Evolution Baha'i World Centre. He also requested that > Research Group, headed by Dr. Ervin Laszlo. a paper on the Baha'i Faith be presented dur- > A member of the New York Office of Public ing the section of the conference arranged by > Information explained to the guests that the his General Evolution Research Group. This > reception had been arranged to make known provided a rare opportunity to respond to an > the Baha'i attitude of the harmony between invitation to make a presentation on aspects > science and religion, and to acknowledge the of the Baha'i teachings at an international > effort by scientists to re-examine scientific scientific conference. > > Representatives of > the Local Assembly of > In verness receiving > copies of the commemorative stamp issued > by the Post Office of > the United Kingdom > to honour the famous > potter and Baha'i, > Mr. Bernard Leach. > I 9 November 1987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 365 > Dr. Janet Khan delivered a paper entitled covering the event paid tribute to Forel's > "The Baha'i Community as a Model for greatness as a scientist, thinker, social > Social Change" which described the society- reforn1er, and dedicated servant to humanity. > building processes of the Baha ' i community Another exhibit was displayed in the Centre > and the operation of the Administrative Medical Universitaire in the spring of 1989. > Order, using the language and concepts of A lso in Switzerland, Baha'i scholar Hafez > genera l evolution and systems theories. The Sabet delivered a presentation on his book > paper was very well received and elicited Die Schuld des Norden (The Debt of the > many questions about the Faith, its teach- North) at the prestigious World Economic > ings, its relationship to science, and its Forum in January 1992. > manner of functioning in the world. Four representatives of the Baha'i Faith > Dr. Franken, a physicist, and Dr. Schaefer, participated in an international conference > a public prosecutor, participated in a work- on science and religion in March 1988 called > shop on peace organized by a special interest "One World-Changing Perspectives on > group of the Society. During the discussion Reality". Held at the University of Twente > periods, they were able to describe the in the Netherlands, the conference attracted > elements of the Baha'i peace programme 150 people. During workshops held to supand the activities of the world-wide commu- plement the main presentations, a German > nity in sensitizing humankind to the need for Baha'i physicist, Dr. Ingo Hofmann, presenand the inevitability of peace. ted the concept that progressive revelation is > When the Post Office of the United the spiritual parallel to the role of "time" in > Kingdom issued a commemorative stamp the evolution of modern physics. He also > honouring the famous potter and Baha'i, proposed that the role of "creativity" as the > Bernard Leach, in October 1987, Baba ' is propelling force in physical evo lution finds > made special efforts to inform the academic its parallel in the spiritual and religious > commun ity of the spiritual aspect of development of human nature. > Mr. Leach's work. In Northern Ireland, the At the New University in Lisbon, Portugal, > Baha'i Information Office sponsored two Baha ' is participated in a special week set > lectures by potter and arts academic, V ictor aside in June 1989 to examine the eth- > Priem, himself a Baha'i. One lecture was nology, anthropology and sociology of reliheld at the University of Ulster's Art gions. A large display of Baha'i books, > College, and the other at Queen's University pictures, and posters was arranged as part of > of Belfast. The Arts Council of Northern a book fair related to the religious studies > Ireland undertook major distribution of week. Speakers for the event were also > publicity. presented with the Peace Statement. > In Switzerland, exhibitions were orga- The New University in Lisbon was also > ni zed by the University of Zurich to honour the venue for a Congress on Religious > Professor August Fore!, a famous researcher Studies in which the Baha'is participated > in medicine and natural science and a social in Jan uary 1992. A member of the National > reformer who became one of the first Baha ' is Spiritual Assembly of Portugal delivered a > in that country. One exhibition, held in 1986, lecture on the Faith, a Baha'i book exhibiwas attended by a number of scientists, tion was arranged, and several books were > government representatives, and members of presented to university professors. > Dr. Forel ' s family. Quotations about the In 1990, a French university requested a > Baha'i Faith from Forel's testament were review copy of a Baha'i book to include in > displayed, as were books, including For the a bibliography used by religious scholars in > Good of Mankind-August Fore! and the 80 countries. The Universite des Sciences > Baha'i Faith by Dr. J.P. Vader. The media Humaines de Strasbourg asked the National > 366 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > A Baha 'i staffing a > book exhibition > which was part of a > Congress on Religious > Studies, held at the > New University in > Lisbon, Portugal, in > January 1992. > > Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom Yugoslavia, was the site for an International > for a copy of The Seven Candles of Unity. Book Fair in which Austria's Baha'i Book > The same university previously had re- Distribution Service participated. The fair > quested Unless and Until: a Baha'i Focus was attended by approximately 400,000 peoon the Environment. ple, and in addition to Baha'i books being > Just prior to the end of the Six Year Plan, seen at the Baha'i booth, five Baha' i books > twelve scholarly articles reviewing works of were selected for display at the booth of > Baha' i literature were accepted for pub- a commercial English-language distribution > lication in volume III of the EncyclopMie service "because they were expected to sell > philosophique universelle. The purpose of well in Yugoslavia", the company representhe articles was to inform philosophers, tative said. > theologians, and university students about the Extensive publicity about the Faith was > philosophical implications of Baha'i teach- stimulated in Riga, Latvia, where hundreds of > ings. This significant achievement marked Baha' i books were exhibited at the Latvian > the first time the Baha'i Faith was repre- Central State Library in October 1990. The > sented in terms of philosophy in such a books were in nineteen different languages, > prestigious publication. including Latvian, Lithuanian, Armenian, > and Moldavian. The exhibition led to three > Distribution of Literature broadcasts on national television news of a > The Sacred Writings of the Baha'i Faith were brief interview with a Baha' i; an interview > increasingly made accessible to the public in on a very popular radio programme for > Europe as Baha'is participated in book fairs youth ; and a ten-minute radio interview on a > or exhibitions and signed contracts to make Swedish broadcasting station. > Baha'i literature available in bookstores . The Baha' is of Funchal, on the island of > From the Canary Islands to Yugoslavia, Madeira in Porh1gal, began participating in > from Latvia to Portugal, major book exhibi- an annual local book fair in 1990. After the > tions included Baha'i material. In the Canary second year, the community experienced > Islands, books such as Bahli 'u 'llah and the greater receptivity to the Faith, being inter- > New Era, Thief in the Night, and Religion viewed by three different radio stations, and > for Mankind were found to be the most pop- seeing two local newspapers publish articles > ular at book fairs . In October 1990, Belgrade, on the Faith. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 367 > > The Bahri 'i Book > Distribution Service of > Austria participated in " > the International Book > Fair held in Belgrade, > Yugoslavia, Ji-om 24 to > 31October1990. > About 400,000 people > visited the Fair, of > whom some 2, 000 took > introductory literature > about the Faith . > > Twelve Baha'i publishers from four and the New Era and The Promise of World > continents were represented at the first Peace in Greek, and one store also sold The > Geneva International Fair for Books and the Hidden Words and Selections ji-om the Writ- > Press, held in May 1987. The Baha'i stand, ings of 'Abdu '!-Bahri. Baha ' is in the Canary > which was visited by 40,000 people, was Islands increased their distribution of books > dominated by a large colour photograph of to commercial bookstores; at least thirteen > the House of Worship in India. More than a stores carried Baha'i titles. In Sweden, a > hundred titles in eight languages and The contract was signed with a company to dis- > Promise of World Peace in thirty languages tribute Baha'i publications to bookstores. In > were displayed under the headings: Peace, the United Kingdom, trade representatives > Family, Education, Religion, and History. were trained in selling Baha' i books to com- > During the inauguration, the official cortege mercial outlets, which led to increases in > stopped at the Baha'i stand while the president trade accounts and sales. In 1989, Oneworld > of the Fair introduced the Faith to the guests Publications ' edition of Th e Hidden Words > of honour and dignitaries who followed him. was among thirty books selected by a major > Five Baha'i authors signed their books dur- book chain in the United Kingdom, Sherratt > ing two special events, and constant contact & Hughes, to participate in a nationwide > was maintained with dozens of journalists promotion on the theme of comparative relipresent at the Fair. gion. A quotation from The Hidden Words > The long-standing participation of the was used to adorn the banners hung across > German Baha 'i Publishing Trust in the the shop and window displays, and Sherratt > Moscow Book Fair continued during the & Hughes acquired a large quantity of the > Plan, as did involvement of the Baha' i Pub- books to meet the expected demand. > lishing Trust of the United Kingdom in book In the Netherlands, Baha' i literature in > fairs in Budapest, Hungary. The Baha' is of Frisian was accepted for sale by the General > Belgium, Spain and Sweden also displayed Frisian Teaching Commission, the official > Baha'i literature at book fairs in their respec- body responsible for education in the Frisian > tive countries. language and culture. The Flysk en Frij, > More bookstores in Europe began stock- the only weekly publication in the Frisian > ing Baha'i books during the Plan. Several language, also published an extensive article > bookstores in Greece carried Bahri 'u 'llrih outlining the work of the Baha'is' National > 368 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Oneworld Publications' edition of > The Hidden Words of > Baha 'u 'llah (right) > was exhibited in the > win.dows of the book > chain Sh erratt & > Hughes, in the United > Kingdom, for three > weeks in July 1989, > among other books on > the theme of comparative religion. > > Translation Committee and providing infor- Islands, France, Luxembourg and Spain, > mation about the Faith. among other countries. In Germany, a > When the Iron Curtain separating the East- National Committee for Maniage and Family > ern Bloc from the West came down, Baha'is was established and offered many conferin Western Europe moved quickly to trans- ences on the topic. In the Republic of > late the sacred literature into the needed Ireland, a sub-committee on parenting prolanguages. Selections ofbasic Baha'i literature duced a series of deepening packets which > were printed and distributed in large quanti- were used throughout the country. One year > ties in many Eastern European languages. the Irish summer school was devoted to the > The Baha'i Publishing Trust of Portugal subject of marriage and the following year to > was established during the Plan. family life. > The National Spuitual Assembly oflceland > Strengthening Families gave particular attention to the development > While Baha'is were endeavouring to share of Baha'i families, organizing weekend > with an increasingly despairing public the institutes with Icelandic and visiting experts. > solutions they had found in the Teachings of Summer schools and youth gatherings > Baha'u'llah, they also strove to move closer focussed on the subject, and local communito His ideal in their own lives. In an age of ties sponsored deepenings. The compilation > dissolving families , they worked to strengthen Baha 'i Marriage and Family Life was transthis fundamental unit, recognizing the critical lated into Icelandic. > link between family unity and world peace. Landegg Academy established a Depart- > Seminars, workshops and lectures on ment of Education and Family Life to > family life were held in Austria, the Canary develop projects related to this vital area. > INT E RNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I AC TI V ITI ES 369 > > Th e Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone, Mrs. Madge Featherstone, and > Counsellor Adib Taherzadeh were among the participants in the Baha'i summer school > held in Iceland in August 1987. > > Participants in the opening of the first Baha'i School in Vejle, Denmark; 3 September 1989. > The school has classes eve1y second Sunday for children between the ages of 5 and J 4. > 370 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Th e House of the Bab, > in Shiraz, lran- one of the > holiest sites in the Baha 'i > world- was destroyed by > revolutionmy guards in > 1979. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACT IVITI ES > > 3. THE PERSECUTION AND DEFENSE OF THE BAHA'i > COMMUNITY OF IRAN 1986-1992 > > A. THE BAH.A. 'i QUESTION > Iran's Secret Blueprint for the Destruction of a Religious Community > An Examination of the Persecution of the Baha' is of Iran 1979-1992* > > INTRODUCTION minority. In March 1992, Balunan Samandari, > For more than a century, the Baha' is of iran a well-known Baha' i businessman in Tihran, > have continually been persecuted for their was summoned to Ivin Prison and summarily > religious beliefs. With the triumph of the executed. > Islamic revol ution in 1979, the persecution By the end of the period covered by this > of Baha' is intensified as the government volume, the Baha' is of Iran remained in a > embarked on a systematic campaign to erad- precarious state. They were denied the right > icate the Baha' i community of fran. Despite to practice their faith free ly, a right guaranthe fact that Baba 'is are committed to teed under international human rights > non- vio lence , tolerance, and loya lty to instruments, such as the International Bill of > govern ment, they came to be classified as Human Rights, to which Iran was a party. > " unprotected infidels" with no rights under The administrative institutions of their Faith > the constitution. were dismantled in accordance with a gov- > Between 1978 and 1988, nearl y two ernment edict. They lived each day knowing > hundred promin ent Baha ' is were executed that their government sought to block their > by the Iranian government. The majority of development as a communi ty, and that even > them were members of the community's the slightes t infraction could result in the > democratically elected governing councils. deprivation of their livelihood, impri sonment > Hundreds more Baha'is were imprisoned, or worse. > while tens of thousands were deprived of Yet the Baha'i communi ty in Iran posed > jobs, pensions, businesses, and educational no threat to the Iranian authorities. The > opportunities. Baha' is faced these persecu- Baha'i community in Iran was not aligned > tions so lely because of their religious beli efs. with any government, ideology, or opposi - > In the face of intense international tion movement. Indeed, the principles of the > pressure, the most notabl e example of which Baha'i Faith require Baha' is to be obedient > was a series of United Nations resoluti ons to their government and to avoid partisan > against Iran, the Irani an government in the political invo lvement, subversive activity and > late 1980s reduced the rate of executions and all fo rms of violence. > the number of Baha' is held in prison. How- The Baha'is in Iran sought no special > ever, the government did not give up on privileges. They so ught onl y their rights > its goal of destroying the 350,000-member under the Un iversal Declaration of Human > Baha ' i co mmunity, Iran ' s largest religious Rights, including the ri ght to life, the right to > liberty and security of person, the right to > *Adapted from a paper by the United Nat ions Office education and work, and the right to profess > of the Baha' i Intern ati onal Com munity. and practice their reli gion. > 372 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > HISTORJCAL BACKGROUND universal divine Messenger anticipated in > The status of human rights in the Islamic the scriptures of all the major religions . > Republic of Iran cannot be fully understood The teachings of the Bab, which were > without taking into account the historical embraced by thousands of followers , were > background of persecution against the Baha'i seen by both secular and religious authoricommunity. ties as a threat to their power. Widespread > Persecution of the Baha'i Faith in Iran persecutions followed, and some 20,000 folbegan with its founding there in the mid- lowers, who were known as Babis, paid with > 1800s. Baha'is understand that the pattern of their lives. The Bab Himself was executed > oppression experienced in the cradle of their by the government. > Faith is a manifestation of the misunder- Among the followers of the Bab was an > standing and fear that often occur when a Iranian nobleman named Baha'u'llah. In 1863 > new religion emerges from the matrix of a He announced that He was the Messenger > well-established orthodoxy. TI1e pattern has the Bab had heralded, founding the Baha'i > been repeated through the ages; indeed, Faith. The central theme of Baha'u'llah's > virtually all of the world's great religions message is that humanity is a single race and > have faced intense persecution at their birth. that the day has come for its unification into > There can be no doubt that the claims of the one global society. "The earth is but one > twin Founders of the Baha'i Faith, especially country and mankind its citizens", He wrote. > when viewed through the lens of traditional Baha'u'llah also taught that there is only > Islam, are as bold as those of any Prophet in one God, and that all of the world 's religions > ancient times. are expressions of a single, unfolding Divine > An initial wave of persecution came in plan, "the changeless Faith of God, eternal > response to the claims of a young Iranian in the past, eternal in the future" . Baha'is > merchant, known as the Bab, who announced understand that God has revealed religious > in Shiraz in May 1844 that He was the bear- truth to humanity progressively, through a > er of a new revelation from God. This new series of Divine Messengers, each of Whom > revelation, He said, fulfilled Islamic prophe- has founded a great religion. The Messengers > cies for the coming of "the Twelfth Imam". have included Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, > His primary mission, the Bab said, was to Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Mul;ammad. The > prepare humanity for the advent of "Him latest of these Messengers are the Bab and > Whom God Shall Make Manifest", the Baha'u'llah. > > Jn a photograph taken > around 1896, a Baha'i > father and son (at left) > are shown in chains > after being arrested > with fellow Baha 'is. > Both were subsequently executed. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 373 > The idea that the Bab and Baha'u'llah are of men and women, and acceptance of the > new Messengers of God was viewed by scientific method, as antithetical to the tradimany Muslims as heresy. In the Qur'an, tions oflslam. > Mul)ammad referred to Himself as the "Seal The persecutions continued intermittently > of the Prophets'', and most Muslim scholars in the twentieth century, coinciding most > interpreted this to mean that He would be the often with some need of the government to > last Messenger of God. shore up its support with certain elements of > Baha 'is, however, believe that the coming the Islamic leadership in Iran. > of the Bab and Baha'u'llah pose no contra- Sometimes outbreaks of violence against > diction with Islam. Baha'is understand, in Baha'is were directed by local or regional > fact, that Mul;ammad did indeed end or authorities. In 1903, for example, some 101 > "seal" the prophetic cycle; then, with the Baha'is were killed in the city ofYazd after > advent of the Bab and Baha 'u' llah, a new era the populace was incited by hostile Mullas. > of religious fulfillment was entered. Baha' is At other times the oppression of Baha'is > understand that this is all in accordance with was an official part of the government's > the prophecies of Islam and the world's national policy. For example, during the early > other major religions . years of the Pahlavi Regime (1927 to 1979), > Other aspects of Baba ' i teachings also the government formalized a policy of > aroused opposition among some followers discrimination against the Baha 'is as a conof Islam. In outlining His vision for a new cession to the clergy. Beginning in 1933, > world civilization, Baha'u'llah advocated a Baha'i literature was banned; Baha'i > series of highly progressive social principles. marriages were not recognized; Baha'is in > These principles include: the elimination of public service were demoted or fired; and > all forms of prejudice; equality between the eventually Baha'i schools were closed. > sexes; recognition of the essential oneness of Another round of persecutions was underthe world's great religions ; the elimination taken in 1955, when the government allowed > of extremes of poverty and wealth; universal the nationwide broadcast of a series of ineducation; the harmony of science and reli- cendiary se1mons against the Baha'is by a > gion; a sustainable balance between nature leading Shi'ih preacher in Tihran. A wave of > and technology; and establishment of a world anti-Baha ' i violence swept the country, with > federal system, based on collective security. murders, rapes and robberies reported in > Some Muslims viewed the progressive many areas. Government officials joined in > nature of these teachings, such as the equality the seizure and destruction of the national > > Members of the > Shah's army and > Muslim leaders join in > the destruction of the > National Saha 'i > Centre in Tihran, > ii-an, in May i955. > 374 THE BA H A' i WORLD > > headqua1iers building of the Baha'i commu- When the Republic 's new constitution > nity, and the government announced it had was drawn up in April 1979, the rights of the > ordered the suppression of all activities of Christian, Jewish, and Zoroasháian minori- > "the Baha 'i sect". ties in Iran were specifically mentioned and > It is important to understand that the per- protected. The rights of the Baha'i commusecution of the Baha 'is in Iran was in no way nity, the largest religious minority, however, > related to some underlying issue of ethnicity were not mentioned. > or political involvement. The overwhelming Under Iran's concept of an Islamic govmajority of Iranian Baha'is came from the ernment, this exclusion came to mean that > same Persian and Azerbaijani ethnic stock Baha'is enjoyed no rights of any smi, and > as the rest of the population, and they rep- that they could be attacked and persecuted > resented a cross section of Iran ' s social with impunity. Courts in the Republic > classes. denied Baha'is the right ofredress or protec- > Only their religious beliefs distinguished tion against assault, killings or other f01ms > them from their fellow countrymen- beliefs of persecution- and mled that Iranian > which Baha'is are forbidden from imposing citizens who killed or injured Baha'is were > on others, and which are, paradoxically, not liable for the damages because their > virtually unknown among Muslims in iran. victin1s were "unprotected infidels". > Despite the fact that the Baha'i Faith origi- Without any claim to civil rights, the posinated in Iran, there persisted an almost tion of the Baha'i community within Iranian > universal ignorance of the religion's nature, society deteriorated rapidly. In March 1979, > teachings, and history. The Iranian Baha'i the House of the Bab, the holiest Baha'i > community was consistently denied the use shrine in Iran, was turned over by the govof any means of mass communication, in- ernment to a Muslim cleric known for his > cluding radio, television, newspapers, films, anti-Baha' i activities. Then, in September, > the distribution of literature, and public the House was destroyed by a mob led by > lectures. Mullas and officials of the Department of > Instead, ignorance of the true nature of Religious Affairs . > the Baha'i teachings was cultivated by the In November 1979, an edict from the > eccles iastical authorities into a full-blown Ministry of Education required not only the > and deeply ingrained prejudice. dismissal of all Baha'i teachers, but also > held them responsible for the repayment of > RECENT PERSECUTIONS all salaries they had previously received. > With the establishn1ent of the Islamic Repub- At least seven Baha'is were killed in 1979. > lic in 1979, a new chapter in the persecution Two were executed by the government and > of the Baha'is ofiran was opened. one was hanged in prison. Others were beaten > Even before the Ayatollah Khomeini to death or simply killed in local incidents. > returned from exile to assume power in February that year, an increase in attacks on EX ECUTIONS > Bahe\. 'is presaged the wholesale persecution Buoyed by their growing influence over all > that was to come. In 1978, at least seven aspects of Iranian life, in 1980 the clergy > Bahe\.' is were killed, most as a result of mob moved "to cut off the head" of the "heretiviolence. cal" Baha'i movement by destroying its > While many Iranians hailed the revolu- leadership, believing that the majority of the > tion as the dawn of a long awaited era of Baha'is would then succumb to social > political liberty and national reconshuction, pressures to recant their Faith. > it was clear fro m the start that the Baha' is This policy is reflected in the fact that > would be unjustly reviled for their beliefs. well over half the Baha 'is executed in Iran > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 375 > after 1979 were members of national and Others are pagaris. Pagaris must be eliminated." > local governing councils of the Baha'i com- Under Isiarnic law in Iran, "People of the > munity, known as Spiritual Assemblies. Book" included only Muslims, Jews, Christiaris > Among the first aimed at Baha'i leader- and, by special dispensation, Zoroastrians. > ship was the execution on 10 June 1980 of The National Spiritual Assembly of the > Yusuf Sub~ani, a highly regarded member Baha ' is of Iran was reconstituted through > of the 'fihran Baha'i community. This was new elections but was again ravaged by the > followed by the executions of the chairman execution of eight of its members on 27 Deand another member of the Local Spiritual cember 1981. In all at least 48 Baha ' is were > Assembly of Tabriz on 14 July 1980, a killed in Iran during 1981 ; of those, all but > member of the Spiritual Assembly of Rasht two were executed by the government. > on 16 July 1980, and two prominent Baha' i Executions continued apace through 1982, > spokesmen in 'fihran on 30 July and 15 Au- 1983, and 1984. At least 32 Baha'is were exgust 1980. ecuted or killed in 1982, 29 were executed or > On 21 August 1980, all nine members of killed in 1983, and 30 were executed or > the national Baha'i governing council, the killed in 1984. And, again, the targets of > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is these executions were often members of > of Iran, were arrested and disappeared with- Baha'i governing councils. Four members of > out a trace. It seems certain that they were the National Spiritual Assembly, which had > executed. once again been reconstituted through fresh > During 1980 at least 24 Baha ' is were elections, were executed in 1984, although > killed in Iran; 20 were executed by the by then the institution had been disbanded in > government and the rest were stoned, assas- accordance with a government decree, and > sinated, or burned to death. the individuals held no official position in > Despite a growing international outcry, the the Baha' i community. (See pp. 390-396 for > rate of executions continued to grow through a complete list of those who have been killed > 1981. By late summer that year, revolution- or executed.) > ary courts were openly sentencing Baha'is One of the most dramatic groups of exeto death on purely religious grounds and cutions came in June 1983, when 10 Iranian > announcing the fact in Iranian media. The Baha'i women, including two teenage girls, > Attorney General, Siyyid Mussavi-Tabrizi, were hanged . The primary charge against > stated: "The Qur' an recognized only the them: teaching Baha ' i children's classes- > People of the Book as religious communities. the equivalent of Sunday School in the West. > > The House of the Bab, > a place of pilgrimage > for Bahfi 'is, was > destroyed by > Revolutionary > Guards in 1979 and > later razed by the > Government. Th e > Hous e was located in > Shiraz, !ran. > 376 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > The women were subjected to intense death. In these cases, the bodies were buried > physical and mental abuse in an effo11 to by the authorities before the families could > coerce them to recant their Faith-an option view them. > that was almost always pressed upon Baha' i > prisoners. Yet, like most Baha'is who have SOC IAL AND ECONOMIC INTIMIDA T!ON > been arrested in Iran, they refused to deny The authorities also conducted a campaign > their beliefs. Nevertheless, the fact that so of economic, social and cultural intimidation > many Baha'is were given the option of against the Baha' i community of Iran. The > recanting, with the promise of release if they objective, it is clear, was to deprive Baha'is > did so, is among the strongest proofs that the of their rights to education, to a job and to a > persecutions were based on religious beliefs. home of their own-once again with the > intention of forcing them to recant. > IMPRJSONMENT AN D TORTURE Beginning in the 1930s, the Baha'is of > Since 1979, nearly 1,000 Baha'is have been Iran were forbidden to run their own educaarrested and imprisoned. At one point in tional establishments, therefore forcing them > 1986, some 747 Baha'is were being held in to educate their children at state-run schools > prisons throughout Iran. In most cases, they and universities where they often suffered > had no trials. discrimination and persecution. The level of > The torture of Baha 'is in Iranian pris- discrimination and persecution in schools > ons-and particularly of those who had been rose sharply following the Islamic revolution > members of Baha'i governing councils- in 1979. In 1981, an official decree was iswas routine and systematic. Again, accord- sued barring Baha'i students and professors > ing to Baha ' is who survived, the purpose of from admission to or employment at any > the torture almost invariably was to make university in Iran. Universities published > the Baha'is recant their Faith or confess to new prospectuses in 1981 requiring that apsome treasonous activity. plicants belong to one of the four religions > Torture included sustained beating and recognized in the constitution, namely the > flogging, the bastinado (whipping the soles Muslim, Jewish, Christian or Zoroastrian > of the feet), the pulling out of fingernails and religions. > teeth, and the deprivation of food and water Admission to primary and secondary > for days at a time. schools was refused to those who identified > Baha'is were also subjected to psycholog- themselves as Baha'is, and hundreds of > ical torture, including mock executions and students were expelled. > being forced to wimess the torture of family > members and friends. DEPRJVATION OF EMPLOYMENT > Thus an elderly Baha'i woman, who was The Iranian government also sought to ina member ofa local Baha 'i council, was tor- timidate Baha'is by making it impossible for > tured in front of a dozen other Baha'is in an them to earn a living. In 1979 the governeff011 to persuade her and them to deny their ment started dismissing all Baha'i civil > Faith. The woman's jailer took her by her servants without compensation. By July > hair and continually banged her head against 1982, all Baha'i public servants had been > the wall. She was beaten about the head for a dismissed and the pensions of all retired > long time, until her body was covered with Baha'i civil servants had been te1minated. > blood. After two years of imprisonment, she In late 1984, the Attorney General started > was summarily released, with no recourse issuing summonses demanding that all those > against the abuse she had received. Baha'i civil servants who had been dis- > At least thirteen Baha'is who died in pris- missed repay all the salaries they had > on are believed to have been tortured to received during their employment. They > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 377 > were threatened with imprisonment if they plunder and destrnction of the livestock and > did not comply. Obviously, repayment of a crops of Baha'i farmers. > lifetime's wages was beyond the means of > most victims. Many were imprisoned as a CONFISCATION OF COMMUNITY ASSETS > result of failure to meet this absurd demand. The Baha'i community in Iran was not al- > The government also systematically lowed to hold community property in its own > sought to drive Baha'is in the private sector name. As a result, all community property > to economic ruin. In the early 1980s, the had to be held in the name of a non-profit > trading licenses of most Baha'i businessmen company created for this purpose. This > were revoked, the assets of businesses rnn body, the Umana Company, was allowed to > by Baha 'is were confiscated, and bank administer such properties without undue > accounts of most Baha'i businessmen were interference until the change of government > frozen. In addition, the authorities intimidat- in 1979. > ed private employers into dismissing many One of the first acts of the new govern- > Baha'i employees. ment was to confiscate the Umana Company > Almost every dismissal notice served on and all its holdings. This meant that in one > a Baha'i employee, whether in the public or stroke all Baha'i community properties were > the private sector, stated that the reason for arbitrarily transferred to the state without > dismissal was membership in the Baha'i Faith compensation. The government also confisand that the person's job would be restored cated the assets of all Baha' i welfare > ifhe or she would recant his or her faith. agencies, which provided services to people > In addition to depriving Baha'is of a live- of all religions on an equal basis. > lihood, the government in the early 1980s Among the government 's next steps were > sought to deprive an-ested Balla' is of many to desecrate and in many cases desháoy > of their possessions, including their homes. Baha' i holy places throughout Iran. As > Through its takeover of the major Baha 'i noted, these properties included the holiest > savings company, Nawnahalan, the govern- Baha'i shrine in Iran, the House of the Bab > ment in one move swept away the life in Shiraz, which was confiscated and then > savings of its 15 ,000 Baha'i shareholders destroyed. The House ofBaha'u'llah in Takur, > and investors. In addition, thousands of where the Founder of the Balla 'i Faith spent > Baha'is, rich and poor alike, had their homes His childhood, met a similar fate: it was > and personal possessions confiscated by the demolished and the site was offered for sale > government, and thousands more had their to the public. > homes desháoyed by arson and looting. In In Tihran and other cities throughout Iran, > rural areas, the authorities encouraged the Balla' i buildings were looted and burned, > > Shortly after the > Islamic Revolution, > the National Baha 'i > Centre in Tihran was > confiscated by authorities and turned into a > "Tempormy Islamic > Propaganda Centre " > and an "Open > Muslim University. " > 378 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Baha'i cemeteries were bulldozed and Baha'i contraty, the Pahlavi regime consistently pergraves were broken open. In the Tihran area, secuted the Baha'i Faith, and SA YAK was > the Baha'is were forced to bury their dead in one of the main agencies of this persecution. > a baITen stretch of land reserved by the For Baha' is in Iran, the idea of collaborating > authorities for "infidels". Having access to with SA VAK would have been unthinkable. > their own cemeteries is especially important The lran.ian government alleged that cettain > to Baha'is because, as might be ex:pected, SA VAK officials were Baha'is . These alle- > Baha'is were not allowed to bury their dead gations are completely untrue, fabricated to > in Muslim cemeteries. mask the religious nature of the persecutions. > • That Bahii. 'is are heretics or enemies of > " JUSTIFI CATI ONS" OF TH E P ERSECUTION > Islam. > Despite the overwhelming proof that the > Baha' i community in Iran was being perse- Both charges are false . The Baha ' i Faith > cuted solely because of its religious beliefs, is widely recognized as an independent > the Iranian government continued to justify world religion-even by Islamic scholars. > this persecution by charging the Baha'i As long ago as 1924, a Sunni appellate court > conununity with a variety of offences. All in Egypt recognized that the Baha'i Faith > such charges demonstrated an ignorance of was an independent world religion in its > the basic principles and history of the Baha'i judgement that: "The Baha'i Faith is a new > Faith. No evidence was ever brought for- religion entirely independent. ... No Baha' i > ward to support any of these accusations. therefore can be regarded as Muslim or vice > The principal charges advanced by the gov- versa, even as no Buddhist, Brahmin or > errm1ent were: Christian can be regarded as Muslim." Accordingly, no charge of heresy can be made. > • That Baha 'is were supporters of the > Baha'is revere MuJ:iammad and His book, > Pahlavi regime and the late Shah of!ran; > the Qur'an, as they do Jesus, Buddha, and the > that they collaborated with SAVAK, the > founders of the other great religions. Indeed, > secret police; and that the Baha 'i Faith > alone among the followers of the world's > was a political organization opposed to > other major independent religions, only > the Iranian Government. > Baha'is recognize the station of Mul)a111J11ad > Baha 'is are required by the basic princi- as a Prophet of God. > ples of their faith to show loyalty and > • That Bahii. 'is are agents of Zionism. > obedience to the goverIU11ent of the country > in which they live. The Baha'i community in This charge is based solely on the fact > Iran thus did not oppose the Pahlavi regime, that the Baha'i World Centre is in Israel. > just as it did not oppose the government of The Baha' i World Centre was, however, > the Islamic Republic of Iran. Indeed, mem- established on Mt. Carmel in the last > bers of the community obeyed evety law and centuty, long before the State oflsrael came > instmction of the government, including the into existence, in accordance with the > instruction to disband all Baha'i adm.inistra- explicit instructions of Baha'u'llah, Who > tive institutions in Iran. was exiled there from Iran. > Baha 'i principles also require the avoid- > • That Bahii. 'is are involved with prostituance of any form of involvement in partisan > tion, adulte1y and immorality. > politics. Accordingly, Iranian Baha' is were > precluded by membership in their faith from This charge, like the others, is utterly > accepting cabinet posts or similar political without foundation. Baha'is have a strict > positions under the Pahlavi regime. They moral code and attach great importance to > did not collaborate with SA YAK. On the chastity and to the institution of marriage. > INTERNATIONAL SURV EY OF CURRENT BAHA'I AC TIVITI ES 379 > 111e Baha' i marriage ceremony was not rec- was the continuing investigation into the huognized in Iran and no civil marriage ceremony man rights situation in Iran by Reynaldo > existed. Consequently, Baha ' is were faced Galindo Pohl, a human rights specialist from > with the choice of denying their faith in order El Salvador. He was appointed in 1986 by > to be married according to the rites of one of the Commission on Human Rights as its > the religions recognized in iran, or of marry- Special Representative on Iran. Mr. Galindo > ing in accordance with the rites of their own Pohl produced a series of reports on human > faith. They consistently chose to be married rights in Iran. In the course of his work, he > in accordance with Baha' i law. The govern- visited iran three times. > ment did not recognize these marriages and Although his reports were in many ways > denounced Baha'i wives as prostitutes. consh"ained by the diplomatic language > The other charges of adultery and immo- required within the United Nations system, > rality against Baha'is were based solely on Mr. Galindo Pohl nevertheless over the > the fact that, in accordance with the Baha'i years managed to catalog the whole range > principles of the equality of men and women, of abuses and persecutions which the Baha'i > there is no segregation of the sexes at Baha'i community in iran had experienced. > gatherings. For example, Mr. Galindo Pohl's 1990 > report to the General Assembly noted that he > THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONS E had received extensive documentation that > The international community responded to provides "evidence of discrimination, confisthe persecution of the Baha'i community in cation, rejection by universities, suspension > Iran with overwhelming sympathy and con- of pensions, demands for the return of > cern for the Baha'is and condemnation of pensions earned and paid, denial of passport > the Iranian government. The Baha ' i commu- and other irregularities." > nity believes that this outpouring provided a The report added that "it would seem that > sh"ong resh"aining force against the govern- the attitude towards the Baha ' is and their > ment, preventing a pogrom on a much greater situation depends on the temperament and > scale. personal convictions of individual officials. > The United Nations Commission on This keeps the Baha ' is in a perpetual state of > Human Rights passed eleven resolutions uncertainty about their activities." > expressing concern about reports of human Iran's responses to the United Nations > rights violations in Iran. Each resolution were always less than satisfactory. As noted, > made specific mention of the situation of the they produced a wide range of unsubstan- > Baha' i community there. The specific refer- tiated charges against the Baha ' is-from > ence to a religious community was quite accusations of spying to being Zionistsunusual for the Commission, which nmmally aimed at justifying their persecution. > confined itself to expressions of diplomatic In addition to efforts by the United > concern and general references to charges of Nations and its subsidiary bodies and agenhuman rights violations and discrimination. cies, numerous national legislatures, as well > Following the lead of the Commission on as regional bodies, spoke out against Iran's > Human Rights, the United Nations General h"eatment of the Baha' i community over the > Assembly itself approved six resolutions last decade. Expressions of concern for > since 1985 which specifically mentioned the Iran's Baha'is came from the Council of > situation of the Baha' is in Iran and Europe, the European Parliament, the United > expressed concern over reports of human States Congress, and from the legislatures of > rights violations there. Aush"alia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, the Nether- > Among the most salient features of the lands, Norway, and the United Kingdom, > United Nations attention to the Baha'i case among others. Many heads of state and > 380 TH E BAHA' i WORLD > government leaders also voiced their dismay and that the govenm1ent remained bent on > over Iran's treatment of the Baha'is. destroying the Baha ' i conlli1unity of Iran as > International and national non-governmen- a viable entity. > ta l organizations also rose to the defence of Among the most egregious and wonisome > Iran's Baha'is. Amnesty International, the signs of Iran 's continued efforts against the > Minority Rights Group, and Middle East Baha'is was the execution in March 1992 of > Watch, among others, close ly monitored the Balm1an Samandari, a Tih.ran businessman. > situation of the Baha'is in Iran and published The killing of Mr. Samandari came as a > extensive reports which confirn1ed the per- shock, both to the worldwide Baha'i conmmsecutions there. nity and those in the international community > The world's mass media, as well, reported who follow human rights issues. After tluáee > extensively on the persecution of Iran 's years during which no Baha' is were executed > Baha'i community. Major articles and edito- by the government, Mr. Samandari, who had > rials which detail, confirm and condenm the run a well-known Tiluáan travel agency, was > persecutions appeared in Le Monde, Th e sunlli1oned to Ivin Prison by authorities on > Times of London, The New York Tim es, The 17 March 1992, ostensibly to receive a doc- > Washington Post, Th e Economist, Th e Times ument from them. The next day, he was > of India, among others. Associated Press, secretly executed. > Reuters, and Agence France Press also car- Mr. Samandari's famil y-and the world > ried numerous dispatches on the persecution at large- learned of the execution two > of Baha' is in Iran and the response of inter- weeks later when Mr. Samandari's widow, > national organizations and agencies. who had visited the prison frequently to > Indeed, in many respects the Baha'i case inquire about her husband, was handed a > became a model for how international human copy of hi s will, dated 18 March, the day of > rights machinery can be used to protect an his execution. Although no death certificate > oppressed minority. International support for was issued, inquiries at the offices of the > the Baha 'is prevented wholesale genocide of Tiluáan general cemetery confirmed that > the communi ty in iran. Mr. Samandari's name had been entered in > its records. Upon requesting that his clothes > TH E SITUATION AT RIQYAN 1992 be returned, fa mily members were told that > Duri ng the late 1980s and early 1990s, there he had been buried in them. > were signs that the govenlli1ent had begun No charge or verdict was announced and > to feel the weight of the international outcry inquiries by fa nlily members produced vague > against its actions and had reconsidered its indications that Mr. Samandari 's execu tion > policies towards the Baha' is. was related to his previous anest over fo ur > In 1987 and 1988, fo r example, most of years earlier when he and fo ur other Baha' is > those Baha' is being held in prison were were arrested for having a prayer meeting in > released and the number of executions his home. > dropped sharply after 1985. At the time of this arrest on 21 October > During this period, Baha' i cllild.ren were 1987, charges were laid against him because > allowed to re-emol in primary and secondaty of his membership in the Baha'i conmrnnity. > schools in most parts of the country. Some He and his fellow prisoners were released on > Baha'is were allowed to obtain new business 18 December 1987, after the title to his > licenses, while restrictions on other forms of home had been turned over to the authorities > econonlic activity appeared to lessen. along with a large sum of money as bail. > Nevertheless, there were indications that During 1992, the arbitrary arrest and dethese improvements were cosmetic at best, tention of Baha ' is in Iran continued, as did > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 381 > the economic oppression. Many of the experienced difficulties in circulating Baha' i > 10,000 Baha'is who had been dismissed books among themselves and in holding > from government and education positions in classes to instruct their own children in spirthe early 1980s remained unemployed and itual and moral values. > received no unemployment benefits . The re- As individuals, Baha'is remained officialtirement pensions of Baha'is dismissed on ly "unprotected infidels", and their rights > religious grounds had been tern1inated. were often ignored. The non-recognition of > As of the spring of 1992, Baha'is still their religion manifested itself in various > were not officially allowed to open their own ways, including the denial of the right to > businesses, and Baha'i farmers were denied freely express their religious beliefs, a right > admittance into fa1mers' cooperatives which upheld by international law. Baha'is continoften were the only source of credit, seeds, ued to be deprived of inheritance rights, and > pesticide and fertilizer. Baha'i marriages and divorces remained > Baha ' i property rights were not protected. without legal recognition. > Over the years, large numbers of private and Baha' is were not free to travel outside > business properties, including homes and Iran, as it was almost impossible for them to > fa1ms , had been arbitrarily confiscated from obtain passports. > Baha'is. Baha'i cemeteries, holy places, his- The Baha'i community did not have the > toric sites, administrative centers and other right of assembly and the right to elect and > assets, seized mostly in 1979, remained con- maintain its administrative institutions. Befiscated or had been destroyed. Baha'is were cause there is no clergy in the Baha' i Faith, > not permitted to mark the graves of their these institutions constitute the sole source > fellow Baha'is , making it almost impossible of organization and guidance of religious > to identify the graves of loved ones . community life. Without them, the very > Baha'is continued to be denied access to existence of the Baha'is as a viable religious > institutions of higher learning. They also community was endangered. > > Destruction at a > Baha'i cemete1y in > Shiraz, 1979. > 382 TH E BAHA ' i WORLD > > Light fixture on the colonnade of the Shrin e of the Bab. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 383 > > B. B AHA'fs KILLED IN IRAN BETWEEN Rrpv AN 1986 AND 1992 > > 1986 to explain the matter, he, while confessing to > be a Baha'i, refuted the accusations to the > Mr. Sirru'llah Va~dat-Ni~amf, 4 May 1986, satisfaction of his superiors. > 'fihran, Executed Val)dat rendered valuable service to the > Sirru'llah VaJ:idat-Ni~ami was born in 1930 Baha'i community, mostly through memberinto a Baha'i family. His parents gave him a ship on various committees and Spiritual > spiritual education, and his eagerness and Assemblies. Once, the Local Spiritual Assemeffort to pursue his studies in school and bly of Shiraz decided to acquire a house for > under Baha'i teachers made him an exem- a pioneer but faced difficulties from neighplary Baha'i youth. bours. About that time Val)dat was sent to > He used to tell stories about the persecu- Shiraz by the army, and he assisted in the > tions suffered by his parents for being purchase of the property. > Baha'is; he also had bitter memories of his Mr. VaJ:idat applied for retirement from > own harassment during his childhood and service in the army six months after the Revyouth. The annoyances and afflictions con- olution began in Iran, and his application > tinued after the passing of his father. For was approved. However, five months later > example, the family 's one piece of land was his pension was cut off on the grounds that > confiscated and no matter how they tried to he was a Baha'i. About this time he became > recover through legal channels it they could sick and was hospitalized. His illness grew > not get it back because they were Baha'is. worse every day until the doctors gave up > Upon finishing high school, VaJ:idat treatment. In this condition he told his wife > emolled in the Officers' College in '"f ihran to and friends that he did not wish to die > begin his military service. After graduation because of illness: "I beseech the Blessed > he served at various administrative posts in Beauty to help me accomplish the duties He > the army, both in '"fihran and in the prov- has assigned to me, and sacrifice my life in > inces. His honesty and diligent service were the path of exalting His Cause." > appreciated by his associates and superiors VaJ:idat's illness lasted six months, but he > and he reached the station of full Colonel. finally recovered and left the hospital. He > He went out of his way to be helpful to his was, however, pursued by enemies who > subordinates, solving their problems if he wanted him arrested because he was a memcould. ber of the Local Spiritual Assembly of > VaJ:idat was known to be a Baha'i; from '"f ihran. He and his wife had to abandon their > the beginning of his army service he never home and for more than a year they stayed > concealed his faith. Often during his trips to with friends. In one of his letters to his > the provinces, the enemies of the Baha'i daughter he wrote: "You don' t know how > Faith complained against him to the authori- delightful it is to be wandering about in the > ties and asked to have this Baha ' i officer path of the Beloved. Your mother and I > discharged because, they said, he spread the spend each night in a different home I" > Baha'i religion among the officers under Shortly after the Government banned > him. Fortunately, these complaints were the Baha'i institutions in Iran, the National > ignored or, if on occasion Val)dat was called Spiritual Assembly ordered all of the Local > 384 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Spiritual Assemblies to dissolve. Mr. VaJ:idat, endured tests and trials four times with comhowever, continued to serve the friends . plete firmness and perseverance. > Often he visited them and, as much as possi- In the early days of VaJ:idat's imprisonble, provided means for their comfort and ment, his wife, Sudabih Val)dat, went to the > consolation. He expressed his feelings , and prison authorities and demanded to be told > what he observed during his visits, in the where her husband was . In response, the > letters he wrote to his relatives: authorities arrested and put her in prison too. > She remained in prison for 45 days, and had > How the old mother prayed in silence at > a chance to meet her husband twice during > the memorial for her young son, and the > that time; each time she was taken blindyoung spouse smilingly consoled us and > folded to the room in which he was kept; > glorified the heroism of her husband! > then the blindfold was removed and the > Messrs. MasiJ:i Farhangi, Alavian and > couple had a few minutes to see each other. > Vafa ' i, seated at the memorial for their > Sirru'llah Val)dat-Ni?ami spent 27 months > lost ones, seemed to be sitting on the > in prison. Finally he was executed by hangthrone of glory and splendor! Friends > ing on 4 May 1986. > kept arriving to visit them but did not > dare to console them! Silence prevailed; > Mr. Fidrus Shabrukh, 9 May 1986, > only the sound of chanting prayers could > Zahidan, Executed > be heard, not moaning and groaning! > Fidrus Shabrukh was born in March 1945 in > They felt honoured because their dear > Zabul, a remote town in the southeast of > ones had courageously given up their > Iran. His parents had pioneered to that homelives and taught us the lesson of sacrifice. > front goal during the Fo1iy-Five-Month Plan > You should pray for us that in preserving > of the National Spiritual Assembly ofiran. > every drop of their pure blood we may > As a young man, Fidrus moved from > not be afraid of any trial, and learn the > Zabul to Zahidan where he pursued his > lesson of love and sacrifice from them so > family business, operating a print shop and > that when our tum comes we may remain > stationery store which served most of the > steadfast. > province of Baluchistan. He manied a Baha' i, > On 13 February 1983, Val)dat went to Elahih Matin, and they had two sons, > visit a Baha'i, Miss Man~ur, who was being Shamin and Shirvin. > closely watched by government agents. Miss In Zahidan, Mr. Shabrukh devoted his life > Man~ur's brother, Ata ' u' llah, was also in the to the service of the Faith and soon became a > house. A few minutes after Val)dat arrived central figure in the Baha ' i community. He > government agents invaded Miss Man ~ ur's was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly, > home and arrested all three. They asked the serving as its secretary for many years. > names, and were glad to have found Val)dat He was well-known among the people > by chance. Ata'u'llah was released after six of Zahidan as an active Baha' i. When the > months in prison, but Miss Man~ur was con- persecution by the Revolutionary regin1e > demned to ten years imprisonment. was intensified a mob broke into his home > VaJ:idat was placed in solitary confine- and plundered its contents in front of his > ment for some time; the place of his wife and children, then threw them out of > confinement was kept secret and God knows the house. The print shop and stationery > how much torture and torment was inflicted store were confiscated, and Mr. Shabrukh > upon him. Later the place of prison was was arrested. He was among the first group > changed; he was taken out of solitary con- of Baha'i friends who were arrested and > finement and placed in one of the two rooms imprisoned in Zahidan; but that time he was > where f01iy Baha'is were imprisoned. He released on bail after tluáee months. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 385 > He was forced to leave Zahidan with his 22 months in prison, he never was allowed > family but refused to leave Iran although to have visitors. He was executed on 10 June > there was no doubt he would be arrested 1986, probably by hanging but none of his > again. He repeatedly said: "How can I family or friends ever saw his body. He was > abandon the front line of our spiritual battle buried in Kharun Abad without his family > and leave my friends and co-workers at the being informed until later. > mercy of the enemy?" > For more than one year he wandered Mr. J.Iabibu 'llah Muhtadi, 27 Aug. 1986, > about destitute and homeless. Finally, in 'fihran, Killed > Tihran, he presented himself to the authori- I:Iabibu'llah Muhtadi, the son of Hassan and > ties and was arrested and put in Ivin prison, Funighiyyih, was born in 1916 in Tihran. In > where he remained for 23 months. Later he 1957 he married Paridukht Farzam, and > was transferred to Zahidan prison, where he together they had two daughters and one > was kept for six months under very severe son. He graduated from law school in > conditions of compulsory labor and the Tihran, and served in the Iranian Air Force. > agony of separation from his dear wife and When he retired from the military he > children. However, to his wife he used to began to work in the construction business . > say: "I love you and the children very much, He was arrested for being a Baha'i on 2 May > but above you and the children there is 1981, and was held in prison for four-and-aanother Being which I love much more!" half years . He was released on 28 October > Fidrus Shabrukh was finally executed by 1985, but after ten months, on 27 August > hanging on Friday 9 May 1986. 1986, he was killed in the streets of Tihran. > The actual cause of death was háauma due to > Mr. Farid Bihmardi, 10 Jun. 1986, head injuries. > 'fihran, Executed > Farid Bihmardi, son oflsfandyar and Tal ' at, Mr. Babak 'falibi, 2 Sep. 1986, Karaj, > was born in Tiberias, Palestine, in 1939. His Beaten > family moved to Iran, where he graduated Babak Talibi was born in 1969, in Kan, a > from high school. He worked in the National village near Tihran. He was a student when > Bank in Yazd, but later, because he knew his father was arrested after incitement by > English and was interested in music, he the clergy, and later his father died. To help > started his own business importing musical support his family, Babak gave up school > instruments. and found a job. > After the Revolution in iran, Mr. Bihmardi Babak moved to Shiraz where he worked > had to close his business. He then became and studied at the same tin1e. In September > very active in Baha'i activities, dedicating 1986, while visiting his family in Tihran, he > himself to serving the friends and the com- went for a bicycle ride. When he did not > munity and spending all of his time helping return, his family searched for him and 24 > others. He was appointed to different com- hours later found his body in a garden . He > mittees and served as an Auxiliary Board had been beaten to death. The authorities > member, then was elected to the National refused to take any action against the > Spiritual Assembly. murderers because Babak was a Baha'i. > As a member of the National Assembly > he was under constant pressure and lived in Mr. iraj Mihdinizhad, 3 Sep.1986, Bandarmany different places until he was arrested ' Abbas, Mobbed > in a street in Tihran. He was imprisoned in fraj Mihdinizhad, a prominent Baha'i in > Ivin Prison, was tortured, and spent nine Bandar-' Abbas, was stabbed to death by a > months in solitary confinement. During his small group of people on 4 September 1986. > 386 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > He was 49 years old. Sixteen knife wounds Mr. Surush Jabbliri, 3 Mar. 1987, > were seen on his body. Tihran, Executed > Mr. Mihdinizhad, like thousands oflranian Surush Jabbari was born into a Baha'i fam- > Baha' is, had been dismissed from his job as ily in 1942, in the village of Saysan, near > a civil servant because of his faith and so, Tabriz. His father was Jibra'il Jabbiri and > out of necessity, had become a street vendor. his mother was A~li Shahbiziyan. When he > Following the murder, his son and son-in- was four years old his family pioneered to > law were detained for questioning by the the town ofMiyanih. There, his father had to > police for 48 hours. Later, the murderers accompany him to school to protect him > were arrested. They belonged to a family from assault by his fellow-students because > that had been angered when one member of the family's belief in Baha'u'llah. > had studied the Baha'i Faith and accepted it. At 16 years of age, Surush went to Tihran > Mr. Mihdinizhad had been targeted because to finish high school, and after graduating > he was a prominent and active Baha'i. got a job as a draftsman in a construction > The police assembled a file of evidence company. He continued working for the > on the crime and sent it to the Attorney- firm, becoming director of the drafting > General. However, the Attorney-General section. At the same time, he was very active > was apparently notified in advance that the in the Baha'i community, serving on the > matter involved the murder of a Baha' i. As National Youth Committee and in other > a result, before the file reached his desk he administrative capacities. > left his office, instructing his subordinate to Surush > - > married Mahnaz -Khusrawani in > refuse to accept the file on the pretext that 1976, and the couple had three children. At > the Attorney-General had gone on leave. In the beginning of the Islamic Revolution he > the meantime, the police who had initially was discharged from his job for being a > prepared the file suddenly changed their Baha' i, and was out of work for three years. > approach to the case. When the file was Finally in 1983 he found a job with a private > returned to them, the police indicated that company. > no action would be taken and even advised On 15 September 1984, Revolutionary > Mr.Mihdinizhad 's famil y to drop the matter. Guards climbed the walls to his house at > midnight and arrested him. For a long time > 1987 his family was not allowed to visit him in the > prison in Gawhardasht, Karaj. Later he was > Mr. A~mad Kavih, 26 Jan. 1987, I~fahan, transferred to Ivin Prison in Tihran, where > Executed he was executed along with Abu'l-Qasim > Al:imad Kavih was born in a village near Shayiq on 3 March 1987. > Lanjan, I~fahan, in 1935. He graduated from > high school and worked for banks, several Mr. Abu'I-Qasim Shayiq, 3 Mar. 1987, > companies, and a newspaper. He married, Tihran, Executed > and he and his wife had five children. Abu'l-Qasim Shayiq was born in 1940, and > Mr. Kavih was not born into a Baha'i studied history at university. He worked for > family; he accepted the Faith on his own, and the government for a number of years, but > was a very active Baha ' i teacher. After the was dismissed after the Revolution because > Revolution, he was forced to leave his home he was a Baha'i. > and his house was looted. He moved from Mr. Shayiq was imprisoned on 13 Februplace to place for several years, but finally ary 1984, and held without trial. In early > he was arrested in Tihran in November 1987 the authorities promised his family that > 1984. He suffered imprisonment until he was he and the other Baha'is in the prison would > executed on 26 January 1987. be released, but a few days later, on 3 March > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 387 > 1987, Abu'l-Qasim Shayiq and Surush Nadiri from the descendants of Va~1id, and > Jabbari were both executed, and their deaths his mother was Qudsi Malakutiyan, the > were kept secret until after they were buried. granddaughter of Akhlind Mulla 'Abdu '1- > Ghaniy Ardikani. During a period in Iran > Mr. Ardishir Akhtari, 28 Sept. 1987, when there was great opposition to the Faith, > Tihriin, Executed the Local Spiritual Assembly ofYazd asked > Ardishir Akhtari was born in September his family to be the custodians of the exten- > 1937 in Tabriz, but his family moved to sive facilities of the local Baha'i Centre, so > Tihran while he was still a baby. When he from a very young age Amir helped with its > was about 15 years old he lost his father and upkeep and related endeavours. > had to leave school to work for a living. He Amir-I:Iusayn was a talented student, both > was employed in a factory while continuing in school and in Baha'i classes. He studied > his studies and eventually received his mas- in Tihran and later in Beirut, then worked > ter' s degree in accounting. for the government as an engineer with the > In 1965, Mr. Akhtari manied Vajihih Ministty of Health. > ~arif-Zadih and the couple had two children. In 1969 he married Pari Gulzari, and at > He still kept up his Baha' i administrative the same time started to sh1dy accounting. > work, however, and became well known He excelled in this field, and later was hired > for his diligence . He was also known for as a teacher in the accounting college. Next > his lack of pretension, and for his straight- he took a position as Budget Specialist in the > forwardness . He would not do things he Ministry of Culture and Fine Atis. He was a > thought were incorrect in order to please respected senior staff member of the Minisothers, nor say things that he did not intend try when the Revolution broke out but he > to do. Also, he had a reputation for never was fired because he was a Baha'i. > doing anything for personal gain that would Mr. Nadiri was known for being a knowlhurt or cause discomfort for someone else. edgeable teacher, as well as for being an > Mr. Akhtari had a good job in the active member of the Baha'i Faith. In 1982 > National Insurance Company, as the head of he was elected to the National Spiritual > the Aviation Department, but was fired after Assembly, and served under ve1y difficult > the Revolution for being a Baha ' i. He was circumstances. He was arrested on 11 Sepintelligent and hard working, with a pure tember 1984 with several others who had > and kindly heart who served his family, been members of the last National Spiritual > community, and country all his life. Assembly. He suffered torture and imprison- > He served on different local and national ment until 28 September 1987, when he was > Baha'i committees and as a member of the executed in the Ivin Prison in "fihran. > Local Spiritual Assembly of Tih.ran. He was > a member of the last National Spiritual Mr. fraj Afshin, 26 Nov. 1987, Tihnin, > Assembly when it was dissolved in September Executed > 1983. He was anested in early September fraj Afshin was born in 1933 in Ardistan, > 1984 in Tihran. He spent three years and and was persecuted there as a child because > fifteen days in prison, then was executed on his family was Baha'i. He attended the > 28 September 1987. Military Academy in "fihran, where he was > a distinguished student much admired by his > Mr. Amir-I.Iusayn Nadiri, 28 Sept. 1987, fellow students and appreciated by the author- > Tihnin, Executed ities. After graduation he served in the Iranian > Amir-I:Iusayn Nadiri was born in Yazd in Army, being promoted to the rank of Colonel. > 1934, into a very distinguished Baha'i fam- Mr. Afshin was a faithful and intelligent > ily. His father was Janab-i-Siyyid Ma~mud officer, a talented painter and musician, and > 388 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > a dedicated member of the Baha' i commu- He was a dedicated, loyal and trustworthy > nity. He was arrested on 29 January 1986 employee and also was very active in the > in Tihran, suffered imprisonment for nine Baha'i community. He was very friendly > months, and was executed on 26 November and kind, sincere and patient. He lived a > 1987. very simple life, but his whole being was > faith in Baha 'u' ll ah. > 1988 Mr. Pasha'i pioneered to Simnan and > other difficult areas and suffered a great > Mr. Mihrdad Maq~udi, 6 Feb. 1988, deal. At the beginning of the Revolution his > Urumiyyih, Killed house was set on fire and he was imprisoned > Mihrdad Maq~udi , son of Fac:Ilu 'llah and for about a month in Sangsar. He lost his > Tahirih, was born into a Baha'i family in job for being a Baha'i. > Miyan-Duab on 11 June 1964. He was a He was elected to the Local Spiritual > high school student when the persecution Assembly of Simnan, and in 1983 he was > of Baha ' is started in Miyan-Duab, so his arrested again with other Baha'is from that > family sent him to Urumiyyih to continue city. He was kept in Sirnnan's prison for > his education where he ga ined distinction in seven months, five-and-a-half of these spent > his work and studies. in solitary confinement, and then was trans- > During one of his school religion classes, fered to the Ivin prison in Tihran. > his teacher started to denigrate the Baha' i The Baha 'is had a very hard time in Ivin > Faith so Mih1dad arose to defend it, thereby prison and were transfered to a prison in > making himself the target of ridicule by the Karaj. One year later, Mr. Pasha ' i and other > teacher and students. When he arrived home Baha' is were returned to Ivin. Although > he received a note from the Revolutionary he suffered from poor health, he served > Guard demanding that he go to their center everybody- especially the aged and sick > for questioning. Shortly thereafter, on 1 Jan- prisoners. His other love was study of the > uary 1986, he was arrested in the house of Baha' i Writings. > his uncle. Mr. Pasha' i was imprisoned for almost > He was put in the political section of the five years, during at least one year of which > prison in Urumiyyih, then was taken to the he was forbidden to have visitors. He was > prison in Tabriz. He was martyred on 6 Feb- martyred in prison during the autuinn of > ruary 1988, and his body was prepared for 1988. The news was received on 3 Decemburial by the guard in the presence of his ber 1988. > family. The guard burned Mihrdad 's clothes. > His family pursued the case through the 1989 > Justice Department, and on 10 April 1988 > they were informed that the charges against > him had been dropped under verdict No.31 - Mr. Gulvirdi Qandiyan, 7 Sept. 1989, > 35/67. Quruq/Gurgan, Killed > Gulvirdi Qandiyan was born in Sangsar in > Mr. Bihnam Pasha'i, Autumn 1988, 1912, the son of Al:imad and Mahbanu. He > 'fihran, Executed was educated in the old system and was a > Bihnam Pasha ' i was born in Tihran in 1940, dairy farmer all of hi s life. He married > the son of Mokhtar from Ardibil, one of .Qiya ' iyyih fqani yan and they had eight > the Adhirbayjan Revolutionaries who later ch ildren. > became a devoted Baha' i. When he gradu- Mr. Qandiyan accepted the Baha ' i Faith > ated from high school, Bihnam worked for when he was 23 years old, for which he was > the government in the Ministry of Health. constantly reproached by his brothers and > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVIT IES 389 > other family members. In addition to this between 1945 and 1954. He graduated from > persecution from his family, Mr. Qandiyan college and completed the first two years of > became subject to public persecution from university in the United States of America. > 1958 when, in response to the Ten Year Plan, In 1969 he obtained a degree in economics > he pioneered to Quruq, near Gurgan, and and management from the American College > helped to establish the first Local Spiritual in Ankara, Turkey. > Assembly of that village. He was always con- He spent most of his professio nal life > fronted with problems regarding his work (from 1962 to 1965 and from 1969 to 1977) > and the education of his children, but he with the Samandari Travel Agency in Tihran. > never complained and persevered at his post. In 1991 , he was engaged as the accountant of > After the Islamic Revolution in Iran, a modest elementary health centre in Tihran. > when all the Baha'is were faced with diffi- Later he joined the trading department of a > culties , Mr. Qandiyan's daughters begged textile company in the same city. > him to leave his pioneering post, but he On 21 October 1987, Mr. Samandari and > objected, stating that the worst that could four other Baha'is were arrested for meeting > happen would be for him to be killed, which in his home. At that time the charges leveled > he would accept gladly. against him stemmed from his membership > During the evening of7 September 1989, in the Baha'i community. He and his fellow > a group of strangers came into his home, tied prisoners were released on 18 December > up his wife with a piece of rope, then 1987, after the title to Mr. Samandari's > strangled Mr. Qandiyan while he was asleep home had been turned over to the authorities > in his own bed. along with a large sum of money as bail. > On 17 March 1992, Mr. Samandari was > 1992 summoned by the authorities, ostensibly to > receive a document from them. When he did > Mr. Bahman Samandari, 18 March 1992, not return home his wife went to look for > Tihran, Executed him. Two weeks later the authorities finally > Bahman Samandari was born on 8 No- handed her his last will and testament, > vember 1939 in Karaj, near Tihran. He was a dated 18 March 1992. He is survived by his > descendant of two distinguished Baha'i fa m- wife, Roza, their son ' Azizu ' llah, and their > ilies who had been closely associated with daughter, Nida. No reason for his execution > the history of the Faith from its earliest days. has been given by the judicial or prison > Mr. Samandari received his primary and authorities, nor have they disclosed the locamost of his secondary education in Tihran tion of his grave. > > BAHA'fs KILLED IN IRAN > (1978-20 APRIL 1992) > > ALL praise be to God Who, from every drop of blood shed by His chosen ones, > hath brought forth a vast creation whose number none but Himself can reckon. He > hath raised them to be the embodiments of His love and the manifestations of His > tender affection. It is they who are the hands of His Cause amongst men. It is they > who have rendered aid unto God in every age and have arisen to promote that > which He hath purposed in such wise that the majesty of the kings and their dreadful might have failed to affright them, nor have they been hindered from following > the path of tmth by the clash of aims and the furious clamour of battalions . They > have raised their triumphal cry amidst all that dwell in the heavens and on the > earth, summoning everyone unto the Lord of all mankind, He Who is the Ruler of > this world and of the next, the God of the throne on high and of the earth below. > > He is God - Blessed and Exalted is He > > ALL praise unto the Almighty the Sanctified-glorified be His power-Who > hath ordained that the tyranny of the unjust and the violence of the oppressors > should become the means whereby the tme lovers draw nigh unto the glorious > habitation of the Best Beloved and the sincere among His servants attain the Paradise of communion with Him Who is the Desire of all men, and that sufferings and > háibulations should serve as the inshument whereby His Word of conunand is > spread abroad and the standards of His praise are unfurled in all regions . > > How great is His transcendent power, how inunensely exalted His allembracing Will, inasmuch as He produceth light from fire and joy from smrnw. > > They that are sunk in heedlessness fondly imagine that massacre and cmcifixion cause the fire of the Word of God to be extinguished, and regard martyrdom as > a devastating injury. They are utterly oblivious of the háuth that through such > afflictions the Cause of God is exalted, its fame is blazoned far and wide, and the > martyrs themselves are enabled to attain the boundless retreats of nearness unto > God. Immeasurably exalted is the Lord of Wisdom who doeth that which He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth. > > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Name. -Baha'u'llah > > Note: This list, based on information received at the Baha'i World Centre subsequent to the publication of The Baha'i World, vol. XVIII (1979-1983) and The > Baha'i World, vol. XIX (1983-1986), corrects and supersedes that which > appeared on pages 291-293 of the first volume, and 229- 234 of the second. > The gathering of biographical and other information about the martyrs, and their > photographs, is an ongoing process of vital interest to the Baha' i World Centre. > Although many of the martyrs served at various times as members of Baha'i > institutions, an effort has been made to identify the kind of services they were > performing at the time of arrest and execution, as indicated by the following key: > > denotes member of the Continental Board of Counsellors, an appointed > leadership position which oversees the Auxiliary Board members. > denotes member of the Auxiliary Board, an appointed leadership position > within the Baha'i administrative framework. > ** denotes member of the National Spiritual Assembly, an elected leadership > position at the national level. > * denotes member of the Local Spiritual Assembly, an elected leadership > position at the local level. > > No. Name/Role Date Place where martyrdom > occurred > > 1978 > 1. Mr. Ahmad Isma'fli 1978 Ahram, Bushihr > 2. Mr. Qiya'u'llah I:J:aqiqat 13 Aug.1978 Jahrum, Fars > 3. Mrs. 'A vac;I -Gul Fahandizh 14 Dec.1978 Shiraz, Fars > 4. Mr. $ifatu'llah Fahandizh 14 Dec.1978 Shiraz, Fars > > 1979 > 5. Mr. Khusraw Afnani I Jan.1979 Miyan-Duab, A 6. Mr. Parviz Afnani I Jan.1979 Miyan-Duab, Adhirbayjan > 7. Mr. Ibrahim Ma'navi early 1979 l:Ii~ar, Khurasan > 8. Mr. I:Iaji-Mui:Janmiad 'Aziz[ 9 Jan. 1979 Khurmuj , Bushihr > 9. Mr. ' Ali-Akbar Khursandi * 12 Apr.1979 Tihran, Tihran > 10. Mr. Shir-Mulfamrnad Dast Pish 9 May 1979 Buyr-Alfmad, I~fahan > I I. Mr. Bahar Vujdanf 27 Sep.1979 Mahabad, Adhirbayjan > 12. Mr. ' Ali Sattarzadih 24 Oct.1979 Bukan, Adhirbayjan > > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Name. -BaM'u'llah > > No . Name/Role Date Place where martyrdom > occurred > > 13. Mr. I:Iusayn Shakurf 5 Nov.1979 Ushnaviyyih, Adhirbayjan > 14. Mr. 'A?amatu ' llah Fahandizh 27 Nov. 1979 Shiraz, Fars > > 1980 > 15. Mr. I:Iabibu ' llah Panahi 4 Feb.1980 Urumiyyih, Adhirbayjan > 16. Mr. Ghulam - I~usay n A '?ami 6 May 1980 Tihran, Tihran > 17. Mr. 'Ali-Akbar Mu ' ini 6 May 1980 Tihran, Tihran > 18. Mr. Badi'u ' llah Yazdani 6 May 1980 Tihran, Tihran > 19. Mr. Parviz Bayani 11May1980 Piranshahr > 20. Mr. Mir-Asadu ' llah Mukhtarf 18 May 1980 Andrun, Khurasan > 21. Mr. I:Iasan Isma' il zadih Jun.1980 Sanandaj, Kurdistan > 22. Mr. Yusuf SubDani 10 Jun.1980 Tihran, Tihran > 23. Mr. Yadu'llah Astani * 14Jul.1980 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 24. Dr. Faramarz Samandari * 14Jul.1980 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 25. Mr. MuDammad Akbari 16Jul.1980 Rasht, Mazindaran > 26. Mr. Yadu'llah Mahbubiyan 30 Jul.1980 Tihran, Tihran > 27. Mr. DhabiDu ' llah Mu ' mini 15Aug. 1980 Tihran, Tihran > 28. Mr. Nuru'llah Akhtar-Khavari • 8 Sep.1980 Yazd, Yazd > 29. Mr. ' Azizu ' llah DhabiDiyan • 8 Sep.1980 Yazd, Yazd > 30. Mr. Firaydun Faridani • 8 Sep.1980 Yazd, Yazd > 31. Mr. Mahmud l:lasanzadih 8 Sep.1980 Yazd, Yazd > 32. Mr. 'Abd u' l-Vahh ab Ka?imi-Manshadi 8 Sep.1980 Yazd, Yazd > 33. Mr. Jalal Mustaqim * 8 Sep.1980 Yazd, Yazd > 34. Mr. 'Ali Mu\ahhari * 8 Sep.1980 Yazd, Yazd > 35 . Mr. Rii;!a Firuz i 9 Nov. 1980 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 36. Mr. MuDammad-I:Iusayn Ma'~umi 23 Nov.1980 Nuk, Bitjand > 37. Mrs. Shikkar-Nisa' Ma'~umi 23 Nov.1980 Nuk, Birjand > 38. Mr. Bihruz Sana'i 17 Dec.1980 Tihran, Tihran > > 1981 > 39. Dr. Man(1chihr I:Iakim ** 12 Jan.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 40. Mr. Mihdi Anvari 17 Mar.1981 Shiraz, Fars > 41. Mr. Hidayatu'llah Dihqani 17Mar. 198 l Shiraz, Fars > 42. Mrs. Nuraniyyih Yarsha\ir Apr. 198 1 Tihran, Tihran > 43. Mr. Sattar Khushkhu 30 Apr.1981 Shiraz, Fars > - -- > > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Name. -Baha'u'llah > > No. Name/Role Date Place where martyrdom > occurred > > 44. Mr. ll:isanu' llah Mihdi-Zadih 30 Apr.198 1 Shiraz, Fars > 45. Mr. Yadu ' llah VaJ:idat • 30 Apr.1981 Shiraz, Fars > 46. Mr. MuJ:iammad (S uh rab) l;labibi * 14 Jun.1 981 Hamadan, Hamadan > 47. Mr. MuJ:iammad-Baqir (Suhayl) Habibi * 14Jun.1 981 Hamadan, Hamadan > 48. Mr. l;lusayn Khand il * 14 Jun.1981 Hamadan, Hamadan > 49. Mr. Tarazu' ll ah Khuzayn * 14 Jun.1 98 1 Hamadan, Hamadan > 50. Mr. I:Iusayn Mutlaq * 14 Jun.1 981 Hamadan, Hamadan > 5 I. Dr. Firuz Na' imi * 14Jun.198 1 Hamadan, Hamadan > 52. Dr. Na~ ir Vafa' f * 14Jun .198 1 Hamadan, Hamadan > 53. Mr. Buzurg ' A laviyan * 23Jun.1 98 1 Tihran, Tihran > 54. Mr. Hashim > - > Farnush > - > •* 23 Jun.1 98 I Tihran, Tihran > 55. Mr. Farhang Mavaddat * 23Jun.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 56. Dr. MasiJ:i Farhangi .. 24 Jun.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 57. Mr. Badi' u' llah Farid 24Jun.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 58. Mr. Yad u' llah Pustchi 24Jun.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 59. Mr. Varqa Tibyaniyan (Tibyani) 24Jun. 1981 Tihran, Ti hran > GO. Mr. Kamalu'd-Din Bakhtavar 26 Jul.1 98 1 Mas hhad, Khurasan > GI. Mr. Ni'matu ' llah Katibpur-Shahidi 26 Jul.1 98 1 Mash had, Khurasan > 62. Mr. ' Abdu' l- 'Ali Asadyari * 29J ul.1 98 1 Tabriz, Adhi rbayjan > 63. Mr. l~usayn Asadu ' llah-Zadih * 29Jul.1 98 1 Tabriz, Ad hirbayjan > 64. Mr. Mi hdi Bahiri * 29 Jul.1981 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 65. Dr. Masrur Dakhili * 29 Jul.1981 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 66. Dr. Parviz Firuzi * 29Jul.1981 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 67. Mr. Manuchihr Khadi'i * 29 Jul.1 981 Tabriz, Adh irbayjan > 68. Mr. Allah-Virdi Mi!b_aqi 29 Jul.1 981 Tabriz, A.dh irbayjan > 69. Mr. I:Iabibu' ll ah Tal;qiqi * 29 Jul.1 98 1 Tabriz, Adh irbayjan > 70. Mr. Isma' il Zi htab * 29 Jul.1981 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 71. Mr. Husayn Rastigar-Namdar 5 Aug. I 98 I Tihran, Tihran > 72. Mr. ~Iabfbu ' ll ah ' Azizi * 29 Aug.198 1 Tihran, Tihran > 73. Mr. Bahman 'A.tiff ll Sep.1981 Daryu n, I ~fa h an > 74. Mr. ' lzzat ' A.tiff I I Sep.1 98 1 Daryun, I~fahan > 75 . Mr. Al:imad Ri9vanf I l Sep.198 1 Daryt'.111, r ~fahan > 76 . Mr. ' A\a ' u' llah Rawhanf l I Sep.198 I Daryun, I~fahan > 77. Mr. Gushtasb Thabit-Rasikh JI Sep.198 1 Daryun, I ~fa h an > 78. Mr. Yadu' llah Sipihr-Arfa' 230ct.1981 Tihran, Tihran > > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Name. -Baha'u'llah > > No. Name/Role Date Place where martydom > occurred > > 79 . Mr. Mihdi Amin Amin ** 27 Dec. 1981 Tihran, Tihran > 80. Mr. Jalal 'Azizi ** 27 Dec.1981 Tihran , Tihran > 81. Dr. ' Izzatu' llah Furuhi •** 27 Dec.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 82. Mrs. Zhinus Ni' mat Mal:imudi •** 27 Dec. 1981 Tihran, Tihran > 83. Dr. Mal:imC1d Majdhub ** 27 Dec.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 84. Mr. Qudratu'll ah Rawbani ** 27 Dec.1981 Tihran , Tihran > 85. Dr. Sirus Rawshani ** 27 Dec.1981 Tihran, Tihran > 86. Mr. Kamran Samimi ** 27 Dec.1981 Tihran, Tihran > > 1982 > 87. Mrs. Shi va Mal)mudf Asadu' llah-Zad ih * 4 Jan.1982 Tihran , Tihran > 88. Mr. Iskandar 'Azfzf * 4 Jan.1982 Tihran , Tihran > 89. Mrs. Shidrukh Amir-Ki ya (Baqa) 4 Jan.1982 Tihran, Tihran > 90. Mr. Fatl:iu ' ll ah Firdawsf * 4 Jan.1 982 Tihran, Tihran > 9 l. Mr. Khusraw Muhandisi * 4Jan.1982 Tiluáan, Tihran > 92. Mr. Kurush Tala'i * 4 Jan.19 82 Tihran, Tihran > 93 . Mr. 'AW u' llah Yavari * 4 Jan.1982 Tihran , Tihran > 94. Mr. Ibrahim Khayrkhah 22 Feb.19 82 Babul-Sar, Mazindaran > 95. Mr. I~Iusayn Vahdat-i-~Iaqq 28 Feb.1982 Tihran, Tihran > 96. Mr. 'Askar Muhammad! 2 Apr. 1982 Rahimkhan, A.dh irbayjan > 97 . Mr. ll:isanu ' llah Khayyami 12 Apr.1982 UrC1miyyih, A.d hirbayjan > 98 . Mr. 'Azfzu' llah Gu lshanf 29 Apr. 1982 Mashhad,Khurasan > 99. Mrs. lshraqiyyi h Faruhar * 8 May 1982 Karadj, Tihran > 100. Mr. Mal:imud Faruhar * 8 May 1982 Karadj , Tihran > 101. Mr. Badi' u'l lah ~I aqpaykar * 8 May 1982 Karadj, Tihran > 102. Mr. A.gah u' llah Tfzfahm IO May 1982 Urumfyyih, Adhirbayjan > 103. Miss Jalalfyyih Mushta' il-Usku'i 10 May 1982 Uru mfyy ih, A.d hirbayjan > 104. Mrs. fran Rahfmpur (Kh urma'f) 12May 1982 Di zfUI, Khuzistan > 105. Mr. Na~ru' ll ah Ami ni * 16 May 1982 Kh anfabad, Tihran > 106. Mr. Sa'du ' llah Babazadih * 16 May 1982 Kh anfabad, Tihran > 107. Mr. ' AW u' ll ah I:Iaqqanf I Jun 1982 Tihran , Tihran > 108. Mr. Mul:iammad 'Abbasi* 9 Jul.1 982 Qazvfn , Tihran > 109. Mr. Jadidu ' llah Ashraf * 9 Jul.1982 Qazvfn , Tihran > 110. Mr. Manuchihr Farzan ih-Mu ' ayyad * 9Jul.1 982 Qazvfn , Tihran > I I l. Mr. Mul:iammad Man~urf * 9 Jul.1 982 Qazvf n, Tihran > > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Name. -Baha'u'llah > > No. Name/Role Date Place where martyrdom > occurred > > 112. Mr. Manuchihr Vafa'i 9Jul.1982 Tihran, Tihran > 113. Mr. 'Abbas-'Alf $adiqipur 15 Ju l. 1982 Shiraz, Fars > 114. Mr. 'Alf Na'imiyan 11 Aug.1982 Urumiyyih, Adhirbayjan > 115. Mr. I:Iabibu ' llah Awji 16 Nov.1982 Shiraz, Fars > 116. Dr. Dhiya' u'llah Al!rari * 21 Nov.1982 Shiraz, Fars > 117. Mr. J:Iusayn Nayyiri - l~fahani 29 Nov. 1982 J~fahan, I~fahan > 118. Mrs. Guldanih 'Alipur 24 Dec .1982 Sari, Mazindaran > > 1983 > 119. Mr. Hidayatu'llah Siyavushi * 1 Jan. 1983 Shiraz, Fars > 120. Mr. Yadu'llah Mahmudnizhad * • 12 Mar.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 121. Mr. Rahmatu'llah Vafa'i * 12Mar. 1983 Marvdasht, Fars > 122. Mrs. Tuba Za' irpur 12 Mar.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 123. Mr. 'Ac;ladu'llah ('Aziz) Zaydi I Apr.1983 Miyan-Duab, Adhirbayjan > 124. Mr. Jalal J:Iakiman I May 1983 Tihran, Tihran > 125. Mr. Suhayl $afa'i I May 1983 Tihran, Tihran > 126. Dr. Bahram Afnan * 16 Jun .1983 Shiraz, Fars > 127. Mr. 'Abdu ' l-J:Iusayn Azadi * 16Jun.1983 Akbarabad, Fars > 128. Mr. Kurush J:Iaqqbin * 16Jun.1983 Marvdasht, Fars > 129. Mr. ' Inayatu ' llah I~raqi 16 Jun.19 83 Shiraz, Fars > 130 Mr. Jamshid Siyavushi * 16Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 131. Mr. Bahram Yalda'i 16 Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 132. Miss Shahin (Shirin) Dalvand 18Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 133 Mrs. ' lzzat Janami lshraqi 18Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 134. Miss Ru'ya Ishraqi 18 Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 135. Miss Muna Ma~mudni zhad 18 Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 136. Miss Zarrin Muqimi-Abyanih 18 Jun.19 83 Shiraz, Fars > 137. Miss Mahshid Nirumand 18 Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 138. Miss Simin $abiri 18Jun . 1983 Shiraz, Fars > 139. Mrs. Tahirih Arjumandi Siyavushi 18Jun .1983 Shiraz, Fars > 140. Miss Akhtar Thabit 18Jun .1983 Shiraz, Fars > 14 1. Mrs. Nusrat Ghufrani Yalda' i * 18Jun. 1983 Shiraz, Fars > 142. Mr. A~mad - ' Alf Thabit-Sarvistani 30 Jun.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 143 . Mr. Mul!ammad l ~raqi • 31 Aug. 1983 Tihran, Ti hran > 144. Mr. Akba r I:Iaq iqi 2 1 Sep. 1983 K huy, A > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Nam e. -Baha'u ' llah > > No. Na me/Role Date Place where martyrdom > occurred > > 145 . Mr. Suhayl Hushmand 29 Sept.1983 Shiraz, Fars > 146. Mr. Bahman Dihqani 19Nov.1983 Muhammadfyyih, l ~fah an > 147. Mr. 'Abdu' l-Majfd Mutahhar 15 Dec.1983 J~fah an , I~fahan > > 1984 > 148. Mr. Ral}matu ' ll ah I:{akfman 11 Jan.1984 Kirman, Kirman > 149. Mr. N u ~ratu ' ll a h Qfya' f 3 Mar. 1984 Baft, Kinnan > 150. Mr. Mul}sin Rac;!avi 4 Mar.1984 Ti hran, Tihran > 151. Mr. Ghu lam-I:Iusayn ~Iasa n z ad ih- Shakfr i 10 Mar.1984 Tihran, Tihran > 152. Mr. Kamran Lu\fi 9 Apr. 1984 Tihran , Tihran > 153. Mr. Ral}im Ral}fmfyan 9 Apr. 1984 Tihran, Tihran > 154. Mr. Yadu ' ll ah $abirfyan 9 Apr. 1984 Ti hran , Tihran > 155. Mr. Asadu' ll ah Kami l-Muqaddam 2 May 1984 Tihran, Tihran > 156. Mr. Maq~ud ' Alizad ih 5 May 1984 Tabriz, Ad hirbayjan > 157. Mr. Jal al Payravi • 5Mayl984 Tabriz, Ad hirbayjan > 15 8. Mr. Jahangir Hidayati ** 15 May 1984 Tihran, Tihran > 159. Mr. 'A li-Mul}ammad Zamani 15 May 1984 Tihran, Tihran > 160. Mr. Nu~ratu' ll ah Val}dat 17 Jun . 1984 Mashh ad, Khurasan > 16 1. Mr. Il}sanu ' llah Kathfrf 27 Jun.1984 Tihran , Tihran > 162. Dr. Manuchihr Rul}f 16Aug. 1984 Bujnurd, Khurasan > 163. Mr. Arninu ' llah Qurbanpur 25 Aug. 1984 near Tihran > 164. Mr. Rustam Varjavandi 15Sept.1984 Ti hran , Tihran > 165. Mr. Shapur (Hus hang) Markazf 23 Sept.1984 Tihran, Tihran > 166 . Mr. Ffruz Purdil 30 Oct.1984 Mashhad, Khurasan > 167. Mr. Al}mad Bashiri ** I Nov. 1984 Tihran, Ti hran > 168. Mr. Yu ni s Naw ru zi-lranzad * I Nov. 1984 Karadj , Tih ran > 169. Mr. ' Alirida Niyakan 11 Nov. 1984 Tabriz, Ad hirbayjan > 170. Mr. Qiya'u ' llah Mani' i-Usku ' i 13 Nov. 1984 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > 17 1. Dr. Farhad A~daqf ** 19 Nov. 1984 Tihran , Ti hran > 172. Mr. Ffn'.1z Athari * 9 Dec.19 84 Karadj , Tihran > 173. Mr. Ghul am-I:Iusayn Farhand * 9 Dec.1984 Karadj , Tihran > 174. Mr. 'Inayatu ' ll ah I:Iaqfqf * 9 Dec.1984 Karadj, Ti hran > 175 . Mr. Jamal Kashani * 9 Dec.1984 Karadj , Tihran > 176. Mr. Jamshfd Pur-Ustadkar * 9 Dec. 1984 Karadj , Tihran > 177. Dr. Rt'.tl)u ' llah Ta' lfm * 9 Dec.1984 Kirrnanshah > > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Name. -Baha'u'llah > > No. Name/Role Date Place where martyrdom > occurred > > 1985 > 178. Mr. Ruhu ' llah I:Ia~uri• * 21 Jan.1985 Yazd, Yazd > 179. Mr. Ruhu'llah Bahrarnshahi * 25 Feb.1985 Yazd, Yazd > 180. Mr. Nu~ratu ' llah Subhani 5 Mar.1985 Tihran, Tihran > 18 1. Mr. 'Abbas idilkhani I Aug.1985 Tihran, Tihran > 182. Mr. RaJ:imatu'llah Vujdani * 31 Aug.1985 Bandar- ' Abbas > 183. Mr. Nuru'd-Din Ta' ifi 12 Oct.1985 Pahlavfdizh, Mazindaran > 184. Mr. 'Azfzu'llah A~arf 19 Nov.1985 Tabriz, Adhirbayjan > > 1986 > 185. Mr. Payrnan SubJ:ianf 17 Apr.1986 Saravan > 186. Mr. Sirru'llah VaJ:idat-Nizarnf 4 May 1986 Tihran, Tihran > 187. Mr. Fidrus Shabrukh 9 May 1986 Zahidan > 188. Mr. Farid Bihrnardi** IO Jun 1986 Tihran, Tihran > 189 Mr. I:Iabibu'llah Muhtadi 27 Aug.1986 Tihran, Tihran > 190. Mr. Babak Talibf 2 Sep.1986 Karadj, Ti hran > 191. Mr. iraj Mihdfnizhad 4 Sep.1986 Bandar- ' Abbas > 1987 > 192. Mr. AJ:imad Kavi h 26 Jan.1987 I~fahan , I~ fahan > 193. Mr. Surush Jabbari 3 Mar.1987 Tihran, Tihran > 194. Mr. Abu'l-Qasirn Shayiq 3 Mar.1987 Tihran, Tihran > 195. Mr. Ardishfr Akhtari ** 28 Sept.1987 Tihran, Tihran > 196. Mr. Arnfr-I:Iusayn Nad irf ** 28 Sept.1987 Ti hran, Tihran > 197. Mr. fraj Afshin 26 Nov.1987 Tihran, Tihran > > 1988 > 198. Mr. Mihrdad Maq~udf 6 Feb.1988 Ururnfyyih, Adhirbayjan > 199. Mr. Bihnam Pasha'f* Autumn 1988 Tihran, Tihran > > 1989 > 200. Mr. Gulvirdf Qandfyan 7 Sep.1989 Quruq, Mazindaran > > 1992 > 201. Mr. Bahrnan Sarnandarf 18 Mar.1992 Tihran , Tihran > > Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold > hardships for the sake of My Name. -Baha'u'llah > > BAHA 'is WHO DISAPPEARED WITHOUT > TRACE IN IRAN AND ARE PRESUMED DEAD > (1979-20 APRlL 1992) > > denotes member of the Aux iIiary Board > ** denotes member of the National Spiritual Assembly > > No. Na me Where Disappeared Date Disappeared > > 1979 > I. Mr. Mu~ammad Muvahhid Tihran 24 May 1979 > 2. Dr. 'Alfmurad Davudi Tihran 11 November 1979 > > 1980 > 3. Mr. Ruhi Rawshani Tihran 3 January 1980 > 4. Mr. 'Abdu'l-I:Iusayn Taslimi ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 5. Mr. Hushang Mahmudi ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 6. Mr. Ibrahim Ra~mani ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 7. Dr. I:Iusayn Naji** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 8. Mr. Manuhir Qa' im Maqami ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 9. Mr. 'Atfl' u' llah Muqarrabi ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > IO. Mr. YusifQadimi ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 1I. Mrs. Bahiyyih Nadiri ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 12. Dr. Kambiz $adiqzadih ** Tihran 21 August 1980 > 13. Dr. Yusif 'Abbasiyan • Tihran 21 August 1980 > 14. Dr. I:Iishmatu ' llah Rawhani • Tihran 21 August 1980 > Sirru '!Lah Va~dat-Niz;ami Farid Bihmardi > Fidrus Shabrukh > > Babak '[alibi fraj Mihdinizhtid A~madKavih > > Abu 'l-Qasim Shayiq > Surush Jabbtiri Ardishir Akhtar[ > Amir-Husayn Nadiri Bihnam Pasha'£ > Mihrdad Maq~udi > > Gulvirdi Qandiyan Bahman Samandari > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIV ITI ES 401 > > E. RESPONSE OF THE UNITED NATIONS TO THE PERSECUTION OF THE BARA 'fs > 1980- 20 APRIL 1992 > > Since 1980, human rights organs of the of Iran and to continue his efforts to ensure > United Nations have been expressing con- the Baha'is full enjoyment of their human > cern about the tragic situation of the Baha' i rights and fundamental freedoms. > religious minority in Iran. This demonstra- Grave concern for the Baha'i minority > tion of international concern has played a was expressed by members of the Human > critical role in moderating the actions of the Rights Committee at its 16th session, when > Iranian authorities and providing a measure the Committee discussed with representatives > of security to the Baha'i community. of the Iranian Government the preliminary > In 1985 the General Assembly had the report submitted by the Government of the > issue on its agenda for the first time. It Islamic Republic of Iran in accordance with > adopted a resolution which expressed deep its reporting obligations under the Internaconcern about the human rights situation in tional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. > Iran and decided to continue its examination Resolution 1982/25 of the Sub-Commisof the situation, "including the situation of sion on Prevention of Discrimination and > minority groups such as the Baha' is ... " . Protection of Minorities recalls its earlier > A summary history of this issue at the resolutions on the plight of the Baha 'is and > United Nations is outlined below: expresses its continuing concern at human > rights violations in Iran. > 1980 > Resolution 10 (XXXIII) of the Sub-Commis- 1983 > sion on Prevention of Discrimination and Resolution 1983/34 of the Commission on > Protection of Minorities expresses profound Human Rights expresses its profound conconcern for the Baha'is both individually cern at the religious persecution of the > and collectively, and invites the Government Baha' is and requests the Secretary-General > of Iran to protect their fundamental human to continue his direct contacts with the > rights and freedoms . Government of Iran on the human rights > situation in that country, "including the > 1981 situation of the Baha'is". > Resolution 8 (:XXXIV) of the Sub-Commis- Resolution 1983/14 of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and sion on Prevention of Discrimination and > Protection of Minorities draws attention of Protection of Minorities expresses its grave > the Commission on Human Rights to the per- concern at the continuing religious persecuilous situation facing the Baha'is and requests tion of the Baha' is and suggests that the > the Secretary-General to report on their plight Commission on Human Rights appoint a > to the next session of the Commission. Special Rapporteur to study the human rights > situation in Iran. > 1982 > Resolution 1982/27 of the Commission on 1984 > Human Rights notes the Secretary-General's Resolution 1984/54 of the Commission on > report on the Baha ' is and requests him to Human Rights expresses its concern for the > establish direct contacts with the Govenunent Baha ' i minority and requests its Chailn1an to > 402 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > appoint a Special Representative to establish report, and expresses the hope that the initial > contacts with the Government of iran and to contacts of the Government of Iran with the > make a thorough study of the human rights Special Representative will develop into a > ofiran. positive cooperation. > Decision 1984/138 of the Economic and Resolution 40/ 141 of the General Assembly > Social Council endorses the Commission's > Expresses its deep concern over the spedecision to appoint a Spec ial Representative. > cific and detailed allegations of violations > Resolution 1984/ 14 of the Sub-Commisof human rights in the Islamic Republic > sion on Prevention of Discrimination and > of Iran to which the Special Representa- > Protection of Minorities expresses alarm at > tive refers in his interim report, and in > the continuing gross violations of human > particular, those related to the right to life, > rights in Iran, including the religious persesuch as summary and arbitrary executions; > cution of the Baha'is, and welcomes the > the right to freedom from torture or cruel, > Commi ssion 's deci sion to appoint a Special > inhuman or degrading treatment or pun- > Representative. > ishment; the right to liberty and security > of person and to freedom from arbitrary > 1985 > arrest or detention; the right to a fair trial ; > Preliminary Report of the Spec ial Representhe right to freedom of thought, conscience > tative to the Commission on Human Rights > and religion and to freedom of expresexpresses great concern at the number and > sion; and the right of religious minorities > gravity of alleged violations of human rights > to profess and practice their own religion > in Iran, including denial of the right to free- > (operative paragraph 2): > dom of thought, conscience and religion. > Resolution 1985/39 of the Commission on Decides to continue its examination of the > Human Rights endorses the general observa- situation of human rights in the Islamic > tions of its Special Representative, expresses Republic of Iran, including the situation > its deep concern at the number and gravity of of minority groups such as the Baha' is, > alleged violations of human rights to which during its forty-first session in order to > his preliminary report bears witness, extends examine this situation anew in the light of > his mandate, and requests him " ... to present additional elements provided by the > an interim report to the General Assembly at Commission of Human Rights and the > its fortieth session on the human rights situa- Economic and Social Council (operative > tion in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including paragraph 8). > the situation of minority groups such as the > Baha'is ... ". 1986 > Decision 1985/148 of the Economic and Resolution 1985/41 of the Commission on > Socia l Council endorses the Comm ission's Human Rights "expresses its deep concern > decision. over the specific and detailed allegations of > Resolution 1985117 of the Sub-Commis- grave human rights vio lations in the Islamic > sion on Prevention of Discrimination and Republic of Iran to which the Special Repre- > Protection of Minorities welcomes the sentative refers in his report"; endorses > Commission's decision, expresses its alarm his conclusion that "specific and detailed > at the continuing reports of gross violations allegations concerning grave human rights > of human rights and fundamental freedoms violations" in Iran cannot be dism issed; > in Iran, "in particular at the evidence of per- decides to extend the mandate of the Comsecution of the Baha' i religious minority .. .", mission 's Special Representative and requests > endorses the general observations of the him to present an interim report on the situa- > Special Representative in his preliminary tion, "including the situation of minority > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 403 > groups such as the Baha'is" to the General 1987 > Assembly at its forty-first session and a final Resolution E/CN.4/RES/ 1987/55 (11.3.1987) > report to the Commission at its forty-third of the Commission on Human Rights recallsession in 1987. ing its resolution 1986/41, extends the > Decision 1986/ 137 of the Economic and mandate of the Special Representative for > Social Council approves the Commission's one year; requests him to present an interim > decision to extend the Special Representa- report on the human rights situation includtive's mandate and its request to the Special ing the situation of minority groups, such as > Representative to submit reports to the forty- the Baha'is; regrets "that the Government > first session of the General Assembly and of the Islamic Republic of iran has so far > the forty-third session of the Commission. provided no comment or information to the > It was announced on 14 July 1986 that, in Special Representative and has not allowed > response to this request, the Chairman of the him to visit the country"; again expresses > Commission had appointed Mr. Reynaldo "its deep concern over the numerous and > Galindo Pohl to serve as the Special Repre- detailed allegations of grave and extensive > sentative of the Commission. hun1an rights violations to which the Special > Resolution 41 /159 of the General Assembly Representative refers in his report (E/CN.4/ > 1987 /23) and in particular, those related to > Expresses its deep concern over the spe- the right to life, the right to freedom from > cific and detailed allegations of violations torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatof human rights in the Islamic Republic ment or punishment, the right to liberty and > of Iran and in particular over those related security of person and to freedom from arbito the right to life, such as summary and trary arrest or detention, the right to a fair > arbitrary executions, the right to freedom trial, the right to freedom of thought; confrom tmture or cruel, inhuman or degrad- science and religion and to freedom of > ing treatment or punishment, the right expression, and the right of religious minorito liberty and security of person and to ties to profess and practice their own > freedom from arbitrary arrest or deten- religion"; requests "the Special Representation, the right to a fair trial, the right tive to present an interim report to the > to freedom of thought, conscience and General Assembly, at its forty-second sesreligion and to freedom of expression and sion on human rights in the Islamic Republic > the right of religious minorities to profess of Iran, including the situation of minority > and practice their own religion; groups such as the Baha'is ...". > Requests the Commission on Human Decision 19871150 ofECOSOC approves > Rights to study carefully the final report the Commission's decision to extend the > of the Special Representative, as well as Special Representative's mandate. > other information pertaining to the situa- Resolution E/CN.4/Sub.2/RES/ 1987112 > tion of human rights in the Islamic ( 1.9 .1987) of the Sub-Commission on Pre- > Republic of Iran, and to consider further vention of Discrimination and Protection of > steps for securing effective respect for Minorities refers to "various resolutions and > human rights and fundamental freedoms documents published by other international > for all in that country; bodies and organizations including resolutions ratified by the European Parliament > Decides to continue its examination of and Council of Europe ... all of which have > the situation of human rights in the expressed great concern over the violations > Islamic Republic of Iran including the sit- of human rights and violation of the most > uation of minority groups such as the basic rights of the ethnic and religious minor- > Baha 'is, during its forty-second session .... ities ... "; learns "with renewed concern that > 404 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > the number of those allegedly executed by their political and religious convictions"; > the ruling Government, including Baha'is and expresses "its deep concern at allegations > others, now exceeds 70,000 ... "; expresses that maltreatment and torture, both physical > "strong concern over the grave violations of and psychological, are common practice in > human rights and basic freedom such as ... the Iranian prisons during interrogation and > "right to freedom of belief and religion .. ."; before and after the final verdict, and at the > urges "determined protest by the Commission existence of extremely summary and inforto the Islamic Republic of Iran concerning mal proceedings, unawareness on the part of > continuing disrespect for the Charter of the the prisoners of specific accusations, lack of > United Nations in relation to human rights"; legal counsel and other irregularities with > and "requests the Secretary-General to respect to fair trial" ; endorses "the concluinform the General Assembly, the Commis- sion of the Special Representative that acts > sion on Human Rights and its Special continue to occur in the Islamic Republic of > Representative of the information obtained Iran that are inconsistent with the provisions > from the Sub-Commission on the grave vio- of international instruments..."; decides "to > lation of human rights and the most basic keep under consideration the situation of > freedoms in the Islamic Republic of Iran". human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, > Resolution 42/136 (7.12.1987) of the including the situation of minority groups > General Assembly takes note of the Com- such as the Baha'is, during its forty-third > mission's resolution 1987/55 requesting the session ... ". > Special Representative "to submit an interim > report to the General Assembly at its forty- 1988 > second session on the situation of human Resolution E/CN.4/RES/1988/69 (10.3.1988) > rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, includ- of the Commission on Human Rights recalls > ing the situation of minority groups such as its decision to request the Special Representhe Baha'is ... "; again expresses "its deep tative to present an interim report to the > concern about the numerous and detailed General Assembly on the human rights > allegations of grave human rights violations situation including the situation of minority > in the Islamic Republic of Iran to which the groups, such as the Baha'is; expresses > Special Representative had referred in his "again its deep concern about the numerous > report, namely, those related to the right to detailed allegations of grave human rights > life, the right to freedom from torture or violations ... in particular those related to the > cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or right to life ...the right to freedom of thought, > punishment, the right to liberty and security conscience and religion and to freedom of > of person, and to freedom from arbitrary expression .. ."; requests "the Special Reprearrest or detention, the right to a fair trial, the sentative to present an interin1 report to the > right to freedom of thought, conscience and General Assembly at its forty-third session > religion and to freedom of expression, and on the human rights situation, including the > the right of religious minorities to profess situation of minority groups, such as the > and practice their own religion"; expresses Baha' is, and a final report to the Con1illis- > " its grave concern, in particular, that sion at its forty-fifth session". > although the Special Representative indicates Decision 1988/137 ofECOSOC approves > that the number of alleged violations of the the Commission's decision to extend the > right to life has diminished over the past two Special Representative's mandate. This deciyears, according to information made avail- sion refers also to Commission resolution > able to him, some one hundred persons were 1984/54. > alleged to have been executed in the period Resolution 43/137 (8.12.1988) of the General > October 1986- September 1987 because of Assembly takes note of the Commission's > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 405 > resolution 1988/69 requesting the Special 1989 > Representative "to submit an interim report Resolution E/CN.4/RES/1989/66 (7.3.1989) > to the General Assembly at its forty-third of the Commission on Human Rights recallsession on the situation of human rights in ing " ... the situation of minority groups, such > the Islamic Republic of iran, including the as the Baha'is ... "; notes "that the situation of > situation of minority groups such as the the Baha'is in the Islamic Republic of Iran > Baha'is ... "; no,tes "the recent contacts continues to be uncertain"; expresses once > between the Special Representative and the more "its deep concern over the numerous > Government of the Islamic Republic of iran, and detailed allegations of grave and extenwhich it is hoped will lead to a state of full sive human rights violations to which the > co-operation between the Special Represen- Special Representative has referred in his > tative and that Government, including a visit reports, namely, those related to the right to > to the Islamic Republic ofiran, so that he can life, the right to freedom from torture or > fulfil his mandate"; notes "that the Baha'is in cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or > the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to be punishment, the right to liberty and security > subjected to various forn1S of harassment and of person, the right to a fair trial and to freediscrimination, although there are indications dom of thought, conscience, religion and > that the intensity of the campaign of perse- expression"; requests "the Special Reprecution against the Balla 'is has diminished sentative to present an interim report to the > somewhat in recent months, and that a num- General Assembly at its forty-fourth session > ber of them have been released from prison"; on human rights situation in Iran, including > expresses once more "its deep concern about the situation of minority groups, such as the > the numerous and detailed allegations of Baha'is and a final report to the forty-sixth > grave human rights violations in the Islamic session of the Conunission". > Republic of Iran to which the Special Repre- Resolution E/CN.4/Sub.2/RES/1989/10 > sentative had referred in his report, namely, (31.8.1989) of the Sub-Commission on Prethose related to the right to life, the right to vention of Discrimination and Protection of > freedom from torture or cmel, inhuman or Minorities takes note "of numerous reports > degrading treatment or punishment, the right by United Nations special rapporteurs and > to liberty and security of person, the right to a by NGOs, ... "; concerned "also at reports > fair trial and the right to freedom of thought, of denial of rights of minorities to enjoy > conscience and religion"; expresses "its deep their own culture, to profess and practice > concern also at the existence of extremely their own beliefs"; is "further concerned at > summary, informal and irregular proceed- reports about persecution and detention of > ings, failure to inform defendants of specific members of the Baha'i community in the > accusations against them, lack of legal coun- Islamic Republic of Iran". > cil, absence of an appropriate instance for Resolution 44/163 (15.12.1989) of the > appeal and other inegularities that contra- General Assembly takes note "with apprevene international standards on fair trial"; ciation of the interim report of the Special > endorses "the conclusion of the Special Representative of the Commission on Human > Representative that acts continue to occur in Rights"; takes note "of the view of the Spethe Islamic Republic of Iran that are incon- cial Representative that, in order to achieve > sistent with the provisions of international full co-operation between the Government > instruments ... "; decides "to keep under of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Speconsideration the situation of human rights cial Representative, there is a need to > in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the proceed to another stage in the discharge of > situation of minority groups such as the his mandate"; welcomes "the invitation by > Baha' is, during its forty-fourth session .. .". the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Special > 406 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Representative for him to visit that country"; the Special Representative on the situation > decides "to continue its examination .... during of the BaM'is in the Islamic Republic of > its forty-fifth session". Iran"; calls upon "the Islamic Republic of > Iran to intensify its efforts to investigate and > 1990 rectify the human rights issues raised by the > Resolution E/CN.4/RES/1990/79 (7.3.1990) Special Representative, in particular as > of the Commission on Human Rights notes regards the administration of justice and due > "the findings of the Special Representative process oflaw in order to comply with interon the situation of the Baha'is in the Islamic national instruments on human rights, > Republic of Iran"; expresses "its concern that including the International Covenant on > testimony gathered by the Special Represen- Civil and Political Rights to which the > tative reiterated complaints about unlawful Islamic Republic of Iran is a party, and to > executions, torture, substitute prisoners, ensure that all individuals within its territory > imprisonment beyond the period specified in and subject to its jurisdiction, including > the sentence, spontaneous decisions by low- religious groups, enjoy the rights recognized > ranking officials and the absence of council in these instruments"; notes "that the cofor defence as well as restrictions on the operation of the Islamic Republic of Iran > right to assemble ... "; requests "the Special with the Special Representative has > Representative to submit an interim report improved and has included replies by the > to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth Government to allegations that have been > session on the human rights situation in the transmitted to it, and urges the Government > Islamic Republic ofiran, including the situa- to reply in detail to all allegations referred > tion of minority groups, such as the Baha' is, to by the Special Representative in his > and a final report to the Commission at its reports". > fo1iy-seventh session". > Decision 1990/243 ofECOSOC approves 1991 > the Commission's decision to extend the Resolution E/CN.4/RES/1991/82 (7.3.1991) > Special Representative 's mandate. of the Commission on Human Rights noting > Resolution E/CN.4/Sub.2/RES/1990/9 (30. further "the findings of the Special Repre- > 8.1990) of the Sub-Commission on Preven- sentative on the situation of the Baha'is in > tion of Discrimination and Protection of the Islamic Republic of Iran"; welcomes > Mino1ities notes "that the situation of the "the full cooperation extended by the Gov- > Baha'is in the Islamic Republic of Iran ernment of the Islamic Republic of Iran > continues to be uncertain"; expresses "its to the Special Representative, which has > deep concern about the grave vio lations of reached its highest level, as well as the > human rights namely those related to the intention of the Government to continue its > right to life, the right to freedom from tor- full cooperation with the Special Representure and from cruel, inhuman and degrading tative"; requests "the Special Representative > treatment or punishment, the right to liberty to maintain his contact and cooperation with > and security of person, the right to a fair the Government...and to report on further > trial, and the right to freedom of thought, progress with regard to the recommendations > conscience, religion and expression .. ."; contained in his report, on the basis of his > decides "to consider the situation of human mandate pursuant to Commission on Human > rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Rights resolution 1984/54 of 14 March > including the situation of minority groups 1984"; also requests the Special Representasuch as the Baha'i, at its forty-third session". tive "to submit a report to be considered by > Resolution 45/173 (18.12.1990) of the the Commission which will consider the > General Assembly noting "the findings of report with the view to its discontinuing the > INT ERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 407 > mandate if there is further progress achieved (E/CN.411992/34) and the observations conregarding his recommendations". tained therein"; expresses "its deep concern > Decision 1991/261 ofECOSOC approves at the continuing reports of violations of > the Commission's request to the Special human rights in the Islamic Republic of > Representative to maintain his contacts and Iran"; expresses "its concern more specificooperation with the Government of the cally at the main weaknesses, according to > Islamic Republic of Iran and to report on the Special Representative, of the human > further progress. rights situation in the Islamic Republic of > Resolution E/CN .4/Sub.2/RES/1991 /9 Iran, namely, the lack of guarantees of due > (23 .8 .1991) of the Sub-Commission on Pre- process of law, discriminatory treatment of > vention of Discrimination and Protection of certain groups of citizens for reason of their > Minorities notes "that the situation of the religious beliefs, notably the Baha'is ... "; > Baha 'i community in the Islamic Republic welcomes "the fact that the Government of > of Iran continues to be a matter of great the Islamic Republic ofiran has permitted the > concern"; expresses "its deep concern at the Special Representative to visit the counhy > escalating grave violations of human rights and has continued to reply to allegations of > in the Islamic Republic of Iran, in particular human rights violations transmitted to it by > of the right to life, the right to freedom the Special Representative"; calls upon the > from torture and from cruel, inhuman and Government "to ensure that all individuals > degrading treatment or punishment, the right within its tenitory and subject to its jurisdicto liberty and security of person, the right to tion, including religious groups, enjoy the > a fair trial and the right to freedom of rights recognized in the international inshuthought, conscience, religion and expression, ments"; decides "to extend the mandate of > and calls upon the Commission on Human the Special Representative requesting him to > Rights at its forty-eighth session, to extend submit an interim report to the General > the mandate of the Special Representative Assembly at its forty-seventh session"; > and the monitoring of the situation of human decides "to continue its consideration of the > rights" ; decides "to consider the situation of situation of human rights and fundamental > human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, freedoms in the Islamic Republic of Iran, as > including the situation of minority groups a matter of priority, at its forty-ninth session". > such as the Baha'i community, at its forty- Decision 1992/239 ofECOSOC approves > fourth session". the Commission's decision to extend the > Special Representative's mandate and its > 1992 request to the Special Representative to sub- > Resolution E/CN.4/RES/1992/67 (4.3.1992) mit an interim report to the forty-seventh > of the Commission on Human Rights takes session of the General Assembly and a final > note "with appreciation of the report of the report to the forty-ninth session of the > Special Representative of the Commission Commission. > 408 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Participants in a Wom en's Institute held at the Regional Bah!i 'i Centre of LatriKunda, > Gambia, in 1987. > > International Council of Women delegates ji-om Korea and India listen to a speaker during > a reception held to honour Laura Dreyfus-Barney, a Baha 'i and a member of the !CW. > The event took place on 6 July I 988 at the UNICEF House in Washington, D. C. , as part of > the celebrations of the one hundredth anniversmy of the International Council of Women. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES > > 4. WOMEN'S ACTIVITIES > > Jn every age and cycle He hath, through the splendorous light shed by the Manifestations of > His wondrous Essence, recreated all things ... 1 > > THE Revelation of Baha'u'Jlah has given outcomes have never attained a state of > us a new vision of what it means to be completion and perfection. "4 > human; a whole new set of standards with The key to raising the status of womenwhich to view ourselves as men and women, indeed the key to raising all people up to > and new ways of seeing the relationships "the greatness which might be theirs "5-is > between what 'Abdu'l-Baha called the "two education. "Woman's lack of progress and > wings of one bird"2 of humanity. "Jn this proficiency has been due to her need of > Day," Baha'u ' llah Wrote, "the Hand of equal education and opportunity. Had she > divine grace hath removed all distinctions. been allowed this equality, there is no doubt > The servants of God and His handmaidens she would be the counterpart of man in abilare regarded on the same plane. " 3 ity and capacity. The happiness of mankind > This is the first time in religious history will be realized when women and men cothat a Manifestation of God has enunciated ordinate and advance equally, for each is > this principle, and from the Writings it is clear the complement and helpmeet of the other. "6 > that before a Baha'i World Commonwealth During the Six Year Plan, Baha'i commucan be brought into being a fundamental nities sponsored or supported a wide range of > change in the status of women needs to take educational activities as a way of promoting > place. 'Abdu' l-Baha stated: " ... it is well the equality of men and women, and helping > established in histo1y that where woman to bring about the needed "organic change in > has not participated in human affairs, the the structure of present-day society .... " 7 > > SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS > > The most basic laws and ordinances of the engage in some occupation-some art, trade > Baha'i Faith underscore the need people or the like, which requires job training. > have for an education. For example: Baha'is These laws and ordinances apply to all > are asked to read from the Sacred Scriptures Baha'is, male and female . > each day, which requires literacy skills; are In many parts of the world, for a variety > enjoined to seek truth independently, which of reasons, people have not received the > requires thought processes free from super- education that would make it possible for > stition and imitation; and are instructed to them to comply w ith these laws. To help, > > 1 4 > Baha ' u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of 'Abdu ' l-B aha, Th e Promulgation of Universal Peace > Balza 'u 'I/ah (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, (Wi lmette: Baha'i Publish ing Trust, 1982), p. 134. > 1976), p. 62. 5 > Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu '/-Bahri in > 'Abd u' I-Baha. Selections from the Writings of Paris in /9//-1912 (London : Baha'i Publishing > 'Abdu '/-Balza (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1978), Tru st, 1979), p. 133 . > p. 302. 6 Promulgation , p. 182. > Bah a 'u '!!ah, extract from a previously untran slated 7 > Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahri 'u 'I/ah > Tablet; cited in Women , compiled by the Research (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 43. > Department of the Universal House of Justice, > January 1986. p. 2. > 410 TH E BA HA ' i WORLD > > In Sarh, Chad, the > "Roses Noires " > women 's group met > regularly to learn > prayers, discuss family problems, receive > lessons in hygiene, > and learn sewing and > embroidery skills. > • Photo taken on > 8 June 1988. > > Baha' is have worked to found tutorial and anyone. The National Spiritual Assembly of > other schools, launch rural development India established more than two hundred > programmes, organize job training faciliti es, tutorial schools during the Plan, many of > establish educational radio stations, operate which were attended by girls and women. > agricultural and medical proj ects, and other The New Era Development Institute, > development projects. Most of these endeav- based in Maharashtra, implemented the > ours have been designed for the whole Government of India 's Ministry of Human > community. However, because women have Resources adult education programme. The > been oppressed in so many societies for so effort introduced centres in sixty-one local > long, some projects have been specifically communities and ran a series of evening > designed to help women gain confidence in classes that were largely attended by > their abilities and develop skills. women . The subjects discussed included > In Zambia, where only twenty per cent adult literacy and children's education, > of girls receive basic education, a Baha'i health care, hygiene, animal husbandry and > residential secondary school for girls named tree planting. Instructors were from the comafter the Hand of the Cause of God Musa munities themselves. > Banani began development under the aus- The Rabbani School Rural Development > pices of the William Mmutle Masehla Project, located near Gwalior in Madhya > Institute. This school was planned to offer a Pradesh, centres on the Rabbani School and > curriculum that would combine agricultural more than twenty villages in the immediate > training with the University of Cambridge vicinity. Development of the school included > Exams Syndicate curriculum which would programmes for formal and non-formal > provide students with the International Gen- education, agriculture, animal husbandry > eral Certificate of Secondary Education and health. Development of villages includes > (I GCSE) at the end of grade twelve. the formation of women's groups, and coop- > Promoting literacy among women was eration in such ventures as land reclamation, > the focus of Baha'i activities in Cameroon, nursery development, poultry farming, > Cote d'Ivoire, France, Gabon, Guinea- agriculture and veterinary services. Many > Bissau, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, all women also attend sewing classes, which > of which reported either special literacy include a component of functional literacy. > classes being held for women, or noted that The combination of literacy classes and > women were making up a significant per- training in income-producing skills is the > centage of those attending classes open for cornerstone of the programmes run by the > INT ERNA TIO NAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 411 > Baha'i Vocational Institute for Rural Baha'i Institute. In Nigeria, Baha' i women > Women. Started in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, promoted the use of soya bean products to > in 1983, the project soon included two sub- provide protein for families that could not > centres, one in Manipur and one in Jhabua. afford to include animal milk, eggs or meat > In November 1986, a third course was in their daily diets. > started in Kalyanpura. In addition to adult In Haiti , more than four hundred and fifty > literacy, vocational skills including weaving, mothers were trained in the areas of family > sewing, knitting and embroidery have been welfare, education and health care. Materials > taught. The initiative won national recogni- used in this programme included those detion for the level of excellence it has veloped by the Ruhi Institute of Colombia, > sustained in its work. and the National Spiritual Assembly of > Sixty women attended courses in sewing, Kenya. > cooking, child care and English held in In Tuvalu, the Baha'i women's Nutrition > Franceville, Gabon, during the Six Year and Home Gardening Programme operated > Plan. In Ciskei, the Baha' is of Ngqumeya continually during the Six Year Plan to help > began a candle-making operation as an families improve their health and standard of > income-generating project for women. This living. It consisted of a vegetable garden > effort was run as a cooperative enterprise, competition among Baha'i households in > with part of the proceeds from each sale Funafuti in which each family grew nine > being returned to the group to purchase more vegetables. In Tonga, women started a vegewax. Following the early success of the table, fowl and pig farm on Tongatapu in > initiative the women were invited by a gov- 1989, and in Malaysia women were the > ernment official to demonstrate their skills prime workers in the small vegetable plots > to other villages. In Sarh, Chad, the "Roses operated by the Baha'i community of > Noires" women's group met regularly to Pengkalan Hulu, Perak. > learn prayers, discuss family problems, In 1989, a Health Awareness Project was > receive lessons in hygiene, and to learn sew- undertaken by the National Women's > ing and embroidery. The group functioned Committee of Malaysia. The objective was > under the direction of the Local Spiritual to provide health and child development > Assembly of Sarh. education for the mothers and families in the > Women often took part in-and benefited selected low income areas, and to expose the > from- Baha' i development efforts focused mothers to the benefits of health and child > on health and nutrition. For example, in development practices. The first phase of the > Burkina Faso women made up about fifty Project was to reduce the incidence of > per cent of the volunteers trained to serve scabies, lice and worm infection among the > their village communities as part of the families, to attract women to the centres, and > Hygiene and Nutrition Education Project. to establish good and lasting relationships. > Started in 1984, the Project continued The undertaking not only achieved all its > throughout the Six Year Plan to give basic objectives, but led to further development > training in nutrition, sanitation and hygiene, initiatives including dental care and literacy > as well first- aid training and access to a classes. > "pharmacy box" containing a number of The very innovative project entitled > basic medications in each village. "Traditional Media as a Change Agent", > In Zambia, Primary Health Care training which worked at the vi llage level , has been > programmes for women were initiated in described in the article on Baha'i social and > 1988: one-week courses were conducted in economic projects (seep. 179). The National > communities, while two-week courses were Spiritual Assemblies of Bolivia, Cameroon, > carried out at the William Mmutle Masehla and Malaysia cooperated in this activity which > 412 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Richard and Mona > Grieser, standing in > the back row centre, > with participants in the > "Traditional Media as > a Change Agent" > project co-sponsored > by the Baha'i International Community > and the United Nations > Development Fund > for Women. Sarawak, > ;'*i Malaysia; 1992. > --~- ........... > was funded through the Baha'i International with all part1c1pating villages responding > Community by the United Nations Develop- positively to the challenge. > ment Fund for Women (UNIFEM). The two- A women's conference on radio programyear enterprise commenced in October 1991. ming was held at the Guaymi Cultural > Baha'i communities in Brazil and Nigeria Centre in Panama from 31 August to 2 Sepalso joined the project. tember 1990, with the goal of consulting > The initiative sought to improve the about broadcasting on Radio Baha'i Panama > status of rural women by using traditional in relation to topics of special interest to > media of music, dance and drama to stimu- women, such as the equality of men and > late village-wide discussion of women's women and the education of children. About > roles. Men were included in the consultation, 150 people attended, with men working in > and were asked to help identify factors the kitchen and taking care of the young > which inhibited women from taking part in children so that the women could attend the > decision-making and other activities which sessions. The status of women was the > would allow them to contribute positively to subject of discussions aired on other Baha'i > the growth of their families and their commu- radio stations as well, in Peru, Bolivia, > nities. Early results were very encouraging, Ecuador, Chile, the United States, and Liberia. > > CONFERENCES, SEMINARS AND PUBLICATIONS > The Baha'i Writings discuss three types of they help deepen our understanding of the > education : "material education", which Baha'i dispensation. > teaches people how to improve their physi- Throughout the Six Year Plan, Baha'i > cal well-being; "human education", which conferences, seminars and workshops for > is concerned with knowledge of commerce, women took place worldwide. Whether held > the sciences and arts; and "spiritual or under the open skies of a village or in a > moral education", which addresses values. 1 metropolitan auditorium, women discussed > If social and economic development pro- issues pertinent to their roles as mothers, as > jects are among the types of "material" and peacemakers, and as vital members of society. > "human" education, conferences could be In 1988, international Baha'i women's > included as types of "spiritual" education as conferences were organized in North and > South America, and in the Caribbean. The > 'Abdu'l-Bah a, Some Answered Questions (Wilmette: event which took place in Dallas, Texas, > Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1981 , p. 8. from 8 to 12 August was attended by more > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACT IVITrES 413 > Left: In Luxembourg, the > Baha'i Women's Union > organized a conference > with concert held on > 7 October 1988 and attended > by about 130 people. > > Below: In Mexico, Rosalinda > Espinoza de Frazelle is talking about "Women and > Peace" during a Baha'i > women 's conference held > in 1987. > > Above: In Bangladesh, > Mrs. Shirin Boman > addresses a Bahri 'i > women 's conference > held in Dhaka in 1986. > > Right: In Kenya, one of > the friends makes a point > during the National Baha'i > Wom en's Conference held > in the Nakuru Baha'i > Centre in February 1989. > 414 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > than one thousand women from sixty-five 11 September 1988, was that fifty percent of > countries and all fifty states of the United the participants were not Baha'is. The > States of America. Called "Global Peace, sessions attracted representatives from > from Vision to Reality'', the gathering was twelve countries and were given extensive > sponsored by the National Spiritual Assem- news coverage. > bly of the Baha'is of the United States. The The following year, Uruguay hosted an > professionally organized programme includ- International Women's Conference that was > ed a daily schedule of workshops, talks, and described as "charged with enthusiasm". > working sessions on ways women could en- Conducted from 6 to 8 October 1989 in > hance their role in the global peace-making Montevideo, the occasion was co-sponsored > process. The meeting was widely publicized by the National Spiritual Assembly and the > as reporters responded to its unusually Ministry of Education and Culture. Approxidiverse multiracial, multireligious quality mately three hundred people from twelve > which tangibly demonstrated the possibility countries took part, and messages of support > of a peaceful global community. were received from various Government > One hundred and thirty women from seven authorities, Baha'i institutions, and women's > nations of the Americas were welcomed to associations from other countries. The gaththe International Women's Conference in ering was reported widely by the mass > Paraguay which opened on 15 July 1988. communications media. > The gathering received full coverage for The first initiative to form a European > several days on both of the country's tele- Baha'i Women's Movement took place at De > vision channels and in all three national Poort Conference Centre in the Netherlands > newspapers. Representatives of the United from 6 to 8 May 1988. Ten countries were > Nations helped to organize the programme, represented by twenty-eight individuals, > and the Minister of Education and Religion many of whom were members of National > sent a message of welcome. Mrs. Isabel Baha'i Women's Committees. Consultations > Pavon de Calderon, a member of the Conti- were on ways the European Baha'i communental Board of Counsellors, commented nities could better understand the role of > that the conference was "writing the history women . > of women in Latin America". As one result of these efforts, the Conti- > A strong feature of the Caribbean nental Board of Counsellors in Europe > Women's Conference, held on the island of sponsored seven international women's con- > Antigua, in the Leeward Islands, from 9 to ferences in 1990. The first took place in > > -- - > n poeferevcia ID(efi]aciopaf Ba/ji'i cfe fa}/(lje1 á i > Y EL MOMENTO f!A LLEGADO lgualdad.Desarrol!oyP,,, &Iul.~, I > > Uruguay hosted an > International Baha'i > Women's Conference > co-sponsored by the > National Spiritual > Assembly and the > , Ministry of Education > and Culture and held > in Montevideo from > 6 to 8 October 1989. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 415 > > A Pacific Bah Women's Conference > was held in Hilo, > Hawaii.from 30 May > to 7 June 1991, with > seventy-six women > from seventeen islands > and countries bordering the Pacific basin > taking part. > > Iskenderun, Turkey, from 18 to 20 May, and Germany, on 6 and 7 October 1990, and the > its theme was "The Role of Women in the one for French-speaking women was held at > Faith". Participants came from many parts of the Baha' i Centre in Luxembourg from 26 to > Turkey and from other European countries, 28 October. Their theme was "The Role of > and the spirit reportedly was outstanding. Women in the Transformation of Society". > The second European women's confer- Approximately one hundred Baha' is from > ence was held in Fuscaldo Marina, Italy, seven countries assembled for the meeting. > from 8 to 10 June. The programme was The last in the series of European womexcellent, the National Spiritual Assembly en 's conferences was conducted in Dublin, > reported, and gave rise to participation in Ireland, from 2 to 4 November 1990. It > two ongoing teaching projects. One group of was called "She Will Shine Resplendently", > women went to Portici, Italy, to take part in and was attended by three hundred and fifty > intensive teaching activities there, while the Baha'is. "Heartened by the response from > other group travelled to Spain to join the men, whose huge presence contributed > teaching work among the Gypsies. "Both greatly to the spirit of unity, to the practical > projects were carried out with great enthusi- outcome of the conference, and to encourasm'', the National Spiritual Assembly stated. agement of the women participants, a true > Furthermore, the conference "incited the feeling of 'new beginnings' was created for > desire in the Baha' i families to participate in many. " > teaching activities not only as individuals A Pacific Women's Conference was held > but as Baha' i fami lies". on the campus of the University of Hawaii at > The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l- Hilo. It took place from 30 May to 6 June > Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum attended the Euro- 1991 with seventy-six Baha' i women from > pean Baha' i women's conferences held in seventeen islands and countries bordering > Madrid, Spain, from 30 August to 3 Septem- the Pacific basin taking part. The theme was > ber, with more than four hundred Baha' is "Empowering Women to Achieve", and the > from twenty countries attending, and in programme focused on: education for peace; > Bastia, Corsica, from 7 to 9 September, with permaculture; social and economic developabout five hundred participants from fifteen ment programmes; health and nutrition; and, > countries. Publicity for the Faith was use of the media to support teaching > unprecedented in both countries. projects. > The European conference for German- In Africa, forty-four ethnic groups were > speaking women took place at Langenhain, represented among the two hundred people > 416 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > who assembled for the International Baha'i Role of Women in an Advancing Civilization". > Women's Conference held from 31 October This consisted of presentations of invited > to 4 November 1991 in Nigeria. Five mem- papers by Baha' i and non-Baha ' i experts > bers of the Continental Board of Counsellors focusing on such areas of concern as women > and six members of the Auxiliary Board were and power, women in the legal profession, > among the guests. At the end of the meeting and women, development and peace. > the participants resolved "to arise and meet The first Association for Baha'i Studies > the unique opportunities open to them; to conference in Papua New Guinea, conducted > take responsibility for the development of in September 1988 at the University Baha'i > themselves, their families and the world". Club in Port Moresby, included a paper by > The President of the Republic of the a Papua New Guinean on "Equality of Men > Seychelles Islands, Mr. Albert Rene, and Women: Traditional and Modern Con- > "extended the warmest possible welcome" cepts". The Association's second conference, > to representatives of the Baha'is who had held at the University of Papua New Guinea > travelled to his country to attend the Region- in May 1989, heard presentations on "The > al Baha'i Conference for Women on the Effect of the Baba' i Faith on the Position of > college campus of Port Lanau in Mahe from Women in the Mountain Brown Area of > 31 December 1991 to 5 January 1992. More Papua New Guinea'', and "Women and > than one-hundred and thirty believers from Peace: An Anthropological Perspective". > Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius, and the Extracts from the Baha'i Sacred Writings > Seychelles listened to talks and participated on the subject of women, compiled by the > in workshops on themes including the role Research Department of the Universal House > of women in the family, women and the edu- of Justice and released in English in January > cation of children, the role of women in the 1986, provided much of the basis for study of > Baha' i community, and women and peace. the issue during the Six Year Plan. Editions > Conferences featuring the principle of of the compilation received at the Baha'i > equality of men and women were sponsored World Centre Library during the period had > by two chapters of the Association for Baha'i been translated into Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, > Studies during the Six Year Plan. In the French, Gern1an, Italian, Japanese, Norwe- > United States, the North American chapter gian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish. > hosted nearly eight hundred people during its Newsletters by and for Baha' i women > meeting held from 15 to 17 September 1989 were another source of inspiration. A sample > in Irvine, California. The theme of the gath- of the newsletters produced include Euro > ering was "Full Partnership: An International Bulletin (in English) from the National Com- > Conference on the Equality of Women and mittee for Fostering the Equality of the Sexes, > Men". Seminars covered a range of interests Republic of Ireland; From the Hearts of the > including consultation and conflict resolu- Handmaidens (in English) from the Women 's > tion, the arts, health, agriculture, science and Consultative Group, Lynnwood, Washington, > technology, and intercultural issues. There U.S.A.; Bahai Josei Janaru (in Japanese) > was an even attendance of men and women from the National Women's Committee of > at the Conference, with the sentiment being Japan; Baha 'i Women (in Hindi) from the > widely held that equality is not a women's Baha' i Women's Committee of Lucknow, > issue, but a human issue. Uttar Pradesh, India; Mujeres de la Nueva > In Australia, the Association for Baha'i Era (in Spanish) from the National Baha' i > Studies' eighth conference took place in Women's Committee of Bolivia; and, Sauti > Adelaide from 24 to 27 March 1989. A ya Mama (in Swahili) from the Baha'i > special one-day symposium featured "The Women's Committee for Upper Zaire. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 417 > > Jn the United States, > Louise Profeit-Leblanc > giving a presentation > during the 14th Annual > Conferenceforthe > Association for Baha'i > Studies held in Irvine > California, > 15 to 17 September, > 1989. > > EFFORTS TO PROMOTE EQUALITY IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY > The Teachings of Baha'u'llah are for all of Women's Day celebrations for the Kaduna > humanity, and His principles have become State Ministry of Health in 1988, "Educate > part of the spirit of the age. In isolation, Women, Build a Nation", would be published > however, any one of His Teachings can as a booklet and distributed through the local > become distorted and so the Faith 's clear governments in Kaduna State. > perspective on the roles of women was often Baha'is participated in activities marking > welcomed at public forums, and Baha'is' National and International Women 's Days in > experience in advocating equality was of- Cameroon, Uganda, Guyana, and Ireland. In > fered as an example to many governmental Thailand, the Baha' is of Bangkok celebrated > bodies. The Baha'i International Community International Women's Day 1989 with a > participated fully in the work of the United two-hour programme in a popular shopping > Nations to promote the advancement of mall. Hundreds of people heard readings > women (See also article on p. 522.) In addi- from the Baha'i Writings concerning women, > tion to working directly with United Nations' and many pamphlets on peace and women > agencies, Baha'i communities worldwide were distributed. > supported UN initiatives. In 1989, in the town of Rabaul, Papua > The United Nations ' International Wom- New Guinea, National Women ' s Day was > en's Day was celebrated in Australia with celebrated with a music festival during which > a special service at the Baha'i House of a Baha' i band, the Dawnbreakers, performed > Worship in Sydney in March 1989. Eminent songs about peace, women, and a safe and > community leaders were among the readers happy home . Baha' is also set up a bookshop > at the service, including the President and for the event and handed out flyers with > Vice President of the Women' s International songs, prayers, and Baha' i Writings. In Port > League for Peace and Freedom. In Nigeria, Moresby, two Baha' is were invited to particthe E'.'ecutive Secretary of the Baha'i ipate in planning the Women 's Day events, > Women's Development Board was told that and one of them was chosen to be Mistress of > the paper she presented at the International Ceremonies. The Baha'is took part in all the > 418 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In the Solomon Islands > Baha'i women and > children present > their custom dancing > during the Women's > Week celebrations held > in September 1988. > > activities-reading Baha' i prayers, serving the House of Representatives Standing Comas judges for several events, presenting a mittee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, > short drama, performing traditional dancing, Office of the Status of Women and the Deand singing in a choir. partment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. > Baha'i women of the Solomon Islands The State Minister for Religious Affairs > contributed to Women's Week in 1988 by of Bangladesh was among the dignitaries > marching in a parade sponsored by the welcomed to the conference "Equality of > Honiara Council of Women. A Baha'i Men and Women-a Prerequisite for World > prayer was chosen as the first prayer for the Peace" in Dhaka in September 1991. The > official opening following the march, and president and general secretary of the Bangthe President of the Honiara Council-a ladesh Women Writers' Association and > Baha'i and the only female lawyer in the journalists from several national newspapers > Solomon Islands-was chosen to deliver an were present as well. In Bermuda, during > address. For National Women's Day in a public forum on "Women and Peace" > Samoa in 1990, the Baha' is created a float in which took place in February 1987, a Baha'i > the shape of a bird completely covered with chaired a panel composed of the nation's > fresh flowers and a sign that read "Equality most prominent women including the > of Men and Women". The Baha'i women Minister for Health and Social Services. > walking in the parade with the float sang, A Women's International Luncheon was > "With two wings, we will fly ... ". held on 9 November 1991 at the National > Baha'is were among those who helped Baha'i Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. This was > organize the first International Indigenous followed by a panel of speakers who ex- > Women's Conference, called "Finding Com- plored the topic "Gender and Development". > mon Ground". Held in Australia in July 1989, Twenty-three prominent non-Baha'i women > and funded by UNESCO, the gathering was plus twenty-five Baha'i women attended the > attended by more than one thousand women. events, which received extensive medi a > The event began with a two-day celebration coverage. The Baha'i Women's Committee > of the arts of indigenous peoples. Topics of Fiji was represented at a national "Women > discussed during the conference included in Development" conference in July 1986; a > women and racism, education, and domestic Baha'i stall displayed pamphlets and handiviolence. The Baha'is of Australia were also crafts. In Cote d'Ivoire, Baha'is participated > represented at the "Recognition for Women in a discussion of "The Rights of Women > in Australia" seminar hosted in July 1991 by and Social Progress" conducted in December > INTERNATIONAL SU RVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 419 > 1989 under the patronage of the Minister of one of the goals of the country's Six Year > Primary Education and the President of the Plan. The Baha'i Women's Committee of > Federation of African Jurists. New Zealand was invited to become affili- > A representative of Zaire 's Ministry for ated with the National Council of Women in > Women visited the National Baha'i Centre September 1986, and in the same year, > in December 1988 to learn more about the Baha'is were asked by the National Wom- > National Baha'i Women's Committee. The en's Council of Vanuatu to help set up > delegate said she was touched by the talk non-political, non-denominational women's > given by a spokeswoman for the National committee for the Port Vila municipal area. > Committee and impressed by the organiza- This was achieved in Port Vila and two > tion and extent of Baha'i women's activities. Baha'i women were elected President and > In Uganda, a written statement on the Baha'i Vice-President of a committee of twelve. > perspective on women was presented to The Malaysian Baha'i Women's Comreligious leaders during a national seminar mittee was an affiliate and active supporter > organized by the government in July 1989. of the National Council of Women's Organi- > The President of Papua New Guinea's zations, so when the NCWO celebrated its > National Council of Women, the President Silver Jubilee on 25 August 1988, Baha'is > of the Morobe Women's Association, the played an important role. The event was > Regional Member for Morobe Province in attended by more than one thousand guests, > the National Parliament, and the wife of the including Her Majesty, the Queen of Malaysia, > Prime Minister were among the leaders of and other prominent women. Baha'is helped > thought who participated in the national to organize the celebration and produced > conference co-sponsored by the Baha ' i souvenir progranunes for each function. A > community and the Morobe Women's Asso- Baha'i was one of three women selected to > ciation in July 1989. The event received represent the women of Malaysia in a > significant media coverage. pledge-taking ceremony. > The National Baha'i Women's Committee The Baha'i Women's Committee of > in the Republic of Ireland gained affiliation Singapore collaborated with the Singapore > with the Council for the Status of Women in Council of Women's Organizations, the > 1988: the Council is a recognized body of the Nigerian Baha' i Women's Development > national Government. In 1989, the Baha'is of Board registered with the National Council > Papua New Guinea achieved representation of Women Societies, and Baha 'is in Hawaii > on the National Council of Women, fulfilling were asked to serve on the Governor's > > In Pakistan, a public > meeting held in > memory of'[ahirih > was organized by the > Local Ladies Committee of Karachi. Shown > is the guest speaker, > Mrs. Zahida Hina, > a renowned > journalist and poet. > 25 August 1989. > 420 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In the Philippines, > President Corazon > Aquino (seated centre) > and the Vice President > of the All Nations > Women's Group, > Martha Taylor-a > Baha 'i-(seated right) > during the induction > ceremony for the > Group's new officers > on 9 May 1990. > > Conmussion on the Status of Women. Through in Fiji. The Baha'i National Women's Comthe National Committee on Women in the mittee organized a devotional programme, > United States, the Baha'i Faith is affiliated and the believers participated in a peace > with government and non-governmental or- march, carrying a banner which displayed a > ganizations which are active in the field of quotation from the Writings of Baha'u' llah. > women's issues. An aiiicle submitted by the Baha ' i N ational > In November 1988 , Baha'is made major Council of Women was published in the Fiji > contributions held to mark the twentieth an- Times, and Baha'i youth performed a musical > niversary of the National Council of Women drama before nine hundred people. > > CONCLUSION > > 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 world-wide regeneration. 1 > Baha' u ' llah has brought a new standard for During the Six Year Plan, Baha'is forged > what it means to be human, and has told us ahead by organizing activities to promote the > that education is the key to attain that station. equality of men and women including devel- > This training is a process which will lead to oping projects focussing on the special needs > " ... the last and highest stage in the stupen- of women, sponsoring conferences on the > dous evolution of man 's collective life on this subject, publishing literature and forming > planet." 2 "So marvellous a conception finds Baha ' i women's groups wluch associated with > its earliest manifestations in the efforts con- other organizations pursuing sin1ilar aims. > sciously exerted and the modest beginnings Hence the new age will be an age less > already achieved by the declared adherents masculine and more permeated with the > of the Faith of Baha'u'llah who, conscious feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, > of the sublimity of their calling and initiated will be an age in which the masculine > into the e1mobling principles of His Admin- and feminine elements of civilization áwill > istration, are forging ahead .... " 3 be more evenly balanced. 4 > > 1 Glea nings, pp. 92-93. 4 > 'Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in J.E. Ess lemont, > 2 Bahn '11 'l/irh and the New Era (Wilmette: Baha'i > Shoghi Effendi , World Order, p. 163. > 3 ibid., pp. 43-44. Publishing Trust, 1976), p. 156. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES > > 5. YOUTH ACTIVITIES > > A. YOUTH YEAR OF SERVICE > "Why would we volunteer to scrub and requirements, interests, and talents. Other > clean things for a year? Because we love countries which developed special Youth > Baha'u'llah!" explained a radiant Baha'i Year of Service programs included Brazil, > who was mid-way through her Youth Year Colombia, Canada, Costa Rica, and Zambia. > of Service. This expression of love through During the Six Year Plan, the Youth Year > action was reflected around the world during of Service concept was spread and develthe Six Year Plan as followers of the Blessed oped throughout Baha' i communities world- > Beauty as yet unburdened by career and wide. In Europe, for example, one of the > family combined their abounding energy and first activities of the newly-formed Europecuriosity with a commitment to serve the an Baha'i Youth Council was to set up a > Faith. database of service positions available on > Youth have always played a shining role the continent and issue a Youth Year of > in God's Plan for this Day. The Bab Himself Service Information Pack to all National > was but twenty-five years old when He de- Spiritual Assemblies and National Youth > clared His stupendous Mission, and Shoghi Committees in the region. The Cote d'Ivoire > Effendi was a student at Oxford when called held a six-week Development Institute to > to rise to the Guardianship. What is new is prepare youth for a year of service, and > the relatively systematized approach to ser- Ecuador reported a training seminar as part > vice. This grew out of a concept proposed in of its YYS program. > a letter from the Universal House of Justice Information about the Youth Year of > to the Baha'i Youth of the World sent on Service was a prime topic during some youth > January 3, 1984: " ... give attention to the idea conferences, including one held in the Nethof volunteering a set period, say, one or two erlands in July 1989, and one in Zimbabwe > years, to some Baha'i service, on the home in August 1991. Articles about it were > front or abroad, in the teaching or develop- published in newsletters distributed to young > ment field .... " Baha'is, such as the Australian Network, > By April 1984, only three months after and Malawi's Baha'i Youth Newsletter. > this clear guidance was received, the Nation- Discussions were held at Baha'i Clubs in > al Baha'i Youth Committee of the United universities from Alaska to Guam, and > States began to recruit and place Youth Year details were distributed through the Contiof Service volunteers. Working with the nental Boards of Counsellors, the Auxiliary > International Pioneering Committee and Boards, and the various assistants. > others, the Youth Committee gathered facts Most of the youth served in their home > about Baha'i projects which youth could countries. In India, for example, many of the > join for one year, and information about nearly 200 tutorial school programs were run > young people who were willing to serve. by local volunteers. Young friends worked in > Over time this processing became quite administrative capacities, guided at Baha' i > sophisticated, including details about "host Temples, drove mobile institutes, helped at > projects" such as the location, skills re- Baha' i radio stations, assisted with Baha'i > quired, housing available and expenses to be medical projects, and provided vital consolicovered, and data about the volunteers such dation teams. In-country service programs > as special needs for medical care, dietary were reported in Alaska, Argentina, Australia, > 422 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Participants in the > Ruhi Institute International Training > Course for Tutorial > School Teachers and > for the Preparation of > the Youth Year of > Service. Colombia, > November 1986. > > Belgium, Bolivia, Cameroon, Canada, the Honduras, Hungary, India, Ireland, Kiribati, > Canary Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, > the Cote d'Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, Russia, Swaziland, and the Ukraine. One > Ecuador, France, Guyana, Honduras, Ireland, frequent recipient of these youth volunteers > Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Panama, was the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, > Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Thailand, the Israel, where individuals served the Univer- > United Kingdom, the United States, and sal House of Justice as plumbers and legal > Zaire. aides, as engineers and cooks, as desktop > Some young people spent their year of publishers and irrigation specialists, and in > service as full-time teachers of the Faith. many other areas of need. > Youth dominated the teaching work in East- An informal survey of young Baha'is > ern Europe, while the United States reported who gave a year of service during the Six > that youth participated in almost all ongoing Year Plan was carried out through the Contiprojects and comprised most of the full-time nental Boards of Counsellors. Several dozen > teaching teams. In its Ric:lvan message for people responded, including friends who > 1992 the Universal House of Justice wrote: had traveled from Canada to serve in > "Youth activities took on a special character Romania, from Malaysia to Mongolia, from > shaped by the idea of a youth year of Australia to Japan, from Zimbabwe to > service. The involvement of the youth in the Zambia, from New Zealand to India, from > Six Year Plan as short-term pioneers, travel- Papua New Guinea to the Holy Land, and > ling teachers and projecteers had a profound from the United Kingdom to Botswana to > effect on the teaching work overall..." serve the Cause. Quotations from some of > Young Baha'is who were willing and their statements show how the Youth Year > able traveled to serve the Faith abroad. of Service enriched their lives and strength- > Many of these friends were from Australia, ened their Faith, as well as providing > Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the assistance to the communities which re- > United States, and were assigned to projects ceived them. > in Albania, the Baltic States, Belize, Bolivia, The survey asked for the youth's name, > Botswana, the Canary Islands, Colombia, the address, date of birth, period of service, and > Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, in what capacity he or she served. Then the > Ecuador, the Gambia, Guatemala, Guyana, friend was asked: > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 423 > Could you please describe one of the mem- A young man who had gone from Great > orable moments ofyour service? Britain to Africa responded: > One young Ecuadoran woman who served In Botswana we had heard that there > as a member of a teaching team in her home would be a teaching project in South > country wrote: Africa-in Botsobella, a township. It was > The most memorable moment I experi- my first teaching project in South Africa. > enced was the first night I spent in an Three of us went into a school to make a > indigenous village in Imbabura, where the presentation of the Faith. One of the more > team shared the life of the indigenous experienced teachers told me, "Don't > people-their food and their homes. look back. Go straight in and with confi- > Being a city person myself, I had never dence insist on an audience, you will not > experienced the life of these people be refused". This we did, and within > before. For the first time, I felt a true thirty seconds of entering the school we > unity, as Baha'u'llah taught us. were led to the staff room where the > An Ausháalian who had travelled to Fiji to teachers were enjoying their lunch. I proserve reported: ceeded to make my presentation, my first > I had typed a letter that began: "I proclamation of the faith in front of the > would like to offer a twenty-minute public. Four of the teachers declared their > presentation on the theme of world peace belief in Baha'u'llah and many expressed > at your school". I had personally taken interest. This demonstrated to me that if > copies of this letter to seventeen schools we forget our frailties and rely on > when I was suddenly taken ill. I managed Baha'u' llah the doors will open. > to present the peace message and One young woman from Australia who > proclaim the Faith in ten or eleven served for some time at the Baha'i House of > schools, however I could not carry on and Worship in New Delhi, India, described this > spent three days in Labasa Hospital. As I experience: > lay on my bed during that time I did not It was in July during the middle of the > know whether I would live, and hated the day when the temperature soared to 48 C. > fact that the proclamation work had not The dry heat was debilitating, yet > been completed. You can imagine my hundreds of people were atháacted to, and > elation when, on being discharged, I mesmerised by the House of Worship. I > heard the news that one of the members always felt it such a bounty to meet and > of the National Spiritual Assembly had welcome people from all over the world, > completed the proclamation work. drawn to the House of Worship by > > Young volunteers > in "The Temple > Brigade" doing > cleaning and maintenance work in and > around the House > of Worship in New > Delhi, India, in 1988. > 424 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Some of the youth > serving at the Baha 'i > World Centre in > Haifa, Israel, in > March 1990. The > diversity of these > volunteer workers is a > demonstration of the > unity of mankind > in action. > > inquisitive minds, searching souls. Dur- the city and I was given the list of all the > ing this particular day I was welcoming new Baha'is and told that I was now > guests on the front steps of the House of responsible for them. That was my first > Worship and offering information about weekend in Ploesti! What a welcoming > the House of Worship in the fom1 of pam- and what a responsibility! > phlets. A gentleman took a pamphlet from > me and proceeded to climb a few steps, The second question was: > ilien he stopped, turned, and walked back In what way did your participation in the > to me. He asked me "What exactly, is this Youth Year of Service programme change > all about?" I began to answer his question your life? > and very soon I began to realise that the A young Australian who went to Japan to > answer was not in my words. I felt free, I serve for one year explained: > became the vehicle through which his It was an experience which greatly > question could be answered. enhanced my life as an individual and as > A Canadian youth who had travelled to a member of the wonderful international > serve in Romania answered: Baha'i community. The Baha'is of > I had just moved into the city (Ploesti) Utsunomiya were truly exceptional. I had > and was at a weekend teaching project. never encountered so much love, respect > The evening ' s fireside was attended by and diversity among such a small group. > about fifty seekers and the atmosphere Their focus was always "teaching'', either > was very exciting despite the cool through weekly firesides, weekly teach- > October temperature. I was talking to a ing trips to smaller country areas, visiting > travelling teacher during the fireside and and deepening new Baha'is, meeting with > asked him what he would do if everyone dignitaries ... They exemplified for me the > stood up and enrolled in the Fa ith. Before way a Baha'i community should be and I > he could think of an answer, the fireside am so grateful for having been able to > ended wiili an announcement that iliose share a year of my life with them. > people wishing to join the Baha ' i com- A youili from the mainland of the United > munity should come to the front of the States worked in the National Baha'i Office > room. And in unison, ilie whole room of Hawaii, in Honolulu: > jumped up and ran to the front! We were Participating in a Youth Year of Serboth shocked beyond words. About two vice strengthened my Faith in Baha'u'llah > hours later all the travelling teachers left immensely. I was tested to truly claim the > INTERNATIO NAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 425 > Baha'i Faith as my own. My perspective Beauty says, regarding sacrifices made in > on Baha' i administration opened up His path: To tinge thy hair with thy blood > because I worked so intimately with the is greater in My sight than the creation of > National Baha'i Center activities. the universe and the light of both worlds. > A woman from Papua New Guinea who > travelled to Haifa to serve at the Baba ' i The third question asked: > World Centre responded with these words of In what way did your service change the > wisdom: lives of those in the communities that you > One [important aspect] of my service served? > was the feeling that the Baha'i World A young Malaysian who served the Faith in > Centre was also mine. Serving as a janitor Mongolia wrote: > gave me a lot of joy, and confirmed Mongolia was a new ly opened country > our teachings that any job done well when I arrived in August 1991-there > is service to Baha'u'Ilah, and if done were only eight adult Baha'is. We taught > with a sp irit of service gives tremendous with our limi ted knowledge of Mongoli an > happiness. and with lots of confirmation from > An Ecuadorian woman, the sister of the Baha' u ' llah, and the number increased > woman quoted above, also served in her to fourte en. The first Local Spiritual > own country and then later served for a year Assembly in Mongoli a, the Assembly of > and a half in Romania: Ulaan-Baatar, was formed. > I think I have changed in the manner in At that point in the development of > which I consider the Faith in my life and the community, the Baha'is in Mongolia > especially in service to the beloved lacked confidence and were even afraid > Cause. It is like a thirst that can't be to have a vision of the glorio us future > quenched. It is to have fo und what I was promised by Baha'u 'llah, lest it would not > searching for all my life. These moments come true. I very much wanted to organize > of diffic ulty when we felt at one with the a project that would unite the community > Beloved were unique, and I wouldn ' t through a common vis ion, and that would > have mi ssed them for anything. We feel be successfu l to give the community > much closer to Him when we are servi ng confidence and courage ... By the grace of > the Faith. Now it is impossible to stop Baha'u' llah, the celebration of His Birththinking about how to serve more and day helped us to achieve it. > more and take advantage of every second The Baha'is became excited by the > of our lives to teach the Faith. idea of a celebration, and created a vision > An Australian who went to help with the of how it should be. Undaunted by their > teaching work in Romania wrote: limitations, each of the members began to > My Year of Service served to re-orient draw on all of their talents and resources > my life towards Baha 'u' llah. I partici- as well as those of their friends . We > pated in the Year of Service for beseeched Baha' u ' llah to assist us, and > Baha' u ' llah and every moment away I were guided- almost taken by our > was reminded of this, whether it was hands-to meet authoriti es, strangers and > waking up in a fo reign city or trying to friends, who willingly helped and > communicate in a foreign language. It is supported our project. > all too easy to lose spiritual foc us in the The result was a Mongolian celebraroutine of everyday life at home, and hav- tion in every sense of the word. It was > ing this "year out" has helped me in held in a public hall complete with stage > becoming completely oriented towards and backdrop, an appropriate devotional > service to th e Cause.. .. The Blessed programme and stage performance of > 426 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > A Bahd 'i youth from > Vanuatu (standing in > back, second from > right) with students of > the literacy class he > teaches as part of his > Year of Service. They > are by the Bahiz 'i > Centre in Lownahurur, > Middle Bush, Tanna, > """"'-"""'-li!!!. > in February 1992. > > songs, traditional dances and instrumental More than anyone else, the Mongolian > folk music. friends-who had been extremely con- > The celebration of the Birth of scious of our lack of strengths in many > Baha'u'llah was held on the evening of areas-agreed that it was our unity of > 11November1991 with about eighty peo- v1s1on and singleminded determined > ple attending. Considering that the Local efforts to advance the affairs of the Cause > Spiritual Assembly of Ulaan-Baatar had that made our project so enjoyable and > been formed less than a month previously, fulfilling to work on. Although the Local > this was remarkable. Another aspect that Spiritual Assembly of Ulaan-Baatar had > made this event amazing was the demon- not even managed to meet officially to > stration of the incredible potency of His elect their officers, yet the members came > Covenant as a handful ofBaha'is, placing together to work on this project. They > their full reliance and trust in 'Abdu 'l- were united in their love ofBaha'u'llah. > Baha's promise that "as ye have faith, so One of the young friends who served in > shall your powers and blessings be" Ecuador relates: > managed to bring about this event. As to how the community was > Writing this in retrospect, I will not go affected-truly it was not because of our > into who did what and how. What stands efforts, but because of the mercy of God > out in my memory is the absolutely that the community was able to progress > wonderful happiness I felt while riding both spiritually and then materially > the bus to the celebration. It was a cold through governmental institutions. About > snowy evening, but the freezing tempera- two weeks after more than one hundred > ture could not dampen my joy. I had to people embraced the Faith, the village > look out of the window because I didn't obtained electricity and piped water. > want to appear crazy to my fellow They also changed spiritually, as people > passengers-I could see this smiling face who had been enemies for years became > reflected in the glass. At the same time, I part of one common Faith. They carried > was close to tears but I couldn ' t stop grin- out many activities together, and the most > ning! Any time since then if I'm down, I thrilling part was to hear them praying > focus on that mirrored happy radiant feel- and to see the love of the Blessed Beauty > ing. It never fails to warm my heart and reflected in their faces. > lift my spirit. ... having had a taste of pure Another youth describes how just by > happiness, I know His Covenant is real. moving into a particular area she was an > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 427 > > Youth Year of Service > volunteers went into - > the Kalahari Desert in > Botswana to hold > deepenings for the > .. > Baha 'is who live > there; October J987. > > example and inspiration to many and set a three nights and went teaching every > standard of Baha'i values: morning and only ate at night. The youth > My presence as a young woman also learned to be detached from their > "alone" in Asian countries was in itself an families because later four of the youth > inspiration for other young women and an left to do their own year of service. > education for many who still held old And one more story from Romania: > world order values of women. Of course I By serving as a short term pioneer, I > had to struggle to achieve a balance so as was privileged to see the transforming > to set an example without shocking. In power of the Faith in changing the lives, > India quite a few men learned that not all individually and collectively, of the > Wes tern women are "loose" and that not Baha'is of Satu Mare (Romania). Initially > all white people are rich. More than any- I went to the town with a travel teaching > thing I hope that my main influence was team, and was thus able to see several > to make people happy and feel hopeful Romanian friends progress from "seekabout the oneness of humanity. ers" investigating the Faith to deepened > A young believer from Zimbabwe relates Baha'is, actively involved in the affairs of > that by not being corruptible he made people the Faith. In one case, the school teacher > curious about the Faith: of one Romanian youth remarked that > Mostly in Zambia, non-Baha'is called something about her had changed, as she > me a priest. During those days I coordi- seemed much happier than before. > nated the relief food programme ... under Blessed is he who in the prime of his > the Ministry of Health. I was in charge of youth and the heyday of his life will arise to > more than six thousand villagers from serve the Cause of the Lord of the beginning > fifteen villages. How I prevented any and of the end, and adorn his heart with His > chance of corruption only God knows, Love, Baha'u ' llah wrote. 1 The several thoubut it brought all kinds of people to ask sand young Baha'is who participated in the > [about the Baba 'i Faith]. One elderly Youth Year of Service programme during > person later became a Baha'i, after I the Six Year Plan were among those who > talked to him about the principles that I were truly blessed. > live by. I think the friends also learned > how to sacrifice, mostly in teaching and 1 > Compilation of Compilations, vol. 2 (Mona Vale, > service ... One time we slept outside for NSW: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 199 1), p. 415. > 428 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In Hawaii, American > Baha'i youth cooking > during a two-weeklong summer camp > held on Maui > for Russian youth > in 1988. > > In the U.S. Virgin > Islands, a "Sparks for > Peace" team ofBaha'i > youth reinstalling a > fallen fence as a > service project in > St. Johns National > Park; 1989. > > In the Dominican > Republic, a young > graduate of the Olinga > Institute courses in > service to the Cause is > now teaching children's classes; 1991. > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 429 > > In Luxembourg, > Baha'i youth volunteers working to clean > and maintain the Garden of Wiltz; J990. > > In Uganda, part of > the youth programme > during the summer > school in Mbale was > to help clean up the > local hospital; 199 J. > > In Tonga, a Baha'i > youth group cleans > downtown Nukualofa > in support of World > Health Day; 1990. > 430 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In Scotland, youth ' > participants in > Operation Mona, > after cleaning up a > section of the River > Clyde in July I 986. > > In Singapore, > young Bahci 'is after > helping to clean up a > beach as a community > service project in > I990. > > In St. Vincent, > children and youth > participating in a > Bahci '£-sponsored > activity to clean up > Villa Beach; > April I992. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 431 > > In Panama, Bahti 'i > youth performing > cultural dances as > part of the International Day of Peace > activities in Boca de! > Monte; 1989. > > In Nigeria, members > of the Baha'i youth's > football club, called > The Peace Makers, > during the semi-final > match in a local > government soccer > competition in Oghara > in 1987. > > In Taiwan, six youth > who enrolled in the > Faith during the > Muhajir Teaching > Project in 1987 are > members of three > ethnic minorities-the > Paiwan, the Ame, and > the Paynan tribes. > 432 THE BAHA'f WORLD > > B. EUROPEAN BAHA'I YOUTH COUNCIL > > The strengthening of European Baha'i youth This generation of Baha'i youth enjoys > identity and the remarkable progress made a unique distinction. You will live your > in European Baha'i youth collaboration lives in a period in which the forces of > ranked among the notable developments of history are moving to a climax when > the Six Year Plan. Whether expressed mankind will see the establishment of the > through increasing numbers of regional and Lesser Peace, and during which the Cause > continental youth conferences and schools, of God will play an increasingly promiprojects involving European youth in teach- nent role in the reconstruction of human > ing and service on the continent and even as society. It is you who will be called upon > far afield as Southern Africa, the intensifica- in the years to come to stand at the helm > tion of communication between National of the Cause in face of conditions and > Youth Committees and their representatives, developments which can, as yet, be > or simply through the growing sense of unity scarcely imagined.... European Baha'i > and purpose among youth from different youth in particular face tremendous and > lands, there was certainly a very different challenging tasks in the immediate > sense of mission about the Baha'i youth in future .... A vibrant band of Baha'i youth > the opening years of the Plan. Furthermore, on the European continent, committed to > the atmosphere was charged by constant the promotion of the Cause of > awareness of the inspirational and exem- Baha'u'llah and the upholding of His > plary steadfastness of the Baha'i youth in laws and principles, determined to work > Iran whose extraordinary sacrifices the in harmony and unity with their fellow > Baha' i youth in every land had been encour- believers of all ages and classes, can > aged to emulate. The activities of the Baha'i revolutionise the progress of the Cause. > youth of Europe were to be further galva- > It is perhaps only at the remove of some > nised through the creation by the Universal > years that the full potency and significance > House of Justice in August 1989 of the > of these words can be appreciated as one > European Baha'i Youth Council. This was > relates these sublime thoughts to the > a historic step, an entirely new and unpreprogress of the Cause of God in Europe > cedented development in the Baha'i adminsince 1986. > istrative system, which inaugurated a new > In the years leading up to the appointment > stage in the evolution of the Baha' i youth > of the European Baha'i Youth Council, there > work in Europe, placing in the hands of the > had been considerable discussion amongst > young European Baha ' is a body charged > the National Youth Committees of Europe > with the duty of stimulating, coordinating > about a Europe-wide body to coordinate and > and assisting their activities throughout the > stimulate youth activities across the conticontinent. > nent. Such thoughts, for example, had been > The Universal House of Justice had > articulated at meetings of National Youth > indeed anticipated such developments some > Committee representatives at the major > time before, and in its message of 4 July > youth conferences of the Seven Year Plan, > 1983 addressed to the participants of the > namely Fies ch (1980), Chigwell ( 1981 ), > European Youth Conference in Innsbruck > Innsbruck (1983) and Antwerp (1985), but > captured this vision in these profound > the consensus of opinion was that such a > words: > step would be not only premature, but > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 433 > administratively problematic. Until this point share the fruits of these discussions with > any European collaboration had been con- their respective National Youth Committees > fined to initiatives involving youth from and to seek approval for the appointment of > neighbouring countries. three youth to develop the "Movement" > At the youth school held at the Landegg within their respective national communities > Academy, 18- 24 July 1986, and energised and to liaise with the Information Centre. > by the participation of the Hand of the Cause The Universal House of Justice hailed > of God, 'Ali-Akbar Funitan and two European these developments. In a telex dated 29 July > Counsellors, participants spontaneously began 1986 it wrote: > consulting on the emergence of a new vision REJOICE GREATLY SUCCESSFUL H!GHL Y > of Baha' i youth activity, particularly the role SIGN!FICANT YOUTH SC HOOL LANDEGG > which a "European Baha'i Youth Move- PRESENCE HAND CAUSE ALI-AKBAR FURUTAN , > ment" could play. These informal gatherings LA UNC HIN G EU ROP EAN BAH A'I YO UTH > were attended by members of a number of MOVEMENT. WELCOME PRACTICAL STEPS > National Youth Committees and other TAKEN COORDI NATE SERVICES YO UTH > young and enthusiastic Baha' is, prominent THROUGHOUT EUROPE.. URGE PARTI CI- > amongst whom were participants in the PANTS PERSEVERE PRAISEWORTHY AIMS BE > Varqa Project. 1 Inspired by the potential for ASS URED ASS ISTANC E BLESSED BEA UTY > a "vibrant band of Baha'i youth" to revolu- OPEN DOORS WIN HEARTS. > tionise the progress of the Cause of God, and > mindful of the tremendous challenges The results of the Landegg gathering > confronting them in taking the Faith to the quickly became manifest. The efforts of the > spiritually starved Eastern half of their con- youth found expression in personal and > tinent, the youth resolved to take a number group teaching successes, increased use and > of steps both in the immediate future and in distribution of The Promise of World Peace > the longer term. These included a more and the joy of association and collaborative > systematic and cooperative approach to acts activity among the youth from different > of spiritual devotion, enhancing of the countries. News about this Movement rapquality of the personal Baha'i life, travel idly spread among the youth as they > teaching initiatives, and the distribution of communicated their feelings and vision with > Th e Promise of World Peace. enthusiasm and vigour. > To keep participants infonned of develop- The future development of the "European > ments, a "European Baha'i Youth Movement Baha' i Youth Movement" was subsequently > Information Centre" was established in the incorporated into the agenda of a special > Netherlands. Its first newsletter appeared in meeting of European National Youth Com- > August 1986. Each participant in the consul- mittee representatives in Strasbourg, France, > tative process at Landegg was encouraged to 10- 12 October 1986. Jointly conceived in > March 1986 by the British and French > The Varqa Proj ect was a Europe-wid e initi ati ve National Youth Committees, this gathering > in volvin g Ba ha 'i youth in a campa ign of prayer and > paid special attention to what practical steps > personal teaching dedicated to the memory of a > youn g west European youth pi oneerin g in Romania. could be taken to unite the Baha ' i youth of > Participants kept each other regularly informed of Europe and recognised in the call for a Eurotheir news and successes, and the Landegg Youth pean Baha'i Youth Movement a natural > School was the joyous occas ion of their first reun ion response to the growing feeling of European > since the European Youth Conference in Antwerp in > Baha' i youth solidarity that was emerging > Jul y 1985. The experi ences and spirit of these youth > thus prepared the background for discuss ions around throughout the continent. Furthermore, the > the question of a "European Baha ' i Youth Move- twenty-eight youth representing eleven > ment" to natura ll y take place. countries endorsed the recently-established > 434 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Information Centre as a channel for fluent venture of its kind. It was to be followed by > and regular communication between coun- similar efforts, the "Star" projects of 1988, > tries and, in recognition of the dramatic new 1989 and 1990. In total, these projects drew > opportunities and challenges facing the some fifty young European Baha'is from > Baha'i youth of Europe, requested the more than half a dozen countries to the > Continental Board of Counsellors to con- Southern African region for four successive > sider the creation of a body that would summers of teaching and service. > provide direction and co-ordination to youth Born out of intense collaboration between > activities on a European level. a handful of youth in Europe and the > Plans also were formulated to regularly Spiritual Assembly of Botswana, "Botswana > send European Baha'i youth to serve in the 1987" was a significant success. Through it > teaching and development field in the Third a channel for service in the Third World had > World. The National Youth Committee of the been opened for the Baha' i youth of Europe, > United Kingdom was asked to co-ordinate and a humble and initial step taken by the > this project on behalf of the National Youth European youth to make Europe "a fountain- > Committees of Europe. head of pioneers, travelling teachers and > The Europe-wide discourse, initiated with financial assistance to the Baha'i communisuch vigour at Landegg and developed sub- ties of the Third World".2 The Botswana > sequently at the Strasbourg gathering, was Project exemplified what the Universal > further enhanced at the First European House of Justice later referred to as "the > Youth Seminar, held at Landegg Academy, increasing collaboration and growing unity > 22- 24 May 1987. The meeting was called at among all the Baha'i youth on the continent > the request of the Continental Board of of Europe". 3 A special fund, the "Eurobots > Counsellors, who in carefully organizing the Fund", administered initially by the National > programme of this important gathering and Youth Committee of Norway, was also set > watching over its proceedings ensured that up to meet the needs of equipping the Baha'i > the historic process which had begun some community of Botswana with a new > months earlier continued on its course. motorised vehicle suitable for use in teach- > Consultations between representatives of ing and consolidation in the desert, and > nineteen National Youth Committees, three which would also be placed at the disposal > Counsellors, Auxiliary Board members and of future European youth projecteers. All > representatives of National Assemblies, National Youth Committees in Europe were > focused on important aspects of youth col- invited to participate in this campaign. > laboration, including the devising of specific For those who participated in this landplans and projects to channel the services of mark enterprise, it was an unforgettable > the European youth. Particular emphasis was experience, one which was to have a lasting > placed on encouraging youth involvement in and galvanic effect. In commending the > the arts. Prayer, audacity, and movement youth participants in this project, the Spiriwere identified as key elements in translating tual Assembly of Botswana later wrote: "We > the vision of a "vibrant band" into tangible invite you all to come back to Botswana, > reality. Unanimous support was voiced for to experience again the supreme joy of > the continuation of the important work of the > European Baha' i Youth Movement Infmma- From the Uni versal House of .Justice to the > tion Centre and for its transfer to Norway. participants of the European Youth Conference in > Innsbruck, 4 July 1983. > The First Joint European Baha ' i Youth 3 From a letter written on behalf of the Universal > Third World Teaching Project, the "Botswana House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assemb ly > 1987" project, was arguably the first formal of the Baha' is of the United Kingdom, > joint European Baha'i youth teaching 29 October 1987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CUR RENT BAHA'i ACTIVIT IES 435 > demonstrating the oneness of the family of a vision for the Baha'i youth of Europe. As a > man from Iceland to the Kalahari, while ful- result, "Peace Moves", a decade-long camfilling your divine purpose to unite souls paign of galvanising the youth of Europe, > with their God." Baha'is and others alike, around the themes > The experience of the Youth Conference enunciated in The Promise of World Peace, > in Manchester, United Kingdom, 5-9 August came into being. Its principal aim is to > 1987, spuned the Continental Board of empower Baha'i youth to initiate and refine > Counsellors on with their effort to organize their interaction with their peers around the > an international youth conference in Spain in spirit and content of Baha'u'llah's peace > the summer of 1989, an event that could programme, destined to usher in, before the > capture the vision of Baha'u'llah for peace close of the century, the Lesser Peace. > and unity and share it with a large and The significant increase in the scope of > diverse group of non-Baha'i youth, including responsibilities of the Committee necessirepresentatives of youth organisations and tated its evolution into a body charged with > groups from all over Europe. Planning began the work of coordinating much of the contiwell in advance, and by June 1988 separate nental youth activities. This was particularly > programme and logistics committees were so during the period from June 1988 until > operating out of the United Kingdom and the first meeting of the European Baha'i > Spain respectively. Youth Council in November 1989. In this > The original plan eventually had to be sense the Peace Moves Committee was the > cancelled owing to logistical consider- precursor of the Council itself. > ations, but while various alternatives were Representatives of National Youth Combeing considered, the need for forming a mittees present at the European Youth > "European Association of Baha'i National School, De Poort, the Netherlands, 23- 29 July > Youth Committees" was increasingly recog- 1988, focused much of their informal connised. The "Association" was essentially a sultations on the question of European Baha'i > generic title which the youth could use in youth collaboration, particularly among the > their approaches to non-Baha'i organisations National Youth Committees. A number of > to lend more credibility to their stature as the options for the emergence of a Europe-wide > representatives of the Baha'i youth of coordinating body were considered and pre- > Europe. sented to the Universal House of Justice. In > Central to these important developments a letter dated 11 August 1988 the Supreme > were the contributions of the Board of Coun- Body stated its full agreement as to the ripesellors and the "Peace Moves" Committee, ness of the time "for the strengthening of > the body originally requested to plan the continent-wide ties among the Baha 'i youth > programme of the international youth of Europe". It stated that the International > conference for the summer of 1989. This Teaching Centre had been requested to > Committee was appointed by the National ask the Continental Board of Counsellors to > Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom consider the matter and to recommend a > on the recommendation of the Counsellors . working structure which would "provide > Appointed to membership of the Peace effective links and enable the youth to serve > Moves Committee were Dona Adamson, the Cause together unitedly with a continen- > Sean Hinton, Kishan Manocha, Ric:Ivan tal vision of the work." > Moqbel, Vafa Ram, Adam Robarts, Kitt However, the vision of the House of > Sandvik and Robe1i Weinberg. Officially a Justice went beyond the confines of Europe. > conunittee of the National Assembly, it served The letter stated: "Europe, with its many > in an advisory capacity to the Counsellors, national Baha'i communities contained > consulting extensively on the development of within a reasonably small area, can in this > 436 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > CONFER~ > - EUROP: . > BAHA'I DE JU' The tlurd Peace > MADRID 20-2: Moves '89 Regional > European Youth > Conference, held in > Madrid, Spain, from > 20-23 July 1989. > More than seven > hundred Bahci 'is > from twenty-six > countries attended. > > way pioneer a very challenging development BAHA'I YOUTH FOR ADVANCEMENT CAUSE > in international Baha'i collaboration." This BAHA'U'LLAH THAT CONTINENT. YOUTH > set in motion the process of defining the GATHERED IN SHEFFIELD, INCLUDING H!GHL Y > nature of the emerging institution that would SIGNIF ICANT REPRESENT AT!VES EASTERN > fulfil this role. In December 1988 the Peace EUROPE AND CHINA, HAVE DEMONSTRATED .. > Moves Committee tabled detailed proposals HOW GREAT WILL BE TH EIR INFLUENCE ON > outlining the structure and function of such a THE ENTIRE BAI-IA' ! COMMUNITY AS THEY > body, which were later submitted by the SPREAD OUT TO THEIR HOMES AND PIONEER > Counsellors through the International Teach- POSTS. > ing Centre to the Universal House of Justice > To aid National Youth Committees to > for consideration. > develop a common vision of the future of > Although the vision of "Peace Moves" > Baha'i youth activities in Europe in the > was only gradually introduced to the youth, > context of the newly appointed Peace Moves > for example at a meeting of representatives > Committee and to prepare for the launch of > of selected National Youth Committees in > the "Peace Moves" initiative, a meeting of > Lyon, France, 1- 2 October 1988, the decade > National Youth Committee representatives > was to be officially opened in the summer of > was convened in Luxembourg, 24- 26 Feb- > 1989 when Baha' i youth and their peers > ruary 1989. The consultations were shaped > wou ld gather at a series of five regional > and guided by a momentous message from > conferences to celebrate its launch. Nearly > the Universal House of Justice conveyed > 2,000 youth participated in these conferthrough the International Teaching Centre, > ences held at De Poort (Netherlands), San > in which the Supreme Body expressed its > Marino, Madrid (Spain), Torshavn (the > preference for the establishment of a Euro- > Faroe Islands) and Sheffield (United Kingpean Baha'i Youth Council, which would be > dom) during the period July- August 1989.4 > The conferences ended on a high note of 4 The Sheffield conference was addressed by > expectation, releasing and channelling tre- M. Andre-Jacques Dodin, Director of the European > mendous energies. Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe, > The House of Justice commented: Strasbourg, France. Representatives of the Peace > Moves Co mmittee had met with M. Dodin in > THRJLUNG MESSAGES FROM SERIES OF December 1988 to bri ef him about plans to hold an > CON FERENCES THRO UGHOUT EUROPE EVOKE international youth conference in Spa in and to > HIGHEST HOPES EXTRAORDINARY POTENCY appri se him of the "Peace Moves" effort. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 437 > > The members of the > first European Bahri 'i > Youth Council after > their first meeting in > London, England, in > November 1989. > > appointed by and be responsible to the new body: co-ordination of the activities > House of Justice. Significantly, the House of of European Baha'i youth which bridge > Justice stressed the need "for the vision of national boundaries, and therefore also of the > the Council to embrace the whole of Europe international involvement of the National > (emphasis added), from the Atlantic to the Baha'i Youth Conunittees of Europe; repre- > Urals, and not just the countries of the Euro- sentation, on a continental basis, of the > pean Community." It was only when the European Baha 'i youth with non-B aha 'i > Iron Curtain was breached a few months youth groups and other agencies; collaboralater that the full significance of the words of tion in youth matters with the Continental > the House of Justice became apparent. Board of Counsellors and the National Spiri- > On 20 October 1989, the Universal House tual Assemblies in Europe. > of Justice announced to all National Spiritual The first full meeting of the European > Assemblies in Europe its historic decision to Baha'i Youth Council took place during the > bring into being a new institution, unique in weekend of 4-6 November 1989 in London, > the history of the Administrative Order: during which time the newly-appointed > ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT FIRST EUROPEAN > members took the opportunity to visit the > BAHA ' I YOUTH COUNCIL WITH FOLLOWING > Resting Place of Shoghi Effendi. At that > MEMBERS: ONN O FRANK VAN BEKKUM, same meeting, the Council met with the > MORTEN BERGSMO, NADI HOFMANN, Peace Moves Committee and there was a > ALESSANDRA LANFRANCONI, JOHN MCGILL, smooth handover of responsibilities and > BAI-IIYYIH TAHZIB, ROBERT WEINBERG .... transfer of the work in progress, after which > HAIL THIS NEW DEVELOPM ENT BAHA'I the Committee, having fulfilled its functions , > YOUTH WORK, EAGERLY ANTI CIPATE GREAT officially ceased to exist. > EN HANCEM ENT POT ENTIAL FOR PROMOTION The creation of the European Baha' i > FAITH THROUG HO UT CONT!NENT.5 Youth Council coincided with dramatic > social and political changes sweeping > In its 28 August 1989 letter of appoint- through Central and Eastern Europe. These > ment of the Council the House of Justice > changes brought about the collapse of politioutlined the three major functions of this > cal systems that had for so long prevented > Members of the Council were drawn from six > millions of people from receiving the light > countries, and included one of the members of the of Baha ' u' llah. Fresh opportunities for > Peace Moves Committee. serving the Faith abounded. The events of > 438 THE BAl-IA!i WORLD > > the day had further broadened the horizons close of the project strong foundations were > of the youth of Europe who could now see laid for the establishment of the first Spiri- > Europe as an undivided whole, a continent tual Assemblies in the project cities of > burgeoning with the promise of unprece- Bratislava and Brno, which came into being > dented teaching victories. in January 1991. > Against this background of profound In addition to these summer projects, the > change this new agency of the Faith began to highly successful George Adam Benke > take up its duties of stimulating and co- project, named after the first European > ordinating the activities of the Baha'i youth Baha'i martyr, took place in Bulgaria > of a new Europe. The most outstanding between October 1990 and January 1991. > feature of the period 1989-1990 was the way Among the fruits of the project were the > in which the youth rose to the challenge of establishment of the Spiritual Assembly of > taking the Faith to the countries of the Plovdiv, the first Local Spiritual Assembly > former Eastern Bloc. During the summer of formed in Bulgaria since World War II, the > 1990 the European Baha'i Youth Council opening of over half a dozen localities to > organized teaching projects in five Central the Faith, and national television coverage. > and Eastern European countries which were Project participants also made a pilgrimage > all dedicated to outstanding women from the to Edirne, Turkey, where they had the opporearly years of Baha' i history, and each asso- tunity to visit the House ofBaha'u ' llah. > ciated with a specific theme. These projects Capitalising on the success of these > set a number of highly significant, historic projects, the European Baha'i Youth Council > precedents . They served as the first formal set in motion a long-term strategy for these > Baha'i youth teaching enterprise in the newly-opened countries to ensure that adeformer communist countries of Europe; the quate and regular follow-up and assistance > first continental youth activity to be sponsored was given to these new, thriving centres of > by the newly-established Youth Council; Baha'i activity. > and the first time that the Baha'i youth of The mobilisation of youth throughout the > Europe had arisen in such large numbers and continent continued through 1991 in prepawith such resolution and vigour to serve ration for the Holy Year with a clear focus > together in a challenging joint endeavour in on teaching. In response to the Council's > Europe. Indeed, as a result of the participation call, significant victories were won, many > of so many young European Baha ' is in these Baha'i communities were invigorated by the > projects, continent-wide youth collaboration visits of the youth, contacts were established > had scaled new heights. with prominent people and organisations, > Teaching projects were held in Czecho- and many souls brought into the Faith. > slovakia (the Martha Root Project), Hungary Among the activities were the four regional > (the Renee Szanto Project), Poland (the youth conferences held during the summer > Lydia Zamenhof Project), Romania (the of 1991 with the theme "Baha'u'llah-The > Tahirih Project), and Yugoslavia (tlie Louisa King of Glory," in Kabli (Estonia), Strasbourg > Mathew Project). Particularly noteworthy (France), Berlin (Germany) and Neptune > was the project in Czechoslovakia, sub- (Romania). The 150 participants from seven > titled, "Peace through Participation", in Republics of the former Soviet Union and > which over 160 Baha'is from twenty-seven nine other countries attending the conferdifferent countries took part. The Faith ence in Kabli, Estonia, commented in their > enjoyed extensive media coverage and was message to the Universal House of Justice > particularly well received by public officials, that "this gathering has played a unique role > academics, and representatives of non-gov- in the forging of strong bonds of friendship > ernmental and political organisations. At the and understanding between the youth from > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 439 > > Bahri 'is gathered in > Neptune, Romania, > in July I 991, for one > of the four regional > youth conferences > held that summer by > the European Bahri 'i > Youth Council. > > East and West." The Estonia conference was stimulate and motivate the teaching work of > also significant in that it was only the second the youth. The Council identified Peace > Baha'i youth conference to be held in the Moves as one of its four major focuses of > then-Soviet Union. Particularly noteworthy activity for the summer of 1990. In the > also was the conference in Neptune which autumn of 1990 it issued a comprehensive > attracted 250 participants from twenty coun- statement outlining the features of Peace > tries around the world. Over 600 souls Moves. It read, in part, as follows: "Peace > embraced the Cause during the course of this Moves is a Baha'i contribution to the estabconference and during teaching activities lishment of a lasting world peace. Peace > before and after it. Moves is a means of enabling the Baha'i > The European Baha'i Youth Council, in youth to initiate and improve interaction > collaboration with national institutions and with their peers in Europe. Peace Moves is > committees, also organized a number of the generation of activities inspired by, and > other teaching projects in different parts of realising, the contents of the Peace Statethe continent during the course of 1991, ment of the Universal House of Justice." > including Bulgaria (George Adam Benke The statement helped to clarify for the > Projects II and III), Cyprus (Winds of Hope Baha'i youth of Europe the relationship of > Project), Greece (Anis Project), Hungary, Peace Moves to the teaching work. Since its > Italy, Poland (Lydia Zamenhof Projects II launch several European youth communities > and III), Spain and Turkey. enthusiastically had taken up the concept of > One of the first tasks given to the Euro- Peace Moves as a focus for their teaching > pean Baha 'i Youth Council by the Universal work. Indeed, much of the outstanding > House of Justice was a smooth transfer energy and enthusiasm generated by the > of functions between the Peace Moves 1989 Peace Moves events were channelled > Committee and the Council. The Supreme into the vital teaching work carried out in the > Body had described the five regional Peace newly-opened countries of Central and East- > Moves conferences held during the summer ern Europe. An international Peace Moves > of 1989 as "outstandingly successful". Early project, "Winds of Hope'', which included a > on in its first year the Council carefully three-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land, was > considered the development of the Peace held during August 1991 in Cyprus. The > Moves campaign and recognised its poten- Peace Moves campaign continued to be > tial as one of many possible means to developed throughout the remaining years of > 440 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Participants in the > George Adam Benke > Project in Bulgaria > attending the National > Teaching Conference > held in Plovdiv from > 25 to 27 October 1991. > > the Six Year Plan in those countries in which raising of one hundred thousand dollars for > it was felt to be relevant to their needs and the Dr. Ugo Giachery Arc Fund Project is a > interests. remarkable achievement and a fine example > One of the outstanding developments of to the entire Baha'i community." > the Peace Moves events of the sununer of One of the most important duties facing > 1989 was the launch of the Dr. Ugo Giachery the newly-appointed Youth Council was the > Arc Fund Project established in memory of establislunent of effective relationships with > the valiant Hand of the Cause of God who the European National Baha'i Youth Compassed away that summer during a visit to mittees. In order to facilitate communication > Samoa. The aim was to encourage the Baha'i with National Youth Committees and > youth of Europe to make a substantial contri- communities in Europe and to share with > bution towards the building of the Arc on them its vision for the development of youth > Mount Ca1mel, a venture which the Univer- work throughout the continent, the European > sal House of Justice had announced to the Baha'i Youth Council called annual meet- > Baha'i world in August 1987. The manage- ings of Youth Conunittee representatives. At > ment of this project was taken on by the the first of these Amrnal Conferences at De > European Baha'i Youth Council upon its Poort, the Netherlands, from 26-28 January > appointment, and at the First Annual Confer- 1990, representatives from 22 National > ence ofNational Youth Committees in 1990, Youth Committees in Europe consulted with > the representatives present unanimously the Council and representatives of the Eurorequested that a target of one million dollars pean Board of Counsellors on a common > be set. strategy for the continent for the 1990s. At > The project officially ended at Ri<;lvan the Second Annual Conference, 15-17 Feb- > 1992. At the time of the Third Annual Con- ruary 1991 , 26 representatives from both > ference of Youth Committee representatives Western and Eastern Europe met and > in February 1992 a total of US $187,000 had consulted under the inspiring guidance of a > been raised. In commenting on the signifi- representative of the Board of Counsellors. > cance of this collaborative venture by the The presence of Eastern European represen- > Baha' i youth of Europe shortly after the tatives was highly appreciated by the other > Second Annual Conference of youth repre- participants, and a sháong, unified bond was > sentatives in 1991 , the Universal House of created between East and West. The Third > Justice stated through its Secretariat: "The Annual Conference was held in Wiesbaden, > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVIT IES 441 > > Germany, 1-2 February 1992, when twenty- secretariat would be "a great reinforcement > two representatives from all over Europe- to the services which the Council is already > gathered to consult primarily on the chal- rendering with such distinction". As of > lenges and the opportunities presented by the 1 February 1991 a full-time Secretariat, fully > Holy Year. equipped with modem telecommunications > At its third meeting held 16-19 February facilities, was established in Sweden with > 1990 in Berlin, the European Baha ' i Youth one member of the Council employed in a > Council felt it timely and important to visit salaried position. The European Baha'i Youth > the European countries in order to further Newsletter, based on news and information > strengthen collaboration between the Council gathered at the Secretariat, was first issued > and the respective National Youth Commit- on 6 April 1990. National Youth Committees. This objective was to serve a number of tees either reproduced the entire newsletter > purposes: to deepen the Council's relation- and sent it promptly to their youth, or chose > ship with the National Youth Committees to include items of information in their own > and their National Spiritual Assemblies; to youth bulletins and magazines or national > establish personal contact with the Baha'i Baha'ijoumals. > youth in the community and thereby to One of the three main functions assigned > obtain a more accurate picture of the situa- to the European Baha'i Youth Council by > tion in each country; to encourage co- the Universal House of Justice is that of > operation between the National Youth Com- representation, on a continental basis, of > mittees on a regional level; to share news, the European Baha'i youth with non-Baha'i > ideas, plans and needs with the National youth groups and other agencies. The first > Youth Committees and the youth of Europe; tentative steps in this arena of work had been > to assist the National Youth Committees, taken by the Peace Moves Committee with > especially the newly-appointed ones, in their its representation to the Council of Europe ' s > functioning where necessary and to encour- European Youth Foundation in Strasbourg, > age all youth to raise their standard of the France, in December 1988. Soon after > English language in order to better study and its formation the European Baha'i Youth > understand the writings of Shoghi Effendi. Council participated in the Second Annual > Since its formation, members of the Euro- Conference on Intolerance held in Strasbourg, > pean Baha'i Youth Council have been able France, 10- 15 December 1989, a conference > to visit all National Youth Committees on at organized under the auspices of the Euroleast one occasion and to consult with most pean Youth Centre of the Council of Europe, > National Spiritual Assemblies. Further, the at which a number of important contacts > Council intensified its working relationship were made. > with the Continental Board of Counsellors In November and December 1991, reprethrough regular consultations. sentatives of the Youth Council met with > The work of the European Baha 'i Youth two representatives of the United Nations > Council during its fast full year was success- offices of the Baha'i International Commufully carried out from a temporary Secretariat nity in Geneva and other individual Baha'is > based initially at the United Nations Office in Europe to discuss the legal status of the > of the Baha'i International Community in Council. Subsequently the European Baha' i > Geneva, Switzerland, and subsequently in Youth Council appointed a Representation > the Netherlands. The Universal House of Committee and a Legal Task Force. The > Justice had originally indicated that the former was given the responsibility of > European Baha 'i Youth Council would need further developing relations with European > a full-tin1e Secretariat and on 6 January 1991 youth organisations and other agencies on > wrote that the establishment of a permanent behalf of the Council and the organisation of > 442 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > a high-level representation conference with in universities, patiicularly the development > the theme "Overcoming Racism in Europe" of Baha' i student societies in universities > scheduled for April 1993 . The Legal Task where such possibilities exist. To this end, > Force, a group of three European Baha'i an Ad-hoc Committee on Student Societies > lawyers, began its work of drafting the legal was appointed in 1991 to undertake the > status of the European Baha'i Council and necessary research into European Baha'i > seeking its official recognition by such bod- student activity on its behalf. As a result an > ies as the Council of Europe, the European information pack containing valuable mate- > Coordination Bureau of International Youth rial on the imp01iance of Baha'i university > Organisations, and the Youth Forum of the societies, practical suggestions on setting up > European Communities. In March 1992 the such societies, sample constitutions, discus- > European Baha'i Youth Council submitted sion papers, ideas for activities, etc. was > an application for financial assistance to the produced and sent to all National Spiritual > European Youth Foundation, a most signifi- Assemblies and Youth Committees in Europe. > cant step, taken after formal contacts had The Committee also organized a conference > been established as a result of meetings of on Baha' i activities at universities in Europe > some Council representatives with officials held in Brno, Czechoslovakia, from 2 to > in Strasbourg. 5 January 1992. Twenty-four delegates rep- > Other matters given special consideration resenting eleven countries consulted on the > by the European Baha' i Youth Council were development of Baha'i activities at universithose of the Youth Year of Service and Jun- ties, the need for increasing collaboration > ior Youth. The Council made the promotion between Baha'i students throughout Europe. > of the concept of the Youth Year of Service The Council began its planning for the > one of its highest priorities, encouraging all Holy Year, 1992-1993, well in advance. Its > National Spiritual Assemblies and National strategy for the Year was sent to all National > Baha'i Youth Committees in Europe to Spiritual Assemblies and National Baha'i > emphasise this important area of service Youth Committees of Europe in December > among the youth in their communities. To 1991. In the preface to this document the > assist with this process the Council set up a Council stated: > database of available service positions in Every step we take in this Holy Year > Europe and issued a Youth Year of Service should be a step towards service. It is a > Information Pack to all National Spiritual time when the Baha'i youth of Europe > Assemblies and Youth Committees. The must make extraordinary sacrifices and > Youth Counci l also devoted special attention rise to the call of the Universal House of > in its own consultations and in those with Justice. This strategy is offered to the > National Spiritual Assemblies and Youth Baha'i youth of Europe by the European > Committees, to the needs of Junior Youth, Baha'i Youth Council as a means to > especially their full integration into all channel our energies, realise our potential > aspects of Baha ' i conununity life, particu- and raise us to new heights of service. It > larly youth activities. Countries with a is a strategy calling for great sacrifice, > significant percentage of Junior Youth were spiritual discipline and personal transforasked to organize specific projects for this mation. It is a strategy which calls for > age group . Both the concept of the Youth vis ion, courage and ce1iitude. It is a strat- > Year of Service and Junior Youth figured egy made up of plans and activities which > prominently in the Council's strategy for the the Baha ' i youth of Europe can humbly > Holy Year. offer to BaM'u'llah in this, His Holy > The European Baha ' i Youth Council also Year, as a sign of our love, our devotion > placed special emphasis on Baha ' i activities and our desire to serve Him. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURREN T BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 443 > > El Viento Canta, > form ed at the Baha 'i > World Centre by youth > who served there ji-om > Mexico, Peru, the > United States, and the > United Kingdom. > This photograph was > taken in 1988, before > the group began its > European tour. > > The plans of the Youth Council for the time ranging from three months to one year. > Holy Year included specific year of service By the opening of the Holy Year at Ri<;lvan > projects; history tours to visit the House 1992 this unique project had caught the > ofBaha'u'llah in Turkey; a European prayer imagination of the friends far and wide. The > campaign; a "silent" conference to provide a strategy was later to win the admiration of > unique opportunity for meditation and reflec- the International Teaching Centre, which > tion; a high-level representation conference in a letter dated 19 April 1992 to the Contiwith other youth organisations; and specific nental Board of Counsellors for Europe > junior youth activities. The Council's plans wrote: "The breadth, directness and intended > for national youth committees included ways intensity of the effort envisioned by the Holy > of orienting the youth towards a greater Year Board is such that we can but admire > understanding of Baha'u'llah and His Mis- this new generation of Baha'i planners." > sion; conducting proclamation events with By the end of the Six Year Plan, the > the use of mass media; holding national con- pattern and nature of European Baha'i youth > ferences , projects and deepening weekends; activity had undergone a significant qualitadissemination of the statement on Baha'u'llah, tive change, holding out hope and promise > and organising events aimed at fostering for the future. The degree of collaborative > greater conelation of the Teachings with work among the youth made the wholeness > cmTent issues. of Europe a living reality. They responded > To execute its Holy Year strategy most magnificently to the challenges resulting > effectively, the European Baha'i Youth from the collapse of social and political > Council appointed a Holy Year Board, a systems in the Eastern half of the continent, > committee of seven European youth, to co- valiantly arising as resourceful pioneers, > ordinate and monitor the Council' s interna- energetic travelling teachers and dynamic > tional activities for the Holy Year. It held its administrators in the establishment of the > first meeting in November 1991. Foremost Faith of Baha'u ' llah in virgin lands. In this, > among the international activities for the their lofty endeavour, they were inspired and > Holy Year was the Year of Service Project, guided by the nascent European Baha'i > comprising fourteen specially designated Youth Council, a unique instrument created > teaching routes throughout Europe to which by the Universal House of Justice for this > young believers could devote periods of very purpose. > 444 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > C. SPECIAL YOUTH PROJECTS > > A significant feature of the Six Year Plan was the use of the arts to share the Message of > Baha 'u 'llah. Many projects involving the arts were carried out by youth, who combined > drama, music and dance to teach the Faith. Three special projects have been featured here > because of the international scope of their services. > > El Viento Canta share their Faith with people in Western > On 21 March 1987, the music group now Europe, writing to National Assemblies in > known as El Viento Canta first performed Europe and receiving positive responses for > during a talent show at the Baha'i World sponsorship from thirteen. New members > Centre. The ensemble was composed of were added to the group: Miguel Cortes from > youth who had volunteered to serve at the Peru (Rolando and Cesar's brother), and > Centre and had a love of Latin American Lisa Smith-Cortes from the United States > music . The members were: Cesar Cortes (Cesar's wife). > (Peru), Claudia Cortes (Mexico), Rolando In June 1988, El Viento Canta began its > Cortes (Peru), David Hadden (United States), tour in Cyprus, then proceeded on to Greece, > Roxana Hadden (Peru), and Conrad Lambert Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, > (England). The audience 's response to the France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Scotland, > music was so positive that the friends con- Wales, and England. Each concert 's format > tinued to perform for various gatherings in varied slightly to accommodate the location, > Haifa. The group formalized its name for a but generally the performance lasted between > presentation at the Jacob 's Ladder Folk Fes- one and one-and-a-half hours and consisted > tival in northern Israel in September 1987. of songs from Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Spain, > As a result of the performance at the Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico and Ecuador. > Jacob's Ladder Folk Festival, the musicians The songs were sung in Spanish and Quewere asked to give a full-length concert at chua, the native language of the Indians in > the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. This con- the Andes. In between the songs , members > cert was also successful, and the friends introduced themselves as Baha'is and talked > began to realize the teaching potential of about Baha'u' llah and the principles He > their music. They began planning a trip to brought. Invariably, a few people would stay > > Members of El Viento > Canta with children > on the grounds of the > Bahri 'i House of Worship in Kampala, > Uganda, during their > tour of Afiáica in 1989. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 445 > after the concert and participate in the were held to encourage local believers to > impromptu firesides held in hotel rooms or perform their own native songs and dances, > onstage. At one concert in Spain, hundreds and El Viento Canta was to be an illustration > of copies of the Peace Statement were dis- of how this might be possible. All of the festributed to an audience of 3,000! The group tivals were inspiring and beautiful, and the > performed approximately forty-eight con- friends had an opportunity to visit the House > certs in three months. of Worship in Kampala, Uganda, for a spiri- > During the 1988 International Convention tual renewal. One of the most beautiful > in Haifa, several Continental Counsellors stories of the group's experience in Africa > from Africa had heard the group perform occurred in Uganda. On the last evening of > and asked if it would consider travelling to the band's stay, they were to play at a spethat continent for three music festivals to be cial camp for handicapped children. They > held in 1989. After El Viento Canta's final played in a room filled with about 200 chilconceit in England in August of 1988 dren and lit only by a single dim lightbulb. > (which happened to be held at the Africa At one point, a performer was to dance with > Centre in London), the members dispersed a member of the audience. When she invited > to several countries to work and study until one happy-looking child, she didn't realize > their trip to Africa. that the boy had no legs. The child pro- > As the friends waited, sweeping changes ceeded to dance with great agility on his > were taking place in Eastern Europe and hands! Later, a deaf little girl told the group > many opportunities for teaching the Faith how much she enjoyed the music, and a > opened up there. The International Teaching young blind man asked very earnest ques- > Centre asked El Viento Canta if it could tions about Bahci' u'llah. > extend its African trip to include Eastern El Viento Canta returned to Europe at > Europe, the Soviet Union, Mongolia, and the end of December and travelled through > China! Of course the members agreed and Croatia and Slovenia in Yugoslavia, Hungary, > set out with anticipation to meet in Liechten- Poland, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Siberia, > stein (the home of Miguel's new wife, Mongolia, China, Macau, and Hong Kong. > Bernadette) in November 1989. Travelling in the dead of winter with sixteen > During December 1989, the group trav- people, instruments and luggage and a comelled through Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, and plete sound system, one could surmise that > Liberia. The music festivals planned there the group 's purpose was not tourism. In fact, > > M embers of El Viento > Canta in Ulaan- > Baatar, Mongolia, with > Knight of Baha 'u '!Lah > Sean Hinton (back left) > and some of the first > Mongolian Bahci 'is; > 1990. > 446 TH E BAHA ' i WORLD > > the members wandered through these coun- They took the train from Ulan-Ude to > tries to spread the divine fragrances of the Irkutsk, on Lake Baikal, where they would > Cause of God. They knew that wherever catch a plane to the capital of Mongolia, > they went people would be attracted to the Ulaan-Baatar. They got to Irkutsk early in > joyful, upbeat music, and would stay after the morning and took taxis to the airport. > the concerts to hear more of the Message that When they arrived, Cesar suddenly shouted, > was presented on stage. They didn't know "Ya Bah:i'u'l-Abh:i!" in a panic-stricken > how many sacrifices, delights, tears, and voice. Everyone turned to him and asked > adventures they would share along the way. what had happened, and he said, "I left my > One of their biggest adventures took bag on the train!" This travel pouch conplace on the train between Poland and their tained his passport and visas and US$2,300 > first stop in the Soviet Union, Estonia. The of the group's money. He had put it under > group missed one train and had to catch his pillow on the train so that it would be safe. > tluáee to make up for lost time. The band Immediately the group ' s Russian translahad experienced several robberies in Poland, tor took him to a taxi so that they could try > and the train was no exception. The weary to catch the train. Meanwhile, two hours > travellers probably could have given up right remained before boarding time. The Amerithen and there, but Lynda Godwin, the coor- can guide, Bill Mahoney, told the friends > dinator for the Soviet trip, suddenly pulled to get some breakfast and see what would > out a letter from the House of Justice and happen. Claudia and Lisa decided to stay > began to read from it. It was the letter with the luggage. As they were waiting, > informing the Baha'i world of the vast rather dejectedly, for their chance to eat, > changes in Eastern Europe, the Soviet they suddenly heard a very British voice say, > Union, and Mongolia which called for a new "My, you have a lot of luggage, don't you?" > Two Year Teaching Plan for those countries. Shocked to hear English, they looked up > The performers immediately felt exhila- and saw a young man with bright blue eyes. > rated and inspired by those words. They "Who are you?" Lisa asked. "Sean," he said. > forgot about their hardship, became cheerful "Sean Hinton? Allah'u 'Abh:i! We ' re El > and loving once again, and felt so happy that Viento Canta!" He, just as shocked, said, > they were a part of these changes and could "What are you doing here?" They told him > teach in these countries. Even though they that they were about to fly into Mongolia, > encountered more difficulty before they got and he told them he was on the same flight. > to Estonia (Conrad had left his passport in They immediately took him up to the other > Warsaw and had to go back for it), they had members, who were also stunned to see him. > been given new strength and energy to He apparently had decided to come back to > continue their efforts for the Faith. Mongolia for further studies for one month. > After El Viento Canta finished its Soviet He knew El Viento Canta was scheduled to > tour in Siberia, it was time to travel to be there, in Mongolia, but he had no idea > Mongolia. However, the group had no plans how or when it was to arrive. > for Mongolia. No concerts had been set up, Finally everyone was to board the plane > and no contacts had been made. The Interna- and Cesar still hadn ' t come back. Bill told > tional Teaching Centre had asked the friends the friends he would wait for Cesar and do > to go there and do what they could. Every- what they could to get him to Mongolia. But > one wished that Sean Hinton, a pioneer to no one really believed that he could find the > Mongolia, would be able to meet them there group in Ulaan-Baatar. > but they knew he was back in England. They The band arrived in Ulaan-Baatar and > just decided to make the best of it, and if half of the members got taxis to one of > nothing happened, to go on to Beijing. the two hotels; the other half stayed at the > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 447 > airport until another taxi was available. El Viento Canta could not have travelled > When the second group arrived at the hotel, to any of these remarkable places without > who should they bring with them but Cesar! the love, kindness, diligence and support of > Cesar and the Russian translator had countless Baha'is and their wonderful comrushed to the train station to find that the munities. In every city or town, the Baha'is > train had already left for the next town. They could always be picked out of the crowds > called ahead to the next town, described the by their cheerful smiles and open faces. It > bag to the train police, and got back in the is a testament to the power of Baha ' u 'llah' s > taxi. When they arrived at the next station Covenant that the Baha'i communities in all > after a harrowing taxi ride, they found the these lands exhibited such excellent hospibag and all of its contents perfectly safe in tality and were able to arrange concerts and > the police station. After verifying that every- venues so well. > thing was in order, they raced back to Irkutsk > to find that the airplane had left fifteen The Wildfire Theatre Group > minutes earlier. The next passenger plane In January 1988, a group of twenty-eight > was not scheduled to leave for another week. Baha'i youth toured Australia to share the > Bill asked Cesar if he minded riding in Teachings of Baha'u'llah through a proa cargo plane. Cesar said, "I'll take it!" and gramme of music, dance, and comedy entitled > flew to the Ulaan-Baatar airport, where half "It's Not the End of the World". Calling > the group was still going through customs! themselves the Wildfire Project, the youth > Sean Hinton already had contacts in Ulaan- met with an extraordinary response among > Baatar and went on to arrange four concerts the approximately three thousand people who > and a visit to the Mongolian steppes. Such saw the show. During the rest of the Six > wonders served to greatly confirm the dedi- Year Plan, Wildfire embarked on a number > cation of the young performers. of similar performing tours. The member- > China was a very different experience for ship of the group and the content of the > the group. The members could not teach shows changed, but Wildfire remained dedithe Faith openly there, and many of their cated to spreading Baha'u'llah ' s message of > concerts had been cancelled. However, in peace through the arts. > one area, Guiyang, they were able to give In November 1989, the Wildfire Theatre > small concerts and visit a lovely area in the Group completed its first international teachmountains where the Miao minority live. ing tour. Composed of five youth, the troupe > The friends visited on April 21 and were travelled to Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, > able to explain to their hosts that that was and Thailand. Monty Engs (New Zealand), > a very special day, the "King of Festivals" Simon Hinton (Australia), Glen Martin > for Baha' is. The Miao shared their dances , (Australia), Mary Sinclair (United States), > food, and beautiful costumes with El Viento and Kirsten Zemke (New Zealand) spent > Canta, which was astonished at the similar- ten months performing in schools, universiity between the Miao people and the native ties, shopping centres, refugee camps, public > people of South America. parks and other venues. During this tour, > The group returned to the western style Wildfire shared the Baha'i Faith with approxof living when it flew to Macau and then imately 120,000 people. > later visited Hong Kong. After having been The Baha'i community of Hong Kong > among lovely, spiritual-minded people in reported being deeply touched by the dedi- > China, Mongolia, the Soviet Union, Eastern cation and enthusiasm of the members of > Europe, and Africa, the group was pleas- Wildfire, whose performances in nine Vietantly surprised to find the same kind of pure namese Refugee Camps and Detention > hearts in such modern surroundings. Centres brought the joyous news of the > 448 THE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > Revelation of Baha'u'llah to hundreds of resulting in the enrollment as Baha'is of two > people. As the first entertainment group ever daughters of the chief of the Beinan tribe, > to enter some of the camps in Hong Kong, and a six-day tour of the South of Thailand, > Wildfire was credited with helping ease with perforn1ances in schools and colleges > mounting tension among the inhabitants, which resulted in the enrollment of eight > thereby winning for the Faith the admiration hundred and fifteen new believers. > and praise of the United Nations High Com- The group was particularly blessed to > mission for Refugees and local social service spend tin1e in the presence of the Hand of > agencies with whom they cooperated. the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul.iiyyih > Wildfire's performances in Hong Kong Khanun1, who was ttáavelling through Asia > generated unprecedented media coverage for at the time and attended several of Wildfire's > the Faith in both Chinese and English news- performances. Her loving spirit and kindness > papers, on television and on radio. greatly inspired the youth in their efforts. > An audience of several hundred gathered Wildfire's tour of Asia not only led many > to watch the group's first official perfor- souls to embrace the Faith but motivated > mance in Macau, which formed part of the the Baha ' i youth of that region. The youth > community's celebration of Naw-R11z. Hun- of Melaka, Malaysia, who assisted with > dreds more watched and listened from the preparations for Wildfire's performances in > towering apartment blocks around the park. Sonbgkhla, Thailand, were so energized by > The friends' second perfonnance in Macau the group's example that they formed their > took place in the Leal Senado Square, in the own musical group called Wildfire II. > centre of the city, before an audience of In 1991, Wildfire re-formed with a new > 2,000. Spectators gathered long before the group of perfoimers to tour South Queensland, > begim1ing of the show, having heard about Australia. "The Do-it-Yourself Peace Show" > it in one of the six newspaper articles pub- was seen by approximately 2, 100 people in > lished about the group. The one-hour show, nine cities, and an additional 2,500 s~w the > which was repeated twice, included song friends perform promotional segments. The > introductions in Cantonese and short talks show's premise is that at the first rehearsal > throughout about the principles of the Faith. for a new peace show, the director doesn't > A Baha'i information table was visited by anive and the members must overcome their > more than four hundred people who accepted feelings of inadequacy to discuss the issues > literature on the Faith, and at the end of the involved with peace and suggest songs and > evening eight people asked to enrol in the dances to illusttáate those points. Eventually > community. they reach a unified approach and create a > As a result of its performances in Macau, show outlining the major baniers to peace > the group was invited by the University and ways to overcome them. Each perforof East Asia's music society to be guest mance ended with a brief explanation that > performers at its annual singing competition. the principles ofBaha'u'llah had formed the > Wildfire performed at the beginning of the basis for the presentation. The1n the floor > programme to a very appreciative audience was opened for questions. > of seven hundred in the cultural centre of Venues for the show ranged from the > the university. Later in the programme, National Baha ' i Conference in Toowoomba > Wildfire 's artistic director, Simon Hinton, where one thousand people crowded the > accepted on behalf of the friends an engraved hall, to a small Aboriginal settlement full of > silver plate presented by the society. children who shared their own dance moves > Other highlights of the Asia trip were a after the performance, to a prison in > seventeen-city tour of Taiwan, which included Brisbane where enthusiastic shouts of agreea performance for a group of tribal aborigines ment followed a song about racial prejudice. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIV ITI ES 449 > > Members of the > Wildfire Youth > Th eatre Group > during one of their > pe1formances in > New South Wales, > Australia, in > Februmy 1989. > > A five-city tour of Western Australia fol- The group gave a concert in Po1tici which > lowed in early 1992, involving fifteen youth was attended by about one hundred people. > who performed, conducted workshops with Afterwards , many in the audience went to > their peers, and gave radio and newspaper the Baha'i Centre and later emolled in the > interviews. Faith. This was the beginning of " mass > As the Six Year Plan ended, plans were entry" into the Faith in Portici, with two to > being made to continue Wildfire 's teaching three people joining the Faith every day at > activifies into the future. firs t, and then up to ten people a day. The > musicians stayed after the concert to help > Light in the Darkness with deepenings , firesides , public meetings, > This group was made up of about twelve and then performed at the sunm1er school. > musicians, most of whom were students Fifteen days later they performed in Paola, > living in Italy. They represented various giving several concerts and helping with the > nationalities, and came together after fi nding teaching work. > themselves infomrnlly singing and perform- In December 1989, Light in the Darkness > ing together at several Baha ' i conferences . It performed at the Italian Baha ' i Winter > was suggested that they form a more School, and in April 1990 they met to plan > organized ensembl e for the purpose of a sunm1er tour under the guidance of the > teaching the Baha ' i Faith. An initial meeting National Teaching Conm1ittee. During June, > was held in December 1988 in centra l Italy, July and August 1990 the friends háavelled > and Olinga Mazlum acted as a director to to Campobasso, Italy, and Ljubljana and > help organize regular practices. Zagreb in Yugoslavia where many activities > The first performance by Light in the involving their performances had been orga- > Darkness was during the Easter 1989 Italian nized by the European Baha' i Youth Council. > Youth Conference, then in July 1989 they Next, the group went to Portici, Sicily and > sang two so n~ during the "Peace Moves" Sardinia in Italy, and performed at the Medi- > European Youth Conference held in San tenanean Baha'i Conference held in Corsica. > Marino. These efforts were enthusiastically During the winter of 1990/91, the Euroreceived, and encouraged the friends to pean Baha' i Youth Council and the National > travel together to Portici, near Napl es, to Teaching Conm1ittee of Ausháia organized > j oin in the spec ial teaching project taking two concerts each in Ljubljana and Zagreb , > place there under the auspices of the Conti- Yugoslavia. Light in the Darkness pernental Board of Coun sellors. formed in each of these, and then in April > 450 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 1991 they performed during the Italian In August 1991 the friends went back to > National Youth Conference. Portici, Italy, to give a concert in support of > In the summer of 1991 , the group went on the teaching project there. After the perfora tour of Poland, performing in Warsaw, mance some members stayed in Italy to help > Gdansk, Wroclaw and Krakow. From Poland with the teaching work, and some returned > they travelled to Romania, where they par- to Romania to participate in the extraorditicipated in the historic first European nary activities taking place in Eastern Europe. > Baha' i Youth Conference held in Neptune Towards the end of the Six Year Plan, the > (near Constanza) . After the Conference they group concentrated on expanding its reperperformed in other localities in the area, toire by writing original music inspired by > with very positive response . Between songs Baha'i themes. Its goal was to produce a > they would invite people to find out more cassette tape to raise the funds needed to > about the Baha'i Faith, and during one of undertake an extended tour to proclaim the > their concerts some eighty people enrolled. Faith during the Holy Year in 1992. > > Light in the Darkness > p e1forming during the > European Baha'i > Youth Conference held > in Neptune, Romania, > in July 1991. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 451 > > Musical entertainment > being presented during a youth conference > held in Dar es Salaam, > Tanzania; November/ > December 1991. > > Participants in > Austria's National > Youth Conference > held in Spital am > Pyhrn in 1992. > > Th e Prime Minister > - of Guyana, His Excellency Hamilton > Greene, addressing > the Caribbean Baha'i > Youth Conference held > in Georgetown from > 11to14August1989. > 452 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Friends attending a > youth institute in > Port Moresby, Papua > New Guinea, on 3 and > 4 December 1988. > > Participants in a > quiz held during the > National Youth > Conference in Lahore, > Pakistan,fi'om 15to17 > September 1988. > > A gro up photograph > taken during the > international Youth > Conference held near > Harare, Zimbabwe, > from 15 to 22 August > 1990. > IN TERN ATIO NA L SURVEY OF CURRE NT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 453 > > 6. BAHA'i SCHOLARSHIP > > A. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BAHA'i CHAIRS AT UNIVERSITIES > > The Baha'i Chair for World Peace, race, we are happy to offer it as a model > University of Maryland, United States for study." > On 12 February 1990, the Universal House Fully cognizant ofBaha ' u'llah's praise > of Justice wrote to the Baha' is of the world: of knowledge as ' wings to man's life ' and > of the importance which He assigns to > With feelings of thankfulness and joy we > its acquisition; of 'Abdu ' l-Baha's advice > announce an achievement of immense > that we should ' seek to impart the Mesimportance to the accelerating progress of > sage to influential persons and become a > the Cause of Baha'u'llah. The University > cause of guidance to the learned and > of Maryland and the National Spiritual > distinguished '; and of Shoghi Effendi's > Assemb ly of the Baha'is of the United > call for a 'resolute attempt' to reinforce > States recently signed a memorandum of > measures 'for the establishment of closer > understanding, establishing ' The Baha'i > contact with the leaders of public thought, > Chair for World Peace' at that University's > with colleges and universities', we hail > Center for International Development and > this seminal development both as a mark > Conflict Management. The stated purpose > of the Faith ' s emergence from obscurity > of the Chair is ' to conduct and publish reand as the harbinger of that day when > search, design courses and conduct semihosts of scholars will devote their energies > nars in the field of Baha' i studies and > to the exploration, exposition and defence > world peace within an interdisciplinary > of the dynamic principles animating the > context; to initiate public forums for dis- > " World Order of Baha'u' llah, thereby fulcussing the issues proposed in the Statefilling the need identified by the beloved > ment of the Universal House of Justice > Guardian for ' well-read and well-educated > entitled 'The Promise of World Peace'; > people, capab le of correlating our teachand to establish academic linkages with > ings to the current thoughts of the leaders > and provide technical assistance to Baha'i > of society ' . On that day, we shall witness > institutions in the fields of peace educaan expansion and consolidation of the comtion and international development. > munity as has not yet been experienced. > This first initiative by a well-founded, > significant institution of higher learning The official signing of the memorandum > to formulate such a serious program of took place on 26 January 1990 in the pres- > Baha' i stud ies is a direct response to the ence of Dean Murray Polakoff of the > Peace Statement, as is borne out by a let- University of Maryland, School of Social > ter addressed to us by the Director of the and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Abdel R. > Center for International Development and Omran, Acting Director of the Center for > Conflict Management in which he said: International Development and Conflict > ' With this letter I am answering on behalf Management (CIDCM), Dr. Suheil Bushrui, > of CIDCM and the University of Mary- Director of the Baha' i Chair for World > land your call: "If the Baha'i experience Peace, and eight members of the National > can contribute in whatever measure to re- Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the > inforcing hope in the unity of the human United States. > 454 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > At a luncheon hosted by the National Spiritual Assembly oflndia, Ramnik Shah. > Assembly and the Center for International Upon being notified of the signing, the > Development and Conflict Management, House of Justice sent the following cable to > attended by some one hundred Baha' is and the National Assembly oflndia: > their guests, Dean Polakoff explained the CONG RA TULA TIONS ESTABLISHMENT CHAIR > vital need for the spiritual perspective that FOR BAHA'I STUDIES AT UNIVERSITY INDORE. > the Baha'i Chair will provide in the study of THUS A NEW STEP IS TAKEN AIM ED AT > world peace and conflict resolution. ENHANCING PRESTIG E FAITH AND RAIS ING > Dr. William F. Gibson, Chairman of the CALL GOD IN ACADEM IC CIRCLES. EXTEND > Board of Directors for the National Associa- OUR APPRECIATION TO THOSE WI-IO LABOURED > tion for the Advancement of Colored People IN INDORE AND ELSEWHERE FOR SUCCESS > (NAACP), gave a stirring keynote address THIS OUTSTANDING PROJECT. > relating racism and ethnic conflicts to the > themes outlined in the Peace Statement. In pursuance of the agreement, permis- > Dr. Firuz Kazernzadeh followed with a sion had been sought by the University from > thought-provoking address on behalf of the the Higher Education Department of the > National Spiritual Assembly concerning the Government of Madhya Pradesh for the > purpose of the Chair. Professor Bushrui establishment of the Chair. This permission > closed the proceedings with a tribute to Pro- was obtained on 22 January 1991. > fessor Edward Azar, Director of CIDCM, The Chair was established to promote > who first proposed the idea of the Chair. research and scholarship in Baha'i studies; > At the time of the reception, nine roses to design and conduct courses, seminars and > were delivered to an ailing Dr. Azar, who studies in the field of Baha'i studies and > was deeply grateful for them as a symbol for related subjects within an interdisciplinary > the establishment of the Baha'i Chair. context and publish results and reports of > such activities; and to promote inter-univer- > The Chair for Baha'i Studies, University sity linkage through seminars, exchange, > of Indore, India lectures, and so forth, with a view to promot- > In its Ric;Jvan message of 1990, the Universal ing inter-faith harn1ony, national as well as > House of Justice wrote: international integration and world peace . > The University advertised all over India > Just as the community has extended its > for candidates to fill the post of Professor of > ramifications internally, it has also ex- > Baha'i Studies. The selection committee met > panded its relations, influence and appeal > on 12 April 1991 and unanimously selected > externally in a variety of ways, some as- > Dr. Vishnudatta Nagar, then Professor > tonishing in their breadth and potential. A > Emeritus at Baba Saheb Ambedkar National > few examples will suffice: ... the National > Institute of Social Sciences, for the new > Spiritual Assembly of India announced > post. This recommendation was ratified by > that an agreement had been reached to > the Executive Council, and Dr. Nagar joined > establish a Chair for Baha'i Studies at the > the University of Indore as Professor of > University oflndore. > Baha'i Studies on 16 May 1991. > The memorandum of understanding for He pursued the goals of the Chair in tluáee > the establishment of the Chair for Baha'i main ways: by starting formal courses and > Studies at the University of Indore (later academic activities; undertaking research studrenamed Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya) had ies and registering candidates for research > been signed on 9 April 1990 by the Vice- work leading to the degree of Ph.D. in Baha'i > Chancellor of the University, Professor M.S. Studies; and arranging group discussions and > Sodha, and the secretaiy of the National lectures among teachers on campus. > INTERNATION AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA 'I ACTIVITIES 455 > > In January 1992, > two lectures were > arranged by the Chair > for Bahci 'i Studies at > the University of > Indore, India. > Shown fi'om left, Dr. > Vishnudatta Nagar, > Dr. Falairiva Taafaki, > Mr. Ramnik Shah, > Mr. Sherif Rushdy, > Dr. T.K. Vajdi, and > Dr. Shirin Mahalati. > > In July 1991, Dr. Nagar attended and topics of the proposed dissertations were: > participated in the World Order Studies "The Contribution of Religion in the > Course at Landegg Academy in Switzerland, Evolution of a Just Society", "The Role of > where he delivered three lectures. Through Religion in the Economic Transformation of > his efforis, the University of Indore agreed Society", "Nature of the Human Soul-A > to start a compulsory course in World Order Thematic Study of the Sacred Scriptures of > Studies and an optional course in Religion Hindu and Baha' i Religions", and "Religion > and Society at the Master of Philosophy and the Environment". > level. Students seeking the Master of Philos- Apart from individual and group discusophy degree would immediately be enrolled sions held with teachers, two lectures were > into the course upon pass ing their post- ananged by the Chair on 27 January 1992. > graduate examination. Dr. Falairiva Taafaki, a development con- > At the end of the Six Year Plan, the sultant from the United States, spoke on > courses were being finalised in consultation "The Way Out of the Dead End: Ecologiwith Dr. Iraj Ayman of Landegg Academy cally Sustainable Development", and Mr. > in preparation for being approved by the Sherif Rushdy spoke on "The Role of Scivarious academic bodies of the University. ence and Technology in the Transformation > A Statement of Intent was signed in October of Global Society". These two speakers also > 1991 establishing "cooperative relations" be- delivered lectures at the University's School > tween Landegg Academy and the University of Advanced Liberal Studies and spoke on > of Indore. "The Role of Teachers and Youth in the > In November 1991 , two research assis- Transformation of Society". The lectures at > tants joined the Chair, their appointment both locations were well-attended and reprovided for in the agreement with the ceived wide coverage in the local newspapers. > University. Before the end of the Six Year The Chair's library was staried as the > Plan, two research candidates had been reg- National Spiritual Assembly of India sent > istered for the degree of Ph.D. and two other about seven hundred Baha'i books, in > applicants were being processed. The main various installments . Some of these were > purpose of the research work was to identify contributed by Baha ' i communities outside > the most challenging problems facing the India. The books were registered and cataworld and to explain how specific Baha'i logued according to the accepted principles > principles address these problems. The of library science. > > / > 456 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > B. B AHA' f COURSES IN UNIVERSITIES > During the Six Year Plan, a number of and topics covered included Moral Foundacourses on the Baha' i Faith were approved tions of a New World Order, Environment: > for university credit, while other university Global Directions in Education, and Racial > courses on comparative religion included Dimensions of a New Social Order. The > sections on the Teachings of Baha ' u ' llah. description in the course catalogue read: > These developments signalled the growing > The phrase a "new world order", coined > recognition in the academic community of > by the Baha' i Faith in the 1800s, articuthe importance of Baha'i studies to scholars > lates a vis ion of a new, unified world > of all backgrounds. > order, and its premises serve as a point of > In 1988, the curriculum for third-year > departure for this series of inforn1al lecsh1dents at the University of Swaziland > hires and discuss ions on the world as it > began to include the history, teachings, and > might be. > administrative order of the Baha ' i Faith. In > 1991 , university officials asked Baha' is to Courses to study the Faith were also > write a new curriculum on specific Baha ' i established in Brazil at the Federal Universubjects in relation to African customs and sity of Santa Catarina and in Sierra Leone at > traditional religions. Makeni Teachers ' College. > A tluáee-credit course on the history of the The Faith was included in quite a number > Baha ' i Faith began in the fall of 1988 at the of existing university courses, usually in the > University of Hawaii, Hilo campus . Its two field of comparative religion, but also in > main texts were The Baha 'i Faith: the departments of education and economics. > Emerging Global Religion and Th e Babi and The head of Cluáistian Religious Educa- > Baha 'i Religions, 1844- 1944: Some West- tion at Shanzu Teacher Training College > ern Accounts. in Mombasa, Kenya, invited speakers from > Two courses on the Baha' i Faith and peace the Baha ' i conununity to address more than > were conducted by one of the Baha' is of 400 first-year students in Febrnary 1987. > Burkina Faso at Ouagadougou University' s The Baha'i Faith was added to the syllabus > Higher School of Law. In 1989 the univer- of the College ' s religious education section > sity granted permission for the National as a new topic of sh1dy. > Assembly to give courses on the theme "The In 1989, the Department of Religious > Progranune ofBaha'u'llah for Peace". Studies of Makerere University in Kampala, > Full credit was earned by students at Uganda, implemented two new courses: > Brown University in Rhode Island, U.S .A. , Religion, Peace, and Justice, and Religion > who formed a Group Independent Study and Contemporary Social and Economic > Project on the Baha'i Faith in the spring of Development. The first included extensive > 1987. A detailed syllabus fo r the semester- study of the Baha'i writings related to peace > long course-which covered the history, and justice, and the second looked at apprinciples , and administration of the Faith- proaches to development taken by Christianity, > was approved by university officials. Islam, and the Baha'i Faith. In 1991 , a new > The Faculty of Part-time and Continuing faculty member joined the same university > Education at the University of Western and incorporated Baha ' i content into his > Ontario in Canada offered a course in the courses on Religion and Social and Ecospring of 1992 exploring the " new world nomic Development, and Research Methods. > order" . The subject was suggested by the In Ma lawi , the head of the Department of > Association for Baha 'i Studies Campus Club Religious Studies at the U niversity of Zomba > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' i ACTIVITIES 457 > requested information about the Baba 'i Students at Gweru Teacher Training Col- > Faith. When it was delivered, the Baha'is lege in Zimbabwe and at the Ecumenical > found that the Department Head was already Institute of Theological Sciences in Brazil > using Baha 'u 'llah and the New Era in his (which offers undergraduate studies in theolclasses. ogy for high school teachers of religion) > Lectures on the Baha'i Faith were given learned about the Baha'i Faith in their > as part of comparative religion courses at courses. Baha'is in New Caledonia were > Bermuda College, University of the South invited to present the Baha' i point of view > Pacific in Fiji, Chancellor University in on economics to students of that subject at > Malawi, and the University of Zimbabwe. the University in Noumea. > > C. LANDEGG ACADEMY AND INSTITUTE OF lNTERNA TIONAL EDUCATION > AND DEVELOPMENT > The Landegg Conference Centre, located in foster those moral and spiritual qualities > Wienacht, Switzerland, and established in and related practical skills that are need- > 1983 , continued to host youth conferences, ed at this critical transitional phase in the > seminars, and schools, as well as courses for collective life of mankind. > both Baha'is and non-Baha ' is, during the > The Academy's specific objectives are: > Six Year Plan. > to implement an holistic approach to educa- > In 1989, a new Baha'i international learntion, integrating the spiritual, intellectual > ing institution, known as Landegg Academy, > and physical development of individuals; to > was born. It was established by the Landegg > demonstrate and propagate the oneness of > International Baha'i Foundation of the National > mankind; to nurture bonds of friendship > Spiritual Assembly of Switzerland as a twin > among participants from diverse ethnic and > institution of the Landegg Conference Cencultural backgrounds; to cultivate respect > tre . The Institute of International Education > for all peoples and all cultures; to promote > and Development was also established as > the harmony of science and religion; to > an affiliate with the Academy to provide > instil through community activity the ideal > services to institutions, agencies, and comof service to mankind; and to develop, offer, > munities worldwide, both Baha' i and nonand promote academic programmes for the > Baha ' i. > study of the Baha' i Faith. > The mission statement adopted to guide > One of the outstanding courses offered > the activities of the Academy reads: > by the Academy is the three-year Certificate > Landegg Academy is an international Programme in World Order Studies. The > learning centre dedicated to providing Programme is designed to foster systematic > a stimulating environment in which Baha'i scholarship, as called for by Shoghi > students of all ages, and from all ethnic Effendi in a letter written on his behalf to an > and national backgrounds, can explore individual believer, dated 21October1943: > the nature of the human being, the The Cause needs more Baha' i scholars, > dynamics of community life, and the people who not only are devoted to it and > myriad challenges facing today 's global believe in it and are anxious to tell others > society. Through a variety of on- and off- about it, but also who have a deep grasp > campus activities and in collaboration of the Teachings and their significance, > with individuals and institutions with and who can correlate its beliefs with the > similar goals, Landegg Academy is com- current thoughts and problems of the > mitted to developing programmes that people of the world. > 458 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Participants in the Certificate Programme Studies. In the Ukraine, assistance was given > meet at Landegg each year during the entire to establish the Ukrainian Institute of Spirimonth of August for the purposes of orienta- tual Foundations of World Civilization. In > tion, preparation of study schedules, and Russia, projects were developed in cooperaexaminations. Independent study is carried tion with the International Foundation for > out during the intervening months. The first the Survival and Development of Humanity > group, which convened in August 1990, con- and the Foundation for Social Innovation. > sisted of 28 students from eleven countries. Landegg contributed to the availability of > In addition to the World Order Studies scholarly materials by publishing the pro- > Programme, a curriculum for junior youth was ceedings of various conferences, as well as > established. Called Education for Peace, it guidebooks and manuals for educational serinvolved sixteen months of independent study. vices. A total of twelve titles were produced > One-week-long residential study courses during the Plan. Recordings of lectures and > were also offered in various languages dur- other proceedings of Landegg programmes > ing the Six Year Plan. Some were held at were made available for sale through a > Landegg and some in other parts of the department of Audio-Visual Services, and > world, organized in cooperation with host an inventory of more than 1,500 titles of > institutions. Examples of courses offered in- Baha' i literature and audio-visual producclude: the Revelation ofBaha'u'llah, the New tions in various languages was maintained. > World Order of Baha'u ' llah, the Covenant, In addition to the Institute for Inter- > Baha' i Education, the Spiritual Dimensions national Education and Development, a > of Health, Assembly Management, Fund number of other bodies were established as > Development and Management, Media Arts, affiliates or deparhnents ofLandegg. > and Assemblies Facing Family Problems. The Youth Centre was charged with plan- > International conferences held at Landegg ning projects related to youth and maintaining > were often co-sponsored by other interna- contact with the European Baha'i Youth > tional organizations. Some were planned as Council. The Centre conducted such annual > periodically recurring events, such as the events as Landegg Youth Symposia (provid- > International Dialogues on Transition to a ing opportunities for youth to explore issues > Global Society, which were held under the such as the environment and conflict resoluauspices of the Director-General of UNESCO tion, in consultation with adults), Forums for > and the Secretary-General of the Council Young Professionals, and youth conferences. > of Europe. The first such gathering, held The Department of Education and Family > in September 1990, brought together eighty Life and its adjunct Documentation Cenháe > leaders of thought from around the world to were in charge of activities related to Baha' i > present papers and contribute to a discussion education, teacher training, and Baha ' i famabout the changing world order. ily life. The Department conducted mobile > During its first four years of operation, courses in various host countries, and the > Landegg Academy and the Institute ofinter- Documentation Centre acted as a clearing > national Education and Development were house for material on Baha'i education . > invited by governn1ental and public agencies The Persian Arts and Letters Society proto conduct education-related projects in sev- moted the Persian language, literature, and > eral countries. In Albania, several national arts, with focus on the contributions of the > symposia on moral education were held, Baha'i Faith and community to this fie ld. > textbooks on the subject were revised, and a The International Society for Agriculture > magazine fo r children was produced, a joint and Rural Development functioned as an > undertaking with the Albanian Minisháy of affiliate body dedicated to services related to > Education and the Institute of Pedagogical development at the grassroots level. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF C URRENT BAHA ' i ACTIVITIES 459 > > D. GENERAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH CONFERENCE, BUDAPEST 1987 > A Baha' i delegation headed by Amatu'l- G.I. Marchuk, President of the Academy > Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum participated in a of Sciences of the Union of Soviet Socialist > scientific conference organized by the Inter- Republics. > national Society for General Systems The purpose of the conference was to > Research (later renamed the International apply "systems thinking" to the problems of > Society for the Systems Sciences) and held constancy and change confronting an increasin Budapest, Hungary, from 1 to 5 June ingly complex world. "Systems thinking" is > 1987 . Other members of the delegation were a way of looking at the world in terms of > Mrs. Violette Na~avani and Dr. Janet Khan relationships and integration. It is used to > from the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, and explain processes and events in the physical, > Dr. Ingeborg Franken and Dr. Udo Schaefer social, and cultural worlds. For example, a > from Germany. human body is a system in which all parts > Baha'i participation in the Budapest are related and interdependent and where the > meeting was encouraged and facilitated by health of the part depends on the whole and > Dr. Ervin Laszlo, a well-known scientist and vice versa. Just as an individual is faced with > member of the Club of Rome. Dr. Laszlo the need to continue to evolve and develop > invited the Baha'is to present a paper on while, at the same time, retaining a sense of > the Baha'i Faith in the conference session identity, so too, the world of today is characananged by his General Evolution Research terized and challenged by the operation of > Group, thereby providing a valuable opportu- the forces for constancy and change. > nity to discuss aspects of the Baha'i teachings Dr. Janet Khan delivered a paper entitled > at an international scientific gathering. "The Baha 'i Community as a Model for > The conference, held in a city visited by Social Change''. The presentation examined > 'Abdu'l-Baha and much admired by Him, the experience of the Baha'i conununity as > took place at a time when the embryonic an evolving global society. Its organic nature > Hungarian Baha'i community, consisting of and unique system of organization were > a mere handful of devoted followers, was described with special reference to the > required to operate with extreme caution and dynamic intenelations between the processes > wisdom. Against such a background, it of change and constancy operating in its > is interesting that the Universal House of evolution. These processes were illustrated > Justice, in one of its communications, stated by reference to the relationship between the > that "the presence of a Baha'i delega- individual and the community, the flexibility > tion ... constituted an historic step forward in and elasticity of Baha'i administrative functhe relationship of the Baha'i community tioning, the response it has made worldwide > with the academic world and also in its to external threat in the form of the cunent > standing in the communist countries". 1 wave of persecution directed against its > The gathering in Budapest attracted some members in Iran, and the nature of the comof the foremost systems scientists from East- munity's expansion. The paper was well > ern Europe and the West. They were drawn received and elicited many questions about > from such disciplines as mathematics, phys- the Faith, its teachings, its relationship to > ics, engineering, economics, management, science and its manner of functioning in the > and the biological and social sciences. One world. This presentation marked the first > of the featured speakers was Professor occasion, in several decades, in which the > Baha'i teachings had been presented before > Memorandum dated 29 June 1987 to Dr. .Jan et Khan. an audience in a country such as Hungary. > 460 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Hand ofthe Cause of God Arna tu 'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khcinum and Dr. Ervin Laszlo during > a television interview following the International Society for General Systems Research > Conference held in Budapest, Hungary, in June 1987. > > Dr. Ingeborg Franken, a physicist, and of mutual interest. One outcome of this > Dr. Udo Schaefer, a public prosecutor, meeting was that, in response to Dr. Laszlo 's > participated in a workshop on peace. During request, materials on aspects of the Baha'i > the discussion periods, they had the opportu- Faith were forwarded to all members of his > nity to describe the elements of the Baha'i Group. > peace programme and the activities of the The members of the Baha'i delegation > world-wide Baha'i community in sensitizing were impressed that a significant number of > humankind to the need for and the inevita- the scientists and academics present at the > bility of peace. Dr. Ingeborg Franken was conference already had some knowledge of > subsequently invited to write a brief article the Faith, often as a result of the disseminaon the role of consultation in promoting tion of the Peace Statement. And, through > peace, for publication in the newsletter of their participation in this meeting the memthe Society's Peace Group. bers reported having many opportunities to > At the conclusion of the conference, the enhance the understanding of their fellow > Baha'i delegation met informally with conferees concerning the uniqueness of the > several members of Dr. Laszlo's General Baha'i approach to the social organization of > Evolution Research Group to discuss subjects humankind. > INTERN ATI ONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 461 > > E. THE ASSOCIATIONS FOR BAHA 'f STUDIES > The Association for Baha' i Studies was Ottawa, Canada, which acts as the internafounded as the Canadian Association for tional coordinating centráe > Studies on the Baha'i Faith in 1975 by the During the Six Year Plan, the primary > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is purpose of the Association for Baha' i > of Canada. It was the result of a diverse Studies was to stimulate, coordinate, and > group of individuals attempting to fulfil a present original research on the Baha'i > Five Year Plan goal "to cultivate opportuni- Faith. It was also engaged in developing > ties for formal presentations, courses and curricula suitable for use at universities that > lectureships on the Baha' i Faith in Canadian recognized the Baha'i Faith as an important > universities and other institutions of higher subject for research and instruction. The > learning". The Association provided a means Association achieved these goals by holding > for approaching intellectuals, making them annual meetings, international conferences, > aware of the Baha'i Faith and acquainting and regional symposia. The Center for > them with the academic resources available Baha'i Studies also produced a quarterly > to facilitate a formal study of it. newsletter, the Bulletin , which kept mem- > The Association increasingly assumed a bers advised of the international activities of > significant role in the intellectual and social the Association. > life of the Baha' i community worldwide. In > 1981 , its name was changed to the Associa- Association for Baha'i Studies-Australia > tion for Baha'i Studies- recommended by The Association for Baha'i Studies in > the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada Australia was first established in June 1984, > and approved by the Universal House of with its operating secretariat located in Perth, > Justice- to reflect the evolving nature of the Western Austráalia. During the Six Year > Association's membership and activities . Plan, the Association co-ordinated and stim- > With guidelines set forth by the House of ulated the activities of Baha'i Societies in > Justice, affiliates were established in more universities and other institutions of higher > than twenty countries under the auspices of learning by holding national and regional conthe Center for Baha ' i Studies, located in ferences, and distributing a quarterly newsletter. > > Th e 1989 Australian > National Baha 'i > Studies Conference > was held in Adelaide > from March 24 to 27. > Highlights of the > Conference included > a one-day symposium > on the Role of Wom en > in an Advancing > Civilization. > 462 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > With a membership of more than two Association for Baha'i Studies-Brazil > hundred people, this Association increased One of the significant activities of the Assothe scope of its studies by forming new ciation for Baha'i Studies in Brazil during > interest groups in such areas as women's the Six Year Plan was the first National > studies, health, agriculture, and science and Peace Symposium in the Nuclear Era, held > technology. These interest groups gave a from 19 to 21 September 1986 in Goiania, > greater structure and focus to Baha'i studies. Goias. This gathering was supported by hun- > The Association's eighth conference was dreds of citizens, industrialists, artists, and > held in Adelaide from 24 to 27 March 1989. top scientists from throughout the country. > For the first time, committees of the National The Symposium was officially inaugu- > Spiritual Assembly-the Social and Economic rated by the wife of the State Governor in > Development Committee and the National the presence of Mr. Hushmand Fatheazam, a > Children's Education Task Force- were member of the Universal House of Justice; > invited to present research papers on their representatives from the Ministry of Culture > areas of interest. The programme also and Education; and municipal authorities. > included a section for the presentation of The Secretary-General of the United Nations; > general papers, meetings for a number of the President of Brazil, Jose Sarney; and > special interest groups, and a one-day various Ministers of the Government sent > symposium entitled 'The Role of Women in messages in honour of the occasion. > an Advancing Civilization". This symposium Approximately 500 people, eighty per > consisted of presentations of invited papers cent of whom were not Baha'is, attended > by Baha'i and non-Baha'i experts focusing three main panel discussions on peace, led > on such topics as Women and Power, by eminent scientists and leaders of thought. > Women in the Legal Profession, and Women, The topics presented were Science for Peace; > Development and Peace. Education for Peace; and Economy and > From 13 to 16 April 1990, the ninth meet- Political Science for Peace. The participants > ing of the national Association for Baha'i also took part in nine workshops, the out- > Studies was held in Perth. More than three come of which was a document entitled > hundred people registered for the confer- Letter of Goiania that conveyed to the United > ence, including several members of the Nations the results of the Symposium with > public who had heard one of the many radio recommendations toward the establishment > announcements broadcast prior to the event. of peace. > Among the highlights of this gathering was On the last day of the Symposium, the > a day-long symposium on "The Environ- cornerstone for a Monument for peace was > ment Humanity 's Common Heritage", which placed. This monument was designed by > included contributions from several Baha'i Siron Franco, a well-known Brazilian artist, > environmental experts. Papers were submit- and bears the quotation from Baha 'u'llah > ted on The Environment-Past, Present and that states "The earth is but one country > Future, Environmental Damage: Reshaping and mankind its citizens". The cornerstone, > International Relations, and Agriculture and consisting of a beautiful glass plate, was > the Environment. Several of the speakers dedicated by Professor Venerando de Freitas > were interviewed on various radio and televi- Borges, the first mayor of Goiania. The > sion programmes prior to the conference, monument will be a glass tower seven > and a number of media representatives were meters high, filled with artistica'lly displayed > present at the symposium. A new feature coloured earth to be received from many > was a half-day forum held in Persian. countries of the world. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'f ACTIVITIES 463 > > The first conference > of the Association > for Bahil 'i Studies in > East, Central and > South Afi'ica held > in Nairobi, Kenya, > fi'om 28 to > 30 September 1990. > > Association for Baha'i Studies-Central, From 15 to 16 August 1986, the first > South, and East Africa annual Association for Baha'i Studies Con- > The activities of the Association for Baha 'i ference was held. The conference focused > Studies for Central, South, and East Africa on "Peace and the New World Order", with > included its first annual conference, held at the keynote speakers being Dr. Augusto > the National Baha 'i Center in Nairobi, Lopez Claros of the International Monetary > Kenya, from 28 to 30 September 1990. A Fund and Dr. Mansour Sedaghat of the > total of thirty-five members attended, among University of Concepcion. > whom were four Auxiliary Board members. The theme of the second annual confer- > During the gathering, seven speakers ence, held from 26 to 27 September 1987, > presented papers on the following topics: was "New Perspectives in Education'', and > Baha'i Scholarship-the Master 's Style; it featured Counsellor Farzam Arbab and a > What is a Baha'i Scholar?; Applying the forum of Baha'i educators. More than eighty > Teachings to Solve Current Problems; Relat- Baha'is and non-Baha'is from five countries > ing Christianity, Islam, and the Baha'i Faith; attended. During the same year, the Associa- > How to Research the Baha'i Faith; Fostering tion sponsored a series of six regional Bah.a' i > Creative Development; and Understanding: Studies Institutes, wherein members conthe Greatest Gift. ducted classes, workshops, and lectures on > various themes related to the Baha'i Faith. > Association for Baha'i Studies-Chile In 1989, this Association received com- > The Association for Baha'i Studies in Chile mendations from the Universal House of > was established on 19 October 1985 with Justice for its fourth annual conference and > an initial membership of 39 individuals and for the participation of non-Bah.a 'i leaders in > two Local Spiritual Assemblies. By the end its forum. This conference, held in Santiago > of the Six Year Plan, its membership had from 30 September to 1 October, addressed > grown to more than sixty individuals and "Human Development and Society". Apeight institutions. During this time, the proximately eighty people from Chile, > Association organized national and regional Colombia, Hong Kong, and Peru attended, > conferences, and an annual "Essay, Music, including non-Baha'i experts in the field of > and Art Contest"; printed Baha 'i publica- development. > tions; established a library for Baha'i studies; "Human Rights and Social Justice" was > and formed special interest groups. the theme of the fifth annual conference, > 464 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > which commenced on 25 August 1990 in Association for Baha'i Studies- English- > Santiago. More than fifty people listened to Speaking Europe > presentations on such topics as The Baha'i During the Six Year Plan, the Association > Declaration of Human Rights; The Search for Baha'i Studies in English-Speaking > for a Just Society; and Social Justice and Europe continued to encourage a scholarly > Development. As well, three simultaneous approach to the study of the Baha'i Faith. > workshops were held to discuss The Rights It also promoted and encouraged research > of Children; Social Justice and Community; on the Faith by Baha' is and non-Baha'is in > and Youth and Justice. universities and other institutions of higher > Beginning in 1986, the Association spon- learning. > sored a contest which evolved into an annual This Association was established in > "Essay, Music and Art Contest" to give Ireland in 1984, then was transfered to the > individuals the opportunity to express their United Kingdom in 1989 after consultation > artistic talents within the context of the between the two National Spiritual Assem- > Baha'i Faith. This competition included blies. An Executive Committee was forrried > categories for youth, university students, and to help the Association develop and build > adults. A magazine containing some of the upon the work already done in Ireland. > essays submitted for this contest was Within this period, the Association held > published by the Executive Committee. regional and national conferences; it pro- > The Association also established a Library duced audio-visual materials; and published > for Baha'i Studies in 1986. Located at the an annual journal entitled The Bahri 'i Studies > National Baha'i Center, it was set up to pro- Review. The Association was successful in > vide students and researchers of the Faith encouraging the creation of campus associawith a center of information. Its collection tions at colleges and universities, and had > consisted of more than 300 books and 600 a membership of more than two hundred > periodicals in English, Persian, and Spanish. people in 1991. > The Library's reading room was open to The first annual conference was held in > members and non-members. Birmingham, England, in April 1990 on the > Special interest groups were fanned to theme "Community and Diversity". > study the relationship of the Faith with From 13 to 15 September 1991, a total of > specific fields and to develop a Baha 'i dis- fifty Baha'is met for the second annual concourse that could deal with relevant issues in ference also held in Bim1ingham, England, > society. Groups studied such areas as the which focused on "New Human Values for > environment, commw1ications, human rights a New World Order". A variety of presentaand social justice, health, peace, economic tions were made on subjects such as The > and social development, education and culture, Path to Peace-an Introduction to the Proband women's studies. Throughout the Six lems of Prejudice; Encouraging Sustained > Year Plan, the Association's representatives Participation; and The Writings of Shoghi > took part in forums organized by Baha' i and Effendi. Workshops gave the participants an > non-Baha'i groups. opportunity to further explore these themes. > In 1990, the Association began offering Following Ri~van 1990, a series of > a formal programme of study on the Faith. regional conferences were held throughout > Covering various aspects of the teachings, England, Ireland, and Scotland to permit for > the programme began with courses on a wide range of topics to be examined in > Cluáistianity and the Baha 'i Faith; and Islam infom1al settings. They also allowed for > and the Baha' i Faith. more believers to become involved with the > INTERNATIONAL SURV EY OF CURR ENT BAHA'i ACTIVITI ES 465 > Association and its activities, and resulted in The 1986 annual conference, held in the > local media publicity for the Faith. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on 22 and > The Association's first conference held in 23 November, focused on "The Place and > Northern Ireland took place on 12 January Contribution of Minorities in Society". > 1991 in Londondeny. Talks were given on Approxin1ately one hundred participants from > such topics as The Environment-More than Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, and > Just a Bandwagon; Science and Religion; Switzerland attended, among whom were > and Baha' is and the A1is. two Governn1ent Ministers, one Member of > "The Baha ' i Faith and Other Religions" Parliament, and a President of the Tribunal > was the theme of the Association's first con- which represents the Grand Duchy to the > ference in Scotland, held from 3 to 5 May European Commission on Human Rights. > 1991 in Edinburgh. Talks were presented on Also present were Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi and > Judaism and the Baha ' i Faith; Mul.iammad Mr. Louis Henuzet, members of the Contiand the Qur'an: An Overview; Christian and nental Board of Counsellors. > Islamic Objections to the Baha' i Faith; The Association's fourth annual conferand The Christian- Baha'i Dialogue during ence centered on the theme "Religious > ' Abdu' l-Baha's visit to Edinburgh. Values and Lay Values: Searching for a Uni- > The Association held a conference in versal Ethic". This conference, which took > Bath, England, on 3 July 1991. The first of place on 31 October and 1November1987, > two papers presented was on The Maid of was organized in collaboration with the > Heaven, the Image of Sophia, and the Logos. Open Faculty of Religions and Lay Affairs > The second paper focused on the topic at the University of Charleroi in Belgium. > Thoughts on the Development of Spirituality, On 29 and 30 October 1988, the annual > which looked at several ways to spirituality Baha'i Studies conference took place at the > such as creation, suffering, education, prayer, University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Parand meditation. ticipants delved into the issue of "Economy > and Society: What are the Perspectives > Association for Baha'i Studies-French- Beyond Today's Crises?". A presentation > Speaking Europe by a non-Baha'i university student on the > Since 1984, the Association for Baha 'i Stud- system of communication in the Baha'i Faith > ies in French-spe~king Europe has organized was a noteworthy feature of the gathering. > ammal conferences on a variety of themes In 1989, more than one hundred and > and cunent issues. eighty people took part in the Association's > > Th e Association for > Saha 'i Studies, > French-Speaking > Europe, held its > annual conference in > Luxembourg in > November 1986. > Two Government > Ministers, one Member of Parliament, and > the President of the > Tribunal were among > the participants. > 466 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Association for > Baha 'i Studies, > German-Speaking > Europe, held its fifth > annual conference in > Hof Austria,from > 29 September to > 1 October 1989. > > sixth annual conference held at the Palais four countries examined the theme of peace > des Congres in Paris, France, on 18 and through three papers, several seminars, and > 19 November. Speeches emphasized the art sessions. Plans to consolidate and enlarge > theme "Freedom in History and Society" . the Association were also discussed. > The seventh annual conference was held A total of 54 people took part in the Assoin Luxembourg under the auspices of the ciation's fifth annual conference, held from > Ministry of Culture and was inaugurated by 29 September to 1 October 1989 in Hof, > Mr. Jacques Santer, the Prime Minister of Austria. Speakers from Austria, Germany, > the Grand Duchy. Held on 10 and 11 No- Hungary, and Switzerland focused on the > vember 1990, the theme "The Dawning of central theme of the conference-"Economy: > European Unity" offered an opportunity to Old Dogmas, New Thinking"-with preseninvite, for the first time, a sociologist from tations on the paradigm shift in economics, > the former Soviet Union. On the whole, an approach to a new theory of economics > favourable echoes of the conference rever- under the influence of the Baha'i Revelation, > berated in the press. and the modem work environment. > "Environment: a heritage for humanity" Prominent non-Baha'i scholars addressed > was the theme examined at the Association's the Association's sixth annual conference, > annual conference held in Liege, Belgium, held from 12 to 14 October 1990 in Mils, > in 1991. Austria. The gathering's theme-"On the > After each of the conferences, the Associ- Oneness of Reality: the New Convergence > ation for Baha'i Studies in French-speaking of Religion and Science"-resulted in the > Europe published the proceedings of the submission of papers on such topics as relipresentations. The Association also sought gion as the fountainhead of great cultures, > to expand its publishing activities to include the epistemological investigations of belief > translations into French of previously and science, and the mystical dimension of > unpublished articles by Dr. Udo Schaefer. human reality as contained in the Writings > ofBaha'u'llah. > Association for Baha'i Studies-German- > Speaking Europe Association for Baha'i Studies- India > The Association for Baha'i Studies in German- The Association for Baha' i Studies in India > speaking Europe held its second annual was formed in 1983, fol lowing consultation > conference in May 1986 at the Landegg between the National Spiritual Assemblies of > Academy in Switzerland. Representatives of India and Canada. As a result, a Management > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I A CTIVITIES 467 > Committee was appointed in New Delhi, Association for Baha'i Studies-Malaysia > whose function was to coordinate study- The Baha'i community of Malaysia estabrelated activities, particularly in initiating lished its nation's Association for Baha'i > and fostering an active pursuit of Baha'i Studies in 1988, thereby fulfilling one of the > scholarship. goals of the country's Six Year Plan. The > One of the first activities of the Associa- Association cultivated opportunities for fortion was to acquire diaries of early believers mal presentation of the Baha'i Faith at > in India to stimulate a study of events and universities and other institutions of higher > individuals connected with the early years of learning. It promoted a greater study of the > the Baha'i Faith in the Indian sub-continent. Faith and its application to the needs of > During the Six Year Plan, three non- humanity by hosting conferences, printing > Baha 'i scholars, on their own initiative, publications, and forming regional associaapproached the Baha'i community for study tions. The first Bulletin for the Association > materials on the Faith for their Ph.D. disser- for Bahti 'i Studies of Malaysia was pubtations. This serves as an example of the lished in April 1989. > growing interest in Baha'i studies stimulated > by the Association. Association for Baha'i Studies-North > America > Association for Baha'i Studies-Japan The Association for Baha'i Studies in North > The first annual conference of the Associa- America continued to function as a cooperation for Baha'i Studies in Japan took place tive effort between the National Assemblies > at the Tokyo Baha'i Center on 21 and 22 De- of Alaska, Canada, and the United States. > cember 1991, with more than fifty believers The Center for Baha'i Studies, located in > attending. Presentations were given on Ottawa, Canada, acted as the coordinating > Learning and the Acquisition of Knowledge centre for the activities of the Association in > by Counsellor Kimiko Schwerin, and A North America and its affiliates worldwide. > Vision of Baha'i Scholarship by Dr. Hossain Adjacent to the University of Ottawa, the > Danesh. The conference was described as "a Center enjoyed access to the university > success in motivating the friends to delve resources, which, combined with the Cendeeper into the Writings to discover the ter's own library, offered the facilities > trnths that will assist in advancing the Cause needed for research on the Baha'i Faith. > in Japan''. During the Six Year Plan, the Association > organized international conferences, annual > > /\/ 1'\'1t1.\,11 '{;~ > f J tl !d .. o('".~ > > The Association for > Bahti 'i Studies in > Japan held its first > annual conference in > Tokyo from 2 l to > 22December1991. > 468 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Association for > Baha 'i Studies, North > America, held its > thirteenth meeting in > Ottawa, Ontario, > . l ssoc ic11 ion fo r Baba ár St11cties Canada, from 7 to > Assorial ion d'ct 11Cles baiJii'ie-;-- > 10 October 1988. > > meetings, and special seminars. It also spon- Baha' i International Health Agency and the > sored regional conferences throughout North Balla' i Education Institute. > America which provided opportunities for From 22 to 25 October 1987, the Associascholars to exchange ideas and present tion held its twelfth annual conference at > papers. Selected material from these pro- Princeton University in Princeton, New > ceedings was published in The Journal of Jersey, United States of America, on > Baha'i Studies, a quarterly journal, and "Converging Realities: An International > Baha'i Studies, a serial monograph. As stated Conference on Science, the Humanities, and > earlier, the Center for Baha'i Studies pro- Religion." Among those addressing the > duced a quaiierly international newsletter, the event were eminent Baha'i and non-Baha ' i > Bulletin, which kept members advised of the scholars , scientists, and systems theorists. > activities of the Association internationally. Talks were delivered on such topics as The > The eleventh a1mual conference of the Redemption of Science, Poverty and Racism > Association for Baha'i Studies was held in Urban America, Convergence of Body > from 20 to 24 August 1986 in London, and Soul, and A1i and Spiritual Education. > Ontario, Canada. This was the largest con- The Association for Baha'i Studies > ference to date, with approximately two welcomed approximately 800 people to its > thousand adults participating. Focusing on fourteenth annual conference held from 15 to > the theme "Beyond the Quest for Peace: 17 September 1989 in Irvine, California, > Creating a New World Order", this confer- U.S.A. The theme of this gathering was "Full > ence was planned in response to a request Partnership: An International Conference on > by the Universal House of Justice that the Equality of Women and Men". Talks > each national Baha ' i community sponsor were presented on the roles of women and > one major event to mark the United Nations men in bringing about full partnership and > International Year of Peace. Among those on the implications of the equality principle > addressing the gathering were the Hands of on women. Seminars during the conference > the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih covered a wide range of topics including > Khanum and Dr. 'Ali Mul:iammad Varqa, as consultation and conflict resolution, the arts, > well as Mr. 'Ali Na~avani , a member of health, agriculture, and intercultural issues. > the Universal House of Justice. For two days "Models of Racial Unity" was the theme > preceding the main conference, eight other of the fifteenth annual Baha'i Studies > agencies and affiliates of the Association conference, held from 9 to 11 November > held their sessions. Among them were the 1990 in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Plenary > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 469 > sessions, professional interest seminars, and campus clubs held activities that compleworkshops presented nearly a century of mented the aims of their institutions. These > North American Baha' i experience in the groups received the Campus Association > field of racial unity. Newsletter. > In preparation for the Holy Year, approxi- One of the most exciting developments of > mately six hundred people spent four days in the Association during the Plan was that on > August 1991 at the University of Victoria in 27 July 1986, the National Spiritual Assembly > Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, attend- of Canada cabled: > ing workshops, plenary sessions, and special Joyfully announce federal incorporation > presentations. The themes pursued at this of Association for Baha'i Studies granted > gathering were the Mission of Baha'u'llah, July 22 .... > His Covenant, the World Order, and the > Baha'i community. Sessions were also held Association for Baha'i Studies- Papua > on the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Tablets of the New Guinea > Divine Springtim es, and the Long Obliga- The first Association for Baha' i Studies contory Prayer. David Hofman, former member ference in Papua New Guinea was held in > of the Universal House of Justice, delivered September 1988 at the University Baha'i > the annual Hasan Balyuzi Memorial Lecture Club in Port Moresby and was attended by > on Baha'i History. His address , entitled fifteen people. Among the papers presented > "Baha 'u ' llah: King of Glory", reminded the were Traditional Education in New Hanover, > audience of the vast scope of Baha'u ' llah's The Effect of the Baha' i Faith on Medina > Mission. One of the significant events at this Village, and Equality of Men and Women: > gathering was a memorial service for the late Traditional and Modem Concepts. All speak- > Hand of the Cause of God John Roba11s . ers were Papua New Guineans. > Prepared with the assistance of the National In May 1989, the second annual Associa- > Spiritual Assembly of Canada, the pro- tion for Baha'i Studies conference was held > gramme featured readings and musical at the University of Papua New Guinea. > tributes, as well as a touching recollection of Among the twenty-five Baha'is and > the late Hand by Mrs. Audrey Robarts . non-Baha ' is present was Peter Vuyiya, a > The Association continued to be affiliated Counsellor member of the International > with campus organizations, which provided Teaching Centre. The three papers presented > a valuable source of ideas and research. The at this gathering were on the topics of The > > A Seminar on > Intercultural Issues > preceded the > Conference of the > Association f or Bahri 'i > Studies held in Irvine, > California, from 15 to > 17 September 1989. > 470 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Association for > Baha'i Studies, Papua > New Guinea, held its > second conference at > the University of > Papua New Guinea in > Port Moresby, in May > 1989. > > Effect of the Baha' i Faith on the Position of a great number of these posters were placed > Women in the Mountain Brown Area of at the Inter-American University, in the > Papua New Guinea, The Corning of the nearby town of San German. > Baha ' i Faith to Some of the Islands of Fiji, In addition to the weekly meetings for > and Women and Peace: An Anthropological Baha'is and their friends, other gatherings > Perspective. were organized and publicized throughout > the campus. The Association found that > Association for Baha'i Studies-Puerto Rico inviting professors to talk on a particular > The Association for Baha'i Studies in Puerto subject at meetings organized by the Associ- > Rico was established at the Mayaguez ation was very frnitful, for the professors > Campus of the University of Puerto Rico in would thus become acquainted with the > 1987, thus helping to fulfil one of the goals tenets of the Faith. > of the nation's Six Year Plan. Throughout Sequences of talks with common themes > this period, the Association held regular were organized by the Association, includweekly meetings and carried out various ing a series on Peace-Economy and Peace, > activities. Technology and Peace, World Politics and > The first endeavour undertaken by the Peace. These gatherings were well publi- > Association was proclaiming the Baha'i cized and well attended. The Association > Faith campus-wide. Posters, pamphlets, and held two series, four years apart, on world > specially prepared lessons on the Faith were religions, at which professors were invited > placed in different locations around the to talk about their religions. > Mayaguez campus. Thousands of one-sheet One of the significant activities of the > lessons on the Faith were taken by the Association in Puerto Rico was the distribustudents. This occurred during a period of tion of the Peace Message to nearly all the > several years. As a consequence of these faculty members of the University in 1987. > activities, five students accepted the Baha'i The Chancellor was very appreciative and > Faith directly through the lessons, and two shortly thereafter invited the Baha'is to > professors and three students enrolled in the make a presentation at an ecumenical meet- > Faith thrnugh personal contacts. In addition, ing that she organized. > 7. BAHA'i PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS > > IN 1980, during the first Baha'i International with the healing Words of Baha'u' llah, but > Conference on Health and Healing, held in also to apply the Baha' i teachings to their > Ottawa, Canada, under the sponsorship of own daily lives more effectively. > the Association for Baha'i Studies, a recom- These interactions resulted in the formendation was made that an association of mation of a number of Baha'i professional > Baha' i health professionals be established. associations . Offering an exciting arena for > This recommendation was accepted by the intellectual reciprocity and the examination > executive committee of the Association for of spiritual concepts, these were a means of > Baha' i Studies, approved in principle by the encouragement and support to fellow associ- > National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, and ates, as well as coordinating and stimulating > encouraged by the Universal House of Justice. research and education in their respective > In 1982, the Universal House of Justice fields. In addition, owing to the prestige that > expanded the concept of Baha' i professional is confened upon groups of career-minded > associations in a letter addressed to all individuals, these became a tool bringing > National Spiritual Assemblies : the Teachings of Baha 'u ' llah to people of > prominence in those professions. Hence, the > Consider convening gatherings, wherever > Faith was taught more systematically and > possible, of Baha ' i professionals to diswith greater efficacy. > cuss the means by which they, as > The trend towards the formation and conindividuals, can reach, and aid the Baha' i > cretion of professional associations prevalent > Community in fostering good relations > during the Six Year Plan exemplifies the > with, persons of prominence in their redevelopment of the Baha'i community. One > spective professions. > hundred years after the Ascension of the > In response to this letter, Baha' i pro- Blessed Beauty, real progress was being > essionals throughout the world convened made from cognition to volition; in uniting > conferences and seminars to discuss not only "religion" and "daily life" in a world which > the means to reach people of prominence advocates their separation. > > A. THE BAHA'f INTERNATIONAL HEALTH AGENCY > 0 thou loyal servant of God and thou spiritual healer of man! Whensoever thou dost attend > a patient, turn thy face toward the Lord of the heavenly Kingdom, ask the Holy Spirit to > come to thine aid, then heal thou the sickness. > (' Abdu ' l-Baha, Selections fro m the Writings of 'Abd11 'I- Bah a [Haifa : Baha 'i World Centre, 1978], p. 18 1). > > The Baha 'i International Health Agency is The Association was created in response > an affiliate of the Baha' i International Com- to a recommendation made at the first Baha ' i > munity and the Association for Baha' i International Conference on Health and > Studies, and functions under the aegis of the Healing, as stated above. Its first formal > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is meeting, held on 10 and 11 April 1982 in > of Canada. Ottawa, Canada, was attended by more than > 472 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Mrs. Mona Grieser > (fi-ont), a Bahri 'i > health professional, > visiting the home of a > Bahri 'i Health Education Agent in Sarh, > Chad. Jun e 1988. > > fifty Baha'is who were health professionals University of Western Ontario in Canada, > working in Canada, the United States, and was health and peace. The objective was to > Chile. explore the role of health in the service of > This agency was established to co-ordi- humanity, and to study the Baha'i approach > nate and encourage research and education to health services . More than one hundred > among the Baha'is who are health profes- and fifty people participated in workshops > sionals, and others who have knowledge in and presentations on the topics of medical > this area. Its functions consist of: making ethics, food and nutrition, and the link > articles and reviews on health and related between international health and peace. Partopics available for circulation to members, ticipants concluded that health-care workers > interested individuals and institutions; en- must help change attitudes; and that the most > couraging individuals to initiate the formation difficult task is the changing of the hearts of > of local chapters dedicated to promoting men. They detennined that the world needs > health-care projects; collaborating with the the Baha ' i principles as the tool for change; > National Pioneering Committee regarding that there is a great need for cultural underoverseas posts for health-care workers ; plan- standing, for a universal language, and a > ning annual conferences; discussing and deep empathy for other people 's sufferings. > acting upon conespondence from the Univer- The seventh annual conference, held in > sal House of Justice, the National Spiritual Evanston, Illinois, United States of America, > Assembly of Canada, and Agency members; from 26 to 28 August 1988, focused on > and publishing a bulletin at least twice a year. primary health care and the integration of > The proceedings of the annual confer- alternative methods of healing. Approxiences on health and healing fulfil, in part, mately sixty friends attended. The issue > requirements set by the National Spiritual addressed at this event was the challenge of > Assembly, " ... to encourage and facilitate ensuring that the needs of the recipients are > ... education .. .in the field of health based on met in any project. It was agreed that this > the teachings of the Baha'i Faith." These problem can be overcome with the utilizagatherings focus upon the current moral and tion of Baha'i principles, with the key being > scientific discussions of the medical com- true consultation. A firm belief in the spirimunity within the context of the Baha'i tual equality of all peoples helps to focus on > teachings. the development of individuals. The role of > The theme of the fifth annual conference, women in the promotion of primary health > held from 20 to 21 August 1986, at the care and the larger implications for world > INTERNATION AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 473 > > peace were also discussed. Women as first Illness'', challenged the audience to consider > educators have enormous influence on the the effect of the diversity of cultures and > community and will pass their skills and behaviors on shaping different world > information to their children. views on health and its maintenance. The > In 1989, more than seventy people partic- successful development of a universal > ipated in the eighth annual health conference framework for the conceptualization of > in Irvine, California, United States. This health and illness will occur in an atmoconference's theme dealt with women's sphere of respect for the validity of the > issues in health. The concept of the em- contributions of persons from all races and > powerment of women in the delivery of ethnicities, it concluded. > health was discussed, with the suggestion In addition to annual gatherings, the > that empowerment must be based on Association sponsored two conferences > Baha'u'llah's first Hidden Word in which aimed at increasing the Baha' i community's > the qualities of kindness, radiance, and awareness of the AIDS epidemic, and a third > purity are linked to sovereignty. Women conference focusing on the topic of homowere invited to realize the importance of sexuality. The two conferences highlighting > bringing their specific positive strengths into AIDS were held in Montreal, Canada, in > their new fields of responsibility and action, 1989 and at the Green Acre Baha'i School in > and to eliminate the old stereotypes that link Maine, United States, in 1991; and the > femininity with passivity, compliance, and conference on homosexuality was held in > weakness. Other issues presented at the con- 1992 at Green Acre. Participation in these > ference were strategies to attain health for all conferences was by friends from Canada and > by the year 2000, and the ethical challenges the United States with a personal or profesfaced by Baha'i health professionals. sional interest in the subject. The goals of > More than thirty-five participants took these events were to study and consult on the > part in the ninth annual conference on health Baha'i Writings which relate to these issues; > and healing, held in November 1990 in to create a network of Baha'is who will > Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The focus share information and encourage one > of this conference was discrimination in another; and to consult on future activities. > health care. Studies on the effects of active Members of the Baha'i International > patient involvement in their own health care, Health Agency participated in various interand its impact on improved health care out- national health conferences and seminars. As > comes, were reviewed. It was noted that a result, members of the Agency presented > these data complement the Baha'i teachings the principles of the Baha'i Faith to those of > that encourage the individual to seek the highest calibre in the medical field. > medical attention when necessary, but for In May 1986, the World Health Organithe individual to determine for himself what zation invited members of the Baha'i > is competent medical advice. The topic of International Community to its thirty-ninth > "Discrimination and the International Human Health Assembly. Dr. Ethel Martens, a > Immunodeficiencey Virus Epidemic" was Public Health Educator and the Executive > addressed. Statistics were given which out- Secretary of the Baha'i International Health > lined the disproportionate number of urban Agency, was one of the Baha'i delegates > poor, blacks, and hispanics with Acquired who attended this gathering. More than five > Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in hundred people participated, among whom > North America-numbers representative of were a large number of Ministers of Health. > the discrimination already faced by these Dr. Abdul Missagh Ghadirian ['Abdu 'lsocial groups. A third presentation, entitled Mithaq Qadiriyan] an executive member > "Towards a Concrete Understanding of of the Baha'i International Health Agency > 474 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > and a psychiatrist, represented the Baha'i Belisle, a physician from Montreal, Canada, > International Community at the United and an executive member of the Baha' i > Nations Interregional Conference of Non- International Health Agency, and Mr. Gio- > Govemmental Organizations for Prevention vanni Ballerio from the Baha'i International > of Drug Abuse, held in Stockholm, Sweden, Community Office in Geneva. The primary > from 15 to 19 September 1986. One hundred Baha'i contribution to this consultation was > copies of an article by Dr. Ghadirian, entitled on the theme of the equality of women and > "Prevention of Drug Abuse: A Baha'i Per- men, specifically the importance of empowspective" were distributed among delegates. ering women who are at a high-risk of > In addition, seventy copies of his book In developing HIV-AIDS because of a lack of > Search of Nirvana were given to dignitaries information, a lack of access to information, > and delegates of national and international or because of non-assertive behavior due to, > reputation who participated in the Confer- among other things, a low socio-economic > ence. status. A second contribution by the Baha'i > Due to the Baha' i International Commu- delegation emphasized the need for spiritual > nity's signing of the "working relations" transforn1ation, not only at the individual but > agreiement with the World Health Organiza- also at the institutional level, and referred > tion in March 1989, the Baha ' i International to the Baha'i concept of unity as a basic > Community was officially invited to partici- prerequisite for the solution of most social > pate at the World Health Organization's con- problems. This meeting was successful from > sultation with various international women's the perspective of the Baha' i International > non-governmental agencies on the issues of Health Agency because it facilitated the > AIDS prevention, control, and care, held establishment of personal and professional > from 21 to 22 December, 1989, in Geneva, contacts between the Baha'i participants > Switzerland. The Baha' i International Com- and representatives of diverse women's nonmunity was represented by Dr. Denise governmental organizations. > > B. THE ASSOCIATION MEDICALE BAHA'iE > > The Association Medicale Baha'ie, under patient-doctor relationships, stress, health > the auspices of the National Assembly of and nutrition, life and death, mother and > France, was registered in 1985 in confor- child relations, environment, and communimity with the requirements of French law cation. Renowned non-Baha'i lecturers > and of the French Medical Council. Mem- participated in many of the sessions and > bership is essentially open to all Baba' i greatly enhanced the professional quality of > medical practitioners and students in legaUy the meetings. In addition, these gatherings > licensed professions concerned with health generated a greater appreciation of the Faith > care. amongst professionals in the medical field. > During the Six Year Plan, the Associa- The Association's members also took > tion 's activities included the study of Baha'i part in commissions for preserving family > principles relevant to health and their diffu- unity, taught dental and general hygiene to > sion to non-Baha'i professionals and to the children at summer schools, and partici- > Baha'i community at large. Study sessions pated in several humanitarian projects m > open to all included topics such as ethics, Chad, Niger, Yugoslavia, and Albania. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'f ACTIVITIES 475 > > C. THE BAHA'I BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION > Your criterion should be to pursue your commercial activities with such fairness and equity > as to be a cause ofguidance to others. The friends of God should, through the instrumentality of their business, lead the people to God's path, and make them so astonished as to > exclaim: "How great is their truthfulness, how high their trustworthiness, and how true is > their good will!" > (Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Compilation of Compilations, vol. 2 [Mona Yale, NSW: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1991], p. 341). > > The Baha'i Business and Economics Associ- of individuals and organizations concerned > ation was formed in 1991 as an affiliate of with the practical aspects of the application > the Association for Baha'i Studies in Canada. of spiritual principles to the business com- > Its members are business people and econo- munity. This directory could be used to > mists who want to bring the spiritual support world-wide networking effortsguidance of Baha'u'llah to the worldwide putting individuals with similar concerns in > business community. In particular, they hope touch with one another, enabling people > to demonstrate the positive impact of the travelling to share the results of their experiapplication of spiritual principles in the work- ence with others, and making interested > place and on the lives of those involved in parties aware of opportunities and needs that > business. the business community may be able to > One Association goal is to have a direct address. > and constructive influence on the business The Association has also provided its > community by supporting grassroots initia- members and associates with a resource > tives of Baha' i business people. Another goal directory of material on socio-economic > is to be instrumental in promoting network- developments that reflect the principles of > ing and advocating the increase of wealth the Baha'i Faith in practice. > within a spiritual framework. The Associa- The development of local Baha'i business > tion strives to increase cooperation and forums throughout the world has been encollaboration as tools for resolving conflicts couraged and supported by this Association, > and disputes within the business community, with the vision that once sufficient numbers > and tries to serve as a forum for reaching of these local forums are functioning within > people of capacity in the field of commerce. a particular country or region, the Associa- > The primary purpose of this Association tion will actively support the formation and > is to provide its members with information. development ofNational and Regional Baha'i > An international directory has been compiled Business and Economic Associations. > > D. THE BAHA'I BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION > The Baha'i Business and Professional Asso- The Association was formed when interciation in Australia is a non-profit grassroots ested Baha' is gathered in Sydney in March > organization concerned with the promotion 1984 to discuss the business and profesof social and economic development in the sional needs of the community. Two months > community by fostering the fulfillment of later a committee of nine was elected to > human potential in the work environment. It conduct the affairs of the group, and this > has no direct connection with the National committee was re-elected annually at general > Spiritual Assembly and is completely self- meetings. In 1988, a similar organization > funding. developed in Melbourne and the National > 476 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Assembly requested that the two groups seminar on ethics, which was recorded. > form a national association with an appro- Tapes of the proceedings were sold through > priate constitution. The first National Board the Baha'i Distribution Service. > of Directors was elected in 1989 and the Public promotion of Baha'i standards was > concept of local chapters of the Association achieved through the participation of nonwas instituted. Baha 'is in seminars hosted by the Associa- > The objectives of the Association were tion. In addition, the Association and the > defined to include: establishing forums for Australian National Spiritual Assembly > communication between members; stimulat- co-sponsored a service at the Baha'i House > ing and improving the dissemination of the of Worship in 1990 entitled "Transformation > Baha'i standards of behavior and ethics to to Globalization." It was designed to attract > career-minded and professional people; members of the business and professional > and advancing the interests of the Baha'i communities and to mark the commence- > Faith by assisting the Universal House of ment of the last decade of this century. More > Justice and National Spiritual Assemblies to than three hundred people attended the > achieve their goals. service, including all nine members of the > During the Six Year Plan, communication National Spiritual Assembly. Official guests > among members was achieved tluáough a included a representative of the Ethnic > quarterly newsletter initiated in 1987, and by Affairs Connnission of New South Wa les. > the hosting of seminars and lunch meetings. The final objective of the Association, > These seminars usually examined the Baha'i advancing the interests of the Baha'i Faith > outlook on pertinent social issues. by assisting wherever possible the Universal > The organization used several approaches House of Justice and National Assemblies in > to promote Baha'i standards of behavior and achieving their goals, was primarily achieved > ethical conduct in the business and profes- by providing the National Assembly of > sional environment. First it ventured to Australia with expert opinions about aspects > educate the Baha' i community on the subject of the Assembly's business dealings, such > of Baha'i ethics. In 1989, at the request of as property purchases, credit unions, and > the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, comments on National Convention recomthe Association prepared and presented a mendations. The Association was also of > draft paper on "Baha'i Business Ethics", assistance to the National Assemblies of the > which was subsequently printed in the Aus- Pacific region, and continually responded to > tralian Baha'i Bulletin. In conjunction with queries from Baha' i institutions and individuthis paper, the Association organized a public als in relation to economic and social matters . > > E . THE EUROPEAN BAHA 'f BUSINESS FORUM > > The European Baha'i Business Forum, a the group would evolve into a formal assonetwork of Baha ' is interested in the applica- ciation. This decision was conveyed to the > tion of the Faith's principles to business and Universal House of Justice, which directed > industry, and in reaching people of capacity its Department of the Secretariat to reply: > in the field of commerce, was initiated at The Universal House of Justice was most > a conference held in September 1990 in interested to receive your letter of 1 Oc- > Chamonix, France. The twenty-four Baha'i tober 1990 and to learn of the aims of the > participants from throughout Europe, the proposed European Baha'i Business Forum. > United States and Canada decided to create There are undoubtedly many ways in > an informal association ofBaha'is involved which such an association can be of value > in business and industry, with the hope that to the Cause of God. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 477 > > The European Baha 'i > Business Forum held > its second annual > conference in Paris, > France Ji-om 30 August > to 1September1991 . > > This association, registered in France as also emphasized the role which Baha' is with > a non-profit organization, provides an arena professional and business experience could > for its members and for business people in play in teaching and proclamation work in > general to explore ways of applying Baha'i Central Europe and the former Soviet Union. > ethical and social teachings to their business In response, the Business Forum offered the > activities. This is accomplished through annual abilities and expertise of its members to all > conferences and by calling upon experi- the National Spiritual Assemblies working > enced individuals to make presentations on with the Eastern European Countries. > various topics of interest to the business Toward A New Paradigm of Managecommunity. ment, a paper exploring the shift both in the > In heeding the call issued by the Universal values of business leaders and the practices > House of Justice in its 1990 Ric;!van message, of management towards a standard reflectthat the time had become ripe "to embrace ing the spiritual principles and teachings of > increasing numbers of people of capacity, Baha'u'llah, was presented at the annual > including persons of accomplishment and conference held in 1991. Subsequently, this > prominence in the various fields of human article was translated into French and disendeavour", the Forum sought ways ofreach- tributed to non-Forum members. > ing outstanding managers, leaders of business During the same time, the association > and industry, and economists of Europe. published, in English and French, Group > During its annual conferences, Forum Decision Making and Bahti 'i Consultation, > members examined the kind of support they an article concerned with assisting business > could lend the European Baha' i community organizations to fulfil their goals through the > in proclamation and teaching activities. medium of consultation . . > They also considered how they could assist Tluáough the distribution of a regular > Baha'is operating in the economic field to newsletter and a directory of its members, > better understand, respect, and comply with the FoJ;Um provided a network for the > the principles of the Faith in their own work. exchange of information among the Euro- > At the second annual conference, held from pean Baha' i business community. > 30 August to 1 September 1991 in Paris, The Forum was also successful in coun- > Counsellor Patrick O'Mara encouraged the selling and informing young people about > thirty friends present to develop the Forum, career opportunities in relevant fields of > and to go back to their communities and link endeavor, as well as encouraging educaup with other Baha'i business people. He tional and training activities. > 478 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > F. THE BAHA'i JUSTICE SOCIETY > 0 Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt > see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own > knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how > it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. > Set it then before thine eyes. > (Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Arabic no. 2 [Wilmette, Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1982], p.3.) > > The Baha'i Justice Society is dedicated to professional ethics and world peace through > the promotion of justice in a manner consis- international law. One of the significant outtent with the principles of the Baha'i Faith. comes of this event was the completion of > Formed in 1986, the Society has members the Society's charter and by-laws. > throughout the United States, and affiliates Also, a scholarship was established by the > in Cameroon, Canada, England, Germany, Board to encourage participation by the eco- > India, Mozambique, New Guinea, New nomically disadvantaged. Initial expenditure > Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, and the from the fund provided financial assistance > Virgin Islands. The members of the Justice for individuals desiring, but financially unable, > Society represent a diverse range of occupa- to attend Baha'i Justice Society functions. > tions including judges, lawyers, teachers, The third annual meeting, at the Bosch > musicians, administrators, and students. In Baha'i School in California, included such > 1992, the Society's membership included speakers as Dr. Wilma Ellis, a member of > one hundred and forty people. the Continental Board of Counsellors and the > This agency functions under the guidance Administrator-General of the Baha'i Interof the National Assembly of the Baha'is of national Community, and members of the > the United States. Its objectives are: to con- National Spiritual Assembly. Also addressing > tribute to the improvement of jurisprudence, the more than one hundred participants were > the world's legal systems, and the practice of former California Supreme Court Justice > law; to discover, train, and encourage legal Frank Newman, professor of law at the > and related talents to promote the principles University of California at Berkeley, and > of justice and their application to all aspects Juana Conrad, President of Women for > of human society; to promote an understand- International Peace and Arbitration. > ing of the relationship between the Baba' i More than eighty participants attended > Faith, jurisprudence, the administration of the fourth annual conference of the Baha'i > justice, and the practice of law; to promote Justice Society, held in Atlanta, Georgia, > the communication of the principles of the United States, from 9 to 11 June 1989. The > Faith to justice-related institutions; to advance conference theme was "Economic Justicethe honor and dignity of the profession of Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor". > law; to promote the highest ethical and moral Topics addressed at this event were the role > standards within the profession of law; and of education in economic justice; justice > to promote the rule of law in the world. only through oneness; interdependence, law, > The second annual meeting of the Baha'i and the international economy; and the > Justice Society was held from 27 to 29 March future role of the Baha'i Justice Society. In > 1987, in the shadow of the House of conjunction with the conference, a delega- > Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, United States. tion of five Baha'is, headed by Judge James > The conference discussion topics included Nelson, presented a copy of The Promise of > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 479 > World Peace to six State and Superior Court In October 1990, five members of the > Judges in the area. Society travelled to Leningrad and Kiev, > Seventeen American states, as well as Russia, to participate in the first Russian > Canada, Israel, Liberia, and the Virgin Baha'i Women's Forums. During this trip > Islands, were represented at the fifth annual approximately twenty-five Russian friends > conference of the Justice Society held in expressed interest in joining the Society. > June 1990 in Illinois, United States. The pre- Presentations were made on the Baha'i > sentations at this conference focused on Justice Society and the use of mediation in > the theme "Advancing Toward a Just World: conflict resolution. > Our Challenge for the 1990s''. Among those "Developing Baha'i Models of Dispute > present at this event was Mr. Hugh Chance, Resolution" was the theme of the annual > a member of the Universal House of Justice. conference and meeting held at the > Mr. Chance, who practiced law prior to Los Angeles Baha'i Center in 1991. This > being elected to the House of Justice, gathering featured a talk on "Preventative > addressed the conference on the challenges Law" by former University of Southern > facing Baha'i lawyers into the twenty-first California law professor Louis Brown. The > century. Judge Dorothy Nelson, member of conference was enhanced by the presence of > the United States Court of Appeals and the Mrs. Jacqueline Delahunt, a member of the > National Spiritual Assembly, spoke on "Jus- Continental Board of Counsellors and a > tice, Peace and Professional Responsibility". native Lakota Sioux, who gave an insight on > The Society presented two workshop ses- dispute resolution in other cultures. > sions focusing on mediation as a technique Also in 1991, the Justice Society cofor resolving disputes at the Association for sponsored the National Conference on > Baha'i Studies Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution in > United States, from 9 to 11November1990. Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. > The workshops, entitled "The Baha'i Justice The title of the conference was "Community > Society: A Catalyst for Racial Unity", in Conflict", and its mission was "to proaddressed the efforts of the Society with mote the use and acceptance of non-violent > regard to racial unity and justice. Approxi- approaches to the resolution of conflict and > mately sixty people took part in each of the to improve conflict resolution theory and > two ninety-minute sessions, which featured practice''. The conference attracted one > a demonstration of mediation in a mock thousand attendees. A full-day workshop on > community dispute. Baha'i consultation was presented. > > G. THE BAHA'i ASSOCIATION FOR ARTS > The day will come when the Cause will spread like wildfire when its spirit and teachings will > be presented on the stage or in art and literature as a whole. Art can better awaken such > noble sentiments than cold rationalizing. ... > (Shoghi Effendi , quoted in Compilation of Compilations, vol. I [Mona Vale, NSW: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1991], p. 7.) > > The Baha'i Association for Arts (BAFA) of this event was set aside to form the > was forn1ed in August 1986 during a Peace Association. > Festival held at the Landegg Academy in The goal of this Association is to gain a > Switzerland. Friends from eight European greater understanding of the Baha'i view on > countries gathered for workshops and talks the arts, and to provide a means for its memthat centered around the aris . An afternoon bers to encourage and support their fellow > 480 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > connection to the media of artists' expression, the use of time, and service to the > Cause. The keynote address of this event > centered on the history of the relationship > between the arts and religion, and outlined > the task set by Baha'u'llah for artists in this > most great Day. > Transformation through the love of > Baha'u'llah and meditation on His Writings > was the theme of Art Fornm 1991. Painters, > singers, an architect, a sculptor, a poet, > a film-maker, an Indian classical dancer, > and a story-teller were among those who > demonstrated their talents at this event. They > shared stories about their personal transformation, their techniques, and the influences > of the Baha'i Writings on their work. The > questions of what is art and how the believ- > Art Forum East, held in Bratislava, ers can use their talents to serve Baha'u'llah > Czechoslovakia, in July 1991. were addressed, along with issues of > personal development and service to the > artists. Members receive the BAFA's news- evolving administrative order. > letter four times a year, which includes news In conjunction with Art Forum 1991 , Art > from the Association's board and members. Fornm East was held in Bratislava, Czecho- > The most significant of the activities initi- slovakia from 23 to 28 July. More than sixty > ated by the Association were the conferences people from fifteen counháies participated. > on the arts. Art Fornm 1988, held in De The theme of this gathering was "Crossing > Poort, Netherlands, was the first conference Borders'', and workshops were held on such > of its kind which focused entirely on Baha'i topics as ethics, the ego, inspiration, and > artists and their views. Participants from excellence. A great variety of artistic pre- > Britain, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Iran, sentations was displayed and demonstrated > Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, at the conference, including musical perforand the United States took turns showing mances, dance and drama workshops, and > their work, sharing how they came upon mural exhibits. Six visual a1tists displayed > their ideas, and answering questions about their work in a gallery in the center of the > their presentation. In regard to this confer- city. Interviews and news about this event > ence, the Universal House of Justice stated, were carried by two radio stations and two > "Delighted news success first festival BAF A newspapers. As a result of this gathering, > held De Poort. Gratified plans to serve goals a network for the Association for the Arts > plan throughout Europe." was established in the Soviet Union, and > The next Art Fornm, held in De Poort networks in France and Ge1many were > in July 1990, focused on the choices Baha'i strengthened. The Association repmted that > artists face. More than thirty participants, the participants left the Art Fornm East with > representing five countries, attended work- a better sense of the high station that is given > shops which addressed artistic choices in to the arts in the Baha'i Writings. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES > > 8. USE OF COMPUTERS BY THE BAHA'f COMMUNITY > DURING THE SIX YEAR PLAN > > adapted from an article by > BRYN DEA MER AN D STEVEN KOLIN > > Introduction the entire human race is able to benefit equi- > When a new Dispensation begins, God tably from the advances now made possible. > endows humanity with the means through As one consequence of this point of view, > which civilization can give effect to the the Baha'i community, from its inception, > teachings of the Revelation, by the Divine has tended to embrace technological devel- > Messenger of God. opments as gifts of God and as entirely > consonant with the spiritual mission of the > Every word that proceedeth out of the > Founder of their Faith. With respect to elecmouth of God is endowed with such > tronic information technology, Shoghi Effendi > potency as can instill new life into every > envisioned the day when: > human frame, if ye be of them that > comprehend this truth. All the wondrous A mechanism of world inter-connection > works ye behold in this world have been will be devised, embracing the whole > manifested through the operation of His planet, freed from national hindrances and > supreme and most exalted Will, His won- restrictions, and functioning with marveldrous and inflexible Purpose ... No sooner lous swiftness and perfect regularity. 2 > is this resplendent word uttered, than its > Initially, computer technology was > animating energies, stirring within all > available only to very large organizations > created things, give birth to the means > who could afford and could make use of the > and instruments whereby such arts can be > massive "main-frame" installations which > produced and perfected. All the wondrous > began to appear in the 1950s. By the 1970s, > achievements ye now witness are the > the situation had changed dramatically, so > direct consequences of the Revelation of > that older Baha' i communities such as those > this Name. In the days to come, ye will, > in the United States and Canada could begin > veri ly, behold things of which ye have > to employ computers to maintain membernever heard before. 1 > ship records and financial information. As > Baha'is see the revolutionary changes in advances in technology throughout the > the fields of science and technology, during 1980s produced ever smaller and more powthe past century, as expressions of the cre- erful computers and led to dramatic price > ative impulses released by the advent of two reductions, Baha'i communities throughout > successive Manifestations of God, the Bab the world increasingly embraced "personal" > and Baha'u'llah. The full impact of these computers as a means of meeting the needs > immense new resources will be felt only as of their ever-expanding operations. > society responds to the social and spiritual In a meeting in Langenhain, Germany in > principles which lie at the heart of the new 1987, the assembled representatives of the > Revelation and reorganizes its affairs so that European National Spiritual Assemblies were > > 1 2 > Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahri 'u 'I/ah: > Bahri 'u 'I/ah (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, Selected letters (1929-1936) (Wi lmette: Baha'i > 1976), pp. 141-142. Publish ing Trust, 1974), p. 203. > 482 THE BAHA'f WORLD > > warmly encouraged by representatives of the he ttáaced the historic growth of telecommu- > Baha'i International Community's offices to nications and compared it to the growth of > give a high priority to equipping themselves the Faith, finding an almost perfect correlawith advanced information and communica- tion in numeric terms. > tions technology. These efforts were given farther impetus > 1988 saw the appearance of V. Mitra at an historic Baha'i telecommunications > Gopaul's book Personal Computers and conference held 17 to 19 December 1983 > the Baha'i Community 1 which was widely in San Fernando, California. Forty Baha'is > disseminated among the growing band of from the United States and Canada attended > Baha'is interested in information technol- the meeting and "fo1mulated plans designed > ogy. This practical book demonstrated how to help establish the new Baha'i radio station > computers could be used for a wide range in South Carolina [WLGI] and to research > of activities vital to the goals of local and possible applications of existing computer > national Baha'i communities: record keeping, technology to serve the Faith".4 > letter production, financial tracking, statisti- Among the fruits of this conference was > cal analysis, publications, and the like. the proposal to establish "a Baha' i Computer > At about this same time, another major and Telecommunications Association to > development began quietly in the computer monitor developments ... and to serve as a > world-computers began to be programed "clearing-house" for evaluating the potential > to communicate with each other without for application of new technology in service > human intervention. This advancement in to the Cause of Baha'u' llah. One such aptechnology, including the ability to send plication might be setting up a computer > computer messages through telephone lines, network to link Baha' is across the country in > was the birth of electtáonic mail (email) an interactive conferencing system involving > which has begun to have a far-reaching hundreds or even thousands of Baha'is". 5 > impact on mankind . The ability of an aver- Shortly after the conference, a Core Commitage person to send a document or message tee was appointed by the National Spiritual > instantly from one computer to another Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States > computer anywhere in the world has opened to guide the operation of the Association. 6 > entire new fields of human communication. In 1985, a statement in the Baha'i Com- > Email ttáuly fits Shoghi Effendi's vision of puter and Telecommunications Committee > "world inter-communication .. . freed from Newsletter read: "One of the primary goals > national hindrances and restrictions .... " for the coming year ... is already becoming a > reality. Very shortly all of the Baha'i admin- > Use of Computer-Mediated Communica- istrative offices [in the United States] which > tions by Baha'is have a computer and a telephone will have > In May 1982, Sheryl and Roger Coe formed the capability to link-up to a nationwide > an info1mal organization known as the Baha'i computer network which is being set > Baha'i Computer Users' Association. 2 Then, up on Dialcom." 7 > during the seventh Annual Conference for 3 Cassette No. RT-81, Association for Baha'i Studies > the Association for Baha' i Studies held at Annual Conference, 1982, linages International, 1982. > Ottawa, Canada, in September 1982, Steven 4 " San Fernando Host to Hi storic Telecommunications > > Caswell gave a presentation on "Telecom- Conference," The American Balza 'i, February 1983, > munications and the Baha'i Faith." 3 In this p. 1. > 5 ibid. > 1 6 Baha 'i Computer and Telecommunications Associa- > Gopaul, V. Mitra. Personal Computers and the Balza 'i > Commun ity (Los Angeles: Kalimat Press , 1988). tion Newsletter, No . 4, October 1983. > 2 Baha'i Computer User's Association Newsletter, 7 Balza 'i Computer and Telecommunications Associa- > > [No. I) II May 1982. tion Newsletter, No. 5, July 1985. > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 483 > > Students at the > Tadong Baha'i > School in Sikkim, > India, learning > to use computers > as part of their > regular curriculum; 1991. > > By the mid-1980s the term "Baha'i-net'', WORKSHOP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR > which Steven Caswell had used in his talk in HIGHER NATURE. YOU HAVE JUST CONNECTED > Ottawa in 1982, was being commonly used WITH ... > to describe Baha'i use of computers in vari- ***Tl-IE BAHA ' I BULLETIN BOARD ***" 1 > ous forms to communicate with each other. > More formally, Jennifer Tidwell started Mr. Coe's dream of being "able to associthe Bahai-Net mailing list on a computer at ate with a world-wide network of Baha' is > the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Baha'i institutions via computer-exsometime during 1987 or 1988. When the changing information, working on problems, > World Centre acquired Internet email access and shrinking the world into a loving neighvia UUCP to the first cornn1ercial Internet borhood"2 was coming a step closer. > service provider (UUnet) in 1989 (register- Mr. Coe went on to describe three other > ing the domain "bwc.org") there already dreams: > were more than one hundred members on > • Having the entire body of the Writings > the Bahai-Net mailing list and the number > of the Baha'i Faith in computer-readwas steadily growing. > able format. > • A computer-to-satellite-to-computer net- > Baha'i Discussion Groups and Bulletin > work that would link us all together so > Boards > we could share information, libraries, > The first computer bulletin board system > programs, database management syscreated by a Baha'i was set up by Frank > tems, etc., no matter how remote we > Haendel of Colorado, USA. In the Baha'i > might be from each other in physical > Computer and Telecommunications Associterms. > ation Newsletter, Roger Coe wrote: "The > • A possibility of"on-line" consultation for > other night I hooked my modem to the telescholarly and other practical research > phone, dialed a number, ... watched my > and investigations-including consultacomputer screen and here is what I saw ..... . > tion on the repair of our computers! 3 > WELCOME TO A UN IQUE BULLETIN BOARD > I ibid. > FOR THINKERS, SEEKERS AND EVERYONE 2 > Bahfr 'i Computer Users' Association Newsletter, > ELSE WHO CAN REALIZE THAT WE EXIST No. I, I I May 1982. > WITHIN THE MIDST OF AN INCREDIBLE ibid. > 484 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > By Ri<;ivan 1992, a large body of Writings Conclusion > had been typed into computers at the World By Ri<;lvan 1992-one hundred years after > Centre and elsewhere, but total public access the Ascension of Baha'u'llah-the Baha'i > to many of these was not yet possible. Like- community everywhere had discovered the > wise Mr. Coe's visions of shared libraries, value of the rapid developments in the field > databases, and the possibility of "on-line" of computer-mediated communications and > consultation were not possible during the information-provision that had seemingly > Six Year Plan. burst upon the world. Personal computers > had become a regular feature of Baha'i life: > Computers at the Baha'i World Centre their use was helping communities and > The first computer at the Baha'i World Assemblies raise their level of operations > Centre arrived as a kit brought to the Holy to a higher, more "professional" plane, and > Land by Robert Gregory in 1977. The first produce newsletters, statistical and financial > "official" World Centre computer began reports that were both more comprehensive > operation in 1981. This was a DEC (Digital and easier to understand. Electronic mail > Equipment Corporation) PDP 11 /34 acquired was being rapidly developed and pursued, > to run the first computerized financial and networks of Baha'i discussion groups > accounting system for the Baha'i Interna- were highly active and moving into areas of > tional Fund. At the same time a word specialization. > processing system called Lex was purchased. This use of new technologies expanded > When the Seat of the Universal House of the capacity of Baha 'is, as individuals and > Justice was constructed, it was wired with as communities, to acquire, access, and > computers in mind. When the building was organize knowledge- a capacity fundamenoccupied in 1983, virtually all staff had tally necessary for a society such as that > terminals at their desks linked to a central described in the Baha'i Writings, based on > computer system. Electronic mail first universal participation both in decisionbecame possible at the World Centre in 1984 making and in contributing to the advancewith the purchase of a Vax computer. It was ment of civilization. > known as "Vaxmail" and quickly gained > Unification of the whole of mankind is > acceptance as a way of sending and requestthe hall-mark of the stage which human > ing information without the interruptions > society is now approaching. Unity of > caused by telephone calls. > family, of tribe, of city-state, and nation > In 1985, a company called Goldnet began > have been successively attempted and > operation in Israel, testing with selected > fully established. World unity is the goal > clients for one year before offering its sertowards which a harassed humanity is > vice to the public. The Baha'i World Centre > striving. Nation-building has come to an > asked to join the program. Mailboxes were > end. The anarchy inherent in state soveracquired for the Baha' i International Comeignty is moving towards a climax. A > munity offices in New York and Geneva, > world, growing to maturity, must abanand software developed at the World Centre > don this fetish, recognize the oneness and > was installed to utilize the Dialcom service in > wholeness of human relationships, and > a very cost-effective manner. Email was first > establish once for all the machinery that > used to coordinate the activities of the Baha' i > can best incarnate this fundamental prin- > International Community representatives to > ciple of its !ife. 1 > gain passage of a resolution in the United > Nations Commission on Human Rights condemning the persecution ofBaha'is in Iran. 1 > Shoghi Effendi. World Order, p. 202. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES > > 9. RELATIONS BETWEEN NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > AND GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL > ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL > > FOR Baha'u'llah .. . has not only imbued this Divine Pattern as their point of reference > mankind with a new and regenerating in submitting written statements directly > Spirit. He has not merely enunciated cer- explaining the relationship between Baha'utain universal principles, or propounded ' llah 's Teachings and the challenges facing > a particular philosophy, however potent, modem society. A number of national Baha' i > sound and universal these may be. In communities contributed recommendations > addition to these He [has]. .. clearly and to constitutional drafting committees and > specifically laid down a set of Laws, es- other governmental organizations determintablished definite institutions, and provided ing policies for the future . The enthusiastic > for the essentials of a Divine Economy. response shown to these suggestions was > These are destined to be a pattern for future notable. Among the various activities of this > society, a supreme instrument for the es- kind which took place, four examplestablishment of the Most Great Peace, and from Brazil, South Africa, Singapore, and > the one agency for the unification of the the United States-are highlighted in this > world, and the proclamation of the reign of section and their documents are reproduced. > righteousness and justice upon the earth. 1 > In the opening years of the fourth epoch of 1 > Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahci áu '!!ah > the Formative Age of the Faith, Baha'is used (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 19. > > A. BRAZIL > CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM > > IN April 1987, a delegation of eight the suggestions. Several of the recipients > Baha'is from different parts of Brazil spent sent to the Baha'is the texts of proposed > four days presenting material on the Baha'i amendments which would be of special > perspective on government to the 559 con- interest to them, such as those relating to > gressmen and senators in charge of writing religious liberty and promotion of the cona new constitution. Each legislator received cept of world citizenship. > a folder including The Promise of World Media coverage of the Baha'i contribu- > Peace, general information on the Faith, and tion was unprecedented. At least 19 daily > a document called "The Baha'is and the newspapers from 17 Brazilian states printed > Constitutional Assembly" which included articles; reports on 10 television programmes > 20 proposals to be considered for inclusion equalled 2 hours of live broadcasts; and > in the nation's new charter. The proposals 1 hour and 20 minutes of radio time on 7 difrelated to such topics as education, the rights ferent programmes was devoted to the > of indigenous peoples, the rights of women, Baha'is. > and international relations. More than 90 per cent of the articles pro- > More than 100 cables, letters, and tele- posed by the Baha' is were included in the > phone calls were received by the National final draft of the Constitution which was > Spiritual Assembly expressing gratitude for voted on by the legislators. > 486 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > THE BAHA 'fs AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBL y • > > A CONTRJBUTION TOWARD A NEW SOCIETY > > I. Introduction > In full awareness of the fact that the drawing up of a Constitution represents an instrument > for the promulgation of a new social pact in which all the shades cif opinion within the country are represented, the Baha'i community of Brazil presents, in this document, the > viewpoint of the Baha 'is as a sincere effort to contribute to the noble endeavor currently > being undertaken by the National Constitutional Assembly. > The Constitution, as the lex maximus of the country, is the Magna Carta where general > legal principles are enshrined. It is the foundation for the nation's entire judicial system. It > must reflect the emerging concern for inspiring life in society; it must mirror the sovereignty > of a state of law whose most valued asset is justice, a justice which, above all else, seeks the > fulfilment of the human being within the social context. > Far from being a magic wand capable of extirpating all the problems of the nation, the > Magna Carta should contain those cardinal principles which, while not demeaning the historical and cultural traditions of the nation, address the legitimate aspirations of the people, > fu1iher economic and social development, favour a just distribution of wealth and, above all, > institute mechanisms to assure the full attainment and exercise of the fundamental rights > inherent to the human being. > It is within this context that, with the convocation of the National Constitutional Assembly recently elected by the people to discuss and vote on the new Constitution, we are > witnessing a unique moment in history replete with challenges generated by the discovery of > the growing interdependence among the nations which was expressed more than a century > ago in the words of the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, 1 Baha'u ' llah, that "The earth is but one > country, and mankind its citizens." 2 This thought reflects in its entirety the new stage of > social organization toward which mankind is definitively headed. > Within this framework, we fee l that the vision of the Constitutional Assembly must, > while seeking to reflect solutions for the current needs of our people at this historical and > social moment, also be a bridge to the future, envisioning the full economic, social and spiritual development of the nation, casting its light, like that of the sun, along the paths that lead > us to a truly glorious future. > -The Baha'i Community of Brazil > * Eng li sh translation of the statement submi tted. > The Baha' i Faith was founde d in Persia (now Iran), by Mirza l:Iusayn-'Ali (1 8 17- 1892), known as Baha'u ' llah > (which means "the G lory of God"), W ho, in 1863, publi cly revealed Hi s d ivin e miss ion as in augurator of a new > era of human civi li zation , the basic principl es and genera l teac hin gs of whi ch He outlined in more than one hundred volumes, written during the 40 years of Hi s minist1y Because of His reli gio us convictions, He was ex il ed > from Iran- initially to Turkey, and subsequently to Palestine, the Ho ly Land, where He passed away, in the city > of' Akka, in 1892. > The Baha'i Faith is today an independent world rel igion , whi ch has fo llowers of all nationa li ties, colors, races, > social classes and professions, in more than 11 6,000 loca liti es and in 340 countries and teITitori es , of which 116 > are independent nati ons. Its fundamenta l prin cipl es are the oneness of God, the oneness of reli gion and the oneness of humani ty. Baha' i literature has been translated into 739 languages and dialects. > Through the Baha 'i Intern ational Communi ty, one of the non -governmenta l organ izations accred ited w ith the > Un ited Nations, the Baha'i Faith parti cipates, w ith consul tative status, in ECOSOC (the Economic and Soc ial > Council) and UN ICEF (the Chi ldren's Fund), and officia ll y partici pates in the Environmental Program. It also > coll aborates w ith the Publi c Information Office. A ll these are organs of the United Nations . > Baha'u 'Jl ah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha 'u 'I/ah (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1976), p. 250. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 487 > II. Some considerations on cooperation, the consultative process, > justice, education, and civil authority > Below, we have enumerated certain principles which we believe will be especially valuable > at this unique moment in the life of the nation, in which the new Magna Carta of the country > is being drawn up. > > COOPERATION > One of the inevitable results of the process of disintegration of the current system of world > interrelationships has been the growing emphasis on competition and self-preservation. Significant sectors of public opinion, both in Brazil and abroad, are facing a crisis of confidence > in the spirit of cooperation with which contemporary societies emerged from the Second > World War. In today's world, the spirit of competition is assuming grave proportions; and, > should it become the predominant characteristic of social behavior, it may completely > undermine the entire collective effo1i toward cooperation and human relationships which > represent legitimate wishes of the people for social peace, justice, and progress. > We understand that the most urgent areas for the exercise of cooperation are the vital > topics related to capital and labor, government and private initiative, etc. > > THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION > In the current legislative system, we observe an anachronism which is incapable of responding to the challenges of the future-the political party. The system has undeniable merits, > but the institutions were conceived to meet the needs of a different age. Considering the > existence of political parties as one of the greatest challenges facing the system in its attempt > to direct its efforts toward unity and harmony, with a view to achieving the common welfare > and meeting the needs of social development-a reality which is unlikely to be changedwe believe that the most advisable thing to do would be to direct the energies of the nation > toward the expansion and systematization of what we call the consultative process, or > consultation. > We mention the principle of consultation, particularly, because it is intrinsically linked to > the functioning of our own Faith. Baha'u'llah declared that consultation and compassion > together form the foundation for the stage of the maturity of humanity. Our experience with > His guidance on consultation in the administration of an extraordinarily varied international > community has proven so fruitful that we are compelled to summarize a few of its guiding > principles: > 1. All of the parties involved in a decision must have the freedom and opportunity to > participate in the consultative process. > 2. There must be a clear distinction between general consultation and the deliberations > of the democratically-elected body which will be responsible for making a decision. > 3.Every individual engaged in the consultative process must be encouraged to freely > express the dictates of his own conscience. > 4.Any form of partiality is prohibited. > 5.All of the participants in the consultative process have a responsibility to exercise > courtesy and moderation. > 6. Each individual participant in the consultative process has the moral obligation to > detach himself from his own contribution, which, once made, becomes the conunon > property of the group. > 7. Once a decision has been taken, it is a requirement that everyone- those in favor > and those originally opposed- unite whole-heartedly to carry out that decision. > 488 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 8. Decision-making bodies have an obligation to constantly evaluate their work and, > whenever necessary, to revise it. > > JUSTI CE > Justice, Baha 'u 'llah declared in the past century, is "the best beloved of all things" 1 in the > sight of God, and represents a gift granted to man in this age, the era of his maturity. > > This being a complex topic, we believe that new moral and spiritual standards are > needed today to solve the intertwined economic and social problems of our planet; and > these rest on one single foundation: the consciousness, on the part of each individual, > of the organic oneness of mankind. We are not just citizens of our own country; we are > also citizens of the whole world. We are a part of an ecosystem; but this ecosystem is > derived from our inner world, which encompasses values and attitudes, which give us > the capacity for understanding, will and the power to uplift the quality of physical and > spiritual life of all the peoples. This conviction on the part of the individual and society > of the essential oneness of the human race is now the only viable standard for economic and social justice. On it will depend the successful resolution of the problems of > environment, property, population, food, health, employment, etc. In summary, this > means considering the welfare of the community as one's own welfare, thinking of > mankind as an individual and the individual as a member of its bodily form, and being > convinced that if pain or illness aflicts any member of its body, this will inevitably > bring suffering to the remainder. 2 > > We believe that a basic economic concern of the government should be to encourage a > greater level of confidence and cooperation between capital and labor, the twin pillars on > which rest the foundations of the material well being of the counhy > > EDUCATION > "Regard man," Baha'u'llah declared, "as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom. "3 > We may also say that education is the only possession that cannot be taken away from a > person. The potentialities latent in every human being need, therefore, the polishing stone of > education in order to become manifest. This being the case, we wish to emphasize a few > guiding principles for a new approach to education in this day: > 1. The schools should stress the concept of the oneness of the human race and emphasize > the importance of translating into reality the mutual interdependence of its members, > leading to the unification of mankind and the establishment of world peace and stability. > 2. The students should be imbued with a sense of world consciousness and of loyalty to > the human race, a háanscendent loyalty that does not belittle lesser loyalties, such as > those due to any particular race, creed, nation or ideology. This is a particularly urgent > challenge in our increasingly multi-racial and multi-religious society. > 3. The educators, in turn, should instill in their pupils from earliest childhood an awakening of love for mankind, a love capable, in the end, of abolishing all forms of racial, > religious, political, social and intellectual prejudice. > > Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words of Baha'u' ll ah (Wi lmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1975), p. 3. > From a declaration by the Baha'i International Community entitled "One World . .. One People." > Baha' u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahri 'u 'llrih, p. 259. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 489 > Within this framework, centered around the concept of world citizenship, the Baha'i > teachings state, "Every child must be instructed in sciences as much as is necessmy. If the > parents are able to provide the expenses of this education, it is all right; othen,vise the community must provide the means for the teaching of that child. " 1 > > CIVIL AUTHORITY > No one can fail to note the anxiety that the problems created by a disintegrating social order > are causing for a steadily growing number of human beings who feel unable to protect > themselves and their families. All citizens have responsibilities, too. The most important > responsibility in a democratic society is submission to the will of the majority, expressed > through the constitutional provisions that society has created and polished. Governments > have the right to expect civil obedience. No good, but only harm, can result from the deliberate violation of civil law, or deliberate disobedience to the institutions duly constituted by > the civil authority. > From the Baha'i scriptures, we have selected the following texts, which, we believe, well > exemplify the Baha'i thinking on this matter: > "The Law must reign, and not the individual; thus will the world become a place of beauty > and tJ.ue brotherhood will be realized." 2 > > What mankind needeth in this day is obedience unto them that are in authority, and a > faithful adherence to the cord of wisdom. The instruments which are essential to the > immediate protection, the security and assurance of the human race have been > entrusted to the hands, and lie in the grasp, of the governors of human society. This is > the wish of God and His decree .... 3 > > The Baha'is reaffirm their total loyalty and obedience to the new Constitution that will > soon be promulgated. > > III. The Baha'i Proposal > We present below the text of proposed articles to be considered in the new Constitution of > the country, dealing with the following important átopics: > 1. Sovereignty of the law > 2. Equality of all before the law > 3. Abuse of power > 4. Defense of human rights > 5. Uplifting socially discriminated groups > 6, The right of the individual to self-expression and manifestation of conscience > 7. Freedom ofreligion > 8. Freedom of marriage > 9. Equality of rights and opportunities for men and women > 10. Elimination of the extJ.áemes of wealth and poverty > 11. Participation of the workers in the profits of the companies > 12. Setting of a minimum wage compatible with human dignity > 13. Obligatory and free education, directed toward human peace and fraternity > 'Abdu'I-Baha, Foundations of World Unity (W ilmette: Baha'i Publi shing Trust, 1979), p. 3 I. > 'Abdu 'l-Ba ha, Paris Talks (London : Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1972), p. 132. > Baha'u'llah, exce rpt from a Tablet directed to the Kings of the Earth, in 1863 , cited in The Proclamation of > Bahit'u'llith (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1967), pp. 13- 14. > 490 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 14. Ethnic, cultural and geographical integrity of the indigenous population > 15. International relations in harmony with the concept of world citizenship > 16. Peaceful resolution of international conflicts > 17. Abstention from participation in the arms race or support of it > 18. Obligatory service to the fatherland, of a military or civilian nature > 19. Obligatory rendering to the needy populations of services in the area of economic > and social development > 20. Asylum for foreigners persecuted with violation of human rights > 21. Means of mass conmmnication > > BAHA'I PROPOSALS > ART ICLE: The law is sovereign and all submit to it. > ARTICLE: All power emanates from the people, and must be exercised for the benefit of the > people. > Paragraph: It is the responsibility of the state, through the organization of the > branches of government, to assure to all citizens ample conditions > for the development of their phys ical, intellectual and spiritual > potentialities, in a peaceful way and in a spirit of unity. > ARTI CLE: The abuse of power on the part of any authority shall be punished in accordance > with the law. > ARTI CLE: Everyone is equal before the law without distinction of any kind, whether of > sex, race, profession, social class, religion, creed, nationality, culture or political > convictions. > Paragraph: The state is to create instruments to guarantee the upliftment of any > groups which have been discriminated against socially. > Paragraph: Any discriminatory action shall be punished as a serious crime for > which no bail is acceptable. > ARTI CLE: The inalienable right of the individual to self-expression and manifestation of > conscience is assured. > ARTI CLE: Freedom of religious worship includes the right of assembly, expression, or association for religious purposes. > Paragraph: In accordance with the Jaw, religious ministering shall be given to > the arn1ed forces and their auxiliaries , and, in establishments of > collective internment, to interested parties who solicit it directly or > through their legal representatives, respecting the creed of each. > Paragraph: Cemeteries shall have a secular character and shall be administered > by the municipal authority; all religious faiths shall be pern1itted to > practice their rituals in them. > Paragraph : In accordance with the law, religious organizations may maintain > private cemeteries. > ARTI CLE: Freedom of marriage is assured, without any restriction as to the race, nationality > or religion of the spouses. The law establishes the equality of rights and duties > between the couple during the marriage and after its dissolution, should such occur. > Paragraph: Weddings shall be civil, and their celebration free of charge. > Religious weddings, of any denomination, are equivalent to civil ceremonies provided that the act is inscribed in the Public Register upon > request of the celebrant or of any interested party, and that the > requirements and prohibitions of the Jaw are observed. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 491 > Paragraph: The religious wedding celebrated without the formalities of the preceding paragraph shall have civil standing ifthe couple's application > is inscribed in the Public Register through prior arrangement before > the proper authority. > ARTICLE: Equality of rights and opportunities between men and women is assured in all > human relationships and in all elective, adminisháative, and decision-making > processes of society. > ARTI CLE: It is the duty of the state to promote the elimination of the extremes of wealth and > poverty, through mechanisms of taxation and distribution of wealth, in accordance with the law. > Paragraph: The participation of the workers in the profits of the companies is > assured. > Paragraph: A minimum wage capable of providing the worker and his family > with dignity in meeting their basic needs for food, shelter, health, > education, transportation, clothing and leisure is assured. > ARTI CLE: Education shall be inspired and conducted under the aegis of the following > principles: > a) The basic objective of education is to release the potentialities existing in each > individual, and at the same time to eradicate prejudices of race, creed, class, > nationality, and sex. > b) Education is obligatory and is the right of everyone. > c) The state must provide free schooling for everyone between 6 and 14 years of age. > d) Public education shall always be free of charge, and private schooling shall be > treated as a concession by the state to private initiative, in accordance with the > law. > e) Religious instruction shall be optional; and, when offered, the inclusion of a > complementary vision of universal religious expression shall be obligatory. > f) Instruction shall promote an education directed toward the ideals of peace and > human fraternity . > ARTI CLE: The ethnic, cultural and geographical integrity of the indigenous population > within the national territory is assured and protected by law. > Paragraph: It is the duty of the state to assure indigenous peoples access to > education as a means of appreciation and preservation of indigenous > culture, customs and háaditions making possible the unfolding of > their potentialities. > Paragraph: The education of the indigenous peoples is also to be offered in their > native language. > ART ICLE: In its international relations, the executive branch shall, ad referendum by the > National Congress, > a) Promote, among all the countries of the international community, the concept > of world citizenship, laying the foundations of a new world order in the economic, social and political fields. > b) Promote and support the unconditional defense of the fundamental rights > inherent to the human person. > c) Defend peace; the employment of force is permitted only in case of external > aggression. > d) Promote the interchange of the technological discoveries of the scientific and > cultural heritage of humanity. > 492 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > e) Resolve international conflicts through direct negotiation, arbitration and other > peaceful means, with the mediation of international organizations recognized > by the international community. > ARTICLE: The maintenance of diplomatic, commercial and cultural relations with countries > which, as acknowledged by international organizations, violate the fundamental > rights of the human person, principally by virtue of discrimination by sex, race or > religious creed, and utilize tenorism or torture, is prohibited. > ARTICLE: In the event of war between countries with which Brazil maintains diplomatic > relations, it is up to the Brazilian State to take the initiative to propose a peaceful > solution to the conflict. Should the conflict persist, Brazil shall participate in the > international forces of intervention to assure the re-establishment of peace. > ARTICLE: Brazil shall not involve itself in an arms race of any kind or nature. > Paragraph: It is the responsibility of the federa l government to authorize and > monitor the production and sale of war materiel, for the exclusive > use of the armed forces, in their function of defense of the fatherland, > within the national tenitory. > ARTICLE: All Brazilians are obliged to render service to the fatherland; this service may be > civil or military, in accordance with the law. > ARTICLE: The rendering of services with a view to the economic and social development of > needy populations, by citizens who have recently graduated from programs of > higher education, is obligatory, within the conditions established by the law. > ARTICLE: Brazil shall grant asylum to any foreigner whose fundamental liberties, as defined > in the Constitution, were violated, especially if by reason of his political, religious > or philosophical activities and/or convictions. > ARTICLE: The representatives of the mass media have a fundamental commitment to truth, > and are to express themselves in a free and impartial manner; all manipulation by > public or private interests is forbidden. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 493 > > B. SOUTH AFRICA: > VIEWS SUBMITTED ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM > > ON 21 January 199 1, a delegation com- History of the Bahti 'i Faith in South Africa, > posed of three members of the National 1911-1989 were presented. > Spiritual Assembly of South Africa and a Judge Olivier was deeply impressed, indimember of the Local Spiritual Assembly of cating that the Baha'is were the one organi- > Pretoria met with Judge P.M. Olivier at the zation that had so far spoken of moral and > South African Law Commission in Pretoria spiritual foundations for the constitution. He > to present materials explaining the Baha'i requested more Baha'i Writings so that he > perspective on a new constitution for the could add another chapter to his proposal to > country. A covering letter, a statement of the government regarding this aspect of the > principles, a compilation of extracts from the constitution. > Baha'i Writings bearing on the issues facing The following is the complete text of the > South Africa, and the book A Pictorial submission: > > To the Constitutional Commission, > South Africa > > Dear Sirs, > > The Baha'i conununity of South Africa is grateful for the opportunity to offer its views in > the drafting of a new Constitution for our country. We hope that the attached document, > "Some thoughts for the drafting of a Constitution for South Africa", based on principles set > out in the scriptures of our Faith, will prove a useful contribution to this urgent national > endeavour. > These same principles have animated the development of the Baba 'i conmmnity of South > Africa ever since its inception eighty years ago. A good deal of the optimism we feel about > the ability of the people of South Africa eventually to build in this favoured land a just and > unified society arises from the confirmations which have met our efforts to realize these > spiritual and social ideals in the life of our own community. > If our experience can serve to reinforce a sense of confidence in the eventual outcome of > the long struggle in which our nation is engaged, we would be honoured to share it, too, with > those whose task it is to create the constitutional framework for the process. > In no sense does South Africa stand alone. The forces that are welding humanity into one > family and our globe into a common homeland challenge all peoples and all of the cultural > and political assumptions of the past. In such a world, the solutions we achieve here in South > Africa can have influence far beyond our borders. > Please be assured of the ardent prayers of South Africa's Baha'is for the success of the > historic task you have undertaken. > > Sincerely, > > The National Spiritual Assembly > of the Baha'is of South Africa > 494 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Some Thoughts for the Drafting of a Constitution for South Africa > Human beings have been endowed by Divine Providence with immeasurable qualities of > spirit and mind without discrimination as to sex, race or nationality. The progressive unfoldment of the potentialities inherent in these qualities enables the human race to fulfil its purpose in carrying forward an ever advancing civilization. This is confirmed by the record of > continuous development of human society as it has traversed the successive stages of its > evolution from the emergence of the family as society's basic corporate entity to the unity of > tribe, of city-state and of nation. > Now, the world with its myriad peoples and cultures, and through the rapid advances in > scientific discovery, has suddenly contracted into a neighbourhood, affirming that the path > of its social evolution leads ultimately to global unity, implying the essential oneness and > wholeness of human relationships, and thus requiring, at this stage of social maturity, that > every unit of society, whether at the local, regional or national level, of which this neighbourhood is composed, adopt a world-embracing vision. > To ensure the orderly continuity of social life on the planet and to encourage the collective realization of humanity' s latent endowments, governments are formed, maintaining > their authority and capacity to canalize the flow of civilization by upholding the principles of > justice. Fundamental to all progress in human affairs is man's right to a just government. > Sensible of this broad context in which its destiny must be shaped, fully conscious of the > remarkable opportunity which Providence has bestowed upon it at this ripe time in human > history, and confident of the positive influence which a fitting response to the challenges > facing it can exert at home and abroad, South Africa must attend to these requisites in its > consideration of the provisions of a new constitution. > • Ensure the peace, freedom, well-being, tranquillity and advancement of all persons under > its jurisdiction, regardless of race, class, creed or economic condition. > • Safeguard the personal rights, freedom and initiative of individuals. > • Include among the specific rights guaranteed to all citizens: the right to a basic education, > the right to work and free choice of employment, the right to freedom of movement and > residence, the right to assemble peacefully, the right to freedom of association with people > of all backgrounds. > • Devise a system of government which will maintain a balance between centralized > national or federal authority, on the one hand, and decentralized regional or local authority, on the other; which allows a wide latitude for autonomous action at the local level; > which adheres to the practice of consultation as the basis of decision-making; which provides mechanisms for acquainting the government with the condition of the people in all > areas-mechanisms that will encourage the freedom of the people to express their opinions for the good of the country and to air their grievances with impunity. > • Safeguard the stability of society at its primary source by promoting the well-being and > solidarity of the family. > • Strengthen the fabric of society by promoting recognition of the equal rights of men and > women. > • Guarantee education for all, and attend to the necessity of educating girls and women, who > are the first educators of children, giving primacy to this if for some compelling reason a > choice has to be made between the sexes in providing education. > • Foster development of the sciences and the arts, and provide for the stimulation of interest > in these essential pursuits of civilized life at all levels of society. > • Regulate the economic life of the country in such a way as to prevent destitution, on the > one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership, on the other; and while promoting > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 495 > advancement in industrial development, maintain the primacy of agriculture, which is > vital to the well-being of society. > • Protect the natural resources from misuse, thereby aiming to preserve the fitness of the > environment, while at the same time permitting the sources of raw material to be tapped > for the economic benefit of the country. > • Guarantee free choice in religious faith and practice, for the fear of God is conducive to > the up building of the moral character of a people, a prerequisite of social stability, which > cannot be guaranteed only by the enactment of civil laws. > • Adopt a language to serve as the common vehicle of communications among the entire > people; teach it in the schools along with the mother tongue in each region. > • Collaborate with international efforts to secure the peaceful progress of the entire human > race. > > Excerpts from the Baha'i Writings that Bear on Constitutional Issues > Facing South Africa > > GOVERNMENT > 1. The world of politics is like the world of man; he is seed at first, and then passes by > degrees to the condition of embryo and foetus, acquiring a bone structure, being clothed > with flesh, taking on his own special form, until at last he reaches the plane where he can > befittingly fulfil the words: "the most excellent of Makers." Just as this is a requirement > of creation and is based on the universal Wisdom, the political world in the same way > cannot instantaneously evolve from the nadir- of defectiveness to the zenith of rightness > and perfection. Rather, qualified individuals must strive by day and by night, using all > those means which will conduce to progress, until the government and the people > develop along every line from day to day and even from moment to moment. 1 > 2. While the setting up of parliaments, the organizing of assemblies of consultation, constitutes the very foundation and bedrock of government, there are several essential requirements which these institutions must fulfil. First, the elected members must be righteous, > God-fearing, high-minded, incorruptible. Second, they must be fully cognizant, in every > particular, of the laws of God, informed as to the highest principles of law, versed in the > rules which govern the management of internal affairs and the conduct of foreign relations, skilled in the useful arts of civilization, and content with their lawful emoluments. 2 > 3. It is obvious that not until the people are educated, not until public opinion is rightly > focussed, not until government officials, even minor ones, are free from even the least > remnant of conuption, can the country be properly administered. Not until discipline, > order and good government reach the degree where an individual, even if he should put > forth his utmost efforts to do so, would still find himself unable to deviate by so much as > a hair 's breadth from righteousness, can the desired reforms be regarded as fully established. 3 > 4. There must be special laws made, dealing with these extremes of riches and of want. The > members of the Government should consider the laws of God when they are framing > plans for the ruling of the people. The general rights of mankind must be guarded and > preserved. > > 'Abdu ' I-Baha , Th e Secret of Divine Civilization (Wi lmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1983), p.107. > ibid. , p. 17. > ibid., p. 16. > 496 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > The government of the countries should conform to the Divine Law which gives equal > justice to all. This is the only way in which the deplorable superfluity of great wealth and > miserable, demoralizing, degrading poverty can be abolished. Not until this is done will > the Law of God be obeyed. 1 > > ONENESS OF HUMANKIND > 5. 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 he 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. 2 > 6. The Great Being saith: 0 ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the > Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the > human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to > become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path, > the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the > changes and chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of > countless centuries undermine its structure .... 3 > > PEACE > 7. True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever acertain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns- the shining exemplars 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 > well-being of all the world-should be regarded as sacred by all that dwell on earth. All > the forces of humanity must be mobilized to ensure the stability and permanence of this > Most Great Covenant. In this 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. 4 > > 'Abdu'l-Bah:i, Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu '/-Bahn in Paris in 1911- 1912 (London: Baha'i Publishin g Trust, 1979), p. 153 . > Tablets of Bahtl 'u 'I/ah Revealed afler the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1982), p. 167. > Gleanings from th e Writings of Bah a '11 '//ah (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1984), p. 2 15. > The Secret of Divine Civilization, pp. 64-65. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' i ACT IVITIES 497 > EDUCATION > 8. [A] requirement of perfection is to arise with complete sincerity and purity of purpose to > educate the masses: to exert the utmost effort to instruct them in the various branches of > learning and useful sciences, to encourage the development of modem progress, to > widen the scope of commerce, industry and the arts, to further such measures as will > increase the people' s wealth. For the mass of the population is uninfo1TI1ed as to these > vital agencies which would constitute an immediate remedy for society's chronic ills. I > 9. ... Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its exaltation. > Knowledge is as wings to man's life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as > can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words and end with > words .... In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure for man, and a source of glory, of > bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto hin1. Happy the man that > cleaveth unto it, and woe betide the heedless. 2 > 10. The education and tráaining of children is among the most meritorious acts of humankind > and draweth down the grace and favour of the All-Merciful, for education is the indispensable foundation of all human excellence and alloweth man to work his way to the > heights of abiding glory. If a child be trained from his infancy, he will, through the loving care of the Holy Gardener, drink in the crystal waters of the spirit and of knowledge, > like a young tree amid the rilling brooks. And certainly he will gather to himself the > bright rays of the Sun of Truth, and through its light and heat will grow ever fresh and > fair in the garden of life .... Every child is potentially the light of the world-and at the > same time its darkness ; wherefore must the question of education be accounted as of primary importance. From his infancy, the child must be nursed at the breast of God's love, > and nurtured in the embrace of His knowledge, that he may radiate light, grow in spirituality, be filled with wisdom and learning, and take on the characteristics of the angelic > host. 3 > > CONSULTATION > 11. Consultation bestoweth greater awareness and transmuteth conjecture into certitude. It is > a shining light which, in a dark world, leadeth the way and guideth. For everything there > is and will continue to be a station of perfection and maturity. The maturity of the gift of > understanding is made manifest through consultation. 4 > 12. In all things it is necessary to consult. This matter should be forcibly stráessed by thee, so > that consultation may be observed by all. The intent of what hath been revealed from the > Pen of the Most High is that consultation may be fully canied out among the friends , > inasmuch as it is and will always be a cause of awareness and of awakening and a source > of good and well-being. 5 > 13 ... .The first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the assembly. They must be wholly freed 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 > > Th e Secret ofDivine Civilization, p. 39. > Baha'u' ll ah, Epistle to the So n of the Wolf (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishin g Trust, 1979), pp . 26-27. > ' Abdu' l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu '1-Bahiz (Haifa: Baha' i World Centre, 1982), pp. 129- 131. > Baha' u' ll ah , quoted in Consultation: A Compilation, prepared by the Research Department at the Baha'i World > Centre, p. 1. > ibid. , p. 1. > 498 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > harmony of thought and absolute unity be non-existent, that gathering shall be dispersed > and that assembly be brought to naught. The second condition: they must when coming > together tum 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 ttuth will remain hidden. The honoured 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, and all must obey > and submit to the majority. It is again not permitted that any one of the honoured 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 prevail > 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 .... Should they endeavour to fulfil these conditions the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall > be vouchsafed unto them, and that assembly shall become the centre 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. 1 > > TH E RO LE OF RELIGION > 14. 0 contending peoples and kindreds of the earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the > radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve > to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst you ... . There can be no doubt > whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between > the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements > and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which > are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His > Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of > your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which > d.raweth you together and uniteth you .... 2 > 15. Universal benefits derive from the grace of the Divine religions, for they lead their ttáue > followers to sincerity of intent, to high purpose, to purity and spotless honor, to surpassing kindness and compassion, to the keeping of their covenants when they have covenanted, to concern for the rights of others, to liberality, to justice in every aspect of life, to > humanity and philanthropy, to valor and to unflagging efforts in the service of mankind . > It is religion, to sum up, which produces all human virtues, and it is these virtues which > are the bright candles of civilization .... 3 > > 'A bdu ' l-Baha, c ited in a letter dated 5 March 1922 written by Shoghi Effendi to the Baha ' is of the United States > and Canad a, pub li shed in Bahn 'i Administration: Selected Messages 1922- 1932 , pp. 22- 23. > Baha ' u' ll ah, Gleanings from the Writings of Ba/iii 'u '//ah , p. 217. > Th e Secret of Divine Civilization , p. 98. > INT ERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' i ACTIVITIES 499 > WOM EN > 16. Woman's lack of progress and proficiency has been due to her need of equal education > and opportunity. Had she been allowed this equality, there is no doubt she would be the > counterpart of man in ability and capacity. The happiness of mankind will be realized > when women and men coordinate and advance equally, for each is the complement and > helpmeet of the other. 1 > 17. Divine Justice demands that the rights of both sexes should be equally respected since > neither is superior to the other in the eyes of Heaven. Dignity before God depends, not on > sex, but on purity and luminosity of heart. Human virtues belong equally to all! 2 > 18. The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over woman by > reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind. But the balance is already shifting; force is losing its dominance, and mental alertness, intuition, and > the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine and more pem1eated with the > feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and > feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced. 3 > > F A MILY LIFE > 19. According to the teachings of Baha'u'llah the family, being a human unit, must be > educated according to the rules of sanctity. All the virtues must be taught the family. The > integrity of the family bond must be constantly considered, and the rights of the individual > members must not be transgressed. The rights of the son, the father, the mother-none of > them must be transgressed, none of them must be arbitrary. Just as the son has certain > obligations to his father, the father, likewise, has certain obligations to his son. The > mother, the sister and other members of the household have their certain prerogatives. > All these rights and prerogatives must be conserved, yet the unity of the family must be > sustained. The injury of one shall be considered the injury of all; the comfort of each, the > comfort of all; the honor of one, the honor of all. 4 > > 'Abdu' l-Baha, The Promulgation of Uni versal Peace, Talks Delivered by 'A bdu ' l-Baha during His Visit to the > United States and Canada in 1912 (Wi lmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 182. > Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'/-Balui in Paris in 1911- 1912, p. 162. > 'Abdu ' l-Baha, c ited in J . E. Ess lemont, Bahit 'u '//Ith and the Ne w Era (Wi lmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, > I 987), p. I 49. > The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 168 . > 500 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > C. SINGAPORE: > STATEMENT ON THE NATIONAL IDEOLOGY > > WHEN the Government of Singapore approval from the Universal House of Jusinvited individuals and groups to submit tice, the Spiritual Assembly submitted the > ideas that would help them form a set of Statement to the Office of the First Deputy > "core values" to take the nation along the Prime Minister, which was responsible for > path of progress into the twenty-first cen- this issue, and to all 82 members of the > tury, the Spiritual Assembly of the Baba'is Parliament of Singapore. > of Singapore prepared a "Statement on the > National Ideology". In 1990, after receiving The following is the text of the statement. > > Statement on the National Ideology > > PREAMBLE > Singapore is a nation of many remarkable achievements. Despite its brief history, a dramatic > economic expansion has resulted from the collaboration between a vigilant and responsible > government and an enterp1ising population. Progress in such areas as housing, education, > transportation, and communication can be traced to this same fortunate combination. > Singapore society, with citizens who come from diverse racial, cultural and religious backgrounds, is in many respects, a microcosm of the world. Despite their differences Singaporese live together in prosperity and harmony, reflective of the essential oneness of > humankind. > We now stand together on the threshold of the last decade of this century, facing not only > dazzling prospects, but also great challenges. The winds of change blow here as everywhere. > There are trends in the world and our country which, if not effectively countered, have the > potential to unde1mine the achievements that have been so painstakingly gained. Such trends > include deepening materialism, the disintegration of the family, and religious and racial > intolerance. Such trends are profoundly divisive to the unity on which our prosperity rests. > Consequently, the Baha'i community of Singapore welcomes the decision of the Government of our country to consult the various segments of society on the principles that should > govern our collective life. Singapore has a wealth of scholarly and professional expertise > upon which such a study can draw. We will content ourselves with offering certain spiritual > and moral principles that derive from the Teachings of our Faith and that have been central > to the unity and progress ofBaba ' is everywhere. > > CORE ELEMEN TS > We humbly put forward these values: > a. Balance-embracing moderation, understanding and fairness. > b. Preservation of family unit. > c. Fostering the spirit of co-operation. > d. Consultation-applied to all facets of decision-making. > e. Social and economic justice. > f. Unity in diversity . > a. Balance: Balance is an important and fundamental concept that every individual shall > strive to embrace. Inherent in this concept are the virtues of moderation, understanding, > and fairness which should be inculcated at a very early stage of an individual ' s education. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' f ACTIVITIES 501 > This comes from the belief that "whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will > cease to exert a beneficial influence". > b. Preservation of family unit: The foundation stone of every human society is the family > unit. The family home, as a fortress for well-being, is the nucleus for the education and > inculcation of values and virtues. Filial piety is one of these virtues which is slowly being > eroded in the name of progress and in the face of materialistic influences . > According to the Baha'i Writings: "The family being a human unit must be educated > according to the rules of sanctity. All the virtues must be taught in the family. The integrity of the family bond must be constantly considered and the rights of the individual > members must not be transgressed." > c. Fostering the spirit of co-operation: The hallmark of the maturity of the individual is the > extent to which he is able to go beyond self and extend the spirit of co-operation to society > at large. "All progress is the result of association and co-operation." Without co-operation, > development and progress of society will be impossible. To the extent that we can imbue > each and every individual with this quality will depend the advancement and growth of > our society. > d. Consultation-applied to all facets of life: The art of consultation is the method that > enables thoughts to combine and to evolve beyond the limitations of individuals. "Take ye > counsel together in all matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of guidance which > leadeth the way, and is the bestower of understanding." Only when this principle is > applied to all aspects of our lives will society be able to soar higher than ever imagined > before. > Consultation is the art of seeking truth through frank and thorough presentation of dissenting ideas. "The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing > opinions." The very attempt to achieve harmony through consultative action can release > such a salutary spirit among the peoples of the nation that no power could resist the final > triumphal outcome. > e. Social and Economic Justice: Justice, as declared in the Baha'i Writings, is "the best > beloved of all things" in the sight of God and represents God's freely given gift to man in > this, the age of his maturity. In the decades since this was written, justice has become the > touchstone with which every proposal for social and economic change is tested. Those > societies which are best organized to serve as vehicles of this divine gift are the ones who > will ultimately succeed. > The importance of adopting social and economic justice as a core value becomes apparent > when the topics of emancipation of women, care for the elderly, education for all and > equal opportunities for everyone are considered. > f Unity in diversity: This is the crowning value of the proposed group because it brings all > the other values to fruition. Tluáough balance, individuals are transformed. The upholding > of the structure of the family provides a solid foundation for the individual to step into the > society. Consultation consolidates myriad ideas within the society into one relative tluth. > Social and economic justice provides the means for the society to prosper. And finally, > unity in diversity is the cohesive force behind a unified nation. > In the eyes of the Almighty we are "the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch". > Once the weighty load of prejudice is shed from the shoulders of a nation, the spectacular > rewards of co-operation in the light of unity become obvious. > 502 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > CONCLUSION > With the adoption of an appropriate set of core values, we are confident that this nation will > become a beacon of light within this region and beyond. In addition, we put forward the following for consideration: ultimately the national ideology cannot be limited to the national > boundaries. Nations are now bound and interlinked to other nations. The national ideology > must foster peace and growth not just within the nation but also to the rest of the world itself. > We, as representatives of the Baha'i community in Singapore, would like to thank the Government for the opportunity to express our views on such an important exercise and we stand > ready to present them in person, if so required. > > D . UNITED STATES: > STATEMENT ON RACE UNITY > > IN June 1991, the National Spiritual Assem- the public on Baha' i approaches to the subbly of the United States published a statement ject. Nearly 200,000 copies were sold before > to define and present Baha'i solutions to the the end of the Six Year Plan and presentaproblems borne of the racism plaguing the tions were made to members of vi1tually > nation. The Vision of Race Unity-Amer- every segment of American society. > ica 's Most Challenging Issue became the > centerpiece of a special campaign to educate The following is the text of the statement. > > The Vision of Race Unity-America's Most Challenging Issue > Racism is the most challenging issue confronting America. A nation whose ancestiy > includes every people on earth, whose motto is e pluribus unum, whose ideals of freedom > under law have inspired mill ions throughout the world, cannot continue to harbor prejudice > against any racial or etlmic group without betraying itself. Racism is an affront to human > dignity, a cause of hatred and division, a disease that devastates society. > Notwithstanding the efforts already expended for its elin1ination, racism continues to > work its evil upon this nation. Progress toward tolerance, mutual respect, and unity has been > painfully slow and marked with repeated setbacks. The recent resurgence of divisive racial > attitudes, the increased number of racial incidents, and the deepening despair of minorities > and the poor make the need for solutions ever more pressing and urgent. To ignore the > problem is to expose the country to physical, moral and spiritual danger. > Aware of the magnitude and the urgency of the issue, we, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, speaking for the entire U.S. Baha'i community, > appeal to all people of goodwill to arise without further delay to resolve the fundamental > social problem of this country. We do so because of our feeling of shared responsibility, > because of the global experience of the Baha'i community in affecting racial harmony > within itself, and because of the vision that the sacred scriptures of our Faith convey of the > destiny of America. > > The oneness of humanity is the pivot round which revolve all the teachings of the Baha' i > Faith. It is at once a statement of principle and an assertion of the ultimate goal of human > experience on the planet. More than a century ago, Baha 'u 'llah, the Prophet-Founder of the > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 503 > Baha'i Faith, wrote: "The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable > unless and until its unity is firmly established." It is a principle that issues naturally from the > genesis and purpose of human existence. The Word of God as presented in the Baha'i > writings offers compelling insights as in the following examples : > > Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity ofMy essence, I knew My love > for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee > My beauty. > > Know ye not why We created you all Ji-om the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have > created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to > walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from > your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of > detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you, 0 concourse of light! Heed > ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory. > > 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 forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all > the peoples and kindreds of the earth. > > Having gone through the stages of infancy and turbulent adolescence, humanity is now > approaching maturity, a stage that will witness "the reconstruction and demilitarization of > the whole civilized world-a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life." > In no other country is the promise of organic unity more immediately demonstrable than in > the United States because this country is a microcosm of the diverse populations of the earth. > Yet this promise remains largely unrealized even here because of the endemic racism that, > like a cancer, is conoding the vitals of the nation. > For too much of its history and in so many places the human race has squandered its > energy and resources in futile efforts to prove the unprovable: that one portion of itself, > because of separation by geography, a difference in skin color, or the diversity of cultural > expression, is intrinsically distinct from another portion. The ignorance and prejudice on > which such efforts are founded have led to endless conflicts in the name of the sanctity of > tribe, race, class, nation, and religion. Paradoxical as it may seem, in the consistency of these > negative efforts across the spectrum of the race, humanity has proved the exact opposite: it > has affirmed its oneness. The proof is in the fact that, given the same circumstances, all people, regardless of ethnic or cultural variety, behave essentially the same way. In the futility > of its efforts to classify and separate its diverse elements, humanity has become disoriented > and confused. Unaided by the divine influence of religion, people are incapable of achieving > a proper orientation to their innermost reality and purpose and are thus unable to achieve a > coherent vision of their destiny. It is in this respect that the Baha ' is find relevancy, direction, > and fulfillment in the teachings ofBaha'u'llah, the Founder of their Faith. > The oneness of humanity is a spiritual truth abundantly confirmed by science. Recognition of this truth compels the abandonment of all prejudices of race, color, creed, nation, and > class-of "everything which enables people to consider themselves superior to others." The > principle of the oneness of humankind" is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an > 504 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > expression of vague and pious hope .... It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an > ideal.... It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as > the world has not yet experienced." > > II > The application of the spiritual principle of the oneness of humanity to the life of the nation > would necessitate and make possible vast changes in the economic status of the non-white > segments of the population. Although poverty afflicts members of all races its victims tend > to be largely people of color. Prejudice and discrimination have created a disparity in the > standards of living, providing some with excessive economic advantage while denying others the bare necessities for leading healthy and dignified lives. Poor housing, deficient diet, > inadequate health care, insufficient education are consequences of poverty that afflict African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanic Americans more than they afflict the rest of > the population. The cost to society at large is heavy. > Evidence of the negative effect of racial and ethnic conflict on the economy has prompted > a number of businesses and corporations to institute educational programs that teach conflict > resolution and are designed to eliminate racial and ethnic tensions from the workplace. > These are important steps and should be encouraged. If, however, they are intended primarily to save the economy, no enduring solution will be found to the disastrous consequences > of racism. For it cannot suffice to offer academic education and jobs to people while at the > same time shutting them out because of racial prejudice from normal social intercourse > based on brotherly love and mutual respect. The fundamental solution- the one that will > reduce violence, regenerate and focus the intellectual and moral energy of minorities, and > make them partners in the construction of a progressive society- rests ultimately on the > common recognition of the oneness of humankind. > It is entirely human to fail ifthat which is the most important to people 's self-perception > is denied them- namely, the dignity they derive from a genuine regard by others for their > stature as human beings. No educational, economic, or political plan can take the place of > this essential human need; it is not a need that businesses and schools, or even governments, > can provide in isolation from the supportive attitude of society as a whole. Such an attitude > needs to be grounded in a spiritual and moral truth that all acknowledge and accept as their > own and that, like the oxygen that serves all equally, breathes life into their common effort > to live in unity and peace. Absence of the genuine regard for others fostered by such truth > causes hopelessness in those discriminated against; and in a state of hopelessness , people > lose the coherent moral powers to realize their potential. This vitalizing truth, we are convinced, is summarized in the phrase: the oneness of humankind. > So essential is the principle of the oneness of humanity to the efficacy of educational programs that it cannot be overemphasized. Without its broad influence such programs will not > contribute significantly to the development of society. The very fact that businesses are > themselves implementing educational programs is indicative of the glaring deficiency of the > entire educational system. As we have already said, beyond the mechanisms of education > lies the essential prerequisite of a proper attitude on the part of those dispensing curricula > and, even more important, on the part of society as a whole. On this basis, education is not > only the shortest route out of poverty; it is the shortest route out of prejudice as well. A > national program of education, emphasizing the values of tolerance, brotherhood, appreciation for cultures other than one 's own, and respect for differences would be a most in1portant > step toward the elimination of racism and, as a consequence, the bolstering of the economy. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 505 > > III > The persistent neglect by the governing bodies and the masses of the American people of the > ravages of racism jeopardizes both the internal order and the national security of the country. > From the day it was born the United States embraced a set of contradictory values. The > founding fathers proclaimed their devotion to the highest principles of equality and justice > yet enshrined slavery in the Constitution. Slavery poisoned the mind and heart of the nation > and would not be abolished without a bloody civil war that nearly destroyed the young > republic. The evil consequences of slavery are still visible in this land. They continue to > affect the behavior of both Black and White Americans and prevent the healing of old > wounds. > Healing the wounds and building a society in which people of diverse backgrounds live > as members of one family are the most pressing issues confronting America today. Her > peace, her prosperity, and even her standing in the international community depend to a > great extent on the resolution of this issue. > That the virulence of the race issue in America attracts the attention of the entire world > should spur this country to an unprecedented effort to eliminate every vestige of prejudice > and discrimination from her midst. America's example could not fail to have a profound > influence on world society nor could it fail to assist the establishment of universal peace. > "For the accomplishment of unity between the colored and white," the Baha 'i writings > proclaim, "will be a cause of the world's peace." > The responsibility for the achievement of racial peace and unity in the United States rests > upon both Black and White Americans. To build a society in which the rights of all its members are respected and guaranteed, both races must be animated with the spirit of optimism > and faith in the eventual realization of their highest aspirations. Neither Black nor White > Americans should assume that the responsibility for the elimination of prejudice and of its > effects belongs exclusively to the other. Both must recognize that unity is essential for their > common survival. Both must recognize that there is only one human species. Both must > recognize that a harmoniously functioning society that permits the full expression of the > potential of all persons can resolve the social and economic problems now confounding a > society wracked with disunity. > It is evident that both Black and White Americans in large numbers are feeling deeply > disappointed and frustráated by what each group perceives to be a failure of the efforts in > recent decades at affecting progress in the relations between the races. To rationalize this > failure, both have been reacting by retreating to the more familiar ground of racial separation. As the problems with crime and drug addiction mount, the tendency is to use the > seeming intractability of these problems as a measure of the failure of years of struggle on > the part of both to overcome the barriers of centuries. Formidable as is the challenge yet to > be met, can it fairly be said that no significant progress has taken place since the days of the > sit-ins at lunch counters across the South? > Similarly, the victims of a protracted and entrenched racial discrimination seek relief in > the notion that Black Americans, White Americans, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, > Asian Americans are so distinctly different from one another that all of them must stake out > their own cultural and social territories and stay within them. Would this be sensible? Would > it not be a retreat from the reality of our common humanity? Would it not be a formula for > the total breakdown of civilization? Those who raise the call for separation preach a grim > doctrine indeed. If the nation is seriously to submit to such a view, where exactly will either > the Black or the White Americans divide their cultural heritage, one from the other? > 506 Tl-IE BAHA'I WORLD > > Racism runs deep. It infects the hearts of both White and Black Americans . Since without > conscious, deliberate, and sustained effort, no one can remain unaffected by its conosive > influence, both groups must realize that such a problem can neither easily nor immediately > be resolved. "Let neither think that anything short of genuine love, extreme patience, true > humility, consummate tact, sound initiative, mature wisdom, and deliberate, persistent, and > prayerful effort can succeed in blotting out the stain which this patent evil has left on the fair > name of their common country." > Both groups must understand that no real change will come about without close association, fellowship, and friendship among diverse people. Diversity of color, nationality, and > culture enhances the human experience and should never be made a banier to harmonious > relationships , to friendship , or to maniage. "O well-beloved ones!" Bahi' u'llah wrote, "The > tabernacle of unity has been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits > of one háee and the leaves of one branch." > > IV > Our appeal is addressed primarily to the individual American, because the transfomrntion of > a whole nation ultimately depends on the initiative and change of character of the individuals who compose it. No great idea or plan of action by the government or other interested > organizations can hope to succeed if the individual neglects to respond in his or her own way > as personal circumstances and opportunities pem1it. And so we respectfully and urgently > call upon our fellow Americans of whatever background to look at the racial situation with > new eyes and with a new determination to lend effective support to the resolution of a > problem that hinders the advance of this great republic toward the full realization of its > glorious destiny. > We mention the experience of the Baha' i community not from any feeling of pride and > ultimate victory, because that which we have accomplished still falls short of that to which > we aspire; nonetheless, the results to date are most encouraging, and it is as a means of > encouragement that we call attention to them. > From its inception in 1863 the Baha' i community was dedicated to the principle of the > unity of humankind. Baha' is rely upon faith in God, daily prayer, meditation, and study of > sacred texts to effect the háansfo1mation of character necessary for personal growth and > maturity; however, their aim is to create a world civilization that will in turn react upon the > character of the individual. Thus the concept of personal salvation is linked to the salvation, > security, and happiness of all the inhabitants of the earth and stems from the Bahi ' i belief > that "the world of humanity is a composite body" and that "when one part of the organism > suffers all the rest of the body will feel its consequence." > Guided and inspired by such principles, the Baha'i community has accumulated more > than a century of experience in creating models of unity that háanscend race, culhire, > nationality, class, and the differences of sex and religion, providing empirical evidence that > humanity in all its diversity can live as a unified global society. Bahi'is see unity as the law > of life; consequently, all prejudices are perceived as diseases that threaten life. Rather than > considering that the unity of humankind can be established only after other problems > afflicting it have been solved, BaM' is believe that both spirih1al and material development > are dependent upon love and unity. Therefore, the Bahi'is offer the teachings of their Fa ith > and the example of their community for examination, convinced that these can make a > contribution toward the eradication of racism endemic in American society. We do so with > firm faith in the assistance of our Creator, Who, out of His infinite love, brought forth all > humanity from the same stock and intended that all belong to the same household. We > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 507 > believe, moreover, that the day of the unification of the entire human race has come and that > "the potentialities inherent in the station of man, the innate excellence of his reality, must all > be manifested in this promised Day of God." > > ADDEN DUM > The Nation al Spiritua l Assembly of the Baha ' is of the United States is the natio nal administrative body for the > Baha'is of the United States. The Assemb ly has nine members and is elected annually by delegates from the fortyeight contiguous states. It directs, coordinates, and stimu lates the activities of local Baha'i admini strative bodies > and of th e 11 0,000 Baha'is in the United States. > The Baha'i Faith is an independent world reli gion with adherents in virtuall y every country. The worldwide > Baha ' i commun ity, numbering more than five million , inc ludes almost all nationalities and classes. More than > 2, 100 ethnic groups and tri bes are represented. There are 155 Nationa l Sp iritua l Assemb li es. 1 > Baha'u'llah was the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith. The central principles of His religion are the oneness > of God, the o neness of re ligion, and the oneness of humanity. His reli gion "proc la ims the necessity and the in evitability of th e unification of mankind .... It, moreover, enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered > search a ~e r truth , condemn s a ll manner of prejudice and superstition, dec lares the purpose of religion to be the promotion of amity and concord, proclaims its essential hannony with sc ience, and recogn izes it as the foremost > agency for the pacification and the orderly progress of human society. It uneq ui voca lly maintains the principle of > eq ual rights, opportunities and privileges for men and women , insists on compulsory education , elim inates > extrem es of poverty and wealth, abolishes the in stituti on of priesthood, prohibits slavery, ascetici sm, mendi cancy > and monasticism, prescribes monogamy, di scourages di vo rce, emphasizes the necessity of strict obedience to one's > government, exal ts any work perfonned in the sp irit of serv ice to the level of worship, urges either the creati on or > the adoption of an aux il iary international language, and delineates the outlines of those insti tutions that mu st establi sh and perpetuate the genera l peace of mankind. " > > Copyright 1991 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States. > > By the end of the Six Year Plan (Ri<;fvan 1992) there were 165 Nationa l Spiritual Assemb lies. > THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 10. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN THE WORLD > ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH > > ON 29 December 1988, the Universal House 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Centre of the Covenant, > of Justice wrote a letter to the Baha'is of projected a compelling vision of the worldthe United States clarifying the Baha'i per- embracing prospects of that richly endowed > spective on individual rights and freedom of country. "The American nation", He > expression. In 1989, this letter was published averred, "is equipped and empowered to > in booklet form by the Baha ' i Publishing accomplish that which will adorn the pages > Trust of the United States. of history, to become the envy of the world, > The following is the text of the letter. and be blest in both the East and the West > for the triumph of its people." In another > assertion addressed to the Baha'i community > To the Followers ofBaha'u'llah in the United > itself, He uttered words of transcendent > States of America > importance: " ... your mission", He affirmed, > Dear Baha'i Friends, "is unspeakably glorious. Should success > We have noticed with concern evidences of crown your enterprise, America will assura confusion of attitudes among some of the edly evolve into a centre from which waves > friends when they encounter difficulties in of spiritual power will emanate, and the > applying Baha'i principles to questions of throne of the Kingdom of God will, in the > the day. On the one hand, they acknowledge plenitude of its majesty and glory, be firmly > their belief in Baha'u'Ilah and His teachings; established." > on the other, they invoke Western liberal Shoghi Effendi, in various statements, > democratic practices when actions of Baba' i celebrated the remarkable achievements and > institutions or of some of their fellow Baha'is potential glories of that specially blessed > do not accord with their expectations. At the community, but was moved to issue, in > heart of this confusion are misconceptions of "The Advent of Divine Justice'', a profound > such fundamental issues as individual rights warning which is essential to a proper underand freedom of expression in the Baha' i standing of the relation of that Baha' i > community. The source of the potential dif- community to the nation from which it has > ficulties of the situation appears to us to be sprung. "The glowing tributes," he solemnly > an inadequacy of Baha' i perspective on the wrote, "so repeatedly and deservedly paid to > part of both individual believers and their the capacity, the spirit, the conduct, and the > institutions. high rank, of the American believers, both > Recognizing the immense challenge you individually and as an organic community, > face to resolve such confusion, we pause to must, under no circumstances, be conreflect with you on these issues in search of founded with the characteristics and nature > a context in which relevant fundamental of the people from which God has raised > questions may be discussed and understood them up. A sharp distinction between that > in the community. community and that people must be made, > The extraordinary capacities of the and resolutely and fearlessly upheld, if we > American nation, as well as the superb stew- wish to give due recognition to the transmutardship of the Baha'i community within it, ing power of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, in its > have repeatedly been extolled in the writings impact on the lives and standards of those > of our Faith. In His Tablets and utterances, who have chosen to enlist under His banner. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 509 > Otherwise, the supreme and distinguishing established, inasmuch as Baha'u'llah has > function of His Revelation, which is none Himself revealed its principles, established > other than the calling into being of a new its institutions, appointed the person to interrace of men, will remain wholly unrecog- pret His Word and conferred the necessary > nized and completely obscured." It is the authority on the body designed to supplefar-reaching, transformative implications of ment and apply His legislative ordinances". > this distinction which we especially invite In another statement, he maintains that "It > you to contemplate. would be utterly misleading to attempt a > The vantage point that gives us perspec- comparison between this unique, divinely > tive and is the foundation of our belief and conceived Order and any of the diverse > actions rests on our recognition of the sover- systems which the minds of men, at various > eignty of God and our submission to His will pe1iods of their history, have contrived for > as revealed by Baha'u'llah, His supreme the government of human institutions." > Manifestation for this promised Day. To "Such an attempt", he felt, "would in itself > accept the Prophet of God in His time and to betray a lack of complete appreciation of the > abide by His bidding are the two essential, excellence of the handiwork of its great > inseparable duties which each soul was Author." > created to fulfil. One exercises these twin The lack of such appreciation will detract > duties by one 's own choice, an act constitut- from the perspective of anyone who > ing the highest expression of the free will measures Baha 'i administrative processes > with which every human being has been against practices prevalent in today 's sociendowed by an all-loving Creator. ety. For notwithstanding its inclination to > The vehicle in this resplendent Age for democratic methods in the administration of > the practical fulfilment of these duties is the its affairs, and regardless of the resemblance > Covenant of Baha'u'llah; it is, indeed, the of some of its features to those of other > potent instrun1ent by which individual belief systems, the Administrative Order is not to > in Him is translated into constructive deeds. be viewed merely as an improvement on > The Covenant comprises divinely conceived past and existing systems; it represents a > arrangements necessary to preserve the departure both in origin and in concept. > organic unity of the Cause. It therefore "This new born Administrative Order", as > engenders a motivating power which, as the Shoghi Effendi has explained, "incorporates > beloved Master tells us, "like unto the artery, within its structure certain elements which > beats and pulsates in the body of the world". are to be found in each of the three recog- > "It is indubitably clear", He asserts, "that nized fom1s of secular government, without > the pivot of the oneness of mankind is noth- being in any sense a mere replica of any one > ing else but the power of the Covenant." of them, and without introducing within its > Through it the meaning of the Word, both machinery any of the objectionable features > in theory and practice, is made evident in which they inherently possess. It blends and > the life and work of 'Abdu'l-Baha, the harmonizes, as no government fashioned by > appointed Interpreter, the perfect Exemplar, mortal hands has as yet accomplished, the > the Centre of the Covenant. Through it the salutary truths which each of these systems > processes of the Administrative Order- undoubtedly contains without vitiating the > "this unique, this wondrous System"- are integrity of those God-given verities on > made to operate. which it is ultimately founded." > In emphasizing its distinctiveness, Shoghi You are, no doubt, conversant with the > Effendi has pointed out that "this Adminis- Guardian ' s expatiations on this theme. Why, > trative Order is fundamentally different from then, this insistent emphasis? Why this > anything that any Prophet has previously repeated review of fundamentals ? This > 510 THE BAI-IA'i WORLD > > emphasis, this review, is to sound an appeal Freedom of thought, freedom of exfor solid thinking, for the attainment of cor- pression, freedom of action are among the > rect perspectives, for the adoption of proper freedoms which have received the ardent > attitudes. And these are impossible without a attention of social thinkers across the centudeep appreciation of Baha'i fundamentals. ries. The resulting outflow of such profound > The great emphasis on the distinctiveness thought has exerted a tremendous liberating > of the Order of Baha'u'llah is not meant influence in the shaping of modern society. > to belittle existing systems of government. Generations of the oppressed have fought > Indeed, they are to be recognized as the and died in the name of freedom. Certainly > fruit of a vast period of social evolution, the want of freedom from oppression has > representing an advanced stage in the devel- been a dominant factor in the turmoil of the > opment of social organization. What times: witness the plethora of movements > motivates us is the knowledge that the which have resulted in the rapid emergence > supreme mission of the Revelation of of new nations in the latter part of the > Baha'u'llah, the Bearer of that Order, is, as twentieth century. A true reading of the > Shoghi Effendi pointed out, "none other but teachings ofBaha'u'llah leaves no doubt as > the achievement of this organic and spiritual to the high importance of these freedoms to > unity of the whole body of nations'', indicat- constructive social processes. Consider, for > ing the "coming of age of the entire human instance, Baha'u'llah's proclamation to the > race" . The astounding implication of this is kings and rulers. Can it not be deduced from > the near prospect of attaining an age-old this alone that attainment of freedom is a > hope, now made possible at long last by the significant purpose of His Revelation? His > coming of Baha'u'llah. In practical terms , denunciations of tyranny and His urgent > His mission signals the advent of "an appeals on behalf of the oppressed provide > organic change in the structure of present- unmistakable proof. But does not the > day society, a change such as the world has freedom foreshadowed by His Revelation > not yet experienced". It is a fresh manifesta- imply nobler, ampler manifestations of > tion of the direct involvement of God in human achievement? Does it not indicate an > history, a reassurance that His children have organic relationship between the internal > not been left to drift, a sign of the outpouring and external realities of man such as has not > of a heavenly grace that will enable all yet been attained? > humanity to be free at last from conflict and In his summary of significant Baha'i > contention to ascend the heights of world teachings, Shoghi Effendi wrote thatBaha'u'llah > peace and divine civilization. Beyond all "inculcates the principle of 'moderation in > else, it is a demonstration of that love for His all things ' ; declares that whatsoever, be it > children, which He knew in the depth of His 'liberty, civilization and the like ', ' passeth > "immemorial being" and in the "ancient beyond the limits of moderation' must > eternity" of His Essence, and which caused 'exercise a pernicious influence upon men'; > Him to create us all. In the noblest sense, observes that western civilization has > then, attention to the requirements of His gravely perturbed and alarmed the peoples > World Order is a reciprocation of that love. of the world; and predicts that the day is > It is this perspective that helps us to approaching when the 'flame ' of a civilizaunderstand the question of freedom and its tion 'carried to excess' 'will devour the > place in Baha'i thought and action. The idea cities'." > and the fact of freedom pervade all human Expounding the theme of liberty, > concerns in an infinitude of notions and Baha'u'llah asserted that "the embodiment > modes. Freedom is indeed essential to all of liberty and its symbol is the animal"; that > expressions of human life. "liberty causeth man to overstep the bounds > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 511 > of propriety, and to infringe on the dignity necessary to the maintenance of that moderof his station"; that "true liberty consisteth ation which will ensure the "true liberty" of > in man's submission unto My command- humankind. All things considered, does the > ments". "We approve of liberty in certain Administrative Order not appear to be the > circumstances," He declared, "and refuse to structure of freedom for our Age? 'Abdu'lsanction it in others." But He gave the assur- Baha offers us comfort in this thought, for > ance that, "Were men to observe that which He has said that "the moderate freedom > We have sent down unto them from the which guarantees the welfare of the world of > Heaven of Revelation, they would, of a mankind and maintains and preserves the > certainty, attain unto perfect liberty." And universal relationships is found in its fullest > again, He said, "Mankind in its entirety must power and extension in the teachings of > firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been Baha'u'llah". > revealed and vouchsafed unto it. Then and Within this framework of freedom a patonly then will it attain unto true liberty." tern is set for institutional and individual > Baha'u'llah's assertions clearly call for behaviour which depends for its efficacy > an examination of current assumptions. not so much on the force of law, which > Should liberty be as free as is supposed in admittedly must be respected, as on the > contemporary Wes tern thought? Where does recognition of a mutuality of benefits, and > freedom limit our possibilities for progress, on the spirit of cooperation maintained by > and where do limits free us to thrive? What the willingness, the courage, the sense of > are the limits to the expansion of freedom? responsibility, and the initiative of individuals > For so fluid and elastic are its qualities of -these being expressions of their devotion > application and expression that the concept and submission to the will of God. Thus > of freedom in any given situation is likely to there is a balance of freedom between the > assume a different latitude from one mind to institution, whether national or local, and the > another; these qualities are, alas, susceptible individuals who sustain its existence. > to the employment alike of good and evil. Is Consider, for example, the Local Spirit any wonder, then, that Baha'u'llah exhorts itual Assembly, the methods of its formation > us to submission to the will of God? and the role of individuals in electing it. The > Since any constructive view of freedom voter elects with the understanding that he > implies limits, further questions are inevita- is free to choose without any interference > ble: What are the latitudes of freedom in whomever his conscience prompts him to > the Baha'i community? How are these to select, and he freely accepts the authority of > be determined? Because human beings the outcome. In the act of voting, the indihave been created to "carry forward an vidual subscribes to a covenant by which the > ever-advancing civilization", the exercise of orderliness of society is upheld. The Assemfreedom, it may be deduced, is intended bly has the responsibility to guide, direct and > to enable all to fulfil this purpose in their decide on community affairs and the right > individual lives and in their collective func- to be obeyed and supported by members > tioning as a society. Hence whatever in of the community. The individual has the > principle is required to realize this purpose responsibility to establish and maintain the > gauges the latitudes or limits of freedom. Assembly through election, the offering of > Contemplating Baha 'u'llah 's warning advice, moral support and material assisthat "whatsoever passeth beyond the limits tance; and he has the right to be heard by it, > of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial to receive its guidance and assistance, and to > influence", we come to appreciate that the appeal from any Assembly decision which > Administrative Order He has conceived he conscientiously feels is unjust or detriembodies the operating principles which are mental to the interests of the community. > 512 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > But occupation with the mechanics of protest against the oppressive conditions > Baha'i Administration, divorced from the which revolutions were intended to remedy . > animating spirit of the Cause, leads to a dis- These characteristics are conspicuous, for > tortion, to an arid secularization foreign to example, in the inordinate scepticism rethe nature of the Administration. Equally sig- garding authority, and consequently, in the > nificant to the procedures for election- to grndging respect which the citizens of varifurther extend the example- is the evoca- ous nations show toward their governments; > tion of that rarefied atmosphere of prayer they have become pronounced in the incesand reflection, that quiet dignity of the sant promotion of individualism, often to the > process, devoid of nominations and cam- detriment of the wider interests of society. > paigning, in which the individual's freedom How aptly, even after the lapse of half a cento choose is limited only by his own con- tury, Shoghi Effendi's views, as conveyed > science, exercised in private in an attitude by his secretary, fit the contemporary scene: > that invites communion with the Holy Spirit. "Our present generation, mainly due to the > In this sphere, the elector regards the out- corruptions that have been identified with > come as an expression of the will of God, organizations, seem to stand against any > and those elected as being prin1arily respon- institution. Religion as an institution is desible to that will, not to the constituency nounced. Government as an institution is > which elected them. An election thus con- denounced. Even marriage as an institution > ducted portrays an aspect of that organic is denounced. We Baha'is should not be > unity of the inner and outer realities of blinded by such prevalent notions. If such > human life which is necessary to the con- were the case, all the divine Manifestations > struction of a mature society in this new would not have invariably appointed > Age. In no other system do individuals exer- someone to succeed Them. Undoubtedly, > cise such a breadth of freedom in the corrnptions did enter those institutions, but > electoral process. these corruptions were not due to the very > The equilibrium of responsibilities rm- nature of the institutions but to the lack of > plied by all this presupposes maturity on the proper directions as to their powers and > part of all concerned. This maturity has an nature of their perpetuation. What Baha 'u 'llah > apt analogy in adulthood in human beings. has done is not to eliminate all institutions in > How significant is the difference between the Cause but to provide the necessary safeinfancy and childhood, adolescence and guards that would eliminate corruptions that > adulthood! In a period of history dominated caused the fall of previous institutions. What > by the surging energy, the rebellious spirit those safeguards are is most interesting to > and frenetic activity of adolescence, it is dif- study and find out and also most essential to > ficult to grasp the distinguishing elements of know." > the mature society to which Baha' u'llah We make these observations not to > beckons all humanity. The models of the old indulge in criticism of any system, but rather > world order blur vision of that which must to open up lines of thought, to encourage > be perceived; for these models were, in a re-examination of the bases of modem > many instances, conceived in rebellion and society, and to engender a perspective for > retain the characteristics of the revolutions consideration of the distinctive features of > peculiar to an adolescent, albeit necessary, the Order of Baha 'u'llah. What, it could be > period in the evolution of human society. asked, was the nature of society that gave > The very philosophies which have provided rise to such characteristics and such philosothe intellectual content of such revolu- phies? Where have these taken mankind? > tions- Hobbes, Locke, Jefferson, Mill, Has their employment satisfied the needs > come readily to mind- were inspired by and expectations of the human spirit? The > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITI ES 513 > answers to such questions could lay the reinforces this understanding by drawing > ground for a contrasting observation of the attention to the maxim that "Not everything > origin and nature of the characteristics and that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor > philosophy underlying that Order. can everything that he can disclose be > As to freedom of expression, a fundamen- regarded as timely, nor can every timely > tal principle of the Cause, the Administrative utterance be considered as suited to the > Order provides unique methods and channels capacity of those who hear it." > for its exercise and maintenance; these have Speech is a powerful phenomenon. Its > been amply described in the writings of the freedom is both to be extolled and feared . It > Faith, but they are not yet clearly understood calls for an acute exercise of judgement, > by the friends . For Baha 'u'llah has extended since both the limitation of speech and the > the scope and deepened the meaning of self- excess of it can lead to dire consequences. > expression. In His elevation of art and of Thus there exist in the system ofBaha'u' llah > work performed in the service of humanity checks and balances necessary to the benefito acts of worship can be discerned enor- cial uses of this freedom in the onward > mous prospects for a new birth of expression development of society. A careful examinain the civilization anticipated by His World tion of the principles of Baha'i consultation > Order. The significance of this principle, and the formal and informal arrangements > now so greatly amplified by the Lord of the for employing them offer new insights into > Age, cannot be doubted; but it is in its rami- the dynamics of freedom of expression. > fications in speech that keen understanding As it is beyond the scope of this letter to > is urgently needed. From a Baha'i point of expatiate upon these principles, let it suffice > view, the exercise of freedom of speech must to recall briefly certain of the requisites of > necessarily be disciplined by a profound consultation, particularly for those who > appreciation of both the positive and nega- serve on Spiritual Assemblies. Love and > tive dimensions of freedom, on the one hand, harmony, purity of motive, humility and > and of speech, on the other. lowliness amongst the friends, patience and > Baha' u' llah warns us that "the tongue is a long-suffering in difficulties-these inform > smouldering fire, and excess of speech a the attitude with which they proceed "with > deadly poison". "Material fire consumeth the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care > the body," He says in elaborating the point, and moderation to express their views'', each > "whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth using "perfect liberty" both in so doing and > both heart and soul. The force of the former in "unveiling the proof of his demonstralasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of tion". "If another contradicts him, he must > the latter endureth a century." In tracing the not become excited because if there be no > framework of free speech, He again advises investigation or verification of questions and > "moderation". "Human utterance is an matters, the agreeable view will not be disessence which aspireth to exert its influence covered neither understood." "The shining > and needeth moderation'', He states, adding, spark of huth cometh forth only after the > "As to its influence, this is conditional upon clash of differing opinions." If unanimity is > refinement which in turn is dependent upon not subsequently achieved, decisions are > hearts which are detached and pure. As to its arrived at by majority vote. > moderation, this hath to be combined with Once a decision has been reached, all > tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy members of the consultative body, having > Scriptures and Tablets." had the opportunity fully to state their views, > Also relevant to what is said, and how, is agree wholeheartedly to support the outwhen it is said. For speech, as for so many come. What if the minority view is right? "If > other things, there is a season. Baha'u'llah they agree upon a subject," 'Abdu' l-Baha > 514 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > has explained, "even though it be wrong, it acknowledging, as a matter of principle, > is better than to disagree and be in the right, that "it is not only the right, but the vital > for this difference will produce the demoli- responsibility of every loyal and intelligent > tion of the divine foundation. Though one of member of the community to offer fully and > the parties may be in the right and they frankly, but with due respect and considerdisagree, that will be the cause of a thousand ation to the authority of the Assembly, any > wrongs, but if they agree and both parties suggestion, recommendation or criticism he > are in the wrong, as it is in unity, the truth conscientiously feels he should in order to > will be revealed and the wrong made right." improve and remedy certain existing condi- > Implicit in this approach to the social utility tions or trends in his local community". > of thought is the profundity of the change in Correspondingly, the Assembly has the duty > the standard of public discussion intended "to give careful consideration to any such > by Baha'u' Jlah for a mature society. views submitted to them". > The qualities by which the individual can Apart from the direct access which one > achieve the personal discipline necessary to has to an Assembly, local or national, or to a > successful consultation find their full Counsellor or Auxiliary Board member, > expression in what Shoghi Effendi regarded there are specific occasions for the airing of > as the "spirit of a hue Baha'i". Ponder, for one ' s views in the community. The most > instance, the appealing remark addressed to frequent of these occasions for any Baha'i is > your own community in one of his earliest the Nineteen Day Feast which, "besides its > letters: "Nothing short of the spirit of a hue social and spiritual aspects, fulfils various > Baha'i can hope to reconcile the principles administrative needs and requirements of the > of mercy and justice, of freedom and sub- community, chief among them being the > mission, of the sanctity of the right of the need for open and constructive criticism and > individual and of self-surrender, of vigi- deliberation regarding the state of affairs > lance, discretion and prudence on the one within the local Baha'i community". At the > hand, and fellowship, candour, and courage same time, Shoghi Effendi's advice, as > on the other." This was an appeal to the conveyed by his secretary, goes on to stress > maturity and the distinction towards which the point that "all criticisms and discussions > he repeatedly directed their thoughts . of a negative character which may result in > Because the Most Great Peace is the undermining the authority of the Assembly > object of our longing, a primary effmi of the as a body should be strictly avoided. For > Baha'i community is to reduce the incidence otherwise the order of the Cause itself will > of conflict and contention, which are categor- be endangered, and confusion and discord > ically forbidden in the Most Holy Book. Does will reign in the community." > this mean that one may not express critical Clearly, then, there is more to be considthought? Absolutely not. How can there be ered than the critic 's right to self-expression; > the candour called for in consultation if there the unifying spirit of the Cause of God must > is no critical thought? How is the individual also be preserved, the authority of its Jaws > to exercise his responsibilities to the Cause, if and ordinances safeguarded, authority being > he is not allowed the freedom to express his an indispensable aspect of freedom. Motive, > views? Has Shoghi Effendi not stated that "at manner, mode, become relevant; but there is > the very root of the Cause lies the principle of also the matter of love: Jove for one 's felthe undoubted right of the individual to lows, love for one ' s community, Jove for > self-expression, his freedom to declare his one' s institutions. > conscience and set fo1ih his views"? The responsibility resting on the individ- > The Administrative Order provides ual to conduct himself in such a way as to > channels for expression of criticism, ensure the stability of society takes on > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 515 > elemental importance in this context. For objective animating the Baha'i community, > vital as it is to the progress of society, criti- namely, the establishment of the unity of > cism is a two-edged sword: it is all too often mankind. > the harbinger of conflict and contention. The We return to the phenomenal characterisbalanced processes of the Administrative tics of speech. Content, volume, style, tact, > Order are meant to prevent this essential wisdom, timeliness are among the critical > activity from degenerating to any form of factors in determining the effects of speech > dissent that breeds opposition and its dreadful for good or evil. Consequently, the friends > schismatic consequences. How incalculable need ever to be conscious of the significance > have been the negative results of ill-directed of this activity which so distinguishes human > criticism: in the catastrophic divergences it beings from other forms of life, and they > has created in religion, in the equally con- must exercise it judiciously. Their efforts at > tentious factions it has spawned in political such discipline will give birth to an etiquette > systems, which have dignified conflict by of expression worthy of the approaching > institutionalizing such concepts as the "loyal maturity of the human race. Just as this disciopposition" which attach to one or another pline applies to the spoken word, it applies > of the various categories of political opinion equally to the written word; and it pro- > -conservative, liberal, progressive, reac- foundly affects the operation of the press. > tionary, and so fo1th. The significance and role of the press in a > If Baha'i individuals deliberately ignore new world system are conspicuous in the > the principles imbedded in the Order which emphasis which the Order of Baha'u'llah > Baha'u'llah Himself has established to rem- places on accessibility to information at all > edy divisiveness in the human family, the levels of society. Shoghi Effendi tells us that > Cause for which so much has been sacrificed Baha'u' llah makes "specific reference to 'the > will surely be set back in its mission to swiftly appearing newspapers', describes > rescue world society from complete disinte- them as 'the mirror of the world' and as 'an > gration. May not the existence of the amazing and potent phenomenon', and > Covenant be invoked again and again, so prescribes to all who are responsible for their > that such repetition may preserve the needed production the duty to be sanctified from > perspective? For, in this age, the Cause of malice, passion and prejudice, to be just and > Baha'u' llah has been protected against the fair-minded, to be painstaking in their inquirbaneful effects of the misuse of the process ies, and ascertain all the facts in every > of criticism; this has been done by the insti- situation". > tution of the Covenant and by the provision In His social treatise, "The Secret of > of a universal administrative system which Divine Civilization", 'Abdu'l-Baha offers > incorporates within itself the mechanisms insight as to the indispensability of the press > for drawing out the constrnctive ideas of in future society. He says it is "urgent that > individuals and using them for the benefit of beneficial articles and books be written, > the entire system. Admonishing the people clearly and definitely establishing what the > to uphold the unifying purpose of the Cause, present-day requirements of the people are, > Baha'u'llah, in the Book of His Covenant, and what will conduce to the happiness and > addresses these poignant words to them: advancement of society". Further, He writes > "Let not the means of order be made the of the "publication of high thoughts" as the > cause of confusion and the instrument of "dynamic power in the arteries of life'', "the > union an occasion for discord." Such asser- very soul of the world". Moreover, He states > tions emphasize a crncial point; it is this: In that "Public opinion must be directed toward > terms of the Covenant, dissidence is a moral whatever is worthy of this day, and this > and intellectual contradiction of the main is impossible except through the use of > 516 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > adequate arguments and the adducing of towards the Faith's golden destiny? Has he > clear, comprehensive and conclusive proofs." not advised us all that the subsequent stage > As to manner and style, Baha'u'llah has of oppression must precede the stages of its > exhorted "authors among the friends" to emancipation and its recognition as a world > "write in such a way as would be acceptable religion? Can the friends forget the oftto fair-minded souls, and not lead to cavilling quoted warning of 'Abdu'l-Baha concerning > by the people". And He issues a reminder: the bitter opposition that will confront the > "We have said in the past that one word hath Cause in various lands on all continents? > the influence of spring and causeth hearts to In the case of the American believers, has > become fresh and verdant, while another is Shoghi Effendi not alluded to this coming > like unto blight which causeth the blossoms fury in his description of them as "the invinand flowers to wither." cible Army ofBaha'u ' llah, who in the West, > In the light of all this, the code of conduct and at one of its potential storm centres is to > of the press must embrace the principles and fight, in His name and for His sake, one of > objectives of consultation as revealed by its fiercest and most glorious battles"? > Baha'u'llah. Only in this way will the press Those who are anxious to relax all > be able to make its full contribution to the restraint, who invoke freedom of speech as > preservation of the rights of the people and the rationale for publishing every and any > become a powerful instrument in the consul- thing concerning the Baha'i community, who > tative processes of society, and hence for the call for the immediate termination of the > unity of the human race. practice of review now that the Faith has > Some of the friends have suggested that emerged from obscurity-are they not aware > the emergence of the Faith from obscurity of these sobering prospects? Widespread as > indicates the timeliness of ceasing obser- has been the public revulsion to the current > vance in the Baha'i community of certain persecutions in Iran, let there be no mistake > restraints; particularly are they concerned about the certainty of the opposition which > about the temporary necessity of review must yet be confronted in many countries, > before publishing. including that which is the Cradle of the > Tirnt the Faith has emerged from obscurity Administrative Order itself. > on a global scale is certain. This definitely The Faith is as yet in its infancy. Despite > marks a triumphant stage in the efforts of the its emergence from obscurity, even now the > community to register its existence on the vast majority of the human race remains > minds of those who influence world events. ignorant of its existence; moreover, the vast > Consider how, because of the sufferings and majority of its adherents are relatively new > sacrifices of the friends in Iran, the concerns Baha'is. The change implied by this new > of the community in these respects have stage in its evolution is that whereas heretobecome a matter of discussion in the most fore this tender plant was protected in its > influential parliaments and the most impor- obscurity from the attention of external > tant international forums on earth. That elements, it has now become exposed. This > this emergence frees the Cause to pursue exposure invites close observation, and that > objectives hitherto umeachable is also unde- observation will eventually lead to opposiniable; but that it marks the attainment of the tion in various quarters. So, far from > cornn1llnity's anticipated maturity is entirely adopting a carefree attitude, the community > doubtful. must be conscious of the necessity to present > How could it have attained maturity, a correct view of itself and an accurate > when we know from the clear guidance of understanding of its purpose to a largely > the beloved Guardian that obscurity is but sceptical public. A greater effori, a greater > one of the many stages in the long evolution care must now be exercised to ensure its > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 517 > protection against the malice of the ignorant making him an anti-social creature, a menand the unwisdom of its friends. ace to society. As in everything, it follows > Let us all remember that the struggle of the 'golden mean' ." > the infant Faith of God to thrive is beset with This relationship, so fundamental to the > the turmoil of the present age. Like a tender maintenance of civilized life, calls for the > shoot just barely discernible above ground, utmost degree of understanding and cooperit must be nurtured to strength and maturity ation between society and the individual; > and buttressed as necessary against the blight and because of the need to foster a climate in > of strong winds and deadly entanglements which the untold potentialities of the indiwith weeds and thistles. If we to whose care vidual members of society can develop, this > this plant has been entrusted are insensitive relationship must allow "free scope" for > to its tenderness, the great tree which is its "individuality to assert itself' through modes > ce1iain potential will be hindered in its of spontaneity, initiative and diversity that > growth towards the spreading of its shelter- ensure the viability of society. Among the > ing branches over all humankind. From this responsibilities assigned to Baha'i instituperspective we must all consider the latent tions which have a direct bearing on these > danger to the Cause of ill-advised actions aspects of individual freedom and developand exaggerated expectations; and particu- ment is one which is thus described in the > larly must we all be concerned about the Constitution of the Universal House of > effects of words, especially those put in Justice: "to safeguard the personal rights, > print. It is here that Baha'i authors and freedom and initiative of individuals". A > publishers need to be attentive and exert corollary is: "to give attention to the preserrigorous discipline upon themselves, as well vation of human honour". > as abide by the requirements of review at this How noteworthy that in the Order of > early stage in the development of the Faith. Baha'u'llah, while the individual will is sub- > The right of the individual to self-expres- ordinated to that of society, the individual is > sion has pe1meated the foregoing comments not lost in the mass but becomes the focus of > on the various freedoms, but, even so, a primary development, so that he may find > word more might be said about individual his own place in the flow of progress, and > freedom. The fundamental attitude of the society as a whole may benefit from the > Faith in this respect is best demonstrated by accumulated talents and abilities of the indistatements of 'Abdu' l-Baha concerning the viduals composing it. Such an individual > family. "The integrity of the family bond", finds fulfilment of his potential not merely > He says, "must be constantly considered, in satisfying his own wants but in realizing > and the rights of the individual members his completeness in being at one with > must not be transgressed ... . All these rights humanity and with the divinely ordained > and prerogatives must be conserved, yet the purpose of creation. > unity of the family must be sustained. The The quality of freedom and of its expresinjury of one shall be considered the injury sion-indeed, the very capacity to maintain > of all; the comfort of each, the comfort of freedom in a society-undoubtedly depends > all; the honour of one, the honour of all." on the knowledge and training of individu- > The individual's relation to society is als and on their ability to cope with the > explained by Shoghi Effendi in the state- challenges of life with equanimity. As the > ment that "The Baha 'i conception of social beloved Master has written: "And the > life is essentially based on the principle of honour and distinction of the individual conthe subordination of the individual will to sist in this, that he among all the world's > that of society. It neither suppresses the indi- multitudes should become a source of social > vidual nor does it exalt him to the point of good. Is any larger bounty conceivable than > 518 THE BAI-L< ' i WORLD > > this, that an individual, looking within him- the human race? Consider what Baha' u'llah > self, should find that by the confirming has done: He revealed laws and principles > grace of God he has become the cause to guide the free; He established an Order > of peace and well-being, of happiness and to channel the actions of the free ; He proadvantage to his fellowmen? No, by the one claimed a Covenant to guarantee the unity > true God, there is no greater bliss, no more of the free . > complete delight." Thus, we hold to this ultimate perspec- > The spirit of liberty which in recent tive: Baha'u'llah came to set humanity free . > decades has swept over the planet with such His Revelation is, indeed, an invitation to > tempestuous force is a manifestation of the freedom- freedom from want, fre edom > vibrancy of the Revelation brought by from war, freedom to unite, freedom to > Baha' u'llah. His own words confirm it. "The progress, freedom in peace and joy. > Ancient Beauty", He wrote in a soul-stirring You who live in a land where freedom is > commentary on His sufferings, "hath con- so highly prized have not, then, to dispense > sented to be bound with chains that mankind with its fruits, but you are challenged and do > may be released from its bondage, and hath have the obligation to uphold and vindicate > accepted to be made a prisoner within this the distinction between the licence that limmost mighty Stronghold that the whole its your possibilities for genuine progress > world may attain unto true liberty." and the moderation that ensures the enjoy- > Might it not be reasonably concluded, ment of true liberty. > then, that "true liberty" is His gift of love to > IV > BAHA'f INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY > REPRESENTATION > > 1. THE BAHA'i FAITH AND THE UNITED NATIONS: > SUMMARY OF THE YEARS 194 7-1986 > > THE relationship of the world Baha'i For detailed information on Baha'i Intercommunity to the United Nations began in national Community activities with the U.N. > 1948, when the eight National Spiritual during this period, see earlier volumes of > Assemblies then existing were recognized The Baha'i World. > collectively by the United Nations Office of > Public Information (OPI) as an international The First Period: 1947- 1970 > non-governmental organization under the Although limited to activities educating the > name Baha'i International Community. An public about the aims and programs of the > official Baha'i-United Nations relationship United Nations, the first stage of Baha'ihad actually started a year before-in the United Nations cooperation allowed many > spring of 1947-when OPI accredited the opportunities for sharing the Baha' i perspec- > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is tive, both through participation in numerous > of the United States and Canada as a national non-governmental conferences, and through > non-governmental organization, qualified to the presentation to the United Nations of > be represented through an observer. several important statements. > The next step in Baha' i-United Nations One of the most important contributions > cooperation-and a major one-took place took place in 1947, when the United Nations > in 1970, when the Baha'i International Special Palestine Committee addressed a > Community was granted consultative status, letter to Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, Guardian > category II, with the United Nations of the Baha' i Faith, resident at the Baha'i > Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). World Centre in Haifa, requesting an > A few years later, in 1974, as an extension of expression of the Baha' i attitude to the > this relationship in the economic and social future of Palestine. Explaining that "Our aim > fields, the Baha'i International Community is the establishment of universal peace in the > established an association with the United world and our desire to see justice prevail in > Nations Environment Program (UNEP). every domain of human society, including > Then, in 1976- another important develop- the domain of politics," Shoghi Effendi > ment-it was welcomed into consultative enclosed with his reply a summary of the > status with the United Nations Children's history and teachings of the Baha'i Faith. > Fund (UNICEF). In 1985, it formali zed its Other presentations of note were: A > representation with the United Nations "Baha'i Declaration on Human Obligations > Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS). and Rights" (1947); a study entitled > 520 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > "Proposals for Charter Revision," circulated economic programs. Not only was it repreat a United Nations Conference for Revision sented at sessions of United Nations bodies > of the United Nations Charter (1955); a concerned with issues of aging, children, > statement endorsing the Genocide Conven- crime prevention, disabled persons, disarmation, presented to the President of the ment, energy-new and renewable sources, > Commission on Human Rights (1959); and a environment, exploration and peaceful uses > comprehensive statement to a meeting of the of outer space, the family, human rights, > United Nations Office of Public Information human settlements, law of the sea, narcotic > to discuss problems of cooperation "with the drugs, population, science and technology, > United Nations family insofar as its program social development, status of women, the > affects the new nations'', noting the "vigor- United Nations University, world food, and > ous assistance of Baha' i communities" tluáough youth, but it also furnished information, subthe implementation of Baha' i teachings and mitted statements and published brochures > principles, to help the less developed peo- on most of these subjects. In addition , > ples become integrated into the more the Baha' i International Community particideveloped society surrounding them (1960). pated in United Nations Years, in world > The Baha' i International Community was conferences and congresses, in regional > also able, even in the early years of its rela- conferences and in seminars concerned with > tionship with the United Nations, to assist in the socio-economic problems of our planet, > the protection and recognition of the Baha'i as well as in preparation and follow-up > world community. For example, appeals meetings and activities. > were lodged with the United Nations in 1955 When the Committee on Non-Governand 1962 on behalf of Baha' is being perse- mental Organizations, the functional > cuted in Iran and Morocco, respectively, and committee of ECOSOC in charge of fosterin 1967 a special edition of The Proclama- ing the United Nations relationship with > tion of Baha 'u 'llah was presented on behalf NGO's in the social and economic field, > of the Universal House of Justice to fifty-six reviewed the work of non-governmental > Heads of State, through their Permanent organizations in consultative status with > Representatives to the United Nations. ECO SOC during the years 1973-77, 1978- > 81, the Baha' i International Community > The Second Period: 1970- 1986 reports, showing an impressive number of > These years witnessed a noticeable increase activities recording warm cooperation with > in the range and depth of Baha'i-United the United Nations, were approved without > Nations cooperation, as the Baha'i Interna- questions. > tional Community began the steady growth Most gratifying during this period was > of its consultative relationship with ECOSOC the increased participation of national > and with UNICEF , and its associations with Baha'i communities, through their National > the United Nations Environment Program Spiritual Assemblies, United Nations repre- > (UNEP) and the United Nations Center for sentatives and committees, in fostering the > Human Settlements (UNCHS) while con- ties of the Baha'i world with the United > tinuing its close cooperation with the United Nations. They not only organized national > Nations Office-later Department-of Public and local Baha'i-United Nations activities, > Information. but also represented the Baha'i International > As it worked closely with ECOSOC, its Community at Conferences, and offered the > functional commissions, committees and grow ing experience of Baha'i social and > associated bodies, the Baha' i International economic development projects as applica- > Community gradually explored new aven ues tions of Baha'i teachings to the solution > of participation in United Nations soc ial and of specific world problems. In addition, > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I A CTIVITI ES 521 > National Spiritual Assemblies in countries non-partisan political nature, as well as > where United Nations conferences or its constructive contributions to the work of > meetings took place made a valuable contri- the United Nations resulting from its consulbution to successful Baha' i participation, tative status, made access to key United > furnishing clear evidence that each Baha'i Nations officials easier when a clear presencommunity did, in fact, share in the con- tation of the Baha'i position was needed. > sultative relationship of the Baha'i Interna- This became especially important from 1981 > tional Community with ECOSOC and on, since access to the United Nations > UNICEF. human rights organs-the Commission on > The Baha'i International Community Human Rights and the Subcommission on > worked closely, through its United Nations the Prevention of Discrimination and Protecrepresentative, with United Nations offices tion of Minorities-became crucial in > and officials at United Nations headquarters bringing the persecution of the Baha' i > in New York, as well as in Geneva, Vienna, community of Iran to the attention of the > and Nairobi; and-through representatives governments of the world, and curbing, to > from its member Baha'i communities with some extent, this flagrant case of religious > United Nations field offices around the discrimination. > world. It became clear during these years that, as > In addition, under the direction and government delegates and United Nations > guidance of the Universal House of Justice, personnel increasingly witnessed the Baha'i > contacts were made on many occasions presence, through extensive Baha' i repreduring this period with Missions to the sentation and a variety of written and oral > United Nations and the United Nations statements-many of the written ones circu- > Secretariat, to assist in the recognition of the lated as United Nations documents-they > Faith and the protection of Baha'i communi- were becoming aware ofa worldwide Baha' i > ties. Here again, a growing understanding of community committed to the spiritual and > the Baha'i International Community, its moral vision of the unity of mankind. > > 2. THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF THE BAHA'f > INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 1986-1992 > > Overview in such areas as fostering popular participa- > For more than twenty years, the United tion in development, enhancing the role of > Nations Office of the Baha' i International women, eliminating racial prejudice, and > Community has sought, through its consul- preventing drug abuse- all areas of intense > tative and working relations with the United interest to governments. > Nations ' specialized agencies, to support the The Baha' i International Community > work of the United Nations by sharing actively participated in the activities of non- > Baha ' i perspectives and experience. During governmental organizations (NGOs) at the > the Six Year Plan, Baha 'i International United Nations, prin1arily in Geneva, New > Community representatives attended more York and Vienna, participating in numerous > than one hundred UN consultative sessions NGO conferences and consultations. It > and international conferences . Many of the served as vice president (1986- 1988) and as > more than ninety statements and reports pre- secretary (1988- 1991) of the Board of the > sented between 1986 and 1992 were based Conference of Non-Governmental Organion the experience of Baha' i communities zations (CONGO) in Consultative Status > 522 THE BAI-IA'i WORLD > > with the United Nations Economic and national Community strengthened its > Social Council (ECOSOC). In Geneva, New presence at the UN Commission on the > York and Vienna, its representatives also Status of Women. Represented each year by > served as officers on NGO committees on an international delegation of women and > human rights, the family, women, human men, the Baha 'i International Community > settlements, development, youth, the Depart- presented more than fifteen statements, > ment of Public Information, and the United focusing on such topics as social and > Nations' Children's Fund (UNICEF). economic development, education, and the > Baha'is around the world assisted the status of the girl child. Baha'is with profes- > Baha'i International Community to carry out sional expertise became more involved in > its work. Volunteers in Nairobi, Rome and the United Nations work related to women > Vienna were appointed by the Baha'i Inter- over these six years, representing the Baha'i > national Conununity to help strengthen ties International Community at conferences, > with the UN Center for Social Development workshops, and symposia held at global and > and Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations regional levels. > Environment Program (UNEP), and the One direct result of Baha' i International > Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Community involvement with the Commis- > In addition, volunteers were appointed to rep- sion was a project financed by the United > represent the Baha'i International Community Nations Development Fund for Women > to the United Nations Regional Economic (UNIFEM) entitled Traditional Media as > Commissions for Africa in Addis Ababa, Change Agent. A Baha'i International > Ethiopia; for Latin America in Santiago, Conununity statement to the Commission in > Chile; and for Asia and the Pacific in 1988 suggested that permanent change in > Bangkok, Thailand. Organizing the work by the status of women requires the support of > sectors allowed the Baha' i International the whole community. The Director of > Conmrnnity United Nations Office to cover UNIFEM suggested that Baha 'is develop > efficiently an immense range of overlapping a project for funding by UNIFEM to foster > issues. These sectors included advancement that community support. In cooperation over > of women, education and social development, the next three years with the Baha'i Office > health, peace, human rights, and refugees. of Social and Economic Development, > selected National Spiritual Assemblies, > Promoting the Advancement of Women Baha'i consultants, and UNIFEM, the > The Baha'i International Community gave Baha'i International Conununity developed > high priority to the advancement of women, a project using traditional media, such as > participating fully in the work of the United music and dance, to stimulate village-wide > Nations in this area, particularly the Com- discussions about women's roles. The > mission on the Status of Women. The Baha' i two-year project, which began to be imple- > International Connnunity was represented mented in Bolivia, Cameroon, and Malaysia, > by both women and men at meetings called engaged entire communities in improving > by the Commission, including global and the status of women. Baha'i communities in > regional conferences, seminars, and work- Brazil and Nigeria also joined the project. > shops, and worked closely with the The joint Baha'i International Community/ > conmrnnity of NGOs at the United Nations UNIFEM project marked a new level of > in Geneva, New York, and Vienna. cooperation between the Baha'i Interna- > During the Six Year Plan, the work in this tional Conununity and the United Nations ' > area expanded and diversified, as seeds agencies. > sown during the Decade of Women (1976- The Baha'i International Conununity > 1985) began to bear fruit. The Baha'i Inter- Office of Public Information and the United > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I A CTIVITIES 523 > Nations Office jointly sponsored a presti- between women and men, stood in the foregious luncheon in Washington, D.C., in front of the movement toward equality in the > 1988 for the Executive Board of the Interna- international sphere. > tional Council of Women (ICW): The event, > held to commemorate the centennial of the Education and Social Sector > ICW, honoured Madame Laura Dreyfus Education, always a primary concern for > Barney, known to Baha'is as the compiler Baha'is, continued to be a priority for the > of Some Answered Questions, and a distin- Baha'i International Community United > guished member of the ICW. A reception to Nations Office. Preparation for and particicommemorate the life of Madame Barney pation in International Literacy Year (1990) > was also held in New York, co-sponsored by and the W arid Conference on Education for > the Baha'i International Community and All (1990), both sponsored by the United > UNICEF. Nations system, provided the focus for a > Awakening policy-makers to the important variety of educational activities. The UN > role of women in achieving food security for Office promoted the International Literacy > Africa was also a major Baha'i International Year by providing National Spiritual > Community focus. In 1988, the Baha'i Assemblies with information about the year, > International Community began serving as by serving on the International Task Force > convenor of Advocates for African Food on Literacy, and by attending five interna- > Security: Lessening the Burden of Women, tional meetings in Europe, Asia, and Africa. > a unique coalition of international and The Baha'i International Community also > national NGOs, United Nations agencies, promoted "The Book Voyage", a global > and intergovernmental organizations. Con- project which collected the writings of > vinced that women are the key to food newly literate men and women and compiled > security in Africa, where eighty to ninety them into a ceremonial book. A special > percent of the food for domestic consump- edition of this book was presented to the UN > tion is produced by women, the Advocates Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Perez de > strove to raise the awareness of policy- Cuellar, by a Baha'i International Commumakers to this fact, and the importance of nity representative and a literacy learner > involving women in all levels of decision- from Kenya at UN Headquarters during a > making to end the food crisis. Annual ceremony coordinated by the Baha'i Internasymposia at the United Nations in New York tional Community. > were held; wide circulation was given to a The Baha'i contribution to the 1990 > survey on the status of food security in World Conference on Education for All, > Africa, conducted by the Advocates in 1990 held in Jomtien, Thailand, and sponsored by > and compiled by a Baha'i consultant; UNICEF, the United Nations Development > brochures and symposium reports were Program (UNDP), the United Nations Edudistributed, as well as a video entitled A Day cation, Scientific and Cultural Organization > in the Life of an African Woman Farmer. In (UNESCO), and the World Bank, was nota- > April 1992, a member of the Continental ble. The Baha'i International Community > Board of Counsellors in Africa participated in published and distributed Survey of Baha 'i > the first Advocates symposium held in Africa. Education Programmes and contributed > Gradually, the idea that the advancement four papers to the round-table discussions . > of women is a prerequisite for peace and In addition, the Baha'i International > development became more widely accepted. Community representative was asked to rep- > The Baha'i International Community, with resent NGOs on the steering group for the > its sustained involvement in this area and conference. The New York Baha 'i Internaits uncommon emphasis on partnership tional Community United Nations Office was > 524 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > The Baha 'i International Community > was represented at the > World Health > Assembly, held in > Geneva, Switzerland, > from 2 to 14 May 1988. > Shown at right, > Dr. Ethel Martens. > > instrumental in developing an Education For the World Summit on Children, held for > All Network. For the last two years of the Heads of State at United Nations headquar- > Plan, this network encouraged NGOs to ters in 1991 , was attended by a Baha'i > contribute to the achievement of the ambi- International Community observer. > tious education goals adopted at the conference. The Baha ' i International Community Health > representative attended regional meetings on In suppori of the World Health Organizaeducation sponsored by the Network in tion' s (WHO) goal of Health for All by the > Bangladesh and Chile. Year 2000 through Prirnaty Health Care, > Increased international attention to educa- Baha'i communities around the world > tion issues and the visible contribution of the initiated health projects, most emphasizing > Baha'i International Community strength- education for health. This increased activity > ened its relations with UNICEF and made it encouraged the Baha' i International Combetter known to UNESCO. As a consultative munity United Nations Office to intensify its > NGO since 1976, the Baha'i International own involvement with health issues. > Community addressed the 1991 meeting of In Geneva, WHO headquarters, the > the UNICEF Executive Board, supporting Baha'i International Community became an > its emphasis on educating girls. The Baha' i active member of the NGO Prima1y Health > International Community also assisted with Care Group in 1986. Baha' i International > three major UNICEF conferences: one in Community representatives attended the > Zimbabwe on Child Development in Africa annual sessions of both the WHO Executive > and two in New York on Education of the Board and the World Health Assembly, and > Girl Child. Through these and other activities, participated actively in Assembly Technical > local Baha ' i programs in education and the Discussions. The same year, the Baha ' i > Baha' i commitment to universal education International Community established workbecame better known throughout the world. ing relations with WHO and subsequently > The Baha'i International Community's continued to sháengthen cooperation with the > dedication to children was not limited to organization. Primary health care activities > education. As participants in both United at the grass roots level, many in cooperation > Nations and NGO human rights working with WHO, included the involvement > groups , Baha' i International Community of Baha' i conmmnities in Burkina Faso, > representatives helped draft the Convention Cameroon, India, Laos , Kenya, Malawi, > on the Rights of the Child, contributing Malaysia, Swaziland, Tanz ania, Thailand, > notably to the text of Atiicle 17. In addition, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 525 > The Baha'i International Community sup- on peace and disarmament, including the > ported education for health by distributing United Nations Conference for Promotion of > sample copies of Facts for Life, a publica- International Cooperation in the Peaceful > tion sponsored by UNICEF, WHO, and Uses of Nuclear Energy, the UN Confer- > UNESCO, to forty-one National Assemblies ences on Disarmament and Development, > and providing over five thousand copies and the Third Special Session of the United > in four languages free of charge to thirty Nations General Assembly Devoted to > national Baha' i communities. The Baha'i Disarmament. > International Community also supported the > development by Baha' is of a model commu- Protection and Promotion of Human > nity health workers' training program, based Rights > on the elements of primary health care, and Beginning in 1980, the Baha' i International > adaptable to the needs of each community. Community vigorously sought protection > through the United Nations human rights > Peace system for the beleaguered Baha' i commu- > The International Year of Peace (1986), pro- nity in iran. It also actively promoted the > claimed by the United Nations, was well human rights of all people. > underway when the Six Year Plan began, The United Nations first intervened on > and the Universal House of Justice had behalf of the Baha'i community in Iran in > already addressed The Promise of World 1955. When persecutions began again in > Peace to the peoples of the world. The pro- 1979, the Baha' i community in iran, having > cess of distributing that message to Heads no recourse at the national level, once > of State, UN ambassadors, and officials, again appealed for protection to the United > however, was just beginning. As a result of Nations human rights system. The 1980 > concerted efforts by the Baha'i International Sub-Commission on the Prevention of > Community and national Baha'i communi- Discrinllnation and Protection of Minorities, > ties around the world, by January 1989 The in response to a Baha' i International Com- > Promise of World Peace had been translated munity request, issued the first of several > into seventy-six languages and distributed resolutions asking the Iranian authorities to > to more than two hundred Heads of State, respect the rights of Baha ' is. Subsequently, > many through their Ambassadors at the concern for the welfare of the Baha'i > United Nations, and to over two million community in Iran was expressed repeatedly > individuals. A wide range of peace activi- in the United Nations Commission on > ties, centered around this message of hope, Human Rights and in the General Assembly. > led the United Nations Secretary-General to At first, the resolutions by the Commisdesignate the Baha'i International Commu- sion and Sub-Commission, the expressions > nity and five of its affiliates-the National of concern by the General Assembly, and > Assemblies of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, the public outrage, pa11icularly over the exe- > Kenya, and Lesotho-as "Peace Messen- cutions, seemed to have little effect. In 1986, > gers," an honor bestowed on only three however, the Commission on Human Rights > hundred organizations in the world. appointed Reynaldo Galindo Pohl Special > The Baha'i International Community Representative of the Commission and > supported the many activities of the Interna- called on the Iranian government to coopertional Year of Peace Secretariat (later the ate by inviting him to visit Iran. For two > Peace Studies Unit) and the UN Department years the Iranian government refused, but > ofDisam1ament Affairs. In addition, Baha'i in 1988 it agreed to accept Mr. Galindo > International Community representatives par- Pohl 's visit and to cooperate with his > ticipated in major United Nations meetings investigations. > 526 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > A representative of the > National Spiritual > Assembly of the > Baha 'is of Brazil > receiving the United > Nations' "Peace > Messengers" award > from Merida Morales > 0 'Donnel, chief of the > UN High Commission > for Refugees, in Brazil > on 15 September J 987. > > A year prior to Mr. Galindo Pohl's visit, Violations of the rights of Baha'is in > the government began systematically to other countries were also reported to the UN > release Baha'is from the prisons and jails. human rights system. In addition, the Baha' i > Baha'i children were re-admitted to elemen- International Community devoted considertary and secondary schools, and executions able attention to promoting the human rights > came to a halt in 1988. Although the worst of children and minorities, supporting human > abuses were coming to an end, discrimina- rights education, cooperating with other > tion continued and the Baha'i Faith remained NGOs and participating in the preparat01y > a proscribed religion. process for the World Conference on Human > Unable to meet with Mr. Galindo Pohl on Rights to be held in 1993. The Baha'i Interhis first visit to Iran, Baha'is succeeded in national Community presented approxin1ately > meeting with him on Iranian soil in 1990. He forty oral and written statements to the > subsequently made two more visits to Iran, Commission and to the Sub-Commission > and his reports, verifying and deploring the on such issues as the need for religious tolerdiscrimination against Baha'is, became pro- ance and respect for the rights of minorities > gressively more critical. and the disabled, the right to development, > Besides sensitizing the United Nations the need to eliminate torture and racism, the > system, government missions in Geneva, World Public Information Campaign on > and NGOs, the Baha'i International Com- Human Rights, and the need for a more just > munity United Nations Office worked international economic order. The Baha' i > closely with National Spiritual Assemblies , International Community contributed to a > providing periodic updates, and requesting UN study on minorities and to the draft dectheir assistance. By bringing to the attention laration on the rights of minorities. > of their governments the plight of the The Baha'i International Community's > Baha ' is in Iran, National Assemblies played participation in the drafting of the Convena critical role in mobilizing the international tion on the Rights of the Child was, perhaps, > community and strengthened relations with its most significant contribution. Baha ' i > their governments. In consultation with the International Community representatives > Baha ' i World Centre, the Baha'i Interna- proposed much of the wording for what > tional Community office in Geneva also became Article 17 of the Convention ensurselected and translated relevant documents ing the access of children to appropriate > for submission to those in the UN system info1TI1ation. Article 17 addresses the role > monitoring discrin1ination. of the media in disseminating to children > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAl-L.\'i ACTIVITIES 527 > information that promotes social, spiritual, transfer facilitated closer interaction with > and moral well-being and physical and the United Nations High Commissioner for > mental health. The Baha'i International Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva and with > Community attended the two meetings of other organizations concerned with refugee > the Preparatory Committee for the World matters. During the last year of the Six Year > Conference on Human Rights, contributing Plan, the number of refugees leaving Iran > statements to both meetings. decreased substantially. The Refugee Office > continued to monitor the resettlement of > Refugee Office refugees and to assist the National Assem- > In 1990, the Baha'i International Refugee bly of Pakistan, the UNHCR and other > Office, which had been established in relevant agencies in Pakistan, where most > Canada by the Universal House of Justice of the refugees had initially arrived, in proin 1986, was transferred to Geneva. This cessing Baha'i refugee cases. > > ANNEX I > > Special United Nations Conferences, Congresses and Seminars in which the Baha'i > International Community Participated 1986--1992 > > I. Un ited Nations Seminar on Internati onal Assistance on the Rights of the Child; Geneva, Switzerland; > and Support to Peoples and Movements Struggling 20- 22 January 1988. Rep: Mrs. Machid Fatio. > Against Co lonialism, Racism, Racial Discrimina- 8. World Health Assembly (WI-IA) Technical Discustion and Apartheid; Yaounde, Cameroon; 28 April- sions on "Leadership Development for Health for > 9 May April 1986. Rep: Mr. E.O. Asare. All "; Geneva, Switzerland; 7- 9 May 1988. Reps: > 2. United Nations General Assemb ly Special Session Mr. Giovanni Ballerio, Dr. Ethel Martens. > on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa; New 9. African Seminar on the Universal Declaration of > York, U.S.A; 27-3 1 May I 986. Reps: Mrs. Mary Human Rights; Lome, Togo; 5-7 April 1988. Rep: > Sawicki Power, Mr. Victor de Araujo . Dr. Akouete Akakpo-Vidah. > 3. United Nations Conference for Promotion of Inter- IO. Third Special Session of the Un ited Nations General > national Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Assembly Devoted to Disarmament; New York, > Nuc lear Energy (UNCPICPUNE); Geneva, Switzer- U.S.A.; 8- 16 May 1988. Reps: Mr. Robert Wh ite, > land; 23 March-I 0 April 1987. Reps: Mr. Giovanni Mr. Victor de Araujo. > Ballerio, Mrs. Machid Fatio, Mr. Gerald Knight . 11. European Workshop on the Un iversal Declaration > 4. United Nations International Conference on Drug of Human Rights: Past, Present and Future; Milan, > Abuse and Il licit Trafficking (I CDA IT) ; Vienna, Ita ly; 7-9 September 1988. Rep: Mr. Morten > Austria; 17- 26 June 1987. Reps: Mr. Giovanni Bal- Bergs mo. > Jerio, Mr. Khashayar Forghani, Mrs. Neda Forghani, 12. Fourth Regiona l Conference on the Integration of > Dr. 'Abdu' I Missagh Ghadirian, Mrs. Helene l-lolzl, Women into the Economic and Social Development > Mrs. Naghmih Mavaddat, Dr. Roland Philipp. of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); > 5. Intern ational Conference on the Relationship Guatemala City, G uatema la ; 27- 30 September > Between Disarmament and Development; New 1988. Rep: Mrs. Helen Mirkovitch de Sanchez. > York, U.S.A.; 24 August- I I September 1987 . Reps: 13. United Nations Global Consultation on Racial > Mr. Victor de Araujo, Mr. Paul Ojermark. Discrimination; Geneva, Switzerland; 3- 7 October > 6. Interregiona l Consultation on Developmental Social 1988. Rep: Mr. Wytze Bos. > Welfare Policies and Programmes; Vienna, Austria; 14. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) In for- > 7- 15 September 1987. Reps: Mr. G iovanni Bal lerio, ma l Consultation on the Drafting of the Convention > Mr. Paul Ojermark, Mrs. Neda Forghani, on the Rights of the Chi ld; Geneva, Switzerland; > Mrs. Helene Holz!. November 1988. Reps: Mr. Wytze Bos. > 7. Un ited Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) In for- 15. UN Seminar on the Teaching of Human Rights; > mal Consultation on the Drafting of the Convention Geneva; 5- 9 December 1988. Rep: Mr. Wytze Bos. > 528 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 16. United Nations Commemoration of the Fortieth Development (UNCED); Nairobi, Kenya; 6--31 Aug- > Anniversary of the Universal Declarati on of Human ust 1990. Reps: Mrs. Joy M 'boya, Mrs. Rose Akech , > Rights; Geneva, Switzerland; 12 December 1988. Mr. Greg Du ly. > Reps: Mr. Wytze Bos, Mrs. Machid Fatio. 30. lnternational Bureau of Education of the United > 17. United Nations Commemoration of the Fortieth Nations Educational, Scientific and Cu ltural Orga- > Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human ni zation (UNESCO-IBE) In ternational Conference > Rights sponsored by UNESCO; Paris, France; on Education, 42nd Session, Geneva, Switzerland; > 8- 10 Dece mber 1988. Reps: Mr. Wytze Bos, 3- 8 September 1990. Reps: Mr. Giovanni Ballerio, > Mrs. C hristine Samandari-Hakim. Mr. Daniel Wegener. > 18. International Bureau of Education of the United 31 . Second United Nations Conference on Trade and > Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Orga- Development in the Least Developed Countries > ni zation (UNESCO-IB E) International Conference (UNCTAD); Pari s, France; 3- 14 September 1990. > on Educati on, 41 st Session; Geneva, Switzerland; Reps: Mrs. Li esbeth Bos de Jong, Mr. Wytze Bos. > 9- 17 January 1989. Rep: Mr. Giovanni Ballerio. 32. UN World Summit on Chi ldren; New York, U.S.A .; > 19. United Nations Seminar on the Effects of Racism 30 September 1990. Rep: Dr. Wilma Elli s. > and Racia l Discrimination on the Social and 33. Economic and Social Council for Asia and the > Economic Relations between Ind igenous Peoples Pacific (ESCAP)/Non-governmental organization > and States; Geneva, Switzerland; 16- 20 January (NGO) Media Sympos ium on Communication for > 1989. Reps: Mr. Wytze Bos, Mrs. Machid Fatio. Environment; Bangkok, Thailand; 6--10 October > 20 .World Health Assembly (W I-IA) Techn ical Discus- 1990. Reps: Mrs. Samireh Smith, Mr. Husayn > s ions on "Health of Youth"; Geneva, Switzerland; Anwar. > 11 - 13 May 1989. Reps: Mr. Giovanni Ballerio, 34. Second Mini sterial session of the World Climate > Dr. Ethel Martens. Conference sponsored by World Meteorological > 21. International Conference on the Protection and Organi zation (WMO), United Nations Environment > Promotion of Child Rights; Beijing, China; Program (UNEP), United Nations Educational > 20-23 November 1989. Rep: Mrs . Nahid Mohajeri Scientific and Cu ltural Organ ization (UNESCO), > Eng. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the > 22. Fourth Regional Conference on the Integration of International Counci l of Scientific Unions (!CSU) ; > Women in Developmen t and on the Implementation Geneva, Switzerland; 6- 7 November 1990. Rep: > of the Arusha Strategies for the Advance of Women Mr. Lawrence Arturo. > in Africa (ECA); Abuja, Nigeria; 6--10 November 35. UN In ternationa l Seminar on Political, Historical , > 1989. Rep: Mrs. Alasebu Gebre Selassie. Economic, Social and Cu ltural Factors ContTibuting > 23. Worl d Health Organization Consultati on with Inter- to Racism, Racial Discrimination and Apartheid; > national Women's NGOs on AIDS Prevention , Geneva, Switze rland ; 10-14 December 1990. Reps: > Con trnl and Care; Geneva, Switzerland; 21 - 22 Dec- Mr. Wytze Bos, Mrs. Machid Fatio. > ember 1989. Reps: Mr. Giovanni Ballerio, Dr. Denise 36. First session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating > Be li sle Committee for a Framework Convention on C limate > 24. UN General Assembly Special Session on Drug Change; Washington , D.C.; 4- 14 February 1991. > Abuse; New York City, U.S.A.; 20- 23 February Reps: Mrs. Mona Grieser, Mr. Richard Grieser. > 1990. Rep: Dr. A.M. Ghadirian. 37. The Latin American and Caribbean Regional Prepa- > 25. World Conference on Education for All by the Year ratory Meeting for the United Nations Conference > 2000 , sponsored by United Nations Educational on Environment and Development (UNCED); > Scientific and C ultural Organ ization (UNESCO), Mexico C ity, Mexico; 4-7 March 199 1. Rep: > United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Mr. Lawrence Arturo. > World Bank; Jomtien, Thailand, 5- 9 March 1990. 38. Second Preparatory Committee (Prepcom) session > Rep: Mr. Dani el Wegener. for the UN Conference on Environment and Deve l- > 26. Globa l Consultation on the Rea li zation of the Right opment (UNCED); Geneva, Switzerland ; 18 Marchto Development as a Human Right; Geneva, 5 April 199 I. Rep: Mrs . Han-Ju Kim-Farley. > 8- 12 Jan uary 1990. Rep: Mrs. Machid Fatio. 39. United Nations Consu ltation on the implementation > 27 . Regional preparatory meeting fo r the United of the Convention on the Rights of the Child ; > Nations Conference on Environment and Develop- Geneva, Switzerland; 8 May 1991. Rep: Mr. > ment (UNCED); Bergen, Norway; 8- 16 May 1990. Giovanni Ballerio. > Rep: Mr. Robert White. 40. United Nations Meeting of Peace Messenger > 28. Un ited Nations Asian/ Pacific Workshop on Interna- Organizations; Dagomys, U.S.S.R., 10- 14 June > tional Human Rights Issues; Manila , Philippines; 1991. Rep: Mrs. Machid Fatio. > 7- 11 May 1990. Rep: Dr. Martha Taylor. 41. Third Preparatory Co mmittee (Prepcom) session for > 29. First Preparatory Committee (Prepcom) session for the Un ited Nations Conference on Environment and > the United Nations Conference on Environment and Deve lopment (UNCED); Geneva, Switzerland ; > INT ERNA TIONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 529 > 12 August-4 September 199 1. Reps : Mrs. Rebequa Ed ucation for All by the Year 2000; Paris, France; > Getahoun Murphy, Mrs . Han -J u Kim-Farley. December 1991. Rep : Mr. Daniel Wegener. > 42. First Preparatory Committee session for the Un ited 47. World Health Organi zation International Forum on > Nations World Conference on Human Rights; "Health: a Cond itionality for Economic Devel op- > Geneva, Switzerland; 9- 16 September 199 1. Reps: ment, Breakin g the Cyc le of Poverty and Inequity"; > Mr. Wytze Bos, Mrs. Machid Fatio. Accra, Ghana; 4-6 December 199 1. Rep : Mrs. > 43. United Nations Educational Scientifi c and Cultural Beatrice Asare. > Organization Sub -Regional Meeting on Literacy in 48. Regional Consultation on Ed ucati on for All for > Francophone Africa; Porto Novo, Benin; October South Asia; Dhaka, Bangladesh; 24- 26 February > 1991. Reps: Mr. Daniel Wegener, Mrs. Parvin 1992. Rep: Mr. Daniel Wegener. > Djoneidi. 49. Fourth Preparatory Committee (Prepcom) sess ion > 44. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and for the United Nations Conference on Environment > the Pac ific (ESCAP) South As ian and Pacific Mini s- and Development (UNCED); New York, U.S.A.; > teri al Confe rence on Soc ial Welfare and Social 2 March- 3 April 1992. Reps : Mr. Lawrence Arturo, > Development; Manila, Philippines; 7- 11 October Mrs. Han-Ju Kim-Farley. > 199 1. Reps: Mr. Husayn Anwar, Mrs . Tinai Hancock. 50. Second Preparatory Committee session for the > 45 . United Nations Regional Symposi um on Co-opera- Uni ted Nations World Conference on Human > tion between the Economic and Social Commiss ion Rights; Geneva, Switzerl and ; 30 March- I 0 April > for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Non-govern- 1992. Reps: Mr. Wytze Bos, Mrs. Machid Fatio. > mental Organi zations (NGOs) for Rura l Poverty 5 1. Uni ted Nations Educational Sc ientific and Cultural > Alleviation; Bangkok, Thai land; 16-- 19 December Organ ization (UNESCO) Regional Seminar on > 199 1. Reps: Mrs. Tinai Hancock. Strategies to Satisfy Bas ic Learning Needs; Santi- > 46. Un ited Nations Educati onal Scientific and Cultural ago, Chil e; 20- 22 Apri l 1992. Reps: Mr. Dani el > Organization International Consultative Forum on Wegener, Mrs. Helen Mirkovitch de Sanchez. > > ANNEX II > > Statements, Reports and other Publications Presented by the Baha'i International > Community to the United Nations Ri<;Ivan 1986-Ri<;lvan 1992 > > I . Statemen t to the 42nd Session of the Economi c and 6. A Report to the United Nations Chil dren' s Fund > Social Commi ss ion for Asia and th e Pacific (UNICEF) on Baha'i In ternational Commun ity > (ESCAP); Bangkok, Thailand, 22 April- 2 May activities in support of International Youth Year, > 1986. submitted 3 Jun e 1986. > 2. Statemen t to the N inth Session of the United 7. Report to the UN Economic and Soc ial Council > Nations Commission on Human Settlements; (ECOSOC) on Baha'i In ternational Community > Istanbul , T urkey, 5--6 May 1986. consultative activities during the period January > 3. " Food Security: The African Woman Farmer," 1982/December 1985; submitted 20 Jun e 1986. > a statement by Semin ar Resource Person Paul 8. "Education for Peace and Unity"; a statement > Oj ermark of the Baha'i Intern ational Community at submitted to the International Sympos ium "Educaa symposi um sponsored by the Advocates for tion fo r International Understanding and Peace"; > African Food Security at UN Headqu arters, New Barce lona, Spain , 7- 12 Jul y 1986. > York, U.S.A., 15 May 1986. 9. " Persecution of the Baha' is in Iran 1979- 1986. A 7- > 4. " Help African Women"; a statement presented Year Campaign to Elimin ate a Religious Minority," > jointly by the members of the Advocates for African Second Ed ition. A booklet published by the Baha'i > Food Security to the UN General Assembly Spec ial Intern ational Community United Nations Office. > Session on the Critica l Economic Situati on in I 0. Statement to the Genera l Congress of the Interna- > Africa; New York, U.S.A ., 27-31 May 1986. tional Catholi c Child Bureau; Rome, Italy, > 5. "Conflict-Free Confli ct Resolution: Concepts and 1-3 December 1986. > Methods" a paper by Hossain Danesh presented by 11 "Prevention of Drug Abuse: A Baha'i Perspective", > the Baha'i In ternational Community to the World a paper by A.M. Ghadirian , M .D., presented at the > Congress Devoted to the International Year of Peace InteJTegional Conference on the Involvement of > sponsored by the World Association of World NGOs in Prevention and Reduction of the Demand for > Federalists; Copenhagen, Denmark, October 1986. Drugs; Stockholm, Sweden, 15- 19 Dece mber 1986. > 530 Tl-IE BAHA ' I WORLD > > 12. "The Fami ly: A Baha'i Perspective," a statement 22. Oral statement to the 43rd session of the Un ited > to the consul tation "The Family as the First Nations Commi ss ion on Human Rights on torture > Community," sponsored by the New York Non- and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or > Governmenta Organ ization Worki ng Group on the punish111ent; Geneva, January/March 1987. > Family; New York, U.S.A. , 7 January 1987. 23. Oral statement to the 43rd session of the Com111is- > 13. Statemen t submitted jointly by several non-govern- sion on Human Rights on the role of youth in the > menta l organizations to the United Nations promotion and protection of human rights; Geneva, > Co mmission on the Status of Women on the consul- January/March 1987. > tative role of NGOs in the implementation of the 24. Oral statement to the 43rd session of the United > Commission' s future work and in the Commiss ion's Nati ons Commi ssion on Human Rights in rebuttal > efforts to integrate the Na irobi Forward- Looking of the charges made by the representative of the > Strategies in to the Med ium-Term Plan and in to lsla111ic Republic of Iran in hi s statement to the > development programs; Vienna, Austria, 15 January Commiss ion on 5 March 1987; and in hi s reply on > 1987. 9 and 10 March 1987. Geneva, March 1987. > 14. Ora l statement to the 30th sess ion of the United 25. Oral statement to the United Nations Conference for > Nations Comm ission for Social Develop ment on the Promotion of Internati onal Cooperation in the > !Tends and strategies for socia l integrati on through Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (UNCP IC PUNE); > popu lar participation and poli cies for the advance- Geneva, Switzerland, 23 March- 0 April 1987. > ment of speci fie soc ial groups; V ienna, Austria , 26. Oral sta tement to the Tenth Sess ion of the UN Com- > 23 February-4 March 1987 . mi ss ion on Human Settlements; Nairob i, Kenya, > 15. Oral statement to the 43rd sess ion of the UN 6- 16 April 1987. > Commi ssion on Human Rights on the human 27. Wri tten statement to the 27th session of the Un ited > ri g hts si tuation of the Baha'is in Iran ; Geneva, Nations Committee for Programme and Co-ord ina- > Switzerland , 21 Janu ary 1987. ti on on Recurrent Publications of the United Nations, > 16. Ora l statement to the 43rd sess ion of the United circulated as UN documen t E/AC.5 111 987/12; > Nations Commi ss ion on Human Rights on the status 28 Apri\- 23 May 1987. > of the in ternationa l covenant on economic, soc ial 28. Oral statement to the Un ited Nations International > and cultural rights. Geneva, Switzerland, Janu ary/ Conference on Drug Abuse and Illi cit Traffi cking; > March 1987. Vienna, Austria, 17- 26 June 1987. > 17. Oral statement to the 43rd sess ion of the United 29. Statement on the Rights of Ind igenous Popu lations > Nations Commiss ion on Human Rights on the Ques- presented to the 5th session of the Workin g Gro up > tion of the Violation of Human Rights and on In dige nous Popul ations of the Sub-Commiss ion > Fundamental Freedoms in any Part of the World; on the Prevention of Discrim inat io n and Protection > Geneva, Sw itze rl and, January/ March 1987. of Min orities; Geneva , Switze rl and, 30 Ju ly 1987. > 18. Written statement to the 43rd session of th e 30. Written statement to the Internationa l Conference > Commi ssion on Human Rights on the Ques ti on of on the Re lationship between Disarmame nt and > the Violation of Human Rights and Fundamental Develop111ent, circ ul ated as UN doc ument A/ > Freedo ms in any Part of the World, with Particular Conf. 130/NG0/34; New York City, U.S.A. , > Reference to Co lonial and Other Dependent Coun- 24 A ugust- I I September 1987. > tries and Territories, circu lated as UN document E/ 3 1. Written statement to the United Nations Interre- > CN.411987/23; Geneva, Switzerland, 28 Jan uary gional Consultation on Deve lopment Social We lfare > 1987. Po li cies and Programmes, circu lated as UN docu- > 19. Ora l statement to the 43rd sess ion of the United ment E/CONF.80/NG0 .7; V ienna, Austria, > Nation s Co mmi ss ion on Human Rights on the 7-15 September 1987. > Implementati on of the Programme of Action for the 32. Oral state ment to the UN Interregional Consultati on > Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racia l on Deve lopmenta l Soc ial We lfare Policies and Pro- > Discrimination; Geneva, January/March 1987. grammes; Vienna, AustTia, I 0 September 1987. > 20. State ment to the 43rd sess ion of the United Nations 33. The Baha'i State ment on Nature, presented to HRH > Com111iss ion on Hu111an Rights on the !111pl ementa- the Duke of Edi nburgh when the Baha ' i Fa ith > tion of the Declaration on the Eli111ination of A ll became the sixth major religion to joi n the Worl d > For111s of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Network on Conseron Rel igion or Be lief; Geneva, January/ March 1987. vation and Re li gion on 5 October 1988. > 2 1. O ral state ment to the 43rd sess ion of the UN Co111- 34. Oral statement on the situation of human ri ghts in > mi ssion on Hu111an Rights on the Question of the the Islamic Republic of Iran presented to the Th ird > rea lization in all co untries of the rights contained in Committee of the Un ited Nations General Assembly > the Universa l Dec laration of Human Rights and in at its 42nd session during consideration of the > the In ternationa l Covenant on Economic, Socia l and Report of the Economic and Soc ial Co uncil ; New > C ultural Rights; Geneva, .J anuary/March 1987. York C ity, U.S.A., 12 October 1987. > INTER NAT IO NAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIV ITI ES 531 > 35 . Written statement to the I 0th special session of the 47. Written statement on measures to combat racism > Uni ted Nations Economic and Social Counci l Com- and racial discrimination and the ro le of the Submission on Narcotic Drugs, circulated as UN Com mission circulated as UN document E/CN.4/ > document E/CN.7/1988/NG0. 1; Vienna, Austria, Sub.211988/NG0/5 al the 40th session of the UN > 8- 19 February 1988. Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination > 36. Oral statement on the implementation of the pro- and Protection of Minorities; Geneva, Switzerland , > gram me of action for the Second Decade to Combat 8 A ugust l 988. > Racism and Racia l Discrimination presented to the 48. Oral statement on th e human ri ghts situation of the > 44th sess ion of the UN Comm iss ion on Human Baha'is in iran presented to th e 40th session of the > Rights ; Geneva, Switzerland, l 0 February 1988. United Nations Sub-commission on Prevention of > 3 7. Oral statement on the right to development pre- Discrimination and Protection of Minori ties; > sented to the 44th session of the UN Commission on Geneva, Switzerland, August 1988. > Human Rights; Geneva, Switzerland, l 6 February 49. Oral statement on human ri ghts and disability pre- > 1988. sented to the 40th session of the UN Sub- > 38. Oral statement on the elimination of re ligiou s Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and > discrimination presented to the 44th session of the Protection of Minorities; Geneva, Switzerland, > UN Commission on Human Rights; Geneva, August 1988. > Switzerland, 17 February 1988. 50. Written statement on human rights and disabi li ty, > 39. Oral statement on the elimination of torture pre- circul ated as UN document E/C N.4/Sub.211988/ > sented to th e 44th session of the UN Co mmi ssion on NG0/4 at the 40th sess ion of the UN Sub-Commis- > Human Rights; Geneva, Switzerl and, 19 February sion on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection > 1988. of Minorities; Geneva, Switzerland , August 1988. > 40. Oral statement on the human rights situati on of 5 1. Oral statement lo the Fourth Regional Conference > the Baha ' is in Iran, presented to the 44th session of on the Integration of Women into the Economi c > the UN Commission on Human Rights; Geneva, and Soc ial Development of Latin America and the > Switzerland, I March 1988 . Caribbean; Guatemala City, Guatemala, 27-30 Sep- > 4 1. Written statement on equality presented to the 32nd tember 1988. > session of the UN Commission on the Status of 52. "Spiri tua l Foundations for an Eco logica lly Sustain- > Women, circu lated as UN document E/CN.6/ 1988/ able Society," an essay by Robert White, origina lly > NGO/ I; Vienna, Austria, 14-23 March 1988. pub li shed in Th e Joum a/ of Balui 'i Studies (vo l. 2, > 42. Written statement on the problems of rural women, no. I), issued as a monograph by the Office for the > includ ing food, water resources, agricultural tech- Environme nt as a contributi on lo the preparatory > nology, rural empl oyment, transportation and process for the Un ited Nations Co nference on Envienvironment, circu lated as UN document E/CN.6/ ronment and Development. > 1988/NGO/l 3 at the UN Comm ission on the Status 53.0NE COUNTRY, Winter 1989, Vol. I, Issue I, the > of Women; Austria, 14- 23 March 1988. news letter of the Baha'i International Community. > 43. Oral statement to the 44th session of the Economic Headline: "New Conservation Project Reaches oul > and Social Commission for Asia and the Pac ifi c lo Artistic Worl d," distributed 10 ambassadors, > (ESCAP); Jakarta, Indonesia, 11-20 Apri l 1988. diplomats and other leaders of thought. > 44. Comments and views on a UN-commissioned study 54. Oral statement on implem entation of the Proo n the Ach ievements made and Obstacles Encoun- gram me of Action for the Second Decade to Combat > tered during the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racia l Discri mination presented to the > Racism and Racial Discrimination, subm itted to the 45th UN Commission on Human Rights; Geneva, > UN Centre for Human Rights; Ge neva, Sw itzerland, Switzerland, 8 February 1989. > 23 June 1988. 55. Ora l statement on the prob lems whi ch th e develop- > 45. Ora l statement on the evo lution of standards con- ing countries face in their effo rts lo achi eve > cerni ng the rights of indigenous popu lations, economic, soc ia l and cu ltural rights, presented to the > presented to the 6th session of the Working Group 45th United Nations Comm ission on Human Rights; > on Indigenous Popu lations of the 40th session of the Geneva, Switzerland, 9 February 1989. > United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of 56. Oral statement on a World Campa ign for Human > Discrimination and Protection of Minorities; Rights presented to the 45th United Nations Com - > Geneva, Switzerland, 1- 5 August 1988. mission on Human Rights; Geneva, Swi tzerland, > 46. Oral statement on measures to combat racism and 15 February 1989. > racial discrimin ation and the ro le of the Sub-Com- 57. Oral statement on the human ri ghts situation of the > missio n lo the 40th session of the UN Sub- Baha'is in Iran presented lo the 45th Commission on > commi ss ion on Preventio n of Disc ri mination and Human Rights; Geneva, Switze rland, I March 1989. > Protection of Minoriti es; Geneva , Switzerland, 58. Oral statement on implementation of the Dec lara- > A ug ust 1988. ti on on the Elim ination of Al l Form s of Intolerance > 532 THE BAHA'f WORLD > > and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, Community for distribution at the World Conferpresented to the 45th Comm ission on Human ence on Education for A ll , Jomtien, Thailand, > Rights; Geneva, Switzerland, I March 1989. 5-9 March 1990. > 59. Oral statement on a Baha' i development project for 71.0NE COUNTRY, Jan uary-March 1990, Vol. 2, > women in India, presented to the 33rd session of the Issue I, newsletter of the Baha ' i International > United Nations Comm ission on the Status of Commun ity. Headline: "A Visit to the Soviet Union, > Women; Vienna, Austria, 29 March- 7 April 1989. carry ing a message of peace, evokes a warm > 60. ONE COUNTRY Spring 1989, Vo l. 1, Issue 2, response ." > newsletter of the Baha'i In ternational Community. 72. Written statement on the el im ination of all forms of > "Decade-long Effort to Promote Literacy Launched." intolerance and of discrimination based on religion > 6 1. Report to the United Nations Di vision on the or belief, circulated as UN document E/CN.4/1990/ > Advancement of Women, on Baha ' i International NG0/5 at the 46th session of the UN Co mmission > Community Implementation of the Nairobi on Human Rights; Geneva, Switzerland, 25 January > Forward-Looking Strategies; June 1989. 1990. > 62.0ral statement on Baha ' i In ternational Community 73. Written statement on the impl ementation of the Pro- > Training Acti vities for Women in the Pacific, pre- gramme of Action for th e Second Decade to Combat > sented to th e South Pacific Commi ssion lnteragency Rac ism and Racial Di scrimination, circul ated as UN > Meeting; Suva, Fiji, 31 July-4 August 1989. docum ent E/CN .4/1990/NG0/7 at the 46th session > 63. ONE COUNTRY, June-A ugust 1989, Vol. 1, Issue 3, of the UN Commission on Human Rights; Geneva, > newsletter of the Baha ' i International Community. Switzerland, 25 January 1990. > Headline: "S imple methods, simple training are 74. Written statement on the Report of the Sub-Comkeys to primary health care in vill ages." mi ssion on Prevention of Discrimination and > 64. Oral statement on the evo lution of standards con- Protection of Minorities at its 41 st session , circucerning the rights of indigenous popu lations, lated as UN document E/CN .4/1990/NG 0/6 at the > presented to th e 7th session of the Working Group 46th session of the UN Commission on Human > on Indi genous Population s of the UN Sub-Comm is- Rights; Geneva, Switzerland, 26 January 1990. > sion on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection 75. Ora l statement on the right to development, preof Minorities; Geneva, 3 August 1989. sen ted to the 46th session of the UN Commi ssion on > 65. Oral statement on the human rights situation of the Human Rights; Geneva, Switzerland, 9 February > Baha' is in Iran, presented to the 41st session of the 1990. > United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of 76. Oral statement on the elimination of all forn1s of > Discrimination and Protection of Minorities; intolerance and di scrimination based on religion or > Geneva, 16 August 1989. be lief, presented to the 46th session of the UN Com- > 66. Oral statement on measures to combat rac ism and mi ss ion on Human Rights; Geneva, Swi tzerland, > rac ial discrimination presented to the 41 st sess ion of 12 February 1990. > the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention 77. Oral statement on the situation of the Baha'is in iran > of Di scrimination and Protection of Minorities; to the 46th session of the UN Comm ission on > Geneva, 21 August 1989. Human Rights; Geneva, Switzerland, February > 67. Oral statement on the individua l and contemporary 1990. > International Law, presented in French to th e 4 1st 78. Statement submitted by the Advocates fo r Africa n > session of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Food Security and s igned by several non-govern- > Prevention of Discrimin ation and Protection of menta l organizations to the 34th sess ion of the UN > Minorities; Geneva, 30 August 1989. Commi ssion on the Status of Women , on the nega- > 68. ONE COUNTRY, October- December 1989, Vol. I, ti ve effects of the international economic situation > Issue 4, newsletter of the Baha' i International Co m- on the improvement of the status of wome n; Vienna, > munity. Headline: "An is Zu nuzi Schoo l in Ha iti Austria, 26 February-9 March 1990. > emphasizes moral training and cooperation ski ll s." 79. Oral statement to the 34th session of the UN Com- > 69. Oral statement on the implementation of the Arusha mi ssion on the Status of Women, on equali ty in > Strategies for the Advancement of Women in Africa po litical participation and dec ision-making; Vienna, > beyond the end of the Un ited Nations Decade for Austria, 26 February- 9 March 1990. > Women, presented to the 4th Regional Conference 80. Statement on NGOs and Literacy: Meeting Basic > on the Integration of Women in Development and Learning Needs-The Experience of Baha' i > on the Im plementation of the Arusha Strategies for Communities, presented to a round-tab le discussion > the Advance of Women in Africa, organized by the at th e World Conference on Education for A ll ; > Economi c Comm ission for Africa; Abuja, Nigeria, Jomtien , Thailand, 5-9 March 1990. > 6-10 November 1989. 8 1. Statement on The Teacher's Situation: The Deter- > 70. "Survey of Baha'i Education Programmes," January mining Factor of a Quality Education for All , > 1990, booklet published by the Baha'i International presented to a round-tabl e discussion at the World > INT ERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'f ACTIV ITI ES 533 > Conference on Education for All; Jomtien, Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and > Thailand , 5-9 March 1990. Protection of Minorities; Geneva, 15 August 1990. > 82. Statement on The Education of Girls: Co nstraints 94. Oral statement to the 42nd session of the United > and Policy Measures, presented to a round-table Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Disdiscussion at the World Conference on Education crimination and Protection of Minorities on the > for All ; Jomtien, Thailand, 5-9 March 1990. human rights si tuation of the Baha'is in Iran; > 83. Statement on New Delivery Systems for Basic Geneva, August 1990. > Education, presented to a round-table discussion at 95 . Oral statement to the 42nd session of the UN > the World Conference on Education for all ; Jomtien, Sub-Commission on Prevention of Di scrimination > Thailand, 5-9 March 1990. and Protection of Mi nori ties on measures to com- > 84. ONE COUNTRY, April-June 1990, Vol. 2, Issue 2, bat racism and racial discri mination and the ro le of > the newsletter of the Baha'i Intern ational Commu- the Sub-Commission; Geneva, August 1990. > nity. Headline: "A mong the Daga peop le in Papua 96. "The Common Goa l of Uni versal Peace in > New Guinea a newfound sense of cooperation Buddhism and the Baha ' i Faith," a paper delivered > emerges." to the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace; > 85. Pamphlet describing the work of the Baha' i Interna- Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, 16-25 September 1990. > tional Community Office of the Environment. 97. ONE COUNTR Y, October-December 1990, vo l. 2, > 86. Quadrennial Report to the Econom ic and Soc ial issue 4, the newsletter of the Baha'i lnternational > Counci l (ECOSOC) for the period January 1986 Community. Headline: "Vocational training for rural > through December 1989, describing the work of the women in India brings unexpected dividends." > Baha'i International Com munity as a non-govern- 98. Statement on the Proposed World Conservation > mental organization in consultative status. Strategy for the I 990 ' s, delivered to the General > Appendix I li sts United Nations meetings attended; Assembly of the World Conservation Union > Appendix II lists statements presented to United (IUCN) ; Perth , Austra lia, 26 November 1990. > Nati ons bodies. 99. "Baha'i Faith," an essay published in The New > 87. "Women 2000 Report" submitted in response to a Road, Issue No. 16, Oct-Dec 90, published by > questionnaire from the UN Division for the the World Wide Fund for Nature. This essay was > Advancement of Women in Vienna, Austria, for submitted in response to "editorial requests to > publication in the magazine, Women 2000. Also schol ars w ithin al l major faiths for their stand on > used in the preparation of a background document the popu lation issue. " > on Machinery for the Integration of Women in 100. ONE COUNTRY, January-March 1991, Vol. 3, > Development for th e 199 1 session of the UN Com- Issue I, the newsletter of the Baha' i Internati onal > mission on the Status of Women. Communi ty . Headline: "Bolivian Environmental > 88. ONE COUNTRY, Ju ly-Septem ber 1990, Vol. 2, Research Center Focuses on Problems of the > Issue 3, the news letter of the Baha'i lnternational Altipl ano." > Community. Head line: "Nur Un iversity: An educa- IOI. "A Baha ' i perspective on drug abuse prevention" > tional Upstart Exceeds Expectati ons in Bolivia." an article by A.M . Ghad irian in Bulletin on Nar- > 89. Ora l statement to the 8th session of the Working cotics Vol. XLIII, No . I, 1991 , published by the > Group on Indigenous Popu lations, addressing the United Nations International Drug Control Program. > evolution of standards concerning the rights of 102. Report on Baha'i International Community activiindigenous popu lations. Geneva, 23 Jul y-3 August ties in suppo rt of International Literacy Year, > 1990. 1990, presented to th e International Task Force on > 90. Oral statement to the 8th sess ion of the Working Literacy, 4-8 February, 1991 , Bonn, Germany. > Group on Indigenous Populations, on the promotion 103. "The Book Voyage," a proj ect of the International > and protection of human rights and fundamenta l Task Force on Literacy in support of Internati onal > freedoms of indigenous popu lations. Literacy Year 1990, which culminated in ceremo- > 9 1. Statement by the Baha'i Intern ational Community to nies at the UN in New York on 10- 11 Decem ber > the Baltic Sea Ra lly on Minorities and Human 1990. Report presented to the International Task > Rights, Bornholm 27 Jul y 1990. Force on Literacy, Bonn, Germany; 4-8 February, > 92. Statement on the importance of invol ving non- 1991. > gove rnmental organ iza tions (NGOs) in the process 104. Statement on the lnternational Year of the Family > of preparing for the United Nat ions Conference on submitted jointly by several NGOs to the 32nd > Environment and Development (UNCED), pre- sess ion of the Commission on Social Deve lopsented to the first substanti ve session of the ment; Vienna, 11 -20 February 199 1. > Preparatory Committee for UNCED; Nairobi, 105 . Written statement on the Rights of persons belong > Kenya, 6-31 August 1990. ing to national, ethn ic, religi ous and linguistic > 93 . Oral statement on Protection of Minorities, pre- minorities, circulated as UN document E/CN.4/ > sented to the 42nd session of the UN Sub- 1991 /NG0/9 at the 47th Session of the UN > 534 THE BAHA' f WORLD > > Commission on Human Rights; Geneva, Switzer- 11 7. Oral statement presented jointly by the Baha 'i > land, February 199 1. Intern ati onal Communi ty and the NSAs of Brazil > I 06. Statement submitted jointly by several non- and Belgium to the Meeting of Peace Messenger > governmental organizations to the 4 7th Session Organizations; U.S.S .R., June 1991. > of the UN Co mmission o n Human Rights on the 118. Proposal for the Improvement of the working > status of the Convention on the Rights of the methods of the Sub-Commission on the Preven- > Child; Geneva, February 199 1. tion of Discrimination and Protection of > 107. Oral statement to the 47th Session of the UN Minorities with regard to the role ofNGOs. > Commi ssion o n Human Rights on the human 119. ONE COUNTRY, July-September 199 1, Vol. 3, > rights situation of the Baha ' is in Iran; Geneva, Issue 3, newsletter of the Baha' i International > February 199 1. Com munity. Headl ine: "New Survey of NGOs > 108. Ora l statement to the 47th Session of the UN Com- suggests root causes of African food problems." > mi ssion on Human Rights on Impl ementation of 120. Oral statement on the human rights situation of the > the Declaration on the Elimi nation of All Forn1s of Baha ' is in Iran, presented to the 43rd sess ion of the > Intolerance and of Di scrimination Based on Reli - UN Sub-Commi ssion on the Preventi on of Di scrimgion or Belief; Geneva, Switzerland, February 199 1. ination and Protection of Minorities; August 199 1. > 109. Statement submitted joi ntl y by several NGOs to 12 1. "Intern ational Legislation for Environment and > th e 35 th session of the UN Comm ission on the Development," a statement presented to the Inter- > Status of Women, add ressing the priority theme , national Environmental Law Conference; The > Peace: Refugee and di splaced women and chil- Hague, 12- 16 August 199 1. Also presented in a > dren; Vienna, Austria, March 1991. sli ghtly modified forrn to Working Group III of > 110. Statement submitted by the Ad vocates for African the 3rd session of the Preparatory Committee for > Food Security: lessening th e burden fo r women on The UN Conference on Environment and Deve lbehalf of severa l NGOs to the 35th session of th e opment (UNCED); Geneva, August 199 1. > UN Commission on the Status of Women, on th e 122. Oral intervention at the ! st session of the Preparaimplementati on of the Nairobi Forward-looking tory Co mmittee for the World co nfere nce on > Strategies for the Adva ncement of Women; Human Rights; Geneva, I I September 1991. > Vienna, Austria, 27 February to 5 March . 123. ONE COUNTRY, October- December 1991 , Vol. 3, > 111. Statement submitted j ointl y by several NGOs to Issue 4, newsletter of the Baha' i International > the 2nd session of the Preparatory Committee (Prep- Co mmunity. Headline : "On the Road to Rio: > com) for the UN Conference on th e Environment women ' s voices are raised in Miami ." > and Development (UNCED) on the interrelation- 124. " Women and Men: Partn ership for a Healthy > ship between popul atio n and environment and Planet," a statement presented to the World > development and the essential ro le of women in Women's Congress for a Healthy Pl anet; Miami , > these processes; Geneva, 18 March- 5 April 199 1. Florida, August 8- 14, 1991. > 11 2. Comments on the Questionnaire annexed to the 125 . Contribution to wording of the Report on Institu- > Special Rapporteur' s progress report on "Poss ibl e tional Proposals by the Secretary General of the > ways and means of facilitating the peaceful and Conference, Paragraph 89, drafted 13 December > constructive solutions of situations invol ving 1991 ; presented to Working Group Ill of the 4th > minoriti es"; Geneva, March 1991. Preparatory Comm ittee fo r UNCE D; New York, > 113. ONE COUNTRY, Apri l- June 199 1, Vo l. 3 issue 2, 2 March-3 April 1992. > Baha ' i International Community news letter. Head- 126. Report submitted to the UN Regiona l Symposium > lin e: "Earth Summit" in 1992 stimu lates NGO on Cooperation between the Economi c and Social > activ iti es worldwide." Commi ssion for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) > 114. "Elements for Inclusion in the Proposed "Earth and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) fo r > Charter," suggestions offered to the 2nd Preparatory Rura l Poverty Alleviation; Bangkok, Thailand, > Committee of The UN Conference on Environment 16 December 1991. > and Development (UNCED); Geneva, 5 April 199 1. 127. ONE COUNTRY, October-December 199 1, Vol. 4, > 115. Statement on the girl child, presented to the United Issue I, newsletter of the Baha'i International > Natio ns Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Community. Headline: "Befo re it begins the Earth > Board, under agenda item Women in development; Summit chalks up successes." > New York, 22 Apri l 199 1. 128. Statement on the Impl ementation of th e Pro- > 11 6. "Culture and Development: A Survey of the gramme of Acti on for the Second Decade to > Baha' i Experience," a talk given at a seminar on Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, subthe UN World Decade for Cultura l Development, mitted to the 48th session of th e UN Commission > sponsored by the NGO Committee fo r Sustain ab le on Human Ri gh ts; Geneva, February 1992. > Development and UNESCO at UN Headquarters; 129. Oral statement on the ri ghts of persons belonging to > New York City, May 29, 199 1. national, ethnic, religious and linguisti c minoriti es, > INTER NAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA 'I ACTIVIT IES 535 > presented to the 48th session of the UN Commis- 135. Oral statement urging the inclusion of the princision on Human Rights; Geneva, February 1992. ple of the oneness of humani ty in the preamble to > 130. Oral statement on Implementation of the Declara- the Earth Charter, presented to Working Group III > ti on on the Elimination of All Forms of of PrepCom 4 for the United Nations Conference > Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Reli- on Environment and Development (UNCED); > gion or Belief, presented under agenda item 22 to New York, 4 March 1992. Also circulated as a > the 48th session of the Commission on Human longer written statement. > Rights; Geneva, February 1992. 136. ONE COUNTRY, Vo l. 4 issue 2, April-June 1992, > 131 . Oral statement on the human rights situation of the Baha' i International Community. Headline: "The > Baha'is in Iran, presented to the 48th sess ion of Legacy of Rio : A New Global Vision." > the Commission on Human Rights ; Geneva, 137. Statement on the human rights of women pre- > Switzerland, 19 February 1992. sented by the Baha'i Internationa l Community on > 132. Written statement presented jointly by several behalf of several non-governmental organizations > non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and cir- to the 2nd session of the Preparatory Committee > culated as UN document E/CN .6/ 1992/ 1. at the for the World Conference on Human Rights; > 36th session of the UN Commission on the Status Geneva, 6 April 1992. > of Women on priority themes: Equa lity (Elimina- 138. Statement encouraging involvement of nontion of de Jure and de facto discrimination against governmental organizations (NGOs) in regional > women) and Deve lopment (Integration of women meetings, submitted jointly by several NGOs to > in the process of development); Vienna, Austria, the 2nd session of the Preparatory Comm ittee for > 20 February 1992. the World Conference on Human Rights; Geneva, > 133. Statement on partnership between women and March 30-April 10, 1992 . > men for sustainable development, submitted to the 139. Description of the Baha'i International Community > 36th session of the Commission on the Status of submitted for a Round Table on "U nderstanding > Women; Vienna, Austria, March 1992. the role of international non-governmental organi- > 134. Oral statement about the effects of gender discrim- zations: challenges and opportun ities for the United > ination on girl children presented under the Nations and Non-Governmental Organizations," > priority theme equality to the 36th session of the hosted by the Co mmittee on Non-Governmental > UN Commi ssion on the Status of Women; Vienna, Organ izations of the Economic and Social Council > Austria, 17 March 1992. (ECOSOC); New York, 9 Apri l 1992. > > The Baha'i International Community was represented at the fourth Regional South Pacific > Committee Conference of Pacific Women, held in Suva, Fiji, from 17-23 September 1988. > On the left: Mrs. Mary Sawicki Power; on the right: Mrs. Tinai Hancock. > 536 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > ANNEX III > > Relationship of the Baha 'i International Community with the > South Pacific Commission > (Con fe rences Attended) > > 1. The 5th meeting of the Committee of Representa- 7. The I 0th meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Admini strations (CRGA) tives of Governments and Admini strations (CRGA) > of the South Pacific Commi ssion; Noumea, New of the South Pacific Commiss ion; Noumea, New > Caledonia; 26-3 0 May 1986. Rep : Mrs. Ti nai Caledonia; 22 -26 May 1989. Rep: Mrs . Ti nai > Hancock. Hancock. > 2. The 26th Con ference of the South Pacific Commis- 8. South Pacific Commission lnteragency Meeting; > sion; Papeete, French Polynesia; 3-5 November Suva, Fiji ; 3 1 July-4 August 1989. Rep: Mrs. T inai > 1986. Rep: Mrs . Tinai Hancock. Hancock. > 3. The 7th meeting of the Committee of Representa- 9. The 29th Conference of the South Pacifi c Commis - > tives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA) sion; Agana, Guam; 9-11 October 1989. Rep: > of the South Pacific Commission; Nou mea, New Mrs. Tinai Hancock. > Caledoni a and the Loyalty Islands; 18-22 May IO. The 30th Conference of the South Pacific Commis- > 1987. Reps: Mrs. Tinai Hancock, Mr. Timoci sion ; Noumea, New Caledon ia; 29-3 1 October 1990. > Serevi. Rep: Mrs. Tinai Hancock. > 4 . The 27th Conference of the South Pacific Commis- 11 . So uth Pacific Commi ssion lnteragency Meeting; > sion; Noumea, New Ca ledonia; I 0-14 October 1987. Suva, Fij i; 18-20 February 199 1. Rep: Mrs. Audrey > Rep: Mrs. Tinai Hancock. Hancock-Aumua. > 5. The 4th Regional Sou th Pacific Commi ss ion 12. The 12th meeting of the Committee of Representa- > Conference of Pacific Women ; Suva, Fij i; ti ves of Govern ments and Admini strations (CRGA) > 17-23 September 1988. Reps: Mrs. Tinai Hancock, of the South Pac ific Commiss ion (SPC); Noumea, > Ms. Mary Sawicki Power. New Caledonia ; 27-31 May 199 1. Rep: Mrs. Audrey > 6. The 28th Conference of the Sou th Pacific Commis- 1-lancock-Aumua. > sion ; Rarotonga, Cook Islands; I 0-1 2 October 1988. 13. The 3 1st Conference of the South Pacific Commis- > Rep: Mrs. Tinai Hancock, Ms. Mary Sawicki sion; Tonga; 28-30 October 199 1. Rep: Mrs. T inai > Power. Hancock. > > Statements Presented to the South Pacific Commission and > at Conferences in the Region > I. Statement to the Fifth Session of the South Pacific 5. Statement to the I 0th Meeting of the South Pacific > Commission. Committee of Representatives of Gov- Commiss ion 's Commi ttee of Representatives of > ernments and Admini strations (CRGA); Noumea, Governments and Admini strations (CRGA); Noumea, > New Caledonia, 26-30 May 1986. New Ca ledonia, 22-26 May 1989. > 2. Statement to the 26th South Pacific Conference; 6. Statement on Baha' i International Communi ty Train- > Papee te, French Polynesia, 3- 5 November 1986. ing Activities for Women in the Pacific, presented to > 3. Statement on health, ed ucation and the role of the South Pacifi c Commiss ion In teragency Meeting; > women presented to the 9th Meeting of the South Suva, Fiji , 3 1 July-4 August 1989. > Pac ifi c Commiss ion's Committee of Representa- 7. Statement to the 29th South Pacific Commission > tives, Governments and Administrations (CARGA); [SPC] Conference; Agan a, Guam; 9-11 October 1989. > Noumea, New Cal edonia , 23- 27 May 1988. 8. Statement on Health and Nutriti on presented to > 4. Statement submitted to the 28th South Pacific the Committee of Representati ves of Governments > Conference (SPC); Rarotonga, Cook Islands , and Administrations (C RGA) of the South Pacific > I 0-12 October 1988. Commiss ion (SPC); Noumea, New Caledon ia, > 27-3 I May 1991. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES > > 3. THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC lNFORMA TION > > THE Baha'i International Community's Development of Supplemental Resource > Office of Public Information was one year Materials > old when the Six Year Plan opened at The task of creating resource materials to > Ric;lvan 1986. Established for the purpose of supplement those produced by National > promoting a favorable and accurate image Assemblies was undertaken principally by > of the Baha'i Faith internationally, the the Haifa Office. Economies offered by the > Office disseminated information, produced opportunity to design and produce materials > resource materials, corrected inaccuracies centrally were especially attractive in the > and misperceptions, developed collaborative area of pamphlet literature. In 1987, a prorelationships with like minded groups, and gram entitled the Perspective Series was > provided assistance and advice to National undertaken to make available to National > Spiritual Assemblies and their information Assemblies high quality literature on major > agencies. subjects of public concern. Multi-language > editions meant that such brochures could be > Development of Branch Offices sold at prices below what could be achieved > The Office was created with its headquarters if such items were produced by individual > at the World Centre and a branch office in National Assemblies. > New York City. Late in 1988, a third office An agreement was made with the United > was established in Paris to give greater Kingdom Publishing Trust to handle proattention to supporting the work of the duction, marketing, and distribution, with > Baba' i's United Nations Office in Geneva, the Office of Public Information taking > and to take advantage of the opportunities responsibility for the production of the > offered by collaboration with European copy, artwork, and design. The collabora- > National Assemblies and francophone tion resulted in three separate titles being > National Assemblies elsewhere. The follow- produced: The Bahri 'i Faith, Social and > ing year, March 1989, a fourth office was Economic Development, and Education: A > opened in Hong Kong. Its mandate was Bahri 'i Perspective. By the end of the Plan, > directed principally to assisting the public the series had appeared in twenty-one > information work of National Assemblies different language editions, and had sold > in countries with large Chinese-speaking nearly 800,000 copies. > populations. The Office also promoted the production > During this period, a Public Information of audio-visual presentations. In 1988, it > Officer was also appointed to coordinate sponsored the production by a private firm > activities in London. In due course, the Public of a documentary film on the Baha'i Temple > Information Officers in Paris, Hong Kong, in India, The Heart of the Lotus. A few > and London were each asked by their months later it produced a retrospective on > respective National Assemblies to serve also the development of the Cause between 1983 > in a similar national capacity, thus ensuring and 1988, The Fourth Epoch Opens. In colmaximum collaboration between the Faith's laboration with the World Centre's Audionational and international interests. The Visual Department, it supplied materials and > three National Assemblies also made office advice, and provided liaison assistance for a > and other facilities available. number of other productions. Just before the > 538 THE BAl-IA ' i WORLD > > conclusion of the Plan, the Office began Centre. Among the contacts that led to artiworking with two private Baha'i-owned firms cles or programs were visits by the British > on the production of a film documentary on Broadcasting Corporation ' s World Service, > the Mission ofBaha'u'llah. France ' s TFl and FR3, Germany's ZDF, > Another major concern of the Office was Bulgarian Television, World Television > the production of statements on subjects News, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporasuch as capital punishment and the role of tion, and a number of newspapers and > women in the Baha' i community for the television stations in the United States. > assistance of national public inforn1ation The New York office undertook a camoffices. paign to secure maximum coverage of the > In December 1990, at the request of the award-winning New Delhi House of W or- > Universal House of Justice, the Office of ship prior to and during its dedication in > Public Inf01mation wrote and produced an December 1986. Inf01mation kits were > introduction to Baha'u'llah's life and mission. prepared and distributed to architectural mag- > This statement, entitled simply Baha 'u 'llah, azines throughout the world, resulting in > was translated into a large number of several hundred a1iicles, many of them with > languages.á full color reproductions and design drawings, a number of them featuring the Temple > Media Activities on the magazine ' s cover. > During the Six Year Plan fourteen major For the 1988 International Convention > press releases were issued to the interna- in Haifa, a video cassette of brief news clips > tional media by the New York office, which of the event was produced, duplicated in > established the position of Information all three of the major international formats > Officer in April 1987. This office also pre- (PAL, NTSC, SECAM), and supplied to > pared a number of other press releases for each national delegation at the end of the > use by national Baha' i information offices Convention for broadcasting immediately > around the world. Membership in the New upon the delegation's return home. The > York Foreign Press Association and the appearance of the clip on South Africa's > Religious Public Relations Council also national television within 48 hours of the > sháengthened relations with international end of the convention was pa1iicularly > news media. gratifying. > Paris was also extremely active in this In London, the eff01is of the representaarea, developing contacts with both print tive of the Office of Public Information were > and television media that led to coverage of rewarded by an invitation for her to join > the Faith in such programs as the prime-time the Fore ign Press Association, giving her > Le Sphinx. The Hong Kong office energeti- unusual access to publicity oppmiunities. In > cally pursued the development of relations New York, the Public Information Officer > with the media on the Chinese mainland. secured membership in the Foreign Press > Programs covering educational and cultural Association as a journalist, and also won the > exchanges were extremely well-received distinction of being appointed Press Officer > and proved very useful in highlighting the of the U.S. Public Relations Council. > international image of the Faith. > Throughout the Six Year Plan, largely Building Relationships > because of the energetic efforts of Nationa l A good deal of energy was devoted tluáough- > Assemblies around the world, as well as out the Six Year Plan to the development > the branch offices of the Office of Public of contacts with leaders of t11ought and > Information, a growing nw11ber of media collaborative relationships with like-minded > representatives began visiting the World organizations. Formal association was > INTER NATIO NAL SU RVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 539 > > inaugurated with the World Wide Fund for Baha'is, which was entitled "The Common > Nature and the World Conference for Reli- Goal of Universal Peace in Buddhism and > gion and Peace, and practical assistance the Baha'i Faith." The statement had been > was given to the Baha'i International Com- translated into Mongolian, and approximunity's United Nations Office and to a mately two hundred Mongolian and two > number of National Spiritual Assemblies in hundred English copies were distributed. > the promotion of cooperative activities with (See also p. 209) > various other agencies. > Paris proved to be a particularly impor- One Country > tant centre for this area of the Office's work, From its inception, a goal of the Office of > with some thirty private receptions being Public Information was the publication of a > held for prominent personalities, over fifty newsletter addressed to influential nonofficial meetings, and participation in some Baha 'i circles. By the beginning of 1989 > eighty international events. The Paris office preparations were complete, and the first > also took the lead in coordinating the partici- issue of the English language edition of One > pation of the National Spiritual Assemblies Country was published that February. In > of France, the United Kingdom, and all, sixteen issues were produced during > Germany in the World Centre for Peace and the remaining years of the Six Year Plan; > Human Rights at Verdun, which included a the last issue during the Plan was mailed > Baha'i exhibition. to nearly 12,000 prominent individuals , non- > In Haifa, the growing recognition of the governmental organizations, government > Faith around the world produced a steady agencies, academic institutions and media in > increase in the number of distinguished over 180 countries and territories. The New > visitors to the World Centre: diplomats , York Office received a total of six hundred > academics, parliamentarians, and officers of responses from recipients, almost all of > various international organizations. An esti- which were very positive. > mated 450 receptions for distinguished The French language edition was > visitors were organized during the course of launched in October of 1989 by the Paris > the Plan. (See also section III. I) Office. Ten issues had appeared by the con- > Significant events included the co-spon- clusion of the Plan, the final going out to > soring in October 1988 of "The Aris for nearly 2,000 people in over 50 countries. As > Nature" program in support of conservation, with the English language edition, there > an initiative launched at Sion House in Lon- were seventy-four letters of appreciation, the > don, with Amatu'l-Baha Rul_iiyyih Khanum majority of them requesting additional inforand His Royal Highness Prince Philip as mation about the Faith and its activities. A > guest speakers. The following year the Chinese language edition followed in June > World Forestry Charter Gatherings, an of 1990, eight issues appearing during the > institution established by Richard St. Barbe Plan. The mailing list included nearly 2,000 > Baker in 1945 , was revived in London, addressees in over 30 countries, and the > in collaboration with the United Nations Hong Kong Office reported a similarly > Environmental Program. (See also sub- appreciative response from the recipients. > section 4, starting on p. 541) During the Plan, the English edition > In 1991, Baha' is were invited to attend received two significant awards for quality: > the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace an "Award of Merit" for excellence from the > (ABCP) held in Ulaan Baator, Mongolia, from U.S.-based Religious Public Relations > 18 to 23 September. Han-ju Kim-Farley, the Council (April 1991); and the "Grand > only woman speaker during the Conference, Award" in the APEX 1991 awards for publipresented the principle statement of the cations' excellence. The French edition had > 540 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > the distinction of special mention in Le plans for the Holy Year. At the World > Monde Diplomatique's July issue, among Centtáe, a campaign was organized to include > international reviews that were recom- international media at the Commemoration > mended to the readership. Stories from both of the Centenary of the Ascension of > the English and French editions have been Baha'u'llah. The Haifa Office also was > reprinted in a number of other publications . involved in the planning and preparation of > As the Plan ended, the first issue of the the program for the World Congress . After > new Russian-language edition, launched assisting in the development of the central > through the intennediary of the Paris Office, theme, the Office prepared a "treatment" for > had just come off the press in Moscow. each of the four days of the main event at > Javits Center, for the consideration of the > Consultation with National Spiritual World Congress Program Committee. Once > Assemblies the program had been finalized, the Office > One of the most important tasks of the undertook to produce one of the four major > Office of Public Information was its ongoing audio-visual segments and to serve as conservice as a consultant and source of infor- sultant for the production of the other three. > mation to National Spiritual Assemblies and Starting in April 1991, the New York > their public information agencies. By the Office was appointed as the executive arm > end of the Plan the Haifa Office's corre- of the Congress ' Media Task Force, > spondence alone had reached nearly one devoting approximately ninety percent of its > thousand items a year, and the branch time and resources to Congress publicity. > Offices conttáibuted significantly in pro- Conferences were organized for media providing information and advice by mail. The fessionals, an international media campaign > director of the Office ttáavelled extensively was developed, a promotional video profor the same purpose, and a number of duced, and regional meetings organized in > significant projects resulted from these several parts of the world. > consultations with National Spiritual More than one hundred and seventy > Assemblies. A public information manual Baha'is from twenty-two counttáies, most of > was prepared by the Haifa Office and them employed in journalism, broadcasting, > distributed to the International Network. The film-making, advertising, and public rela- > New York Office developed a media tions attended two-day conferences held > training workshop for national public infor- in Los Angeles and New York during the > mation officers, and assisted in organizing spring of 1991. The purpose of the conferttáaining sessions in Switzerland (1988) , India ences was to develop ideas for reaching the > (1990) and South Africa (1991). media with the story of the Second Baha' i > Late in 1991 the Universal House of Jus- World Congress . > tice created the International Advisory After many months of consultation, the > Group with the Office of Public Inforn1ation Task Force produced a Global Media Camas its executive agency. The Group 's man- paign which was approved by the Universal > date was to help coordinate Baha' i advice House of Justice and disseminated to the > and assistance to governments and non-gov- Baha' is worldwide. > ernmental organizations, particularly those One result was the development and > functioning in countries of the former Soviet expansion of the International Public Infor- > Union and the neighboring republics . mation Network, originally set up by the > Haifa Office and devoted totally to the > Preparation for the Holy Year publicity needs of the Congress beginning > The Office of Public Inforn1ation became in November 1991. Regional meetings to > extensively involved in various aspects of bring together National Public Information > INT ERNA TION AL SURVEY OF CURREN T BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 541 > > Officers, Task Force representatives, Canada, Fiji, Germany, Hawaii, Hong Kong, > National Assembly representatives and Con- India, Kenya, Panama, Puerto Rico, Russia, > tinental Counsellors were held in Brazil, Spain, Turkmenistan, and Zimbabwe. > > Amatu 'l-Baha > RufJ,iyyih Khiznum > presenting the Bahiz 'i > Statement on Nature > to HR.H. Prince > Philip, the Duke of > Edinburgh, on the > occasion ofthe Baha'i > Faith joining the Network on Conservation > and Religion of the > World Wide Fund > for Nature. > 3 October 1987. > > 4. THE BAHA'f OFFICE OF THE ENVIRONMENT > Relations with United Nations Agencies Baha'i International Community repreand Non-Governmental Organizations sentatives met several times with top > The Baha'i International Community has officials from the World Wide Fund for > been associated with the United Nations Nature to discuss potential areas of > Environment 'Program (UNEP) since 1974. collaboration, and the Baha'i International > Ties with UNEP were strengthened during Conununity provided articles for The New > the Six Year Plan through visits by Baha'i Road on Baha'i perspectives and conservarepresentatives to senior UNEP officials, tion projects. National Spiritual Assemblies > and through Baha'i attendance at three ses- were also encouraged to explore cooperation > sions of the UNEP Governing Council. The with the World Wide Fund in their respec- > Baha 'i International Community also estab- tive countries. > lished relations in the early 1980s with the In October 1988, the Baha'i International > Environment Liaison Centre International. Community and the World Wide Fund > Connections with other environmental co-sponsored a fund-raising banquet and > NGOs reached a new stage when the Baha 'i reception in London to launch "Arts for > International Conununity became a Working Nature". The program was conceived by His > Partner of the Centre For Our Cornn1on Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of > Future and a member of the Network on Edinburgh, as a means of drawing on visual > Conservation and Religion of the World and perforn1ing arts to enlist public support > Wide Fund for Nature. A ceremony marking for critical environmental needs around the > the Baha'i Community's forn1al affiliation world. The Hand of the Cause of God > with the Network took place in Winchester, Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum, represent- > England, on 3 October 1987, after which a ing the Baha' i International Community, > front page story on the event was printed in addressed the two hundred guests, among > the World Wide Fund for Nature publica- whom were influential figures in British > tion, Th e New Road. public life and leading European artists. > 542 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > On 11 September 1989, the Baha'i Inter- encourage sustainable development activinational Community hosted a one-day sym- ties within the Baha'i community, taking > posium entitled "Africa-Environment and over responsibility for enviromnent-related > Development: NGO Perspectives for the activities from the Baha 'i International > 1990s." Held at the Baha'i International Community' s United Nations Office and > Community Office in New York in collab- Office of Public Information. > oration with the United Nations Non- > Participation in the Earth Summit > governmental Liaison Service and the Club Process > of Rome, the event was plam1ed to present Three months after the creation of the Office > an African perspective on environment and of the Environn1ent, the United Nations Gendevelopment issues to representatives of eral Assembly mandated the United Nations > Wes tern donor countries, donor agencies, Conference on Enviromnent and DevelopandNGOs. ment, better known as the Earth Sunm1it, to > The Baha'i International Community also be held in early June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, > collaborated with a number of environmental Brazil. The hope for this conference was that > organizations to reinstitute the annual World heads of state would be able to set aside their > Forestry Charter Gatherings. These Gather- differences for the sake of future generations > ings had been founded in 1945 by Richard and establish a new international framework > St. Barbe Baker, a well-known Baha'i who for sustainable development. > had founded Men of the Trees. For more The process of planning and preparing > than two decades he had sponsored an for the Earth Sunm1it, which took place on > annual luncheon at which representatives of all continents, provided excellent opportuninational governments and other influential ties for Baha ' i International Community > persons were apprised of the cunent situa- involvement both within and outside of the > tion of the world 's forests. The tradition was United Nations system. Representatives of > revived on 15 December 1989 in London, the Community- many of whom were volwith a gathering attended by ambassadors or unteer consultants in the field- attended > their representatives from fifteen countries. forty-three conferences and gatherings, > The event was co-sponsored by the UNEP , scores of receptions , and over fifty meetings > the United Nations Development Program, of other non-govenm1ental organizations. In > Men of the Trees, the World Wide Fund for addition, the Office of the Enviromnent was > Nature, Living Earth, and SOS Sahel. a member of five Earth Summit-related > NGO working groups/networks, and signed > Creation of the Baha'i Office of the two joint NGO statements. > Environment Baha'i principles relating to the environ- > To support this ever-increasing Baha'i work ment and development were shared with > on behalf of the enviromnent, and immedi- many United Nations officials, members > ately following the October 1989 release of government, NGO representatives, acaby the Universal House of Justice of a demics, and individuals. Five different > new compi lation entitled "Conservation of displays were created by the Office of the > the Earth's Resources" prepared by the Enviromnent for use at conferences, and five > Research Department of the Baha'i World oral and eight written statements were pre- > Centre, the Baha'i Office of the Environ- sented on various aspects of the environn1ent > ment was created with its headquarters in and development, each of which focussed > New York City. It was to represent the on an essential Baha'i principle such as the > environn1ental interests of the Baha' i Inter- oneness of humanity and the equality of men > national Conmmnity externally and to and women. > INTERNATIO NA L SURVE Y OF CURRENT BAH A' I ACTIVITIES 543 > The response to the Baha ' i perspective least fourteen National Spiritual Assemblies > was very positive, with Baha'i principles established National Desks or Offices of the > being discussed extensively as part of the Environment, and many local communities > Ea1ih Summit process. Many United Nations' established such Desks or Offices. > governmental, and NGO documents carried The Office supported these national and > direct quotations or paraphrases of Baha' i local activities with information and materiprinciples as they appeared in Baha' i Inter- als, some developed in collaboration with > national Community statements. the Baha'i Office of Social and Economic > Development. Thousands of letters and > Participation of National Spiritual > phone calls requesting information and > Assemblies in the Earth Summit Process > advice not only from Baha'i instih1tions but > The Office of the Environment worked with from NGOs, government officials, universi- > National Spiritual Assemblies in their re- ties, and institutions were answered . In > spective national preparatory processes for > addition, the Office hosted more than three > the Earth Summit, providing them with hundred and fifty visitors from various > information and advice on environmental organizations. > and developmental issues. Four National Spir- > CotTespondence, reports, and interaction > itual Assemblies-Brazil, Iceland, Singapore, with Baha' is indicate that many communities > and the United States- became officially > have undertaken small-scale environmental > accredited to the Earth Summit. In addition , service projects, and that Baha' i communithe Office of the Environment worked very > ties are sh1dying the environmental and > closely with the National Spiritual Assembly > developmental issues and the principles of > of Brazil to plan activities to take place dur- the Faith that most directly relate to them. > ing the Global Forum- the NGO conference > held concurrent with the Earth Summit. Publications > Among these activities were eleven different > cultural events and the presentation, as a Written materials offering the Baha'i > permanent gift to the people of Rio de perspective on the environment and devel- > Janeiro, of a Peace Monument inscribed opment were both created and encouraged > with the following words: "The earth is but by the Office of the Environment during > one country, and mankind its citizens. - the last half of the Six Year Plan. Three > Baha 'u 'llah" . Baha' i statements on the requirements for > sustainable development were published as > Supporting National Baha'i Conservation brochures and translated into French, Spanish, > Activities and Portuguese. The Baha'i International > Twenty-five circular letters were sent during Community newsletter, One Country , carthe first two and a half years of the existence ried conservation-related articles in each > of the Office of the Environment encourag- edition, and an article which appeared in the > ing national commun1t1es to consider Journal of the Association f or Bahli 'i > initiating conservation projects and activi- Studies, entitled "Spiritual Foundations of > ties, and providing them with copies of an Ecologically Sustainable Society," was > the eight Baha ' i International Community reprinted jointly by the Association for > statements on the environment. As a result, Baha'i Studies and the Office of the Enviscores of Baha'i communities took part in ronment and translated into Portuguese for > commemorating Earth Day International, at distribution at the Earth Summit in Brazil. > v > RECOGNITION > OF THE BAHA'I FAITH > > 1. INCORPORATION OF NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > Ric;lvan 1986 to Ric;!van 1992 > > Jn previous volumes, many certificates of incorporation or other documents > attesting recognition of various Nationa l Spiritual Assemblies have been > reproduced. The following are representative of the forms of recognition > obtained by National Spiritual Assemblies during the p eriod covered by this > volume. > > 1. Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spi1itual Assembly of the Baha 'is of the > Cook Islands ; 2 February 1989. > > 2. Recognition of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahi'is of Guinea-Bissau in > accordance with the provisions of the Constitution; 7 July 1988. > > 3. Receipt of the Declaration of Trust for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahi'is of > Guinea; 29 May 1986 (first page). > > 4. Certificate of change of name from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahi'is of > South and West Africa to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahi'is of South > Africa; 27 March 1987. > > 5. Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the > West Leeward Islands; 23 October 1991. > '--.. > > ~ > ~ L. .111~1 I) . 6 0 (1 > ~ > >:l f;JO, \i:J (l1.( > 1~~~~±~!l~\i > M~i > ~ > z > ~ No . 108/89 -l > ? . > ...111á }"!;~ .,~JiLV > Ji......r-~,­ CTI > ;;o > ,,,,,...,,,,._,-.~ > ~ > Cl z > -tj >- > -l > Cl DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE > ;:; 0 > z > CJ i:l-. > Cl > Cl > Cl > ;::J > CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION >- > r > (/) > > ""'~ > ;:;;.. .... Under the Incorporat ed Societies Act 1908 c > -... ;:,,. > >:l (1) ~ > ;,, < CTI > -< > ~ >:l > .....c;á > • > t..,_, Jl rcriif~ that THE NATIONAL SPiilITUAL A.oSE~ I ULY 01e THE Jl/dl át I rs OF THI:: 0 > 'Tl > > ~~ CUOK ISLANDS INC. n > c > ;;o > ~-t1 .. is incorporated under the Incorporated > ;;o > ~ :::;á CTI > ~ s-á z > Societies Act 1908. -l > '--.. ~ > > .?NP.~ ~C~ > 'O -... to > Clo ::... Dated at tt ,\U(,J'.rYNYA . this ... . >- > .'O "' "' . . IT~ > . : . . "~::.,,. (fa~ f > '. "- á.. 0 > ::r: > >-á > '1i Fl.':BIWllHY > r/;// :á' . ... . .... . á«: ... > ~' > ~ > C)- > ''-' . . . . . . >- > ~ ~ > 'I > n > I I I . > -l > ~ > ~ > ~ "'' ,'" ' =:D]ca > ' . ' > l( ;): > ..... > . I' > . .• > ,' // < > -l > (1) > ~ . I/ CTI > b::i (/) > >:l > ;:,,. 87360 B-50 pads/12/76 Y80 > • .r ' > >:i, > t;:;~ > > ~ '\.,__.../ > ~ > (1) Lil > .j:>. > Vl > 546 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > (~J > ,_.~'l;l'\ > REPOBLJCA DA GUINE-BIS.SAU > > MIHISTERIO DA EOUCACAO, CULTURA EDESPORTOS > GABINETE DO MINISTRO > > DESPACHO NORMATIVO NQ j IR~ > > Considerando o pedido f ormulado pela Assembleia > Espiritual Nacional dos Bah'is da Guine-Bissau para o seu > l ega l reconhecimento ; > > Tendo em atencao que, o Ministerio da Educacao, > Cultura e Desportos de conform idade com a decisao do Conse lho de Ministros, tenha estudado o respectivo dossier > que para o efeito lhe fora oportunamente r eme tido ; > > Atendendo ao facto de aue a Assembleia Espiritual > Nacional dos Bah'is da Guine-Bissau para a lem do Culto, prossegue fins identicos aos objectivos a lmejados pelo Estado, > > o Ministerio da Educacao, Cultura e Desportos, no > uso das atribuicoes e competencias que lhe foram delegadas > pelo Conselho de Ministros em 11 de Julho de 1985 decide : > > ARTIGO 1 > > ~ reconhecida a Assemb l e i a Espiritual Nacional > dos Bah' is da Guine-Bissau, conformemente ao estatuido no > ArtQ 44 da Constituicao. > > ARTIGO 2 > > Sao aprovados os respectivos estatu tos que vao > em anexo , publicados com este Decreto. > > 2. Recognition of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of Guinea-Bissau in > accordance with the provisions of the Constitution; 7 July 1988. > INTERNA TI ONAL SU RVEY OF CU RR EN T BAH A'i AC TI V ITI ES 547 > > PRESIDENECE DE LA REPUB LIOUE REPUBLIQUE DE GUINEE > TRAVAJ L-J U S TICE -SOLIOARITE > > MINISTERE DE L' INTERIEUR > ET DE LA DECENTRALISATION > > . 7..L~.J./_ _ 19 8,b_ > Conak ry. le _ __ _ _,,Z.<....J.'I.J.l...c. > 17-0 / MID / CAB /86 > > LE MIN!STRE > > A MONSIEUR LE REFRESENTANT DE L1 ASSEMBLEE > > SPIRITOELLE NATIONALE DES BAHA'IS DE GUD!EE. > > RECIPISSE DE DECLARATI ON D' ASSOCIAT I ON > > Le Ministre d e l' Ixteri eu r et de la Dece n - > tra l isation donne aux personnes c i -a pres de si gxees , > r ecipisse de declaration pour l'ass oc iation r egie > pa r l'OrdonnaMce n" 072 portant cr eat ion des O. N. G, > en Repitbl ique de Gt-timle et definie co1t11ne suit > r.) - TITRE Assemblee spiritue7.le Na tionale des > BAHA'is de cui ne e. Siege social : > quart i e r de Taou yah a Col'!arny I I. > > 2) - OB/ET : Gerer l es af faires et b i el'l s col'!cer nal'l t > la co1ro1tul'la t-1te Bahaie cle Guil'lee, en res - > pectal'lt l es pril'lcipes du s ysteme ad in il'li s > t rat if etabl is par BAHA ' ii ' Ilah. > - Eff ectuer t ou te transact i ol'I inobiliere et irn - > mob ili e r e , acqi1erir ou col'lstruire des b i blio > th eqt-teS, des clispeMsai res des ecol es r ea l is > 1 1 > > ../ .. > > 3. Receipt of the Declaration of Trust for the Nationa l Spiritual Assembly of the Saha 'is > of Guinea; 29 May 1986 (first page). > 548 TH E BAHA' I WORLD > > Ropub li c of South Africa HBpUDllBM. van ~UIU - M.1111\tl > Co mpanlu A ct, 1973, Secti on 44(1 ltb) Mastskappywat, 1973, Anik el 44(1 )lb) > > 76/00020/08 > Registration No. or company/ Reglstraslenommer van maatska ppy > > Certificate of change > of name of company > Sertifikaat van verandering > van naam van maatskappy > This is to certify that/Hierby word gesertifiseer dat > The Nationai Spiritual Assembly > of the Bah~ 1 {s of South and West Africa > (Incorporated Association not for Gain) > has changed its name by SPECIAL RESOLUTION and Is now called > sy naam verander het by SPESIALE BESLUIT en nou genoem word > The Nationa1 Spiritual Assembly > of the Bah&l{s of South Africa > (Incorporated Association not for Gain) > nnd that the new name has this day been entered In the Register of Companies. > en dat die nu we naam op hlerdie dag In die Register van Maatskappye aangeteken Is. > > Signed and sealed 01 Prclorle, lhls/Geteken en geseel te Prelorle op hede dle,_---=;2--'7-~-"------ > > Reg istrar of Com pa > > Sea l of Cottipa nies Rc9lstr•1lon Office > Seel va n Reg/sfrareur vanMutshppye > > 4. Certificate of change of name ji-om the National Spiritual Assembly of the Saha 'is of > South and West Afi~ ica to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Saha 'is of South Aji-ica; > 27 March 1987. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 549 > > 5. Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of the > West Leeward Islands; 23October1991. > THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 2. INCORPORATION OF LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > Ric;!van 1986 to Ric;!van 1992 > > 1. Decree by the Government of Quebec, Canada, regarding the Civil Registry of Baha'i > Loca l Spiritual Assemblies in Hull , Quebec, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Longueui l, and > Montreal; 1990 (first page). > > 2. Registration of the Baha ' is of Ashkhabad of the Turk.men Soviet Socialist Republic by > the Council of Religious Affairs at the Council of Ministers of the Union of Soviet > Socialist Republics ; 25 January 1990. > > 3. Recognition of the Baha'is of Dushanbe of the Tadzhik Soviet Socialist Republic by the > Counci l of Ministers ofTadzhikistan; 14 November 1990. > IN T ERNA TI ONA L SURVEY O F CU RREN T BAH A ' i A CTI V ITI ES 551 > > MAY 0 7 1390 > > DECRET > GOUVERNEMENT DU QUEBEC > > '" •' t1 51 -90 CONCERNANI' les re<;1istres de l'etat 4 AVR. 1990 > civil de certaines corporations > religieuses designees sous le nan > de "Assefl'l:>lees spirituelles des > Ba.ha is" > I > > --oooOooo--- > > ATl'ENDU COE le 28 fevrier 1973, des lettres > patentes ant ete accordees a > la corporation religieuse designee > sou~ le nom de L'll.Ssemblee spirituelle des Baha' is de Lucerne > q'Jl, le 28 avril 1984, est devenue L'Assemblee spirituelle des > Bar.a' is d 'Aylmer, en vertu de la Loi sur les corporations > r el i gieuses (L.R.Q. c. C-71); > > ATl~NDU COE le 28 fevrier 1973, des lettres > patentes ant ete accordees a > la corporation religieuse designee > sous le nom de L'Assemblee sp.i.rituelle des Saha' is de Hull, en > ve rtu de ~tte loi; > > ATI'ENDU Ql.18 le 28 fevrier 1973, des lettres > ;:>ater.tes ant ete ac..:ordees a > la corporation religieuse designee > sous le nom de L'Assemolee s~irituelle des Baha'is de la ville de > Quebec, en vertu de cette loi; > > ATI'ENDll COE le 20 avril 1979, des lettres patentes > ant ete accordees a la corporation religieuse designee sous le > nOf'I de L'Assemblee spirituelle des Baha'is des > " 1=sááácl ..,,_la-l'. > AI'"1'ENDU COE le 23 mars 1979, des lettres patentes > c...-.• etc> accordecs a la corporation religieuse designee sous le > rá ..ir;; . ~e L'As5efl\'.llee spirituelle des Saha' is de Longueuil, en vertu > . .> -.ác- tc.l: l ei ; > > ATI'F.NDU QUE le 2 mai 1989, des lettres patentes ant > et ~ ac:o rd.§es a > la coq:xxation religieuse designee sous le nan de > L'Assernb li'- : spirituelle des Saha' is de Montreal, en vertu de > ce :.~0 l v i; > > A'I'TENDU QUE les assemblees spirituelles des Baha'ig > p rec i t ees ne sent pas des corporations religieus es autorisees a > ten1 ~ ou a faire tenir les registres de l'etat civil e n vertu ,)e > l ' a ct \c l ~ 44 d u Cede civil; > > 1. Decree by the Government of Quebec, Canada, regarding the Civil Registry of > Baha 'i Local Spiritual Assemblies in ff.ull, Quebec, lies-de-la-Madeleine, Longueuil, > and Montreal; 1990 (first page). > 552 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > BHD.lfiCKA > Yl3 npoTOKoJJa NQ 3 sace,IJ,amrn: CoBeTa no ,IJ,eJJaM peJJY1rntl npYI > CoBeTe lvhrnMcTpoB CCCP > 25 JIBBapR I 990 r. r. JviOCKBa > > CJiYllJA.Jlli: !Jpe,IJ,cTaBJJe1111e COBeTa l'llMID1CTpoB TypKMeHcKotl CCP OT > 12.09.89 r. YI saKi:not1eHMe OT,IJ,eJJa no ,IJ,eJJaM MYCYJJbMaHcKotYI 6y,Il,,IJ,11t\CKOJ; peJJMrYIH 0 peN!CT~ peJJMPYI03HOI'O o6~eCTBa > 6axaJ:ICTOB B I'. Amxa6a,IJ,e. > > TIOCTAHO.Bl1Jil1: I.3aperMcTpMpoBaTb peJJMI'MosHoe o6~eCTBO 6a:xaMCTOB > B r.Alllxa~a,IJ,e TypKMeHCKotl CCP. > 2. Alllxa6a,IJ,CKOMY ropMCnOJJKOMY paCCMOTpeTb BOnpoc 0 > MOJJY!TBeHHOM 3,IJ,aHMM ,IJ,JJH ,IJ,aHHOI'O o6~eCTBa. > > Mcx.NQ I04 OT 3I.OI.90 r. > > BmrncKa nO,rr;IlJilCaHa l!.JieHOM COBeTa r.A. Iv'lMxaitJIOBUM > > 2. Registration of the Baha 'is of Ashkhabad of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic by > the Council of Religious Affairs at the Co uncil of Ministers of the Union of Soviet > Socialist Republics; 25 January 1990. > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 553 > > PCC TO'{Hl\llCTOH - TA,'l.)KliKCKA5! CCP > > COBETH ,!l.EnYTATX.011 XAlll\1111 l!JA;>\Pll ,!l. l 'lllAHliE > > 1{0Ml1TETI1 l14;POM5H1 > J(APOPH > ,!l.l'WAHGllllCKllO fOPO,!l.CKOR COBET HAPO,!l.Hb!X ,!l.EnYTATOZ > > MCDOJIHHTEJlbHblH KOi'Y\11TET > PE WEHHE > ;-- .á-.-. > :1 > ~""' -~-} aJ .- or I4.II . 90r. > > 0 ps;ir;:cTp8.U;!'111 06:;,ieCTBa 6axaMCTOB > B I'QD . li,Vill3.H68 > > B Jt,ri!la.H6i1HCKI1J.i ropncrro.JIKOM o6paTYLJiaCh rpyrrrra B6PYJOl!IMX rpru:i,Il;aH, > l!CTI0.2S,:;y104iácX peEII'HlJ 6axa.l13fáfi, B KOJIH'16CTBe 25 116.JIOBeK, c rrpochC)ofi > pa3p2: ~: :á;:,;, ::.;,; K0.;:1eK'fáIIBHO OTilp '1.:rei 1c;::; Y' .Jll'J,U;i cpe.u;~:ero :i3C3PC!?T2., eCT:O rreHCEOE6Ph! li MO.lIO,Iie;rJ, OT 22 ,IiO 25 .118T . > ~-- .2C ! ~:-~ 't.J.2.CT ~:E ~Oh~ no y .11 . Il2.~5ep2:::.Y:Ol~ 1..?I9 , B3.~T.b!i-l B Ha9!'/i 6a..X8.!fCTar:u:, > Jl..:;_~ c:;r:p2.E..~E: :rY!..R c~~3X pemrrric-slii.D~ p~?JaJIOD . > > 52 I\oHCTi1TYI.I;HI1 CCCP, 1'1 Báá cooTBeár cTBlilr c > :fJ:-:K030.TI;C'.r:s ::r..crc:=i CT . > Y;;a3 s:.'. '.l:;:ie e::,J;J':Y-I.á.e. Be:pxoEHoro CoseTa Ta,rr,:á:au ryc'i'e: 1976 ro.;i;a "0 pelli!I'i103Hb!X: 06;,e,IJ,B.HeRYi.RX 11 11 ápas'bHcneHuer.1 CoBeTa > TIO ;u:e.':.2.!.á, 9eJ1;.rr;tl'. rrpil .QQBeTe. Mli.J.:UiCTpOE ~C9:t:'.. . OT 29. 07. S5r. 11 0. nopH.r\Ke > C'i 'po::::e.ru,cTBa, I:O!'ymm 11 Hafu;,a pe.Jinr;;o3Hl:IJ,i:n opraim3aD;IIBMH cTpoem1ti > ,ii,.''L'l C3 'J!!X ey;:;,u;"' DCilOJH\OM ,I\ylllaH6r:..'iCKOI'O ropo;n:cKoro CoBeTa H2.p0,!!.r--::ili > ;!l;6TIJT2.TOB - p E :ti H Ji: > I. 3aperJiCT}:rn:pOBaTJJ o6w.eCTBO 62.Xa.ITCTOB B rop.,llylila.H6e .. . ( OCHOE > H!:!e rrp:m1.~:L!l=r 6ru:ail3Ma Ilpl'j.JlaraiOTCB:) H pa:>;gellillTJJ eMy OTIIpaBJL'.IT_h_ KO.illl8li > TliBilO ápe.;:;:;:r;.;031;;.::i pETYaJIZI no a,zjlecy: rop. )Iy:JaH6e, yJI. Ha6epe?.tHa.P.:;E > 2 . Tipocmc, CoBeT MmmcTpoB Ta~:JfficKoli CCP yTJ3e'p,rvi'rh ;D;2.HHOe > peu1e::::e . > > !.i . HKpaMOB > > T;tr.. MHO, :o ;a:. li2S, n:p. 3ooi:v. 12.12 .U ... > > 3. Recognition of the Bahir 'is of Dushanbe of the Tadzhik Soviet Socialist Republic by the > Council of Ministers of Tadzhikistan; 14 November 1990. > THE BA HA ' i WORLD > > 3. A SELECTION OF OTHER DOCUMENTS RECORDING > OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF THE BAHA'i FAITH > Ric;!van 1986 to Ric;!van 1992 > > I. Appointment by the Attorney General of a Baha' i Marriage Officer in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, effective from I 0 March 1988. > > 2. Approval of a legal representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of > Burundi by the Minister of Justice; 12 October 1988. > > 3. Letter from Equatorial Guinea' s Ministry of Finance recog111z111g the right of the > National Spiritual Assembly, as a religious organization, to be exempt from taxes; > 29 Apri l 1986. > > 4. Certificate of recognition of the Lomaivuna Baha'i Kindergarten by the Ministry of > Education of the Government of Fiji, dated 21August1987. > > 5. Circular Letter from the Minister for the Administration of the Territories of Gabon > dated 6 May 1987, stating that the National Spiritual Assemb ly of the Baha'is of Gabon > may carry out any activities (first page). > > 6. Certifi cate dated 8 September 1988, duly registering the offices of the National Spiritual > Assemb ly of the Baba' is oflreland as a place for the solemnisation of marriage. > > 7. The Malawi Gazette Supplement, dated 7 November 1986, giving notice of the licensing > of the Baha'i Centre in Limbe, and the Baha'i Teaching Institute in Amalika Village, for > the celebration of marriages. > > 8. Rental agreement between the Baha'i Property Incorporate and three individuals fi led > with the Clerk of Courts on the Island of Santo, Kwajalein Atoll , in the Marshall Islands > on 14 November 1986, of a propetiy for a Baha'i Centre. > > 9. Letter dated 10 September 1987 from the Department of Education for the Commonwealth of the Notihern Mariana Islands recognizing Baha'i Holy Days as days when > children may be excused from classes. > > 10. Notification by the Government of Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs and Minority > Affairs on 27 January 1988 of the appointment of a Baha' i on the Advisory Counci l for > Minorities Affairs. > > 11 . Certificate of Registration of a Permitted School in Papua New Guinea dated 14 November 1986 for the Baha'i Study Centre to operate as a high school. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIV ITI ES 555 > 12. Marriage contract of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha ' is of the Philippines > which was approved by the Government in 1987. > > 13. Certificate of Registration by the Republic of Zambia of the William Mmuthe Maseltha > Baha'i Institute dated 5 October 1988. > > 14. First Day Cover of a commemorative stamp issued by the Government of Western > Samoa for Christmas 1988. There are four stamps in this series, the $2.00 stamp having > the picture of the House of Worship in Apia. > > 15. The Postal Department in India has depicted the House of Worship in New Delhi on a > postage stamp to mark the Diamond Jubilee of that city. The Mashriqu' l-Adhkar is > featured on one of two stamps which portray well-known buildings in India's capital. > October 1991 . > 556 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFI CE > P. 0. Box 532 > Nassau, Bahamas > > Mr. Michael Horton Ref: 15 U > P. 0. Box N 3822 > Nassau, Bahamas. ~20th May, 1988. > > Dear Sir, > > I have to i q,form you that the Attorney General has appointed you a Marriage > Officer for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas with effect from 10th March 1988 . > > I should be grateful if you would read the Marriage Act so as to familiarize > you rs elf with your duties as a Marriage Officer. > > The necessary forms and re gis ters can be obtained from this Office on > application . > > I add my congratulations and best wishes. > > B. Bain > for Actg. Registrar General. > > l. Appointment by the Attorney General of a Bahit. 'i Marriage Officer in the > Commonwealth of the Bahamas, effective fiáom JO March 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 557 > > R.EPUBLIQUE DU BURUNDI Bujumbura, l e - - - - - - - > > Cabinet du Ministre > > Rif. : OHDONi :11IICE N• áá~.A ,-.:\- - DU ;t ~ ()'..kJ-.); C 198!á > POHTANT AGHJ;.O..;NT DU R.;;PRESENTANT LEG AL ET DU > Ob/et : > h LPliESBNTANT LEGAL SUPl'LEANT DE L' A ~; ~ ;ocr.~ 'l' HJ N > , ; )':á ; 1,11•:• J.lfi:,, :.' 1.' J I•' DENOMllll>E "ASSE;,;IJ LEE SP!HITUELLE > NATICN,,LE DE S BAHA 'IS' DU mnmrm I" . - > > LJ;; rnINISTRE DE LA JU ST ICE, > > Vu l e d tfore4-loi n ° 1/00 1 du 27 octobre 1987 port tmt > or~a.nis a tion des pouvoirs l egiiilatif et regle mentaire ; > > Vu s!'J ec i .1. ~ nt en ses articles 9 a 11, le decre t du > 27 novembre 1959 r e] .ux assoc i a tions sans but lucratif ap ~ li­ > c abl e a u Burundi en ,' ~ •• de l 'ordonnwice n° 111/6 6 du 4 roars 1960 > > Vu l' ordonnance n° 560/45 du 7 avril 197) por t an t octroi > d e l ' a utorisa tion ;ircalnb l e de cons ti tut ion et de l a pe rsonnali t e > civile en r.:,veur a., l' assoc i a tion s 3ns bu t lu cr a tif d~nol!!l:lee " ASS2M- > BLBE SPIH ITUELLE N,>TI ONA LE DES BARA •rs, DU BURU!IDI" ; > > Vu l a requl!te introdui te en date du 2 1 juille t 1988 :iar > les inembres de cet t e a ssoci a tion e t d e siu>nant i:essieurs Ilde 9honse > MIGISHA et C6ne NHiPAGAR IT SE r espective 1ue nt en ~ualite de Hepresentan : > Le.;al e t de Re ; resentant Let:al su1,pl eant ; > > Attendu que cette requl!te est c onforme aux dis; -ositi ons > du decret susvi s e ; > > 0 R D 0 N N E > > Arti c l e 1 Sant SGrees re s;,1ective r'1e nt en •iualit e de Ile ~'r esent nn t > Le.::; ul e t de Re:rire se ntant Leg,-,1 Sup ) l eC!Xlt de l' asso ci a - > tion s Lu1s but lucr a tif d~o r.rce e "ASS~;l!J LE-:;; SPII N •iTIO!tALE DES BAHA 'IS' DU Beffi~:JIDI ", t!'.ess i eurs Ilde phonse > 1.!I tHSJ!A et Cl!r:ie NH'[['AGA.'UTSB. - > > Article 2 ,kt cir r:á s e nte ordonnance entre en Vi6uern' l e jour Je s::i > s i ...;na'tur8. - > > l"a i t a Bujui::bur a , 1e ,11 z I ;t-0 f 1911e > > 2. Approval of a legal representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of > Burundi by the Minister of Justice, dated 12 October 1988. > 558 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > -~ r.,;i~_, G."áal • > . Ooord . > Emma.- > > Vi sta l a pe t i ci6n d ocun:e nta~ a promovida p or Vd. en n ombre > y re presentac i 6n de la Asambl e a Lspiritual de los Baha'is de I > Guinea Ecuatorial, de fe~ha 21 de Enero Ultimo , s olicitando l a > E.'illnION del pag o de l a Contribuci6n Urbana de sus pr opiedade s ; > vi s to , asimiSl'lo, el f avorable informe emitido al r especto ~ or/ > l a Direr:ci6n. '.>eneral de I mpuestos y Tesoro en su. escrito numero 408 , fec.h ado el 23 de l os corrientes; > Este Minist eri o c.J.e Finanzas en e-jercicio de l as pr errogat i vas qu e l e est aná r ec onoc idas yen ba~ e a lo previ sto en el I > art i cul o 43 , inc i so b ), de l Decreto-Ley nfunero 1/1. 986 de 10 I > de Febrero, por el que se aprueba el Sistema Tributario de l a > Republica de Gui nea Ecuatorial, por resoluci6n de est a fecha I > ha venido a bi en en acc eder a su petici6n y en su cons ec uencia > concederle l a EXENCI ON DEL PAGO DE LA CONTRIBUCI ON URBANA que > soli cita, toda ve z que l as fincas pertenecientes a Instituciones o ConGregac iones Re l igi osas, áen á tanto que no áproduzc an r e_!l > tas y se ded i quen di r cct omcnte al cult o u obras bene fi cas es- - > tan exent o: á de l pago de l lnpuesto que nos ocup a . > (' > Mal abo, 2')~0.~Abril de 1 . 986 > I """' P OH li11{' _GllJHEA !-lEJOR, > ~ P•• ~ > ""-.,~ >: - ~--r--::::: > _~\f3TRO, > / ,,:..._ áááá~Willi_ __ _ _ > > t,. ~r+'Jj~2;-~ > #- •• > > - tr=:;/~~ ----- > -1.. ~ á7 ..._.;J..o<'r > W > __ --<. ác > ./. ,,..,, t s.........- > ...:~ * :~/ --# > / .1 > -- . . .-I > > ~r~ or 1?1... fk~ IJJ tE.'.~IDAN I, á á ~ pr i..:se nt ante ~i t~ la .: .. .Jarnbl ca Esp iri tuaL de los :.'i:.;1 -:. > Gu j_nt::~ 'Zc uat;o :['ial., C I U D ii. D0 - > > 3. Letter dated 29 April J986, fl-om the Ministry of Finance of Equatorial Guinea > recognizing the right of the National Spiritual Assembly, as a religious organization, to > be exempt from taxes. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' i ACTIV IT IES 559 > > GOVERNMENT OF FIJI > > E:ertiJicate oJ C/:2eco~11itio11 oJ a School > > School under....' á .:.:LP.~.Ab . SJ'.JRI.T.µf.l.~ .. f.l.S..S..E..1-1.B..~.~... Qf. ...I.H..~....B..AH..A~.?. ... 9.F.....~Cl~~.YUNA > > as Controlling Authorit y has been recognised as a ...... Kl.~.Q~~~!.~~ . > > School under th e provisions of the Education Act, to conduct > > ~áL ... ááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá > Permanent S ecretary for Education > > Recognition No. 9.~.?.~...... > > 4. Certificate of recognition of the Lomaivuna Baha 'i Kindergarten by the Minist1y of > Education of the Government of Fiji, dated 2 J August 1987. > 560 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > MIN ISTERE DE L' ADMIN I STR ATION REPUBLIQUE GABONAI SE > DU TERR I TOI RE , DES COLLECTIVITES Un i on -~- Jus tic e > LOCALES ET DE L ' I MM I GRATI ON > > DIRECTI ON GENERALE > DE L 1 ADMI NI STRAT I ON DU TERR I TO I RE > > /MATCLI/DGA7 > > Ill > IL_ ETTRE (=- IRCULAIRE > -:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:- > > LE MIN ISTRE D'ETAT, MIN ISTRE DE > L.1ADMINISTRATION DU TERRITOIRE, DES > COLLECTIVITES LOCALES ET DE L'IMMIGRATION > > A MESSIEURS LES GOUVERNEURS > > Pa r d6 cr cts n°s 007 09/PR/M ID du 30 Ma i I 9 ~0 il est port c > di ssoluti on de s Ass ocia ti ons dit es "T emoins de J ehovah " et > " Armee du Salut " et 00888/PR/MACTL/DGAT du 23 Ma i I985, cell e des > Associati on s r 6li g i euses c i-apr 8s ctes i g nees : > > - Assoc i a ti on ECKANKAR Boit e Po s t a l e 3 . 767 Li br evi l l e. > - MIHIK.\RI , Filial e Gnbonni se , Boit e Post nlc 448 Li br evill e. > - Eglise du Chri s t i a ni sme Cel .c s t e du Gabon , Boit e Posta l e > 14.1 90 Libr evi ll e. > - L ' Eglise Epi scopal e des Ch&rubins e t des Ser aph i ns du > Ni ge ria Qua rti er Gr a nd e Poub el l e Libr evill e. > - L'A ssoc iati on de l ' Ordr e Souve r a in et Milit a ir e du > Templ e de J er usal em Libr e vill e . > > Or, il me r e vi en t que cer t a ines nu t or i t &s adm i n i s trntives > e t mi litnir es nur ni e nt i nte r dit l ' e x ertric e de t out e .::i.ctivit 6 a > l ' Assembl ee Spirituell e Nati onal e Des BAH.A ' IS du GABON ct ce , > ce rtninement pnr confu s i on au muuva i se i nt e r pr 6t a ti on des t c xt cs > susvis6s . > > . .. / ... > > 5. Circular Letter from the Minister for the Administration of the Territories of Gabon > dated 6 May 1987, stating that the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of Gabon > may carry out any activities (first page). > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 561 > > CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION OF A SEPARATE BUI.LDING, BEING A PLACE > > OF PUBLIC RE LI GIOUS WORSHIP, UNDER S. 27 OF THE MARRIAGES > > (IRELAND) ACT, 1 844 > > I, GORDON W. KERR JOHNSTON, Deputy, Registrar of the Distric t of > > Dublin , do hereby c ertify that on the 9th day of May, 19 88 , th e > > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha ' is of Ir e l and , 24 > > Burlington Road., Dublin 4, was duly registered for the > > solemnisation of marriages therein, in the prese nce of t he > > Registrar , by P. J. Kehoe, An t Ard -C hla rait heo ir-Cu nta , who > > signed the requisite Certific ate for that purpose . > > l"litness my hand this-=Bt=h=----- day of September ' 1 938 > > Dep uty !1egistrar . > > 6. Certificate dated 8 September 1988, duly registering the offices of the National > Spiritual Assembly of the Bah6 'is of Ireland as a place for the solemnisation of marriage. > 562 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > The Malawi Gazette Supplement, > Re~ulations, Rules, etc. (No. 35A) > > GáoVERN~1EN T NoncE No. 97 > > Given under my h and this 29th day of October, 1986. > H. K AMUZU BANDA > (FILE NO . srn. D. 25 :01) Life President > Gov EnN~lEN T NOTICE N o. 98 > MARRIAGE ACT > (CAP. 25 :01 ) > NOTICE > Ix E XERCI SE of t he powers conferred by section 6 of the Marriage Act , I, NGWAZI > Dn. I-I. K A ~I U W BAXDA, Life P-resident of Malawi, do hereby license the underm entioned place of public worship for the celebration of marriages. > Rtl1a 'i Centre > P lot No. CC 711 > Lim be > Given under my hand this 29th day of October, 1986. > H. KAMUZU BANDA > (FI LE :w . S\;ll . D. 25:0 1) Life President > GovERN:li EXT NoncE No. 99 > PUBLIC HOLJDAYS ACT > (CAP. 18:05) > Pt;BLIC HOLIDAYS (AMENDMENT OF SCHEDULE) ORDER, 1986 > I N E XERC ISE of the powers conferred by section 3 (1) of the Public Holidays > Aet, 1, NdWt.it Dtt, H. KAMU~u BANt>/\, Lile Prc»idcnt of Mo.laWi, m11ke the following > Ordcr- > 1. This Order may be cited as the Public Holidays (Amendment Citatiou > of Schedule) Order, 1986. > 2. T he Schedule to the Public Holidays Act is amended by deleting Amendment > the words "The first Monday in Augu st" a nd substituting the words ~~hcdule to > "N a tional Tree Pl anting D a y (21st D ecember)" . cap. 18 :05 > Ma H. KAM UZU BANDA > (FILE N O . l J/02/6) Life President > > Prin ted and pulJlished by THE GOVER N MENT PRINTER, Zomba, MalaWi-90095 > > 7. Th e Malawi Gazette Supplement, dated 7 November 1986, giving notice of the > licensing of the Balui 'i Centre in Limbe, and the Baha 'i Teaching Institute in Amalika > Village, for the celebration of marriages. > INTERNATIONAL SU RV EY OF CU RR EN T BAHA'i ACT IV ITI ES 563 > > JLO!l A(;il&!h 1'JIT ll011 IWC:lLlAL _; \JlJll illiJ:H. I 'fUiDK > Ill I I.Oil J Al' Ail ;;Xi ILO 3,\l 11'0 I SL,\llll, ID I, > K/,\Jl\l, lilil ATOLL, l.A .Gl .\l,L IJJ..l . > > Agreanent in ear rnoj kowappen e im kanonmon e ikotan party ko cn10,n : > Iroij , Alap , Dri- jerllal Tu Jaha 1 i Property Incorpo ra~e .;c . > J .illd.n co na j kajerbalo oj lk?d r ilo woto eo iro k in iJ,, jiI'"'" 111 "" k.;;' > rl-.J aµpr; !I'o, ii 1 bedr ion cne in J~mtA> island , J: 11ajali~in .:.il..oll , il u > Hard1all Islands Diotrict . > > I>j komo n A(:reement in ilo ".!!we in in kali)rnre i j in. ilal: - > > a) Btve 3aha ' i Proµerty I ncorro r at.e enaj á.<1or an 1;1aroii in kajerlJal8 > j i ki..11 in kal il~aro ileii, i.J,1 ej k:.H:.loL an konan 11aj bar kaju tak > juon im eo ena j Baha'i Cantre, ak jikin hrolok eo an Hahu ' i l'O > ilo Santo i sland. > > b) Juon drettan rental eo kin kajerbale jild...11 in, enaj jfirbal ekl.01á > fion :.); 12.00 do llar ilo juon year. ,Ja1La 1 i Prop~rt;y Incorpor.:;.te ~j > kali.Jnur bwc enaj kulla drettan in ium Alap eo an jild u in ilo > jinoin October in yeaI: ot~r.:joj . I1a iMe d rott an eo an rnwin , cn.Jj > /f-2,, square feet. > > c) i3we J3aha 1 1 Property eo ejjam in naj ko l laik drettan i n ilo .iar.'. '. i9 > B.etok l o k jen,ak rumij lok jcn ran in rnoJ kaj ejJe te iJl.11 i l.::in.i/ ..3 > Baha 1 i i Property Imc prporate ej,jar1i.J1 naj konone i joko konan i.i.i naj > r tua ij i n kolla i loan jilu( 3) alliii. ko , irwm riamnak ro iiaj uor air > maroii i n naj kaj eblak j ikin in na i bbci r lI•i kajemlok l o.:in agr::ica.,8n t. > in. > > d) };en in i kotan Iroij , Alap i.lll Dri - jerbal ro ilo wcto in rMi n cj b•3rl r i c ; > im 13aha 1i Pr operty I n!orporatc eo , e n naj kin r0n0ul - la l.fo,( ?.~; ) y ear > kin naj juon ka r ok ea nae nuj bar kakkal iJn komnnmon lo ~ muin bar karok ko jet ikotan p:irty kein fion- dron, i.m naj kaje riJ.:il ! ,:Jnlok > i loan bar 25 year manl ok . > > e) Im ilo an Party ko naj loc bue 11a:w iI1 koin ijin rejjw:1in na j l~LáJ l > wot e inwot karok kcin , inem renaj bar riaroii in kor,on jc t kJ.ruk 1-:o > naj einjuon l ok j e n 1rn1á1 ein kcin ilo aereement in , im roj kill-! b•:lf: > J?emon lok. > > Baha 1 i Property I ncorporate eo e likin an naj koM011mon lok jil:in in .i:á1 > kajutak Centre eo ie , inl3i1 naj ktiJ11eli..m an jabre1á10t dtol ul ko an j <'!b r 81vcJt, > kajjojo naj kajerbale jikin in iki ji,.Jn kowonr.. anlok bedr ko air, ijellnJ.:in > ko r ej ikijien bar kabuil ko jet . > > AOGnEl!ltl!:NT in ear :mOj an wappen im kornonmon e ien in kalikare ijin > iber. rAin re j uwan party kO i1:1 drodr air jain ijin i.lal lok. > > tiadreloiiii rainin: _ __ _ __ __ 19_ _ > > ., / > á, > > ~ > ID > u 4 1986 > ..... ... ... ..................... > AGIJI'. CLERK OF COURTS > > 8. Rental agreement between the Baha'i Property Incorporate and three individuals filed > with the Clerk of Courts on the Island of Santo, Kwajalein Atoll, in the Marsh all Islands > on 14 November 1986, of a property for a Bahiz 'i Centre. > 564 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > > /) > q > 0FF!CE 0F [HE SUPER!NtENDENC > DEPARtffiENt ~F £DUCA[!0N > SA!PAN, cm 96950 > Phone : 98 12 /9S2'J/98 27/931 1 > Cable J\O t'l ress: > Gov . Nill! Saipan > . > > .' > > 0 Pat rici.3 DJniei:. > ::.;:c:-- et.:irá:,.: > N.:t:oil.JI ~. pirit :1 .: l ?.:.:t mbiá1 > •Jf the b,~há~ is of th-: tiar J.jn.:r: > \I~ > ' > c:? > > fn re : p.:.:~ ~ e táJ :/!)Uf \e.t.cr :i.ted : .,..: 013 7 acvut 2xcusi nc :.tude-nts of tJv: Ban.:f i' rel ialcus f.Jith on > cert2in f. j~cái' Hoi'/ D.;•;s, ol;:.;:e be caá;Já:ec tt:.;t the -Bocr d or Education ha:. .:ccpted a schCTál > Cá::? f en 1~a r t/'1.1i. eni.:-cm pQ:~-:s 1.:0 d.::iv~ i)f in:.i. r1 > .:ct1cn without reg.3r1J to r~i i 9i0u:, holidJr:á, excep t > Chr i s~ m a-:. .:nG Gocd f r ;C::\: > > W ~á ~rev e.r > a 3tuden t iTi i:se:. a sch00I day ior a justifiabl e and '3 xcusab1e. r sa:..:.n , tt"1e parent iS > r :- ~::Grr:. ; b ! :: for > pr ov: d1;:g tt'";E: ~e~c !": er with a wr itten note exo J.3m1ng the ab~ence. Stu•jents ar e > recu ired ~c ;r;.;f:e up ~II wor k for excused ~b::ences. > > Cctober 20 Apr il::'.? > No'1t:moer 1: May: > •.pr ii 21 May 23 > > While te:cners m.;y consider ttá,ese de-; ; as excused absences for cer tain students oi the Bah., .i' > f3 ;tt•. ! 'Nc:..i! c 11ke you .3r:.J .j iJ )::.Jrer;~ .:. t::1note th.3t seven "ho li d3'_1s" consti tute .3 signi fk.mt num t.er > and \vcu lGr'?pr:::e.nt 3 ni~r, ab:entte r,Jt:: > > e-v 2á c ~ :-=j cf Eájucatwn poi1 cy , -st .:Cen t'5 wno ::ccurnuiate ~ S o r mc•re cb~er.c'=s in a school 'fi:Jr rn ~á > not po:: s.: ~u tr.e next gre:ce ! ~'1 ;; ! > > ! arr: p!-0,_,;;j ;r1Q =ce:pv ;:,f ~.~. ;: le-t\-:.r to all .:.che:ol pr incipalá3 :o tt-:at thE\' rnoy pc33 tt-,;5 infor iiiC:t1l:!i > .3b1Ju t ~ .:i n a ' i' ~cii á 1' C•ayá:. 1 > ; n to l. lit-~ r tecct1crs. > > /.f)~ > > r,c: : r:hr,oi Pr inc : p .~ i s > > 9. Letter dated J0 September J98 7 from the Department of Education f or the > Commonwealth of the North ern Mariana Islands recognizing Baha 'i Holy Days as days > when children may be excused from classes. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 565 > > .i\J L> L r ..;sJd) Id 'i ' iLE ;E:xá.r > G/I ZE'l''l';,; 01" l'/\K I ~ 'i' AN("i'/,fl'l' .III). > > Ho. P. 1 ( 64 )MA/ .POL/86-He cons) > GJVERi'fi'llliNT UF P/\KI ~iTAN > ;á;t.1HISTRY 0.1'' .H.£11GIUJ;:) APFA l !IB > Aim r1U Nu HITIES AJ:<' FAIRS > > ** * ** > > I s l8:ne bad, the 27th Jsn u8ry, 1988 . > > s \J j e ct:- WvISCiHY CUJli CIL Pv lt .V! Hlu H. l1'IIBS /IFFAIRS. > > In continuation of this b1inistry' s notification > > o f e ven n 1rnb er dat e d 2 6th October, 1987, ~lr. Israr Hus sain > S i ddiqui, Bhai -\;>.,, ~ Kflrechi, is appointed as non-official > > ;ue :nber of the Advisor y Co W1oil for Minorities Affairs > > aga ins t the seat fallen vacant due to death of ~~ . Uttem > > Clvrnd of Qllette. > _, r!~ > _) . áát. -á - > ( Rao }'szel KhRn Akhtar > Joint Secretary(M) > > The :;inna v, er, > ~1áint~ng á á Corporation of P;:ikintan Press, > !'.!g!'P.0 !'.. i : > > Copy is forwarded to:- > > 1) Mr. Isrsr Hussain Siddiqlli, President National Spirtual > of As sembly of Bhai's of Pa k i s tan, Bhn i's Hall, Karachi - 5 . > > \J~lr. M.P. Bhandara, MNA, No. 1 , National Pa rk Roa d, > Rawalpindi. > > J) P.S to Minis t er for ReligiollS Affairs and Minor ities > Af fairs, Islamabad. > I > J .~ !... /1V > ( Rao Fazal Kh an Akhtar > > 10. Notification by the Government of Pakistan 's Minist1y of Religious Affairs and > Minority Affairs on 27 January 1988 of the appointment of a Baha 'i on the Advisory > Council for Minorities Affairs. > 566 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > INDEPENDENT STATE - - - OF PAPUA NF.W GUINEA > -.-G_.._. > EDUCATION ACT l~M > > CERTIFICA.TE OF REGISTRATION > OF PERMITTED SCHOOL > THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT .. ~AHA,' .1. ~'.~~~ .c.E~!~~ .......... SC'fi00!.. > HAS BEEN REGISTERED AS A J?ERMITTED SCHOOL UNDER > THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 100 OF THE EDUCATION ACT 1983 > CONDITION . ...... Hrca . SCHOOL. > > REGISTRATION NO .. Ps.:335/83 . ..... . > > L DATED ! 4. tio.ve.111q~i: .... . 13 .~ 9 ... , . . > DEPARTMENT HEAD > > h~=-.-==:::::=..::=.===.~~-~.:=:;====:=á=.. =====á=á=á=..~áá=..=á=..=-=.. ~..=-':=J.U > 11 . Certificate of Registration of a Permitted School in Papua New Guinea dated > 14 November 1986 for the Baha 'i Study Centre to operate as a high school. > INT ERNATIONA L SURVEY OF CU RRENT BAHA 'I ACT IVITI ES 567 > > : AT IO: ..\L Sl' IHI T l l AL ASSEMBLY o f th e BAHA'lS o f the l'HILll'l'I N ES , ! NC. > > R EG l ~T t:R No.. > > MARRIAGE CONTRACT > Cit y or Mun icipality ol . .. . . . , Prov ince of. > > HUSBAND WIF E > > Cont ra cting Part i1ás - - - - - -- l l - - - - -- -- - - - -- J J - - - - - - - - - - - - - > faJ A l ! P - - - -- - - -- 1 1 - - - - - - -- - - -- - + - - -- - - - -- - - - > tb) '.'iationali ty _ _ __ _ _ 4 _ _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _- j f - - -- -- - -- ---- > > (c) Rl>sidt•nce _ _ _ _ __ ___,11----- -- - -- - - - J J - - - - - - - -- - - - - > Si ngle, wido wed o r divorced _ _ _ _- j f - - - - -- -- - -- - - ! 1 -- - - - - -- - -- - - > Fath l' r _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _- J J - - - - - - - - - -- ---JJ------------- > Nationali ty _ __ _ _ _ _ _- 1 1 - - - - - - - -- -- - - 1 c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > Mothcr _ __ __ __ _ _ _...,.__ __ __ _ _ _ __ _ _I f - - - - - - -- - -- - - > > NationalitY-- - - - - -- r - -- - - -- - -- -- ! l - -- - -- - - -- - -- > Wirnesses _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _---lf--- - - - - -- - ---11---- - - - - - - - -- > Rt-sidenct> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _- l l - - - - - - - - - - - -- r- - - -- -- -- - - - > Persons who gave consent or advice _ _-jf-- - - - -- - -- -- - t r -- -- - - - -- -- - - > (a) Rcsidence _ __ _ _ _ _ , 1 1 - - - - - -- - - - - - - J J - - - - -- - - - - -- - > (b) Helati on t o contracting parcy _+-- - -- - -- - - -- - 1c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > &lui'1"Cem erof ) > Pla ce o f marriage House of > [ > &rrio or barangay of > Date of marriage . . Officia ted by > Lega liz ing Officer for Baha'i marriages in th e Philippines with residence at > > THIS IS TO CERTIFY : That I, and > I, on th e date and at the place above given, > of our ow11 free w ill and accord, and in th e presence of th e p erson app oin ted by the NATIONAL SP/RI- > TUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA 'TS OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.á with license to officiate th is marriage > and of the two wit11esses named below, both of age, tak e each other as httsband and wife after utt ering > th e sacred verse: > " WE WILL ALL, VERILY, ABIDE BY THE WILL OF GOD. " > A~L .......... . ........ .. . . . . . , Baha'(Marriage Officer, > CERTIF Y: That on the date and at the place aboue writt en the aforesaid . > .............. . and. ........... . > were with their mutual consent joined togeth er in marriage in accordance with the Laws of BARA 'I FAITH > in th e presen ce of said witnesses, both of age; and l further certify that th e Ma rr iage License No. > issued at > O tl. ..... 19. . . .. in favor of said parties was exhibited to me ; and tha t co nsent or adv ice > to su ch marriage was duly given as re quired by Ba lui'i'law, by th e living pare nt s aboue mentioned. > IN WITNESS WHEREOF, w e signed, (or marhed with our fingerprint) this certificat e in quad ruplica r<' > this. day of . . 19.. > > IC Hnll.ll \ll\~ 1',111} I cl 'o n1r:i,á1in)! l'.1r1 y 1 > > ...... . . . ..... . . . > t lhh;i' l 1'. 1:i 111:i!!t Offinár 1 > > License No: Date Issue d: Exp. Da te: > > W I TNESSES > > l 2. Marriage contract of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of the > Philippines which was approved by the Government in I 987. > 568 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > . .,..,., .tJ, ~(/ /, > Form 801 > 8&oobd bJ IW&. Bool.11. . . > (R.U 6 ) > > REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA > > THE SOCIETIES RULES > > CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION > > l H&Blt.BY ORRTU"Y •hat BA.II.A '.1. !:P.:1 '1'!!.... \.~~~l. . . l/ILLIAM > MlfllTHE !USELTHA BAHA'I INSTITUTE - KA.BllE RURAL > ááááááánrsTRICT; ááá ...... ................................... . > has this day been registered under section 7 (I) of the Societies Act.. > > Trl THE Rr.etSTFlAR ov S'octE'riE.S > Sir/Mad am, P.O. Box 1862, L usAJU > THE SOCIETIES ACT > I forward herewith n. Ccrtifica.te of Registration for your society. > 2. I t.ako this opportunity ofdro.,-ing your attention to tho .alient requirements of the Act nnd the Rules; > these are: > (I) To koop ono or more books of account •howing c:lot::.ils of all money; received and pay monts made by > the society (rule 3). > (2) To keep a rr.gistr.r of mf!mbt>r.:: ~howing tho full nnmc and addms~ of ca.ch momber, tho date on which > each member wni::. ndmitt-ed to membershin n.nd tho date on which each mcmhor ter minated such > member.hip (rule 4). á > (3) To submit t.o tho Registrar of you r di!•trict, th a.t is your District Socret:uy, an annna1 return in duplicate > on Form S09 not later thnn th e 31st Mnrch of e>ch ycsr (rule 16). > (4) To give noti ro to th e Registrar of your district, that is your District Secretary, in dupli cate on Form > SOS within fourteen day~. of any change of office boarcr (rule 15). > (5) To notify tho Registrar of your dic;trict, t ha.t i ~ your Di~ trict Sccret!l.ry, in duplicate on Form 807 > within a month, of any change in one !'lociety's name or of a.ny of tho provisions of it!; constitution or > rules or of any a ddition or dec rease on its objects, or if it becomes a branch of or affiliated to or con. > ncrted with any organisation or group of a politicn.1nature established outside the country (section 15). > (G) To notify the R <'g i!'trar of your d istrict, that is you r Distri ct Secretary, in duplicate on Form S07 of any > ch1mgc of a society's post.a l address of or tho situation of its registered office (section 32). > (i ) To ~ upply nny of t.hc informat ion the R cgi:-: trar nmy requi re under sec tion 17 or 18 or rulo IV. > Forms 807, 8 and 9 cnn h(I obtnin(- tiituntcrl. . > am, Sir{1\.fodam, > TiiE CHAl ! ..... iiA.HA:;i Fi..1Tii (ZAi.i!ii ;.. ; . ~~~~ . .q.. K, .. C'r:J~~V; / > lllLLl AM MM\JTI!:S BAlfA ' 1 lli 5 'fl Tl/fE , i.Jtrar of Socidfu > > .P •. o.•. . B~ X. 5q4.6} , .. > J...U SA)(.0, . > 10.. AAIO 2Jlt) > > 13. Certificate of Registration by the Republic of Zambia of the William Mmuth e > Maseltha Baha'i Institute, dated 5 October 1988. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIV ITIES 569 > > 14. First Day Cover of a commemorative stamp issued by the Government of > Western Samoa for Christmas J988. There are four stamps in this series, the $2.00 stamp > having the picture of the House of Worship in Apia. > 570 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > I > > ~ ~Tá ~en Jf~-TtT NE láDI 0 D > 1991 > > 15. The Postal Department in India has depicted the House of Worship in New Delhi > on a postage stamp to mark the Diamond Jubilee of that city. The Mashriqu 'l-Adhklir is > featured on one of two stamps which portray well-known buildings in India 's capital; > October 1991. > INT ERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES > > 4. THE GERMAN COURT'S LEGAL RECOGNITION OF > ASSEMBLY STATUS > > Department of the Secretariat 27 May 1991 > > To all National Spiritual Assemblies > > Dear Baha'i Friends, > > Decision of the German Federal Constitutional Court > > In the Ric:ivan message of the Universal House of Justice, reference was made to an > extremely significant decision of the Federal Constitutional Court in Germany. Since this > decision may be of assistance to National Spiritual Assemblies in other counháies where difficulties are experienced in obtaining recognition for the Faith, or where the Spiritual > Assemblies meet with complications in acquiring legal incorporation, the House of Justice > has instructed us to send you the enclosed three documents: > > 1. The decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, in Geiman > > 2. A tráanslation of this decision into English > > 3. An elucidation of the abbreviations used in the above > > 4. A brief outline of the background to the decision and indications of its importance, > drawing on an article by Dr. Udo Schaefer published in "Baha' i Nachrichten" (the > newsletter of the German Baha'i community). > > We should mention that it proved very difficult indeed to tráanslate the decision into > English, since the forms and concepts of Geiman Law differ radically from those of English > Law. There is often, therefore, no exact equivalence of terminology. Nevertheless, the > English translation is sufficiently faithful as to convey a clear impression of the original. > > With loving Baha'i greetings, > > For Department of the Secretariat > > cc: International Teaching Centre > Boards of Counsellors > 572 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Leitsiitze > > zum Beschluf3 des Zweiten Senats vom 5. Februar 1991 > - 2 BvR 263/86 - > > 1. Allein die Behauptung und das Selbstverstiindnis, eine Gemeinschaft bekenne sich zu > einer Religion und sei eine Religionsgemeinschaft, konnen flir diese und ihre Mitglieder > die Berufung auf die Freiheitsgewiihrleistung des Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG nicht rechtfertigen; vielmehr muf3 es sich auch tatsiichlich, nach geistigem Gehalt und iiuf3erem > Erscheinungsbild, um eine Religion und Religionsgemeinschaft handeln. Dies in1 Streitfall zu priifen und zu entscheiden, obliegt-als Anwendung einer Regelung der > staatlichen Rechtsordnung-den staatlichen Organen, letztlich den Gerichten. > > 2. a) Zur Religionsfreiheit im Sinne des Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG gehOrt auch die religiose > Yereinigungsfreiheit, wie sie sich aus dieser Bestimmung in Yerbindung mit den einschliigigen, > b) Der Gewiihrleistungsinhalt der religiosen Yereinigungsfreiheit umfaf3t die Freiheit, aus > gemeinsamem Glauben sich zu einer Religionsgesellschaft zusammenzuschlief3en und > zu organisieren. Damit ist kein Anspruch auf eine bestimmte Rechtsform gemeint, > etwa die des rechtsfahigen Yereins oder einer sonstigen Form der juristischen Person; > gewiihrleistet ist die Moglichkeit einer irgendwie gearteten rechtlichen Existenz einschlief3lich der Teilnahme am allgemeinen Rechtsverkehr. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 573 > BUND ESVERF ASSUNGSGERICHT > > - 2 BvR 263/86 - > > IM NAMEN DES VOLKES > In dem V erfahren > tiber > die Verfassungsbeschwerden > > 1. des "Geistigen Rat der Baha' i in Ttibingen mit Sitz in Ttibingen'', > vertr. 2. des Herrn S .. ., > 3. der Frau S ... , > 4. der Frau S .. . > > - Bevollmachtigte: Rechtsanwalte Dr. Michael Uechtritz, > Dr. Hans Schlarmann, > Birkenwaldstral3e 149, Stuttgart 1 - > > gegen a) den Beschlu13 des Oberlandesgerichts Stuttgart > vom 27. Januar 1986 - 8 W 252/85 -, > b) den Beschlul3 des Landgerichts Tubingen > vom 8. Mai 1985 - 5 T 34/84 (FGG) - , > c) die Beschliisse des Amtsgerichts Ttibingen > vom 8. Dezember 1983 und vom 2. Januar 1984- GReg. II 922/83 - > > hat Vizeprasident Mahrenholz, > Bockenforde, > Klein, > Gral3hof, > Kruis, > Franl3en, > Kirchhof, > Winter > > am 5. Februar 1991 beschlossen: > > Die Beschlilsse des Oberlandesgerichts Stuttgart vom 27. Januar 1986 - 8 W 252/85 -, > des Landgerichts Ttibingen vom 8. Mai 1985 - 5 T 34/84 (FGG) - und des Amtsgerichts > Ttibingen vom 8. Dezember 1983 w1d vom 2. Januar 1984 - GReg. II 922/83 - verletzen > die Beschwerdefilhrer in ihrem Grundrecht aus Artikel 4 Absatz 1 und 2 des > Grundgesetzes. Sie werden aufgehoben . Die Sache wird an zurtickverwiesen. > > Das Land Baden-Wtirttemberg hat den Beschwerdefilhrem die notwendigen Auslagen zu > erstatten. > 574 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > > Griin de: > > A. > > Gegenstand der Verfassungsbeschwerden ist die Frage, wieweit es Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 > GG gebietet, bei der Auslegung und Anwendung vereinsrechtlicher Vorsch1iften des Bi.irger!ichen Gesetzbuchs die Eigenart eines religiosen Vereins zu beri.icksichtigen, der sich als > Teilgliederung einer Religionsgemeinschaft versteht und organisiert. > > I. > > Die Religionsgemeinschaft der Baha' i, einer aus dem schiitischen Islam entstandenen > Glaubensrichtung, ist in einer Vielzahl von Landern vertreten. Sie ist hierarchisch gegliedert > und wird derzeit durch das aus neun gewahlten Mitgliedern bestehende "Universale Haus > der Gerechtigkeit" mit Sitz in Ha ifa (Israel) geleitet. In Landern mit einer groJ3eren Anzahl > von 01tsgemeinden wird jahrlich von der Gesamtheit der Mitglieder ein neunkopfiger > Nationaler Geistiger Rat in indirekter Wahl gewahlt. Dieser ist in der Bundesrepublik Deutsch- > Jand als eingetragener Verein errichtet; in anderen Staaten bedient er sich entsprechend den > dort geltenden Gesetzen anderer vereins- oder gesellschaftsrechtlicher Rechtsformen. Als > Leitungsorgane auf ortlicher Ebene werden von den Glaubigen der ortlichen Gemeinde > ebenfalls aus neun Mitgliedern bestehende ortliche Geistige Rate gewahlt, die fiir die Regelung der i:irtlichen Belange zustandig sind. > > II. > > 1. Der Beschwerdefiihrer zu 2) ist Vorsitzender, die Beschwerdefilhrer zu 3) tmd 4) > waren weitere Vorstandsmitglieder des Beschwerdefiilrrers zu 1). Am 14. Februar 1983 meldete der Beschwerdefiihrer zu 2) als Vorsitzender des Vorstandes beim Amtsgericht > Tiibingen den Beschwerdefiiluáer zu 1) zur Eintragung in das Vereinsregister an. Die dem > Antrag zugrnndeliegende Satzung enthalt fo lgende, bier bedeutsame Vorsclrriften: > > Artikel 2 > Zweck des Vereins > I Der Zweck des Geistiges Rates der Baha' i in Ti.ibingen ist die Verwaltung aller > Angelegenheiten der Ba ha' i-Gemeinde in Ti.ibingen nach den Lehren und Verwaltungsgnmdsatzen der Baha'i-Religion, wie sie sich aus dem der Satzung > anschlieJ3enden Anhang ergeben .... > II Der Geistige Rat verfolgt danach ausschlieJ31ich und unmittelbar gemeinni.itzige, > mildtatige und religiose Zwecke im Sinne des Abschnitts " Steuerbegi.instigte > Zwecke" der Abgabenordnung. > III Der Geistige Rat ist selbstlos tatig und verfolgt keine eigenwi1tschaftlichen Zwecke. > > Artike l 3 > Entstehung der Mitgliedschaft > I > II Die M itglieder des Geistigen Rates werden von den wahlberechtigten Mitgliedern > der Baha'i-Gemeinde aus deren Mitte in geheimer Wahl mit einfacher Stin1Illenmehrheit fur die Dauer ei nes Jaluáes , langstens bis zur Wahl ilrrer Nachfolger, > INTERNAT IONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 575 > berufen. Diese Wahl findet am 21. April eines jeden Jahres auf der Jahrestagung der > Baha' i-Gemeinde statt. Das Nahere regelt Artikel 10. > III > > Artikel 4 > Beendigung der Mitgliedschaft > I Die Mitgliedschaft wird beendet > durch Zeitablaufund Neuwahl des Geistigen Rates, > durch Austritt, > durch AusschluJ3, > durch Ausscheiden aus der Baha'i-Gemeinde Tilbingen. > II Der AusschluJ3 eines Mitgliedes des Geistigen Rates fa.lit in die Zustandigkeit des > Nationalen Geistigen Rates der Baha'i in Deutschland e.V. > Artikel 5 > Nachwahl > I Ausfallende Mitglieder des Geistigen Rates werden auf einer zu diesem Zwecke > durch den Geistigen Rat ordnungsgemaJ3 einberufenen, besonderen Versammlung > der Baha' i-Gemeinde durch Wahl erganzt. Solange die Zahl der Mitglieder des Geistigen Rates nicht unter 5 herabsinkt, bleibt seine BeschluJ3fahigkeit erhalten. > II Falls die Zahl der ausfallenden Mitglieder hi:iher als vier ist, so daJ3 der Geistige Rat > nicht mehr beschluJ3fahig ist, wird die Wah! unter der Aufsicht des N ationalen Geistigen Rates vorgenommen. > > Artikel 9 > Mitgliederversammlung > I > II Alie folgenden Sitzungen werden durch den Sekretar des Geistigen Rates auf Antrag > des Vorsitzenden oder bei dessen Verhinderung des stellvertretenden Vorsitzenden > oder auf Antrag dreier Mitglieder des Rates formlos (schriftlich, telefonisch oder > mi.indlich) einberufen oder durch BeschluJ3 des Rates im voraus festgelegt. ... > III > IV > > Artikel 11 > Der Nationale Geistige Rat > I Die alien Geistigen Raten in der Bundesrepublik vorgeordnete Institution ist der > Nationa le Geistige Rat der Baha' i in Deutschland e.V. > Er entscheidet > a) und b) .. . ; > c) i.iber die Zustandigkeit eines ortlichen Geistigen Rates; > d) bis f) ... > Artikel 13 > Satzungsanderungen > I > II Satzungsanderungen bedi.irfen der Genehrnigung des Nationalen Geistigen Rates der > Baha'i in Deutschland e.V. Sie werden wirksam mit der Eintragung in das Vereinsregister. > 576 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Artikel 14 > Auflosung > I Die Auflosung des Geistigen Rates kann erfolgen > a) aufgrund eines mit absoluter Stimmenmehrheit gefal3ten Beschlusses der > Ratsmitglieder in einer ausschlie131ich zu diesem Zweck einberufenen > Mitgliederversammlung, > b) durch einen mit absoluter Stimmenmehrheit getroffenen Beschlul3 des > Nationalen Geistigen Rates. > II Bei Auflosung des Geistigen Rates wird dessen Ve1m6gen dem Nationalen Geistigen > Rat der Baha'i in Deutschland e.V. ilbereignet, deres unmittelbar und ausschlie13lich > fur gemeinniltzige, mildtatige und religiose Zwecke zu verwenden hat. > > 2. Das Amtsgericht wies im Eintragungsverfahren auf rechtliche Bedenken formeller und > materieller Art hin und forderte zur Abhilfe auf. Dem Beschwerdefuhrer zu 1) ermangle es > insbesondere an der erforderlichen rechtlichen Selbstandigkeit, weil er in seinem Bestand > einerseits von der 6rtlichen Gemeinde, andererseits vom Nationalen Geistigen Rat abhangig > sei. Die Beschwerdefuhrer machten demgegenilber geltend, der institutionelle Aufbau der > weltweiten Baha'i-Gemeinschaft beruhe auf einem gottlichen Stiftungsakt und konne von > ihnen nicht geandert werden. Da nach dem Verfassungsrecht der Baha'i alle Jurisdiktionsgewalt bei den gewahlten Korperschaften liege, mil13ten diese Rechtsfahigkeit erlangen, um im > Rechtsverkehr tatig werden zu konnen. Den Einttáagungsantrag wies das Amtsgericht nut > Beschlul3 vom 8. Dezember 1983, eine weitere Anmeldung vom 22.12.1983 mit Beschlu13 > vom 2. Januar 1984 zmiick. > 3. Die sofortige Beschwerde der Beschwerdefuhrer zu 2) bis 4) gegen die Beschliisse des > Amtsgerichts vom 8. Dezember 1983 und 2. Januar 1984 wies das Landgericht am 8. Mai > 1985 als unbegriindet zmiick. Die vorgelegte Vereinssatzung verstol3e gegen § 37 Abs. 1 > BGB sowie gegen den Grundsatz der Vereinsautonomie. Art. 9 Abs . 2 der Satzung, der die > Voraussetzungen fur die Einberufung einer Mitgliederversammlung regle, werde dem durch > § 37 Abs. 1 BGB geforderten Schutz der Minderheit nicht gerecht. Die Gesetzesvorschrift > verlange, die Zahl der Mitglieder, auf deren Antrag eine Mitgliederversammlung einzuberufen sei, anteilsmal3ig festzusetzen, damit auch kilnftigen Andemngen der Starke des > Vereins Rechnung getragen werde. Die Mitgliederzahl des Vereins k61me bis auf funf herabsinken, olme dal3 Beschlu13unfahigkeit eintrete. In diesem Fall reprasentiere die in Art. 9 > Abs. 2 vorgesehene Zahl von drei Mitgliedem keine Minderheit mehr. > Vor allem aber enthalte die Satzung Regelungen, die eine organisationsrechtliche Abhangigkeit des Vereins von Dritten herbeifuhrten und deshalb mit dem Grundsatz der > Selbstandigkeit und Selbstverwaltung von Vereinen unvereinbar seien. Durch Art. 4 Abs. 2, > 11 Abs. 1, 13 Abs. 2, 14 Abs. 1 Buchst. b w1d durch weitere Bestimmungen solle einerseits > dem Nationalen Geistigen Rat als Nichtvereinsmitglied das Entscheidw1gsrecht iiber den > Ausschlu13 von Mitgliedem, Satzungsandemngen, Vereinsauf16sung und andere Vereinsbelange ilbertragen werden; andererseits solle nach Art. 3 Abs. 2 und 4 Abs. 1 die Baha' i- > Gemeinde durch Wahlen iiber den Erwerb und die Dauer der Mitgliedschaft bestinm1en. Ein > derart umfassender Fremdeinflul3 auf die Organisation eines Vereins sei unzulassig. > 4. Das Oberlandesgericht Stuttgart wies die sofortige weitere Beschwerde der Beschwerdefuhrer zu 2) bis 4) mit Beschlul3 vom 27. Januar 1986 (OLGZ 1986, S. 257) als > unbegriindet zurilck. Art. 9 Abs . 2 der Satzung verletze § 37 Abs. 1 BGB, weil fur eine > mogliche Anderung der Mitgliederzahl ilicht sichergestellt sei, dal3 die Einbemfung der Mitgliederversanunlung auf Verlangen einer Minderheit zu erfolgen habe. Die Satzung sei > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 577 > tiberdies mit dem Grundsatz der Selbstandigkeit und Selbstverwaltung des Vere ins (V ereinsautonomie) nicht vereinbar. Ari. 14 Abs. 1 Buchst. b, wonach der Nationale Geistige Rat > den Verein auflosen konne, verstoJ3e gegen § 41 BGB. Es sei nicht zulassig, einem auJ3enstehenden Dritten das Recht zu tibertragen, den Verein gegen den Willen seiner Mitglieder > aufzulosen. Soweit die Rechtsprechung solche Bestimmungen vereinzelt als statthaft angesehen habe (KG, DJ 1936, S. 1948; OLG Karlsruhe, JW 1936, S. 3266; OLG Stuttgart, Das > Recht 1936, Sp. 151), seien die Entscheidungen in nationalsozialistischer Zeit ergangen und > tiberzeugten in der Begrtindung nicht. Die in Art. 3 Abs. 2 und Art. 4 Satz 1 der Satzung > vorgesehene Wahl der Mitglieder durch die Baha'i-Gemeinde verstoJ3e gegen die §§ 38 und > 58 Nr. 1 BGB. Zwar konne die Form des Beitritts eines neuen Mitglieds und die Aufnahmeerklarung in der Satzung beliebig geregelt und die Mitgliedschaft an bestimmte > Voraussetzungen gekntipft werden. Es mtisse jedoch grundsatzlich dem Verein freistehen, > ob er jemanden als Mitglied aufnehmen wolle, sofem er nicht ausnahmsweise als existenzwichtiger Verein mit Monopolstellung zur Aufnahme von Mitgliedem verpflichtet sei. > Abgesehen von diesen Einzelbestimmungen ergebe das Gesamtbild der Satzung einen so > starkeh FremdeinfluJ3, daJ3 von einem eigenverantwortlichen Handeln des Vereins nicht > mehr die Rede sein konne. Hierbei seien die Einwirkungsrechte des Nationalen Geistigen > Rates nach Art. 4 Abs. 2 (AusschluJ3 eines Mitglieds), Art. 11 Abs. 1 Buchst. c (Entscheidungsbefugnis tiber die Zustandigkeit), Art. 13 Abs . 2 (Genehmigungsvorbehalt for > Satzungsanderungen) und Art. 14 Abs. 2 (Ubergang des Vermogens bei Vereinsauflosung > auf den Nationalen Geistigen Rat) von Bedeutung. Die Satzung enthalte einen Verzicht auf > die Vereinsautonornie, der rnit dem geltenden Vereinsrecht nicht vereinbar sei. > > III. > > Die Verfassungsbeschwerden richten sich gegen die Beschltisse des Oberlandesgerichts > und des Landgerichts sowie- bei sachgerechter Auslegung der Verfassungsbeschwerde- > Schrift-gegen beide Beschltisse des Amtsgerichts. Die Beschwerdeftihrer haben hierzu ein > Gutachten von Prof. Dr. Friedrich Muller vorgelegt und rnachen in1 wesentlichen geltend: > 1. Die Verfassungsbeschwerden seien zulassig. Das erforderliche Rechtsschutzinteresse > sei gegeben. Dem stehe nicht entgegen, da/3 die Zurtickweisung des Eintragungsantrags auch > auf eine Beanstandung des Art. 9 Abs. 2 der Satzung, zu dessen Anderung die Beschwerdeftihrer bereit seien, gesttitzt worden sei. Wtirde der Antrag nach der Anderung dieser > Satzungsbestimmung emeut gestellt, so wtirde er wegen der anderen vom Oberlandesgericht > beanstandeten Satzungsbestinmmngen wieder abgelehnt werden, wobei voraussichtlich > keine neue Sachprtifung stattfande. > 2. Das Oberlandesgericht habe das Vereinsrecht des Btirgerlichen Gesetzbuchs wuáichtig > ausgelegt und hierbei insbesondere Inhalt und Tragweite der Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2, Art. 140 > GG in Verbindung mit Ari. 137 Abs. 3, 4 WRV verkannt. _ > a) Entgegen der Auffassung des Oberlandesgerichts hindere § 41 Abs. 1 BGB nicht > daran, das Recht, den Verein aufzulOsen, auf einen Dritten zu tibertragen. Dies gelte jedenfalls dann, wenn auch die Mitgliederversammlung diese Befugnis habe . Die > Satzungsbestimmungen tiber die Wahl der Vereinsmitglieder durch die Baha'i-Gemeinde > und deren Ausscheiden infolge Neuwahl seien mit §§ 38 und 58 BGB vereinbar. Wie sich > aus den §§ 25 und 40 BGB ergebe, stelle es das staatlicQ.e Recht in das Belieben des Vereins, > derariige Regelungen zu treffen. Aus dem Btirgerlichen Gesetzbuch konnten auch keine > Bedenken hergeleitet werden gegen die Kompetenz des Nationalen Geistigen Rates zum > Ausschlu/3 eines Mitglieds des ortlichen Geistigen Rates (Art 4 Abs. 2 der Satzung) und zur > 578 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Bestimmung von Abs. 2 vorgesehene Genehmigungspflicht fur Satzungsanderungen und die Obertragung des > Vermogens des Geistigen Rates bei (Art. 14 Abs. 2). Insgesamt lief3en die vom Oberlandesgericht beanstandeten Satzungsbestimmungen keinen unzuliissigen Fremdeinfluf3 auJ3enstehender Dritter auf den > Beschwerdefuhrer zu 1) zu. Dessen Einbindung in den hierarchischen Aufbau der Religionsgemeinschaft der Baha' i sei zwingend die auf gottlicher Offenbarung beruhten. > b) Die Versagung der Rechtsfahigkeit verletze den Beschwerdefuhrer zu I) in seinen > Grundrechten aus A1i. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG und verstoJ3e gegen Art. 140 GG in Verbindung > mit Art. 137 Abs. 3 und 4 WRY. Von diesen Verfassungsbestimmungen sei auch der organisatorische Aufbau der Religionsgesellschaft erfaf3t einschlief3lich des Rechts, fur ein > gemeindliches Leitungsorgan die Rechtsfahigkeit anzustreben. Fi.ir das hier maf3gebliche > Selbstverstandnis der Baha ' i sei es unabdingbar, daf3 die Leitungsorgane der 6rtlichen > Gemeinden, nicht aber die Gemeinden selbst, Rechtsfahigkeit erlangen. Das Grundgesetz > raume in Art. 140 GG in Verbindung mit Art. 137 Abs. 2 bis 5 WRY den Religionsgemeinschaften ein grundsatzliches Wahlrecht in bezug auf die Rechtsform ein. Nachdem den > Baha ' i der angestrebte Status einer Korperschaft des offentlichen Rechts versagt werde, > mi.isse dem Beschwerdefuhrer zu 1) die Rechtsfahigkeit nach bi.irgerlichem Recht zuerkannt > werden. Selbst wenn die vom Oberlandesgericht gefundene Auslegung des Vereinsrechts > fur nichtreligiose Vereine zutreffen sollte, wirke sie sich auf den Beschwerdefuhrer zu 1) > aufgrund seiner religiosen Zielsetzung und der daraus zwingend folgenden Einbindung in > die nationale und internationale Ordnung der Baba' i barter aus als auf jene und konne daher > fur ihn nicht gelten. > Die Beschwerdefuhrer zu 2) bis 4) seien als Vorstandsmitglieder des Beschwerdefuhrers > zu 1) in ihrem IV. > Zu der Verfassungsbeschwerde haben sich der Bundesminister der Justiz und das Ministerium fi.ir Justiz, Bundes- und Europaangelegenheiten Baden-Wi.irttemberg geauf3ert. > Beide halten die Verfassungsbeschwerde fi.ir unbegri.indet. > 1. Der Bundesminister der Justiz tragt vor, aus Art. 4 Abs. 2 und Art. 140 GG in Verbindung mit Art. 137 Abs. 3 WRY konne nicht unmittelbar unter Berufung auf die Glaubensinhalte der Baha'i-Religion ein Anspruch auf Erlangung der Rechtsfahigkeit fur den > Beschwerdefuhrer zu I) hergeleitet werden. Art. 4 Abs. 2 GG verpflichte den Staat zur Respektierung des Glaubens und zum Schutz der Religionsausi.ibung, nicht aber zur Schaffung > rechtlicher Regelungen, die den jeweiligen Glaubensinhalten einzelner Religionsgesellschaften entsprachen . Fraglich sei bereits, ob Art. 137 Abs. 3 WRY den Erwerb der > Rechtsfahigkeit WRY, der auf den Beschwerdefi.ihrer zu I) als blof3er Untergliederung einer Religionsgemeinschaft allerdings nicht unmittelbar anwendbar sei, treffe namlich gerade fur diesen > Bereich eine ausdri.ickliche Regelung. Jedenfalls konne der Geistige fat die Rechtsfahigkeit > nur nach den allgemeinen Vorschriften des bi.irgerlichen Rechtes erlangen; geringere > Anforderungen, als sie Art. 137 Abs. 4 WRY fur die Eintragung einer Religionsgesellschaft > als Verein stelle, konnten insoweit nicht gelten . Die Gerichte batten bei ihrer Entscheidung > i.iber die Eintragung des Beschwerdefi.ihrers zu I) Bedeutung und Tragweite des Art. 140 > GG in Verbindung mit Art. 137 Abs. 3 und 4 WRY nicht verkannt. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'f ACTIVITIES 579 > 2. Nach Auffassung des Ministers fur Justiz, Bundes- und Europaangelegenheiten Baden- > Wilrttemberg verst6/3t die Satzung nicht nur gegen einzelne Vorschriften des zwingenden > Rechts. Sie weiche auch in ihrer Gesamtheit so erheblich von dem im Bilrgerlichen > Gesetzbuch geregelten Typus des autonomen Vereins ab und setze den Beschwerdefuhrer zu > 1) so dominierenden Fremdeinflilssen aus, da/3 die Entscheidung des Oberlandesgerichts, > gemessen an den vereinsrechtlichen Vorschriften des Bilrgerlichen Gesetzbuchs, nicht beanstandet werden konne. Auch bei der gebotenen Berilcksichtigung des einschlagigen > Verfassungsrechts ergebe sich nichts anderes. Die Beschwerdefuhrer hatten auch bisher > nicht schlilssig dargelegt, da/3 der Glaube der Baha'i im einzelnen die Organisationsregeln > fordere, die vom Oberlandesgericht als unvereinbar mit den Vorschriften des Bilrgerlichen > Gesetzbuchs erachtet wurden. Es liege vielmehr nahe, da/3 die Glaubenslehre eine gewisse > Flexibilitat in der Ausgestaltung der Organisationsstruktur einraume. > > B. > > Die Verfassungsbeschwerden sind zulassig. > > 1. Der Beschwerdefuhrer zu 1) ist zur Erhebung der Verfassungsbeschwerde befugt. Als > Vereinigung von Personen kann er, unabhangig von gegebener Rechtsfahigkeit, die mogliche Verletzung eines Grundrechts geltend machen (vgl. BVerfGE 3, 383 <391 >). Die > Verfassungsbeschwerde betrifft gerade die Frage, ob dem Beschwerdefuhrer zu 1) die Eintragung als Verein und damit die Erlangung der Rechtsfahigkeit ohne Verletzung seines > Grundrechts aus Art. 4 Abs. l und 2 GG verweigert werden darf. > Der Beschwerdefuhrer zu 1) behauptet, er werde in seiner Freiheit der Religionsausilbung > dadurch verletzt, da/3 ihm mit der Verweigerung seiner Eintragung in das Vereinsregister > unmoglich gemacht werde, sich so zu organisieren, wie es seiner im wesentlichen Glaubensinhalt der Baha'i zwingend vorgegebenen inneren Verfassung entspreche. Damit > ist der Schutzbereich des Grundrechts der Religionsfreiheit berilhrt. Das Vorbringen des > Beschwerdefuhrers zu 1) ist auch hinreichend substantiiert; nach seinem Vortrag ist der > Sach- und Lebensbereich der Religionsfreiheit betroffen und erscheint eine Verletzung des > Gewahrleistungsinhalts des Grundrechts moglich. > 2. Die Beschwerdefuhrer zu 2) bis 4) bringen vor, die Ablehnung der Eintragung des Beschwerdefuhrers zu 1) mache es ihnen unmoglich, sich im Rahmen ihrer Glaubensgemeinschaft entsprechend den fur die bindenden Vorgaben der ihr zuteil gewordenen Offenbarung > zu organisieren und so ihre Religion auszuilben. Mit diesem Vortrag haben sie die Moglichkeit einer Verletzung ihres Grundrechts aus Art. 4 Abs . 1 und 2 GG , das gerade auch ein > Individualgrundrecht ist, hinreichend dargetan. Daf3 die Beschwerdefuhrer zu 3) und 4) > inzwischen nicht mehr dem ortlichen Geistigen Rat angehoren , hat das ursprilnglich bestehende Interesse an einer Sachentscheidung nicht entfallen !assen. Wie sich eine Anderung > der Sachlage auf eine anhangige Verfassungsbeschwerde auswirkt, ist fur den jeweiligen > Einzelfall unter Berilcksichtigung der Art des angegriffenen Hoheitsakts, der Bedeutung der > geltend gemachten verfassungsrechtlichen Gewahrleistung und der Zwecke des Verfassungsbeschwerde-Verfahrens zu entscheiden (BVerfGE 76, 1 <38>). Im vorliegenden Fall > ist die grundsatzliche Bedeutung der aufgeworfenen verfassungsrechtlichen Frage und > weiter zu berilcksichtigen, da/3 die Beschwerdefuhrer zu 3) und 4) bei Wahlen emeut Mitglieder des ortlichen Geistigen Rates der Baha'i werden konnen und weitere gerichtliche > Verfahren bei erneuten Antragen auf Eintragung in das Vereinsregister moglich sind (vgl. > auch BVerfGE 2 1, 139 < 143>). > 580 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > 3. Das Rechtsschutzbedii rfnis fur die Verfassungsbeschwerde fehlt nicht deshalb, weil > das Oberlandesgericht seine Entscheidung auch auf die von den Beschwerdefuhrern nicht > beanstandete Erwagung gestiitzt hat, Art. 9 Abs. 2 der Satzung gewahrleiste hinsichtlich der > Einberufung der Mitgliederversammlung nicht den von § 37 Abs. I BGB geforderten Minderheitenschutz. Insoweit handelt es sich ersichtlich um ei ne Frage, die im fachgerichtlichen > Verfahren nur eine untergeordnete Rolle spielte. Die Beschwerdefuhrer sind zu einer > Anderung der Satzung in diesem Punkt bereit. Es ist ihnen nicht zuzumuten , nach einer > solchen Anderung erneut ei n offensichtlich aussichtsloses Verfahren zu durchlaufen. > > C. > > Die Verfassungsbeschwerden sind begriindet. > > Die Entscheidungen der Gerichte werden der Bedeutung des in Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG in > Verbindung mit Art. 140 GG/137 Abs. 2 und 4 WRY gewahrleisteten Grundrechts der > religiosen Vereinigungsfreiheit fur die Auslegung (und Handhabung) des Vereinsrechts des > Biirgerlichen Gesetzbuchs nicht gerecht und verletzen dad urch die Beschwerdefuhrer in > ihren Grundrechten. > > I. > > Dem ortlichen Geistigen Rat der Baha'i Tiibingen und den Glaubigen der Baha' i- > Gemeinschaft steht das Grundrecht aus Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG zu. Zwar konnen nicht allein > die Behauptung und das Selbstverstiindnis, eine Gemeinschaft bekenne sich zu einer Religion und sei eine Religionsgemeinschaft, fur diese und ihre Mitglieder die Berufung auf die > Fre iheitsgewahrleistung des Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG rechtfertigen; vielmehr mu/3 es sich > auch tatsachlich, nach geistigem Gehalt und auf3erem Erscheinungsbild, um eine Religion > und Religionsgemeinschaft handeln . Dies im Streitfall zu priifen und zu entscheiden, obliegt > -als Anwendung ei ner Regelung der staatli chen Rechtsordnung- den staatlichen Organen, > letztlich den Gerichten, die dabei freilich keine fre ie Bestimmungsmacht ausiiben, sondern > den vo n der Verfassung gernei nten oder vorausgesetzten , dem Sinn und Zweck der grundrechtlichen Verbiirgung entsprechenden Begriff der Religion zugrundezulegen haben. Im > vorliegenden Fall braucht hierauf j edoch nicht naher eingetreten zu werden, da der Charakter > des Baha' i-G laubens als Religion und der Baha ' i-Gemeinschaft als Religionsgemeinschaft > nach aktueller Lebenswirklichkeit, Kulturtradition und allgemeinem wie auch religionswissenschaftlichem Verstiindnis offenkundig ist. > > II. > > D ie Religionsfreiheit im Sinne des Art. 4 Abs . 1 und 2 GG umfaf3t auch die religiose > Vereinigungsfreiheit, wie sie sich aus dieser Bestimmung in Verbindung mit den einscblagigen, I. Die religiose Vereinigungsfreiheit ist in Art. 4 Abs . 1 und 2 GG nicht ausdriickli ch > benannt; eigens gewahrleistet werden die Freiheit des Glaubens, des Gewissens, des > reli giosen und weltanschaulichen Bekenntnisses sowie die Freiheit der Religionsausiibung. > Nach der Rechtsprechung des Bundesverfassungsgerichts ist die in Art. 4 GG verbiirgte > Religionsfreiheit jedoch umfassend zu verstehen (vgl. BVerfGE 24, 236 <244 ff.>). Die > Intention des Verfassungsgebers war nach der Erfahrnng der Religionsverfo lgung INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 581 > NS-Regime darauf gerichtet, Religionsfreiheit nicht nur in bestimmten Teilfreiheiten, > sondem voll zu gewahrleisten. Jedenfalls sollte keines der religiosen Freiheitsrechte, die als > Ergebnis jahrhundertelanger geschichtlicher Entwicklung in der Weimarer Yerfassung > Anerkennung gefunden hatten, nunmehr ausgeschlossen sein. Zu diesen religiosen > Freiheitsrechten gehorten die Glaubens- und Gewissensfreiheit einschlief31ich der Bekenntnisfreiheit, die Freiheit der privaten und offentlichen Religionsaustibung (Kultusfreiheit) > und die religiose Yereinigungsfreiheit (vgl. Art. 135, 136, 137 Abs. 2 WRY und G. > Anschutz, Die Religionsfreiheit, in: Anschiitz/Thoma (Hrsg.), HDStR, Bd. 2, 1932, § 106, S. > 681 ff.). > Dies wird ersten Lesung im HauptausschuJ3 als Satz 2 des Abs. 1 ausdrticklich die Gewahrleistung der > religiosen Yereinigungsfreiheit ("Das Recht zur Yereinigung zu Religions- und Weltanschauungsgesellschaften wird anerkannt"). Erst in der vierten Lesung im Hauptausschuf3 am > 4. Mai 1949-nach der Dbernahme des Weimarer Kirchenkompromisses in das > Grundgesetz-wurde dieser Satz mit der Begrtindung gestrichen, er sei nunmehr entbehrlich, weil Art. 137 Abs. 2 WRY Bestandteil des Grundgesetzes geworden sei (v.Doemming/ > FUJ3lein/Matz, Entstehungsgeschichte der Artikel des Grundgesetzes: JOR, N.F., Bd. 1, S. 73 > ff.; Pad.Rat, HA-Prot., 57. Sitzung am 4.5.1949, S. 745). Daraus ergibt sich, daf3 nach dem > Willen des Parlamentarischen Rats die religiose Yereinigungsfreiheit verfassungsrechtlich > gewahrleistet sein und bleiben so llte. Es ware diesem Befund und dem Willen des Yerfassungsgebers gerade entgegengesetzt, ihr wegen der Herausnahme aus Art. 4, die nur > erfolgte, um eine Doppelgewahrleistung zu vermeiden, nunmehr die Zugehorigkeit zur > grundrechtlich garantierten Religionsfreiheit abzusprechen. Yielmehr ist davon auszugehen, > daf3 Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG sich fur die Gewahrleistung der religiosen Yereinigungsfreiheit > auf Art. 140 GG/137 Abs. 2 WRY bezieht und sie in 2. Der Gewahrleistungsinhalt der religiosen Yereinigungsfreiheit umfaf3t die Freiheit, aus > gemeinsamem Glauben sich zu einer Religionsgesellschaft zusammenzuschlief3en und zu > organisieren. Schon der Begriff der Religionsgesellschaft weist darauf hin, daf3 ein Zusammenschluf3 auf dem Boden der staatlichen Rechtsordnung gemeint ist und nicht etwa nur > eine rein geistliche Kultgemeinschaft. Die Moglichkeit der Bildung einer Religionsgesellschaft soil den Weg eroffnen, sich als Yereinigung von Menschen zur Yerwirklichung des > gemeinsamen religiosen Zwecks zu organisieren, eine rechtliche Gestalt zu geben und am > allgemeinen Rechtsverkehr teilzunehmen. Damit ist kein Anspruch auf eine bestimmte > Rechtsform gemeint, etwa die des rechtsfahigen Yereins oder einer sonstigen Form der > juristischen Person; gewahrleistet ist die Mog lichkeit einer irgendwie gearteten rechtlichen > Existenz einschlief31ich der Teilnahme am all gemeinen Rechtsverkehr. > Dem entspricht es, daf3 Art. 140 GG in Yerbindung mit Art. 137 Abs. 4 WRY den Religionsgesellschaften die Moglichkeit eroffnet und gewahrleistet, die Rechtsfahigkeit nach > den allgemeinen Yorschriften des btirgerlichen Rechts zu erwerben. Diese Yorschriften > haben wie jedermann so auch die Religionsgesellschaften grundsatzlich zu beachten. Es verschlagt daher nichts, wenn eine Religionsgesellschaft oder eine ihrer Gliederungen wegen > einer glaubensbegriindeten besonderen Organisation eine bestimmte Rechtsform, die sie > erstrebt, nicht erlangen kann. Die religiose Yereinigungsfreiheit gebietet allerdings, Eigenverstandnis der Religionsgesellschaft, sowei t es in den Bereich der GG als unverletzlich gewahrleisteten Glaubens- und Bekenntnisfreiheit wurzelt und sich in > der und Handhab ung des einschlagigen Rechts, hier des Yereinsrechts des Biirgerlichen > 582 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Gesetzbuchs, besonders zu beriicksichtigen (vgl. BYerfGE 53 , 366 <401 > m.w.N.). Das > bedeutet nicht nur, dal3 die Religionsgesellschaft Gestaltungsspielraume, die das dispositive > Recht eroffnet, voll ausschopfen darf. Auch bei der Handhabung zwingender Yorschriften > sind Auslegungsspielraume, soweit erforderlich, zugunsten der Religionsgesellschaft zu > nutzen; dies darf allerdings nicht dazu fuhren, unabweisbare Riicksichten auf die Sicherheit > des Rechtsverkehrs und auf die Rechte anderer zu vemachli:issigen. > Unvereinbar mit der religiosen Yereinigungsfreiheit ware ein Ergebnis, das eine Religionsgesellschaft im Blick auf ihre innere Organisation von der Teilnahme am allgemeinen > Rechtsverkehr ganzlich ausschlosse oder diese nur unter Erschwerungen ermoglichte, die > unzumutbar sind. > > III. > > Dem dargelegten nonnativen Gehalt der religiosen Yereinigungsfreiheit werden die > angegriffenen Entscheidungen nicht gerecht. Das Yereinsrecht des Biirgerlichen > Gesetzbuchs lal3t es zu, besonderen Anforderungen an die innere Organisation Rechnung zu > tragen, die sich aus der Eigenart von religiosen Yereinen ergeben, die Teilgliederungen einer > Religionsgesellschaft sind oder mit ihr in besonderer Yerbindung stehen. Dies ist, da den > Baha'i die Rechtsform der Korperschaft des offentlichen Rechts nicht zur Yerfugung steht > (nachfolgend 1), im Blick auf den ortlichen Geistigen Rat aus Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG auch > verfassungsrechtlich geboten (nachfolgend 2). > 1. Die Baha' i-Gemeinschaft kann die Eigenschaft als Korperschaft des offentlichen > Rechts gemal3 Art. 140 GG/Art. 137 Abs. 5 WRY nicht erlangen. Mit dieser Organisationsform wiirden zwar die bestehenden Probleme gelost, denn im Rahmen der "Korperschaft des > offentlichen Rechts", die im Regelungszusammenhang des Art. 137 Abs. 5 WRY nur als > Mantelbegriff fungiert, liel3e sich die Einfugung in eine hierarchische Struktur, wie sie fur > die Baha'i von ihrer Glaubenslehre vorgegeben erscheint, organisatorisch voll verwirklichen. Das ze igt etwa das Beispiel der Romisch-Katholischen Kirche, for die insoweit eine > hierarchische Organisationsstruktur bestimmend ist, die ohne Abstriche for das staatliche > Recht Geltung gewinnt. So werden Pfarreien nach Anhorung des diozesanen Priesterrats > allein durch den Ortsbischof errichtet und aufgelOst, ohne dal3 dafiir der Rat oder die Zustimmung des Pfarrers, der Pfarrangehorigen oder eines von den Pfarrangehorigen gewahlten > Gremiums erforderlich ware (Can. 515, § 2 i.Y.m. Can. 127, §§ I und 2 CIC). Die Beschwerdefohrer haben indes dargelegt, dal3 fur die Baha' i-Gemeinschaft nach den einschlagigen Empfehlungen der Kultusministerkonferenz und nach dem Ergebnis einer Anfrage > beim Hessischen Kultusministerium die Anerkennung als Korperschaft des offentlichen > Rechts for sie nicht in Frage komme; sie habe im Jahre 1986 in der Bundesrepublik nur etwa > 4.000 bis 5.000 Mitglieder, die sich zudem auf etwa 50 ortliche Baha'i-Gemeinden > verteilten. Es li:i.13t sich nicht sagen, dal3 die Yerweigerung der Anerkennung als Korperschaft > des offentlichen Rechts angesichts dieser Umstande im Blick auf die Kriterien des Art. 137 > Abs. 5 WRY rechtsfehlerhaft oder gar mil3brauchlich ware . Daher kann dahinstehen, ob die > Baha' i-Gemeinschaft, ware die Erlangung der Eigenschaft einer Korperschaft des offentlichen Rechts fiir sie moglich, ohne Einbul3e in dem Freiheitsanspruch aus Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 > GG darauf auch verwiesen werden konnte, oder ob ihr insoweit die Wahl der Rechtsform > offenstiinde. > 2. Es ist im Rahmen des Yereinsrechts des Biirgerlichen Gesetzbuchs moglich und verfassungsrechtlich geboten, die glaubensbedingten Anforderungen an die innere Organisation > des ortlichen Geistigen Rates der Baha 'i als religioser Yerein und Teilgliederung einer Religionsgesellschaft besonders zu beriicksichtigen. > INTERNATIONA L SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 583 > a) Die von den Gerichten mit dem Grundsatz der Selbstandigkeit und Selbstverwaltung > (Vereinsautonomie) fur unvereinbar angesehenen Bestimmungen der vorgelegten Satzung > i.iber das Zustandekommen der Mitgliedschaft (Art. 3 Abs. 2), den AusschluJ3 von der Mitgliedschaft (Art. 4 Abs. 2) und die Auflosung des Vereins (Art. 14 Abs. I Buchst. b), die > Erfordemisse ei11er Satzungsanderung (Art. 13 Abs. 2) und die Abgrenzung der Aufgaben > des Vereins (Art. 11 Abs. 1 Buchst. c) betreffen nicht diejenigen Bestimmungen des Vereinsrechts, die im Interesse der Sicherheit und Klarheit des Rechtsverkehrs die nach auJ3en > wirkenden Angelegenheiten und Rechtsverhaltnisse regeln (Bestellung und Abberufung des > Vorstands, Auflosung des Vereins u.a.m.) . Sie beziehen sich allein auf die innere Organisation des > Vereins. > b) Die beanstandeten Regelungen stehen nicht in Widerspruch zum Wortlaut vereinsrechtlicher Vorschriften iiber die innere Organisation des Vereins. Die in § 41 BGB > geregelte Auflosung des Vereins ausgeschlossen, sondem Baha'i erganzt; i.iber die Art und Weise des Zustandekommens der Mitgliedschaft enthalt § > 58 BGB ebensowenig eine Regelung wie i.iber AusschluJ3moglichkeiten; die Bestimmung > des § 33 BGB i.iber Satzungsanderungen ist dispositiv (§ 40 BGB); i.iber die Abgrenzung von > Vereinsaufgaben besteht keine gesetzliche Regelung. > c) Die Gerichte begriinden die Unzu!assigkeit der genannten Satzungsbestimmungen > denn auch allein aus der Unvereinbarkeit mit dem das Vereinsrecht pragenden Grundsatz > der Vereinsautonomie. Dieser Grundsatz der Vereinsautonomie ist im Vereinsrecht des > BGB nicht ausdriicklich festgelegt; er wird vielmehr Gesamtheit der Vorschriften entnommen, die die Konstituierung und Organisation des Vereins > sowie die Wahrnehmung der Vereinsangelegenheiten auf den Willen der Vereinsmitglieder > zuri.ickfuhren, und als darin vorausgesetzt angesehen. Sein Ziel ist, der Privatautonomie vergleichbar, den Charakter des Vereins als eines vomehmlich von der Willensbestimmung und > -betatigung seiner Mitglieder getragenen Personenverbandes zu wahren (KG, OLGZ 1974, > S. 385 <387>; RGRK-Steffen, 12. Aufl., Rdnm. 31 f. vor § 21, § 25 Rdnr. I; Staudinger- > Coing, 12. Aufl., Vorbem. zu §§ 21-54, Rdnr. 38 ; AK-Ott, § 25 Rdnrn. 15 f.; vgl. auch > Flume, Allgemeiner Tei! des Bi.irgerlichen Rechts 1/2, 1983, S. 189 f.). Es gehort zu dieser > Autonomie, den mit ihr ausgestatteten Einrichtungen das Recht einzuraumen, sich die ihren > Zwecken entsprechende Organisation selbst zu geben und diese frei zu bestimmen, soweit > dem nicht zwingende Vorschriften oder dem Wesen der entsprechenden Institution zu entnehmende Grundsatze entgegenstehen. In der Rechtsprechung wird hervorgehoben, dal3 diese > Autonomie auch in der Weise ausgeilbt werden kann, dal3 das Selbstverwaltungsrecht des > Vereins satzungsmaJ3ig beschrankt wird; auch eine solche Beschrankung stellt die Ausiibung > von Autonomie dar; es bedeutete daher eine Beschneidung von Autonomie, wenn solche > Regelungen fur unzulassig erk!art wi.irden (vgl. KG, OLGZ 1974, S. 385 <387>; Diltz, 2. FS > fur Herschel, 1982, S. 55 <73 ff.>; a.A. Flume, a.a.O., S. 194 ff.). > Der Grundsatz der Vereinsautonomie, wie er in Rechtsprechung und Schrifttum verstanden wird, wird somit von zwei nicht notwendig parallel laufenden inhaltlichen > Tendenzen gepragt: Einerseits schi.itzt er die Autonomie in der Bildung und organisatorischen Gestaltung des Vereins nach der freien Selbstentscheidung der Mitglieder, wozu > auch die Einfugung in eine hierarchisch organisierte Gemeinschaft gehoren kann, andererseits bewahrt er die Selbstbestimmung des Vereins und seiner Mitglieder vor einer > EntauJ3erung, die die eigene Willensbestimmung nahezu vollstandig zum Erliegen bringt. Er > schliel3t es nicht aus, ist vielmehr dafur offen , bei seiner Auslegung und Anwendung beide > 584 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Tendenzen unter Berticksichtigung des konkreten Falles, d.h. auch bezogen auf Zweckausrichtung und Eigenart des in Frage stehenden Vereins, zum Ausgleich zu bringen. So wird es > mit der Vereinsautonomie for vereinbar gehalten, gestufte Verbande zu schaffen, innerhalb > deren die Unterverbande-sei es als rechtsfahige, sei es als nichtrechtsfahige Vereine-zu > Oberverbanden in Abhangigkeit stehen, ihren Vereinscharakter dadurch aber nicht verlieren, > sofem sie auch eigenstandig Aufgaben wahrnehmen (Reichert/ Dannecker/Kuhr, Handbuch > des Vereins- und Verbandsrechts, 4. Aufl. 1987, Rdnrn. 2098 ff.; Soergel-Hadding, Rdnm. > 53 vor § 21; BGHZ 90, S. 331). > d) Wird dabei die Eigenart religioser Vereine, die sich als Teil einer Religionsgemeinschaft organisieren, bedacht, so liegt es im Blick auf die vielfach zu beobachtende > glaubensgebundene hierarchische innere Organisation von Religionsgesellschaften nahe, > dal3 Vereine, die Teilgliederungen von Religionsgesellschaften sind oder mit ihnen in besonderer Verbindung stehen, sich in die Hierarchie ihrer Religionsgemeinschaft einfogen > wollen. Darin kann nicht ohne weiteres die Unterwerfung unter eine Fremdbestimmung von > aul3en gesehen werden, die die Selbstandigkeit und Selbstverwaltung des Vereins in ihrem > Kern trifft. > aa) Die Autonomie in der Bildung und Organisation eines religiosen Vereins kann dahin > betatigt werden, dal3 als Zweck des Vereins gewollt wird, eine Teilgliederung einer Religionsgemeinschaft zu sein und sich in deren religionsrechtlich bestimmte Struktur > einzufiigen. Solche selbstgesetzten Einordnungszwecke, die sich bei einem religiosen > Verein gerade als Ausdruck der religiosen Selbstbestimmung der Mitglieder in ihrem > gemeinsamen Glauben darstellen, mlissen nicht schlechthin als Preisgabe der Selbstbestimmung des Vereins beurteilt werden. Die Grenze ist erst dort erreicht, wo Selbstbestimmung > und Selbstverwaltung des Vereins nicht nur in bestimmten Hinsichten, wie sie sich aus der > religionsrechtlich vorausgesetzten hierarchischen Einordnung ergeben, sondem dartiber > hinaus in weitem Umfang ausgeschlossen werden; der Verein wtirde dann nicht mehr vornehmlich vom Willen der Mitglieder getragen, sondern zur blol3en Verwaltungsstelle oder > einem blol3en Sondervermogen eines anderen (vgl. KG, OLGZ 1974, S. 385 <390>; Bay- > ObLGZ 1979, S. 303 <308 ff. >). > Hiernach lal3t es das Vereinsrecht zu, bei einem religiosen Verein, der sich als > Teilgliederung einer Religionsgesellschaft konstituiert, Einschrankungen der autonomen > Auflosungs-, Ausschliel3ungs- oder Betatigungsbefugnis nicht als mit der Vereinsautonomie > unvereinbare Fremdbestimmung von aul3en anzusehen, sofem sie der Sicherung der Einordnung in die gro13ere Religionsgemeinschaft im Rahmen der bestehenden religionsrechtlichen > Verkntipfung-etwa der Wahrung der Identitat der Glaubenslehre und grundlegender > glaubensbedingter Lebensfohrungspflichten-dienen und sich darauf begrenzen. Bei > solcher Begrenzung der Eingriffsbefugnisse einer hierarchisch tibergeordneten Instanz, die > for sich nur eine Art Lehramt und entsprechende Jurisdiktionsbefugnisse beansprucht, bleibt > noch ein hinreichender Bestand an Selbstbestimmung und Selbsttatigkeit des Vereins > gewahrt. > bb) Indem die Gerichte den in der Satzung normierten Ei nflul3 des Nationalen Geistigen > Rates aufBestand, Mitgliedschaft und Betatigung des ortlichen Geistigen Rates generell als > unzulassige Fremdbestimmung des Vereins von aul3en ansehen, haben sie die Eigenart > religioser Vereine, die sich als Teilgliederung einer Religionsgesellschaft glaubensgebunden > hierarchisch organisieren, und damit die Bedeutung des Grundrechts der religiosen Vereinigungsfreiheit for die Auslegung und Anwendung des Grundsatzes der Vereinsautonomie > verkannt. Sie haben den Nationalen Geistigen Rat wie eine fremde, von anderen Zielen und > Interessen bestimmte Organisation angesehen, die beherrschenden Einflul3 austibt, ohne die > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 585 > beachten. Nichts anderes gilt im Ergebnis hinsichtlich der Wahl der Mitglieder des ortlichen > Geistigen Rates religionsrechtlichen Yerkntipfung ebenfalls nicht Fremde, die den Verein einer andersgerichteten Bestimrnung von auf3en unterwerfen und dadurch seine Selbstbestimmung aufheben; > vielmehr steht diese Art der Begri.indung der Mitgliedschaft mit dem Zweck des Vereins, als > hierarchische Leitungsinstanz die Angelegenheiten der ortlichen Baha'i-Gemeinde zu verwalten (Art. 2 Abs. 1 der Satzung und die Praambel), in Einklang und dient gerade seiner > Verwirklichung. > e) Ein unzulassiger Fremdeinfluf3 kann sich auch nicht daraus ergeben, daf3 bei Auflosung > des Yereins 14 Abs. I und 2 der Satzung). Zielrichtung dieser Satzungsbestimrnung ist nicht, dem > Nationalen Geistigen Rat unter Ausnutzung seiner Auflosungsbefugnis den Zugriff auf > fremdes Yerrnogen zum Zweck eigener Yermogensmehrung zu eroffnen. Hiergegen spricht > bereits, daB nach der Satzung keine Beitrage erhoben werden, die den Zweck einer Vermogensansammlung verfolgen; die Finanzierung des Vereins erfolgt allein durch freiwillige > Spenden; zudem hat sich der Yerein ausdrticklich den rechtlichen Bindungen der Gemeinni.itzigkeit unterstellt (Art. 2 Abs. 2 und 3 der Satzung). > > IV. > > Die genannten Entscheidungen verletzen danach die Beschwerdefiihrer in ihrem Grundrecht aus Art. 4 Abs. 1 und 2 GG in Verbindung mit Art. 140 GG/ 137 Abs. 2 und 4 WRY, > indem sie die Eigenart des ortlichen Geistigen Rates als religioser Yerein und Teilgliederung > einer Religionsgesellschaft bei der Auslegung und Anwendung des Begriffs der Yereinsautonomie nicht hinreichend berticksichtigen. Sie sind daher aufzuheben. Die Sache ist an das > Amtsgericht zur erneuten Entscheidung zuri.ickzuverweisen. Es wird dabei u.a. zu pri.ifen > haben, ob das in der Satzung unbegrenzt formulierte Auflosungs- und AusschlieBungsrecht > der Satzung hinreichend eingeschrankt im Sinne der Darlegungen unter III 2 d) aa) erscheint > oder ob es insoweit einer ausdrticklichen Festlegung in der Satzung bedarf. > > Die Entscheidung i.iber die Kosten folgt aus § 34a Abs. 2 BVerfGG. > > Mahrenholz Bockenforde Klein > Graf3hof Kruis Franf3en > Kirchhof Winter > 586 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > [TRANSLATION - FROM GERMAN] > > Guiding Principles > > for the decision of the Second Senate of 5th February 1991 > - 2 BvR 263/86 - > > I. A community's mere assertion and self-understanding of professing a religion and of > being a religious community cannot justify reference for it and its members to the guarantee of religious freedom of Art. 4, par. 1 and 2 GG; rather it must be a religion and a > religious community in fact, according to spiritual content and outward appearance. To > examine and determine this in case of dispute is the duty of the organs ofthe State, ofthe > courts in the final ana lysis, - in application of the ruling of the State's legal system. > > 2. a) To the freedom of religion in the meaning of Art. 4, par. I and 2 GG belongs also the > freedom of religious association, arising from this regulation in connection with the > relevant Weimar Church Articles included by Art. 140 GG. > > b) The guarantee of freedom of religious association contains also the freedom to form a > religious association and organize according to one 's common faith. This does not > mean the right to a particular legal form, such as that of an incorporated association or > some other form of corporation; what is guaranteed is the possibility of legal existence > in some form or other, includi ng participation in general legal proceedings. > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 587 > > (TRANSLATION - FROM GERMAN] > > FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT > - 2 BvR 263/86 - > > IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE > In the Proceedings > on the > Constitutional Appeal > > l. of the "Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is ofTubingen, with its seat in Tubingen", > represented by the Chairman, Mr. S .... > 2. of Mr. S .... > 3. of Mrs. S ... . > 4. of Mrs. S .. . > > - Represented by: Attorneys Dr. Michael Uechtritz, > Dr. Hans Schlarmann, > BirkenwaldstraBe 149, Stuttgart 1 - > > against a) the decision of the High State Court Stuttgart > of 27 January 1986 - 8 W 252/85 -, > b) the decision of the State Court Tubing en > of 8 May 1985 - 5 T 34/84 (FGG) -, > c) the decision of the District Court Tiibingen > of 8 December 1983 and of 2 January 1984 - GReg. II 922/83 - > > the Federal Constitutional Court - Second Senate - with the participation of Judges > Vice-chairman Mahrenholz, > Bockenforde, > Klein, > GraBhof, > Kruis, > FranBen, > Kirchhof, > Winter > > decided on 5 February 1991: > The Decisions of the High State Court Stuttgart of 27 January 1986 - 8 W 252/85 -, of > the State Court Tubingen of 8 May 1985 - 5 T 34/84 (FGG) - and of the District Court > Tubingen of 8 December 1983 and of 2 January 1984 - GReg . II 922/83 - violate the > basic rights of the appellants accorded by Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Constitution. They are repealed. The case is referred back to the District Court. > The State of Baden-Wiirttemberg has to reimburse the appellants for the necessary > expenses. > 588 T H E BAHA'I WORLD > > Reasons > > A. > > Subject of the Constitutional Appeal is the question to what extent Art. 4, par. 1 and 2 GG > requires that the individuality of a religious association, considering and organizing itself as > part of a religious community, must be taken into account in the interpretation and application of regulations of corporate law of the Code of Civil Law. > > I. > > The Religious Community of the Baha'is, constituting a religious movement arisen out of > Shi ' ih Islam, is represented in a multiplicity of countries. It is hierarchically organized and is > currently governed by the "Universal House of Justice", consisting of nine elected members, > with its seat in Haifa (Israel) . In countries with a considerable number of local communities, > a nine-member National Spiritual Assembly is elected annually in an indirect election by the > totality of its members. In the Federal Republic of Germany this is established as a registered association; in other countries it makes use of other legal forms of association or > incorporation according to the laws valid there. As governing bodies on a local level, Local > Spiritual Assemblies also consisting of nine members are elected by the believers of the > local community, and are responsible fo r regulating local affairs. > > II. > > 1. The appellant under 2) is chai1man, the appellants under 3) and 4) were further elected > officers of the appellant under 1). On 14 February 1983 the appellant under 2) as chairman > of the governing body applied to the District Court Tubingen for registration of the appellant > under 1) in the Court's Register of Associations. The By-Laws on which this application is > based contain the following regulations, which are significant here: > > Article 2 > Pmpose of the Association > I The purpose of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of Ttibingen is the administration of all the affairs of the Baha'i Community in Tiibingen according to the > teachings and administrative principles of the Baha' i Religion, as they appear in the > Appendix following the By-Laws .... > II Accordingly the Spiritual Assembly exclusively and directly pursues charitable and > religious purposes and purposes of public benefit in the sense of the paragraph on > "Tax-favoured purposes" in Tax Law. > III The Spiritual Assembly acts in a disinterested capacity and does not pursue purposes > for its own economic benefit. > > Article 3 > Establishment of Membership > I > II The members of the Spiritual Assembly are elected by the voting members of the > Baha'i Community from amongst their midst by secret ballot with sin1ple plurality > vote, for the duration of one year, or until the election of their successors. This > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 589 > election takes place on 21 April of each year at the Annual Convention of the Baha'i > Conununity. Details are regulated by Article 10. > III > Article 4 > Termination of membership > I Membership is terminated > by the expiration of time and new election of the Spiritual Assembly, > by resignation, > by removal, > by leaving the Baha'i Conununity ofTtibingen. > II The removal of a member of the Spiritual Assembly falls within the competence of > the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Germany. > Article 5 > By-Election > I Vacancies in the membership of the Spiritual Assembly are replaced by election at a > special meeting of the Baha'i Community duly called by the Spiritual Assembly for > this purpose. As long as the number of members of the Spiritual Assembly does not > fall below 5, its decision-making competence is maintained. > II If the number of vacancies is higher than four, so that the Spiritual Assembly is no > longer competent to make decisions, the election is carried out under the supervision > of the National Spiritual Assembly. > Article 9 > Meeting of the members > I > II All subsequent meetings are called informally (in writing, by telephone or orally) by > the Secretary of the Spiritual Assembly at the request of the Chairman or, if he is prevented, by the Vice-chairman, or at the request of three members of the Assembly or > by decision of the Assembly in advance .... > III > IV > > Article 11 > The National Spiritual Assembly > I The institution superior to all the Spiritual Assemblies in the Federal Republic is the > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Germany e.V. > It decides > a) and b) ... ; > c) about the area of jurisdiction of the Local Spiritual Assembly; > d) to f) ... > > Article 13 > Amendment of the By-Laws > I > II Amendments to the By-Laws require the approval of the National Spiritual Assembly > of the Baha'is of Germany. They become effective on registration in the Court's Register of Associations. > 590 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Article 14 > Dissolution > I The dissolution of the Spiritual Assembly can result > a) from an absolute majority decision taken by the members of the Assembly > in a meeting of the members called exclusively for this purpose, > b) from an absolute majority decision of the National Spiritual Assembly. > II In case of the dissolution of the Spiritual Assembly its assets are transferred to the > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Germany, which must use them > directly and exclusively for charitable and religious purposes and purposes of public > benefit. > > 2. The District Court indicated questionable legal points of a formal and material kind in > the registration procedure and demanded rectification. The appellant under 1) was stated to > lack particularly the necessary legal independence, because its existence is dependent on the > one hand on the local community, and on the other on the National Spiritual Assembly. The > appellants counter-claimed that the institutional structure of the world-wide Baha'i Community rests on a divine foundation and cannot be changed by them. As, according to the > Constitutional Law of the Baha'is, all power of jurisdiction lies with the elected bodies, > these should be given legal capacity in order to be able to participate in legal proceedings. > The District Court rejected the application for registration with the decision of 8 December > 1983, and another application of22.12.1983 with the decision of2 January 1984. > 3. The immediate appeal of the appellants under 2) to 4) against the decisions of the District Court of 8 December 1983 and 2 January 1984 was rejected as unjustified by the State > Court on 8 May 1985. The Association's By-Laws presented were stated to violate§ 37 par. > 1 BGB, as well as the principle of corporate autonomy. Art 9 par. 2 of the By-Laws, which > gives the provisions for calling a meeting of the members, was stated not to do justice to the > protection of the minority called for in§ 37 par. 1 BGB. The legal provision demands that > the number of members at whose request a meeting of the members is to be called be fixed > proportionately, so that allowance will be made for future changes in the sháength of the > Association. The membership of the Association could drop to five without resulting in legal > incapacity to make decisions. In this case the number of three members fixed in Art. 9 par. 2 > no longer represents a minority. > Above all it was pointed out that the By-Laws contain regulations leading to a legal and > organizational dependence of the Association on a third party and are thus incompatible with > the principle of independence and self-administration of associations. On the one hand > through Art. 4 par. 2, 11 par. 1, 13 par. 2, 14 par. 1 letter b, and through further regulations, > the National Spiritual Assembly as a non-member of the Association is to be given the right > of decision-making in the removal of members, amendment of the By-Laws, dissolution of > the Association and other matters concerning the Association; on the other hand the Baha 'i > Community is to decide through elections on the establishment and the duration of the membership, according to Art. 3 par. 2 and 4 par. 1. Such wide-ranging influence by a third party > in the organization of an association is inadmissible. > 4. The High State Court Stuttgart rejected as unjustified the further appeal of the appellants under 2) to 4) with decision of27 January 1986 (OLGZ 1986, p. 257). It noted that Art. > 9 par. 2 of the By-Laws violates§ 37 par. 1 BGB, because it does not ensure, with a possible > change in the number of members, that the call for a meeting of the members has to follow > the request of a minority. The By-Laws are furthermore not reconcilable with the principle > of independence and self-administration of the Association (corporate autonomy). Art. 14 > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 591 > par. 2 letter b, according to which the National Spiritual Assembly can dissolve the Association, violates § 41 BGB. It is inadmissible to give the right to an external third party to > dissolve the Association against the wish of its members. Insofar as jurisprudence had > judged such regulations in individual cases to be admissible (KG, DJ 1936, p. 1948; OLG > Karlsruhe, JW 1936, p. 3266; OLG Stuttgart, Das Recht [The Law] 1936, col. 151 ), these > decisions had been made in the time of National Socialism and their reasoning was not convincing. The election of the members by the Baha'i Community, as envisaged in Art. 3 par. > 2 and Art. 4 par. 1 of the By-Laws, violates§§ 38 and 58 No. 1 BGB. The form by which a > new member joins and the declaration of acceptance could indeed be regulated in the By- > Laws in any way that is desired, and membership can be tied to certain pre-conditions. But > in principle the Association is to be free to decide whether to accept someone as a member, > as long as it is not, as a vitally important Association with monopoly status, exceptionally > obliged to accept members. Apart from these individual regulations, the overall picture of > the By-Laws shows such a strong third-party influence that there can no longer be a question > of autonomous action on the part of the Association. Significant hereby are the National > Spiritual Assembly 's rights of intervention, according to Art. 4 par. 2 (removal of a member), Art. 11 par. 1 letter c (right of decision-making on the area of jurisdiction), Art. 13 par. > 2 (reserving approval for amendment of the By-Laws), Art. 14 par. 2 (transfer of the assets > to the National Spiritual Assembly in case of the dissolution of the Association). The By- > Laws contain a renunciation of the autonomy of the Association not in accordance with corporate law. > > III . > > The Constitutional Appeals are addressed against the decisions of the High State Court > and of the State Court as well as-in the relevant interpretation of the brief of the Constitutional Appeal-against both decisions of the District Court. The appellants presented an > expert opinion by Prof. Dr. Friedrich Muller on this and claim essentially: > 1. The Constitutional Appeals are admissible . The required interest for legal protection is > established. This is not contravened by the fact that the rejection of the application to register was based also on an objection to Art. 9 par. 2 of the By-Laws, which the appellants had > agreed to change. Should an application again be made after amendment of this provision of > the By-Laws, it would again be rejected because of the other provisions of the By-Laws > which were questioned by the High State Court, in which case there would probably be no > re-examination of the case. > 2. The High State Court has interpreted the corporate law of the Code of Civil Law incorrectly, and has especially misunderstood the content and significance of Art. 4 par. 1 and 2, > Art. 140 GG in connection with Art. 137 par. 3, 4 WRV. > a) Contrary to the interpretation of the High State Court § 41 par. 1 BGB does not prevent > the transfer to a third party of the right to dissolve the Association. This is certainly true > when the assembly of the members has this right as well. The provisions of the By-Laws for > the election of the members of the Association by the Baha'i Community and the termination of their membership due to new elections are in accordance with§§ 38 and 58 BGB. As > is shown from §§ 25 and 40 BGB, State Law leaves it to the Association to make such provisions. No objections can be derived from the Code of Civil Law either against the > competence of the National Spiritual Assembly to remove a member of the Local Spiritual > Assembly (Art. 4 par. 2 of the By-Laws), or to the definition of its area of jurisdiction (Art. > 11 par. 1 letter c), or to the duty of approval for amendment of the By-Laws provided for in > 592 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Art. 13 par. 2, or to the transfer of assets of the Spiritual Assembly in case of its dissolution > to the National Spiritual Assembly (Art. 14 par. 2). Altogether the provisions of the By- > Laws contested by the High State Court did not grant an inadmissible outside influence of a > third party on the appellant under 1). Its integration in the hierarchical shucture of the Religious Community of the Baha'is is of necessity given by its rules and principles, which are > based on divine Revelation. > b) The denial of legal capacity violates the constitutional rights of the appellant under 1) > as derived from Art. 4 par. 1 and 2 GG and violates Art. 140 GG in connection with Art. 137 > par. 3 and 4 WRY. These provisions of the Constitution comprehend an organizational > shucture for a religious community, including the right to seek legal capacity for an administiáative institution of the community. In the understanding of the Baha'is, which is relevant > here, it is an unyieldable principle that the administiáative institutions of the local communities , but not the communities themselves, should attain legal capacity. The Constitution in > Art. 140 GG in connection with Art. 137 par. 2 to 5 WRY gives religious communities the > basic right of choice as regards their legal form. Since the Baha'is were denied the status of > ' Korperschaft des offentlichen Rechts' [Corporate Body under Public Law] which they > sought, the appellant under 1) must be granted legal capacity under Civil Law. Even if the > High State Court's interpretation of corporate law for non-religious associations should be > correct, its effect on the appellant under 1) is more serious because of his religious aims and > the necessity of integration in the national and international order of the Baha'is which they > require, and thus it cannot be applied to him. > The appellants under 2) to 4) as officers of appellant under 1) suffer violation of their > right, protected by Ari. 4 par. 2 GG, to carry out administiáative activities for the religious > community. > > IV. > > On the Constitutional Appeal the Federal Minister of Justice and the Ministiáy for Justice, > Federal and European Affairs of Baden-Wi.irttemberg have given their opinion. Both consider the Constitutional Appeal unjustified . > 1. The Federal Minister of Justice explains that the right to be granted legal capacity for > the appellant under 1) cannot directly be derived from Art. 4 par. 2 and Ari. 140 GG in connection with Art. 13 7 par. 3 WRY by referring to the contents of belief of the Baha'i > Religion. Ari. 4 par. 2 GG obliges the State to respect belief and to protect the practice of > religion, but not to create legal regulations which correspond to the pariicular contents of > belief of individual religious cornnmnities. It is questionable whether Art. 137 par. 3 WRY > covers the attainment of legal capacity by the appellant under 1); Art. 137 par. 4 WRY, > which is not directly applicable to the appellant under 1) as a mere sub-organization of a religious community, gives an explicit regulation just for this area. In any case, the Spiritual > Assembly can attain legal capacity only according to the general prescriptions of Civil Law; > lesser requirements than those demanded in Art. 137 par. 4 WRY for the registration of a > religious community as an association, could not apply in this case. The Courts, in their > decision on the registration of the appellant under 1), have not misunderstood the meaning > and significance of Art. 140 GG in connection with Ari. 137 par. 3 and 4 WRY. > 2. According to the view of the Minister of Justice, Federal and Emopean Affairs of > Baden-Wi.irttemberg, the By-Laws violate not only individual regulations of the compulsory > law. They also depart significantly in their totality fro m the type of autonomous association > regulated in the Code of Civil Law, and so expose the appellant under 1) to dominating > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'i ACTIVITIES 593 > third-party influences, that the decision of the High State Court cannot be contested in the > light of the regulations of corporate law of the Code of Civil Law. Even when taking the relevant Constitutional Law into necessary consideration, no other result can obtain. The > appellants have not so far proven conclusively that the belief of the Bah:i'is demands in particular the organizational rules considered iITeconcilable with the regulations of the Code of > Civil Law. It is suggested rather that the teachings of the Faith grant a certain flexibility in > the aITangement of details of the organizational strncture. > > B. > > The Constitutional Appeals are admissible. > > 1. The appellant under 1) is entitled to make the Constitutional Appeal. As a union of persons he can, independent of given legal capacity, claim the possible violation of a > constitutional right (cf. BVerfGE 3, 383 <391 >). The Constitutional Appeal specifically > concerns the question whether the appellant under 1) can be denied registration as an association and thus the attainment of legal capacity, without violation of his constitutional right > from Art. 4 par. 2 and 2 GG. > The appellant under 1) asserts that his freedom of religious practice is violated by the fact > that with the denial of his registration in the Court's Register of Associations it has been > made impossible for him to organize in accordance with the internal constitution prescribed > essentially and imperatively by the belief of the Bah:i 'is . Thus the protection of the Constitutional Law of religious freedom is infringed. The claim of the appellant under 1) is > adequately substantiated; according to his presentation the material and vital areas of religious freedom are concerned and there appears a possible violation of the guarantee of the > Constitutional Law. > 2. The appellants under 2) to 4) claim that the denial ofregistration to the appellant under > 1) makes it impossible for them to organize themselves in the framework of their religious > community according to the binding prescriptions of the Revelation underlying it, and thus > to practise their religion. With this presentation they have sufficiently proven the possibility > of a violation of their constitutional right from Art. 4 par. 1 and 2 GG, which is also an individual constitutional right. That the appellants under 3) and 4) no longer belong to the Local > Spiritual Assembly, has not lessened their original interest in a decision of the case. How a > change in the situation affects a Constitutional Appeal already made, is to be decided in each > individual case, taking into consideration the contested act of sovereignty underlying the > appeal, the significance of the constitutional guarantee appealed to and the purposes of the > Constitutional Appeal (BVerfGE 76, 1 <38>). In the present case the basic significance of > the Constitutional Question brought up is to be considered, and further, that the appellants > under 3) and 4) can again become members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bah:i'is > in elections, and further court proceedings in case of renewed applications for registration in > the Court's Register of Associations are possible (cf. also BVerfGE 21 , 139 < 143>). > 3. The legitimate interest to take legal action as basis for the Constitutional Appeal is not > vitiated through the High State Court' s having based its decision also on the consideration > not contested by the appellants, namely that Art. 9 par. 2 of the By-Laws does not guarantee, > as regards calling a meeting of the members, the protection of minorities required in § 37 > par. 1 BGB. Thus, this is obviously a question which plays only a subordinate role in the > court proceedings. The appellants are ready to amend the By-Laws on this point. They cannot be expected to again go through a hopeless application after such an amendment. > 594 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > c. > The Constitutional Appeals are justified. > > The decisions of the Courts do not do justice to the significance of the constitutional right > of freedom of religious association, guaranteed in Art. 4 par. 2 and 2 GG in connection with > Art. 140 GG/137 par. 2 and 4 WRY, for the interpretation (and application) of the corporate > law of the Code of Civil Law, and they thereby violate the constitutional rights of the > appellants. > > I. > > The Local Assembly of the Baha'is ofTubingen and the believers of the Baha'i Community are entitled to the constitutional right from Art. 4 par. 1 and 2 GG. A community's mere > assertion and self-understanding of professing a religion and of being a religious community > cannot justify reference for it and its members to the guarantee of religious freedom of Art. > 4, par. I and 2 GG; rather it must be a religion and a religious community in fact, according > to spiritual content and outward appearance. To examine and determine this in case of dispute is the duty of the organs of the State, of the courts in the final analysis,-in application > of the ruling of the State's legal system. These cannot decide freely in such a case, but must > base their decision on the concept of religion to which the meaning and purpose of the fundamental guarantee refers, as intended or set forth in the Constitution. In the present case it > is not necessary to go more deeply into this, as the character of the Baha' i Faith as a religion > and of the Baha ' i Community as a religious community is evident, in actual everyday life, in > cultural tradition, and in the understanding of the general public as well as of the science of > comparative religion. > > II. > > Religious freedom in the meaning of Art. 4 par. I and 2 GG also includes freedom ofreligious association as it follows from this regulation in connection with the relevant Weimar > Church Articles which are included by Art. 140 GG. > I. Freedom of religious association is not expressly mentioned in Art. 4 par. 1 and 2 GG; > specifically guaranteed are freedom of religion, conscience, religious and ideological belief, > as well as the freedom of religious practice. According to the judgements of the Federal > Constitutional Court the freedom ofreligion guaranteed in Art. 4 GG has to be understood in > a comprehensive manner (cfBYerfGE 24, 236 <244 ff.>). The intention of the framer of the > Constitution, after the experience of religious persecution by the National Socialist regime, > was aimed at guaranteeing freedom of religion not just as particular partial freedoms , but > fully. In any case none of the rights to religious freedom, which had been recognized in the > Weimar Constitution as the result of hundreds of years of historical development, should > now be excluded. A part of these rights to religious freedom was freedom of religion and > conscience, including freedom of belief, freedom of private and public religious practice > (freedom of worship) and freedom of religious association (cf. Art. 135, 136, 137 par. 2 > WRY and G. Anschutz, Die Religionsfreiheit [The Freedom of Religion] , in: Anschutz/ > Thoma (Pub!.) HDStR, vol. 2, 1932, § I 06, p. 681 ff.). > This is confirmed by the history of its development. In the consultations of the Parliamentary Council, what was later to be Art. 4 expressly contained the guarantee of the freedom of > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 595 > religious association ("The right of association for religious and ideological societies is recognized"), from its presentation by the Committee of Principles and the first reading in the > Main Committee as sentence 2 of par. 1. Only in the fourth reading in the Main Committee > on 4 May 1949-after inclusion of the Weimar Church Compromise into the Constitutionthis sentence was deleted with the reasoning that it is now unnecessary, because Art. 137 > par. 2 WRY is now part of the Constitution (v.Doemming/ Filsslein/Matz, Entstehungsgeschichte der Artikel des Grundgesetzes [History of the Development of the Articles of the > Constitution]: JOR, N.F., vol. 1, p. 73 foll.; Pad.Council, HA-Prot., 57th meeting on > 4.5.1949, p. 745). From this it follows, according to the intention of the Parliamentary Council, that freedom of religious association is, and is to continue to be, guaranteed in > Constitutional Law. It would be totally opposed to this ruling and to the intention of the > framer of the Constitution, if it [freedom of religious association] were to be denied merely > because of its deletion from Art. 4 which was only made in order to avoid a double guarantee, since it is part of the freedom ofreligion guaranteed in Constitutional Law. It is rather to > be deduced that Art. 4 par. 1 and 2 GG refers for its guarantee of the freedom of religious > association to Art. 140 GG/137 par. 2 WRY and includes its normative content. > 2. The guarantee of freedom of religious association includes the freedom to form and > organize as a religious association based on a common Faith. Even the concept of religious > association points to the fact that a union on the basis of State Law is intended, and not just a > mere spiritual community of worship. The possibility of forming a religious association is to > open the way to organizing as a union of people for the realization of a common religious > purpose, to give some legal form, and to participate in general legal proceedings . This is not > meant as a right to a particular legal form, such as that of an incorporated association or > some other form of legal person; guaranteed is, however, the possibility of a legal existence > in some form or other, including participation in general legal proceedings. > It is in conformity with this that Art. 140 GG in connection with Art. 137 par. 4 WRY > opens and guarantees to religious communities the possibility of acquiring legal capacity > according to the general conditions of Civil Law. These conditions have to be observed by > everyone on principle, including religious communities. Nothing is therefore lost, if a religious community or one of its parts cannot acquire a particular legal form it is aspiring to, > because of a special organization rooted in its belief. Freedom of religious association > demands, however, that the self-understanding of the religious community, insofar as it is > rooted in the freedom of religious belief and confession guaranteed in Art. 4 par. 1 GG and > is realized in the practice of the religion protected by Art. 4 par. 2 GG, is to be especially > considered in the interpretation and application of the relevant law, here of corporate law of > the Code of Civil Law (cf. BverfGE 53, 366 <401> m.w.N.). This means not only that the > religious community is allowed to make full use of the leeway in organization opened to it > by Dispositive Law [i.e. Law that is amenable to negotiation]. Even in the application of > compulsory regulations leeways of interpretation are to be used in favour of the religious > community if necessary; this must not, however, lead to neglect of imperative consideration > of the security of legal proceedings or of the rights of others. > It would be incompatible with the freedom of religious association, if a religious community, in view of its internal organization, were to be denied participation in general legal > proceedings entirely, or this were made possible only under unacceptable conditions > 596 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > III. > > The contested decisions do not satisfy the normative content of the freedom of religious > association described . The corporate law of the Code of Civil Law admits of taking into > account special requirements of internal organization resulting from the individuality of religious associations which are a pa1i of a religious community or in some special relationship > to it. Since the legal form of a 'Ktirperschaft des tiffentlichen Rechts' [Corporate Body > under Public Law] is not available to tlie Bahi'is (1 following) , this is applicable to the > Local Spiritual Assembly, from Art. 4 par. 1 and 2 GG (2 following). > 1. The Baha'i Community cannot acquire the character of a Corporate Body under Public > Law according to Art. 140 GG/Art. 137 par. 5 WRY. With this fo1rn of organization the > existing problems would be solved, because in the framework of a "Corporate Body under > Public Law" which in connection with the regulations of Art. 137 par. 5 WRY functions > only as a blanket concept, the inclusion into a hierarchical strnctme, as it appears to be given > for the Balli ' is in their belief, could be fully realized organizationally. This is shown, for > example, in the case of the Roman Catholic Church, for which a hierarchical organizational > shucture is determined which acquires validity in State Law without diminution . Thus, > church parishes are established or dissolved by the local bishop alone, after a hearing in the > Diocesan Council of Priests, without the advice or the agreement of the priest or the congregation of the church or of a body selected by the congregation being necessary (Can. 515, > § 2 i.Y.m. Can. 127, §§ 1 and 2 CIC). The appellants have, however, shown that recognition > as a Corporate Body under Public Law is out of the question for the Baha'i Community, > according to the relevant recommendations of the Conference of the Ministers of Religion > and as the result of an enquiry to the Minisháy of Religion ofHessen; it had only about 4,000 > to 5,000 members in the Federal Republic in the year 1986, who moreover were divided > among approximately 50 local Baha'i communities. It cannot be said that the denial ofrecognition as a Corporate Body under Public Law is legally inconect or even wrong in view of > these circumstances and of the criteria of Art. 137 par. 5 WRY. Therefore it is uncertain > whether the Baha'i Community, were the acquisition of the character of a Corporate Body > under Public Law possible for it, could be referred to it without losing its right to freedom > granted in Art. 4 par. 1 and 2 GG, or would have a choice of legal form. > 2. It is possible in the framework of the corporate law of the Code of Civil Law, and it is > demanded by Constitutional Law, that the religious requirements for the internal organization of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahi'is as a religious association and as part of a > religious community be especially considered. > a) The regulations of the By-Laws presented, which were considered by the Courts to be > incompatible with the principle of independence and self-adminisháation (autonomy of the > Association), on the establishment of membership (Art. 3 par. 2), removal from membership > (Art. 4 par. 2) and the dissolution of the Association (Art. 14 par. 1 letter b), the requirements for amendment of the By-Laws (Art. 13 par. 2) and the definition of the tasks of the > Association (Art. 11 par. 1 letter c), do not concern those regulations of corporate law which, > in the interest of the security and clarity of legal proceedings, regulate the affairs and legal > relations with external effects (appointment or removal of the officers, their power of representation, liability of the assets of the Association, liquidation in case of dissolution of the > Association etc). They refer solely to the internal organization of the Association. > b) The regulations contested are not in contradiction to the wording of the regulations of > corporate law on the internal organization of the Association. The dissolution of the Association regulated in § 41 BGB by decision of the general meeting of members is not excluded > INTERN A TI ON AL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACT IVITI ES 597 > but supplemented by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is' right of dissolution; on > neither the manner of the establishment of membership, nor on the possibilities for removal, > does § 58 BGB contain any regulation; the regulation of§ 33 BGB on amendment of the > By-Laws is dispositive [not obligatory] (§ 40 BGB); on the definition of the tasks of the > Association there is no legal regulation. > c) The courts justify the inadmissibility of the mentioned By-Laws merely on the basis of > their incompatibility with the principle of corporate autonomy characterizing corporate law. > This principle of corporate autonomy is not expressly laid down in the corporate laws of the > BGB ; rather it is deduced from jurisprudence and from the doctrine of the totality of regulations, which trace back the bringing into being and organization of an association, as well as > the conduct of its affairs, to the will of the members of the association. Its aim, similar to that > of private autonomy, is to preserve the character of the association as a union of persons carried on mainly by the will and action of its members (KG, OLGZ 1974, p. 385 <387>; > RGRK-Steffen, 12th ed., marginal No. 31 f. before§ 21 , § 25 marginal No. 1; Staudinger- > Co ing, 12th ed., introd. remark to§§ 21- 54, marginal No. 38; AK-Ott, § 25 marginal No. 15 > f. ; cf. also Flume, Allgemeiner Tei! des Burgerlichen Rechts [General Part of Civil Law] I/2, > 1983, p. 189 f.). Part of this autonomy is to give institutions which are provided with it the > right to give themselves the organization suitable to their aims, and to freely determine it, as > long as there are no binding provisions or principles derived from the character of the particular institution which are contrary to it. It is emphasized in jurisdiction that this autonomy > can also be practised in such a way, that the right of self-administration of the association is > limited by its Constitution; such a limitation also represents a practice of autonomy; it is > therefore a curtailment of autonomy when such regulations are declared inadmissible (cf. > KG, OLGZ 1974, p. 385 <387>; Diitz, 2. FS for Herschel, 1982, p. 55 <73 ff.>; a.A. Flume, > a.a .O., p. 194 ff.). > The principle of corporate autonomy, as it is understood in legal judgements and literature, is thus marked by two tendencies in regard to its content, which do not necessarily run > parallel: on the one hand it protects autonomy in the fom1ation of the organizational structure of the association according to the free self-dete1mination of the members, to which can > also belong integration in a hierarchically organized community; on the other hand it protects the self-determination of the association and its members from a renunciation which > almost totally defeats their own self-determination. It does not exclude the possibility, rather > it opens up the way, to an equalization in the interpretation and application of both tendencies, by taking into consideration the concrete case, i.e. in relation to the aims and > individuality of the Association in question. Thus it is considered consistent with corporate > autonomy, to create associations at different levels, inside which the lower-level associations-be they of legal capacity or not-are in a relation of dependency to the superior > associations, but do not thereby lose their character as associations, as long as they also pursue tasks independently (Reichert/ Dam1ecker/Kiihr, Handbuch des Vereins- und > Verbandsrechts [Handbook of the Law governing Associations and Unions], 4th ed. 1987, > marginal No. 2098 ff. ; Soergel-Hadding, marginal No. 53 before§ 21; BGHZ 90, p. 331). > d) If, in this connection, one considers the individuality of religious associations which > are organized as parts of a religious community, it is obvious, in view of the frequently > observable hierarchical internal organization rooted in the belief of religious communities, > that associations which are part of religious communities, or in a particular relationship to > them, wish to be integrated into the hierarchy of their religious community. This cannot > automatically be considered as submission to outside third-party influence which threatens > the essential independence and self-adminisháation of the association. > 598 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > aa) Autonomy in the formation and organization of a religious association can be practised in such a way, that one of the aims of the association is to be part of a religious > community and to integrate into the structure determined by its religious laws. Such selfdetermined aims of integration which, in the case of a religious association, may well represent an expression of the religious self-determination of the members in their common Faith, > must not be judged simply as surrender of the self-determination of the association. A limit > is reached only when the self-determination and self-administration of the association is > ruled out, not only in certain respects as a consequence of the hierarchical integration arising > from the religious law, but greatly beyond that; the association would then no longer be carried on mainly by the will of its members, but would become a mere administrative centre or > would be run for the separate estate of another party (cf. KG, OLGZ 1974, p. 385 <390>; > BayObLGZ 1979, p. 303 <308 ff.>). > According to the above, corporate law permits, in the case of a religious association constituted as part of a religious community, that limitations in the autonomous rights of > dissolution, removal or activity shall not be considered as inadmissible external third-party > influence incompatible with corporate autonomy, as long as they serve, and are limited to, > safeguarding integration into the greater religious community in the framework of existing > ties of religious law-such as the preservation and identity of belief and basic duties of daily > living. With such a limitation to the powers of intervention of a hierarchically superior institution, which only claims for itself some kind of authmity over the teachings and > conesponding rights of jurisdiction, a sufficient share of self-determination and self-administration of the association is preserved. > bb) By considering the influence of the National Spiritual Assembly specified in the By- > Laws in regard to the continuance, membership and activities of the Local Spiritual Assembly as constituting in general an inadmissible third-party influence over the Association, the > comis have misunderstood the character of religious associations which, as part of their > belief, organize themselves hierarchically as part of a religious community, and thus have > misconstrued the significance of the Constitutional Law of freedom of religious association > for the interpretation and application of the principle of corporate autonomy. They have considered the National Spiritual Assembly to be an extraneous organization, characterized by > different aims and interests, exercising a dominating influence, without considering the > unity and mutuality linked to religious law. It is no different with the conclusion concerning > the election of the members of the Local Spiritual Assembly by the believers of the local > Baha'i community. These, by virtue of the ties ofreligious law, are not third parties subjecting the Association to an alien influence from outside and thereby annulling its selfdetermination; rather, this manner of establishing membership is in accordance with the purpose of the Association to administer the affairs of the local Baha'i Community as a > hierarchical governing body (Art. 2 par. 1 of the By-Laws and Preamble), and it precisely > serves its realization. > e) Nor can an inadmissible third-party influence be deduced from the fact that, in case of > dissolution of the Association by the National Spiritual Assembly, the assets will fall to it > (Art. 14 par. 1 and 2 of the By-Laws). The purpose of this provision of the By-Laws is not > that of enabling the National Spiritual Assembly, by making use of its right of dissolution, to > seize another's assets for the purpose of increasing its own assets. This is contradicted by the > fact that according to the By-Laws no contributions are levied with the purpose of accumulating assets; the financing of the Association is solely through voluntary donations; > moreover, the Association has expressly subordinated itself to the legal conditions of charitable pmpose (Art. 2 par. 2 and 3 of the By-Laws). > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAH A ' i ACTIVITIES 599 > IV. > > The cited decisions therefore violate the appellants' constitutional right from Art. 4 par. 1 > and 2 GG in connection with Art. 140 GG/137 par. 2 and 4 WRY, in that they do not > sufficiently consider, in the interpretation and application of the meaning of corporate autonomy, the character of the Local Spiritual Assembly as a religious Association and as part of > a religious community. They are therefore to be revoked. The case is to be referred back to > the District Court for renewed consideration. It will have to examine, among other things, > whether the right of dissolution and removal accorded the National Spiritual Assembly, > expressed without limits in the By-Laws, is sufficiently limited by the purpose of the Association and the Preamble to the Constitution, in the sense of the explanations under III 2 d) > aa), or if an express definition in the By-Laws is needed. > > The decision on the costs follows from§ 34a par. 2 BVerGG. > > Mahrenholz Bockenforde Klein > Gra/3hof Kruis Fran/3en > Kirchhof Winter > 600 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > (DECISION OF Tl-IE GERMAN FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL CO URT) > > ELUCIDATION OF ABBREVIATIONS > > Abbreviation Elucidation in German Elucidation in English > > a.A. andere Ansicht Other opinion or view > > a.a.O. am angegeben Ort (bereits idem. (from the source already > vorher zitierte Quelle) cited) > > AK-Ott Kommentar zum Commentary on the Code of > Biirgerlichen Gesetzbuch Civil Law (series of > (Reihe Altemativkommentare), alternative commentaries), > 1. Auflage1979ff. 1st edition 1979ff. > Ott = Bearbeiter Ott = name of author > > BayObLGZ Bayerisches Oberstes Landes- Bavarian Supreme State Court, > gericht, Enscheidungssammlung Collection of decisions in > in Zivilsachen civil matters. > > BGB Biirgerliches Gesetzbuch Book of the code of civil law > > BGHZ Bundesgerichtshof, Federal Court, decisions > Entscheidungen in Zivilsachen in civil matters > > BverfGE Bundesverfassungsgericht, Federal Constitutional Court, > Entscheidungen Decisions > > BverfGG Gesetz iiber das Bundesver- Law on the Federal Constitufassungsgericht in der Fassung tional Court in the draft of > vom 3.2.1971 3 February 1971 > > BvR Registerzeichen des Registration symbol of the > Bundesverfassungsgerichts fi.ir Federal Constitutional Court > Yerfassungsbeschwerden for constitutional appeals > > Can. Canon Canon (i.e. in relation to the Canon > Law of the Church) > > CIC Codex Iuris Canonici Codex of Canon Law > > FGG Reichsgesetz iiber die Imperial Law on voluntary > freiwillige Gerichtsbarkeit jurisdiction of 17 May 1898 > vom 17.5.1898 > INTERNATIONAL SURV EY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITI ES 601 > (continued) > Abbreviation Elucidation in German Elucidation in English > > FS fiir Herschel Festschrift fur Herschel Publication in honour of Herschel > > GG Grundgesetz fur die Basic Law (Constitution) of > Bundesrepublik Deutschland the Federal Republic of > vom 23.5.1949 Germany of23 May 1949 > > GReg Gerichtsregister Court Register > > HA-Prot Protokolle des Minutes of the Main Committee > Hauptausschusses des of the Parliamentary Council > Parlamentarischen Rates > > HDStR Handbuch des deutschen Handbook of German State > Staatskirchemechts Church Law > > i.V.m. in Verbindung mit In connection with > > m.w.N. mit weiteren Nachweisen With further indications > > OLGZ Entscheidungen der Decisions of the High State > Oberlandesgerichte in Courts in civil matters > Zivilsachen > > RGRK-Steffen Das Bilrgerliche Gesetzbuch mit The Code of Civil Law with > besonderer Berilcksichtigung special reference to legal > der Rechtsprechung, des pronouncements, to the > Reichsgerichts und des Imperial Court and to the > Bundesgerichtshofes, Federal Court, Commentary, > Kommentar, 12. Auflage 12th edition 1974ff. > 1974ff. Steffen = Name of author > Steffen = Bearbeiter > > WRV W eimarer V erfassung vom Weimar Constitution of > 11.8.1919 11August1919 > 602 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > DECISION OF THE GERMAN FEDERAL > CONSTITUTIONAL COURT > > BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE > > In a decision handed down on 5 February 1991 the Federal Constitutional Court of > Germany upheld a constitutional appeal made by the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of > Tiibingen. This decision is of such fa r-reaching importance that the Universal House of > Justice has asked that the following summary of its background and effects be sent to all > National Spiritual Assemblies. This summary is freely based on an article prepared by > Dr. Udo Schaefer at the request of the National Spiritual Assembly ofthe Baha 'is of Germany > for publication in "Baha 'i Nachrichten ", the newsletter of the German Baha 'i community. > > I. that eventually came before the Federal > The Baha'i Administrative Order has so many Constitutional Court, namely, whether the > unique features, and is so different from the Local Spiritual Assemblies could be incororganizational structure of most other reli- porated under German Law using the Bygions, that not infrequently difficulties are Laws that are the universal Baha' i standard. > experienced in conveying to the authorities When different legal systems collide there > in some countries a clear understanding of are always problems, and this was the case > the nature of our institutions, and thus of here, where Baha'i constitutional law seemed > obtaining a status that is accorded to other to be incompatible with German civil law. > similar bodies under civil law. In order to make these problems intelligible > In Germany, for example, 95% of all and to explain the decision of the Federal > associations are recognized as being "of Constitutional Court, it is necessary to conpublic benefit". This is similar to what is sider the historical background. > known as "charitable status" in other countries, and is the basis for the granting of II. > various tax exemptions. Over the years the Firstly, it is necessary to understand that the > Spiritual Assemblies in Germany repeatedly Baha' i Community is not only a religious > experienced difficulty with the Inland Reve- community but also a community of law. > nue offices until the National Spiritual The believers are linked together not only by > Assembly turned to the Federal Minister of the tie of belief and love, but also by the > Finance, who issued a decree on 6 August legal norms with which the Founder of our > 1990 clarifying that the Spiritual Assemblies Faith has endowed His community, legal > of the Baha'is "serve the promotion of norms which govern the structure of the > religious purposes" and thus have public- community, its administrative organs and its > benefit status. Even after this, one of the functions. The main sources of these legal > Revenue Offices continued to insist that the norms, which are to be found throughout the > By-Laws of a Spiritual Assembly needed to Writings of Baha'u ' llah and ' Abdu'l-Baha, > be amended . are the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Kitab-i-'Ahd and > A second problem was that of the form 'Abdu ' l-Baha ' s Will and Testament, as well > under which Baha'i Spiritual Assemblies as the works of Shoghi Effendi who, as > could be incorporated. This was the problem the Authorized Interpreter, expounded and > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 603 > elaborated these nonns in his letters (especially the Local Assemblies attained legal capacity, > in those published in Baha 'i Administration they were incorporated with these By-Laws. > and The World Order of Baha 'u '!!ah). As the establishment of the judicial system > The revelation of the laws of the Faith, of the Gennan Federal Republic progressed, > and their application in practice has been the scrutiny of articles of incorporation > a very gradual process. Baha'u' llah had became increasingly strict, and Local Spiriappointed four Hands of the Cause of God tual Assemblies which wished to incorporate > during His own lifetime, and 'Abdu'l-Baha met with more and more difficulties. The > had brought into being embryonic Local standard By-Laws corresponded to American > Spiritual Assemblies, but the raising up of legal concepts and were expressed in Amerithe institutions of the Administrative Order can legal language. These were radically at > really started with the ministry of Shoghi variance with the concepts of German law > Effendi. and thus, in many instances barely compre- > In the establishment of the Administra- hensible to German lawyers. > tive Order the American Baha'i Community Under the pressure of this experience the > played a leading role. In the twenties, under Gennan Baha'i institutions acquired the > the unerring guidance of the Guardian, the understanding that, while the fundamental > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is structures and principles of our law as > of the United States and Canada formulated "Divine Law" are unalterable, they have > a constitution for itself, consisting of a Dec- to be expressed in different terminology > laration of Trust and By-Laws, and one for according to the legal systems of particular > Local Spiritual Assemblies, comprising a set countries. This experience was shared by > of By-Laws, all based on the laws and princi- other Baha' i communities around the world. > ples of the Faith, and in a fonn through which Thus, in the seventies, with the agreement > these institutions could incorporate (obtain of the Universal House of Justice, new > legal capacity) under American law. In doing By-Laws, which are faithful to the Baha'i > this, the difficulty was to mould the non-cod- standard constitution and are also in accorified Baha'i laws and principles into forms dance with German Law, were drafted and > made available by civil law for the attainment introduced as a pattern for all Local Spiritual > of legal capacity. With the expert help of Assemblies in Gennany. All Spiritual Assem- > American jurists, constitutions were worked blies in the Federal Republic are today > out for the National Assembly and the Local incorporated according to these sample By- > Assemblies which were endorsed by Shoghi Laws. The National Spiritual Assembly also > Effendi and prescribed by him as the pattern prepared a new constitution for itself, but > for the establishment of the Baha'i Adminis- this has not yet been registered, because > tration in other parts of the world. the Court of Registration concerned was > awaiting the decision of the Federal Consti- > III. tutional Court. > When, after the Second World War, the Although this development placed the > Spiritual Assemblies that had been dissolved Gennan Spiritual Assemblies in an incompaunder the Nazi regime were re-established rably better position in relation to the Courts > in Germany, the National Spiritual Assembly of Registration, it soon became clear that the > adopted the Declaration of Trust and legal construction of the By-Laws was still > By-Laws which formed the national Baha' i not easily conveyed to the courts concerned. > constitution, and the By-Laws of a Local It is not the community (with the Assembly > Spiritual Assembly which were the standard as its managing body) which is the associalocal Baha' i constitution, simply translating tion, but the Assembly itself, which is elected > them from English into German. Wherever by the members of the community; this is an > 604 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > unusual construction in Germany. Normally, their superior institutions, the National > membership in an association is attained Assembly and the Universal House of Jusby joining it, but membership in a Spirihial tice, have a series of rights of intervention > Assembly is through election by a "third according to the By-Laws, is seen to violate > party", the community. Normally in Ger- this principle of corporate autonomy. > many, an Association has a minimum size Thus a critical situation had arisen for the > (7 members) and has no upper limit. As German Baha'i Community. There was a > against that the membership of the Assem- great danger that all incorporated Spiritual > bly is limited in number: it has nine Assemblies, including the National Spirmembers, no fewer and no more. In spite of itual Assembly, would be deprived of their > these difficulties it was usually possible to legal capacity. > overcome the Registrar 's objections and The German Constitution provides a posobtain legal incorporation. Sometimes this sibility for recognized religious communities > required proceedings in the Jaw courts. to incorporate, in certain circumstances, > under "public law" rather than as associa- > IV. tions under civil law. But this presupposes a > The legal administrator of the District Court minimum number of members which the > of Tilbingen was especially obstinate. He German Baha'i community is still far from > objected to no less than eight points in the having reached. > By-Laws and finally, on 8 December 1983 , The Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'is > refused incorporation. The legal measures must therefore have recourse to the corpotaken against this decision were unsuccess- rate law of the German Code of Civil Law to > ful. The State Court ofTubingen rejected the achieve legal capacity. But, to obtain such > furiher appeal of 5 May 1985. The High registration the Spiritual Assemblies would > State Court in Stuttgart, to which the case have had to change the basic structures of > was subsequently appealed, rejected it on their By-Laws. Such changes the Baha'is > 27 January 1986. cannot and will not accept, because the > With that the legal measures were essential structures of the constitutional law > exhausted, and this would have meant that of our community are the Law of God and > the Spiritual Assembly of Tilbingen would are therefore not open to compromise. These > never be able to incorporate with the essential structures include the vertical form > By-Laws of the standard local Baha'i consti- of institutional organization. > tution. Beyond this, when the decision of the With all other legal means exhausted, the > High State Court in Stuttgart was published Federal Constitutional Court presented the > in the legal literature, a number of other last resort for the German Baha'i community, > courts, alerted by this decision, demanded but this presupposed that the decisions prethat incorporated Local Assemblies amend viously passed by the courts had violated the > their By-Laws or else face cancellation of constitutional rights of the Spiritual Assembly > their existing incorporation. ofTUbingen. The National Spirih1al Assembly > The decision of the High State Court in was convinced that this was unmistakably > Stuttgart was founded on the principle of the case. Article 4 of the German Constitucorporate autonomy which applies to associ- tion guarantees not just freedom of religious > ations under German civil incorporation practice, which includes freedom of belief > law. According to this, an association is an and worship, but also freedom of organizaautonomous body free from third-party tion. The decisions passed by the couris, and > influence and is subject only to the law of the interpretation of civil law underlying > the land. The fact that Local Spiritual them, had led to the result that hierarchical > Assemblies are linked in a hierarchy and that integration within the framework of the > INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA ' I ACTIVITIES 605 > Baha'i Administration was made impossible V. > for the Baha' is. Were these decisions to The decision which the Federal Constitution > be enforced, each local Baha'i community Court reached, wholly in our favour, on > would be isolated from the rest of the 5 February 1991, is a relatively rare decision > Administrative Order. The community as a in the field of State Church Law in Germany, > whole would no longer exist, it would be and for this alone it constitutes a highly sigonly an amorphous collection of autono- nificant precedent in the formulation and > mous bodies with no links to one another. development of German Law. > The Baha' i Community as the "People of For the German Baha'i Community this > God" embodied in a legal structure, would decision, as shown by the above explanano longer exist. In this the National Assem- tions, is of far-reaching significance and > bly saw a violation of Article 4 of the cannot be overestimated: It ensures the legal > Federal Constitution and concluded that the status of the community and brings to an > submission of a Constitutional Appeal was end all attempts by the courts to require > advisable. the amendment of the basic structures of > Although, from the outset, this constitu- our By-Laws. It confirms once and for all > tional question had been referred to in the right of the Baha'is to be organized as a > writing, the courts concerned with the hierarchically structured legal community > successive appeals on the case had not con- according to the revealed Law of God. > sidered them at all. The decision first of all sets a limit to > After receiving the Constitutional Appeal, its application, in a statement that is of the > which was submitted in March 1986, the greatest importance as a testimony to the > Federal Constitutional Court considered this widespread recognition of the Baha'i Faith > extremely unusual matter very intensively. It as an independent religious community. It > even requested original literature from the explains that the mere assertion of a com- > German Baha'i Publishing Trust, asked for munity that it is a religious community is not > and examined numerous By-Laws of other sufficient for it to submit such a constituassociations, Christian and Islamic, and tional appeal. The authorities and courts have > solicited views from the Federal Minister of to examine in each specific case whether it is > Justice and from the Ministry of Justice of really a religion and a religious community, > Baden-Wiirttemberg, the Evangelical Church according to spiritual content and external > in Germany and the Institute for State appearances. Here the Court states: "In the > Church Law of the Dioceses of Germany (on present case it is not necessary to go more > the question of corporate autonomy in the deeply into this, as the character of the > case of church associations) . The two Minis- Baha'i Faith as a religion and the Baha'i > tries of Justice expressed an opinion very Community as a religious community is > unfavourable to the Baha'is, concluding that evident, in actual everyday life, cultural tradithe contested decisions had been passed cor- tion, and in the understanding of the general > rectly and so the Constitutional Appeal was public as well as of the science of comparaunfounded. tive religion ." > The Federal Constitutional Court took a In its decision, the Federal Constitutional > long time to reach its decision. It had to con- Court reviewed in detail the constitutional > sider the far-reaching consequences which right of freedom of religious organization > a decision in our favour could have. Would and came to the conclusion that the lower > it not open wide the floodgates for orga- courts, in arriving at their decisions, had not > nizations unjustifiably calling themselves done justice to this constitutional right; that > "religions" to make use of this decision in it is possible, within the framework of the > future? German civil Jaw governing incorporations, > 606 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > to give special consideration to the religious judgement represents in the efforts to prerequirements governing the internal organi- serve and ensure the legal status of the > zation of the Local Spiritual Assembly as Spiritual Assemblies in Germany can be > a religious association and as part of a judged from the fact that only 1.5% of all > religious community; and, moreover, that Constitutional Appeals meet with success. > Constitutional Law demands that such special The National Spiritual Assembly had the > consideration be given. wisdom to shrink from no effort or cost in > The Court pointed out that, because order to ensure the best presentation of the > associations which are part of religious case. It engaged a renowned Stuttgart firm > communities wish to be integrated into the of attorneys for its legal protection. The > hierarchy of their religious community, the presentation of the case was in the hands of > granting of the right of intervention to an expert in the fields of Constitutional Law, > superior institutions cannot be considered as Administrative Law and State Church Law. > submission to an external influence which Beyond that the National Spiritual Assembly > would threaten the essential independence of solicited an opinion from a highly regarded > the association or its right to administer expert in State Church Law at the University > itself. The Federal Constitutional Court con- of Heidelberg (Professor Friedrich Millier). > cluded that the courts acting in this case This profound opinion, comprising 115 pages, > had misunderstood the constitutional right of which clearly and convincingly sets forth the > freedom of religious organization in the legal position of the Baha'is, was a great > interpretation and application of the principle support for this Appeal and surely had an > of corporate autonomy, in that they had con- effect in helping to bring it to a successful > sidered the National Spiritual Assembly "to conclusion. A gratifying side-effect of the > be an extraneous organization, characterized work and funds devoted to this Appeal is to > by different aims and interests, exercising a be found in the number of highly-placed > dominating influence, without considering the ministerial officials, professors and scienunity and mutuality linked to religious law". tific collaborators, who had to concern > The same was true, the Court explained, for themselves intensively with the Faith, not to > the election of the members of the Local mention the judges of Germany's highest > Spirihial Assembly by the believers in the Court. The decision will be included in the > local community, who are not "third-parties". collection of official records and will be > From the reasons given for the decision it published in all the legal journals. > can be inferred that a positive decision was Undoubtedly further fruits will be gathpossible only because the Baha' i Law, ered in the years ahead when this landmark > which underlies our constitutions as revealed decision assists judicial authorities in other > Law, is an indispensable part of our Faith. lands to appreciate the stature of the Baha' i > Faith and the fundamental importance of the > VI. Jaws and principles embedded in its Sacred > The magnitude of the achievement this Scriptures. > PART FOUR > > THE WORLD ORDER OF > BAHA'u'LLAH > 608 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > :- :: ._ ~ á : ~á ~' :' á-~o:!f á~- ~á ' ~ ~' "=" á# ::- _,_I: ~.--. ::- ~ ~; • ,"-=' : y~ > > "':--~-----~- --- ---~---á ---------á-~-----------áá--- á- -á - -- --~- .. --------------,----:.-::=-~=.,:. > > Partial view of the Seat of the Un iversal Hous e of Justice from the south. > I > THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE > > 1. THE CONSTITUTION OF > THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE > DECLARATION OF TRUST > > IN THE NAME OF Goo, THE ONE , THE INCOMPARABLE, THE ALL-POWERFUL, THE ALL-KNOWING, THE ALL-WI SE. > > The light that is shed from the heaven of bounty, and the benediction that shinethfrom the dawningplace of the will of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, rest upon Him Who is the Supreme > Mediator, the Most Exalted Pen, Him Whom God hath made the dawning-place of His most excellent names and the dayspring of His most exalted attributes. Through Him the light of unity hath > shone fort h above the horizon of the world, and the law of oneness hath been revealed amidst the > nations, who, with radiant faces, have turned towards the Supreme Horizon, and acknowledged that > which the Tongue of Utterance hath spoken in the Kingdom of His knowledge: .'Earth and heaven, > glory and dominion, are God's, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Lord ofgrace abounding!' > > WITH joyous and thankful hea1is we testify unity of its followers, and to maintain the > to the abundance of God's Mercy, to the per- integrity and flexibility of its teachings. > fection of His Justice and to the fulfilment of The fundamental purpose animating the > His Ancient Promise. Faith of God and His Religion, declares > Bahi'u'llah, the Revealer of God's Word in Baha'u'llah, is to safeguard the interests and > this Day, the Source of Authority, the Foun- promote the unity of the human race, and to > tainhead of Justice, the Creator of a new World foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst > Order, the Establisher of the Most Great Peace, men. Suffer it not to become a source ofdissenthe Inspirer and Founder of a world civiliza- sion and discord, ofhate and enmity. This is the > tion, the Judge, the Lawgiver, the Unifier and straight Path, the fixed and immovable founda- > Redeemer of all mankind, has proclaimed the tion. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, > advent of God's Kingdom on eaiih, has for- the changes and chances ofthe world can never > mulated its laws and ordinances, enunciated impair its strength, nor will the revolution of > its principles, and ordained its institutions. To countless centuries undermine its structure. > direct and canalize the forces released by His Unto the Most Holy Book, 'Abdu 'l-Baha > Revelation, He instituted His Covenant, whose declares in His Will and Testament, every > power has preserved the integrity of His Faith, one must turn, and all that is not expressly > maintained its unity and stimulated its world- recorded therein must be referred to the > wide expansion throughout the successive Universal House ofJustice. > ministries of 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi. The provenance, the authority, the duties, > It continues to fulfil its life-giving purpose the sphere of action of the Universal House > through the agency of the Universal House of Justice all derive from the revealed Word > of Justice whose fundamental object, as one of Bahi'u'llah which, together with the > of the twin successors of Baha 'u'llah and interpretations and expositions of the Centre > 'Abdu 'l-Baha, is to ensure the continuity of of the Covenant and of the Guardian of the > that divinely appointed authority which flows Cause-who, after 'Abdu'l-Baha, is the sole > from the Source of the Faith, to safeguard the authority in the interpretation of Baha' i > 610 Tl-IE BAHA'I WORLD > > Scripture-constitute the binding tem1s of requirements of the time, its own enactments; > reference of the Universal House of Justice to deliberate and decide upon all problems > and are its bedrock foundation. The author- which have caused difference; to elucidate > ity of these Texts is absolute and immutable questions that are obscure; to safeguard the > until such time as Almighty God shall reveal personal rights, freedom and initiative of > His new Manifestation to Whom will belong individuals; and to give attention to the > all authority and power. preservation of human honour, to the devel- > There being no successor to Shoghi Effendi opment of countries and the stability of states; > as Guardian of the Cause of God, the Universal To promulgate and apply the laws and > House of Justice is the Head of the Faith and principles of the Faith; to safeguard and > its supreme institution, to which all must tum, enforce that rectitude of conduct which the > and on it rests the ultimate responsibility for Law of God enjoins; to preserve and develop > ensuring the unity and progress of the Cause of the Spiritual and Administrative Centre of > God. Further, there devolve upon it the duties the Baha' i Faith, permanently fixed in the > of directing and coordinating the work of the twin cities of 'Akka and Haifa; to admin- > Hands of the Cause, of ensuring the continuing ister the affairs of the Baha'i community > discharge of the functions of protection and throughout the world; to guide, organize, > propagation vested in that institution, and of coordinate and unify its activities; to found > providing for the receipt and disbursement institutions; to be responsible for ensuring > of the I:fuququ' llah. that no body or institution within the Cause > Among the powers and duties with which abuse its privileges or decline in the > the Universal House of Justice has been exercise of its tights and prerogatives; and > invested are: to provide for the receipt, disposition, > administration and safeguarding of the > To ensure the preservation of the Sacred funds, endowments and other properties > Texts and to safeguard their inviolability; that are entrusted to its care; > to analyse, classify, and coordinate the Writ- To adjudicate disputes falling within > i.ngs; and to defend and protect the Cause of its purview; to give judgement in cases of > God and emancipate it from the fetters of violation of the laws of the Faith and to > repression and persecution; pronounce sanctions for such violations; > To advance the interests of the Faith of to provide for the enforcement of its deci- > .God; to proclaim, propagate and teach its sions; to provide for the arbitration and > Message; to expand and consolidate the in- settlement of disputes arising between > stitutions of its Administrative Order; to peoples; and to be the exponent and > usher in the World Order of Baha'u'llah; guardian of that Divine Justice which can > to promote the attainment of those spiritual alone ensure the security of, and establish > qualities which should characterize Baha'i the reign of law and order in, the world. > life individually and collectively; to do > its utmost for the realization of greater The members of the Universal House of > cordiality and comity amongst the nations Justice, des ignated by Baha'u'llah ' the Men > and for the attainment of universal peace; of Justice ', ' the people of Baha who have > and to foster that which is conducive to the been mentioned in the Book of Names', > enlightenment and illumination of the souls 'The Tmstees of God amongst His servants > of men and the advancement and better- and the daysprings of authority in His counment of the world; tries', shall in the discharge of their > To enact laws and ordinances not ex- responsibilities ever bear in mind the folpressly recorded in the Sacred Texts; to abro- lowing standards set forth by Shoghi > gate, according to the changes and Effendi, the Guardian of the Cause of God: > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U 'LLA H 611 > In the conduct of the administrative guidance which is at once the life-blood > affairs of the Faith, in the enactment of the and ultin1ate safeguard of this Revelation. > legislation necessary to supplement the > laws of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the members of The Universal House of Justice was first > the Universal House of Justice, it should be elected on the first day of the Festival of > borne in mind, are not, as Baha'u'llah's Ri<;lvan in the one hlll1dred and twentieth year > utterances clearly imply, responsible to those of the Balla' i Era 1, when the members of the > whom they represent, nor are they allowed to National Spiritual Assemblies, in accordance > be governed by the feelings, the general with the provisions of the Will and Testament > opinion, and even the convictions of the of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and in response to the summass of the faithful, or of those who directly mons of the Hands of the Cause of God, the > elect them. They are to follow, in a prayerful Chief Stewards of Balla'u'llah's embryonic > attitude, the dictates and promptings of their World Commonwealth, brought into being > conscience. They may, indeed they must, this "crowning glory" of the administrative > acquaint themselves with the conditions pre- institutions of Baha 'u' llah, the very "nucleus > vailing among the community, must weigh and forernnner" of His World Order. Now, > dispassionately in their minds the merits of therefore, in obedience to the Command of > any case presented for their consideration, God and with entire reliance upon Hirn, we, > but must reserve for themselves the right the members of the Universal House of Justice, > of an unfettered decision. God will verily set our hands and its seal to this Declaration > inspire them with whatsoever He willeth, is of Tmst which, together with the By-Laws > Balla 'u' llah' s incontrovertible assurance. hereto appended, fo1m the Constitution of the > 111ey, and not the body of those who either Universal House of Justice. > directly or indirectly elect them, have thus > been made the recipients of the divine 1 21 April 1963 A.O. > > Hugh E. Chance > > Hushmand Fatheazam > > Amoz E. Gibson > > Dav id Hofman > > H. Borrah Kavelin > > A li Nakhjavani > > David S. Rube > > Ian C. Semple > > Charles Wolcott > > Signed in the City of Haifa on the fourth day of the month of Qawl in the one > hundred and twenty-ninth year of the Baha'i Era, co1Tesponding to the twenty-sixth > day of the month of November in the year 1972 according to the Gregori an > ca lendar. > > Facsimile of signatures on the Constitution of the Universal House ofJustice: 26 November 1972. > 612 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > BY-LAWS > > PREAMBLE > The Universal House of Justice is the II. LOCAL SPIRJTUAL ASSEMBLIES > supreme institution of an Administrative Order whose sa lient features, whose authority \Vhenever in any locality the number of > and whose principles of operation are clearl y Baha'is resident therein who have attained the > enunciated in the Sacred Writings of the age of twenty-one exceeds nine, these shall on > Baha'i Fa ith and their authori zed interpreta- the First Day of Ri9van convene and elect a > tions. This Adm inistrati ve Order consists, on local adm ini strative body of nine members > the one hand, of a series of e lected councils, to be known as the Spiritual Assembly of the > universal, secondary and loca l, in whi ch are Baha'is of that locality. Every such Assembly > vested legislative, executive and judicial shall be elected annually thereafter upon each > powers over the Baha' i co mmunity and , on successive First Day of Ri9van . The members > the other, of eminent and devoted beli evers shall hold office for the term of one year or > appo inted for the specific purposes of protect- until their successors are elected. When, howing and propagati ng the Faith of Baha'u'llah ever, the number ofBaha'is as aforesaid in any > under the guidance of the Head of that Fa ith. locality is exactly nine, these shall on the F irst > This Administrative Order is the nucleus Day ofRi9vlli1 constitute themselves the Local > and pattern of the World Order adumbrated Spiritual Assembly by joint declaration. > by Baha ' u' llah. In the course of its divinely > propelled organic growth its in stituti ons w ill I . The genera l powers and duties of a Local > expand , putting forth aux iliary branches and Spiritual Assembly are as set forth in the > developing subordinate age ncies , multiply- Writings ofBaha'u' llah, 'Abdu' l-Baha and > ing the ir ac tivities and diversifying their Shoghi Effendi and as laid down by the > functions , in consonance w ith the principles Universal House of Justice. > and purposes revealed by Baha'u'llah for the 2. A Local Spiritual Assembly shall exercise > progress of the human race. full jurisdiction over all Baha' i activities and > affairs within its locality, subject to the pro- > I. MEMBERSH IP IN THE BAHA ' I COMM UN ITY visions of the Local Baha' i Constitution. 2 > 3. The area of jurisdiction ofa Local Spiritual > The Baha ' i Community shall consist of all Assembly shall be decided by the National > persons recognized by the Universal House Spiritual Assembly in accordance with the > of Justi ce as possessing the qualifi cations of principle laid down fo r each country by > Baha ' i fa ith and practi ce. the Universal House of Justice. > > I . In order to be eligible to vote and hold III. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > electi ve office, a Baha ' i must have atta ined > the age of twenty-one yea rs. Whenever it is decided by the Un iversa l > 2. The rights, privileges and duties of indi- House of Justice to fo rm in any country or > v idual Baha ' is are as set fo rth in the region a National Spiri tual Assembly, the vot- > Writings of Baha'u ' llah , 'Abdu ' l-Baha ing members of the Baha ' i communi ty of that > and Shoghi Effendi and as laid down by country or region shall , in a manner and at a > the Universal House of Justice. time to be decided by the Uni ve rsal House of > > 2 By-Laws of a Local Sp iritua l Assem bly > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA ' U' LLAH 613 > Justice, elect their delegates to their National (b) Vacancies in the membership of the > Convention. These delegates shall, in turn, elect National Spiritual Assembly shall be > in the manner provided in the National Baha'i filled by a vote of the delegates com- > Constitution 3 a body of nine members to be posing the Convention which elected > known as the National Spiritual Assembly of the Assembly, the ballot to be taken by > the Baha'is of that country or region. The correspondence or in any other manner > members shall continue in office for a period decided by the National Spiritual > of one year or until their successors shall be Assembly. > elected. > IV. OBLIGATIO NS OF MEMBERS OF > 1. The general powers and duties of a SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > National Spiritual Assembly are as set > forth in the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha Among the most outstanding and sacred > and Shoghi Effendi and as laid down by duties incumbent upon those who have been > the Universal House of Justice. called upon to initiate, direct and co-ordinate > 2. The National Spiritual Assembly shall the affairs of the Cause of God as members of > have exclusive jurisdiction and authority its Spiritual Assemblies are: to win by every > over all the activities and affairs of the means in their power the confidence and affec- > Baha ' i Faith throughout its area. It shall tion of those whom it is their privilege to serve; > endeavour to stimulate, unify and coordi- to investigate and acquaint themselves with the > nate the manifold activities of the Local considered views, the prevailing sentinlents and > Spiritual Assemblies and of individual the personal convictions of those whose welfare > Baha'is in its area and by all possible it is their solemn obligation to promote; to purge > means assist them to promote the oneness their deliberations and the general conduct of > of mankind. It shall furthem1ore represent their affairs of self-contained aloofness, the > its national Baha ' i community in relation suspicion of secrecy, the stifling atmosphere > to other national Baha'i communities and of dictatorial assertiveness and of every word > to the Universal House of Justice. and deed that may savour of partiality, self- > 3. The area of jurisdiction ofa National Spir- centredness and prejudice; and while retaining > itual Assembly shall be as defined by the the sacred right of final decision in their hands, > Universal House of Justice. to invite discussion, ventilate grievances, > 4. The principal business of the National welcome advice and foster the sense of inter- > Convention shall be consultation on Baha'i dependence and co-partnership, of w1derstandactivities, plans and policies and the ing and mutual confidence between themselves > election of the members of the National and all other Baha'is. > Spiritual Assembly, as set forth in the > National Baha'i Constitution . V . THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE > (a) If in any year the National Spiritual > Assembly shall consider that it is The Universal House of Justice shall consist > impracticable or unwise to hold the of nine men who have been elected from the > National Convention, the said Assem- Baha'i community in the manner hereinafter > bly shall provide ways and means by provided. > which the annual election and the > other essential business of the Con- l. Election > vention may be conducted. > The members of the Universal House of > 3 Justice shall be elected by secret ballot > Decl aration of Tru st and By-Laws of a National > Spiritual Assembly by the members of all National Spiritual > 614 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Assemblies at a meeting to be known as (h) If a member of a National Spiritual > the International Baha'i Convention. Assembly who has voted by mail > (a) An election of the Universal House of ceases to be a member of that National > Justice shall be held once every five Spiritual Assembly between the time > years unless otherwise decided by the of casting his ballot and the date of the > Universal House of Justice, and those counting of the ballots, his ballot shall > elected shall continue in office until nevertheless remain valid unless in the > such time as their successors shall be interval his successor shall have been > elected and the first meeting of these elected and the ballot of such successor > successors is duly held. shall have been received by the tellers. > (b) Upon receiving the call to Convention (i) In case by reason of a tie vote or votes > each National Spiritual Assembly shall the full membership of the Universal > submit to the Universal House of Jus- House of Justice is not determined on > tice a list of the names of its members. the first ballot, then one or more addi- > The recognition and seating of the dele- tional ballots shall be held on the > gates to the International Convention persons tied until all members are > shall be vested in the Universal House elected. The electors in the case of > of Justice. additional ballots shall be the mem- > (c) The principal business of the Interna- bers of National Spiritual Assemblies > tional Convention shall be to elect the in office at the time each subsequent > members of the Universal House of vote is taken. > Justice, to deliberate on the affairs of > the Baha'i Cause throughout the world, 2. Vacancies in Membership > and to make recommendations and > suggestions for the consideration of the A vacancy in the membership of the > Universal House of Justice. Universal House of Justice will occur > (d) The sessions of the International Con- upon the death of a member or in the > vention shall be conducted in such following cases: > manner as the Universal House of > Justice shall from time to time decide. (a) Should any member of the Universal > (e) The Universal House of Justice shall House of Justice commit a sin injuriprovide a procedure whereby those ous to the common weal, he may be > delegates who are unable to be dismissed from membership by the > present in person at the International Universal House of Justice. > Convention shall cast their ballots for (b) The Universal House of Justice may > the election of the members of the at its discretion declare a vacancy > Universal House of Justice. with respect to any member who in > (f) If at the time of an election the Universal its judgement is unable to fulfil the > House ofJustice shall consider that it is functions of membership. > impracticable or unwise to hold the (c) A member may relinquish his mem- > International Convention it shall deter- bership on the Universal House of > mine how the election shall take place. Justice only with the approval of the > (g) On the day of the election the ballots Universal House of Justice. > of all voters shall be scrutinized and > counted and the result certified by 3. By-Election > tellers appointed in accordance with the > instructions of the Universal House of If a vacancy in the membership of the > Justice. Universal House of Justice occurs, the > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA ' U'LLAH 615 > > Universal House of Justice shall caJJ a by- Universal House of Justice, to which > election at the earliest possible date unless shall be affixed in each case the Seal of > such date, in the judgement of the Univer- the Univbrsal House of Justice. > sal House of Justice, falls too close to the > date of a regular election of the entire 6. Records [ > membership, in which case the Universal > House of Justice may, at its discretion, The Universal House of Justice shall > defer the filling of the vacancy to the time provide for the recording and verificaof the regular election. If a by-election tion of its decisions in such manner as it > is held, the voters shaJJ be the members shall, from time to time, judge necessary. > of the National Spiritual Assemblies 111 > office at the time of the by-election. VI. BAHA'f ELECTIONS > > 4. Meetings In order to preserve the spiritual character > and purpose of Baha'i elections the practices > (a) After the election of the Universal of nomination or electioneering, or any other > House of Justice the first meeting shall procedure or activity detrimental to that > be caJJed by the member elected by character and purpose shall be eschewed. A > the highest number of votes or, in his silent and prayerful atmosphere shall prevail > absence or other incapacity, by the during the election so that each elector may > member elected by the next highest vote for none but those whom prayer and > number of votes or, in case two or reflection inspire him to uphold. > more members have received the same > highest number of votes, then by the 1. All Baha'i elections, except elections of > member selected by lot from among officers of Local and National Spiritual > those members. Subsequent meetings Assemblies and committees, shall be by > shaJJ be called in the manner decided plurality vote taken by secret baJJot. > by the Universal House of Justice. 2. Election of the officers ofa Spiritual Assem- > (b) The Universal House of Justice has bly or committee shaJJ be by majority vote > no officers. It shall provide for the of the Assembly or committee taken by > conduct of its meetings and shaJJ secret ballot. > organize its activities in such manner 3. In case by reason of a tie vote or votes the > as it shaJJ from time to time decide. full membership of an elected body is not > (c) The business of the Universal House detem1ined on the first baJJot, then one or > of Justice shall be conducted by the full more additional ballots shall be taken on the > membership in consultation, except persons tied until all members are elected. > that the Universal House of Justice may 4. The duties and rights of a Baha' i elector > from time to time provide for quorums may not be assigned nor may they be > of less than the fuJJ membership for exercised by proxy. > specified classes of business. > VII. THE RIGHT OF REVIEW > 5. Signature > The Universal House of Justice has the > The signature of the Universal House of right to review any decision or action of > Justice shall be the words "The Universal any Spiritual Assembly, National or Local, > House of Justice" or in Persian "Baytu' l- and to approve, modify or reverse such > 'Adl -i- A'~am" written by hand by any decision or action. The Universal House of > one of its members upon authority of the Justice also has the right to intervene in any > 616 THE BAH A' i WORLD > > matter in which a Spiritual Assembly is seeking to compose its difference of > failing to take action or to reach a decision opinion with the National Spiritual > and, at its discretion, to require that action Assembly, have the right to appeal to > be taken, or itself to take action directly in the Universal House of Justice, which > the matter. shall determine whether it shall take > jurisdiction of the matter or leave it > VIII. APPEALS within the final jurisdiction of the > National Spiritual Assembly. > The right of appeal exists in the circumstances, and shall be exercised according to 2. An appellant, whether institution or indithe procedures, outlined below: vidual, shall in the first instance make > appeal to the Assembly whose decision > I. (a) Any member of a local Baha ' i com- is questioned, either for reconsideration > munity may appeal from a decision of the case by that Assembly or for subof his Local Spiritual Assembly to mission to a higher body. In the latter > the National Spiritual Assembly case the Assembly is in duty bound to > which shall determine whether it submit the appeal together with full parshall take jurisdiction of the matter or ticulars of the matter. If an Assembly > refer it back to the Local Spiritual refuses to submit the appeal, or fails to > Assembly for reconsideration . If such do so within a reasonable time, the > an appeal concerns the membership appellant may take the case directly to > ofa person in the Baha'i community, the higher authority. > the National Spiritual Assembly is > obl iged to take jurisdiction of and IX. THE BOARDS OF COUNSELLORS > decide the case. > (b) Any Baha'i may appeal from a de- The institution of the Boards of Counse llors > cision of bis National Spiritual was brought into being by the Universal > Assembly to the Universal House of House of Justice to extend into the future the > Justice which shall determine whether specific functions of protection and propagait shall take jurisdiction of the matter tion conferred upon the Hands of the Cause > or leave it within the fina l jurisdiction of God. The members of these boards are > of the National Spiritual Assembly. appointed by the Universal House of Justice. > (c) If any differences arise between two > or more Local Spiritual Assemblies 1. The term of office of a Counsellor, the numand if these Assemblies are unable to ber of Counsellors on each Board, and the > resolve them, any one such Assembly boundaries of the zone in which each Board > may bring the matter to the National of Counsellors shall operate, shall be > Spiritual Assembly which shall there- decided by the Universal House of Justice. > upon take jurisdiction of the case. If 2. A Counsellor functions as such only > the decision of the National Spiritual within his zone and should he move his > Assembly thereon is unsatisfactory to residence out of the zone for which he is > any of the Assemblies concerned, or appointed he automatically relinquishes > if a Local Spiritual Assembly at any his appointment. > time has reason to believe that actions 3. The rank and specific duties of a Counof its National Spiritual Assembly are sellor render him ineligible for service on > affecting adversely the welfare and local or national administrative bodies. If > unity of that Local Assembly ' s com- elected to the Universal House of Justice > munity, it shall, in either case, after he ceases to be a Counsellor. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 617 > X. THE AUXILIARY BOARDS Counsellors, shall not function as a > member of the Auxiliary Board outside > In each zone there shall be two Auxiliary that area. > Boards, one for the protection and one for 3. An Auxiliary Board member is eligible > the propagation of the Faith, the numbers of for any elective office but if elected to > whose members shall be set by the Universal an administrative post on a national or > House of Justice. The members of these Aux- local level must decide whether to retain > iliary Boards shall serve under the direction membership on the Board or accept the > of the Continental Boards of Counsellors administrative post, since he may not > and shall act as their deputies, assistants and serve in both capacities at the same time. > advisers. If elected to the Universal House of Justice he ceases to be a member of the > 1. The members of the Auxiliary Boards Auxiliary Board. > shall be appointed from among the > believers of that zone by the Continental XI. AMENDMENT > Board of Counsellors. > 2. Each Auxiliary Board member shall be This Constitution may be amended by deciallotted a specific area in which to serve sion of the Universal House of Justice when > and, unless specifically deputized by the the full membership is present. > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 2. THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE > ELECTION OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE > > RipvAN 1988 > The sixth International Baha' i Convention The results of the voting were announced > was held from 29 April to 2 May 1988 to to the assembled delegates at noon on Saturelect the members of the Universal House of day, 30 April. Of the 1,296 ballots cast, only > Justice. one was invalid. The members were elected > As prescribed in the Will and Testament by a total of 7,880 of the 11,655 individual > of'Abdu'l-Baha, the people charged with this votes cast. The uniformly high percentage of > sacred duty were the members of the world's votes received from delegates unable to > National Spiritual Assemblies and the selec- attend was pointed out by Amatu' 1-Baha as a > tion was by plurality vote taken by secret reflection of the maturity of the Baha'i > ballot. As there were 148 National Spiritual world. > Assemblies in 1988, each with nine members, The members elected were: Mr. 'Alf N~a­ > the number of possibl e electors was 1,332. vani, Mr. G lenford Mitchell, Mr. Hushmand > Representatives unable to attend, including Fatheazam, Mr. Ian Semple, Dr. Peter Khan, > the full memberships of sixteen National Spir- Dr. David Ruhe, Mr. Hugh Chance, Mr. Hooper > itual Assemblies, cast their ballots by mail. Dunbar, and Mr. Adib Taherzadeh. The nine > The election was the first item on the members were called to the stage and were > agenda when the meeting was opened by the greeted with wave after wave of sustained > Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha applause. > Rul~iyyih Khanum. After a few words of Fu1iher applause swept the auditorium as > greeting, prayers were read in four the two members of the Universal House of > languages. Then the 663 delegates present in Justice who had been permitted to resign by > the Haifa Auditorium continued to pray and reason of their advanced years, Mr. David > meditate silently as they considered the peo- Hofman and Mr. H. Borrah Kavelin, were > ple who wou ld be best suited to serve for the called to the stage and saluted for their long > next five years. All waited with reverence and dedicated service. > until each delegate had finished voting. Loving tribute was also paid to the three > When all ballots were ready, the dele- forn1er members of the Universal House > gates began to walk across the stage one by of Justice who have ascended to the next > one, in alphabetical order by country, to world: Dr. Lutfu'llah I:Iakim, Mr. Amoz > deposit their ballot papers as their names Gibson, and Mr. Charles Wolcott. Mr. Gibwere read by the Head Chief Teller, son's daughter and Dr. I:Iakim's grand- > Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh. Men and women, daughter were present as delegates to the > yo ung and old, people of all racial and eth- Convention. > nic origins, all came silently to the stage-a Sadness, coupled with a feeling of pride, > potent testimony to the power ofBaha'u'llah pervaded the hall as the friends in Iran were > to unite humanity in a new World Order. remembered. 'We wil l miss with all our > A highlight of the balloting was the pres- hearts the oldest Baha'i community ... the > ence of two delegates from Cuba, a country friends in Persia', Amatu'l-Baha said. She > never before represented at an International paid tribute to the sacrifices and continued > Baha'i Convention. They were enthusiasti- suffering of 'o ur brothers and sisters in > cally applauded by the other delegates as Iran', and announced that a closing prayer > they crossed the stage to cast their ballots. wo uld be offered on their behalf. Then she > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LL!\H 619 > > Five Hands of the Cause of God leading the delegates to the sixth International Baha'i > Convention toward the Shrine of the Bab during the celebration of the Ninth Day of Ridvan, > 29 April 1988. > > The first item on the agenda of the International Convention was the election of the members > of the Universal House of Justice. One of the delegates depositing her votes. Haifa, Israel. > 29 April 1988. > 620 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Five consultative sessions were held during the sixth International Convention. Delegates > exchanged thoughts about the Riefvan message, issues of special concern to their countries, > and on subjects suggested in advance by the Universal House ofJustice. > > Five special sessions for members of each of the Co ntinental Boards of Counsellors and > delegatesfi'om the National Spiritual Assemblies in those areas were held during the International Convention. The session on Australasia was held in the Haifa Pilgrim House. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LL!\H 621 > > called for an enormous bowl of 120 red In addition to the Ri<;lvan message and > roses, a gift from the Baha'is in Iran, to be issues of special concern to them, the delebrought to the centre of the stage. gates consulted on the following subjects > Five Hands of the Cause of God were suggested in advance by the Universal > present for the opening session, lending a House of Justice: > special dignity and spiritual force to the 1) the development of the Baha'i commuoccasion: Amatu'l-Baha Ru0iyyih Khanum, nity as a model , strengthening of unity, and > 'Ali-Akbar Furutan, 'Alf-Mu0ammad Varqa, the Covenant in all its aspects; > William Sears, and H. Collis Featherstone. 2) what the Baha'i community needed to > Each participated in a unique and significant do to further promote peace, the developway during the Convention. Mr. Sears also ment of external affairs agencies, the promobrought special greetings from those Hands tion of social and economic development, > of the Cause who could not be not present, and the concept of a Year of Service; > Dr. Ugo Giachery, Mr. Jalal Khazeh, and 3) relating the Teachings of the Faith to > Mr. John Robarts. the needs and concerns of the world at large > Amatu'l-Baha read the Ri<;lvan message through the development of Baha'i expertise > of the Universal House of Justice at the and scholarship; > beginning of the Convention's first consulta- 4) winning increasing numbers of new > tive session, on 30 April: adherents to the Faith and consolidating the > A silver lining to the dark picture gains; and, > which has overshadowed most of this 5) the development of the funds of the > century now brightens the horizon. It is Faith, and the Arc Projects Fund. > discernible in the new tendencies impel- Under the gilt emblem of the Greatest > ling the social processes at work Name, and occupying the entire centre stage, > throughout the world, in the evidences of a magnificent full-colour aerial photograph > an accelerated trend towards peace. In featuring the Shrine of the Bab-set against > the Faith of God, it is the growing a skilfully overlaid architect's rendering of > strength of the Order of Baha'u'llah as the future terraces with their myriad young > its banner rises to more stately heights. It cypresses, paths, fountains, and shrubs, and > is a strength that attracts. the Arc with its five edifices completed- > " ... a new paradigm of opportunity has constantly reminded the delegates of the > emerged," the message continued. "New compelling needs of the Arc Project. > prospects for teaching the Cause at all levels The architect of the buildings, Mr. J:Iusayn > of society have unfolded. ... The present Amanat, and the architect of the terraces and > challenge calls for teaching on a scale and of project manager, Mr. Fariburz ~ahba, drew > a quality, a variety, and intensity outstrip- further attention to the detail, grandeur, and > ping all current efforts." These themes were financial needs of the project in their slide > often repeated in the consultations of the presentations. > delegates. Two other slide presentations were shown > Five consultative sessions were held from to the delegates. One was a retrospective of > 30 April to 2 May. All of these general the development of the Faith during the premeetings were chaired by Counsellors: vious five years, and the other looked ahead > Dr. Magdalene Carney of the International to the upcoming Baha' i World Congress to > Teaching Centre; Mrs. Zena Sorabjee from be held in New York City in 1992. > Asia; Dr. Wilma Brady from the Americas; A historic talk on the subject of > Mrs. Joy Stevenson from Australasia; J:Iuququ 'llah was given by the Trustee of > Mrs. Lucretia Mancho Warren from Africa; J:Iuququ'llah, the Hand of the Cause of God > and Mrs. Polin Rafat from Europe. Dr. Varqa, who pointed out that this law > 622 THE BAH A' i WORLD > > The presence of > Amatu 'l-Baha > Ruhiyyih Khanum and > the other Hands of the > Cause of God added a > special dignity and > spiritual forc e to the > sixth International > Convention. > > Th e Hand of the > Cause of God > Dr. 'Ali-Muhammad > Varqa talking to the > delegates about the > law of Huququ 'llah > during the International Convention. > > Th e Hand of th e Cause > of God William Sears > brought sp ecial > greetings to the International Convention > from those Hands of > the Caus e not present, > Dr. Ugo Giachery, > Mr. Jalcil Khazeh, and > Mr. John Robarts. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 623 > > Mr. 'Ali Nal!:f!javani, at the podium, with the other members of the Universal House of > Justice elected at Rief.van 1988. Left to right: Mr. Glenford Mitch ell, Mr. Hushmand > Fatheazam, Mr. Jan Semple, Dr. Peter Khan, Dr. David Ruhe, Mr. Hugh Chance, > Mr. Hooper Dunbar, Mr. Adib Taherzadeh. > > shou ld be viewed as a spiritual obligation Haifa and 'Akka. These included time spent > based on the believer' s love for God; that in the Shrines of Baha'u'llah and the Bab, > it is a tangible aspect of the Covenant of the Mansion of Baha'u'llah at Bahji, the > God; and that it strengthens the relationship Cell of Baha'u'llah, the House of 'Abbud, > between God and man. and the House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha in 'Akka, > Two Holy Days were celebrated during and the International Archives Building, the > the Convention period. The ninth Day of House of the Master, and the Seat of the > Ri9van was commemorated in the forecomi Universal House of Justice in Haifa. > and gardens of the Haifa Pilgrim House Many members ofNational Spiritual Assemadjacent to the Shrine of the Bab, with the blies took the opportunity provided by the > Hand of the Cause of God William Sears Convention to meet with members of other > presiding. Readings in five languages-Ara- National Assemblies to discuss a wide range > bic, English, Spanish, French, and Persian- of subjects of mutual interest. Scores of > were fo llowed by the recitation of the Tablet these meetings took place before the Conof Visitation. Then the friends reverently vention opened and in the evenings after the > circumambulated the Shrine of the Bab. general sessions. > Following the close of the last Conven- Counsellors from all five Continental Boards > tion session on the Twelfth Day of Ri9van, attended the Convention (16 from Africa, > all the distinguished participants gathered 16 from the Americas, 12 from Asia, 8 from > in the I:Iaram-i-Aqdas at Bahji where the Australasia, 9 from Europe), 61 in all. > gardens were in their full spring splendour. The visiting Counsellors took part in vari- > The celebration was opened with forceful ous special meetings and events including > comments by the Hand of the Cause Collis five 'continental' sessions held for members > Featherstone about the significance of the of each of the Continental Boards and the > occasion. Readings in five languages were delegates from the National Spiritual Assemfollowed by the silent and joyous circumam- blies of their areas. > bulation of the Shrine of Baha'u' llah by Following the Convention, from 3 to 8 May, > more than 1,000 of His followers. the Hands of the Cause and the Counsellors > For four days prior to the Convention, the stayed on in Haifa to participate in a Coundelegates enjoyed a series of visits arranged sellors ' conference held under the auspices > for them to the Holy Places of the Faith in of the International Teaching Centre. > II > THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD > > 1. THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD AND THE EXTENSION > OF THEIR FUNCTIONS INTO THE FUTURE > > A. THE R ULERS AND THE LEARNED > > In every society and community of human Local, National and International Houses > beings there are those who are revered for of Justice. The duties of each of these > their learning and wisdom, and there are souls will be determined in the future. > those who are invested with authority to (Translated from the Persian.) > govern. In religious communities it has been > Since those words were written the Baha ' i > usual for the legislative and governing > Administrative Order has developed rapidly > authority to be held by the learned who have > and is now functioning throughout the > thus, as priests or as doctors of religious law, > world. Under the supreme authority of the > combined both capacities in the same > revealed Law of God the Baba ' i community > persons. Other communities have, only too > is governed by its elected institutions: Local > often, been riven by the conflict between > and National Spiritual Assemblies and the > church and state, between priests and kings , > Universal House of Justice, while the instior, in more modern te1rns, between intellectutions of the ' learned', which exercise no > tuals and the establishment. In the World > governing authority over the believers, are > Order of Baha' u' llah these two extremes, of > accorded an exalted rank which enables > the over-concentration of authority on the one > them to exert their beneficent influence over > hand and of division and conflict on the other, > all parts of the community. Commenting on > are eliminated. The way this is achieved is > this feature of the Baha' i Administrative > one of the unique features of that Order and > Order, the Universal House of Justice wrote > confers unin1agined benefits upon the Baha'i > in its message of24 April 1972: > community. > In the Kitab-i-'Ahd (The Book of the The existence of institutions of such exa lted > Covenant) Baha'u'llah wrote, "Blessed are rank, comprising individuals who play such > the rulers and the learned in Baha. " The a vital role, who yet have no legislative, > Guardian, interpreting this passage, stated adminisháative or judicial authority, and > on 4 November 193 1: are entirely devoid of priestly fi.mctions or > the right to make authoritative interpreta- > In this holy cycle the ' learned' are, on the > tions, is a feature of Baha'i administration > one hand the Hands of the Cause of God, > unparalleled in the religions of the past. ... > and, on the other, the teachers and diffusers of His teachings who do not rank as Developing this theme, the Universal > Hands, but who have attained an eminent House of Justice referred in that same mesposition in the teaching world. As to the sage to a letter written on behalf of the > ' mlers ' they refer to the members of the Guardian on 14 March 1927, to the Spiritual > Tl-IE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 625 > Assembly of Istanbul, in which he expound- The difficulty of establishing a clear undered the Baha'i principle of action by majority standing of this administrative concept, new > vote. In this letter Shoghi Effendi points out in the history of religoin, is reflected in the > how, in the past, it was certain individuals concluding passage of the message of the > who 'accounted themselves as superior in Universal House of Justice, of24 April 1972, > knowledge and elevated in position' who quoted above: > caused division, and that it was those 'who > .. .The newness and uniqueness of this > pretended to be the most distinguished of > concept make it difficult to grasp; only as > all' who 'always proved themselves to be > the Baha'i community grows and the bethe source of contention'. He praises God > lievers are increasingly able to contemplate > that Baha'u'llah had withdrawn authority > its administrative stlucture urlinfluenced by > from 'the unyielding and dictatorial views of > concepts from past ages, will the vital interthe learned and the wise', rejected the asserdependence of the ' rnlers' and ' learned' > tions of individuals, even though recognized > in the Faith be properly understood, and > as the most accomplished and learned among > the inestimable value of their interaction > men, as authoritative criteria, and 'ordained > be fully recognized. > that all matters be referred to authorized centres and assemblies'. Thus the institutions of Only now, as these two arms of the worldthe learned in the Baha'i Faith, while invest- embracing system of Baha'u'llah begin to > ed with high rank and exercising invaluable function in their separate but complementary > moral authority and influence, have no exec- roles towards a common achievement, are > utive power other than in the direction of intimations caught of the divine beneficence > their own institutions. of that system. > > B. THE HANDS OF THE CA USE OF GOD > > Baha 'u' llah Himself created the institution dominion and to aid them through His > of the Hands of the Cause and appointed a indomitable strength which prevaileth > few of His fo llowers to serve Him as Hands over all created things. Sovereignty is > in His own lifetime. In the Tablet of the God's, the Creator of the heavens and > World He refers to the Hands of the Cause the Lord of the Kingdom of Names. > in words descriptive of the station of service > The Will and Testament of 'Abdu ' l-Baha > to which they are called: > contains many references to the Hands of > the Cause, including explicit definitions of > Light and glory, greeting and praise be > their station and functions, as well as variupon the Hands of His Cause, through > ous admonitions addressed to them: > whom the light of fortitude hath shone > forth and the truth hath been established Salutation and praise, blessing and gl01y > that the authority to choose rests with rest... upon the Hands of the Cause of > God, the Powerfid, the Mighty, the God that have difji1sed widely the Divine > Unconstrained, through whom the ocean Fragrances, declared His Proofs, proof bounty hath surged and the fi"agrance claimed His Faith, published abroad His > of the gracious favours of God, the Lord Law, detached themselves/ram all things > of mankind, hath been difji1sed. We but Him, stood for righteousness in this > beseech Him-Exalted is He-to shield world, and kindled the Fire of the Love of > them through the power of His hosts, to God in the ve1y hearts and souls of His > protect them through the potency of His servants; ... the Hands of the Cause of God > 626 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > must be ever watchful and so soon as they contention and conflict amidst peoples, > find anyone beginning to oppose and pro- kindreds, nations and governments may > test against the Guardian of the Cause of disappear, that all the dwellers on earth > God, cast him out from the congregation may become one people and one race, > of the people of Bahti and in no wise that the world may become even as one > accept any excuse from him .. home. > ... Th e Hands of the Cause of God must > 'Abdu 'l-Baha did not Himself appoint > elect from their own number nine persons > any additional Hands of the Cause. He did, > that shall at all times be occupied in > however, refer to certain outstanding teachthe important services in the work of > ers of the Faith as Hands. > the Guardian of the Cause of God. The > During the first three decades of his minelection of these nine must be carried > istry as Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi > either unanimously or by majority from > Effendi designated certain outstanding > the company of the Hands of the Cause of > Baha'is as Hands posthumously. Then, in > God and these, whether unanimously or > December 1951 , he raised twelve living > by a majority vote, must give their assent > believers to this exalted rank, a development > to the choice of the one whom the Guardof the Administrative Order which thrilled > ian of the Cause of God hath chosen as > the entire Baha 'i world. In February 1952 he > his successor... > appointed a further seven, and in 1957 eight > O fi'iends! The Hands of the Cause of > more, bringing the total number to twenty- > God must be nominated and appointed by > seven. 1 In these brief six years the Guardian > the Guardian of the Ca use of God. All > not only established this institution on a fitm > must be under his shadow and obey his > foundation throughout the world, with a > command. .. > body of four Hands of the Cause residing in > Th e obligations of the Hands of the > the Holy Land to act as the liaison between > Cause of God are to diffuse the Divine > himself and the Hands in each continent, but > Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to > he brought into being in each continent two > promote learning, to improve the charac- > Auxiliary Boards, one for the protection and > ter of all men and to be, at all times and > one for the propagation of the Faith, to act as > under all conditions, sanctified and > the 'assistants, deputies and advisers' of the > detached fi'om earthly things. Th ey must > Hands of that continent. > manifest the fear of God by their conduct, > The epic story of how in November 1957, > their manners, their deeds and their > the Hands of the Cause of God, called by > words. This body of the Hands of the > the Guardian the 'Chief Stewards of > Cause of God is under the direction of the > Baha'u' llah 's embryonic World Common- > Guardian of the Cause of God. He must > wealth', ra llied the grief-stricken and > continually urge them to strive and > stunned Baha ' is of the world, guided them > endeavor to the utmost of their ability to > to the victorious accomplishment of the Ten > diffi1s e the sweet savors of God, and to > Year Crusade which he had launched, and > guide all the peoples of the world, for it is > convened the members of the National Spirithe light of Divine Guidance that causeth > tual Assemblies for the first election of the > all the universe to be illumined. To dis- > Universa l House of Justice in April 1963, > regard, though it be for a moment, this > has been told in befitting detail in Volume > absolute command which is binding upon > XIII of this publication. > everyone, is in no wise permitted, that > the existent world may become even as > the Abha Paradise, that the swface of I See 'The Institution of the Hands of the Cause of > the earth rnay become heavenly, that God ', The Bnhit 'i World, vo l. XIII , p. 334. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA' U 'L LAH 627 > > C. THE CONTINENTAL BOARDS OF COUNSELLORS > > The establishment of the Universal House of The exalted rank and specific functions of > Justice in 1963 ushered in a new phase in the the Hands of the Cause of God make it > evolution of the institution of the Hands of inappropriate for them to be elected or apthe Cause. In October 1963 the House of appointed to administrative institutions, or > Justice decided 'that there is no way to to be elected as delegates to national conappoint or legislate to make it possible to ventions. Furthem1ore, it is their desire > appoint a second Guardian to succeed and the desire of the House of Justice that > Shoghi Effendi'. Therefore, among the first they be free to devote their entire energies > questions which it was necessary for it then to the vitally important duties conferred > to consider were the manner in which the upon them in the Holy Writings. > institution of the Hands of the Cause was to > At the same time the House of Justice > continue to perform its appointed functions, > confirmed the request of the Hands of the > the relationship which should exist between > Cause that, henceforth, members of the > the House of Justice and the Hands of the > Auxiliary Boards should be freed from ad- > Cause, and how the indispensable functions > ministrative responsibilities, including service > of the Hands of the Cause could be extended > on committees and as delegates to conventions. > into the future , since, according to the text of > On 21 June 1968 the House of Justice > the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, > announced by cable to the Baha' i world the > The Hands of the Cause of God must be > decision to establish eleven Continental > nominated and appointed by the Guardian > Boards of Counsellors for the protection and > of the Cause of God. > propagation of the Faith and, in a written > Following consultation with a conclave > message issued on 24 June, outlined in detail > of the Hands in October- November 1964, > the nature and scope of this action. Because > the Universal House of Justice annow1ced to > of its great significance to the evolution of > the believers in its message of November > the Administrative Order, the entire text of > 1964 the following decision: > this message is quoted: > There is no way to appoint, or to legislate > The majestic unfoldment ofBaha 'u ' llah's > to make it possible to appoint, Hands of > world-redeeming administrative system > the Cause of God. > has been marked by the successive estab- > Responsibility for decisions on matters of > lishment of the various institutions and > general policy affecting the institution of > agencies which constitute the framework > the Hands of the Cause, which was forof that divinely-created Order. Thus, > merly exercised by the beloved Guardian, > more than a quarter-of-a-centu1y after the > now devolves upon the Universal House of > emergence of the first National Spiritual > Justice as the supreme and central institu- > Assemblies of the Baha'i world the > tion of the Faith to which all must tum. > institution of the Hands of the Cause was > That same message announced increases fo1mally established, with the appointment > in the number of the members of the Auxil- by the beloved Guardian, in conformity > iary Boards for propagation in every with the provisions of 'Abdu'l-Baha's > continent, and the Hands were requested to Will and Testament, of the first continappoint one or more members of each Auxil- gent of these high-ranking officers of the > ia1y Board to act in an executive capacity on Faith. Following the passing of the Guardtheir behalf and in the name of each Hand, ian of the Cause of God, it fell to the > for the direction of the work of the Boards . House of Justice to devise a way, within > The message continued: the Administrative Order, of developing > 628 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > 'the institution of the Hands of the Cause National Spiritual Assemblies, and keepwith a view to extension into the future of ing the Hands of the Cause and the > its appointed functions of protection and Universal House of Justice informed conpropagation', and this was made a goal of cerning the conditions of the Cause in > the Nine Year Plan. Much thought and their areas . > study has been given to the question over Initially eleven Boards of Counsellors > the past four years, and the texts have have been appointed, one for each of the > been collected and reviewed. During the following areas : Northwestern Africa, > last two months, this goal, as announced Central and East Africa, Southern Africa, > in our cable to the National Conventions, Nmih America, Central America, South > has been the object of prolonged and America, Western Asia, Southeastern Asia, > prayerful consultation between the Uni- Noriheastem Asia, Australasia and Europe. > versal House of Justice and the Hands of The members of these Boards of > the Cause of God. All this made evident Counsellors will serve for a tern1, or > the framework within which this goal was terms, the length of which will be deterto be achieved, namely: mined and announced at a later date, and > The Universal House of Justice sees no while serving in this capacity, will not be > way in which additional Hands of the eligible for membership on national or > Cause of God can be appointed. local administrative bodies. One member > The absence of the Guardian of the of each Continental Board of Counsellors > Faith brought about an entirely new rela- has been designated as Trustee of the > tionship between the Universal House of Continental Fund for its area. > Justice and the Hands of the Cause and The Auxiliary Boards for protection > called for the progressive unfoldment by and propagation will henceforth report to > the Universal House of Justice of the the Continental Boards of Counsellors > manner in which the Hands of the Cause who will appoint or replace members of > would carry out their divinely-conferred the Auxiliary Boards as circumstances > functions of protection and propagation. may require. Such appointments and > Whatever new development or institu- replacements as may be necessary in the > tion is initiated should come into operation initial stages will take place after consulas soon as possible in order to reinforce tation with the Hand or Hands previously > and supplement the work of the Hands of assigned to the continent or zone. > the Cause while at the same time taking The Hands of the Cause of God have > full advantage of the opportunity of having the prerogative and obligation to consult > the Hands themselves assist in launching with the Continental Boards of Counsellors > and guiding the new procedures. and National Spiritual Assemblies on any > Any such institution must grow and subject which, in their view, affects the > operate in harmony with the principles interests of the Cause. The Hands residgoverning the functioning of the institu- ing in the Holy Land will act as liaison > tion of the Hands of the Cause of God. between the Universal House of Justice > In the light of these considerations the and the Continental Boards of Cow1sellors, > Universal House of Justice decided, as and will also assist the Universal House > announced in its recent cable, to establish of Justice in setting up, at a propitious > Continental Boards of Counsellors for the time, an international teaching centre in > protection and propagation of the Faith. the Holy Land, as anticipated in the > Their duties will include directing the Guardian's writings. > Auxiliary Boards in their respective The Hands of the Cause of God are one > areas, consulting and collaborating with of the most precious assets the Baha'i > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA°U'LLAH 629 > world possesses. Released from adminis- Counsellor is a high officer of the Faith > tration of the Auxiliary Boards, they will entitled to the respect, honour and courbe able to concentrate their energies on the tesy due to his rank. Each country which > more primary responsibilities of general is privileged to have a resident Counselprotection and propagation, 'preservation lor should prize that privilege. Each > of the spiritual health of the Baha' i com- National Assembly which has a Counselmunities' and 'the vitality of the faith' of lor at hand for frequent consultations > the Baha'is throughout the world. The should, without relinquishing any portion > House of Justice will call upon them to of its divinely assigned authority, call > unde1take special missions on its behalf, upon him often for his views and accord > to represent it on both Baha'i and other great weight to his advice. > occasions and to keep it informed of the > welfare of the Cause. While the Hands On 8 June 1973 a fmther directive was > of the Cause will, naturally, have special sent to the Continental Boards of Counselconcern for the affairs of the Cause in the lors which answered the need discussed by > areas in which they reside, they will oper- the Counsellors during their sessions in the > ate increasingly on an intercontinental Holy Land, at the time of the International > level, a factor which will lend tremendous Convention of that year, for some method to > impetus to the diffusion throughout the enable their institution to reach more deeply > Baha'i world of the spiritual inspiration into the fabric of the Baha ' i world conunuchannelled tluáough them-the Chief Stew- nity. The House of Justice authorized each > ards of Baha'u' llah's embryonic World Board of Counsellors, at its discretion, to > Commonwealth. petmit Auxiliary Board members to appoint > With joyful hearts we proclaim this assistants, whose duties would be to activate > further unfoldment of the Administrative and encourage Local Spiritual Assemblies, > Order ofBaha'u'llah and join our prayers to call the attention of Local Spiritual > to those of the friends throughout the East Assembly members to the importance of > and the West that Baha'u'llah may con- regular meetings, to encourage local comtinue to shower his confirmations upon munities to gather for Nineteen Day Feasts > the efforts of His servants in the safe- and Holy Days, to help deepen their fellowguarding and promotion of His Faith. believers' understanding of the teachings, > and generally to assist the Auxiliary Board > A clarification of the status of Counsellors > members in the discharge of their duties. > and their relationship to National Spiritual > The advice, at that time, was to proceed > Assemblies was made by the House of Justice > gradually with this new step so that experiin a letter to a National Spirihial Assembly > ence could indicate the most effective > in May 1975: > manner of its operation. Since then, as a > ... (it) must be one of wann and active resu lt of the proven value of this expanded > collaboration, a full sharing in the excite- service, appointments of assistants in each > ment and the challenge of the teaching zone have been steadily and rapidly augwork and the establishment of living and mented. The letter of 8 June 1973 stated that > growing Baha ' i communities ... While the 'believers can serve at the same time both as > role of the Counsellors is no1mally to assistants to Auxiliary Board members and > advise, encourage and reinforce, and they on administrative institutions' . > have no legislative or administrative Adjustments to the number of Continenauthority, they nevertheless occupy a rank tal Boards of Counsellors are made as the > superior to that of the National Assembly Universal House of Justice deems necessary, > or its members and each individual entailing adjustments to zones assigned to > 630 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > the Boards, to the number of ColUlsellors encouraging and uplifting influence upon > and to the number of Auxiliary Boards and the lives of individuals and the deliberations > Auxiliary Board members.* Thus the insti- of institutions, constantly watching over the > tution operates at all levels throughout the security of the Faith, pointing the way to the > world, reaching into the basic structure of promotion of its best interests, and to the ever > local community life and exerting its wider dissemination of its healing message. > > D. THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE > Assurance of the extension into the future The foremost topic would be the establishof the appointed functions of protection and ment of the international teaching centre > propagation conferred upon the Hands of the about which the Hands had previously been > Cause was accomplished by tl1e establishment requested to submit their written views. The > of the Continental Boards of Counsellors. Universal House of Justice, in its letter to the > However, that vital goal having been accom- Hands of the Cause in October 1971 , cited, > plished, the problem remained of ordering amongst others, the following three quotathe work of the new institution so that it tions from the Guardian which anticipated > would grow organically with the Faith itself. the evolution of the World Administrative > In a letter addressed to all National Spiritual Centre of the Faith on Mount Ca1mel and > Assemblies on 24 June 1968 the Universal the establishment there of an international > House of Justice confirmed that ' the relation- teaching centre as the seat of the Hands of > ship of Continental Boards of Counsellors the Cause of God: > to National Spiritual Assemblies will follow > ... it must be clearly lUlderstood, nor can > the pattern of the relationship between the > it be sufficiently emphasized, that the > Hands of the Cause and National Spiritual > conjw1ction of the resting-place of the > Assemblies, outlined by the beloved Guard- > Greatest Holy Leaf with those of her > ian in various communications '. > brother and mother incalculably rein- > The cablegram addressed by the Univerforces the spiritual potencies of that > sal House of Justice to all National Spiritual > consecrated Spot which, under the wings > Assemblies on 21 June 1968 announcing the > of the Bab ' s overshadowing Sepulchre, > establishment of Continental Boards of > and in the vicinity of the future Mashtiqu'l- > Counsellors had contained a reference to the > Adhkar, which will be reared on its flank, > ' future establishment international teaching > is destined to evolve into tl1e focal centráe > centráe Holy Land foreshadowed writings > of those world-shaking, world-embracing, > beloved Guardian.' > world-directing administrative institutions, > In October 1971 the Hands of the Cause > ordained by Baha'u'llah and anticipated > were notified that after the International > by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and which are to func- > Convention for the election of the Universal > tion in consonance with the principles > House of Justice during Ric:I van 1973, their > that govern the twin institutions of the > presence in the Holy Land for a period of > Guardianship and the Universal House of > time in order to consult on a number of > Justice. Then, and then only, will this > important subjects would be most welcome. > momentous prophecy which illuminates > the concluding passages of the Tablet of > *In November 1980 the thirteen Boards of Counsell ors Carmel be fulfilled: Ere long will God > were conso lidated into fi ve, each continental Board > hav ing two Au xili ary Board s, one for protecti on and > sail His ark upon thee (Carn1el) and will > one for propagati on; and each A uxiliary Board mem- manifest the people of Baha who have > ber having ass istants as needed and autho ri zed. been mentioned in the Book of Nam es. 1 > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 631 > In this great Tablet which unveils security, the preservation and protection > divine mysteries and heralds the estab- of the Cause, the safeguarding of the > lishment of two mighty, majestic and unity of the community, the promotion of > momentous undertakings-one of which God's religion and the spread of His > is spiritual and the other administrative, Word. These majestic and mighty ediboth at the World Centre of the Faith- fices, which will be constructed gradually > Baha 'u 'llah refers to an 'Ark', whose in accordance with a beautiful and unique > dwellers are the men of the Supreme style of architecture around the sacred > House of Justice, which, in conformity Monuments, are all considered as branches > with the exact provisions of the Will and of this highly-exalted, firmly-grounded > Testament of the Centre of the Mighty and broadly-based World Administrative > Covenant is the body which should lay Centre of the followers of the Cause of > down laws not explicitly revealed in the Him Who is the Lord of this Age and the > Text. In this Dispensation, these laws are Ruler of Creation. 1 > destined to flow from this holy mountain, The raising of this edifice (Internaeven as in the Mosaic Dispensation the tional Baha'i Archives) will in turn herald > law of God was promulgated from Zion. the construction, in the course of succes- > The 'sailing of the Ark' of His laws is a sive epochs of the Formative Age of the > reference to the establishment of the Faith, of several other sh-uctures, which > Universal House of Justice, which is will serve as the administrative seats of > indeed the Seat of Legislation, one of the such divinely appointed institutions as the > branches of the World Administrative Guardianship, the Hands of the Cause, > Centtáe of the Baha'is on this holy moun- and the Universal House of Justice. These > tain. It will be housed in a separate edifices will, in the shape of a far-flung > building near the International Archives arc, and following a harmonizing style of > building, now under construction, on a architecture, surround the resting places > site in the neighbourhood of the Shrine of of tl1e Greatest Holy Leaf, ranking as > the Bab, and overlooking the sacred and foremost among the members of her sex > illumined Monuments. In the neighbour- in the Baha'i Dispensation, of her brother, > hood of these two stately edifices and two offered up as a ransom by Baha'u ' llah for > mighty Institutions (i.e. the Archives the quickening of the world and its unifi- > Building and the edifice for the House of cation, and of their mother, proclaimed by > Justice), another edifice will gradually be Him to be His chosen 'consort in all the > erected which will be the Seat of the worlds of God' . The ultimate completion > Guardianship, the Centre which will of this stupendous undertaking will mark > interpret, expound and prepare commen- the culmination of the development of a > taries on explicitly revealed laws, and will world-wide divinely-appointed Adminisreinforce and supplement the legislative trative Order whose beginnings may be > body. Yet another edifice to supplement traced as far back as the concluding years > these three edifices will be the Centre for of the Heroic Age of the Faith. 2 > the propagation and teaching of the Faith, > On S June 1973, following the Internathe Seat for the Hands of the Cause, who, > tional Convention and the consultations with > in accordance with the explicit text of the > Will and Testament are charged with the > 1 Shoghi Effendi, letter in Persian to the Baha' is of > the East, Naw-R(1z 111 (1954). > 1 2 > Shoghi Effendi, letter to the National Spiritual Shoghi Effendi, letter to the Baha' is of the world , > Assembl y of the United States, 21 December 1939; 27 November 1954; see Messages to the Bahn 'i > see Messages lo America, pp. 32- 33. World, p. 74. > 632 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > the Hands of the Cause, and less than a rapidly growing responsibility of the Unimonth after the Counsellors had left the Holy versal House of Justice. > Land to resume their services within their This International Teaching Centre now > zones, the following announcement was established, will, in due course, operate > cabled by the Uni versal House of Justice to from that building designated by the > all National Spiritual Assemblies: Guardian as the Seat for the Hands of the > ANNOUNCE ESTAB LI SHMENT HOLY LAND LONG > Cause, which must be raised on the arc on > ANTICIPATED INTERNATIONAL TEA CHI NG > Mount Carmel in close proximity to the > CENTRE DESTINED EVOLVE INTO ONE THOSE > Seat of the Universal House of Justice. > WORLD SHAKING WORLD EMBRACING WORLD > The duties now assigned to this nascent > DIRECTING ADM INISTRAT IVE INSTITUTIONS > institution are: > ORDA INED BY BAHA'U ' LLAl-1 ANTI Cl PATED BY > • To co-ordinate, stimulate and direct the > 'AB DU 'L-BA HA ELUCIDATED BY Sl-IOGHI > activities of the Continental Boards of > EFFENDI STOP MEMBERSHIP THIS NASCENT > Counsellors and to act as liaison between > INSTITUTION COMPRJSES ALL HANDS CAUSE > them and the Universal House of Justice. > GOD ANO INITIALLY THREE COUNSELLORS > • To be fully informed of the situation of the > WHO WITH HANDS PRESENT 1-IOL Y LAND WILL > Cause in all parts of the world and to be > CONSTITUTE NUCLEUS ITS VITAL OPERA- > able, from the background of this know- > TIONS STOP CALLI NG UPON HOOPER DUNBAR > ledge, to make reports and recommenda- > FLORENCE MAYBERRY AZIZ YAZD I PROCEED > tions to the Universal House of Justice and > HOLY LAND ASSUME THIS HIGHLY MER ITORI- > give advice to the Continental Boards of > OUS SERVICE STOP OFFERING PRAYERS > Counsellors. > HEARTFELT GRATITUDE SACRED THRESHOLD > • To be alert to possibilities, both within and > THIS FURTHER EV IDENCE ORGANIC EVOLU- > without the Baha' i community, for the > TION AOM INISTRA TIVE ORDER BA HA'U ' LLAI-1. > extension of the teaching work into receptive or needy areas, and to draw the > attention of the Universal House of Justice > It was followed three days later by thi s > and the Continental Boards of Counsellors > expanded announcement to the Baha'is of > to such possibilities, making recommenthe world: > dations for action. > The centennial year of the revelation of • To determine and anticipate needs for litthe Kitab-i-Aqdas has already witnessed erature, pioneers and travelling teachers > events of such capital significance in the and to work out teaching plans, both > annals of the Baha ' i Di spensation as to regional and global, for the approval of the > cause us to contemplate with awe the Universal House of Justice. > rapidity with which Divine Providence is • All the Hands of the Cause of God wi 11 be > advancing the Cause of the Most Great members of the International Teaching > Name. The time is indeed propitious Centre. Each Hand will be kept regularl y > for the establishment of the International informed of the activities of the Centre > Teaching Centre, a development which , through reports or copies of its minutes , > at one and the same time, brings to frui- and will be able, wherever he may be > tion the work of the Hands of the Cause residing or travelling, to convey suggesresiding in the Holy Land and provides tions, recommendations and information > for its extension into the future, links the to the Centre and, whenever he is in the > institutions of the Boards of Counsellors Holy Land, to take part in the consultaeven more intimately with that of the tions and other activities of the Centre. > Hands of the Cause of God, and power- • In addition, we now appoint Mr. Hooper > fully reinforces the discharge of the Dunbar, Mrs. Florence Mayberry and > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 633 > Mr. 'Aziz Yazdi to membership of the In- community provided an opportunity for the > ternational Teaching Centre, with the rank Teaching Centre to become thoroughly > of Counsellor. These believers, who have acquainted with the conditions, needs and > been serving with distinction on the Conti- potentialities of the one hundred and thirteen > nental Boards of Counsellors in South national Baha' i communities which made up > America, North America and Central and the Baha'i international community at Ricjvan > East Africa respectively, will henceforth 1973. A greatly increased flow of vital inforreside in Haifa and will, together with the mation from the Continental Boards of > Hands present in the Holy Land, constitute Counsellors was called for by the Internathe nucleus of the operations of the Centre. tional Teaching Centre, which promised, in > Authority for the expulsion and reinstate- turn, the deve lopment of an increasingly > ment of Covenant-breakers remains with close relationship between itself and the > the Hands of the Cause of God. All such Boards through a similarly increased flow of > matters will be investigated locally by the materials from the Teaching Centre. At the > relative Continental Board of Counsellors request of the House of Justice the Teaching > in consultation with any Hand or Hands Centre also evolved a plan for international > who may be in the area. The Continental collaboration on travelling teaching projects. > Board of Counsellors and the Hands con- The divinely ordained institution of the > cerned will then make their reports to the Hands of the Cause of God, having been > International Teaching Centre where they brought into active reality by the Guardian > will be considered. The decision whether of the Faith according to the directives of > or not to expel or reinstate will be made by ' Abdu ' l-Baha' s Will and Testament, was > the Hands of the Cause residing in the confronted in its infancy with an appalling > Holy Land who will, as at present, submit crisis in the life of that Faith whose protectheir decision to the Universal House of tion was its prime duty. During the > Justice for approval.... interregnum between the passing of the > The decisions now announced are the Guardian and the election of the Universal > outcome of deliberation extending over a House of Justice, the Hands of the Cause as > number of years, reinforced by consulta- its Chief Stewards, maintained the integrity > tions with the Hands of the Cause of God, and unity of the Faith. The functions of > and especially with the Hands residing in protection and propagation appointed to this > the Holy Land who were requested in great institution have now been extended > 1968 to assist the Universal House of into the future in a manner consonant with > Justice in the establishment of the Inter- the principles of the Faith. The Continental > national Teaching Centre, a task that now Boards of Counsellors with their attendant > increases in magnitude as that Centre Auxiliary Boards for protection and > begins its work propagation, the assistants to the Auxiliary > Board members, all co-ordinated and kept in > One of the first tasks assigned by the Uni- relationship to the Universal House of > versal House of Justice to the International Justice by the International Teaching Centre, > Teaching Centre was to devise the broad form the fabric of the appointive arm of the > outlines of the global teaching plan to begin Administrative Order of the Faith, which > at Ricjvan 1974 and conclude five years later will in increasing measure exert its spiritualat Ricjvan 1979. This comprehensive and izing influence upon the development of the > detailed survey of the entire Baha'i world Baha'i community and of all mankind. > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 2. THE WORK AND TRAVELS OF THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE > > THE Hands of the Cause of God, freed correspondence, their writings and addresses, > in 1968 of continental administrative duties, their association with Baha'i pilgrims and > were able increasingly to devote their efforts their interaction with Baha'is in the field, > to serving as standard-bearers for the Baha'is often in farflung and remote areas, they > of the world in support of the teaching have ... diffused widely the Divine Fraactivities launched by National Spiritual grances, declared His proofs, proclaimed > Assemblies and other institutions of the His Faith, published abroad His Law, > Baha'i Faith. detached themselves ji-om all things but > During the course of the Six Year Plan, Him, stood for righteousness in this world, > no less than in the teaching plans that and kindled the Fire of the Love of God in > preceded it, these remarkable individuals the very hearts and souls of His servants .... > were fonts of inspiration, encouragement In the period covered by this volume of > and reinforcement. Their contribution to the The Baha'i World, the years 143- 148 of the > achievement of the goals and the influence Baha'i Era (21April1986 to 20 April 1992), > of their example upon the Baha'i friends the Baha'i community mourned the tragic > took effect on numerous levels, both mani- loss of six of these precious souls . The folfest and intangible. Their universal service lowing is a record, in chronological order, of > in protecting the Cause of God; in proclaim- the beloved Hands of the Cause who passed > ing its trnths; in deepening the knowledge of away during this period: Dhikru ' llah Khaits adherents; in galvanizing the rank and file dem (November 1986), Dr. Ugo Giachery > to greater heights of accomplishment; in (July 1989), Jalal Khazeh (Febrnary 1990), > awakening to an appreciation of the Baha' i H. Collis Featherstone (September 1990), > Cause a large segment of the public, often John Robarts (June 1991), and William > uninformed of its true nature and its Sears (March 1992). > relevance to the spiritual and social perils Although these pages lack scope to > confronting society; and in presenting chronicle the full range of the services of > Baha'i literature to Heads of State and others the Hands-some frail or in ill health but > in authority, continued unabated. of undiminished spiritual power- let the > Not alone through their travels, but also following exce1pts culled from Baha 'i Interthrough their consultation, their presence at national News Service bulletins, and other > gatherings large and small, including inau- sources, suggest in brief outline some of > gural Conventions of new National Spiritual their major travels as well as a few of their > Assemblies and the annual Conventions of other activities which are less amenable to > established national communities, their documentation. > > 1986 > April Year Plan has just ended in the midst of > MONACO: In a letter addressed to Baha'is celestial strains and the plaudits of the > in every land in April 1986, the Hand of the Divine Concourse, ushering in with grace > Cause Dr. Ugo Giachery said, "The Seven and joy another plan, the Six Year Plan > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 635 > (1986-1992) which will pass into history least 12 other countries. ' (From report of > bearing the name of 'Accomplishment and Summer School Committee 10 August) > Triumph.' .. .I have served the Faith of God CANADA: On 30 July, repo1iing to the > for many decades, and I am going to hand Universal House of Justice, the Hand of > down the secrets of my blessed wife and the Cause Amatu'l-Bah:i RuJ:iiyyih Khanum > myself to all of you . Devote your life to the described a month of intense and productive > service of the Cause of God. The highest sta- activity in the Canadian north. A Montreal > tion man can aspire to is that of service ... visit held two outstanding events, first a very > ' Abdu ' l-Baha, in a Tablet addressed to the cordial meeting for almost two hours on the > North American believers in 1898, said that Kahnawake Mohawk Reserve with Grand > ambition that is not applied to the service of Chief Joseph Norton and Chief Eugene > mankind is an abomination ... " (From The Montour. On 3 July a large gathering of > American Baha'i, August 1986) Montreal Bah:i'is was held in the new Local > I:Ia~iratu ' l - Qud s, located at the east end of > June Pine Avenue. (The historic Maxwell House, > UNITED STATES: The Hand of the Cause the Baha' i Shrine, is at the extreme west end > John Robarts was the honoured guest at of the same street.) In Quebec City Amatu 'lthe Southeastern Regional Baha 'i Youth Baha gave two talks in French, one for the > Conference held 18- 22 June 1986 near public and one for the Bah:i' is. She was > Huntsville, Alabama. This first American interviewed on radio in English and for a > Regional Youth Conference of the Six Year Quebec newspaper in French. She travelled > Plan was attended by approximately 150 in the private plane of a Canadian Baha'i > Baha'is from various Southern States. Held with the same crew of friends as in a 1982 > at Alabama A and M University, a school visit to the north. Her own enthusiastic > dedicated to the advancement of the minori- account is given in the following excerpts > ties, the conference dedicated much of one from her message. > day to the issue of racial harmony. Bernice "July 7th Violette [Mrs. Na~av:ini] and > King, the daughter of slain civil rights leader I left Quebec City... and flew to Frobisher > Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who spoke on Bay where we attended part of Spirit North > ' Civil Rights Today ', was visibly moved as Council before continuing our journey. > she accepted a copy of The Promise of I consider entire Frobisher Bay events could > World Peace, Gayle Morrison 's biography not possibly have been better.. . Over > of the Hand of the Cause Louis Gregory, and 100 believers and guests attended, approxia silver commemorative plate engraved with mately 60 percent native Eskimos and > the admonition fow1d in the Baha'i Writ- Indians .... > ings, close your eyes to racial differences "Moving commemoration Martyrdom > and welcome all with the light of oneness. beloved Bab held outside on hill overlook- > (From The American Baha 'i, August 1986) ing unbelievably beautiful Frobisher Bay > full of scintillating pack ice, touched all > July hearts, and I was able share petals from > SW EDEN: Baha' is attending the Swedish Threshold Bah:i 'u 'llah's Shrine in Bahji > Summer School in Solbacka in July wrote, with friends .. .. > "The friends were richly blessed by the pen- "Radio and newspaper coverage was > etrating wisdom and delightful humour of complete, English but also in Eskimo, some > our beloved Hand of the Cause Dr. Ugo broadcasts nationwide, others Northern > Giachery in whose honour a 90th birthday region only, and aroused local and throughparty was held. There were approximately out North strong opposition clergy various > 120 participants including friends from at denominations .... > 636 Tl-IE BAHA'I WORLD > > "On 11th July ... flying on to Baker Lake Indian area, attending large powwow first > for one night and having very happy meeting night, and followmg day impressive auspigroup devoted pioneers there and also some cious opening ceremony presided over by > important Eskimo elders. TI1Iee-day visit Chief Crowshoe who is the only surviving > Yellowknife, present administrative centre chief of those five chiefs who gave me the > Northwest Territories, highly successful, name Natuocist in 1960 on the Peigan > large unity Feast included friends from as far Reserve. Over 300 were present from all > as British Columbia and Albe1ta; following patts Canada, including members Canadian > night... dinner reception attended by out- National Spiláitual Assembly .... Afternoon > standing leader, Stephan Kakfwi, president of 20th, official dedication new centre took > Dene Nation who ... became very friendly; on place, a deeply religious Indian pipe cerethis occasion a nun1ber of prominent politi- mony presided over by Chief Crowshoe, > cians and other leaders including members of lasting over one hour, created remarkable > the legislature were present, radio interview feeling spiritual oneness. I was permitted > and newspaper publicity also excellent.... smoke sacred pipe with small group tribal > "Had wonderful visit with Whitehorse leaders, unique honour rarely conferred on a > and other friends at large, well-attended woman. Feel very strongly world-wide > meetings, one huge potlatch dim1er over 250 community Baha' is especially pioneers, > present, many non-Baha 'i leaders, another teachers, must learn show proper respect > equally large public meeting in Whitehorse. profound customs and spiritual associations > We stayed three nights in beautiful new indigenous peoples if we desire share bounwell-built, well-designed Yukon Institute, ties Baha'u'llah's message with them. All > pride of the North and used not only by too often, alas, we neglect follow beloved > Baha'is but on befitting occasions facilities Master's footsteps who showered deep > rented to suitable organizations creating love and understanding, sincere praise and > excellent impression Faith. At special lunch respect on those of different backgrounds. > the Commissioner for Yukon Territory, the Such loving respect other people's way and > Mayor of Whitehorse, the Minister of Health deep feeling essential if we intend pass > and Human Resources, the leader of the healing cup this Revelation to other lips .... > opposition, a member of the legislature, and "Arriving 21st [Regina, Saskatchewan]. .. > three ranking representatives of the Council for three-day visit first night addressed over > of Yukon Indians, as well as the captain of 150 Baha'is ... next day after early television > Salvation Army in the Yukon, were among interview was received officially by delegadistinguished guests. Radio and newspaper tion representing Legislative Assembly of > coverage was likewise excellent. Saskatchewan at the Legislative Building > "We intetmpted Whitehorse stay to fly built by my father and uncle 1908- 10 .... It > above the Arctic Circle to Inuvik ... spending was a happy, gracious, cordial occasion folone night there with devoted group pioneers lowed by some of these officials attending > and local friends, returning next day to formal luncheon ... Mayor Larry Sclmeider > Whitehorse via Old Crow, small, charming who had proclaimed that week official Peace > entirely native Indian village mostly hunters Week in Regina in honour of the Baha'i > and fishermen umeachable by road and on no Peace Message from the Universal House of > regular airline, a great relief to have pleasant Justice. A personal representative of the > sociable evening with many of their leaders absent Premier. .. prominent Indian Heads of > at potlatch dilmer in their meetil1g hall... . various bands in the Province as well as > "We flew July 19 to Pincher Creek, other dignitaries were present." > Alberta, for happy event official opening There followed an interview on CBC > new Peigan Baha' i Centre in heart Blackfoot radio, a newspaper interview, a public talk > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 637 > for 200 persons, and a final day spent at Fort from groups in many parts of Europe. The > Qu' Appelle and a lunch with prominent second issue of the publication gives an > Indian leaders, especially women. In the account of the original conference at which > afternoon Baha'is and friends gathered on a the movement was born and tells of the > beautiful 70-acre property where an Institute inspiration the participants received from the > will be built for native and other Baha'is and presence of the Hand of the Cause 'Alitheir friends to meet, study, and conduct Akbar Furutan who was accompanied by > activities related to the progress of the Faith Mrs. Furutan and whose presence was 'a > in Canada. One stop was made in the United source of joy and enthusiasm that prevailed > States at the prior request of the National in that school. ' (Based on Baha 'i Youth > Spiritual Assembly. Rul:iiyyih Khanum com- Newsletter) > plied with the wish that she meet the > believers on the Pine Ridge Reservation in August > South Dakota, the location of a massive NORTHERN IRELAND: The second Northteaching plan carried out for the previous ern Ireland Baha'i Summer School at > two years by U.S. Baha'is. "We slept at the Inniskillen was an inspiring occasion. One > Oglalla Community College'', she wrote, hundred and thirty participants attended. > "and held a large potlatch and powwow in The guest of honour, the Hand of the Cause > this important centre in the hea1t of Sioux John Robarts, brought great warmth to the > Indian territory. Sioux believers and others sessions. The theme of the school "And > from as far away as Navajo Reservation I Saw A New Earth" paid tribute to the > [Arizona] ensured a most happy and memo- memory of the Hand of the Cause George > rable evening for us all. This important Townshend. A sculptured portrait of > reservation now has 19 Local Assemblies, Mr. Townshend was sent to his son, Brian, > one of the all-Indian ones showering me in recognition of his historic donation of the > with special gifts. .. . Having left for the Townshend library to the Faith. (Message > North from Quebec City July 7th, we arrived from the participants received 15 August) > in Toronto on July 25th tired but blissful, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: What a wonderful > our cup rnnning over with love from all our two weeks the Irish Baba' i community has > dear ones." (Based on report received from just experienced with the visit of the Hand of > the Hand of the Cause 30 July) the Cause of God John Robarts. His tour of > AUSTRIA: On 1 August a telex reached Ireland has touched the hearts of all those > the World Centre from "the beautiful moun- who met him. His stories about prayer have > tainous area of Spital" where 160 Baha'is fired us with a deeper faith in the power of > and their guests from 8 countries enjoyed the prayer and a greater confidence in the key > Austrian Baha'i Summer School for 7 days : role which it will play in our teaching > UNIQUE SPIRIT HONOURED AND ENRICHED endeavours .... Mr. Robarts was present for > THROUGH PRESENCE HAND OF CAUSE OF GOD two programmes of teaching conducted in > MR. FURUTAN AND HIS BELOVED WIFE .. .' the Limerick/Clare region on weekends. > SWITZERLAND: The Baha'i Youth Move- One of these, a Peace Concert organized by > ment in Europe made a beginning in July the Baha ' is, drew an attendance of approxiwhen youth from 15 countries gathered at mately 200 non-Baba ' is. (From Feast > Landegg Centre, Switzerland, for a confer- Newsletter 8 September) > ence organized by the Austrian National CANADA: The Eleventh Annual Confer- > Youth Committee.... The movement now ence of the Association for Baha'i Studies > boasts a newsletter (in English) emanating was held from 20-24 August on the campus > from Doetinchem, the Netherlands, head of the University of Western Ontario, > office of the movement, and fed by reports London, Ontario, with approximately 2,000 > 638 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > The Hand of the Cause of God John Robarts (right) and his wife, Audrey, (second from left) > planting a tree during their visit to Northern Ireland in August I 986. > > participating. The largest annual conference to 7 September 1986. Amatu'l-Baha, accomto date had as its theme 'Beyond the Quest panied by members of the National Spiritual > for Peace: Creating a New World Order' and Assembly of Italy, presented The Promise of > was planned to mark the United Nations World Peace to the President of the Region > International Year of Peace. The keynote of Sicily in a dignified official ceremony. > speech opening the sessions was given by The attendance of 1,000 Baha'is from > Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum. A guest 25 counháies created a great proclamation > of the conference was Dr. Ervin Laszlo of opportunity on local and national television, > the Club of Rome who, with Amatu'l-Baha the broadcasts giving rise to new requests > and other dignitaries, took part in a Native for information about the Faith. (From > Indian peace pipe ceremony which is seldom report received 9 September) > performed outside Native communities and > rarely with non-Native participants.. .. An October > auxiliary conference for young people was AUSTRALIA: A special service in the > addressed by the Hand of the Cause Australian House of Worship in celebration > Dr. 'Ali-Mul:iammad Varqa, who "showered of the International Year of Peace was held > his young audience with universal love and on 19 October 1986 with the participation of > visibly increased their love of learning about the Governor General of Australia, Sir > the Faith and the solution it offers for the ills Ninian Stephen, who read from Isaiah 2: 1- 5. > of humanity." (From message received Lady Stephen was also present at the service. > 7 September) Approximately 850 people attended and, > ITALY: The participation of the Hand of sinrnltaneously, a programme for 200 chilthe Cause Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih K.hanum dren took place in a marquee on the Temple > and Counsellors Leo Niederreiter and grounds. The National Spiritual Assembly > Sohrab Youssefian inspired the 25th Italian cabled that it was overjoyed that the beloved > Summer School in Sicily, held from 31 August Hand of the Cause Collis Featherstone was > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 639 > well and able to participate by escorting the Roba1is, were honoured participants in an > distinguished guests into the House of historic meeting in Quebec City, on 23 Nov- > Worship. (From report received 24 October) ember, sponsored by the Local Spiritual > Assembly of the Baha'is of Quebec City > November for all the believers in the Province. The > WORLD CENTRE: WITH SORROWFUL Covenant was the subject of the successful > HEARTS ANNOUNCE PASSJNG lNDEFATIGABLE gathering. (Message from the Local Spiri- > FEARLESS DEFENDER FAITH, DEEPLY LOVED tual Assembly of the Baha'is of Quebec > HAND CAUSE ZIKRULLAH KHADEM. HIS City received 26 November) > STERLJNG SERVICES TO THE CAUSE, HIS TOT AL > CONSECRATION TO TASKS ASSIGNED TO HIM December > BY BELOVED GUARDIAN, HIS OUTSTANDING INDIA: THE PLACING OF SACRED DUST HOLY > EFFORTS AS MEMBER NATIONAL SPIRITUAL SHRINES BY AMA TULBAHA RUHIYYIH KHANUM > ASSEMBLY CRADLE FAITH, HIS VALUABLE, SOUL- THIS AUSPICIOUS DAY HAS SANCTIFIED OUR > UPLIFTJNG STIMULATION fMPARTED BODY MASHRJQULADHKAR HAS BROUGHT TO IND IA > BELIEVERS NORTH AMERICA, PARTfCULARL Y PRICELESS BOUNTY AND DEEPLY STIRRED PRO- > UNITED STATES BAHA'i COMMUNITY, HIS UNTIR- JECT TEAMNOW DISBANDING TO YIELD Tl-IANKS > ING ENDEAVOURS THROUGH HTS TALKS AND SACRED THRESHOLD UN IQUE PRJVILEGE RAISE > WRITINGS IN SAFEGUARDING COVENANT AND IN MASHRJQULADHKAR AND TO EXPRESS HEART- > INSTILLING APPRECIATION LOVE FOR SHOGHI FELT GRATITUDE ENCOURAGEMENT INSPIRATION > EFFENDI, SHED UNDYING LUSTRE OVER PERIOD BELOVED UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE THROUGH- > HIS ADMIRABLE STEWARDSHIP CAUSE GOD. OUT CONSTRUCTION PERIOD. DEEPEST LOVE > OFFERING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS JOYOUS MOMENTOUS DEDICATION. (Cable dated > HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHA KJNGDOM. URGE HOLD 24 December 1986 from Indian Temple > BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS HIS NAME AT Project) > ALL HOUSES OF WORSHIP AS WELL AS JN ALL On the morning of 24 December 1986, > LOCAL BAHA'i COMMUNITIES. (Message from Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum, on behalf > the Universal House of Justice to all National of the Universal House of Justice, dedicated > Spiritual Assemblies 13 November) the first Baha'i House of Worship of the > UNITED STATES: The Hand of the Cause Indian Subcontinent, in the presence of 400 > of God Dhikru'llah Khadem was laid to rest, illustrious guests including the Hands of the > Skokie, Illinois, following a 10:00 a.m. Cause William Sears and Collis Featherstone. > service attended by the Hand of the Cause of Eight thousand Baha'is from 114 nations , > God William Sears; members of the Conti- with Indian believers from every State and > nental Board of Counsellors, Dr. Wilma Tenitory, were present for three consecutive > Brady, Mr. Robert Hanis, Mrs. Lauretta services of dedication held that day, ending > King, Mr. Donald 0. Rogers , Mr. Fred at six in the evening. On the afternoon of > Schechter, and Mr. Aituro Senano; the 23 December, thousands had gathered at > members of the National Spiritual Assem- Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi for a > blies of the United States and of Canada; and unity feast at which Amatu'l-Baha read a > members of the Auxiliary Board and of the message from the Universal House of Justice. > committees of the National Assembly. Five At a press conference held on 22 December, > hundred sorrowing friends joined in paying Rul:iiyyih Khanum captured the hearts and > tribute to the departed Hand of the Cause. minds oflndia's press and media representa- > (From Baha'i International News Service, tives with her dynamic style and incisive > No. 160, November 1986) responses to questions. On the morning of > CANADA: Two Hands of the Cause, 27 December, dawn prayers were held at the > Dr. 'Ali Mul:iammad Varqa and Mr. John House of Worship. Services of worship open > 640 THE BAHA'i WORLD > to the public were held for the first time on Committees. A proclamation meeting was > 1January1987. ananged at the Pure Life Society on 9 Janu- > MALAYSIA: After pa1iicipating in the ary at which 80- 100 teachers and pupils > dedication of the Temple at New Delhi were shown the videotape the Featherstones > in December, the Hand of the Cause Collis had brought of the special 19 October peace > Featherstone, accompanied by his wife, trav- service in the Sydney Temple, and heard > elled to Malaysia on 30 December, where he a talk on the Faith. Another gathering > spent an active ten days. He spoke to several addressed by Mr. Featherstone was the > communities in the Kuala Lumpur area, in Interfaith Fellowship which met in a Baha 'i > Selangor, and in Negri Sembilan-gather- home. A stop in Singapore for one night was > ings of up to 100 persons. Mrs. Featherstone the occasion for a talk to a roomful of > also addressed some community groups. In believers who gathered to greet the Hand of > the capital, Mr. Featherstone and Counsellor the Cause. From there the Featherstones > Chellie Sundram held consultation with five went to Adelaide and Melbourne, where > members of the National Spiritual Assem- Mr. Featherstone addressed the Australian > bly. On another occasion, Mr. Featherstone National Youth Conference. (From report > met with 70 members of the Auxiliary received 15 February from the Hand of the > Boards and of National and State Teaching Cause) > > 1987 > > January At the National I:Ia?iratu'l-Quds she engaged > THAILAND: The Hand of the Cause of God in consultation with the Spiritual Assembly > Amatu'l-Baha RU.J:iiyyih Khanum returned on three occasions. Near the Eastern Border, > to the World Centre on 2nd Febrnary 1987 during what she called "the highlight" of her > after the dedication of the India Temple, and trip, Amatu'l-Baha visited the refugee camps > then left again to visit Thailand. In less of Khao-I-Dang and Site 2 South, where > than a month Amatu'l-Baha, accompanied by there were large communities of Baha'is, > Mrs. Violette Nakhjavani, criss-crossed Thai- numbered in the thousands, who had emolled > land from south to north and east to west, there since mid-1984, having fled war-torn > fulfilling an active schedule prepared for her. areas of other southeast Asian countries. > She spoke to seven major gatherings of Though able to meet with relatively few of > Baha'is and the public; held personal inter- the many Baha'is in the immense camps, she > views with at least eight officials and was impressed with the sincerity and devodignitaries ; addressed the media in two tion to the Cause of those who were able to > cities; held consultations with the Spiritual come to the gatherings. In Yasothon, in the > Assembly; and met with the rank and file of northeastern region of Thailand, Amatu'lthe believers in city and village. In Bangkok Baha visited the Yasothon Baha'i School and > Amatu' l-Baha was cordially received by the had "three happy village meetings" in the > Minister of Education, who also held the area. She also met with the Governor of the > portfolio of Religious Affairs, and discussed Province in his home. In Songkhla Province, > with him the interests of the Faith in Thai- in the far south, she spoke to a conference for > land. She met with the Governor of Bangkok, believers of the southern region attended by > addressed a small gathering of notables at a two members of the Continental Board of > World Religion Day meeting and reception, Counsellors in Asia, Dr. Chellie Sundram > and gave interviews to press and television. and Dr. Iraj Ayman. Five hundred believers > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 641 > came from Malaysia and thirteen from His teaching methods as we celebrate the > Singapore, travelling many hours by bus. In 75th anniversary of the Master's historic > Songkhla, Amatu'l-Baha met with the visit to North America .. .. Mr. Sears, who > Deputy Governor who, "like all Thai offi- attended most of the Convention sessions > cials", she wrote, "was courteous, cordial and who is to be present 27 June at the > and interested''. The Hand of the Cause Souvenir Picnic in Teaneck, New Jersey, > addressed an audience of more than 700 at urged his audience to appreciate the glorious > the Sirnakron Wirot University at a peace privilege of living in this day, and to seize > conference sponsored jointly by the Univer- the opportunity now to follow the example > sity and the Baha'i community, sharing the of 'Abdu'l-Baha and carry the Message of > platf01w with a professor of sociology. For Baha'u'llah to every corner of this country > joint consultations with the three Spiritual and around the world. (From The American > Assemblies Amatu'l-Baha was joined by the Baha'i, June) > t\vo Counsellors. The meetings included > Auxiliary Board members and their assis- May > tants, and members of national teaching CANADA: Dr. Varqa attended a Unity > conm'littees. She was able also to make a trip Conference held in Kingston, Ontario, in > to an active Baha'i community on Tua Wa May, "contributing greatly to the love and > Island before leaving the southern region. inspiration" felt by the 200 who gathered for > Cl1iengmai, in the far north near Bmwa and the meeting. (From report in Bahiz 'i Canada, > Laos, is an important city with an active August 1987) > Baha' i community. There Amatu'l-Baha met > with the Vice-Governor, was cordially May/June > received by the president of a teacher AFRICA: In the months of May and June, > training college, and was invited to address the Hand of the Cause H. Collis Featl1erstone, > students of a comparative religions class. She accompanied by Mrs. Featherstone, travelled > also met local Baha'is and friends at a large to eight countries of Africa, visiting Baha'i > gathering, and addressed local dignitaries at a communities and inspiring the friends "in his > luncheon. On leaving Thailand, Amatu'l- usual lively and informative way", in the > Baha noted that in this "immensely promis- words of an Auxilia1y Board member, > ing area", pioneers can make an effective recording the visit. Going first to Mauritius > contribution. (Based on a telex from the for the National Convention on 1 May, > Hand of the Cause received 26 January) Mr. Featherstone was able also to make a > three-minute TV news recording while there, > April and to visit the communities of Flacq, Camp > UNITED STATES: The 78th Baha'i de Masque (where they celebrated his > National Convention, held 23-26 April 1987 74th birthday), Mare d' Albert, and Plaint > within the sacred precincts of the Mother Magnien. He also gave a press conference. > Temple of the West in Wilmette, Illinois, On 8 May the Featherstones went to > was imbued with a maturity of deliberation Zimbabwe, where meetings were held in > and a sense of purpose perhaps unprece- Harare and Bulawayo. In Bulawayo they > dented in the 11.istory of the American Baha'i called on the Deputy Mayor and presented a > conmmnity .... This year's Convention was copy of Th e Promise of World Peace; and > blessed by the presence of the Hand of the in the evening at the Baha'i Centre, whose > Cause of God William Sears, who delivered rooms were filled to capacity, about > the closing address Sunday morning, exhort- 80 Baha'is attentively and gratefully listened > ing the friends to follow in the hallowed to Mr. Featherstone's discourse on the greatfootsteps of ' Abdu 'l-Baha and to emulate ness of the Cause and the blessings of > 642 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > The Hand of the Cause H. Collis Featherstone, and Mrs. Madge Featherston e, > with friends gathered for the National Convention in Mauritius; I May 1987. > > servmg it. Malawi believers gave heartfelt areas, and some had walked as far as 80 kilothanks for the gift of Mr. Featherstone's metres to see the Hand of the Cause. As the > four-day visit, beginning on 15 May. Meet- Featherstones stepped from the plane, the > ings at the centre brought eager believers joyful crowd rushed toward them and > from the north and centre of the counhy to flanked them, touched them, shook hands > hear his talks on the institutions and on pro- with them and showed them their heartfelt > gressive revelation, both illustrated by chaiis. love and appreciation." In Lusaka, Zambia, > A talk on Bible prophecy had the believers Mr. Featherstone talked to Rotarians, and > busy taking notes. Mrs. Featherstone gave an was interviewed on radio and television. The > inspired talk on the role of women in the five-minute programme in which he talked > world today. Choirs from several communi- of world peace, removal of prejudice, and > ties entertained at the meetings, to the progressive revelation was shown after his > Featherstones' great delight. To Mwinilunga, departure from Zambia. After eight days of a > Zambia, a remote but fertile and receptive tight schedule which took them to four provarea in the heart of Africa, the Featherstones inces, the Featherstones left Zambia, " their > were taken in an aircraft cha1iered by the exemplary, dedicated and tireless service to > National Assembly. "As the plane canying the Faith ofBaha'u ' llah an inspiration to the > the Hand of the Cause approached the air friends in Zambia'', as reported in Afi'ican > sháip'', Afi'ican Highlights for June relates, Highlights. On 27 May in Tanzania, the > "the huge crowd of Baha'is colourfully Hand of the Cause met with the National > dressed, started to dance. It was an unforget- Spiritual Assembly, the Auxiliary Board memtable view. They were welcomed by almost bers and assistants. At a public meeting on > 400 adults and over 100 children who had peace held on 30 May, Mr. Featherstone > dressed most colourfully and were happy and addressed a full hall and answered many > excited to see their distinguished guests. questions. He shared the platform with a > These Baha'is had come from 19 Assembly speaker from the United Nations Development > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAI-IA'U'LL;\H 643 > Programme. In Kenya, on 31 May, he was bounty of meeting in the Shrine hallowed by > met by all members of the National Spiritual the presence and the prayers of 'Abdu ' l- > Assembly. He visited the towns of Kusumu, Bahi The Francophone group noted the > Chango (meeting with 451 Baha'is), and presence "in spirit" of the Hand of the Cause > Kakamega. In Uganda on 5 June, the Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, who, in a > Featherstones were met at the border by cable, appealed to the Quebec believers to > Mrs. Vi Gilbert, a member of the Auxiliary arise and vindicate the unique position of the > Board, and taken to Tororo where she first place where the Faith was established in > teaches at a school for girls. The next day Canada in 1902. She recalled her mother's > they went to Kampala where they stayed in great love for the French-speaking people > the former home of the Hand of the Cause and her wish to see the French-Canadians > Musa Banani which later became the home embrace and serve the Cause ofBaha'u'llah. > of the Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga. On (From Baha'i International News Service, > 7 June they visited the House of Worship for No . 169, August- September 1987) > morning service and met with the believers HUNGARY: A number of Baha'is particiin the I:Ia'.?iratu'l-Quds in the afternoon. pated in a scientific conference organized by > On 10 June the F eatherstones arrived in the International Society for General > Ethiopia where Mr. Featherstone met many Systems Research in Budapest, Hungary, > believers in the course of several days . from 1- 5 June 1987. At the request of the > Mrs . Featherstone spoke to the women on Universal House of Justice, Amatu'l-Baha > many occasions and also addressed general Rul;iyyih Khanum headed the Baha'i > gatherings of the friends. (Compiled from delegation which included Mrs. Violette > various reports received through July) Na~avani and Dr. Janet Khan from Haifa, > and Dr. Ingeborg Franken and Dr. Udo > June Schaefer from Germany. The conference, > CANADA: Two Hands of the Cause, held in a city visited by ' Abdu'l-Baha and > Dr. ' Ali Mu~ammad Varqa and Mr. John much admired by Him, attracted some of the > Robarts, were present in Montreal for three foremost systems scientists from Eastern > days in June when 60 Baha ' is from all parts Europe and the West. They were drawn > of French Canada met in a Francophone from such disciplines as mathematics, phys- > Policy Conference to consult on two themes ics, engineering, economics, management, > put forward by the National Assembly: and the biological and social sciences. A > teaching the Faith and building the Baha ' i featured speaker was the President of the > conummity in the Province of Quebec. They Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. At > spoke with the friends assembled at the the conclusion of the conference, the Baha'i > Baha'i Sluáine (the Maxwell Home) during delegation met info1mally with some of the > the two evenings of the Conference. members of Dr. Lazlo's Research Group to > Dr. Varqa told of the period of the Ten Year discuss subjects of mutual interest. As a > Crusade after the passing of the Guardian result of this meeting, Dr. Laszlo requested > when the Hands of the Cause executed that materials on aspects of the Baha'i Faith > his Plan. He encouraged the study of the be sent to all members of his Group. (From > Tablets of the Divine Plan, written by report received 11 June from Dr. Janet Khan) > 'Abdu ' l-Baha after His visit to North Ame1ica. UNITED STATES: More than 1,000 Baha'is > Mr. Robarts spent precious moments recall- and their guests gathered on 27 June 1987 at > ing happy memories of 1948 when he the Wilhelm properties in Teaneck, New > was elected to the first National Spiritual Jersey, to conm1emorate the 75th anniver- > Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada. He sary of the Unity Picnic hosted there by > reminded the assembled friends of the 'Abdu' l-Baha during His historic visit to > 644 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > North America in 1912. The day-long event Bahiz 'i International News Service, No . 169, > was but one of about 1,500 such picnics held August- September 1987) > across the country at the request of the Hand > of the Cause William Sears, whose presence August: > greatly blessed this one. The keynote UNITED KINGDOM: Dr. Giachery attended > address was presented by Mr. Sears, who the landmark Youth Conference held at > presented a plaque to Mayor Bernard E. Manchester University 111 the United > Brooks of Teaneck for his work in promot- Kingdom in August, with 1,300 participants > ing unity among all the people in that city. from 42 countries. 'The Conference has > (From Balui 'i News , August) been greatly blessed by the presence of our > UNITED STATES: As part of its commem- beloved Hand of the Cause Dr. Ugo > oration of the 75th anniversary of the first Giachery. His sacrificial participation in > Souvenir Picnic in Teaneck, the Baha' i view of ill health has been a tremendous > Public Information Office of Northern New source of inspiration." (From report from the > Jersey produced a video recording including participants received 15 September) > live narration and original still photographs ITALY: Reports from events emiched by > of the first picnic which was hosted by the attendance of Hands of the Cause > 'Abdu'l-Baha. The Hand of the Cause include the 26th annual Summer School of > William Sears agreed to narrate the video. Its Northern Italy, attended by Mr. Fun'.Jtan who > premiere showing took place during the Dia- gave the 440 friends present a "new vision > mond Jubilee picnic in Teaneck on 27 June. of the great horizons of the historic fourth > (From The American Baha 'i, August) epoch of the Faith". (From telex received > 30 August from the participants) > July GERMANY: Participants in the German > FINLAND: Summer School 1987 held in Summer School at Kastel! Windsor held > Salo on 10-18 July was honored by the visit from 2-9 August telexed their loving > of Mr. Featherstone, one of the principal appreciation of the participation of Mr. and > speakers who inspired the school sessions . Mrs. Furutan. During the school, hand- > Attendance came to 224 adults, youth, and crafted items made by the children were sold > children. Public outreach was a main feature to provide three scholarships for the Anis > of this school: a public meeting advertised in Zunuzi School in Haiti. (From telex received > the newspaper, Baha' i participation in a con- 12 August from the participants) > cert of international songs and a second CANADA: The Hand of the Cause William > public meeting held at the school. (From Sears visited all ten provinces of Canada and > report received 18 August from the National two territories in just eleven days, from > Spiritual Assembly of Finland) 30 August to 9 September- the period > SWEDEN: Three Hands of the Cause of corresponding to Abdu ' l-Baha 's sojourn in > God were present at the Scandinavian Baha' i Canada seventy-five years ago. The ttáip was > Summer School which opened in Sweden on a "matchless tour de force of love, inspira- > 19 July and marked the 25th anniversary of tion and encouragement", as reported in > the establishment of the separate National Baha'i Canada for November. In spite of > Spiritual Assemblies of the Scandinavian poor health, Mr. Sears journeyed from coast > countries and Finland. The Hands of the to coast and through the n01ihern territories, > Cause Dr. Ugo Giachery, ' Ali Akbar "a living demonstration of the capacity of > Fun'.1tan, and H. Collis Featherstone partici- the spirit to triumph over physical limitapated in the gala event with 500 believers tions." Some highlights of the 11 days were: > from Scandinavia and many other counttáies firesides in Montreal, in French and English, > of Europe, the Americas and Africa. (From where Mr. Sears shook the hand of each > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA ' U' LLAH 645 > child present and gave each one a souvenir; on Oahu, visited Maui on 14 September, the > nightly firesides in Halifax and throughout Big Island of Hawaii on the 15th, and > Nova Scotia; Baha'is from the entire province returned to Oahu on the 16th to meet over > of Winnipeg gathered at the new Baha ' i dinner with the Chinese Teaching Commit- > Centre; over 1,000 attending the Calgary tee and to give an interview to the religion > event; a moving meeting in Vancouver in editor of the Star-Bulletin. This resulted in a > which the friends were urged to become more ten-inch a1iicle in the Saturday edition. (From > heroic, more saintly, and appreciate their Hawaii Baha 'i News for October-November) > station as Baha'is; a presentation to the Hand > of the Cause by children of Whitehorse in October > which they gave their in1pressions of 'Abdu'l- CANADA: In late October and early > Baha in prose and poeh-y; and a two-day November, Amatu ' l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum > conference for the Northwest Tenitories; visited Canada, speaking to the friends in > two new believers embracing the Faith in Montreal and Toronto while she was there. > Toronto during the visit of the Hand of the On 1 November, the Hands of the Cause of > Cause. (From Bahti 'i Canada for November) God John Roba1is and Dr. 'Ali-Mu~ammad > Varqa joined more than 250 Baha' is from the > September Montreal area, Quebec City and Ottawa at > CANADA: "Kaa-Taan" or "Strong Man" the Montreal Centre to greet Rlil)iyyih > was the tribal name given to the Hand of the Khanum, who spoke to the friends in English > Cause William Sears by a small band of and French about the need for teaching the > Tlingit Indians during his visit to Lake La Faith, and the education of Baha'i children. > Berge near Whitehorse, on 6 September In Toronto, she spoke on the same subjects > 1987. Hazel Lovelace, who served as on 5 November... . (From Bahti 'i Canada , > spokesman for the Eagle and Raven Tribes, Vol. 9, No. 11, January) > expressed her feelings about the consultation UNITED STATES: "Let's All Get Involved" > that proceeded the presentation. "We wanted was the theme, and the Hand of the Cause of > to shower our love on Mr. Sears ... but we God William Sears the featured speaker, at a > didn ' t have anything to offer him. Nothing regional mini-youth conference held from > but our love. So we decided to adopt him 30 October to 1 November 1987 in Tucson > and give him a Tlingit name." As tradition and sponsored by the District Youth Comdictated, Laurie Hill of the Raven Tribe was mittee of Southern Arizona. Mr. Sears met > chosen to am1ounce the name tluáee times, each of the 50 young people from Arizona, > with the audience repeating the name, Colorado, New Mexico and California, all of > thereby acknowledging their affirmation and whom agreed that the event was helpful in > acceptance. Mr. Sears was also presented deepening their understanding of the Faith > with an Eagle vest and wool lap blanket by through talks and workshops. (Based on > his new tribal family. Jens Lyberth chanted report in The American Bahti 'i, April) > and played a traditional Eskimo drum as pati > of the ceremony. (Based on repmi in Alaska November > Baha 'i News, January 1988) FRANCE: The Hand of the Cause > HAWAIIAN ISLAN DS: The Hand of the Amatu ' l-Baha Rul~iyyih Khanum's visit to > Cause of God H. Collis Featherstone and France was primarily undertaken in memory > Mrs. Featherstone, continuing a journey that of her mother, May Maxwell, who estabbegan in April and took in 18 countries, lished the Faith there and was the first > arrived in Honolulu on 12 September. In a Baha ' i in Europe. Arriving on 11 November > five-day stay, Mr. Featherstone addressed a 1987, during her 33-day tour she visited > capacity crowd at the National Baha' i Centre 17 communities, attending a two-day National > 646 THE BAH1\'i WORLD > > Teaching Conference held in Paris; seven Minister of France. Madame Delagard was > regional gatherings throughout the country; in charge of Religious Affairs. She was ve1y > and a National Youth Conference in Lyon. intelligent, very agreeable, and evidently > She gave all of her talks in French. Tluáough- had little knowledge of the Faith, but was > out France the Baha'is took full advantage very interested in the material Amatu'l-Baha > of Amatu'l-Baha's visit to invite friends and was able to show her, and particularly to > relatives who were not Baha'is to attend note that the Baha' i International Commuspecial meetings and receptions; as a result a nity had recently joined the Conservation > number of those already interested accepted and Religion Network of the World Wide > the Faith. On her arrival in Paris, accompa- Fund for Nature. Another in1portant engagenied by Mrs. Violette Na!s!!javani, all nine ment in Paris was with Madame Simone > members of the National Spiritual Assembly Veil, representative of the Republic of France > met Amatu' l-Baha at the airport, where she in the European Parliament and forn1erly its > had a three-hour stopover en route to Nice, President. On that body she had raised her > the first place she visited. On successive voice publicly in defense of the persecuted > weekends, Regional Teaching Conferences Baha'is of Persia and was keenly interested > were held in Nice and Marseille, with more in events affecting the Faith in that country. > than 140 attending from 21 localities in She was ve1y interested to hear from > Nice, and 80 friends from 11 places in RuJ:iiyyih Khanum the history of the rela- > Marseille. Coverage by the media in France tionship of the Faith with the State oflsrael. > is difficult to obtain; however, in Marseille, A National Teaching Conference took place > Amatu' l-Baha had a press interview with a in Paris 28 and 29 November, the largest of > well-known columnist published in one of its kind ever held. Between 450 and 500 peothe big papers of southern France. This was ple attended from all parts of France and > followed by a number of other artic les other cow1tries, including the Counsellor, > published in different cities . The third Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi, and a number of Board > Regional Conference was in Annecy on the members. In addition to talks given by > Swiss border; over 200 friends participated, Amah1 ' l-Baha, the gathering was addressed > mostly from Switzerland. A social evening by Counsellor Ghaznavi and by members of > and concert concluded the events, attended the French National Spiritual Assembly, all > by the Deputy Mayor of Annecy and his of whom underlined the needs of the Six > wife. His remarks to the gathering were Year Plan. There was a remarkable sense of > cordial and full of pra ise for the teachings oneness and enthusiasm, to which, undoubtand objectives of the Baha'is. A meeting fo r edly, the spirit of the many Baha'i youth > the friends in the Chambery district took present contributed. The Paris Local Spiriplace in the home of a believer in Chapareil- tual Assembly, after ente1iaining Rul:iiyyih > lan. From Annecy, Rul:iiyyih Khanum went Khanum at lunch, touchingly commemoto Lyon to address a National Youth Confer- rated her visit by going to the Eiffel Tower > ence attended by more than 100 people from for a photograph in the same place where, > all parts of France, Switzerland, and Belgium; 75 years ago, the beloved Master had been > many excellent questions were asked. A photographed. Also in Paris, Amatu ' l-Baha > meeting and dinner also took place with and Mrs. Na!s!!javani were able to attend the > 45 Baha' is from Lyon and neighbouring meeting in the J::la ~ iratu ' l-Qud s commemocommunities. The National Assembly had rating the Ascension of 'Abdu ' l-Baha. > arranged fo r the Hand of the Cause to have a About 200 of the friends were present at the > number of interviews with officials in Paris. beautifully conducted meeting. The National > Madame Albanel Delagard met with Spirihial Assembly rented a hall in Paris for > Rtil:iiyyih Khanum on behalf of the Prime a general meeting which about 100 p eople > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA°U'LLAH 647 > attended. After Amatu'l-Baha's talk many the local government of the Department of > questions were asked. On another occasion, Alsace. She spent a long time with Rul.iiyyih > about 80 Baha'i youth had an evening meeting Khanum, showing a lively interest in the > with Amatu ' l-Baha following a dinner with Faith. The other interview was with > her at the National Centre. In addition to all Mr. Hoeffel, a Senator, who is also the > the Paris activities, RuJ:iiyyih Khanum was President of the Conseil General of the Basable to have two meetings with communities Rhin District. After introductions, he said to > near Paris . In Rouen, a very active and RuJ:iiyyih Khanum, "What can I do for > devoted group of friends, many of them you?" "Do for me?", she asked. "I didn't > refugees from Iran, entertained her and all come here to have anything done for me ; I > the friends at lunch. In La Celle-Saint- don't want anything." He looked absolutely > Cloud, some 50 people gathered in the home astonished; he had evidently thought he had > of one of the believers to greet the Hand of an appointment with somebody who had > the Cause. After the eventful days in Paris, some kind of a demand, or a petition, or a > Amatu'l-Baha Rul.iiyyih Khanum left for complaint. Rul.iiyyih K.hanum went on: "I > Bordeaux where the small but active have come here to pay my respects to you as > community had arranged an interview with a member of the Government; I haven' t > the Mayor, Jacques Chabon Delmas, who come to ask for anything; I don' t want anyhad previously been Prime Minister of thing at all." He was really taken aback and > France, and who then was Speaker of the said, "Well, won't you sit down?" They had > House of Representatives. They met in his a worthwhile and pleasant chat about the > private office at City Hall, where Amatu'l- Faith and mention was made of the persecu- > Baha was able to introduce Mr. Delmas to tion of the Baha'is in Iran. Amatu'l-Baha > the Faith. He had, however, heard of the spent two nights in Sháasbourg, where the > persecutions in Iran, which he strongly local Baha'is held a dinner in her honour in > deplored. He was also interested to learn their Baha' i Centre on the first evening, > that the Baha'i International Community had followed by an informal and happy meeting > just been accepted, on an equal basis with with all the friends. On the second night, > other world religions, into the WWF Network over 200 friends from France, Germany, > on Conservation and Religion. It was an Luxembourg, Belgium, and Switzerland, > extremely cordial interview. After Bordeaux, gathered.... Returning to Paris, Amatu'l- > RuJ:iiyyih Khanum went to Nantes to partici- Baha had a long meeting with the National > pate in the fifth Regional Conference, which Spiritual Assembly during which she not > had about 100 friends attending from I I local- only commented on her trip and experiences > ities. In Nantes, she was deeply touched to in France, but expressed her deep conviction > meet a member of the Auxiliary Board from that it was the time to push forward as never > Niger, whom she and Mrs. Na~avani had before with teaching the Faith, as there was > met on their African safari, and who had new receptivity stirring in the land. The next > come all the way from Niger just to see her day, the entire National Spiritual Assembly > again. From Nantes RuJ:iiyyih Khanum went saw her off most lovingly at the airpori, just > to Rennes , the capital of Brittany. Then, as they had greeted her so lovingly on her > crossing the country once again, she went to arrival. (Based on repori from the Hand of > Sháasbourg, the seat of the European Parlia- the Cause received 2 February 1988) > ment, which was the last of her engagements UNITED STATES: A crowd of 1,000 or > in France. Two interviews with officials had more Baha'is gathered on 29 November > been arranged for her in Strasbourg. The 1987 in the auditorium of the Los Angeles > first was with Madame Knorr, who was in Center to greet the Hand of the Cause > charge of religious affairs and education in William Sears, who had promised that he > 648 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > would be present to celebrate the triumphant the room with his humor and inspired his > march of the Los Angeles teaching cam- hearers to a new and deeper resolve to > paign "even if he had to be carried in on a conquer the hearts of the populace of the > stretcher." Mr. Sears had come from his City of the Angels. (From The Los Angeles > sick-bed, but despite his discomfort he lit up Baha'i Journal, January) > > 1988 > > January promises of victory. A giant fireside teach- > AUSTRALIA: From every State in Australia, ing event hosted by the National Teaching > 360 youth went to Perth in January to attend Committee was held in the National Center > a national youth conference, a highlight of on the evening of30 January and the Baha'is > which was the participation of the Hand were invited to bring interested seekers to > of the Cause Collis Featherstone. Proclama- hear this beloved guest-speaker. Major > tion activities and favourable media coverage newspapers of both Kauai and Oahu interwere specially noted in the report, the Youth viewed the Hand of the Cause. (From telex > Year of Service was said to be gaining reports received from the National Spiritual > momentum, and a teaching team set out Assembly of Hawaii through 6 March) > from the conference to visit most parts of > W estem Austráalia. (From Bahti 'i Interna- February > tional News Service, No. 174, February) UNITED STATES: Mr. Sears addressed the > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: A capacity audience 25th Anniversary Council Fire in Tucson, > that included virhially every active Baha'i Arizona, on 26-28 February. Six hundred > on the island of Kauai joyously greeted the were in attendance for the meeting to > Hand of the Cause of God William Sears commemorate the Great Council Fire held in > and Marguerite Sears... on the evening of southern Arizona in 1963. Mr. Sears' talk > 15 January. Mr. Sears' stay in the Islands emphasized the references to American > produced wonderful results in the Hawaiian Indians in the Writings of 'Abdu ' l-Baha and > Balla' i community and inspired the Shoghi Effendi and spoke of Baha'u'llah's > deliberations of the Continental Board of promises of victory for all Baha'i teachers. > Counsellors for Austráalasia and the National (From telex received 6 March report from > Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii, both bodies the National Spiritual Assembly of the > receiving the benefit of his vision of the United States) > grandeur of the Cause of God and the maj- AUSTRALIA: The Hand of the Cause H. > esty of its institutions. Mr. Sears' separate Collis Featherstone and Mrs. Featherstone > meetings with each were followed by a joint visited the Erriba Community development > meeting of the Counsellors and the National experiment in Tasmania, Australia, in Feb- > Spirihial Assembly, which exemplified the ruary to officially open the Albert Benson > growing collaboration between institutions Memorial Cottage, a hospitality centráe > characteristic of the. Fomih Epoch. The named after one of the founding members of > National Assembly praised the behind-the- the N.W. Tasmania Baha'i community. The > scenes Baha'i workers in Kauai who helped presence of the Hand of the Cause and the > to make the weekend with the Hand of the stráength and assurance in his addresses > Cause "dynamic, inspiring, joyous, and kept his audiences inspired and spellbound. > radiant with overpowering spirit" In Oahu, Approximately 80- 100 people attended the > on 23 January, in an informal meeting, ceremony.... (From Baha 'i International > Mr. Sears inspired the Baha'is with News Service, No. 175, March 1986) > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LL.\H 649 > April ingly encouraged the Austrian community to > GERMANY: About 1,200 believers gath- teach with greater effort and awareness, and > ered in Stuttgart on 9 April at a special to live the Baha' i life. > conference honouring the presence of the On 9, 10 and 17 April, a most festive > Hand of the Cause of God Amatu' l-Bahci commemoration to mark the 75th anniver- > Rul.iiyyih Khanum. Also present were sary of 'Abdu' l-Baha 's visit to Budapest > member of the International Teaching Centre, was held in that city with Amatu ' l-Baha > Counsellor Anneliese Bopp, Continental attending. (From telex received 18 April > Counsellor Ursula Muhlschlegel, and from the National Spiritual Assembly of > members of the National Spiritual Assembly. Austria) > The conference, the largest national Baha'i PAKISTAN: The Hand of the Cause of God > conference ever held in Germany, took place H. Collis Featherstone and Mrs. Featherstone > during the festivities related to the 75th anni- were present for the joyful inauguration of a > versary of the Master's visit to that country. National Teaching Conference in Hyderabad, > The participation of the Hand of the Cause, Sind, Pakistan, on 15 April. Counsellor $abir > in particular her address to the Baha' is in AJaqi, members of the National Spiritual > the German language, stirred the entire Assembly, and three members of the Auxilcommunity. The candid, challenging eluci- iary Board also gathered with Baha' is from > dations relating to "how to present the 36 different centres in Pakistan. The confer- > Teachings of Baha'u'llah to the public"; ence participants reviewed the achievements > "our Baha'i life"; and "our dedication to the of the first phase of the Six Year Plan and > Cause", inspired the audience with new consulted on second-phase goals to be > insights and the awareness that "enhy by announced at the forthcoming National Controops" needs to incorporate changes in the vention. (Telex received 18 April from > current approach to presenting the Faith. conference participants) > Nearly 900 friends and guests gathered on > 10 April at the historic Kurhaus in Bad July > Cannstatt, Stuttgart, for the gala event Cl-ONA: On 19 July, Amatu' l-Baha Rul)iyyih > commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Khanum, accompanied by Mrs. Violette > visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to Germany .... In her Na~avani , left the Holy Land for a longceremonial address Amatu'l-Baha Rul)iyyih anticipated, private visit to China. Beginning > Khanum lovingly recalled the time she spent in Canton, they travelled to Urumqi, Beijing, > in Gern1any in 1936- 37 and the early Shanghai, Suzhou, Guilin, and finally refollowers of Baha'u ' llah in that land. Coun- turned to Canton. (From report received > sellor Anneliese Bopp, Dr. Massoud Berdjis, October from the Hand of the Cause) > and Werner Gollmer spoke of the life, > teachings and travels of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Press August > conferences were attended by major news- HONG KONG: Following her trip to China, > papers and broadcast services. (From telex Amatu'l-Baha travelled to Hong Kong for > received 12 April from the National five days where she held a press conference; > Spirihrnl Assembly of Germany) a private interview with a Baha'i reporter > AUSTRIA: On 16 April the Austrian from the South China Post newspaper; an > community celebrated the 75th anniversary interview with a columnist for the Hong > of 'Abdu'l-Baha 's visit to Vienna in the Kong Tattler; and a large meeting at which > presence of Amatu ' l-Baha Rw:Uyyih Khanum, she addressed the Baha'is of both Hong > Counsellors Ursula Miihlschlegel and Leo Kong and the adjacent New Territories, > Niederreiter, and friends from many parts of stTessing the supreme importance of > Austria and Europe. Rul.iiyyih Khanum lov- teaching the Faith. She also met with the > 650 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > devoted travelling teachers from Malaysia, visit was the official opening of the Baha'i > of Chinese background, who were very school called School of the Nations, which > actively engaged in the teaching work. At a occupies the entire second floor of a large > luncheon given by the National Spiritual modern building. Although it had been in > Assembly, at which Counsellor Bijan Farid, operation for the past few months , the > and some Auxiliary Board members were friends took the opportunity of her visit to > present, Amatu'l-Baha again spoke of the hold a reception in the School and officially > urgency of teaching. and ceremoniously inaugurate the institu- > The highlight of Amatu'l-Baha's visit to tion. Many prominent and influential > Hong Kong was a large, formal banquet members of the public were among the > the Spiritual Assembly gave in honour of invited guests. In her speech, Amatu'l-Baha > the passage by the Hong Kong Legislative spoke of the important role of the teacher in > Council of "the Baha'i Ordinance" to society, as stressed by the Baha' i teachings, > incorporate the Faith by act of Parliament. and the great importance of moral and > The guests of honour- in addition to spiritual education for children. She stressed > Amatu'l-Baha Rul~iyyih Khanum- were the point that while the School is rnn by > Mr. Desmond Lee Xu Tai, a member of the Baha' is, and spiritual and moral concepts > Legislative Council who proposed the vote will be taught, the Baha'is will never force > in favour of the Baha'is, other Hong Kong their beliefs on the children or try to change > notables , and a number ofBaha' is, including the children' s religious convictions. In > a member of the National Spiritual Assem- addition to the above events, there was a > bly of Japan. The occasion opened with a well-attended press conference. (Based on a > traditional Chinese ceremony, followed by report from Mrs. Na!shjavani) > speeches by Amatu'l-Baha and two Council TAIWAN: Ever since the exciting news of > members, music, and a memorable Chinese "entry by troops" in Taiwan, Amatu' l-Baha > dinner. Amatu'l-Baha was presented with a had longed to see for herself what was > beautiful painted porcelain plate, designed happening there. She therefore arranged a > by a very well-known Chinese artist. After five-day visit to some of the new teaching > dinner a videotape of the San Francisco areas. The Counsellors in Asia took advan- > Peace Conference was shown on well- tage of her visit and called a three-day > placed television sets throughout the dining conference for their Auxiliary Board memhall; it attracted much praise and admiration bers and assistants. Tluáee of the Counsellors > from everyone, particularly the guests . particularly concerned with this area were > (From report received October from the able to attend: Mr. Ruhu'llah Mumtazi, > Hand of the Cause) Mr. Bijan Farid, and Mrs. Shantha Sundram. > MACAU: During a three-day visit to At this conference Amatu'l-Baha strongly > Macau, Amatu '1-Baha officially opened a emphasized that nothing must be allowed to > newly acquired Baha'i Centre in one of slow down the dynamic spiritual impetus of > the most densely populated areas. This joy- mass teaching. In Taipei, Amatu ' l-Baha was > ous event was preceded in the traditional received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, > Chinese way, by a lion dance, with its amus- Mr. Lien Chan. She presented him with an > ing antics accompanied by a terrifying exquisite copy of the Hidden Words in > explosion of firecrackers in the public street. Chinese and English, in a special box of silk > Amatu ' l-Baha also met with all the Baha ' is brocade. He was very impressed by it and > in a large meeting and spoke to them about astonished to hear that the book was prothe imp01iance of teaching in Macau and duced in Taiwan by the Baha'i Publishing > the influence this would have on the Trust! She also presented him with a special > neighbouring areas. The highlight of her copy of the Peace Statement, in Chinese. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 651 > During the very cordial interview she to the Yasothon Hotel. After an evemng > stressed that Baha'is are non-political and with the local Baha'is, Mr. Featherstone preobedient to their governments. When sented the Peace Statement to the Governor > Amatu'l-Baha thanked hin1 for the generous with an information folder on the Baha'i > time he had given her, he said, "It is I who Faith, both in the Thai language. During the > must thank you to have honoured me with same day two talks were given; one at a > this audience." Amatu'l-Baha had a long school and one to a gathering of Baha ' is. > interview on a feature programme on the The following day, before returning to > national radio, and two press conferences- Bangkok to take the flight to Vientiane, > one in Taipei and one in a new teaching area Laos, they visited Kunu1gen Village and > in the south, Taitung. She also had a long, were shown the skillful weaving of the local > dynamic and enlightening meeting with the craftspeople and were showered with the > National Spiritual Assembly. It had been loving hospitality of the community. (Based > nine years since her previous visit to on report from the Hand of the Cause > Taiwan; it rejoiced her heart to see so many received 2 October) > old friends, particularly in the large meeting > with the Taipei Baha'is. Among the happiest September > events of this short visit were her meetings LAOS: Two Auxiliary Board members, > with the friends-most of them new eight members of the Spiritual Assembly of > Baha'is-in the communities of Keelung, Laos, members of the Local Spiritual > Chiayi, and Taitung. These are all areas of Assembly of Vientiane, and other members > mass teaching. In Keelung, prior to the of the Laos Baha ' i community made up the > warm official greeting by the Mayor of the enthusiastic group which welcomed Hand of > city, amid music and firecrackers, she was the Cause of God H. Collis Featherstone and > received by the local Baha' is in their Centre Mrs. Featherstone with bouquets of red > and given a delicious dinner provided by roses at the Vientiane airport on 1 Septemall the friends. In Taitung, the Magistrate of ber. After the first evening meeting with > the county, who is also the Mayor, officially members of the Auxiliary Board and the > welcomed her and highly praised the Spiritual Assembly, Mr. Featherstone began > Baha'is in his county. The joy, the excite- a series of deepenings on many different > ment, and the encouragement Amatu'l- topics to capacity audiences in the National > Baha poured into these meetings created Cenháe, and Mrs. Featherstone spoke on the > great hope and promise for the inlmediate vital role of women to the progress of the > future of the Faith in Taiwan. (Based on Cause. Humorous stories from the widelyreport from the Hand of the Cause received tráavelled visitors punctuated each session > October) and Mr. Featherstone often supplemented > THAILAND: The Hand of the Cause H. his talks with illustrated charts, photographs, > Collis Featherstone and Mrs. Featherstone brochures, photocopies of newspaper cutundertook a two-and-a-half-month-long trip tings, and underlined passages from Baha'i > through Asia starting in August. They spent books. Four senior government officials of > the first three weeks visiting schools, local Sikhottabhong Disháict expressed their open > dignitaries, and Baha'is in refugee camps appreciation for the deepening session they > and commtmities throughout Thai land. After attended, 111 which Mr. Featherstone > their arrival in the country on 26 August, explained the Baha'i teachings on loyalty > two days were spent meeting with the to government and the Faith's involvement > Baha'is of Bangkok. From there they flew to in United Nations Non-Governmental Orga- > Ubon Ratchathani , in southeast Thailand, nization activities through the Baha'i > before travelling 100 kilometres by bus International Conummity. On 5 September > 652 THE BA HA'I WORLD > the Baha'is of Ban Nonsavanh (formerly and article about the Faith were published. > Ban Hongsouphaph), a village eight kilome- During the same day a meeting was arTanged > tráes east of Vientiane, stood to greet their with the Deputy-Governor of Chiang Mai > special guests as they entered the local Province. He responded very favourab ly to > Baha ' i Centre. Mr. Featherstone spoke about the presentation of an information folder on > the principles of the Faith and the paramount the Faith and the Peace Statement, both in > importance of teaching the Cause in order the Thai language, and remembered warmly > to see these principles realized. He also his meeting with Amatu ' l-B aha Rul)iyyih > emphasized the value of presenting the Khanum in the past. (From report received > Peace Statement to government officials and 2 October from the Hand of the Cause) > leaders of thought. Local officers attended > this meeting and Mr. Featherstone again November > explained the Baha ' i teachings on loyalty to CANADA: One hundred and thirty Baha ' is > government and the Faith's involvement fro m all parts of the French-speaking provwith United Nations NGO activities. The ince of Quebec gathered at a conference for > permission given for the Hand of the Cause unity, protection, and teaching. The conferand Mrs. Featherstone's visit to Ban Nonsa- ence was inspired by the Hand of the Cause > vanh was of great significance as this area of God 'Ali-Mul)ammad Varqa .. . (From > is usually firmly barred to foreigners. The Bahri 'i International News Service, No. 189, > report concludes, "The incomparable husband December 1988) > and wife teaching parhiers left Vientiane on JAPAN/KO REA/TAIWAN/MALAYSIA: The > 8 September, garlanded by a group of Hand of the Cause Collis Featherstone and > fri ends". (From report received on 23 Nov- Mrs. Featherstone returned to Austráaiia on > ember from the Spiritual Assembly) 9 November after spending the last month of > THA ILAND: Returning to Thailand on their visit to the Asian Baha'i communities, > 10 September, the Featherstones were taken in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, > to a refugee camp, the population of which and Malaysia. Throughout their busy > was approximately 180,000 people, mainly sojourn in Korea, Mr. and Mrs. Featherstone > Cambodians. They met with the Local presented talks at the National Teaching > Sp iritua l Assembly and the Baha' i commu- Conference, were interviewed by the press, > nity in this camp. At another meeting a short and presented the Peace Statement to the > distance away, a translator fac ilitated for the Chancellor of Kyung Hee Univers ity. > Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese speaking Mr. Featherstone met with Counsellor Kim > audience. At a meeting on the fo llowing day, Myung Jung and members of the Auxi liary > in a different camp, which had just fo1111ed Board, and when speaking at the many gathits Loca l Spiritual Assembly, 100 people erings with the Baha ' is, always stressed the > gathered to listen to the visitors. At the importance of teaching. In Taiwan Mr. and > opening of the I:Ia'.?iratu ' l-Quds in the after- Mrs. Featherstone spoke at firesides, particinoon the Hand of the Cause read a message pated in a conference at the university in > from the Universal House of Justice. After Taichung, and uplifted the friends at many > visiting the refugee camps the Featherstones gatherings before making a short visit to > travelled to Chiang Mai in the north of Malaysia en route to their home in Australia. > Thailand. As a result of a meeting with the (From report received 29 December from > owner of a newspaper, a large photograph the Hand of the Cause) > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAl-IA ' U' LLAH 653 > > Amatu 'l-Bahti Ruf;iyyih Khanum presents a copy of the Peace Statement to the > Governor of Macau during her visit to that territory in April 1989. > > The Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Ugo Giache1y with Mrs. Lilian Alai (left) and > Tosi Maliatoa (right) during the National Convention held in Apia, Western > Samoa, in April 1989. > 654 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 1989 > February "Honoured by the presence of our much > UNITED STATES: The Hand of the Cause loved and cherished Amatu'l-Baha RUJ:iiyyih > of God William Sears lent brilliant support to Khanum, ... eight of the nine delegates and > the "Vision to Victory" conferences spon- 131 believers participated, among them Harry > sored by the National Spiritual Assembly. He Yim, the first Chinese believer of Macau; > was among the distinguished speakers who Counsellor Bijan Farid; some early pioneers > addressed the gathering held at Pasadena and guests from other countries. > City College which attracted an audience of "The Convention was preceded by two > approximately 2,000. (From The American highly significant events. One, the presenta- > Bahti 'i, March) tion by Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum of > the Peace Statement to the Governor of > April Macau. The other, a formal dinner.. .honouring > SAMOA: The Hand of the Cause Dr. Ugo Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum and the > Giachery arrived in Western Samoa on inaugural election of the Spiritual Assembly > 16 April to a moving, formal welcome by of Macau, attended by the Chief of the > the Head of State, His Highness Malietoa Cabinet of the Governor of Macau, who was > Tanumafili II. "His Highness walked a long the Governor's representative; officials of the > distance to the plane while a very large Xinhua News Agency ... and other Governcrowd of arriving and departing passengers ment officials and community leaders. The > and their friends watched ... . Accompanying Chief of the Cabinet expressed high regard > His Highness was the acting Prime Minister, for the Faith and support for our ideals and > the Minister of Justice, who also extended a work. > wa1m welcome to Dr. Giachery and placed a "We are confident that the fo1mation of > garland of flowers upon him. the first ... Assembly of the Baha'is of Macau > "Dr. Giachery was immediately ushered has infused a new spirit into the entire > to the royal limousine which was awaiting community and lent greater impetus to the > him. Scores of Balla' is lined the road of exit new challenges and opportunities that face > from the VIP area waving ... as the limousine us at the present time, particularly in the > passed slowly by." The Malietoa expressed field of teaching." (Report received from the > deep gratitude for the honour bestowed on Convention 1 May) > him and the people of Samoa by the visit of UNITED STATES: The Hand of the Cause > Dr. Giachery, and the acting Prime Minister of God William Sears participated in the > referred to the occasion as touching and 80th annual Convention of the National > unforgettable. (From report received through Spiritual Assembly of the United States, > Continental Board of Counsellors 18 April) sharing with his "unfailing spirit" remem- > MACAU: Amatu '1-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khamun brances of the exemplary lives of service of > represented the Universal House of Justice on former member of the Universal House of > the occasion of the formation of the first Justice Mr. H. Borrah Kavelin, and the late > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Macau. Mrs. Edna M. True. (From report received > Three representatives of the "mother" 30 April from the National Assembly) > Assembly of Hong Kong, Steven Townsend, GERMANY: This year's National Conven- > Meena Datwani Tsui, and Choy Choong tion was emiched by the participation of the > Yew also participated, as did a representa- Hand of the Cause 'Ali Akbar Furutan, who > tive of the National Assembly of Australia, spoke one evening about the needs of the > Phillip Hinton; of Japan, Abbas Katirai; and Fund. (From rep01i received 2 May from the > of Malaysia, Lilly Ong. National Spiritual Assembly) > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 655 > CANADA: The atmosphere of the Kong and back to Macau. During this sec- > Canadian National Convention was lifted by ond visit to Macau, Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih > the presence and participation of the Hands Khanum was very active, meeting with the > of the Cause Dr. 'Ali Mul:iammad Varqa, new Spiritual Assembly and with other > William Sears, and John A. Robarts. (From believers . While in Macau she also had the > report received 4 May from the Convention) opportunity to "modestly participate a few > times in the mass teaching activities which > May/June have been so successful in Macau. This suc- > CHINA/MONGOLIA/HONG KoNGIMACAU : cess is largely due to the hard-working task > Following the Convention m Macau, force teams' effo1is." The Hand of the Cause > Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum made an also met twice with the Spiritual Assembly > historic trip to mainland China, where she of Hong Kong to discuss plans for their > was met with great comiesy. In Beijing, teaching work. (From reports from the Hand > Amatu' l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum showed of the Cause of God received 15 June and > slides from her "Green Light Expedition" to 4 July) > 27 prominent Chinese guests. One of these UN ITED STATES: The following are > distinguished persons invited her to his home excerpts from a book review of Run to Glory! > for lunch, and showed sincere friendliness by the Hand of the Cause of God William > towards her. Beginning 15 May, she spent Sears, recently published by Naturegraph: > one week in Ulaan Baatar, capital of the "The newest book from the gifted pen of the > People 's Republic of Mongolia. She had Hand of tl1e Cause... is a heartwam1ing and > been invited to give lectures about her travels hilarious adventure tale filled with drama, > and about world peace to students of English suspense, and excitement. While it is not a > at a university. "Mongolians are a singularly book that makes specific reference to the > fine, very in1pressive, talented and upright, Baha'i Faith, it is filled with the spirit of the > distinguished people'', she said. On 22 May, revelation." The book draws upon some of > Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum travelled to Mr. Sears ' own background and childhood > Shanghai where she stayed for five nights. experiences. "This is a book to be read aloud > There, she dined in the home of the Dean of and enjoyed by the whole family ... ". > the Department of Foreign Languages of a AUSTRALIA: The Hand of the Cause of > prominent university. While in Shanghai she God Collis Featherstone and Mrs. Madge > also attended a concert where one of China's Featherstone attended the first intensive > best-known artists perfo1med. After the teaching institute ever held for Aboriginal > concert the Hand of the Cause met the singer, and Islander people in Ausháalia. There were > whom she was happy to meet again during regularly scheduled talks and activities , with > another part of her journey. From Shanghai, the indigenous friends taking an active part > Amatu'l-Baha Rul;iyyih Khanum visited as a and asking many questions. Altogether > tourist the beautiful lake city of Hangzhou 55 people attended the institute, of whom > for three nights, then spent four nights in 25 were of Aboriginal and Islander descent, > Xi'an. On 3 June she returned to Beijing, and while the remainder included Indians , > on 4 June serious troubles began in that city. Persians, and Maoris, as well as other > However, Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum Australians. "The friends left with the desire > did not experience any difficulties. On 6 June for more such gatherings." (From report > the Hand of the Cause flew to Dalian, where from the National Spiritual Assembly) > she again showed the slides of her "Green > Light Expedition" and met with a number of July > prominent people of the area. She stayed in WORLD CENTRE: Deeply grieved loss val- > Dalian until 14 June, then flew to Hong iant, indefatigable, dearly loved distinguished > 656 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > Hand Cause Dr. Ugo Giachery. His passing recognition his unique position, splendid serin course historic visit Samoa adds fresh vices. (Message from the Universal House of > laurels to crown already won during Justice to all National Assemblies 7 July) > ministry beloved Guardian, and reinforces WESTERN SAMOA: The Hand of the > spiritual distinction vast Pacific region, Cause of God Dr. Ugo Giachery was laid to > already blessed by inte1ment four other rest at noon on Wednesday 5 July in Tiapap- > Hands. His magnificent accomplishments as ata, Apia, Western Samoa, at a beautiful > Member at Large of International Baha'i spot overlooking the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and > Council in connection raising superstructure the blue Pacific Ocean. His interment > Shrine of the Bab, which prompted Guardian followed a deeply moving service at the > to name one of the doors of that noble edifice Ancillary Building near the House of > after him, his painstaking efforts in promoting Worship . The Head of State of Samoa, His > on the local, national and international levels, Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, attended > paramount interests of the Faith, his notable the funeral services, as did the Prime Minisachievement in establishment Italo-Swiss ter, four Ministers of Cabinet, and many > National Spiritual Assembly on eve launch- other non-Baha'i dignitaries. Also present > ing Ten Year Crusade, his outstanding were four Counsellors, five Auxiliary Board > qualities of zeal, fidelity, dete1mination and members, representatives of six national > perseverance, which characterized imperish- communities of the Pacific, and more than > able record his arduous labours-all combine 200 believers from many parts of Samoa. > to richly adorn annals Faith over periods his The Samoan Baha'i community exerted > superb, assiduous exertions , and undoubtedly every effort to ensure that the beauty, digassure him bountiful reward in Kingdom on nity and high quality of the service were > High. Advise all National Spiritual Assem- befitting of the exalted rank of the dearly > blies hold befitting memorials gatherings his loved Hand of the Cause of God. Counsellor > name, particularly in Mashriqu'l-Adhkars in Suhayl Ala'i, in an eloquent and loving > > Th e Hand of the Cause H. Collis Featherstone and Mrs. Madge Featherstone > with friends at the Aboriginal Baha 'i Institute in Forsayth, Australia. June 1989. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 657 > eulogy, spoke of Dr. Giachery's unique believers. During the conference a banquet > relationship with the growth of the Faith in was offered to local notables, which was > Samoa. Prayers were read in Italian, Persian, attended by the Vice-Governor, the Mayor, > English, Maori, Tongan, Fijian, and Samoan, and others. On another occasion the Goverand the Temple choir provided inspiring nor visited RuJ:iiyyih Khanum, welcoming > music. (From report received July from the her wa1mly and praising the Baha'is . The > National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa) visit to a Baha' i conference in Cagayan de > UNITED STATES: The Hand of the Cause Oro, Mindanao, was equally successful. > of God William Sears and Mrs. Marguerite Both the Governor of the State and the > Sears have recorded a story about the pets Mayor of the City received the Hand of the > in their lives, along with many humorous Cause very kindly, and a large press conferaccounts of their experiences serving the ence was held with 27 journalists and > Faith. Read by Mr. and Mrs. Sears, this set publishers attending. This meeting lasted > of four cassette tapes is a "tribute to all of tluáee hours and included an exceptionally > the four-legged, feathered, and finned friendly discussion of the Faith. RuJ:iiyyih > friends of the Baha' i world-those 'servants Khanum visited Kisolon village 111 > of the servants ' who have brought love, Mindanao, whose Baha'i Vice-Mayor > warn1th, and enthusiasm into the lives of received her officially in the Municipal > pioneers and Baha 'is eve1y where." The set Offices. This reception was followed by a > of four tapes, called "Tokoloshe! '', is being meeting, entertainment and lunch in the > distributed by the Hawaiian Baha'i National small, beautiful local Baha'i Centre in > Library. (From Saha 'i International News Kisolon. Following these three days in > Service, No. 204, 31 July 1989) Mindanao, Rul:iiyyih Khanum visited Cebu > PHILIPPIN ES: Hand of the Cause Amatu'l- City for three days, where the third Baha'i > Baha Ru l:iiyyih Khanum made a 33-day visit conference was held. In Cebu City she was > to the Philippines as part of her extended trip cordially received by the Governor of the > to the Far East. The tour, which began on State, as well as by the young Mayor of > 8 July, was organized by the National Cebu City who accepted the courtesy call in > Spiritual Assembly, in consultation with spite of his obvious preoccupation and > Counsellor Vicente Samaniego. The itiner- exhaustion. The Baha'is felt sony for the > ary "reached saturation point in exploiting Mayor and prayed for him during their > every single possibility, whether media, conference. The Hand of the Cause inadve1tmeetings with highest officials, lectures at ently mentioned this in her press conference > universities, or the five Baha' i Regional and it was reported in the newspapers, along > Conferences". Of these five conferences, with other favourable articles on the Faith. > attended by over 1,000 believers from The fourth Baha'i conference was held in > almost 100 localities, the first, in San Jose, Baguio, in the mountains of the Philippines . > Mindoro, was the most dramatic. There, In spite of the monsoon season, and a hmripolice and military personnel on motorcy- cane that had preceded her anival, the visit > cles escorted the Hand of the Cause from the by Ru!Jiyyih Khanum to this area was happy > airpmt, where she had been met by about and eventful. Again she met the Governor, > 100 Baha'is , directly to the office of the the Mayor, the Vice-Mayor, and other offi- > Mayor of San Jose. RuJ:iiyyih Khanum was cials. A small but friendly press conference > introduced to the Mayor who along with the produced good publicity for the Faith ... . > Vice-Mayor, and a crowd of believers and As Manila is the pivotal airport city in the > bystanders received her most cordially. Philippines, Rul_iiyyih Khanum spent about > Some hill tribesmen attended the Regional two weeks in the capital. On 9 July, the day > Conference in Mindoro, as did many local after her anival in the country, she was one > 658 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Visit by the Hand of the Cause of God H. Collis Feath erstone and his wife to > Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in August 1989. > > of the key speakers at the Philippine World the Featherstones paid a courtesy call on > Peace Congress . Her talk on "Peace and Chow Pramoolpol, President of the Private > Ecology" was well received. In both Manila School Teachers' Association of Thailand > and Baguio, the Hand of the Cause gave a and member of the International Task Force > number of talks at various promine.nt on Literacy. This visit initiated efforts by > women's societies and many universities. Baha'is to co-operate with other non-govern- > Although her subject was usually "Peace'', mental organizations in Thailand to fulfil > inevitably it was possible to give highlights goals set for the United Nations' Internaof the Baha ' i Faith and its teachings. In tional Year of Literacy. Mr. Featherstone > Manila, a very important meeting was held also addressed the Baha'i friends who had > with the Chief Justice of the Philippines, gathered for a special meeting at the Baha ' i > Marcello Fernan, who received Rul~iyyih Centre. "We are very grateful and long to > Khanum in his chambers. Another important welcome them once again." (From report > visit was with the Speaker of the Senate, received 17 August from the Spiritual > Jovito Salonga, who received the Hand of Assembly of Thailand) > the Cause in his office in the Senate building. VIETNAM: On 17 August, the Hand of the > (From reports received 16 and 21 August from Cause of God H. Collis Featherstone and > the Hand of the Cause and received 14 August Mrs. Featherstone flew to Ho Chi Minh City > from the Spiritual Assembly of Macau) for a historic series of meetings with the > Baha'is there. No Baha'is from the West > August have been able to visit Vietnam for many > THAILAND: The Hand of the Cause of God years , and the friends of that country were > H. Collis Featherstone, and Mrs. Madge filled with joy by the contact. About > Featherstone, visited the Baha'i community 50 Baha'is from Ho Chi Minh City and other > of Thai land 15- 16 August. With Thailand's provinces gathered enthusiastically each day > Spiritual Assembly member Siriporn Pillay, to hear the inspiring talks by the Hand of the > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA ' U'LLAH 659 > > Cause. Mr. Featherstone shared news of dedication to the Cause of the Blessed > progress of the Faith around the world, and Beauty, and especially to his beloved Shoghi > presented the Baha'is of Vietnam with Effendi. (From report received 18 Septemcopies of letters from United Nations' ber from the National Spiritual Assembly) > offices officially addressed to the Baha'i TAIWAN: The Hand of the Cause of God > International Community. He showed them Amatu ' l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum made a > photographs of the plans for the Arc on five-week-long tour of Taiwan, after her > Mount Ca1mel, and extended to them the love arrival there on 9 August from the > of the Universal House of Justice. Some of Philippines. During her stay she travelled > the Baha'is in Vietnam are school teachers, about 2,000 kilometres, driving around the > and Mr. Featherstone talked with them about entire island to visit key centres of intensive > the help they could give with plans for the Baha' i teaching activity. The Hand of the > United Nations International Year of Liter- Cause spent an average of three nights in > acy in 1990. The Hand of the Cause also each of six cities on Taiwan: Taichung, > read parts of the Baha' i pamphlet entitled Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taitung, Chiai, and > "Disarmament and Peace", and spoke about Hualien. Meetings were also held in Tsaotun > the Lesser Peace to come in the future . The and Keelung; and in local Baha' i Cenháes in > Baha' is of Vietnam were deeply grateful for these cities she met many new Baha ' is , > the guidance and encouragement given them some of whom had only been Baha ' is for a > by the Hand of the Cause. The Featherstones few weeks, or a few days, or even a few > stayed in Ho Chi Mihn City for one week, hours! In each of the six cities she visited, > leaving on 25 August. (From report received as well as in the capital city of Taipei , > 5 September from the Hand of the Cause) Rul)iyyih Khanum was cordially received > UNITED KINGDOM: The Hand of the by the Mayors in their offices. She also > Cause of God 'Ali-Akbar Funitan visited the called upon a number of high Government > Baha'i community of the United Kingdom officials, each of whom she presented with a > during the month of August. He spoke first beautiful Chinese-English edition of the > at the "Peace Moves ' 89" youth conference, Hidden Words and a Chinese edition of the > held in Sheffield from 4- 8 August, then met Peace Statement. Of her meetings, perhaps > with Baha ' is across the country. Mr. Funitan the most important were the interviews the > talked with hundreds of the friends during Hand of the Cause had with the Minister of > separate meetings in London, Liverpool, and the Interior for Taiwan, and with the Secretary- > Edinburgh. He addressed two vital subjects: General of the National House of Representa- > I:Iuququ'llah, and the privilege and obliga- tives . Rul:iiyyih Khanum also held six press > tion of every Baha ' i to teach the Faith. "TI1is conferences during her stay, which resulted > he did with so much love, encouragement, in fa vourable publicity for the Faith. Upon > and his unique brand of humour.... His words her arrival in Taipei, a special meeting was > penetrated our hearts and moved us to begin held for the Hand of the Cause with about > the process of personal transfo1mation in 400 Baha'is, including 35 háavelling teachers > order that we may fulfil the vision of the from abroad who were very enthusiastic > Universal House of Justice of us as the spiri- about their teaching experiences in Taiwan. > tual conquerors of this blessed continent." At the end of her visit a similar meeting took > Mr. Funitan also attended the national memo- place, as well as a gathering attended by > rial service for the late Hand of the Cause, most of Taiwan 's pioneers. Taiwan has a > Dr. Ugo Giachery, held in Manchester on large native háibal population on the east > 20 August. He shared some of his personal coast of the count1y near Taitung. Baha' i > memories of Dr. Giachery, illustrating pioneers live in the village of the Beinan > Dr. Giache1y 's spirit of devotion and total háibe, and Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum > 660 TH E BAHA'f WORLD > spoke with these people in their community Green Lake Baha'i Conference, held in > hall. She told them of the great importance Green Lake, Wisconsin, from 15-17 Septhe Baha ' i Faith places on the preservation tember 1989. On a stage set to look like a > of cultural identity for minority peoples, and living room to which all had been invited, > of how a list of all tribes represented in Mr. Sears shared stories about teaching and > the Faith is carefully kept at the Baha'i about early believers. The theme of the > World Centre. On another occasion, Rul~iyyih conference was "Coming of Age: Rights of > Khanum met three deaf Baha'is during an Passage". On the final day of the gathering, > outdoor meeting. She invited them, with an Mr. Sears gave an address citing the prominterpreter in sign language, to come to the ises of victory given by the Central Figures > hotel in which she was staying and they all of the Baha'i Faith. (From Bahri 'i fnternaspent a happy evening together. In Tainan, tional News Service, 30 September) > the Hand of the Cause visited and prayed at > the graves of Mr. and Mrs . Suleimani, long- October > standing and devoted pioneers to Taiwan. CH INA : On 16 October, the Hand of the > Each evening, meetings were held in their Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih > home which is now a Baha'i Centre. Toward Kllanum ended a 17-day visit to China-her > the end of her visit, Rul:llyyih Khanum fourth journey to this country. During this > attended the two-day Baha' i Summer School tour, she travelled with Native American > in Taiwan. Counsellor Bijan Farid was Baha 'i Kevin Locke and his daughter who > present, as were about 140 participants of were in China to present a series of perforwhom about 53 were new Baha'is. In all, mances of traditional Native American hoop > Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanurn met about dances. Ru l~iyyih Khanum flew first to > 1,700 Baha'is during her tour of Taiwan, Chongqing, where the Lockes were schedwith almost 100 new believers being en- uled to dance for five consecutive nights. > rolled on the joyous occasions of her meetings. The Hand of the Cause was received by the > (From reports rece ived 21 and 29 September Vice-Mayor, who welcomed her to the city > from the Hand of the Cause) on behalf of its 14,000,000 inhabitants. > From Chongqing, Ru~iyy ih Khanum > September travelled to Chengdu, then flew to Guiyang, > HONG KONG : Following her visit to in Guizhou Province, where she spent seven > Taiwan, Amatu ' l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum nights. Upon her arrival at the airport for > went to Hong Kong, where she spent two Guiyang, situated 30 kilometres from the > weeks . During her visit there she met with city, she was met by two officials of the > the Spiritual Assembly of Hong Kong and city's Cultural Bureau. Guizhou Province is > was the guest of honour at a large and happy largely a tribal area, and the Hand of the > meeting with the local believers . She visited Cause was taken by officials of the Cultural > a number of centres in the New Territories, Bureau to visit an ethnic museum, a batik > meeting Local Assembly members and many factory, a dance studio, and an art institute. > new believers. In Hong Kong, She had two She was also taken on an all-day excursion > radio interviews, and shared the platform to a town where Buyi and Miao tribal people > with the Head of the Office of the United live. The Lockes perfo1med their hoop > Nations High Commissioner for Refugees dances for the tribal people, who, in turn, > during a celebration of International Day performed their traditional dances for the > of Peace. (From reports received 21 and visitors. A highlight of R1i~iyyi h Khanum ' s > 29 September from the Hand of the Cause) visit to Guiyang was a gathering of about > UN ITED STATES: The Hand of the Cause 25 prominent people who went to meet her > William Sears was the special guest at the at her hotel. Among those present were the > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA°U 'LLA l-I 661 > Chief of the Art Section of Guiyang's Cul- of the Union of Philosophy and Social > tural Bureau; the Manager of the Society of Science of Guizhou Province; the Director > Calligraphers and Chinese Traditional Paint- of Guizhou ' s Cultural Bureau and Chairman > ers of Guizhou; the Chief of the Academy of of the Board for Arts Planning in Guizhou; > Traditional Chinese Paintings and Research and a member of the Council of the Chinese > of Old Calligraphy; the Deputy Director of Traditional Opera Society. The meeting was > the Society of Education, Department of the ve1y cordial. On leaving China, the Hand of > Guizhou Provincial Museum; a member of the Cause returned to Macau before continuthe Council of the Artists' Association of ing on to Hong Kong on her return journey > China ; the Director of the Guiyang Foreign to the Holy Land. (From repo1t received > Affairs Office; the Executive Vice-Chairman 22 October from the Hand of the Cause) > > 1990 > January the road as they came toward her car. Soon > NEW ZEALAND: The Hand of the Cause she and her company were engulfed by the > H . Collis Featherstone and Mrs. Madge friends. Singing, dancing and embracing > Featherstone attended the Pacific Baha'i her, they had gathered from many distant > You th Conference in Auckland. Addressing communities on the third day of a special > the Conference, Mr. Featherstone sháessed "campaign" to welcome Rt'.11:Jiyyih Khanum, > the importance of teaching. Twenty-three named by them, "Chi-I-Shi" (the Morning > youth arose to volunteer a year of service to Star). In the mornings, the Hand of the > the Faith and more than 60 offered to háavel Cause joined the Toba friends under the > and teach. (From report dated 4 January shade of the trees to study the prayers from a > from the Hand of the Cause) newly published translation into the Toba > TONGA/FIJI: After the Pacific Baha ' i language of the "Words of God", which they > Youth Conference in New Zealand, Mr. and learned by heart. At these meetings with > Mrs. Featherstone flew to Tonga and Fiji Baha'is and their friends, eight souls > where they both addressed the believers, tell- embraced the Cause of Baha'u ' llah. In the > ing them of the greatness of Baha'u ' llah 's evening the meetings were large gatherings > Revelation and the importance of this of 150- 200 people and lasted well beyond > present time . They told of the urgency of the midnight. Amatu'l-B aha spoke to them on > teaching work and shared with the friends many subj ects , including their place in the > the exciting news of the large-scale emol- Faith, future civilization, women, children > ment now taking place in a number of and youth, Baha'i Centres, and sociolocations around the world. (From report economic development. An exchange of > dated 4 January from the Hand of the Cause) gifts expressed the love to and from the > Toba people. Praying, singing and tribal > Febr uary dancing linked together the hearts of the > ARGENTINA: As a prelude to her partici- Toba Baha ' is, their friends and Amatu ' lpation in the conference commemorating Baha Rul~i yyih Khanum. (From report > the 50th anniversary of the passing of her through the International Teaching Cenháe > martyr-mother, May Bolles Maxwell, received 27 February) > Amatu ' l-Baha Rul_iiyyih Khanum visited the WORLD CENTRE: DEEPLY GRIEVED > Toba communities in Chaco, Argentina, ANNOUNCE PASSING STAUNCH TIRELESS PRO- > from 17- 20 February. Upon her arrival in MOTER FAITH HAND CAUSE GOD JALAL KHAZEH. > Camp Medina, Toba Indian Baha' is choked HIS STRENUOUS ENDEAVOU RS CRA DLE FAITH > 662 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Amatu 'l-Bahil Ruhiyyih Khanum meeting Argentina's President, Dr. Carlos > Menem, during the 'Uniting the Americas' conference. 26 February 1990. > HOLY LAND LATIN AMERICA AND WORLDWfDE Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly > TRAVELS AFTER PASSING BELOVED GUARDIAN of Canada, offered remarks at the service, > SET SHINING EXAMPLE OF UNSHAKEABLE which was attended by approximately 200 to > DEDICATION AND COURAGE, OF UNDEVIATING 250 people. Following the grave-side > LOY AL TY AND PERSEVERANCE. IMPERISHABLE service many friends remained to greet > RECORD HIS STERLING SERVICES AS GIFTED Mr. K.Mzeh's daughter, Nura, and other > TEACHER DEFENDER CAUSE NEVER TO BE members of the family. On the same evening > FORGOTI'EN. HIS NOBLE SPIRIT NOW ABHA at 8:00 P.M. a memorial service for > KINDGOM WILL UNDOUBTEDLY INTERCEDE Mr. Khazeh was held in a large auditorium > BEHALF PERSIAN BAHA'I COMMUN ITY WHOSE at the Ontario Science Centre attended by > VITAL INTERESTS HE SERVED WITH SUCH HIGH some 500 people. Music, both performed > DISTINCTION OVER SEVERAL DECADES. FER- and recorded, was played throughout the > VENTLY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES FOR PROGRESS memorial service. Also heard were taped > HIS ILLUMINED SOUL IN REALMS ON HIGH. excerpts from two speeches given by the > ADVISE FRJ.ENDS EVERYWHERE HOLD BEFITTING Hand of the Cause which accompanied a > MEMORJAL GATHERINGS HIS HONOUR PARTICU- series of slides showing Mr. Khazeh at > LARLY ALL HOUSES OF WORSH IP. (Cable from different times during his later life. (From > the Universal House of Justice to all National report received 11 March from the National > Spiritual Assemblies 25 February 1990) Spiritual Assembly) > CANADA: The Hand of the Cause of God > Jalal Khazeh passed away in Toronto, March > Ontario, on 21 February. His funeral and AUSTRIA: The Hand of the Cause of God > subsequent interment were held at 1:00 P.M. 'Ali-Akbar Furutan travelled to Austria from > on 27 February in Toronto. Prayers were 7-16 March to attend a joint meeting of > recited in both French and English and the National Spiritual Assembly and its > chanted in Persian. Dr. Hossain Danesh, Teaching Committees for Eastern Europe. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 663 > Detailed consultation was held on teaching, Russia.'" Mr. Fm-Utan and his group visited > and everyone was very enthusiastic. Eleven Ashqabad, Tashkent, Dushanbe, Samarkand, > youth who had recently accepted the Faith Mary, Moscow, Leningrad, and Murmansk. > in Eastern Europe made a special trip to A total of 15 days were spent in Ashqabad, > Vienna to be with Mr. Funitan. The Hand of where 25 meetings were held with the > the Cause of God met with them twice, and a friends, including three especially for youth. > young lady who had accompanied them The Minister of Religious Affairs attended > from Hungary accepted the Faith. On one meeting. Mr. Furutan also visited the > 10 March, Mr. Funitan spoke to 250 friends site of the Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar several times, > gathered from all over Austria about the and said prayers at the resting place of the > importance of teaching, especially at this first martyrs of Ashqabad, Nabil-i-Akbar, > crucial time. (From report received 30 April Aqa Shaykh MulJanunad-' Ali, Jinab-ifrom the Hand of the Cause) Gulpaygani and others. In Tashkent, the > Hand of the Cause visited two elderly Baha'i > March/April women and their non-Baha'i families. > SOVIET UNION: On 16 March the Hand Family members accepted literature about > of the Cause 'Ali-Akbar Funitan left Austria the Faith from him, promising to study it. In > to visit the Baha'is in the Soviet Union. Dushanbe from 27- 30 March, Mr. Furutan > Before his departure, Mr. Funitan said, "My met with about 25 Baha 'is and gave a lecture > heartfelt wish for many years has been that in Persian on psychology at the University > once again my eyes might behold the vast of Dushanbe. About 400 people heard > rich land of Russia, especially because in him explain the principles of the Faith. On > 1930 I received a letter from the beloved 30 March the Hand of the Cause went to > Guardian which he penned himself, stating Samarkand, where he remained until the > the following: 'It is my hope that you will, in first day of April. The friends in this historic > the future, be able to render great services in city, who are mostly from very old Baha'i > > Th e Hand of th e Caus e Mr. 'Ali-Akbar Funitan is shown in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, > Soviet Union, visiting with members of the Mamedoff amily in March 1990. > 664 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > families, are very spiritual and dedicated 25th, ten teachers were invited to hear about > to Baha'u' llah. There are about 25 of them. the Baha' i teachings on education. In > Two youth from Baku went to visit Murmansk on the 26th, an announcement on > Mr. Funitan. He was able to spend a long television news welcomed "a great personaltime with them and explain the teachings in ity of the Baha' i Faith, 'Ali-Akbar Furutan", > detail. In Moscow on 19 April, Mr. Funitan and suggested the viewers watch for an > was interviewed by an official of Soviet interview at a later date. The next day, > Television for a half-hour programme about Murmansk television and Radio sent reportthe Baha' i Faith. Also in Moscow, the ers to interview the Hand of the Cause, and > directors of the Progress Publishing House all discussion was about the Faith. > offered to translate and publish Mr. Furutan's Mr. Furutan was invited to address the > book Moth ers, Fathers and Children into Murmansk Institute of Pedagogy, the school > Russian and Asiatic languages. Mr. Furutan of Marxist-Leninist studies on 28 April. > wanted to visit Moscow University, where Faculty members and trainee teachers were > he had studied in his youth . The student who enabled to hear about Baha'i education for > acted as his host and guide liked him so more than one and a half hours. On the > much he suggested that he attend a seminar Ninth Day of Ric;lvan, he attended a happy > to be held at the Institute of Psychology and gathering held in Moscow which included a > Pedagogy. Mr. Funitan was prepared to see performance by a prize-winning cellist. > about 30 people but found over 300 students Mr. Funitan and his patty arrived in Vienna > gathered. He addressed the group on the on 30 April, and on 1 May about 200 friends > relationship of psychology to religion from a from all over Austria met for a happy > scientific point of view. In addition he was reunion with him before his return to the > able to speak for some 20 minutes directly Holy Land. (From reports received > on the Faith. A woman in the audience 30 April and 7 May from the Hand of the > whose particular interest was the connection Cause) > of science and religion asked to interview > him later in order to write an article for a May > journal. The highlight of his visit was the CANADA / UNITED STATES / AUSTRALIA: > election of the Local Spiritual Assembly of The Hands of the Cause of God Dr. 'Ali- > Moscow in the presence of 30 friends. The Mu~ammad Varqa, William Sears and H. > following message was telephoned to the Collis Featherstone attended the National > National Spiritual Assembly of Germany on Conventions of Canada, the United States > 24 April and relayed to the Universal House and Australia, respectively. > of Justice by electronic mail: "After > 60 years, the Local Spiritual Assembly of August/September > Moscow has been reformed in the presence SPAIN: The Hand of the Cause of God > of the Hand of the Cause of God ' Ali-Akbar Amatu' l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum left the > FurUtan .. ..the Local Spiritual Assembly was Holy Land at the end of August for a trip > honoured to meet with the Hand of the which included attendance at two confer- > Cause and Counsellor Polin Rafat. Heavy ences. The first was a women' s conference > agenda and great responsibilities await us. held in Madrid, Spain, from 30 August to > Yours in His service, the Local Spiritual 3 September. Counsellor Agnes Ghaznavi > Assembly of the Baha ' is of Moscow." On attended as did over 400 Baha' is from > 24 April in Leningrad, Mr. Funitan spoke to 20 countries. By the end of the conference, > 36 members of the Society for the Advance- five people had declared their belief in > ment of Peace. The audience seemed most Baha' u' llah. The second conference took > interested and asked many questions . On the place from 7- 9 September in Bastia, > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA' U'L LAH 665 > > Corsica, and welcomed about 500 attendants Saturday morning, 29 September 1990, in > from 15 countries. Counsellors Agnes Ghaznavi Kathmandu, Nepal. At the time of his passand Louis Henuzet were present. In Bastia ing, Mr. Featherstone was on an extensive > the large and handsome Municipal Theatre trip he had undertaken on behalf of the > was placed at the disposal of the Baha' is. Faith. He had left his home in Australia > During the three evenings of the conference, on 14 September, accompanied by his wife, > cultural entertainment was well attended by Mrs. Madge Featherstone. They were to > many visitors. During the conference three attend a youth conference in Lahore, > people embraced the Faith. Publicity for the Pakistan, spending a few days in New Delhi, > Faith was unprecedented in both countries. Rawalpindi and Karachi en route. Their plan > In Spain, Amatu' l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum had been to visit Baha'i communities in > was received by the Deputy Governor of the Bangladesh and Malaysia on their way back > Province of Madrid, Signore Vincente Tudor, to Australia, where they were due to arrive > for a most cordial interview. In Corsica, the in mid-November. Mr. Featherstone was > Mayor of Bastia, who is also the Corsican buried in a peaceful spot overlooking rice > member of the French Parliament, gave a fields and surrounded by mountains in > reception at the municipality for the Baha'i northeast Kathmandu. Mrs. Featherstone, > delegation to the conference. (From reports their son, three daughters and two sons-inreceived 10 September from the National Wo- law were able to attend the funeral, as were > men's Committee of Spain and an individual) representatives of the National Spiritual > Assemblies of Australia, India, Nepal, and > September Thailand, and more than 50 Nepalese Baha'is. > WORLD CENTRE: DEEPLY GRIEVED AN- For the first time media- both English and > NOUNCE PASSING VALIANT HAND CAUSE GOD Nepalese newspapers- published a1ticles on > COLLIS FEATHERSTONE WH ILE VISITING KATH- the Faith in relation to the passing and > MAN DU, NEPAL COURSE EXTENSIVE JOURNEY funeral of the Hand of the Cause of God. > AS IA. HIS NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS (From Baha 'i International New Service, > STAUNCH, FEARLESS DEFENDER COVENANT, No. 232, 31 September 1990) > HIS UNCEASING COM MITMENT PROPAGATION ASIA: During the last week of September, > CAUSE ALL PARTS WORLD, ESPECIALLY PACIFIC the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu 'l-Baha > REG ION, HI S UNREM ITTING PERSEVERANCE RuJ:iiyyih Khanum visited Sakhalin Island in > FOSTERING ESTABLISHMENT LOCAL, NATIONAL the Soviet Union as part of an extensive > INSTITUTIO S ADMINISTRA T!VE ORDER, HIS journey through Asia. During the first week > EXEMPLARY DEVOTION TO WRITINGS FAITH, of October she visited Tibet. From Tibet, > HIS OUTSTANDING PERSONAL QUALITIES UN- Amatu 'l-Baha travelled to Beijing, China, > SWERV ING LOY AL TY, ENTHUSIASM, ZEAL AND then went on to Dalian, in the northeastern > DEDICATION, DISTINGU ISH HIS MAN IFOLD SER- region, to visit the Baha'is there. Next she > VICES THROUGHOUT MANY DECADES. OFFERING went to Tianjin and gave a lecture at Nankai > PRAYERS HOLY SHR INES BOUNTIFUL REWARD University, where both Martha Root and > HIS RAD IANT SOUL ABHA KING DOM. ADVISE Agnes Alexander had spoken. After these > FRIENDS EVERYWH ERE HOLD BEFITTING MEMO- visits, RuJ:iiyyih Khanum spent four days in > RIAL GATl-IERINGS, PARTICULARLY IN MASHRJQU'L- Hainan, the southernmost province of China. > ADH KAR, RECOGN ITION HIS MAGNIFICENT She went to both ends of Hainan Island and, > ACH IEVEMENTS. (Message from the Universal as the Governor himself was away at the > House of Justice to all National Spiritual time, she established cordial relations with > Assemblies) the Deputy Governor, who gave a dinner in > N EPAL: The Hand of the Cause of God her honour. Travelling n01th again, she spent > H. Collis Featherstone passed away on three days in Guangzhou (Canton) where > 666 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > she held continuous meetings for two nights buildings of the Arc will play in the process > with the believers who, she found, are of the maturation of institutions, the intene- > "famly rooted in the Faith and eager and latedness of the various agencies at the > devoted". Leaving mainland China, Amatu'l- Baha'i World Centre, and the urgency of > Baha held meetings with the Spiritual increasing the number of adherents of the > Assemblies of both Macau and Hong Kong, Faith. Counsellor Fred Schechter travelled to > as well as with various local Baha'i comnm- several of the conununities to help welcome > nities. She had radio and press interviews, and introduce the Hand of the Cause of God. > and attended a large banquet in Hong Kong (From report received 17 December from the > which was held to celebrate the Birthday of National Spiritual Assembly) > Baha' u'llah on 12 November. (From report On 22 November, Dr. Varqa went from > received 14 November from the Hand of the southern California to Tucson, Arizona, > Cause) where he joined the Hand of the Cause of > God William Sears at the third annual Desert > November Rose Baha'i School. The School was > UN ITED STATES: The Hand of the Cause sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assembly > of God Dr. 'Ali-Mul~ammad Varqa visited of North Pima County, and was attended by > several Baha'i communities in southern 738 Baha'is from 20 states, as well as from > California in November at the invitation of Canada, England, Guatemala, Jamaica, and > the National Spiritual Assembly. In his talks Mexico. The School this year was dedicated > Dr. Varqa explained the significance of the to the Hand of the Cause of God H. Collis > times and the importance of achieving the Featherstone, and the devotional opening > goals of the Six Year Plan. Dr. Varqa also was dedicated to Counsellor Hidayatu ' llah > spoke to Baha'is in Los Angeles, San Diego, Al~adiyyih. Each of the Hands in atten- > Irvine, and Oceanside about the role the dance addressed the friends on several > > Th e Hands of the Cause of God Dr. 'Ali-Muhammad Varqci and William Sears > surrounded by many of the children and youth who attended the Desert Rose > Baha 'i School held in Tucson, Arizona, in November 1990. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 667 > occasions, and two public meetings were report received 13 December from the > held in conjunction with the School. (From Desert Rose Baha' i School) > > 1991 > April gave to the Convention in the Russian > ROMANIA: Amatu'l-Baha RW:liyyih Khanum language, he related some of his early experepresented the Universal House of Justice riences in Moscow; spoke about the spiritual > at the Convention in Romania .. .. Arrange- importance of the election of a National > ments for a 40-minute-long national television Spiritual Assembly for the largest country of > programme covering the Convention activi- the world; reflected the high expectations of > ties included an interview with the Hand of the beloved Guardian concernmg the > the Cause. A dynamic press conference was progress of the Faith in the Soviet Union; > held with 24 journalists and media represen- and prepared the delegates for their heavy > tatives. There were also interviews with responsibility. "Mr. Furutan also read, in > two impmiant journalists. Accompanied by Russian, the message from the Universal > Mr. Soluáab Youssefian and Mrs. Violette House of Justice to the Baha'is of the USSR > Na!sbjavani, Amatu'l-Baha was received by for Ri<;lvan 1991. "On the eve of the Ninth > both the Minister for Religious Affairs and Day of Ri<;lvan ... Mr. Furutan gave a special > Director General, responsible for Baha'i affairs address, followed by a banquet given by > who was very cordial. Rlil)iyyih Khanum the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany > was also received by the Mayor of Bucharest to which close friends of the Faith and > and had a pleasant and informative interview journalists were invited. (Excerpts from a > with him. A sumptuous banquet offered by report by the National Spiritual Assembly of > the Baha'is was attended by about 60 peo- Germany) > ple, including the Ambassador to Romania CZECHOSLOVAKJA: "In one chorus of > from Venezuela, and many government offi- universal jubilation the 110 participants > cials, prominent professors, intellectuals, and drawn from 13 countries and from the length > writers . It was a great success. Following and breadth of Czechoslovakia, gathered in > the Convention, Amatu ' l-Baha Rlil)iyyih Prague ... for the frrst annual National Con- > Khan um visited the grave of Queen Marie of vention of the Baha' is of Czechoslovakia, > Romania with the Counsellor and National extend to you on this auspicious occasion > Spiritual Assembly members. (From repori their profound love and deepest appreciation > received 2 May from the Hand of the Cause for your unfailing guidance. > of God) "Blessed beyond measure by the inestima- > SOVIET UNION: "The Convention was ble presence of 'our beloved, precious Hand > greatly blessed and emiched by the presence of the Cause of God, Dr. ' Ali-Mul)ammad > of the Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali-Akbar Varqi..we have witnessed, here in the soul > Furutan as the official representative of the of Central Europe, with overwhelming feel- > Universal House of Justice who, more than ings of joy and thanksgiving to the Blessed > 60 years after his exile from Moscow, wit- Beauty for the continued outpourings of His > nessed with his own eyes the historic abundant grace, the birih of the child of this > election and formation of the fust 'Spiritual Convention- the first National Spiritual > Assembly of the Baha' is of the Soviet Assembly of Czechoslovakia." (From repmi > Union ' . "In the three major addresses he received 30 April from the participants) > 668 TH E BAHA ' i WOR LD > > / I /'"J I ,,,, > > Th e Hand of the Cause of God William Sears meeting with the ji-iends in > Worcester, Massachusetts, in October 1991 , to encourage them to fill their > goals for the Six Year Plan. Mr. Manny Reimer is seated left. > June CANA DA : The Hand of the Cause of God > WORLD CENTRE : WITH SADDENED HEARTS John Robarts passed away on Tuesday > ANNOUNCE PASSING MUCH-LOVED STAUNCH afternoon, 18 Jw1e 1991, in Quebec, Canada. > PROMOTER FAITH, KN IGHT OF BAI-li\'U'LLAl-1, Mr. Robarts was buried oi1 22 June in > HAND CAUSE JOHN ROBAR TS. HIS DISTINGUI SHED Rawdon-a small French Canadian town > ADMIN ISTRATIVE TEAC HING, PIONEERING n01ih ofMonuáea l. Between 250 and 300 p eo- > ACTIV ITIES IN HIS NATIVE CANADA, IN AFRICA ple were pre sent at the grave-side" as well as > AN D EUROPE, DURING MIN ISTRY BELOVED at the g athering l ater in a local hall. (From > GUARD IAN AND SUBSEQUENTLY ON WORLD Baha'i International News Service, No. 250, > SCALE THROUGH HIS INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS 30 June 1991) > WERE SOURCE ABUNDANT INSPIRATION COUNT- > LESS FRIENDS MANY LANDS. HIS RELIANCE AND November > EMPHASIS ON PRAYER IN ALL EFFORTS PROMO- UNITED STATES: In mid-November, the > TION CAUSE AND HIS SUSTAINED SERVI CES PATH Hand of the Cause of God William Sears > LOVE FOR BLESSED BEAUTY WERE CHARACTER- concluded a historic tour of five areas > IZED BY SPIRIT CERTITUDE, SELF-EFFACEMENT chosen b y the National Spiritual Assembly > AND VIGOUR WHICH SET A STANDARD OF as among the most prominent cenuáes of > STEWARDSHIP THAT HAS ENRI CHED ANNALS teaching activity in the counh-y: Boca Raton, > FAITH. HE HAS ASSUREDLY EARNED BOUNTIFUL Florida; Worcester, Massachusetts; Tolle- > REWARD ABHA KINGDOM. PRAY ING HOLY son , Arizona; San Francisco, California; and > SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL. ADV ISE Portland, Oregon . The unifying theme of his > HOLD BEF ITTING MEMORIA L GATHERING S IN HIS tour was the spiritual as sistance available to > HONOUR THROUG HOUT WORLD INCLUDING ALL all those who arise to teach the Cause of > HOUSES WORSHIP. (Message from the House God. Surveying the century-and-a-half of > of Justice to all National Assemblies 19 Jw1e) almost uninterrupted divine guidance enjoyed > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAI-IA'U'LLAH 669 > by the Faith since its inception, Mr. Sears the Exhibition, alongside original paintings, > recalled the promises of victory given by the drawings and models of buildings, was a > Bab and Baha'u'llah, by 'Abdu'l-Baha and professionally made, finely detailed model > Shoghi Effendi, and by the Universal House of the Shrine of the Bab. > of Justice. "With all this guidance at our Following the exhibition opening > disposal, and with the sure promises of Amatu'l-Baha cabled: OPENING LAST NIGHT > assistance from our Lord, we should be able AT MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS OF THE > to work miracles in the teaching field," he EX HIBITION OF THE ARCHITECTURE OF EDWARD > said. (Report from The American Bahri 'i for AND W.S. MAXWELL BY GOVERNOR I-INA TYSHYN > January 1992) AND ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 600- 700 > INVITED GUESTS WAS FOLLOWED BY MUSEUM > December BANQUET FOR ABOUT 70 SPECIAL GUESTS, ALL > CANADA: On 10 December, Amatu ' l- GREAT SUCCESS. > Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum was an honored (From report received 11 December from > guest at a banquet which accompanied the the Hand of the Cause) > private opening of the Exhibition of the BERMUDA: The Hand of the Cause of > Architecture of Edward and W. S. Maxwell, God Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum spent > in the presence of His Excellency, The Right 12 days in Be1muda, from 21 December to > Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn, Gover- 1 January. Her visit included a " ... happy > nor General of Canada. Sponsored by the reunion at the National Centre with the > Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, it was island community ... and a meeting with its > opened to the public on 13 December. It mature and harmonious National Spiritual > remained in Montreal for three months, and Assembly was rewarding in every way." > then travelled to several other locations (From report received 13 January from the > across Canada. Among the items included in Hand of the Cause) > > 1992 > January . I felt a strong determination to win Canada's > CANADA: From Be1muda, Amatu'l-Baha goals and raise the standard of victory. This > flew to Canada on 2 January. There she had now highly multiracial and ethnic Canada > two meetings with the friends in Toronto- must surely hold unique possibilities for > o.ne meeting on 2 January and the other on becoming a showpiece for the pattern for > 3 January-which she described as " ... out- futurn -society designed by Baha'u'llah, and > standing in warmth and enthusiasm. I feel I hope she will fulfil the destiny ' Abdu'lthe Canadian Baha'i community is united, Baha foresaw for her in The Tablets of the > consecrated, and alert to winning its goals Divine Plan .... " (From report received > with a dynamic spirit that cheers my heart. 13 January from the Hand of the Cause) > The promises and hopes of'Abdu'l-Baha for > my native and much-loved land are begin- March > ning to bear fruit and this harvest will WORLD CENTRE: OUR HEARTS DEEPLY > undoubtedly enrich the entire Baha'i world. SADDENED, BAHA'i WORLD GREATLY DEPRIVED, > The first meeting [in Toronto], ostensibly BY PASSING HAND CAUSE GOD WILLIAM SEARS, > á for the Persian speaking friends, was VIBRANT, CONSECRATED, STOUT-HEARTED > attended by over 1,000 and the following STANDARD-BEARER FAITH BAI-IA'U'LLAl-l. HIS > night 2,000 came. There was an unusually MORE THAN HALF-CENTURY UNBROKEN > joyous warm feeling on both occasions and SERVICE MARK.ED BY UNFLINCHING DEVOTION > 670 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > TO BELOVED GUARDIAN, INFECTIOUS ENTH USI- guests from an estimated 34 countries. "At > ASM FOR TEACHING, GALVA NIZING SENSE the Convention, we had the honour of the > DRAMA, DISARM ING HUMOUR, SPECIAL LOV E presence of the representative of the Univer- > FOR CHILDREN, UN FLAGGING DETERMINATION sal House of Justice, the Hand of the Cause > IN FACE DIFFICU LTI ES. HE WILL EVER BE of God Amatu ' l-Baha Rul)iyyih Khanun1, > REMEMBERED FOR DEDICATING FULL RANGE HI S who, through her talks and advice, attracted > CREATIVE AND ENERGETIC CAPACITIES AS our attention to what is essential for the > WRlTER, EDITOR, LECTURER, RADIO AND development of our young Baha'i commu- > TELEVISION PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, TO HIS nity in Poland." (From Convention reports) > VARIED SERVICES AS TRAV ELLING TEACHER TO BALTIC STATES: One hundred Baha'is > NUMEROUS COUNTRIES PARTICULARLY IN THE from the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, > AMERICAS, AND AS PIONEER TO AFRICA WHERE Lithuania, and 10 other countries attending > HE WAS MEMB ER OF AUXILIARY BOARD AND the historic first Convention (25- 26 April) ... > TH E NATIONA L SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY SOUTH announce with uplifted hearts and gratitude, > AND WEST AFRICA WHEN IN 1957 HE WAS the formation of the first Regional Spiritual > ELEVATED RANK HAND CAUSE. I-IE LATER Assembly of the Bahit'is of the Baltic States. > SERVED AS MEMBER, BODY !-!ANDS HOLY LAND. The Convention was blessed with the partic- > HIS LOSS ACUTELY FELT JN NORTH AM ERICA ipation of the Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali > WHERE HE EXPEN DED LAST MEASURE HIS Akbar Furutan whose message of love and > EBBING STRENGTH PROMOTIO 1 TEACHING encouragement from the Universal House of > ACTIVITIES. DYNAMIC EFFECTS HIS WORK Justice emphasized the spiritual significance > ENDURE THROUGH HIS MANY BOOKS AND of the formation of this pillar of the adminis- > RECORDINGS. GEN ERATIONS TO COME WILL háative order of Baha' u' llah on the tlU"eshold > REJOICE IN RICH LEGACY LEFT TH EM THROUG H of the Holy Year. Mr. Fun'.1tan spoke in the > HI S HISTORIC ACCOMPLI SHM ENTS. FERVENTLY Russian language when conveying the love > PRAY ING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS and greetings of the Supreme Body to the > ILLUSTRIOUS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. ADVISE friends. The Convention was held in Tallinn, > FRIENDS THROUGHOUT WORLD COMM EMO RATE Estonia, on the shores of the Baltic Sea. The > HIS PASSING. REQUEST BEFITTING MEMORIAL beautifully decorated hall with the Greatest > SERVICES IN HIS HONOUR ALL HOUSES WORSHIP. Name and a portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahit grac- > (Message from the Universal House of ing the walls was filled to capacity despite > Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies) the freezing cold and snow. (From Baha 'i > UN ITED STATES : The Hand of the Cause International News Service, No. 270, 15 May > of God William Sears passed away on 1992) > Wednesday, 25 March 1992, in Tucson, GREENLAND: The Hand of the Cause of > Arizona, and was buried on 28 March in God Dr. 'Ali-Mul_m1U11ad Varga attended > Tucson. The funeral procession was over the first National Convention of Greenland > one mile long, with about 330 Baba ' is and on 25 April. Seventy-six years after the > other friends joining his family at the grave- revelation of The Tablets of the Divine Plan, > side. (From Baha 'i International News the desire of the Beloved Master concerning > Service, No. 267, 31March1992) the rise of the call of God in the "icy regions > of far North", was fulfilled by the establish- > April ment of that National Spiritual Assembly. > POLAND: Poland's first National Conven- (From Baha 'i International News Service, > tion was an "immense success" . Held in No. 270, 15 May 1992) > Warsaw from 24 to 26 April, it was attended BULGARIA: Amatu'l-Baha Rw:Uyyih Khanum > by more than 150 friends including almost represented the Universal House of Justice > the whole Polish Baha'i conmmnity and at the first National Convention of Bulgaria, > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLA.H 671 > > The Hand of the Cause Dr. 'Ali-Mu~iammad Varqa with Bahd 'i children in > Nuuk, Greenland, in April 1992. > > held in Sofia from 1 to 3 May .. .. During Convention was held on 1 and 2 May, with > the Convention's last evening, Rul:iiyyih about 150 to 170 friends attending including > Khanum spoke with the friends about some 70 Hungarians and Baha'i friends > Shoghi Effendi. The meeting opened with from 19 countries all over the world. "The > music and ended with music, highlighted by Hand of the Cause of God A. A. Furutan > violin and accordion beautifully played by inspired the Convention with his unique > new Gypsy Baha 'is .... "We are extremely talks, and the love and guidance of the > grateful for the inspiration and encourage- Universal House of Justice was always felt." > ment so generously shared by your much (From Bahd 'i fnternational News Service, > loved representative, Amatu 'l-Baha Rw:iiyyih No. 270, 15 May 1992) > Khanum. She enabled us to visualize the UKRAI NE: The first Convention of the > brilliant future of the Faith in this country, Baha'is of the Ukraine, Belarus and > which is already so richly blessed by the sac- Moldova, which took place in Kiev on > rifices made by Georg Adam Benke and 1 May, was held in an atmosphere of devo- > Marion Jack." (From Bahd 'i fnternational tion and dedication.... "The momentous > News Service, No. 270, 15 May 1992) message of the Supreme Body uplifted the > HUNGARY: "With our hearts full of joy hearts and inspired the friends with greater > we send you our deepest love and admira- awareness of their responsibilities for the > tion from our first National Convention in tasks that lay ahead." The message was > Budapest, blessed by the presence of the followed by comments from the Hand of the > Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali Akbar Cause of God Dr. 'Ali-Mul:iammad Varqa, > Furutan, Counsellor Louis Henuzet, and who represented the Universal House of > representatives of the National Spiritual Justice. (From Bahd 'i International News > Assembly of the Baha'is of Austria." The Service, No. 270, 15 May 1992) > THE BAHki WORLD > > 3. HANDS OF THE CAUSE WHO REPRESENTED THE > UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE AT CONVENTIONS FOR THE > ELECTION OF NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > Listed below are the Hands of the Cause who represented the Universal House of Justice > at inaugural Conventions held in the period 1986- 1992, the name of the new National > Spiritual Assembly, its seat, the parent or sponsoring National Assembly, and the dates of > the Conventions. > > RrpvAN 1989 > > Amatu'l-Bahi Ru~iyyih Khinum > Macau- Macau (Hong Kong) April 29- 30 > > RrpvAN 1991 > > Amatu'I-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum > Romania- Bucharest (Germany) April 26- 29 > > 'Ali-Akbar Furutan > USSR-Moscow (Ge1many) Apri l 26- 29 > > 'Ali-Mu~ammad Varqa > Czechoslovakia- Prague (Austria) April 27- 28 > > R1pvAN 1992 > > Amatu'l-Baha RU.~iyyih Khinum > Poland-Warsaw (Ge1many) April 24- 26 > Bulgaria- Sofia (Germany) May 1- 3 > > 'Ali-Akbar Furutan > Baltic States-Tallinn, Estonia (Commonwealth oflndependent States, > Baltic States, and Georgia) April 25- 26 > Hungary-Budapest (Austria) May 1- 2 > > 'Ali-Mu~ammad Varqa > Greenland-Nuuk (Denmark) April 25- 26 > Ukraine, Belams and Moldova- Kiev (Commonwealth oflndependent States, > Baltic States, and Georgia) May 1- 2 > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH > > 4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE > INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE AND THE > CONTINENTAL BOARDS OF COUNSELLORS > > 21JUN E 1968 (Trustee, Continental Fund), Chellie > REJOI CE ANN OUNCE MOMENTOUS DECISION Sundram. > ESTABLISH ELEVEN CONTINENTAL BOARDS Northeast Asia > COUNSELLORS PROTECTION PROPAGATION FAITH Rulm'llah Mumtazi (Trustee, Continental > THREE EACH FOR AFRI CA AMERICAS ASIA ONE Fund), Vicente Samaniego. > EACH FOR AUSTRALAS IA EUROP E.. Australasia > The Universal House of Justice Suhayl 'Ala'i, Howard Harwood, Thelma > Perks (Trustee, Continental Fund). > 24 JUNE 1968 Europe > ... those who have been appointed to the Erik Blun1enthal, Dorothy Ferraby (Trustee, > first Continental Boards of Counsellors for Continental Fund), Louis Henuzet. > ~le Protection and Propagation of the Faith: The Universal House of Justice > Northwestern Afi'ica > I:Iusayn Ardikani (Trustee, Continental 24 JUNE 1968 > Fund), Mul:i.ammad Kebdani, William ... The number of Auxiliary Board mem- > Maxwell. bers to be assigned to each continental zone > Central and East Africa is as follows: > Oloro Epyeru, Kolonario Oule, Isobel Protection Propagation > Sabri, Mihdi Samandari, 'Aziz Yazdi AFRICA > (Trustee, Continental Fund). Northwestern 3 6 > Central and East 4 7 > Southern Africa Southern 2 5 > Seewoosumbur-Jeehoba Appa, Shidan 9 I8 > Fatl:i-i-A'~am (Trustee, Continental Fund), AMERICA > Bahiyyih Ford. North 4 9 > North America Central 2 8 > South 3 IO > Lloyd Gardner, Florence Mayberry, Edna 9 27 > True (Trustee, Continental Fund). ASI A > Central America Western 4 IS > Carmen de Burafato, Artemus Lamb, Southeastern 2 7 > Northeastern 7 > Alfred Osborne (Trustee Continental Fund). > 7 29 > South America > Athos Costas, Hooper Dunbar (Trustee, AUSTRALAS IA 2 7 > Continental Fund), Donald Witzel. EUROPE 9 I8 > Western Asia > Masil:i Farhangi, Mas'ud Khamsi, I:Iadi The Universal House of Justice > RaJ:imani (Trnstee, Continental Fund), > Mamichihr Salmanpur, Sankaran-Nair > Vasudevan. 10 JULY 1969 > South east Asia With great joy we announce that we have > Yan Kee Leong, Khudaral:un Payman decided to increase the total number of > 674 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > members of the Continental Boards of 8 JUNE 1973 > Counsellors for the Protection and Propaga- The number of zones has been raised to > tion of the Faith to thirty-eight by adding twelve by . .. the new zone of South Central > John McHenry III to the Continental Board Asia ... ' The number of Counsellors is now > of Counsellors in No1ih East Asia and raised to fifty-seven by the appointment > Mas'ud Khamsi to the Continental Board of of Mr. Friday Ekpe and Mr. Dhikru ' llah > Counsellors in South America ... Ka?'.imi in Northwestern Africa, Mr. Hu- > We also rejoice to announce the appoint- shang 'Ahdiyyih and Mr. Peter Vuyiya in > ment of Mrs. Shirin Boman to the Central and East Africa, Dr. Sarah Pereira > Continental Board of Counsellors of West- and Mrs. Velma Sherrill in North America, > ern Asia to fill a vacancy on that Board ... Mr. Rowland Estall and Mr. Paul Lucas in > The Universal House of Justice Central America, Mrs. Leonora Armstrong, > Mr. Peter McLaren and Mr. Raul Pavon > R IQVAN 1970 in South America, Mr. Dipchand Khianra > ... IN VIEW EFFECTNE REINFORCEMENT THIS and Mrs. Zena Sorabjee in South Central > NOBLE WORK BY ABLE DEDICATED CONTINEN- Asia, Mr. Firaydtin Mi!Qaqiyan in South- > TAL BOARDS COUNSE LLORS THEIR AUXILIARY eastern Asia, Mr. Richard Benson and Miss > BOARDS TOGETH ER WITH GROWING NEED AND Elena Marsella in North-eastern Asia and > EXPANSION WORLD COMMUNITY ANNOUNCE Miss Violet Hoehnke m Australasia. > AUGMENTATION VITAL INST ITUTION THROUGH Dr. William Maxwell who has been render- > APPOINTMENT THREE ADDITIONAL COUNSEL- ing distinguished service as a member of the > LORS !RAJ AYMAN WESTERN ASIA ANNELIESE Continental Board of Counsellors in North- > BOPP BETTY REED EUROPE AND AUTl-IORJZATION western Africa has been obliged to return to > APPOINTMENT FORTY FNE ADDITIONAL AUXIL- the United States ... > IARY BOARD MEMBERS NINE AFRICA SIXTEEN The Universal House of Justice > ASIA TWO AUSTRALASIA EIGHTEEN WESTERN > HEMISPHERE .. 7 OCTOBER 1973 > The Universal House of Justice . .. the number of Auxiliary Board members throughout the world is to be raised to > 5 JUN E 1973 two hundred and seventy, of whom eighty- > ANNOUNCE ESTAB LI SHMENT HOLY LAND one will serve on the Auxiliary Boards for > LONG ANTICIPATED INTERNAT IONAL TEACH ING the Protection of the Faith and one h1mdred > CENTRE DESTINED EVOLVE INTO ONE THOSE and eighty-nine will serve on the Auxiliary > WORLD SHAKING WORLD EMBRACING WORLD Boards for the Propagation of the Faith. > DIRECTING ADMIN ISTRATI VE INSTIT UTIONS In all there will be fifty-four Auxiliary > ORDAINED BY BAHAULLAH ANTI CIPATED BY Board members in Africa, eighty-one in the > ABDULBA I-IA ELUCIDATED BY SHOGHI EFFENDI. Wes tern Hemisphere, eighty-one in Asia, > MEMBERSHIP THIS NASCENT INSTITUTION COM - eighteen m Australasia and thirty-six in > PRJSES ALL HANDS CAUSE GOD AND INITIALLY Europe. > THREE COUNSE LLORS WHO WITH HANDS PRE- The Universal House of Justice > SENT 1-IOL Y LAND WILL CONSTITUTE NUCLEUS > ITS VITAL OPERATIONS. CALLING UPON HOOPER 30 SEPTEMBER 1974 > DUNBA R FLORENCE MAYBERRY AZIZ YAZDI ... Mrs. Salisa Kermani was appointed by > PROCEED 1-IOL Y LAND ASSUME THIS HIGJ-IL Y the House of Justice to the Board of Coun- > MERITOR IOUS SERVICE ... sellors for South Cenháal Asia in place or > The Universal House of Justice Mr. Vasudevan who is presently furthering > his education in the United States. Mr. John > McHenry . .. has returned to the United States > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 675 > ... He has tendered his resignation as a throughout the world has been raised from > Counsellor... 288 to a new total of 378, 117 of which are > International Teaching Centre for protection and 261 for propagation ... > International Teaching Centre > 6 JANUARY 1975 > ... The decision has been taken, therefore, 24 MARCH 1976 > after consultation with the International ... the Universal House of Justice has > Teaching Centre, to break the present zone authorized the appointment of ninety more > of North-western Africa into two separate Auxiliary Board members ... > zones of Northern and Western Africa, to On behalf of the Universal House of Justice > each of which will be tráansfeITed paiis of the > Central and East African zone ... 31OCTOBER1976 > Because of the creation of a new Board 1 The Universal House of Justice announces > for No1ihern Africa, the Counsellors in this with pleasure that it has appointed three new > and the one for Wes tern Africa must be Counsellors as follows: Dr. Peter Khan-to > regrouped, new appointments made to the the Continental Board of Counsellors in > Northern Board, and the number of Auxil- Ausháalasia Dr. Hidayatu 'll::ih Abmadiyyih > iary Board members increased. We decided, -to the Continental Board of Counsellors in > therefore, that the Board for Northern Central America Mr. Angus Cowan-to the > Africa will consist of Mr. Mul:iammad Continental Board of Counsellors in North > Kebdani, already serving as a Counsellor, America. > Mr. Mul:iammad Mu:;;~afa , and Mr. 'Imad On behalf of the Universal House of Justice > S::ibiran. The Board for Western Africa will > consist or Mr. I:Iusayn Ardik::ini (Trustee), 24 MARCH 1977 > Mr. Friday Ekpe, Mr. Dhikrn 'll::ih K::i~imi, ANNOUNCE AUTHORJZATION INCREASE MEM- > and Dr. Mihdi Samandari (háansfeITed from BERSHrP BOARDS BY 297 RAISING TOT AL TO 675 > the Central and East African Board). OF WHICH 279 ARE AUXILIARY BOARD MEMBERS > We are also increasing the number of FOR PROTECTION AND 396 FOR PROPAGATION OF > Auxiliary Board members in Africa, adding FAITH .. > 9 members to the Board for Protection, and On behalf of the Universal House of Justice > 9 to that for Propagation, bringing the totals > for that continent to 27 and 45 respective- 29 AUGUST 1977 > ly ... KINDLY CABLE MR IMBUM CHINN IAH ... > The Universal House of Justice QUOTE INFOR.Ivl YOU WITH PLEASURE YOUR > APPOINTMENT CONTINENTAL BOARD COUNSEL- > 17 MARCH 1976 LORS SOUTH-EASTERN AS IA.. > The membership of six of the Boards of The Universal House of Justice > Counsellors has been increased by the > appointrnent of one additional Counsellor 29 JUNE 1979 > in each case, as follows: Western Africa, ... MOMENT PROPITIOUS ANNOUNCE DURATION > Mrs. Thelma Khelghati; Southern Africa, TERMS SERVICE MEMBERS CONTINENTAL BOARDS > Mr. William Masehla; South Cenháal Asia, COUNSELLORS AS ANTICIPATED IN ANNOUNCE- > Mr. Burh::ini'din Afshin; North-eastern Asia, MENT ESTABLISHM ENT THAT INSTITUTION AND > Mr. Hideya Suzuki; Ausháalasia, Mr. Owen IN CONSTITUTION UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUS- > Battrick; Europe, Mr. Adib Taherzadeh. TICE, DECISION NOW TAKEN THAT TERMS WILL > 'The number of Auxiliary Board members BE OF FIVE YEARS STARTING DAY COVENANT > 26 NOVEMBER 1980 .. . > Ra isin g the total to thirteen. The Universal House of Justice > 676 THE BAHA ' I WORL D > > 4 J ULY 1979 Epyeru, Mr. Shidan Fat'he-Aazam, > JOYFULLY ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT COUN- Mr. Zekrollah Kazemi, Mr. MuQammad > SELLOR ANNELIESE BOPP TO MEMBERSHIP Kebdani, Mrs. Thelma Khelghati, > INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE Mr. William Masehla, Mr. MuQammad > The Universal House of Justice Mu~tafa, Mr. Kolonario Oule, Mrs. Isobel > Sabri, Dr. Mihdi Samandari, Mr. Peter > 7 FEBRUARY 1980 Vuyiya, Mrs. Bahiyyih Winckler. > ... DEEPLY GRIEVED UNTIM ELY PASSING The Americas: Dr. Hidayatu ' llah AJ:ima- > DEVOTED COWORKER INPERAJU CHINN IAH .. diyyih, Dr. Farzam Arbab, Mrs. Carmen > The Universal House of Justice de Burafato, Mr. Athos Costas, Mr. Angus > Cowan , Mr. Lloyd Gardner (Trustee of the > 20 OCTOBER 1980 Continental Fund), Mr. Mas'ud Khamsi, > HEARTS SADDENED PASSING DISTINGUISHED Mrs. Lauretta King, Mr. Artemus Lamb, > COUNSELLOR LEONORA STIRLING ARMSTRONG .. . Mr. Peter McLaren, Mr. Raul Pavon, > The Universal House of Justice Dr. Sarah Pereira, Mrs. Ruth Pringle, > Mr. Fred Schechter, Mrs. Ve lma Sherrill, > 3 NOVEMBER 1980 Mr. Donald Witze l. > ... we have decided that the time is ripe Asia: Mr. Burhani 'd-Din Afshin, Mrs. Shirin > for a further step in the development of the Boman, Dr. MasiQ Farhangi, Dr. John > institution itself that will , at one and the Fozdar, Mr. ZabiQu' llah GulmuQamrnadi, > same time, accord greater discretion and Mr. Aydin Gi.iney, Mr. Dipchand Khianra, > freedom of action to the Continental Boards Mr. RuQu'llah Murntazi, Mr. S. Nagaratof Counsellors in the can-ying out of their narn , Mr. Khudaral:irn Payman (Trustee of > duties, and widen the scope of each Board to the Continental Fund), Mr. Manuchihr > embrace an entire continent. In accordance Salmanpur, Mr. Vicente Samaniego, > with this deci sion, the zo nes of the Conti- Mrs. Zena Sorabjee, Dr. Chellie Sundrarn, > ne ntal Boards of Counsellors wil l, from the Mr. Hideya Suz uki , Mr. Yan Kee Leong. > Day of the Covenant of the year 137 Australasia: Mr. Suhayl 'A la'i, Mr. Ben > [26 November 1980] be as follows: Ayala, Mr. Owen Battrick (Trustee of the > 1. Africa, comprising the areas of the four Continental Fund), Mr. Richard Benson, > present zo nes on that continent. Mrs . Tinai Hancock, Dr. Peter Khan, > 2. The Americas, comprising the present Mr. Lisiata Maka. > zones ofN01ih, Central and South America. Europe: Mr. Erik Blumenthal, Mrs. Dorothy > 3. Asia, comprising the present zo nes of Ferraby, Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi, Mr. Hart- > Western, South Central and Southeastern mut Grossmann, Mr. Louis Henuzet > Asia, together with the present zone of (Trustee of the Continental Fund), Mrs. > North-eastern Asia without the Hawaiian Ursula Mi.ihlschlegel, Dr. Leo Niederreiter, > Is lands and Micronesia. Mrs. Betty Reed, Mr. Adib Taherzadeh. > 4. Australasia, comprising the present zo ne A number of friends who have rendered > of Australasia plus the Hawaiian Is lands highly valued services as Counsellors are > and Micronesia. not being reappointed for the coming term, > 5. Europe. and we wish to express here our profound > Those who are now appointed as Coun- gratitude for the devoted labours they have > sellors to serve on these Continenta l Boards rendered and are rendering in the path of > for the ne xt five years are: the Cause. These dearly-loved believers are: > Africa: Dr. Hushang Ahdieh (Trustee Mr. Seewoosurnbur-Jeehoba Appa, Dr. Iraj > of the Continental Fund), Mr. I:Jusayn Ayman, Mr. Rowland Esta ll , Mr. Howard > Ardekani, Mr. Friday Ekpe, Mr. Oloro Harwood, Miss Violet Hoehnke, Mrs. Salisa > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 677 > > Kermani, Mr. Paul Lucas, Miss Elena Mar- Afaqi to the Continental Board of Counselsella, Mr. Alfred Osborne, Miss Thelma Perks, lors in Asia to replace Dr. Masil:i Farhangi, > Mr. Hadi RaJ:unani, Mr. 'Imad Sabiran, Miss who was martyred last year. > Edna True ... On behalf of the Universal House of Justice > The Universal House of Justice > 19MAY1983 > For ten years the International Teaching > 14 NOVEMBER 1980 Centre has rendered invaluable services at > The Universal House of Justice has the World Centre of the Faith, and it is with > requested that we infmm the Boards that the great joy that we now announce a number of > number of Auxiliary Board members allot- major steps in the evolution of this vital > ted to each continent is as follows: institution of the Administrative Order of > Protection Propagation Baha'u'llah. > Africa8 1 99 Since the tragic death of Mr. Paul Haney > Americas54 117 there have been only two Hands of the > Asia99 117 > Australasia! 8 27 > Cause residing in the Holy Land. We have > EuropeI!_ 36 therefore decided to call upon Dr. 'Ali > Totals279 396 Mul:iammad Varqa and Mr. Collis Feather- > International Teaching Centre stone to participate in the discharge of the > special duties of the Hands of the Cause > 27 NOVEMBER 1980 residing in the Holy Land when the occasion > In consideration of the extension of the requires, as for example, in dealing with > area of the Continental Board of Counsellors matters of Covenant-breaking. They will be > for Australasia we have decided to increase able to perform these functions either by > the number of Auxiliary Board members correspondence or by periodic sojourns at > allocated to that continent by nine on each the World Centre. > Board, raising the totals to twenty-seven We have decided to raise the number > Protection Board members and thirty-six of resident members of the International > Propagation Board members . .. ' Teaching Centre to nine. For reasons of > The Universal House of Justice health Mrs . Florence Mayberry is leaving > the World Centre, bringing to an end her > 24 JUNE 1981 highly valued services on this institution. > ... ANOTHER FO UR DISTINGUISHED BELIEV ERS Four new Counsellor members have there- > NOW GATH ERED ABHA KINGDOM ON BE!NG fore been appointed: Dr. Magdalene Camey, > MARTYRED ... DR. MASII-1 FARHANG I MEMB ER Mr. Mas'ud Khamsi, Dr. Peter Khan and > BOARD COUNSELLORS ASLA ... Mrs. Isobel Sabri, whom we now call upon > On behalf of the Universal House of Justice to transfer their residences to the Holy Land, > where they will join the Hands of the Cause > 17 A UGUST 1981 of God, Amatu ' l-Baha R11l:iiyyih Khanum > ... DEE PLY GRJ EV ED PASSING EMINENT DIST!N- and 'Ali-Akbar Furutan and Counsellors > GUISHED SERVANT BLESSED BEAUTY MEMBER Anneliese Bopp, Hooper Dunbar and 'Aziz > BOARD COUNS ELLORS AFRlCA MU HAMMA D Yazdi. > MUSTAFA .. We have further decided, as foreshad- > The Universal House of Justice owed in previous announcements, to institute > a five-year term for the Counsellor members > 13 M AY 1982 of the International Teaching Centre. Each > The Universal House of Justice announces te1m will sta1i on 23 May immediately folwith pleasure the appointment of Dr. $abir lowing the International Baha' i Convention, > 678 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > and the current term will end on 23 May regional and global, for the approval of the > 1988. Should circumstances prevent the Uni- Universal House of Justice. > versal House of Justice from making new • To direct the work of the Continental > appointments at the end of any five-year Pioneer Committees. > term, the Counsellors will remain in office • To administer the expenditure of the > until such time as new appointments can be International Deputization Fund. > made. • To administer an annual budget that > With the rapid growth of the Faith, its will be provided from the Baha' i Internaemergence from obscurity, and the diversifi- tional Fund, allocating therefrom to the > cation of the activities that the believers Continental Boards of Counsellors monies > in many lands must undertake in such fields for special teaching projects and literature > as education, rural development, radio subvention, and, when necessary, contriand public relations- matters which must butions to the Continental Funds ... > increasingly occupy the attention of the Uni- In the near future the International Teachversal House of Justice- we have decided ing Centre will be moving into its new > that the time is ripe to devolve increased offices near the House of the Master, in the > responsibility upon the International Teach- building which served for several decades as > ing Centre, in the fields of protection and the Western Pilgrim House, later as the seat > propagation of the Faith. The duties of the of the International Baha'i Council and, for > International Teaching Centre, including the past twenty years, as that of the Univerthose announced previously and those now sal House of Justice. Now, most befittingly, > being assigned to it, are as follows: it will serve as the office of the International > Teaching Centre until the pe1manent build- > • To assume full responsibility for coor- ing for that mighty institution can be raised > dinating, stimulating and directing the on Mount Carmel in close proximity to the > Continental Boards of Counsellors, acting Universal House of Justice. > also as liaison between them and the The Universal House of Justice > Universal House of Justice. > • To be fully inforn1ed of the situation of > the Cause in all parts of the world and, 27 J UNE 1983 > from this knowledge, to make reports and The Universal House of Justice announrecommendations to the Universal House ces with pleasure the appointment of the > of Justice and give advice to the Continen- following Continental Counsellors: > tal Boards of Counsellors. Jn Aji-ica: Mr. Gila Michael Bahta > • To watch over the security and ensure Mr. Kassimi Fofana > the protection of the Faith of God. Jn th e Americas:Mr. Shapoor Monadjem > • To be alert to possibilities for the Jn Aus tralasia: Mrs. Joy Stevenson > extension of the teaching work and the The Universal House of Justice > development of economic and social life > both within and without the Baha'i 4 AU G UST 1983 > community, and to draw the attention of DEEPLY MOURN LOSS OUTSTAN DING PRO- > the Universal House of Justice and the MOTER FAITH WILLI AM MASEHLA. > Continental Boards of Counsellors to such The Universal House of Justice > possibilities, making recommendations for > action. 24 O CTOBER 1983 > • To determine and anticipate needs for DEEPLY DEPLORE LOSS ZEA LOUS SERVANT > literature, pioneers and travelling teachers CAUSE BA HA 'U' LLAH RAUL PAVON DI ST IN - > and to work out teaching plans, both GU IS HED PROMOTER FAITH AND IN DEFATI GABLE > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 679 > WORKER IN TEACHING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES The membership of the Continental > LATIN AMERICA. Boards of Counsellors as now appointed is: > The Universal House of Justice Africa ( 18 Counsellors): > Mr. Hushang Ahdieh (Trnstee of the > 6 DECEMBER 1983 Continental Fund), Mr. I:Iusayn Ardekani, > .. .announces with pleasure the appoint- Mrs. Beatrice 0. Asare, Mr. Gila Michael > ment of the following Continental Coun- Bahta, Mr. Friday Ekpe, Mr. Oloro > sellors: Epyern, Mr. Shidan Fat'he-Aazam, > Jn Africa:Mr. Mabuku Wingi Mr. Kassirni Fofana, Mr. Zekrollah Kazemi, > Jn the Americas: Mrs. Isabel P. de Calderon. Mr. MuJ:tammad Kebdani, Mrs . Thelma > The Universal House of Justice Khelghati, Mr. Roddy Dharma Lutchmaya, Mr. Daniel Ramoroesi, Dr. Mihdi > Ru;ivAN 1984 Samandari, Mrs. Edith Senoga, Mr. Peter > .. .The International Teaching Centre, Vuyiya, Mrs. Lucretia Mancho Warren, > operating from its world seat, has provided Mr. Mabuku Wingi. > loving and wise leadership and direction The Americas (17 Counsellors): > to the Boards of Counsellors. Its sphere of Dr. Hidayatu' llah AJ:tmadiyyih, Mr. Eloy > service has been immensely extended by the Anello, Dr. Farzam Arbab (Trnstee of the > assignment of new responsibilities and Continental Fund), Dr. Wilma Brady, > by raising the number of its Counsellor Mrs. Isabel P. de Calderon, Mr. Rolf von > members to seven. The dedicated services of Czekus, Mr. Robert Harris, Mrs. Lauretta > the Counsellors in all the continents, ably King, Dr. Peter McLaren, Mr. Shapoor > supported by the Auxiliary Board members , Monadjem, Mrs. Ruth Pringle, Mr. Donald > have been invaluable in fostering the 0 . Rogers, Mr. Fred Schechter, Dr. Arturo > spiritual health and integrity of the world- Serrano, Mr. Alan Smith, Dr. David R. > wide community. To develop further this Smith, Mr. Rodrigo Tomas . > vital organ of the Administrative Order, it Asia ( 19 Counsellors): > has been decided to establish a te1m of five Dr. $abir A.faqi, Mr. Burhani'd-Din Afshin, > years ' service for those appointed to the Dr. Iraj Ayman, Mr. Bijan Fareed, Dr. John > Auxiliary Boards, commencing November Fozdar, Mr. Zabil:iu'llah GulmuJ:tammadi, > 26, 1986 ... Mr. Bharat Koirala, Mr. RuJ:tu'llah Mum- > The Universal House of Justice tazi, Mr. S. Nagaratnam, Dr. Perin Olyai, > Mrs. Rose Ong,. Mr. KhudaraJ:tm Payman > 7 MARCH 1985 (Trustee of the Continental Fund), Mr. Masih > DEEPLY GRIEVED UNTIMELY PASSING Rawl:iani, Mr. Vicente Samaniego, U Soe > -ESTEEMED LLOYD GARDNER STALWART DE- Tin, Dr.Illian Sezgin, Mrs. Zena Sorabjee, > FENDER INTERESTS FAITH AMERICAS. Dr. Chellie J. Sundram, Mr. Michitoshi > The Universal House of Justice Zenirnoto. > Australasia (9 Counsellors): > 24 OCTOBER 1985 Mr. Suhayl 'Ala'i, Mr. Ben Ayala, Justice > It gives us great happiness to announce the Richard Benson, Dr. Kanrran Eslrraghian, > membership of the Continental Boards of Mrs. Tinai Hancock, Mr. Lisiate Maka, > Cow1sellors as from the Day of the Covenant, Mrs. Gayle MoITison, Dr. Sims Naraqi, > 26 November 1985. The number of Counsel- Mrs. Joy Stevenson (Trnstee of the Contilors has been increased from 63 to 72 and nental Fund). > adjustments have been made in their geo- Europe (9 Counsellors): > graphical distribution in consonance with the Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi, Mr. Hartmut Grossdevelopment of the Faith around the world. mann, Mr. Louis Henuzet (Tmstee of the > 680 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Continental Fund), Mrs. Ursula Miihlschle- 1 JANUARY 1986 > gel, Dr. Leo Niederreiter, Mrs. Polin Rafat, The presentation of the condition of the > Mr. Adib Taherzadeh, Mr. Adam Thome, Baha'i International Fund at the Counsel- > Mr. Sohrab Youseffian. lors' Conference has precipitated many > The following nineteen devoted believers requests for information ... > who are now being relieved of the onerous It is essential that the friends throughout > duties of membership on the Boards of the world be educated in the importance of > Counsellors, wi ll , as distinguished servants the funds: loca l, national, continental and > of the Cause, continue through their out- international... Such education can be > standing capacities and experience to be greatly assisted by the Counsellors and their > sources of stimulation and encouragement to Auxil iary Boards, and should be adapted to > the friends. the conditions of every Baha'i community ... > Mr. A. Owen Battrick, Mr. Erik Blumenthal, The Universal House of Justice > Mrs. Shirin Boman, Mrs. Carmen de > Burafato, Mr. Athos Costas, Mr. Angus 2 JANUARY 1986 > Cowan, Mrs. Dorothy Ferraby, Mr. Aydin The eager expectation with which we > Gi.iney, Dr. Dipchand Khiama, Mr. Artemus welcomed to the World Centre, on > Lamb, Mr. Kolonario Oule, Dr. Sarah 27 December, sixty-four Counsellors from > Pereira, Mrs. Betty R. Reed, Dr. Manu- the five continents to discuss, with the Interchi hr Salmanpur, Mrs . Velma Sherrill, national Teaching Centre, the challenges > Mr. Hedeya Suzuki, Mrs. Bahiyyih Win- and opportunities facing the Baha'i world > ckler, Mr. Donald Witzel, Mr. Yan Kee community, has, at the conclusion of their > Leong. historic conference, been transmuted into > We express to each and every one of fee lings of deepest joy, gratitude and love. > these dear friends our heartfelt gratitude and 'Graced by the presence of the Hands of > assure them of our prayers in the Holy the Cause Amatu ' l-Baha RuDiyyih Khanum , > Shrines for the confirmation of their highly Ugo G iachery, 'Ali-Akbar Furutan, 'Alimeritorious and self-sacrificing services to M uDammad Yarqa and Collis Featherstone, > the Cause of Baha ' u ' llah. the Conference was organized and managed > The Universal House of Justice with admirable foresight and efficiency by > the International Teaching Centre ... > 24 OCTOBER 1985 The beloved Counsellors, strengthened > At this time when the Baha ' i world is and enriched by their experience in the Holy > facing the challenge of the International Land, will, as early as possible, consult > Year of Peace, on the point of completing with all National Spiritual Assemblies on > the Seven Year Plan and standing on the measures to conclude triumphantly the > thresho ld of a new Six Year Plan, we have current Plan, and on preparations to launch > fe lt it impo1iant to call upon the Counse llors the Six Year Plan. In anticipation of those > from a ll the continents to gather at the World consu ltations, National Spiritual Assem- > Centre for a conference to deliberate on the blies wi ll receive the full announcement of > tasks and opportunities of the years immedi- the aims and characteristics of that Plan, so > ately ahead. This conference will take place that together with the Counsellors they may > from 27 December 1985 through 2 January formulate the national plans which will, for > 1986 and is yet one more sign of the rapid each community, establish its pursuit of the > advance and consolidation of the institutions overall objectives. > of the Cause of God. This new process, whereby the national > The Universal House of Justice goals of the next Plan are to be largely formulated by National Spiritual Assemblies > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LL<\H 681 > > and Boards of Counsellors, signalizes the ASIA > Protection 99 0 99 > inauguration of a new stage in the unfold- > Propagation 117 9 126 > ment of the Administrative Order. Our AUSTRALASIA > beloved Guardian anticipated a succession Protection 27 9 36 > of epochs during the Formative Age of the Propagation 36 9 45 > Faith; we have no hesitation in recognizing EUROPE > Protection 36 0 36 > that this new development in the maturation > Propagation 36 0 36 > of Baba 'i institutions marks the inception of > the fourth epoch of that Age. TOTAL 702 54 756 > The Universal House of Justice Protection 297 27 324 > Propagation 405 27 432 > MARCH 1986 > HEARTS GIUEFSTRICKEN PASSING OUTSTAND- This further expansion of the institution > ING PROMOTER CAUSE ANGUS COW AN. of the Auxiliary Boards reflects the recent > The Universal House of Justice increase of the number of Continental Counsellors from 63 to 72 and is required by the > 25 MAY 1986 marked growth in the size of Baha'i commu- > ... On the Day of the Covenant, nities, a growth which it is confidently > 26 November 1986, a new term of five years expected will accelerate during the Six Year > will begin for those appointed to the Auxil- Plan as the impact of the Faith's emergence > iary Boards. In preparation for that event, we from obscurity begins to make itself evident > find it propitious to announce the following in a growing interest in its teachings by > decisions. people in all walks of life. > As from last Ric:lvan, Turkey has been The Universal House of Justice > transferred from the area of responsibility of > the Continental Board of Counsellors in 18 MAY 1988 > REJOICE ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT COUN- > Asia to that of the Continental Board of > SELLOR MEMBERS INTERNATIONAL TEACHING > Counsellors in Europe. Counsellor Ilhan > CENTRE FOR FIVE-YEAR TERM BEGINNING 23 MAY > Sezgin is, therefore, a member of the Euro- > 1988: DR. FARZAM ARBAB, DR. MAGDALENE CAR- > pean Board of Counsellors. It has also been > NEY, MR. HARTMUT GROSSMANN, MR. MAS ' UD > decided to increase the size of the European > Kl-IAMS!, MRS. LAURETTA KING , MR. DONALD > Auxiliary Board for the Protection of the > ROGERS, MRS ISOBEL SABRI, MRS. JOY STEVEN- > Faith to 36 members, which is the same as > SON, MR. PETER VUYIY A. VIEW SUPREME IMPOR- > the number currently authorized for the > TANCE ACCELERATION TEACHING WORK THIS > Propagation Board in the continent. > STAGE FORMATIVE AGE NUMBER COUNSELLOR > In view of the growth of the Baha'i com- > MEMBERS NOW RAISED TO NINE. EXPRESS > munity and its emergence from obscurity, > PROFOUND GRATITUDE MR. 'AZIZ YAZDI AND > we have decided to make the following fur- > MISS ANNELIESE BOPP FOR THEIR ASSIDUOUS > ther changes in the number of members of > the Auxiliary Boards, to be effective from DEVOTED SELF-SACRIFICING SERVICES TEACHING > CENTRE OYER SO MANY YEARS. > 26 November 1986: > Present Added New The Universal House of Justice > Number N umber N umber > AFIUCA 30 MAY 1988 > Protection 81 9 90 The burgeoning potential for immediate > Propagation 99 9 108 > AMERICAS > progress in the field of teaching, affim1ed by > Protection 54 9 63 the expectant and resolute spirit displayed at > Propagation 117 0 117 the Sixth International Convention, and the > 682 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The members of the Universal House ofJustice, five Hands of the Cause of God, and > Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre join members of the Continental > Boards of Counsellors after the International Convention in Haifa, Israel, in May 1988. > > Counsellor Beatrice Asare being welcomed by member of the Universal of Justice Peter > Khan to a special reception held for Counsellors at the Seat of the International Teaching > Centre during the sixth International Convention! in Haifa, Israel, 1988. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA°U'LLA.H 683 > > From left to right: the Hands of the Cause of God Dr. 'A li-Muhammad Varqa, William > Sears, Amatu 'l-Baha Rilhiyy ih Khanum, 'A li-Akbar Furutan and H. Collis Featherstone > visit the Mansion in Mazra 'ih as part of the Counsellors Conference in May 1988. > > Counsellors Robert Harris and Arturo Serrano consult with Counsellor member of the > International Teaching Centre Magdalene Carn ey during the Post Convention Counsellors > Conference. Haifa, Israel, May 1988. > 684 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > awakening of a new consciousness among In the matter of protection, the cunent > the believers as to the unusual possibilities procedure should be maintained by which > and urgency of the times compel a further the Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy > thrust in the development of the capacity of Land, together with the two non-resident > the International Teaching Centre to can)' Hands designated to participate in their > out its indispensable, sacred functions. Thus, work, have the responsibility of deciding on > with the benefit of recent consultations with questions of Covenant-breaking, or of the > the Hands of the Cause of God residing in reinstatement of Covenant-breakers, for the > the Holy Land, we have reached the deci- ultimate approval of the Universal House of > sion, as announced in our message of Justice. > 18 May 1988 to the Bah a 'is of the world, to These important adjustments in the operraise the number of Counsellor members of ation of the International Teaching Centre, > the Teaching Centre to nine. This is one of a while affording the Hands of the Cause > number of related steps responding to the greater freedom from administrative duties, > necessity for new modes of action on the preserve their prerogatives in influencing the > part of the Universal House of Justice and of development of the institution, and also > the Hands of the Cause in relation to the make for a deeper exploration and wider > work of the Teaching Centre, at this time of manifestation of its functions, as amplified > new opportunities and new challenges for in our letter of 19 May 1983 addressed to the > the Cause of God occasioned by the growing followers of Baha'u'llah throughout the > maturation of the Administrative Order and world. > rapidly accelerating change in the conditions The Universal House of Justice > of mankind. > The regular work of the Teaching Centre 16 JUN E 1988 > will be decided upon through consultative Recent events have given rise to eleven > action of the Counsellors; and since corpo- vacancies in the membership of the Contirate action is fundamental to the direction of nental Boards of Counsellors. Mr. Adib > the Teaching Centre, it will be necessary for Taherzadeh has been elected to the Univera quorum of five Counsellors to be present at sal House of Justice; Dr. Farzam Arbab, > the World Centre at all times ... Mr. Harmut Grossmann, Mrs. Lauretta > Released from the confining, day-to-day King, Mr. Donald Rogers, Mrs. Joy Steveninvolvement in the administration of the son and Mr. Peter Vuyiya have been > work of the International Teaching Centre, appointed as Counsellor members of the > the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land can International Teaching Centre. > concenháate to a greater degree on the unique In addition, ill health has sadly made it > services that they alone can render and, from impossible for Dr. Chellie Sundram to conthe knowledge and perspective which over tinue his services as a Counsellor for Asia, > 30 years of unintenupted service at the Dr. Iraj Ayman and Mrs. Thelma Khelghati > World Centre have given them, be able to have been compelled by circumstances > advise the International Teaching Centre and beyond their control to leave, respectively, > the Universal House of Justice on those the continents of Asia and Africa in which > matters in which they feel that the work of they were serving, and Mr. Adam Thorne > the Teaching Cenháe and the Counsellors has had to resign, for personal reasons, from > throughout the world needs direction and the Continental Board of Counsellors for > development. In this regard, the Hands of Europe. We wish first to express our prothe Cause may request reconsideration by found appreciation of the contributions these > the International Teaching Centre of a dear friends have made to the advancement > decision it has made. of the Cause of God during their years of > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA 'U' LLAH 685 > > The members of the International Teaching Centre in front of the Seat of the Universal > House ofJustice in June 1988. Left to right: Mrs. Joy Stevenson, Mr. Hartmut Grossmann, > Mrs. Lauretta King, Mr. Mas 'ud Khamsi, the Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali-Akbar > Furutan, Dr. Magdalene Carney, the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu 'l-Baha Riihiyyih > Khcinum, Mr. Donald Rogers, Mr. Peter Vuyiya, Dr. Farzam Arbcib, Mrs. Isobel Sabri. > > service as Counsellors, and we pray that the Continental Fund in the Americas, and > blessings of Baha'u'llah will surround them Counsellor Ben Ayala to be Trustee in > in all they undertake in the future. Australasia. > We now have great happiness in The Universal House of Justice > announcing the appointment of the following believers as Continental Counsellors: 16 JUNE 1988 > Africa: Mr. George Allen and WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS CONVEY TO THE > > Mr. Hizzaya Hissani FOLLOWERS OF BAHA ' U' LLAH THROUGHOUT > The Americas: Mr. Gustavo Correa, WORLD JOYFUL NEWS FIRST MEETING NEWLY > > Mrs. Jacqueline Delahunt APPOINTED INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE. > > and Dr. William Roberts. ON MORNING OF FRIDAY THIRD JUNE THE > Asia: Dr. Kim Myung-Jung and HA N DS OF THE CAUSE AMATUL-BAHA RUH IYYIH > Mrs. Shantha Sundram KHANUM AND ALI AKBAR FURUTAN , THE MEM- > Australasia: Mrs. Violette Haake BERS OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE AND > Europe: Mr. Patrick O'Mara, THE NINE COUNSELLOR MEMBERS OF THE INTER- > > Mrs. Elisabeth Milhlschlegel NATIO NAL TEACHING CENTRE GATHERED IN > and Dr. Shapoor Rassekh. BAHJI AND ENTERED THE MOST HOLY SHRINE > Furthermore, as two of the Counsellors FOR PRAYERS BEFORE PROCEED ING TO THE > > now appointed to the International Teaching MANS ION OF BAHA'U ' LLAH WHERE THE IR FIRST > Centre had been Trustees of their respective JOI NT MEETTNG WAS HELD IN ROOM ASSOCIATED > Continental Funds, we now appoint Coun- W ITH SHOGI-11 EFFENDI. ALL WERE ACUTELY > sellor Peter McLaren to be Trustee of the CONSC IOUS OF THE INESTIMABLE BLESSING OF > 686 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > INITIATING THEIR CONSULTATIONS IN THESE Mr. Zekrollah Kazemi, Mr. Mu!;iammad > SACRED PRECINCTS. IN THJS AND SUBSEQUENT Kebdani, Mr. Daniel Ramoroesi, Mr. Gilbert > CONSULTATIONS DURING THE DAYS WHICH FOL- Robert, Mrs. Edith Senoga, Mrs . Lucretia > LOWED, TI-IE TASKS OF TI-IE INTERNATIONAL M. Warren, Mr. Mabuku Wingi. > TEACHING CENTRE IN FACE OF TI-IE TREMEN- The Americas (17 Counsellors): > DOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHING NOW Mr. Eloy Anello, Mr. Gustavo Correa, > BEFORE TI-IE BAI-IA'! WORLD WERE REVIEWED, Mr. Rolf von Czekus, Mrs. Jacqueline > AND NEW PATTERNS OF OPERATION WERE Delahunt, Dr. Wilma M. Ellis, Dr. Peter > FORMULATED. REJOICE NEW VISTAS OPENIN G McLaren (Trustee of the Continental Fund), > FOR YI CTORJOUS PROMOTION CAUS E GOD. Mr. Shapoor Monadjem, Mrs. Linda Neu- > The Universal House of Justice feld, Mrs. Ruth Pringle, Dr. William > Robe1ts, Mrs. Isabel de Sanchez, Mr. Fred > 30 OCTOBER 1989 Schechter, Mr. Errol Sealy, Dr. Arturo > The untimely passing of Mr. Roddy Serrano, Mr. Alan Smith, Dr. David R. > Lutchmaya on 25 September 1989 left a Smith, Mr. Rodrigo Tomas. > vacancy on the Continental Board of Coun- Asia ( 17 Counsellors): > sellors in Africa. By the appointment of Mr. Dr. Sabir Afaqi, Mr. Burharn'd-Din Afshin, > Gilbert Robert of Reunion to membership of Mr. Fai;lil Ardikani, Mr. Jabbar Eidelthat Board we have now filled this vacancy.' khani, Mr. Bijan Farid, Dr. John Fozdar, > The Universal House of Justice Mr. David Huang, Mr. 'Abbas Katirai, > Dr. Kirn Myung Jung, Mrs. Lee Lee Lud- > 29 AUGUST 1990 her, Mr. S. Nagaratnam, Dr. Perin Olyai, > PROFOUNDLY DEPLORE TRAGIC C IRCUM- Mrs. Rose Ong, Mr. Vicente Samaniego, > STANCES SUDDEN PASSING DEARLY LOYED, Mrs. Kimiko Schwerin, Mrs. Zena Sorab- > WI-IOLL Y DEVOTED , INDEFATIGABLE SERVANT jee, Mrs. Shantha Sundram (Trustee of the > BAI-IA'U'LLAI-1 I-IEDAYATOULLAH AI-IMAD- Continental Fund). > IYEI-1 . .. . Australasia (10 Counsellors): > The Universal House of Justice Mr. Ben Ayala, Mrs. Beatrice Benson, > Mr. Afemata Moli Chang, Dr. Kamran > 25 OCTOBER 1990 Eshraghian (Trustee of the Continental > It gives us great pleasure to announce the Fund), Mrs. Violette Haake, Mrs. Tinai > membership of the Continental Boards of Hancock, Mrs. Betra Majmeto, Mrs. Gayle > Counsellors as from the Day of the Cove- Morrison, Dr. Sin.ls Naraqi, Mr. Bruce > nant, 26 November 1990. The number of Saunders. > continental Counsellors remains at 72, but Europe (10 Counsellors): > adjustments have been made in their geo- Mr. Louis Henuzet, Mr. Foad Kazemzadeh, > graphical distribution in consonance with the Mrs . Elisabeth Miihlschlegel, Mr. Patrick > development of the Faith around the world. O'Mara (Trustee of the Continental Fund), > The membership of the Continental Boards Mr. Nabil Perdu, Mrs. Polin Rafat, > of Counsellors as now appointed is: Dr. Shapour Rassekh, Mr. Paul Semenoff, > Africa (18 Counsellors): Dr. Ilhan Sezgin, Mr. Sohrab Y oussefian. > Dr. Hushang Ahdieh (Trustee of the > Continental Fund), Mr. George Allen, The following eighteen devoted believers > Mrs. Beatrice 0. Asare, Mr. Gila Michael who are now being relieved of the onerous > Bahta, Mr. Kiser Barnes, Mrs . Parvin duties of membership on the Boards of > Djoneidi, Mr. Mehraz Ehsani, Mr. Friday Counsellors will, as distinguished servants > Ekpe, Mr. Shidan Fat'he-Aazam, Mr. Kas- of the Cause, continue through their outsimi Fofana, Mr. Hizzaya Hissani, standing capacities and experience to be > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 687 > sources of stimulation and encouragement to We are calling upon the Counsellors from > the friends . all continents to gather at the World Centre > Mr. Suhayl Ala'i, Mr. Husayn Ardekani, from 28 December 1990 through 3 January > Justice Richard Benson, Mrs. Isabel de 1991 for a conference to deliberate on the > Calderon, Mr. Oloro Epyeru, Dr. Agnes tasks and opportunities of the years immedi- > Ghaznavi, Mr. ZabiDu'llah GulmuDammadi, ately ahead, as we approach the end of the > Mr. Robert Harris, Mr. Bharat Koirala, Six Year Plan and the observance of the > Mr. Lisiate Maka, Mr. Rouhollah Momtazi, Holy Year marking the Centenary of the > Mrs. Ursula Mi.ihlschlegel, Dr. Leo Ascension ofBaha'u'llah and of the inaugu- > Niederreiter, Mr. KhudaraQm Payman, ration of His Covenant. > Mr. MasiD Rawl~ani, Dr. Mihdi Samandari, It is our fervent hope that from this Con- > U Soe Tin, Mr. Michitoshi Zenimoto. ference will flow a stream of guidance and > We express to each and every one of inspiration to the followers ofBaha'u'llah in > these dear friends our heartfelt gratitude and every land, reinforcing a hundredfold their > assure them of our prayers in the Holy endeavours to achieve the triumph of the > Shrines for the confirmation of their highly Cause of God. > meritorious ~nd self-sacrificing services to The Universal House of Justice > the Cause ofBaha ' u' llah. > Throughout all the continents the RIQVA N 1991 > influential and energetic services of the ... We are delighted and encouraged > Counsellors have demonstrated the progres- beyond measure by the vigorous beginning > sive development of their essential sphere of which the Boards of Counsellors have made > operation. The effective manner in which as they entered the new term of their > they inspire both the believers and institu- indispensable and highly appreciated > tions with a greater sense of vision and services to the Baha' i world. The fresh > direction; the extensive consultations they initiatives to which, with the whole-hearted > carry out with National Spiritual Assemblies encouragement and splendid support of the > in the prosecution of the objectives of the International Teaching Centre, they now > Six Year Plan; the part they play in the bend their energies, augur well for a gratifyvanguard of believers addressing the needs ing completion of the Six Year Plan. May > of the supplementary Two Year Plan in their exertions be greatly bolstered by the > Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, Mongolia increase, as of the Day of the Covenant this > and China; the widespread support they year, in the number of Auxiliary Board > offer to the consolidation efforts at the grass members to 846-90 more than exist at > roots of the communities through the dedi- present. The world-wide community will > cated untiring effotis of their Auxiliary Board certainly welcome the strength which this > members and their assistants; the steady action will bring to the scope and quality of > encouragement they lend to both the enro l- the spiritual duties assigned to the Auxiliary > ment and deepening of youth and children; Board members and their assistants, whose > the generous assistance they extend to the operation at the grass roots is a guarantee of > teaching work through the allocation of the continued expansion and consolidation > subvention funds to special projects and the of our glorious Faith. > publication and dissemination of Baha' i litera- The Universal House of Justice > ture and aud io-visual materials-in all these > activities we witness the manifold evidences 14 MAY 1991 > of the vital ro le exercised by these high- Wel l nigh four decades have elapsed > ranking officers of the Faith in the protection since the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, > and propagation of the Cause of God. asked the Hands of the Cause of God > 688 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Africa in 1991. Seated, left to right: > Parvin Djoneidi, Friday Ekpe, Lucretia Warren, Edith Senoga, Muhammad Kebdani, > Beatrice Asare, Gilbert Robert. Standing, left to right: Shidan Fat 'he-Aazam, Kassimi > Fofana, Mehraz Ehsani, Mabuku Wingi, Kiser Barnes, George Allen, Daniel Ramoroesi, > Zekrollah Kazemi, Gila Michael Bahta, Hushang Ahdieh. > > I I > > Members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Americas in 1991. Front row, > left to right: Jacqueline Delahunt, Isabel de Sanchez, A Ian Smith, Eloy Anello, Wilma Ellis, > Ruth Pringle, Rodrigo Tomas. Middle row: Linda Neufeld, David Smith, Errol Sealy, > William Roberts, Arturo Serrano. Back row: Fred Schechter, Peter McLaren, Rolf von > Czekus, Shapoor Monadjem, Gustavo Correa. (Top left is Mr. Robert Henderson.) > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 689 > > residing outside the Holy Land to appoint, in 7 OCTOBER 1991 > each continent, resident Baha'is who would We are happy to a1111ounce the appointserve as members of an Auxiliary Board, ment of Dr. Payman Mohajer as a new > referred to by him as a "vital and indispens- member of the Continental Board of Counable organ of the embryonic and steadily sellors in Asia. > unfolding Baha' i Administrative Order" .... He is replacing Mr. S. Nagaratnam who, > In addition to the qualities usually sought due to ill health and personal circumstances, > in members of the Auxiliary Board, a pri- found it necessary to resign from the Board > mary characteristic called for at this time is a of Counsellors. His resignation was regretwillingness to approach their work in a style fully accepted and his many years of > and manner that will truly arouse and release dedicated service in his capacity as a > the power that resides in the believers, thus Counsellor are warmly remembered. > enabling them to arise and serve the Cause The Universal House of Justice > with fervour and devotion reminiscent of the > dawn-breakers of the Heroic Age .... 10 O CTOBER 1991 > It is awe-inspiring to contemplate the DEEPLY GRIEVED SUDDEN PASSING STAL- > invigorating actions that will devolve upon WART MAIDS ERVANT BAHA'U'LLAH MEMBER > our arm of the Administrative Order in INTERNATIONAL TEACHfNG CENTRE MAGDALENE > connection with the forthcoming festivities, M. CARNEY. HER WELL NIGH THREE DECADES > UNBROKEN SERVICE CAUSE GOD EXERTED > commemorations, and celebrations of the > IMMENSE INFLUENCE TEACHING WORK SOUTHERN > Holy Year; also to realise that soon after the > REGION UNITED STATES, INVOLVED THIRTEEN > conclusion of these momentous events, the > YEARS MEMBERSHIP NATIONAL SPIRITUAL > International Baha'i Convention will take > ASSEMBLY THAT COUNTRY UNTIL HER APPO INT- > place during Ric;!van 1993 and a new chapter > MENT IN 1983 TO INTERNATIONAL TEACHING > in the prosecution of the Tablets of the > CENTRE. INDOM ITABLE FAITH, UNSWERV ING > Divine Plan will be opened. Considering the DEVOTION COVENANT, SELFLESS SP IRIT, OPEN > implications of these events for our institu- CANDOUR, WHOLEHEARTED COMMITM ENT > tion, we have decided to request you to call, EDUCATION CHILDREN AND YOUTH ARE AMONG > on our behalf, special conferences in regions QUALITIES THAT WILL EVER BE ASSOCIATED > of your continent for the members of the WITH GOLDEN MEMORIES HER HIGHLY ACTIV E > Auxiliary Boards sometime during Janua1y LIFE. ARDENTLY PRAY ING HOLY THRESHOLD > and February 1992. A member of the Inter- PROGRESS HER STERLING SOUL THROUGHOUT > national Teaching Centre will join you and DIVfNE WORLDS. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL SER- > participate in these gatherings, which we VI CES HER HONOUR ALL HOUSES WORS HIP AND > envision may take up to five days . .. fN BAHA'I COMMUNITLES THROUGHOUT WORLD. > As we contemplate the transition from the The Universal House of Justice > days in 1954 when thirty-six Auxiliary Board > members were assigned for the entire Baha'i 16 APRJL 1992 > world, to today when eight hundred and The members of the International Teachforty-six have been allocated and thousands ing Centre returned from the Auxiliary Board > of assistants appointed, we bow our heads conferences filled with admiration for the > in wonder at the developments in the Cause magnificent services that Auxiliary Board > that have generated this tremendous increase. members and their assistants are rendering > This fact bolsters our eagerness to reflect and to the Cause everywhere .... > consult with you on ways to make ever more In each conference the greater part of the > effective and efficient the operation of this consultation revolved around the imperative > vital agency of the Administrative Order. to translate high ideals and ardent love into > International Teaching Centre action. We have no doubt that the Auxiliary > 690 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Asia in 1991. Seated, left to right: > $izbir Afaqi, Lee Lee Ludher, 'Abbas Katirai, Kimiko Schwerin, Fa Eidelkhani. Standing: S. Nagaratnam, Shantha Sundram, Kim Myung Jung, Perin Olyai, > David Huang, Rose Ong, Bijan Farid, Zena Sorabjee, John Fozdar, Burhizni 'd-Din Afshin. > > Members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia in 1991. Seated, left to > right: Ben Ayala, Violette Haake, Sinls Naraqi, Tinai Hancock, Kamran Eshraghian. > Standing, left to right: Beatrice Benson, Gayle Morrison, Bruce Saunders, Afemata Moli > Chang, Betra Majmeto. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 691 > > Members of the Continental Board of Couns ellors for Europe in 1991 . From left to right: > Polin Rafat, Sohrab Youssefi.an, Shapour Rassekh, Nabil Perdu, Paul Semenoff, Louis > Henuzet, Ilhan Sezgin, Foad Kazemzadeh, Patrick 0 'Mara, Elisabeth Miihlschlegel. > > Board members and their assistants will and their auxiliaries, backed by a reinforced > be instrumental during the Holy Year in cre- and vigorous International Teaching Centre, > ating an atmosphere that will generate assured to the Spiritual Assemblies, whom > manifold activities to emblazon the Name of they are charged to stimulate and advise, a > Baha'u 'llah throughout every region. We buttressing indispensable to the welfare of > ardently hope that the momentum gained the entire system; while the extension of the > during the Holy Year will usher the Baha 'i span of activities of the National and Local > conununity into a period of unprecedented Spiritual Assemblies, themselves charged > victories during the Three-Year Plan . ... with guiding the destinies of their communi- > International Teaching Centre ties, significantly broadened the base of that > system. Collaterally, the work of these > RIDVAN 1992 institutions has facilitated and boosted the > ... The advances in the consolidation of evolution of the Administrative Order. Even > the Baha'i administrative system are evident more: they have demonstrated a creative > from the marked improvement in the inter- energy that bodes well for their continued > nal development and collaborative efforts of maturation. > its two arms .... The growth in confidence The Universal House of Justice > and strength of the Boards of Counsellors > 692 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In Suriname, > Counsellor Jacqueline > Delahunt (left) consults with Mrs. Terry > Madison during the > National Convention > held in Paramaribo > in April 1990. > > In Czechoslovakia, ' > Counsellor Riihu 'llah > Mumtazi (standing > right) visits friends > in Prague in > December I 986. > > In Ha waii, Counsellor > Gayle Morrison > (standing fifth fi'om > right) attending a joint > meeting between the > National Spiritual > Assembly of the > Hawaiian Islands and > the Local Assembly of > Honolulu held in > February 1987. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 693 > > In Korea, Counsellor > Kim Myung Jung > (standing third Ji-om > right) joins in celebrating the Seventieth > Anniversary of the > Introduction of the > Faith in Korea during > an event held in Seoul > on 18Feburary 1992. > > Jn Guatemala, members of the Continental > Board of Counsellors > for the Americas and > some Auxilimy Board > members meeting with > members of the > National Spiritual > Assemblies in Central > America; 1990. > > Jn Bophuthatswana, > Counsellor member of > the International > Teaching Centre Dr. > Magdalene Carney > (front left) meets > joyful co-workers > Counsellor Daniel > Ramoroesi and Lally > Warren (front) and > A uxilimy Board members Enos Makhele > (back left) and Sohail > Rowhani; l 989. > III > THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL > ASSEMBLY > > 1. INTRODUCTION > > f N this Day a great festival is taking place in the Realm above.for whatsoever was promised > in the sacred Scriptures hath been fulfilled. This is the Day ofgreat rejoicing. 1 > > The primary mission of the Baha ' i Faith is National Spiritual Assemblies are among > the establishment of a Divine Civilization-the the pillars of the evolving edifice of the > Kingdom of God on earth. "For Baha'u'llah," Baha'i World Order and were first elected > Shoghi Effendi wrote, in response to a letter written by Shoghi > Effendi on 12 March 1923 to the followers > ... has not only imbued mankind with a > of Baha'u'llah throughout America, Great > new and regenerating Spirit. He has not > Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, > merely enunciated certain universal princi- > Japan and Australasia: > ples, or propounded a particular philosophy, > however potent, sound and universal ... it is of vital importance that in every > these may be. In addition to these He, country, where the conditions are favoras well as 'Abdu'l-Baha after Him, has, able and the number of the friends has > unlike the Dispensations of the past, grown and reached a considerable size, > clearly and specifically laid down a set such as America, Great Britain and > of Laws, established definite institutions, Germany, that a "National Spiritual > and provided for the essentials of a Assembly" be immediately established, > Divine Economy. These are destined to representative of the friends throughout > be a pattern for future society, a supreme that country. Its immediate purpose is > instrument for the establishment of the to stimulate, unify and coordinate by > Most Great Peace, and the one agency for frequent personal consultations, the manithe unification of the world, and the proc- fold activities of the friends as well as the > lamation of the reign of righteousness and local Assemblies; and by keeping in close > justice upon the earth. 2 and constant touch with the Holy Land, > initiate measures, and direct in general > the affairs of the Cause in that country. It > serves also another purpose, no less > Baha' u' llah, Tablets of Baha 'u '//ah Revealed essential than the first, as in the course of > After the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Haifa: Baha 'i World time it shall evolve into the National > Centre, 1978), p. 78. House of Justice (referred to in ' Abdu'l- > Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Ba ha 'u 'I/ah, Baha's Will as the "secondary House of > Selected l etters (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing > Justice"), which according to the explicit > Trust, 1982), p. 19. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 695 > text of the Testament will have, in incorporated. It is this model document which > conjunction with the other National is printed below. > Assemblies throughout the Baha'i world, Baha'i administration is an evolving > to elect directly the members of the structure, however, as Shoghi Effendi coun- > International House of Justice, that Sup- selled the friends in a letter written on > reme Council that will guide, organize 21March1930: > and unify the affairs of the Movement > throughout the world. 2 It should also be borne in mind that the > machinery of the Cause has been so fash- > The response to the Guardian's direction ioned, that whatever is deemed necessary > was immediate. The National Spiritual to incorporate into it in order to keep it in > Assemblies of the British Isles, Germany the forefront of all progressive moveand Austria, and India and Burma were rec- ments, can, according to the provisions > ognized by him in 1923 as having fulfilled made by Baha'u'llah, be safely embodied > the electoral requirements for formation. therein. 3 > The first National Assembly of Egypt and > Sudan was formed in 1924, and the National That the Spiritual Assemblies of today > Assemblies of the Caucasus, Turkistan, and will be replaced in time by the Houses > the United States and Canada were estab- of Justice, and are to all intents and purlished in 1925. poses identical and not separate bodies, is > In 1927, the members of the National abundantly confirmed by 'Abdu'l-Baha > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Himself.. .. For reasons which are not > United States and Canada adopted a Decla- difficult to discover, it has been found > ration of Trust, with its attendant by-laws, advisable to bestow upon the elected > which was recognized under common law representatives of Baha'i communities > to give substance and character to the throughout the world the temporary appelinstitution and the administrative processes lation of Spiritual Assemblies, a term > embodied in the Baha'i teachings. This which, as the position and aims of the > Declaration of Trust became the model to be Baha'i Faith are better understood and > followed, with adaptions as local laws and more fully recognized, will gradually be > circumstances required, by other National superseded by the permanent and more > Spiritual Assemblies. appropriate designation of House of > The years following the election of the Justice. Not only will the present-day > Universal House of Justice witnessed a great Spiritual Assemblies be styled differently > increase in the number of National Spiritual in future, but they will be enabled also > Assemblies (from 56 in 1963 to 165 by to add to their present functions those > Ric;lvan 1992) and the House of Justice itself powers, duties, and prerogatives necessiprovided a model document, largely based tated by the recognition of the Faith of > on the one devised by the National Spiritual Baha'u'llah, not merely as one of the > Assembly of the United States, to be recognized religious systems of the world, > followed as closely as possible by all new but as the State Religion of an indepen- > National Spiritual Assemblies as they become dent and Sovereign Power. 4 > > 2 3 > Shoghi Effendi , Bahn 'i Administration (Wilmette: The World Order of Bahn 'u 'llah, pp. 22- 23. > Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1960), p. 39. 4 > ibid., pp. 6- 7. > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 2. A MODEL DECLARATION OF TRUST AND BY-LAWS > FOR A > NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > > FOREWORD > > THE 1926-27 National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada > completed a task which, while pertaining to the outer and more material aspects of the > Cause, nevertheless has a special significance for its spirit and inward sacred purpose. This > task consisted in creating a legal form which gives proper substance and substantial character to the National Spiritual Assemblies and the administrative processes embodied in the > Baha' i teachings by a fom1 of incorporation recognized under common law. This Declaration of Trust, with its attendant By-Laws, became the model to be followed, with > adaptations as local laws and circumstances required, by other National Spiritual > Assemblies. The years following the election of the Universal House of Justice witnessed a > great increase in the number of National Spiritual Assemblies (from 57 in 1963 to 135 by > Ric;lvan 1983) and the House of Justice itself provided a model document, largely based on > the one devised by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, to be followed as > closely as possible by all new National Spiritual Assemblies as they became incorporated, > which they were required to do under the Nine Year Plan. > Careful examination of the Declaration and its By-Laws will reveal the fact that this > document contains no arbitrary elements nor features new to the Baha'i Cause. On the contrnry, it represents a most conscientious effort to reflect those very administrative principles > and elements already set forth in the letters of the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, and already > determining the methods and relationships of Baha'i collective association. The provision > both in the Declaration and in the By-Laws for amendments in the future will permit the > National Spiritual Assemblies to adapt this document to such new administrative elements > or principles as may at any time be given forth. The Declaration, in fact, is nothing more nor > less than a legal parallel of those moral and spiritual laws of unity inherent in the fullness of > the Balla ' i Revelation and making it the fulfilment of the ideal of religion in the social as > well as spiritual realm. Because, in the Balla 'i Faith, this perfect correspondence exists > between spiritual and social laws, the Baha ' is believe that administrative success is identical > with moral success, and that nothing less than the hue Baha'i spirit of devotion and sacrifice > can inspire with effective power the world-wide body of unity revealed by Baha'u' llah. > > DECLARATION OF TRUST > By the NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA ' iS > OF .. > > WE, > duly chosen by the representatives of the Baha' is of ... at the Annual Meeting held at ... , on > ... , to be the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of ... , with full power to establish a > Trust as hereinafter set forth, hereby declare that from this date the powers, responsibilities, > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 697 > rights, privileges and obligations reposed in said National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is > of .. . by Baha'u'llah, Founder of the Baha' i Faith, by 'Abdu 'l-Baha, its Interpreter and > Exemplar, by Shoghi Effendi, its Guardian, and by the Universal House of Justice, ordained > by Baha 'u 'llah in His sacred Writings as the supreme body of the Baha'i religion, shall be > exercised, administered and carried on by the above-named National Spiritual Assembly and > their duly qualified 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 Baha'is of ... , does so as the > administrative body of a religious community which has had continuous existence and > responsibility for ... In consequence of these activities the National Spiritual Assembly is > called upon to administer such ever-increasing diversity and volume of affairs and properties > for the Baha'is of ... , that we, its members, now feel it both desirable and necessary to give > our collective functions more definite legal fo1m. 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 established > by Baha'u'llah for Baha'i administrative bodies in the utterance: Be ye Trustees of the > Merciful One among men; and seek the help of God and His guidance in order to fulfil that > exhortation. > (Signatures of the nine members) > Date > > ARTI CLE I > The name of said Trust shall be ' the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of ... ' > > ARTICLE II > Sharing the ideals and assisting the efforts of our fellow Baha' is to establish, uphold > and promote the spiritual, educational and humanitarian teachings of human brotherhood, > radiant faith, exalted character 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 application to the conditions of this age in the life and > utterances ofBaha 'u'llah-we declare the purposes and objects of this Trust to be to administer the affairs of the Cause ofBaha' u'llah for the benefit of the Baha'is of ... according to > the principles of Baha 'i affiliation and administration created and established by > Baha'u 'llah, defined and explained by 'Abdu ' l-Baha, interpreted and amplified by Shoghi > Effendi, and supplemented and applied by the Universal House of Justice. > These purposes are to be realized by means of devotional meetings; by public meetings > and conferences of an educational, humanitarian 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 Baha'is of ... in the fulfilment 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 furth erance 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, or any foreign government; and in this connection, and in all transactions > 698 TH E BAHA' I WORLD > > under the terms of this Trust, to do any and all things which a copartnership or natural > person could do or exercise, and which now or hereafter may be authorized by law. > b. To hold and be named as beneficiary under any trust established by law or otherwise or > under any will or other testamentary 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 .. .; 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 Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu ' l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, and enactments of the Universal > House of Justice, under which certain jurisdiction, powers and rights are granted to > National Spiritual Assemblies. > d. Generally to do all things and acts which in the judgement of said Trustees, i.e. , the > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of ... , are necessary, proper and advantageous to promote the complete and successful administration of this Trust. > > ARTICLE III > SECTION I . All persons, firms, corporations and associations extending 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 payment of any debt, damage, judgement > 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 herein named shall be personally liable > therefor. > SECTI ON 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 IV > The Trustees, i.e., the National Spiritual Assembly, shall adopt for the conduct of the > affairs entrusted to them under this Declaration of Trust, such by-laws , rules of procedure or > regulations as are required to define and cany on its own administrative functions and those > of the several local and other elements composing the body of the Baha' is of .. ., not inconsistent with the terms of this instrument and all in accordance with the instructions and > enactments of the Universal House of Justice. > > ARTICLE V > The central office of this Trust shall be located in .... > > ARTI CLE VI > The seal of this Trust shall be circular in fom1, bearing the following inscription: National > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of .... > > ARTICLE VII > This Declaration of Trust may be amended by majority vote of the National Spiritual > Assembly of the Baha' is of .. . at any special meeting duly called for that purpose, provided > 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. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 699 > BY-LAWS OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > > ARTICLE I > THE 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 Baha'i > Cause throughout .. ., including paramount authority in the administration of this Trust. > It shall endeavour to stimulate, unify and coordinate the manifold activities of the Local > Spiritual Assemblies (hereinafter defined) and of individual Baha' is in .. . and by all possible > means assist them to promote the oneness of mankind. It shall be charged with the recognition of such Local Assemblies, the scrutiny of all membership rolls, the calling of the > Annual Meeting or special meetings and the seating of delegates to the Annual Meeting and > their apportionn1ent among the various electoral districts. It shall appoint all national Baha'i > committees and shall supervise the publication and distribution of Baha'i literature, the > reviewing of all writings pertaining to the Baha' 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 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 Baha'i > body is in question. It shall furthermore represent the Baha' is of ... in all their co-operative > and spiritual activities with the Baha 'is of other lands, and shall constitute the sole electoral > body of ... in the election of the Universal House of Justice provided for in the sacred > Writings of the Baha'i Cause. Above all, the National Spiritual Assembly shall ever seek to > attain that station of unity in devotion to the Revelation ofBaha'u'llah which will attract the > confirmations of the Holy Spirit and enable the Assembly to serve the founding of the Most > Great Peace. In all its deliberation and action the National Assembly shall have constantly > before it as Divine guide and standard the utterance ofBaha'u' llah: > It behooveth them (i.e., members of Spiritual Assemblies) to be the trusted ones of the > Mercifitl 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 His sake, even as they regard their own interests, > and to choose that which is meet and seemly. > > ARTI CLE II > The Baha 'is of ... for whose benefit this Trust is established shall consist of all persons of > the age of 15 years or over resident in ... who are accepted by the National Spiritual Assembly as possessing the qualifications of Baha'i faith and practice required under the following > standard set forth by the Guardian of the Faith: > > Full recognition of the station of the Bab, the Forerunner; of Baha ' u' llah, the Author; and of' Abdu'I-Baha, > the True Exemplar of the Baha'i religion ; unreserved acceptance of, and submi ssion to, whatsoeve r has been > revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of 'Abd u' l-Baha's sacred Will ; and close > associati on with the spirit as well as the form of Baha'i Administration throughout the world. > > Those residing in the area of jurisdiction of any Local Spiritual Assembly recognized by > the National Assembly may declare their faith to, and be emolled by, the Local Spiritual > Assembly; those living outside any such area oflocal Baha'ijurisdiction shall be emolled in > such manner as shall be prescribed by the National Assembly. > 700 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Upon attaining the age of21 years, a Baha'i is eligible to vote and to hold elective office. > > ARTICLE III > The National Assembly shall consist of nine members chosen from among the Baha ' is of > ... , who shall be elected by the said Baha'is in manner hereinafter provided, and who shall > continue for the period of one year, or until their successors shall be elected. > > ARTICLE IV > The officers of the National Spiritual Assembly shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary 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 V > The 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 Chairman sha ll be > chosen. All subsequent meetings shall be called by the Secretary of the Assembly at the > request of the Chaim1an 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 VI > Five members of the National Assembly present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, > and a majority vote of those present and constituting a quorum shall be sufficient for the > conduct of business , except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, 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 National 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. > > ARTICLE VII > Whenever in any locality of ... , the number ofBaha'is resident therein recognized by the > National Spiritual Assembly exceeds nine, these shall on April 21st of any year convene and > elect by plmality vote a local administrntive body of nine members, to be known as the > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of that community. Every such Spiritual Assembly shall > be elected amrnally thereafter upon each successive 21st day of April. The members shall > hold office for the term of one year or until their successors are elected and qualified. > When, however, the number ofBaha'is in any authorized civil area is exactly nine, these > shall on April 21st of any year, or in successive 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 shall become established with the > rights, privileges and duties of a Local Spiritual Assembly as set forth in this instrument. > > SECTION I. Each newly-elected Local Spiritual Assembly shall at once proceed in the > manner indicated in Articles IV and V of these By-Laws to the election of its officers, who > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 701 > shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other > officers as the Assembly finds necessary for the conduct of its business and the fulfilment 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 Assembly shall be as set > forth in the writings ofBaha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, and as laid down by > the Universal House of Justice. > SECTION 3. Among its more specific duties, a Local Spiritual Assembly shall have full > jurisdiction of all Baha'i activities and affairs within the local community, subject, however, > to the exclusive and paramount 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 Baha'i 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 in Article VI above . > SECTION 6. The Local Assembly shall pass upon and approve the qualifications of each > member of the Baha' i community before such members shall be admitted to voting membership; but where an individual is dissatisfied with the ruling of the Local Spiritual Assembly > upon his Baha'i qualifications, such individual may appeal from the ruling to the National > Assembly, which shall thereupon take jurisdiction of and finall y decide the case. > SECTION 7. On or before the 1st day of November of each year the Secretary of each Local > Assembly shall send to the Secretary of the National Assembly a duly certified list of the > voting members of the local Baha'i community for the information and approval of the > National Assembly. > SECTION 8. All matters arising within a local Baha'i community which are of purely local > interest and do not affect the national interests of the Cause shall be under the prima1y jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly of that locality; but decision whether a particular matter > involves the interest and welfare of the national Baha'i body shall rest with the National > Spiritual Assembly. > SECTION 9. Any member of a local Baha'i community may appeal from a decision of his > Spiritual Assembly to the National Assembly, which shall dete1mine 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 jurisdiction of the matter, its findings shall be final. > SECTION 10. Where any dissension exists within a local Baha'i community of such 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 11 . All questions arising between two or more Local Spiritual Assemblies, or > between members of different Baha'i communities, 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 Baha' i community, shall be the locality included within the recognized civil limits. > All differences of opinion concerning the sphere of jurisdiction of any Local Spiritual > 702 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Assembly or concerning the affiliation of any Baha'i or group of Baha'is in ... shall be > referred to the National Spiritual Assembly, whose decision in the matter shall be final. > > ARTICLE VIII > The members of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be elected at an annual meeting to > be known as the National Convention of the Baha'is of ... This Convention shall be held at a > time and place to be fixed by the National Assembly. The National Convention shall be > composed jointly of representatives chosen by the Baha'is of each ... under the principle of > proportionate representation, and the members of the National Spiritual Assembly. > Notice of the annual meeting shall be given by the National Assembly sixty days > in advance in the Convention Call which sets forth the number of delegates assigned to the > various electoral units in proportion to the number ofBaha'is resident in each such unit, to a > total of ... delegates for the Baha'is of .... > > SECTION I. All delegates to the Convention shall.be elected by plurality vote. Baha'is 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 to the meeting by mail. The meeting held in each > ... for the election of delegates shall be called by the National Spiritual Assembly and conducted by the Baha' is present under whatever procedure may be uniformly laid down by > said body. Immediately after the meeting a certified report of the election containing the > name and address of each delegate shall be transmitted to the National Spiritual Assembly. > SECTION 2. All delegates to be seated at the Convention must be recognized Baha'is and > residents of the ... 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 Convention shall be > vested in the National Spiritual Assembly. > SECTION 5. Delegates unable to be present in person at the Convention shall have the right > to transmit their ballots for election of the members of the National Assembly under whatever procedure is adopted by the National Assembly. > SECTION 6. If in any year the National Spiritual Assembly shall consider that it is impracticable or unwise to assemble together the delegates to the National Convention, the said > Assembly shall provide ways and means by which the annual election and the other essential > business of the Convention may be conducted by mail. > SECTION 7. The presiding officer of the National Spiritual Assembly present at the > Convention shall call together the delegates, who after roll call shall proceed to the permanent organization of the meeting, electing by ballot a Chairman, 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 annual meeting shall be consultation on Baha'i > activities, plans and policies, and the election of the nine members of the National Spiritual > Assembly. Members of the National Assembly, whether or not elected delegates, may take a > full part in the consultation and discussion but only delegates may pa11icipate in the election > of Convention officers or in the annual election of the members of the National Assembly. > All action by the delegates, other than the organization of the Convention, the transmission > of messages to the World Centre of the Baha'i Faith, and the election of the National Assembly, shall constitute advice and recommendation for consideration by the said Assembly, > final decision in all matters concerning the affairs of the Baha'i Faith in ... being vested > solely in that body. > TH E WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U 'L LAH 703 > SECTION 9. The general order of business to be taken up at the Annual Convention shall > be prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly in the form of an agenda, but any matter > pertaining to the Baha'i Faith introduced by any of the delegates may upon motion and vote > be taken up as part of the Convention deliberations. > SECTION Jo. 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 has been > transmitted to the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly by mail. In case, by reason of > a tie vote or votes, the full membership is not detem1ined on the first ballot, then one or more > additional ballots shall be taken on the persons tied until all nine members are elected. > SECTION J J. All official business transacted at the National Convention shall be recorded > and preserved in the records of the National Assembly. > SECTION 12. 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 Assembly. > > ARTICLE IX > Where the National Spiritual Assembly has been given in these By-Laws exclusive and > final jurisdiction, and paramount executive authority, in all matters pertaining to the activities and affairs of the Baha'i Cause in ... , 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 Universal House of Justice. > > ARTICLE X > Whatever functions and powers are not specifically attributable to Local Spiritual Assemblies in these By-Laws shall be considered vested in the National Spiritual Assembly, which > body is authorized to delegate such discretionary functions and powers as it deems necessary > and advisable to the Local Spiritual Assemblies within its jurisdiction. > > ARTICLE XI > In order to preserve the spiritual character and purpose of Baha ' i 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 > have inspired him to uphold . > Among the most outstanding and sacred duties incumbent upon those who have been > called upon to initiate, direct and co-ordinate the affairs of the Cause as members of Local or > National Assemblies 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 to promote, to purge their deliberations and the general conduct of their > affairs of self-contained aloofness, the suspicion of secrecy, the stifling atmosphere of > dictatorial assertiveness and of every word and deed that may savour of partiality, > 704 THE BAHA'l WORLD > > self-centredness 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 > inter-dependence and co-partnership, of understanding and mutual confidence between > themselves and all other Baha'is. > > ARTICLE XII > These By-Laws 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 amendments is mailed to > each member of the Assembly by the Secretary. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA ' U'LLA!-1 > > 3. A PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE ANNUAL > BAHA'i CONVENTION > > ARTICLE VIII of the Model Declaration • Election of the Chaim1an and Secretary > of Trust and By-Laws of a National Spiritual of the Convention, and such other officers as > Assembly (see pp.702-703) presents the may be required, by plurality vote in a secret > essential elements which govern the elec- ballot of the assembled delegates from among > tion, functions and authority of a National their own number. > Baha 'i Convention, the body which consti- • Adoption of the Agenda of Convention > tutes the electoral college for the National (see below). > Spiritual Assembly of its country. •Reading of any message from the Uni- > The purpose of consultation at the Annual versal House of Justice. > Convention is threefold: to arrive at full and > complete knowledge of the current condi- The remaining business of the Convention > tions, problems and possibilities of the Faith follows the order of the Agenda which is > in the country; to give the incoming National adopted, and includes the following elements, > Assembly the benefit of the collective wis- some of which are distributed throughout the > dom, guidance and constructive suggestions period of the Convention. > of the assembled delegates; and to contribute •Presentation of the Annual Report of the > to the unity, in spirit and in action, of the National Spiritual Assembly, including its > entire Baha' i community. financial report, supplemented by the annual > Over the years, national Baha 'i communi- reports of its Committees. It is desirable for > ties have evolved procedures which are these reports to be supplied to the delegates > followed at their National Conventions, and in writing in advance so that only supplewhich vary according to the size of the Con- mentary reports need to be given orally at > vention and the conditions of the country in the time of the Convention. Among these > which it is held. The following is an outline reports, presentations may be made on speof the elements of a typical procedure. cial subjects by well-qualified members or > representatives of the National Assembly or > ORDER OF BUSINESS its Committees or by non-Baha 'i experts > The initial business of the Convention whose exposition is necessary or desirable > follows an order dictated by the priorities of for the information of the delegates. > the business: •Election of the members of the National > • Call to order by the Presiding Officer of Spiritual Assembly. This, in accordance > the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly with the express desire of the Guardian of > (this is usually the Chairman, but could be the Faith, should take place approximately > any member of the Assembly designated by midway during the Convention sessions so > it for the purpose). that the delegates will have the opportunity > • Prayer and devotional readings provided to consult with both the outgoing and incomby the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly. ing Assemblies. > • Opening of the Convention by the Pre- • Approval of any messages from the Considing Officer of the National Spiritual vention to the Universal House of Justice and > Assembly. other institutions, agencies or persons. > • Roll call of the delegates by the Secre- • Consultation on the affairs of the Baha'i > tary of the National Spiritual Assembly. Faith both national and international. Referring > 706 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Counsellor Ursula > Miihlschlegel was > among the participants in the National > Convention held in > Athens, Greece, on > 25 and 26 April 1987. > > to the role of the members of the National delegates. However, the Convention may, by > Spiritual Assembly in this consultation, majority vote, omit or add items, change the > Shoghi Effendi has written: order, or even adopt an entirely new agenda. > Banishing every vestige of secrecy, of > undue reticence, of dictatorial aloofness, CONDUCT OF BUSINESS > from their midst, they should radiantly Every deliberative body, to fulfil its funcand abundantly unfold to the eyes of the tions , must conduct its deliberations in > delegates, by whom they are elected, their accordance with some established rules of > plans, their hopes, and their cares. They order. The procedure here set forth for the > should familiarize the delegates with the National Convention is based upon the provarious matters that will have to be con- cedure aheady adopted for meetings of Local > sidered in the current year, and calmly and Assemblies and communities. It accordingly > conscientiously study and weigh the opin- extends to sessions of the Annual Convenions and judgements of the delegates .... tion the same procedure under which the > delegates, in their other Baha'i activities, are > AGENDA FOR CONSULTATION accustomed to conduct discussions and con- > An agenda for the sessions of the Con- sultation. > vention is usually prepared beforehand by The freedom of each and every delegate > the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly, to take part in discussion and to initiate > including the various matters of national motions is untrammelled save as the undue > Baha'i importance which it feels demand the activity of one delegate might hamper the > attention of the delegates. This agenda will rights of the others. Any necessary limitainclude the items mentioned above and below tion to be placed upon individual discussion > at appropriate times during the Convention. shall be determined by the Chaiiman in the > The Reports of National Committees are absence of any specific motion duly carried > often presented at the times during the con- by majority vote of the delegates themsultation when related subjects are to be selves. It is the duty of the Chaiiman to > discussed. encourage general consultation and make > TI1is agenda should be presented to the possible the active pa1ticipation of the > Convention immediately after the election greatest possible number of delegates. > of the Convention Officers and is usually The Chaiiman has the same power and > adopted by majority vote of the assembled responsibility for discussion and voting upon > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 707 > motions as do other delegates. Members of their ballot-papers, the Chairman calls > the outgoing and incoming National Spir- upon the Secretary to collect the ballots. > itual Assembly who are not delegates may 2. The Convention Secretary calls the roll of > participate in the consultation but not vote, delegates , whereupon each delegate in > as is also the case with any representative of turn places his or her ballot in the ballotthe Continental Board of Counsellors who box; and as names are called, those > may have been deputed to attend on behalf ballots received by mail are also placed in > of the Board. the ballot-box by the Secretary of the > Any other person may be given the right National Spiritual Assembly. > to address the Convention, by majority vote 3. When all ballots are cast, the ballot-box is > of the delegates present. But care must be handed to the tellers, who retire from the > taken that such pe1mission is not abused, Convention hall to count the votes and > since the delegates have limited time at their determine the result of the election. > disposal to engage in their vital deliberations. 4. The result of the balloting is reported by > The Chairman shall call for votes by a the tellers to the Convention, and the tellshow of hands or similar means . ers' report is accepted by vote of the > The transactions of the Convention shall Convention. > be recorded by the Secretary, and when 5. A tie vote for the ninth place may be > certified by the Convention officers, shall be broken by a revote between the persons > given to the National Spiritual Assembly. tied, canied out by secret ballot of the > delegates present at the Convention. > ANNUAL ELECTION 6. If a member duly elected to the National > The outgoing National Spiritual Assem- Spiritual Assembly submits his resignably provides the Convention officers with a tion to the National Assembly and his > roll of elected delegates, ballot-papers, a resignation is accepted, his place must be > ballot-box and tellers' report fom1s . filled by a ballot of all the delegates, not > The election is conducted by the Conven- merely those present in the Convention > tion, but delegates unable to attend have the hall. If all delegates are present, then > right to vote by mail. such a by-election can be held while the > The policy governing the appointment Convention is still in session. > of tellers, like other details of Convention 7. The ballots, together with the tellers' > procedure which are not defined in the Con- report, certified by all the tellers, are > stitution of the National Spiritual Assembly, given to the National Spiritual Assembly. > is within the discretion of the National > Assembly to decide. The usual practice is TH E CONVENTION RECORD > for the National Assembly either to ask the The permanent record of each successive > Convention Chairman to appoint the tellers, National Baha' i Convention consists of the > or to appoint them itself. Tellers may be following: > appointed from among the assembled dele- 1. Convention Call as issued by the National > gates or from among Balla ' is who are Spiritual Assembly. > present but are not delegates. 2. List of accredited delegates. > Th e electoral method is as follows: 3. Annual Reports of the National Spiritual > Assembly and of its Conm1ittees. > 1. After a period of prayer, the Convention 4. Messages sent to and received from the > Chairman calls upon the delegates to Baha ' i World Centre and other institurecord their votes, during which time tions , agencies and persons. > silence is observed. When all delegates 5. Resolutions and other transactions of the > have had reasonable time to complete assembled delegates. > 708 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 6. The result of the election of the National the conditions of the Cause in his region and > Spiritual Assembly. with the views of the Baha ' is whom he is > elected to represent. > DUTIES OF D ELEGATES OUTS ID E THE After the Convention each delegate should, > CONVENTION SESSIONS as far as possible, share his experiences and > The National Convention is not a continu- impressions of the Convention with the > ously functioning institution, but the delegates Baha'is in his area. > do have tluáee duties to perfom1 before and During the year, if there is a need for a > after the Convention sessions. by-election to the National Spiritual Assem- > Before the Convention each delegate bly, the delegates will be called upon to vote > should do his best to familiarize hin1selfwith to fill the vacancy. > > 4. NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1989 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea-Bissau. Counsellor Husayn Ardekani is seen > standing on the far left; Counsellor Rolf von Czekus is standing on the far right. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 709 > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1989 > > The Spiritual Assembly ofMacau. Amatu 'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum is seated centre; > Counsellor Bijan Farid is seated third from right. > > 1991 > > The Spiritual Assembly of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. > 710 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1991 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Romania. Amatu 'l-Baha Ril~iyyih Khaman is seated in > the centre. > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Czechoslovakia. The Hand of the Cause of God > Dr. 'Ali-Muhammad Varga is standing thirdfi'om right. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 711 > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1991 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of the West Leeward Islands. Counsellor Ruth Pringle is > seen standing on the far left; Counsellor William Roberts is on the far right. > > 1992 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Angola. > 712 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baltic States. Th e Hand of the Cause of God > 'Ali-Akbar Furutan is seated centre; Counsellor Polin Rafat is standing third ji-om right. > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Albania. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U 'LLA H 713 > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1992 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Hungmy. > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Poland. Amatu 'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum is seated > secondfiáom left. > 714 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1992 > > The Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, with the Hand of > the Cause Dr. 'Ali-Muhammad Varqa (front row) and Counsellor Paul Semenoff (back row > second from right). > > Th e National Spiritual Assembly of Greenland (one member absent). The Hand of the > Cause of God Dr. 'Ali-Muhammad Varqa is seated centre. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 715 > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1992 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Bulgaria. > > R E-ESTABLISH ED NATIONAL SPIRITU AL ASSEMBLIES > > 1987 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Zaire; re-established 1987. > 716 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > RE-ESTABLISHED NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1992 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Azerbaijan, re-established 1992. Counsellor Mas 'ud > Khamsi is seen standing centre. > > The National Spiritual Assembly of the Congo Republic; re-established 1992. Counsellor > George Allen is seen standing on the far left. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U' LLAH 717 > RE - ESTABL.ISHED NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > 1992 > > The National Spiritual Assembly of Niger; re-established 1992. > > The Regional Assembly of Central Asia; re-established 1992 (one member absent). > IV > THE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > > 1. INTRODUCTION > > SHOGHI Effendi likened the Baha' i Admin- from estrangement and must manifest in > istrative Order to the monument marking the themselves the Unity of God, for they are > resting place of the Greatest Holy Leaf, 1 on the waves of one sea, the drops of one > Mount Carmel. A letter written on his behalf river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of > to an individual believer in Persia, dated one sun, the trees of one orchard, the > 6 March 1945, states: flowers of one garden. Should harmony > of thought and absolute unity be non- > The steps of her holy resting-place repreexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed > sent Local Spiritual Assemblies .... The > and that assembly be brought to naught. > columns, that is the pillars, are like the > The second condition: -They must > National Spiritual Assemblies, while the > when coming together turn their faces to > dome, which is raised following the placing > the Kingdom on High and ask aid from > of the columns, symbolizes the Universal > the Realm of Glory. They must then pro- > House of Justice which, in accordance > ceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, > with the Master's Will and Testament > dignity, care and moderation to express > must be elected by the secondary Houses > their views. They must in every matter > of Justice, that is, the National Spiritual > search out the truth and not insist upon > Assemblies of East and West. 2 > their own opinion, for stubbornness and > The Local Assemblies, then, are the base persistence in one's views will lead > of the edifice of the Baha'i World Order. ultimately to discord and wrangling and > During the Ministry of 'Abdu '1-Baha, the truth will remain hidden. The honored > local Assemblies and boards of consultation members must with all freedom express > had been initiated in Persia, Turkistan, the their own thoughts, and it is in no wise > Caucaus, Egypt, India and Burma, England, permissible for one to belittle the thought > France, Germany, and the United States.3 of another, nay, he must with moderation > 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote that the obligations set forth the truth, and should differences > incumbent upon the members of consulting of opinion arise a majority of voices must > councils included the following: prevail, and all must obey and submit to > the majority. It is again not pern1itted that > The first condition is absolute love and > any one of the honored members object to > harmony amongst the members of the > or censure, whether in or out of the meetassembly. They must be wholly free > ing, any decision arrived at previously, > though that decision be not right, for such > Bahiyyih Khanum, the daughter of Baha ' u'llah . > 2 criticism would prevent any decision > Bahiyyih Kluinum, Th e Greatest Holy l eaf (Haifa: > Baha'i World Centre, 1982), p. 92. from being enforced. In short, whatsoever > 3 Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By (Wilmette: Baha'i thing is arranged in harn1ony and with > Publishing Trust, 1987), p. 268-69. love and purity of motive, its result is > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLf\H 719 > > light, and should the least trace of Baha'is around the world arose to the > estrangement prevail the result shall be summons, "in complete unison, and despite > darkness upon darkness .... If this be so the great diversity in their outlook, customs > regarded, that assembly shall be of God, and languages, the double task of establishing > but otherwise it shall lead to coolness and and of consolidating their local counalienation that proceed from the Evi l cils ... "3 Shoghi Effendi was pleased, but felt > One .... compelled to remind the friends that " ... all > Discussions must all be confined to these administrative activities, however harspiritual matters that pertain to the train- moniously and efficiently conducted, are but > ing of souls, the instruction of children, means to an end, and should be regarded > the relief of the poor, the help of the as direct instruments for the propagation of > feeble throughout all classes in the world, the Baha'i Faith." 4 As further guidance, on > kindness to all peoples, the diffusion of 27 February 1929, Shoghi Effendi wrote to > the fragrances of God and the exaltation the members of the National Spiritual Assemof His Holy Word. Should they endeav- bly of the Baha'is of the United States and > our to fulfill these conditions the Grace of Canada: > the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto > ... the administration of the Cause is to be > them, and that assembly shall become the > conceived as an instrument and not a subcenter of the Divine blessings, the hosts > stitute for the Faith ofBaha'u'llah, that it > of Divine confirmation shall come to their > should be regarded as a channel through > aid, and they shall day by day receive a > which His promised blessings may flow , > new effusion of Spirit. 1 > that it should guard against such rigidity > Shoghi Effendi formalized the creation as would clog and fetter the liberating > of Local Spiritual Assemblies, calling for forces released by His Revelation .... the > their election in a letter to the followers of whole machinery of assemblies, of com- > Baha'u'llah throughout America, Great Britain, mittees and conventions is to be regarded > Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Japan as a means, and not an end in itself; that > and Australia dated 12 March 1923: they will rise or fall according to their > capacity to further the interests, to coordi- > And, now that this all -important Work > nate the activities, to apply the principles, > may ... function vigorously and continuto embody the ideals and execute the > ously in every part of the Baha'i world; > purpose of the Baha'i Faith. 5 > that the unity of the Cause of Baha' u ' llah > may remain secure and inviolate, it is of In November, 1931, the New York > the utmost importance that in accordance Baha'i community drafted a document > with the explicit text of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, containing by-laws for Baha'i local assemthe Most Holy Book, in every locality, be blies which Shoghi Effendi accepted as a > it city or hamlet, where the number of pattern for local Baha' i communities. This > adult (21 years and above) declared became the basis for the model document > believers exceeds nine, a local "Spiritual provided by the Universal House of Justice > Assembly" be forthw ith established. To it and printed below. > all local matters pertaining to the Cause > must be directed and immediately referred > ibid. , p. 3 7. > for full consultation and decision. 2 God Passes By, p. 330. > Baha 'i Administration , p. I 03 . > 1 5 > Shoghi Effendi, Bafia 'f Ad111i11istratio11 (Wilmette: Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Baha 'u '//ah > Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1960), p. 22-23. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 9. > 720 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 2. BY- LAWS OF A LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > > WE, the undersigned members of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of..., desiring to > incorporate this body do hereby adopt the following By-Laws: > > ARTICLE I > The Tmstees, i.e., the members of the Spiritual Assembly, recognize that this action has > been taken in full unanimity and agreement. They acknowledge for themselves and on > behalf of their successors the sacred meaning and universal purpose of the Baha'i Faith, the > teachings and principles of which fulfil the divine promise of all former revealed religions. > > ART ICLE II > In administering the affairs of the Baha'i religion under this Corporation for the benefit of > the Baha'is of... in accordance with the religious teachings and administrative principles of > this Faith, the Spiritual Assembly shall act in conformity with the functions of a Local Spiritual Assembly as defined in the By-Laws adopted by the National Spiritual Assembly and > published by that body for the information and guidance of Baha' is throughout... 1 > > ARTI CLE III > The Spiritual Assembly, in the fulfilment of its obligations and responsibilities under this > Corporation, shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over all the local activities and > affairs of the Baha'i community of ... , including paramotmt authority in the adminisháation of > this Corporation. It shall be responsible for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of all > Baha'i teaching, whether written or oral, tmdertaken throughout the local community. It > shall make available the published literature of the Faith. It shall represent the community in > relationship to the National Spiritual Assembly, the Universal House of Justice, other local > Baha'i communities and the general public in .... It shall be charged with the recognition of > all applicants requesting membership in the local Baha'i community. It shall pass upon the > right of any and all members of the community whose membership is in question to retain > their status as voting members of the community. It shall call the meetings of the community, including the Baha' i Anniversaries and Feasts, the Meetings of consultation, and the > Annual Meeting at which the members of the Assembly are elected. It shall appoint and > supervise all committees of the Baha'i community. It shall collect and disburse all funds > intended for the maintenance of this Corporation. It shall have full and complete custody of > the headquarters or meeting place of the Baha'i conununity. It shall have exclusive authority > to conduct Baha'i marriage ceremonies and issue Baha' i marriage ce1tificates within the > area of its jurisdiction. It shall report to the National Spiritual Assembly annually, or when > requested, the membership roll of the Baha'i community, for the information and approval > of the National Assembly. The Spiritual Assembly, however, shall recognize the authority > and right of the National Spiritual Assembly to declare at any time what activities and affairs > of the Baha'i community of ... are national in scope and hence subject to the jurisdiction > of the National Assembly. It shall likewise recognize the right of any member of the > > Name of country or region. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LL.\1-1 721 > community to appeal to the National Assembly for review and decision of any matter in > which the previous decision of the Local Spiritual Assembly is felt by the member to be > contrary to the explicit teachings of the Baha'i Faith or opposed to its best interests. It shall, > on the other hand, have the authority and right to appeal from the decision of the National > Assembly to the Universal House of Justice for review and final decision of any matter > related to the Faith in .... > > ARTICLE IV > The Spiritual Assembly, in administering this Corporation, shall ever bear in mind the > idea ls upheld in the sacred Writings of the Baha'i Faith respecting the relationships of a > Spiritual Assembly to its Baha' i community, respecting the relations of Baha'is to one > another in the community, and the relationships ofBaha'is to all non-Baha'is, without prejudice of race, creed or nationality. The Assembly shall therefore above all recognize its > sacred duty to maintain full and complete unity throughout the Baha'i community, to relieve > and comfort the sick and distressed, to assist the poor and destitute, to protect the orphans, > the crippled and the aged, to educate the children of Baha ' is according to the highest > religious and intellectual standards, to compose differences and disagreements among > members of the community, to promulgate the principles of Divine Civilization revealed > by Baha'u'llah, and to promote in every way possible the Baha' i aim of the oneness of > mankind. It shall faithfully and devotedly uphold the general Baha'i activities and affairs > initiated and sustained by the National Spiritual Assembly. It shall co-operate wholeheartedly > with other Local Spiritual Assemblies throughout... 2 in all matters declared by the National > Spiritual Assembly to be of general Baha ' i importance and concern. It shall rigorously > abstain from any action or influence, direct or indirect, that savours of intervention on the > part of the Baha' i body in matters of public politics and civil jurisdiction. It shall encourage > intercourse between the Baha'i community of ... and other recognized Baha' i communities, > issuing letters of introduction to Baha'is travelling from .. . and passing upon letters of introduction issued by other Baha'i Assemblies. It shall regard its authority as a means of > rendering service to Baha'is and non-Baha' is and not as a source of arbiháary power. While > retaining the sacred right of final decision in all matters pertaining to the Baha ' i community, > the Spiritual Assembly shall ever seek the advice and consultation of all members of the > community, keep the community informed of all its affairs, and invite full and free discussion on the part of the community of all matters affecting the Faith. > > ARTI CLE V > The Baha'is of ... for whose benefit this Corporation has been established shall consist of > all persons of the age of 15 years or over resident in ... who are accepted by the National > Spiritual Assembly as possessing the qualifications of Baha ' i faith and practice required > under the following standard set forth by the Guardian of the Faith: > Full recognition of the station of the Bab, the Forerunner; ofBaha 'u'llah, the Author; and > of 'Abdu ' l-Baha, the True Exemplar of the Baha ' i religion; unreserved acceptance of, and > submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to > every clause of 'Abdu ' l-Baha 's sacred Will; and close association with the spirit as well as > the form of Baha' i Administration throughout the world. > Upon attaining the age of21 years, a Baha'i is eligible to vote and to hold elective office. > > Name of cou ntry or region. > 722 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > ARTICLE VI > The Spiritual Assembly shall consist of nine Trustees chosen from among the Baha'is > of..., who shall be elected by these Baha'is in a manner hereinafter provided and who shall > continue in office for the period of one year, or until their successors shall be elected. > > ARTICLE VII > The officers of the Spiritual Assembly shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chai1man, > Secretary 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 VIII > The first meeting of a newly-elected 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 Chairman shall be chosen. All subsequent meetings shall be called by the Secretary of the Assembly at the request > of the Chairman 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 on April 21, in accordance with the administrative principles recognized by all > Baha ' i Assemblies. > SECTION I. Five members of the Assembly present at a meeting shall constitute a quornm, > and a majority vote of those present and constituting a quorum shall be sufficient for the > conduct of business, except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, 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 Assembly shall be recorded at each meeting by the > Secretary, who shall have the minutes adopted and approved by the Assembly, and preserve > them in the official records of the Assembly. > SECTION 2. Vacancies in the membership of the Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by > election at a special meeting of the local Baha'i community duly called for that purpose by > the Assembly. In the event that the number of vacancies exceeds four, making a quorum of > the Spiritual Assembly impossible, the election shall be under the supervision of the > National Spiritual Assembly. > > ARTICLE IX > The sphere of jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly, with respect to residential qualification of membership, and voting rights of a believer in the Baha'i conununity, shall be the > locality included within the civil limits of... > > ARTICLE X > SECTION I. In the event that any decision of the Assembly is unacceptable to any member > or members of the community, the Assembly shall, after endeavouring to compose the > difference of opinion, invite the said member or members to make appeal to the National > Spiritual Assembly and notify that body of the condition of the matter and the readiness of > the Assembly to become party to that appeal. > SECTION 2. In the same manner, if any difference arises between the Assembly and > another Local Assembly, or Assemblies, in ... 3 , the Assembly shall report the matter to the > 3 Name of country or region . > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAl-I 723 > National Assembly and inform that body of its readiness to make joint appeal together with > the other Assembly or Assemblies. > SECTION 3. If, however, the result of such appeal is unsatisfactory to the Spiritual Assembly, or the Assembly at any time has reason to believe that actions of the National Spiritual > Assembly are affecting adversely the welfare and unity of the Baha'i community of... , > it shall, after seeking to compose its difference of opinion with the National Assembly in > direct consultation, have the right to make appeal to the Universal House of Justice. > SECTION 4. The Assembly shall likewise have the right to make complaint to the National > Spiritual Assembly in the event that matters of local Baha'i concern and influence are > referred to the national body by a member or members of the local community without > previous opportunity for action by the Local Assembly. > > ARTICLE XI > The Annual Meeting of the Corporation at which its Trustees shall be elected shall be > held on April 21 , at an hour and place to be fixed by the Assembly, which shall give not less > than fifteen days ' notice of the meeting to all members of the local Baha'i community. > SECTION I. The Assembly shall accept those votes transmitted to the Assembly before the > election by members who by reason of sickness or other wrnvoidable reason are unable to be > present at the election in person. > SECTION 2. The election of members to the Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote. > SECTION 3. All voting m embers of the local Baha' i community are eligible for election as > members of the Spiritual Assembly. > SECTION 4. The Assembly shall prepare an agenda for the Annual Meeting in which shall > be included reports of the activities of the Assembly since its election, a financial statement > showing all income and expenditure of its fund , reports of its conunittees and presentation of > any other matters pertaining to the affairs of the Baha'i community. The Assembly, both > preceding and following the annual election, shall invite discussion and welcome suggestions from the community, in order that its plans may reflect the community mind and heart. > SECTION 5. The result of the election shall be reported by the Spiritual Assembly to the > National Assembly. > > ARTICLE XII > In addition to the Ammal Meeting, the Assembly shall arrange for regular meetings of the > Baha' i community throughout the year at intervals of nineteen days, in accordance with the > calendar incorporated in the teachings of the Baha'i Faith. > > ARTICLE XIII > The seal of the Corporation shall be circular in fo1m, bearing the following inscription: > The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of... .. > > ARTICLE XIV > Alternative 'A ' > These By-Laws may be amended by majority vote of the 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 amendments is mailed to each member > of the Assembly by the Secretary. > 724 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > Alternative 'B' > These By-Laws may be amended only by majority action of the National Spiritual > Assembly, which, in making amendments, does so for the By-Laws of all Local Spiritual > Assemblies throughout.... 4 > Name of country or region. > > Seven members of the > Local Spiritual Assembly in Loja, Spain, > elected in October > 1986. Th e majority of > Assembly members > are Roma. > > The Local Spiritual > Assembly of Ashkhabad, Turkm en S. S.R., > re-formed in 1989 after > a lapse of fif ty years. > > Th e Local Spiritual > Assembly of the > Baha 'is of District 10 > in Ho Chi Minh City, > Vietnam, elected at > Ri THE WORLD ORD E R OF BAHA'U ' LLAl-l 725 > > Members of the > Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha 'is of > Johann esburg, South > Africa, consulting during a meeting in 1988. > > Children gathered > for Baha 'i classes in > the Local Haziratu 'l- > Quds in Dzitya, > Yucatan , Mexico, > in 1987. > > Members of local > youth committees > meeting with the > National Youth Committee of Germany to > cons ult on the Six Year > Plan. Mainz, Germany > March 1987. > 726 THE BA HA' i WORLD > > A Nineteen Day Feast > being held at the Khaoi-Dang Annex Reji1gee > Camp in Thailand, > in 1987. > > Roslyn Buie (in the > wheelchair) reading a > prayer during the > devotional part of the > Naw-Riiz celebrations > held in Port Vila, > Vanuatu, on > 21March1992. > > Children of Ambano, > Madagascar, singing > during the Naw-Ruz > celebrations held in > their community on > 21March1991. > TH E WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAl-I 727 > > Friends enjoying > the Ayyam-i-Ha celebrations sponsored by > the Local Spiritual > Assembly of San Jose, > California, USA, in > February 1988. > > A social activity held > as part of a Weekend > Bahiz 'i School in > Macau in January > 1988. > > Youngfi-iends providing entertainment > during the Naw-Ruz > celebration held in > Paramaibo, Suriname, > on 2 1 March J988. > v > THE INSTITUTION OF THE > MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR > > 1. FOREWORD > BY HORACE HOLLEY > > Blessed is he who, at the hour of dawn, centring his thoughts on God, occupied with > His remembrance, and supplicating His forgiveness, directeth his steps to the > Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar and, entering therein, seateth himself in silence to listen to the > verses of God, the So vereign, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Say: The Mashriqu 'l- > Adhkar is each and every building which hath been erected in cities and villages for > the celebration of My praise. Such is the name by which it hath been designated before > the throne ofgl01y, were ye of those who understand. > Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas > MANY discerning minds have testified it into a dynamic striving for unity. The > to the profoundly significant change which Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, when clearly w1derhas taken place during recent years in the stood, gives the world its most potent > character of popular religious thinking. Reli- agency for applying mystical vision or idealgion has developed an entirely new empha- istic aspiration to the service of humanity. It > sis, more especially for the layman, quite makes visible and concrete those deeper > independent of the older sectarian divisions. meanings and wider possibilities of religion > Instead of considering that religion is a which could not be realized until the dawn > matter of turning toward an abstract creed, of this universal age. > the average religionist today is concerned The tern1 "Mashriqu'l-Adhkar" means litwith the practical applications of religion erally, "Dawning-place of the praise of God". > to the problems of human life. Religion, in To appreciate the signficiance of this > brief, after having apparently lost its influ- Baha'i institution, we must lay aside all cusence in terms of theology, has been restored tomary ideas of the churches and cathedrals > more powerfully than ever as a spirit of of the past. The Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar fulfils > brotherhood, an impulse toward unity, and the original intention of religion in each disan ideal making for a more enlightened pensation, before that intention had become > civilization tluáoughout the world. altered and veiled by hwnan invention and > Against this background, the institution belief > of the Masluáiqu'l-Adhkar stands revealed as The Mashriqu'l-Ad.h.kar is a channel > the supreme expression of all those modern releasing spiritual powers for social regenerreligious tendencies animated by social ation because it fills a different function than > ideals which do not repudiate the reality of that assumed by the sectarian church. Its > spiritual experience but seek to transform essential purpose is to provide a conummity > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLA.H 729 > > meeting-place for all who are seeking to Integral with the Temple are its accessory > worship God, and achieves this purpose by buildings, without which the Mashriqu'linterposing no man-made veils between the Adhkar would not be a complete social inworshipper and the Supreme. Thus, the stitution. These buildings are to be devoted > Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar is freely open to people to such activities as a school for science, a > of all Faiths on equal terms, who now realize hospice, a hospital, an asylum for orphans. > the universality of Baha'u'llah in revealing Here the circle of spiritual experience at last > the oneness of all the Prophets. Moreover, joins, as prayer and worship are allied > since the Baha'i Faith has no professional directly to creative service, eliminating the > clergy, the worshipper entering the Temple static subjective elements from religion and > hears no sermon and takes part in no ritual laying a foundation for a new and higher > the emotional effect of which is to establish type of human association. > a separate group consciousness. > > 2. THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE > OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR > > A LETTER FROM SHOGHI EFFENDI > > IT should be borne in mind that the central man-made creeds, each bent, according to > edifice of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, round his way, to observe his rites, recite his > which in the fullness of time shall cluster prayers, perform his ablutions, and display > such institutions of social service as shall the particular symbols of his faith within > afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to separately defined sections of Baha' u' llah's > the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to Universal House of Worship. Far from the > the bereaved, and education to the ignorant, Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar offering such a spectacle > should be regarded apart from these depen- of incoherent and confused sectarian > dencies, as a house solely designed and observances and rites, a condition wholly > entirely dedicated to the worship of God incompatible with the provisions of the > in accordance with the few yet definitely Aqdas and irreconcilable with the spirit it > prescribed principles established by inculcates, the centrnl House of Baha ' i > Baha 'u ' llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas . It should worship, enshrined within the Mashriqu'lnot be inferred, however, from this general Adhkar, will gather within its chastened > statement that the interior of the central walls, in a serenely spiritual atmosphere, > edifice itself will be converted into a con- only those who, discarding forever the > glomeration of religious services conducted trappings of elaborate and ostentatious cerealong lines associated with the traditional mony, are willing worshippers of the one > procedure obtaining in churches, mosques , true God, as manifested in this age in > synagogues, and other temples of worship. the person of Baha' u'llah. To them will > Its various avenues of approach, all converg- the Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar symbolize the fundaing towards the central hall beneath its mental verity underlying the Baha' i Faith, > dome, will not serve as admittance to those that religious truth is not absolute but relasectarian adherents of rigid fornrnlae and tive, that Divine Revelation is not final but > 730 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > progressive. Theirs will be the conviction himself, much less to humanity in general, > that an all-loving and ever-watchful Father unless and until translated and transfused > Who, in the past, and at various stages in the into that dynamic and disinterested service > evolution of mankind, has sent forth His to the cause of humanity which it is the > Prophets as the Bearers of His Message and supreme privilege of the dependences of > the Manifestations of His Light to mankind, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar to facilitate and > cannot at this critical period of their civili- promote. Nor will the exertions, no matter > zation withhold from His children the how disinterested and strenuous, of those > guidance which they sorely need amid the who within the precincts of the Mashriqu'ldarkness which has beset them, and which Adhkar will be engaged in administering the > neither the light of science nor that of human affairs of the future Balla' i commonwealth, > intellect and wisdom can succeed in fructify and prosper unless they are brought > dissipating. And thus having recognized in into close and daily communion with those > Baha'u'llah the source whence this celestial spiritual agencies centring in and radiating > light proceeds, they will irresistably feel from the central shrine of the Mashriqu 'lattracted to seek the shelter of His house, Adhk and congregate therein, unhampered by interaction between the spiritual forces emaceremonials and unfettered by creed, to ren- nating from this House of Worship centring > der homage to the one true God, the Essence in the heart of the Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar, and > and Orb of eternal Truth, and to exalt and the energies consciously displayed by those > magnify the name of His Messengers and who administer its affairs in their service to > Prophets Who, from time immemorial even humanity can possibly provide the necessary > unto our day, have, under divers circum- agency capable of removing the ills that > stances and in varying measure, mirrored have so long and so grievously afflicted > forth to a dark and wayward world the light humanity. For it is assuredly upon the conof heavenly guidance. sciousness of the efficacy of the Revelation > But however inspiring the conception of of Baha'u'llah, reinforced on one hand by > Baha'i worship, as witnessed in the central spiritual communion with His Spirit, and on > edifice of this exalted Temple, it cannot be the other by the intelligent application and > regarded as the sole, nor even the essential, the faithful execution of the principles and > factor in the part which the Mashriqu ' l- laws He revealed, that the salvation of a > Adhkar, as designed by Baha'u 'llah, is des- world in travail must ultimately depend. > tined to play in the organic life of the Baha' i And of all the institutions that stand associcommunity. Divorced from the social, human- ated with His Holy Name, surely none save > itarian, educational and scientific pursuits the institution of the Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar can > centring around the dependencies of the most adequately provide the essentials of > Mashriqu ' l-Adhk:ar, Baha'i worship, how- Baha 'i worship and service, both so vital to > ever exalted in it conception, however the regeneration of the world. Therein lies > passionate in fervor, can never hope to the secret of the loftiness, of the potency, > achieve beyond the meagre and often transi- of the unique position of the Mashriqu'ltory results produced by the contemplations Adhkar as one of the outstanding institutions > of the ascetic or the communion of the conceived by Baha'u'llah. > passive worshipper. It cannot afford lasting > satisfaction and benefit to the worshipper 25 October 1929 > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH > > 3. THE DEDICATION OF THE FIRST MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR > OF THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT AND THE INTERNATIONAL > TEACHING CONFERENCE NEW DELHI, INDIA > 23 -2 7 DECEMBER 1986 > > A. REPORT OF THE DEDICATION AND CONFERENCE > NA YSAN $AHBA > > Preliminary Activities A silver casket holding dust gathered from > the blessed Shrines of Baha'u'llah and the > Well I dreamed Bab was to be placed into the crown of the > That stone by stone I rear 'd a sacred Jane Prayer Hall arch facing the direction of > A temple, neither Pagod, Mosque, 'Akka, symbolically consummating the prepnor Church, arations that would sustain the next day's > But loftier, simpler, always open door'd dedication of the Temple. Amatu'l-Bah:i > To every breath ji-om heaven, and Truth and ascended the specially erected nine-metre- > Peace and Love and Justice came and high stage to place the casket, contained in > dwelt therein a marble box, in a niche under the apical > (and then despairingly) marble slab of the arch. > I watched my son Rul;iyyih Kh:inum spoke of the signifi- > And those that fo llow 'd loosen cance of the sacred dust, the gift of the > stone Fam stone Universal House of Justice. Then, after the > All my fair work, and Fam the ruins arose chanting of prayers, the friends moved to > The shriek and curse of trampled millions the library in the ancillary building, where > even as in the time before; Amatu'l-Baha presented the architect with > but while I groan 'd an inscribed plaque on behalf of the Indian > From out the sunset pour 'd an alien race Spiritual Assembly, expressing their admira- > Who fitted stone to stone again, tion and appreciation for his work. Finally, > and Truth, Peace, Love and Justice came the group proceeded to the main gate of the > and dwelt therein. Temple lands which was then officially des- > -Alji-ed Lord Tennyson ignated as the Dr. Muh:ijir Gate in tribute to > Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Ral)matu ' llah > On the morning of 23 December 1986, Muh:ijir's great love and services for India. > Amatu ' l-Baha Ri.'il)iyyih Kfoinum entered The events that morning anticipated the > the first Mashriqu'l-Aclhkar of the Indian remarkable five-day convocation of over > sub-continent for the first time since its eight thousand believers gathered in New > completion. The friends present on that Delhi to celebrate the completion of the first > occasion included the Hands of the Cause Bah:i' i House of Worship of the Indian subof God Mr. William Sears and Mr. Collis continent and to behold its dedication to > Featherstone; the Continental Board of public worship by Amatu'l-Baha, the repre- > Counsellors for Asia; the members of the sentative of the Universal House of Justice. > National Spiritual Assembly of India; the Nine months before, the National Assembly > architect, Mr. Fariburz $ahb:i, and his work of India had announced the momentous > team; and a few other invited guests. event in a letter to the Baha ' i world: > 732 TH E BAl-IA'i WORLD > > The Dedication of the Mother Temple of the Asian Continent, in New Delhi, India, > on 24 December 1986. > > Under the loving and inspiring guid- of all who would come. The cornn1ittee > ance of the Universal House of Justice, relied on the invaluable and sacrificial assisthe collective and sacrificial efforts of tance of hundreds of volunteers from around > the Baha'is of India together with their the world to manage all aspects of the preparbrothers and sisters all over the world, ations. With the commencement ofregistration > have drawn nigh the blessed hour of the on 19 December, hundreds of participants > triumphant completion of this mighty edi- stepped forward to offer their services in > fice in the very first year of the new Six various capacities for the events. Thus, the > Year Plan. It is, therefore, with a feeling stage was set. > of profound ecstasy and a deep sense > of gratitude, that we joyfully convey the Welcoming Ceremony > Supreme Body's auspicious announcement to hold the dedication of the Mother FOREVER IN BLOOM > Temple in December 1986. A new flower has blossomed in Asia > But work on the event had begun even And everyone's coming to see > before the announcement. The Dedication For itsji-agrance has perfi1med the planet > Committee had been appointed in 1984, Setting hearts and souls eve1ywhere ji-ee a > immediately procuring the Indira Gandhi symbol of hope for the future > Indoor Stadium-the largest of its kind in A symbol of peace for mankind > Asia-for the conference, reserving accom- In silence rejoicing and quietly voicing > modation for attendees of what was to be the Its praises of all things divine > largest assemblage ofBaha'is ever gathered Forever in bloom, this hea venly flower > on that sub-continent, preparing the pro- A lotus of love, and life-giving power > grarnn1e with all of its subsidiaries, and Beseeching the dead to come forth from > seeing to every logistic detail in order to their tomb > ensure the comfort and fruitful participation And witness the wonder, forever in bloom > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LL..\H 733 > So come, and behold now the beauty expansion of the Faith over the Seven Year > Give ear to the unspoken call Plan had been simply a statistical success > For the sweet songs of life-everlasting recorded in reports. That success was > Are now being sung for us all imbued with the breath of life as it unfolded > Let those who are deaf come and listen itself in the coliseum. The participants repre- > Let all who are blind come and see sented 114 nations, with the Indian attendees > As man now commences to transcend providing a microcosm of their subhis senses continent's diversity with delegates from > And learns what it means to be fi"ee every state and territory present. Old friends > were re-united and new friendships were > Forever in bloom, this heavenly flower > kindled as believers shared their unique > A lotus of love, and life-giving power > stories of teaching, service, toil, and sacri- > Beseeching the dead to comeforthfi"om > fice, inspiring each other until the call of > their tomb > welcome drew their attention to the stage, > And witness the wonder, forever in bloom > beautifully designed for the occasion. > Let none then be hindered fi"om coming This opening session was co-chaired by > For who could be sad or forlorn Mrs. Shirin Boman and Counsellor Iraj > Wh ere God and mankind come together Ayman. After their words of greetings and > And faith in the future is born the devotions, the chairman of the National > Let all then rejoice in the vision Assembly of India, Mr. Kishen Khemani, > For darkness is destined to cease gave a stirring welcoming address on behalf > And mankind shall notice the sweet-scented of his hosting community. The special > lotus guests, the Hands of the Cause of God > Proclaiming the promise ofpeace Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Kh:inum, Mr. William Sears, and Mr. Collis Featherstone, > Forever in bloom, this heavenly flower > were introduced and invited to the stage, > A lotus of love, and life-giving power > much to the joy and honour of an audience > Beseeching the dead to comeforthfi"om > that dearly remembered the services rentheir tomb > dered by them and the debt the entire Baha' i > Come witness the wonder, > world owed to them for their leadership in > Forever in bloom > both the promulgation and protection of the > - Tom Shoemaker Cause. In the presence of these precious > Hands, the "Roll Call of the Nations" was > In a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly taken. As each country was announced, a > of India, the Universal House of Justice had representative of that nation came to the > am10unced the theme of the conference that stage. The friends looked on with wonderwould augment the dedication as "The Baha'i ment as believers of every background and > House of Worship dedicated to the Unity race gathered around the seated Hands of the > of God, the Unity of His Prophets, and the Cause. A thunderous applause filled the hall > Unity of Mankind". This conference was as the colourful assemblage on stage was > inaugurated in the Indira Gandhi Stadium on finally completed. > 23 December. The precious friends of Iran, unable to > The atmosphere in the stadium was send a representative to the dedication due > charged with profound feelings of pride and to the persecutions in their land, sent a > joy as all gathered together for the first time stirring message and 204 red roses to the > and saw about them the massive strength assemblage, in memory of the 188 friends > that lies in the unity of the Baha'i interna- martyred and the 16 souls still missing at > tional community. For most, the numerical that time. The. flowers , bought through the > 734 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > contributions of the prisoners and families of professionals who assisted with tlre conthe martyrs, were reverently displayed in struction work, including the hundreds of > two exquisite silver-gilt urns inside the devoted, unskilled labourers who toiled in tlre > Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar. The beautiful letter true spirit of worship. > read, in part: "With overjoyed hearts and > tearful eyes, in utmost joy and anxiety, we > offer sincere greetings to Amatu'l-Bah3 and The Dedication Ceremony > others present in that conference. By this > At times only a whisp, a breath, a comma, > token we feel ourselves spiritually present... > separates us from the world we seek. > Although we are far away over the moun- > We have no need of disguises here, > tains and oceans, we are close to you in heart > may abandon the false limp that solicits pity > and soul." > and walk with head erect, our minds > 111e conference was officially inaugurated > unstockinged, > by Amatu ' l-Bah3, who read tlre message of > allowing the unquestioning light > the Universal House of Justice. (For the full > to escort us charitably into the stillness > text of the message please see p.740) > where, though we die with our distinctions, > Rul~iyyih Khanum then addressed the conwe are unjudged and undiminished. > ference herself, sharing spirited words of > It is truth 's way to be disinterested > praise, wisdom, warning, and encouragement, > and death-ah, we will live to die again. > inspiring fmiher delight and enthusiasm into > the hearts of the friends , for both the dedi- What matters is our willingness > cation at hand and their own long-term to lose our ordinary use of eyes, > dedication to the service and teaching work to have our hearts catch fire, > of the Cause. to run forward blind and eager > To familiarise the friends with the physical with our hearts ' ashes driftingjiáom our > surroundings and the intricate structure of hands. > the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, a slide programme Only the purest gesture will suffice. > with running commentary was presented, > Arriving will be wonde1fulcovering the history of the Temple 's conlike being in the cool plush centre of a > strnction and explaining the dimensions and > flower > layout of the Prayer Hall and its ancillary > and becoming its fiáagranc e > buildings. > broadcast in indiscriminate opulence > At this point, Mr. Fariburz $ahba was > intoxicating the lovers > introduced and welcomed to the stage. In a > leading crazed Majniln ecstatically to his > heartfelt speech of praise and tlrnnksgiving, > Layli. > the architect reviewed the incredible story > of the building of the House of Worship, - Roger White > remembering the many precious souls and > institutions that assisted in the complicated The entire day of 24 December 1986, was > process. He expressed his particular indebt- devoted to the dedication of the Mother > edness to his wife, Mrs. Golnar $ahb3, Temple of India. Three consecutive services > whose loving support and spirit as botlr were held in order to accommodate all of the > spouse and working partner was invaluable beloved friends. Amatu'l-Baha Ru~iyyih > in allowing him to carry forward his services Khanum, who was to offer the dedicatory > towards the raising of the Mashriqu'l- speech on behalf of the Universal House of > Adhkar. A wave of applause was raised as Justice, graced all three gatherings with her > he asked her to share the stage with him. presence, offering that Supreme Body's > Mr. $ahba went on to refer to the many words of dedication to all. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAl-I 735 > The first service was particularly notable Justice, I have the great honour of dedias about 400 special guests from around cating this Mother Temple of the Indian > the world witnessed the dedication in the sub-continent to public worship. Conpresence of Mr. Sears and Mr. Featherstone ceived in the hearts of a handful of early > -such people as the Lieutenant-Governor Bah:i'is in Bombay, in 1920, who petiof Delhi, India's Foreign Secretary, the tioned 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Head of their > Ambassadors of Canada, Denmark, and the Faith, the son of its Founder, Bahi'u'llah, > United States of America, the First Secretary that a Temple be raised in His name in > of the Embassy of the Union of Soviet India; blessed from its very inception, > Socialist Republics, the ranking representa- almost 70 years ago, by 'Abdu'l-Bahi, > tive of the Vatican Mission to India, high Who prayed that by the Will of God > ranking officials from the Embassy of a majestic Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar-literally > China, judges of the Indian High Court, "the Dawning Place of the mention of > representatives of the project's consultants God"-should be erected in one of the > and contractors, and many others. central cities of India; confirmed in this > The service opened with a beautiful selec- mighty enterprise by the Guardian of the > tion of devotions. Amatu'l-Bahi then spoke Baha'i Faith himself, who stipulated that > words of dedication. Her brief speech and this Temple must be erected in New > selection of Writings, partially based on the Delhi, and made the purchase of its site > message prepared by the Guardian for the one of the goals of his world-encompassdedication of the House of Worship in ing Crusade; initiated through a message > Wilmette, included the only comment made of the Universal House of Justice to the > to the friends in the Prayer Hall: Baha'is of the world in 1974, conveying > the glad tidings that the construction of > On behalf of the Supreme Body of the this historic House of Worship in this part > Baha'i Faith, the Universal House of of Asia would be commenced during the > > I I I > > The three Hands of the Cause of God present at the Dedication of the Temple in India: > William Sears, Amatu '!Bahri Riihiyyih Khanum, and H. Collis Featherstone. > 736 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > coming five years, and all the preliminar- the guidance and salvation of all mankind." > ies and initial excavations be completed The assemblage then rose as Amatu'l-Bahci > within that period; reared through the shared brief but stitTing selections from the > sacrificial and loving contributions not Prayers and Meditations ofBahci'u 'llah. > only of the Indian Baha'is but their fellow Next, selections from the Sacred Scripbelievers from every country, telTitory, tures of the world were eloquently shared in > and major island of the globe, now this English, Persian, Hindi, and Sanskrit. These > glorious marble lotus, this exquisite sym- were interspersed with music provided by > bol of the purity, beauty, perfection, and choirs made up of more than one hundred > mercy that comes to all men from their people who had come together from various > Creator, enfolds us tenderly in her breast, parts of the world to help make the dedicabidding us unite in peace, welcoming tion services unique and unforgettable. Baha'is > within her doors peoples of all creeds, all and non-Baha' is, professionals and amateurs > races, all nations and all classes, and joined the English, Hindi or Persian choir, > proclaiming to all men that this Temple is the three bodies singing separately, in unidedicated to the three fundamental verities son, and in various combinations. The > animating and underlying the Baha'i English and Persian choirs were conducted > Faith-the unity of God, the unity of His by Mr. Tom Price and Mr. Bijan Khadem- > Prophets, the unity of mankind. Missagh respectively. The Hindi choir holds > She concluded by saying, "I greet and a special place in the Temple's history because > welcome you within these walls on behalf of of its connection to one of the world's noted > the Universal House of Justice, and invite classical musicians and India's greatest sitaryou to share with us the words recorded in ist, Pandit Ravi Shankar. His is one of the > the Sacred Scriptures which we believe to be Temple ' s love stories. > repositories of the eternal and fundamental Pandit Shankar had been approached > truths revealed by God in various ages for several months before the dedication by the > > Three choirs p e1forming during the services of worship inaugurating the Moth er Temple of > the Indian Sub-Continent at New Delhi, 24 December 1986. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 737 > members of the committee, requesting him fountains, and gardens. In a cable to the > to consider playing the sitar at one of the Baha'i World Centre, Amatu'l-Baha expressed > conference sessions . He declined the invita- her feelings of the " .. .Inestimable privilege > tion to play at the stadium, but upon hearing attend all three packed services heart our > of the purpose of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, lotus Temple". Indeed, she was so inspirited > the principles of unity that went into its lotus by the choirs' performance that she persondesign, and upon seeing photographs of the ally invited the singers to the conference hall > Temple, he told the friends that he felt the in the ancillary building, sharing her feelings, > prayer hall was imbued with a special and saying, "Today in this House of Worship I > beautiful spirit, the unifying attributes of can begin to appreciate the meaning of > which he felt he could capture through a Baha'i choir and the true value of having > combination of his music, the Sacred Scrip- only the human voice in the Prayer Hall in > tures, and the bringing together of singers the Baha'i Temples. I am grateful to each > from around the world. Had they asked him one of you. It was truly a heavenly perforto play at the Temple, he said, he would mance." She requested that her gratitude be > have gladly accepted. The friends were then forwarded to Pt. Shankar as well. > faced with the dilemma of having such a No soul attending the functions of that > wonderful offer and yet having to inform day could have asked for anything more. > Pt. Shankar that only a capella music can Attendants, volunteers, organisers, guests; > be used in the Prayer Hall of a Baba' i House all left the tráanquil grounds revitalised and > of Worship, when the musician suddenly emboldened, prepared to celebrate this latest > expressed that, in his opinion, only the voice victory of the Faith with two days of orations, > of man should be used to praise God in such drama, and music. Those who attended the > a spiritual place! final session of dedication had the added > Pt. Shankar visited the Mashriqu'l-Adh- p1ivilege of witnessing the Mashriqu '1-Adhkar > kar shortly thereafter-a visit that confirmed in full illumination- breathtaking and awardthe importance of the task at hand for him. winning lighting that created the ethereal > He became completely enamoured with the effect of a blooming flower floating on > beauty and purpose of the Temple, whole- water. It was a symbolically apt coincidence > heartedly setting to work on the music and that the close of the day's dedicatory obserexpecting to conduct the choir, too. Alas, vances saluted the beginning of the com- > Pt. Shankar suffered a severe heart attack memoration of the Birth of Christ. It was > shortly before the week of the dedication .. To undoubtedly a Christmas Eve that the friends > the ceaseless gratitude and admiration of would always cherish. > the friends, however, he composed the final > passages of the music in his hospital bed, The International Teaching Conference > because of the great importance he attached > to the Temple and its dedication. Mr. Asit Oh lotus in the heart! > Desai, Pt. Shankar's personal assistant, Growing up ji-om the soil > conducted the Hindi choir with great suc- Of mother India, > cess. The three choirs raised their voices in Drawing deep springs > glorious notes, melting the hea1is and setting Up ji-om the depths of Asia, > ablaze the souls of all those present. Rising a mighty fountain > Tears of joy and thanksgiving flowed as Of mystic power unseen > the beloved friends were imbued with the Felt, almost heard, > total effect of the transcendent Writings, the As it over flows > celestial music, and the majestic tabernacle From petals clasped in prayer > itself, with its serene surroundings of pools, To cany the voices > 738 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Of the singers praising God The progress of the Cause in the world, in > To be scattered far and wide Asia, and in India was carefully assessed by > By the scattering angels- three members of the Continental Board of > Armfuls ofprayer they cany Counsellors ; Dr. Peter Khan, Mr. Vicente > Like panniers of invisible flowers Samaniego, and Mrs. Zena Sorabjee, respec- > Scattering the Words of God tively. Counsellor Burhani'd-Din Afshin > Scattering His Glorious Words spoke stirringly on the essential role of sacri- > Up to the snow clad Himalayas fice in Baha'i service. > Down to the lapping edge of the seas At the first session of the conference the > A rain ofperfi1me secretary of the National Assembly oflndia, > A rain of blessing Mr. Ramnik Shah, introduced representaft seeps into eve1y crevice tives of the tribal people of the sub-continent > Showers every jungle who spoke eloquently of what the Faith of > Spatters the deserts ' sands God meant to them and to their peoples. The > Passes above every meadow Continental Pioneer Committee for Asia > Blows into every cave! presented its goals in an informative address > The scattering angels by Mr. Kueh Lip Kuang. > Rank on rank, file on file, All of these conference talks were ac- > Deploying the promise cented by cultural performances presented > Of their Lord the Almighty. by artists from around the world. Every state > -Amatu'l-Baba Ru~iyyih Khanum of India was represented through indigenous > folk or classical dances , songs, and drama; > The two-day conference was both lively and devotional programmes were given by the > enlightening. The sessions were chaired by children attending the conference; the youth > Mrs. Shirin Fozdar, Dr. Singara Velum, oflndia and Malaysia were specially featured > Mr. Douglas Martin, Judge James Nelson, at one session. Prominent Baha' i recording > and Mr. Bharat Koirala, all of whom skil- a1tists entertained the friends with their music. > fully wove together the diverse programme Throughout the days of the conference, > of serious discussion and light cultural extra-sessional activities occupied the friends > presentations . and provided them with opportunities to > All three of the blessed Hands of the give and share the joy and exuberance they > Cause were again present at the conference. imbibed from the dedication. > Amatu ' l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum spoke fur- A complete tent city had been erected > ther on the theme of the dedication and the near the Temple grounds, accommodating > significance of Asia 's House of Worship. four thousand of the believers who had come > Mr. Sears shared an endearing presentation to attend the sessions. This unique complex > on the infallible station of the Universal played host to an outdoor cultural evening of > House of Justice and that sacred Body's colourful performances by a variety of > influence upon the world. Mr. Featherstone ethnic groups. It also gave rise to numerous > elevated the minds of the delegates with a teaching opportunities as people were atpenetrating talk on spiritual values. racted by the unity shown amongst the > A touching highlight of the conference Baha'is of different backgrounds. > was the sharing of the message of the late A children's conference ran parallel to the > Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. Dhikru 'llah plenary sessions, from 23 to 26 December, > Khadim, by his wife, Mrs. Javidukht providing a full-time forum for the youngest > Khadim. Mr. Khadim, who was to have been Baha'is attending the dedication. Their proa keynote speaker at the conference, passed gramn1e included a special dedicatory service > away just five weeks before the dedication. at the House of Worship on 26 December. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 739 > Prior to the dedication, on 22 December, by mid-day, it seemed that the curiosity and > Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum had ad- wonderment of the public could not be condressed the media at a press conference held tained any longer. Thousands of people, > at New Delhi's finest hotel. All the leading many of whom lived in the vicinity of the > newspapers of India had been represented, Temple and had witnessed the beautiful > resulting in at least two features, stories, or events of the days gone by, gathered at the > photographs appearing in each paper. The Dr. Muhajir Gate and around the perimeter > electronic media present for the dedication of the Temple lands until such a multitude > events included All India Radio, the British had amassed that could be contained no > Broadcasting Corporation's Radio and Tele- longer. The gathering was let in and large > vision, and other news service agencies groups were infom1ed of the purpose of > whose materials were disseminated world- the Temple. The surprised visitors passed > wide. A group of Baha' i media professionals through the Prayer Hall with the greatest of > from Australia and the United States volun- respect, astonishing the friends with their > teered and excelled in dealing with the media, reverence and their innate awareness of the > giving invaluable support to the dedication sanctity of that precious Fane. > committee. During the evening of the 27th, a public > On 27 December the friends who could meeting and cultural programme was held, > remain in New Delhi experienced a number chaired by Mrs. Meherangiz Munsiff and > of unique events that once again accented including an introduction to the Faith by > the remarkable functions of the preceding Mr. P.N. Mishra. The entertai11111ent included > days. The day began with dawn prayers at a ballet, an indigenous American dance, a > the Mashriqu' l-Adhkar, drawing the friends multi-media presentation on The Promise of > to that cherished House for one final offer- World Peace, classical Indian dances, pering of prayer before the gates were opened formances by American composers, and the > to the public of India and the world. And yet singing of the theme song of the conference. > > @=!!!!jil > > BAHAI HOUSE OF > Amatu 'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khtinum on 23 December 1986, addressing the opening session of > the International Teaching Conference held in Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, India. > 740 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Once again, the friends joined hearts, enjoying Delhi prepared themselves for an entirely new > their final moments together before returning phase of Baha'i service, the glories of which > to their respective homes and sharing the would only be manifest in the months and > spirit of those precious days with the rest of years ahead. That-still unbelievable-service > the Baha' i world. began when the Lotus ofBahapur blossomed > The remaining days of 1986 passed silently out to public worship on New Year' s Day, > for India's mother Temple. The fri ends ofNew 1987. And thus it remains, forever in bloom. > > B. MESSAGE OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE > > With feelings of intense joy and humble embarked upon major national teaching > gratitude we hail congregation followers plans as parts international enterprise, these > Baha' u' llah assembled in thousands from achievements now crowned with signal viceast and west on this memorable occasion tory completion Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Delhi > inauguration Mother Temple Indian Sub- from which praise of God will resound > continent. Thi s magn ificent ed ifi ce raised throughout world, confer particular blessing > Asiatic continent, cradle principal religions continent Asia , which has for so many years > mankind, just dedicated for public worship, been deprived of this divine institution. > is befitting tribute to Baha' u' ll ah, Glory of These successive victories bestowed upon > God, testifying to His unfa iling promises, smal l but vigorous Baha' i community, animanifold bless ings and abiding protection mated by Holy Spirit, assured of unbounded > vouchsafed generations His devoted fo llow- confirmations from on high and motivated > ers who responded His call, toil ed in H is by love of Beloved of the world and Desire > vineyard , offered their li ves in path His love, of the nations, will be step nearer glorious > sacrifi ced the ir comfort, wealth and position future presaging still greater triumphs > to promote His Cause, establish His institu- Baha'i community which will draw upon its > tions and unfurl His banner of uni ty and hidden and great potential in promoting > tranquility amongst mankind. Faith and conferring immortal fame servants > Outstanding achievements recent past Blessed Beauty. We earnestly renew our ferwhen, thanks to courage, steadfastness and vent plea to those participating this festive > self-abnegation Baha' i community land its occasion as well as to all Baha'is around > birth, Faith Baha'u'llah has dramatically world to arise in thanksgiving, consecrate > attracted worldwide attention , when com- themselves to arduous but eternally rewardmunities Greatest Name have resolutely ing services to Cause God and concentrate > crossed threshold fourth epoch Formative their efforts and resources to execution and > Age Baha ' i Dispensation, when National triumphant conclusion projected historical > Spiritual Assemblies, as ev idence their mat- venture during critical brief years separating > uration have, for first time, devised and us from centenary Ascension Baha'u' llah. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA°U 'LLA H 741 > > The Lotus of > Bahapur... > > " ... exquisite symbol of the purity, beauty, > pe1fection, and mercy that comes to all men > from their Creator .. . " > > The Mother Temple > of the Indian Sub- > Continent. > The Dawning Place > of the Mention of > God. > 742 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In the heart of > New Delhi, the > Baha'i Temple offers > an oasis of silence > and peace. > > Like a lotus flow er > glimmering on a > tranquil pond, the > Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar > was designed to > represent that > ancient symbol > ofpurity. > > Part of the > Temple's beauty lies > in its simplicity, with > water and light being > the only elements of > ornamentation. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH > > 4. THE TEMPLE OF BAHAPUR AS SILENT TEACHER > ELIZA RA S IWAL A > > IN the heart of New Delhi, the bustling construction activity at Bahapur. The inscrucapital of India, a lotus-shaped outline has table wisdom of the Almighty had ordained > etched itself on the consciousness of the the site of the "Dawning Place of the > city's inhabitants, capturing their imagination, Remembrance of God" to be named Bahapur > fuelling their curiosity, and revolutionising - "Abode of Light"-long before its acquithe concept of worship . This is the Baha' i sition by the National Spiritual Assembly of > Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, better known as the India. > "Lotus Temple". With the break of every new > day, an ever-rising tide of visitors surge to Paradise of Abba > its doorsteps to savour its beauty and bask in In a land renowned for its temple architecits serenely spiritual atmosphere. ture, Mr. Farfburz ~ahba, the architect of the > From its dedication to public worship in Baha' i Temple of Bahapur, was faced with > December 1986 to the end of the Six Year a tremendous challenge-"to design a tem- > Plan in April 1992, this Mother Temple of ple which would reflect the rich cultural > the Indian sub-continent saw more than heritage of India, and, at the same time be > thirteen million people cross its threshold, compatible with the cardinal principle of the > making it the most visited edifice in India in Baha' i Faith, that is, the unity of religions". > a short span of five years- surpassing even The challenge also provided him with > the number of visitors to the Taj Mahal. "a most unusual and remarkable chance of > From its high-perched pedestal, this "Lotus" witnessing the power ofBaha ' u ' llah 's Revecast its benevolent glance over vast green lation". After prayers and an avid search > lawns and avenues covering an expanse throughout India for two years, he was > of twenty-six acres of land. Its soothingly guided towards a concept. As an evocative > quiet Prayer Hall and tranquil surroundings symbol of beauty and purity, representative > touched the hearts of its numerous visitors, of divinity, the lotus flower remains unsurawakening in them a desire to trace its inspi- passed in the Indian iconography. Rising up > rational source and capture a bit of its peace pure and unsullied from stagnant water, the > for themselves. lotus represents the Manifestation of God. > The saga of this House of Worship on the Undoubtedly inspired by the Spirit of the > Indian sub-continent began in 1953 , when Greatest Name, the architect used this > five adjacent plots of land were acquired at ancient Indian symbol to create a design of > the behest of the beloved Guardian of the ethereal beauty and apparent simplicity, > Faith, Shoghi Effendi, through the sacrificial belying the complex geometry underlying its > contributions of one of the lovers of the execution in concrete form. > Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah. Not until 1976, Twentieth century architecture has been > however, were plans made in earnest to raise characterised by a high degree of technologa Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in the "Name of the ical prowess; however, it has been, by and > Lord of Revelation". The edifice itself came large, unexceptional in aesthetic value. The > into existence through the universal partici- Lotus Temple provides one of the rare > pation and sacrifices of Baha' is from every exceptions with its remarkable fusion of > comer of the world. The period from April ancient concept, modern engineering skill > 1980 to December 1986 witnessed intense and architectural finesse, making it the focus > 744 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > of attention amongst engineers and archi- magnificent Seat of the Universal House > tects the world over. of Justice on Mount Carmel. The same > The 27-petaled flower, which has an Pentelikon marble, quarried in Greece, was > enormous expanse of exposed concrete used for the outer surface of the concrete > surface-approximately 20,000 square petals. Ten thousand square metres of it was > metres- is clad in gleaming white marble on transported all the way to Italy to be cut by > the outside with a brush-hammered inner the renowned firn1 of Industria dei Marrni > surface executed manually, dispensing with Vicentini into designed sections, to a prethe need for plaster or paint. A discerning cision which allowed perhaps only a > eye would perceive that there is not a single millimetre of leeway for the curved smface > straight line in the lotus stmcture. The thin of the petals. The complete confidence in the > concrete shells of the petals all have curved skill of the firm for such work was not > surfaces. The innermost bud of nine petals misplaced; it was the same company which, > rises to an elevation of 34.3 metres above back in 1955, had been entrusted by the > the inner podium. Each outer leaf is 15.4 Guardian with the dressing of the marble for > metres wide and rises up to 22.5 metres, the International Archives Building. > whilst the entrance leaf is 18.2 metres wide The architect, Mr. $ahba, who doubled > at the entrance and 7.8 metres high. Despite as Project Manager during the construction > its massive dimensions, from afar it appears phase, was ably supported by a team of > as fragile as a fresh bloom. assistants, engineers, and workers, Baha 'i as > Awe-inspiring as these proportions are, well as non-Baha'i, during the different > the inside of the structure evokes no less phases of the project. The highly reputed > awe. Spanning a diameter of 35 metres, the firm of Flint and Neill, of London, collabo- > Central Hall, serving as the sanctum sanc- rated as stmctural consultants. The main > torum of the Temple, with a seating capacity contractors were Messrs. Larsen and Toubro, > of 1,300, is adorned with nine arches placed and the ECC Conshuction Group of India > at angular intervals of 40 degrees which bear (the two companies later merged), with their > almost the entire load of the superstmcture. team of 40 engineers and supervisors. > The interior dome is designed similarly to Together with other contractors and departthe i1me1most pattern of the flower, to facili- mental labourers, about 800 workers toiled day > tate natural light to filter in. and night to construct the House of Worship. > Circling the flower on the outside are Without the use of sophisticated equipnine pools of limpid water closely emulating ment, the extremely complex design called > the floating green leaves of the lotus, for the highest order of engineering ingenuity > enhancing the Temple's beauty and provid- and traditional workmanship. No wonder > ing natural ventilation for its interior. then, that the Lotus Temple, as a symbol of > Glittering as a jewel at night in its specially faith and human endeavour expended in the > designed external illumination, it gives one path of God, became the recipient of > the feeling of a lotus afloat on water and not accolades and world-wide acclaim. The first > anchored to its foundations. With water and international distinction came its way soon > light the only elements of ornamentation, after completion, when the International > part of this edifice's beauty lies in its Federation for Religious Art and Architecsimplicity. ture, based in the United States, conferred > The thought of Pentelikon marble con- upon Mr. $ahba the award for "excellence in > jures up a vision of the Parthenon, the religious art and architecture for 1987". > Temple of Athena, which was so greatly In 1988, the edifice received its second > admired by the beloved Guardian, Shoghi international award, this time for its struc- > Effendi. It conjures up a vision of the hual design from the Institute of Shi.1ctural > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 745 > > Engineers of the United Kingdom. The cita- and Central America, Europe, Africa, Austion award reads: "For producing a building tralia, and Western Samoa each reflect the > so emulating the beauty of a flower and pristine beauty and freshness of the Faith > so striking in its visual impact". When and attract spiritual energies. This flowering > Mr. James Arn1strong, the President of the of Baha 'i architecture was fmiher perpetu- > ISE, visited the Temple in 1990, he ated by the blossoming of the 'Lotus of > remarked that in retrospect their award Bahapur'. > seemed inadequate for so sublime a building. The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in New Delhi, > In 1988, the Illuminating Engineering Society however, occupies a unique position. Not > of North America conferred its international only does it embody the spiritual aspirations > award on the Temple for the excellence of its and basic beliefs of the world-wide Baha'i > outdoor illumination. In 1990, the American community, but significantly, in a land of > Concrete Institute awarded the Temple for myriad religions, it has begun to be seen as > being one of the finest concrete structures built. providing a unifying link, bringing divergent > The value of beauty and symmetry in thoughts into harmony by virtue of its princiarchitecture by itself is not sufficient to im- ple of oneness-of God, religion, and mankind. > imortalize a building. What is important is This perhaps is the secret of its unabated > the response the structure evokes in the popularity. > hearts of the people. Ravi Shankar, the sitar The formal dedication of the House of > maestro, was "so deeply moved visiting this Worship by Amatu'l-Baha RUJ.llyyih Khanum > great beautiful place that I find no words saw 8,000 Baha'is from all over the world > to express my feelings". All that Dizzy gathered together in New Delhi. (See also > Gillespie, the cherished Baha'i and jazz musi- p.731.) Their colour and diversity were recian could exclaim was, "I still can't believe flective of the variety and beauty of flowers > it! It is God's work". An Indian diplomat was blossoming in the gardens of the Temple. > moved to describe the Temple as a "symbol Their example set a precedent for the forthof spiritual refinement of mankind". Indeed, coming years when millions of visitors of all > the construction of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar hues would throng to the Temple from every > of Bahapur was another significant chapter paii of the globe. > in the making of Baha'i history on the Indian Against the backdrop of a religious milieu > sub-continent. which encourages the fragmentation of the > Supreme Reality into innumerable gods and > Divine Sanctuary goddesses each personifying a specific attri- > Be obedient to the command ofBaha'u'llah, bute of the Almighty, the Baha'i Temple, > enshrined in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, "O people with its total absence of idols, elicits beof Creation, build ye houses as perfect as wilderment as well as favourable response. > can be built on earth in the Name of Him When the Dr. Muhajir Gate (main entrance) > who is the Lord of Revelation ... ", BaM' is was first opened to the general public on > have endeavoured to their utmost to build 1 January 1987, visitors flocked to the "Lotus > Houses of Worship as beautiful and distinc- Temple" out of sheer curiosity. The vast > tive as possible. They have been inspired by lawns, the massive white structure, the highthe divine outpourings from the Pen of the ceilinged Central Auditoriun1 and a Temple > Ancient Beauty and the beloved Master and without idols standing so near to the ancient > by the noble example set by the Guardian of "Kalkaji Temple" aroused the interest of all. > the Faith who initiated the process of raising The Indian visitors, from the most urbane > up the magnificent edifices of the Adminis- to the most simple rural folk, expressed > trative Order of Baha'u'llah on God's Holy pe1plexity at the absence of any deity. It > Mountain. The Houses of Worship in North became a challenge to explain to them the > 746 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > all-pervasive nature of the Creator which their souls began to respond to the gentle > defies deification. Many times guides helping nudgings of the ineffable atmosphere prevato maintain decmum inside the Prayer Hall lent in the Temple, and the visitors from > were startled into action by the astonished these countries began to respond to the > exclamations of visitors wondering aloud Teachings of the Blessed Perfection. > where the object of adoration was. Some of Altogether, a remarkable number of dignithem, in their simplicity, paid obeisance to taries were received at the House of Worship > the lectern, suneptitiously placing a flower between December 1986 and April 1992. If > or two-an amusing as well as a touching a list were to be compiled, it would read like > sight! A wed by the beauty and grandeur of a directory of prominent people of the world: > the edifice, they struggled to grasp the spir- Heads of State, Government Ministers, > itual significance of this material structure. Ambassadors, Heads of foreign missions, > As understanding dawned, a typical Heads of the Armed Forces, diplomats, leadrefrain became: "Few temples radiate the ers of religion, scholars, academicians, and > atmosphere of sublimity, peace and calm artists. > so necessary to elevate a devotee spiritually No matter what the identity of the visias the Baha ' i House of Worship". Other tors, from the Orient or the Occident, from > repeated comments included: "where there North or South, of humble origins or exalted > is silence, the spirit is eloquent..." and positions, all have been unanimous in their > " ... one feels one is at last entering into the appreciation of the physical grandeur as well > estate of the soul, the state of stillness and as the lofty purpose of the House of Worpeace". The visitors were aided in their ship. One of the visitors commented: "The > efforts by the serenity of the Prayer Hall and most beautiful experience. Its magnificence, > tl1e assistance of volunteer guides and staff charm and glamour are awe-inspiring. It > who explained to them the raison-d 'etre of reflects the dream of all humanity to bring > the Temple. The innate sense ofreverence of together a new civilisation for all people." > the Indian for the Omnipresence often mani- One of the renowned visitors from India > fested itself in the act of reverently touching opined "Architecturally, ariistically, ethically, > the steps leading into the Prayer Hall. the edifice is a paragon of perfection .... " > The visitors from the West often came The Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar is so impressive, > to critically appraise a structure which had both materially and spiritually, that it serves > gained fame as a marvel of 20th century to enhance the authority, dignity, and meaning > architecture. For them it was sometimes of the Cause of God. It effectively creates > a grudging, sometimes a spontaneous reali- an atmosphere of openness, preparing the > sation that the phenomenon called faith visitor to hear its message ... "My visit has > transcends logic and that the universal ethic aroused great interest in the teachings of > of 'love ' envelops all. They too were Baha'u'llah. That harmony is the primary > humbled at this altar of faith and love. purpose of religion is the teaching that has > As the Temple's fame began to spread, it impressed most." "I am deeply impressed > gained prominence in Indian official circles by the humanism and universalism of the > as well as amongst officials of several diplo- Baha'i religion." > matic missions based in Delhi, particularly The aura of silence sunounding the Prayer > the Embassies of the Soviet Union, Vietnam, Hall instills reverence. Some were moved > and China, which gradually included the by what they termed as 'eloquent silence '; > Temple on the itinerary of visiting dignitar- others said that the 'divine atmosphere' > ies. Primarily, their interest was focused on inside touched the heart. All were affected in > the beautiful edifice with sceptical disregard various degrees by the peace and beauty of > for its spiritual significance. But slowly, the sanctum. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U 'LLAH 747 > > The British High > Commissioner in Delhi, > Sir David Goodall, > being shown a booklet > about the Faith during > his visit to the Balui 'i > House of Worship in > New Delhi, India, in > Janua1y 1989. > > The Patriarch of the > Romanian Orthodox > Church, His Holiness > Theoctist, being > escorted to the Temple > for an official visit in > January 1989. > > Th e Assistant > Permanent Representative of Haiti to the > United Nations, > Mr. á Roger Ravix, > visiting the Temple on > 17 February 1989. > 748 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Prime Minister > of Sri Lanka, > Mr. R. Pramadasa, > visiting the > Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar > in March 1988. > > The Ambassador of > the United States to > India, Mr. John > Dean, and his wife, > Martine, visiting the > Temple during its > Dedication services > in December 1986. > > The Ambassador of > Thailand to India, > Mr. Nikorn Praisaengpetch, with his family > and a Baha'i guide > (seen right), during a > visit to the House of > Worship in April 1990. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 749 > The political events which began to unfold on the cheek of eternity". Considering that > in the beginning of 1990 impelled many to the Baha'i House of Worship is an affirmaseek answers for the intractable problems of tion and a celebration of man's love for his > the world generated by divisive ideologies. Creator and not a mausoleum, the Lotus > The principles of the Faith, with their stress Temple could be described as "a dewdrop on > on the unity of mankind, touched a respon- the brow of eternity". > sive chord in many of the visitors. The The widely-read newspaper, Indian Exsentiment that "with the conditions prevail- press, in its issue of 20 November 1986, > ing in the world today, it is very necessary pointedly referred to the fact that "while the > that the teachings of the Baba 'i religion Taj is an expression of deep personal love, > MUST spread" was echoed by many, while for the Baha'is the Temple symbolizes love > the realisation that "if we could spare a few between Man and God". > moments of our precious time in this Tem- Saturday Times, a Times oflndia publicaple, we will derive much solace in our life" tion, announcing the approaching dedication > became apparent to many others. For one of the House of Worship, printed the > student, a visit to this Temple "has given me headline "Baha'i Temple: Nine day wonder" > peace of mind and mental security and satis- and then began the article with "The Baha'i > faction . I have decided to work for some Faith has engineered an architectural mastergood purpose, for the good of mankind". piece in Kalkaji, New Delhi ...". > During the Six Year Plan, more than two > Source of Great Interest to the Media hundred magazines and double that number > One reason for the immense popularity of of the most widely read newspapers featured > the House of Worship ofBahapur is the fact articles and photographs highlighting the Temthat media attention, both Indian and foreign, ple's architecture and lauding its purpose. > focused on it even before its completion. As a result, in the words of the Universal > Construction News, a technical journal from House of Justice, "its fame as an architecthe United Kingdom, was the first to give tural wonder spread with speed as did its > the Lotus Temple the epithet of 'Taj Mahal spiritual influence" and the principles of the > of the 20th Century' in its April 1986 issue, a Faith associated with it. Headlines ranged > description that has been subsequently used from "A Magnificent Lotus In Bloom For All" > by many other publications . The comparison to "Jewel in the Indian Night", "A Unique > brings to mind the words of the famous Lotus Temple", "Relevance of Baha'u' llah > Indian poet and philosopher, Rabindranath to India'', "A Message of Peace", and "The > Tagore, who described the Taj as "a teardrop Baha' i Way- Rich, Radiant Expositions". > > Th e Vice-Minister of > the Chinese Ministry > of Broadcasting, Film > and Television, > HE. Wang Feng, > visiting the Temple > on 20 October 1990. > 750 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > That the Temple's renown rests squarely Express Weekend, a Saturday supplement of > on its successfully capturing the universalist the Indian Express, carried the following: > themes of the Baha'i Faith can be gauged "Despite persecution in the country of its > from the following excerpts from articles. In origin, the Baha'i Faith preaches a message > the September 1989 issue of Day After, an of universal brotherhood and love-a coninternational news magazine published from cept embodied in their exquisite new Lotus > New Delhi, an article says, "Apart from its Temple in Delhi." > outer architectural beauty, the intrinsic beauty The Temple attracted significant media > and spiritual value conveyed by this great attention in Russia and China. A beautiful > edifice is of immense significance... The photograph of the Temple, illuminated at > universal religion established by Baha'u'llah night, appeared on the cover of the popular > can certainly provide the much-needed unity magazine, Soviet Women, in January 1990. > among the divisive forces in Indian society It had been taken by a press photographer of > fighting against each other." Gala, a German the U.S.S.R. Information Department in > magazine which carried an eight-page article Delhi, who had especially been assigned this > with stunning colour photographs of the task. Subsequently, officials and journalists > Temple, concluded its coverage with: "Five from Izvestia, Novosti Press, and the Tass > million people who call themselves Baha'is Agency visited the House of Worship > have taken for themselves a new purpose. It expressing their desire to write and publish > is founded on the conviction of the oneness articles on the Temple and the Baha'i Faith. > of God, oneness of religion and oneness of Thirty-three representatives from the Soviet > mankind. Perhaps the Baha'is will succeed Encyclopaedia Publishing House, Internain making of this world that place long tional Department, spent considerable time > promised to the blessed. It could well look at the Temple garnering info1mation on tl1e > like the Temple in Delhi." Faith which they said would be included in > L 'A rca, Italy's international magazine of the section on Philosophy and Religion in > architectural design and visual communica- the Russian Encyclopaedia. A Russian jourtions, said in its February 1988 issue: nalist, who had been very impressed during > "Religion must be the cause of unity and his first visit to the House of Worship, > harmony among men, states the fourth returned at the end of March 1991 to inter- > Baha'i principle. And on the evidence of this view two Russian volunteers serving at the > temple .. .it seems to have fully succeeded." Temple. His interest was in their religious > Articles also threw light on the perse- background and how and when they > cution of this religious minority in Iran. accepted the Faith. > > A delegation of Soviet > film artists in Delhi > in January 1989 to > attend an International Film Festival > visiting the "Lotus of > Bahapur". > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 751 > It was in April 1990 that the first am sure one day the whole world will > delegation of officials from the Chinese become Baha'i". > media-headed by the director of the News- "Right now the most popular religion in > paper Department, the Press and Publication the Soviet Union is the Baha'i Faith" was > Administration of China-visited the Temple the extraordinary remark of an official of > and spent two hours seeking detailed .infor- Soviet Television and Radio during his visit > mation on the Faith. Later, high officials to the House of Worship. Similar sentiments > from Xinhua News Agency sought answers were reiterated by other Russian tourists as a > to questions about the main aims of the result of the officially televised presentation > Baha'i Faith, how the Baha'is obtain funds, on the House of Worship all over the Soviet > the Baha'i administrative system, how the Union in the month of January 1991, a > teachings are spread, and how unity will programme which had succeeded remarkcome about. Of course, questions about details ably in capturing the beauty and purpose of > of the Temple's architecture also figured the Temple. By the end of the year, another > prominently. film crew, this time from the Central Studio > The Temple's first exposure on television of Documentary Films, spent three days > occurred in January 1987 when footage from capturing the Temple for its film "Gate to > its dedication was broadcast on the Indian Heaven". The director of the film was cerprogramme entitled Doordarshan. Later a tain that this Gate began from the Baha'i > number of television programmes featuring Lotus Temple. > the Temple appeared in India, Russia, and > China. "Essence of the Lotus", a film on the The Army of Light > House of Worship, which also dealt with the The Mashriqu 'l-Adhkar could not have > social and economic development projects served as the most effective "Silent Teacher" > being operated in India and the effect of the of the Indian sub-continent without the Baha'i > Faith on the lives of its followers, was volunteers who came from far and near, > produced by Doordarshan and telecast on willingly giving their time, sacrificing their > the national network on 5 November 1989. means, fired with the love of the Blessed > In November 1988, a camera crew of the Beauty, to voice abroad His teachings to > China Central Television, Beijing, went millions of thirsting souls. This "Army of > twice in one day to film the Temple for a Light" was the channel through which the > documentary on India to be telecast for radiance of Truth was reflected from this > viewing by the Chinese people during the most divine Institution. What the spirit is to > visit of the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Raj iv the physical body of man, so these volun- > Gandhi, to China. One of the members of the teers, the servants of Baha'u'llah, were to > television crew wrote in the Temple's the material structure of the Temple. > Visitors' Book: "Hope, in China we see the The House of Worship, in tum, reciprosame Baha'i (Faith)". During the same cated by becoming instrumental in effecting > month, a Chinese delegation led by a senior a transformation in all the Baha'is who came > correspondent for Radio Beijing visited the to serve selflessly at its threshold, providing > House of Worship in New Delhi. Again in a practical opportunity to implement the > July 1990, another team from China Central Teachings of the Blessed Perfection in their > Television came to film the House of W or- own lives. The New World Order, as envisship, followed by the visit of the Vice- aged by Baha 'u 'llah, requires of man the > Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Broad- transcendence of prejudices of all kinds, > casting, Film and Television. The team whether racial, geographical, intellectual, > leader was so touched with the Baha'i teach- religious or of the sexes, which form a > ings that he said to his Indian counterpart, "I barrier to the realisation of the truth, The > 752 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Th e Ethiopian Minister > of Labour and Social > Welfare, HE. Shimblis > Adugna, and his wife, > visiting the Bahri 'i > House of Worship on > 4 Janumy 1990. > > earth is but one count1y and mankind its Temple, the lack of prejudice in the interaccitizens. Service at the Temple provided for tion of these volunteers with the visitors, the > many the cmcible in which these prejudices respectful acceptance of the religious beliefs > were melted away. The glorious bounty that of others, the attitude of equanimity disthe volunteers carried back home with them played when conversing with those clain1ing > was this benediction of the Ancient Beauty: to be atheists, agnostics, and materialists, > My glory be with thee, 0 thou that callest earned for the Baha' is and the Baha'i Faith > upon My Name, whose eyes are directed the appreciation and respect of the people. > towards My court and whose tongue uttereth > the praise of thy Lord, the Beneficient. Teaching the Cause of God > The Baha ' i youth serving as guides In His Will and Testament, 'Abdu ' l-Baha > created enthusiasm in their contemporaries wrote "Of all the gifts of God, the greatest is > with the Message of the Faith through their the gift of Teaching". The "Army of Light" > freshness and spiritual vitality and impressed at the Temple of Bahapur was bountifully > their seniors in age by their wisdom and endowed with this gift. > maturity. The senior Baha'is brought their Besides the interaction with volunteer > knowledge and experience to bear on their guides from different parts of the world > service, enkindling the light of faith in many speaking varied languages, the visitors were > hearts. But perhaps the most potent impact enlightened through a number of organized > on the visitors was created by the presence of activities at the House of Worship. Regular > Baha'is from such diverse places as Australia, prayer services, during which the Creative > Bangladesh, Canada, the Commonwealth of Word of God revealed through the different > Independent States (former U.S.S.R.), Ger- Holy Scriptures was read or chanted, heightmany, Holland, Hong Kong, lhdia, Japan, ened the spiritual experience at the Temple. > Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, The domed structure of the Prayer Hall lent > Poland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and itself perfectly to the melodious singing of > the United States of America. They showed, the Temple choir which succeeded in > in effect, that the proclamation ofBaha'u ' llah, elevating many a listener's soul to spiritual > Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of heights. In the basement of the Temple, an > one branch .. . is not just a pious enunciation, audio-visual presentation of the principles of > but a practical reality. the Faith titled "Century of Light" and > The warm welcome accorded to every illuminating exhibits evoked many very > individual who entered the portals of the positive responses. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 753 > Great efforts went into the dissemination The Library, with its selection of literaof The Promise of World Peace and "Baha'i ture ranging from Baha'i history to the Holy > Message" in most of the major languages of Writings of the Faith and a selection of > the world. The stock of free literature was scriptures from other religions, provided the > constantly being updated, reprinted, and ideal place for a study of the Baha'i Faith. > replenished. Imagine the delight of travellers, All these served as potent tools in sharing > thousands of miles away from their homes, the Cause of God. > who came to this Temple in India and unexpectedly received information brochures in Homage > their own languages , be they Norwegian, The physical sun, resplendent in its halo of > Croatian, Pushtu, Bahasa, Polish, Dutch, light, has traversed the expanse of heaven > Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean from east to west in its fiery chariot. As it > or Spanish! This generated a lot of warmth pauses awhile on the horizon before plungand goodwill in the visitors. Equally impor- ing out of sight, it casts its luminous shadow > tant was the dissemination of"The Principles on a white ' Lotus', standing majestically on > of the Faith" in the regional languages oflndia. its red pedestal, giving it a warm glow. > Books about the Faith and Baha'i prayers There is an intangible aura of fulfilment > in various Indian and foreign languages surrounding it. Ark-l ike, it had ridden the > were available for sale to allow visitors waves of people swirling around it during > to acquaint themselves with the Baha'i the day with composure. The last ripples are > teachings in some detail in the privacy of slowly moving away, casting their longing > their homes. Postcards and calendars of the glances behind at the 'Lotus ' as if beseech- > Temple were also eagerly sought as souve- ing it to take them back into its fold. > nirs. These were the only exceptions made A lone figure stands, surveying the scene, > to the rule of no commercial activity in the feeling the Temple's silent reassurance that > Temple premises. In fact, all services at the it will be there a thousand years hence to > Temple, including guided tours around the welcome them back at the break of every > House of Worship, were free of cost-a fact dawn. She wonders at the mysterious attrachighly appreciated by the visitors. tion of this monumental 'Lotus' which is the > One of the most effective means of ex- Dawning Place of the Remembrance of God. > tending the healing message of Bahi' u'llah Impelled by an inner urge to ponder over the > to the people visiting the Temple was profound statement of Baha' u' llah, "This > through talks given by Temple guides to (Baha ' i) Revelation is endowed with such > groups of people in the ancillary building' s power that it will act as a lodestone for all > Conference Hall. Tourist, student, profes- the nations and kindreds of the earth'', she > sional, and family groups were all invited to realises that the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, as one > hear about the House of Worship and the of the Central Institutions of the Faith, is > reason for its existence. Depending upon the endowed with a power and potency that no > interest of these visitors, the briefing ses- other material structure can ever hope to > sions lasted from fifteen minutes to more possess. As she recalls the Prophetic Words, > than an hour. Often, opp01tunities arose to "no place is there nor can there be, for anyclarify misconceptions or misinformation, and one to flee to", her soul is uplifted on the > the visitors left with a better appreciation of wings of certitude. > their visit to the Baha'i House of Worship. > VI > THE NON-POLITICAL CHARACTER OF > THE BAHA'i FAITH > > EXCERPTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI > > THE Baha'i principles clearly define and Manifestation of His Essence, and the > explain the non-political character of the observance of whatsoever He chooseth to > Faith, and serve as a guide for conduct in the prescribe unto you, did ye but know it. > relations of Baha'is with one another, with Say: Let truthfulness and courtesy be > their fellow men, and in their relations with your adorning. Suffer not yourselves to be > different departments of the civil govern- deprived of the robe of forbearance and > ment. A brief summary of excerpts from the justice, that the sweet savours of holiness > Baha'i Writings will show that non-partici- may be wafted from your hearts upon all > pation in political affairs is one of the basic created things. Say: Beware, 0 people of > axioms of Baha'i action. Baha, lest ye walk in the ways of them whose > The keynote to this theme may be found in words differ ji-om their deeds. Strive that ye > the Writings ofBaha'u'llah. He has stated: may be enabled to manifest to the peoples of > That one indeed is a man who, today, the earth the signs of God, and to mirror > dedicateth himself to the service of the entire forth His commandments. Let your acts be a > human race. Th e Great Being saith: Blessed guide unto all mankind, for the professions > and happy is he that ariseth to promote the of most men, be they high or low, differ ji-om > best interests of the peoples and kindreds of their conduct. It is through your deeds that > the earth. Jn another passage He hath pro- ye can distinguish yourselves from others. > claimed: It is not for him to pride himself Through them the brightness of your light > who loveth his own country, but rather for can be shed upon the whole earth .. .2 > him who loveth the whole world. The earth The aim of the faith is to produce the realis but one count1y, and mankind its citizens. 1 ity of vi1tue in souls and evolve institutions > Sow not the seeds of discord among men, capable of dealing with social matters justly, > and refrain ji-om contending with your in the light of the revealed truths . This is > neighbour... Open, 0 people, the city of entirely distinct from the province filled by > the human heart with the key of your partisan civil institutions. > utterance .... 'Abdu'l-Baha counselled the Baha'is from > That which beseemeth you is the love the early beginnings of the American Baha'i > of God, and the love of Him Who is the community not to discuss political affairs. > > Gleaningsji'om the Writings ofBahir'u '/lirh , > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1976) p. 250. ibid. , pp. 303-305. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LL..\H 755 > ... All conferences (i.e., all consultation initiate and supervise; or in their official and > and discussion) must be regarding the public deliberations; or in the posts they > matters of benefit, both as a whole and occupy and the services they render; or in the > individually, such as the guarding of all in communications they address to their fellowall cases, their protection and preservation, disciples; or in their dealings with men > the improvement of character, the training of eminence and authority; or in their > of children, etc. affiliations with kindred societies and organi- > If any person wishes to speak of govern- zations, it is, I am firmly convinced, their > ment affairs, or to interfere with the order of first and sacred obligation to abstain from > Governors, the others must not combine any word or deed that might be construed as > with him because the Cause of God is a violation of this vital principle. Theirs is > withdrawn entirely from political affairs; the the duty to demonstrate, on one hand, their > political realm pertains only to the Rulers of unqualified loyalty and obedience to whatthose matters; it has nothing to do with the ever is the considered judgment of their > souls who are exerting their utmost energy respective governments. > to harmonizing affairs, helping character 'Let them refrain from associating themand inciting (the people) to strive for perfec- selves, whether by word or by deed, with the > tions. Therefore no soul is allowed to political pursuits of their respective nations, > interfere with (political) matters, but only in with the policies of their governments and > that which is commanded.3 the schemes and programmes of parties and > With the development of a world-wide factions . In such controversies they should > administrative structure within the Baha'i assign no blame, take no side, further no > Faith, institutions have been set up in national design, and identify themselves . with no > and local areas which assure the unity and system prejudicial to the best interests of > integrity of the Faith. In unfolding these ad- that worldwide Fellowship which it is their > ministrative institutions Shoghi Effendi has aim to guard and foster. Let them beware > reiterated the importance of the non-political lest they allow themselves to become the > character of the Baha'i teachings in a letter tools of unscrupulous politicians, or to be > written 21March1932 to the Baha' is of the entrapped by the treacherous devices of the > United States and Canada: plotters and the perfidious among their > ' .. .I feel it, therefore, incumbent upon me countrymen. Let them so shape their lives > to snáess, now that the time is ripe, the impor- and regulate their conduct that no charge of > tance of an instruction which, at the present secrecy, of fraud, of bribery or of intimidastage of the evolution of our Faith, should be tion may, however ill-founded, be brought > increasingly emphasized, irrespective of its against them. Let them rise above all > application to the East or to the West. And particularism and partisanship, above the > this principle is no other than that which vain disputes, the petty calculations, the > involves the non-participation by the adher- transient passions that agitate the face, and > ents of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, whether in engage the attention, of a changing world. It > their individual capacities or collectively as is their duty to strive to distinguish, as > local or national Assemblies, in any form of clearly as they possibly can, and if needed > activity that might be interpreted, either with the aid of their elected representatives, > directly or indirectly, as an interference in the such posts and functions as are either > political affairs of any particular government. diplomatic or political from those that are > Whether it be in the publications which they purely administrative in character, and > which under no circumstances are affected > Bahri 'i World Faith, (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing by the changes and chances that political > Trust, 1976) p. 407. activities and party government, in every > 756 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > land, must necessarily involve. Let them Let them proclaim that in whatever country > affnm their unyielding determination to they reside, and however advanced their > stand, firmly and umeservedly, for the way institutions, or profound their desire to > of Baha'u'llah, to avoid the entanglements enforce the laws, and apply the principles, > and bickerings inseparable from the pursuits enunciated by Baha' u'llah, they will, unhesof the politician, and to become worthy itatingly, subordinate the operation of such > agencies of that Divine Polity which incar- laws and the application of such principles > nates God's immutable Purpose for all men. to the requirements and legal enactments of > 'It should be made unmistakably clear their respective governments. Theirs is not > that such an attitude implies neither the the purpose, while endeavoring to conduct > slightest indifference to the cause and inter- and perfect the administrative affairs of their > ests of their own country, nor involves any Faith, to violate, under any circumstances, > insubordination on their part to the authority the provisions of their country's constituof recognized and established governments. tion, much less to allow the machinery > Nor does it constitute a repudiation of their of their administration to supersede the > sacred obligation to promote, in the most government of their respective countries. > effective manner, the best interests of their 'It should also be borne in mind that the > government and people. It indicates the very extension of the activities in which we > desire cherished by every true and loyal are engaged, and the variety of the commufollower ofBaha'u'llah to serve, in an unself- nities which labor under divers forms of > ish, unostentatious and patriotic fashion, the government, so essentially different in their > highest interests of the country to which standards, policies, and methods, make it > he belongs, and in a way that would entail absolutely essential for all those who are the > no departure from the high standards of declared members of any one of these > integrity and truthfulness associated with the communities to avoid any action that might, > teachings of his Faith. by arousing the suspicion or exciting the > 'As the number of the Baha'i communi- antagonism of any one government, involve > ties in various parts of the world multiplies their brethren in fresh persecutions or > and their power, as a social force, becomes complicate the nature of their task. How > increasingly apparent, they will no doubt else, might I ask, could such a far-flung > find themselves increasingly subjected to the Faith, which transcends political and social > pressure which men of authority and influ- boundaries, which includes within its pale so > ence, in the political domain, will exercise great a variety of races and nations, which > in the hope of obtaining the support they will have to rely increasingly, as it forges > require for the advancement of their aims . ahead, on the good-will and support of the > These communities will, moreover, feel a diversified and contending governments of > growing need of the good-will and the the earth-how else could such a Faith sucassistance of their respective governments in ceed in preserving its unity, in safeguarding > their efforts to widen the scope, and to con- its interests, and in ensuring the steady and > solidate the foundations, of the institutions peaceful development of its institutions? > committed to their charge. Let them beware 'Such an attitude, however, is not dictated > lest, in their eagerness to further the aims of by considerations of selfish expediency, but > their beloved Cause, they should be led is actuated, first and foremost, by the broad > unwittingly to bargain with their Faith, to principle that the followers of Baha'u'llah > compromise with their essential principles, will, under no circumstances, suffer themor to sacrifice, in return for any material selves to be involved, whether as individuals > advantage which their institutions may or in their collective capacities, in matters > derive, the integrity of their spiritual ideals. that would entail the slightest departure from > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLA.H 757 > the fundamental verities and ideals of their citizens are in duty bound to vote in public > Faith. Neither the charges which the unin- elections) implies certain reservations. He, > formed and the malicious may be led to therefore, lays it upon the individual conbring against them, nor the allurements of science to see that in following the Master's > honours and rewards, will ever induce them instruction no Baha'i vote for an officer nor > to surrender their trust or to deviate from Baha'i participation in the affairs of the > their path. Let their words proclaim, and Republic shall involve acceptance by that > their conduct testify, that they who follow individual of a programme or policy that > Baha'u'llah, in whatever land they reside, contravenes any vital principle, spiritual or > are actuated by no selfish ambition, that they social, of the Faith.' The Guardian added to > neither thirst for power, nor mind any wave this letter the following postscript: 'I feel it > of unpopularity, of distrust or criticism, incumbent upon me to clarify the above > which a strict adherence to their standards statement, written in my behalf, by stating > might provoke. ' 4 that no vote cast, or office undertaken, by > And again: 'The Baha' i Faith as it forges a Baha'i should necessarily constitute > ahead throughout the western world and acceptance, by the voter or office holder, of > particularly in lands where the political the entire programme of any political party. > machinery is corrupt and political passions No Baha'i can be regarded as either a > and prejudices are dominant among the Republican or Democrat, as such. He is, > masses, should increasingly assert and above all else, the supporter of the principles > demonstrate the fact that it is non-political in enunciated by Baha'u' llah, with which, I am > character, that it stands above the party, that firmly convinced, the programme of no > is it neither apathetic to national interests political party is completely harmonious.' 6 > nor opposed to any party or faction, and that In a letter dated 16 March 1933, the > it seeks through administrative channels, Guardian sent these further details: > rather than through diplomatic and political 'As regards the non-political character of > posts to establish, beyond the shadow of a the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi feels that > doubt, the capacity, the sane patriotism, the there is no contradiction whatsoever between > integrity and high-mindedness of its avowed the Tablet (to Thornton Chase, referred to > adherents. This is the general and vital prin- above) and the reservations to which he has > ciple; it is for the National Representatives referred. The Master surely never desired > to apply it with fidelity and vigour. ' 5 the friends to use their influence towards the > These instructions raised the question realization and promotion of policies conwhether Baha'is should vote in any public trary to any of the principles of the Faith. > election. A Tablet revealed by 'Abdu'l-Baha The friends may vote, if they can do it, withto Mr. Thornton Chase was sent to the out identifying themselves with one party or > Guardian, and the following reply was another. To enter the arena of party politics is > received, dated 26 January 1933 : surely detrimental to the best interests of the > 'The Guardian fully recognizes the Faith and will hatm the Cause. It remains for > authenticity and controlling influence of this the individuals to so use their right to vote as > instruction from ' Abdu'l-Baha upon the to keep aloof from party politics, and always > question. He, however, feels under the bear in mind that they are voting on the > responsibility of stating that the attitude merits of the individual, rather than because > taken by the Master (that is, that American he belongs to one party or another. The > matter must be made perfectly clear to the > Shoghi Effendi , Th e World Order of Bahn 'u 'l/nh , individuals, who will be left free to exercise > (Wilmette: Baha' i Publihsing Trust, 1982) > pp. 63- 67. > U.S . Bahn 'i News, December 1932. 6 > U.S. Bahil 'i News, April 1933. > 758 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > their discretion and judgement. But if a fatherland, and every fatherland a foreign > certain person does enter into party politics land." For their citizenship, it must be rememand labours for the ascendancy of one party bered, is in the Kingdom of Baha'u'llah. > over another, and continues to do it against Though willing to share to the utmost the > the expressed appeals and warnings of the temporal benefits and the fleeting joys > Assembly, then the Assembly has the right which this earthly life can confer, though > to refuse him the right to vote in Baha'i eager to participate in whatever activity that > elections.' 7 conduces to the richness, the happiness and > That this principle, as do all Baha'i prin- peace of that life, they can, at no time, forget > ciples, has world-wide application is made that it constitutes no more than a transient, a > clear by Shoghi Effendi in a letter dated very brief stage of their existence, that they > 11March1936. who live it are but pilgrims and wayfarers > 'The Faith ofBah:i'u'llah has assimilated, whose goal is the Celestial City, and whose > by virtue of its creative, its regulative and home the Countty of never-failing joy and > ennobling energies, the varied races, nation- brightness. > alities, creeds and classes that have sought its 'Though loyal to their respective governshadow, and have pledged unswerving fealty ments , though profoundly interested in > to its cause. It has changed the hearts of its anything that affects their security and > adherents, burned away their prejudices, welfare, though anxious to share in whatever > stilled their passions, exalted their concep- promotes their best interests, the Faith with > tions, ennobled their motives, co-ordinated which the followers of Baha'u'llah stand > their effotis, and transfotmed their outlook. identified is one which they firmly believe > While preserving their patriotism and safe- God has raised high above the storms, the > guarding their lesser loyalties, it has made divisions, and controversies of the political > them lovers of mankind, and the determined arena. Their Faith they conceive to be > upholders of its best and truest interests. essentially non-political, supra-national in > While maintaining intact their belief in the character, rigidly non-partisan, and entirely > Divine origin of their respective religions, it dissociated from nationalistic ambitions, > has enabled them to visualize the underlying pursuits, and purposes. Such a Faith knows > purpose of these religions , to discover their no division of class or of party. It subordimerits, to recognize their sequence, their nates, without hesitation or equivocation, > interdependence, their wholeness and unity, every particularistic interest, be it personal, > and to acknowledge the bond that vitally regional, or national, to the paramount > links them to itself. This universal, this interests of humanity, firmly convinced that > transcending love which the followers of the in a world of inter-dependent peoples and > Baha'i Faith feel for their fellow-men, of nations the advantage of the part is best to be > whatever race, creed, class or nation, is reached by the advantage of tl1e whole, and > neither mysterious nor can it be said to that no abiding benefit can be confened > have been artificially stimulated. It is both upon the component parts if the general > spontaneous and genuine. They whose heatis interests of the entity itself are ignored or > are warmed by the energizing influence of neglected. 8 > God's creative love cherish His creatures for The unity of Baha'i action throughout the > His sake, and recognize in every human face world is fu1iher emphasized in a letter from > a sign of His reflected glory. Shoghi Effendi to the Baha'is of Vienna, > ' Of such men and women it may be truly written in 1947 through his secretary, in > said that to them "every foreign land is a which he said in part: > > 7 8 > ibid., January 1934. Th e World Order of Bahii 'u 'I/ah , pp. 197- 198. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 759 > ' ... We Baha' is are one the world over; we the ones, as individual Baha'is, to judge our > are seeking to build up a new world order, government as just or unjust-for each > divine in origin. How can we do this if every believer would be sure to hold a different > Baha'i is a member of a different political viewpoint, and within our own Baha'i fold a > party-some of them diametrically opposite hotbed of dissension would spring up and > to each other? Where is our unity then? We destroy our unity. We must build up our > would be divided because of politics, against Baha'i system, and leave the faulty systems of > ourselves and this is the opposite of our the world to go their way. We cannot change > purpose. Obviously if one Baha'i in Austria them through becoming involved in them; > is given freedom to choose a political party on the contrary, they will destroy us.' 11 > and join it, however good its aims may be, Another application of this principle conanother Baha'i in Japan or America, or India, cerns the right, propriety or usefulness of > has the right to do the same thing and he exerting Baha'i influence for the enactment > might belong to a party the very opposite in of legislative measures reflecting more or > principle to that which the Austrian Baha'i less the purpose of some Baha' i principle or > belongs to. Where would be the unity of the teaching. For example, should a Baha'i com- > Faith then? These two spiritual brothers munity, local or national, lend the name of > would be working against each other because the Baha'i Faith to support legislation which > of their political affiliations (as the Chris- seeks to abolish race and religious discrimitians of Europe have been doing in so many nation in matters of industrial employment, > fratricidal wars). The best way for a Baha'i or intervene when measures concerning > to serve his country and the world is to work military training of youth are before a > for the establishment ofBaha'u'llah's World legislature? > Order, which will gradually unite all men The National Spiritual Assembly of the > and do away with divisive political systems Baha'is of the United States has stated that, > and religious creeds .. .' 9 'as a general policy subject to the Guard- > In the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l- ian's specific direction in special cases, > Baha the Baha'is are instructed to obey and Baha'is and their administrative institutions > be the well-wishers of the governments of should not feel obligated to adopt a "Baha'i" > the land, regard disloyalty unto a just king attitude or course of action on matters of > as disloyalty to God Himself and wishing civil legislation. Our teachings and basic > evil to the government a transgression of the principles speak for themselves. These we > Cause of God. 10 In explanation of this state- can always declare and set forth with all > ment, the Guardian wrote, in a letter dated possible energy whenever occasions arise. > 3 July 1948: But a truth which is sundered from its > 'Regarding your question about politics sustaining spiritual Source, lifted out of its > and the Master's Will: the attitude of the organic relationship to the Baha'i commu- > Baha'is must be twofold, complete obedi- nity, broken off from the other truths, and > ence to the government of the country they made subject to the storm and stress of > reside in, and no interference whatsoever secular controversy, is no longer a truth with > in political matters or questions. What the which we can usefully have concern. It has > Master's statement really means is obedience become an enactment to be carried out by > to a duly constituted government, whatever institutions and groups committed to other > that government may be in form. We are not enactments, other aims and purposes and > methods not in conformity with the "Divine > U.S. Bahn 'i News, Apri l 1949. Polity" entrusted to those alone who give full > Shoghi Effendi , Bahn 'f Administration (Wilmette: > Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1960), p. 4. U.S. Bahn 'i News, January 1949. > 760 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > loyalty to Baha'u'llah. Far better for us to their innermost belief, they [the Baba'is] are > strive to mirror forth radiantly the individual convinced, and are unhesitatingly prepared > and community virtues of a new era than to to vindicate by their life-blood the sincerity > hope that others than believers will achieve of their conviction, that no power on earth, > the holy mission of the Faith. We Baha'is neither the arts of the most insidious adverhave in reality accepted a world order and sary nor the bloody weapons of the most > not merely a new decalogue of truths or tyrannical oppressor, can ever succeed in > commands. On the other hand, obedience extorting from them a word or deed that > to civil government is an obligation laid by might tend to stifle the voice of their con- > Baha'u'llah upon every Baha'i. " 2 science or tarnish the purity of their faith. 13 > Shoghi Effendi points out, as a guiding ' Small wonder if by the pen of > principle of Baha'i conduct, that ' in connec- Baha'u'llah these pregnant words, written in > tion with their administrative activities, no anticipation of the present state of mankind, > matter how grievously interference with them should have been revealed: It is not for him > might affect the course of the extension of the to pride himself who loveth his own counfly , > Movement, and the suspension of which does but rather for him who loveth the whole > not constitute in itself a departure from the world. The earth is but one country and > principle of loyalty to their Faith, the consid- mankind its citizens. And again, That one > ered judgement and authoritative decrees indeed is a man who today dedicateth himissued by their responsible rulers must, if self to the service of the entire human race. > they be faithful to Baha' u'llah's and 'Abdu 'l- Through the power released by these exalted > Baha 's express injunctions, be thoroughly words, He explains, He hath lent a fresh > respected and loyally obeyed. In matters, how- impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds > ever, that vitally affect the integrity and honour of men 's hearts, and hath obliterated every > of the Faith ofBaha'u'llab and are tantamount trace of restriction and limitation from > to a recantation of their faith and repudiation of God's Holy Book.' 14 > > 12 13 > The Bahir á;World, vo l. X, (Wilmette: Baha ' i Pub- Baha 'i Administration , p. 162. > li shing Committee, 1949) pp. 278- 279. Th e World Order of Baha 'u '//irh, p. 198. > VII > RELATIONSHIP TO GOVERNMENT > > 1. LOYALTY TO GOVERNMENT > > WHEN a great social crisis sweeps through rectitude of conduct, straight-forwardness > a civilization, moral values become impaired and harmony with all the kindreds and peoand moral issues confused. In the crisis of ples of the world. We must obey and be the > our time, members of the Baha ' i Faith go on well-wishers ofthe governments ofthe land. .. 4 > record as fomly upholding the principle of The followers ofBaha'u'llah are exhorted > loyalty to government. to be 'good citizens' .5 The Baha'i teachings > Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i foster in the individual adherent an appre- > Faith, laid upon His followers this sacred ciation of authority and an intelligent and > obligation: 'Jn eve1y countly where any ofthis balanced patriotism. The Baha'i is encourpeople (Baha'is) reside, they must behave aged to 'serve in an unselfish, unostentatious > towards the government of that countly with and patriotic fashion, the highest interests of > loyalty, honesty and t1áuthfulness. 1 The the country to which he belongs, and in a > Baha'i Writings state fu1iher, 'The essence of way that would entail no departure from the > the Baha 'i spirit is that in order to establish high standards of integrity and truthfulness > a better social order and economic condi- associated with the teachings of his Faith. ' 6 > tion, there must be allegiance to the laws and Allegiance to government, far from being > principles of government. ' 2 Should a Baha'i a concept to which the Baha'i gives lip > act contrary to the laws of the government his service, is a spiritual obligation reinforced > conduct would be considered reprehensible by and inseparable from those teachings of > before God, for members of this community Baha'u'llah's on which His followers pat- > 'should at all times manifest ... tláuthfulness tern their individual spiritual development. > and sincerity' and 'be constant in ... faithful- 'Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all > ness and trustworthiness. >3 thine acts,' 7 Baha'u' llah enjoins. > In elucidation of this cardinal spiritual Without integrity of character in its > and social principle 'Abdu' l-Baha, the citizens and without loyalty to government, a > authorized Interpreter of the Faith, has writ- nation will find itself torn asunder and unable > ten: 'According to the direct and sacred to function as an organic society. Not only > command of God we (the Baha'is) are for- do the Baha'i teachings obligate members > bidden to utter slander, are commanded to to be loyal to their government-they also > show forth peace and amity, are exhorted to specifically forbid them from taking part in > subversive political and social movements. > Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Bahri 'u 'l/ah revealed after > the Kitab-i-Aqdas, (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, > 1978) p. 22- 23. 4 > 'Abdu ' l-Baha, Th e Will and Testa111e11t of 'Abdu '/- > 'Abdu 'l-Baha, Th e Promulgation of Universal Bahri, (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1968) p. 8. > Peace, (Wi lmette: Baha'i Publihsing Trust, 1982) 5 > Selections, p. 319. > p. 238. 6 Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Bahri 'u 'I/ah, > 'Abdu'l-Baha, Selectionsfro111 the Writings of (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982) p. 65. > 'Abdu '/-Bahri, (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1978) Gleanings fro111 th e Writings of Bahri 'u '/lah, (Wilp. 294. mette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1976) p. 285. > 762 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 2. THE BAHA'i VIEW OF PACIFISM > > IN a letter published in U.S. Baha'i News, neither suppresses the individual nor does it > January 1938, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian exalt him to the point of making him an antiof the Baha'i Faith wrote through his Secre- social creature, a menace to society. As in > tary: everything, it follows the "golden mean". > 'With reference to the absolute pacifists The only way society can function is for the > or conscientious objectors to war: their atti- minority to follow the will of the majority. > tude, judged from the Baha'i standpoint, is 'The other main objection to the consciquite anti-social and due to its exaltation of entious objectors is that their method of > the individual conscience leads inevitably to establishing peace is too negative. Non-coopdisorder and chaos in society. Extreme paci- eration is too passive a philosophy to become > fists are thus very close to anarchists, in the an effective way for social reconstruction. > sense that both of these groups lay an undue Their refusal to bear aims can never establish > emphasis on the rights and merits of the peace. There should first be a spiritual reviindividual. The Baha'i conception of social talization which nothing, except the Cause > life is essentially based on the subordination of God, can effectively bring to every man's > of the individual will to that of society. It heart.' > > 3. SUMMARY OF THE GUARDIAN'S > INSTRUCTIONS ON THE OBLIGATIONS OF BAHA'is > IN CONNECTION WITH MILITARY SERVICE. > > l:MMEDIATELY prior to World War II offer their services to their country in any > the Baha' i position on military training and field of national service which is not specifiservice, and the obligation of individual cally aggressive or directly military. Such > Baha'is to apply for and maintain a non- forms of national work as air raid precaution > combatant status when this is possible under service, ambulance corps, and other humanithe laws of their country, were clearly stated tarian work or activity of a non-combatant > by the Guardian of the Faith. On 27 Novem- nature, are the most suitable types of service > ber 1938 he instructed his secretary to write the friends can render, and which they > to the National Spiritual Assembly of the should gladly volunteer for, since in addition > British Isles: 'He has noted your Assembly's to the fact that they do not involve any > request for his advice as to what fmms of violation of the spirit or principle of the > national service the friends may volunteer Teachings they constitute a form of social > for in times of emergency. While the believ- and humanitarian service which the Cause > ers, he feels, should exert every effort holds sacred and emphatically enjoins.' > to obtain from the authorities a permit ex- A further query from that National Spirempting them from active rniliary service in itual Assembly dated 9 May 1939 evoked the > a combatant capacity, it is their duty at the following reply on 4 June 1939, in amplifisame tin1e, as loyal and devoted citizens, to cation of the above principles: > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U ' LLAH 763 > 'His instructions on this matter, conveyed Faith, to apply for such exemption, even > in a letter addressed to your Assembly dur- though there may be slight prospect of their > ing last November, were not intended for obtaining the consent and approval of the > that particular occasion, but were meant for authorities to their petition.' > present conditions, and for any such emer- After the war, on 20 July 1946, the > gencies as may arise in the immediate future. National Spiritual Assembly of the United > 'It is still his firm conviction that the States enquired of the Guardian whether the > believers, while expressing their readiness existence of the United Nations in its present > to umeservedly obey any directions that the form changed the attitude of the Baha'is > authorities may issue concerning national toward military duties which might require > service in time of war, should also, and while the taking of human life. The Guardian's > there is yet no outbreak of hostilities, appeal reply, written by his secretary, was: > to the government for exemption from active 'As there is neither an International > military service in a combatant capacity, Police Force nor any immediate prospect of > stressing the fact that in doing so they are one coming into being, the Baha'is should > not prompted by any selfish considerations, continue to apply, under all circumstances, > but by the sole and supreme motive of for exemption from any military duty that > upholding the Teachings of their Faith, which necessitates the taking of life. There is no > make it a moral obligation for them to desist justification for any change of attitude on > from any act that would involve them in our part at the present time.' > direct warfare with their fellow-humans of The Guardian therefore has made it clear > any other race or nation. that it is obligatory and not an optional mat- > 'The Baha' i Teachings, indeed, condemn, ter for all Baha'is to apply for and maintain > emphatically and unequivocally, any form a non-combatant status if this is possible > of physical violence, and warfare in the bat- under the law. Where such a law exists, > tlefield is obviously a fmm, and perhaps the Baha'is cannot voluntarily enlist in any > worst form which such violence can assume. branch of the armed forces in which they > '111ere are many other avenues through which would be subject to orders to engage in the > the believers can assist in times of war by enlist- taking of human life. > ing in services of a non-combatant nature- The Universal House of Justice amplified > services that do not involve the direct shedding this later statement: > of blood-such as ambulance work, anti-air 'There is no objection to a Baha'i enlistraid precaution service, office and adminis- ing voluntarily in the aimed forces of a > trative works, and it is for such types of country in order to obtain a training in some > national service that they should volunteer. trade or profession, provided that he can do > 'It is immaterial whether such activities so without making himself liable to underwould still expose them to dangers, either at take combatant service. > home or in the front, since their desire is not 'There is likewise no objection to a > to protect their lives, but to desist from any Baha 'i seeking or continuing a career in > acts of wilful murder. the armed forces, provided that he can do so > 'The friends should consider it their without making himself liable to undertake > conscientious duty, as loyal members of the combatant service.' > VIII > BAHA'i CALENDAR, FESTIVALS AND > DATES OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE > > 1. FOREWORD > Excerpt from Baha 'u 'llah and the New Era by Dr. J.E. Esslemont > > AMONG different peoples and at different to adjust the calendar to the solar year. The > times many different methods have been Bab named months after the attributes of > adopted for the measurement of time and God. The Baha'i New Year, like the ancient > fixing of dates, and several different calen- Persian New Year, is astronomically fixed, > dars are still in daily use, e.g., the Gregorian commencing at the March equinox (21 March), > in Western Europe, the Julian in many coun- and the Baha'i era commences with the year > tries of Eastern Europe, the Hebrew among of the Bab 's declaration (i.e., 1844 A. O., > the Jews and the Mu~ammadan in Muslim 1260 A .H.). > countries. In the not far distant future it will be > The Bab signalized the impo1tance of the necessary that all peoples in the world agree > dispensation which He came to herald by on a common calendar. > inaugurating a new calendar. In this, as in It seems, therefore, fitting that the new > the Gregorian calendar, the lunar month is age of unity should have a new calendar free > abandoned and the solar year is adopted. from the objections and associations which > The Baha 'i year consists of 19 months of make each of the older calendars unacceptable > 19 days each (i.e., 361 days), with the addi- to large sections of the world's population, > tion of certain ' intercalary days' (four in and it is difficult to see how any other > ordinary and five in leap years) between the arrangement could exceed in simplicity and > eighteenth and nineteenth months in order convenience that proposed by the Bab. > > 2. BAHA'i FEASTS, ANNIVERSARIES > AND DAYS OF FASTING > > • Feast ofRi~van (Declaration of • Ascension ofBaha'u' llah, 29 May 1892. > Baha'u' llah), 21 April- 2 May 1863. • Martyrdom of the Bab, 9 July 1850. > • Feast ofNaw-Ruz (New Year), 21 March. • Ascension of ' Abdu 'l-Baha, > • Declaration of the Bab, 23 May 1844. 28 November 1921. > • The Day of the Covenant, 26 November. • Fasting season lasts 19 days beginning > • Birth ofBaha' u' llah, 12 November 1817. with the first day of the month of ' Ala ', > • Birth of the Bab, 20 October 1819. 2 March- the Feast ofNaw-Ruz > • Birth of 'Abdu ' l-Baha, 23 May 1844. follows immediately after. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U 'LL.\H 765 > > 3. BAHA'i HOLY DAYS ON WHICH WORK > SHOULD BE SUSPENDED > > • The first day of Ri<;lvan, • The anniversary of the birth of the Bab, > • The ninth day of Ri<;lvan, • The anniversary of the ascension of > • The twelfth day of Ri<;lvan, Baba 'u 'llah, > • The anniversary of the declaration • The anniversary of the martyrdom of > of the Bab, the Bab, > • The anniversary of the birth ofBaha'u'llah, • The feast ofNaw-Ruz. > > NOTE: > ' Abdu'l-Baha, in one of His tablets addressed to a believer ofNayriz, Persia, has written the > following: Nine 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 follow as corollaries to the > Text ... Work on the Day of the Covenant (Fete Day of 'Abdu'l-Baha), however, is not prohibited. Celebration of that day is left to the discretion of the friends. Its observation is not > obligatmy. The days pertaining to the Abha Beauty (Baha 'u'llah) and the Primal Point (the > Bab), that is to say these nine days, are the only 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-Baha are not to be regarded as days on which work is prohibited. The celebration of > these two days, however, is obligatory. > Baha'is 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. > > 4. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL GLEANED FROM NABiL'S > NARRATIVE REGARDING THE BAHA'i CALENDAR > > THE Badi' Calendar (Baha'i Calendar) has as the beginning of the Badi' Calendar.' The > been taken by me from the Kitab-i-Asma , Declaration of the Bab took place on the > one of the works written by the Bab. As I evening preceding the fifth day of Jamhave observed in these days that certain adiyu' 1-A vval, of the year 1260 A.H. It has > believers are inclined to regard the year in been ordained that the solar calendar be > which Baha'u 'llah departed from Bag!!dad to followed and that the vernal equinox, the day > Constantinople as marking the beginning of ofNaw-Ruz, be regarded as the New Year's > the Badi' Calendar, I have requested Mirza Day of the Badi' Calendar. The year sixty, > Aqa Jan, the amanuensis of Baha'u'llah, to in which the fifth day of Jamadiyu 'l-Avval > ascertain His will and desire concerning this coincided with the sixty-fifth day after Nawmatter. Baha'u'llah answered and said: 'The Ruz, has accordingly been regarded as the > year sixty A.H. 1 (1844 A.D.), the year of the first year of the Badi' Calendar. As in that > Declaration of the Bab, must be regarded year, the day of Naw-Ruz, the vernal equinox, preceded by sixty-six days the date of > (i.e., 1260 A.H. ) the Declaration of the Bab, I have therefore, > 766 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > throughout my history, regarded the Naw- of Malik, in that city, He commanded me to > Ruz of the year sixty-one A.H. (the Naw-Ruz transcribe the text of the Badi' Calendar and > immediately following the Declaration of to instruct the believers in its details. On the > the Bab) as the first Naw-Ruz of the Badi' very d Calendar. I have accordingly considered the I composed, in verse and prose, an exposi- > Naw-Ruz of this present year, the year 1306 tion of the main features of that calendar and > A.H., which is the 47th solar year after the presented it to Him. The versified copy, being > Declaration of the Bab, as the 46th Naw-Ruz now unavailable, I am herein transcribing > of the Badi' Calendar. the version in prose. The days of the week > Soon after Baha'u'llah had left the for- are named as follows: > tress of 'Akka and was dwelling in the house > Days Arabic Nam e English Name Translation > 1st Jalal Saturday Glory > 2nd Jamal Sunday Beauty > 3rd Kamal Monday Perfection > 4th Fi9al Tuesday Grace > 5th 'Idal Wednesday Justice > 6th Istijlal Thursday Majesty > 7th Istiqlal Friday Independence > > The names of the months , which are the same as the days of each month, are as follows: > > Month Arabic Name Translation First Days > 1st Baha Splendour March 21 > 2nd Jalal Glory April 9 > 3rd Jamal Beauty April 28 > 4th 'A~amat Grandeur May 17 > 5th Nur Light June 5 > 6th Rahmat Mercy June 24 > 7th Kalimat Words July 13 > 8th Kamal Perfection August 1 > 9th Asma' Names August 20 > 10th 'Izzat Might September 8 > 11th Mashiyyat Will September 27 > 12th 'Ilm Knowledge October 16 > 13th Qudrat Power November4 > 14th Qawl Speech November 23 > 15th Masa'il Questions December 12 > 16th Sharaf Honour December 31 > 17th Sultan Sovereignty January 19 > 18th Mulk Dominion February 7 > 19th 'Ala' Loftiness March 2 > Ayyam-i-Ha (Intercalary Days) 26 February to 1 March inclusivefour in ordinary and five in leap years. > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 767 > The first day of each month is thus the have to be celebrated on the following day. > day of Bah:i, and the last day of each month The Bab has, moreover, in His Writings > the day of ' Ala'. revealed in the Arabic tongue, divided the > The Bab has regarded the solar year, of years following the date of His Revelation > 365 days, 5 hours, and 50 odd minutes, as into cycles of 19 years each. The names of > consisting of 19 months of 19 days each, the years in each cycle are as follows: > with the addition of certain intercalary days. 1. Alif A. > He has named the New Year's Day, which is 2.Ba' B. > the day ofNaw-Ruz, the day ofBah:i, of the 3. Ab Father. > month of Bah:i. He has ordained the month 4. Dal D. > of 'Ala' to be the month of fasting, and has 5. Bab Gate. > decreed that the day of Naw-Ruz should 6. Vav V. > mark the termination of that period. As the 7. Abad Eternity. > Bab did not specifically define the place for 8. fad Generosity. > the four days and the fraction of a day in the 9. Baha Splendour. > Badi' Calendar, the people of the Bayan 10. I:Iubb Love. > were at a loss as to how they should regard 11 . Bahhaj Delightful. > them. The revelation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas in 12. Javab Answer. > the city of 'Akka resolved this problem and 13. Al_lad Single. > settled the issue. Baha'u'llah designated 14. Vahhab Bountiful. > those days as the Ayyam-i-Ha and ordained 15. Vidad Affection. > that they should immediately precede the 16. Badi Begim1ing. > month of 'Ala', which is the month of fast- 17. Bahi Luminous. > ing. He enjoined upon His followers to 18. Abh:i Most Luminous. > devote these days to feasting, rejoicing, and 19. Va~id Unity. > charity. Immediately upon the termination Each cycle of 19 years is called V al_lid. > of these intercalary days, Bah:i'u'llah Nineteen cycles constitute a period called > ordained the month of fasting to begin. I Kull-i-Shay' . The numerical value of the > have heard it stated that some of the people word Va~id is 19, that of Kull-i-Shay' is > of the Bayan, the followers of Mirza Yal)ya, 361. V:il.iid signifies unity, and is symbolic > have regarded these intercalary days as com- of the unity of God. > ing immediately after the month of ' Ala', The Bab has, moreover, stated that this > thus terminating their fast five days before system of His is dependent upon the accepthe day of Naw-Ruz. This, notwithstanding tance and good-pleasure of ' Him Whom God > the explicit text of the Bayan which states shall make manifest'. One word from Him > that the day of Naw-R1iz must needs be the would suffice either to establish it for all > first day of the month ofBaha, and must fol- time, or to annul it forever. > low immediately after the last day of the For instance, the date of the 21st of April, > month of' Ala'. Others, aware of this contra- 1930, which is the first day of Ri~van, and > diction, have started their fasting on the fifth which according to the Kitab-i-Aqdas must > day of the month of 'Ala', and included the coincide with the 'thirteenth day of the secintercalary days within the period of fasting. ond Baha 'i month, ' and which fell this year > Every fourth year the number of the inter- (1930) on Monday, would, according to the > calary days is raised from four to five. The system of the Badi ' Calendar, be described > day of Naw-Ruz falls on the 21st of March as follows: > only if the vernal equinox precedes the setting 'The day of Kamal, the day of Qudrat, of > of the sun on that day. Should the vernal equi- the month ofJalal, of the year Bahhaj, of the > nox take place after sunset, Naw-Ruz will fifih Vahid, of the first Kull-i-Shay '.' > THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > 5. HISTORICAL DATA GLEANED FROM NABIL'S > NARRATIVE REGARDING BAHA'U'LLAH > > Works Revealed Houses Occu- > During This Period pied During > This Period > > A.BAGHDAD > - > Arrival latter part Jamadiyu '!b_-Thani, Ku llu 't-Ta'am House of !:Jaji > 1269 A.H. 'Ali-Madad > 12 March- 10 April 1853 A.O. in old Bagb.dad) > Departure for Sulaymaniyyih on House of > Wednesday, 10 April 1854 A.D.- Su layman- > Rajab 12, 1270 A.H. i-Ghannam > - > > B. SULA YMANiYYlH Prayers > Before reaching Sulaymaniyyih, He lived Qa~idiy-i-Varqa' iyyih > for a time on the Sar-Galu mountain . > During H is absence from Bagb_dad Hi s > fam ily transferred their residence Saq i-Az-Ghayb-ifrom House of l:Iaji 'Ali-Madad to Baqa > that of Sulayman-i-Ghannam. > Nabi l arrived at Bagb.dad 6 months after > Baha ' u' llah's departu re for > Sulaymani yy ih . > > C. BAGHDAD > - > Tafs ir-i-I:Iuru fat-i- > Muqatta'ih > Arrived from Sulaymaniyy ih on Sal~ffiy -i- S h a triyyih > Wednesday, 19 March 1856 A.O.- Haft-Vadi > Rajab 12, 1272 A.H. (Seven Valleys) > Departure from Bagb.dad for Tafsir-i-Hu > Constantinople, Wednesday Lawh-i-IJuriyyih > afternoon (fi rst day of Ri9van), Javah iru ' 1-Asrar > 22 April 1863 A.O.- Kitab-i-iqan > Dhi'l-Qa'dih 3, 1279 A.H. Ka limat-i-Maknunih > (Hidden Words) > Subhana-Rabbiya' l-A ' la > Shikkar-S- hikan-Shavand > - - > I:Iur-i-'Ujab > Halih-Halih-Ya Bisharat > - > Ghulamu ' l-Khu > - - > ld > Az-Bagb.- i-llahi > Baz-Av-u-Bidih-Jami > Short stay in Mazra' i y-i-Va_0sha~ Ma ll al~u ' l -Qud s > during above period to celebrate (Holy Mariner) > Naw-Ruz ended with departure on > Thursday, 26 March 1863 A. D.- > Shavval 5, 1279 A.I-I . > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 769 > > Works Revealed Houses Occu- > During This Period pied During > C. BAGHDAD (continued) This Period > > Arrival at Garden ofNajibiyyih (Garden Suri y-i-$abr revealed > ofRi<;lvan), 22 April 1863 A. D.- on first day of Ri<;lvan > Dhi ' l-Qa'dih 3, 1279 A.I-I. > > Arrival ofBaha' u' llah 's Family at > Garden of Ri<;lvan on eighth day after > first of Ric;!van . > > Departure from Garden of Ri<;lvan for > Constantinople last day ofRi<;lvan at > noon on Sunday, 3 May 1863 A.D.- > Dhi ' l-Qa'di h 14, 1279 A.I-I. > > Length of overland journey from > Garden of Ridvan to Samsun on > Black Sea: 110 days > > Firayjat (arrived early afternoon- stayed l~lasan-Aqa, > seve n days) arrived on Sunday, 3 May Mardin > 1863 A.D.- Dhi ' l-Qa 'dih 14, 1279 A.H. Diyar-Bakr, > (F irayjat is about 3 miles distant from Ma ' dan-Mis, > Bagb.dad) Kharput (stayed 2 or 3 days), > Judaydih, Ma'dan-Nuqrih, > Dili-'Abbas , Dilik-Tash, > Qarih-Tapih, Sivas, > Sala~iyyih (stayed 2 nights), Tuqat > Dust-Khu rmatu, Amasia (stayed 2 days), > Tawuq, llahiyy ih (while approaching Samsun, > Karkuk (stayed 2 days) , 'Lawl~-i-Hawdaj ' was revealed), > lrbi l, (last day of overland journey), > Zab River, Samsun (stayed 7 days) , Black Sea port; > Bartallih, sai led in a Turkish steamer about sunset > Mosul (stayed 3 days) , for Constantinople, > Zakhu, Sinope (arrived next day about noon) , > Jazirih, Black Sea port: stayed for a few hours, > Nu~aybin Anyabuli (arrived next day) > > D. CONSTANTINOPLE Works Revealed Houses Occupied > During This Period During This Period Duration > > Arriva l at noon on Sunday, Subl~anaka-Y a-Hu House of Shamsi Big I month > 16 August 1863 A. O.- Lawh-i- ' Abdu ' I- (near the mo sq ue of > Rabi ' u ' l-Av va l I, 1280 A.H. ' Aziz Va-Vuka la Kh irqi y-i-Sharifh) > 770 Tl-IE BAl-IA ' i WORLD > > D. CONSTANTINOPLE (continued) Works Revealed Houses Occupied > During This Period During This Period Duration > > Length of sea voyage House of Yisi Pasha 3 months > from Samsun to (3 storey, near Sultan > Constantinopl e: Mul)ammad Mosque) > 3 days. > > Length of journey from > Constantinople to > Adrianople : 12 days. > > I. Kuchik-Chakmachih (3 hours from Constantinople- spent one night) > 2 . Buyuk-Chakmachih (arrived about noon) > 3. Salvari > 4. Birkas > 5. Baba-Iski > > E. ADRIANOPLE Works Revealed Houses Occupied > During This Period During This Period Duration > > Arrival on Saturday, Suriy-i-A~l)ab I. Khan-i- ' Arab 3 nights > - > 12 December I 863 A. D. (caravanserai, two- > -Rajab I , 1280 A.H. Lawh-i-J:Iaqq I storey, near house of > 'Izzat-A.qa) > > Length of stay: 4 years, > 8 months, 22 days. > Lawl)-i-tiaqq II > > Kitab-i-Badi' 2. House in I week > Suriy-i-Muluk Muradiyyih > (Tablet of the quarter, near > Kings) Takyiy-i-Mawlavi > > Departure from Suriy-i-Amr 3. House in I week > Adrianop le on Suriy-i-Damm Muradiyyih quarter, > Wednesday, 12 August A lval)-i-Lay latu ' I- near house (2) > 1868 A.D.- Quds > Rabi-'u '!b_-Thani 22, Munaja.thay-i-$iyam 4. Khaniy-i-Amru ' ll ah > 1285 A.H. (Prayers for Fasting) (several storeys, near > Su ltan -Salim Mosque[) > > Lawl;-i-Sayyah 5. House ofRic;la Big I year > > Lawh-i-Napu lylin l 6. House of Amru'llal) 3 months? > (First Tablet to (3-storey, north of > Napo leon TIT) Su ltan-Salim Mosque > > Lawh-i-Su ltan 7. House of ' Izzat-Aq a 11 months > (Tablet to the Shah > of Persia) > Lawh-i-Nuqtih > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 771 > > I. Uzun-Kuprf > 2. Kashanih (arrived about noon, Lawl!-i-Ra'is [Tablet of Ra'is] was revealed in this place) > 3. Gallipoli (length of journey from Adrianople to Gall ipoli 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 ni gh t) > 6. Alexandria (arrived in the morning, trans-shipped and left in the morning of the > following day for Haifa) > 7. Port Said (arrived morning, left the same day at night) > 8. Jaffa (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 Revealed Houses Occupied > During This Period During This Period Duration > > Arrival on Monday, Kitab-i-Aqdas I. Barracks 2 years, > 31August1868 A.O.- Lawh-i-Napulyun [I 2 months, > Jamadfyu ' l-Avval 12, (Second Tablet to 5 days > l285A.H . Napoleon III) > Lawl!-i-Malikih 2. House of Malik 3 months > (Tablet to Queen 3. House ofRab"ih > Victoria) > LawJ:i-i-Malik-i-Rus 4. House ofMan~ur 2 or 3 > Purest Branch died on (Tablet to the Czar) months > Thursday, 23 June Suriy-i-Haykal > 1870 A.0.-Rabf' u ' I- Lawl!-i-Burhan 5. House of'Abbud > Avval 23 , 1287 A. H. Lawh-i-Ru'ya (where Kitab-i-Aqdas > Lawl1-i-Ibn-i-Dhi ' b was revealed) > (Epistle to the Son 6. Mazra'ih > of the Wolf) > LawJ:i-i-Pap 7. Qa~r > Passed away 29 May (Tablet to the Pope) (Mansion, where He > 1892 A.O. passed away) > THE BA HA' i WORLD > > 6. DATES OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN > THE RISE OF THE BAH A'i FAITH > > Birth ofBaha'u'llah ........ 12 November 18 17 Arri va l of the first group of Western pilgrims > Birth of the Bab .. ........ ........ 20 October 1819 in 'Akka ..................... 10 December 1898 > Declaration of the Mission of the Bab in Arriva l of the Bab 's remains in the Holy > Shiraz ........ .............. ............. 23 May 1844 Land ............ .... ........ .. .... . 21 January 1899 > Birth of' Abdu ' l-BahL ............ 23 May 1844 Rei ncarceration of'Abdu ' l-Baha in 'AkkL > Departure of the Bab on His pilgrimage to ......................................... 20 August 1901 > Mecca ............................. September 1844 Commencement of the construction of the > Arrival of the Bab in Mah-Ku, Adhirbayjan Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar of ' Ishqabad .... .. .... .. .. > ........................................ .. .. Summer 1847 ............ ........................ 28 November 1902 > Incarceration of the Bab in Chihriq, Adhir- Release of ' Abdu'l-Baha from His incarcerbayjan .... ........................ ........ .. Ap ril 1848 ation .. .... .. ............ ...... ...... September 1908 > Conference of Badasht ................. June 1848 Interment of the Bab 's remains on Mt. Carmel > Interrogation of the Bab in Tabriz, Adhir- .......................................... 2 1 March 1909 > bayjan ........................ ...... ......... .July 1848 Opening of the first American Baha' i Con- > Martyrdom of the Bab in Tabriz, Adhir- vention .............................. 2 1 March 1909 > bayjan ........ .................. .......... 9 July 1850 'Abdu ' 1-Baha 's departure from Egypt.. ........ > Attempt on the li fe of Na~i ri 'd-Di n Shah .... .. .. .. .............................. September 1910 > ........ ...... .. .. .. .................. .. 15 August 1852 'Abdu ' l-Baha's arrival in London ............... . > Imp1isonment ofBaha'u'llah in the Siyah-Chal .. .... .. .. .... .... ................... 4 September 1911 > ofTi hran .............................. August 1852 'Abdu ' l-Baha's arrival in America ............. .. > Banishment of Baha' u' ll ah to Bagl:!dad ... .. .. .. .... .. .. .............................. 11 April 19 12 > .... .... .................. .. ............ 12 January 1853 Layi ng of the corner-stone of the Mashriqu'l- > Withdrawal of Baha'u'llah to Kurdi stan .. Ad hkar in Wilmette, Ill., by 'Abdu' l-Baha > ........................................ .... 10 April 1854 .. .... .... ..................................... I May 19 12 > Return of Baha'u'llah from Kurdistan. Second vis it of ' Abdu'l-Baha to Europe and > .................... .. ........ .. .......... l9March 1856 tour through the United Kingdom, France, > Declaration of the Mission ofBaha' u' ll ah ... Germany, Hungary and Austria ... .......... .. > ............................................ 22 April 1863 .. .................. December 19 12 to June 19 13 > Arrival of Baha'u'llah in Constantinople. 'Abdu' l-Baha's return to the Ho ly Land ....... > ......................................... 16 August 1863 .. ........... .................... .... 5 December 1913 > Arrival of Baha' u' llah in Adri anople ... Unve iling of the Tab lets of the Divine Plan .. > ........ .... ............ .. ......... 12 December 1863 .. .............................. .. .............. . April 1919 > Depa1ture ofBaha 'u' llah from Adrianople .. Passi ng of'Abdu' l-Baha 28November 1921 > .... .... ............ ........ ............ . 12 August 1868 Verdi ct of the Islamic Court in Egypt pro- > Arriva l ofBaha'u'llah in 'Akka .................. . nounci ng the Fa ith to be an independent > ...... .. ...... .. ......................... 31 August 1868 re li gion ....... .......................... 10 May 1925 > Death of the Purest Branch ....... 23 June 1870 Martha Root's first interview with Queen > Ascension of Baha ' u ' llah .... ..... 29 May 1892 Mari e of Romania .......... 30 January 1926 > First public reference to the Faith in America Reso lution of the Council of the League of > .......... ........ ................. 23 September 1893 Nations upholding the claim of the Baha'i > Establishment of the first Baha'i centre in the community to the House of Bah a 'u' llah in > West .................. ............ .... February 1894 Bagl:!dad .............. .. ............. 4 March 1929 > THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 773 > Passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf.. .............. . Dedication of the Mother Temple of Africa, > .............. .. .. ......... .... ........ .... ... 15 July 1932 Kampala, Uganda .......... 14 January 1961 > Inception of the First American Seven-Year Dedication of the Mother Temple of the Antipo- > Plan ...................... .. ................. April 1937 des, Sydney, Australia 16 September 196 1 > Celebration of the Centenary of the Declaration Completion of the Ten Year Crusade ........... . > of the Bab ....................... ..... 23 May 1944 ................................................. Apri l 1963 > Inception of the Second American Seven- First election of the Universal House of Justice > Year Plan ................................ April 1946 ...................................... .... . 21 April 1963 > Centenary of the Martyrdom of the Bab ....... First Baha' i World Congress in London, in > ............ .................................. .. 9 July 1950 celebration of the "Most Great Jubilee" ... > Completion of the Arcade and Parapet of the ............................................. .... April 1963 > Shrine of the Bab on Mt. Carmel... .. .. .... .. . Launching of the Nine Year Plan April 1964 > .... ............... ...... .. .... ................ . 9 July 1950 Dedication of the Mother Temple of Europe, > Inauguration of the Centenary Celebrations of near Frankfurt, Germany ..... .. .4 July 1964 > the birth ofBaha'u'llah's Prophetic Mission Celebration of the Centenary of the Revelation > ........ ......... ............... .. ..... ...... October 1952 of the Siiriy -i-Mulilk ................ .. ............... . > First Baha'i Intercontinental Teaching Con- ................ .. ...... .. .September/October 1967 > ference, Kampala, Uganda, Africa .......... . Opening of period of proclamation of the > ................................ 12-18 February 1953 Cause, inaugurated by the presentation by > Inauguration of the Ten-Year International the Universal House ofJustice to 140 Heads > Baha 'i Teaching and Consolidation Plan of State a special edition of The Procla- > .... .. ............................... .. .......... April 1953 mation of Baha 'u 'llah .... .. .. .October 1967 > Baha'i dedication of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar The holding of six Intercontinental Conferin Wilmette, Illino is .... .. ........ I May 1953 ences simultaneously in Panama City, > Public dedication ...................... . 2 May 1953 Wilmette, Sydney, Kampala, Frankfurt, > All-American Baha'i Intercontinental Teach- and New Delhi .. ............. .. .. . October 1967 > ing Conference, Chicago ... 3- 6 May 1953 His Highness Malietoa Tanurnafili II of > Third Baha' i Intercontinental Teaching Con- Western Samoa, embraced the Faith ........ > ference, Stockholm, Sweden .......... ....... .. .. .. ... ..... ...... ..... .. .......... .... 19 February 1968 > ................. .......... ...... ...... 21 - 26 July 1953 Establishment of the Continental Board of > Fourth Baha'i Intercontinental Teaching Con- Counsellors ...................... .. . 2 1 June 1968 > ference, New Delhi, India ............... .. .... .. .. First Oceanic Conference, Palermo, Sicily ... > ................................... 7-15 October 1953 ...... ....... .. .. .. ..... .. ..... .. .. 23- 25 August 1968 > Completion of the construction of the Shrine Commemoration of the I OOth anniversary of > of the Bab ....................... ... .. October 1953 the arrival of Baha'u'llah in the Holy Land > Expansion of the Faith to 100 additional ............ .. ...... .... ...... .. ......... 31 August 1968 > countries and islands by settl ement of the The Baha' i International Community accred- > Knights ofBaha 'u ' llah ........... 1953- 1954 ited with consultative status to the United > Completion of exterior of International Nations Economic and Social Council .. .. . > Archives Bui lding .. .. ...... ....... .. .......... 1957 ................................... .. .. ...... 27 May 1970 > Passing of Shoghi Effendi 4 November 1957 Commemoration of the 1OOth anniversary of > The holding of five Intercontinental Teaching the death of Mirza Mihdi, 'The Purest > Conferences successi vely in Kampala, Branch' .. ..... .... ...... .............. 23 June 1970 > Sydney, Wi lmette, Frankfurt, Djakarta/ The holding of eight Oceanic and Continen- > Singapore ............ ..... .. .. ..................... 1958 tal Conferences in La Paz, Rose Hill > First dependency of a Mashriqu ' l-Adhkar, (Mauritius), Monrovia, Singapore, Kingthe Baha' i home for the Aged, opened in ston, Suva, Sapporo, and Reykjavik. .. .. > Wilmette, Illinois, U.S. A .... January 1959 between August 1970 and September 1971 > 774 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Lagos, Canberra, and Montreal... ............ . > passing of ' Abdu' l-Baha 28 November 1971 ........... between June and September 1982 > Completion of the erection of the Obelisk on Occupation by the Universal House of Justice > Mt. Carmel ... ........ ...... 19 December 197 1 of its Pennanent Seat .. ...... .. January 1983 > Dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin Opening of the House of' Abdu ' llah Nsha to > America, Panama .. ..... ... ... .. 29 April 1972 pilgrims ............. .. .. ...... ... .. .. .. ...April 1983 > Adoption by the Universal House of Justice Dedication of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhk:ar of > of its Constitution .. .... .26 November 1972 the Pacific Islands ....... 1 September 1984 > Publication by the Universal House of Justice of Inauguration on United Nations Day of period > A Synopsis and Codification of the Laws of dissemination to Heads of State and to > and Ordinances of the Kitab-i-Aqdas .... ... the general public of The Promise of World > ....... ...... ............ ....... .. .. ..... ...... ..April 1973 Peace, a letter addressed by the Universal > Establishment of the International Teaching House of Justice to ' The Peoples of the > Centre .... ........... ... ....... ........... 5 June 1973 World' ... ...... ...... .. ... ..... ...24 October 1985 > Launching of the Five Year International Launching of the Six Year International > Teaching Plan .... ... ... ... .... ...... ... April 1974 Teaching Plan ... ...... ............... .. April 1986 > His Highness the Malietoa Tanumafili II of Dedication of the Mother Temple of the > Western Samoa visited the resting place Indian subcontinent, New Delhi, India .. .. > of Shoghi Effendi ... ... 12 September 1976 .................... .......... 23-27 December l 986 > The holding of eight Intercontinental Con- Establishment of the Baha'i Office of the > ferences in Helsinki, Anchorage, Paris, Environment... .... .... .... .... 26 October 1989 > Nairobi , Hong Kong, Auckland, Bahia Establishment of first Baha' i Chair for World > (Brazil) and Merida (Mexico) ... ......... ... ... Peace at the University of Maryland in > ... .... between July 1976 and January 1977 the United States .... ... ...... .... January 1990 > Commemoration of the Centenary of the Launching of the supplementary Two Year > termination of Baha'u' llah's Confinement Teaching Plan for Eastern Europe, the > in the prison-city of ' Akka ...... .. June 1977 USSR and Mongolia .. .. .. ......... April 1990 > Launching of the Seven Year International Commencement of re-construction and com- > Teaching Plan ..... .......... .. ..... .... April 1979 pletion of the Terraces of the Shrine of > Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the the Bab ... ......... ...... .............. 23 May 1990 > passing of Bahiyyih Khan um, the Greatest Commencement of construction of the Centre > Holy Leaf.. .. .................... .......... July 1982 for the Study of the Texts ..... 17 June 1991 > The holding of five International Teaching Establishment of the Office of I-:Iuququ ' llah > Conferences in Dublin, Quito (Ecuador), in the Holy Land ... ...... ... .November 1991 > PART FIVE > > IN MEMORIAM > IN MEMORIAM > > DR. UGO GIACHERY from blocks of marble would come forth > 1896-1989 faces, human figures, animals I could recognize, or imaginary creatures. 4 > Rich in history and embellished by the arts, Then came the War, the First World War. > fortunate in her traditions, inhabited by 'Not every evil is .harmful ', as the ancient > citizens open to human relations- such was proverb has it, for I was wounded and > the city of Palermo, capital of Sicily, that obtained a government scholarship which > welcomed to the world, on 13 May 1896, permitted me to graduate in chemistry. 5 ... > Ugo Giachery, the fifth in a family of nine Not knowledge, nor his so-called culture, > children. make a man; but rather his dreams, his > "I believe I can recall events from the age imagination, his vision of an ordered > of three," recounted Ugo Giachery, "when I future where reason triumphs over force > registered in my memory episodes and facts and compromise. 6 > that I did not then fully understand, but which Dr. Giachery also wrote about how he > with the passing of time seemed like blos- met his wife, Angeline: > soms which would open like magic; so it was > for me a world of delights and wonders!" 1 ... I met Angeline in the home of mutual > He continued: friends [in the United States]; she was > gentle, gracious, cultured, elegant and > My father was born on the 6th of August happy. In her presence one seemed to > 1863; the name given to him, Uberto, is a sense the fragrance of pines and firs of > Teutonic name meaning 'Resplendent Soul' the Varmland forest, the most romantic > -and so he was! 2 . .. Some of the happi- and beautiful region of Sweden. We met > est recollections that come to my memory frequently and a mutual affection develare of the hours we passed with him when oped. On 24 February 1926 we were > we were young-he loved us immensely; married in New York City. 7 > he was always available for us. He seized > every opportunity to increase our general Angeline was already a Baha'i when she > knowledge; he talked to us of the uni- met Dr. Giachery, and towards the end of > verse, of the so lar system, of geophysics, the 1920s or the beginning of the 1930s > of trees, plants, flowers and herbs. 3 Dr. Giachery first wrote to the Guardian. A > . .. Among his friends were three famous door had opened, allowing a glimpse of a > sculptors, with one of whom he had been path; nobody could have imagined how far it > at school, and to whose studio we were would lead! > often taken .. . I recall that although I was Dr. Giachery served as chairman of the > very small , I was enchanted to see how Teaching Committee of the State of New > > ibid. , p. 18. > 1 5 > Ugo Giachery, Come Ricardo Emerico Giache1y, ibid., p. 23. > Nov.-Dec. I 98 I, p. I. 6 > ibid. , p. 26. > ibid. , p. 3. The Baha'i World, vol. XV III (Haifa: Baha'i World > ibid. , pp. 9-10. Centre, I 986), p. 7 I 8. > 778 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > contract for the marble necessary to complete the Shrine of the Bab on Mount > Carmel. 2 > Dr. Giachery wrote: "The hand of destiny > made me his co-worker in securing the > carved marble for the Holy Sepulchre in my > native Italy, a privilege and honour that has > blessed my mature years." 3 The assistance > of his dear wife, Angeline, at the Italian end > of the magnificent enterprise was inestimable, extending from 1948 to the end of 1957. > Recounting his first meeting with the > Guardian, Dr. Giachery wrote: > ... the reward came to me that first night I > was in his presence . . . Turning to the > friends seated at his table for dinner, he > said ... 'We are very glad to have such a > Baha' i friend, to whom the whole world > is indebted.' Then, addressing me, he > Dr. Ugo Giachery added: 'The service you have rendered is > not sufficiently appreciated today, but it > will be fully appreciated in the future ... > York, and as treasurer of the Local Spiritual > This evening when I went to the Shrine, I > Assembly of New York City. And when > remembered you, and I have come to the > the Guardian, through historic messages, > decision that we shall have a "Giachery" > sounded the signal for the inauguration of the > door for the Shrine-one of the doors .' 4 > second Seven Year Plan, to carry across the > ocean to the shores of the Old World the During these years of residence in Rome, > healing influence of the Faith ofBaha'u ' llah, 1947-1964, Dr. and Mrs. Giachery devoted > Dr. and Mrs. Giachery sold their home and special care to the vital work of translating > went as pioneers to Italy. from English into Italian and publishing the > They reached Naples on 20 February 1947, Baha'i texts, an inestimable gift to the > and after a 12-hour journey on an ancient and believers for their comprehension of the > overcrowded bus, they arrived at Rome. Revelation of Baha'u ' llah. The first of the > numerous texts which were brought to light > .. .by Ri<;!van 1948 the first Local Spiritual > in Italian was Bah Assembly of Rome was elected. Shoghi > " ... that splendid, authoritative and compre- > Effendi was overjoyed. He requested a > hensive introduction to Baha'i history and > photograph of the Local Spiritual Assemteachings ... " 5 and splendid were the results > bly, had it framed and personally placed it > of its ~eing presented to numerous libraries > at the head of his bed in the room he often > and personalities throughout Italy. > occupied when staying overnight in the > Mansion ofBahji. 1 > On April 29, 1948, at four o 'clock in the 2 > The Baha'i World, vol. Xll, p. 240. > afternoon, in a room of the Hotel Savoia in 3 Ugo Giachery, Shoghi Effendi: Recollections > Rome, William Sutherland Maxwell, act- (Oxford: George Ronald, 1973), p. 55. > ing for Shoghi Effendi ... signed the first 4 > ibid., pp. 78-79. > 5 Shoghi Effendi , God Passes By (Wilmette: Baha' i > The Bahli 'i World, vol. XVIII, p. 718. Publi shing Trust, 1987), p. 382. > IN MEMORIAM 779 > > From Dr. Giachery's interesting and the meeting with the Prime Minister of > perspicuous treatise entitled One God, One India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Then, at the Guard- > Truth, One People: Some thoughts on the ian's request, he travelled from there to > Peace Encyclical of Pope John XXIII, we Persia where he remained about two months. > learn that as an Observer to the United In November 1954, the invitation of the > Nations for the Baha'i International Com- Guardian to go on pilgrimage reached Dr. and > munity Dr. Giachery was present at the Mrs. Giachery. For Angeline, to be at the > historic meeting for the Universal Declaration World Centre and meet Shoghi Effendi was > of Human Rights, adopted in Paris on the greatest event of her life. One evening, > 10 December 1948. He also collaborated (with on 24 December, the Guardian turned to her > other representatives of many non-govern- and said: > mental organizations) in the drafting of that "I would very much like to keep you and > document, at the NGO Conference in Geneva, Ugo here indefinitely, but Ugo must return > Switzerland, in May of that same year. to Italy and start immediately to work on > On 24 December 19 51, the Guardian the International Archives.'' 1 Dr. Giachery > announced: decided to give absolute priority to the exe- > HOUR NOW RIPE TAKE LONG INEVITABLY cution of this magnificent plan. > DEFERRED STEP ... APPOINTMENT FIRST CON- On 12 December 1956, Shoghi Effendi > TINGENT HANDS CAUSE GOD .. sent to Dr. Giachery a cablegram which > Dr. Giachery was one of that first contin- reads as follows: > gent of the Hands of the Cause of God. CONG RATULATE YOU SPLENDID HISTORIC HIGH- > In March 1952 he was appointed "member LY MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT ENSURING > at large" of the International Baha'i Council. EXCELLENT EXECUTION DETAILS STRUCTURE > During his pilgrimage, Dr. Giachery had ARCHIVES PARTICULARLY GREATEST NAME. > received instructions directly from the PRESENT FUTURE GENERATIONS BELIEVERS > Guardian on the immediate steps to be taken INCLUDING MYSELF PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL. > aimed at the formation, ere the termination In November of 1957, the Baha'i world > of the second Seven Year Plan, of the first was stricken by the passing of the Guardian. > National Spiritual Assembly of Italy and It is nearly impossible to convey the state of > Switzerland. The Convention, according to those who had been so close to him, who > the Guardian's desire, was held in the city had served him with such passion and loved > of Florence, in the heart of the Italian him so intensely. Dr. Giachery expressed his > Peninsula, and was considered by him to be feelings best in the epilogue of his book > the fairest fruit produced in the European entitled, Shoghi Effendi: Recollections. > continent by the Divine Plan of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Again, the hand of fate called upon him to > The Guardian was represented by Dr. Giach- supervise the preparation of the marble and > ery, who was elected to that body and served other materials needed for the erection of the > as its chairman for nine consecutive years . memorial to Shoghi Effendi. > The Great Jubilee commemorating the The responsibilities and tasks of the > Centenary of the tem1ination of the Babi Hands of the Cause suddenly grew im- > Dispensation and the Birth of Baha'u'llah's mensely. Dr. Giachery was away from home > Revelation, 1853-1953, had as its highlights more often and for longer periods. In a letter > four Intercontinental Conferences. The Con- from a friend to his wife, we read: > ference for Europe took place in Stockholm, "Dear Angeline, .. .I am sorry for you to > Sweden, and Dr. Giachery was the special have to be so very long alone in Rome. You > representative of the Guardian. He was also are a most brave soldier in His heavenly > present at the last of the four conferences, > which took place in New Delhi, India, and at 1 > Shoghi Effendi: Recollections, p. 154. > 780 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > a1my, heavenly it should be if we make it Indians, who showed affection, respect, and > thus. We too miss Dr. Giachery ... " care. "Oh if only the friends would under- > The beloved Shoghi Effendi, in his last stand that the basis of every conquest is > message of October 1957, had announced harmony and unity!!" > the convocation of five Intercontinental One of the Counsellors remembers that > Conferences, at the midway point of "the when, in 1968, the first Continental Board of > decade-long Spiritual Crusade", that Crusade Counsellors for Central America was fo1med, > "formulated for the execution of the Grand " ... the counsel of Dr. Giachery to us was: > Design conceived by ' Abdu'l-Baha . .. " 1 'Noblesse Oblige'-constant and sacrificial > Dr. Giachery was chosen to act as a special service to the Friends". > representative of the Guardian at the Chicago Dr. Giachery was one of the six Hands > conference. To him was assigned the duty of of the Cause who opened the Centenary of > exhibiting the portraits ofBaha ' u'llah and of Baha' u'llah's proclamation in the "Land of > the Bab. And in the city where the Name of Mystery" with a visit, in September 1967, > Baha'u'llah was publicly mentioned for the to the House in Adrianople where the Suriy - > first time in the Western world in the last i-Muhik was revealed. Six Intercontinental > century, His portrait and the portrait of the Conferences followed . At the Conference in > Bab were now exhibited for the spiritual Sydney, Australia, he represented the > delight of over 1,600 believers from 31 coun- Universal House of Justice. > triest: such a fruit from such a seed! In a letter addressed to a believer in > On the eve of the end of the Ten Year November 1967 he says: > Crusade, at Ric;lvan 1962, the happy and > It is impossible to tell you in detail our > constructive union of the Italian and Swiss > experiences, but briefly I can assure you > communities came to an end with the fmmathat the Intercontinental Conference of > tion of the National Spiritual Assemblies of > Sydney was a hue success and brought a > the Baha'is of Italy and the Baha' is of > breath of the spirit which emanates from > Switzerland. To the believers of both > the World Centtáe of the Faith to the > counttáies this opened new vistas. > friends in that continent, and those of > The years from 1964 to 1969 were > nineteen other countries! The meeting > paiiicularly intense. On 19 January 1964 > with the Mayor of Sydney, with the Gov- > Dr. Giachery inforn1ed the National Spiritual > ernor of American Samoa, and with the > Assemblies of Europe and the Auxiliary > King of Western Samoa, to whom I pre- > Board members of his departure for the > sented the Book of Proclamation, remain > Americas, accompanied by his most > episodes of the greatest importance in the > precious collaborator, Angeline, to serve as > history of the Faith. > a Hand of the Cause of God in the Western > Hemisphere. To many friends the change On 11 February 1968, another meeting > appeared as a painful separation. took place at the private residence of the > Dr. Giachery wrote: "The geographic Malietoa. Within the hour, Dr. Giachery > area assigned to me is Mexico, and Centtáal cabled the Universal House of Justice: > America , and all the Antilles (Greater TODAYS INTERVI EW CONFIRMS HEA RTFELT > Antilles and Lesser Antilles). The country is ACCEPTA NCE... 2 > > large, the believers numerous ... ." He passed The Universal House of Justice described > days of real joy in the company of the this as " ... an event of which the true significance will be fully understood only in the > 1 course of centuries to come ... " 3 > Shoghi Effendi , Messages to the Bnhti 'i Wo rld, > J950- 1957 (Wi lmette: Baha'i Publishing Tru st, > 1971), p. 124- 125. Th e Bnhti 'i World, vol. XV, p. 18 1. > IN MEMORIAM 781 > It was Dr. Giachery who, at the request of French Philology at Yale University in the > the Universal House of Justice, presented United States, appeared in the magazine > The Proclamation of Baha 'u 'llah to the World Order (Spring 1974): "To me, read- > Vatican, on 9 April 1968. Then, on the occa- ing this loving recollection has been a > sion of the 1968 International Convention, moving and joyful experience .... the book > he was requested to visit France, Portugal by Dr. Giachery ... is like a poem of love." > and Spain. In Portugal he met Umberto II of In 1975, he made an extensive visit to the > Italy, who received Dr. and Mrs. Giachery in Cradle of the Faith. The testimony of one of > his residence, Villa Italia, at Cascais, on the the Persian friends gives us an insight into > outskirts of Lisbon. They presented the book one of the events of that visit: > The Proclamation of Baha 'u 'llah to the "The Baha'is of Mashhad, in the Province > exiled king. of Khurasan, welcomed Dr. Giachery and his > Meanwhile, the time approached for the beloved wife with tremendous love and > commemoration of the Centenary of the enthusiasm. With great reverence they paid a > voyage of Baha'u'llah across the Mediterra- visit to the house ofMulla I:Iusayn, remaining > nean Sea to reach the prison city of 'Akka. for a long time in the room of Mulla I:Iusayn > Palermo had been chosen to host this first and Quddus reciting the special Tablet of > Oceanic Conference, held from 23-25 August Visitation displayed in that special spot." > 1968. The Universal House of Justice was That same year, he presented the Faith to > represented by Dr. Giachery. Many of the Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein: the > friends felt that the unfoldment of such an visit" ... was lively, interesting and friendly .. ." 1 > important event, and the presence of A particularly significant day in the life > Dr. Giachery in his native land, fulfilled his of Dr. Giachery was 12 September 1976, > deepest wishes, his hopes, and his efforts to when His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II > bring the Message of Baha'u'llah to his of Western Samoa made a moving visitation > fellow countrymen-a gift and augury for to the resting place of the beloved Guardian. > the future destiny of the land. Dr. Giachery was with him, as a representa- > The news of the Giacherys' return to tive of the Universal House of Justice. The > Europe at Naw-Ruz 115 (1969) was received object of their common devotion greatly > by the friends with great eagerness, in fresh increased their reciprocal affection. It was > anticipation of the joy and bounty of having an intense and happy day. > them near. Their residence was established During his tenure as a Hand of the Cause, > at Monte Carlo in the Principality of Monaco. Dr. Giache1y attended the inaugural con- > But the experiences, emotions, difficulties, ventions of: the Iberian Peninsula, as > joys and victories passed through in that representative of the Guardian (April 1957); > period in the Americas remained with them Haiti and Venezuela, as representative of the > for the rest of their lives. Baha'i World Centre on behalf of the body > Dr. Giachery's anguish at the premature of the Hands (April-May 1961); and the > passing of his beloved Shoghi Effendi Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands > seemed never to lighten. He yearned to write (Ri~van 1967), British Honduras (28-30 April > his recollections of the greatest adventure of 1967), Near East (Lebanon-Ri~van 1970), > his life, the adventure which had trans- Puerto Rico (Ri~van 1972), and Cypms > formed his existence. By the end of 1973, (20-21 May 1978), all as representative of > the book was published. A review of it the Universal House of Justice. > written by Dr. Howard Garey, Professor of Dr. Giache1y marked the moment of earthly > separation from his beloved companion and > Message from the Uni versa l House of Justi ce to the > Baha'is of the world , 7 May 1973. Balza 'i News, December 1975 , p. 17. > 782 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > consort, Angeline, on 23 April 1980. He them ... the grown ups ... feel that the > passed the following nine years without the little efforts they can make are sufficient > comfort and affectionate support of his to appease the Creator and silence their > Angeline, yet what he succeeded in accom- conscience. Centuries are passing as fast > plishing is almost incredible. as the twinkling of an eye, and very often > In December 1980, he was in Western human beings leave this contingent world > Samoa for the fourth time and was received suddenly, without having accomplished, > by His Highness the Malietoa Tanumafili II. in whole or in part, what was a divine > He also met hundreds of Baha ' is at the mandate at the time of their birth . . . > "most historic and bountiful Summer School > Dearest Friends, > ever" at which he "poured out his heart day > I have served the Faith of God for many > and night, his luminous spirit emiching the > decades, and I am going to hand down the > heart and soul of every believer". 1 He prosecrets of my blessed wife and myself to > ceeded to the Hawaiian Islands, and then to > all of you. Devote your life to the service > southern California where he was happily > of the Cause of God. The highest station > able to be present at a special meeting in > man can aspire to is that of service. > January 1981 held as "A Tribute to the > 'Abdu'l-Baha selected that name for Him- > Hands of the Cause". Here he spoke of the > self ... it means the 'Servant of Baha' . > Guardian and of the Hands in a way which > A void any form of ambition. 'Abdu' 1-Baha > was considered to be beyond description. > . .. said that ambition that is not applied to > In 1982, the Universal House of Justice > the service of mankind is abomination . .. > announced five International Conferences to > be always polite, kind and generous. > be dedicated to the Greatest Holy Leaf on > Teach your children to grow up like that; > the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of her > plant in them the desire to learn and love > passing. At the Canberra, Australia, Confertheir teachers. > ence Dr. Giachery represented the Universal > House of Justice. He considered this the finest At the end of his fourth visit to Samoa, > conference he had ever attended. Dr. Giachery had assured the Sovereign that > Time rolled swiftly by. For 20 years he would return. As time passed such a wish > Dr. Giachery sent out words of encourage- increased in intensity, until at last the longment, affection and advice in innumerable awaited day arrived. On the morning of > letters written from his home on the fourth 10 April 1989, he left his home in the Europa > floor of the Europa Residence building in Residence in a wheelchair, no one imagining > Place des Moulins. It is not easy to capture that it would be the last time. The memorathe variety and essence of their contents. ble journey was under way! The bounty of > Some passages from two messages written God had granted the fulfilment of his desire. > at Ric;!van 142 and 143, addressed to the In Apia, the capital city of yYestern > Baha'i friends in Europe, give us glimpses: Samoa, he was received with a moving formal welcome by the Head of State, His > Cherished Baha' i Friends, > Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II. And the > There is yet no one, who has not reached > islands of Samoa saw many souls tum to the > my advanced age, that can justly evaluate > light of the Message of Baha'u' llah and > the speed of time and the impelling > enlist under the bam1er of His Cause. On > necessity to hasten the propagation of the > 3 July, as he was signing a message, he said > regenerating Teachings of Baha ' u' llah's > he thought he was signing his name for the > Revelation. Youth in general be lieve that > last time. The message was about a plan for > there is a magnitude of time ahead of > a Samoan Academy of Arts and Sciences, > Th e Bnhii 'f World, vol. XVIII , p. 496. with a high level of study and research, > IN MEMORIAM 783 > based on the Baha'i concept of education, Advise all National Spiritual Assemblies > for the well-being of the people of Samoa hold befitting memorial gatherings his > and of their region, and to help deepen name, particularly in Mashriqu ' l-Adhkars > understanding of their rich cultural heritage. in recognition his unique position, splen- > On the morning of 5 July, he had to be did services. > taken to the hospital; he asked that the return > The funeral took place on the morning of > journey to Monte Carlo, scheduled for 12 July, > 12 July. "Dignified, serene, even glorious" > be cancelled. That afternoon he talked of his > were words people used to describe it. It > beautiful journey, of the past, of the conwas impressive the way the familiar Baha'i > strnction of the Shrine of the Bab, of how > ceremony was combined with Samoan > the tiles had been made, of so many other > culture. "'Fa'a Samoa ' is what they say in > thmgs. His thoughts, his spirit, rejoiced in > Samoa to explain that something, a situation > the present, remembered the past, and lived > or action, embodies the spirit and soul of the > the future. > Samoan way. And so, the funeral-wonder- > He was resting when, at 6:45 p.m. , his > fully Baha' i in content-felt at the same > heart ceased to beat. > time 'fa'a Samoa' ... . > TI1e Universal House of Justice announced > "Notable was the presence of Malietoa > his passing to all National Spiritual Assemblies > Tanumafili II, the Head of State; the Prime > on 6 July 1989 in the following message, the > Minister; cabinet members; and individuals > final diadem adorning the crown of his service: > of the royal family, dressed in formal > Samoan lavalava suits and puletasi . . .. Sig- > Deeply grieved loss valiant, indefatigable, > nificantly, the Malietoa chose this occasion > dearly-loved, distinguished Hand Cause > to be the first public announcement of his > Dr. Ugo Giachery. His passing in course > membership in the Baha ' i Faith." 1 > historic visit Samoa adds fresh laurels > Counsellor 'Ala'i read a moving eulogy > to crown already won during minisháy > about Dr. Giachery's life. After the reading > beloved Guardian, and reinforces spiritual > of the Obligatory Prayer for the departed, the > distinction vast Pacific region, already > casket was can-ied to its final resting place, > blessed by interment four other Hands. > followed by His Highness, the Cabinet mem- > His magnificent accomplishments as > bers and dignitaries, the Baha'is and others . > Member at Large of International Baha'i > Numerous were the messages sent from > Council in com1ection raising supersh"l!C- > various parts of the world. One of these > ture Shrine of the Bab, which prompted > reads: > Guardian to name one of the doors of that > "The Baha ' is of the Hawaiian Islands join > noble edifice after him, his painstaking > our brothers and sisters of Samoa in honourefforts in promoting on the local, national > ing the memory of our highly respected, > and international levels, paramount interdeeply loved and treasured Hand of the > ests of the Faith, his notable achievement > Cause of God Dr. Ugo Giachery. > in establishment ltalo-Swiss National > "We will mi ss his regal bearing, his dig- > Spiritual Assembly on eve launching Ten > nity, his wit and the twinkle in his eyes. We > Year Crnsade, his outstanding qualities of > will miss his graciousness and his gentleness. > zeal, fidelity, determination and persever- > We will forever remember the tears welling > ance, which characterized imperi shable > up in his eyes when he shared with us his > record his arduous labours- all combine > deepest feelings for the two great loves of his > to richly adorn annals Faith over period > life: his beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi > his superb, assiduous exertions, and > undoubtedly assure him bountiful reward 1 > Sperry, Molli e. " Beloved Hand Laid to Rest in > in Kingdom on High. Samoa" . Lig ht of the Pacific. Hawai i, Aug. 1989, p. 5. > 784 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > and his dearly-loved wife Angeline. By enclaves where Baha'i families could > opening himself to us through his personal gather, removed from the fanaticism of the > stories, he gave us a glimmer of the power of general populace, for meetings and firesides. > divine assistance and the depth of spirituality Love and hospitality so permeated the > which comes 'through the love of God and atmosphere of the Khadim home that it was > the illumination of divine teachings '." well-known among the Baha ' is and was a > DR. M ARIO PI ARULLI haven for travelling teachers. Great Baha'i > scholars passed through and left behind > traces of their zeal and devotion. This invig- > ZIKRULLAH KHADEM orating environment surrounded the yow1g > (Dhikru ' llah Khadim) Dhikru'llah and provided him with ample > 1904- 1986 role-models, God-intoxicated heroes and > heroines. Among the well-known teachers > Dhikrn'llah Khadim was born m 1904 in of the time were two brothers, the poets > Tihran, Persia, the second of six children Nayyir and Sina, and the great teacher and > to devoted and hardworking parents, Mirza Islamic scholar, Fa<;lil Shirazi. > Na9ru'llah and Ra<;liyyih Khanum. His father, Baha' i teachers and pilgrims from the > Mirza Na9ru'llah, had spent two years in the Holy Land also passed through these en- > Holy Land in the service of the Master, claves, bringing the latest news of the victories > 'Abdu'l-Baha. One day, much to his dismay, of the Faith and messages and Tablets from > ' Abdu'l-Baha had sent him back to Tihran to 'Abdu'l-Baha. The Baha'is would excitedly > get married. Longing to spend his entire life assemble to peruse the divine Tablets by > in the service of 'Abdu ' l-Baha, Na9ru ' llah the light of a few candles or sit enthralled > was reluctant to depart, but had obediently as they witnessed the transformation of a > complied with the wishes of the Master. In seeker upon accepting the proofs of the > Tihran, he had married Ra<;liyyih Khanum coming of the Promised One. This devoted > and devoted himself to the spiritual nurtur- group of lovers of Baha'u'llah was momening and education of his family. tarily oblivious to the fanaticism and tum1oil > As a child, Dhikrn ' llah 's home was graced of the world beyond their sanctuary. Soon, > with the presence oft\vo exceptionally coura- however, they had to venture out into the > geous and outstanding grandmothers. One of labyrinthine passageways to return to their > these, whom he called 'Bibi Jan', repeatedly homes. En route, as they dodged the stones > accompanied another dedicated and fearless hurled at them, they would be subjected to > lady, Abji Susan, as they placed their lives the verbal hostility of street urchins shouting > in jeopardy in order to claim the precious curses and invectives. > bodies of maityrs for befitting burial. Clad These were the forces which shaped > in chadors, they would hasten to the site Dhikru ' llah Khadim's character. On the one > where the bodies had been thrown in dis- hand, he was enveloped in a spiritual atmorespect. Crying, "My brother, my brother," sphere characterized by courage, heroism, > they would rescue the remains, wash them and total dedication to Baha'u'llah. He was > with tender love, and bury them with due sheltered in a vital community whose living > respect, in accordance with Baha'i law. fountainhead was 'Abdu'l-Baha and whose > The Khadim home was totally dedicated goals were the creation ofa new world order, > to the Cause and open to all. It was located promotion of universal peace, and the estabin a section of Tihran characterized by small lishment of the oneness of mankind. This > houses surrounded by high walls with abut- vibrant arid lustrnus pearl of a community > ting roof-tops. The buildings, interconnected was surrounded by a sea of fanaticism, > by nanow alleys and passageways, created bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. The stark > IN MEMORIAM 785 > contrast between the two worlds served with a rose in His hand . The beloved > to crystallize Dhikru'llah's own identity. He Guardian told him, "I give you a picture of > witnessed first-hand the heroism and exem- the beloved Master as a souvenir." One canplary courage of the ma1tyrs and teachers of not describe how deeply he cherished all the > the Faith in the face of brutal attacks and gifts the Guardian gave him. His reverence > grave injustice, and became well-known for these objects was evidence of his love > himself for heroism and courage. He was a and devotion. > passionate lover of God and, at the same After that pilgrimage Dhikru'llah Khadim > time, a fierce defender of His Faith. was galvanized with a new purpose, pro- > From his early childhood, Dhikru ' llah pelled in a new direction, infused with a new > Khadim demonstrated great spiritual poten- passion. His only thought, his only desire > tial. His father appreciated this and felt was to please his beloved. > certain that one day his son would shou lder Upon completion of the schooling availsignificant spiritual responsibilities, as able in Tihran, he taught briefly at the > alluded to by 'Abdu ' l-Baha in a Tablet. Tarbiyat School. He then went to the south > While still a young boy, Dhikru'Jlah was of Persia to serve as interpreter and language > very alert to the needs of the Faith. Thus, tutor for the huge Anglo-Persian Oil Comwhen the Central Spiritual Assembly of pany. He developed an accelerated method > Persia advised the friends to convey their of teaching Persian to the English-speaking > loyalty to the beloved Guardian of the Baha' i population and then opened a language > Faith, Shoghi Effendi, he whole-heartedly school that used this method. While in his > followed this reconnnendation. With tears in early 20s, he reached a turning point: should > his eyes he wrote a letter filled with great he continue with the oil company or should > love and devotion, professing his loyalty. he, as he desired, return to Tiluáan and set out > From that moment, a longing to attain the on his own? He was confirmed through a > presence of the beloved Guardian became dream in which Abdu'l-Baha provided him > his consuming and over-riding passion. support. He confidently left his position, > His wish was granted in May of 1925, and returned to Tihran, and found work helping > the Guardian asked this ardent pilgrim, the government of 'Iraq to establish its > eager to perform any service, to convey to Embassy in Persia. > the Persian Baha'i youth his love and His skill in scholarly Arabic and Persian > encouragement, to ask them to deepen them- (from knowing the Writings), diplomatic > selves in the Cause and to study English, French (which he studied as a second > especially English literature. This request language during his schooling at Daru '1- > caused Dhikru ' llah to embark on a zealous Funun), and English (which he diligently > study of the English language, a study he pursued in obedience to the Guardian) > pursued throughout his life . This was further quickly distinguished him. It was in this key > reinforced on subsequent visits and Embassy post that he was ab le to perform > communcations when the Guardian asked many historic services for the Faith, such as > him to translate Baha' i articles from English ttáansmitting to the Holy Land the sword of > to Persian. The Guardian sent treasured Mulla I:Iusayn and other historical treasures > copies of Th e Advent of Divine Justice, Th e of the Faith. > Promised Day is Come, and two vo lumes of While he was emp loyed at the Embassy, > The Bahri 'i World with insh-uctions for Dhikru'llah Khadim man-ied Javiddukht > Dhikru'llah to translate portions for distribu- Javid, also from a Baha'i family. Mrs. Keith > tion to the Baba ' is of Persia. Ransom-Kehler, who was to become a > The crowning event of that first pilgrim- martyr in Persia and posthumous Hand of > age was the gift of a picture of 'Abdu' l-B aha the Cause of God, expressed approval of > 786 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > their maniage in a tender note to Dhikru'llah self-sacrifice to others. The deep longing to > who served as her devoted secretary, friend, please their beloved Guardian resulted in a > and companion during her stay in Persia. contagious and raging pioneering fever. > The marriage took place on 3 October 1933, Those who were affected, infected others, > and produced five children, all devoted until virtually the entire community was in > servants of the Cause. the throes of this spiritual epidemic. > Dhikru'llah made trips to the Holy Land From 1940 to 1957, Mr. Khadim was > in 1939 and 1940 and received other entrusted with the mission of receiving mail > assignments from the beloved Guardian. and cablegrams from Shoghi Effendi for > Among these, he was instructed to visit, on institutions and individual Baba 'is in the > the Guardian's behalf, all of Persia. Shoghi East. This priceless bounty was the source of > Effendi expressed keen interest in the great pride to him and blessed the family > reports of his travels and repeatedly encour- with eager anticipation and excitement for > aged him through cablegrams and letters. 17 years. > After Dhikru 'llah travelled around the coun- One event in particular stands out-an > try the Guardian asked hin1 to repeat it over event which took place in 1944, the Centeagain. He gave him specific tasks such as nary of the Declaration of the Bab. > photographing Baha'i sites in Persia and the Mr. Khadim was honored with the assigngraves of the martyrs of Nayriz. This latter ment of being the carrier of the beloved > assignment resulted in his anest and brief Guardian's message to the Persian National > imprisonment in that fanatic locale. Convention. Due to wa1iime restrictions , the > In February 1940, the beloved Guardian message had to be sent through the National > gave Mr. Khadim the great mission of Spiritual Assembly of 'Iraq. When it arrived > arranging for Persian Baha 'is to obtain overt in Baghdad, Mr. Khadim painstakingly > permission from the government to go on arranged for it to be flown to Tihran. > pilgrimage to the Baha' i Holy Places. The moment-by-moment whereabouts of > Because the Guardian promised that the door this document created such anxiety for him > of pilgrimage would soon open, Mr. Kha dim that when the message finally arrived in > prepared the believers for this bounty and Tihran, he was overcome with joy and gratithen, incredibly, effectively assisted in facil- tude . After numerous difficulties and many > itating a dramatic change in government obstacles, he drove the message to Shiraz, > policy that, in fact, opened the doors. aniving just in time for the celebration at > In the same year, Shoghi Effendi asked two hours and eleven minutes after sunset. > Mr. Dhikru'llah Khadim to encourage the For years later, he would refer to that > Baha'is of Persia to pioneer to Arabia and blessed occasion and cherish the bounty of > the islands of the Persian Gulf. Mr. Khadim having been a pa1iicipant and eye-witness of > communicated the Guardian's call for pio- this milestone in the history of the Cause. > neers with such zeal and such magnetic Until 1952, Mr. Khadim served the Faith > attraction that those who heard him could in the Eastern part of the world from Egypt > not help but feel moved themselves. In this to India under the direction of the Guardian. > manner, the love and wishes of the Guardian However, during a pilgrimage in 1939, > were infused into the entire Baha'i comnm- Shoghi Effendi had told him: "I will send > nity in Persia. you to the West, to America, to witness with > The spirit of that period in Persia was your own eyes, the secret, the mystery, the > indescribable. On the one hand, there was light of the Cause in those lands". (As > the spirit that returning pilgrims brought recorded in Mr. Khadim's diary). > back. On the other were the prospective pio- On 28 February 1952, he received a cable > neers transmitting the spirit of their love and from the Guardian: > IN MEMORIAM 787 > > MOVED CONVEY GLAD TIDINGS YOUR ELEVA- instimtion of the Hands in the Americas, > TION RANK HAN D CAUSE STOP APPOINTMENT further fulfilling the Guardian 's 1939 > OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED PUBLIC MESSAGE prediction. > ADDRESSED ALL NATIONA L ASSEMBLIES STOP He was exhilarated when, in 1963, the > MAY SACRE D FUNCTION ENABLE YOU EN RICH reins of the Cause of God were safely passed > RECORD SERV ICES ALREADY RENDERED to the Universal House of Justice. Infallible > FAITH BAHA'U ' LLAI-1 guidance was again assured. He was espe- > From that date his services extended to cially devoted to the Universal House of > the Western world. Justice and was always prepared to carry out > The year 1952 was blessed for him. He its wishes. He represented that august Instimade a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, enjoy- tution at many conferences and conventions . > ing the presence of the Guardian, and Under the direction of the House of Justice, > received his assignments as a Hand of the he undertook an intensive five-year project > Cause. For five years, until November 1957, of researching and documenting all the > he travelled at a dizzying pace, visiting Baha'i Holy Places. The project resulted > Baha'i centers throughout Europe, all over in 141 volumes under the title, Registry of > Africa, the islands of the Caribbean, the Far Baha 'i Holy Places. He also authored many > East, as well as South, Central, and N01ih articles in English and in Persian. His travels > America. From the moment he began these and his participation at Balla ' i schools and > travels on assignment from the Guardian, he institutes continued to the end of his life. > kept an extremely detailed journal which In July 1986, Mr. Khadim was diagnosed > documented his times of aITival and depar- as having disseminated liver cancer. Thereture, names and addresses of everyone he after, he was confined to bed most of the > met, hotels he stayed at, planes he boarded, time. However, during much of this period > etc. He believed that every act under the he remained active. He attended to his corredirection of the Guardian of the Cause of spondence and communicated, with great > God had historical significance. tenderness, his love and support to the > The euphoria that pervades this five-year institutions of the Cause. By the middle of > journal is especially poignant when it October, however, his sháength gradually > abrnptly ends on 4 November 1957, the day waned until he passed on to the Abha > his beloved Guardian passed from this realm. Kingdom in the early morning of 13 Novem- > Nothing had the same significance for him ber 1986, and once again attained the > after that. Of course, he continued to serve presence of his beloved Guardian. > with undiminished devotion, but the carefree The Universal House of Justice cabled > joyous spontaneity was pe1manently gone. the Baha' is of the world: > What sustained him after the passing of > the Guardian was his unshakeable certitude WITH SORROWFU L HEART S ANNOUNCE > in the assistance of Shoghi Effendi from the PASS ING INDEFATIGABLE FEARLESS DEFENDER > realm beyond. He often remarked that if he FAITH D EEPLY LOY ED HAND CAUSE Z IKRUL- > did not fee l, even for a moment, the nearness LAH KHADEM. HIS STERL ING SERV ICES TO > of the Guardian in his heart, he would THE CA USE, HI S TOTAL CONSECRATION TO > instantly perish. This is what permitted him TASKS ASS IGN ED TO HI M BY BELOVED > to continue his services in those very háying GUARD IAN , HIS OUTSTAN DING EFFORTS AS > years between 1957 and 1963, until the MEMBER NA T ION AL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > Universal House of Justice was established. C RADLE FA ITH , 1-lIS VALUABLE SOUL-UP LI FT- > As each of the Hands undertook a sphere ING STI MULA TION IMPA RTED BODY > of activity, he volunteered to move to the BELIEVERS NORTH AMER ICA, PARTICULARLY > United States and oversee the work of the UNITED STATES BAHA ' I COMMUNITY, HIS > 788 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > orchids, carnations, chrysanthemums, and > other flowers of every variety transformed > the very air with their love-scents, paying > homage to this signal lover whose own > fragrance lingers in so many heaiis. > JAVIDDU KHT KH AD iM > > JALAL KHAZEH > (J alalu ' llah Khac:li ') > 1897-1990 > > DEEPLY GRIEVED ANNOUNCE PASSING > STAUNCH TIRELESS PROMOTER FA ITH HAND > CAUSE GOD JALAL KHAZEI-1. HIS STRENUOUS > ENDEAVOURS CRADLE FAITH HOLY LAND > LATIN AMER ICA AND WORLDWIDE TRAVELS > AFTER PASSING BELOVED GUARDIAN SET > SHINING EXAMPLE OF UNSHAKEABLE DEDl- > CA TION AND COURAGE, OF UNDEVIATING > LOYALTY AND PERSEVERANCE. IMPERI SH- > Zikrullah Khadem > ABLE RECORD HIS STERLING SERVICES AS > UNTIRING ENDEAVOURS THROUGH HIS TALKS GIFTED TEACHER DEFENDER CAUSE NEVER > AND WRITINGS IN SAFEGUARDING COVENANT TO BE FORGOTTEN. HIS NOBLE SPIRIT NOW > AND IN INSTILLING APPRECIATION LOVE FOR ABl-IA KINDGOM WILL UNDOUBTEDLY INTER- > SHOGH I EFFENDI SHED UNDYING LUSTRE CEDE BEHALF PERSIAN BAHA' I COMMUNITY > OYER PER IOD HIS ADMIRABLE STEWARDSHIP WHOSE VITAL INTERESTS I-IE SERVED WITH > CAUSE GOD. SUCH HIGH DISTINCTION OVER SEVERAL > OFFER ING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS DECADES. FERVENTLY PRAYING l-IOL Y > HIS RADIANT SOUL AB HA KINGDOM. URGE SHRINES FOR PROGRESS HI S ILLUMfNED SOU L > HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS HIS IN REALMS ON HIGH. ADV ISE FRIENDS > NAME AT ALL HOU SES OF WORSHIP AS WELL EVERYWHERE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL > AS IN ALL LOCA L BAHA' I COMMUNITIES. GA Tl-IERINGS HIS HONOUR PARTI CU LARLY > ALL HOUSES OF WORSH IP. > Memorial gatherings were held through- Universal House of Justice > out the world, including a very touching one 25 February 1990 > in the Holy Land. A memento of this > moving event, in the fo1m of rose-petals When the Hand of the Cause of God Jalal > from the Shrines, was lovingly sent to his Khac:li' ascended to the Abba Kingdom on > family by Amatu'l-Baha Rul)iyyih Khanum. 21 Febrnary 1990, the Baha' i world mourned > Hundreds of Baha' is from all over the a man whose service in the Formative Age > U nited States, some even from distant coun- of the Faith left a brilliant mark. Those who > tries , came for Mr. K.hadim's funeral, held had the privilege of knowing Mr. Khac:li' will > two days after his passing. Flowers, condo- never forget his radiant happiness, devotion, > lences, cables, letters, and messages of love and eagerness to serve. > in so many forms were sent. The funeral hall Jalal was born in Tiluáan, Persia, in 1897. > was filled to overflowing, but the flowers His father, Ghulam-Ric;la, had had to leave > outnumbered the people. Roses, hyacinths , his town Sidih in the province of I ~fahan, > IN MEMORIAM 789 > with some other well-known Baha ' is Faith, and from his twentieth year onwards > because of the umest and persecutions there. he was a member of committees and > Ghulam-Ric;la's wife, who was not a Baha'i, Spiritual Assemblies of the cities in which > left him and, despite the fact that she was not he lived and worked. In 1944, after he had > divorced, married a Muslim. Thus it came retired, he was elected as a delegate to the > about that Ghulam-Ric;la married Jamaliyyih National Convention for the electoral district > Khanum in 'fihran. She was the daughter of of 'fihran. Thus he took part in that Nationa l > Jinab-i-Karbila'i Mihdi 'fihrani, who had Convention which was held in Shiraz to > spent three years in the Siyah-Chal in 'fihran commemorate the one-hundredth am1iveras a prisoner because he was a Baha' i. The sary of the Dec laration of the Bab. He was > couple had two children: Jalalu'llah and elected to the National Spiritual Assembly > Farkhundih. of Iran and served fo r five years in this > As a result of the persecutions he had capacity. Afterwards he was elected to the > suffered, Ghulam-Ric;la was always in poor Spiritual Assembly of 'f ihran and served > hea lth, and he died at the age of thirty-five, there for three years as secretary. > when his son, Jalal, was only seven years Parallel to his administrative functions, > old and his daughter, Farkhundih, was only he continually travelled to teach throughout > five. With loving devotion, courage, and Persia and sent iáeports about his experiences > selflessness, their mother took care of their to the beloved Guardian. On 17 August > education. Jalal attended Baha'i children's 1950, Dr. Lutfu ' llah I:Iakim penned the foland youth classes as well as the Tarbiyat lowing remark onto his report about Kinnan > Baha'i School. and Rafsanjan on behalf of the Guardian: > At the age of seventeen, Jalal began to ' Write Jalal Khac;li' and urge him to continue > study veterinary medicine at the military his travels and assure him how deeply the > academy which was headed by professors Guardian values his wonderful services.' > from Sweden. In this profession, he served Mr. Khac;li ' was of strong, fine build, and > in the army in Qazvin, Ramadan, Kirman- very courageous by nature. He used this > shah, Sanandaj, Khurramabad, Burujird, and quality whenever he received news of a > Ahvaz. He received the rank of a lieutenant Baha' i being oppressed or mistTeated somewhen he was only nineteen years old. That where. He did not hes itate to reprimand even > same year, he married Jamaliyyih, the government officials if they neglected to fulfil > daughter of Ustad I:Iasan- 'Ali Mi'marbashi- their duty in favour of giving in to pressure > i-Kashani. Their marriage was blessed with from fa natical elements in the society. > three daughters and two sons. Having served At the end of 1951 , he resigned from the > the required number of years , he retired Spiritual Assembly of Tihran to teach > from the army in 1943, having attained the throughout Persia. At first he wanted to go > rank of co lonel. to Ramadan, but then he received a telegram > In his autobiography Jalal wrote: from Shoghi Effendi giving him pennission > "T!uáough my mother 's guidance I partici- for a pilgrimage. He immediately took steps > pated in my early years in two different to acquire a passport and all the necessary > classes conducted by well-known Baba ' i documents. At the end of March in 1952, his > scholars. (Mirza 'Ali-Akbar Rafsanjani and greatest wish was fulfilled . He was able to > Aqa Mu ~ ammad I:Iusein-Ulfat.) And so I visit the Holy Places in Haifa and 'Akka and > owe my fa ith in the Blessed Beauty 's Holy attain the presence of the beloved Guardian. > Cause to my mother' s guidance and the After this pilgrimage he felt as though he > participation in these teaching evenings." had been newly born to serve at the Holy > Jala! Khac;li' was only fifteen years old Thresho ld. Shoghi Effendi gave him the task > when he entered the field of service to the of teaching the Cause of God in the whole of > 790 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Persia, travelling to the villages and cities the friends in iran ... " Mr. Khadi' wrote in > and bringing the friends news from the Baha'i his autobiography: "This [principle] became > world, familiarizing them with the goals of clear: if we take one step sincerely in His > the Ten Year Crusade and encouraging them exalted path, He comes towards us one thoueverywhere to arise with all their strength to sand steps through His goodness and grace, > achieve these goals. For two and a half years to encourage us and even to praise us . . ." > he travelled through the provinces of Khuz- An excerpt from one of Mr. Khac,ii"s > istan, Fars, I::;fahan, Kirman, Khurasan, and reports of that time reveals his service > Mazandaran to carry out the tasks Shoghi extremely clearly [tráanslation from Payam-i- > Effendi had assigned to him. Bahil 'i 126 (May 1990)]: > On 23 October 1952, Mr. Khac,ii' received > the following cable: One ofShoghi Effendi's instructions is the > ADV ISE ATTEND KAMPALA CONFERENCE AF- reason why I feel the urge to visit the > TERWARDS VISIT AFRICAN CENTRES THEN friends in many places despite being an > CONTINUE MERITORIOUS VISITS CENTRES !RAN old and weak man. When I was on pil- > PRAYERS ACCOMPANYING YOU. SHOGHI. grimage with some of the other Hands of > Following this request, Mr. Khac,ii' took the Cause of God, Shoghi Effendi told us > part in the African Intercontinental Conference that we must serve the Cause of God until > in Kampala, Uganda, from 12- 18 February. our last breath. Well, we all know what > Then he visited the Baha'is in East Africa, this last breath means ... During my piltravelling to Abyssinia, Eritrea, and Kenya. grimage, the beloved Guardian instructed > Afterwards he visited pioneers in Aden, me to go to Persia and to visit the friends > Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Masqat, and Ra's at everywhere, even in places where there > Tannurah. After carrying out Shoghi Effendi's was only one Baha'i. He said that if we > instructions, he returned to Persia and con- do not visit the friends who are isolated in > tinued his travels there. a place as pioneers or for some other rea- > He sent reports from Nairobi, Aden, and son, their tree of being will wither. > Tihran to Haifa, informing the Guardian Thus, I left one day to visit the village > about his journey and enclosing photographs Dilman in Gilan. I travelled through forof Kampala and other places. When he was ests and over mountains, and only mules > just about to leave for the province of Gilan, which were especially trained were able > the National Spiritual Assembly of the to cover this distance of about SO kilome- > Baha'is of Iran asked him to come to their tres. The strain of the journey can hardly > meeting, and they gave him a telegram be described! I wanted to visit Mr. Rida > from the Guardian along with a letter from $amimi, a f01mer clergyman from Taliqan > Dr. L. I:Iakim dated 20 May 1953 . The cable, whom the enemies of the Cause had > which expressed the infinite mercy of the wanted to kill. He had gone to Dilman > Guardian, moved Mr. Khac,ii ' to tears: and was the only Baha'i there . While I > PROUD YOUR SERV ICES ENCOURAGE FRIEN DS was with him, I realized how well our be- > CENTRES ARISE PARTICIPATE CRUSADE. SHOG HI. loved Guardian knows which souls suffer > Other telegrams and letters also reflect from loneliness in which locations. > Shoghi Effendi's loving acknowledgement After a journey of two days, I arrived in > and encouragement for Mr. Khac,ii' and Dilman. I was so exhausted that I was > assured him of his prayers. For example, the unable to utter a single word. My legs > Guardian wrote, ' ... YOUR SERV ICES ARE THE were so grazed that I could not walk. I was > CAUSE OF GLORY AND HONOUR... ', and in a carried up the stairs leading into the room > letter written on behalf of the Guardian: and collapsed on the floor. Mr. $amimi > "your services and travels set an example for thought initially that I was a revenue > IN MEMORIAM 791 > officer who had come to collect taxes. He > asked: 'Excuse me, but who are you and > why have you come?' I asked: 'Are you > Ric.la $amfmf?' He answered in the affirmative. I continued, 'My name is Jalal > Khacii' I met the beloved Guardian. He > asked me to visit the friends everywhere, > especially those who live in a locality all > by themselves. I have been travelling for > two days in order to come and see you.' > Before concluding this sentence, I realized that he did not know what to do. > He began to cry and exclaimed: 'My > Beloved, the Guardian , remembered and > thought of me and sent you here, because > otherwise nobody would have come to > this comer of the country in order to find > out how I was. ' His tears streamed into > his beard (reminding one of the fact that > he had been a clergyman.) Then he said: > 'Well, as you are a messenger of my Jalal Khazeh > Beloved, please, stay exactly where you > are and do what I tell you.' I replied, 'As On 22 November 1953 , Mr. Khacii' reyou like it.' Mr. $amimi then explained: ceived a letter from Dr. f:Iakim in answer to > ' I would like to circumambulate you nine his travel report about the region ofKhurasan > times, chanting prayers and Tablets.' -Mashhad, Quchan, Darjaz, Bujnurd, Shirvan, > To make a long story short, I felt that Turbat-i-Jam, and about Sistan, deep in the > this man exerted a strength and power heart of Baluchistan. This letter had been > which made me sit down . He began to sitting in Mashhad for two months, because > walk around me in circles, intoning Holy nobody knew his address. In that letter, > Tablets and prayers, shedding tears. For Mr. f:Iakim wrote on behalf of the Guardian: > lunch he brought soup (abgusht), but he > Shoghi Effendi asked me to write to you > did not eat anything. He said that he could > and to tell you that he read your letter > not possibly eat at the same time as I, > despite the heavy workload and that he > because he desired to eat from the plate > is very happy about your visits to the > from which I had eaten ... > friends in the different places. Now the > Mr. Khacii' also reported on his journeys beloved Guardian would like you to go > to Rasht, Lahijan, Shahsavar, Siahkol, on an extended journey to the Mazan- > Challis, and other places. In the answer of daran region. He does not expect you to > 16 August 1953, Dr. f:Iakim quotes Shoghi settle there, but he asks you to stay in > Effendi as follows: ' Write to Mr. Khacii ' that each place for a considerable period of > I read his detailed report carefully and that I time, in order to have extensive meetings > was deeply touched by it. I profoundly with the friends and to encourage and > appreciate his continuous service, and his support them with respect to their relatrips to the different communiti es and locali- tionship to the Faith as much as you can. > ties have had a long-lasting impression on The friends in Mazandaran are in great > the friends .' need of such assistance, especially in the > 792 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > region of Nur and Takur. Shoghi Effendi of this servant through His mercy will be > is very glad about your services and appre- the cause of everlasting honour and glory > ciates them greatly. He is always thinking for this servant and his descendants in > of and praying for you ... both worlds. Now, the future lies in the > At the end of December 1953, when hands of this servant. I will either find a > Mr. Kha9i' had returned from a two month spot in the paradise of nearness to Him by > teaching trip in Sistan and Baluchistan to attracting the bounty of the incomparable > Turbat-i-f.Iaydariyyih, he was awakened on Protector, or I will be neglectful and carethe second night at about four o' clock in the less and fall into the fire of remoteness > morning by three Baha ' i friends who wanted from Him. Thus, I ask you for your supto congratulate him. Greatly astonished, he port and help, so that t4,e feeble back of > asked them the reason. They asked if he had this nonentity will be enabled to carry this > not received his telegram. When he replied heavy load and will come to a good end > in the negative, one of the friends embraced in this passing world. > him and said, "Then I am the first to bring In answer to this telegram, Mr. Kha9i' > you the happy news that you have been received the following cable: > appointed a Hand of the Cause of God. The REST ASSURED CONF ID ENT GREAT SUCCESS. > telegram arrived twenty days ago and was SHOG HI. > sent on to Zahidan, Birjand, and Zabul. Appaiá- Mr. Kha9i ' travelled on to Mazandaran, > ently they were not able to reach you there." and at Ri9van 1954 went to Tih.ran to take > "Amazement and astonishment", writes part in the National Convention and the > Mr. Kha9i ' , "took hold of this servant's meeting of the Hands of the Cause in Asia. > whole being. How strange, what ability does Shoghi Effendi sent a telegram instructing > this insignificant, shameful, modest atom the Hands of the Cause Tarazu'llah Samandari > possess to be honoured by such a high rank and Jalal Kha9i ' to continue their teaching > and such grace and to be chosen for this." trips, although Mr. Kha9i' had been elected > With tears in his eyes he asked the friends to once more to the National Assembly of > leave him alone and for some time he sat in Persia. Dr. I:J.akim wrote on behalf of the > prayer and meditation. Early in the morning, Guardian: 'Although you were elected a > the friends gathered again to meet him. He member of the National Spiritual Assembly, > decided to go to Mashhad in order to person- you should continue your travels through > ally receive the following telegram dated Mazandaran for some time, in order to visit > 7 December 1953 : á and encourage the friends . That is more > ANNOUNCE YOUR ELEVAT ION RANK HAND important for you than staying in the capital. ' > CAUSE CONFIDENT DIVINE BLESSINGS FUTURE > So Mr. Kha9i ' went again to Mazandaran. > SERV ICES. SHOGI-11. > Between 22 June and 10 July 1954, he > Remembering this time, Mr. Kha9i ' wrote: and the Hand of the Cause 'Ali-Akbar > ' God knows the state I entered when I read Furutan visited Nur and Takur and the > this cable. On the one hand, I saw my weak- House of Baha'u'llah there. About this visit > ness, and on the other hand, I saw the Mr. Khadi' wrote : 'During this sojourn of > arduousness of my future task, and the fire nineteen days I met relatives of Baba'u'llah > of hopelessness began to consmne me. ' every day and spoke to them about the great- > Mr. Kha9i' then sent a telegram to the ness of the Cause and about the honour > Guardian which read, when translated from bestowed upon them by belonging to this > the Persian: illustrious family.' After that, Mr. Kha9i ' > The crown of honour which the Beloved visited friends of Sangsar for twelve days > of all Worlds has bestowed upon the head and travelled through Babu! for six months > IN MEMORIAM 793 > > in order to carry out the Guardian's request After being appointed a Hand of the > to strengthen and encourage the friends. He Cause of God, Mr. Kha<;li' undertook numercontinued sending reports to the Guardian ous journeys abroad. In April 1957, he was > about his travels to Bushihr, Kazerun, the Guardian 's representative at the National > Shiraz, and .Abadih. On 20 August 1954, he Convention for North East Asia in Tokyo, > received the first cable from Shoghi Effendi Japan, and he then visited the friends in that > directly addressed to him: counháy as well as in Korea, Taiwan, Hong > DELIGHTED REPORT PRAYING CONTINU ED Kong, and Macau. Shoghi Effendi asked > SUCCESS. SHOGl-ll. him to let him know his impressions about > After spending one month in Tihran, the success of the friends in those countries > Mr. Kha<;li ' and his wife returned to northern and then go back to Shiraz. From there, he > Iran and Babu! where they stayed for six was to travel to Neyriz and its environs to > months . During the day, there were gather- monitor the activities of the covenant breakings for youth; in the evenings, he met with ers, and then spend the remainder of the year > the Spiritual Assembly. He also visited other 1957 in the region of Pars. > communities in Shahi, Sari, Amul, and asso- In November 1957, the Baha'i commuciated villages. According to the Guardian's nity was thunderstmck by the unexpected > guidance, Mr. Kha<;li' then travelled to the news of the passing of the beloved Guardprovince of Fars and remained in Shiraz ian. Paralysing sadness overcame the hearts > in order to protect the friends from the of the friends. The Hands of the Cause were > intrigues spun by covenant breakers. notified and asked to gather in LQndon for > During that time, Jalal Kha<;li' regularly the f1.111eral and then proceed to the Holy Land. > went to Bushihr from where he mailed his Unfortunately, Mr. Kha<;li' and Mr. Furutan > reports to Haifa. It was he who gave direc- were unable to receive travel documents in > tions to the Local Assembly there concerning time to háavel to London, but they arrived in > the háansfer of the remains of the wife of the Holy Land on the same day as the other > the Bab. In a letter dated 15 March 1956, Hands of the Cause of God. > Dr. I:Iakim had written to Mr. Kha<;li ' on During their historic gathering, the > behalf of the Guardian, expressing the wish twenty-six Hands of the Cause decided that > that this transfer be conducted with wisdom, nine of them should reside in Haifa and that > quietude, steadfashless, and meticulousness. the other Hands were to travel all over the > On 18 June 1956, Mr. K.ha<;li' gave the planet to guide the friends and the Baha'i > Guardian an account of teaching and pioneer institutions. Mr. Kha<;li ' was one of the nine > activities in Shiraz. The Spiritual Assembly Hands of the Cause who stayed in the Holy > had formed a committee to collect conháibu- Land. From 24 November 1957 to Septemtions to assist friends willing to pioneer. In ber 1963 , he and his wife lived in Haifa in > July 1956, Dr. l:fakim wrote on behalf of the order to serve the Cause of God there . > Guardian: However, during those years he also went > The services rendered by the beloved abroad. He travelled for two months to see > friends in Shiraz and Fars are deeply the friends in most of the localities in Iran > appreciated. The Guardian insh1.1cted to explain the declaration and decisions of > Jinab-i-Varqa to provide 10,000 tuman the Hands of the Cause following the passfor the assistance of these deeply valued ing of the Guardian. In 1958, he participated > services in Fars in his name. He wants in the International Conference in Frankfurt, > you to continue your valuable work and Germany, and then returned to the Holy > assures you of his happiness about your Land. In the winter of 1960, he spent five > activities and of his prayers for your months on the Indian subcontinent. He was a > success.' master of the Persian and Arabic languages, > 794 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > spoke English well, and knew some Spanish. When the Universal House of Justice > He was a competent and skillful speaker and appointed the members of the first Continenexeried a strong impression on his listeners tal Board of Counsellors, Mr. Khac;li' > with his broad knowledge of the Faith. attended the opening session of ilie Board of > Whenever he was in Haifa, Mr. Kluic;ii' Counsellors for Souili America. Following > took care of the Eastern pilgrims. In addition the directions of the Universal House of > to the official programme, which was con- Justice, he and his wife returned to Persia > ducted in turns by the different Hands of the in 1969. > Cause of God, he was indefatigable in taking From iran, he travelled through Europe > the pilgrims to every spot in Haifa of historic for six months and visited Switzerland, > importance in order to tell them interesting Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, England, > details and to ask them to take pictures France, Spain, Italy, and Austria. Next, he > which are of historic value today. made a journey to the eastern states of the > During Ric;!van 1963, he was present United States of America. During a short > dilling the first election of the Universal House sojourn in Chicago, Illinois, he visited the > of Justice. Right after that, he attended House of Worship in Wilmette. On his way > the first Baha'i World Congress in London. back to Iran, he went to Europe and spent a > On behalf of the Hands of the Cause of week with the friends in France, Monaco, > God, he visited the national conventions in and Switzerland before proceeding to the > Switzerland and Luxembourg. Before going Holy Land. In Haifa, he presented a repmi > back to the Holy Land in September, he tráav- about his travels to the Universal House of > elled tluáough Austria, Belgium, England, Justice, and received new instructions. Then > France, Germany, tl1e Netherlands and Turkey. he returned to Persia where he settled in > The newly established institution of the Tihran. > Universal House of Justice decided that five At Ric;ivan 1970, he represented the > of the nine Hands of the Cause residing Universal House of Justice at the National > in the Holy Land should stay in Haifa, while Conventions in Dahomey, Togo, and Niger, > the others should move to different parts as well as in Ghana, and in August 1970 he > of the world. Jalal Khac;li' chose South participated in the Oceanic Conference in > America, where the Hand of the Cause of Mauritius. Afterwards he returned to Tihran > God Dr. Hermann Grossmann had served and concentrated on his tasks in the fields of > before. In September 1963-after a short teaching and protection of the Cause. That > journey to Persia during which he visited was a period in Iran full of tests, but it also > several Baha'i conununities- he and his brought great teaching successes in the provwife boarded a ship which took them from inces due, in large part, to his enthusiasm > tl1e Holy Land to Rio de Janeiro. One week and encouragement. > later they travelled onwards to Campi.nos, a In the sununer of 1973, Mr. Khac;li' > small town about 100 kilometres north of visited the friends in India, Japan, Alaska, > Sao Paulo, where they settled. Canada, the United States and Switzerland > For the following six years, Mr. Khac;li ' during a journey around the world. In 1974, > travelled all over ten South American coun- he made an extended tour of South America > tráies , bearing the stress caused by going and the Caribbean. In Brazil, he attended the > through a multitude of climatic zones and National Convention. In the Caribbean area, > altitudes typical of this continent. Once in a he spent two months visiting the friends > while, he also visited Europe and North and and Spiritual Assemblies in Trinidad and > Central America and fostered the creation of Tobago, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique, > a Spanish newsletter which was published in Antigua, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the > Latin America and distributed everywhere. Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica. > IN MEMORIAM 795 > Next he went to Texas, U.S.A., for a con- the Cause of God and his spiritual greatness > ference. Six days later, he took a flight will always be an example. His historic > via France to the Holy Land. Again, he merits can only become completely evident > informed the Universal House of Justice to future generations. > about his travels and then proceeded to Iran. DR. M ASS OUD BERDJIS > > While he was living in Iran again, a valu- (Mas' ud Birjis) > able manual for Spiritual Assemblies was > compiled under Mr. Kha<;li' 's guidance. It took > one and a half years to complete and many WILLIAM SEARS > relevant topics are classified in it, verified 1911- 1992 > by extracts from the Holy Writings, letters > from the Universal House of Justice and cir- William Bernard Patrick Michael Terrance > culars from the National Assembly of Iran. Sears was born 28 March 1911 in Duluth, > The manual was published around 1975. Minnesota, U.S .A. He had an eventful child- > In 1976, he and his wife, Jamaliyyih, hood, full of fun, as his personality combined > decided to move from Tihran to Babulsar, in a creative imagination and a penchant for > the province of Mazandaran. From there, he action. He was extremely talented, had a > háavelled to virtually all of the cities, towns wonderful sense of humor, and a warm, genand villages in the provinces of Mazandaran erous and loving nature. He also believed > and Gilan to visit the Baha'is residing in that whatever you did, you should try to do it > those areas. better than it had ever been done before, and > In 1978, he was able to attend the Interna- with more originality. > tional Convention in Haifa, although he was He attended the University of Wisconsin > very weak. in Madison during the Great Depression. > His beloved wife passed away in Babul- However, finances became a serious probsar. Soon after, the Revolutionary Guards of lem so he left school and went to try his > the Islamic Republic attacked his house . talents in the new medium of radio. He > Mr. Kha<;li' was interrogated, and all of his began at a small station in Wisconsin called > writings, documents and books were taken WOMT. > away to aid their investigation. After this It was at this point in his life that he met > incident, Mr. Kha<;li' was moved to Tihran Marguerite Reimer, a second generation > and kept in safe places. The authorities Baha' i. Despite some obvious obstacles, > began to look for him in order to arrest him. including his Irish Catholic upbringing, and > In 1984, at the age of 87, upon the advice his being a widower with two small sons, > of the National Spiritual Assembly and with they were married in 1940. Not long after > the help of relatives, he moved from Iran to the marriage he became a Baha'i, and for the > Canada. During the last ten years of his life, next fifty years Bill and Marguerite served > he was mostly confined to the house because the Faith together with total dedication. > of very poor health and eyesight. He was so For example, he used his experience in > frail that he had to content himself with radio broadcasting to help write and produce > assisting the friends through giving advice. the Baha ' i radio series "Meet Mr. Justice'', > He passed away on 21 February 1990 in which prompted Variety magazine to > Canada. comment that "here at last is a Religion with > In both the Arabic and Persian languages, a sense of humor." This series was later > "kha<;li'" means "humble", and that was one translated into Spanish and used in Latin > of his outstanding qualities. People in his America. > presence always felt his humility, devotion, During the 1940s and 1950s, he became > and love. Thus, his personal commitment to a well-known public personality while > 796 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > working for WPEN and for CBS affiliate the pilgrimage of the emotions: the sea > WCAU in Philadelphia, first in radio and that surges inside the pilgrim from the > then in television. His sports program, "The moment he catches his first glimpse of that > Bill Sears Show'', won an Enm1y A ward glistening, golden dome. This is the wam1 > as the best sports series of 195 1. He was floo ding tide that soon will fill every empty > also the announcer for the University of inlet along the coastline of his spirit ... > Pennsylvania, Villanova, and Philadelphia One thing was apparent to me at once. > Eagles football games. My life was changing. My concept of the > In addition to his success in sports broad- Faith, of teaching, of service, none of > casting, he made two appearances on the these would ever be the same again ... > "Ed Sullivan Show" with episodes of the The Guardian calls you to higher service. > very successful "In the Park", a television He lifts you up to heights of limitless > series in which he acted, and which he joy, then sets you gently down. Having > helped write and produce in Philadelphia for revea led the treasure, he requests the paythe fledgling Columbia Broadcasting System ment, which is service to the Faith of > (CBS). God . .. Not big projects planned, but small > William Sears had reached a point in his projects completed .... > professional life at which he had achieved > The Baha ' i work in South Africa was > everything that most men desire: financia l > unique and difficult, but supremely rewardsuccess, awards, fame, both locally and > ing. The Sears served on the Local Spiritual > natio nally, and new contract offers and > Assembly of Joharmesburg, which was reopportunities which, combined with the > sponsible for the planning, coordination and > state of the television industry at that time, > implementation of teaching plans for the > wo uld have assured him of becoming one of > greater part of southern Africa and surroundits superstars . It was then that he made the > ing islands. > decision to set this all aside in order to serve > The teaching success was due largely to > the Faith in Africa . > the direct efforts of the newly emailed and > In 1953, William and Marguerite Sears > inspired native African believers, but the > and their son Michael left the United States > source of much of their inspiration was the > to live in South Africa. Mr. Sears suffered > love showered upon them by the pioneers, > a heart attack soon after his arrival, but > and in pariicular by William Sears. They > recovered. To support his family he returned > could fee l the warmth of his love, and the > to the radio business. His program, "That > appreciation he fe lt for their serv ices to the > Man Sears'', was very successfu l on Springbok > Faith. > Radio, the national network in South Africa. > The Hand of the Cause of God in Africa, > His "Tot siens, goodnight, it's been a plea- > M1isa Banani, asked W illiam Sears to serve > sure" was fam iliar to thousands all over the > as a member of his Auxiliary Board. Then in > southern part of the continent. > October 1957, in a message to the Baha ' i > In April 1954, William Sears made his > world, Shoghi Effendi announced the desigfirst pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Actually, > nation of another contingent of the Hands of > he wrote at that time, > the Cause of God. A mong the eight whose > Each pilgrim makes two pilgrimages in one. elevation to this exalted rank was announced > The first is the p ilgrimage of the mind: in that message was William Sears. > notes taken of special information, new While he was still attempting to underdevelopments of the Faith, instructions stand and come to terms with the > from the Guardian to be applied to one 's implications of being appointed a Hand of > community or one's self. The second is the Cause, he received the stmming and > IN MEMORIAM 797 > unbelievable news of the sudden passing of > his beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi. > Those two events in October and November of 1957 caused an abrupt change in > William Sears. His wa1m and loving nature, > his sense of humor, and the sparkle in his > eyes were intact, but there was a new intensity, a singleness of purpose, and no matter > what else it might appear that he was doing, > he was really concentrating on what he > could do, himself and tluáough his friends, to > advance the Faith, and fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to him by Shoghi Effendi. > In November 1957, he was one of the > 26 Hands of the Cause who attended the first > meeting of the Hands following the passing > of Shoghi Effendi. Only Corinne True, too > ill to travel, was not present. He was one of > the 26 signers of the original proclamation > of the Hands to the Baha'i world from that > meeting. William Sears > In 1958 he attended the Intercontinental > Conference in Kampala, Uganda, and the which we are living has been called an age > National Convention in France. He visited of Nuclear Giants but ethical midgets . We > centers in Basutoland, Egypt, France, Greece, have been described as material monsters > Italy, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, and moral dwarfs." > Northern Rhodesia, South Africa, Sudan, While thrilling and emotional moments > Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zanzibar. followed one after another on this historic > During the period 1959- 1961 he visited all occasion, a highlight for him was seeing one > National Spiritual Assemblies in N01ih, of the very first South African Bahit ' is, a > Centra l, and South America. He visited cen- man whose enrollment and early education > ters in fifteen countries in Cenháal and South and training in the Faith he had been so > America, as well as Alaska, the Dominican much a part of, William Masehla, later a > Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica. He attended the member of the National Spiritual Assembly > National Convention of Costa Rica in 1960, of the Bahit'is of South and West Africa and > and the National Conventions of El Salvador then a member of the Continental Board of > and Guatemala in April and May of 1961. Counsellors in Africa, serving as chairman > From June through November 1958 and for Amatu' l-Baha Ru~iyy ih Khitnurn. > again from 1961 to 1963, he served as one of Once the Universal House of Justice had > the Hands of the Cause of God in the Holy been elected and the element of infallibility > Land. restored to the World Order of Baha'u ' llah, > In 1963, he participated in the Interna- William and Marguerite returned to the > tional Convention that brought into being United States to live. There, one of his first > the Universal House of Justice, and the major projects was the 1965- 1966 California > W arid Congress that followed in London. Victory campaign, one of the first successful > He was one of the speakers for the public mass teaching projects in the United States, > meeting held in conjunction with the which served as an example for projects in > Congress, and his talk began, "This age in other parts of the world . > 798 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In 1967 he travelled throughout Europe, the love and admiration of friends across the > and represented the Universal House of country. > Justice at the National Convention of the He was one of the reasons for the spectac- > Cameroon Republic. In 1970, he represented ular successes of The Desert Rose Baha'i > the Universal House of Justice at the Confer- School, held annually in Tucson, Arizona, > ence on Mauritius Island. He and Marguerite and for the famous "Gatherings" held on the > also visited Germany and travelled through- Hadden property on Batterwood, near > out Persia. In 1972, he represented the House Toronto, in Canada. > of Justice at the National Convention of the One of the major contributions made by > Republic of Ireland. the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears > While residing in the United States, he was the eleven books he authored. • > produced, with Dr. Amin Banani, a series Release the Sun. A book written to > of four cassettes called Stories from the present the soul-stirring story of the ministry > Children's Dawn-Breakers. He made an of the Bab in a way that would capture and > Ayyam-i-Ha record for all of his grand- hold the interest of the English-speaking > children everywhere... young and old. African believers. He purposely wrote it in a > Working with Robert Quigley and the simple language so it could be easily trans- > Hawaiian friends, he helped write, produce, lated into the African tongues. > and performed in probably the first series of Thief In The Night, was written to fill > quality Baha'i television shows. a need, to answer the question asked > It was his campaign, following the repeatedly by people of primarily Christian > Guardian 's example, initiated with a gener- backgrounds in southern Africa. The book > ous contribution, and followed up by a has been translated into numerous languages, > steady sháeam of inspirational letters and and is widely used throughout the world. > tapes in 1984, that assured the funds which God Loves Laughter. This book is a favoumade it possible for the Baha'i radio station, rite of many people. It tells the story of the > WLGI, at the Louis Gregory Institute, to go early life of William Sears, including how he > on the air as scheduled on 23 May 1984. became Baha'i, in a light and humorous way, > His slogans, "ARISE" (Arise Reach and yet presents the Message of Baha'u'llah > Individual Souls Everywhere) and "Get A in clear and uncompromising terms. > Round Tuit" are frequently used at confer- Cry From The Heart. This book was > ences and summer schools all over the written under extremely difficult conditions, > world, and his "Month of Firesides" cam- in record time, in protest against the > paign held in the United States in November atrocities systematically committed against > 1984 produced more firesides in Kansas in a the Baha'is in Iran by fanatical Muslim > single month than ever before. fundamentalists with the support of the > The counháy-wide program of Souvenir government, and by that government itself. > Picnics to commemorate the seventy-fifth What agony and heartache he must have > anniversary of the original Souvenir Picnic suffered while working on this book. The > held at the Wilhelm property in Teaneck, victims, individuals, institutions of the Faith, > New Jersey, on 26 June 1987, produced and Baha'i Holy Places, were all personally > spectacular proclamation events across the familiar to him. He and Marguerite had > counh-y. Mr. Sears attended three of these travelled widely in Iran. "The Baha'is in > picnics, in different parts of the country, on Iran are my personal friends," he wrote. "I > the same day. have met many of them face to face, stayed > An effort to raise funds for the Arc using in their homes, played with their children, > the Sears' original copy of The Dawn- attended their meetings, marveled at their > Breakers signed by Shoghi Effendi aroused heroic history, and felt the warmth of their > IN MEMORIAM 799 > love and kindness." The book was translated what part you should be playing in accomand widely used in many places to bring plishing them. > pressure to bear on the government of Iran to We are all familiar with the admonition to > end its persecution of the Baha'is. let deeds, not words be our adorning. In the > There are five more published books: case of the Hand of the Cause of God William > Prisoner and the Kings, Prince of Peace, Sears, his words, written and spoken, also > The Wine of Astonishment, The Flame (writ- became an adorning, as they inspired deeds > ten with Bob Quigley), All Flags Flying, in others. > Tokoloshe (both book and tapes), and Run to On his desk, where he sat to work, he > Gl01y. All royalties from the sale of his had a long rack of books, containing the > books, which would normally go to the major works of Baha' u' llah, the Bab, > author, he arranged to have contributed 'Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi. They > directly to various funds of the Faith. were literally worn out through use. The only > One of the last things he did, during the thing holding them together was spiritual > final year of his life, was to record the book magnetism and paper clips. He was a scholar > God Loves Laughter on tape for use by of the Faith before the coming of the concor- > WLGI. What a bounty that he was able to do dances . He developed his own systems of > this himself. And how difficult it was. He had indexing and cross referencing, and used > to work from large print sheets of just a sen- them for years. When the concordances > tence or two at a time, and with his glasses came, he had them as well. > and his magnifying glass. But he did it! One of the more remarkable things about > The Hand of the Cause William Sears this man is that he accomplished what he > was as well known for his abilities as a pub- accomplished while dealing with the same > lic speaker as he was for his books. His everyday problems that beset us all-physiname on a program was sufficient to assure cal, financial, and every other kind-and > standing-room-only crowds, anxious to hear which so often seem able to prevent us > him speak, and to meet him in person. In his from doing what we really believe to be > travels, it seemed he must have embraced, important, and would like to do. > and shaken hands, with half of the Baha'i The way he overcame the indignities and > world, and he always had time for the handicaps of the aging process could serve > children. as an example to us all. When he could not > He never disappointed the friends. He did see, he got stronger glasses. When there > not stand up to speak expecting to be were no stronger glasses, he used glasses and > inspired. He would spend weeks preparing a magnifying glass . When that didn't work, > for a meeting, putting together notebooks, he used glasses and a magnifying glass and > preparing charts, selecting photographs, large print. He had laser surgery on his eyes > readying special effects. While his themes in an effort to save what was left of his > were varied, they usually dealt, in some vision, but it wasn't successful. He would, > way, with the greatness of the Universal afterwards, when having trouble reading > House of Justice, the station of the individ- some of his notes, refer apologetically to his > ual believer and what he could contribute, ' laser' eyes. Those privileged to attend the > summed up in his title "The Majesty and meetings at which he spoke during his last > Greatness of You." He was always hoping year will well remember the large sheet of > to find that special soul who could set a styrofoam which he used for his notes. > continent ablaze. When he had trouble walking, he used a > When you left one of his meetings you cane, then a wheel-chair; when he could not > knew what the important goals of the Faith stand up to speak, he spoke sitting down. > were at this particular time in history, and But he never stopped! > 800 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > On the weekend of 19 and 20 October Even his passing, which was given wide > 1991 he began a five-city tour on behalf of publicity, both locally and nationally, became > the National Spiritual Assembly to the five a proclamation and teaching event. > most promising teaching areas, to encourage The message from the Universal House > the friends toward the accomplishment of of Justice, dispatched 26 March 1992, read: > the goal of9,000 new believers by Ric:lvan as OUR HEARTS DEEPLY SADDENED, BAJ-!A' i > a gift of loving gratitude to Baha'u'llah to WORLD GREATLY DEPRIVED, BY PASSING > usher in the Holy Year commemorating the HAND CAUSE GOD WILLIAM SEARS, VIBRANT, > lOOth anniversary of His Ascension. CONSECRATED, STOUT-HEARTED STANDARD- > His first stop was Boca Raton, Florida, BEARER FAITI-1 BAHA°U ' LLAI-1. HIS MORE THAN > followed by Worcester, Massachusetts, HALF CENTURY UNBROKEN SERVICE MARKED > on 26-27 October, Tolleson, Arizona, on BY UNFLINCHING DEVOTION TO BELOVED > 2- 3 November, San Francisco, California, GUARDIAN, INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM FOR > on 9- 10 November, and Portland, Oregon, TEACHING, GALVANIZING SENSE DRAMA, > on 16-17 November. He was back in DISARMING HUMOUR, SPECIAL LOVE FOR > Arizona in time to participate in The Desert CH ILDREN, UNFLAGGING DETERMINATION IN > Rose Baha'i School. FACE DLFFICULTIES. HE WILL EVER BE > Probably a little surprised at finding that REMEMBERED FOR DEDICATING FULL RANGE > he had been able to complete the five cities HIS CREATIVE AND ENERGETIC CAPACITIES AS > tour, and knowing that there was still work WR ITER, ED ITOR, LECTURER, RADIO AND > to be done, and little time left, he decided to TELEVISION PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, TO HIS > visit New York City the weekend of 1- 2 Feb- VARIED SERVICES AS TRAVELLING TEACHER > mary 1992; Cleveland, Ohio, 8-9 Febmary; TO NUMEROUS COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY IN > and Washington, D.C., 15- 16 Febmary. THE AMERICAS, AND AS PIONEER TO AFRICA > After a weekend off, he was in Chicago, Illi- WHERE HE WAS MEMBER OF AUX ILIARY > nois, 29 Febmary- 1 March. The weekend of BOARD AND OF NATIONAL SP IRITUAL > 7- 8 March he was in Atlanta, Georgia, and ASSEMBLY SOUTH AND WEST AFRICA WHEN > 14-15 March in Minneapolis, Minnesota. IN 1957 I-IE WAS ELEVATED RANK HAND > Just a look at the itinerary is enough to CAUSE. HE LATER SERVED AS MEMBER BODY > tire one out. And it tells nothing of the hours HANDS HOLY LAND. HIS LOSS ACUTELY FELT > of waiting in airports in the middle of the IN NORTH AMERICA WHERE HE EXPENDED > night, or of missed connections, or the terri- LAST MEASURE HIS EBBING STRENGTH > ble weather conditions, or the problems of PROMOTION TEACHING ACTIVITIES. DYNAMJ C > getting around by wheel-chair. EFFECTS HIS WORK WILL ENDURE THROUGH > He spent the weekend of 21 - 22 March at HIS MANY BOOKS AND RECORDINGS. GENERA- > home in Tucson, doing what he called "rest- TIONS TO COME WILL REJOICE IN RICH > ing'', preparing for the seventh of his nine LEGACY LEFT THEM THROUGH HIS HISTORIC > meetings, scheduled for Denver, the next ACCOMPLISHMENTS. FERVENTLY PRAYING > weekend. March 28 would have been his HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS ILLUSTRIOUS > eighty-first birthday. SOUL ABHA KlNG DOM. > He was unable to be with the friends in ADV ISE FRIENDS THROUGHOUT WORLD COM- > Denver. On the morning of 25 March 1992, MEMORATE HIS PASSING. REQUEST BEFITTING > this aging warrior of Baha'u'llah left this MEMORIAL SERVICES TO HIS HONOUR ALL > earthly kingdom, his 'fierce spirit' freed to HOUSES OF WORSHIP. > work its wonders on a higher plane. WILLIAM SEARS JR. > IN MEMORIAM 801 > > JOHN ALDHAM ROBARTS capacities, remained there. She kept the > Knight of Baha 'u 'llah home immaculate, and always ready for > 1901-1991 the constant stream of guests from morning to night, Baha'is and inquirers and > John Aid.ham Robarts was born on 2 Nov- souls in difficulty to whom ' Abdu'l-Baha > ember 1901 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, was always a loving Father. It was during > to Aid.ham Wilson Robarts and Rachel Mary one of the New York City visits of > Montgomery Campbell Robarts. 'Abdu'l-Baha that He suggested her > An extraordinary thread of dedication to maniage to Harlan Ober. Gaining the > the service of God seems to have been consent of these two devoted believers, > woven into the very fabric of John Robarts' who in His consummate wisdom He had > life . Looking back to his great-grandmother, drawn together, He, on the following day, > we find a woman giving birth to a son during July 17, 1912, manied them in the morna hurricane in Barbados, in the only safe ing according to the Baha'i marriage. > place available to her in that raging tempest, This infinite bounty of being chosen for > an old bake-oven, half underground. At the each other and joined in maniage by the > height of the sto1m, she made a vow that if Center of the Covenant Himself was a > she and her baby were spared, she would unique favor bestowed upon these two > dedicate its life to the service of God. souls alone, out of all America. > As if in fulfilment of that promise, that After they had been joined in a divine > son grew up to become the Reverend Thomas and eternal relationship by ' Abdu'l-Baha > Tempest Robarts, a Canon in the Anglican He requested Howard Colby Ives, a > Church, in Thorold, Ontario. Thomas Tempest Unitarian minister, deeply attracted to > had three sons and two daughters. The third 'Abdu'l-Baha but not, as yet, a confirmed > son, Aid.ham Wilson Robarts, John 's father, Baha'i, to perform the legal ceremony .... > remained an Anglican. The two daughters, It was this Grace Roba1is Ober, his > Ella and Grace Robarts, became Baha'is in beloved aunt, who first told John about the > 1906, when John was five years old. Baha'i Faith; it was she who first inflamed > Like his mother before him, Thomas his heart with her contagious love for this > Tempest dedicated the life of his last-born, Cause. Little did she know that John would > Grace Robarts, to the service of God. Little dedicate his life joyfully to its service, that > did he know that Grace would fulfil his vow he and his wife would take its Message to > by becoming the servant of the Servant, remote Africa and be named Knights of > 'Abdu'l-Baha, nor that she would be Baha'u'llah, nor that Shoghi Effendi would > uniquely honoured by Him. Part of her story honour him by appointing him a Hand of the > is in Th e Baha 'i World, Vol.VIII, p.658: Cause of God. > .. .During the months of 'Abdu'l-Baha's John's father was manager of the > stay in America in 1912 Mrs. Ober Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in > (Grace Robarts) had the honor of being Port A1ihur (now Thunder Bay), on the n01ih > indeed the "servant" in His home in what- shore of Lake Superior in Ontario, and it > ever city (on the East Coast) He was was here that Jolm and his two older sisters > staying. He chose her to go ahead and completed their elementary schooling. He > secure an apartment for Him and have it attended Ridley College in St. Catharines, > in readiness upon His anival. Then she Ontario, leaving at age 17 to accept a position > would care for His home as a house- as secretary to a Canadian National Railways > keeper and hostess while He and His superintendent. With a concentration and > Secretaries and those Persians who had dedication that became characteristic of all > the privilege of serving Him in various his work, he quickly acquired proficiency in > 802 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > secretarial skills that proved invaluable to side the Robarts' home, especially when > him in the years to come. Mr. Robarts was among them playing ball or > In 1926 John became a partner in the firm skipping rope or teaching them feats of > Graham Robarts and Company (domestic bicycle riding. Even six-year-old Suzie from > heating business) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, down the street felt the pull of that home > and in 1927 he and his partner, James D. when she rang the doorbell and implored, > Graham, established The Overhead Door ' Can Mr. Robarts come out now and play?' > Company of Canada, with John as president The warmth of Audrey and John's > and general manager, 1927- 1934, in Toronto. informal hospitality was itself an eloquent > John Aldham Robarts married Audrey teacher. Every Wednesday evening for years > FitzGerald (born 20 December 1904 in they held a lively fireside in their home. > Montreal), daughter of Edward FitzGerald When there was not an invited speaker > and Kate Bulmer, on 3 March 1928 in John gave the talk himself, frequently tailor- > Winnipeg, Manitoba. They had four children: ing his words and aiming them, with > Aldham Edward, 1929; John FitzGerald, 1930; uncanny perception and utmost love, at > Patrick Tempest, 1934; Nina Grace, 1940. one unidentified, sometimes identifiable, > In 1934, when John sold the Overhead individual present. One never knew who > Door Company, the economy was depressed might be the next focus of his attention. Far > and jobs were at a premium, but he found from humiliating anyone, the effect was to > employment for each of his approximately electrify the people there by drawing every > 20 workers before accepting the invitation individual into a kind of loving complicity > urged upon him to join the Manufacturers' that at any moment could erupt into waves > Life Insurance Company. He completed the of laughter or nods of enlightenment. > Alexander Hamilton Business Courses, and Acutely conscious of the value of time, > qualified as a Chartered Life Underwriter John created additional fruitful teaching > (C.L.U.). In 1938 he joined the London Life opportunities during his work week by > Insurance Company as district manager of hiring a private dining room near his office > their Toronto King Street Agency which, once a week and inviting friends to hear > under his direction, became their most pro- about the Faith over a businessmen's lunch. > ductive agency in Canada. In 1940, John was appointed by the > John, and later Audrey, had always been National Spirihial Assembly of the Baha 'is > attracted to Aunt Grace and Uncle Harlan. of the United States and Canada to the first > In the 1930s they became attracted to Ontario Regional Teaching Committee and > Baha'u'llah. Taught mainly by Grace and served as secretary, its only officer, until > Harlan, and by Mabel and Howard Colby he became chairman in 1944 and 1945. He > Ives, later also by George Spendlove, they also chaired the Ontario Summer School > together accepted the Faith in Toronto in Committee for some years, and was instru- > 1937 and declared their belief in Baha'u'llah mental in organizing the first Ontario > in 1938. It was the second year of Shoghi Baha'i Summer School at Rice Lake in 1941. > Effendi's Seven Year Plan for the United When the National Teaching Committee > States and Canada, and both John and of Canada was formed in 1946 John was > Audrey plunged into the teaching work. elected as its chairman. In accordance with > The Robarts' home in Forest Hill Village, Shoghi Effendi's plan, this Committee was > a Toronto suburb, attracted a stream of instrumental in laying the foundation for the > diverse people, from distinguished visiting establishment of Canada's own independent > Baha'i teachers to an army of friends of their National Spiritual Assembly, the ninth in the > four children. Often on summer evenings the world. The first National Spiritual Assembly > neighbourhood youngsters converged out- of the Baha'is of Canada was elected in > IN MEMORIAM 803 > 1948 and John was elected its chairman. He urgently requiring a chairman for a meeting, > served in this capacity six times, from its he threaded his way through the crowd lookinception in 1948 until 1953. ing for a willing soul. Several experienced > John played a key role in developing the Baha'is declined, pleading unworthiness. A > first Baha'i communities of Hamilton and brand new young Baha'i hesitantly agreed, > Ottawa, Ontario, travelling to Hamilton but warned that she had no idea how to > every week for a year, and to Ottawa for proceed. 'Don't worry,' he reassured, 'I'll > a number of whole weekends, teaching tell you.' At the appointed moment he > intensively in each city. The first Local Spir- whispered, 'Ask them to sit down, then read > itual Assemblies of Hamilton and Ottawa a prayer.' She followed instructions. 'Now, > were formed in 1940 and 1948 respectively. introduce me,' he breathed behind his hand. > John and Audrey both served on the Local Graciously she introduced him. John began > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Toronto his address by introducing his radiant chairand in 1950 they raised up an Assembly in man, to a burst of delighted applause. After > their own Forest Hill Village. his talk he whispered his last discreet cue, > Among John's most endearing qualities 'Now thank me!' Another long Baha'i career > were his quick sense of humor and of service was launched! > infectious laugh. He was a brilliant story John was not easily deflected from his > teller. He often recounted real-life stories purpose. Apparent reverses he counted not > interspersed with pertinent quotations from as failures but as divine promptings to > Baha'i scriptures. These stories conveyed a higher victories . One evening when not one > powerful spiritual message, and could move soul came to his advertised meeting, he simhis listeners from tears or helpless laughter ply delivered his talk anyway. A passerby > to renewed dedication to the Cause of God, strolling past the open door of the rented > and promptly to action, the goal for which conference room was nonplussed to see a > they were intended. His calls for pioneers, man vigorously addressing an empty room! > his appeals on behalf of the Funds, his That person later became a Baha'i, > exhortations to heartfelt prayer, to 'planning pioneered overseas and raised a dedicated > our work and working our plan', raised Baha'i family. > innumerable individuals, families and com- John, in his professional work, inspired > munities to new spiritual levels of daily his insurance agents to go out and pursue the > living, service and happiness. goals he set for them. Perhaps for this reason > He continually invited, urged and guided he could identify with Shoghi Effendi's > the Baha'is to connect with that Source of all vastly greater spiritual undertakings devislight that guided him, that was ever-present ing plans and sending pioneers out all over > to him, that he so clearly saw lovingly the world to accomplish them. In any case, > surrounding us all, ready to rush to our assis- he arose with heart and soul to fulfill Shoghi > tance if we would but take the first step. He Effendi's wishes with obedience and speed. > never doubted the capacity of the believers In 1949 he attended the Second European > to win every goal. John seemed to walk the Teaching Conference, in Brussels, Belgium, > mystical path with practical feet and a then visited seven of North America's ten > penetrating eye. It was as though his vision goal countries in Europe- the Netherlands, > extended beyond this material world and Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Sweden, > into the spiritual realm, enabling him to see Norway, Demnark- as well as France and > straight to the heart of matters, to answer the England. Shoghi Effendi had given Canada > unspoken question, to respond quickly and the seemingly impossible goal of opening > appropriately to the unuttered need. Greenland, a closed country which no one > John awakened strengths in people. Once, could enter without complicated permission > 804 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > from the Danish government. Mr. Robarts 22 September 1953: > met with officials for Greenland and won ATTEND ING CONFE RENCE. EMPLOYERS HAPPY. > goodwill and the promise of cooperation. He LOVE, JOHN ROBARTS. > met with the Copenhagen Local Spiritual 26 September 1953: > Assembly, addressed a meeting of Danish > LOVING APPRECIATION. SHOGI-11. > Baha'is, and returned to Canada with new > leads and two pioneer offers. Mr. Palle As soon as John and Audrey heard about > Bischoff, a Danish Baha'i, was able to the Ten Year Crusade during the New Delhi > finally open Greenland to the Faith in 1951. Conference they sent a cable to Shoghi > In 1950, John offered to visit England, Effendi dated 19 October 1953 offering to pio- > Ireland and Scotland where a sense of neer. On 22 October they received his reply: > despair had descended upon the Baha'is > BECHUANALAND HIGHLY MERITORJOUS. LOVE, > who, in the last weeks of their Six Year Plan, > SHOGHI. > were lagging behind their goals . Shoghi > Effendi approved of Mr. Robarts' trip, and Within two months-having discovered > the National Teaching Committee arranged in the encyclopedia that Bechuanaland was > a concentrated tour and rallied the British situated in southern Africa, a landlocked > Baha'is. John arrived on 26 March and country the size of France, without tarred > visited 10 cities in 13 days, carrying the roads, mostly Kalahari Desert-they had, > Message on his lips, love in his heart, and with absolute faith in Shoghi Effendi, parted > declaration cards in his pocket. Some seek- with two beloved sons (Aldham, who > ers, already deepened, came into the Faith shortly thereafter pioneered to Nigeria, and > with little more than John's warn1 invitation. later to Ghana, and Gerald who pioneered on > On 17 April the British National Spiritual the homefront first to Kingston and later to > Assembly cabled Shoghi Effendi: TOTAL Windsor, Ontario), and left behind John 's > VICTORY ASSURED ... ! and the Guardian replied successful career and their comfortable > on 19 April: OVERJOYED DEEPL y GRAT EFUL Toronto home to sail, with Patrick (aged 19) > IMMENSELY PROUD SIGNAL VI CTORY ACHI EVED and Nina (aged 13), on the very first ship to > BAHA ' I COMMUN ITY BRITISl-l ISLES ... SHOGHI. South Africa, a small Norwegian cargo liner > In 1953, the Hand of the Cause of God carrying just one other passenger on a 21-day > Siegfried Schopflocher was to represent voyage, some of those days in very rough > Canada at the New Delhi Conference, one waters. > of the four intercontinental conferences at Within three or four days of arrival in > which Shoghi Effendi ' s global Ten Year Mafeking, the capital of Bechuanaland, they > Crnsade was launched. Unfortunately purchased a house. This total transplant, > Mr. Schopflocher died and it seemed no one from inspiration to realization, was executed > else in Canada was able to go in his stead. within 16 weeks. For opening Bechuanaland > John' s communications with Shoghi Effendi to the Faith, Jolm, Audrey and PatTick > at the time reveal this spirited exchange: earned the title ' Knight ofBahi'u'llah' . > 'To John A. Robai.is ... Whose Faith Comes > 16 September 1953: First. .. ' Perhaps these words, engraved on > IF IMP ERATIVE HA VE CANA DIAN REPRESENTA- > the gold watch presented to him with affec- > TIVE NEW DELHI I WILL ATTEND AT PROBABLE > tion and awe by the agents of his life > SAC RIFI CE CORDIAL EMPLOYER RELATIONS. > insurance branch upon his sudden departme > DEEPEST DEVOTION, JOHN ROBARTS. > for Africa, epitomize John Robarts' life. Like > 19 September 1953: a beacon of light shining within him and > PRES ENCE CANADI AN RE PRESENTATI VE guiding his steps, Jolm ' s love for and stead- > IMPERATIVE. LOVE, SHOGI-11. fast faith in Baha'u'llah, in the promised > IN MEMORIAM 805 > assistance of God, in the power of daily dinners at which Shoghi Effendi placed John > prayer were, to many, almost palpable. That directly across the table from him, and > love and that faith centred in the divine king- Audrey between them at the head of the table, > dom were the source of his warmth of heart John was twice privileged to be alone briefly > in this earthly one, his passionate drive, his with the Guardian when Amatu'l-Baha > clear vision and above all his spirit of certi- Ruhiyyih Khanum asked him to accompany > tude so well remembered by those who Shoghi Effendi back to their home nearby. > knew him. He cherished always his memories of those > His success as a businessman, and the moments and those nine days and nights, > respect of his business associates, were so including two nights spent at the Mansion of > widely known that representatives of two Baha'u' llah, praying in the Shrines and in > South African life insurance companies met the bedroom of the Blessed Beauty. > the Robarts family upon their arrival in John was elected to the Regional National > Cape Town in 1954 with job offers for Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of South > Mr. Robarts, before he even stepped off the and West Africa in 1956. By February 1957, > boat! He accepted a position as district there were enough deepened African Baha'is > manager with the Prudential Assurance to form the first Local Spiritual Assembly of > Company in South Africa, 1954-1957, and the Baha'is of Mafeking, Bechuanaland, so > in Southern Rhodesia, 1957 until 1959, when the Robarts moved to Bulawayo, Southern > he gave up his business in order to devote Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to serve their > his full tin1e to the African Baha'i work. Bechuanaland goal from the north. > The Hand of the Cause of God for Africa, In Bulawayo, John and Audrey, together > Mr. Musa Banani, appointed John Robarts with Noura Faridian, a valiant young nurse > as one of nine members of the first Auxiliary and the only other pioneer, supported > Board for the continent of Africa in 1954. by Patrick and Nina when they were home > As if guided by some inner compass, John from their studies, raised up the first Local > was able to find ' true north,' to identify the Spiritual Assembly of Bulawayo, in 1958, > basic principle involved in situations and and opened other localities. As John ' s interto act upon it without compromise. His national travels increased, Audrey, often > integrity tolerated no deviation from spiri- fearlessly driving hundreds of miles on > tual principles. He was able to create a sense corrugated unpaved roads alone or with the > of unity among the friends through his love beloved African friends , sometimes with > for them, to renew their confidence by Patrick or Nina, carried on the teaching > recognizing and utilizing their strengths, work in both Southern Rhodesia and in > and, through astute use of his executive Bechuanaland. > acumen, to carve a path through unnecessary On 2 October 1957, Shoghi Effendi > detail straight to the point. appointed John Robarts a Hand of the Cause > In 1955, Jolm, Audrey, Patrick and Nina of God. On 4 November 1957, Shoghi > had the privilege of going on pilgrimage to Effendi died, depriving the Baha' i world of > Haifa and Bahji. It was a highlight in John's his infallible guidance. The Hands of the > life. In the film Retrospective, Jolm is asked Cause, upon whom responsibility for leaderabout his in1pression of the Guardian when ship now fell until such time as infallibility > finall y they met. His reply is movingly cap- could be restored, realized that the goals > tured as the camera zooms in on John's face of the Ten Year World Crusade were of > suffused with joy at the memory. He pauses paramount importance: they had to be > for a moment, and replies: 'He made an achieved by 1963 as planned. Sufficient > impression upon me that seized my heart. I local and national Baha'i communities had > loved him so much .... ' After two of the seven to be established in order to elect that first > 806 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > and the responsibilities of the Custodians > those Hands residing in the Holy Land, a~ > the nerve-centre of the Baha'i world, coordinat.ing this stupendous global enterprise, > fixmg the eyes of the Baha' i world community on its one overarching goal, the election > of the first Universal House of Justice, are > perhaps but dimly understood today. In its > frrst message to the Bahci'is of the world > 30 April 1963, the Universal House of Justic~ > paid tribute to the Hands of the Cause of God: > We do not wish to dwell on the appalling dangers which faced the infant Cause > when it was suddenly deprived of our > beloved Shoghi Effendi, but rather to > acknowledge with all the love and > gratitude of our hearts the reality of the > sacrifice, the labour, the self-discipline, > the superb stewardship of the Hands of > John Robarts the Cause of God. We can think of no > more fitting words to express our tribute > to these dearly loved and valiant souls > Universal House of Justice, called for by > than to recall the words of Bahci'u' llah > Shoghi Effendi, which, as promised by > Himself: 'Light and glory, greeting and > Bahci'u'llah, would be infa llible. > praise be upon the Hands of His Cause, > Those dear and precious Hands those > through whom the light of long-suffering > intrepid 'Chief Stewards of the Embryonic > hath shone forth , and the declaration of > World Commonwealth ofBahci 'u' llah', assemauthority is proven of God, the Powe1ful, > bled in Haifa and Bahji (except Corinne > the Mighty, the Independent; and through > True, 96 years old) immediately fo llowing > whom the sea of bestowal hath moved, > Shoghi Effendi 's funeral. At that time there > and the breeze of the favour of God, the > were 27 Hands living, widely scattered on > Lord of mankind, hath wafted. ' ... The > five continents, 22 men and S women, rangentire history of religion shows no > ing in age from 31 to 96, never before > comparable record of such strict self-dishaving come together as a body. It was the > cipline, such absolute loyalty, and such > first of six annual Conclaves of the Hands > complete self-abnegation by the leaders > and began their historic five-and-a-half-yea; > of a religion finding themselves suddenly > custodianship of the Cause of Baha'u'llah > deprived of their divinely inspired guide. > piloting it through that most perilous period > The debt of gratitude which mankind for > in its history, until the glorious moment > generations, nay, ages to come, owes to > when they could deliver it intact to the first > this handful of grief-stricken, steadfast, > Universal House of Justice. > heroic souls is beyond estimation. 1 > The role, unique in history, of the Hands > of the Cause, engaged day and night in the John Robarts attended all six Conclaves > protection and propagation of the Cause of of the Hands of the Cause of God held at > God, in constant worldwide travels assisting > and inspiring the believers to atta in every Th e Minist1 y of the Custodians 1957- 1963 ( 1-fai fa: > goal lest opportunity be irretrievably lost, Baha' i World Ce ntre 1992), p. 2. > IN MEMORIAM 807 > Bahji from 1957 to 1963, visiting Baha' i Conventions of the Regional Spiritual > connnunities via the west coast of Africa Assemblies of the Baha'is of West Africa, > on his way to Haifa, and returning home to with its seat in Momovia, Liberia, and West > Bulawayo through communities of the east. Central Africa, with its seat in Victoria, > On 7 October 1957, Shoghi Effendi-in Cameroon. In 1966, the Robarts moved back > the last month of his life-had asked that to Canada to strengthen that community. In > John Robarts go to Canada after attending 1968, he attended the second International > the January 1958 Intercontinental Confer- Convention in Haifa, convened the inauguence in Kampala, Uganda. Though stunned, ral meeting of the Continental Board of > like the rest of the Baha'i world at the loss Counsellors for Northeast Asia, and visited > of the beloved Guardian, Mr. Robarts, ever Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the > prompt to fulfil Shoghi Effendi 's wishes, Philippines, and Hawaii. > travelled in several countries for five In 1971, he travelled from Canada to > months . He attended the Intercontinental the Oceanic Conference in Jamaica, and > Conferences held in Wilmette and Frankfurt represented the Universal House of Justice > in 1958, and traversed Canada, his home- at the Oceanic Conference in Iceland. A > land, from February to April 1958, and teaching trip to Australasia undertaken > again, January to July 1960 at the request during 1971-72 took him to Australia, New > of the Hands in the Holy Land, spurring Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New > the Canadians on to splendid advances Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, > in their Ten Year Crusade goals. From 1961 New Hebrides, Western Samoa and Hawaii. > to 1966, he also served as Trustee of the In 1973, he attended the third International > Continental Fund for Africa. Convention in Haifa, and in 1976 he took > The ultimate victory of the Ten Year Plan part in the International Teaching Conferwas the election of the first Universal House ences held in Anchorage, Paris, and Nairobi. > of Justice in Haifa, Israel, on 21 April 1963. In 1978 he attended the fourth International > This took place in the House of 'Abdu'l- Convention in Haifa. > Baha, with John Robarts and the other Hands The joy of both John and Audrey Robarts > of the Cause of God present. Mr. Robarts was unbounded when, in 1981, they returned > also attended the first Baha' i World to Mmabatho for the inaugural convention > Congress, held in London, England, imme- of the National Spiritual Assembly of the > diately after the election. On his way back to Baha'is of Bophuthatswana, John represent- > Southern Rhodesia, he went to Morocco to ing the Universal House of Justice. He also > visit the Baha'is imprisoned for their Faith represented the Supreme Body at the > in Kenitra Prison, three condemned to death, International Teaching Conference held in > five to life imprisonment. 1982 in Lagos, Nigeria, and attended the > Through all of these triumphs and trials International Conferences in Dublin and > of the Faith, John Roba1is never lost his Montreal. In 1983 he attended the fifth Intersense of humor. A newly appointed Auxil- national Convention in Haifa. > iary Board Member found herself seated at a In 1983, Mr. Robarts also travelled to > banquet between another Hand of the Cause visit Native American friends, and attended > on her left, and John Robarts on her right. the dedication of the land for Baha'i House > ' Oh, Mr. Robarts, I am so nervous sitting at the Yukon Baha'i Teaching Institute. > between two Hands of the Cause! I am Then, in 1984, he attended the dedication of > afraid I will spill my dinner!' she whispered the Yukon Baha'i House. On that occasion > into his ear. ' Spill to the left! ' came his he was adopted as an elder into the Johns > instant reply! clan of the Tlingit people of the Yukon and > In 1964, John Roba1is represented the honoured with the powerful name 'Gooch > Universal House of Justice at the Inaugural Ooxu ' meaning ' Wolf Teeth'. > 808 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > In 1984, at the age of 82 years, 55-minute film Retrospective, produced by > Mr. Robarts graciously accepted one last Elizabeth Martin in 1978 for the National > administrative post. He served as a valuable Spiritual Assembly of Canada. Led by > and much loved member of the Local Spiri- Douglas Martin's perceptive questions and > tual Assembly of the Baha'is of Rawdon, comments, Mr. Robarts looks back over his > Quebec, the village in which he lived, in 40 years in the Faith, brings to life some > order to save that incorporated Assembly early Baha'i history and sheds light on the > until a newly declared Baha' i was able to unprecedented role of the Hands of the > replace him the following year. Cause of God. > That same year, he represented the Baha' i Reminiscences of both Audrey and John > Faith in a series of ecumenical activities orga- Robarts about Shoghi Effendi during their > nized by the Anglican Church of Rawdon nine-day family pilgrimage in 1955 appear > and delighted priest and congregation by in the chapters contributed by each of them > giving the sermon one Sunday morning on in The Vision of Shoghi Effendi, published > the subject of life after death. The vitality of by the Association for Baha'i Studies in > his message, its hopeful new vision of the 1993. > world to come, is fondly remembered years The vigour of John Robarts' half century > later, as well as his humour: 'I don't mind if of sustained services to the Baha'i Faith > you look at your watches during my sermon. stands as awesome testimony to the power, > It's when you take off your watch and shake when we do but tap it, of the promised > it (removing his own watch and shaking it assistance of God. Few people realized that > near his ear) I know my time's up!' asthma and chronic bronchitis, later emphy- > John Robarts made his last international sema, were, for much of John's life, his > teaching trip, to eleven cities in Ireland, in constant companions which he was able to > 1986. subdue to an extraordinary degree, thanks > Mr. Robarts rarely thought in terms of not only to his and to Audrey's reliance on > writing anything for publication. He was prayer, but to Audrey's resourcefulness and > totally involved in actively seeking the heart lifetime of utter devotion to his care. > of each situation, intuitively and wisely Increasingly Audrey accompanied him on > dealing with it at once. These qualities are his travels, thereby extending by years his > reflected in his reports to and correspondence strenuous and precious teaching activities. > with the institutions of the Faith, and in his Few others ever saw him rise deterletters to the many individuals who wrote to minedly from a sleepless night in extreme > him and benefitted from his inspiring and climatic conditions, struggling for breath, to > encouraging guidance. He did, however, write maintain his unwavering focus on the love > the Introduction to Messages to Canada, the of Baha 'u' !!ah, never doubting that His > collected communications of Shoghi Effendi assistance would flow through him at just > to the Baha'is of Canada, 1923 to 1957. His the right moment, to stride forward to the > only other published work was his 1960 podium and address his conference audience > letter to the Baha' fs of Canada, published as with ease and joy. The humour and dignity > a 13-page booklet of inspiring and amusing with which John wore the physical frailty > reports from Canadians about their (some- that finally overtook his body touched > times first) experiences with fervent prayer all those around him in an unforgettable > in response to John's urgings , amazed that it example of radiant submission to the will of > really worked for them, at least as well as God, to his very last breath. And then his > he (and the Writings) had promised! luminous soul took its flight. > John Robarts' rem1111scences about Hundreds of tributes flooded in from > Shoghi Effendi are movingly recorded in the around the world after John ' s peaceful passing > IN MEMORIAM 809 > on 18 June 1991 in Rawdon, Quebec. ALL HOUSES WORSHIP. CONVEY DEAR AUDREY, > Among the most precious were the words of BELOVED CHILD REN AND THE IR FAMILIES > Amatu'l-Baha Rul)iyyih Khanum : MOST LOVING SYM PATHY. > UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE . > ... HIS UNI-DI RECTIONAL, CONSECRATED, UN- > N INA GRACE R OBARTS T INN ION > REM ITTING SERV ICES FAITH HE HAD EM - > BRACE D WITH SO MUCH CONV ICT ION AND > ENTHU SIASM , ... HI S WARMTH OF HEA RT, > FR IEND LINESS, THE CONSTANT ENCOURAGE- H . COLLIS FEATHERSTONE > MENT HE INV A RIA BLY SHOWERED ON AL L > 1913-1990 > THE BELIEVERS ... HIS WISDOM AN D CONSE- > CRATION, WHICH WERE AN INVA LUAB LE > Collis Featherstone and his wife, Madge, > SU PPORT AND INS PIRATION IN TH E DELIB ERA- > accepted the Baha' i Faith in December 1944. > T IONS OF HIS FELLOW HANDS DURING THE > This came about in an unusual way. > CRITICA L PERIOD AFTER THE ASCENS ION OF > Somewhat earlier, two intrepid and stal- > THE BELOVED GUARDIA N .. > wart Bahi'is, Bertha Dobbins and Katherine > Harcus, had set out from Adelaide, the capi- > And also from the International Teaching tal city of South Australia, to teach the Faith > Centre: in the Port Adelaide area, about 14 kilome- > ... HIS RADIANT SP IRIT, TH E WARMTH OF HIS > tres away. Walking back in the direction > LOVE, HIS STEADFAST ADHERENCE TO BA HA' i > from whence they had come and, footsore > PRLNCIPLES ... > and very weary, they leaned agai nst a post at > a railway and road intersection at Albert > The Universal House of Justice an- Park in the Woodville area, and called on the > nounced John 's passing to the Baha' i World Greatest Name for a home to be opened up > with the following : to the Faith. > WITH SADDENED HEA RTS ANNOUNCE PASS- > Sometime later, a Mrs. Almond, who lived > ING MUCH-LOVED STAUNCH PROMOTER > near to the Featherstones, invited Madge to > FA ITH , KNIGHT BAHA'U'LLAH, HAND CAUSE > a gathering at her home to meet her past > GO D JOH N ROBARTS. HIS DISTINGU ISHED > school teacher who had something very > ADMI NISTRATIVE TEACHING PIONEERING AC- > important to share with her and any of her > TIVITI ES IN HIS NAT IVE CANA DA, IN AFRICA > friends. > AND EUROPE, DUR ING MINISTRY BELOVED > The teacher was Bertha Dobbins, and the > GUARDIAN AND SUBSEQUENTLY ON WORLD > important message she had to share with > SCALE THROUGH HI S INT ERNATIONA L TRAV- > everybody was the Baha'i Faith. She began > ELS WERE SOURCE ABUNDANT INS PIRATIO N > her introduction to the Faith by reading the > COUNTLESS FR IENDS MANY LANDS. HIS > Tablet of Al)mad. Madge attended several > RELIANCE AND EM PH AS IS ON PRAYER fN ALL > afternoon meetings with her small children, > EFFORTS PROMOTION CAUSE AND HI S SUS- > sharing all the proceedings, pamphlets and > TAINED SERV ICES PATH LOVE FOR BLESSED > newsletters with Collis, who was instantly > BEAUTY WERE CHARACTERIZED BY SPIR IT > attracted. Bertha saying that the Faith "was > CE RTITUDE , SELF-EFFACEMENT AN D VIGOU R > for everyone on earth" prompted Collis, > WHI CH SET A STANDARD OF STEWARDS HIP > through Madge, to ask for a "decent book" > THAT HAS ENRICHED ANNALS FAITH. HE HAS > to read. > ASSU REDLY EARNED BOUNTIFUL REWARD > Madge brought home for him the large > ABHA KI NG DOM. PRAYI NG HOLY SHRINES > American illustrated copy of The Dawn- > PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL. ADV ISE HOLD > Breakers. He was so hungry to learn more > BEF ITTI NG MEMOR IAL GATHERINGS IN HIS > that he began reading it the same night, and > HONOUR THRO UG HOUT WORLD INCLUDING > when he got to page 92 and started reading > 810 THE BAH1\'i WORLD > > the Bab's address to the Letters of the Liv- were three main things which set this proing, he realized that this Message was from cess in motion. > God. He had found what he was looking for. At fifteen, Collis was confim1ed in the > Both Madge and Collis continued to Church of England. The fact that he had not > study and even responded affim1atively to been baptised in the Church earlier was not > Bertha 's call for a home to be opened up for realized until after his Confirmation; that > evening meetings. On one occasion a very should never have been allowed to happen! > interesting talk on the Baha'i Administrative Church authorities at the time were deter- > Order was given, and afterwards Collis mined he would not forget the error, and he > stood and said: "This is all very interesting, was continually reminded of it. This rather > but aren't there some books on the Writings unforgiving attitude was upsetting to him. > of Baha 'u' llah?" The very next day, he Furthem10re, he could not reconcile himreceived several. These "firesides" contin- self to the Church's teachings on the > ued for several months before the couple resun-ection of the body. Following the > announced in December 1944 that they death and burial of his dog near a fencing > wished to become Baha'is. When the two post which was later damaged in a storm and > teachers had stopped at the railway crossing had to be replaced, the decomposing remains > and called on the Greatest Name, Collis and of his pet were exposed, only to confirm his > Madge's home had been the nearest one fac- misgivings about the logic of such a belief. > ing them! Another striking incident occun-ed when > Harold Collis Featherstone was born in he was háavelling home by train and was so > the historic town of Quam, South Ausháalia, deeply involved in his reading he didn ' t > on 5 May 1913 . As his father worked for the notice the train had stopped at his station. As > South Australian Railways, the family it was pulling out, he ran to jump off onto > moved to several different country areas the sand which he knew lay beyond the platover the years. The most significant period form between another set of rail lines. He > of his early life was spent in Smithfield, was ready to jump when something told him > some twenty-eight kilometres north of Ade- to get off the other side. It was a split second > laide, when his father was promoted to decision and as he landed he heard an > Station Master. express háain roar tluáough, travelling in the > During his high school years, from 1925 opposite direction and on the side he had > to 1928, he travelled daily to the Adelaide decided not to jump from only a few seconds > High School on West Ten-ace. His report before. Had he made the slightest misjudgedescribed him as "diligent, well-behaved ment in jumping from that side, it was quite > and polite, thoroughly reliable and straight- apparent what his fate would have been! > forward" and said "He is neat and careful in Ever afte1wards, he wondered what it was > his script work." Indeed his handwriting that made him change his mind. There had > throughout his whole life remained neat and been no time for rational thinking; it all hapcontrolled and always attracted comment. pened too quickly. > He became a very avid reader with all the These three incidents fueled his search > háain háavelling. He was a keen cyclist, into spiritual matters. > played cricket and always kept a keen inter- During the 1930s, Collis moved to live > est in the Test Cricket Matches. He played and work in Adelaide. Almost every Sunday > tennis and actively participated in the local he would attend up to three church services > tennis club until he injured his shoulder -all different denominations . The Reverend > when he was fifty-seven years old. G.E. Hale of the Unitarian Church, however, > During his days in Smithfield, Collis was a man Collis never forgot. What > started thinking about deeper matters. There impressed him most was the fact that he took > IN MEMORIAM 811 > > parallel quotes from the scriptures of other nights. Much to Collis ' regret he never met > great religions, which Collis found so inter- John Hemy Hyde Dunn, who had passed > esting and appealing that he went off to the away in 1941. > public library to read more. At the time Collis became a Baha'i, the > Although initially Collis worked in an beloved Guardian was guiding the whole > office and studied accounting at night Baha ' i world singlehandedly, the National > school, he had the opportunity in 1934 to Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New > learn dye making, ultimately leading him Zealand had been in existence for only about > into a precision engineering business part- ten years, and there were only three Local > nership in 1938, which he eventually bought Assemblies. The Baha'i community might > out, and carried on for more than thirty-five have been small, but it was so vibrant that > years. He was widely recognised in the Madge and Collis had the impression that > industry for his excellent workmanship and there were many more Baha' is throughout > the fairness with which he conducted Australia than there actually were! > business. The friends were encouraged in those > He met Madge Green, and after a long days to keep in touch with the Guardian, and > courtship they were married in March 1938. as early as 1945 Collis wrote a long letter to > They had five children: four daughters and a him, the first of many, with a string of quesson. tions he had been unable to get answers for > During the war years, money was short, elsewhere. In his own hand the Guardian > the children small and their needs time con- wrote: "May the Spirit of Baha'u'llah bless > suming, and the business was hard work, all and reinforce your efforts, and may He aid > of which slowed down the spiritual search you to obtain a clearer understanding of the > until Bertha and Joe Dobbins and the Baha'i essentials of His Faith, and to advance its > Faith came into the Featherstones life. best interests, and contribute to the consoli- > Although there were few young Baha' is dation of its God-given institutions". > at that tin1e, the Featherstones were keen and Many of the early Baha'is were strong > enthusiastic, participating fully in the affairs and forceful personalities, independent and > of the greater Adelaide community of thirty strong willed, often with very divergent > to forty Baha ' is. Their firesides continued, views which clashed from time to time. > usually commencing with a speaker giving a However, in spite of the personality probshort address on some aspect of the Faith. lems that existed, the believers were fierce > With the enthusiasm that was generated by defenders of the Cause and were loyal and > their zeal, the Baha'i community grew. steadfast. Collis would often say that the > Whenever Collis reflected on those early Faith in those early days needed st:rongdays as a Baha'i, he recalled the joy and willed and independent people. Nevertheexcitement that prevailed. News travelled less, there was a tendency for the believers > much more slowly in those days , and when- to "take sides", and from the very beginning > ever a letter or news was received from the Collis and Madge made it clear that they > Guardian, the friends were very jubilant. were not going to be a part of that, choosing > Collis was very eager to meet Clara Dunn, instead to follow the guidelines given to > affectionately known as Mother, who Collis from Mother Dunn and then the > together with her late husband John Henry Guardian through his secretary: > Hyde Dunn, had brought the Baha'i Faith to TH E GUA RDIAN HOPES YOU , YOUR WIFE, AND > Australia in 1920. That meeting was realized TH E OTH ER YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SO > after Bertha Dobbins had arranged for ACTIVE IN THE CAUSE IN YOUR NE IGHBOUR- > Mother to come to Adelaide in 1945, when HOOD WILL RENDER IT MANY SERV ICES, PRO- > she also stayed in their home for a couple of MOTE UN ITY AN D LOVE IN THE COMMUN ITY, > 812 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > STRENGT HEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE FOUNDA- The Woodville Local Spiritual Assembly, > TIONS OF THE FAITH, AND ATTRACT MANY the first outside the city of Adelaide, was > NEW SOU LS TO IT. established in 1948 with Collis and Madge > (from a letter dated 26 October 1945) as founding members. The community > invited all the National Assembly members > Bertha and Joe Dobbins were visionaries and Mother Dunn to attend a public meeting > too, and they encouraged Collis and Madge in May announcing the Assembly's formato set their sights high- to establish an tion. Eight of the nine National Assembly > Assembly in their area, to teach, to travel, to members, as well as dear Mother, were able > attend the Baha'i summer schools ... The to come. The function was also attended by > Featherstones rose to all those challenges. about 100 other people and attracted public- > In 1946, Collis and Harold Fitzner started ity in the press. Woodville was the sixth > their monthly teaching trips to Kingston, Local Spiritual Assembly in Ausháalia and > south of Adelaide, a bus journey of several New Zealand at the time . > hours' duration (ve1y few Baha ' is had cars Collis attended the National Convention > in those early post-war days) . Teaching as an observer in 1946 and 1948. In 1949, he > activities contirmed there for more than six went as a delegate and was elected to the > years until the culmination of the Six Year National Assembly. Each year he was re-elected > Plan in 1953. In the latter years Collis pur- and served, often as chairman, until 1962. > chased a car and was able to take many In addition to serving the Faith as a mem- > Baha'is, including Mother Dmm, and over- ber of various institutions and a pa1iicipant > seas visitors such as Shirin Fozdar, on in Baha'i activities, the choices Collis made > teaching háips to Kingston. Merle Mueller, in his private life demonstrated his constant > whose family became Baha'is in Kingston, striving to live up to Baha ' i principles. As a > wrote at the time of Collis' passing: "Many result of wanting to observe the Nineteen > times in my life I have given silent praise Day Fast, Collis gave up smoking cigarettes. > and thanks that you were both instrumental So that he could better present the teachings > in giving the precious gift of the knowledge of Ba ha 'u' llah, he undertook a course m > ofBaha'u'llah to our family." public speaking. > Collis and Madge attended their first sum- His service also extended beyond the > mer school at Yeninbool in Janua1y 1947, Baha'i conmmnity. In his pre-marriage days, > and Collis went again on his own in January Collis had actively served with the St. John > 1949. On several subsequent occasions Col- Ambulance, and whilst it was not practical > lis and Madge travelled by car and caravan for him to continue when the family was > to attend and participate with the whole fam- very young, he was able to serve on the > ily. It was a long and tiring journey of about conm1ittee of the District and Bush Nursing > 1,5 00 kilometres each way, but it was the Society (DBNS) until they moved to Pmi > only way they could all afford to attend. Adelaide in April 1953 . During this period > During all those years Madge made almost both Collis and Madge assisted the settleall her own clothes as well as those of the ment of European inm1igrants to Australia > children so they could afford to be involved and helped them to reunite with their loved > in Baha'i activities. But in all cases where ones. After World War II they were also > there is sacrifice there is also gain, and in able to assist Baha'is in the Philippines by > this particular situation it was the great fun sending parcels of books and clothing. > and joy of being at the sunm1er school , as The Six Year Plan for the Ausháalian and > well as all the sight-seeing and visits to New Zealand Baha'is began in 1947, proplaces of interest on the way that made up viding the impetus for sustained teaching > for it. activities which led to the expansion of the > IN MEMORIAM 813 > Faith. As well as continuing with the trips to demonstrated by the Guardian, who inspired > Kingston and other towns on the way, Collis the Baha'is the world over and guided the > and Madge concentrated their efforts on establishment of Baha'i institutions around > consolidating the Woodville community and the world. We were unbelievably happy and > on raising the Port Adelaide Group to uplifted." > Assembly status, relocating in April 1953 to Whilst they were with the Guardian, he > raise the numbers and thus to fulfil the origi- received news of the anival of Bertha Dobnal goal of Bertha and Joe Dobbins. bins in the New Hebrides, and a few days > A look at their diaries of that time gives later, of Gladys Parke and Gretta Lamprill in > some indication of the constant Baha'i activ- Tahiti, both Ten Year Crusade goals for > ity: deepenings, firesides of their own, Australia. The Guardian was elated with the > supporting the firesides in other areas, pub- news. > lic meetings , committee meetings ... All of Because of their family and business > the goals of the Plan nation-wide were not commitments, Collis and Madge were > only achieved, but exceeded, and the believ- unable to pioneer overseas, offering instead > ers were understandably excited. to provide financial support to a pioneer for > Without a doubt, the Holy Year from many years. > October 1952 to October 1953 was a mile- Collis had a very deep affection and > stone in the lives of both Collis and Madge. respect for Mother Dunn, and when she was > Indeed, it was a year of immense signifi- appointed a Hand of the Cause of God early > cance for the entire Baha'i world. As one in 1952, he shared with all believers the great > Plan concluded, the Ten Year Crusade com- excitement at having a Hand on the contimenced in April 1953. The Australian nent of Australia. He set out to understand > Baha'is responded magnificently, and six of more about the role and work of the Hands, > the National Assembly members went out as and talked openly about their exalted station. > pioneers. There were four intercontinental When Collis and Madge were in Haifa in > conferences held, and the Australian Baha'i October 1953 , the Guardian elaborated on > community was invited to the one in New the Institution of the Hands of the Cause and > Delhi, India, held in October 1953 , to con- its work for the protection and teaching of > sult about ways to open the Asiatic and the Faith. Little did Collis know then that he > South Pacific areas to the Faith. was to find out more in a very personal way > By selling their house and homefront pio- in the not too-distant future . > neering to Port Adelaide, Collis and Madge It is evident from reading the pilgrim > were able to reorganise their finances so that notes prepared by Collis and Madge that the > they could go to the conference in New subjects elucidated by the Guardian formed > Delhi, on the Indian continent. In addition, the bedrock of Collis' action and talks for > they had cabled the Guardian for pe1mission the rest of his life. Topics included: The role > to go on pilgrimage. of the Hands and their Auxiliary Boards; > It was all an unforgettable experience. God's Plan and the Divine Plan; the relation- > The conference gave them their first real ship between individual Baha'is and > experience of unity in diversity, with so government; the need for Assemblies to be > many Baha'is of different racial, religious frank, wise, and uncompromising in their > and cultural backgrounds attending. And to relationship with the authorities, and to demfollow this with pilgrimage! They were onstrate to governments that we are patriotic > overwhelmed. As Madge has written: "If we but have nothing to do with politics; the role > needed any further confinnation of the and responsibilities of the pioneers; and > power of Baha'u'llah's Words to transform Australia and Japan-the two magnetic > and bring about peace on earth, we saw it poles of the Pacific. > 814 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In 1954, at the National Convention when utmost importance to the Incorporation of > Collis was chairman, Mother Dmm announced the Local Assemblies ... ". In consequence, > the appointment of her first two Auxiliary Collis was unrelenting in pushing for the > Board members, Collis Featherstone and incorporation of Assemblies. > Thelma Perks. Collis reacted by saying he Meanwhile, Mother Dunn was becoming > would have been quite relieved if the floor very frail, being well over 80 years old, and > had opened up and swallowed him. Collis and Thelma Perks would write all the > In addition to this appointment, and serv- reports to the Guardian as though Mother > ing on the National Assembly, he became were writing them, then seek her approval > secretary of the Asian Teaching Committee and signature. Gradually, they began to feel > which had been set up to assist the settle- a bit guilty that the reports were really theirs > ment of the pioneers, mostly in the Pacific and not Mother's, so they decided to "conarea. It was not long before the committee fess" to the Guardian. His reply through his > realized the pioneers were not only very secretary put their minds at rest: "He > lonely at times, but were starved for news, approves of and appreciates what you are > so Koala News, a regular newsletter, was doing and the way you are doing it, in view > born. For the pioneers it became their life- of Mother Dunn's condition. You should > line of support and news. Collis spared continue to carry fo1ward this work as you > nothing to keep the pioneers up to date, have been doing." (August 30, 1957) > often working late into the night. At the same time, Amatu ' l-Baha Rul:iiyyih > Collis knew from his own experience Khanum, in a brief reply to a letter from > early in his Baha' i life how uplifting it was Madge, added a postscript which read: "Our > to have news, and for the rest of his life he Guardian has new plans brewing- thrilling > made a point of joyfully and enthusiastically ones!" Collis was very excited, as he always > sharing news. was, with news from the Guardian, and he > A temporary vacuum was created when spoke openly of the thrilling plans to come. > so many active Baha'is went pioneering at When the National Assembly secretary > the beginning of the Ten Year Crusade, and telephoned him at work on Monday mornit took time for the community to recover ing, 7 October 1957, to tell him of the cable > and rebuild. With the Guardian's vision for received from Shoghi Effendi, he referred to > the future so clear in his mind, Collis was the thrilling news, canying on until Collis > constantly pushing for further development. asked him what it was all about. It read as > At the end of 1954, he visited New Zealand follows: > and Fiji, the first of his overseas visits as an ANNOUNCE YOUR ELEV ATION RANK HAND > Auxiliary Board member. This was followed CAUSE CONFIDENT NEW HONOUR WILL EN- > by a more extensive trip a year later which ABLE YOU RISE GREATER HEIGHTS SERVICE > included Papua New Guinea and the BELOVED FAITH SI-IOGI-II > Solomon Islands; and in August 1956, a visit > to Indonesia. Collis was shocked. He immediately left > During this early part of the Crusade, his office and went out to sit in his car to > there were many legal matters that Collis, as recover. After about half an hour his compoa National Assembly member, was involved sure had returned sufficiently for him to > with concerning Assembly by-laws, incor- phone Madge and then tell his business partporation, and Baha'i maniage. Collis was ner he'd had some disturbing news and was > the first Baha ' i to be a marriage celebrant in taking the rest of the day off. > the State of South Australia. The Guardian's Following the two great traumatic events > secretary wrote to him on 7 April 1955, of his life- his appointment as a Hand, and > advising that the Guardian "attached the a month later the passing of the beloved > IN MEMORIAM 815 > > Guardian-Collis' life entered a new phase. > As one of the "Chief Stewards", who had the > responsibility for the Baha'i world on his > shoulders, the scene had suddenly changed > dramatically. > It became necessary for him to change the > management of his business to enable him to > travel extensively. How he continued to run > his engineering business, carry on an evergrowing correspondence with his Auxiliary > Board members, individuals, and institutions, look after his family, and travel > tluáoughout the Australasian region and > beyond, not only to visit Baha'i communities, but also to present the Faith to > dignitaries and government officials wherever he went, is difficult to imagine. > During this period of five and a half years > from October 1957 to April 1963, which > made up the latter half of the Guardian's > world encircling Ten Year Crusade and cul- Collis Featherstone > minated in the first Baha' i World Congress > in London, Collis made 29 visits to 14 coun- From the very early days Collis kept histries in Australasia and Asia; visited nine torical records of Baha'is and events. He > countries in Europe and five in Central collected and subsequently had bound cop- > America; and travelled six times to the Holy ies of the early Baha'i magazines, such as > Land, the first five of which were to the Star of the West, the Australian Baha 'i > Conclaves of the Hands to consult on the Quarterly (now the Australian Bahiz 'i Bulle- > Plan and direct the Baha'i world until the tin), the American Bahiz 'i News, and Herald > formation of the Universal House of Justice of the South . He also collected photographs, > in 1963. and became a keen photographer. When he > Whenever there was an unexpected need, travelled to India and the Holy Land he > Collis would rise to the occasion without made two l 6mm silent colour movies, the > hesitation. For example, after fellow Hand first of which he titled "East Meets West" > Enoch Olinga had visited New Zealand, the and the second, as suggested by the Guard- > National Spiritual Assembly there specifi- ian, "Baha'i Holy Places in Israel". He used > cally requested the Hands of the Cause in the both extensively for teaching upon his > Holy Land to send someone else of the same return. This was all in pre-television times in > rank to visit the Maoris. Collis used his Australia, so the impact was significant. > annual Christmas vacation period in 1958- In November 1954, Collis made an audio- > 59 to go . Again in 1961, when ill health pre- tape recording of Mother Dunn relating her > vented Hand of the Cause John Robarts from experience of meeting 'Abdu'l-Baha in San > travelling, Collis went in his stead to Central Francisco in 1912. One 16nun colour film > America. Unfortunately, he too became very he made at the Conclave of the Hands at > ill, but apart from a few days of forced rest, Bahji in November 1958 is the only such > he carried on with his gruelling itinerary. He record of this period of the Hands, and shows > was so run down at the end of the journey the 25 Hands who were present, Corinne True > that it took him six months to recover. and Clara Dunn being too frail to attend. > 816 THE BA HA'I WORLD > > Collis would tell the friends everywhere The five years from 1963-1968 saw Collis' > he went: "You are making history now" . He travels expand considerably, with him makwas very conscious of this, and kept detailed ing a total of 66 visits to 42 counháies on all > records, including correspondence, pro- continents of the globe. During this period, > grammes, itineraries, and reports of all his his correspondence, already huge, expanded > travels which he put together in volumes and even further with the enlargement of his > bound himself. Auxiliary Board from four to nine in late > Many of the friends have expressed their 1964. The area of Ausháalasia is massive on > joy in being with him, of feeling the love its own, but the House of Justice frequently > and radiance he gave out constantly, and requested him to travel to Asia, as well. The > being instilled with a new confidence and amazing thing was that he really knew all > vision. He was the essence of detachment, as the friends in this vast area, their strengths, > if floating above the material world, and problems and needs; he was completely in > always in tune with the spiritual side of life. touch and had his finger on the pulse of this > The first full blood aborigine to embrace the vast region of the world. > Faith said he decided to become a Baha'i All of his travelling and the time he spent > after meeting Collis. on paperwork were at the cost of time witl1 > In October 1961 , on his way to the fifth his family, and many times over the years > Conclave of the Hands in the Holy Land, Collis would lament over his inability to > Collis had the very great bounty, as he spend as much time as he wished with his > expressed it, of passing by the Most Great children: Kaye, Margaret, Joan, Mariette, > House of Baha'u ' llah in Baghdad, and and Geoffrey. This of course did not diminvisiting the most Hallowed Spot where ish his deep love for each one of them. > Baha ' u ' llah declared His Mission in the When they had grown up, left home, married > Garden of Ri<;lvan. The Guardian had and in many instances gone overseas in purannounced that the convocation of the suit of Baha 'i service, he would endeavor to > Baha'i World Congress would be held in the arrange the routes of his long journeys so he > vicinity of this Garden, at Ridvan 1963, to could visit them. > celebrate "The Most Great Jubilee, com- In June 1968, following prolonged conmemorating the centenary of the Ascension sultation with the Hands of the Cause, the > of Baha'u ' llah to the Throne of His Sover- Universal House of Justice established the > eignty". This was not to be, due to the Continental Boards of Counsellors to carry > situation in Iraq, and the Congress was out the functions of the Hands into the > transferred to London. future. The Counsellors took over the super- > London for Collis, as for all the Hands, vision of the Auxiliary Boards, leaving the > was an event of great joy and relief. They Hands free to travel to "diffuse the Divine > had strictly followed their beloved Guard- Fragrances" and inspire the friends . TI1is was > ian' s guidelines to bring his Ten Year Plan a major change, and brought a certain sadto a victorious conclusion, to arrange for the ness for Collis as he no longer had the direct > election of the Universal House of Justice by and close contact with the Board members, > 56 National Spiritual Assemblies, and to but this was overridden by the joy of seeing > organise, with the British Baha'i commu- the development of the Faith into the future. > nity, the Congress to be held at the Royal As the years passed, and the children > Albert Hall in London. Collis especially grew up, his dear wife and devoted partner in > recalled the meetings of the House of Justice all their services to the Cause háavelled with > with the Hands at Rutland Gate and the final Collis more and more frequently. During the > handover to the members of the Universal eight years from 1968 to 1976, culminating > House of Justice. with the International Teaching Conferences > ' > IN MEMORIAM 817 > in Anchorage, Alaska, in July, and Paris, Graham Hassall summed up Collis' qual- > France, in August of 1976, Collis made 126 ities when he wrote on behalf of the National > visits to 49 countries. Of the eight Oceanic Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Austraand Continental Conferences held in 1971, lia: "Who can adequately portray the > Collis attended three-in Singapore, Suva qualities of such a man? He exemplified > and Sapporo-the trips taking a total of six spirit in action. He was holy, active and > months and covering 28 countries. practical, pure and radiant. He possessed > As the number of Hands diminished, it authority, he inspired confidence, he showed > was the wish of the Universal House of Jus- love. He had the power of attraction." > tice that Collis be totally free to travel, so in One of his exhortations to the friends was > 1976, he sold his engineering firm in Ade- to delve constantly into the Holy Writings, > laide. In 1977, he and Madge moved from as well as the writings and letters of the > Adelaide to Rockhampton, Central Queen- Guardian and the messages of the House of > sland. During the last 14 years of his life he Justice. He most certainly practised this > made a total of 243 visits to 95 countries on himself; the Writings were his mine and he > all continents. shared the gems he found with all the > In 1982, Collis and Madge attended the friends. His "book" of quotations that was > International Conference in Dublin, Ireland with him always is well known to those who > in June, one of five conferences dedicated to met him, along with his well worn and highthe memory of the Greatest Holy Leaf, and lighted copies of the Will and Testaments of > then continued to travel for nearly five both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, from > months, covering 19 countries. which he invariably quoted. > The pace of his activities was slowed In September 1990, Collis and Madge set > down by two heart attacks in 1986. But a out on a visit to Asia, with a high point > less severe heart attack in June 1988 did not scheduled in Lahore, Pakistan, for the Interstop him travelling from September onwards national Youth Conference. This was not to > to Laos and China! Nothing would stop Col- be, for he left this world on Saturday, 29 Seplis visiting the friends , even if they were in tember following a heart attack while on top > remote villages or islands where access was of the world in Kathmandu, Nepal. Collis had > possible only by foot, maybe bicycle, or been involved in a number of firsts over the > dugout canoe. The extent of his travels in years, and his passing achieved yet another: > some areas of the Pacific is unparalleled. the first ever publicity for the Faith in Nepal > As one of the Counsellors to travel in the in both the Nepalese and English newspapers. > island areas of Australasia, Howard Harwood, Truly, he "died with his boots on", doing > wrote: "One thing I soon discovered was what he loved best- serving the Cause. > that wherever I went, no matter how remote, Four of their five children and two of their > Collis had been there ahead of me. He was sons-in-law were able to go to Kathmandu to > well known and respected everywhere." be with Madge. Collis was laid to rest in the > Collis had a sense of fun and liked to Baha' i cemetery overlooking the beautiful > relax his audience by telling jokes. He had valley of Kathmandu, with the snow-capped > quite a collection which he used to illustrate peaks of the Himalayas in view. > his points on spiritual matters in his talks. On 30 September 1990, the Universal > He was also quite adept at teasing. However, House of Justice sent the following message > he was also very sensitive: sensitive to good to all National Assemblies: > music, and sensitive above all to the spirit of > the Faith and the power of the Words of DEEPLY GRIEVED ANNOUNCE PASSING VALIANT > Baha 'u 'llah which often visibly moved 1-IAND CAUSE GOD COLLI S FEATH ERSTONE > him- and consequently, others. WHlLE VISITING KATllMAN DU, NEPAL, COURSE > 818 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > EXTENSIVE JOURNEY ASIA. HIS NOTABLE AS MEMBER AND LATER SECRETARY NATIONAL > ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS STAUNCH, FEARLESS SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY CRADLE ADMINIS- > DEFENDER COVENANT, I-IIS UNCEAS ING COM- TRATIVE ORDER, AS SECRETARY-GENERAL > MITMENT PROPAGATION CAUSE ALL PARTS INTERNATIONAL BAHA ' I COUNCIL FOLLOWED > WORLD, ESPECIALLY PACIFIC REGION, HIS BY HIS OUTSTANDING LABOURS AS MEMBER > UNREMITTING PERSEVERANCE FOSTERING UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE SINCE ITS > ESTABLISHMENT LOCAL, NATIONAL INSTITU- INCEPTION. PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS HIS > TIONS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER, HIS EXEM- RADIANT SOUL, CONFIDENT RICH WELL- > PLARY DEVOTION TO WRITINGS FAITH, HIS DESERVED REWARD ABHA KINGDOM HIS > OUTSTANDING PERSONAL QUALITIES UN- UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION PROGRESS CONSOLI- > SWERVING LOY ALTY, ENTHUSIASM, ZEAL AND DATION FAITH NORTH AMERICA AND AT > DEDICATION, DISTINGUISH HIS MANIFOLD WORLD CENTRE. EXTEND LOVING SYMPATHY > SERVICES THROUGHOUT MANY DECADES. HIS BELOVED WIDOW WHO SHARED SUPPORTED > OFFERING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES BOUNTIFUL HIS SERVICES THROUGHOUT PERIOD l-IIS > REWARD HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHA KJNGDOM. DISTINGUISHED PROFESSIONAL CAREER, HIS > ADVISE FRIENDS EVERYWHERE HOLD BEFIT- BRILLIANT LABOURS CAUSE GOD, AND TO HIS > TING MEMORIAL GATI-IERINGS, PARTICULARLY BEREA YEO DAUGHTERS AND FAMILY. ADVISE > IN MASHRIQU'L-ADHKARS, RECOGNITION HIS FRIENDS EVERYWHERE HOLD BEFITTING > MAGNIFICENT ACl-IIEVEMENTS. MEMORIAL GATHERINGS, INCLUDING COM- > MEMORATIVE SERV ICES IN HIS HONOUR ALL > The National Spiritual Assembly of the MASHRIQU'L-ADHKARS. > Baha'is of Australia organised a memorial Universal House of Justice > service at the House of Worship, Sydney, at 27 January 1987 > noon on Sunday, 4 November 1990, which > was attended by all the immediate members Charles Wolcott was his parents ' first child, > of Collis' family, except three of his grand- born in Flint, Michigan, U .S .A., on 29 Sepchildren who were unable to travel from tember 1906. His father, Frederick Charles > overseas. The service was very moving and Wolcott, an accountant whose business > beautiful and was followed by a public interests were overshadowed by his love for > tribute in a venue especially organised for music, formed a small-town orchestra in > the occasion and completed with the gentle which his son participated, on the piano and > lamentations in the forn1 of rain from the accordion, from an early age. By the time > celestial heavens. Charles reached high school he had his own > GRAHAM AND KAYE WATERMAN , four-piece orchestrn (piano, banjo, saxo- > WITH MADGE FEATHERSTONE > phone, drums) for playing at school dances. > When he attended the University of Michigan, > his larger band, "Charley Wolcott and his > Wolverines", played for faculty (ballroom) > CHARLES WOLCOTT dances and his smaller bands for fraternity > 1906- 1987 and sorority (tea) dances . In the 1920s he > went to the larger city of Detroit to play > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING DISTINGUISHED piano in hotels and ballrooms with the Jean > SERVANT CAUSE GOD, DEDICATED WORKER Goldkette Organization and also performed > HI S VINEYARD CHARLES WOLCOTT. SELF- on radio shows. > LESSNESS, HUMILITY, COURAGE, NOB ILITY, Charles married Harriett Marshall, from > FAIR-MINDEDNESS, PERSEVERANCE CHARAC- his hometown of Flint, on 30 August 1928, > TERIZED HIS UN INTERRUPTED SERV ICES and soon after they moved to Toronto, Canada, > COURSE HALF A CENTURY, IN HIS CAPACITY then New York where, in spite of the > IN MEMORIAM 819 > Depression, he was always able to find work > as a pianist, composer, arranger, or conductor with the Paul Whiteman Band, Benny > Goodman, the Dorsey brothers, Columbia > Records, and network radio programs such > as Burns and Allen (George and Gracie), > Kate Smith, and Bob Hope. > While the Wolcotts were living in New > York City, their two daughters, Sheila and > Marsha, were born. The apartment building > in which the family lived was managed by a > Baha'i couple, and about 1935 they were > intráoduced to the Faith. Their interest in the > Teachings was nurtured in New York, but > they did not become Baha'is until later in > California. > Fascinated by the colour and sound > developments in motion pictures, Charles > moved the family to Hollywood, California, > in 1937 and soon began working at the Walt > Disney Studios writing music for cartoon Charles Wolcott > shorts, then feature films , such as Pinocchio > and Bambi. By 1944 he had become General as chai1man of the American Southwest > Musical Director at Disney Studios. In 1950 Teaching Committee (1950-1952); and served > he transferred to the Metráo-Goldwyn-Mayer as chairman of the American National > (MGM) Studios as Associate General Musi- Teaching Committee (1953-1956). In 1953, > cal Director and in 1958 became General he was elected to the National Spiritual > Musical Director. In 1955, after he placed Assembly of the United States on which he > Bill Haley's song "Rock Around The Clock" served as vice-chairman until 1960. > in the MGM movie Blackboard Jungle, It was during this period that the Baha'i > the "rock and roll" music craze spread world lost its beloved Guardian, Shoghi > worldwide. Effendi. When the Hand of the Cause of > Charles and Harriett enrolled in the God Horace Holley, who had served on the > Baha'i Faith in Los Angeles in August 1938 National Assembly since 1923 and spent > and were members of the Los Angeles com- 34 years as its secretary, was called to the > munity for the next 22 years. During this Baha'i World Centre as one of the nine > period he composed music as a setting for Hands to serve in the Holy Land, Charles > some of the prayers ofBaha'u'llah including was elected secretary of the National > "From the Sweet Scented Stráeams'', "O Assembly in 1960. In January 1960 he > Thou By Whose Name", and "Blessed is the resigned his position as head of the Music > Spot." Department at MGM Studios and he and > Charles was appointed to be a member of Harriett moved to Wilmette, Illinois, so he > the Inter-America Baha ' i Teaching Commit- could take up his duties in the National > tee (1942- 1944); served as chairman of the Baha'i Center. > National Audio-Visual Education Committee In January 1951 , Shoghi Effendi had > ( 1946-1948); was elected to the Los Angeles formed a Baha'i International Council to > Local Spiritual Assembly (1948- 1960) and assist him in the work of "expansion and > served as chairman or vice-chairman; served consolidation of the international institutions > 820 Tl-IE BAHA' I WORL D > > of the Faith" [Shoghi Effendi, letter to the which he would be re-elected to subsequent > American Baha'i community dated 19 July terms in 1968, 1973, 1978 and 1983. He > 1956, cited in The Baha'i World, volume died suddenly, toward the end of his last > XIII, 395]. Following the passing of the term, on 26 January 1987. > Guardian in 1957, the Hands of the Cause of Throughout their 26 years at the Baha'i > God-who administered the Faith from the World Centre, Harriett devoted herself to > passing of Shoghi Effendi until the election assisting in various offices at the Centre as > of the Universal House of Justice in 1963- well as being Charles' lifelong companion > called for the election of nine members for during 58 years of marriage. Their love of > the International Baha'i Council by postal music was sustained by regular attendance at > ballot from all National and Regional Spir- the performances of the Israel Philharmonic > itual Assemblies in the Baha'i world at Orchestra. And, as a gift to the Baha'i > Ri9van 1961. The elected Council was to friends at the World Centre, they frequently > work under the direction and supervision of opened their home for musical evenings. > the Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy The demanding work as a member of the > Land for a two-year term of office, and Universal House of Justice left little time or > would cease to exist upon the election of the energy for creating musical compositions, > first Universal House of Justice. At Ri9van but music listening was a constant source of > 1961 , Charles Wolcott was one of the nine strength and spiritual enrichment. Amongst > elected to the International Baha'i Council his papers was found the compilation > and was elected by that body to be its secre- "Extracts from the Baha'i Writings on > tary-general. Music" in which he had underlined certain > Charles and Harriett moved from the passages such as: "We have made music a > United States to the Baha'i World Centre in ladder by which souls may ascend to the > 1961 to take up his two-year post on the realm on high" [Kitab-i-Aqdas]; "A wonder- > International Baha'i Council, not knowing ful song giveth wings to the spirit and filleth > that his service to the Faith would keep him the heart with exaltation" [Baha 'i World > in that Holy Spot for another 26 years until Faith, 334]; and "Music is one of the imporhis death. tant arts ... . although music is a material > On 21 April 1963, the first day ofRi9van affair, yet its tráemendous effect is spiritual, > in the year 120 B.E, the Centenary anniver- and its greatest attachment is to the realm of > sary of the Declaration by Baha' u'llah of the spirit.... In this Cause the art of music is > His sacred Mission, the election of the Uni- of paramount importance" [Abdu 'l-Baha, > versal House of Justice was held in the "Table Talk," ' Akka, July 1909, quoted in > House of the Master in Haifa. The delegates Herald of the South, 13 January 1933, 2- 3]. > invited to this first International Convention For the occasion of his 80th birthday in > were the 504 members of the 56 National September 1986, he and Harriett tráavelled to > and Regional Spiritual Assemblies who Santa Monica, California, to join most of > were charged with the sacred privilege and their family in a celebration. This was the > duty of voting for the nine people of the last time they were all to be together. If there > Baha ' i world community who would com- was any regret in his happy and productive > prise the membership of this first Universal life it was only this , as he wrote to his grand- > House of Justice. The results of the election daughter who was pioneering in Yugoslav ia: > were announced at the close of the morning It's sad not to be present during these > session of the Convention on 22 April. precious days when one 's grandchildren > Charles Wolcott, who had received the high- and great grandchildren are spreading > est number of votes, found himself now a their wings. But there are compensations, > member of the Universal House of Justice to however, when we realize the wonderful > fN MEMORIAM 821 > services being rendered by the vanous HOWARD BORRAH KAVELIN > family members .... Nana and I send you 1906--1988 > loads of love, sorry it can't be lemon pie > too. Maybe next year, Nana will make HEARTS LADEN WITH SORROW OVER LOSS TO > one for you when you come [to Haifa]. BAHA'i WORLD OUR DEARLY-LOVED FORMER > Hasta la vista! [signed] Baba. COLLEAGUE H. BORRAH KA YELIN OUTSTAND- > The letter is dated August 1986 and the ING SERVANT CAUSE BAHA'U' LLAH. INDOM I- > wish could not be fulfilled. Five months TABLE FAITH, RIGOROUS CONSC IENTIOUSNESS, > later he passed away and was buried in IRREPRESSIBLE OPTIMfSM, UNFA ILING RE LI- > the Baha'i Cemetery at the foot of Mount ABILITY, UNBLEM ISHED TRUSTWORTH INESS > Carmel after a long and distinguished life AMONG BRJLLIANT QUALITIES WHICH SHONE > dedicated for almost half a century to the THROUGH HIS NEARLY HALF CENTURY MONU - > Blessed Beauty, Baha' u 'llah. MENTAL SERVICES TO CAUSE HE CONSTANTLY > Memorial services were held throughout I'ROMOTED AND DEFEN DED TO LAST DAYS > the world including one arranged by his wife HIS DISTINGU ISHED LIFE. HIS EXTENS IVE > and daughters in the Los Angeles Baha'i INVOLVEMENT BAHA' i ADMINISTRATIVE AF- > Center on 12 April 1987. One of Charles' FAIRS BEGAN IN 1941 WITH HIS NINE YEARS > music colleagues from his days at MGM ON LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY NEW YORK > Studios, Johnny Green, closed his "Appreci- AND INCLUDED 13 YEARS ON NATIONA L SP IR- > ation" remarks saying: "Tluáoughout the years ITUAL ASSEMBLY UN ITED STATES, TWO > since the end of our MGM togetherness, YEARS ON INTERNATIONA L BAHA' i COUNC IL > Charles and I have remained close through FOLLOWED BY QUARTER CENTURY MEMBER- > regular correspondence and intermittent in- SHIP ON UN IVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE. HIS > person visits. His letters shared with me the MANIFOLD SERVICES ES PEC IALLY MARKED > difficulties and h01rnrs that the Baha'is were BY HIS DILIGENT EN DEAVORS TO ASS IST > experiencing [in Iran] and his efforts to deal DEVELOPMENT EXTERNAL AF FAIRS AGENCIES > with these soul-searing situations. And, BA HA' i INTERt'\/ATIONAL COMMUN ITY, HIS > tluáough it all, the beauty of his faith, the DEFTNESS FOR DIGNIFIED PROMOT ION FINAN - > purity of his spirit, his divinely inspired CIAL INTERESTS FAITH, 1-llS LUSTROUS RECORD > patience, calm and kindness imbued life IN CONNECTION ACQU ISITION IMPORTANT > with a strong feeling of hope. All of you PROPERTIES INCLUDING MANS ION MAZRA'IH > here know, even far better than I, what a AND HOUSE 'ABDU'LLAH PAS HA. > dynamic force for good Charles Wo lcott OFFERING ARDENT SUPPLICATI ONS I-IOL Y > was, not only in the wide circles where he THRESHOLD IHAT HIS NOBLE SOUL MAY BE > was personally known, but throughout this RICHLY REWARDED AB HA KINGDOM AND > sorely troubled world. It was my privilege to THAT BLESSED BEAUTY MAY SURROUND HIS > spend a couple of hours with Charles in per- BELOVED WIFE FLORE AN D DEAR CH ILDREN > son here sh01ily before his final return to WITH DI VINE MERCY AN D ASS ISTANCE. > Haifa [in September 1986]. How eagerly he ADV ISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERINGS IN > was looking forward to his working retire- HI S HONOUR ALL HOU SES WORSH IP AND > ment! And now he has been called home .... THROUGHOUT BAHA'i COMMUN ITY. > In my heart of hearts I know that Charles Universal House of Justice > Wolcott 's noble and courageous spirit has > been given as an inspirational beacon to all H. Borrah Kavelin was born in Russia to a > of us to make this world the far better place distinguished Jewish family on 16 March > that it just has to be because he passed this 1906, the sixth of seven children. They > way." immigrated to the United States when he > SHEILA WOLCOTT BANAN I was three years old and remained in Denver, > 822 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Colorado. His father was a greatly beloved apartment in New York, Bonah found that > Rabbi in Denver, a pillar of the Jewish com- over the period of several years when he and > munity and well known as a healer. He lost his wife were studying the Faith, not one > his life caring for others during an influenza question he raised failed to elicit a meaningepidemic. His mother was founder of the ful, satisfying answer. By 1940, he decided > Beth Israel Hospital and Old Folks' Home in that he must serve a Faith which stood for all > Denver. the principles in which he deeply believed. > As a young lad, Borrah had obtained a job The Kavelins had three children: Linda, > as an usher at an opera house. His love for Thomas, and John. Over the years the educamusic drew him to New York City, and his tion of the children in the Teachings of the > debut as an operatic tenor occuned on the Faith received much emphasis as part of > stage of Carnegie Hall. Through music, he family life. Every summer was spent at > met Martha Hamilton, a pianist studying at Green Acre Baha'i School in Eliot, Maine. > the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Bonah and Martha Kavelin were instrumen- > They were manied in 1936. tal in establishing a very successful > Those were difficult financial times for children's sunday school on Long Island. > everyone during the Great Depression, and They also had regular firesides in their > a singer's life could not support a family . home, and youth firesides with standing > So Bonah turned from his musical career to room only. > become a secretary to the director of a real From 1941 to 1950, Bonah served on the > estate firm. His diligence and ability were Local Spiritual Assembly of New York City, > soon recognized, and he became a partner in for seven years serving as chairman of that > that original firm, and then served as the body. In 1950, he was elected to the > executive vice-president for a number of National Spiritual Assembly of the United > commercial realty companies in New York. States. His services on the National Assem- > In 1943, he joined the distinguished film bly continued for 13 years, during which he > of Durand Taylor and Company where he served for a number of years as treasurer and > was partner and executive vice-president for from 1958 to 1963 as chairman. > 20 years. His company, which bought, sold In 1955, during a surge of persecutions of > and managed skyscrapers, was known in the friends in Persia, he was very actively > financial circles as "the Tiffany's of the real involved and instrumental in gaining recogestate world." He received two awards dur- nition of the plight of the believers. Through > ing his career, both for the most outstanding his efforts and those of others working on > transactions of the year. this issue, the force of the world-wide > He had a pristine reputation for trustwor- Baha' i community was brought to the attenthiness and honesty, considered by some to tion of the highest dignitaries of the Iranian > be rather unusual qualities in the realty government. Because he conducted himself > world. One client who was visiting their with perfect decorum and dignity as well as > home said to Mrs. Kavelin, "Your husband deep assurance of the support of the Blessed > has only one flaw. He is too honest." She Beauty, he was often called upon to reprereplied, "Would you do business with any- sent the National Assembly in meetings with > one else?" He laughed and admitted that he top level officials. > would not. Bonah served as a trustee for a number of > Bonah Kavelin's first exposure to the Baha'i properties, including Green Acre > Teachings of the Faith was through the fire- Baha'i School, and he represented the > sides of Vaffa and Saffa Kinney, a couple National Spiritual Assembly on several misdearly loved by 'Abdu'l-Baha. While attend- sions. In 1957, he chaired the first national > ing gatherings in their large brownstone convention for the formation of the National > JN MEMORIAM 823 > > Spiritual Assembly of the Benelux Countries > (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), > and the National Spiritual Assembly asked > him to represent it at an international conference to be held the following year in > Kampala, Uganda. > Shoghi Effendi, to whom Bonah Kavelin > was deeply and personally devoted, invited > him to come on pilgrimage directly after the > Kampala Conference. He had never had the > bounty of meeting Shoghi Effendi personally, and he was deeply touched by the > opportunity to pay homage to him. However, this meeting was never to occur. The > greatest blow ofBonah's life came when he > learned of the beloved Guardian's untimely > death in London, shmily before they were to > meet. He grieved openly, as did so many > others. After this, he dedicated himself more > and more to the service of the Cause for > Borrah Kave/in > which Shoghi Effendi had given his life. > Following Shoghi Effendi's passing, the > Baha' i world was in turmoil. The interna- forward with great excitement and eager > tional Baha'i community looked to the anticipation to the election of the first > Hands of the Cause of God for guidance. In Universal House of Justice, described by > 1961 the Hands decided that an International 'Abdu ' l-Baha as that body which is "to be > Baha ' i Council should be fo1med for two universally elected and established" and > years. Borrah Kavelin was among those would be "under the care and protection of > elected, and he served the Council as the Abha Beauty, under the shelter and > member-at-large rather than in residence in unening guidance of His Holiness, the > Haifa and was given permission to continue Exalted One." (Baha 'i World Faith, p. 442) > serving on the National Spiritual Assembly. The election took place in the House of > Much of the work with which he was the Master, ' Abdu ' l-Baha, in Haifa, Israel, > involved was of a very serious nature. In and the first members of the Universal House > 1961 during the Moroccan crisis, a time of of Justice were introduced during the World > severe persecutions of the believers in that Congress, held in the Royal Albert Hall in > country, he was one of those asked to serve London. As their names were read, the nine > the international community in organizing a men of the House of Justice took their places > campaign to protest against the imprison- on the stage. Borrah Kavelin told his family > ments and impending executions ofBaha ' is. later that he had had tears streaming down > Cables poured in from every comer of the his face and fe lt a profound humility such as > world, from Paris, France to Tegucigalpa, he had never experienced before. > Honduras. The Moroccan government was Before he moved to the World Centre in > forced to hear the voices of people all over Haifa, a luncheon was given in a distinthe globe, from places it had never even guished private club in New York so that > heard of! It had a powerful effect and the many of his business associates could pay > persecutions abated. their respects and say goodbye. They were > In 1963, the whole Baha' i world looked one and all moved by the choice he was > 824 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > making and profoundly respectful of the path well and felt ready to begin a life of retiláehe had chosen. Unfortunately, his marriage ment in the United States. > did not survive the háansition, and Martha did The National Spiritual Assembly asked > not accompany him to the Holy Land. Mr. Kavelin to serve as a keynote speaker at > He served the Universal House of Justice six regional "Vision to Victory" conferences > for a full quarter of a century, from 1963 to tluáoughout the United States, and he was > 1988. He was beloved at the World Centre delighted. This became the driving force of > for his diligence and the powerful energy his day-to-day life. When the cancer > and professionalism he brought to his tasks , recurred, and his health began to fail rapidly, > pa1iicularly in the acquisition of properties he was even more driven to fulfill his comfor the Faith. Two of the crowning achieve- mitment to these conferences. > ments which highlighted his service to the He was able to address the first confer- > Universal House of Justice were the pur- ence in Boston, Massachusetts: his frail > chases of the Mansion of Mazra' ih and the voice did not diminish the ardor with which > House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha in 'Akki he spoke to the friends of the imperative > Mr. Kavelin represented the Universal necessity to raise the Arc on Mount Ca1mel. > House of Justice on four significant missions However, by the time his plane arrived at > to Iran to consult with the friends there about the second conference site, in Chattanooga, > the financial needs of the Faith. His first trip Tennessee, he was so ill that he had to be > was in 1965, the second in 1970 to consult rushed to the hospital in acute distress. His > about I:Iuququ ' llah, the third in 1975 to con- undeviating concern about making a presensu lt about the raising of the Seat of the tation as he had promised was creatively > Universa l House of Justice on Mount Carmel, solved by a doctor who asked if the Baha'is > and the fourth in 1978. could videotape his talk there, in the hospital > In 1970 he met and married a beautiful, room. Mr. Kavelin agreed and arrangements > devoted, and distinguished believer from were swiftly made to tape his talk. > Tihran, Manij eh Flore Taheri [Manizhih Shortly after the talk, Mr. Kavelin lapsed > F lore Tahiri] . She was his helpmate for the into a coma. However, he recovered to the > next 20 years and often served as his háansla- extent that two minor "miracles" were to > tor on those missions to Iran. occur. One was to give a Thanksgiving dilmer > After the revolution in Iran in 1979, he to thank the doctor and all the many Baha' i > again represented the Universal House of friends in Chattanooga who had been so > Justice at a time when the Baha' i world was kind to him. The other was to return home to > grieving for its losses in the bilihplace of the Albuquerque. He lived another three weeks > Cause. During a ten-week mission, he trav- in his home in Albuquerque, then on 18 Deceled throughout Europe, Canada, and the ember 1988, he passed away. > United States meeting with thousands of "You wander all your life in search of > Baha ' is who thronged to hear him. His mis- meaning and then you find at the end, at > sion was to explain the state of the Persian the core, there is only the Covenant." These > friends , and the impact on the Baha'i world were among the last words of Bmrah Kavelil1, > community of the persecutions. a man who lived to his last breath the > In 1987, after nearly 25 years of service, commihnent he had made to Baha'u'llah. > at 81 years of age, Borrah Kavelin asked to One of his favorite passages read at his > be excused from serving any longer as a funeral , attended by hundreds of friends, > member of the Universal House of Justice. was "As ye have faith, so shall your powers > Within two weeks from the time his retire- and blessings be." He was laid to rest in > ment was aimounced he was hospitalized for the Failáview Memorial Park ill Albuquerque, > cancer surgery, after which he recovered New Mexico. His epitaph reads simply: > IN MEMORIAM 825 > > "Howard Borrah Kavelin, 1906- 1988, the tutorship of his cousin, Siyyid I:Iasan > Charter Member of the Universal House of Hashimi-Zadih. > Justice." In 1916, he went with his cousins to > LIN DA KA YE LIN Porov Ramadan and started to work in one of the > Baha'i friend's shops. He returned to Tihran > in 1922 and was engaged as a teacher in > primary classes at the Tarbiyat School. In > QUDRATU'LLAH VAI:IfD-I-'fIHRANi Tihran one of his cousins, 'Abdu ' llah VaJ:iid, > 1900- 1986 helped him and his mother a great deal during > the Depression. People in Persia had just > Qudratu ' llah Vahid-i-Tihrani was born on started using family names and Qudratu' llah, > 6 May 1900 in Tihran, Persia. His father, following the example of his cousins, chose > 'Ali- ' Askar, was one of the early believers VaJ:iid-i-Tihrani as his family name. > of Kashan who, in spite of being illiterate, Qudratu ' llah learned how to use a typefound the truth by persistent investigation writer, which was new in Tihran, and in > and embraced the Faith after he heard The 1927 was employed by the Ministry of > Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah chanted at a Finance in a secretarial position. He became > Baha'i fireside. He exclaimed: "These are well-known for his diligent service, reliability > the Words of God! He Who revealed them is and trustworthiness, and he was sent to India > assuredly the Messenger of God!" on a special assignment in 1944. In 1946, he > Soon afterward, 'Ali-' Askar changed his was appointed the accountant and director of > residence to Tihran, and wandered in the the Office of the Iranian Agency in India. He > villages around the city as a peddler of cloth. returned to Iran in September 1948 and was > He had memorized The Hidden Words and given the post of assistant director of the > used to chant them aloud while on his trav- archives in the Ministry of Finance. > els. Through the stirring effect of these He was an active and faithful member of > Words revealed by the Pen of Baha'u'llah, the Baha'i community wherever his work > this illiterate person was instrumental in sent him. While in Tihran, before his jourbringing into the Baha'i Faith over 400 of ney to India, he worked part-time in the > his fellow countrymen. office of the National Assembly as secretary > ' Ali- ' Askar journeyed on foot to ' Akka in in charge of the correspondence files. He > 1876. He spent four months there, frequently also served on the Persian Holy Places Comin the presence of the Blessed Beauty, and at mittee. Once in 1943, in response to a call by > times while the Holy Words were being the National Spiritual Assembly for homerevealed. On one such occasion a prayer was front pioneers, he and his family moved to > revealed for him, and later he was honoured MaJ:iallat, a village to the south of Tihran; > with fom Tablets. but within a few months he was recalled to > Qudrah1'llah, which means Power of God, the capital by the Ministry of Finance, in > was born when his father, in his 70s, had lost which he worked, and was sent to India. > 14 children from a previous wife and had During the four years he spent in India, he > married Pari Khanum, a Baha'i widow in a served the Faith in Bombay and was elected > village near Tihran called Varamin. His a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly. > father soon passed away, and Qudratu ' llah, When the petroleum industry in Iran was > six years old, was brought up by his mother nationalized in 1950, Mr. Allahyar ~alil:i, one > with the help of relatives , under severe of the directors of the Ministry of Finance, > financial hardship. He went through primary arrived in A.badan as part of the government > education in the Tarbiyat School in Tihran representative body, with Mr. Tihrani accomand attended Baha' i study classes under panying him as a private secretary. In > 826 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > the southern part of Iran for six months > immediately after pilgrimage. This proved > to be the best means of alleviating his grief > and despondency. > When Mr. 'fihrani reported on his assignment to the Guardian, He advised him to > pioneer out of Iran, and recommended Japan, > a pioneer goal in the Ten Year Crusade. > Thereupon Mr. 'f ihrani retired from government service and left Iran, arriving in Tokyo > 4 October 1957. On the advice of the > National Spiritual Assembly of North East > Asia, he pioneered to the northern island of > Hokaido, and settled in Sapporo as the first > pioneer. When he arrived there was only one > Baha'i in Sapporo, but 17 months later the > first Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of > Sapporo was formed with Mr. 'fihrani being > among those elected. > With the help of two new Baha' is in > Qudratu 'llah fihrani Sapporo, he held meetings to teach the Faith > in the neighbouring cities. This diligent > September 1954, he was officially appointed service continued 16 years during which he > the office manager for the board of directors made occasional journeys outside Japan to > in charge of the transfer from the British renew his visa. He suceeded in bringing into > Petroleum Company to the Anglo-Iranian Oil the Faith a number of natives from the Ainu > Company. In May 1955, when Mr. Bazargan, tribe, and encouraged them to build Baha' i > a devout Muslim, became general refineries centres in three towns. The National Spirmanager, Mr. Tihrani, who was known to itual Assembly of Japan wrote: > him to be a trustworthy employee and a > If there is one quality that we all > devoted Baha'i, was appointed director of > remember about Mr. Tihrani it was his > the general office in the Abadan refinery. He > great love. He was elderly when he came > was provided with first class residence in > to Japan and he never learned to speak > Abadan, and lived there with his family. > Japanese. His health was often quite poor, > Mr. Tihrani's family consisted of his > and his income was limited. But there > wife, Na~riyyih $a~il;i, a son named Farhad, > was no limit on his great love, which > and a daughter named Parivash. The chilencompassed everyone he came into condren were sent to England to pursue higher > tact with. All felt it, and will always > studies. Na~riyyih Khanum accompanied > remember him. > her husband in all his places of work. In > The cold weather of Hokaido Island, > Abadan, however, in 1954 her health steadily > with frost and snow half of the year, > deteriorated and she passed away in 1956. > finally caused Mr. Tihrani to suffer from > Mr. and Mrs . 'fihrani had applied to go on > severe backaches, and the doctors recompilgrin1age to the Holy Land together, but > mended he should leave the place. > tragically permission granted reached them > shortly after Mrs . Tihrani had passed away, In 1970 he was sent by the Hand of > and he had to go alone. The beloved Guard- the Cause of God Ra~atu'llah Muhajir to > ian suggested a number of teaching trips to Hong Kong, where he stayed in the Baha'i > IN MEMORIAM 827 > Centre and held Baha'i meetings and study of pioneer service, and after visiting his son > classes to encourage and deepen the friends. in England he went to Zimbabwe to live > After four months he was asked by the Hand with his daughter Parivash Harvey. Old age > of the Cause to go on a teaching trip to the and weakness, however, did not prevent him > Philippines. In 1971, he was invited by a from going on teaching trips in Zimbabwe > pioneer family to the island of Guam, and and to the neighbouring countries of Zambia > while in that community he was elected a and Malawi under the guidance of Counsellor > member of a Local Spiritual Assembly. Shidan FatJ:t-i-A '?'.am. > Finally, at the invitation of Counsellor Mr. Tihrani 's whole life was dedicated > Suhayl 'Ala'i, he went to Samoa on 17 March to serving his Lord. He passed away in May > 1974. Here, with guidance and assistance 1986, after an operation for a fractured hip. > from Mr. 'Ala'i he performed lengthy and The following telex was sent to Zimbabwe by > valuable teaching trips to most of the islands the Universal House of Justice on 22 May: > in the Pacific. He was privileged to meet > with the King of Western Samoa, His High- DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING FAITHFUL CONSE- > ness Malietoa Tanumafili II, and enjoyed CRATED PROMOTER FAJTH QUDRATU 'LLAH > a warm and enduring friendship with the VAHID-TEHRANI. HIS LONG RECORD DISTIN- > Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Sir GUISHED SERVICES FAITH IN MANY LANDS > Thomas Davis, and with Lady Davis, who LOVINGLY REMEMBERED. CONVEY RELA- > was a Baha'i. TIVES DEEP SYMPATHY ASSURANCE FERVENT > In total, Mr. Tihrani travelled to more PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES HIS NOBLE SOUL. > than 50 countries and islands after his retire- FU ' AD ASHRAF > ment, including Australia, New Zealand, the > Hawaiian islands, across the United States, > and several countries in Europe and Africa. WINNANIK AND MUBARAK > His greatest joy was visiting isolated commu- c.1959-1984/1948-1986 > nities and bringing to them the reassurance > of the love ofBaha'u'llah. Mubarak was born in 1948 in Canga'an > Correspondence with friends was another village, Genteng sub-district, Banyuwangi > noteworthy feature of Mr. Tihrani's activi- district, East Java province, Indonesia. He was > ties. For more than 25 years this devoted the fifth of seven children of Mul.iammad > servant of Baha'u'llah kept up a continuous $aliJ:t, a farmer and a staunch Muslim, who > stream of correspondence with Baha' i raised his family in an atmosphere of piety. > friends around the globe, encouraging them In 1966, the family moved to Lampung, > through his letters containing prayers, quota- South Sumatra. Mubarak completed six years > tions from the Holy Writings, stories of the of elementary and three years of secondary > lives of early believers, and pictures of school. > places and people prominent in Baha'i In 1975, as a result of a three-months visit > events. by a close friend of Mul:iammad $alil:i, the > The Hand of the Cause of God Abu'l- family came to know about the Baha'i Faith > Qasim Fay<;!i asked Mr. Tihrani to visit Iran and embraced it the following year. Mubarak, > on his behalf to encourage the believers who was also a farmer, had achieved an > there to be steadfast, a task which he will- unsavory reputation, but he now abandoned > ingly performed for nine months during his old ways and became an eager and > 1977 and 1978. In 1983, bodily ailment and enthusiastic believer, fearless in spreading > financial difficulty- his pension had been the Faith among his friends and neighbours , > cut off by the new management of the oil and in proclaiming it to government officials > company-forced him to abandon the field throughout the district. > 828 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Winnanik Mubarak > > In 1970, he manied Wi1U1anik, known to They explained the principles of the Baha'i > her friends as 'Nani', who had been born Cause and acknowledged the divine origin > into a Muslim family in Ngawi in about of all the great religions of the past, includ- > 1959. She also accepted the Faith, and the ing Islam. They were given a sympathetic > couple farmed on a small scale. Three chil- hearing and released. However, the 'ulama > dren were born to them. They taught their continued to make false accusations against > children Baha'i principles, frequently held the Baha'is and stined up feelings against > Nineteen Day Feasts in their home, and them among the people by broadcasting false > attracted others to the Faith. Much of the reports over the radio. > progress of the Cause in Lampung province On 17 January 1984, Mubarak and three > was the result of their efforts. other Baha'is had their Baha'i books seized > When, in 1981, Mubarak, his wife and by the police. Refusing an invitation to > his younger brother, Wahab, as well as recant their belief, they were in1prisoned and > ' Abdu'l-Hadi Wibowo and Kurdi, two other sentenced to terms ranging from two to five > local believers, acknowledged themselves as years. > Baha'is on their identity cards, the Islamic In the difficult circumstance of being > clergy and others in the village community forcibly separated from her husband, Nani > began to oppose the Baha ' i Faith and to snuggled to keep her family intact. She made > spread abroad fa lse accusations that the a living for herself and the three children by > Baba 'is were enemies of Islam. As a result, buying chickens in the villages around her > on 23 November 1982, Mubarak, 'Abdu'l- home, then selling them in the Panjang City > Hadi, and Kurdi were required to present market, 80 kilometres away-an undertaking > themselves to the Military Commander in that required her to use dirty, overcrowded > Tanjungkarang where they conducted them- public náansport. She would leave her home > selves with equanimity before a trial panel each day at six o'clock in the morning, > and jury during an intensive interrogation. depart for Panjang City about ten, and return > IN MEMORIAM 829 > home at ten o'clock in the evening, day after progress of his soul; it praised his steadfastday, without cessation, and without com- ness and spoke of him as the very essence of > plaint. During this time she also visited faith and sincerity. > her husband and the other Baha'i prisoners Adapted from reports provided by > regularly, negotiated with a lawyer in Tan- DR. M. SAMANDARI > > jungkarang regarding their case, attended and from a memoir by > court sessions, initiated solicitations at the K.H. PAYMAN > office of the court, and made every attempt > possible to obtain redress of injustice in the > face of implacable official indifference. It is DIPCHAND L. KHIANRA > through Nani that the detailed knowledge of 1913- 1986 > the court proceedings in these cases were > made known to other Baha'is. Dipchand L. Khianra was born on 13 October > At last the great stress of dealing with the 1913 at Thathanagar, some miles off Karachi, > authorities, together with the physical strain in Sind Province-then part of India. His > of working to keep her family together, took mother hailed from a very staunch Hindu > their inevitable toll. In her eighth month of family. His father was from Arya Samaj and > pregnancy, Nani suddenly fell ill. She died he had his business in Bahrain. Dipchand > shortly thereafter on 13 July 1984. She was had one sister. > unstinting in her attempt, on behalf of the From his childhood, Dipchand showed an > four imprisoned Baha'is, to wrest justice aversion to rituals and ceremonies. In accorfrom a prejudiced and insensitive judiciary. dance with a Hindu custom, at the age of > She faced this daunting challenge with 12 the sacred thread ceremony-something > remarkable resolution and never failed, on like Baptism in Christianity-was performed > her regular visits, to bring cheer to the hearts on him. In those days these ceremonies > of the prisoners who will always be grateful would last for 10 to 12 days. However, the > for her valiant efforts. very next day after the ceremony, Dipchand > When informed of his wife's death, removed the thread from his neck and cast it > Mubarak was inconsolable but he resigned away in the river, saying: "This thread is not > himself to the will of God and entrusted his going to protect me from evil, but it will > three children to the care of Baha'u'llah. always keep me away from Muslim and > Since his children were also the children of Christian friends". > the Baha'i community, he told his friends, Dipchand had his primary school educahe relied upon the believers to provide them tion in his native village. He had not as yet > with a Baha'i education. His steadfastness in acquired even the matriculation standard > the Cause ofBaha'u'llah remained unshaken when his father passed away. After his > despite the added suffering caused by the father's death, Dipchand had to look after > death of his young wife and his concern his mother and his sister, with the help of > about the welfare of his children. one uncle. His love was exemplary: to his > After a two-year confinement, Mubarak mother he was a promising son; to his sister, > was released from prison on 17 January a loving brother. > 1986. He and his younger brother, who was For his secondary school education, > released on the same date, went to work for Dipchand went to Karachi and stayed with > another brother in whose home Mubarak his maternal uncle. After passing his Secdied on 25 May 1986 . ondary School Examination, he accepted a > The Universal House of Justice requested job as teacher in one of the schools. His > that his family be assured that it had offered mother and his sister came to live with him. > prayers at the Sacred Threshold for the For higher education, Dipchand attended > 830 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > D.J. Sindh College in Karachi. It is here Baha'i House in Karachi. Later, his wife > that he developed his love for Persian and took six of their children to Nasik, in Maha- > Islamic culture. rashtra, India, to stay with her mother and > At the age of 22, he married a simple, sister. The Professor stayed in Pakistan with > noble woman named Devki; though not edu- one son, his mother and sister, but he always > cated, she proved to be a good wife and visted Nasik when he went to India to attend > mother. a meeting of the National Assembly. > In 1937, he received his master's degree Professor Khiama finally left Pakistan for > in linguistics, with Persian as his principal India in 1952, making Bombay his home. He > subject and English as his secondary subject. joined Jai Hind College as the head of the > In 1957, he obtained a Vidhwana Degree in Persian Department, and also taught Islamic > Hindi. Finally, he could read and write as Culture to post-graduate students at Bombay > many as 14 languages, and could speak a total University. > of 19, including Sanskrit. He had command With his arrival in India, Dipchand's > over Persian, Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, responsibilities for bringing up his children > Sindhi, Gujarai, and other Indian languages and looking after their education increased > -Persian and Arabic being his favourites. manifold. Nonetheless, he took great interest > Dipchand mastered Persian poems and in Baha'i teaching and consolidation work > could recite hundreds of couplets by I:Iafi~, and did it with love and zeal. He had made > Sa'di, Rumi, Firdawsi, Ghalib, and many study his regular habit; he studied the Holy > other famous Baha'i and non-Baha'i poets. Writings thoroughly and counselled friends > He could quote a couplet or a poem most to do likewise if they wanted to serve the > appropriate to the occasion. Because of his Faith. > rich repertoire, he came in contact with a Professor Khiama 's --service to the Faith > number of Persians who loved to listen to included membership on National and Local > him for hours. What surprised them most Spiritual Assemblies, and on the New Era > was that a man from a Hindu background School Committee. He taught in Gujarat, > had mastered this language so well. They and in the tribal area of Dang. He was an > were even more amazed that he could quote official translator in most summer and winverses from the Holy Qur'an from memory ter schools as well as translator to prominent > with ease and felicity. Persian Baha'is visiting India. He taught at > Among the Persians Dipchand associated summer and winter schools, his favourite > with was Isfandiyar Bakhtiyari, whom the subjects being Baha'i history and the lives of > beloved Guardian had addressed as the Baha'u'llah, the Bab, and 'Abdu'l-Baha. He > "Strong Pillar of the Faith in Pakistan". often wrote articles which appeared in > Mr. Bakhtiyari' s simplicity, and his love for Baha'i newsletters and magazines in various > Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i Faith inspired languages. He also wrote a book entitled > Dipchand's quest to investigate the Faith, Immortals which gives an account of some > and he eventually embraced it in 1942. He early believers in India. > thus became the first Baha 'i of a Hindu In April 1973, the Universal House of > background in the Sind community. He Justice honoured Professor Khiama by > always introduced Mr. Bakhtiyari as his appointing him a Counsellor for South > spiritual father. Dipchand became a member Central Asia and, later, with the formation of > of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the one Asian zone, as Counsellor for Asia. Dur- > Baha'is of Karachi and represented Karachi ing his ten-year tenure as a Counsellor he > at the 1942 National Convention. travelled far and wide. While on his second > With the partition of India in 1947, visit to Afghanistan, his wife passed away in > Dipchand's family was given shelter in the Bombay. > IN MEMORIAM 831 > His travels to Bangladesh, Nepal, Sikkim, > Sri Lanka and various cities of India are > memorable and historic. He occupied himself wholly in spreading the Faith and > deepening the believers. His delight in meeting the friends was much the same as a > father feels on meeting his children. Friends > felt happy to meet him; they were inspired > by his sincerity and the catholicity of his > spirit. > To whichever place his travels took him, > Professor Khiama tried to meet all of the > friends. He recited prayers and tablets for > everyone and explained their meanings; he > remembered so many prayers and tablets > that people were amazed. His presence > enlivened meetings and whenever there was > an opportunity, he regaled friends with verses > in Persian or Urdu. People felt joyous in his > company. > He corresponded with Baha'is in many Dipchand Khianra > lands, and he had a treasure-house of Baha'i > books from which he recounted very im- The passing of Professor Dipchand > portant and inspiring things to Baha'is, Khiama deprived the Baha'i community ofa > exhorting them to serve the Faith. Being a true friend, a noted Baha 'i historian, an abidtrue and self-respecting man, he did not have ing Counsellor, and an illustrious championmuch of an attachment to the world. He led builder of the Faith. > a simple, honest life and encouraged his On 2 June, the Universal House of Justice > children to do likewise. sent the following message to the National > In 1978, the Universal House of Justice Spiritual Assembly oflndia: > invited the Counsellors to the Holy Land, > and Professor Khiama participated in the HEARTS SADD EN ED PASSING DEVOTED STEAD- > International Convention in Haifa. He was FAST PROMOTER CAUSE GOD DIPCHAND > ever thankful to God for fulfilling his long- KHIANRA . HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICES FAITH > felt yearning. From Haifa, he went to Iran, DURING PAST DECADES AS LEARNED TEACHER > visiting Shiraz, I~fahan, and 'fihran. Later, CHOSEN MEMBER BAHA'I INSTITUTIONS > he was able to visit the Holy Land a second UNFORGETTABLE. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL > time. GATHERING VARIOUS STATES INDIA BEARING > His health began to deteriorate in 1984. TESTIMONY HIS UNTIRING EFFORTS PROMO- > He kept up his studies, as well as some cor- TION CAUSE. ASSURE RELATIVES FRIENDS > respondence, but at last, on 1 June 1986, this LOVING PRAY ERS PROGRESS SOUL ABHA > gallant soldier of Baha 'u' llah abandoned his KINGDOM. > physical garment and ascended to the spiri- NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > OF THE BAHA'is OF ] NOIA > tual world. He was 72 years of age. He was > survived by four sons and three daughters, > of whom two sons and two daughters were > Baha'is. The Baha'i Gulistan in Bombay is > his resting place. > 832 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 'Aziz KHABIRPOUR Never again did I see him as joyful and > ('Azizu'llah Khabirpur) happy except when he received the glad > 1915-1986 tidings of his appointment as resident engineer for the construction of the Seat of the > GRlEVED PASSING DISTINGUISHED SERVANT Universal House of Justice. > BLESSED BEAUTY AZIZ KJ-IABIRPOUR. HIS 'Aziz never considered himself worthy of > OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS PIONEER ING the many blessings and favours showered > TEACHING FIELDS CROWNED BY HIS HISTORIC upon him. One of his highest aspirations was > PARTICIPATION ERECTION SEAT UNIVERSAL to take part in the construction of a House of > HOUSE OF JU STICE ON MOUNT CARMEL EN- Worship. During the years he was canying > SURE HIS MEMORY ANNALS CAUS E. ASSURE out his task at the World Centre he men- > DEAR WIFE, CHILDREN, RELATIVES, f'RI EN DS tioned over and over again his gratitude for > ARDENT PRAYERS SACRED TI-IRES HOLD PRO- the tremendous bounty of being assigned to > GRESS HI S RADI ANT SOUL, NOW GATI-IERED supervise the construction of the Seat of the > ABHA KINGDOM. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL Supreme Institution. > GATI-IERING. 'Aziz was born 21 July 1915 in Tihran. > Universal House of Justice His mother came from a Baha'i family, > 10 June 1986 whereas his father had embraced the Faith of > his own volition. He was very proud of his > Pure-heartedness, loving kindness, sincerity, father and always remembered his good > trustworthiness, modesty, patience, nobility qualities and attributes and his astounding > of character, and generosity ranked among courage, regarding them as guidelines for > his distinctive qualities. His heart was like a his own life. He used to describe how his > jewel, shining out with all its lustre, illumi- father, a strong man tall in stature, dispersed > nating and radiating warmth. Brimming with a crowd of adversaries of the Faith who were > love for all human beings, he could not bear threatening to attack a pharmacy owned by a > the mercilessness and injustice of this mortal Baha'i, simply by planting himself in front > world, for his heart was sensitive and tender. of the door and saying, 'If you want to enter > In the end it ceased beating, replete with and do any harm to the owners you must do > devotion and contentment. so over my dead body'. > Enamoured of service at the Threshold of 'Aziz was the only son, and his parents > the Blessed Beauty, from the very outset of cherished him dearly. He was still in secondhis youth, 'Aziz Khabirpur served on various ary school when his father depa1ied from this > committees in Persia such as the National eaiihly life and left on his son's shoulders the > Youth Committee, the National Fund Com- full responsibility of providing for his mother > mittee, and the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Committee, and three sisters. With perseverance, one of > without seeking recognition or distinction. his most salient characteristics, he continued > But of those services, the most memorable to work as well as to study, and succeeded > remains the night he announced, with eyes in graduating from Tihran's first technical > moist with tears, that he had been instructed university, known as Daru 'l-Funun . > to go to Takur on behalf of the National Being inclined towards sports, 'Aziz was > Spiritual Assembly to implement measures to an active and successful member of various > prevent flooding at the House ofBahci' u' llah. football and basketball teams during his stu- > At that time no road had been built to Takur, dent days and, until the end of his life, he not > and he and his companions had to travel the only participated in sporting activities but > mountainous part of the journey by horse encouraged his friends and associates to do > and mule. He returned overjoyed. He had so. He also had a deep love for music, espebrought us a pear from the Holy House. cially classical Persian music. He listened to > IN MEMORIAM 833 > it with concentrated devotion. "Music," he fulfilling his duties as resident engineer for > said, "talks to my heart and strikes the the construction of the Seat of the Universal > chords of my innermost being." House of Justice. The architect of that mag- > In October 1950, after he was relieved of nificent building, Mr. I:Iusayn Amanat, has > the responsibility for his mother and sisters, paid the following tribute: > he married a Baha'i, Nazenine Monadjem > What a great bounty it is when one is > (Nazanin Munajjim), and in 1960, following > doing what he feels a special love for > consultations with the National Pioneering > from the depth of his heart and what gives > Committee, the couple pioneered with their > meaning to one 's entire life, past and > three sons to Luxembourg where their fourth > present, his education, professional expechild, a girl, was born. > rience, an opportunity to employ all his > What an incomparable father he was! > potential abilities and talents, and virtues , > Although due to his professional situation he > his love and devotion and what brings > often had to be away on business for long > him a chance to uplift his human > periods, during the time 'Aziz could spend > attributes. When one deeply feels he will > with his children he lavished love and affecbe assisted in what he will do and is certion on them with his whole heart and soul > tain that the right path will be shown to > and maintained a true friendship and comhim all the time. > panionship with them, so compensating for > This was the feeling of Mr. Khabirpur > his frequent absences. His ardent hope for > all through his services as the architect's > his children was that they would receive an > representative for the execution of the > excellent and thorough training, laying the > project of the Seat of the Universal House > foundations for their future services in the > of Justice .... > path of the Blessed Perfection. He never per- > He had built roads and bridges (some of > mitted them to work during their holidays, > them in very difficult, mountainous areas > for he wanted them to use their free time > of Iran), government buildings, airports, > solely in the service of the Faith. > and housing during his entire contracting > For 14 years he served in Luxembourg as > career in Iran, a career which ceased > a member of the National Spiritual Assemwhen he pioneered to Luxembourg. It > bly, the Local Spiritual Assembly, and on > seemed that for his great love for serving > different committees. At one time he was > the Faith and pioneering, he had to sacrigranted the privilege of attending the Interfice his great love for building and ignore > national Convention in Haifa and of > his abilities in the professional field. > participating in the election of the Universal > However, his potential abilities had been > House of Justice. > stored and were gathering momentum for > To the same degree that he was imbued > his future role in a project that he > with the spirit of pioneering and servitude, > regarded as the main purpose of his pro- > 'Aziz communicated a love for life. He > fessional life .... > belonged to those who cultivated ties of > friendship and the art of hospitality, always Every piece of marble in the building, the > holding the door of his house wide open to doors and windows, the parapets, the plastereveryone, whether young or old, rich or work, the roof tiles, and every other item in > poor. Hence he was successful at his pio- the building is a reminder of Mr. K.habirpur's > neering post, endearing himself to all constant efforts, his devotion, and love. > people. He was admired and deeply loved by Those years spent at the World Centre > his friends. can be reckoned among the best of his life. > In 1974, 'Aziz was called to the Baha'i He was forever thankful, his heart overflow- > World Centre and served there for 11 years, ing with gratitude to the Sacred Threshold > 834 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Y,\N KEE LEONG > 1899-1986 > > On 19 December 1953, a Malayan Chinese > artist named Yan Kee Leong signed a card > of acceptance of Baha'u'llah. Possibly the > only person aware of the historical significance of that moment was Shirin Fozdar, the > pioneer who had handed him the card which > made him the first believer in Malaya Peninsula. That simple act heralded the birth of a > new era not only in his life, but in the life of > his country. > Yan Kee Leong was born in Selangor, > Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, on 19 November > 1899, the fourth child of a poor migrant couple who had come from a village in China to > seek a living from the tin mines of Malaya. > Extreme poverty caused him to be given up > for temporary adoption, and his foster parent > 'Aziz Khabirpour gave him the name Kee Leong. His family > name was Yan, and according to Chinese > for having been entrusted with so unique a tradition, the family name precedes a perservice. sonal name resulting in the name Yan Kee > Early during his sojourn in Haifa he Leong, which was shortened to "Yankee" by > dreamt that, accompanied by 'Abdu 'l-B aha, which he was later known to everyone. > he attained the presence of Baha'u' llah. The His father died when he was very young > Blessed Beauty was standing on the balcony and his mother struggled amidst great hardof a house situated on a hill, beckoning him ship to bring up the family. Yankee was sent > to approach while addressing him with the from one school to another in the care of > words, 'Come in! Come in!' The next morn- relatives and friends, until he was finally > ing, as he recounted his dream, he was not emolled in a Catholic institution of good > able to restrain his tears from running down standing. > his cheeks. His friends interpreted this dream His sensitive nature responded to the > as an indication that he would eventually scripture study, and he was moved to accept > succeed in accomplishing his high task. the Catholic faith. For his baptism he chose > And so it was. During his period of ser- to be named after Saint Paul, and his greatest > vice in the Holy Land, 'Aziz suffered a heart wish as he grew older was to be a priest. > attack which forced him to rest for several Later he concentrated on his favourite > months. Following a short period of recovery, hobby, art, eventually becoming a talented > he continued serving and became a witness cartoonist for the local newspapers, where > to the sailing of God's Ark on Mount Carmel. he proved himself a crusader and a reformer. > Shortly after his return to Luxembourg, he He involved himself in several humanitarian > attained his heart's desire and ardent long- movements and was consumed with the > ing, to be forever attached to his pioneering pursuit of truth and the meaning of life. > post. Slowly he began to see that the Catholic > NA Z EN INE KHABIRPOUR church was not the perfect answer to his > (Nazanin Khabirpt'.1r) quest, and he pondered on the divisions and > IN MEMORIAM 835 > subdivisions in Christianity. He studied > Hindu and Buddhist teachings, investigated > the Rosicrucian Movement, and joined a > philanthropic body called the Pure Life > Society. He also became an active Theosophist in his never-ending search. None of > these organizations, however, provided him > with a satisfactory answer to his search for > spiritual unity. > One evening, in a moment of inspiration, > he outlined a scheme to draw men of all > creeds, nations and colours into a lasting > bond of Universal Brotherhood. In spite of > enthusiastic support from some qua11ers, the > Universal Brotherhood Movement failed to > get official recognition as a registered society. Yankee was bitterly disappointed. He > was unaware that God had bigger plans for > him. > By this time Yankee had married Chi Lye > Eng, a Malaysian Chinese woman from Mal- Yan Kee Leong > acca, and raised a family of one son and four > daughters, who grew up as dedicated Catho- another distinguished Baha'i pioneer, Agnes > lics. They viewed their father's non-Christian Alexander, afterward named a Hand of the > activities with vehement disapproval. Cause of God, with whom he kept up a > Yankee's Baha'i life began in the town of correspondence. > Shantiniketan in India in 1949 during a It was only in late 1953 that Shirin Fozdar > World Pacifist Conference to which he was was finally able to accept Yankee 's invitainvited as the Malaysian Chinese delegate. tion to visit Malaya. She and her husband, > Chance would have Yankee seated next to a Dr. K.M. Fozdar, had left India in 1950 in > petite Persian lady who introduced herself as answer to a call for pioneers for South East > Shirin Fozdar, representing the Baha'i Reli- Asia, and they had settled in Singapore as > gion. Yankee pricked up his ears. Baha'i? It the first BaM' is of that area. Yankee > was new to him. When the lady addressed arranged for a series of talks by Mrs. Fozdar > the delegates, he was beside himself with in Malacca, Seremban, and Kuala Lumpur. > excitement, because the principles of her By the end of that tour, in December 1953, > Faith were similar to the ones he had tried to he had signed himself into history as the first > fonnulate in his Universal Brotherhood Baha'i of Malaya. > Movement. He immediately suggested that This was only the beginning of an > she visit Malaya and lecture on her Faith, impressive list of "firsts" in Yankee's life. > but she was then unable to do so. He dedicated himself increasingly to the > In 1952 Yankee was once again a dele- promotion of the Faith, and within a few > gate from Malaya to an international months, at Ri<;ivan 1954, there were suffigathering, the World Federalist Govern- cient Baha'is for the first Local Spiritual > ment Conference in Japan. His colleague Assembly in Malaya to be elected. It was the > was Tunku Abdul Rahman, later to become Assembly in Seremban, Yankee ' s homethe first Prime Minister of Malaysia. At this town. This was followed the next year by > conference, fate placed Yankee next to the election of the neighbouring Assemblies > 836 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > of Malacca, and the capital city of Kuala In 1966, at the request of the Hand of > Lumpur, where Yankee and other Baha'is the Cause of God RaJ:unatu'llah Muhajir, > had immediately begun teaching activities. Yankee went to the Philippines and had the > In 1957, the Regional Spiritual Assembly boundless joy of bringing into the Faith the > of South East Asia was appointed, with first Chinese there. He was also privileged to > jurisdiction over Malaysia and six other guide the first Chinese Baha'is of Burma > countries in the region. It was based in Indo- into the Faith. In 1968, he was appointed a > nesia, and Yankee was privileged to serve member of the first Continental Board of > on that body. Counsellors for the South East Asian Zone. > He was the first Baha'i from Malaya to When help was needed in Singapore, > teach in the neighbouring countries of Bru- prior to the establishment of its first National > nei and Sarawak, travelling at the invitation Spiritual Assembly in 1972, Yankee and > of John and Minoo Fozdar, sons of Dr. and Leong Tat Chee spent some months there > Mrs. K.M. Fozdar. He began mass-teaching laying the groundwork for the election. > among the indigenous people of the area. He Yankee then had the great bounty of witwas also the first to take the Faith to the nessing the raising of this new administrative > Aslis, the aboriginals of Malaya. institution to which his daughter, Rose, was > His fondest memory was of a time when elected chairman and his grandson Henry > the first Ash village accepted Baha'u'llah Ong served as a member. > in 1959. This achievement is all the more Two years later it was Hong Kong 's tum > remarkable when one realises that Yankee to elect its first National Spiritual Assembly, > was then 60, and the Malaysian jungle is and once again Yankee was there to assist in > thick with undergrowth, criss-crossed with the preparations. > rivers , and filled with leeches. Youths, a At a time when men are starting to waste > good 40 years younger than Yankee, who away, Yankee, though frail of body, was > accompanied him on subsequent trips, report able to summon his high spirits, and travel to > lagging behind the indefatigable Yankee. He near or distant lands, wherever there was a > ate with the Aslis of their tapioca and often call for Chinese teaching . Even as his health > rancid preserved meat; he slept on hardwood was slowing him down, he went to far-away > floors in their longhouses at the mercy of Mauritius, and in the last years of his life, he > mosquitoes; he travelled the deep fast rivers, travelled to teach for a month in the crowded > keeping immobile lest the small boat should and difficult city of Calcutta, where most of > capsize, for Yankee had never learned to the Chinese in India reside. > swim. He walked briskly up and down hills During his 33 years as a Baha' i, Yankee > in remote tribal areas in Thailand and Burma received numerous conununications, but the > and Laos, endearing himself to the simple one he cherished most was a letter from the > villagers everywhere with his humble loving beloved Guardian assuring him of prayers > manner. for a long life of dedication and service. > In 1964, the first National Spiritual Yankee 's life was indeed a fulfillment of > Assembly of Malaysia came into being, and the Guardian's prayer. His every thought > Yankee was elected its secretary. The next was one of encouragement and praise for the > year he was appointed Auxiliary Board believers through letters or in person. His > member for the Baha' is of Malaysia, and overflowing love was also expressed > together with fellow Board member Leong through long hours of intense private prayer > Tat Chee, he visited Hong Kong, Macao, and supplication, on behalf of friends and > and Taiwan, becoming the first Malaysian their personal problems. > Baha' is to travel and teach the Chinese Only a few weeks before his passing, and > there. with his lungs partly collapsed, Yankee > IN MEMORIAM 837 > > made a supreme effort to be present at the UNFORGETTABLE. ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING > annual Baha'i Convention of Malaysia in MEMORIAL GATHERINGS IN MALAYSIA AND > 1986. Here he bid farewell to the spiritual SINGAPORE. ASSURE DISTINGUISHED RELA- > children he had lovingly nurtured over the TIVES, FRIENDS LOVING PRAYERS PROGRESS > years. Significantly, the Convention was for SOUL AB HA KINGDOM > the first time held at the newly constructed SHANTHA SUNDRAM > > Balakong Baha' i Institute located close to > the village in which Yankee was born at the > tum of the century. This building has since JOSE MINGORANCE FERNANDEZ > been named the Yan Kee Leong Institute. 1920- 1986 > Yankee died in Ipoh on 17 June 1986 at > the age of 86. Just before he breathed his Jose Mingorance Fernandez was born in > last, he suddenly lifted his frail emaciated Granada, Spain, on 12 March 1920. At the > arms in a gesture of praise, and called out age of 20, he married Carmen Tost Xifre, > "Allah'u' Abha", then took his flight to the and in 1950, he and his family moved to the > Abha Kingdom. Baha'u' llah had blessed Principality of Andorra. > him richly, for he lived to see his country On 7 October 1953, Mr. William Danjon > become a bastion of the Faith, and his chil- arrived in Andorra from Copenhagen, Dendren and grandchildren active in service, mark, in fulfilment of one of the goals of the > with two daughters Auxiliary Board mem- National Spiritual Assembly of the United > bers and one daughter a Counsellor. States during the Ten Year World Crusade. > His funeral was attended by about 600 In March 1954, the first series of visits > believers from all parts of the country. The by Miss Virginia Orbison to Andorra took > people in Ipoh watched in amazement as the place. On 26 July 1954, the Mingorance > long procession of Chinese, Indian, and couple declared their faith in Baha'u ' llah, > Caucasian friends walked behind the hearse becoming the first believers of Andorra. > in solemn dignity, without the banner-cani- Miss Orbison was present for this event. > ers and professional weepers who usually In the spring of 1957, Mr. Mingorance > follow a Chinese funeral. and his family moved to Santiago, Chile, > None but the Baha'is were aware of the where they remained until 1969, a period > unique station of the man for whom they during which both he and his family carried > were mourning. Their sonowing hearts were out many activities as Baha'is. > uplifted by the following beautiful cable from In 1969, they returned to Andona, where > the Universal House of Justice on 19 June they resumed their Baha'i activities. The > 1986: first Local Spiritual Assembly of Andorra > EXPRESS HEARTFELT SYMPATHY WITH BE- was formed on 18 August 1974, after the > LOVED FRIENDS MALAYSIA PASSING YAN KEE declaration of faith by their three children > LEONG WHO W ILL EVER BE REMEMBERED AS and their daughter-in-law . > FIRST ENLIGHTENED SOUL TO ACCEPT FAITH Mr. Mingorance remained a member of > W ITHIN COUNTRY. AS DEDICATED SERVANT the Local Spiritual Assembly of Andorra > BLESSED BEAUTY HE PROMOTED LIFE GIVING until his last days. > MESSAGE BAHA ' U' LLAH, ESTABLISHED I-II S In his professional life, he filled a posi- > S HELTERING INSTITUTIONS , INSP IRED I-II S tion of great responsibility in a bank in the > LOVING FOLLOWERS AND SET EXAMPLE FOR Principality, where he had the complete trust > THE FRIENDS BELONG ING TO THE GREAT of his superiors. > CHINESE RACE BY RAISING FOUNDATION DI- A kind, happy, and jovial character, > V INE CIVILIZATION ON EARTH. HIS UNTIRING Mr. Mingorance was a very spiritual person, > MANIFOLD SERVICES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA concerned about deepening in the Baha'i > 838 THE BAH A' i WORLD > > such as Theosophy and the Rosicrucian > school. In 1942, at a theosophical meeting, a > German Baha 'i with Canadian citizenship > had the opportunity to speak about the Faith. > At the end of the talk, Mr. Sanchez invited > the man to his home. From that point, they > had weekly meetings to talk about different > aspects of the Faith. During one of these, > Mr. Sanchez received as a gift the book > Balui 'u 'lltih and the New Era, the only > Baha'i book published in Spanish at that > time. Aura began to read the book systematically and to ask questions at the talks every > week. > In 1942, Aura became the fust Colombian to accept the Faith. When she made her > decision, in order to celebrate it, she prepared and offered a sabaj6n, a Colombian > drink with some liquor. Her teacher, smiling, > accepted the cup, and then said: "Mrs. Aurita, > Jose Mingorance Fernandez this was our last drink. There is a law for the > Baha'is which forbids alcoholic drinks." She > teachings, and very capable and precise in replied that normally she did not drink this > replying to the questions and doubts of the type of drink but with it she had wanted to > seekers. He was a firm pillar of the Faith in demonstrate that she was celebrating a spe- > Andorra. cial event. She said she naturally accepted > On 11 July 1986, he passed away in and would follow this law. Mr. Sanchez > Tarragona where he had gone for a short came into the Faith some months after her. > holiday. He leaves his wife and three chil- Previously, Aura had joined her husband > dren, all Baha'is, and the Faith firmly rooted in activities with various associations but > in Andorra. she had never made a personal commitment > CARMEN T OST, W ILLI AM DANJON, to any of them. When she officially became > AND B A DI 'O LLAI-! DA EM I > a Baha' i, many people were surprised and > (Translated from the Spanish > by Anni e Hunt) > made fw1 of the Faith in front of her. But > being the only Colombian Baha'i did not > worry her; she shared the Teachings with > AURA MARIA BERNAL DE SANCHEZ everyone around her. Thus, the nun1ber of > 1899- 1986 Baha'is soon increased, and Aurita was > elected to the first Local Spiritual Assembly > Aura Maria Bernal was born in Bogota, of Bogota, which was also the first in the > Colombia, on 18 June 1899. For 12 years she country. Several of her friends also became > was in the school of a Catholic Convent and fundamental pillars in the development of > received very strict religious education. She the Faith. > studied nursing, along with her sister Juanita From the first moment of her life as a > Bernal, and worked as a nurse and midwife. Baha'i, her orientation and guidance were > When she was 31 , she married Luis the Sacred Teachings, her behaviour exem- > Sanchez Cuervo, a free-thinker who was plified simplicity, humility, and determined > affiliated with several schools of thought, collaboration, both within and outside the > IN MEMORIAM 839 > emphasising that the only real and enduring > things are noble and pure acts in service to > the Kingdom and to humanity. > On 15 August 1986 she took flight to the > infinite, in true peace and tranquillity, at the > home of her son in Bogota. > N ATIO NAL SPIRITUAL A SSEMB LY > OF THE B AHA'is OF COLOMBIA > > FAZAL MOHAMAD KHAN > 1908-1986 > > Fazal Mohamad Khan, known to his friends > in Australia as Frank, was born in the village > ofKhassi Kalan near Ludhiana in the Punjab > region oflndia on 6 April 1908, and attended > ;--..... the village school to higher level, studying > ..... # ., 'á > > • > . .á.. > ~ > > 1 t •• ,. > English. His father, Karim Box, had gone to > Australia in 1898 for a period, then went > Aura Maria Bernal de Sanchez back and fotth to India for a few years at a > time until he brought his son, Fazal, out in > community. Parallel to teaching the Faith, 1926 in search of a better life. Frank later > she devoted her best efforts to the education returned to India and married Hukoomat > of her two children, giving them the respon- Bibi, and brought her and his half-brother > sibility of demonstrating "a model of Baha' i Ramzan, to Australia aboard R.M .S. Strathlife." naver in 1932. The Khans were among the > During the 1950s, she travelled with her first Indians to settle on the eastern coast of > daughter to different places in the country, Australia. > such as to the departments of Santander and Frank was a self-taught and self-reliant > La Guajira, to expand her beloved Cause. By man who rose from humble economic cir- > 1960, she had moved to Manizales with the cumstances through paying careful attention > purpose of establishing a Local Assembly to saving, and through his genuine concern > there, to help achieve the desired goal to for others. He was initially a clothing saleselect the first National Spiritual Assembly of man, travelling by horse and cart from house > Colombia at Ric;lvan 1961. Her efforts were to house, to the isolated farming areas of > positively rewarded. what is now Wingecarribee Shire. In 1952- > She always had deep conviction in the 53, the Khans moved from Mittagong to > truth ofBaha'u'llah and His Teachings, and Dapto, in the Wollongong area, partly > was surrounded with the feeling of service. because Frank had come to know every > The last 15 years of her life were devoted to family resident in the rural area and had > the care of the Baha' i Center, and whoever "exhausted" his market, having sold to each > entered into that house received affection of them the major new electrical appliances > and attention from her, in one way or as they became available-such as radios, > another. Everyone who met her called her washing machines , and refrigerators. In > "Mamita." Dapto, the Khans bought a dairy farm which > Until the last moment of her life, she coun- they operated for several years until it was > selled her family to be firm and constant, subdivided as the township expanded. > 840 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > Frank was known throughout the Australian terfuge to siphon off the bulk of his meagre > Muslim community for religious devotion life savings, and then absconded; some > and learning. He travelled regularly to months later, this misguided and deluded > Sydney to teach religious classes, and had person was expelled from the Cause by the > memorised over two-thirds of the Qur ' an. Guardian after he had made contact with > He was introduced to the Baha'i Faith when Covenant-breakers. > Stanley and Mariette Bolton learned that a Frank and Bibi, together with their chil- > Muslim family lived in a nearby town, and dren, Joy and Peter, were the first Muslims > invited him to address the Baha'i School at to become Baha'is in Australia. They > Yerrinbool after they read in a letter from declared their faith at the Yerrinbool Sumthe beloved Guardian that the Australian mer School in December 1948, and became > Baha'is should deepen their understanding members of the Yerrinbool Baha'i commuof Islam. nity. The summer school committee cabled > Before accepting the invitation, Frank to Shoghi Effendi: > consulted the members of his family and LOVI NG GREETINGS THIRTEENTH SUMMER > they agreed that he should speak to the SCHOOL COMMENCED WITH MOSLEM FAMILY > Baha'is. He participated in a series of talks ACCEPTING FAITH SUPPLICATING PRAYERS > called "Nine great religions of the world" at FRUITFUL ACHIEVEMENTS. > the Yerrinbool Winter School in September > 1947. He and his wife were attracted to the To this cable Shoghi Effendi replied: > Faith by the respect that the Baha' is showed DELIGHTED ASSURE ATTENDANTS NEWLY > toward MuI:iammad and their reverence for ENROLLED FAMJL Y LOVING FER VENT PRAYERS > the Qur'an. However, they felt initially that MAY SCHOOL SESSIONS PROVE LANDMARK > the Bab and Baha' u'llah were reformers > PROGRESS FAITH LE N D TREMENDOUS IMP E- > whose purpose was simply to return Islam to TUS UNFOLDMENT PLAN DE EPEST LOVE. > its pristine form, rather than independent > Manifestations. Upon becoming a Baha'i, Frank was rid- > The Australian Baha'is procured from iculed and scorned by his Muslim friends > India a Baha' i book entitled Qiyamat (Resur- and relatives in Australia, whom he neverrection) by the distinguished Baha'i author, theless continued to visit and to teach the > Maulvi Mafusu ' l-Huq, which was written in Faith. Eventually one half-brother became a > Urdu, and which related the claims of the Baha'i. On two later occasions Frank visited > Bab and Baha ' u' llah to Qur'anic prophecies. the villages in Pakistan where his Muslim > This book was of great assistance to the relatives had settled after a forced emigra- > Khans in their investigation. tion from India as refugees in the upheaval > Frank's concerns were dissolved by the following the paiiition of the sub-continent, > explanations of these doctrines from the and he endeavoured to share with them his > Baha'i perspective given him by a Persian new understanding of religious truth. On the > Baha'i, who was travelling through Australia. first visit no one was prepared to listen, > He was confirmed in his faith by a dream, but during the second visit a cousin in the > in which he felt himself being led in the city of Sialkot accepted the Teachings of > Muslim obligatory prayer by Mul~ammad ; in Baha'u'llah. > the midst of the prayer MuI:iammad stopped In the following years, Frank Khan > and said over his shoulder, "Now we will became one of Australia ' s most devoted and > say the prayer this way" and began to recite active teachers and administrators of the > the Baha'i Long Obligatory Prayer. He Baha'i Faith. His subsequent long associaremained firm in his faith when, a few tion with the Yerrinbool Baha'i School, as > weeks later, the Persian Baha' i used a sub- both a speaker and member of the school > IN MEMORIAM 841 > committee, is unparalleled. He was chairman of the committee from about 1950 into > the mid 1960s. The existence of considerable > tensions within the Baha'i community as to > how the school should be developed made > this a testing time for Frank and for other > members of the committee. Despite innumerable difficulties, however, Frank was > proud of the fact that while he was treasurer > on the committee, the Yerrinbool School > made a profit on its operations. > Over a period of four decades, he was a > source of knowledge concerning Islam and > the Qur'an for the Australian Baha'is, who > utilised his learning at both local and > national levels. Although his mother tongue > was Urdu and his second language English, > Frank learned to read and speak Persian and > Arabic after becoming a Baha'i in order to > read Baha' u'llah's words in the original. He > learned the meaning of words by comparing Fazal Mohamad Khan > a text in several languages simultaneously. > In the teaching field Frank was most fear- The Seed is not being scattered in the > less, and continued to call his Muslim brothers soil of the mentalities of Australian and > to the Revelation ofBaha'u'llah. He ordered New Zealand brothers and sisters in a way > many books in the Urdu language to teach that we should if we were to discharge > fellow Indians in Australia. our obligations to our slumbering breth- > In 1950, soon after becoming a Baha'i, ren on this holy soil. The day is coming, > Frank was elected as one of two delegates my brothers and sisters, when the Cause > from the Yerrinbool Local Assembly to shall be accepted. The Supreme God, Who > National Convention. He was elected to the sent down this Mother Book, this perfect > National Assembly and became treasurer. Law, is most certainly potent of having it > Dulcie Dive, the former treasurer, was accepted and followed . This stage that we > appointed his assistant. Frank was elected to are passing through now is but a Passing > the National Spiritual Assembly for three Phase. 'Surely with difficulty is Ease and > consecutive years 1950-53, and again for surely with Ease is difficulty ... ' > two years 1964-66. Frank was subsequently Will each and every brother and sister > elected delegate to National Convention give this matter their most serious considmany times. eration and act now, to gladden the hearts > As national treasurer, in 1950 he wrote to of your brethren, the NSA, to put new and > the Australian Baha 'is on the "lowness of vigorous life into the Cause which assuredly > the funds": will prevail, which you have fortunately > Bold decisions and large scale plan- chosen to back, which each nation is now > nings that are required to carry forth the sununoned to obey, which is the Salvablasts of the Twice Blown Trumpet of tion of Mankind, which is the command > This Mighty and World Wide Resurrec- and Cause of the Potent, the Powerful > tion cannot be taken because the Funds in Mighty God, the Lord of the Worlds. > the Treasury will not permit it... Humbly in His service, F.M. Khan > 842 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > This eloquent written appeal to the In the final three years of the Ten Year > Australian Baha'is conveys something of the Crusade, 1960-63, Frank travelled to most > melodic quality of Frank's speaking style. of the Australian states to give firesides and > He possessed a deep and resonant voice, the public meetings. In 1961, Frank and Bibi left > sound of which conveyed a conviction to Australia to visit the resting place of Shoghi > match the words he uttered. He spoke words Effendi in London, to make their pilgrimage > of praise for the prophets, and conveyed a to Haifa, and to visit Balla' i communities in > love of God and of spiritual qualities at all Europe and Asia. > times. He offered his services as a public When the glorious years of the World > speaker in the far-flung cities and towns of Crusade came to a close, the task of consoli- > Australia and the Pacific Islands. dating the existing Baha'i communities in > On many occasions he spoke at public Australia intensified, and the task of proevents held by the southern New South claiming the Message of Balla 'u 'llah > Wales communities of Mittagong, Bowral, remained. Throughout the Nine Year Plan, > Yerrinbool and Wollongong. For Yerrin- Frank continued to travel in both Australia > bool's 1953 Naw-Ruz celebrations, for and the islands of the Pacific. During his trip > instance, Frank read an eloquent exposition to Fiji in 1965, two of his talks were broadof the Baha'i Faith which was published in cast on the radio, he spoke with Muslims at > the local press. He was a champion at lawn their centre in Samabula, spoke with Sikhs > bowls, and through friends made in pursuit in their village at Tamavua and later in their > of this sport, gave innumerable talks to Apex Temple, and was invited to address the Arya > and Rotary Clubs. On many occasions he Samaj sect of the Hindus . > made teaching trips to the cities and towns Throughout the 1960s, Frank continued > of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and to educate the Australian Baha'i community > New South Wales . through his talks at Yeninbool School. His > In July 1952, Frank made the first of his ability to convey both the teachings and > visits to Fiji, where his efforts in teaching spirit of Islam greatly aided the friends to > both Hindu and Muslim Indian-Fijian com- increase their awareness of the great station > munities were quite successful. He gave two of the Bab and Baha' u'llah. > talks to the Literary Club of Suva, two radio In 1972, Frank, together with Bibi and > broadcasts, one in Urdu and another in grandson David, made his second pilgrim- > English, addressed Suva's Rotary Club, and age and then travelled through iran, Canada, > spoke to a gathering of some 40 Hindus. and the United States, addressing Baha'i > In 1958, the National Spiritual Assembly meetings and visiting the House of Worship > acquainted Frank with the difficulties asso- in Wilmette. > ciated with its attempts to retain Knight of In addition to his ongoing travels with > Baha'u'llah Bertha Dobbins in Pmi Vila, in Bibi, Frank was active in his own commuthe New Hebrides. To resolve these difficul- nity, serving as chai1man of the Local > ties, Frank volunteered to provide the funds Spiritual Assembly for many years and confor a school building where Mrs. Dobbins ducting children's classes in Wollongong. > could live and teach, and also to have the Through his many years of success in busibuilding prefabricated in Australia and to ness, he was also able to become benefactor > personally construct it in Port Vila. He to the House of Worship in Australia, the > accomplished all this through great effort, Yerrinbool School, and the publishing trusts . > being aided in the construction by Australian He also extended assistance to individuals in > pioneer Mr. Bill Washington, and by need. > Mr. Peter Kaltoli, a Baha' i of the New Frank passed to the Abila Kingdom on > Hebrides. Wednesday, 10 September 1986, and was > IN MEMORIAM 843 > laid to rest at Shellharbour Cemetery near Baha'i Faith, and invited them to Hau Hui to > Wollongong, New South Wales. The follow- 'start a mission'. > ing message was sent by the Universal Hamuel' s conversion precipitated the > House of Justice to the National Spiritual first mass entry of Solomon Islanders into > Assembly of Australia on 11 September: the Faith. Gertrude Blum visited Hamuel's > clan, and a large number of them decided to > DEEPLY GRIEVED LEARN PASSING DEVOTED become Baha'is. A Local Assembly was > SERVANT FAITH FRANK KHAN. HIS OUT- soon established at Hau Hui with Hamuel as > STANDING SERVICES CONTRIBUTIONS FAITH a member. The rapid emergence of Baha'i > AUSTRALIA AND PACIFIC UNFORGETTABLE. communities on Malaita provoked opposition > KINDLY CONVEY MEMBERS HIS FAMILY OUR from a number of missions, and the new > HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES AND ASSURANCE Baha 'is faced a variety of forms of harrass- > LOVING PRAYERS HIS IMMORTAL SOUL ALL ment and ridicule. They persevered, however, > WORLDS GOD. and established more Local Assemblies, and > GRAHAM H ASSALL a primary school at Tawaimare, on land > donated by the clan to the Faith. > In 1959, the Regional National Spiritual > HAMUEL HOAHANIA Assembly of the Baha'is of the South Pacific > ???-1986 was established. Island Teaching Committees were appointed to co-ordinate the activ- > Hamuel Hoahania was born in the AreAre ities of the Baha'i community in each island > district of Malaita in the Solomon Islands. group and liaise with the Regional Spiritual > He was a traditional chief and owner of all Assembly, and in 1961 Hamuel was asked to > land near Hau Hui on Malaita. When the serve on the Solomon Islands Teaching > Solomon Islands were under the British, he Committee. > had a reputation as being one of the most Hamuel was elected as a delegate to the > cooperative cocoa producers in the Protec- convention of the South Pacific Regional > torate. Assembly in 1962 and several subsequent > As a young man he worked for the South years. During this time he also assisted in > Sea Evangelical Mission, the major Christian implementing a large-scale teaching project > mission in his area, but he became very dis- on Malaita which included Baha'is visiting > illusioned with the church. Despite the most of the villages in the AreAre and Koio > Christian teaching of brotherly love, Euro- regions. By Ric;Ivau 1963 there was an > pean missionaries did not socialise with Assembly at Hau Hui, nine other localities > Islanders. When Hamual heard of a European on the island, and some 800 Malaitan > family living in Honiara who allowed Island- Baha'is. By 1986 there were 59 Local > ers into their home, and even ate with them, Assemblies on Malaita. > he did not at first believe the story, and In 1964, the Solomon Islands became part > decided to investigate for himself. of the South West Pacific Ocean Regional > Hamuel's work as a government medical National Spiritual Assembly, and Hamuel > dresser allowed him to travel to different served on that Assembly for a number of > parts of the Solomon Islands, and when years. He also attended the Intercontinental > next in the capital, in about July 1956, he Conference held in Sydney, Australia, in > approached the home of the Knights of October 1967-one of six gatherings held > Baha'u'llah Alvin and Gertrude Blum, and to celebrate the centenary of Baha'u'llah's > their daughter, Keithie. Alvin invited Hamuel proclamation to the kings and rulers of > in and offeJed him some refreshments. the world. During the Conference Hamuel > Hamuel asked the Blums for books about the 'enacted the story of his people and his > 844 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > GRIEVED NEWS UNTIMELY PASSING DEAR > HANDMAIDEN BAHA'U' LLAH MASl-UD KOIRALA. > HER EXEMPLARY PIONEERING SPIRIT, STEAD- > FASTNESS DEVOTION AND LOVING NATURE > ALL INSTRUMENTAL WINNING MANY HEARTS > ACHIEVING VI CTORI ES NEPAL UNFORGETTA- > BLE. EXTEND HEARTFELT SYMPATHY HER > NOBLE FAMILY FRIENDS NEPAL. ADVISE HOLD > MEMORIAL GATHERINGS. WE ARDENTLY PRAY > SACRED THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER SOUL > ABHA KINGDOM. > > Mahshid fqani was born in Tilu:an on > 17 April 1949. Her urge to travel and teach > the Faith was noticed from an early age. > While she was still in school in Iran she used > to persistently ask her parents to send her > pioneering. The beloved Hand of the Cause > of God 'Ali-Akbar Funitan often recalled > how she used to cry and ask him to tell her > Hamuel Hoahania parents to allow her to pioneer. > Soon after she completed high school she > acceptance of the Faith with a sparkling left Iran to study in the Philippines. She > vivacity and humor'. was the first Persian Baha'i student in the > The National Spiritual Assembly of the Philippines and when the others joined her > Baha'is of the Solomon Islands was estab- she used to be called "the number one". > lished in 1971 , Hamuel was elected to that She studied mass communication from 1967 > institution in 1978. He attended the 1978 until the summer of 1971, when violence in > International Convention in Haifa, Israel- the campuses led to the closure of the unithe first Solomon Islander to do so. On his versity . She went home, planning to go back > way home from the Convention, he travelled to the Philippines to complete her study, but > to Iran and visited the House of the Bab. while in Iran she heard about a course in > Later that year he was appointed an Auxil- mass communication in New Delhi, India. > iary Board member. She was particularly enthusiastic about > When Hamuel passed away on 15 Octo- going to India because of the possibility of > ber 1986, he left behind his wife and their 16 visiting villages and teaching the Faith. She > children, many of whom were actively serv- often spoke of her many visits to Filipino > ing the Faith. villages where she taught under the guidance > GRAHAM H ASSA LL of the beloved Hand of the Cause of God > Ral:imatu'llah Muhajir. During later visits to > Nepal, Dr. Muhajir hin1self told Nepalese > MASHEED lQANI KOIRALA friends how Mahshid had travelled to remote > (Mashid fqani Koirala) Filipino villages and taught the Faith. > 1949- 1986 In September 1971 , she joined the postgraduate diploma course in journalism in > The following telegram was sent by the New Delhi where she met Bharat Koirala . > beloved Universal House of Justice on They became engaged at a ceremony at the > 27 October 1986: Baha'i House in Delhi in the presence of the > IN MEMORIAM 845 > > beloved Hand of the Cause Abu'l-Qasim > Fayc;li. In April 1972 they were married, > again at the Baha'i House, in the presence of > the beloved Hand of the Cause Mr. Furutan. > Three days later they flew to Nepal in the > company of Mr. Furutan, who was travelling > to Nepal to the first National Convention. > For the next 14 years Mahshid was destined to play an important role in the growth > of the Faith in Nepal. She loved to travel to > the villages where Baha'is resided. With her > ever-present smile and unflinching faith in > the power of Baha'u'llah, she was welcome > everywhere. When in Kathmandu she often > suffered from bronchial asthma, but when > she visited Baha'is in villages, all traces of > her physical suffering disappeared. She > missed mass teaching as it was experienced > in the Philippines or India, but she adjusted > to new realities in Nepal and never stopped > teaching, whether in small groups or large Masheed lqani Koirala > gatherings. > From the beginning, Mahshid served as Shabnam found her on the balcony outside > the Auxiliary Board member for Nepal and panting desperately for breath. She was > preferred to do so whenever she was elected rushed to the hospital, but it was already too > to the Assemblies. She said it gave her late. > the opportunity to "plan independently and Hundreds of friends , relatives and promiquickly". It was only at the 1986 National nent Nepalese came to pay their respects as > Convention that she opted to serve on the her body lay at the Baha'i Centre. Many > Assembly, and she was subsequently elected non-Baha'i friends attended the burial at the > secretary. Baha'i cemetery. > The end came on 24 October 1986, after a BHARAT KO IRA LA > > hectic day at the school where, in addition to > her job as principal, she substituted for two > absent teachers. She came home with some > relatives she had met on the way, served tea > for them, drove them home herself and then > asked her mother and two children to get > ready to go to the Baha'i Centre for the > Friday fireside. At the National Centre the > day's speaker had not come and so they > asked her to speak. She said, "Today, I will > talk about Baha'u'llah and my son Samir > will translate into Nepali for me". > She finished her talk, described by friends > and seekers as most eloquent and inspiring, > and while Samir was still translating, she left > the room. A few minutes later her daughter > 846 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > RUDOLFO DUNA Shortly after the fo1mation of the first > 1913-1986 Local Spiritual Assembly in Mozambique in > 1955, the call came from Shoghi Effendi for > In London's Albert Hall in 1963, at the pioneers to go to Angola, the sister colony of > World Congress following the election of the Mozambique under the mle of Portugal. > first Universal House of Justice, Amatu'l- Rudolfo and his wife, Angelica, knew > Baha Rul;iyyih Khanum was overcome by little about the Faith of Baha'u'llah at that > deep emotion and faltered during her inspir- time, but their hearts were filled with love for > ing presentation about the beloved Guardian. the beloved Guardian. Then, Mrs. Duna had > Then, the golden voice of Rudolfo Duna a wonderful dream, according to Rudolfo. > soared out across the auditorium singing "She saw a light never seen before by men's > "Allah'u'Abha". He was quickly joined by eyes and it came to her as an awakening and > some 6,000 voices in praise of their Lord, a warning. Then she said, 'This gives me > giving Rul;iyyih Khanum time to regain her courage and I feel I must obey the command > composure, and welding all heaits in a deep of God to go to Angola!' ... so we began to > spirit of love and unity. This instant response pray that God's Will would be done." > to emergencies as well as teaching opportu- This decision won them the honor of > nities characterized Rudolfo Duna 's services being the first African pioneers in southern > to the Faith which he loved so dearly. Africa to arise in obedience to the call of the > Rudolfo was born on 23 July 1913 in Guardian. > Lourern;o Marques, Mozambique [now Once they had decided, they never > Maputo] into a staunch Christian family wavered in their determination to take their > belonging to the Swiss Mission Church. Just beloved new Faith to another land, in spite > before he heard about the Baha'i Faith from of all the discouragement and fears of family > pioneers Mr. John and Mrs. Charlotte de and friends. They went with their young > Pinto in 1955, he was preparing to become daughter, Dora. > an evangelist for the Swiss Mission Church. "We had to travel third class", Rodulfo > He had no difficulty in recognizing the tmth related. [It was] "a long journey on hard > of the Teachings ofBaha'u ' llah, and became seats and hard to sleep on too, but we were > an ardent and indefatigable believer. happy because we were following the com- > Rudolfo was the third person in Mozam- mand of our beloved Shoghi Effendi who > bique to accept the Baha'i Faith during the was praying for us . I had never seen him > World Cmsade of the beloved Guardian, before, but one thing for sure, he was prayand he became a member of the first Local ing for us." > Spiritual Assembly of Loure111;:0 Marques. In Luanda, they met Mr. Joao, who > The day after the formation of the Local became the first believer and together they > Assembly, Mr. and Mrs. de Pinto were began to teach until the first Local Spiritual > forced to leave the country, and a few days Assembly of Luanda was formed that April. > later the first three believers in Mozambique The arrival of new pioneers from Portugal > were arrested and put into prison, their homes made it possible for the Dunas to return > searched and their Baha' i books confiscated. home after one year's stay in Angola and > Rudolfo spent about a week in jail and was pick up the thread of their services in their > freed after being told that he should not fol- home country. > low the religion brought by the de Pintos. When they returned to Lourenyo > However, in the words of Rudolfo himself, Marques, they found the Local Assembly > "As we have already tasted the sweet savour was no longer functioning and the believers > of the love of the Bab and Baha'u' llah, it is were fearful and disheartened. They called > hard to reject the tmth of the love of God." the Baha'is together and did what they could > IN MEMORIAM 847 > to strengthen and inspire them to hold Feasts > and to teach, but it was very difficult as the > authorities were watchful and suspicious. > In 1962, Mr. Duna was elected to the > Regional Spiritual Assembly of South and > West Africa, and it became his privilege and > honour to travel to Haifa where he participated in the election of the first Universal > House of Justice in 1963 at the close of the > Ten Year Crnsade. > After the Baha'i World Congress, Mr. and > Mrs. Duna were asked to stop in No1ihern > Rhodesia [now Zambia] to teach in an area > which showed promise for mass conversion. > They spent one month in the Mwinilunga > area in the northwestern pa1i of the counháy, > and the promise became a reality as many > souls embraced the Faith. They really had > the magic touch of bringing many people > into the fold ofBaha'u ' llah. > Upon his rehlrn home, Rudolfo was Rudolfo Duna > appointed to the Auxiliary Board for Propagation, a post which he held until his passing. Dunas made another trip to Angola at > The 1970s were days of political umest the request of the Counsellors, to assist the > in Mozambique. Many outstanding Mozam- friends . They also visited Portugal, always > bican leaders were put in jail, including spreading the love and knowledge of > Rudolfo, who was imprisoned because of Baha'u'llah wherever they went. > his Baba 'i activities. For three and a half In 1985, the Dunas were on hand to assist > years he suffered greatly, from solitary in the formation of the first National Spirirual > confinement, which lasted almost two years, Assembly of the Baha ' is of Mozambique. > to frequent beating and to1iure. Finally, This was something Rudolfo had dreamed > because of his good conduct, he was permit- of, had worked for, and had looked forward > ted to take up basket weaving, ivory carving, to for a long, long time. When the members > and even to carry on his trade of plumbing of the National Assembly were announced > outside the prison walls. and were asked to come forward, he looked > While in prison, Rudolfo was active in at them and, especially because he saw his > teaching the Faith and several of his fellow own daughter as a member, hlrned to Couninmates became Baha' is. They were encour- sellor Fat):1i-A '~ am , held his hand and said: > aged by him to translate Baha' i prayers "Shidan, this is the happiest moment of my > into Shirnakonde, and What is the Baha 'i life. My work is now ended. I am now ready > Faith ? into Shimakua, and he himself trans- to meet my Maker." > lated Baha 'u 'llah , Word Made Flesh by Among the many attributes which made > H.M. Balyuzi, into Shironga. Rudolfo an outstanding Baha'i was his talent > After his release from prison, Rudolfo to compose music and write beautiful songs > continued his work as Board member, help- which were sung in Baha'i meetings in many > ing the believers and encouraging them counháies of the world. Among his many > to teach and be active. The affairs of accomplishments was his work translating > Mozambique were looking up. In 1976, the Baha ' i teachings into Shironga, one of the > 848 TH E BAHA ' I WORLD > > major languages of Mozambique. Baha 'i enthusiasm for living and her absolutely > Administration, Baha'i History, Tahirih, unshakeable, positive faith that never knew > Mulla lfusayn, Quddus, The Hidden Words the meaning of defeat. > of Baha 'u 'llah, What Is the Baha 'i Faith ?, For seven and a half years, Bertha taught > and prayers are among his translation work. in country schools in New Zealand. In > Those who knew him well will long August 1923, she resigned from the New > remember his steadfastness in the Faith, his Zealand Education Department with plans to > devotion and love for Baba 'u' llah, his perse- go as a Church of England missionary to > verance in teaching the Cause and his loyalty India to teach the Christian Faith to the > and abiding love for the Baha'i friends. peoples of that continent. Bertha wrote: > The following message was sent on 3 Nov- > I was brought up in the Anglican Church > ember 1986 by the Universal House of Justice > which I loved very much and will always > when info1med of his passing: > be grateful for early training there. It > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING DEVOTED PROMOT- > was my privilege to serve wherever help > ER FAITH RUDOLFO DUNA. HIS LONG RECORD > was needed. Indeed, having been trained > DEDICATED LABOURS IN BOTH TEA CI-lfNG > in New Zealand as a school teacher, I > AND ADMINISTRATIVE FTELDS SERVI CE UN- > offered to go as a missionary to India and > FORGETTABLE. ASSURE RELATIVES LOVING > took a con-espondence course with that > PRAYERS PROGRESS HIS NOBLE SOUL. ADVI SE > object in view. My papers were signed > ALL LOCAL ASSEMBLIES MOZAMBIQUE HOLD > and sent to London. I was to go there and > MEMORIAL GATHERINGS IN HI S NAM E. > learn a language prior to going to India; > but, always an insatiable reader, I came > SHi DAN F ATl:fl-A' :(:AM across a poem, 'The Light of Asia '-the > (S hid an Fat'he-azam) > story of the Buddha! It was so beautiful! > The thought dawned on me, 'If His followers lived up to His Teachings and if > all the Christians lived the Teachings of > BERTHA DOBBINS > Christ, there would be no need of mis- > Knight ofBaha 'u'llah > sionaries!' Finally, I decided to travel and > 1895- 1986 > work my way row1d the world and write a > book. So I left New Zealand in 1923. > On 7 November 1986, on a perfect spring > day, Knight of Baha ' u'llah Bertha Dobbins Bertha went first to Australia, where she > was laid to rest at Centennial Park Cemetery joined South Australia ' s Education Departin Adelaide, South Australia. It seemed that ment. While she was teaching at Nailsworth > myriad daisies joined forces with the first Secondary School, the District Inspector, > flush of spring roses to bid that gallant soul a Adelaide Miethke, described Bertha, in a > cheerful farewell, as she would have wanted report dated 1 August 1927, as a "quiet, > it, as the funeral cortege moved from the gentle little woman who has an influence > chapel to the cemetery. Those gathered at which is distinctly good and spiritual in > the chapel included three generations of nature. She understands children and is full > Bertha's family and dear friends. of devices for their interest. She has a free, > Born in George Street, Po1i Chalmers easy discipline, yet the children respond to > (Dunedin) in New Zealand, two months pre- her quickly. Miss Machan [her maiden > mature, on 11 April 1895, the sixth of eleven name] is possessed of infinite patience. I > children, Bertha never lost the will to sur- have never heard her scold, nor her voice > vive against all odds. A teacher all her life, raised... I consider that both students and > she inspired countless children with her fellow-teachers receive an unconscious > IN MEMORIAM 849 > uplift by association with this quiet, modest, > cheerful little woman." > Within a few years of her aITival in Australia, Bertha had become involved in caring > for the needy in the West End of Adelaide; > had established free English classes for > some early Italian immigrants; and had been > appointed Divisional Commissioner of Girl > Guides for Nailsworth at a ceremony on > 27 April 1927 conducted at Government > House, Adelaide, by Lady Bridges, State > Chief Commissioner of Guides and wife of > the then-Governor of the State. > While set on a course of comparative > study of as many practicing Faiths as possible, Bertha met Joe Dobbins, who was on > a similar quest. On 3 March 1929, Joe wrote > to Bertha, inviting her to go with him and > Hilda Gilbert and Robert Brown to meet ... > "Mr. and Mrs. Dum1 ... at Blackwood" because, > he said, "I believe they have the real mes- Bertha Dobbins > sage; there is no question which they do not > answer to one's satisfaction''. Hilda Gilbert On the evening of January 17, 1933, an > actually was the first to give Joe the Mes- interesting ceremony took place in the > sage and he, in tum, gave it to Bertha. Baha'i room, Epworth Building, Piiie Street, > An unusual courtship, spent every Satur- Adelaide, when our dear Baha'i sister and > day evening at the flat of John Henry and brother, Bertha Mochan and Joseph Dob- > Clara Hyde-Dunn (later to become known bins, were made one. The ceremony was > affectionately to the Baha'is as "Mother" conducted by the Rev. W.H. Hawke > and "Father" Dum1), culminated in Joe and (President of the Council of Churches), > Bertha's eventual declaration of faith, prior who had heard the Baha'i Message and > to becoming husband and wife. Since there was sympathetically and kindly disposed > was no Baha'i administration at this early toward it.. .. After the orthodox service, > stage of the Faith in Australia, exact records the Rev. Mr. Hawke read the beautiful > were not kept of enrolments, but letters pass- Baha'i Marriage Tablet.. .. Among the > ing between Bertha and Joe indicated that many loving gifts was a beautiful crystal > they had declared shortly after hearing of the vase sent by the Baha'is of New Zealand > Faith. Bertha was editor of Herald of the in appreciation of the bride 's work as > South in 1929, indicating that she was a editor of Herald of the South. > Baha'i in that year. Of this time, Bertha > This particular magazine was actually > wrote, "The Baha'i Faith was brought to my > founded by the late Bertram Dewing, a New > notice in 1929 and, after careful study of its > Zealand journalist, with the approval of the > scriptures, I found the answers to the many > beloved Guardian, who suggested the title. > things which had puzzled me in both the Old > In some of her notes Bertha wrote: > and New Testaments of the Bible." > Her maITiage to Joe was recorded by the When Bertram was leaving for a trip > late Mayzi Almond in Herald of the South abroad, he wrote to me in Australia and > dated 13 April 1933, thus: asked me to take over the magazine, > 850 TH E BAHA'i WORLD > > which I was pleased to do .... I edited the who were also on the Caledonien, en route > magazine for 22 years: first from 1929- for their destination, Tahiti, followed, and > 1932, at which time Miss Dugdale with the accompanied me to the Hotel Rossi, Port > help of Miss L. Clark took over for two Vila, where I stayed until the 28th March > years; then it came back to me from 1934- 1954 ... On the 29th March 1954, I moved > 1953. Then I went to the New Hebrides into the hut owned by Chung Yueng > and Mr. Eric Bowes kindly took over. brothers, Chinese... and although living > facilities were practically nil, I was glad > During the following years , Bertha > to have a home. Later, this hut acquired > worked tirelessly as a devoted, generous and > an atmosphere of its own. A never-endselfless wife, and mother of two children; > ing line of visitors, mostly native, came > served on the National Spiritual Assembly > to hear 'the Story, ' so I called the place > of the Baha' is of Australia and New Zealand > Nur Cottage, and it was here, on the 9th > from 1948--49, as well as for many, many > August, 1954, that the Baha'i school began. > years on her own Local Assembly; travelled > to teach the Faith in country towns as well as In 1958, the National Spiritual Assembly > interstate, particularly in Western Australia of Australia was able to anange for the > and Tasmania and also internationally in construction in Port Vila of a substantial > New Zealand and Tonga. Her greatest joy structure which had been prefabricated in > was to share enthusiastically and fearlessly Australia, and which enabled Bertha to conher excitement about her discovery of the tinue her devoted activities at Nur School. > Message of Baha 'u' llah. Fallowing 16 years of separation and per- > Bertha had resigned from the Education sonal sacrifice for a Cause they both placed > Department in South Australia on 11 Novem- before their own love, the two sweethearts, > ber 1932, just prior to her maniage. However, Joe and Bertha, were parted finally when Joe > when her son was 13 and her daughter 11, passed away suddenly in Adelaide on 14 July > she resumed teaching, taking up an appoint- 1969. > ment at the "Wilderness" girls' school, Sad but undaunted, Bertha returned to her > Medindie, South Australia, in 1947. school where she remained for another eight > After nearly eight years at the beautiful years. In December 1971 , Nur School > college, it was time for a new adventure for was closed at the direction of the Universal > the inháepid Bertha. Hence, in September House of Justice, due to the cost of its > 1953, at the age of 58, after consultation upkeep. However, Bertha remained living at > with her husband and her children, and in the school, which had become half her resiresponse to a call to the Baha' i world from dence, half the local I;Ia~iratu'l-Quds. She > the Guardian, she left for the South Pacific, left the New Hebrides islands only when the > for the group of islands known then as the task that she had set herself-the formation > New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), with the of the first National Spiritual Assembly of > purpose of offering the Baha 'i Message to the Baha' is of the New Hebrides-had been > the peoples of those islands. Travelling first accomplished in October 1977. She was > by train from Adelaide, she sailed from 82 years old. > Sydney on 21 September 1953 on the S.S. In a letter from the Universal House of > Caledonien. Bertha's notes record those first Justice, dated 4 August 1971, the following > moments on New Hebridean soil: tribute was paid to Bertha and her school: > I anived in P01i Vila on the 17th October, There is no doubt that the Nur School has > 1953, and said the Greatest Name as my been of great service both in providing > feet touched New Hebridean soil. Miss educational facilities and in contributing > Gladys Parke and Miss Gretta Lamprill, to the advancement of the Cause. The > IN MEMORIAM 851 > > story of your work with the islanders will celebrating the Fiafia, or traditional feast, > forever be enshrined in the annals of the with Samoan dances and songs. William > Faith. Praise be to God that you have was inspired by these two strangers dancing > been enabled to do so much. with local people and he was told that they > were preaching a new Faith. > Shortly before her return home to Ade- > William was shocked, and could not > laide, Bertha was granted the great bounty > believe that any religion other than Chrisand privilege, in April 1973, of being able to > tianity would ever exist. He took his wife, > accompany the Hand of the Cause of God > Manesesa, home and returned after some > Collis Featherstone and his wife, Madge, on > time to talk further with Bob and April. > a visit to Iran and the Holy Land. > Their meeting went on through the night. > Petite in stature, very feminine, an artist > When the sun rose, its golden rays beautified > of no mean talent (she studied under the > the surroundings and made everyone happy > famous Australian artist, William Ashton) > except William, who was very much upset > and a lover of beauty, particularly in nature, > and disturbed. His new friends tried to com- > Bertha was, at the same time, an indefatigable > fort him. He answered: > worker, with a courage and determination > born of her positive faith and confidence in I am happy to know about Baha'u'llah > her own ability. She was afraid of no one, and His divine principles, but I am sorry > and, while respecting authority, those bearing it is impossible for me to become a > that authority were under no misapprehen- Baha'i because everyone will oppose me, > sion that the diminutive Bertha was in any even my wife and all my family and relaway in awe of them! Quite to the contrary, tives, and if I die tomorrow, no one will > her direct, fearless approach to everyone, even attend my funeral. But I am puzzled > from Mayor to Resident Commissioner to and wonder that ifI don't acceptBaha'u'llah, > College Principal to Head of State, earned I have to reject even all other Prophets. If > for her their respect and deep admiration. they are right, then He is also right; and if > A period of ill-health and increasing frailty He is false, then all others are also false, > on her return home from the New Hebrides because all of them are in the same condiculminated in a heart attack on 31 October tion and situation. > 1986 and her eventual passing the following > Then they read to him part of the Writ- > Friday, 6 November, at the age of91. > ings of Baha'u ' llah from Gleanings, and > Dignified and confident to the end, Bertha > suddenly these words penetrated his heart > Dobbins was truly a great lady and a fearless > and attracted his soul towards Baha'u'llah > servant ofBaha'u ' llah. > and he said that now he was ready to face all > HEL EN R EISS ENWEBER > the difficulties and troubles. He became a > dedicated servant of the Cause. > The next day his wife and other relatives > TUMANUV AO WILLIAM WHITE opposed him, but he stood like a rock until > 1918- 1986 his wife accepted the Faith and she began > assisting him in all his efforts. William said > William White was born into a respected a few days after his acceptance of the Cause > family in Savai'i, Western Samoa, in á1918. of God, a Canadian pioneer named Philip > He heard the Message ofBaha 'u'llah for the Beattie came to him in Savai'i and invited > first time in 1973, when Mr. Bob Biti and him on a teaching trip. William said he > Mrs. April Lake visited Savai ' i to teach the didn ' t know anything about the Faith, so > Faith of God in that fertile region during the how could he teach others? Philip said that > happy occasion when the whole village was is the only reason he was invited. William > 852 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > way, he had never boxed in his life and > could not do it. Then they came to me and > sa id, 'Hey, old man, what about you?' I > said, ' I am an old man. I do not want to > box with you all. ' But they insisted, and > forced me to box with them. Then a youth > came mockingly towards me and started > with all his strength to knock me down > and I pretended that I was unable to stand > his blows. All of them laughed and > Philip, who did not know that I knew > boxing, was very much worried. Then > they sent a second youth, this time he > started very fast and acted very proudly. > Then I knocked him down unconscious. > They sent in their leader and he was > defeated and I threw him out of the ring. > Then all of them said, 'Ok, old man, you > know boxing,' and they sent for their > senior boxer. He came, and as soon as he > Tumanuvao William White looked at me, he recognized me and > embraced me. Then he introduced me to > was deepened during this teaching trip and these boxers and said all of them should > he could never do without teaching again. apologise to me as I was a great cham- > His travelling caused many prepared souls to pion. Then he invited us to his home and > draw to Baha'u'llah's Threshold. He was to the village. We were talking to them > always grateful to Philip, and often talked the whole night about this great Message. > about him. On the same night, eight people declared > William was often ill and in great pain, in this village and embraced the Faith. > but even when he had a fev er he never Another exciting experience while teachrefused to go on a teaching trip . He always ing occurred when he was travelling all alone, > willingly left his house with a broad smile. riding on a motorcycle. The following are > One of the incidents he loved to natrnte was his own statements: > from those days when he and Philip were > walking around Savai' i with a bag of books It was evening, and I was riding on my > on their backs . Here are his own words: motorcycle which was serving me as a > queen of the roads . As soon as I reached > It was evening time when Philip and I felt near Falealupo, my queen stopped. The > tired. We took rest under a tree in one of more I tried to start her, the worse she > the school compounds. After some time, became. I kicked her and kicked her > we witrtessed nearly twenty youths badly, but she did not care and did not > approaching this compound along with start. I prayed and begged her to at least > their leader. They came and started prac- reach me to some village before dark, but > ticing boxing. Philip and I were sitting she refused. Anyhow, darkness enveloped > and watching their practice. The youths the area and I was helpless and I was so > gradually started warming up and came to thirsty that I left my queen at the side of > Philip and said, 'How about boxing with the bush and walked and walked in search > us a few rounds?' Philip told them no of water. At last, I reached afale (house) > IN MEMORIAM 853 > and I asked them to give me some water. as a member of the Auxiliary Board for Pro- > They welcomed me to their home and pagation. He also wrote a book called Search > they insisted that I should spend a night for Truth to explain the Baha'i teachings. > with them. I told them I have to go to take Mr. William White passed away on 7 Novcare of my motorcycle, but they said do ember 1986, a shining example of how to > not worry, we are all here to assist you. teach the Cause of God. The following telex > The head of the family, Mr. Fiona, asked from the Universal House of Justice, sent on > his son to accompany me to the spot and 10 November, will surely bless his soul and > help me to bring the motorcycle down to also adorn these pages: > their house. SADDENED NEWS PASS ING DEVOTED SERVANT > As soon as we reached there again, BAHA'U'LLAH TUMANUVAO WILLIAM WHITE > they served me with a beautiful dinner PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL KINDLY > and told me that they were waiting for me CONVEY CONDOLENCES HIS FAM ILY > since evening. I was shocked and speechless and puzzled. Then I asked them how A second telex, from the International > they knew me, and how were they expect- Teaching Centre sent on 11 November, > ing me. Mr. Fiona said, 'This evening, honoured his blessed activities and his soul: > my wife saw a beautiful white owl fly DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING HIGHLY DISTIN- > over our fale (house) a few times and then GUISHED TUMAN UV AO WILLIAM WH ITE > fly away . Then I told my wife according HE WILL BE LONG REMEMBERED FOR HIS > to Samoan tradition, this means that we CEASELESS ACTIVITY SP IRIT DEDICATION > shall receive a respected guest and he DEVOTED SERV ICES TEACHING CONSOLIDA- > shall bring us some good news. I told her TION UPOLU SAVAll HIS COURAGE EXEMPLARY > to prepare a nice dinner.' Then I told MAINTAINING ACTIV ITY DESPITE MANY > them how sincere and true they were. The YEARS ILL HEALTH PRAYING SACRED > whole night I was speaking to them about THRESHOLD PROGRESS HI S SOUL PLEASE > the Faith and it was nearly dawn when CONVEY CONDOLENCE MEMBERS HI S FAMJL Y > Mr. and Mrs. Fiona and their son accepted > the Faith. Later on, Mr. Fiona was elected William was laid to rest in Savai'i, in > as a member of the National Spiritual Papa Village near Puleia, with a most digni- > Assembly of the Baha 'is of Samoa. fied funeral. Hundreds of people attended > with tears rolling from their eyes. He was, > Unfortunately, after a few years of ser- up to his last breath, steadfast and fam and > vice, this great man, Mr. Fiona, had a stroke holding fast to the Teachings of God. He > and was completely paralyzed and motion- was survived by his widow, Manesesa, and > less. He could not even talk. While he was sons and daughters and grandchildren. > laying on his mattress, the elders and pastors A.K. FORUDI > of many sects of Christianity would visit > him and add to his pain by telling him that > he was not saved because he was a Baha'i, > and that he should return to the Church and APELIS MAZAKMA T > they would pray for him. But this man was c.1920-1986 > so steadfast that he refused to listen to them, > such was the result and the outcome of Apelis Mazakn1at, the first Papua New > William's outstanding teaching work. Guinean to embrace the Baha'i Faith, was > In addition to his teaching work, born into the Moxomaaf or Red Parrot clan > William served the Faith as a member of the in the Nalik-speaking area of New Ireland > National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa and some time in the 1920s. This clan has a > 854 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > reputation in New Ireland both for being His negative feelings about the church were > important custodians of traditional lore and no doubt strengthened by the refusal of the > for being open to new ideas; the first New local Catholic missionary to sanctify his > Ireland convert to Christianity, for example, marriage as a Methodist to a Catholic woman > was a maternal relative of Apelis. Apelis (whom he eventually did marry) . He organlived up to this reputation, being a defender ised a meeting of community leaders from > of New Ireland ways during a period of all parts of the Nalik area to convince them > unprecedented change, while himself intro- of the need to expel the missionaries from > ducing a number of innovations from the their region. He was able to persuade many > outside world which helped make his people that this should be done, but as church offiamong the most advanced groups in the cials heard about this, they convinced the > country. colonial authorities to arrest ce1tain clan > Apelis was orphaned at an early age. He leaders who were following Apelis. It is > was adopted by his grandparents in undoubtedly no coincidence that these were > Munawai Village, but spent much time with later among the first to embrace the Cause. > his father's relatives in Madina Village. He The threat of further and more prolonged > became aware of religious differences while imprisonn1ent induced the other leaders to > still quite young. Although Munawai and oppose Apelis' moves , and in embarrass- > Madina were both Methodist villages, his ment he left the Nalik area with a friend by > mother had been from Lugagon, a Catholic bicycle heading toward the southern part of > village between them. He began school at the island. > Lugagon, but rebelled against the Catholic Apelis is remembered as having been a > missionary's strong stance against tradi- very brash young man before he heard of the > tional ways, and returned to his grandparents Faith. He and a friend travelled through New > atMunawai. Ireland with no money, relying on their > In 1930, he went to the first government ingenuity to survive. When they reached > school in New Ireland, which had just been the southern tip of New Ireland they went > established at Utu. Although the academic by canoe to Duke of York and then to New > standard was still poor, it was better than the Britain, which is very difficult. There they > mission-run schools of the time, and he was worked at an agricultural research station, > able to progress to a teacher training institu- where Apelis learned how to grow cocoa > tion in Rabaul on nearby New Britain. After and a number of cash crops. > this training, he was employed on the New In 1951 , he returned to New Ireland to put > Guinea mainland as one of the first indige- this knowledge to work. At that time expanous governn1ent teachers. The second triate planters on New Ireland would not > World War found him in the Sepik, where allow New Irelanders to grow cocoa. Using > he was conscripted as a patrol officer by the seedlings which his friend sent him from the > Australian army. agricultural research station on New Britain, > After the war he was again hired by the Apelis formed a cooperative in the Nalik area > Education Department to assist in rebuilding to inháoduce cocoa production to natives. > the governn1ent administration, and it was This was the beginning of the now flourishnot until 1947 that he was able to return to ing small holder cocoa plantation industry > New Ireland. In 1949, he started the first which is a major source of income for rural > government school in the Nalik area in New Irelanders . Apelis also tried to start a > Madina. But the war had made Apelis ques- native owned cocoa fern1enter, but the oppotion much that he saw was wrong in colonial sition of expatriate planters and jealous clan > society. One of the institutions which he felt leaders, who saw him as a threat to their > was particularly oppressive was the mission. power, prevented this for many years. > IN MEMORJAM 855 > > By this time the government was having > problems dealing with a movement on > Manus started by the famous cargo cult > leader Paliau. Because of Apelis ' lack of > patience with religion and his understanding > of how wealth was actually earned in a > modem society, the government recruited > him again for the teaching service, this time > at the government school in Paliau' s home > village. > On Manus , he soon met Knight of > Baha'u'llah Violet Hoelmke, who had > anived in 1954 from Australia to open the > Admiralty Islands to the Faith. "Sister Vi" > was a nursing sister at the hospital and > had become good friends with Elliot and > Dorothy Elijah, who lived near the hospital. > Although they never became Baha'is, they > did anange a discussion about the Faith at > their home for Apelis. In an interview for a > national newspaper near the end of his life, Ape/is Mazakmat > Apelis said that he had been struck with the > progressive nature of the Baha'i principles Rodney Hancock went to Madina to teach > and the fact that they were so harmonious Homerang the Faith. He soon declared. Miss > with traditional New Ireland beliefs and Thelma Perks, then an Auxiliary Board > practices. member in Australia, went to visit Papua > In the colonial society of that time the New Guinea. Apelis and Homerang organfree mixing of the races, which is so taken ised a large meeting at the beach in Madina > for granted in today's independent Papua at which Thelma spoke and Rodney inter- > New Guinea, was prohibited by custom and preted into Pidgin. A small group of people > law. Sister Vi became notorious for inviting declared, and virtually the whole village > natives to her home and for socialising with began to discuss the merits of the Faith. > native nurses at the beach, and so at the end In the stratified society of the time, the > of 1955 she was transferred from Manus to fact that pioneers would stay in native > another island. She kept in contact with homes and eat their food was a shock for > Apelis, however, and also introduced him both native villagers and settlers that was, > to Rodney Hancock, a pioneer from New as one man who later became a Baha'i said, > Zealand who had anived in New Guinea "as great a shock for us as when Tahirih > soon after she had. When she was in Australia removed her veil in Iran". In fact, Apelis > on leave in 1956, she received a telegram was even jailed for providing hospitality > from Rodney informing him that Apelis had to Miss Perks : he had broken a colonial > declared, becoming the first Papua New law prohibiting the accommodation of single > Guinean believer. white women in native villages. > Apelis wrote to his childhood friend from Apelis used this dramatic removal of the > Madina, Michael Homerang, then a teacher colour bar to teach the Faith with greater > in the Sepik, telling him about the Faith. intensity in Madina, so that by 1957 the first > Homerang had to return to Madina because Local Spiritual Assembly could be formed . > of illness, and at Christmas 19 56 Apelis and Many people declared until at one time three > 856 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > quarters of Madina Village was Baha'i. This escapades as proof of the power of the Faith > alarmed church authorities and white teach- to change behaviour. He is especially > ers at the local school, who told the new remembered for the fact that he was never > believers that they would go to hell if they cross. If he were verbally or even physically > remained Baha'is and followed a "false attacked, he would inevitably reply with > prophet" and a "foreign religion". This such kindness that his opponent would be > caused many to return to the church, and publicly shamed. This quality was reflected > feelings against the Baha'is became quite in his family ; in a society where physical > strong. abuse of women is common, he was note- > By 1957, Apelis had helped establish, and worthy for the respect which he showed his > had been made chairman, of the first local wife. > government council in the area, and he used Apelis is also remembered for his way > this position to ensure that opposition to the with words . Unlike many other modern > Cause did not get out of hand. Apelis and Nalik leaders, he was very careful not to > Homerang gave Baha'i books to the colonial corrupt his public speeches in Nalik with > advisor to the council and to the head of the English or Pidgin phrases . Although he was > local education office, who were favourably not a clan orator, he was perhaps the most > impressed and protected the Baha'is. Mat- accomplished Nalik poet and composer of > ters came to a head when an angry his time, and many of the songs he com- > Methodist churchman physically attacked a posed are still sung at public gatherings. A > new Baha'i who would not recant. The common theme in these songs is the need > Baha'i took the man to the government for unity and cooperative work. He was a > authorities, who jailed the attacker. When skilled storyteller; if people heard he was > churchmen realised that the colonial govern- coming to a village, they would gather to > ment would protect Baha'is, opposition hear his renderings of traditional stories or > became muted. The Faith began to spread to discussions of future plans for development. > other villages, but it never took hold in These plans took up much of his time > Munawai, Apelis ' home village. in the 1970s and early 1980s, long before > Although Apelis introduced many new "social and economic development" became > ideas into Nalik society, once these ideas a common phrase in the Baha 'i community > took root and were accepted by others, he left at large. In the 1970s, Apelis left the local > the day-to-day running of new projects to government council and started a timber > others. This pattern was reinforced in Apelis ' company for local landowners from the > relationship to the Faith by the fact that Nalik area. As chairman of its board, he > because no other person in his home village formed a partnership with a Japanese combecame Baha'i, his oppmtunities for active pany, making his area one of the first in > involvement in Baha 'i administration were the country to reap the economic benefits of > limited. Nevertheless, he was well known for Japanese investment. He also introduced > being a firm Baha'i, and he never hesitated to the first tractor to his village for use by an > teach the Faith when the opportunity arose. agricultural cooperative, and a World Health > He always spoke about the Faith with great Organization primary health project, the first > joy and enthusiasm and was happy to be in the province. When he died on 25 Novinterviewed by the national media about his ember 1986, he had been trying to generate > role in the early history of the Faith. support for a hydroelectric scheme that would > Much of his teaching was by way of supply electricity and running water to the > example. Even today the non-Baha ' is in his northern Nalik-speaking villages . > home village attribute his fine character to Apelis' wife had died shortly before he > the influence of the Faith, citing his earlier did. They had not had any children, and he > IN MEMORIAM 857 > > was survived only by a nephew whom he 1912, Milos Svatopluk Wurm organized a > and his wife had raised. Although this Baha'i book exhibition in Prague, gave pubnephew did not become a Baha'i, both he lic talks and wrote a book entitled Mirove > and Munawai villagers in general are aware hnuti na vychod<:- (Peace Movement in the > of and proud of the role Apelis played in the East) which was published before the first > Baha'i community. World War. > Apelis' life spanned a time of tremendous In 1926, the year after Juliana encounchange in Papua New Guinean society. Born tered the Faith, she became very ill and was > at the beginning of the Australian colonial thus prevented from taking part in the activiperiod, with its many restrictions, he Jived ties of the community for a long time. It was > through a devastating world war and the a difficult period of her life, during which > rapid changes which culminated in national she realized the importance of spirituality. > independence in 197 5 and the challenges of In the following years, Juliana came into > adjustment in the postcolonial period. Apelis' contact with many friends from abroad, such > independent spirit, his desire to initiate as: Dr. Jan Ude (Austria); Valentin Bulgakow > change rather than react to it, his thirst for (U.S.S.R., secretary to Leo Tolstoy), Dr. > new knowledge, and his steadfast and often Hermann Grossmann, Dr. A. Miihlschlegel, > lonely loyalty to the Faith will remain an and Erik Blumenthal (Germany); 'Aziz > example for many generations to come. Samandari (Persia); and Ludmila van Sombeek > CRAIG VOLKER (U.S.A.). Above all, however, there was a > very warm relationship between Juliana and > the Austrian Baha'i community. She visited > }ULLA.NA TROJANKOV A-BENDOV A the friends in Vienna in 1968 and took part > 1898-1986 in the Austrian Baha'i summer school that > year. She loved very much to hear the > Juliana Bendova, nee Trojankova, was born friends chant prayers in the original lanon 19 November 1898 in Czechoslovakia. guage, even though she herself did not > She first came in contact with the Baha'i understand either Persian or Arabic. > Faith in 1925 in the Carolinum, Prague, A foreign language conespondent by > when she was called upon to translate a talk profession, Juliana translated many of the > on the Faith which was being given by Writings herself and was a motivating force > Martha Root. There had been some difficul- in ensuring the publication of several Baha'i > ties with making a translation from English books. Her translations into Czech included > so Martha spoke in Esperanto, which Juliana Words of Wisdom (Slova moudrosti); What > understood. Juliana wrote "It was my first is the Baha 'i Faith? (Co jest nabo~enstvi > public appearance and I felt very insecure. I Baha'i?); The Divine Art of Living (Bo~ke > asked myself whether I would be able to umyni ~iti); The Book of Certitude (Kniha > translate conectly, but then as Martha Root, jistoty); and various articles, including "The > in her fine and balanced way and with her Return of Christ" (Kristus a Jeho opytny > mild friendly and loving smile began to p~áichod). She also translated many of the > speak with me, I realized that I understood Baha'i Writings into Esperanto, some of > her Esperanto very well... Martha Root which appeared in issues of the Baha'i News > spoke about the Baha'i Faith with much published between 1940 and 1950. Juliana > love, devotion, and clarity, winning our hea11s worked daily on translating the Writings > and becoming my teacher." right up into her last years. > The Baha ' i Faith was not unknown in She was deeply interested in the history > Prague at that time . As early as 1852, a news- of the Slavs and sought to clarify a common > paper article about the Bab had appeared. In misperception of them as having been > 858 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > the world and, through the United Nations, > to her own Government, gave her immense > comfort and happiness. > In her memoirs, Juliana wrote "I write > these sentences with heartfelt gratitude, a > sense of solidarity, and a lasting remembrance of our very precious Ma1iha Root, > whose love for us beginners as we came > to know the Baha'i Faith was unfailing. " > Among her last words before she died were > "Iqan", '"Abdu ' l-Baha", and "Baha'u'llah". > Juliana Trojankova-Bendova died on 29 November 1986 in Prague. > Informed of the passing of her beloved > soul into the Abha Kingdom, the Universal > House of Justice cabled the following: > GRIEVED PASSING STALWART DEVOTED MAID- > SERVANT BAHA'U ' LLAH JULIANA BENDOVA. > FUTURE GENERATIONS CZECH BAHA'JS WILL > REJOICE HER MEMORY BE INSPIRED BY HER > Juliana Trojankova-Bendova > HEROIC TENACITY UPHOLDING LI GH T CAUSE > GOD. URGE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL > warlike while, she would point out, ethnol- SERV ICE VIENNA. PRAYING HOLY SHRINES > ogy showed them to have been farming PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOUL AB HA KINGDOM. > peoples. She liked also to speak of those Based on an article by JULIANA BEN DOV A, > great personalities of Czech history who (translated title: "Howl became acquainted > had worked for peace, such as King George with the Baha ' i Teachings") > Podiebrad (Jii:i z Podebrad) who, in the > fifteenth century, suggested to the leaders of > his time the convening of a peace conference, > or Jan Amos Komensky (J.A . Comenius) ISABELLE STEBBINS DODGE > who wrote Via Lucis (published in 1668 in 1910-1987 > Amsterdam) in which he showed four ways > to eliminate the danger of war and ignorance: Isabelle Stebbins was born 21 June 1910 in > the publication of universal books from Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, > which recognition of God would come forth; to Joel and May P. Stebbins. Her father was > access to schools for all; the establishment a professor of astronomy at the University of > of an assembly of philosophers; and the Illinois, and her mother was a librarian. As a > creation of a universal language to facilitate child Isabelle enjoyed reading and travelcommunication-all of which are in the spirit ling, and she was an excellent student. In > of Baha'i teachings . 1919 Isabelle's mother heard about the > Juliana did not lead an easy life; she Baha'i Faith from Albert Vail, a Baha'i > endured very severe tests but was never and a minister in the Unitarian Church in > heard to complain of them, nor did she like Urbana. Shmily thereafter, Isabelle learned > friends to remind her of them. Since her about the Faith from her mother. > youth, peace was her heart's desire. Know- When Isabelle was 15 years old, she had > ing that the Peace Message of the Universal the bounty of making a pilgrimage with her > House of Justice was sent to the leaders of mother. En route to Haifa in the winter of > IN MEMORIAM 859 > 1925- 1926, Isabelle and her mother stayed the well-known Nellie French on a crnise > in Paris, where she met many distinguished stop in Lima, Pern. Isabelle organized > Baha ' is. On 9 March 1926 Isabelle and her Baha'i meetings and distributed literature to > mother arrived in Haifa where they spent a those who were interested. When possible > month. There she and her mother commonly she arranged for teaching meetings in Lima. > had the noonday meal with Shoghi Effendi. Isabelle and Ted lived in Morococha > They came to know Bahiyyih Khanum, for three years , then returned to the United > Munirih Khanum, and other members of the States in 1938 living in Pasadena, California, > Holy Family. Isabelle was quiet and atten- for two years, and Las Crnces, New Mexico, > tive, and her thoughtful demeanor was for one year. They lived in Cananea, Sonora, > remarked upon by several who were in Haifa Mexico, from 1942 to 1945, and once again > at the time . Before Isabelle departed from Isabelle found herself the only Baha' i in > Haifa, Munirih Kl1anum gave her the book the area. It was because of her presence in > Memorials of the Faithful in which she Cananea that Shoghi Effendi placed a lone > wrote the following in Persian: star on his map of northern Mexico to indicate a Baha'i center. Soon Ted 's mining > Oh God! Nourish this fresh plant newly > work took them to the deserts of Arizona. > grown in the garden of Thy love with > The Message of Baba 'u' llah had first > the water of eternal life and protect it > been taken to Tucson by Loulie Mathews, > from the autumnal winds. Thou art the > who had held a Baha'i public meeting > Powerful and Thou art the Wise . > during her stay in Tucson in the early 1940s. > - Munirih > In August 1945, when Isabelle, Ted, and > Isabelle attended Smith College in North- their family moved to Tucson, there were > ampton, Massachusetts, and then taught already two Baha'is residing there, Frances > school in New York and St. Louis in 1931 Lewis and Elizabeth Ashden. On 21 April > and 1932. She received a master 's degree in 1948, the first Local Spiritual Assembly of > history in 1933 from the University of Tucson was forn1ed. > Wisconsin. Ted and Isabelle lived in Tucson from > On 15 June 1935, Isabelle was married 1945 to 1971 , and during that time Isabelle > to Theodore Dodge in Madison, Wisconsin, served on the Local Spiritual Assembly for > by Albert Vai l- the same man who had 25 consecutive years. In 1957 her husband, > introduced Isabelle 's mother to the Faith. Ted, became a Baha'i. In 1971 , Ted began > They were both 24 years old and had known to work at Christmas, Arizona, and Isabelle > each other since high school. Ted had just resigned from the Tucson Assembly . At the > completed his requirements for a Ph.D. in next Feast, the Tucson Baha' i community > geology from Harvard University and was presented Isabelle with 25 red roses in a > about to embark on his first assignment in short ceremony to express its appreciation > Pern. for her long and continued years of dedi- > On 1 August 1935 Isabelle and Ted set- cated service. > tled in their first home at 14,300 feet in the Ted and Isabelle continued to travel > Andes mountains of Pern. Ted was a geolo- widely. Isabelle attended the World Congress > gist for a mining company in Morococha, in London in 1963 , and they both attended > Junin. Isabelle found herself to be the only the La Paz Conference in Bolivia in 1970. > Baha' i in Pern. Yet she was determined to They attended Baha' i summer school in > be a Baha' i teacher in that remote land. She Lima, Pern, and travelled to Europe. In 1977 > received Baha' i books and teaching materi- Isabelle had the bounty of making a second > als via the Amazon River from Leonora pilgrimage to Haifa, this time with her hus- > Holsapple who lived in Brazil, and she met band. This second time she was in the > 860 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > GOL AIDUN > 1930- 1987 > > DEE PLY GR IEVE D UNTIM ELY PA SS ING DEA R > WIFE GOL WH ILE T RA YEU NG IN INDIA. HER > KINDLY SPIRIT, GREAT ZEAL IN TEACHI NG > INC LUD ING MAN Y JOU RNEYS BEHALF BE- > LO VE D FAITH, HER HI STORICA L RE SEARCH > ON PERSONS AND TOPI CS OF CAU SE MAKE > HER LOSS IRREPARABL E. EXTEN D HEA RTFELT > CONDOLENCES ALL MEMBER S FAM ILY. AS- > SU RE FERVENT PRAY ERS HOLY SHRI NES > PROGRESS HER ILLUMI NE D SOUL WORLDS > GOD. > Un iversal House of Justice > 28 January 1987 > > Go! Yagani gi (Yaganegi) was born 12 March > 1930 in Poona, India, the third of seven children of Isfandiya r and Keshwar Yaganigf. > Isabelle Stebbins Dodge Her parents, after years of hardship and > investigation , became Baha ' is after Gal was > precincts of the Seat of the Un iversal House born. When she was abo ut three years old > of Justice, and she could reflect on the and again at eight years of age Go! met the > Baha'i history that she had witnessed. Hand of the Cause of God Martha Root, who > Ted and Isabelle retired to T ucson in recogn ized her potential and encouraged her > 1975, and Isabelle continued to serve the to teach the Faith and serve hum anity. Miss > community on different com mittees. Her Root presented Ga l w ith a photograph on the > warmth and wisdom were hi gh ly appreci- back of which was written the inscription: > ated by the community; few in southern > All ah ' u 'Ab ha. lf one speck of a j ewe l > Arizona have been held in such high regard. > be hid in a stone and that stone be beyond > A story is told about a tourist visiting an > the Seven Seas, until I have sought and > Indian Reservation in Arizona. The tourist > found that jewel, my hand from its search > was intrigued w ith the great respect paid > wi ll not stay. - Baha' u ' ll ah. To beloved > to an elder Indian by the comm uni ty and > Ga l Yaganegi , With tenderest Baha'i love > asked, "How does one get such respect and > and fe rvent prayer that you will become > consideration?" The old man replied " You > a great Baha ' i teacher. In His Covenant, > earn it." So it was with Isabe lle. She had > Martha L. Root at the Baha'i School, > earned the love and admi ration of the > Poona, India, February 7, 1938. > community. > Isabelle appeared to be in good health Go l treasured this gift all her life . > during her retirement years but in 1986 it In the early 1940s, Mr. and Mrs. Isfandiyar > became known that she was suffe rin g from Yaganigi and their children became the first > cancer. Soon she became intensely ill , and pioneers to Panchgani, whi ch today is the > she died 1 January 1987 in Tucson. Her fo ur site of the New Era School and the Baha'i > children- Janet, Tom, Eleanor and Richard- Acade my. Ga l attended the Catholic Concontinue her legacy of serv ice to the Faith. vent School in Panchgani as a day schol ar > STEP HEN POW ERS and later as a boarder. T he nuns impressed > IN MEMORIAM 861 > > her very much and taught her firmness, pioneer with her family. In 1965 the family > deternlination, perseverence, and self-sacrifice, moved to Brandon, and in 1970 the first > qualities which became an integral part of Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is was > her dynamic personality. fo1med there. > Go!' s firmness in the Covenant was un- Go! was very outgoing and friendly, and > shakeable. She deeply believed in the unity had a keen interest in everyone and everyof mankind, her role model being Miss Martha thing. Her home was always filled with > Root. When Go! was 14 years old, she friends from all walks of life. Of all her > accompanied Dr. Khodadad and Mrs. Shirin passions, Gol's first love was travelling to > Fozdar on her first teaching trip, a journey teach, and in the early 1970's, when the > by train to the southern part of India. As a youngest of her three children was still in > youth she served on a number of national school, Go! started travelling to different > and local committees and later on the Local parts of the world for three to five months > Assembly of Pune. After receiving her bach- each year in response to the needs of the > elor's degree from Pune University, she Plans. These trips took her to all the provmarried Jamshid Aidun in 1953 and moved inces of Canada and to over 100 countries > to Karachi, Pakistan, where Jamshid was and islands. She was at home with dignitaries > studying medicine. as well as with village people, never regard- > In 1955, Go! arose to a call for pioneers to ing herself as better than anyone. Instead, > help form a new Local Spiritual Assembly in she felt that she was learning something > Navab Shah, Pakistan. Reassuring her hus- from each individual that she met. > band, Jamshid, who was studying medicine When the call came from the House of > in Karachi, that she would return as soon as Justice for women to take on a more active > there were other Baha'is in Navab Shah to role in the activities of the Faith, Go! immetake her place, Gol left Karachi in March diately arose and concentrated on reaching > 1955 with her one-year-old daughter, Laila. out to the women in the villages that she > After almost two years Gol was able to ful- visited. She also loved children and youth, > fill her promise and the family was reunited. and they returned this love. Age was never a > In 1957 their second daughter, Seema, banier with Go! who was eternally young at > was born, and Gol, with her two daughters, heart. > joined Jamshid in the United States where a Gol loved jokes, and had a keen sense of > few months earlier he had begun his post- humour which was very contagious. Her > graduate studies in surgery. Gol and Jamshid best jokes were about herself and her diffiserved on the first Local Spiritual Assembly culty remembering people's names. It is > of the Baha' is of Syracuse, New York. difficult to think of Go! without recalling > After meeting some Canadian Baha 'is in some incident that brings a smile or a laugh. > Niagara Falls on the occasion of the Anni- At home Go! was a loyal, devoted, and > versary of 'Abdu 'l-Baha 's visit there, Gol loving companion to her husband, Jamshid, > and her family were asked by the Canadian and they complemented each other in char- > Teaching Committee if they would consider acter, creating a bond of love and unity. As a > pioneering to the province of Manitoba, mother Gol was firm, but supportive and > which they did in July of 1963. At the time encouraging, all her actions being tempered > the newest member of the family, a son, with an abundance of unconditional love. > Val:iid, was only a few months old. As a She instilled her beliefs in her children and > member of the Winnipeg Local Spiritual raised them to be servants of mankind, for by > Assembly, which had the goal of opening up serving others they would be serving God. > to the Faith Brandon, the province's second While at home, she also worked hard for > largest city, Go! once again volunteered to various peace groups and organizations. She > 862 THE BAHf\' i WORLD > > her respect for the great dignity and maj esty > of the native people at these colourful, spiritual gatherings. > Go! had an interest in everything. She was > a researcher, an artist, and a concerned citizen > in the areas of environment, health, gardening, birds and animals. Her formal education > did not end when she maITied and had children. Her university degree fro m India was > not recognized in Canada, so she gradually > picked up courses while her children were in > school and proudly graduated from Brandon > University in 1975, along with her eldest > child, with a bachelor of arts degree in religion. Having developed close ties with the > professors in the religion department, Go! > was able to encourage them to offer the > Baha' i Faith as a credit course (Zoroastrianism, Islam and Baha 'i) at the University. > With the inception in 1974 of the Associ- > Go! Aidun ation for Baha'i Studies, in which Go! and > Jamshid immediately became life members, > was active with the United Nations Children's her scholarly focus shifted somewhat from > Fund (UNICEF), helping to form the first university courses, which she still took, to > UNICEF committee for Brandon; she served the writing of historical papers on the Faith. > as local president of the United Nations She presented four studies at the annual > Organization; and she was a member of Association meetings, including papers on > Project Ploughshares, International Women Manekji Limji Hataria, Pritam Singh, > Together, and the West-Man Multicultural Mishkin-Qalam, and Marion Jack. Asked to > Centre, to name a few. She often wore a dove represent the Baha' is at the World Congress > broach as it was a symbol of peace. of Religions held in Sydney, Australia in > Her teaching activities in Canada focused August 1985, Go! presented a paper and > on Native Americans, among whom she slides on Mishkin-Qalam and his calligraphy. > developed many close friendships. She would These presentations were always lively and > often visit these friends on their reserves, fi lled with love, stories and laughter, belying > showing slides of her travels, encouraging the hours of grueling research she would > them to honour their native arts and culture, put into each paper. Go! also studied the > and always eager to learn more about their Baha' i Writings with a passion, often leavbeliefs. Noting an interest on one reserve for ing mounds of books all over which were > the art of ceramics, Gol enlisted the help of fi lled with slips of papers and notes marking > two Baha'i ceramic teachers, and with gov- references on numerous topics. > ernment grants , saw that classes were started Go! possessed the heart and soul of a true > on the reserve for the native women. At artist. Whether splashing vivid colours on a > Brandon University Go! was involved with canvas, painstakingly highlighting Mishkinthe native programmes, taking native studies Qalam-styled calligraphy on ceramic vases, > courses and often inviting the native stu- or photographing prairie crocuses with the > dents she had befriended to her home. She dawn dew glistening on them, her talent was > attended many Pow Wows, often expressing natural and inspired by the Writings. > IN MEMORIAM 863 > > The importance of agriculture grew in articles appeared about her passing in various > Gol' s conscience as she lived in the midst of newsletters. The West-Man Multicultural > Canada's vast farmlands, and she would Centre in Brandon established the Go! Aidun > return from her travels each spring in time to Scholarship Fund, "to be given to outstandplant and toil in "the good earth" of her vast ing achievements in the area of native art, > garden. Meeting Sir Richard St. Barbe Baker promotion of multiculturalism and increasing > instilled an even greater enthusiasm for awareness of peace", a most fitting rememnature in Gol, and she initiated a city-wide brance to one who was described in Brandon > tree planting campaign in Brandon amongst as a "cultural champion". Later, in May 1987, > all the schools during a youth year celebra- at the Premier's Volunteer Service Awards > tion . for the province of Manitoba, Canada, > In all her endeavours Go! was guided by Jams hid accepted a special posthumous > constant prayer and meditation, and a total award to Go! for "the outstanding volunteer > reliance on God. Asked if she was con- in the area of Cultural-Native development". > cerned for her safety she would always reply Go! was laid to rest in the Baha'i cemethat she was not afraid of death and that she tery in Pune, India, the city of her birth. The > knew that God would somehow guide and night before her passing Go! dreamt that her > protect her. Her gift of intuition was excep- son, Val_i.id, and her grandson Jamal were > tional and she often had dreams which very distressed because their favourite bird > seemed to guide her. had flown away. Disturbed as to the signifi- > It seems that Gol 's last teaching trip cance of this dream she phoned Jamshid in > was to India, where she had begun her first. Canada to inquire about eve1yone's health. > This journey was an especially joyous one Reassured that all were well, she boarded > for Go! as she attended the dedication of the her train. > Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent, Our favourite bird has been set free and > in New Delhi, her homeland, along with taken flight to the glorious realms of the > Jamshid, her three children, son-in-law, and Abila Kingdom. > two of her grandchildren. Fallowing the L AIL A AIDUN EIRIKSSON > > dedication Gol had a family reunion in Pune > with her mother and six brothers and sisters, > who had come together now for the first JUANITA MARJE STORCH > time after 32 years. 1895-1987 > After her husband and family returned to > Canada, Go! stayed on to teach. In the last Juanita Marie Storch was born in the San > days before her passing, she was completely Francisco/Oakland Bay area of California on > preoccupied with teaching in the villages and 23 May 1895 to a German mother, Johanna > towns around Pune and Panchgani, keeping M. Storch (nee Thee), and an Austrian father > a schedule which those around her found who was born in Mexico, Hugo W. Storch. > exhausting. Then, tragically, while travel- She was especially blessed at an early age to > ling from Pune to New Delhi, where she was hear about and embrace the Baha'i Message, > to serve as a guide at the newly dedicated and to be accorded the bounty of meeting > Temple, Go! fell from the train and met her 'Abdu'l-Baha during his memorable visit to > untimely death during the early hours of the West Coast of North America. > 23 January 1987. Fragile in appearance and gentle in man- > In the months that followed, teaching ner, she lived, during her teenage years, in > plans dedicated to Gol's memory sprang up Fruitvale, California. The Faith had been > around the world, many donations were established in San Francisco, across the bay, > made to various organizations, and numerous by such pioneers as Helen Goodall and her > 864 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > > daughter, Ell a G. Cooper. Travel between 27th Street and Fru itvale Ave. came and > San Francisco and Oakland by the friends stopped awhile. For five cents we rode on > was frequent. Her parents began going to it to Jackson Street. At Mrs. Goodall ' s, > Baha ' i gatherings in 1911 at the home of my mother and father heard Thornton > Mrs. Goodal l, where Lua Getsinger and Chase speak at their first Baba ' i meeting. > Thornton Chase would speak from time to Some time later, dear Thornton Chase > time. came to the Fruitva le Assemb ly as did > In 1912, the Baha' is began to anticipate Lua Getsinger and other early teachers > the coming of ' Abdu' l-Baha to Cali fornia. and travelers so we were very blessed. > Juanita wrote of this in her diary, and in Naturally the Friends wished they > letters to friends who often came to see her, could go to the train to meet 'Abdu ' lin paiiicular to ask for her remembrances of Baha, but Mrs. Goodall and Mrs . Cooper > that historic occasion. In one such recoll ec- advised against it so we had to wa it until > tion she wrote: we heard that 'Abdu ' l-Baha had arrived > the evening before and wou ld be at Mrs. > When 'Abdu'l-Baha came to the Bay > Gooda ll 's in the afternoon to meet us all. > region in October 1912, the first time J > The rooms were filled and I had to sit > saw Him was Thursday afternoon, Oct 3, > on the floor with a few other young folks. > 1912, at Mrs . Helen Gooda ll 's home on > From there I could see out of the drawing > Jackson St., Oakland. > room across the hall , to the stairway > The Friends had been looking forward > where 'Abdu'l-Baha came down. First we > to this visit for several months. The ones > heard His voice, then He came down with > who had been to the Convention in Chifour Persians and Mrs. Getsinger, light > cago told us about Hirn. Visiting Friends > from the colored glass window on His > also gave reports. Mrs. Goodall arra nged > head and shoulders. > a showing of the moving pictures taken in > When He appeared in the doorway we > Connecticut, in her large attic room . > all arose and He said 'A llah' u'Abha' sev- > Then we heard that 'Abdu' l-B aha was > eral times. We answered and He walked > very tired and would not journey to Ca lito His seat and with a motion of His hand > fornia. At that time with my parents I was > He bade us be seated . Somehow it all > a member of the "Fruitvale Assembly of > seemed so natural and as if we had always > 'Abdu' l-Baha". We wrote Him a letter > seen Him. > and He replied with a Tab let to the > My father had enro lled me at the Cali- > Fruitvale Assembly and ever since the > fornia School of Arts and Crafts in > phrase 'Firmness in the Covenant' has > Berkeley and I was hoping to study ... to > remained in my memory. > help him in the future as he was a talented > Being seventeen at the time and livin g > designer who had studi ed architecture, > in a two-storey redwood house at the top > but it was not to be. My studies did make > of Lynde Street hill, we were two blocks > me observe people, and I could not help > from the Matteson's home, where most > but notice al l the details of 'Abdu ' lof our Baha ' i meetings and Feasts were > Baha 's build and the beautiful way He > held excepting when we went to Mrs. > used His hands. He never pointed at us . > Goodall's house. Not many people had > He used His hands more like a cup, offerautomobi les in those days. It was so easy > ing us His bounty. At the end of His talk > to walk the two blocks to Matteson ' s on > He arose and qui ckl y walked through the > Sunset Street. To go to Mrs. Goodall ' s we > pressing group of friends, taking some > walked down Lynde Street hill to where > hands as He went. He took my hand as He > the end of the line of a street car at East > was passing and looked into my eyes. It > IN MEMORIAM 865 > was only a second but it seemed ten minutes . He still had my hand as He passed, > and soon He was through the crowd, His > voice vibrating through the room as He > spoke .. . He kissed the babies and went out. > Many of the friends were exhilarated > and all were talking to each other, so to > escape the confusion I went into the hall > where it was quiet and peeked into the > dining room as a few voices were coming > from there. What a picture I saw ! There > was 'Abdu'l-Baha sitting in a big easy > chair by the window. Little children were > sitting on His lap and at His feet. He > spoke to the children in English. > Mrs. Cooper told me once that her > mother begged her father not to have the > vines trimmed that hung over the outside > of the window. So now it made a beautiful diffused light as a backdrop for this > scene. Juanita Marie Storch > There was only one time I was able to > attend a public meeting and that was at daughter, I am very fond of thee . Rest > the First Congregational Church in Oak- assured in Me.' > land. Other times were at Mrs. Goodall's In later years in time of trials those > on the long day of Oct 12th and twice at words came unbidden to me '-Rest assured > 'Abdu ' l-Baha's house in San Francisco. in Me.' > To get there we had to walk down Lynde Once my father went alone to see > Street hill and get the street car going 'Abdu'l-Baha. He embraced my father and > down Fruitvale Ave. to the train station at said in the future to pattern his life on the > Fruitvale Station then ride the train to the stars. > ferry to cross the bay and then at the As most of my memories are so per- > Ferry Building take another street car to sonal and not of historical data, I shall tell > 'Abdu'l-Baha's house. This was sup- of two other episodes that left an imprint > posed to be too much for a seventeen year on the seventeen year old. One was being > old school girl at night. The first time I up in 'Abdu'l-Baha 's room at Mrs. Goodwas at 'Abdu'I-Baha 's house was with all's. Everyone wanted that opportunitymy parents. My father wanted to ask Him to have an interview with 'Abdu ' 1-Baha > questions about the promised temple and and I had no such wish. In fact I did not > the future of temples, etc. People always know what I would ask. Mirza Mahmood > wanted to ask 'Abdu ' l-Baha questions. The who was always around and talking to > halls were always full of people waiting us all, insisted I go. He arranged it and > for interviews. beckoned me to come up the stairs. > As we walked down the hall to Mrs. Getsinger was standing at 'Abdu ' l- > 'Abdu ' l-Baha's room upstairs, He came Baha's doorway. Dr. Fareed was inside > to the door and took my hand and said and had taken Katheryn Holsti's hand and > these words: ' In Persia it is not the cus- taken her with me. She had an eye afflictom to kiss the young ladies. You are My tion. Her father was bedridden and my > 866 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > father visited him and helped him Valley. The Bosch home and acreage, nesbecome a Baha'i. I pushed Katheryn tled between two mountain ranges, was > ahead of me as 'Abdu ' l-Baha came to His eventually deeded to the National Spiritual > doorway and said in a low voice, "This Assembly to become known around the > is my sister". So 'Abdu ' l-Baha gave a Baha'i world as the Geyserville Baha ' i > discourse on being sisters. Then all of a School. Among the notable traditional gathsudden I could not see Him. There was erings she particularly loved to attend at the > just a brilliant warm light. I was not afraid. School was the annual Unity Feast. She also > It was something I could not write about helped arrange and attended many summer > or tell for some tin1e afterwards. Later, outings of the Baha'is of San Francisco, > downstairs, Katheryn said she was disap- Oakland, and other communities at Griffith's > pointed. She expected a miracle for her Grove, a wooded area not far from Geysereyes. I was the one who experienced the ville, owned by a Baha'i. > miracle! Educated at the California School of Arts > When 'Abdu'l-Baha gave an afternoon and Crafts, she was known locally as a fine > farewell talk at His home in San Fran- painter. The Sonoma County Museum in > cisco I spoke of the spiritual fragrance Santa Rosa held an exhibit of her paintings > like musk and the last atmosphere of His posthumously in 1990. Her passing was > talk was so beautiful and touching, He memorialized by Gaye LeBaron, a columnist > walked by all of us and taking hands usu- for the major Santa Rosa newspaper, extolally the way He did, but not as He came ling her 70 years' work with the Camp Fire > to me; He did not look at me and walked Girls organization from her 21st birthday > right by me. As He turned to look at all until the frailty of age intervened. > of us, as He stood at the bottom of the She was married on 28 April 1920 in > outside stairs, He looked just like that New York City to Ahmad Sohrab, whom > photograph of Him taken in Paris- very she met as a result of 'Abdu ' l-Baha's visit > serious and penetrating. Usually He to Oakland. She lost her United States citilooked like the smiling photo of Him( self) zenship thereby because in those times U.S. > in Chicago. statutes decreed that an American must give > For some time I felt, maybe I had done up U.S . citizenship to marry a foreigner. > something to displease Him and then the She gave birth to a daughter, Laila, who > inner happiness came-He did not say eventually settled in the Seattle, Washington, > goodbye to me! community. However, her marriage lasted > less than two years, and many years ' efforts > In 1915 , the family moved to Rincon to regain U.S. citizenship were finally > Valley, near Santa Rosa, 60 miles north of rewarded in the 1940s, when she reclaimed > Oakland. There, too, their home was outside her maiden name. > the bustle of city noise and traffic, where A dear friend reminiscing about Juanita 's > Juanita daily fed wild deer and birds from later years said of her: "She always disliked > her hands . She lived in this valley from 1915 our celebrating her birthday because it was a > until it became necessary for her to move Baha' i Holy Day and she didn't want to disinto a convalescent home, in Santa Rosa, tract from the usual festivities that day ... She > just before her passing. was a source of inspiration, knowledge, and > Juanita was elected to the Santa Rosa comfort to the Friends, a shining example to > Spiritual Assembly year after year, serving (everyone)." > on committees and attending the many meet- She died 26 January 1987 and was buried > ings at the Geyserville home of John and in Santa Rosa Memorial Park near her > Louise Bosch 30 miles nmih of Rincon father. > IN MEMORIAM 867 > > Juanita wrote many poems during her Louise Caswell, long-time pioneer to Central > life. This is but one of them: America, died at her post in the Yucatan, > Mexico, at the age of 91. She was buried at > 0 Day of Love! > sunset, her favourite time of day, in the > 0 Day of Love! I sit and dream of thee! A Baha'i section of the public cemetery in > day apart from other days, yet in thee do I Merida after a funeral service attended by > find them all; For thou art all eternity! friends from the town and nearby villages > 0 Day Divine! Thou art the universe! where she had taught the Faith. > Into the heights of thy stany dome, and deep Louise was born on 18 March 1896 into an > beneath the depths of thy tossing foam do I affluent family in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. > feel my soul immerse! Her parents were progressive and involved > 0 Dazzling Day! Like unto the sun thou in the community. Her father once said, > art! But lest thy brilliance blind mine eyes, I "What the world needs is a world religion", > find a misty smoke of incense rise; The and no doubt such sentiments influenced her > peace-veil from thy heart! when she met the Baha'is of Portland. > 0 Beauteous Day! Thou art an angel Louise enrolled in the Faith in 1927, and > form! Pure, happy and pe1fect, abideth thou, was blessed with having outstanding Baha'i > in the garden of delight; To forever and ever teachers including Helen Pilkington, Mr. and > and ever roam! Mrs. George Latimer, Ella Cooper, John and > 0 Day of Love! Thou art a prayer! I hear Louise Bosch, Keith Ransom-Kehler, Leroy > thee issue from the sacred chambers of Ioas, and Martha Root, after whom she pat- > Baha, as music sweetly chanted; Ah, my life terned her own teaching methods. > is there! In 1936, when the Guardian cabled the > WALDO T. BOYD > National Convention with a call for pioneers > to go to Latin America, Louise volunteered > LOUISE CASWELL to go to Mexico. As circumstances would > 1896- 1987 have it, she did not leave the United States > that year, but went instead to Knoxville, > SADDENED NEWS PASSTNG RADIANT WARM- Tennessee, as a homefront pioneer. > HEARTED SELF-EFFACTNG SERVANT CAUSE In 1939, after helping to form the first > LOUISE CASWELL FOLLOW ING LONG ILLNESS. Local Spiritual Assembly of Knoxville, > RECALL WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS HER DEDI- Louise felt that her time had come to pioneer > CATED PIONEERING SERV ICES SPANNTNG overseas, and in October she arrived in > FIFTY YEARS. AMONG FIRST TO ARJSE TN 1939 Panama. Together with Cora Oliver, who > FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT GUARDIAN arrived a few days later, she helped establish > FIRST SEVEN YEAR PLAN fNTRODUCE FAITH the Faith in that country to which the Guardian > PANAMA. SHE CONTINUED HER DEVOTED had given so much attention in The Advent > ENDEAVOURS THROUGHOUT STAGES UN- of Divine Justice. > FOLDMENT CAUSE LATTN AMERJCA DURING Louise remained in Panama for 10 years, > SUCCESSIVE TEACI-lfNG PLANS fNCLUDED helping to form the first Local Spiritual > TEACHING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES GUATEMALA Assembly in that country in 1945. She also > TEN YEAR CRUSADE AND CONCLUDED LIFE- was the teacher of the first Indian believer > LONG SERVICE TEACHTNG BELOVED CAUSE in Panama. She did not limit her activities > YUCATAN PENTNSULA MEXICO. OFFERING to that country, however, but travelled to > PRAYERS SACRED THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER many of the neighbouring countries and > SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. islands, and in 19 51 she was elected to the > Universal House of Justice first National Spiritual Assembly of Central > 19 March 1987 America, Mexico and the Antilles. > 868 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > with Teresa MacGregor, a Baha'i whom she > had met in El Salvador in 1974. A little more > than a year before her death, Teresa remembers being in the kitchen making a dessert > for the commemoration of the Birth of the > Bab when she suddenly heard a loud thud > from Louise's room. When she ran to see > what had happened, she found Louise on the > floor, smiling brightly. She widened her big > expressive blue eyes and with contagious > joyfulness, exclaimed: '"Abdu'l-Baha came > to see me and He told me He's going to take > me with Him, and so I wanted to come running to tell you about it." > Teresa cared for "Dona Luisita" until that > dedicated servant passed away on 2 February > 1987, at the age of91. > Adapted from an article in The American Baha ' i, > April 1987, and from a memoir by > TERESA MACGREGOR > > Louise Caswell > > In response to the great teaching needs ELEANOR HOLLIBAUGH > 1897-1987 > throughout Central America, she left her > post in Panama and, after spending nearly > On 15 February 1987, two days before her > a year each in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and > 90th birthday, Eleanor Hollibaugh, longtime > Honduras, settled in 1953 in Guatemala > pioneer, passed away in Montreux, Switzerwhere she spent the next 22 years. The > land. She was laid to rest in Glion, near her > National Spiritual Assembly of Guatemala > beloved fellow pioneer Dagmar Dole who > was fanned in 1961 , and she served as its > had laid down her burden so many years > secretary for many years. > before in that village above Lake Geneva. > In 1975, Louise left Guatemala for Mexico > On hearing the news of her passing, the > to join her long-time friends Artemus and > Universal House of Justice sent the follow- > Dora Lamb, Valeria Lamb Nichols, and > ing message on 18 February: > Edna Ford. In Merida, Yucatan, she continued to teach the Faith, not only with words, PASSING GRAC IOUS NOBLE ELEANOR HOLLI- > but with her presence, with her life. People BAUGH WHOSE PATIENT WISE STEADFAST > remarked on her exquisite personality and EXEM PLARY SERV ICE AS PIONEER LATIN > the great love she communicated. Friends AMER ICA AND EUROPE SPANNED ALMOST > enjoyed her good humor and the artless HALF A CENTURY DEPRIVES BAHA' i WORLD > grace with which she sometimes unexpect- OF MODEL OF TIRELESS UNFLINCHING DEVO- > edly expressed herself. Many stories of her TION. HER EXAMPLE WORTHY EMULATION > services to the Faith were recorded in Divine PIONEERS EVERYWHERE AN D NOTABLY > Springtime, a book by Daniel Wegener about EUROPE WHERE RISING GENERATIONS MUST > the development of the Faith in Central ZEALOUSLY SAFEGUARD SEEDS SHE AND CO- > America which was published in 1977. WORKERS PLANTED AND ENSURE BOUNTIFUL > During the last 13 years of her life, many HARVEST. > of which she spent bedridden, Louise lived > IN MEMORIAM 869 > She was born Eleanor Smith on 17 Febru- future of the native Indians. Her tender heart > ary 1897 in Hastings, Nebraska, U.S.A., the identified with their plight and spiritual > elder of two children from her mother 's first potential. After seven months of intensive > marriage. Very rapidly she became the moral work, however, she had to return to California > support of her unhappy mother and, later on for health and personal reasons. > in the second marriage, her mother' s help She later pioneered to the southern > with her five new brothers and sisters. United States, and also to Reno, Nevada, > As a young woman, she left her family where she was associated with Florence > to go West, eventually arriving in California. Mayberry. In the words of friends who knew > She lived in Hollywood for some time, her then, > working as a fashion model, chorus dancer > Eleanor was a godsend to these struggling > and actress, and marrying film writer, Felix > Baha'is, especially to the Mayberry fam- > Adler, whom she later divorced. > ily with their weekly firesides. She was > Eleanor accepted the Baha'i Faith in 1939. > valuable not only as a speaker but in > The opportunity to attend her first fireside > adddition she put us on fire. As a discuswas so important to her that when she was > sion leader she was a dynamic catalyst, so > called to jury duty the same day, she appealed > convinced of the truth of this Revelation > to the judge to postpone the session-and > that she magnetized others to recognize it. > the request was granted. > An impulsive and passionate individual, > Entering the Baha'i Faith with fervour > she did not follow paths devised by others, > and high dedication, Eleanor almost immebut tended to clear her own. > diately decided to go pioneering. To obtain > sufficient cash for the venture she sold her She moved from Reno to Glendale, Calijewellery and headed for Bolivia, the only fornia, where she met and married her > country left in South America without a pio- second husband, Merle Hollibaugh. > neer at that time. "I felt raised by the Power At the end of World War II the European > of the Greatest Name, and while everything Teaching Committee asked Eleanor, who > seemed strange, I did not feel alone .. . in the still was on fire for pioneering, to join Dagmar > sense of loneliness". Dole in Copenhagen, Denmark. She stayed > Upon her arrival in La Paz, Bolivia, there from May 1947 to October 1948, and > Eleanor developed altitude sickness. A then again from March 1950 to October 1950. > woman who saw her great need took her She played a very important part in the > to the home of a Mrs. Cuellar who, inciden- history of the early days of the Baha' i Faith > tally, became very rapidly interested in the in Denmark. She and Dagmar began fire- > Faith. "Too glowing an account cannot be sides and study classes, and during her stay > given of Senora Yvonne de Cuellar'', 14 people became Baha' is in Copenhagen. It > Eleanor later wrote. is recorded that "some of the success can be > attributed to Eleanor, who was very charm- > Her immediate response and thoughtful > ing, full of humour and laughter, always > and unqualified acceptance [ofBaha'u'llah] > ready to proclaim the Faith, very valuable > opened the gates in regard to freedom of > when making contact with new people". And > teaching and contacts. She was a channel > early Danish believers have written the folfor the free flow of the Teachings. I know > lowing about Eleanor: "Although we have > of no other soul whose contacts were so > not seen her for a long time, she is still part > varied or who was so free from prejuof our daily life and will continue to be so as > dice. Through her, the other two women > long as we live. We owe her and Dagmar > who declared were contacted. > Dole so much for having introduced us to the > Eleanor developed a deep interest in the Baha'i Faith more than forty years ago ." > 870 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > May the Spirit of Baha'u'llah guide, sustain and bless your meritorious and historic > labours, aid you to surmount every obstacle, however formidable , in your path, > and enable you to establish in the near > future a flourishing and exemplary centre > and assembly in that city. > Eleanor went back to Copenhagen to help > with the organization of the third European > Teaching Conference which was held in July > 1950. Apart from further short periods > assisting in the teaching work in Luxembourg, Eleanor stayed in the Netherlands for > nine years. When she left to go to France > in 1958, the Dutch community counted two > Local Assemblies and a number of groups > well on their way to becoming Local Assemblies. Among them was the community of > Rotterdam, which enjoyed particularly close > contact with Eleanor. A friend in the Nether- > Eleanor Hollibaugh > lands wrote: > In 1949, the European Teaching Conunit- Eleanor was goodlooking, gracious, inteltee asked Eleanor if she would serve in ligent, with a good sense of humour; she > the Netherlands, where one year before the was also determined and had an indepenfirst Spiritual Assembly had been formed dent mind; was very wise in her way with > in Amsterdam. She accepted, moving to friends and contacts, and was an excellent > Amsterdam where she spent a few years. hostess who got on well with everybody. > From there she moved to The Hague and Her only goal was to se1ve the Faith for > took up residence in the I:Ia~iratu'l-Quds. which she had a great love. She suc- > The Local Spiritual Assembly of The ceeded in transmitting this love to many > Hague was established in 1952 and Eleanor people who had the great fortune of meetwas elected as its secretary. She was a great ing her. > stimulus towards co-operation between the In France, Eleanor se1ved for a short tinle > Benelux countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, in Nancy and then went to Dijon where she > and the Netherlands) which culminated in remained from August 1958 until March > the election of the frrst National Assembly 1960. She was the only Baha'i and pioneer > of the Benelux Countries in 1957. in that town, far away from others, but > It must be remembered that those historic apparently in those days there were many > days were materially extremely difficult, French people who were eager to make conespecially for pioneers. Eleanor is reported tact with her. Eleanor, at that time, had no > to have said on one occasion, "Are we not knowledge at all of the French language, but > lucky to live with such inconvenience?". was able to attract 75 persons in that town > During all of these hard tin1es Eleanor for a public conference she organized singlewas sustained by the love of Baha 'u 'llah, handedly for Mrs. Meherangiz Munsiff. > and the encouragement of Shoghi Effendi, In 1960, the European Teaching Conunitwho wrote to her on several occasions words tee of the United States requested her to go > such as these (30 May 1947): to Switzerland, where she lived until her > IN MEMORIAM 871 > passing. She was instrumental in forming the SAEED NAHVI > first Local Assembly in Vevey. There she (Sa'id NaJ:ivi) > joined another valiant American pioneer, Knight ofBaha'u'llah > Mrs. Marion Little. There again, due to the 1910- 1987 > tremendous impetus of the pioneers, including > Eleanor, the Assembly was formed in 1961. Sa'id NaJ:ivi was born on 28 April 1910 in > Eleanor remained steadfast at this pio- Mashhad, Persia. His father was 'Ali-Akbar > neering post, never giving up until 1984 Nal;vi, a descendent of the scholarly Fay9 > when she moved to a Home for the Aged. family . His mother was Munirih Kha9ra'i. > This was a very great test for her, because His parents were both devout Muslims. > she had the feeling that her independence, Sa' id obtained his primary education in > which had been a mainstay of her life, both Mashhad and his secondary education at > as a woman and as a Baha'i, had come to the Tarbiyat Baha'i School in Tihran, which > a close. From then on, though, her heart was owned and managed by the National > opened in very tender affection to the believ- Spiritual Assembly of Persia. He graduated > ers, and they loved to visit her until the end, in about 1925, then went to Toulouse, > and weep sorely when she departed. France, for advanced studies in physics and > It may be interpreted as characteristic of mathematics. While in France he associated > Eleanor to have died two days before her very closely with Baha'i students, including > 90th birthday, which would have been cele- his dear friend 'Abdu 'llah Mi~ba~1, a wellbrated both by the municipality ofMontreux known fellow Persian believer. > and the Baha'is . She had always preferred In 1935, he went on pilgrimage to the > to avoid the limelight. She was a pioneer Holy Land and attained the presence of the > in the true sense: she broke the ground, beloved Guardian. This was the most signiffound the first contact, animated the seekers icant event in his life, and he related many > and gave them the vision through her devo- loving and inspiring stories of that visit to > tion and loyalty to the Cause. Eleanor was people around the world. Other pilgrims > deeply loyal to the Central Figures of the present during those meetings affirmed the > Faith, and would stand no criticism, not even deep emotion Sa'id felt in the Guardian's > from a new Baha'i. presence. > Eleanor Hollibaugh had not attended col- On 18 December 1943, he married Shawkat > lege or university. Her level of formal 'Ala'i, (Shokat Alai) sister of Shu'a'u'llah > education was minimal. From the time she 'Ala'i, who was later named a Hand of the > accepted the Faith she was self-taught, open Cause of God. Sa'id and Shawkat had two > not only to Baha'i literature but also other children, Asad (Randy) and Susan. > literature, and always interested in new Sa'id studied law, and became a lawyer > fields of science or development. She made of 'The First Class' entitled to appear in all > it a point to be abreast of political events and comis and tribunals throughout the countrywhatever was new in the world of religion tribunals of First Instance, Courts of Appeal, > and science. She was appreciated as a very and the Supreme Court of Privy Council. He > animated listener. also provided translation services to the > As a great friend of hers put it: "On one Persian Government (and to Baha 'i institusubject she was steady as the proverbial tions) because of his knowledge of Persian, > rock, that was love for and devotion to her Arabic, French, English and German. > Faith. The fiery flickering part of her nature He was a member of the National Teachwas saved for teaching and in that she was a ing Committee of Iran. When the Guardian's > flame thrower." call for pioneers came at the beginning of > AGNES GHAZNAYI-FISCHER the Ten Year Crusade, he and his family left > 872 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > served as its secretary, and from 1974 to > 1979 he served as a member of the Administrative Committee of the Abas Abad region. > He often taught classes at Baha'i schools. > In 1979, the Nal)vis moved to the United > States of America, settling in southern California. From 1979 to 1986 he served on > the Local Spiritual Assembly of Dana Point, > and from 1986 to 1987 he was a member of > the Local Assembly of Huntington Beach. > From the United States, Sa 'id travelled > widely to serve the Faith. Among his teaching > destinations were French Guiana in 1980, > and American and Western Samoa, the > Cook Islands , Fiji, the Loyalty Islands, New > Caledonia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, and > Vanuatu in 1982. > The events surrounding Sa'id's passing > are living testimony to his steadfastness, > devotion, and purity of motive in serving the > Saeed Nahvi Cause until the end. His daughter, Susan > Fothergill, recounts the following: > Persia for India on the Twelfth Day of > On Friday, 27 February 1987, the > Ridvan 1953. In Bombay, Sa'id was advised > second night of Ayyam-i-Ha, B.E. 143 , > by .the National Spiritual Assembly of India > my father was scheduled to speak at the > to settle in a virgin territory, so he took his > Baha' i fireside held at Dr. Roshan 's home > family to Pondicherry, a French co lony in > in Newport Beach, California. That > southern India, because of his fluenc y in > evening he took his shower, said his > French. He arrived at his goal on 22 July > prayers, ate di1mer and drove to the > 1953 and received the following telegram > Roshan's home around 8 p.m. > from the Guardian on 28 July 1953: 'Assure > Following his a1Tival, he was greeted > Nahvi of my loving prayers- Shoghi'. For > warmly by the friends. The Roshans were > this move, both Sa'id and Shawkat were > very happy that he had come because > named Knights ofBaha'u'llah. > they said every time he attended the fire- > The Nahvis stayed in Pondicheny for > side there would be a declaration. This > seven year~, making many friends for the > was to be h11e to his very final visit. > Faith including Mr. K.heval Singh, the Gov- > After the opening prayer was recited > ernor, and Mr. Goudon, the French Consul. > the people gathered realized that my > In 1960, upon the req~est of the National > father was no longer in the room. He had > Spiritual Assembly of Iran, they moved to > exited to an adjacent room saying he felt > Sri Lanka to provide assistance with the > very hot. Soon after he laid down on the > establishment of that county's first National > floor and told Dr. Roshan, ' I am leavmg > Spiritual Assembly. The Nabvis were the > now'. He never regained consciousness > first pioneers to Kandy, Sri Lanka. The > and passed away at Hoag Hospital in > National Assembly was elected in 1963. > Newport Beach at approximately 9 p.m. > In 1964, Sa'id and his wife retl.m1ed to > On Monday, 2 March 1987 the funeral > Tihran, Iran. In 1969, he was elected to > service was held in Huntington Beach. > ti1e Local Spirittial Assembly of Tiluáan and > IN MEMORIAM 873 > The readings and selections for the ser- helped found and in which he was a sharevice were those which my father had holder. > himself selected for my cousin Kavus Man~fu's grandfather, Fakhru'l-'Urafa, > 'Ala' i's funeral service three years had been the first in the family to accept the > earlier. Baha'i Faith. As soon as he had caught a > Suddenly, after the completion of the glimpse of the light of the new Revelation, > service, a young slender American lady he had been deeply impressed and had symcame up to the podium and requested a pathized with the Faith. While Baha'u'llah > few moments from the 300 or so gath- was exiled in Ba,gQdad, Fakhru' 1- 'Urafa had > ered. She said her name was Jean Reed moved to that city to obtain the presence of > and she had a few words. She said on Him Whom he thought to be the Originator > the night of my father's passing she had of the Cause. A few months later he conarrived at the Roshan's home shortly after veyed openly in a letter to his family that > my father had passed away. She said when his journey had been a blessing to him and > she entered the room 'I felt Mr. Nal)vi 's through God 's mercy he had been privileged > spirit and I declared immediately, because to attain the presence of Him Who was the > I knew the Teachings ofBaha'u 'llab were object of his heart 's desire. Soon his son, > the Truth.' Man~ur's father, was led to embrace the > The gathering was astonished at her Faith. Not long after the whole family folunsolicited, simple, frank and sincere tes- lowed him. > timonial and wept loudly. My non-Baha'i Man~ur was born in Tihran in 1906. His > friends were very moved and were anx- primary and secondary education was at the > ious to know what Jean Reed meant when Tarbiyat School and the Alliance Franc;:aise, > she said, 'I declared'. and then at the Teachers' Training College. > SHOKAT NAHY I From the time he was twelve years old, he > (Shawkat Na~vi) simultaneously studied for half of each day at > the Fine Arts College headed by Kamalu 'l- > Mulk, the most accomplished and illustrious > MANSOUR AHDIEH painter and sculptor of Persia. The College > (Man~fu 'Ahdiyyih) > had been founded through the goodwill and > 1906- 1987 cooperation ofMan~ur's father, Mirza I:Iasan > Khan, and his uncle, 'Abdu ' l-Baqi. > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING STEADFAST SER- > 'Abdu ' l-Baqi was a devoted believer who > VANT CAUSE MANSOUR AHDIEH. HIS SERV ICES > had made several pilgrimages to the Holy > IN IRAN AND MOROCCO, WHICH CULMINATED > Land and had attained the presence of > IN DEVOTED LABOURS AS CUSTOD IAN SHRINE > Baha'u'llah. He was the photographer at the > OF BAB, IN COLLABORATION WITH HIS DEAR > Court of the Qajar Dynasty and took some > WIFE, UNFORGETTABLE. ASSURE HI S WIDOW, > of the pictures of early believers in prison, in > AND RELATIVES LOVING PRAYERS PROGRESS > chains, or being tortured-including Badi', > HIS NOBLE SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. > the "Pride of Martyrs". > Universal House of Justice Man~ur had just finished the first stage of > 8 March 1987 his studies in Persia when a new door was > opened to him. The previous year the Min- > Man~ur 'Ahdiyyih was the son of Mirza istry of Education had launched a five-year > I:Iasan Khan and Bilqis Kbanum of Kashan . plan during which they sent a contingent > The name '" Ahdiyyih" ("trustworthy") had of one hundred students to complete their > been given by 'Abdu ' l-Baha to the coopera- education in Europe each year in exchange > tive business which Man~tir's father had for a certain number of years of service to be > 874 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > for the National Baha'i Centre, and the organizing committees for summer schools. > It was also during this period that, > through his marriage to Aqdas Mi~bal:i, the > families of ' Ahdiyyih and Mi~bal:i became > more closely and intimately tied together. > When the forty-five-month plan of the > National Spiritual Assembly of Persia was > launched, the two families left their homes > in Tilmin and pioneered to the goal village > ofQulhak, near Tihran, where they, with the > help of other pioneers, established the first > Local Spiritual Assembly. > In 1953, when the Guardian law1ched > the Ten Year Crusade, Man~ur and Aqdas, > accompanied by their two children, aged > eight and thirteen, decided to pioneer to one > of the goal co,untTies. Man~ur asked permission to retire from the government-owned > company where he worked, but his request > Mansour Ahdieh was denied although he was legally entitled > to do so. Two years later, after successfully > rendered to Persia upon their return. These achieving an assignment in France, he > students were selected from among the best repeated his request to retire but the request > candidates who took part in a scheduled was denied again. Finally, Man~ur resigned > competition. without a pension. He wanted to pioneer, > Man~ur participated in the competition and he proceeded to do so, placing his great > and was among the winners. He was sent to hope in assistance from on high. > France to pursue his studies in engineering. The family went to Morocco, staying in > After six years of study he received a diploma Casablanca for two months, then moving > in electrical engineering from the University to Rabat for four years. Finally, they were > of Toulouse and a year later, after entering transferred to Meknes where they remained > l'Ecole Supeneure d'Electricte in Paris, he until they left the country. Upon reaching > obtained another diploma from that school. Morocco, Man~ur presented his curriculum > After returning to Persia and performing vitae to the Ministry of Education, requesting > his one-year military service, he was em- a suitable position. With his qualifications, > ployed as a general assistant to the Central he was soon engaged as a high-ranking > Electric Company in Tihran and served in physics and chemistry teacher in secondary > that capacity for twenty-three years. During schools . He served in this position for sixthat time he was sent on several important teen years, until 1968. Then, the contracts of > assignments, including going to France to almost all Baha'i pioneers working for the > purchase a powerful and efficient central government were either cancelled or were > power plant. not renewed as a result of persecution. > Simultaneous with his work for the gov- During the time the family was living in > ernment, Man~lir was busy with Baha'i Rabat, Man~ur attended courses in Arabic > activities in Tihran. He served the Faith in literature at the University of Rabat. His > various capacities such as membership on the endeavours proved to be fruitful. He > National Youth Committee, the committees received a diploma of proficiency in Arabic > IN MEMORIAM 875 > literature, but more importantly he acquired MOHAMED LAMIN SUMAH > a much better abi lity to speak to the people 1961 - 1987 > in their native language, to conduct Baha'i > classes, and to be active in the teach ing field. They that have forsaken their country > In view of the problems in Morocco, in the path of God and subsequently > Man~ur made a trip to Iran to settle his ascended into His presence, such souls > affairs. Upon his return, wh il e contemplat- shall be blessed by the Concourse on > ing what course he should pursue, a letter High and their names recorded by the > reached him from the Universal House of Pen of Glory among such as have laid > Justice inviting him and his wife to go to down their lives as martyrs in the path > Haifa for consultation. of God, the Help in Peril, the Self- > Upon their arrival in the Ho ly Land they Subsistent. > were asked if they would serve as custodians -Baha 'u' llah 1 > of the twin Shrines of the Bab and 'Ab du' 1- > Baha. With joy and enthusiasm, they 0 MOTHER! Grieve not over the loss of > accepted immediately. Thus in June 1971, thy son; rather pride thyself therein. > Man~t'.ir and Aqdas 'Ahdiyyih started their Indeed this is an occasion for gladness > service at the Baha ' i World Centre-a ser- and rejoicing, not for despondency and > vice which extended for almost fourteen sorrow. > years. It was only due to the condition of - Baha'u'llah2 > Mr. 'Ahdiyyih 's health that they were compelled to leave the Ho ly Land and terminate Mohamed Lamin Sumah (Fa llah Sumah), > their services which were so dear to their nicknamed Jamil, was born on 28 April 1961 , > hearts. to Pa Kabba Sumah and Madam N'mah > One of the privileges Mr. ' Ahdiyyih Kamara ofThadie Vi llage, Sierra Leone. He > enjoyed during his long years of service in was from the Susu Tribe. As a child he > Haifa was answering the questions of tour- attended Holy Cross Primary School in > ists who wou ld come to visit the Shrines. Lungi, and later Tomlinson High School in > Being deepened in the Faith and speaking Songo. He was a very special yo uth. He had > French, English, Persian, and Arabic, he was a friendly personality and was very honest, > able to speak to many of them in their own reliable and responsible . He was simple yet > language and give them the Message. dignified and respectable. > Man~t'.1r 'Ahdiyyih was a person of many Sumah was given the Message of > talents- a musician, a painter, and a calli g- Baha'u'llah in December 1984 by his aunt, > rapher in Persian and Arabic. In art he used a Hawa Kamara, who had first invited the > variety of techniques including oil painting, Baha'is to Thadie Village. In a little over two > water co lours, pastels, and pencil drawings . years he laid down his life serv ing the Faith > The themes of his work were d iverse: as Sierra Leone's first international pioneer. > scenes of family life, portraits of great men, As soon as he had ~ ccepted the Faith he > and landscapes. had started studying the Writings of the > He was a true and faithful friend , sociable, Faith to deepen himself. In December 1984, > calm, patient, firm and steadfast in hi s he attended the annual Baha'i school in Bo, > belief, a kind father and a loving husband. and in March 1985, he attended a teacher > He will be greatly missed. training institute in Masongbo where he > A QDAS Ml ~ B A l:l ' AHDi YY IH > Messages ji-0111 the Universal House ofJustice > 1968-1973, (Wilmette: Baha' i Publi shing Trust, > 1976) p. 102. > The Bahti 'i World, vol. XVIII , p. 9. > 876 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Muhamed Tamin Sumah wanted to volunteer. He knew Susu, a widely used local > language, and was determined to learn > French to teach more effectively. > Sumah first met Friday Ekpe, a member > of the Continental Board of Counsellors for > Africa, in May 1985. Mr. Ekpe travelled to > Thadie several times to encourage Sumah to > go pioneering. > In June 1985, the Chairman of the > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is > of Sien-a Leone, Alusine Kabia, and other > friends with the Baha'is ofThadie said farewell to Sumah. They were proud that their > son was going to serve the Cause. After > receiving his letter of credentials in July > 1985, he travelled by boat to his pioneering > post. It was a difficult trip. He had to spend > 48 hours on a small island where he was > given no food and had no place to sleep. > Mohamed Lamin Sumah When he an-ived at his pioneering post he > contacted the Baha'is. He was active in > intensely studied the Writings including the Baha'i functions and taught the Faith. He > Tablet of Al;mad, and the Tablet of the Holy earned his living by dying lappas (cloth). > Mariner. He always sent money he had saved, no mat- > He immediately began holding regular ter how small the amount, to his parents in > Baha'i children 's classes in Thadie, and Thadie because he knew they were old and > soon all those entering Thadie were greeted needed his help. > by children saying "Allah'u' Abha". He was Sumah soon had to go back to Sien-a > the assistant to the Local Spiritual Assembly Leone to obtain a valid passport, which was > of Thadie for Baha'i activities. Often he not an easy task, and he was anxious to > would use his own money to provide trans- return to his pioneering post as soon as posportation for teaching trips. Even when he sible. After the National Spiritual Assembly > was in great need he would not ask for helped him obtain a passport, he was unable > money. He opened localities and fom1ed to leave right away because the Local Spir- > Local Spiritual Assemblies around Thadie itual Assembly of Thadie needed his help > and continued to consolidate them. with a social and economic development > In 1984, a number of African countries project. He was very excited to return to > had received a piopeering call from the Guinea because the Faith had just been offi- > Universal House of Justice. The National cially recognized in that country. > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of Sien-a Before his departure, Sumah and his aunt > Leone had asked the Universal House of stayed with Sadeh Hakiman and Abdul > Justice if its community could be given the Karim Sillah. Every night after everyone > goal of sending one pioneer to Guinea, to went to bed they would stay up and study > which the House had kindly consented with the Holy Writings. He loved reading the > the condition that the pioneer must know Baha'i Scriptures, and studying them made > either French or one of the native languages. him happy. Sumah said that the reason he > As soon as the goal was announced became a Baha'i was because when he read > IN MEMORIAM 877 > > the Holy Writings of the Baha'i Faith he darkness into light. Cause them to enter > understood them, but when he read the Holy the garden of happiness, cleanse them > Writings of other religions he didn't. with the most pure water, and grant them > Sumah had a final meeting with the to behold Thy splendours on the loftiest > National Assembly of Sierra Leone in August mount. 1 > 1986, during which they gave him encour- -'Abdu ' l-Baha > agement for his teaching and consolidating SADDENED NEWS PASSING MOHAMED SUMAH > plans in Guinea. He left Sierra Leone that PIONEER GUINEA. ASSURE LOVI NG PRAYERS > same month , and friends had a letter from HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL DIVIN E > him dated October 1986. He wrote another WORLDS. > letter to the National Spiritual Assembly. > Universal House of Justice > Aminata Turay and Shidan Kouchekzadeh > SADEH H AK IMA AND ABDUL KARIM SiLLAH > [Shidan Kuchikzadik] also visited him in > Kindia where they taught the Faith. > On Saturday at 8:45 a.m. on 7 March 1987, > he arrived in Conakry at Shidan and Susan HENRY BERTRON FITZPATRICK > Kouchekzadehs' with a severe stomach ache 1943- 1987 > and could barely walk. He was examined by > a physician who said to take him directly They that have forsaken their country in > to the hospital. He had acute abdom inal the path of God and subsequently > pain which was probably appendicitis. They ascended unto His presence, such souls > operated on him at midday. At about 7:00 shall be blessed by the Concourse on > p.m., without ever regaining consciousness, High and their names recorded by the > his pure soul went to the Abba Kingdom. Pen of Glory among such as have laid > One of the last things he said was to ask if down their lives as martyrs in the path > one of the friends, to whom he had taught of God, the Help in Peril, the Selfthe Faith, was attending the meetings. Subsistent. > On Sunday seven Baha' is met with -Baha ' u'llah 2 > members of Sumah's family. As one of his > We are often at a loss to adequately recount > cousins stated emphatically that Mohamed > the greatness of a loved one who has winged > was a Baha'i, it was agreed that he would > his way to the immortal realm. Henry Bertron > receive a Baha'i burial. He was the first > Fitzpatrick was only 44 years old when his > pioneer from Sierra Leone to fulfil a goal > third heart attack struck as he slept. He had > and also the first Baha'i to have a Baha'i > told his beloved wife, Yvonne, countless > burial in Guinea. > times that he would never live to see the age > Sumah was only 26 years old. We pray > of 50. His only desire was that the prayer he > that God will bless him and that he he lps all > had copied and slipped into the end of his > of us from the Concourse on High to be firm > prayer book would come true: to die at his > in the Covenant and that the Faith will grow > pioneer post, steadfast in the Cause of the > in Sierra Leone and Guinea. > Blessed Beauty. > 0 my God! 0 Thou forgiver of sins, be- > Henry was born on 30 January 1943, the > stower ofgifts, dispel/er of afflictions! > eldest of four children, to John and Earlene > Verily, I beseech Thee to forgive the sins > Thomas Fitzpatrick. His father distinguished > of such as have abandoned the physical > garment and have ascended to the spiritual world. Baha 'i Prayers (W ilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, > 1982), pp. 45-6. > 0 my Lord! Purify them from trespasses, Quoted in Messages from the Universal House of > dispel their sorrows, and change their Justice, p. I 02 > 878 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > After frnishing high school, Henry enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and worked as a > pharmacist technician. While in the military, > he was invited to a New Year ' s Eve party in > 1967. Hem-y enjoyed parties and was looking forward to a good time when he entered > the home of his date's friend. But as the > moments passed he became acutely aware > that everyone there was having a good time > without any signs of alcoholic beverages or > drugs. On that night he was inháoduced to > the Baha'i Faith. He had never shared with > anyone his formulated moral code, but after > hearing the principles of the Cause of > God, he embraced the Divine Standard of > Baha'u' llah. > Henry was stationed for a period of time > in Seoul, South Korea, where he had the > privilege of meeting, working, and travelling > to teach with the Baha'is of that community, > Henry Bertran Fitzpatrick and where he was elected to the Local > Spiritual Assembly. Upon his discharge from > himself serving in the United States Marine the Air Force, Henry returned to the United > Corps during World War II, and in his career States and sought to pioneer in a community > with the U.S. Postal Service, receiving many where he could further his education. In > notable awards. The Fitzpatricks raised their Cheyenne, Wyoming, he fulfilled this goal, > two boys and two girls on the south side of and was able to complete his bachelor's > Chicago, a predominantly black neighbor- degree in the field of education. > hood. Their family tree blended the roots of In 1969 Henry met and manied a Baba' i > African slavery with an American Indian from Indiana named Yvonne Brown. The > heritage, as John's father was a member of newlyweds left the prospering Cheyenne > the black Seminole tribe. Catholicism was the community, arising to pioneer to the neighheart of their family life and the children's boring community of Laramie to help save > schooling. Young Henry's love for God and its Assembly. > church blossomed well into his adolescence. Henry ' s desire to pioneer never ceased; > At 14, Henry entered a seminary for high he yearned next to fulfill an international > school students in the State of Maryland. It goal. It wasn't long before the young couple > was more than 1,000 miles away from home, reached the shores of Jamaica with their two > but was the best school for him to pursue his small children. They served the community > religious yearnings. He had thus far devel- for four difficult years, sh1.1ggling to remain > oped a great reverence for the clergy, and and support themselves at an isolated post. > were it not for a racial slur which one of the Although Henry was finally offered a better > seminary clerics made against his ancesháy, teaching position, he agreed with his wife to > he might have continued his studies to enter return to the United States to better provide > the priesthood. Instead, he devised his own for his family ' s welfare, deciding to take the > moral code of ethics, kept them as a standard opportunity to further his studies as well. > in his own heart, and closed the door on any Trne to forn1, Henry and Yvonne moved > further religious pursuit. their family to another goal area, this time > IN MEMORIAM 879 > > settling in the heart of South Carolina where slightly more than one year, "Professor Fitzthe mass teaching efforts were in need of patrick" captured the imagination and esteem > consolidation. And, as prayed for, the family of his Venda s;olleagues and students, > did prosper, multiplying from aá daughter attracting them with his magnetic personaland son to four children with a set of twin ity. He always made time to listen to people, > girls! especially the B ha'is, and shared his opin- > Henry completed his master's degree and ion with genuin thoughtfulness. With his > obtained an educational specialist degree, students he was ways there to help, and yet > finishing the course work for his doctorate. never afraid to m ke them strive Jo earn their > South Carolina was special for him, particu- passing mark of istinction. > larly as it gave him the chance to be near The news of á tragic passing n 11 March > and work at the Louis Gregory Institute 1987 travelled q áckly throughout the region. > whenever he could. The Institute honored His memorial service was indeed a testihis wife and him with a plaque for meritori- mony of the truly Baha'i character which he > ous service which he henceforth displayed possessed. Friends, students, and colleagues > proudly in his study. travelled distances over 1,000 miles and > Again Henry and Yvonne longed to return from half a dozen countries to pay their final > to the international field. Consulting the respects. > International Goals Committee they were The Venda national radio station aired a > directed to southern Africa. Henry accepted program about Professor Fitzpatrick, with the > a post at the University of Transkei where he University's Dean of Education highlighting > was appointed senior lecturer in 1978, pro- Henry's deep religious convictions and progressing to Associate Professor and acting fessional outlook. The President of Venda > Dean of the Faculty of Education. In 1980, sent his personal emissary to attend the > Remy had the distinction of serving on the memorial service, and the Rector of the > first National Spiritual Assembly of the University asked to be in9luded in the pro- > Republic of Transkei and held the position gram so that he too could express his regards > of Chairman in subsequent years. for one whom he had come to respect and > Unfortunately, Henry's condition of hyper- admire. > tension, the stress of work, and service to the Following Henry's passing the Universal > Faith took its toll. He had two mild heart House of Justice cabled: > attacks in Transkei. He even ignored his sec- DEEPLY SADDENED SUDDEN LOSS DEDICATED > ond attack so he could drive to the university SERVANT BAHA'U'LLAH HENRY FITZPATRICK. > and give his students their assignment. Only KINDLY CONVEY OUR LOVING SYMPATHY HIS > after his duties were completed did he tell WIFE AND CHILDREN. ASSURE THEM OUR > his wife of t1;7attack, and then sought proper ARDENT PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS > medical assistance. HIS SOUL DIVINE WORLDS AND CONSOLATION > After consulting with the Continental THEIR HEARTS. > Board of Counsellors and his National > Assembly, the couple decided for Remy 's The National Spiritual Assembly of the > health to pioneer to a neighboring state Baha'is of the United States of America and > where the pressures might be easier. In the its International Goals Committee cabled the > small republic of Venda, geographically following: > just beneath Zimbabwe, he accepted a com- WE JOIN YOU IN SPIRIT AS YOU OFFER > parable post and filled another pioneering PRAYERS PROGRESS SOUL BELOVED HENRY > need. FITZPATRICK. HIS NINE YEARS TRANSKEI, > Henry was dedicated to his profession VENDA, WITH WONDERFUL WIFE BONNIE, > and gave it all he could as a Baha'i. In DEAREST CHILDREN KAREN, KEVIN, KATH- > 880 T HE BAHA ' I WORLD > > ERI NA, AND KENDAA AS SURE HIM LIMITLESS impression on young Juan ' s soul. It was nor- > LAURELS POSTERITY. DEE PEST SYMPATHIES, mal to see him, until he died, remembering > GRATITUDE, LOVE. with grief and a melancholy air his experiences in that conflict. > Henry had achieved his heart' s desire, > Freed, by a miracle, from the claws of > and fulfilled yet another goal, one estabthe war (in his battalion no more than five > lished by the Master for every Baha' i: > soldiers survived), he returned home to find > ... ye must conduct yourselves in such a that his father was imprisoned and his mother > manner that ye may stand out distin- and brothers hardly surviving the hunger. > guished and brilliant as the sun among Even though his father soon came out of > other souls. Should any one of you enter prison, the poverty of the family lasted for a > a city, he should become the centre of long time. To worsen the situation, Juan was > attraction ... so that the p eople of that called up to fulfil his military service and > city may c1y out and say : 'This man is was sent to the Spanish Sahara, a destiny > unquestionably a Baha 'i, for his man- which would unite him in later years with > ners, his behaviour, his conduct, his another radically different one. > morals, his nature, and disposition reflect After three years of service he returned > the attributes of the Baha 'is. ' 1 to Murcia where he married Josefa Cuenca > Y VONN E FI TZ PATRI CK AN D > Baeza on 31 March 1943. Their marriage, > solid until the end, slowly became enriched > JEFF ALB ERT > with the birth of their four children: Antonio, > Jose, Carmen and Rosario. > Adverse circumstances led Juan Sanchez > and his family to Sabadell, a city very close > JUAN SANCHEZ MARTINEZ > 1916-1987 to Barcelona. It was there at the end of 1960 > that they heard for the first time of the > Juan Sanchez was born in Puente Tocinos, Baha'i Faith. To begin with, Juan was hesi- > Murcia, Spain, on 15 March 1916 in the tant, and attended the first meeting with > bosom of a humble Catholic family . His doubt, encouraged by his wife and one of his > father, Antonio Sanchez, was an affable daughters. However, soon his heart was > baker. His mother, Rosario Martinez, dedi- burning with love for Baha'u ' llah. This love > cated her life to looking after her 10 children. changed his whole life. He became a rest- > Due to their poverty, Juan never went to less lover of the Court of his Lord, and a > school. He started to work making fishing brave soldier of a spiritual army . > rods when he was still only a small boy. The declaration of Faith by Juan Sanchez > With the start of the Spanish Civil War in took place on 5 February 1961. Along with > July of 1936, Juan, who was then 20, was him, his inseparable wife Josefa and his > enlisted into the ranks of the Republicans, daughter Carmen acknowledged the Cause. > who dominated the eastern side of the The spiritual career which started at that > country. For nearly three years his eyes moment lasted 25 years, until his death . > continually witnessed scenes of cruelty and When Juan Sanchez accepted Baha'u'llah, he > barbarism, in a blood-stained scene where declared that for him there would be nothing > brothers fought between themselves in a more important in his life. His later services > ferocious whirlwind of senseless hate. The were a constant testimony of this statement. > misery of the war left an everlasting painful Among all his activities, one stands out > from the rest: his determination to fulfil one > 1 of the most difficult goals that the Universal > Se/ectio11sfrom the Writings of 'Abdu '/-Balui > (Haifa: Baha ' i World Centre, 1978), p 71. House of Justice had offered the Spanish > IN MEMORIAM 881 > > Baha'i community during the Nine Year > Plan-pionee1ing to the Spanish Sahara. With > no prospects of work, previous experience > of pioneering, or possession of exceptional > aptitudes, Juan, as a lover who would not > admit cold calculations in such sacred questions, challenged friends and strangers and, > in a show of courage, decided to accomplish > this objective. It is interesting to see that the > day he decided to become a pioneer, his son > Antonio, moved by his father's example, > recognized the truth of the Faith. > Juan's services in the Spanish Sahara > lasted for nine months, from May 1966 until > January 1967. He taught the Faith in the > cities of Villa Cisneros and Rio de Oro, and > managed, despite the extreme difficulty of > the area, to attract one soul to the Cause. > When he returned from the Sahara he could > frequently be heard to say: "Only a pioneer > knows what others have suffered on the path Juan Sanchez Martinez > ofBaha'u'llah". > Juan was always an example of tenacity Juan Sanchez to remain closed in his home > and steadfastness in the teaching field. A for over one year. During this time his main > detail which shows this is the nickname he grief was not being able to fulfil his sacred > was given by the people that knew him; they duty of teaching. Every day Juan said to his > called him "the book man" because he always dear wife, "Fina, today I haven't gone outtook a Baha'i book with him to help with his side, I haven 't spoken to anybody about the > teaching. It was this eagerness to teach the Faith." > Cause which pushed him, even though he had I will never forget the angelic expression > never been to school, to study in depth the which covered his face the last time I saw > Baha'i literature. He was a lover of the books him. Lying in bed, he looked at me with an > Some Answered Questions and Bahci 'u 'llah indescribable tenderness and serenity. His > and the New Era. It is no exaggeration to say eyes revealed the depth of his devotion and > that he knew them nearly by heart. loyalty. Days later, his luminous expression > His pioneering spirit and his capacity to slowly extinguished. He died on 27 April > serve the Cause became evident in the sheer 1987. > number of his journeys: between August Of Juan remains a small compendium of > 1967 and January 1968 he was in Valencia; poems entitled God is Love, written after his > in October of that year he went to Casteja acknowledgement of the new Revelation. > (Navarra); in 1969 he pioneered to Villa- They are songs of love to the Manifestation > carlos, on the island of Menorca (Balearic of God, shining jewels of purity and detach- > Islands), where he taught the Faith for two ment, reflections of a sensitive and attracted > years; he returned to Sabadell; and in 1973 heart. One of them, maybe his best known > he spent seven months teaching on the island poem, "Canticles to Baha'u' llah" recalls his > of Ibiza. pass through this ephemeral plane: > Only illness could cut short his constant I walk on pathways and lanes like > pioneering activity. In 1985, cancer forced a wandering peregrine proclaiming unity. > 882 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Through villages and towns, talking with addresses of all the late-comers, since they > their people with honesty and humility, of were the potential Baha'is. > the very intense Message that Baha'u'llah He enjoyed puns and playing with > offers us. To unite all of the nations with languages. He planned to write his autobioga common Faith, a new society where raphy and call it Up From Paradise. He said > rich and poor, can become united, singing that when people ask you to "cooperate" > together canticles to Baha'u'llah. with them they really mean, "You coo while > NAVID MOH ABBAT I operate". Anxious to acquire Persian, he > (Navid Mu~abbati) learned to read and write the language from > Marzieh Gail during his lunch breaks at the > U.S. Customs. In iran, when told that a > ROBERT GULICK, JR. certain project was impossible (ma~M), he > 1912- 1987 replied, Ma~izl mahalih (impossible is > impossible). Hiring a carriage to tour Rome, > Robert Gulick, Jr. , was born in Paradise, but not knowing Italian, he put his musical > California, U.S .A., on 6 October 1912, a terminology to use (he was a fine amateur > second-generation Baha'i through his father, pianist) and instructed the driver: Allegro ma > Robert Lee Gulick, who had received a non troppo. > Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1900. Robert He did a considerable amount of writing, > Jr. became a believer at the age of 14, and including an introduction to the 1952 U.S. > from then on his life, wherever it took him, edition of The Seven Valleys. His thesis, > was single-mindedly focused on the Baha'i "MuJ:tammad the Educator", is of lasting > Cause. value, and other works from his pen which > After graduating with a bachelor's degree have attracted favorable attention include > in social science from California State "American Higher Education: Uncertain > University, Chico, in 1933, he attended the Trumpet", and "World Trade and World > University of California, Berkeley, where he Plenty". He wrote frequent well-received > received his master's and doctorate degrees letters to distinguished people and also to the > in education. He worked five years for the press, usually with an aim to reconciling > U.S. Customs Service in San Francisco, and East and West. > later, having served as an economist at the His work for the Faith was continual and > Carnegie Endowment for International Peace innovative. At a time when the Faith was > in New York City, he returned to U.C. little known, he introduced it on the radio > Berkeley as a faculty member. in northern California by featuring the inter- > Robert had the gift of making his work nationally famed artist, Max Pollak, who > a part of his entertainment. He surveyed the was friendly to the Baha'is and had done > world with a kind of amusement, enjoying a notable etching of 'Abdu'l-Baha. He > the play of events and people and their devised a pamphlet adapted to the Arn1ed > foibles with real pleasure. Even so dull a Forces, called "Headlines Tomorrow" which > procedure as shopping at the supermarket circulated for many years . He induced ' Aliwas a game to him, and he explored the Kuli Khan and his daughter Marzieh to write > aisles as if seeing them for the first time, "Mirza Abu'! Fac;ll in America", a memoir > experimenting with new products. He put published in The Bahli 'i World and which > his knowledge of people to work in ways otherwise might have been lost. In New > that were all his own. For example, noting York City, he planned important Baha' ithat many believers came late to meetings, sponsored events relating to matters of > he suggested that we should attend concerts current interest, such as a commemoration > and the opera and get the names and of Woodrow Wilson, and a Wright Brothers > JN MEMORIAM 883 > anniversary. He would invite prominent > non-Baha'is to share the platform and thus > attract audiences and media coverage. > His wide range of interests included > horticulture, and here again he put his finds > to work for the Faith, presenting shrubs and > trees to the Baha'i School at Geyserville. He > later introduced the cultivation of safflowers > into Libya. > An outstanding characteristic of Robert's > was his special love for Persia, which he > visited a number of times. He seemed to the > Persians like one of their own. His first visit, > in 1947, was even announced by a precognitive dream. Hushang Mavaddat told how > he was standing on the steps of the Tihran > I:Ia'.?ira when Persian friends arrived with a > tall stranger, and before introductions could > be made, Mavaddat said, "This is Robert > Lee Gulick. A few nights ago I dreamed that > he came to the entrance of the I:Ia'.?ira with Robert Gulick, Jr. > a stranger who introduced him and told me > his name." Over two thousand came to hear On May 22, at exactly the same moment > him at a later meeting in the I:Ia'.?ira, every when in 1844 the Bab had declared Himself > inch of sitting or standing room packed, and to His first disciple, Robert was in the Holy > Mr. Na'irni, son of the great Baha'i poet, House, praying at the threshold of the Declatranslated. Robert won the audience over ration chamber. On his various visits to Iran > with words of cheer and encouragement, he saw other precious landmarks that would > interspersed with Persian phrases, and soon disappear. In 1948 he climbed to the > chanted prayers in the original language top of the crumbling Ark (Citadel) where the > flavored by a touch of Western music. Bab had been confined in Tabriz and risked > Persia's national Baha'i News and Reviews his life walking around on the roof edge > (June 1947) reported the event. to reach the Bab's cell, by then completely > As an economist studying Iran's needs open to the sky, and he said this was one > and the possibility of American investments, of the greatest experiences of his life. A > Robert received the red carpet treatment picture, unidentified, appeared of this day in > wherever he went. Following his pilgrimage The Bahci 'i World. > to the House of the Bab, he travelled on with Longing to make pilgrimage, Robert had > his party to Abadih and along the way found tried to telephone Haifa for permission, > military escorts and guards of honor. Arriv- but because of the world situation no piling in Abadih, he found crowds gathered grimages were possible then. Amatu ' l-Baha > about his new Hudson car (provided by the RuJ:iiyyih Khanum took the call, and he > authorities) and voices were heard asking, seems to have told her of wanting to marry a > "Which one is the Pope?" It turned out that Persian. In any case, he received a letter > a telegram from Shiraz announcing his visit from her recommending that he might wish > had mistakenly reported the name Hushmand to meet Bahia [Bahiyyih] Faraju'llah. They > FatJ:1-i-A ''.?am, a member of the group, as met at a dinner party in Ba@dad, where > Pap-i-A ''.?am, the great Pope. Bahiyyih was training teachers in the Girls' > 884 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > College (Dar al Muallemat) , but nothing a cordon bleu cook and an excellent teacher > happened between them for two years . In for their little boy, I:Iusayn (Robert III). > fact, Bahiyyih went home and told her The Gulicks ' many travels together inmother that the American was conceited. cluded a journey to Kurdistan, where they > Back in California, Robert brought his visited the Takyiy-i-Mawlima Khalid, the > problem to Harold Gail; he planned on using seminary where Baha'u'llah had stayed. > an intermediary to tell Bahiyyih he would Bahiyyih acquired a property there for a fulike to man-y her. Harold replied, "You are ture I:Ia?'.iratu'l-Quds in her father's memory. > a Westerner. If this goes through somebody In 1953 the Gu lick family, taking > else, it might be garbled. You write Bahiyyih Bahiyyih' s mother, Shawqat Faraju'llah, > direct." and Ella Bailey and Laura Allen with them, > With her mother, Madame Faraju ' llah, left to pioneer to Tripoli, Libya. There they > Bahiyyih went to America in 1950, and formed a Local Assembly of which Robert > Robert met them at the airport in New York. was chairman. He was also elected to the > Here a tragedy almost took place: their visas National Spiritual Assembly of Northeast > were inadequate, and they were about to Africa. He engaged in educational and > be sent home. The officials were adamant. business activities and visited countries > Nothing availed until Robert went through including Algeria, Egypt, 'Iraq, Jordan, > his wallet and found a yellowed bit of Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, > newsprint headed "Confers with President" Sudan, Syria, and Tunisia. These pioneering > which described him "as one of the leaders services lasted 11 years. Unfortunately, travel > of the Baha'i movement" and "advisor to restrictions prevented hin1 from meeting the > Winthrop W. Aldrich, president of the Inter- Guardian in Haifa. "That's what it cost me > national Chamber of Commerce", and told to pioneer," he told a friend. > of his confening at the White House with Returning to the United States in 1964, > President Truman and his interest in freeing he served as Dean of Admissions at the > world trade. Immediately, all doors opened. American Graduate School of International > Apologies were made, and the ladies were Management (Thunderbird) for 18 years, > ushered into the United States. Robert and promoting enrolment from 221 to 1,084. He > Bahiyyih were manied the next day at the taught the school' s first course on the > National I:Ia?'.iratu ' l-Quds in Wilmette, Illinois, Middle East, and was named Outstanding > and many notables of the time, including Educator for 1972. He became a member of > Horace Holley, Juliet Thompson, the 'Ali- American Professors for Peace in the Middle > Kuli Khans with their daughter l:famidih, East, and is listed in Who 's Who in Asian > attended their reception at the Orrington Studies, American Men of Science, and other > Hotel. reference works. Meanwhile, even when ill > TI1e marriage was blessed: he and his bride he remained active in Baha'i administrative > grew very close. He was tremendously proud affairs in Glendale and Phoenix, Arizona, > of her achievements. She earned a master usually attending the annual Baha'i Convenof arts degree and became a sought-after tion in Wilmette, as a delegate. > speaker and a noted professor of Arabic at the After a long illness, Robert Gulick died > American Graduate School of International on 3 May 1987. An overflowing crowd heard > Management (Thunderbird) in Arizona. She the eulogy, delivered by the President of the > translated The Secret of Divine Civilization College, Dr. William Voris, as its flag flew > from the original Persian into Arabic, and at half mast. A scholarship for foreign > translated from English into Arabic The students was established in his name. > Promise of All Ages by George Townshend. Among the many tributes he received were > Robert also came to love his mother-in-law, two cherished cables from the Holy Land: > IN MEMORIAM 885 > > DEPLORE LOSS YOUR COMMUNITY DEVOTED > SERVANT BAHA' U'LLAH ROBERT L. GULICK. > SUPPLICATING HOLY THRESHOLD ABUN- > DANT DIVINE REW ARD FOR ONE WHO PLACED > CAUSE GOD FIRST IN HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS > PROMOTE ITS INTEREST AT HOME AND > THROUGH HIS TEACHING WORK IN DIFFERENT > COUNTRIES INCLUDING CRADLE FAITH AND > NORTH AFRICA. HIS ASSOCATION PIONEERING > ACHIEVEMENT HEROIC ELLA BAILEY UNFOR- > GETTABLE. KINDLY CONVEY OUR SYMPATHY > HI S DEAR WIFE BAHIA, HIS SON ROBERT AND > OTHER MEMBERS FAMILY FOR WHOSE CON- > SOLATION PRAYERS BEING OFFERED. > Universal House of Justice > 5 May 1987 > > SHARE GRIEF YOUR LOSS BELOVED COMPAN- > ION BOB DEVOTED PIONEER CONSTANTLY > ACTIVE SERVICE EVERY FIELD FAITH ASSURE > LOVING REMEMBRANCE SHRINES. Knud Jensen > RUHIYYIH > 4 May 1987 KNUD JENSEN > 1917-1987 > On what would tum out to be his last > birthday in this world (6 October 1986), at When Knud Jensen ascended to the Abba > St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, Kingdom on 30 April 1987, the Baha'i com- > Robert wrote a kind of farewell to his munity mourned the passing of the first > fellow-Baha'is. Here, among his comments native believer in the Virgin Islands. Born > on teaching the Faith, he told of an encounter 10 December 1917 in Denmark of a Danish > in the 1940s with Fred Schopflocher, a father and a St. Croix, Virgin Islands, > highly successful Canadian businessman, mother, Knud was brought to the Islands > later designated a Hand of the Cause of God. while still an infant, and he was raised and > When the two met at a railroad station in educated in the Virgin Islands. He declared > San Francisco, Robert was wondering what his belief in Baha'u'llah in 1957. > motivated Fred in his remarkable services Knud was one of the nine believers who > to the Faith. Mr. Schopflocher answered formed the first Local Spiritual Assembly > Robert's unspoken thought, saying, "The in the Virgin Islands, in St. Thomas, and > most important thing is to recognize the remained active in the Administrative Order > Beauty of Baha'u'llah ... to recognize Him ... of the Faith throughout his life. He later > is to love Him, to serve His Cause, and to moved from St. Thomas to St. Croix and went > live as He prescribed". to work for the Cruzan Rum Bottle Company. > M ARZ IEH GAIL Finding the making of alcohol incompatible > with his beliefs, he resigned and accepted a > position with the Martin Marietta Alumina > Company. Concerned always with brotherhood, he wrote articles from the Baha'i > viewpoint for the company publication. > 886 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > When Knud died, he left behind his wife, he showed a logical mind and a gift of > Louise, and children, Knud Christian, Eric, eloquence which in the future served him > Audie, Olive, Sandra and Jean. His daughter, well in the courtroom in the defense of the > Olive, described her father as "very hue to oppressed. Following his innate talents, he > the Baha' i Faith, and always willing to studied the law, and at the age of 24 began > perfo1m any task for his fellow Baha 'is. He a law practice which flourished with time. > loved the Faith and his Baha' i brothers and As the years passed, the National Spirisisters very much. " tual Assembly of Persia asked him to defend > Adapted from an artic le in the July/August 1987 issue the oppressed Baha'is of ShahrUd, where, > of the Island Baha'i, published by the National Spiritual on 8 August 1944, three friends had been > Assembly of the Baha'is of the Virgin Islands . martyred and 17 Baha ' i homes had been > plundered and set on fue. 'Aziz defended > them with great eloquence and undaunted > AzIZOLLAH NAVIDI courage, braving the vicious opposition of > (' Azizu'llah Navidi) the clergy. His unceasing endeavours won > Knight of Baha 'u ' llah him the praise of the beloved Guardian. > 1913- 1987 From then on, he tirelessly defended the > rights of the innocent, be they Muslim or > GRIEVE D PASSING DEVOTED DED ICATED > Baha'i, rich or poor. The doors to his office > SERVANT CAUSE KN IGHT BAHA'U'LLAH AZIZ > were always open to the innocent, the poor, > NAV IDI. HIS FEARLESS DEFENCE OPPRESSED > and the downnáodden, whom he defended > BAHA' IS CRADLE FA ITH HIGHLY PRAISED > with zeal and passion, free of charge. > BY BELOVED GUARDIAN. HI S CONTINUOUS > Never did he agree to defend a guilty > SERV ICES PIONEERING FIELD CROWNED BY > client. Only once in his life was he deceived > OUTSTANDING SUCCESSES GAIN RECOGNI - > by a client, whom he turned back to the > TION FAITH BY MANY AFRICAN COUNTRIES > judge upon finding out that the client had > OBTAINED THROUGH HIS UTTER RELIANCE > been guilty. > BAHA'U 'LLAH AND HI S lNDEFATlGABLE RE- > Soon, the government chose him as legal > SOU RCEFULNESS SACRIF ICIAL EFFORTS. ALL > advisor to the Minishy of the Interior and > SHED LUSTRE UPON HIS LOVING MEMORY. > the Ministry of Defense. As he made more > REQUESTING NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > valuable contacts, the National Spiritual > UGANDA HOLD MEMORIAL SERV ICE MOTHER > Assembly of Persia assigned him the task of > TEMPLE AFRICA RECOGN ITIO UN IQUE > alleviating the injustices perpetrated against > SERV ICES TH AT CONTINENT. ASSURE ARDENT > the oppressed Baha ' is by the Persian gov- > PRAYERS PROGRESS SOUL ABHA KJNGDOM. > ernment. It was his task to approach high > ADVISE HOLD MEMOR IAL GATH ER ING > officials and make a plea for the innocent > LONDON. > Baha'is. > Universal House of Justice 'Aziz and his wife, Shamsi, were among > 2 July 1987 the first groups of Persian pilgrims to visit > the beloved Guardian and the Holy Places > 'Azizu' llah Navidi was born on 9 September in Haifa when pilgrimages were resumed > 1913 into a Baha' i family in Ramadan, in 1952 following their ten-year hiahls due > Persia. His maternal grandfather was Mirza to war. > Mihdi A1jumand, an illustrious teacher at Great was the pilgrims' awe as they > the time of the beloved Master. His parents beheld for the first time the countenance of > were Mihdi and Badi'ih Arjumand Navidi. their Beloved and laid their eyes upon the > Even as a youth 'Aziz displayed qualities Holy Shrines. It was during this pilgrimage > of resourcefulness and perseverance, and that the beloved Guardian received 'Aziz > IN MEMORIAM 887 > Navidi in his office. For an hour, they dis- away, and Dr. Giachery suggested that 'Aziz > cussed the situation of the Baha'is in Persia and his wife go there. The beloved Guardian > and the Guardian told him that he had been approved of the suggestion, but since 'Aziz > chosen to safeguard the security of that had still not finished the defence of the > country, that he was the shield of the Cause, Baha'is of Yazd, Shamsi and their two > and that in the future he would defend the daughters, Vida and Gilda, left before him, in > Baha'is internationally. The Guardian also March 1953. Nine months later, 'Aziz joined > announced to those first pilgrims his inten- them, and he and his wife became Knights > tion of elaborating a ten year plan, and that ofBaha'u'llah. > the Baha' is should spread to the four comers When 'Aziz went to Monaco, he > of the world. He particularly asked those embarked upon studies that led to a degree > present to pioneer in Africa, but asked in International Law from the University of > Dr. Navidi to remain in Persia and continue Paris. Through Dr. Giachery, who was then > there to defend the rights of the oppressed on pilgrimage, the beloved Guardian let > Baha'is . 'Aziz know that he was very pleased with > Upon his return from this historic pilgrim- these studies which would enable him to > age, ' Aziz Navidi continued to serve the further serve the Cause internationally. > National Spiritual Assembly of Persia with During this time, 'Aziz was appointed by > renewed devotion, in the capacity of legal the Hands of the Cause in Europe to their > advisor, and to defend the innocent Baha'is Auxiliary Board for Protection, and in this > of Yazd who had unjustly been condemned capacity he helped many National Spiritual > to imprisonment and death. Assemblies with their legal difficulties. > In 1953 , the Ten Year Cmsade was In 1955, after severe persecutions which > unveiled to the Baha'is, who initially found climaxed in the destmction of the l:fa~iratu'l­ > it hard to fully comprehend the scope of Quds of Tihran, the beloved Guardian > the vision of the beloved Guardian, and who appointed Dr. Navidi as a member of the > stood in awe at the ingenuity of its author. commission that appealed to the United > 'Aziz and Shamsi attended the Stockholm Nations in New York and Geneva. The Per- > Conference in 1953 and, seeing the immedi- sian government had planned to exterminate > ate need for pioneers and wanting with all the Baha' i community in its country, but > their heart to obey their beloved Guardian because of this intervention the governn1ent > and make him happy, asked if they could be momentarily halted its cmel plan. > of service in his Ten Year Plan. His reply In 19 57, with the tragic passing of Shoghi > was that at the completion of the case of Effendi, 'Aziz Navidi transferred his loyalty > the Baha'is of Yazd, they could go either to to the Hands of the Cause-"the stewards of > Africa or to the Pacific as pioneers. Shortly the embryonic World Order ofBaha'u'llah". > thereafter, they sold their house and began He was called to the Holy Land at this diffipreparations for pioneering. cult period and helped, with ardent devotion, > About this time, the Hand of the Cause of to resolve the many legal problems that had > God Dr. Ugo Giachery came to the cradle been created by the sudden passing of the > of the Faith to encourage the Persian Baha' is beloved Guardian. > to spread to the four comers of the earth, It was about this time, with the trials of > and thus participate in laying the corner- the Baha'is in Morocco, that Dr. Navidi's > stones of the edifice of the World Order of long association with the African continent > Baha 'u' llah, and to fulfil the goals of the began. During the course of many years he > Ten Year Plan. travelled to Algeria and Morocco, remaining > Nellie Stevison French, who had worked in close association with the Baha ' is in these > for the Faith in Monaco, had just passed countries, helping to solve numerous legal > 888 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > received from Africa on his passing attest > to the degree of his involvement in the > development of the Cause in that continent. > It is easy to say that he received recognition of the Faith in Africa, but every case > has its special history. Each case represented > many months of anguish, of solitude, of > disappointments in a difficult and often inhospitable environment, and sleepless nights, > beseeching Baha'u'llah for assistance and > strength. > In the path of his Beloved, he gave liberally of himself, of his material possessions, > and of his spiritual talents. Even his human > frailties were transfom1ed into a source > of strength for service. He displayed extraordinary resourcefulness, courage, love > and distinction in his encounters with high > officials, be they presidents, judges, or > administrative officers. He never took "no" > Azizollah Navidi for an answer, persevering until victory was > obtained. > problems, and obtaining legal residencies His days in the service of the Cause in > for Baha'i pioneers. He was intimately Africa tell the tale of an absolute devotion > linked to the cause of the Moroccan prison- to the Universal House of Justice and of > ers, and did everything in his power to his desire to alleviate its burden as much > alleviate their distress. The Universal House as he could. The Cause was his own, and > of Justice recognized in him a loyal and he always felt complete responsibility for > faithful servant who was capable of putting it. His family remember him saying, frethe Cause of Baha'u'llah above everything quently, "but the Universal House of Justice > else in his life, and who was able, through has no one else to do the job, and I shall > the strength of his faith, to draw enormous not fail them". He constantly• sought the > power and assistance from the bestowals of Supreme Body's advice and as he relied on > the Blessed Beauty. its prayers and guidance, the result was > In 1968, with the encouragement of victory upon victory. > Amatu'l-Baha Ri'.il:iiyyih K.hanum, 'Aziz and The volumes of memoirs he has left > Shamsi resolved to take part in the Nine behind are part of the history of the Cause > Year Plan of the Universal House of Justice in many countries. They recount his anguish, > and left for the Mauritius Islands. In this his hopes and his complete reliance on > way, Dr. Navidi took part in the formation prayer and on the never-failing assistance of > of several National Assemblies in the Indian Baha'u'llah. They tell of his dauntless spirit, > Ocean and contributed to their legal recog- of his immense love and courage, and of > nition. his relentless efforts in the path of the Cause > During this time, the Universal House of of God. They will, no doubt, be a source of > Justice gave him additional responsibilities inspiration for future generations. > on the African continent, and appo inted him At the funeral service in London, members > the representative of the Baha'i International of the National Spiritual Assembly of the > Community in Africa. The numerous cables United Kingdom bore 'Aziz Navidi's coffin > IN MEMORIAM 889 > > to its resting place in the Greater London together with Ri<:lvaniyyih's father, two > Cemetery. The Baha'is of Iran, despite their sisters, her brother and grandmother, they > own current difficulties, made a very poi- embarked upon a lifelong journey of > gnant contribution by sending a cable and a devoted service to the Cause ofBaha'u'llah, > floral tribute to the man who had served as they took their first steps toward their > them so well. new home in Shanghai, China. They gave > SHAMS i NA vioi many years of distinguished service in that > vast country. > Sulayman would humbly and sweetly > SULEIMAN SULEIMANI recount the occasion of his priceless privi- > (Sulayman Sulaymani) lege of accompanying Martha Root on her > c.1901-1987 1930 trip to Nanking, which was the capital > of China at that time. Together with a few > Sulayman Sulaymani-Milani was born to other Baha'i friends, they attended numerous > 'Ali-Mul:iammad and his wife Zahra in meetings at universities, the Royal Asiatic > Milan, Adharbayjan, Persia, around 1901. Society, and other places where many of the > Although his parents were not Baha'is, society's most influential members assemthey were close friends of the Faith, and bled to hear the Message of Baha'u'llah. > Sulayman recalled that they sometimes Professor M. S. Tsao, an Honorary Consul > admonished him and their other children, for China in the United States, often visited > "Don't make noise; the Babis are saying Mr. and Mrs. Sulaymani's home in the afterprayers in the other house". noons, together with his wife, who was > When Sulayman was 10 years old, his Swedish. One afternoon, when Martha Root > parents, sister Kawkab, and brothers, was their guest of honor, Professor Tsao > Mul:iammad Taqi and 'Ali-Akbar, left Milan embraced the Faith. Later, in 193 7, there > by mule to join his older brother, MuJ:iam- was another visit by Martha Root, which he > mad, in 'Ishqabad. Along the way, in the remembered with equal affection. > town of Tiflis, 'Ali-MuJ:iammad succumbed The Sulaymanis remained in China for > to injuries he sustained in a train accident, 26 years, from 1924 to 1950, returning to > leaving his wife and three children to con- Persia for a shmt period because of the > tinue the journey to 'Ishqabad alone. When socially and politically disturbed conditions > they eventually joined Mul:iammad, the chil- in China. Mr. Sulaymani's father-in-law, > dren were enrolled in the Baha'i School I:£usayn Ouskouli, decided to remain behind > where Sulayman studied for six or seven in Shanghai, and he passed the years remainyears, and in his own words, "one by one, ing to him in continued service to his beloved > we became Baha'is". Cause until, at the age of 82, he ascended to > After finishing his studies at the the Abha Kingdom in 1956. > Mashriqu'l-Adhk:ar School for Boys, he During their pilgrimage to the Holy Land > joined his two brothers, both of whom were in 1952, the Sulaymanis were encouraged > cloth merchants, in their shop. A few years by the Guardian to attend the International > later, at the age of23, he married Ri<:lvaniyyih Conference which was to be held in New > Ouskouli, who had attended the Mashriqu'l- Delhi the following year. At the Conference, > Adhkar School for Girls. Ri<:lvaniyyih was over 70 people arose to pioneer, prompting > the oldest of four daughters and a son, who the Sulayrnanis to conclude that, "We had > were born in 'Ishqabad to Mulla I:£usayn better go back to China, to Taiwan, because > 'Ali and his wife, Zahra. we know something about Chinese". When > Su layman and Ri<:lvaniyyih had been asked, "What will you do there?", Sulayman > manied approximately a year when, in 1923, recalled his answer: "Never mind. I can > 890 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Assembly of the Baha'is of Taiwan was > formed, Sulaym:in was elected as one of its > members. He served on that august body > until 1978. He also served as a deputy of > the institution of I:Iuququ'll:ih in Taiwan for > about two decades. > A Baha'i Centre was built in Tainan > through the collective efforts of a number > of friends: Baha'is in the community who > helped secure a piece of property; Mr. and > Mrs. Sulaymani who used the modest funds > available to them; and a believer who was > an architect who provided the designs. During the many years which followed, seekers > from all walks of life passed through its > doors and came to know the special embrace > of "Mr. Su's" warm and kindly spirit. It was > from this Centre that, in 1981 , Ric;Ivaniyyih > winged her flight to the Abha Kingdom. > Notwithstanding the fondness he might > Suleiman Suleimani have developed for this dwelling-place of > memories and the receptacle of the few > drive a taxi." He and his wife returned to material possessions remaining to him, > Persia to get their personal affairs in order, Mr. Su's deepest heart was rooted elsewhere. > and within a year they set sail aboard a In response to the suggestion that this > ship bound from Khurramshar to Hong Centre was a wonderful gift to the Tainan > Kong, where they boarded another vessel community, he shook his head "No." Standand arrived. in the port city of Keelung on ing at its entrance, Mr. Su seemed to dismiss > 22 October 1954. On this momentous date, the vision of the Centre before him with a > the Sulaym:inis became the first pioneers in wave of his hand, saying, "I hope one day > the history of Taiwan. soon, they can tear it all down." The sur- > During their early years in Taiwan; the prised guests asked him why, and he > Sulaym:inis worked side-by-side with great gestured upwards with his arms as he said, > champions of the Faith who visited that land. "So they can build a bigger one ... a better one > Among these were the Hands of the Cause than this, for the Faith". > of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum, Sulaym:in Sulaym:ini passed away at > Agnes Alexander, Dhikru'llah Khadim, the Tainan Baha'i Centre on 6 July 1987, > Jalal Khac;li', Dr. Ral:unatu ' llah Muhajir, even as the Local Spiritual Assembly of > Collis Featherstone, Abu'l-Qasim Fayc;li, Tainan, on which he and his beloved wife > and 'farazu'llah Samandari. In the evening had served from its inception, was convened > of his life, Sulayman tenderly recounted sto- in its counsel chamber in a room near his > ries of these visits with such overwhelming bedside. > love and affection that the hearts with whom On 7 July, the Universal House of Justice > he shared these events could not help being sent the following message to the National > profoundly touched with the spirit of those Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Taiwan: > meetings. > When, in 1967, at the bidding of the Uni- SADDENED LEARN PASSING DEVOTED SER- > versal House of Justice, a National Spiritual VANT BAHA'U'LLAH SULEIMAN SULEIMAN!. > IN MEMORIAM 891 > > HIS DEVOTED LABOURS AS PIONEER WITH HIS > LATE WIFE TO CHINA IN 1923 AN D IN 1954 > AS FIRST PIONEERS TO TAIWAN LOVINGLY > REMEMBERED. ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS > HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS IMM ORTAL SOUL > ALL WORLDS GO D. > J AMES M ANNERS > > KANDI AH SIV APIRAGASAM > 1918-1987 > > Kandiah Sivapiragasam was born in 1918 in > Ceylon. He married Thambiah Sarojinidevi, > and together they had five children: > Kanunakaran, Sivajini, Prabakaran, Bahakaran, and Shohikaran. > Sivapiragasam embraced the Faith of > Baha'u'llah on 23 January 1953, one of the > early believers emolled by the first pioneer, > Dr. Mohammed Ebrahimji Lukmani. He was Kandiah Sivapiragasam > a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly > of Colombo from its inception, and was July of that year he had to resign from the > elected to the National Spiritual Assembly at National Assembly because of poor health. > the first Convention, held in 1962. There- Sivapiragasam served on various National > after, except for a few times when he was Committees, and was the Baha' i speaker at > stationed as an Assistant Food Controller the World Religion Day observance held in > in Trincomalee and Vavuniya, he served as January 1982 at the Bandaranaike Memorial > a member of the National Assembly until International Conference Hall in Colombo. > 1969. He also addressed the World Religion Day > During 1969, an Administtáative Commit- gatherings in Jaffna in 1986 and 1987. > tee for Ceylon was appointed by the Hand He was fairly well-known as a Baha'i in > of the Cause of God H. Collis Featherstone his home town, Chunnakam. This locality > and Counsellor Sankaran-Nair Vasudevan, had a Local Spiritual Assembly and year in > acting on behalf of the Universal House of and year out he served as chairman of that > Justice. This Committee, under Sivapira- institution. > gasam 's chairmanship, was responsible for When he was serving as an Assistant > the affairs of the Faith on the island until the Food Controller in Vavuniya, one could see > Convention in 1972. It is worthy to note that him every evening on a bicycle visiting > until incorporation of the National Assembly the Baha'is in the remote villages. One such > in 1972, he was one of the ttáustees of the evening when it was too late and unsafe > properties of the Faith. to ride back to town, owing to elephants > From Ri<;lvan 1975 until Ri<;lvan 1982, he crossing the path, he sent his companion (a > served as chai1man of the National Assem- Baha ' i) to get permission from the owners to > bly, and for a short period as vice-chairman spend the night in a school. Sivapiragasam's > during the following year. In 1983, he had insh"Uction was not to disclose his identity as > the privilege of attending the International the authorities would feel uneasy and would > Baha'i Convention in Haifa in April, but in want to treat him well. Before going to sleep > 892 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > the companion had offered Sivapiragasam Washington, newspaper for an Esperanto > his bedsheet. Refusing his kind offer, he said class and she brought it to his attention. > that he had brought his, but on waking up The teacher of the class was Lorrol > in the morning, his companion saw him Jackson, a very active and well-loved Baha'i, > sleeping on the bare floor. When asked why who in later years pioneered to Hawaii. > he chose to sleep on the floor when a sheet Through Lorrol, Frederick became a Baha'i > was offered, he had said "Is it justice for me and proficient enough in Esperanto to take > to sleep on your sheet that you brought for over her class when she left to pioneer to > yourself?" Spokane, Washington, in 1936. > In his career as a government officer he Frederick was born on 21 December > was well-known for his integrity and upright- 1913 in Pineridge, Alabama. While teaching > ness. Following submission of his papers for the Esperanto class which had led him to > retirement, the government offered him the the Faith, he met Elizabeth Stanley, 1 who > post of Government Agent (the administra- became a Baha'i through him in August of > tive authority responsible for implementing 1937. He had been a Baha'i only 11 weeks > the decisions of the District Minister). He when they first met. In spite of a 25 year age > refused in order to serve the Faith. difference, they fe ll in love and married in > Without a doubt he was an outstanding June of 1939 and began a long and happy > promoter of the Cause of God as acknowl- life in tandem, serving the Faith, beginning > edged by the Universal House of Justice in the Seattle area where Beth served on the > in its message on hearing of his death on Local Spiritual Assembly in 1938. > 2 August 1987. The text reads: In answer to calls for pioneers, Frederick > SADDENED PASSING OUTSTA DING PRO- > and Beth decided in 1940 to go to Chile. > MOTER CAUSE K. S!V APTRAGASAM. HIS LONG > However, because of World War II, the > SUCCESSFUL SINCERE SERVICES FA ITH SINCE > Chilean Consul would not grant visas to > ITS INCEPTION SRI LANKA UNFORGETTABLE. > them. Instead, they went to San Diego, > ADV ISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATH- > California, where they had been advised that > ERINGS. ASSURE FRIENDS RELATIVES LOVING > the Baha'i community needed administra- > PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS SOUL > tive assistance. They stayed there until after > ETERNAL KINGDOM. > the war, when they returned to Washington > State. > THE NATIONA L SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > In 1948, Frederick began to study at > OF THE BAH A' is OF SRI LANKA > Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, > and graduated in 1953 with a bachelor of > FREDERICK LAWS science degree in education. Beth also took > Knight ofBaha'u'llah some classes there, learning to paint, which > 1913- 1987 allowed her to create some lovely pictures > of places to which they later pioneered. > Many years of exemplary Baha 'i service With a degree to work with, they > began for Frederick Laws in 1935, when he responded to the Guardian's call for pioneers > decided to enter an essay contest called to Africa and their long-awaited adventure > "World Peace and Understanding". began. On 10 March 1953 they set sail, with > T1y as he might, he could not come to a their car and trailer, on the Farrel Lines' > conclusion in his essay how this could be African Sun, arriving at Mombasa, Kenya, > accomplished considering the problem of so about six weeks later. > many languages. His essay was never > mailed. At about this time, Frederick's 1 > See In Memoriam fo r Elizabeth Laws , The Baha á; > mother noticed an advertisement in a Seattle, World. vol. XV II , p. 459. > IN MEMORIAM 893 > They atTived in Nairobi in May 1953 and Baha'is they met were exceptional people > felt immediately at home. The climate was and they believed the love of God had made > ideal: cool nights and pleasant days. They them that way. Soon there were seventeen > found the Kenyans very receptive to the believers in three locations and four more > Faith. They also made friends with Indians centers had been introduced to the Faith. > living in Nairobi, enabling them to introduce By April 1955, there were close to seventy > the Faith to that segment of the population as believers in Basutoland, including two exwell. ministers, with seven Assemblies formed. > In August 1953, Frederick secured a During their stay in Basutoland, Frederick > teaching position at the Kabete Trade and and Beth were adopted into the Crocodyle > Technical School eight miles west of (Ruling) Clan of the Basuto, making them > Nairobi, and they began to live on the cam- honorary Basuto. > pus. He was able to do sheet metal work Frederick was never given a permit to > there, which was what he liked to do most, work in Basutoland, in spite of repeated > next to his Baha'i work, so he was very attempts, so in May 1956 they reluctantly > happy. left for Johannesburg. They wrote to the > Five months after arriving in Kenya, Guardian to ask where in Africa he thought > Frederick and Beth were given another they might be of service and he suggested > assigmnent and were off on a new adventure, West Africa. The Hands of the Cause of God > leaving for Basutoland on 26 September Musa Banani and Paul Haney were both > 1953 . During this 3,100 mile trek their present at the Johannesburg Convention, and > trailer broke down four times, but with after consultation it was decided Frederick > temporary repairs they managed to get to and Beth should proceed to Gambia, where > Teyateyaneng, where they stayed in a hotel 300 believers and six Assemblies were in > until they decided how to proceed. Those need of administrative assistance. > pioneers who had reached their goal coun- Unfortunately their stay in Bathhurst, > tries by 15 October 1953 were designated Gambia, was cut short as they were not > Knights of Baha'u'llah by the Guardian, so allowed to stay either as visitors or to teach > Frederick and Beth were both "knighted" for the Faith. They applied for a six month pass > being the first Baha' is in Basutoland. to help train the Assemblies but had to leave > By December, they were in Masem, where while waiting for a reply. The pass was > they settled in a cottage waiting to see if never issued. > they would be asked to remain there or go on By July 1956 they were in Monrovia, > to N01ihem Rhodesia or Southwest Africa. Liberia, and were planning to settle there > They grew a garden while there. with Frederick possibly going into partner- > By August 1954, they had received per- ship with George and Bessie Washington. > mission from the chief of the Basu to village These Baha' is had become naturalized citiof Chadwick's Halt to move into the village zens of Liberia and were permitted to hold > to teach the Faith. Eventually they moved 400 acres of property on which they planned > back to the Govermnent Reserve in Masem, to build a trade school, and some of which > and by December 1954, they had obtained a was already growing fmits and vegetables. > permit allowing them to stay in Basutoland This partnership was short lived so our > until 31 January 1956 so they rented a house travellers went on to ZarZar where Frederick > and Frederick set up a small workshop. procured a position with Brown and Blauvelt, > Almost every week Frederick and Beth a consulting engineering firm with head > had visitors from Johannesburg to help with offices in New York. The company was to > the teaching work in Basutoland. The Afri- do the engineering, survey and supervisory > ca ns were now beginning to fee l that all the inspection work on the building of a bridge > 894 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > visible 20 miles to the north and the people > were friendly to the Baha'is. > Frederick was appointed to the National > Properties Committee, for which he tried > to facilitate a lease on some property on > which to build a centre. He also attended > the Nairobi International Baha' i Conference > in October 1976. This was a big success, > with nearly 1,000 Africans participating and > more than 50 countries represented. > In spite of repeated attempts to obtain > a permanent residence pass valid for three > years, Frederick and Beth were only able > to get extensions of three months at a time. > This uncertainty, plus an injured ankle, > became so hard on Beth, who longed to be > more settled in her advancing years, that her > health suffered and they decided to return to > the United States in December 1976, after > having the crates, which had just reached > Frederick Laws them, turned around unopened. > They returned to Washington State, and > and its access road. Frederick set up the field in April 1977 pioneered to Wapato, on > office in ZarZar as well as the river camp. the Yakima Indian Reservation, where they > They remained at this camp until they served until Beth departed this world for the > decided to return to the United States in late Abba Kingdom on 24 June 1978, just three > 1956. months short of reaching her 90th birthday. > The couple was active in the Seattle She was the first Baha' i to be buried on the > area until 1964, when they pioneered to Yakima Reservation. > the Omaha Indian Reservation in Macy, Left on his own, Frederick began to move > Nebraska. They were not able to live in the about from community to community whercenter designated for them due to flooding, ever he was needed. In the fall of 1979, > so the teaching work became a weekend Frederick and his sister, Alberta Maccartney, > affair while Frederick attended Wayne State went on pilgrimage. > Teachers' College to do graduate work for a In January 1982, he had his first operation > teaching degree . Unable to find a teaching for a brain tumour from which he recovered > position after he finished school, they were sufficiently to continue his ttáavelling, going > forced to leave the area and return to Seattle, as far as San Diego. However, the brain > where Frederick found a position as drafting tumour overtook him once more and he > engineer at General Electric. never really recovered from a second opera- > In 1976, Frederick retired from General tion. He finally joined his beloved Beth on > Electric and in April of that year they set off 16 November 1987. He was buried in > again for Africa, stopping in Haifa on the Sequim, Washington. > way to visit the Baha'i Holy Places and J EAN L AWS > > the friends there. They proceeded to Moshi, > Tanzania, and upon arrival there in May > they sent for some of their household items. > They felt at home with Mt. Kilimanjaro > IN MEMORIAM 895 > ALESSANDRO BAUSANI > 1921-1988 > > 0 my God! 0 my God! Verily, thy servant, > humble before the majesty of Thy divine > supremacy, lowly at the door of Thy > oneness, hath believed in Thee and in Thy > verses, hath testified to Thy word, hath > been enkindled with the fire of Thy love, > hath been immersed in the depths of > the ocean of Thy knowledge, hath been > attracted by Thy breezes, hath relied > upon Thee, hath turned his face to Thee, > hath offered his supplications to Thee, > and hath been assured of Thy pardon and > forgiveness. He hath abandoned this > mortal life and hath flown to the kingdom > of immortality, yearn ing fo r the favour of > meeting Thee. > 0 Lord, glorify his station, shelter him > under the pavilion of Thy supreme mercy, Alessandro Bausani > cause him to enter Thy glorious paradise, > and perpetuate his existence in Thin e Among Professor Bausani's best known > exalted rose garden, that he may plunge works were Persiana Religiosa (Religious > into the sea of light in the world of Persia) and Islam, his translation of the > mysteries. Qur'an into the Italian language, and his > Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Power- excellent translation of Th e Mystical Poems > ful, the Forgiver and the Bestower. ofRumi. Yet these titles and accomplishments > -'Abdu'l-Baha 1 cannot singularly represent his multi-faceted > personality, hi s versatility and his spiritual > knowledge. > Alessandro Bausani was a highly esteemed Alessandro Bausani was born in Rome > scholar whose unceasing search for knowl- on 29 May 1921. He received religious eduedge was expressed through his numerous cation during his youth, and expressed a > articles, essays, and books. At home, he capacity for literary studies. His field of > was the honoured Professor Emeritus and specialization was linguistics, and he studied > director of both the School of Oriental many languages and the relationships be- > Studies and the Institute of Islamic Studies tween languages. But he also did research in > at the University of Rome La Sapienza. He other branches of human knowledge such as > was also a member of the Lincei National astronomy and mathematics. > Academy. Abroad, he received many awards His international reputation as a scholar > such as the Sitara-Imtiyaz, bestowed upon of various disciplines was based on his > him by the government of Pakistan in 1967 extraordinary ability to express scientific > for his work in promoting the spread of the and religious concepts with a kind of metic- > Urdu language and culture. ulous precision. His startling paradoxes > would leave his readers not only amazed at > Selections fi'om the Writings of 'Abdu '/-Ba ha his originality, but also extremely interested > (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre; 1978), pp. 196-7. in his perceptions. > 896 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Alessandro was very cordial, taking im- essays and articles were gathered together > mediate interest in others. He loved to repeat and published in one volume in 1991 by the > that everything required a deliberate effort. National Publishing Trust of Italy under the > His endless quest for knowledge led him title Saggi sulfa Fede Baha 'i (Essays on the > to believe that all men, including those who Bahci 'i Faith). > could be considered among the most impor- The honour and glory of this sorelytant, are as but nothing when compared to missed friend belong not only to this world > the infinite. He affirmed that people 's poten- but to the world of the spirit as well. Only > tial to acquire value is developed only to the the message sent to the National Spiritual > extent that they follow the Manifestation of Assembly of Italy on 15 March 1988 from > God . the Universal House of Justice, three days > He had already made a serious study of after his passing, can summarize his rank: > spiritual reality when, on 8 April 1950, he > became a follower of Baha ' u ' llah. He had DEEPLY SADDENED PASSfNG PROFESSOR > first learned of the existence of the Faith as ALESSAN DRO BAUSANI. HI S DEA TH DEPRI VES > an academic. In 1948, he had been the assis- BAl-IA' i WORLD COMMUN ITY ONE OF ITS FEW > tant to Professor Rossi, teacher of courses in OUTSTA NDING INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS > the Persian language. Mr. Philip Marangella, AND ITALIAN FR IEN DS ONE OF THEIR MOST > who was in Rome during that period to teach DI STINGU ISHED BELI EVERS. HIS LONG YEARS > the Faith, signed up for the class as a way STEA DFAST SERVI CES AS MEMBER NATIONAL > of meeting people. Later, Dr. Ugo Giachery, SPIRITUAL ASSEMB LY EN RI CHED BY ACA - > future Hand of the Cause of God, and then DEM IC RECOGN ITION WHICH HE USED > Miss Elsa Scola, future wife of Professor UNSTfNTING LY FOR SERV ICE CAUSE LEN DfN G > Bausani, joined these courses. Dr. Giachery IT AUTHORITY AND PREST IGE WO RLD OF > invited Alessandro to the celebration of LEARN ING ASSURE HIM HI GH HONOR ANNALS > the Birth of Baha' u ' llah, and it was this that FA ITI-1 EN DURING LOVING MEMORY ITALI AN > changed the direction of Alessandro 's search COMMUN ITY. EXTEN D HEA RTFELT SYMPATHY > for truth. RELATI ONS FRIEN DS ASSURANCE !'RA YERS > From the moment of his declaration of SACRE D TI-IRES HOLD PROGRESS HI S SOU L > faith, Alessandro's knowledge and actions AB HA KINGDOM. > converged in service to the Cause. His Adapted from an article by > G IOVANN I l' APPALETTERA > ardent desire was to share the Message with > all he met. He was an untiring speaker at > schools, seminars, courses, and conferences, > to which he dedicated virtually all of his BEATRICE OWENS ASHTON > time . He was director of the Italian quarterly 1890- 1988 > magazine Opinioni Baha 'i from its foundation. He helped sustain every institution or When Beatrice Owens Ashton passed away > committee, national or local , on which he in Cleveland, Ohio, United States of Ametica, > was called to serve, with his presence and on 8 May 1988, the Un iversal House of > effort. He was a member of the National Justice cabled: > Spiritual Assembly of Italy and Switzerland > during all the years of its existence, then was SHAR E DEEP SORROW PASS ING DEVOTED , > a member of the National Spiritual Assem- HANDMA ID EN BAI-IA'U ' LLAl-I BEATRICE > bly ofltaly from 1964 to 1984. OWENS ASHTON. fN HER TIRELESS, fNCALCU- > The cruel and lengthy illness which strnck LABLE SERVI CES FA ITH SPANN ING SEVEN > him during his last years of life kept him DECAD ES FROM CLOSING YEA RS HERO IC AGE, > from publishing books on the Faith, but his SHE DREW CONSTANT INSPIRATION FROM HER > IN MEMORIAM 897 > CONTACTS WITH BELOVED MASTER AND to Illinois, living in Evanston, Wilmette, and > SHOGHI EFFENDI. HER EXTENSIVE TRAVELS Winnetka while she worked for Abbott Lab- > IN EUROPE, HER PIONEERING TO ALBERTA, oratories in Waukegan. She was a member > CANADA, DURING TEN YEAR WORLD CRUSADE of the Local Spiritual Assemblies of the > ANDLATERSERVICESATBAHA'I WORLD CEN- Baha'i communities in which she resided. > TREFOR RESEARCH DEPARTMENT COMBINED After World War II, Beatrice felt she could > WITH ALL HER NUMEROUS ADMINISTRATIVE finally devote the time to Baba 'i activities > ACTIVITIES HAVE PRODUCED LEGACY EXEM- that she had so longed to do, and in 1945 > PLARY SINGLEMINDED DEDICATION TO CAUSE she was appointed by the National Spiritual > TO WHICH SHE GA VE LAST MEASURE HER Assembly of the United States to be the inter- > EARTHLY STRENGTH. EXTEND LOVING SYM- national relief representative for Gern1any > PATHY HER DEAR FAMILY. ASSURE ARDENT and the Philippines. > PRAYERS I-IOL Y SHRINES PROGRESS HER Each summer from 1947 to 1953 , Beatrice > PRECIOUS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. undertook two- to three-month teaching tTips > for the United States European Teaching > Born in Cleveland, on 17 May 1890, to Committee, visiting Baha'i communities in > John R. Owens and Louise Benton Owens, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, > Beatrice attended and graduated from Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, > Hathaway Brown School in 1907 and from Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. During > Vassar College, New York, in 1911. In July these travels she gave many talks, held > 1918, she went to a new job in Urbana, firesides, and presented courses she had > Illinois. There, in the summer heat, she was developed on Baha'i Administration and on > sitting on a porch opposite a forest preserve the World Crusade. As she wrote in one of > when she saw a group of people picnicking. her reports to the ETC, "Teaching the Faith > She was told they were Baha'is and that through the Administrative Order seems to > "they believe that Christ has returned". She appeal to their need for a practical plan that > soon met them, read Paris Talks, and went works". > to classes taught by Dr. Jacob and Mrs. Anna Going back to many of the same places > Kunz. "It was a beautiful group of Baha'is year after year, she could provide the Guardian > to grow in'', she later said. As Baha ' is did with a running account of the growth of the > in those days, she immediately wrote to Faith in these countries and the problems > 'Abdu' l-Baha, and she received treasured they were facing. As if these efforts were > replies. not enough, Beatrice was also chairman and > When Beatrice moved to the Boston area secretary for the publication of Volume XII > and worked as an editorial secretary for the of Th e Baha 'i World, and she corresponded > Journal of Industrial Hygiene, she served extensively with the Guardian about this > on the Local Spiritual Assembly and on the international record. He expressed his appreprogramme committee for Green Acre ciation by writing: > Baha'i School, where she met Frank Ashton. May the Almighty abundantly reward > They were married at Green Acre in August you for your truly remarkable and merito- > 1919. She said later in her life, "Green Acre rious efforts and service in distant fields, > has always meant a great deal to me". She remove every obstacle and enable you to > went back whenever she could. win still greater victories for the Faith. > There followed a long period in which In April 1952, she went on pilgrimage to > Beatrice was busy earning a living and Haifa and was enabled to meet the beloved > raising her son, John. She moved to Ohio, Guardian for the first time. > where she worked in university hospitals in After 1953, Beatrice focused her efforts > Cleveland doing editorial research, and then on administrative tasks in the United States: > 898 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > In April 1970, Beatrice again went to > Haifa, where she was offered the opportunity to use her editorial skills in the Research > Department at the Baha' i World Centre. She > jumped at the chance. For two years she > catalogued and indexed the Guardian's letters > and other correspondence, made frequent > trips to the Baha'i Shrines, and soaked up > knowledge of the Faith from the many > knowledgeable and dedicated Bah World Centre. When, at the age of 82, she > was being overtaken by poor health and had > to return to the United States, the Universal > House of Justice wrote: > You have performed highly meritorious > service at the World Centre and have > endeared yourself to all members of the > staff here. We are deeply grateful to you. > Although Beatrice then officially "retired", > her great love for the Faith drove her on to > Beatrice Owens Ashton accept work from the House of Justice that > she could carry out in her apartment in > Volume XIII of The Bahri 'i World, the wor- Cleveland. She compiled a subject index > ship programmes at the House of Worship, of Citadel of Faith and of Messages to > and the editorial committee of Bahri 'i News, America, thereby enabling the House of Jusamong other tasks. In addition to these tice to find immediately what the Guardian > efforts, for which she was well qualified as had said on many subjects. She also indexed > an editorial assistant, she taught numerous those parts of the Writings of the Bab and > courses at Green Acre, Louhelen, and Baha'u'llah which had been translated by > Geyserville Baha'i Schools in the United Shoghi Effendi. She crowned this phase of > States, and at Beaulac, Banff, and Toronto in her services by indexing The Dawn-Breakers. > Canada. By the fall of 1976 she was practically > Teaching courses in Canada brought her blind, and could no longer perform the serinto closer contact with the Canadian Baha'is vices at which she had so ardently labored > and when the Ten Year Crusade called for for so long. But for another decade she conpioneers (she had then retired from Abbott tinued to correspond with the many devoted > Laboratories), she vo lunteered to pioneer Baha'is she had met around the world. Their > in Canada, and was sent to Lethbridge, news of the growth of the Faith sustained her > Alberta. During the years 1958 to 1966, in her last years. > while stationed in Lethbridge, she continued Throughout Beatrice's teaching and adminteaching throughout Canada, especially her istrative services to the Faith, people were > course on the Ten Year Crusade, and repre- always impressed with her whole-hearted > sented Canada at the dedication of the House and loving devotion to the Administrative > of Worship in Germany. Order, the Guardianship, and then to the > By 1966, Lethbridge had a Local Spiritual Universal House of Justice. She was tireless > Assembly and Beatrice went back to Euro- in her devotion, and indefatigable in her > pean teaching, making four trips to Norway desire to do the very best she could to help > and other European countries by 1970. her beloved Guardian and then the House of > IN MEMORIAM 899 > Justice. For these reasons, the high points which slaves from the South were able to > of her life were the times spent in Haifa. As escape to freedom in the North. Cynthia > the Guardian wrote her in the midst of her often speculated that the bold stand taken > endeavors, ".. .your share in deepening the by this forebear with respect to God-given > faith and understanding of the believers rights of all mankind may have contributed > regarding the essentials of the Revelation of to the bounty of her eventually finding and > Baha 'u 'llah and its distinguishing features accepting the Faith ofBaha'u'llah. > has been truly outstanding". At the age of 14, Cynthia entered Indiana > While at the Baha'i World Centre, Beatrice University. After one year she took a posiworked closely with Mr. 'Ali Na~avani, tion as teacher in a one-room country school, > a member of the Universal House of Justice, later reh1rning to the University to complete > and continued an extensive correspondence her studies in philosophy and journalism. > with him thereafter. Mr. Na~avani probably Upon graduation, she accepted a job as > knew Beatrice best in her later years of reporter and fea ture writer for the Miami > Baha'i service. He wrote to her, "The ser- Herald, in Florida, soon thereafter transfervices you are rendering are precious beyond ring to the field of hotel and resort publicity. > description", and later, "The determination This took her to New York City and Washand thoroughness with which you are pursu- ington, D.C., and it was then that she came > ing the work given to you by the Universal in contact with the Baha'i Faith. Her earliest > House of Justice are truly most remarkable". teacher was Clara Weir of California, who > And then, "I sense the vibrations of your arranged for her to meet Mariam Haney and > indomitable spirit, your unwavering con- her son, Paul Haney, and Cora Oliver, all of > stancy and your inflexible resolve to pursue whom were livi ng in Washington, D.C. On > nobly and courageously the path of selfless 22 June 1939, her letter of acceptance into > stewardship to God's Holy Cause". the Baha'i Faith was received from the Local > But Beatrice certainly treasured most the Spiritual Assembly of Washington, D.C. > words of the Guardian: These early days of her life as a believer > were spent in the company of many other > May the Almighty bless abundantly and > legendary Baha'is, including Genevieve Coy, > continuously your manifold, incessant, > Juliet Thompson, Stanwood Cobb, Borrah > and highly meritorious activities to > Kavelin, and Philip Sprague. While attendenable you to enrich the record of your > ing weekly deepenings in New York City, > splendid accomplishments in both the > Cynthia heard Shoghi Effendi's appeal to > teaching and administrative sphere of > the friends to "leave the big cities" and help > Baha'i service. > JOHN ASHTON > establish Local Assemblies in those states > which did not yet have them. In November > 1942, she moved to Wilmington, Delaware, > and was soon elected to the first Local > CYNTHIA AND EDGAR OLSON Assembly of that city. > 1903-1988/ 1908- 1989 Within weeks of her arrival, Cynthia met > her fuh1re husband, Edgar "Olie" Olson. > Cynthia Ruth Barnard Olson was born of Edgar A. Olson was born in Wilmington, > English stock on 7 November 1903 in Delaware, on 6 August 1908 to Swedish > Hennepin, Illinois, U.S .A., the second eldest immigrants, Charles and Hilda Olson. His > of five children. Her great-grandfather, father died while Olie was still an infant, > Williamson Durly, was an abolitionist, and and so by the age of 12, he was contributing > his home in Hennepin was one of the to the family income, first by selling newsstations on the "underground railway" by papers on a street corner and later by > 900 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Cynthia and Edgar Olson > > working at a soda fountain in a local phar- Food on her first visit to the store was still > macy. in his personal papers. He had never cashed > After gradu ation from Wilmington High it, and Cynthia has written in her memoirs > School, Olie received a scholarship from a that Olie discovered her name, address, and > member of the Dupont family to attend a telephone number from that check. > one-year business course at Babson Institute In April 1944, Olie became the first > in Wellesley, Massachusetts. On his fi nal native of Delaware to become a Baha'i and > report card, the finance professor, Mr. A.H. their marriage, on 25 August that year, was > Fittz, wrote: "An iconoclast, worthy of the first Baha' i marriage recognized by the > respect, who will do more for himself and state of Delaware. Shoghi Effendi hung their > for others and so will be able to accomplish marriage certificate on the wall of his room > more in li fe if he can learn to become more at Bahji. > charitab le toward the weaknesses of the con- Olie and Cynthia spent all their free time > forn1ists." Yet it was Olie 's desire to always in Baha ' i work. In the same month he > strive beyo nd stah1 s quo that led him to embraced the Fa ith, Edgar helped form the > embrace the Faith of Baha' u ' llah and to first Loca l Spiritual Assembly in the state > serve that Faith so illustriously his entire life. of Delaware, and at a later date, he was one > From Babson, Olie worked for several of the incorporators of that Assembly. > different companies in the East and Midwest During this time Cynthia served on the > United States before returning to Wilmington United States National Baha' i Information > at the time of his mother's death. He was Service. Iii 1953, when this committee was > operating a retail food store there when he charged with arrangingá press conferences > met Cynthia and she introduced him fo the in Chicago for the visit of the Hand of > Baha ' i Fa ith. It speaks eloquently of their the Cause of God Amatu' l-Baha Rul:iiyyih > relationship that, after Olie 's death, the orig- Khanum and the dedication of the House of > inal check that Cynthia wrote to Olson 's Worship there, the Olsons heard of Shoghi > IN MEMORIAM 901 > Effendi's plans for the Ten Year Crusade National Spiritual Assembly, (2) its incorpoand his call for pioneers to settle the remain- ration and legal recognition, and (3) an > ing virgin ten-itories of the globe. They indigenous translation. Consequently, the > immediately made their commitment to arise Mariana Islands was designated an "outto this call. standing center" on the Guardian's Ten Year > After much prayer, consultation, letter Crusade map. > writing, and several false starts searching While employed by the local radio stafor an opening to settle in one of these tion, Cynthia was offered a position on the > 131 countries-which had to be reached by headquarters staff of the United States Trust > 2 May 1954, the final day of the first year of Tenitory of the Pacific Islands, which she > the Crusade, in order to meet the beloved accepted. This fortunate turn of events placed > Guardian's hope-they finally chose the her in a position of direct contact with > Mariana Islands as their goal. In fact, they many Micronesians, and with the able and > received the necessary security clearance enthusiastic cooperation of fellow Knight of > from the United States Department of the Baha'u'llah, Virginia Breaks of the Caroline > Navy just two weeks before the first year Islands, friendships were formed and many > of the Crusade was to end. Since the family Micronesians learned of the Faith and its > business had to be sold, Olie stayed in Dela- teachings. When Cynthia was appointed > ware to wind up their affairs, so Cynthia Supervisor of Student Affairs for the Trust > an-ived alone on Guam on the morning of Territory government, charged with ananging > 2 May 1954, the very last day of the first for sponsors for the Micronesian students > year of the Ten Year Crusade. Olie joined who went to Guam for school, and for otherher there on 6 April 1955. wise looking out for their welfare while they > So it was that Cynthia was named Knight were away from home, many for the first > of Baha'u'llah to the Mariana Islands. She time, this had an impact of far-reaching > often expressed her belief that, although Olie proportions. > was not able to arrive at his post before the Her kindnesses and concern for these > close of that year, it was due to his sacrifice students, which on innumerable occasions > that she was able to do so, and he shared included providing hospitality in the Olsons ' > with her in her heart that distinction. own home, are remembered today tluáough- > Many "firsts" were to follow over the next out the far-flung islands of the northwest > few years. The first mention of the Faith on Pacific. Many of those students are now > the air in the Marianas was made by Cynthia the leaders and legislators of the newly > in 1954 on her "Woman ' s World" radio pro- formed governments of the area, as well as > gram; the first Micronesian believer was teachers and businessmen, and their respect > enrolled in April 1956 in time to form the and knowledge of the Faith, which they > Spiritual Assembly of the Baba 'is of Guam, associate with Cynthia, is often publicly and > the first Spiritual Assembly in Micronesia, sympathetically acknowledged. > which was then incorporated in 1957; the Olie worked for KUAM television as a > first Chamorro language translation was made reporter, commentator, and station manager, > at that time; and the first Baha' i wedding as well as managing a radio and television > in Micronesia was held in the Olson home, station for the same company on the island > receiving publicity in Guam's newspaper. of Saipan. And he is still fondly remembered > The Ten Year Crusade goal set by the on Guam for the restaurant he built in the > Guardian for the Mariana Islands had been village of Inarajan, the building which now > for one pioneer to reside in the area. The serves as the Inarajan Baha'i Center. His > goal was exceeded three-fold within the first Swedish pancakes were so renowned that > three years with (1) the establishment of the Olie often remarked that he hoped he would > 902 TI-IE BAHA'i WORLD > > be remembered for those services he had wife attended, along with other dignitaries . > rendered the Cause, rather than for the pan- In 1984, another public commemoration was > cakes that he had made! held, noting the 30th anniversary of Cynthia's > Those services were considerable. He arrival in the Marianas. > travelled to teach extensively in the Pacific A few days before the 11th National > region, including a six-month trip in 1969 Baha' i Convention, marking the first decade > to many of the islands of the South Pacific. of a national community in the Marianas, > Everywhere he went, he was involved in Cynthia Olson passed away. Appropriately, > proclamation and publicity activities for the her funeral was held as part of that Conven- > Faith, especially in the realm of presenta- tion, and was attended by Baha'is from > tions to prominent public figures. He was a throughout the Marianas as well as by many > member of the Local Spiritual Assembly neighbors and government officials. It also > of Guam, which fonned the same year he received extensive media coverage in Guam. > arrived. In 1971, when smaller Assembly Her qualities of perseverance and persisareas were instituted, he became a member tence, and of devotion to detail, contributed > of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the more to the progress of the Cause in the > Baha'is of Inarajan, serving on that body Mariana Islands than possibly any other acts > until the time of his death. Olie was instru- by any other believers. Even when homemental in the acquisition of the property bound and later bed-ridden, as she was for > for both the Temple site and the National the last few years of her life, always her first > I:fa~iratu ' l-Quds on Guam, and for the erec- question when greeting visitors was, "What > tion of the present National Center on that is new with the Faith?" Her regret that she > island. He also ananged for the purchase was no longer able to be actively involved in > of a Temple site and endowment land in service to the Cause during those last years > Taiwan, Republic of China, on behalf of the was acute. > Universal House of Justice. On 21May1988, the Knight ofBaha'u'llah > Cynthia was elected to the National to the Mariana Islands was laid to rest on a > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the beautiful hill in the central portion of Guam, > North West Pacific Ocean when it was fulfilling her earnest wish to "bury my bones > formed in 1972, embracing the Marshall, at my post." Upon learning of her passing, > Caroline and Mariana Islands, and she con- the following cable was sent on 19 May by > tinued to serve as a member until the the Universal House of Justice: > National Spiritual Assembly of the Mariana > Islands was formed in 1978. She was then GRIEV ED LEARN PASSfNG DEARLY LOV ED > elected to the Marianas Assembly and KNIGHT BAHA'U'LLAH CYNTHIA OLSON > served for the first two years of its existence. WHOSE DEVOTED SERVICES FAITH SPANNED > During this time she was also active as a NEARLY HALF CENTURY, THIRTY-FOUR > member of various national committees and YEA RS OF WHICH WERE SPENT AT HER > Local Assemblies and made several teaching PIONEER POST fN G UA M WHERE SHE SERVE D > trips throughout the Pacific, as well as attend- ON FIRST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NORTHW EST > ing many international conferences and the PAC IFIC OCEAN. ASSU RE LOVING FERVENT > International Convention of 1973. PRAY ERS HOLY SHRIN ES PROGRESS HER > In 1978, the Baha'i community of the IMMORTAL SOUL ALL WORLDS GOD. KIN DLY > Mariana Islands gathered for a banquet to CONVEY CONDOLENCES TO HER DEAR > honour their Knight of Baha'u'llah, to mark HU SBAND EDGAR AND HER FRI ENDS. > the 75th year of Cynthia's life, her 40 years > as a Baha 'i, and 25 years as a resident at her In spite of his beloved wife 's death and > pioneer post. The Governor of Guam and his his own ill-health, Edgar Olson remained > IN MEMORIAM 903 > active to his last days , completing a trip to The boat was about to cross the Atlantic, and > Palau and Yap just before departing on his her friend, who said she would tell Thelma > last vacation. He had even planned to speak about Baha 'i when they arrived in New > to the children of the Inarajan Baha'i School York, took her to visit the Kinneys at their > upon his return from vacation. home on Riverside Drive. This notable > This was not to be, however. Olie passed Baha' i couple loaned Thelma their copy of > away in his sleep while visiting Baha'i friends The Dawn-Breakers, which she read in the > in Nova Scotia, Canada, on the morning of early hours of each morning after returning > 5 September 1989. He was laid to rest in from various New York night clubs. On one > Maple Wood Cemetery on 8 September, the occasion tears streamed down her face as > first Baha' i to be interred in a recently pur- she realised the truth of the Faith. > chased Baha'i burial plot. While in America, Thelma met May > Many exemplary qualities come to mind Maxwell and Sylvia Matheson, as well as > when describing Olie. He was steadfast, au- many other Baha'is, to whom she promised > dacious, and extremely dedicated. Olie often that she would visit Clara and Hyde Dunn > asked a great deal of those around him, but when she returned to Sydney. The Dunns, > not nearly as much as he asked of himself. who had brought the Baha'i teachings to > It was always more impmiant to him to have Australia in 1920, were then living in Randdone his best for the Cause than to have wick. They later moved to Kiribilli on the > accolades for his work. As one believer on north side of the harbour, close to Thelma's > Guam noted, Olie's life showed what one residence in Mosman. Thelma thought them > ordinary person whose life was completely such wonderful people, she happily became > consecrated to the love of Baha'u'llah can Clara Dunn' s driver and helped the Dum1s > and did accomplish. in whatever way she could, but it was not > Compiled from memorial articles by until early 1947 that she declared herself a > SHERYL MELLOR AND THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL > Baha'i. > ASSEMBLY OF TH E MARIANA ISLANDS > Between 1947 and 1953, the Australian > Baha'is pursued a six year teaching plan in > which Thelma's support for Clara Dunn, and > THELMA PERKS companionship with her during innumerable > 1901- 1988 teaching trips, was invaluable. Together they > visited Baha'i communities in such far-flung > With the passing of Miss Thelma Perks on places as Wollongong, Adelaide and Brisbane. > 21May1988, the Australian Baha' i commu- At Ric:Jvan 1948 they flew, together > nity lost one of its remaining links to the first with Mariette Bolton, to participate in the > pioneers to this vast continent, Clara and formation of the Woodville Local Spiritual > Hyde Dunn. Assembly in the suburbs of Adelaide, South > Thelma was born on 21 July 1901. Her Australia. At this time Thelma served on the > affluent background allowed her to travel Library Committee of the National Spiritual > extensively in Europe and North America Assembly, on the Regional Teaching Comas a young woman, just as it later enabled mittee for New South Wales, and on the > her to devote all her time and energy to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Sydney. She > propagation and administration of the Baha' i helped organise National Conventions at the > Faith throughout the Australasian region. l:la~iratu ' l-Quds at 2 Lang Road, Paddington, > She was on a ship sailing from South- and participated in summer and winter > hampton to New York when she saw a schools at the Yerrinbool Baha'i School. > photo of 'Abdu'l-Baha in a friend's cabin Meetings were conducted at "Bidura", > and remarked, "That's an interesting face!" Thelma 's residence at Bowral close to the > 904 THE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > Yerrinbool School, and at her home in the two revisited Victoria and Queensland. > Mosman. In 1950, she donated severa l acres In 1955, Thelma visited New Zealand, and > of land to the YeITinbool School on the con- late in 1956 she made her first visits to > dition that the fact not be publicized and that Noumea, New Ca ledonia ; Port Vila, New > the land not be named after her. Hebrides; Papeete, Tahiti; Apia, Western > Great efforts were being made at this time Samoa; and Suva, Fiji, before returning to > to establish Baha' i communities in the larger Sydney via Auckland. > cow1try towns, away from the big city centres No one was more capable of raising the > where large communities already existed. spirits of the isolated pioneers, of cheering > Thus, in January 1952 Thelma was in their hearts, and comforting them in the > Ballarat for World Religion Day, and in midst of their physical hardships and depri- > March she and Dulcie Dive visited Wollon- vation. And yet, no more incongrnous scene > gong and secured the Miners' Hall for that can be imagined than this woman, regal in > community's holding of Feasts and special appearance, gracious in manner, and elegant > anniversaries for the remainder of the year. under all conditions, travelling and living in > In 1953 , at the close of Australia 's Six Year circumstances of exháeme discomfort and > Plan, Thelma moved temporarily to Grafton improvisation. No one enjoyed this paradox > in northern New South Wales, to fulfil her more than Thelma herself. > commitment to establishing a locality there. She later recalled her first visit to Knight > During the World Crusade, Thelma served of Baha'u' llah Bertha Dobbins who had > simultaneously on the National Spiritual settled in P011 Vila in the New Hebrides > Assembly of Australia and New Zealand, (later known as Vanuatu). For ten days in > and as an Auxiliary Board member to the 1956 she slept on three boxes in a spider and > Hand of the Cause of God Clara Dunn. She cockroach infested room beneath swarming > was first elected to the National Assembly mosquitoes, in a mosquito net full of holes. > in January 1954, when a by-election was "Once I got into that bed", she recalled, "I > held to replace five members who had just lay still. I wouldn't stick my big toe out > chosen to pioneer in the Pacific. At this time for anything ... because the rats were mighty > the relationship between the two arms of the things. Bertha had slung a wire across the > Administrative Order was evo lving, and room with a bit of a cm1ain and the rats used > Clara Durm announced the appo intment of to walk up and down that wire while you > Thelma Perks and Collis Featherstone as her were just sitting there" . Such situations were > Auxiliary Board members during National encountered in many other locations during > Convention in 1954. After explaining to the the next two decades. > assembled delegates and observers that the In 1957, Thelma attended the first New > Guardian wished her to appoint two assis- Zealand National Convention before moving > tants, she placed her hand on the shoulder on to Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands and > of Collis Featherstone who was sitting beside Tahiti. While in Fiji visiting Irene Williams > her as chairman, and sa id, "I appoint Collis, and the Fijian Baha'is, she stayed overnight > and Thelma Perks, standing at the back of in a traditional village. In the evening she > the room!" joined in háaditional dancing and singing > From that time forward, Thelma travelled until midnight. She regarded the landscape > constantly both in Australia and around of Papeete as the most glorious of any nahuáal > the Pacific, visiting Baha ' i communities to settings she ever experienced. > encourage them in their work. In 1954, she It was in 1957 also that Thelma first > accompanied Clara Dwm in visiting Baha' i vis ited Alvin and Gertrude Blum in the > communities in Queensland, Victoria , South Solomon Islands, and Violet Boehnke and > Australia, and Tasmania; the following year, Rodney Hancock in Papua New Guinea. A > IN MEMORIAM 905 > > trip organised by Rodney Hancock to take For many years during the 1950s and > Thelma to meet the Baha'is on New Ireland 1960s, she continued to share responsibility > provided yet another tale which she later for the National Teaching Committee, the > enjoyed retelling. In order to make the trip National Reference Library, the National > down New Ireland's only and remote road, I:Ia'.?iratu'l-Quds, and the care of Clara Dunn. > Rodney hired a utility on which Thelma rode She also shared responsibility for the events > in comfort seated on a lounge chair placed related to the opening of the Baha'i House > on the back. When a jeep appeared travel- of Worship in Sydney in September 1961. > ling in the other direction and the two It was in 1961 that Thelma first visited > vehicles had to slow to pass each other on Haifa. Clara Dunn had often asked when > the single track, an Australian man observed she was planning to go, and when Thelma > Thelma with her white raincoat, red umbrella, learned that the Universal House of Justice > all dressed up for any type of weather, and was to be elected in 1963, she thought that > called out, "What are you doing here?", to she should go before then. She turned to > which Thelma replied, "Well, I'm staying Greta Lake during a National Assembly > with friends of mine". He said his wife was meeting and asked "How about going to > up ahead and that she was welcome to stay Haifa?" to which Greta replied, "All right". > with them, or call on them if she needed Thus Greta and Aub Lake went on pilgrimhelp, to which she replied that she was with age with Thelma in April 1961. > her Baha' i friends and that they were all When both women were once again > brothers and sisters. Many such tales did elected to the National Assembly in 1962, > Thelma have for the telling. Greta turned to Thelma and said, "We'll be > In 1957, at the instruction of the Guardian, going to Haifa for the International Conventhe Auxiliary Board was expanded. Collis tion". En route, Thelma visited Vietnam, rode > Featherstone was appointed a Hand of the elephants in Cambodia, and crnised through > Cause, and the two Hands in Australia, Clara Greece. In Haifa, she enjoyed sharing a room > Dunn and Collis Featherstone, appointed with Bahiyyih Ford from South Africa. > Thelma an Auxiliary Board member for During the Nine Year Plan, Thelma > Propagation. Thus while still a member of continued to serve as an Auxiliary Board > the National Assembly of Australia, Thelma member. In 1964, she attended the establishwas occupied throughout Asia and the Pacific ment of the National Spiritual Assembly of > as deputy for two Hands of the Cause. In the Southwest Pacific in Honiara, Solomon > September 1958, she represented the Auxil- Islands, and visited the Baha'is in the Papua > iary Board members in Australia at the New Guinea cities of Por1 Moresby, Lae, > Intercontinental Conference in Singapore. Madang, Manus, and Rabaul. She continued > Within Australia, Thelma continued to to travel within Australia, although in 1965 > travel to various states explaining the plans she resigned as chairman of the Temple > of the National Spiritual Assembly. During Services Committee when the Universal > 1959- 60, she visited more than 20 Baha'i House of Justice decided that Auxiliary > communities in cities and towns in Western Board members could no longer also be > Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New members of such committees. > South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian In 1968, Thelma was appointed to the > Capital Territory. In 1961 , she visited the Continental Board of Counsellors for Aus- > Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasma- tralasia, together with Howard Harwood > nia, and Victoria. While in New Zealand and Suhayl 'Ala'i. The Australasian region > with Nell McMiles in 1962, Thelma visited included Australia and New Zealand, plus > nearly all of the Baha'i communities in that all islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans > country. lying south of the equator and between > 906 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > of the Faith ... There are many Baha'is > moving about, footloose and irresponsible. We must be disciplined people. How > are we going to bring in the World Order > of Baha'u 'llah if the Baha'i Faith comes > last in our lives? ... Let us have more > enthusiasm! We must draw upon each > other. When we think each day of our > bounties, it gives us new life. This Cause > can renew every atom of the body ... Call > on us (the Counsellors) to help you to > serve. > Thelma was loved and respected by the > Austráalian Baha'i community because she > led by example. Although weighed heavily > with responsibilities as Counsellor, Thelma > continued to travel throughout Australia and > the Pacific. In 1971, she was accompanied > by Nell McMiles to the Oceanic Conference > in Sapporo, Japan. Soon after their appoint- > Thelma Perks > ment, the Counsellors ananged in conjunction > with the National Assembly a conference in > longitudes of 80 degrees east and 120 degrees Melbourne to mark the 150th anniversary of > west including Portuguese Timor and the the Birth of the Bab. It was Thelma's privi- > Gilbert and Ellice Islands, but not including lege to introduce to the conference the Hands > Indonesia. Thelma was designated Trnstee of of the Cause of God Abu'l-Qasim Fayc:Ji and > the Continental Fund. Collis Featherstone. > When addressing Baha'i gatherings, Thelma The Counsellors organised oilier major > reminded the friends of the responsibilities conferences, including one immediately foland the devoted work of the Hand of the Cause lowing the annual convention in Melbourne > of God in Australia, Collis Featherstone. She in 197 4 to mark the commencement of the > was able to draw the attention of the friends Five Year Plan, attended by the Hand of the > to their high calling, and enthuse them about Cause of God Dr. Ral~rnatu'llah Muhajir and > the tasks at hand. The words with which she some 500 participants. In October 1974, the > closed the Australian community's National Counsellors organised a conference in Sydney > Convention in 1970 convey something of the to coincide with the 155th Anniversary of > uplifting effect she had on the community. the Birth of the Bab, which was attended by > She began by reminding her listeners that 200 Baha'is. Thelma closed the conference > the Dum1s were the "spiritual conquerors of by saying: > a Continent" and that Shoghi Effendi had > given nobody else this station. She went on The Five Year Plan has something perto say: sonal about it- it touches our hearts. > Self-sacrifice is at the core of every- > The Guardian used to praise the Austra- thing-sacrifice of our time, energy and > lian Baha'is-we must justify his faith resources. This is the challenge of each > and confidence in us ... If we do not arise one of us. We have the inspiration of the > to serve, 'Abdu'l-Baha says we fall to the pioneers that have gone out. Each one can > rear in the Army of Life-perhaps go out do something, according to our capacity. > IN MEMORIAM 907 > Early in 1974, the Counsellors met in JOANNE L. M ENKING > Noumea, then visited the New Hebrides. Knight ofBaha' u' llah > Thelma and Vi Hoehnke went on to visit the 1927- 1988 > Solomons, where about 60 islanders became > Baha'is dming a conference. The two women JoAnne L. Kinsey was born to Wylton and > then moved on to Papua New Guinea. Leila Kinsey on 29 April 1927 in Harlan, > In January 1977, all the Counsellors of Indiana, U.S.A. She and her two brothers > the Australasian Board attended the Sixth grew up during the Great Depression, and > International Teaching Conference, held in her hard-working Protestant parents showed > Auckland, New Zealand. love with strictness as did many parents of > Thelma's retirement from the Continental that time and place. That encouraged inde- > Board of Counsellors was announced by the pendence, and JoAnne and her brothers were > House of Justice in a letter dated 3 November on their own at a young age . > 1980. Thelma spent her years ofretirement in When she was eighteen years old, JoAnne > her Mosman home, and continued to visit the began a new job as a secretary at Interna- > House of Worship and participate in Baha'i tional Harvester in Fort Wayne, Indiana. > activities in the Sydney area. There, she met a young woman named Betty, > Thelma retained her dignified bearing and whose first impression of JoAnne was her > cheerful nature in her final years, though overwhelming physical beauty and, despite > hampered in her movements and activities that beauty, her humility. The two started a > by a paralysing stroke. She will be remem- friendship that lasted for more than forty > bered as a pure soul and a gracious lady. years. They became integral parts of each > Following her passing, the Universal House others lives, sharing many common interests > of Justice sent a message to the National such as sewing and entertaining. > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia JoAnne met Howard E. Menking on a > on 25 May 1988 which read: blind date during a furlough from his U.S. > WE ARE DEEPLY GRIEVED TO LEARN OF Navy service, before he depa1ied for the > THE PASSING OF THELMA PERKS WHOSE OUT- Pacific front during the second World War. > STANDING SERVICES FOR THE PROMOTION OF They met again after the War through a > THE FAITH IN AUSTRALASIA WILL LONG BE chance meeting in a drugstore in Fort Wayne. > REMEMB ERED. HER LOV ING CA RE OF HAN D They were married on 28 May 1948. > OF TH E CAUSE CLARA DUNN, HER DISTIN- JoAnne and Howard were joined on their > GU ISHED WORK AS A MEMBER OF TH E FIRST honeymoon by JoAnne ' s friend, Betty, and > CONTINGENT OF AUXILIARY BOARD MEMB ERS her new husband, Bud (Robe1i) Hopkins. > FO LLOWED LATER BY HER APPOINTM ENT They went to Chicago, and as they were > AS A MEMB ER OF THE FIRST BOARD OF COUN- driving along Lake Michigan, north of the > SELLORS IN AU STRALASIA, TOGETHER WITH city, they passed an unusually beautiful > HER MANY YEARS OF SERVICE AS A MEMBER structure. JoAnne stuck her camera out of > OF TH E NATIONAL SPIRITUAL AS SEMBLY OF the window and took a blurred and crooked > AUSTRALIA, STAN D AS SOME OF THE HIGH- photograph that, for her family, serves as > LIGHTS OF HER DEVOTED LABORS. PRAY ERS a remnant of the moment the seed of > ARE BEi 'G OFFERED IN THE HOLY SHRINES Baha'u'llah's Revelation was planted in their > FOR TH E PROGRESS OF HER SOUL IN THE lives, as that building was the Baha' i House > ABHA KING DOM . ADVISE HOLD A BEFITTING of Worship. > MEMORIA L SERVICE IN HER HONOUR IN TH E Back in Fmi Wayne, the two new couples > MAS l-IRIQ U'L-ADHKAR, A SIMILA R SE RVI CE IS settled down. JoAnne continued working for > BEING REQUESTED IN SAMOA. International Harvester and Howard sold > GRA HAM I-I ASSAL L and repaired Royal typewriters . On one of > 908 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > assuring her he would pray for their marriage. Miraculously, their difficulties were > resolved by a course of events initiated on > that date penned by the Guardian. > Together JoAnne and Howard attended > the dedication of the Mother Temple of the > West, which JoAnne had photographed during their honeymoon. This took place during > the Jubilee Convention in 1953, and they > joined in the mood of the American Baha'i > community that was both compelling and > historic. Baba 'is literally went to the front of > the auditorium in answer to the Guardian's > call for pioneers during the Ten Year Crnsade. > JoAnne and Howard stayed quiet, after > their experience in Brazil, but at one point > Dorothy Baker approached them and asked, > "When are you two going to stand up?" > Exactly what happened next is a matter of > debate, but that winter the Menkings were > JoAnne Menking sailing towards a Pmiuguese penal colony > 300 miles off the coast of West Africa. > his sales calls Howard met an elderly Baha'i The Menkings anived in Cape Verde in > woman who took an interest in him. Once a January 1954. Life was difficult for them, > week, on Wednesday nights, she would join and JoAnne did not like the place. To her > the four young people in the Hopkins' home it was dry, miserable and tedious, but she > and talk to them about the Baha ' i Faith. found comfort in her sewing and the friend- > With infinite patience she met with them ships they made. Howard, on the other hand, > every week for a year. That woman, respon- loved Cape Verde as for him it was chalsible for nearly single-handedly raising up a lenging, exciting, and a virgin tenitory for > thriving Baha'i community in Fort Wayne, the Faith. A pattern developed of JoAnne > was Pauline Roth. serving as gracious hostess to guests Howard > JoAnne and Howard emolled in the Faith met and brought home. > in 1949, during a special fireside with a Although they made friends, they could > Baha ' i pioneer to South America. That same not find anyone interested in the Faith. > night they decided to pioneer to Brazil, Howard was having a difficult time earning > and within a few months they had travelled a living and he wrote to the Guardian, asking > to New York to board a ship to Sao Paulo. his permission to leave and join the Baha'i > While in New York the couple met Juliet teachers on the mainland of Africa where > Thompson in her apaiiment there. Howard had experience with Mtisa Banani > Despite the adventure and romance, in enrolling large numbers of believers in > JoA1me and Howard found it impossible the Gambia. The Guardian advised them, > to make a living in Brazil and returned to difficult as it was, to remain at their post, > Indiana. They discussed beginning a Year of recalling the prophecy of Daniel that in the > Patience and JoAnne, requesting clarification last days the angels of the Lord would spread > on this law from Shoghi Effendi , received a to the four corners of the ea1ih. Theirs was, > letter written on behalf of the Guardian in as all the Knights of Baha'u'llah, the fulfilwhich he added a postscript in his own hand ment of this prophecy. > JN MEMORIAM 909 > > JoAnne had been told that she was medi- affluent suburb named University Park and > cally incapable of bearing children. But in it was there that the Menkings settled in > Cape Verde they met a young Angolan doctor 1959. In 1964, JoAnne gave birth to her > in exile, trained in Lisbon, who, upon hear- third child, Cornell Howard Menking, coning ofJoAnne's problem, offered to examine ceived upon the Menkings' return from the > her. To everyone's amazement, she consented first Baha'i World Congress i.J.1 London, > to exploratory surgery right there in Praia. England. > Whatever the mysterious operation, it JoAnne's passion and devotion in life > resulted in the birth of Cristina Pauline became her children. Inspired by 'Abdu'l- > Menking, a namesake of Pauline Roth who Baha, she served the Cause through example > had taught the Menkings the Faith. Cristina's and hospitality. For the next thirty years > birth date was 25 December 1955, and the JoAnne graciously served as hostess for the > Cape Verdeans embraced her as "our little Baha'i community in University Park. Her > caboverdeana". They also embraced the home was open to those of every race, reli- > Baha'i Faith: "How could these people, with gion and class, striving to have what Shoghi > such a beautiful child-born on our soil on Effendi called "a háue fortress upon which > Christmas Day- be heathens as the church the Cause can rely while planning its > says?" campaigns". > The little caboverdeana provided exactly JoAnne was a háustworthy, humble, truthwhat the Faith needed to take root in Cape ful and loyal woman whose love for justice > Verde . Some months later Frutuoso ("fruit- dominated her daily life. She was an imful") became the first local Baha'i, and by peccable dresser, always punctual, and an > Ri<;lvan 1956 the fust Local Spi.J.itual Assembly immaculate housekeeper. A practical woman > was forn1ed in Praia. when it came to truth, she wondered why > Feeling that the Faith was established everyone couldn't see as she did. "Anyone > in Cape Verde, JoAnne decided that their with half a brain should be a Baha'i", she > job was done. When Cristina was strong wou ld say. It was simple for her. > enough to travel, JoAnne set off for the The Menkings' life developed a routine, > United States while Howard stayed behind to which is how JoA1me liked it. She loved > complete his work and arrange for a passage stability and the education of her children > back. While still in Praia, he received corre- was of the uhnost importance to her. One of > spondence from the Guardian giving his best her grandmothers had been a librarian and > wishes to their "children" in a hand-written her brother was a respected judge in Indiana, > postscript. This seemed like a mistake as yet she, herself, had been unable to complete > they only had Cristina at the time. high school due to a double case of scarlet > Upon returning to America, Howard and rheumatic fever when she was seventeen > learned that the beloved Guardian had passed years old. She was actively involved in the > away and that their second child had been children's education, putti.J.1g all three through > conceived. The Guardian's wishes had been Southern Methodist University by working > conveyed even before JoAnne 's pregnancy as a secretary to the Provost, taking advanhad been confirmed by doctors. Named after tage of tuition benefits for dependents of > an early Cape Verdean Baha ' i, Claremundo university employees. > ("light of the world"), Clare Howard Menking The Menkings raised thei.J.á children to > was born in Clarksville, Tennessee on 27 Jan- have open minds and hearts , free from hate > uary 1958. and free to choose their own destinies. All > Following a brief stay i.J.1 Clarksville, the tluáee arose to serve the Faith, and this is how > Menkings joined the Hopkins in Dallas, JoAnne would like to be remembered- by > Texas. Pioneers were badly needed in an the fruit she yielded. > 910 THE BAH A' i WORLD > > 0 ye loving mothers, know ye that in 'Aziz had the bounty of going on pilgrim- > God 's sight, the best of all ways to wor- age for the first time in 1936, when he was > ship Him is to educate the children and honoured by being in the beloved Guardtrain them in all the pe1fections of ian ' s presence for eleven days . He had > humankind; and no nobler deed than this the privilege of meeting the Guardian for a > can be imagined. second time in 1953, after attending the > - 'Abdu'l-Baha 1 inauguration of the Templ e in Wilmette, > Illinois, U.S.A. > JoAnne Menking died in Dallas, Texas, > On the first day of Ri<;lvan 1955, > on 26 May 1988-two days before her fortieth > ' Azizu ' tlah Shayani left Tihran to begin the > wedding anniversary. She is buried beside > successful teaching and pioneering efforts > her son , Clare. > which were to last close to 30 years. He > C ORNELL M EN K fNG > went first to Cairo, Egypt, on his way to > attend the National Convention, then to > Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. > 'Azizu'LLAH SHAYANi When after three months he found he could > 1900-1988 not renew his visa, he left Madagascar for > Mauritius. After a three month stay, he set > 'Azizu ' llah Shayani was born on I 0 January out for Reunion. On each of these three > 1900, in Ramadan, Persia. He was from a islands he was successfu l in teaching many > Jewish background, and on ly his father, Aqa souls and form ing Assemb lies. > Ra~itn, and one of his uncles had become 'Aziz pioneered next to Asmara, Ethiopia. > Baha'is. 'Azizu'llah personally took on the Later, he set out fo r Nairobi, Kenya, and > task of independent search after truth and continued his teaching efforts there. While > attended the classes and firesides ofI:Iaji Mihdi in Nairobi, he carried out certain assign- > Arjumand (author of Gulshan-i-Haqa 'iq). ments as requested by the Hands of the > After a thorough investigation of the Faith, Cause of God residing in East Africa. As a > he embraced the Cause wholeheartedly. result, in addition to hi s teaching efforts, he > As a result of his extreme enthusiasm and travelled to Mogadishu, Somalia, and other > intelligence during his yo uth, ' Abdu ' l-Baha parts of East Africa . > acknowledged 'Azizu'llah in rep ly to a letter After a short trip to Tihran to consult with > from I:Iaji Amin , saying, "In truth, th is youth the pioneering committee, 'Aziz set out for > is worthy of affection". Following this, ' Aziz Italy to await the adv ice of the Hand of the > chose Shayani as his surname. (Shayan Cause of God Dr. Giachery about moving to > means "worthy" in Persian.) Portugal. Dr. Giachery, however, rather than > Upon completion of his studies, including suggesting Portugal, recommended pioneerlearning the French language, in I:Iarnadan, ing to Sicily with the hope of forming the > 'Aziz moved to Tihran with his fami ly, Assemb ly in Pa lermo. After ' Aziz had stayed > where he worked in trade, importing electri- in Palenno fo r two years and had helped > cal supplies. He actively served the Faith in establish an Assembly there, Dr. Giachery > Tihran, particularly in the area of education. proposed he pioneer to Torino in Italy. ' Aziz > In 1922, he married Jan Khanum , and they stayed there for six years, where he was > raised four children dedicated to the Cause. quite successful in teaching the Cause. > Jan accompanied and aided him through In 1968, 'Aziz attended the Palermo Con- > 30 years of pioneering. ference, then had the bounty of having a > third pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Whi le > 1 Selections jiwn the Writings of 'A bdu '/-Baha there, a member of the Universal House of > (Haifa : Baha ' i World Centre, 1982) , p. 139. Justice suggested that he take on the task of > IN MEMORIAM 911 > > establishing the National Spiritual Assembly > of the Malagasy Republic and overseeing > the construction and repairs on the National > I:Ia~iratu'l - Quds in Antananarivo. He accepted the challenge and was in Madagascar > until 1974. In addition to constructing and > repairing the I:Ia~iratu' 1-Quds, purchasing > the land for the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, making > the preliminary anangements for making the > Baha'i Faith official in Madagascar, and > attending the International Convention, 'Aziz > was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly > of the Madagasy Republic in 1973. During > these six years, he travelled to teach in Ethiopia during the rainy season in Madagascar. > He also made two more trips to Reunion and > Mauritius in this period. > When 'Aziz left Madagascar, he visited > the friends in Uganda, Nigeria, Senegal and > Mali, then took residence in Casablanca, > Morocco. He participated in teaching trips 'Azizu 'llah Shciyani > in West Africa in 1975, but after attending > the Paris Conference in 1976, he was hospi- DEEPLY SADDENED PASSING STAUNCH STEAD- > talized and underwent surgery in the city of FAST PROMOTOR FAJTH AZIZOLLAH SHAY AN!. > Montpelier. His health began to deteriorate HIS PIONEERING SERV ICES OVER THREE > after this illness, and he was not able to DECADES IN AFR ICAN CONTINENT LOVINGLY > travel any more. REMEMBERED. ASSURE MEMBERS FAM ILY > In addition to having the bounty of being FERVENT PRAYERS 1-IOLY SHRJNES PROGRESS > in the presence of the beloved Guardian HIS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM . > twice, ' Aziz had the privilege of pilgrimage > on three other occasions. He was also able MR. LOTFOLLAH SCHAYANI AND > > to attend the dedication ceremonies of the DR. NOSRATOLLAH SCHAYAN I > (Mr. Lutfu'llah Shayani and Dr. Nu~ ratu' ll ah Shayani) > Temples in Chicago, Sydney, and Frankfurt, Translated from the Persian by Goli Yazdani > and to attend the World Congress in London > in 1963. His other trips included such destinations as Japan, India and Pakistan. > He was a devoted and active Baha'i who, > in his 30-year-long pioneering endeavours , > was engaged day and night in teaching and > promoting the Cause. Among his other services was the donation of a chandelier to the > Sluáine of the Bab. > He passed away on 11 June 1988 in his > home in Casablanca. His funeral was > conducted in utmost dignity at the Baha'i > cemetery in Casablanca. The following telegram was sent by the Universal House of > Justice on 13 June: > 912 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > ADIB RADHI BAGHDAD! ' Akka and spent almost all that he had to > (Adib Rac;li Bag!!_dadf) assist the friends to visit BaM'u' llah. It was > Knight ofBaM'u ' llah this heritage of service rather than material > 1905- 1988 wealth that he left for his children. > The earliest memory that Adib had was > We are saddened to learn of the passing of being held by his mother while 'Abdu ' l- > áof Knight of Baha'u ' llah Adib Baghdadi Baha took coins from His pocket to play > whose services in the pioneering field will with the child. The last time he saw 'Abdu'lbe lovingly remembered. We will offer Baha was as a university student shortly > our prayers in the Shrine of Baha'u ' llah before the Master's ascension. But Adib > for the progress of his soul in the world never claimed special privileges by his > beyond .... descent; he rather made his family feel en- > Universal House of Justice nobled to have had spiritual forefathers of > 4 July 1988 such stature, and by the example of his > devotion he showed them how to be faithful > Shortly after his birth in ' Iraq during the to this inheritance. > early years of this century, Adib Bag!!_dadi's Adib's father died when Adib was just > parents, as was the custom among some a boy, so Adib took an early graduation to > of the eastern Baha'is of that day, asked teach school to support his family and assist > 'Abdu ' l-Baha to name their son. The name with the education of his brothers and sister. > 'Abdu' l-Baha chose was "Adib Rac;li": the While still young he became the secretary of > pleasing one. No man was ever more faithful the National Spiritual Assembly of ' Iraq and > to his name and to a trust placed on him for many years corresponded in that capacity > than Adib Bag!!_dadi was to the Master and with the Guardian, having the opportunity > to His gift. A man of extraordinary patience to meet Shoghi Effendi twice. He was > who avoided giving offense to any person transformed by the dynamic vision of the > and whose life was marked by devotion and Guardian, crediting Shoghi Effendi's influsacrifice, Adib pleased all who knew him. ence with having recreated him. > He could trace his family lineage through While a teacher in 'Iraq, he pioneered > three generations of faithful servants to the in the north of that country in Mosul and > Cause. His great grandfather, Mul)ammad Sulaymaniyyih. In I 953, he resolved to attend > al-Shibi, was the first Arab to become a the conference in New Delhi that was to > Babi. It is his son, MuJ:iammad Mu~tafa inaugurate the Ten Year Crusade. When he > Bag!!_dadi, who is characterized by ' Abdu ' l- was refused leave, he quit his job of32 years. > BaM in Memorials of the Faithful as having While in India, before the conference began , > recognized Baha' u' llah 's station before He he had a dream in which the Guardian called > publicly declared, and as the only Baha' i in for pioneers to virgin territories. When that > Bag!!_dad during those early years who stood historic summons did in fact arrive from > his ground in the face of opposition. When Shoghi Effendi urging the assembled Baha'is > Baha' u'llah sent instructions to the Baha'i to open the remotest regions of the world > community of 'Iraq to put aside its weapons, to the Cause, Adib chose one of the most > MuJ:iammad Mu~tafa called the believers inhospitable goals and left directly for > together, collected the arsenal of the com- Hadramut (now South Yemen). > munity in his cloak, and threw it into the He could not find work in Hadramut for > Tigris Ri ver. Defenseless, the Baha' is of a year, in a country so desolate that when > Bag!!_dad often turned to him for the protec- he was finally able to send for his wife, > tion of his indomitable personality. He became VaJ:iidih, she used to keep an onion in a glass > a way station to the Baha'is travelling to of water just to see a green growing thing. > IN MEMORIAM 913 > > As there were no schools there, they had the Writings and did so with the greatest > their three oldest children board at the New humility. Having been in the presence of > Era School in India. Adib was not able to see 'Abdu ' l-Baha several times, he always carthem for almost four years. He remained at ried with him the inner conviction and calm > his post for six years, not leaving until he was of those who knew the Master. In his chosen > sure that the Cause of God would remain corner of the edifice ofBaha'u'llah's Adminestablished in that land. It was for this service istrative Order, Adib laid his bricks humbly > that Adib and Val)idih Ba@dadi were made and without ostentation. > Knights of Ba ha 'u ' llah and had their names In many ways he reaffirmed the sacrifices > inscribed on the Roll of Honour deposited in of his grandfather, and in a spirit appropriate > the Shrine ofBaha'u'llah at Bahji. to this generation of the Formative Age. > When pioneers were needed in northern Just as Mul?ammad Mu~tafa had plunged his > ' Iraq, the family went there. Five years later weapons-the means and symbols of his > they went to Kuwait, and another six years strength and independence-into the Tigris, > later to Lebanon. Each time when they were Adib in both word and deed put off all > called they left to go to another remote and pretention: he wore no armor to impress. > often hostil e environment. But the protection Gracious and generous, no matter how little > and divine help that Adib and his family ex- he had, he was as detached from the treaperienced often reminded them of the promise sures of this world as was his grandfather. > of Baha'u'llah to those who would arise to For those who knew him, he was indeed a > test the power of His Cause. "pleasing one". He kept calm in the eye of > It was during those years that his two the storm, and was an anchor of certitude > younger brothers, Dr. 'Abbas and Dr. Jamil, in the communities in which he served. > who had served the government and peopl e Having served selflessly and for most of > of' Iraq loyally and selflessly for many years, his adult life on Baha' i administrative bodwere imprisoned for their religious beliefs. ies, including National Spiritual Assemblies, > Dr. 'Abbas died in prison; Dr. Jamil spent and having undertaken the most arduous > six years there. Adib and his family were pioneering challenges, he continued to the > forced to leave Lebanon when the 'Iraqi end of his life to protect and teach the Cause > government refused to renew the passports of God. For the last three years of his life, > of Baha' is li ving abroad. They went as refu- when he was past 80, at a time when even > gees to Canada, leaving behind any hope of heroic men become captive to their mortalpension for their many years of service in ity, he served as an assistant to the Auxiliary > those countries, bringing with them only a Board, travelling in North America and > small savings. speaking throughout Ontario and New York. > It requires time and care to appreciate the His love for Shoghi Effendi was consumcontributions and influence of steady and ing; he could not speak of the Guardian > self-effacing men and women such as Adib without experiencing great emotion. Some > Bag!!dadi who quietly fu rther the goals of 35 years before his death Adib had seen > civilization. He was fluent in five languages, Shoghi Effendi in a dream. The Guardian > especially so in the three languages of the was climbing ahead of him effortlessly up a > Faith. He taught himself Persian by sh1dying steep grade. Adib felt himself falling behind, > the Kitab-i-iqan in both Arabic and Persian; overwhelmed by the enormous slope ahead. > Shoghi Effendi described his communica- Shoghi Effendi turned back, and with the > tions and translations in English and Arabic gentlest words encouraged him. The dream > as both accurate and literary. ended when he lost sight of the Guardian > Adib was always ready to share his who had pressed on ahead . This dream of his > profound knowledge and understanding of Beloved returned to him once again just two > 914 TH E BAHA' I WORLD > > ROSE HAWTHORNE > 1882- 1988 > > Rose Hawthorne, born Rose Elizabeth > Brooks, was one of nine surviving children > born to Margaret and David Brooks, farmers > from Booleroo Centre, South Australia. > Born on 1 August 1882, Rose astonished her > elders while still a young girl by walking > down the street in a skirt which displayed > her ankles . This small episode, recounted > as she neared the age of 100, was indicative > of her desire to break with past traditions, > particularly those which inhibited the advancement of women. > The Brooks family was one of strong > Christian belief, and Rose 's father regularly > recited Bible passages to his children. He > frequently read aloud and pondered over > the passage, ''The Glory of God will cover > Adib Radhi Baghdadi the eaiih, even as the waters cover the sea". > Most of the Brooks children retained their > weeks before he died. In this last dream he interest in religion as they matured, although > was climbing the same steep slope, this time Rose, who married Will Hawthorne when > further up, but again despairing of reaching she was 26 and moved to his property > the top . On looking up he saw Shoghi adjoining the township of Yaninee on the > Effendi standing only a short distance away Eyre Peninsula, had given up all hope in > at the summit. As he watched, the Guardian the established religious and secular leaders. > reached down, and taking Adib by the hand, The loss of a brother, Norman, in the first > gently lifted him up . World War, contributed greatly to the fam- > As always, he had anticipated the sum- ily's disillusionment with the condition of > mons of his Lord. On the third day of Mercy the world. > in the Year 145 B.E. , within three days of In about 1930, Rose 's brother David > his 84th birthday, and the day after attending began attending meetings of"New Thought'', > an international Baha'i picnic where he saw and Rose herself went to a meeting on the > many friends for whom he was a spiritual New Thought platfom1 addressed by Clara > father, Adib BagQdadi died suddenly of a Dunn. She returned home to tell her sister > hea1i attack. Faithful and courageous to the Hilda of this woman who had spoken of a > end, his last words were, "I am a Baha'i". man thrown into prison. Lucy Trueman, who > NATIONAL SPIR ITUAL A SSEMBLY OF was also attending the New Thought meet- > THE BAH1\' is OF CANADA > ings at that time, told Hilda that an American > woman, Keith Ransom-Kehler, was about to > visit Adelaide to speak further about the > Baha'i religion. Thus, although they already > knew of the Baha'i Faith from Clara Dunn, > it was principally through Keith Ransom- > Kehler's lecture tour of 1931 that Rose and > Will Hawthorne, Rose's sister Hilda, Mrs. > IN MEMORIAM 915 > > Lucy Trueman, and eventually the remain- Assembly, Rose acted as her loyal and > der of the Brooks family, became Baha'is. competent assistant. At first she fulfilled this > Hilda Brooks, who lived in Adelaide, soon function informally but the importance of > became a member of the Adelaide Assem- her role was later recognised by the National > bly, and when the first National Spiritual Assembly, which officially appointed her as > Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia and clerical assistant to the National Secretary. > New Zealand was formed in 1934, she was Throughout the same period Rose worked > elected as its first secretary. Rose and Will with her sister to carry out significant and > Hawthorne had travelled with Hilda to effective teaching activities. > attend the historic first National Convention In 1941, for instance, Rose accompanied > in Sydney, and were among the few Adelaide Charlotte Moffitt and Hilda Brooks to Bris- > Baha'is present. bane to undertake the first teaching work > Although not wealthy, the Hawthornes there since the Dunns had lived in Brisbane > were sufficiently comfortable financially to more than a decade previously. The three > undertake inter-state teaching trips. Early in women stayed one month in Brisbane, and > 1939 they had the privilege of accompany- Hilda and Rose organised public meetings in > ing Martha Root from Adelaide on her Melbourne on both the forward and return > lecturing visits to Melbourne and Hobart. journeys, in April and June. Two years later, > Miss Root had arrived in Adelaide from in September 1943, Rose and Hilda visited > Perth on 28 January 1939. Afflicted with the Broken Hill, where they again met up with > cancer which was to claim her life before Mrs. Moffitt, and with Miss Gladys Moody, > year's end, she was barely able to complete for another teaching campaign. > her schedule of public appearances. Only the In 1944, Rose assisted in Adelaide comkindness and care shown her by such munity' s planning for celebrations marking > Baha'is as Stanley Bolton, Hilda Brooks, the Centenary of the Declaration of the Bab. > and Rose and Will Hawthorne permitted her She continued to hold firesides and to travel > to continue. Shoghi Effendi later thanked the following her husband's passing in July > Hawthornes for the kindness which sus- 1947. > tained her during this period. It was Martha In addition to working with her sister, and > Root's heroic example that sustained Rose with other Baha 'i friends, Rose maintained > in her subsequent years of ceaseless eff01i her individual teaching efforts. For a period > to promote the teachings in which she so of eight years in the 1950s Rose travelled > whole-heaiiedly believed. regularly to Clare, a small country town far > Eventually, Rose and Will retired to the from Adelaide, to hold public meetings. > Adelaide suburb of Millswood; they had Departing Adelaide on Thursday night laden > never had any children. Over a period of with books, pamphlets, crockery and cakes, > many years they donated Baha'i books to the she conducted public meetings and returned > library at Adelaide University, and to inter- home on Sunday evenings. Often such meetested seekers in Adelaide and elsewhere. ings occurred in the Mayor 's parlour, which > Throughout the 1940s, Rose contributed to Rose rented for the occasions. The meetings > the functioning of the Adelaide community. were often chaired by a prominent non- > She was not a public speaker as was her Baha ' i businessman of the town whom Rose > sister. She preferred to offer practical assis- had befriended. Although audiences never > tance, such as being responsible for the fell below four or five, and sometimes rose > organisation of the Feasts, social activities, to seventeen or eighteen, the tangible results > and the Baha' i library. were few. Australian country towns were > Through the many years that Hilda notoriously conservative, and the influence > Brooks served as secretary to the National of the churches remained strong. > 916 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > is exactly what the Master and the > beloved Guardian told us would happen > when the Cause emerged from obscurity. > These attacks will not halt the spread of > the Faith; on the contrary, they will hasten the day when the people of the world > will in large numbers accept the Message > ofBaha'u ' llah. > Together with Ewaii and Hilda Thomas, > Rose travelled to teach in other South > Australian country towns, including Quorn, > Port Lincoln, and Yaninee. When the original Adelaide community evolved into smaller > communities based on municipal boundaries, > Rose became a founding member of the > Unley community. > Rose continued to serve the Faith right > up to the end of her life. When she began to > go blind, she would ask people to read to > her, always from the Baha' i Writings, intro- > Rose Hawthorn e ducing them to the Teachings that way. Rose > remained alert and a source of wisdom to the > When the editor of Clare's paper, the Adelaide Bah:i' is. She died 7 July 1988, at > Northern Argus, printed a lecture which had the age of 105. > been delivered by Hilda (who was now mar- GRAHAM H ASSALL > > ried to Ewart Thomas), he was confronted in > his office by the clerics of the town's seven > Christian denominations. Their intolerance ELEANORE LORRAINE (RENE) > so outraged him that he informed Rose he HOPPER WELSH > would print "anything Mrs. Thomas cared 1903- 1988 > to give him". No fewer than 15 articles subsequently appeared in the paper, provoking Rene, as she was known and loved, was born > continued persecution from an incensed body in Paris, France, on 25 February 1903 during > of clergymen. In March 1956, Rose received a time when her father, Herbert Hopper, > a cable from Shoghi Effendi which read and her mother, Marie Squires Hopper, were > "Assure Fervent Prayers Shoghi". studying there. Her parents had met at a > Before retiring from the Northern Argus, Baha ' i gathering in the Paris home of May > the paper's editor printed in instalments the Bolles, after which Herbert made a pilgrimentire work by George Townshend entitled age to 'Akka to visit the Master, returning > Christ and Baha 'u 'llah-a feat due entirely to Europe in the company of Thomas Breakto Rose's persistent effo1is in the town, and well. While in Paris he finished his studies > to her ability to convey to others the absolute of architecture at the Ecole des Beaux Arts . > conviction of her faith. This success, and the While Rene was still very young, the > opposition it provoked, caused the Hands of Hoppers returned to the United States where > the Cause residing in the Holy Land to state her father began to practice his profession > in a letter to Rose in October 1958: until his untimely death from tuberculosis > The wide-spread opposition which you when Rene was approximately five years old. > have encountered from mihodox elements Marie supported herself and her daughter > IN MEMORIAM 917 > pamtmg portraits and teaching art while > living in Champaign, Illinois, and later on > the East Coast. Rene grew up hearing her > mother and friends speak of 'Abdu '1-Baha > constantly, to the point that she identified > Him as a father figure. Once when her mother > asked her to learn a prayer, Rene said that is > was too long. She said that if 'Abdu ' l-Baha > wanted her to learn a prayer He would reveal > one for her because He would know what > she wanted to say. When the next pilgrim, > Lua Getsinger, returned from the Holy Land, > she brought Rene's prayer, a prayer which > she used constantly and repeated during the > last hours of her life. > Rene was nine years old when 'Abdu'l- > Baha made His historic journey to the West. > Whenever possible, the Baha'is flocked to > the cities where He was visiting, hoping to > catch a glimpse of Him or to attend a meeting. The majority of the early Baba' is in the Eleanore Lorraine (R ene) Hopper Welsh > United States knew each other and offered > hospitality to each other. For example, an two other occasions stand out in her mem- > English friend who worked for the Library ory. One time, when He was speaking from > of Congress invited Marie and Rene to a public platfmm, the children were seated > Washington, D.C., to share her apartment. on the steps leading up to the stage. As He > Marie took her cook, Eurithra, to one of the spoke, He walked back and forth emanating > meetings and when they returned she told tremendous force and power. Rene's shoul- > Marie, "He is my Lord, He is my Lord". der was level with the platform where the > Since both Marie and Eurithra desired Master was speaking with such eloquence > to serve 'Abdu'l-Baha with their own hands, that he held everyone spellbound. As he > He was invited to tea at the apartment. He walked and turned she felt pressure on her > accepted on the condition that some black shoulder, and she realized that if she kept > people be invited. The only black person firm she would have the strength to meet > Marie knew, besides the cook, was Louis that holy test, a lesson she remembered all > Gregory, who was invited. When the blessed her life. > afternoon came, all Euritlu:a's family were In May 1912, Rene and her mother were > present and Marie was able to serve them granted an interview with 'Abdu ' l-Baha. > all with her own hands. They were all As it was the custom in the United States at > speechless with joy and Rene sat with the that time for the children to make baskets > other children as close as possible to 'Abdu'l- filled with flowers for their friends, Rene > Baha, almost afraid to breathe and bother made one for her "Very Special Friend," and > Him. He patted the children and put candies filled it with pansies and violets. His room > in their mouths while He was talking to the was at the end of a short hall, and when they > adults and then told the children to go out were announced and Rene saw Him standing > and play. in the door, she ran down the hall into His > Rene had the privilege of being in 'Abdu 'l- outstretched arms with her nine-year-old > Baha's blessed presence several times, but hea1i bursting with love. He hugged her and > 918 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > patted her saying in English, "Herbert's Summer School Committee, on the Regional > daughter, Herbert's daughter". His room was Teaching Committee, and as a delegate to > like a garden filled with flowers, and only state and national conventions. > the spirit and love of that blessed occasion, In 1953, Pete made a documentary on > not the words, remain. the dedication of the Temple in Wilmette. > But as was so often the case, another In 1969, they sold their photographic studio > lesson was learned that day. After their visit, and pioneered to El Salvador. After learning > the next guests were another mother and her enough of the language to become independaughter. The little girl had beautiful golden dent, they became homefront pioneers, > curls and blue eyes in contrast to Rene's moving to San Juan Tepezontes. Even though > straight black hair and grey-green eyes. Rene they could not speak the language well, they > was a beautiful person physically as well as served any way they could and have left the > spiritually, but when she was nine she defi- beautiful legacy of two slide programmes, > nitely fe lt inferior. Rene and her mother had one about the Life of the Bab and the other > asked pe1mission to stay in the waiting room about Baha'u'llah, both partially illustrated > for the hope of another glimpse of the with Rene's pastel drawings. > Master when He went for His walk. But In April 1980, Pete was the first pioneer > before that blessing, Rene first saw the little laid to rest in El Salvador. He was joined by > girl with the golden curls walking down the Rene on 3 August 1988. > short hall, carrying with such joy the flower JEA NN E FARRAN D > > basket that Rene had made with all her love. > This is when Rene began to meditate on her > actions and began to learn the true spirit of DORA (DEE) WORTH LAMB > giving. She said she learned from this one 1903- 1988 > experience lessons for the rest of her life. > 'Abdu'l-Baha gave Rene the name of Dora Worth Lamb, generally known as Dee, > Nuriyyih, "follower of the Light." She was was born 17 March 1903 on a fann near > too shy to use a Persian name when she was Moran, Kansas, U.S.A. A few years later, > growing up, something that she regretted the family moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where > later in her life. she grew up . As she told it, she was deeply > When Rene became a young adult she concerned at an early age about what she > moved from Urbana, Illinois, to New York was going to do with her life. She was deter- > City, where she was a member of some of the mined not to stay in Oskaloosa and become > early Local Assemblies. In 1926 she married a "drndge'', and finally opted for music and > Clarence Loher Welsh, known as Pete, who voice with which she was enamored. With > was a commercial photographer. At that time the aid of a partial scholarship and working > Pete had not accepted the Faith, although as a private secretary, she was able to study > they met because he had come to a meeting at the Conservatory of Music at Appleton, > in Urbana to investigate the new religion. Wisconsin, and graduate with honors. She > Rene followed the career of commercial continued her voice lessons in California, > art, making use of her talent and helping her becoming a soloist in several churches in > husband in his career as he progressed from Los Angeles. > still black and white photography to colour, As a youth, Dee had been very active in > and then to motion pictures. In 1936, they the Methodist Church. One day she confided > moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where in in her pastor that she wanted to know more > 1946 Pete accepted the Faith. They helped to about God, and she put to him some very > establish the first Local Assembly and Rene sincere questions . He refused to answer, > served for many years on the Green Acre telling Dee just to accept what she had been > IN MEMORIAM 919 > taught and not ask questions . This started and the Antilles, and one year on the > Dee's search which was to lead her many National Spiritual Assembly of the same area. > years later to the Baha'i Faith. She decided In 1956, she transfened to the Dominican > that she was going to throw out all creeds Republic to help with the formation of the > and limitations until she found something first National Spiritual Assembly of the > that would satisfy her spiritual inquietude. Greater Antilles, serving on that body as > The search included Theosophy, which she secretary. In 1958, she returned to Central > studied intensively for four years with the America, to El Salvador, for her maniage > grandson of Madam Blavatsky, its founder. to Artemus Lamb who was then pioneering > According to Dee, Theosophy was a useful in that country. The following 30 years were > stepping stone which aided her to enlarge spent with her husband in different countries > her vision of life and the universe, but it still in Cenháal America, serving the varying > left her soul unsatisfied. needs of the Faith, including the filling of > While she was still studying Theosophy, many administrative posts. > a friend, a former Theosophist, told Dee Dee's entire Baha'i life was centered > about the Baha'i Faith, giving her the book around serving the Faith with all her heart. > God Passes By. Dee said she had no real In addition to devotion and steadfastness, > interest but felt that it would be prejudiced one of her outstanding qualities was an outto make any judgment without an investiga- going love for people which she constantly > tion, so she read the book, according to her expressed and which automatically attracted > "combing Persian names out of my hair in to her persons of all ages and walks of life. > the process." Later, she asked her friend why Since her own long search had been a deeply > she had selected that particular book to start, spiritual one, she was particularly apt in > and the friend answered that it was to show counselling individuals on personal problems > Dee that the Baha'i Faith was something and sharing with them spiritual solutions. > entirely different from anything she had Another outstanding quality was her cheerknown so far. It worked, and Dee bought a fulness and radiant spirit. She constantly > number of Baha'i books and started her wore a smile and possessed a very infectious > search in earnest. After an exhaustive inves- laugh, and was always ready to hear the > tigation, she knew that this was what her humorous side of things. > soul had been looking for and she formally In later years, arthritis and other infinnientered the Faith in the summer of 1953 in ties increasingly cut down on her physical > Beverly Hills. activities, so she spent more and more time > In November of the same year, her future praying for others and for the institutions > husband visited Beverly Hills immediately and work of the Faith. Even though confined > following his pilgrimage to the Baha'i World to a wheelchair and racked with illness, she > Centre. It happened that Dee was on vaca- usually managed to attend Nineteen Day > tion so she offered to drive him around to Feasts and other imporiant Baha'i activities. > the different communities to share his expe- During her final months of existence on > riences and the latest news of the Guardian. this earthly plane, when she could no longer > She became so fired up that she made her really function physically, she constantly > offer to go pioneering anywhere in the expressed her gratitude to Baha'u'llah for > world. Some six months later she anived in His goodness to her. It is this loving and > Costa Rica, on the first lap of her pioneer radiant spirit that people almost always > life which ended only with her passing to the remember when they mention Dee 's name. > Abha Kingdom. On 14 August 1988, her soul passed to > In Costa Rica, she served on the National the Abha Kingdom, leaving "her bones" in > Teaching Committee for Central America La Ceiba, Honduras, in accordance with > 920 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > SHIRLEY LINDSTROM > (Adaz Ayamdagoot) > 1937-1988 > > Shirley Lindstrom was born to Peter and > Agnes Johns of Carcross, Yukon, Canada, > on 19 July 1937. She was a member of the > Daxlawedi clan under the Gooch (Wolf) > nation moiety of the Tlingit people. Her > tribal name, Adaz Ayamdagoot, meant "it > got up with a purpose and walked away > from there". She lived up to this name by > embracing the Baha'i Faith in 1963 and > walking with the purpose of taking the Faith > throughout the world. > Shirley was raised in the Carcross area. > During 1957 she married Claire Lindstrom > and together they raised a family of six children: Darla-Jean, Beverly, Ralph, Calvin, > Colin, and Tim. She was a wonderful, loving > Dora (Dee) Worth Lamb mother, not only to her children but to the > many people with whom she came in conthe wishes of the beloved Guardian for all tact. She always had time to hear a person's > pioneers, as expressed through the Hand of joys or sorrows and to assist in the healing > the Cause of God Amatu ' l-Baha Rul~iyyih process of that individual. > Khanum during the All-American Teaching Shirley and Cal moved to Stewart Cross- > Conference held in Wilmette, Illinois , in ing in the Yukon, and during this time they > 195 3. became Baha'is. Several Baha'i travelling > The following cable was sent by the Uni- teachers had given the message to Shirley, > versal House of Justice on 26 August 1988 but it was not until her father, aunt, and > to the National Spiritual Assembly of the other elders accepted the Faith that she > Baha'is of Honduras: declared her belief in Baha'u ' llah. Once > they embraced this trnth, Shirley and Cal > DEEPLY SADDENED PASSING OUTSTANDING moved to Mayo to open this community to > MUCH-LOVED VETERAN PIONEER TEACHER the Faith, and assisted in the fom1ation of > CAUSE GOD DEE LAMB. HER LONGTERM AND the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is > EXEMPLARY SERVICES, STERLING QUA LITIES of Mayo. Shirley served on this sacred insti- > AND UN FLAGGING RAD IANT DEVOTION WIL L tution for many years. > LONG BE REMEMBERED. ASSURE ARDENT Shortly after becoming a Baha' i, Shirley > PRAY ERS HOLY SHRINES FOR JOY AND UP- made her first pilgrimage to Haifa, Israel, > LIFTM ENT HER CHER ISHED SOUL ABHA to visit the sacred shrines and lands of the > KINGDOM. KINDLY EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT Faith. It was the incredible love and strength > CONDOLE CES DISTINGU ISHED HUSBAND AND she received that drew her back to the World > GRIEVING FRIENDS. Centre a second and third time. On her sec- > ARTEMus LA M B ond pilgrimage she also vis ited the House of > the Bab in Shiraz, Iran. She was one of the > first indigenous North Americans to visit the > birthplace of the Baha'i Faith. > IN MEMORIAM 921 > Shirley's thirst to serve the Cause of > Baha'u'llah took her to many places around > the world, such as to Mexico and Europe, > and she travelled extensively throughout > Canada and the United States. Because of > her love for her Indian brothers and sisters > and her desire for their spiritual education, > she served as the director of the Fort > Qu 'Appelle Institute for two years. She was > a major participant in the proclamation in > the Yukon in the early 1970s, which resulted > in the enrolment of more than 100 Baba'is. > She made every effort to educate the people > who accepted Baba'u'llah. These efforts > finally led to the construction of the Yukon > Baha'i Institute at Lake LaBarge-a dream > come true. > Shirley served Baba'u'llah in many ways. > She was entrusted by the people of the Yukon > to act as their representative at the sacred > elections of the National Spiritual Assem- Shirley Lindstrom > bly. She carried out this duty with dignity, > love, respect, and honour. In the latter part After her death, a tribal elder bestowed > of the 1970s, she became an assistant to Shirley's name upon the Yukon College. > the Auxiliary Board member for the Yukon, Thus her name lives on, giving knowledge > Howard Brown of Alaska. She served in this and enlightenment to the people. > capacity until 1985, when she herself was > asked to take on the duties and responsibili- MARK WEDGE > > ties of an Auxiliary Board member. > Shirley's life was devoted to the service of > this mighty Cause, a service which she car- MELITON SAAVEDRA GALLARDO > ried out joyfully. She was constantly moving 1910-1988 > from one area to another until, shortly after > returning from a teaching trip, she was hos- Melit6n Saavedra was born 15 March 1910 > pitalized and was no longer able to travel. in the village ofTapalilla, located in the prov- > By becoming a well-known and devoted ince of Oropeza, department of Chuquisaca, > international Baha'i teacher, Shirley lived up Bolivia. His native language was Quechua, > to her Indian name. She moved with a pur- but he learned a little Spanish while he was a > pose and a sháong conviction the world over, soldier during the Chaco War (1932-1935). > spreading the healing Message ofBaba'u' llah. Melit6n was a prisoner of war for two years > She will always be regarded as a valiant, in Paraguay. He and other indigenous people > noble servant of His Cause and will continue suffered intensely during this period, when > to be honoured and loved by those many they were forced to endure hard labor with > nations to whom she was a guest. Even in only bread and water to eat. Melit6n said > her tin1es of suffering and illness, she contin- that if it hadn' t been for his faith and God's > ued to be a selfless and radiant spirit, passing help he would surely have died during that > away peacefully in her sleep on 17 August time. He always wondered why one must > 1988. suffer and even die for a piece of land that > 922 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > This group fervently recalled their fom1er > culture and also the promises and principles > of their previous religion, such as (ama sua) > do not steal, (ama llulla) do not lie, (ama > qhella) be diligent in your work. These principles continued to inspire them. They still > believed in the prophecies of Wiracocha, > the Inca prophet, who spoke of His people's > return to their former greatness, and the > return of the dignity of their race . Another > prophecy they remembered said that a messenger would come from across the sea to > instrnct and protect them. > Melit6n wanted to meet people of other > nations so he joined a group of Protestants > led by foreign missionaries. A short time later > he was criticized for his ideas and ostracized. One night he had a dream in which > many of his people wore their hair with > yellow, black and white braids and he heard > Melit6n Saavedra Gallardo a voice that said, "Don't feel sad, because > I will send you a religion of unity." Thus, > doesn't belong to him. After Melit6n was when Melit6n heard the Message of > liberated he returned to Bolivia, settling in Baha 'u'llah about unity of all the races as > Sucre. one family, and of His plan for world peace > It was because of these experiences that and justice for all the nations, he understood > Toribio Miranda, a wise man and spiritual that his dream had been fulfilled. After three > leader of a large group of indigenous people days of inquiry and discussion, he entered > known as "Alcaldes Mayores Particulares," the Faith in July of 1960. > chose Melit6n to help him guide the people Soon after entering the Faith, Melit6n > of indigenous villages toward freedom and arose to spread the Teachings ofBaha'u'llah > justice. They climbed to the top of the across the mountains and valleys of Chumountain, killed a rooster or a lamb as a sac- quisaca, usually alone and on foot. For many > rifice begging God (Janajpacha Tatanchej), years he and his wife Ricarda, later an Aux- > Father Sky, or Father Sun and Mother Earth iliary Board member, opened their house in > (la Pachamama), that they be protected and Sucre and it became a major teaching center > blessed in their path. This deeply spiritual for the next 28 years. > movement bridged five of the nine depart- In 1962, the Central Union for Indigenous > ments in Bolivia and gathered thousands of Peoples accused Melit6n of confusing and > indigenous peoples who said they walked misleading the people in various provinces > with the spirit. The Quechua word they used with the Baha'i teachings. Because of this > for spirit could also mean "to fly." Their he was held in jail for three days, once again > enemies used this double meaning to accuse on a diet of bread and water. During those > them of flying as evil demons. The native days he was kicked and beaten. He suffered > authorities along with the department leaders and lamented because of this unjust punishin the capital didn' t understand them; they ment, but he never lost faith . After several > persecuted them, and to this day the names months ofrecuperation he began again walkof the ma1tyred are remembered. ing through the mountains teaching the Faith > IN MEMORIAM 923 > and inviting the friends to his home, where When the Universal House of Justice > they would deepen in the Faith each night. heard of his passing, it sent the following > In 1964, when Melit6n heard that the message to Bolivia on 7 October: > Hand of the Cause of God Amatu 'l-Baha > Rul;iyyih Khanum would visit Chuquisaca, DEEPLY SADDENED LEARN PASSING OUT- > he refrained from cultivating his parcel of STANDING QUECHUAN PROMOTER FAITH > land in order that a huge conference of MELITON SAAVEDRA OF CHUQUISACA. HIS > indigenous people could be held there. STEADFASTNESS UNDER PERSECUTION HIS > On one of his teaching trips to the moun- COURAGEOUS DEFENSE CAUSE OVER EXTEN- > tains, Melit6n rode in the back of a truck SIVE PERIOD OF SERVICE WILL BE LONG > loaded with cement. The truck turned over, REMEMBERED. HIS ENCOURAGING INFLUENCE > causing the bags of cement to fall on top AMONG HIS FELLOW BELIEVERS WILL BE > of him and break his hip. From then on he SORELY MISSED. KINDLY EXTEND OUR DEEP > had trouble walking and suffered great pain, HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES GRIEVING FRIENDS > but he continued travelling to teach in spite AND MEMBERS HIS DISTINGUISHED MUCH- > of his physical handicap. Melit6n always LOVED FAMILY. ASSURE ALL OFFERING FER- > had an illumined spirit, a love of God, and a VENT PRAYERS FOR THE BOUNTIFUL REWARD > desire to lead people toward their spiritual COMFORT AND PROGRESS HIS SOUL KINGDOM > path. Along with the friends in Chuquisaca, ON HIGH. > he always wanted a center of education for > indigenous people which he referred to as Amatu 'l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum and > "The House which Illumines the World." Counsellor Mas 'lid Khamsi sent the follow- > With this goal in mind, he and his family ing cable: > donated a piece of land and a bull to the > National Spiritual Assembly. ... KINDLY EXPRESS TO HIS FAMILY OUR DEEP- > Toward the end of his life, Melit6n suf- EST SYMPATHY PASS ING SUCH COURAGEOUS > fered from cancer, but he remained steadfast FAITHFUL BAHA'I TEACHER WHOM WE > with an attitude of detachment and prayer KNEW, TRA YELLED WITH AND LOVED FOR > because he knew he was nearing the AbM MANY YEARS. ASSUREDLY THIS EXEMPLARY > Kingdom. During the last few days of his SERVANT BAHA'U 'LLAH RECEIVING RICH > life he asked that his Baha'i credentials REWARDS HIS SERVICES ABHA KINGDOM. > be sent to Sucre from La Paz, in case MAY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOLLOW HIS > Baha'u'llah asked for them. The last day he EXAMPLE OF SACRIFICIAL SERVICE TO FAITH. > called his family and told them to continue LOVING CONDOLENCES ENTIRE BOLIVIAN > teaching in his name, that, against custom, COMMUNITY LOSS THIS OUTSTANDING FOL- > no alcoholic beverages should be served at LOWER BAI-IA'U'LLAI-1. > his funeral, that he be buried according to ATHOS COSTAS > > Baha'i Jaw, and that his Baha 'i credentials > be buried with him. With steadfastness and > serenity, in spite of great pain, Melit6n JOHANNE H0EG > passed to the next world on 6 October 1988. 1891-1988 > Playing a funeral march, veterans of the > Chaco War accompanied the funeral proces- Johanne H0eg passed away shortly before > sion through the streets of Sucre to the midnight on 13 November 1988, and with > cemetery, where they bid him a soldier's her passing, the first link of the Baha'i hisgoodbye. After the Baha'i funeral , our dear tory of Denmark was gone. Mrs. H0eg, born > friend, Meliton, was given to the care of Johanne Sorensen on 5 January 1891, had > Baha 'u 'llah. learned about the Faith at a public talk given > 924 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > by Orcella Rexford in Honolulu, Hawaii, in Denmark, insisted on accompanying her, and > 1925 and had accepted it immediately. After they were able to have a number of public > her first pilgrimage to Haifa, she had brought meetings at stops the boat made along the > the Faith to Denmark and for 22 years was coast en route from Godthab to Holsteinsthe only believer in the countly. borg. Later, Mrs. H0eg helped John and Lotus > Although she was alone she served the Nielsen move to Greenland as pioneers. > Faith in many ways. As early as December Mrs. H0eg was a remarkably humble per- > 1925 Johanne wrote to the Guardian asking son who had neither time nor inclination to > for advice and guidance. Through him and speak of herself, but when the Cause was > others to whom he refeITed her, she arranged involved she forgot all about her shyness > for a number of Baha'is to visit Denmark and with determination and courage took on > and give public addresses . When Martha great tasks, persevering until the charge was > Root visited Scandinavia in 1927, she was brought to perfect conclusion. > Johanne's guest and the Message was deliv- Her deep social insight and warm underered to King Cluáistian X. During the same standing made her a tiáue citizen of the > trip the two women visited Iceland. world . When she was faced with what we > Johanne focused her energies, however, on call a "cultural cleft", she bridged it in her > ensuring that Danish readers had access to own way, going to the country where she > Baha'i literature. In 1926, she translated and had encountered the problem and finding out > sponsored the publication of two pamphlets. about the background. > In 1932, Baha 'u 'llah and the New Era was Her love for the Greatest Holy Leaf, and > tiáanslated into Danish and published through for the beloved Guardian who maintained a > her efforts. She had the Kitab-i-Iqan tiáans- long and precious correspondence with her, > lated directly from Persian and Arabic by the gave her strength and support. > renowned orientalist, Arthur Christensen. In After her passing the Universal House of > 1947, Johanne arranged for another Oriental Justice cabled: > scholar, Professor Raj Barr, to translate the > three daily obligatory prayers to be distrib- GRJEVED NEWS PASSING JOHANNE H0EG, > uted in booklet fonn . Finally in 1948, The DEVOTED MAIDSERVANT BAHA'U ' LLAH. HER > Hidden Words was translated from Arabic EXEMPLARY STEADFASTNESS SERVICE CAUSE > and Persian by Professor Barr. GOD OYER PERJOD SIXTY-THREE YEARS, FOR > In 1945 Johanne married a physician, FIRST TWENTY-TWO OF WHICH SHE STOOD > Dr. J.C. Jfoeg, and moved with him to a ALONE UPHOLDING LIGHT FAITH HER HOME- > small Danish island and subsequently to LAND, CONSTITUTES UNIQUE CONTRIBUT ION > Jutland. She was an excellent housewife and ANNALS THAT COUNTRY, FULLY ENTITLES > maintained a wam1ly hospitable and beauti- HER BE REGARDED AS MOTHER DANISH > ful home. COMMUNITY. HER UNSWERVING DEYOT!ON > Mrs. H0eg sent Baha'i literature and a BELOVED GUARDLAN, HER CHERISHED LINK > picture of 'Abdu'l-Baha to all radio stations WITH GREATEST HOLY LEAF, HER THREE > and outstations in Greenland, and for more PILGRIMAGES TO THE WORLD CENTRE, HER > than 15 years corresponded with the Green- INDOMITABLE DEDICATION TASK TRANSLA- > landic translator, Mr. Hendrik Olsen, who TION BAHA'i LITERATURE DANISH LANGUAGE, > became the first native believer in Greenland. HER COLLABORATION WITH RENOWNED > Nearly 75 years old at the time, Mrs. H0eg ORIENTA LISTS ARTHUR CHRISTENSEN AND > went to Holsteinsborg, now called Sisimiut, KAJ BARR, HER ASSOCIATION MARTHA ROOT > to meet him personally and accept his de- AND JOHANNA SCHUBARTH, HER PROMOTION > claration of faith according to his wish. TEACHING WORK IN DENMARK AND HER PART > Dr. Hushang Raf at, then a young pioneer to IN ESTAB LISHMENT FAITH IN GREENLAND, > IN M EMORIAM 925 > SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS AS STAL WART > PILLAR AMERICAN BAHA'i COMMUNITY DURJNG > CRITICA L DECADES ITS EARLY ADMlNISTRA- > TIVE DEVELOPMENT AND AS SINGLE-MINDED, > ENERGETIC, RESOURCEFUL PROMOTER EURO- > PEAN BAI-IA' i COMMUN ITY WHOSE RJ SE AFTER > SECOND WORLD WAR IS FOREV ER LINKED > WITH HER EXTENS IVE ACTIVITIES FOR SEVEN- > TEEN YEARS BEHALF EUROPEAN TEACHING > COMMITTEE. HER TWENTY-TWO YEARS > ON. NATIONAL SPIRITU AL ASSEMBLY UNITED > STATES AS ITS RECORDING SECRETARY > INDICATE HOW lNTIMA TE WAS HER INVOLVE- > MENT lN SHAPING BAHA' i COMMUN ITY THAT > COUN TRY. HER MEMORABLE MEMBERSHIP > CONTlNENTAL BOARD COUNSELLORS NORTH > AMERJCA AND TRUSTEESHIP CONTlNENTAL > FUND CROWNED CENTURY-LONG, EXEMPLARY > LIFE WHOLLY WORTHY HER ILLUSTRIOUS > BAHA'i HERITAGE. > Johann e Heeg PRAYING FERVENTLY HOLY SHRINES HER > LUMINOUS SOUL MAY BE ACCORDED JOYFUL > ALL LOVINGLY RECALLED. PRAYING SACRED REUNION HER DISTINGUISHED MOTHER AB HA > THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOU L KINGDOM AND MAY EVER PROGRESS TI-ffi.OUGH- > ABHA KJNGDOM. ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING ME- OUT DIV INE WORLDS. > MO RJ AL SERV ICES ALL BAH A' I COMMUN IT! ES EXTEN D HEARTFELT SYMPATHY HER RELA- > DENMARK AN D GREENLAND. KINDLY CONVEY TIVES. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERINGS > SYM PATHY MEMBERS HER FAMILY BEHALF lN HER HONOUR AT MOTHER TEM PLE WEST > BAHA'I WORLD. AND IN LOCAL COMMUN ITIES THROUGHOUT > INGER HJ ELME UN ITED STATES. ALSO ADVISING OTHER > COMMUN ITIES NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE > HOLD SIMILAR GATHERINGS. > EDNAM. TRUE Universal House of Justice > 1888- 1988 > Edna Miriam True was born 29 July 1888, in > MAGNITUDE LOSS DEARLY-LOVED, STEADFAST, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A., where her > DEVOTED, HIGHLY RESPECTED MAIDSERVANT parents had moved and where they remained > BAHA'U 'LLAH EDNA M. TRUE PRO FOUNDLY until early 1891 when they returned to Chi- > FELT. RECALL WITH DEEP APPREC IATION cago. This city, and its suburbs of Evanston > RADIANT, DIGNIFIED COUNTENANCE OF ONE and Wilmette, were their home for the > WHOSE EVENTFUL LIFE SPANNED MORE THAN remainder of Edna's life, although the world > THREE DECA DES HEROIC AGE AN D SIXTY- became her arena of activity. > SEVEN YEARS FORMATIVE AGE. HER LONG Edna's mother, Corinne Knight True, > PERIOD OUTSTANDING DEDICATED SERVICES became interested in the Baha'i Faith about > CAUSE, ESPECIALLY ILLUMINED BY HER AT- 1899. From that time, Edna was brought > TAINMENT PRESENCE BELOVED MASTER AND up under the influence of the Teachings of > PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE SI-IOGHI EFFENDI, Baha'u'llah. Although she was not quite > COMPRISED WIDE RANGE HI STOR ICA LLY four years old when the Blessed Beauty > 926 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > ascended, the child must have been richly Service to others was an outstanding > blessed to be alive while He walked this quality of Edna True throughout her life. > earth. She became a dedicated servant of She became engaged in social work among > His Cause. 'Abdu'l-Baha also blessed this children and youth in Chicago. During the > daughter of Corinne True, the handmaiden first World War she joined the Smith > whom He called "O thou who art turning College Relief Unit, a volunteer service in > unto God." 1 France that resettled people driven from > Edna graduated from Smith College in their homes and villages. ' Abdu ' l-Baha gave > 1909 where she was outstanding in many her His approval and praised her for this > ways, especially in sports, having become action. The Unit also helped to establish > captain of her basketball team. After gradu- canteens for the American troops, cared > ating she accompanied her younger sister, for the wounded and provided transport to > Katherine, to Rome where they both entered hospitals. The Unit was awarded a silver > school and where Edna took some post- medal from the French government, the > graduate courses before returning to the "Reconnaissance Francaise." > United States. When concluding her work in France, > When 'Abdu' l-Baha was in America in Edna received an invitation from 'Abdu'l- > 1912 He was a guest in the True home on Baha to visit the Holy Land, an invitation > one of His trips to Chicago. Edna was in later extended to include her mother. This > contact with Him many times in both pilgrimage, Edna's second encounter with > Chicago and New York, and she attended 'Abdu 'l-Baha, was made in early 1919. She > the meetings at which He spoke. This was a went directly from France. It was also her > time when there were indications of unfaith- first of many contacts with Shoghi Effendi, > fulness among some of the believers, and under whose guidance she served the Faith > after one of these meetings 'Abdu'l-Baha until his death in 1957. Her last pilgrimage > requested her to follow Him, and He intro- to the Holy Land was in 1986 when she was > duced her to a woman, placing their hands almost 96 years old. > together and remarking that He wished them In the 1920 's Edna opened a travel > to become close friends. Edna did not under- agency in Evanston, Illinois, the first such > stand the reason, but she attempted to agency on the north shore of Chicago. In > comply with the Master's wishes . Finally, addition to becoming a prestigious travel > however, the friendship dwindled away and bureau, her "North Shore Travel Service" > Edna was left wondering about the purpose was of special service to the Faith in securof the Master's request. Later, possibly ing travel arrangements for many pioneers > when she was in Haifa in 1919 and the at a time when the means of travel were very > opportunity arose, she asked Him, and His difficult to obtain. Even before and during > reply was that He was "trying to save her" the first Seven Year Plan (1937-1944) Edna > for the woman had become an associate of made the services of her travel agency availthe Covenant-breakers. Edna never waivered able to the believers and to the institutions > in her faith and was confirmed even more of the Faith, thereby adding greatly to their > strongly when in later years she became convenience as well as to the economy of > fully conscious of what she referred to as the the Faith. > "peace program" given in the Teachings of Edna was elected to the National Spiritual > Baha'u' llah and further strengthened by the Assembly of the United States and Canada > interpretations of 'Abdu ' l-Baha. in 1946, following service in the Latin American field, and was immediately appointed to > Corrine Tru e (Oxford: George Ronald, Publi shers, the European Teaching Committee, serving > 1987), p 46. as its chairman through the years of attaining > JN MEMORIAM 927 > the goals set by the beloved Guardian Assemblies. I feel confident that your > fo r what became known as the "European splendid and indeed historic achieve- > Campaign" in the "war-torn, spiritually ments in connection with the Latin > famished European continent", the "most American work will prove but a prelude > afflicted, impoverished, and agitated conti- to still mightier achievements in the > nent of the globe" as described by the European field, and will greatly enhance > Guardian in his Messages to America. the record of services associated with > These duties took her to Europe at least your dear family ever since the early days > once a year, as well as to Haifa many times of the Faith in the Western Hemisphere. I > to visit the beloved Guardian. She turned to will continue to pray for your success and > him for his guidance whenever any new or the fulfilment of every hope you cherish > special activity arose: opening of an office in in the service of our beloved Faith. > Europe for the European Teaching Commit- Your nue and grateful brother, Shoghi > tee; settling of pioneers; publication of an > information organ for the pioneers and later January 27, 1948 > for the communities; establishment of con- Dear and valiant co-worker: I trust and > ferences , schools; formation of Assemblies. pray that the work so splendidly initiated > In fact, she turned to him for guidance in all will steadily expand and will be rapidly > aspects of reaching the goals of this second consolidated, and bear the fairest fruit in > Seven Year Plan. She reported immediately the years immediately ahead. The flow of > and fully to the Guardian following each pioneers, the visits of itinerant teachers , > event or project. He never failed to respond, the extension of teaching activity, the > first to extend his guiding hand and give translation, and the dissemination of suitencouragement and then to express his able Baha'i literature, the deepening of > congratulations and appreciation whenever the faith and of the understanding of the > appropriate, oftentimes in the form of new believers, must uninterruptedly concablegrams. tiirne and culminate in the formation of > This exchange of correspondence between solidly established Assemblies and of > the Guardian and Edna or the European perhaps a few nuclei of future groups and > Teaching Committee commenced at the very Assemblies in each of the ten designated > beginning of the work and no doubt lent tre- counnáies. The greatest care and the > mendously to Edna 's capacities and strength utmost effort must be exercised and > in accomplishing this arduous task. Usually, exerted to ensure the success of the forthhis many letters were written on his behalf coming Conference which will constitute > and he would then add a postscript in his a landmark in the history of this newly > own handwriting. For example: launched and historic campaign in > Europe. I will pray from the depths of my > September 2, 194 6 heart for its success and for the realiza- > Dear and valued co-worker: I fee l that tion of every hope cherished by those > your contemplated trip to Europe will be who organized it, as we ll as those who > most valuable, and will enable you, on direct the activities and co-ordinate the > your return to the States, to conduct the effmis of all those who pa1iicipate in the > affairs and activ ities of the cornn1ittee execution of this vital aspect of the secwith greater understanding and effi- ond Seven Year Plan. > ciency. All efforts must be concentrated Your nue and grateful brother, Shoghi > on the formation of strong and permanent > groups in carefully chosen localities, As a member of the National Spiritual > which will rapidly evolve into stable Assembly of the United States, Edna partici- > 928 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Continental Conferences called by the Universal House of Justice during its Nine Year > Plan for the Expansion and Consolidation of > the Baha'i Faith. One talk was on "The > Relationship of the Continental Boards of > Counsellors to National Spiritual Assemblies." Edna felt this to be a ve1y important > subject because the Boards of Counsellors > was a new institution (since 1968) and there > was confusion about its relationship to other > institutions in the Faith. > Edna had been working on this address, > in addition to other duties , for days and days > and had planned to leave home early, spend > a few days in Luxembourg with a pioneer, > Honor Kempton, and then proceed with her > to Iceland. Edna was not at all happy with > the talk she had prepared and felt it needed > fu1iher work; therefore, on the morning > planned for her departure she decided not > Edna True to go to Luxembourg but to stay at home for > the few remaining days and use that quiet > pated in the first election of the Universal time to work on the talk. It was a wise > House of Justice in 1963 , and in 1968 that decision, for her talk was a great success > Body appointed her as one of the tluáee and was later prmted in The Bahd 'i World, > members of the Continental Board of Coun- volume XV. > sellors for North America, naming her Her other talk given in Reykjavik was > Trustee of the Continental Fund. She contin- equally successful. It was about the beloved > ued her service as Counsellor and Trustee Master, 'Abdu'l-Baha, and was later pubtluáough the many changes which took place lished in the U.S. Baha'i News. > in that Board until 1980 when she was past Edna 's talents were many and varied. She > 92 years of age. had an extraordinaiy organizational ability > One of the Counsellors once stated that evidenced in the very early years of her > Edna charged a room with spirit: when she service on the editorial conunittee of Star of > entered, the whole atmosphere and direction the West; in her organization and planning > of the meeting would change, although she of her se1vices in South America and for > was unconscious of it. the 1944 Convention and Centenary celebra- > In all her services to the Faith she loved tions ; in the work in Europe; in the finishing > so well, Edna strove for perfection in both work on the Temple in Wilmette; in the > spirihial and material aspects. She felt all work of establishing the Baha'i Home, the > her talks, reports, articles, correspondence, first dependency of the Temple; and, lastly, > conferences, selecting and settling of pio- in her work as Counsellor and Trustee of the > neers, etc., should be as perfect as possible, Continental Fund. > and she was willing to sacrifice her own Although she bore herself in a regal > personal wishes to achieve it. This was dem- manner, she also possessed a deep humility, > onstrated in September 1971 when she had even timidity. She often stated that any recbeen invited to give two talks in Reykjavik, ognition given her was due to her mother's > Iceland, at one of the eight Oceanic and accomplishments. She used to woITy some- > IN MEMORIAM 929 > > what about whether her station was so far ing seems evident just from knowing that by > below that of her mother's that she might not the time she became a Baha'i at the age of > have the blessing of associating with her in 27, she had already been a member of the > the next world. She never claimed any credit Church of England as well as a Theosophist, > for herself or her own abilities. Yet, the had journeyed throughout Europe as a secrerecords evidence that she earned all the tary for an acting group, and had travelled > esteem and honor given her. the length of Canada as a cast member of > The quality of humility became increas- the Montreal Community Players. Of these > ingly apparent during the last years of her early experiences she later wrote that "witlife. She grew even more loving and tender nessing the World War of 1914 in Europe > and grateful to all, and loved, especially dur- and living in Russia during the first part of > ing the last two years, to laugh with anyone the Revolution brought conviction of the > with whom she came in contact as though utter ineffectiveness of orthodox religion or > she wished, not so much to be happy herself, such movements as Theosophy to cure world > but to make them happy. chaos". > When Edna's very frnitful life came to Elsa learned of the Baha'i Faith in Montan end on 9 December 1988, the Hand of real. Among her first teachers were May and > the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul;iyyih Sutherland Maxwell, in whose home she > Khanum sent the following message: spent a great deal of time. She also worked > with the first youth groups in MontJ.:eal, and > DEEPLY SHARE SENSE LOSS WITH NORTH later served on that city' s Local Assembly. > AMERJCA BAHAi COMMUNITY PASSING EDNA In 1928, Elsa moved to New York City > TRUE LAST VALIANT MEMBER OLDER GENER- where she worked as an interior decorator. It > AT ION TRUE FAM ILY, WHOSE DEVOTION AND is not clear whether it was here or elsewhere > SERV ICES TO 'ABDU'L-BAHA CENTER COVE- that she also gained experience as a literary > NANT AND LATER HI S SUCCESSOR SHOGH I researcher and a writer, but she later pub- > EFFENDI THE GUARDIAN MARK THEM AS lished at least one book. > ONE OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED BAHA'i It was at the Baha'i Center in New York > FAMILIES OF THE WEST DURING FORMATIVE City that Elsa met Dudley Moore Blakely, a > AGE FAITH. ARDENTLY HOPE YOUNGER nephew of Lua Getsinger. Dudley, whom > GENERATION BELIEVERS WILL PAY BEFIT- Elsa described as a man of limitless gentility > TING TRIBUTE MEMORY THIS OUTSTANDING, and generosity, was an accomplished artist > EXEMPLARY SERVANT AND ARISE AS NEVER and a Fellow of the prestigious Royal > BEFORE TO SPREAD THE CAUSE OF GOD Society of Arts of Great Britain. The couple > AMONG THE MASSES OF EVERY COLOUR was married in June of 1934. Although they > RACE AND BACKGROUND IN THE UN ITED never had any children, they later raised > STATES AS A WORTHY REMEMBRANCE THIS Elsa's niece and nephew to adulthood . > WONDERFUL SOUL. Elsa served the Faith in many capacities > D. THELM A JA CKSON during this period and the years which > followed. She was elected a member of > Local Spiritual Assemblies in New York > ELSA LILLIAN (JUDY) BLAKELY City, Detroit and Eliot, Maine, in addition to > Knight ofBaha'u'llah Montreal. She served on the Michigan and > 1895- 1988 Central States Regional Teaching Committee, > the Maine and New Hampshire Regional > Elsa Lillian "Judy" Blakely was born in Teaching Committee, and the Green Acre > London, England, on 11 July 1895. That she School Committee. She was also a delegate > was adventurous, inquisitive and enterpris- to several national conventions. > 930 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > achieve the goals ere the conclusion of > the opening year of the decade-long, > greatest collective enterprise since the > memorable episodes associated with the > Dawn-Breakers of the Heroic Age. > > Elsa and Dudley were among the Baha' is > who answered the soul-stirring call, and > were consequently designated as Knights of > Baha'u'llah. > Why the Blakelys chose Tonga is not > entirely clear, although Elsa once recounted > being quite captivated by a picture of > Tonga's Queen Salote which she had seen > during the coronation of Elizabeth II of > England in 1952. Whatever their reasons, > they set out in the spirit that Tonga would > become their new homeland and arrived > in the capital city of Nuku'alofa on 12 July > 1954. > Elsa Lillian (Judy) Blakely While Dudley pursued his painting and > sculpture as well as applied his engineerng > At the encouragement ofLoulie Matthews, skills to several diverse projects which benethe Blakelys undertook a teaching háip in fitted Tonga, Elsa was active in teaching and > 1936 to Venezuela and Guyana (then British promoting women's rights. She became > Guiana). A letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, acquainted with Queen Salote and had the > dated 6 March 1936, expressed his enthusi- honour of frequently visiting the palace, > asm for their journey into "virgin soils" and often for tea. An institute for women was > declared that they were undertaking "the formed by the Queen and she directed Elsa > work of a h1.1e pioneer". They made numer- to employ her writing skills to produce a > ous trips to South America during the next monthly newsletter for the fledgling organitwo decades to help with the formative stages zation. Elsa also wrote a pamphlet, The Faith > of the teaching work there. of Balui 'u 'llah, Abraham's Descendent, > It was in 1954, however, that Elsa and which was translated into Tongan by the > Dudley began a teaching project which would islands ' first native believer. > immo11alize them il1 Baha'i histo1y. The pre- Not only did Elsa and Dudley hold numervious year Shoghi Effendi had inaugurated ous teaching and proclamation meetings in > the Ten Year Crnsade, calling for the estab- their home, they frequently journeyed to > lislunent of the Faith in 29 virgin tetTitories. remote villages and built friendships with > One of these was Tonga, a group of islands countless Tongans. Their reports to the Holy > with a land mass of 270 square miles located Land elicited assurances from Shoghi Effendi > some 2,800 miles south-west of Hawaii. of his high regards for their efforts and the > On 28 May 1953, Shoghi Effendi cabled importance of the Polynesian peoples emthe United States, encouraging Baha'is to bracing the Faith. > travel to the distant lands he had designated. By the latter part of the decade the Faith > began to grow rapidly in Tonga. The first > Would to God that Baha'i warriors ... will Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in > promptly arise and enroll themselves to Nuku'alofa in 1958 and a second at M'ua > JN MEMORIAM 931 > two years later. In 1959, the Regional Spiri- that had believed in Him at the time He was > tual Assembly of the South Pacific was a prisoner within the walls of 'Akka. $alal:i' s > formed, encompassing 10 territories includ- ancestors had gone to 'Akka from Egypt in > ing Tonga. When Elsa and Dudley departed 183 2, with the Egyptian army that fought the > from Tonga in 1963 they left behind a Turks and occupied 'Akka under the comstrong Baha'i community. mand of Ibrahim Pasha. > After living for a while in Hawaii, the The first member of the family to believe > Blakelys returned to the American continent in Baha'u'llah was Al:imad Jarral:i, an officer > and established residence in Bennington, in the Turkish army. Al:imad's brother > V e1mont. They pioneered again in September Khalid-who was the personal physician > 1977 to the Bahamas (Elsa was 82 years of Baha'u' llah and of whom it is reported > old), but unforeseen circumstances forced that Baha'u 'llah said, ' With his coming, > their departure in less than six months. They there is healing '-was $alal:i's grandfather > moved to Savannah, Georgia, and then on his father 's side. A third brother, Amin, > homefront pioneered to nearby St. Simons who was head of the Arab community of the > Island, Georgia, becoming an integral part of city of ' Akka, was $alal:i's forebear on his > that community for many years. Elsa passed mother's side. It is repmied that Baha'u'llah > away in St. Simons on 31December1988. said, 'The family of Jarral.i are the stars of > During the early days of the Ten Year 'Akka,' referring to the three brothers. > Crusade, Shoghi Effendi exhorted the $alal:i was born in 'Akka on 6 March 1918, > Baha'is of the world: the eldest child of Mu'ayyad Jarr::il.i and > F::itimih Jarra~1. On that day his grand-uncle, > .. .never to tum back in the entire course > Al:imad Jarral:i, suggested that the family ask > of the fateful decade ahead until each and > 'Abdu'l-Baha to name the child, as was > every one will have contributed his share > the custom in those days . $alal.i's fatlier said, > in laying on a world-wide scale an > 'I will go to see 'Abdu 'l-Baha. But today a > unassailable administrative foundation for > peace treaty was signed [probably, the Peace > Baha'u' llah' s Christ-promised Kingdom > Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed between > on earth .. . > Russia and the Central Powers on 3 March > Knight of Baha'u'llah Elsa Blakely con- 1918] and I want to name him $alal:i' (a > tributed her share and far more not only name derived from the Arabic word for > during the wondrous years of the Crusade peace). When the two men went to see > but throughout the nearly seven decades she 'Abdu'l-Baha, He said: "A peace treaty has > steadfastly served her Lord. just been signed and therefore let the boy be > BRUCE WHI T MORE called 'Ali $alal.ii 'd-Din." His father did not > utter a word, but was obviously very moved. > $alal.i became a believer at an early age, > SALA.H JARRAH following the devotion of his mother, who > C;ialal:ii'tl-Din Jarr~l:i) had declared her faith in Baha'u'llah in 1913. > 1918- 1989 When he was 12 or 13, his father asked him, > "Are you a Baha ' i, like your mother?" $alal:i > $alal:ii'd-Din Jarral:i, whom all the Baha'is replied, "I am a Baha' i, like your father." > who visited the resting place of Shoghi [Khalid Jarr::il.i] > Effendi from 1983-1988 remember with $alah was educated at the regional school > great affection and respect, was a descen- in 'Akka and later at the Government College > dant of one of the very few Arab families in in Jerusalem. He was excellent at mathemat- > 'Akka that had recognized the Station of ics, and was called 'Mathematics Champion' . > Baha 'u' llah, and possibly the only family In 1935, when he was 17 years old, his > 932 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > father died so $alaJ:i was obliged to abandon in the various and sundry tasks undertaken > his studies and go to work to support the for the beautification of the Holy Places. For > family. He got a job as a postman, and gave example, it was $alaJ:i 's joy to nail pictures > his entire small salary to his mother. Even at on the walls of the Mansion, with his > this young age, his high sense of duty and beloved Guardian standing behind him to > his generous nature were evident. judge the correct position for each frame . > When $alal.i's sister, I:Iayat, was 14, she How he loved the Guardian! He himself > finished school in 'Akka. In those days, the has testified to the sense of joy and happionly hope local girls had for continuing ness he experienced in his presence. His > their education was to be admitted to the greatest pleasure was to complete each task > Women's Training College in Jerusalem. given him by Shoghi Effendi as quickly and > Normally, each year the best students from as well as possible so as to be able to ask for > the first class, one Christian and one Muslim, more work. Whatever the Guardian asked > were selected. But the year I:Iayat finished, him, he would answer, 'Yes, my Guardian', > no one was taken. She was very upset before even thinking whether it would be > because she longed to go back to school. possible or not. > When the srnnmer ended and she saw the Once, Shoghi Effendi mentioned that he > boys and girls carrying their books on their needed 70 cypress trees two metres in height > way to school she burst into tears. She delivered to Haifa in a few days. As usual, > would have been happy to repeat the same $alal.i answered, 'Yes, my Guardian'. Then > studies she had already completed, but that he began to think. They had a small nursery > was not allowed. at that time in Bahji, but in it there were only > When $alal.i saw I:Iayat's sadness he told tluáee cypress trees. What could he do? He > his mother, 'I will do whatever I can so as went to a nearby kibbutz and discovered a > not to leave her broken-hearted.' He con- great number of cypress trees, many of > tacted a nun from Haifa, Sister Elia Saati, which met the height which the Guardian > the Headmistress of Schmid ts Girls College, had specified. He sought permission to buy > the best private girls' school in Jerusalem. some. The one responsible invited him to > She told $alal.i that there was one vacant take all he wanted, and free of charge. He > place and he could bring his sister. The cost, arranged for workers to dig up the trees and > no doubt, was an added burden to $alal.i, the next day in the afternoon was able to > who still was supporting his mother and a transport them to Haifa. Shoghi Effendi ' s > younger sister and brother, but whenever he words to $alal.i, 'very well done', were worth > was praised for his gallantry and self-sacri- more to $alal.i than all the treasures in the > fice, his only words were, 'Astag!!firu'llah', world. > which literally means 'I seek refuge in God ' Besides his role in razing the three old, > but which in common usage is an expression dilapidated houses of the Covenant-breakers > of self-effacement. which detracted from the beauty of the Man- > $alaJ:i served the beloved Guardian directly sion of Baha' u'llah and the Shrine at Bahji, > for 15 years, from 1942 to 1957. During the $alal.i played an important pa1t, with the > disturbances in 1948, he carried Shoghi beloved Guardian's permission, in arranging > Effendi's mail from Haifa to Beirut by way for the two Covenant-breakers who were > of small fishing boats, in the face of innu- living at Bahji to move. His success in > merable dangers and risks. In that same year this difficult task brought Shoghi Effendi > he and his mother were appointed caretakers i1nmense relief. > at Bahji, where they sought to protect the Although he gave thought to marriage on > Shrine and the Mansion, and to serve the pil- several occasions, he put the idea behind > grims. Besides this, he served the Guardian him so that he would be able to give his > IN MEMORIAM 933 > > undivided attention to his duties as Custodian of the Holy Places. > After the passing of Shoghi Effendi, > $alal:i assisted the Hands of the Cause in the > Holy Land in fulfilling some of the plans for > the Holy Places which the Guardian had left. > Then in 1958 he pioneered to Djibouti in > Africa. He remained there for ten years, > until he was involved in an accident. He was > hit by a French military vehicle and subsequently taken to France for treatment. > Following the acquisition of the House > of 'Abdu ' llah Pasha in 1975, the Universal > House of Justice took steps for its restoration. The advice and assistance of Amatu'l- > Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum were sought, and > she felt that once the House was restored > $alal:i would be the best person to help her > buy some of the furniture . Before there > was time to ask him to come, a cable was > received from $ala~ saying he was out of $ala~ Jarra~ > the hospital and asking where the House of > Justice would like him to go. Thus, in 1976 Deeply grieved passing outstanding faithhe went to the Holy Land to serve the Uni- ful servant Cause Salah Jarrah in tragic > versal House of Justice. car accident. His exemplary custodian- > In 1982, upon the advice of the Universal ship resting place beloved Guardian was > House of Justice, he transferred his residence culmination of lifelong record loving selffrom the Holy Land to London near the New sacrificing exertions at World Centre, > Southgate Cemetery, the resting place of the chiefly as caretaker Shrine Baha'u'llah, > Guardian. There he served as custodian, an followed by devoted pioneering services in > appointment made by the House of Justice. Africa. Convey members his family deep > Here again, he showed his trustworthiness sympathy. Praying Holy Shrines eternal > and loyal character. In small ways, such as progress his noble soul Abba Kingdom. > in arranging the flowers which the friends Universal House of Justice > brought to the resting place of the Guardian, Based on biographical infonnation > and in his concern for dignity and respect, he PROVIDED BY H AYAT ]ARRA!~ > tried to do what would be pleasing to the > Guardian and in the best interests of the > Faith. > During the winter of 1988-89, $alal:i was DR. HARILAL M . MUNJE > in the Holy Land. On 12 January he was 1911-1989 > shuck by a car and died instantly, leaving > in the hearts of a multitude of believers in Dr. Harilal M. Munje will long be remembered > both the Holy Land and the United Kingdom as one of the Indian Baha'i community's > a sense of deep loss. most outstanding teachers, consolidators, > The following message was sent by the and scholars of the Faith. He was born in > Universal House of Justice on 13 January Bombay on 27 November 1911 to parents > 1989: who were both noted Baha'i teachers. His > 934 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > > and Kanpur. Often other doctors refeITed > difficult cases to them for treatment, and > many doctors were Harilal's patients. > Dr. Munje helped establish a homeopathic > medical college in Kanpur. He also established Bio-Science Research, and patented > several medicines. > Dr. Munje always mixed his profession > with his Faith and modified his practice, > with the invaluable help of his devoted wife, > so that he could be away from his home base > much of the time. He valued his independent > service to the Cause and wanted to stand on > his own feet financially so that he was not > dependent on the Fund. He would caITy a > box of medicines with him on his travels so > he could work whenever there was time or > opportunity. > Dr. Munje understood the philosophical > pulse of the Hindu. He was tremendously > Dr. Harilal Munje interested in Hindu prophecies and was the > first scholar to relate the advent of the Bab > father, Meher Ali, was originally a Hindu and Baha'u'llah to Hindu prophecies. He > who then became a Christian, a Muslim, and discussed Baha ' u' llah and Hindu beliefs at > finally a Baha ' i, while his mother, Mariam, great lengths with Hindu pundits. > was a Muslim who became a Baha ' i. He could also bring both Hindus and > From an early age, at his father's sugges- Muslims together, demonstrating to them > tion, the boy began learning languages and that the two religions are one. In his deepenstudying the scriptures of the world 's great ing classes Dr. Munje could convince the > religions, in time becoming fluent in 14 lan- followers of both Faiths of the reality and > guages including English, Arabic, Persian, coming of Balla 'u' llah. > Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Pali, Sanskrit, and Dr. Munje's deep knowledge of the > Urdu. As an example of his linguistic abili- Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinties, he translated The Hidden Words of duism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism, and other > Baha 'u' llah from Arabic, Persian and English religious teachings, and his constant zeal > into Sanskrit. This book was praised by a in teaching the Cause and deepening the > professor of Sanskrit at Fergusson College believers, enabled him to effectively convey > as "reading just like the Vedas". the Message of Baha'u ' llah on various > In about 1937, he maITied Nalini Irani, levels to what must have been hundreds > the youngest daughter of Bomas and Mor- of thousands of people over his lifetime. > warid Irani, Baha'is of Parsi background. He was one of the first believers in Bombay > Nalini was a very helpful, kind, and thought- who started mass teaching. For 50 years > ful person who was a pillar in the Baha'i there was not one month during which he > communities in which she Jived. The couple did not leave his home to serve the Cause. > had three children. His humility was evident in his willingness, > Both Harilal and Nalini became homeo- despite his broad knowledge, to learn from > pathic doctors, practicing first in Bombay others. He even sought knowledge of the > and then at their pioneering posts in Benares Faith from Baha ' i youth. > IN MEMORIAM 935 > With individuals or small groups, he of that time as chai1man. In consultation he > would listen to people for hours. Then when would stress the fundamentals of the Faith > he spoke to them, they were enthralled by from the Writings. He would never get angry > his knowledge. He would literally spend or annoyed at others. At times he travelled > weeks, months, or even years teaching an and carried out tasks at the request of the > individual at any time of the day or night, Assembly. > often discussing the Faith with a man all In 1987, his beloved wife died. Then in > night. 1988 he went on his first and only pilgrim- > Dr. Munje was a spellbinding, powerful, age to the Holy Land. During his last days, > and well-organized public speaker, capable bedridden in a hospital in Kanpur, Dr. Munje > of expounding on a wide variety of subjects, gave no sign that he wanted or expected to > convincing the masses listening to him. Often die. But he passed away in the aims of one > one or more speakers following Dr. Munje of his grandsons on 19 June 1989. A very > on a program would take his lead and great man had gone to the Abba Kingdom. > reinforce what he had stated. He spoke to DR. H.T.D. ROST > general audiences as well as specialized > groups with equal confidence. He also travelled to teach in such countries as Kenya, ZLMARIAN STOAKLEY WALKER > Malaysia, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Uganda. 1944-1989 > Dr. Munje's devotion to the Faith was > unquestioned. He would arise before dawn DEEPLY SADDENED PASSING SELFLESS RADIANT > for prayers each day and would pray for long PROMOTER CAUSE GOD ZLMA RJAN WALKER. > periods of time. He would not attack or con- HER DEVOT ED LONGTIME PIONEER SERVICES > demn any institution or individual; instead BRAZLL UNFORGETTABLE. HEARTFELT CO - > he remained silent. DOLENCES OFFERED YOUR COMMUNITY THIS > He wrote several important Baha'i book- LAMENTABLE LOSS. KINDLY EXTEND LOVING > lets, including "The Whole World is But SYMPATHY HER FAMILY. ASSURE FERVENT > One Family'', "1844: Pinpoint Target of All PRAYERS HOLY THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER > Faiths", and "The Reincarnation Mystery SOUL KINGDOM ON I-IIGH. > Revealed", as well as a chapter relating the Universal House of Justice > Baha'i Faith to Hinduism that was added to 10 July 1989 > the Indian publication of Bahti 'u 'llah and > the New Era in Hindi and English. At times Peace education has always been implicit in > he included his own in1portant translation of the Baha ' i Cause, but the peace education > portions of sacred scriptures, particularly movement in Brazil and elsewhere owes > from Hinduism, in these publications. much to the efforts of Dr. Zlmarian Walker. > Dr. Munje did not go on pilgrimage to the In the 1980s, when the concept was still > Holy Land during Shoghi Effendi's lifetime, new in Europe and practically unknown in > but he carried on an extensive correspon- Brazil, she grasped its potential for direct > dence with the Guardian. In approximately and indirect teaching. > 37 letters Shoghi Effendi encouraged him to The Escola das Na96es, the international > pioneer, to write books, to research Hindu- school of Brasilia where she taught, provided > ism and how it related to the Baha'i Faith, an ideal setting for introducing and developand to teach Hindus. ing the idea of peace education, together > For over 20 years-from 1960 to 1986 with that of cooperative learning. With stu- > (except for the years 1965- 66, 1966-67, and dents of many different nationalities, races, > 1977- 78)- Dr. Munje was a member of the and religions, it served as a kind of laborato- > National Spiritual Assembly of India, much ry. However, to have an impact on the > 936 TH E BAHA ' I WORLD > > blacks to the heart of the Deep South, won > the profound admiration of the friends gathered at the National Convention that year. > In 1967, Zlmarian was manied to Robert > K. Walker in a beautiful ceremony in the > garden of the House of Worship, uniting the > extended families of both races . They were > to be blessed with two daughters: Shanta > Navvab, born 1970; and Leili Leonora, born > 1976. > In 1973, Zlmarian and Robert received > their Doctor of Education degrees at the > University of Massachusetts, where they > participated in the development of the Anisa > Model of education, under the direction of > the late Dr. Daniel Jordan. Zlmarian became > an assistant professor at Texas Southern > University in Houston, and vice-director of > the Multicultural Teacher Corps Program, > where she was able to develop principles of > Zlmarian Walker multicultural education. These she canied to > her pioneering post in Brazil, where she > nation, it would be necessary to introduce moved with her family in 1974. > the idea into the public schools . There proved As a Latin American Teaching Fellow > to be tremendous receptivity in schools at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio > throughout the land, as well as in other Grande do Sul, and subsequently as a visitcountries of Africa and Latin America, ing professor at the Federal University of > where Zlmarian made numerous presenta- Rio Grande do No1ie, she was able to comtions under the auspices of National and bine graduate teaching and research with > Local Spiritual Assemblies. Even wider Baha'i and family activities. She also lived > audiences were reached through peace con- in Vitoria for two years before joining the > ferences and exhibitions. It wou ld often Escola das Nac;:oes in 1981. She served as a > happen that after a number of rather "dry" member of the National Spiritual Assembly > academic presentations, the warmth and en- from 1985 until her passing. > thusiasm ofZlmarian's talks would captivate Dr. Walker 's booklet, "World Peace > conference participants. Her genuineness of through World Education", was published in > character, as well as her public speaking Portuguese in 1986 by the Brazilian Baha'i > ski lls , enabled her to break through racial Studies Association. An interview with her > baniers and appeal directly to the heart. on the topic was published in the volume, > Zlmarian was born on 15 April 1944 in Perspectives on Peace Education (Ake Bjer- > Washington D.C. She had fond recollections stedt, ed.), published in 1990 by the Malmo > of the dedication of the House of Worship in School of Education in Sweden. At the time > Wilmette in 1953, to which she was taken by of her death, which occuned 9 July 1989, > her fami ly, who were Baha' is. she was working on a handbook in Portu- > When she was 12, Zlmarian pioneered guese on peace education. This manual was > with her family from Batavia, Illinois, to completed by Josephine Kuntz, Jeannine > Mississipi. This courageous initiative, involv- Sacco and Fabienne Lopez, of the Escola > ing an unheard-of migration of ánorthern das Nac;:oes. The continuing effmis in the > IN MEMOR IAM 937 > field of peace education by the National BEATRICE NEWMAN > Spiritual Assembly and Baha' i communities 1898- 1989 > all over Brazil are another part of her legacy. > The first year of the pilot teaching proj ect Grieve passing of the maidservan t of God > in Guyana, launched in 1989 under the Miss Beatrice Newman . Her devoted serausp ices of the Baha' i World Centre, was vices to the Cause of God stretching over > dedicated to the memory ofZlmarian Walker three decades are fondly remembered. > and a Guyanese Baha' i, Kenneth Brisport. Her zeal and enthusiasm in teaching the > An old friend who came to visit the proj ect Faith in Wa les, her exemp lary pioneering > brought two pictures of Zlmarian wearing a activities undertaken at an advanced age > sari at Green Acre Baha'i School, in 1968. in England and Ireland, her deep love for > The photographs, one of whi ch shows her Baha' u ' llah which dominated her life, all > with her head bowed and another with it have considerably contributed to the > lifted , inspired her daughter, Shanta, a par- advancement of the Fa ith in the British > ticipant in the project, to write the following: Isles. Praying at the Ho ly Shrines for the > progress of her radiant soul in the Abha > Kingdom. > Sitting > Un iversal House of Justice > The field so vast, 7 September 1989 > The green so fresh , > A queen, Beatrice Newman was born in 1898, one of > Examining every flower in her garden, seven children, in Pontypridd, Wales, a land > The sari wrapped aro und her body, of music, literature and poetry. The Welsh > Like the sky invo lves the birds. are a deeply religious people, and in the > And now you lift your head. middle of the nineteenth century religious > I see you smile. fervour in Wales was heightened by a strong > Are you singing? conviction that the return of Christ was > Or does the music come from your imminent. To focus attention on this, Big > stance? Tent Missions were set up. As the move- > Is the sun really so bright, ment grew, more permanent accommodation > Or is your face of ebony lighting the day? was needed, and throughout Wales stone > The flowers are so bright, so fresh, so full chapels were erected, often several in each > oflife, town or village. Each had a date inscribed > Like your laughter. into the stonework and many were dedicated > I feel I could almost touch them. 'To the Glory of God". The dates ran from > Oh, was it really just yesterday, the late 1840s to the early 1890s. A revival > Mother? in 1904 produced even more chapels. > It was into such a background that Beatrice > 0 Lord, glorify his station, shelter him > was born. Both her father and mother were > under the pavilion of Thy supreme mercy, > Deacons of the Welsh Baptist Chapel in > cause him to enter Thy glorious paradise, > Cilfynydd, a mining village on the outskirts > and perpetuate his existence in Thin e > of Pontypridd. In time, Beatrice too became > exalted rose garden, that he may plunge > a Deacon of the Chapel. Having trained as > into the sea of light in the world of > a teacher she began a career in education , > mysteries. 1 > R OBERT WALKER > eventually becom ing headmistress of the > Hawthorn School near Cilfynydd . > 1 In such a coal mining community joy was > Selectionsfro111 th e Writings of 'Abdu '/-Baha > (Haifa: Baha'i World Ce ntre, 1982), p 197. often mixed with sadness as mining disasters > 938 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > were not uncommon. The pit at Cilfynydd the chairman of the Cardiff Assembly, and a > was a deep one and it was not spared its conversation with him revealed that there > share of calamity. Thus Beatrice developed would be a weekend school in Porthcawl > a deep sense of compassion and love for in a week' s time. Beatrice decided to go, > those around her and an awareness of the receiving a warm welcome from a delighted > omnipresence of God. Along with this she Cardiff community who found that she > also developed a delightful wit and sense of already had an excellent knowledge of the > humour. teachings of the Faith. > Beatrice first heard of the Faith in 1948. The intervening years since her first con- > The Local Spiritual Assembly of Cardiff, tact with the Faith had seen remarkable > Wales, had been forn1ed , and Claire Gung changes. Her mother, now in her 90s, was > (later to be a Knight ofBaha' u' llah for South- able to accept Baha ' u ' llah as a Messenger of > ern Rhodesia and designated the Mother of God. The congregation of her Chapel had > Africa by Shoghi Effendi) was undertaking split into two opposing factions, each with > extension teaching in Pontypridd. To gain its own minister insisting that he was the > financial support, Claire was working as a only one with the right to preach the Gospel > seamstress and was recommended as such there. Beatrice had decided to announce her > to Beatrice. The Welsh are often eager to resignation so that she could become a Baha' i > know as much as possible about the people but had been dreading the moment. When it > they meet, and Beatrice was no exception. came, there was such a commotion and con- > With each visit, the amount of dressmaking fusion between the two congregations that > diminished so that more questions could be her voice was barely heard. She was at last > answered about the Faith and the return of able to make her declaration as a Baha'i and > Christ. she was accepted into the Faith in January > Beatrice was enchanted with the beauty 1959, becoming the first Welsh-speaking > of the Message and the way in which long- Baha'i in Wales. > cherished prophecies had been fulfill ed. Such was Beatrice's enthusiasm that by > However, there was one serious impediment. August of that year the local newspaper > If one agreed to serve as a Deacon of the reported that there were now four declared > Baptist Chapel, it was a lifetime commitment. believers there, including Mary Newman, > Also her mother, in the closing years of her one of Beatrice's si sters. By Ric.Jvan 1961 it > life, would never be able to understand if was possible to forn1 the first Local Spiritual > Beatrice changed her Faith, to say nothing of Assembly of Pontypridd. At that time, the > the members of the Chapel who were her Assembly was unique in the British Isles as > close friends. it had been formed entirely oflocal believers > Claire Gung left for Africa, and for a time without any pioneer move to establish it. The > she and Beatrice lost touch with each other. Assembly included all three Newman sisters: > Nonetheless, the spark she had ignited in Beatrice, Mary, and Flo. > Beatrice's heart was still there when next Beatrice' s love for Baha' u' llah inspired > she saw the name Baha' i eight or more years her to be ever active in His Cause. Apart > later. The Cardiff Assembly had been holding from the many pioneering moves and teacha series of meetings and teaching in Ponty- ing trips she made, she actively promoted > pridd, and Beatrice noticed that a friend of the translation into the Welsh language of > hers was reading an introductory pamphlet prayers and introductory literature. These > on the Faith. Asked if she could see it, the were used extensively at exhibitions set up > friend gave it to Beatrice saying that "it was by the Welsh Baha' i community at National > no use to him". An address and phone num- Eisteddfods, many of which Beatrice > ber on the back was that of Dr. Ernest Miller, attended. > IN MEMORIAM 939 > In January 1961, she attended the dedication of the Mother Temple of the African > Continent, in Kampala, Uganda, as one of > the four representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles. These > were, befittingly, one each from England, > Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Beatrice took > with her the precious gift from the National > Assembly of the original cable from the > beloved Guardian inaugurating the Africa > Campaign for which the British Isles had > 'chiefresponsibility'. > In 1962, Beatrice and her sister Flo were > the first Welsh Baha'is to go on pilgrimage > from Wales. In 1963, Beatrice attended the > World Congress in London. The year 1964 > saw her pioneer to Inverness, Scotland, and > also attend the dedication of the Mother > Temple of Europe at Langenhain, Germany, > near Frankfurt. In 1965, she pioneered to > Southport and later that same year to Lland- Beatrice Newman > udno in North Wales. > The Pontypridd Assembly had grown by In September 1971, Beatrice attended the > this time so that both Beatrice and Mary were Oceanic Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland. > able to pioneer to Winchester, the ancient In 1972, all three sisters made their second > capital of England, with two other pioneers pilgrimage, and in March 1973 Beatrice and > from Wales to save the Assembly there. Mary made a teaching trip to Malta. Seeing > They were to have their home there for the urgent need to form the Assembly, they > more than ten years, Beatrice serving as the decided to remain there as pioneers and so > Assembly chairman for several years. Dur- were members of the first Spiritual Assembly > ing this time she made many teaching trips, of Malta. When they were able to be released, > including those to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, they went back home to Winchester. > and Zanzibar. In 1975, Beatrice and Mary moved their > In 1969, all three sisters pioneered for six home to Poole in Dorset, pioneering once > months in Cork, in the Republic of Ireland. again to save the Assembly. They were joined > There, Beatrice arranged for and gave an by Flo a year later. Despite her age, Beatrice > illustrated talk, the first Baha'i public meet- continued to be very active and the home in > ing held in Cork. Nearly seventy people Poole became a centre of attraction both for > attended who were nearly all of Catholic the local community and those interested in > background. Before leaving, Beatrice per- investigating the Faith. > suaded the carillonneur of Shandon Church Eventually, unable to take an active part > to play Allah'u'Abha on the church bells in affairs, she kept in touch with her Baha' i > while she prayed for the spread of the Faith friends in the United Kingdom and overseas > in that country. The bells can be heard all by correspondence. Always her warm friendover the city, and the carillonneur said that liness and radiant personality remained with > after they had left he would be glad to play her until she passed away just before her > the tune each day until the Birthday of 92nd birthday. There is no doubt that the > Baha'u'llah. Baha'i community is poorer for her loss. > DAVID LEWIS > 940 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > RODDY DHARMA LUTCHMA YA member of that Church from childhood. He > 1932-1989 was always interested in religious and spiritual matters. > At the gate of the garden some stand In 1956, he and a group of friends listened > and look within, but do not care to enter. to a talk on the Baha'i Faith and universal > Others step inside, behold its beauty, but brotherhood given by an American doctor > do not penetrate far. Still others encircle who was staying in Mauritius, after having > this garden, inhaling the fragrance of pioneered in Reunion Island. The whole > the flowers , but having enjoyed its full group was conquered by the principles of the > beauty, pass out again by the same gate. Baha'i Faith, and Roddy the more so because > But there are always some who enter, and of his Christian background and his already > becoming intoxicated with the splendour profound knowledge of the Bible. He acof what they behold, remain for life to cepted the Faith in November of that year. > tend the garden. He had always been an earnest seeker > after tmth, so once he was convinced of the > This quote, atháibuted to 'Abdu ' l-Baha in a importance of the Baha'i Faith-that it was > pilgrim's note, 1 beautifully describes the in tmth the religion of the New Age-he dil- > "gardener's life" of Roddy Lutchmaya. The igently studied it and put his trust in God, > flowers he tended with so much care and love until he had an exceptionally deep underwere not only the men, women, and children standing of its outer and inner significance. > in his island-home of Mauritius, but those Because of this spiritual endowment, and > living in the other islands of the Indian Ocean because of his complete tJ.ustworthiness, his > as well. His every action was an expression innate capacity, and his great sincerity and > of love and kindliness , and he was never faithfulness in his Baha'i services, he became > happier than when serving Baha'u'llah and a much-respected and honomed servant of > the Baha'i friends. the Cause. He manifested at all times devo- > Roddy was born on 7 June 1932 in Mesnil, tion, vigour, and intensity in his services. > St. Paul, Mauritius. He was the sixth child in His firnmess in the Cause was exemplary > a family of nine children. His formal educa- and many of the young Baha' is who were > tion ended at the age of 17, and at 18 he closely associated with him learned what it > joined the Government Service as a clerk. A meant to be a loyal and sincere follower of > few years later he was recmited as a senior Baha'u' llah. > officer cadet in the Prisons Service and From 1957 until his appointinent as a > underwent a one-year training in England in member of the Continental Board of Counprison management. sellors in 1985, he served on Local Spiritual > After being appointed Superintendent, and Assemblies, first in his home town ofQuatre > then Deputy Conmlissioner of Prisons, Roddy Bornes and then in the town of Beau-Bassin/ > became the first Mauritian to be appointed Rose Hill. He was also a member of the > Commissioner of Prisons, a post wllich he National Spiritual Assembly of the Indian > held from 1967 until he passed away. He was Ocean from its inception in 1964 until 1972, > also the first Conm1issioner in the annals of then a member of the National Spiritual > the Prisons Service in Mauritius to occupy Assembly of Mauritius from its inception in > this high office for such a long time. 1972 until 1985. > Roddy came from a fanlily that belonged In his capacity as member of the Contito the Church of England, and was an active nental Board of Counsellors for Africa, > he contiáibuted enmmously to bringing the > First printed in Th e Garden of the Heart, comp iled Baha'is of the Indian Ocean islands closer > by Frances Esty and publi shed in New York in 1930. together. > IN MEMORIAM 941 > life, and devoted service to the Cause of > Baha'u'llah. He said, > Roddy possessed a rare and exceptional > gift as a shepherd. His motive was always > pure and his spirit lofty. People were > happy and comfortable in his company. > His great quest for unity and brotherhood > amongst men brought him early in life to > embrace the Baha'i Faith. And very soon > he became one of its most ardent promoters and fearless defenders. > The funeral was attended by hundreds of > people from all strata of the Mauritian society, including government ministers, heads > of departments, high government officials, > a host of Baha'i friends from far and near, > and many of the men and women he had > / _,,,,,, / befriended. > The Universal House of Justice paid trib- > Roddy Dharma Lutchmaya ute to Roddy's memory when it cabled on > 25 September 1989: > Roddy was ttuly a remarkable man, judged DEEPLY GRIEVED SUDDEN UNT IMELY DEA Tl-I > by any standard. He possessed that rarest of DEVOTED PROMOTER FAITH RODDY LUTCI-1- > combinations: a spiritual and pious nature, a MA YA. HIS INCESSANT INTENSIVE EFFORTS > joyous, kindly and radiant heart, and a TEACHING FIELD MAURITIUS FROM EARLY > sound, discreet and well-balanced mind. In YEARS ESTABLISHMENT FAITH THAT ISLAND, > everything he did there was a special mark HIS LONG RECORD ADMINISTRATIVE SER- > of quality, of excellence. VICES ON NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY, > In 1966 he had married Premabye Appa, CULMINATING JN HIS MEMBERSHIP ON BOARD > and together they had had four children. He OF COUNSELLORS JN AFRICA, WILL ALWAYS > enjoyed his life fully and had a genuine and BE LOVINGLY REMEMBERED. HIS HUMILITY, > enthusiastic interest in many things. For STEADFASTNESS, PERSEVERANCE UN FORGET- > example, he was a founding member of the TABLE. HIS REWARD ABHA KINGDOM UNDOUBT- > Amateur Dramatic Club of Mauritius. He was EDLY BOUNTIFUL. MAY RISING GENERATION > like a fountain, constantly giving of himself, BAHA'iS ISLANDS INDIAN OCEAN FOLLOW > forever doing something for someone. He HIS NOBLE FOOTSTEPS. > always had a large and friendly smile and a PRA YJNG HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADI- > kind word for all he met. ANT SOUL. CALLING FOR SPECIAL MEMORIAL > His honesty, integrity and love for human- GATHERINGS MOTHER TEMPLE KAMPALA > ity won for him the ttust and respect of his AND IN BAHA'I COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT > fellow men (Baha'is and non-Baha'is alike), AFRICAN CONT INENT. CONVEY RELATIVES > high government officials, and the people HEARTFELT SYMPATHY. > who worked under him. > At his Baha'i funeral service, a friend who NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > had known him very closely for more than OF THE BAHA'iS OF MAURITI US > thirty years movingly eulogized Roddy, extolling his outstanding character, exemplary > 942 THE BAHA ' f WORLD > > New York, she lived with her husband of > thirty years, Paul Edwards Evans, and her > mother-in-law. On Esther's prompting, John > explained the idea of progressive revelation, > and as he spoke of the Prophet Mul)ammad, > she accepted Him immediately. Esther recalled later, in an interview, that as John > spoke of the Bab and Baha'u' llah, she was > "suddenly filled with tremendous joy and > was enveloped in great, golden light. I felt as > though there was no me and I was conscious > of nothing about myself. I heard myself saying, 'John, this is the truest thing that was ever > said. ' And I believed. This was my answer." > The following year, Esther attended the > Temple dedication in Wilmette, Illinois, on > 2 May 1953. She had had no intention of > pioneering then, but a call for pioneers was > made at the conference following the dedica- > -• Esther Evans > tion. She remembered Amatu 'l-Baha Rul.riyyih > Khanum saying, among other things, "Now > you old girls that have independent means > ESTHER Ev ANS and can do this, go to the far places of the > Knight ofBaha'u'llah world, stay there, live there, put your roots > 1899- 1989 down, die there. Perchance, someone might > come along and say, 'Who is Baha'u'llah? > On 29 March 1899, Esther Marie Evans was What is a Baha'i?' You'll be able to tell > born in New York City. Her family was them.... " > Roman Catholic and her father had even Esther, accompanied by her friend Mrs. > studied for the priesthood. Esther herself had Lillian Middlemast, arrived in St. Lucia on > always been a seeker, and her first major 13 October 1953. Thus the "Helen of the > break with traditional thinking occurred at West," as St. Lucia is known, was blessed > about age 35, after a discussion with her with the Message of Baha 'u'llah. She refather who had studied the world 's religions . called later that although she had not heard > Esther had asked him, in a teasing way, what of St. Lucia before making the decision to > he thought was the true religion, and he had pioneer, upon her arrival there she felt as > answered: "Well, it would take a lifetime though she had landed in paradise. > to study the religions of the world, but I've As Knights of Baha' u'llah for the > made a superficial study and I believe that Windward Islands, Esther and Lillian were > it's the Muslim Faith." Esther had been instrumental in bringing the healing Word of > deeply impressed as this was certainly not a the Blessed Beauty to all St. Lucians. Upon > popular or well-known concept in the United Lillian 's return to the United States due to ill > States at that time. It left the way open for health after 10 months of pioneering, Esther > her to later accept the idea of progressive remained at her post. > revelation. Esther's warm, gracious personality en- > Esther was introduced to the Faith when deared her to young and old alike. She was > she was about 53 years old, by John and in touch with persons of influence and prom- > Valerie Woolson, on whose farn1 near Victor, inence in St. Lucia and established the good > IN MEMORIAM 943 > name of the Faith among her wide circle of around the Faith and the family, from childfriends. In later years she regularly hosted hood to the end of his life. > Baha'i meetings at her home for friends and In December 1956, soon after the death > seekers. During her lifetime, Esther witnessed of his father, Ii?san travelled to New York > the growth and fruition of the seed planted City for his internship and surgical residency > by her arrival in St. Lucia. The National at New York City Hospital at Elmhurst. He > Assembly of the Baha'is of St. Lucia was married Veronica and they returned to Iran > inaugurated in 1983, 30 years after her arrival in 1962. Acutely aware of the beloved > there. At the time of her death in 1989, Guardian's admonition to the Persian friends > believers numbered over 1,800. to move out of Tihran, IJ:isan accepted the > Upon receiving news of her passing on position of chief surgeon/administrator of > 17 October 1989 at the age of 90 after a the 150-bed Red Lion & Sun Emergency > short illness, the Universal House of Justice Surgical Hospital in Abadan, southern iran. > cabled the following message: There he became a very active member of > the local Baha' i community and well-known > GREATLY SADDENED PASSING VA LIANT KNJGHT for his services to the poorer people of > SA HA ' U' LLAH ESTHER EV ANS. HER MANY Abadan; it was unheard of that a surgeon at > YEARS STEADFAST DEVOTED SERV ICES EV I- this non-profit making hospital should work > DENCED BY ADMIRABLE GROWTH COMMUN ITY as many hours, as skillfully as though he > ST. LUC IA. KINDLY CONVEY HEARTFELT CON- were in private practice. > DOLENCES HER SON AND FRJENDS. ASSURE Hi s reputation grew, and in the manner > AR DENT PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS prejudices can be set aside when the skill of > HER NOBLE SOUL AB HA KINGDOM. the Baha' i is exceptional, the people became > fond of him. Not far north, along the Euph- > NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY rates, stood Khurramshahr, at that time > OF THE BAHA ' i s OF ST. L UC IA > Iran 's main port. There--;n elderly Arab had > built a simple 20-bed hospital, and he was > looking for a doctor he could trust to be > EHSANOLLAH MALAKOOTI his partner. He heard of IJ:isan MalakUti in > (IJ:isanu ' llah Malakliti) Abadan and sent a very frank invitation, the > 1932- 1989 gist of which was, ' I have searched long and > hard and cannot find an honest doctor of my > IJ:isanu' llah Malakuti was born in Kirman- own faith. I know Baha'is are honest and > shah, Persia, in 1932. His family soon after I've heard you are a good man so come see > moved to Tihran where he was educated, to my hospital'. > the completion of medical school at Tihran Not everyone in Khurramshahr was as > University. He was in that bl essed generation liberal as the good I:Iaj i, and for the first few > of Baha'is who could happily recall Friday months after his arrival friends regularly > classes with Mr. Fun'.1tan and Mr. Fay<;li, reported talks given at the local mosques > while he himself progressed to teach the aga inst "the Baha' i surgeon who will kill all > earl y grades whilst attending the senior the true believers". But 'Abdu ' l-Baha tells > Baha'i classes. He would recount precious us how we must each live and serve so that > memori es ofTihran Youth Committee mem- anyone coming to a town will know we must > bers standing on stools perilously perched be Baha' i, and so it was . Dr. MalakUti 's home > upon chairs , balanced on card tab les to hang was always full of friends, committees, the > their creation, the handmade chandelier that Local Assembly, distinguished Baha'i guests, > swung so elegantly from the dome of the future maiiyrs, M uslims, Christians, Jews; > I:Ia'.?iratu ' l-Quds in Tihran. Life revolved even deposed Arab royalty graced hi s house. > 944 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Dr. MalakUti's knowledge of the Faith as > well as his use of it in his daily life were > outstanding even in that community rich in > knowledgeable and sincere believers. He > served on the Local Assembly and as delegate > to the National Convention until leaving Iran > in 1970. > By 1970, the MalakUtis had two sons, > ages three and six, and they had decided > to move to the United States until the boys > were well along in their education. But then > they heared Counsellor ' Aziz Yazdi speak > about the urgent need for pioneers to Africa. > The decision to go to Africa was made the > very evening Mr. Y azdi spoke in Khunamshahr. > After settling down to a private medical > practice in Nakurn, Kenya, Dr. MalakUti > served with devotion members of the African, > Asian, and European communities for nine- > Ehsanollah Malakooti teen years. Before being appointed to the > Auxiliary Board for Protection in 1976, > On occasion, when pressure would come Dr. MalakUti had been a founder-member of > from Tihran, and the local government offic- Nakurn's first Local Spiritual Assembly, > ers were forced to take action against the member of the Nakurn District Teaching > Baha'is, Dr. Malakl1ti would go to the police Committee, the National Teaching Commitstation to plead for the release of Baha' i tee, and the National Legal and Properties > properties or visit the local education officer Committee. Despite his very full practice (it > to ask that the Baha'i children not be humili- was very rare for him to have an unbroken > ated in class or beaten. When the local night's sleep in his entire adult life), he was > police chief apologized for confiscating all very active in Rotary International. One of > the Baha'i books from their storeroom on his happiest experiences was serving as the > the piece of land the community owned for first non-British Chairman of a Rotary Club > its future I:Ia~iratu ' l-Quds , Dr. Malakllti, as in Kenya. His hobby throughout his life, but > chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly, most particularly in Nakuru, was his garden. > asked the chief to read The Hidden Words He rarely spent fewer than two weekday > and see for himself what he was doing. evenings and at least half the weekend in the > The doctor's good humour, candour, love villages, teaching, deepening and consoliof people and devotion to His Faith stood dating. On the afternoons when he travelled > him in good stead with everyone. After quite to the villages, the doctor would close the > a short time in -Khunamshahr - the same office early, fill up the car with local > mullas who had denounced him came to him Baha'is, many of whom he had taught and > for treatment. When the ousted King of Abu deepened, and drive out of town, dropping > Dhabi was exiled to Khunamshahr, it was off a Baha' i at a village where there was a > the local magistrate who brought the King's contact to be met, or perhaps a community > family to Dr. Malakuti as the physician who to be deepened. When the car was empty, he > wouldn 't disgrace Iran by cheating the King would teach at the last village, and later > and his family. begin the drive back, picking up the friends > IN MEMORIAM 945 > he had earlier dropped off. His seemingly disadvantageous, were made unquestioningly > tireless energy was an inspiration to many after guidance from an institution. > Baha'is, as was his capacity for patience and The Universal House of Justice sent the > loving understanding. It is not easy to return following message to his wife on 24 October > to the same village again and again for many 1989: > years, encouraging, always patient, full of > love, planting the seeds for the future. DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING DEARLY LOVED > Dr. MalakUti had a unique rapport with STEADFAST EHSAN MALAKOOTI. HIS GEN- > the African friends; much love and respect EROUS NATURE, HIS COMM ITMENT TO HIS > was felt on both sides. RESPONSIBILITIES IN PIONEERING FIELD, > He tried to be generous in all ways and HIS STRENUOUS SELFLESS SERVICES, HJGHL Y > to inspire others to vision, and so the Nakuru VALUED, LOVINGLY REMEMBERED. EXTEND > Centre, with a meeting room for 200, a YOU , DEAR SONS, MEMBERS FAMILY HEART- > dormitory for 100, a covered dining area, FELT SYMPATHY. PRAYING HOLY SHRINES > and an office for the Local Assembly of PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL ABl-IA KING- > Nakuru, was built which serves the more- DOM. > than 35 Local Assemblies around Nakuru as > well as hosting most national conferences Il)sanu'llah MalakUti lies buried in a > and National Conventions. Well-known for beautiful garden facing the Olympic Mounhis frugality, Dr. MalakUti couldn 't bear to tains of Washington, to the end a selfless, > see Baha'is rent facilities they should own! loving husband, father, and servant of His > Dr. MalakUti became ill and travelled to servants. > the United States for treatment but died VERONICA M ALAKOOT I > > on 22 October 1989 at University Hospital, (Veronica Malakuti) > Seattle, Washington. Three months later, > when his wife returned to Nakuru, more than > 600 persons attended his memorial, and the KAZEM KAZEMZADEH > speakers were of all colours and creeds. (Ka?-im Ka?-imzadih) > Baha' i, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim 1898- 1989 > prayers were read. Representatives of the > Kenya National Medical Association and Ka?-im Ka?-imzadih was born in 1898 in > the Moslem Medical Association spoke of 'Ishqabad, Transcapia (now Turkmenistan), > his unselfish services. But above all, the when it was a recently acquired possession > Baha'is, who had an additional memorial of Russia. His grandfather, I:Iaji Mul)ammad > meeting at the I:Ia?-iratu'l-Quds, appreciated Ka?-im, like many Persian Baha'is, had found > his services to the Baha'is of Kenya. refuge there from persecutions at home. > At one of the memorial meetings in As a youth in I~fahan, I:Iaji Mui;iammad > Kenya, Isobel Sabri, a member of the Inter- Ka?-im had attained the presence of the Bab, > national Teaching Centre, said that the and later of Baha ' u'llah in Baghdad and > characteristic she most associated with him in 'Akka. His son, Aqa Mul)ammad Ri~a, > was "absolute integrity". The other attribute known as Arbab, was among the founders > which characterized his every action was his of the 'Ishqabad Baha'i community and the > absolute and loving obedience to the institu- builders of its House of Worship. > tions of the Faith based on his love for Ka?-im's mother was Liqa'iyyih Khanum, > Baha'u'llah. Whether it was deciding to set- granddaughter of Mir Jalil, who was martle out of Tihran, or to move to Africa, or tyred in the siege of Zanjan, and his wife, > to settle outside a capital city in Africa, these 'Anbamisa, known to Baha'i history as > moves that at the time appeared to be Umm-i-Asluáaf. Liqa ' iyyih Khanum's father > 946 Tl-I E BAHA ' I WORLD > > was f:Iaji Iman, a survivor of the siege of others sent to concentration camps where > Zanjan and of the martyrdoms of 1896 in many perished. Ka?'.im became a link > Tiluáan. between Baha'i prisoners and the outside > At the age of five, Ka?'.im entered the world. The Ka?'.imzadih home was used to > school run by several outstanding Baha'is, make packages of food and warm clothing for > among them Shaykh MuJ:iammad 'Ali Qa ' ini, shipment to camps in Siberia and Northern > posthumously designated by the Guardian an Kazakhstan. > Apostle ofBaha'u'llah. It was from him and In Persia, Ka'.?im served on a number of > other Baha'i scholars that Ka?'.im acquired Baha' i national committees, on the Local > his mastery of Persian, his love of poetry, Spiritual Assembly of 'fihran, of which he > and his knowledge of classical Arabic. was chairman for several years, and on the > At 13, Ka?'.im was emolled in a Russian National Spiritual Assembly, frequently > classical gymnasium, a school designed to discharging the duties of its secretary. With > provide a European education for the sons of the establishment of the Auxiliary Boards of > Russian officials in this Asian province. the Hands of the Cause, Mr. Ka?'.imzadih > Inshl.1ction was in Russian, a language Ka?'.irn was made a member of that institution. He > learned to perfection. He had acquired Azeri worked on translations of Baha'i literature > Turkish as a child, and later in life French into Russian, and taught classes for Baha ' i > and English as well. It was at the gymna- youth of college age . The alumni of those > sium that Ka?'.im was exposed to western classes remember them with gratitude and > science and culture and decided to pursue delight. > higher education in Moscow where he stud- In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Persia > ied law and international relations. While was in tum10il. The Shi'ite clergy had made > at Moscow University, he manied Tatiana a political comeback and was influencing > Romanovna Yevseyeva, a fellow student and the government and provoking attacks on > one of the early Russian Baha ' is. the Baha'is. There were killings by mobs, > On completing his studies, Ka?'.im was but there were also pseudo-judicial proceedemployed by the Persian Embassy in Mos- ings designed to desháoy Baha' i institutions. > cow and continued to serve there until 1940, One such case was the háial of the members > when he moved to Tihran, left the Ministry of the Spiritual Assembly of Yazd who were > of Foreign Affairs, and dedicated virtually accused of provoking murders in a nearby > all his time to the service of the Cause, only town. > occasionally practicing law. The members of the Y azd Assembly were > He had begun to serve the Cause in his tried in 'fihran in an atmosphere of haháed > early youth as a teacher in the Baha'i school and intimidation. Non-Baha'i lawyers, with > in 'Ishqabad, as editor of the Russian ver- one notable exception, refused to defend the > sion of the Baha'i newspaper, Khurshid-i- accused even if their irmocence was patently > Kluivar, and as a participant in various youth clear. Mr. Ka?'.irnzadih led the defense team. > activities. In Moscow he was elected to that In a courtroom packed with mullas and street > city's first Spiritual Assembly, serving until toughs shouting imprecations at the defenits dissolution in 1929. dants and their counsel, Mr. Kazirnzadih > In 1928, Ka?'.im made his first pilgrin1age rose to his full stature as a defender of the > to Haifa. Meeting Shoghi Effendi then, and Cause. He addressed the court over the > again in 1941 , were the high points of his life. screams of the mullas and their henchmen, > By the mid- l 930s, all Baha ' i activity in many of whom brandished knives. The > the Soviet Union ceased, as thousands of judges, instructed by the government, caved > Baha ' is were arrested and imprisoned in the in and found the defendants guilty, but no > Great Terror. Some were deported to Iran, one doubted the injustice of the verdict. > IN MEMORIAM 947 > > In recognition of Mr. Ka?'.imzadih 's role > in this and other cases, Shoghi Effendi > called him the "Shield of the Cause of God." > In 1956, Mr. Ka?'.imzadih moved to the > United States. He was in poor health and > underwent surgery. When his health improved, he was able to resume normal > activity. He taught Persian at Harvard and > at the University of California, Los Angeles, > contributed to World Order magazine, > taught at the Green Acre and Bosch Baha'i > Schools, travelled to Canada to teach > Russian-speaking Dukhobors, served on > Local Spiritual Assemblies in New Haven, > Connecticut, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and > Santa Monica, California, and was the first > Trustee of I:Iuququ'llah in the Western > Hemisphere, serving in that capacity for > many years. When open teaching was > allowed in the former Soviet Union, a pamphlet that he wrote in Russian proved very Kazem Kazemzadeh > useful. > One cannot conclude this brief sketch with- ASSEMBLY TI-IAT COUNTRY, HIS TRA NSLA- > out mentioning Mr. Ka?'.imzadih's personality TION WORK INTO RUSSIAN, HIS UNDEVI ATING > and character. A true aristocrat of the spirit, LOY ALTY INTERESTS BELOVED CAUSE AT ALL > courtly and dignified, he was entirely free of TIMES, ARE IMPERJSHABLE TOKENS OF HI S > arrogance or pride. His integrity, gentle- SELF-SACRIFICING EN DEAVORS OY ER SEVER- > ness, and humility endeared him to all who AL DECADES. HIS REWARD ABI-IA KINGDOM > knew him. Indeed, he was a man without UN DOUBTEDLY ABUNDANT. PRAYING PRO- > enemies. Deeply devoted to the principles of GRESS HI S NOBLE SOUL WORLDS BEYOND. > the Faith, he was never fanatical, and never CONVEY DEAR MEMBERS HIS FAMILY OUR > forced his opinions on others. LOVING SYMPATHY. > Ka?'.im Ka?'.imzadih died of heart failure DR. FJRUZ KAZEMZAD EH > > on 14 November 1989, at his home in Pacific (Dr. FirLIZ Ka'.?imzadih) > Palisades, California, and was buried at the > Inglewood Cemetery a few feet from the > grave of Thornton Chase. HABIB HABIBI > The Universal House of Justice cabled the (I:Iabib I:Iabibi) > National Spiritual Assembly of the United 1912- 1989 > States on 16 November: > I:Iabib I:Iabibi was born in Ramadan, Persia, > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING GREATLY TRU STED in 1912. His father, Mashiya, was of the > STEA DFAST PROMOTER FAITH KAZEM Jewish Faith but became a Baha ' i at the age > KAZEMZADEI-1. HIS DISTINGU ISHED SERVICES of 94. His mother, Shamsi, was a Baha'i. > RUSSI A, HI S EXEMPLARY PARTICIPATION IN Habib was very active as a young man of > ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITI ES FRI EN DS IRAN, 17 or 18 years in Tihran, serving on the > INCLUDIN G DISC HARGE HI S RESPONSIBILI- National Youth Committee and the Social > TI ES AS SECRETARY NATIONAL SPIRITUAL Service Committee. > 948 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > many pioneers went out from Manchester. > l:fabib was one of these; he rented a small > flat in Chester, where he spent some time > each week, together with his son Jimmy. > Business commitments did not permit full > time residence there, but their sojourn was > sufficient to establish Assembly status. > l:fabib always wanted the Manchester > Local Spiritual Assembly to have its own > Baha'i Centre, and he was one of the initial > instigators to bring that dream to fruition. > A large Victorian house was purchased in > Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, the ground floor > was converted, and the National Assembly > granted pe1mission for this to be designated > as the Manchester Baha'i Centre. He was > proud that the Centre has been used most > fully over a great many years. > His services to the Faith continued > throughout the British Isles until, in Septem- > Habib Habibi ber 1971, l:fabib went on his first extended > teaching trip for four months in Africa. A > In the early 1940s, the House of year after his return, he again left England, > Baha'u'llah in Tihran was purchased for the this time for about six months in Africa and > Faith. I:Iabib was the principal contributor, Portugal. > and his contribution was made under great He served the Faith with distinction in > financial sháess. Belgium and Malta, then for the last 10 years > l:fabib went to Manchester, England, of his life pioneered to India. In Himachal > which was a very active community. He was Pradesh, he attracted many dignitaries to > soon elected to serve on the Local Spiritual the Faith, and in 1983, he launched the first > Assembly, and gave his valued support to medical eye camps in India-Mysore and > the many activities upon which the Manchester Mandya- in the State of Karnataka. These > community ventured, not the least of these were the beginnings of service efforts which > being the 1953 Baha'i Centenary Exhibition treated thousands of people, and which sucstaged at the Manchester Baha' i Centre. cessfully operated on hundreds of others. > In another area of service, l:fabib sup- He served on many Local Spiritual Assemported the move of the Baha' i Publishing blies and one State Baha' i Council in India. > Trust from the warehouse of Jacob and His last pioneering post was Goa, in which > Ibrahim Youseph (Jeff and Albert Joseph), he donated two Baha'i Centres. > to larger premises. Because of ill health he was forced to > The Assembly spent a great deal of time go back to Karnataka to a more temperate > discussing the letters received from the climate. Then, he passed away suddenly on > beloved Guardian, which included plans to 21 November1989 while in England for one > set up goal areas. One goal area was an adja- of his regular medical checks. > cent town, Stockport, and Habib volunteered Of his loving devotion to the Faith and > to pioneer there for a short time. its many needs there is ample confirmation; > The development of the Guardian' s Plans at no time did a call for help go without > called for more goals to be established and response. This service was fully reflected > IN MEMORIAM 949 > > in the following cable received from the At 21, he was elected to the New York > Universal House of Justice: Spiritual Assembly, and, as the youngest > member, served with many of the early dis- > GRIEVE PASS ING STEADFAST STALWART tinguished Baha'is such as Horace Holley, > SERVANT CAUSE GOD HABIB HABIBI. HIS UN - Philip Sprague, Mirza 'Ali-Kuli Khan, and > TIRING EFFORTS RELATED ACQUISITION ONE others. At this time he decided to give up > OF THE HOLI EST SITES IN IRAN, HIS DEVOTED any aspirations á toward an acting career so > BAHA'I ACTIVITIES ENGLAND, HIS PIONEER- that he might devote more time to Baha'i > IN G TO MALTA AND INDIA, HIS GENEROUS activities. During those early years, he was > CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CAUSE OF GOD, actively involved with the Green Acre > ARE FONDLY REMEMBERED. PRAYING HOLY Summer School where he studied with many > SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL ABHA KlNGDOM. early disciples of 'Abdu ' l-Baha who would > KINDLY CONVEY OUR LOVING CONDOLENCES eventually be responsible for the spread > ALL MEMBERS FAMILY. of the Faith throughout North and South > PAULrNE SENIOR AND WILMA HABIBI America and abroad. > In 1941, he married Keith Gettinger to > whom he taught the Faith, and they became > the parents of Philip James, Kirnon Joseph > ROBERT JOSEPH QUIGLEY and May Maxwell Quigley. During World > 1912-1989 War II, he enlisted in the non-combatant > branch of the United States Navy where he > Robert Quigley was 19 years old when he served for three-and-a-half years . Shortly > first heard of the Baha'i Faith. He was acting after being discharged, Bob and Keith started > in a show in Washington, D .C. , when he a television production company, which > was offered a ride to his home in New York became highly successful over the years. > City by Philip Sprague, a prominent Baha' i In May of 1956, Shoghi Effendi gave perteacher who, as a young man, had met mission for Bob and his wife to travel to the > 'Abdu'l-Baha when He visited New York. Holy Land for pilgrimage. While there, Bob > Bob Quigley frequently referred to this jour- was inspired to join his close friends, William > ney as the turning point in his life. and Marguerite Sears, who were pioneers to > En route to New York, Mr. Sprague ex- South Africa. Within three weeks Bob too > plained the Station of the Bab, Baha'u'llah was in South Africa, to be joined shortly > and 'Abdu'l-Baha and answered the young after by his wife and three children. They > actor's questions. Although he had been remained in Johannesburg for over three > raised a Roman Catholic since his birth on years, where Bob served as an Auxiliary > 13 March 1912, and he was not consciously Board member as well as a member of the > seeking an alternative religion, Bob could National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa. > hardly believe what he heard. As soon as When the Quigley family returned to the > they arrived, he went directly to St. Agnes United States in 1960, Bob resumed his > Church where he and his family had been career in television and his production commembers for years . He knelt at the altar and pany reached even higher peaks of success, > opened the Baha ' i prayer book Mr. Sprague resulting in several "Emmys", the prestigious > had given him, and his acceptance of award given for excellence in the television > Baha'u ' llah and His Faith was instant. industry. He was elected to the National > Shortly thereafter he was enrolled as a Assembly of the United States and served > Baha'i youth and became very active in for five years . Throughout this period he > teaching, his natural charm and radiant spirit continued his long collaboration with the > attracting many seekers . Hand of the Cause of God William Sears > 950 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > DEEPLY SADDENED PASS ING DEARLY LOVED > ROBERT QUIGLEY. PROFOUN DLY GRATEFUL > HI S LONG YEARS CONSTANT DEVOTION > CAUSE BAHA' U'LLAH DISTINGUI SHED BY HIS > OUTSTANDING, SACRIFI CIAL SERVICES AS > PIONEER AFRICA TOGETH ER WITH HAND > OF TH E CAUSE WILLIAM SEA RS AND HIS > MEMBERSH IP NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASS EM- > BLY UN ITED STATES. HUM OR WITH WHICH > HE ENCOURAGED SERVICE AN D LIGHTENED > BURDENS OTHERS WARMLY REM EMBERED. > ARD ENTLY PRAYING PROGRESS HI S RADI ANT > SOUL DIV INE WORLDS. KINDLY CONVEY OUR > LOVING SYMPATHY DEAR KEITH AN D FAM ILY. > PHILIP O ' B RI EN > > ROBERT W. MCLAUGHLIN > 1900- 1989 > > Robert Joseph Quigley Robert William McLaughlin was born in > Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A., on 24 June > producing audio-visual mate1ial, books, plays, 1900, but most of his childhood was spent in > films, and other teaching aids and projects Brooklyn, New York. His father was a wellwhich were used throughout the world. Using known Congregational minister and author > his outstanding creativity as a television pro- who, in his books, strove to demonstrate that > ducer, he was dedicated to advancing the Christ's perfect character and perfect teachawareness of the Faith through the media. ing had been "the two supreme events of > His enthusiasm and dedication remained history", and had shaped world events ever > constant for over 50 years as he witnessed since. Growing up in this atmosphere, young > the Faith grow into a world-wide commu- Bob and his three sisters were shielded > nity, resulting in the dedication of Houses of against the agnosticism which was then > Worship in Wilmette, Kampala, Sydney, becoming fashionable in the United States . > Frankfurt, and Panama, in addition to many After receiving his bachelor's degree from > world conferences, all of which he felt privi- Princeton University in 1921, Bob found his > leged to have been able to attend. Many plans for graduate studies in architecture > have heard him speak of his unforgettable inte1rupted by tuberculosis, which he overmeeting with the beloved Guardian. He came by spending two years at a sanatorium > always felt that his Baha'i life was filled with in Saranac Lake, New York. During this > unlimited bounties. period of enforced rest, he read voraciously > Bob Quigley passed away on 27 November and corresponded widely, developing a love > 1989 and was buried at Inglewood Cemetery for literature and scholarship that was to > in California, near the grave of Thornton distinguish him throughout his life. After > Chase, the first American to embrace the regaining his health he returned to Princeton > Revelation ofBaha'u ' llah. and received his Master of Fine Arts degree > When his physical life ended, the Univer- in architecture in 1926. > sal House of Justice cabled the following In 1931 he married Katherine Lockwood > message: Thurber, known as Kakine, who was to be > IN MEMORIAM 951 > his life-long partner in all things-especially ti on of the interior of the House of Worship > in service to the Baha'i Faith. in Wilmette. He published several articles > During the 1930s and 1940s, Bob prac- about the architecture of this Mashriqu'lticed architecture with increasing success Adhkar (The Bahci 'i World, volume XI), and > and prominence. His more traditional designs often used it as a theme in public lectures > ranged from family residences to large about the Faith. > corporate and public buildings. At the same In 1948 the McLaughlins left Bedford > time, he developed new pre-fabrication Village where they had been isolated believtechniques for low-cost housing, and was ers and moved to Greenwich, thereby > awarded more than 20 patents in that field. helping to strengthen the Baha'i community. > He was also known for studies of construc- Then, in 1952, Bob was invited by Princeton > tion techniques, climate control, and what University to become Director of the School > would today be called the "ergonomics" of of Architecture. Knowing this demanding > buildings. He was a complete architect, pos- position would reduce his time available for > sessing a broad knowledge of architectural teaching the Faith, he sought advice from > history but willing and able to use the the beloved Guardian, who replied by cable: > newest techniques and materials. He was not ADVISE ACCEPT PR fNCETON POST LOVTNG > beholden to the architectural fashions of his PRA YERS- SHOGHI. > day. > During 1944, Bob and Kakine became Bob served as a member of the National > dissatisfied with what they saw as un-Chris- Spiritual Assembly of the United States for > tian attitudes prevalent in their Christian almost four years, from late 1953 until midconununity of Bedford Village, New York, a 1957, when he resigned because of other > community which rejected a proposal by the commitments. From 1957 until his retire- > United Nations to establish its world head- ment from Princeton in 1965, he divided his > quarters in that part of New York State. The time between university duties and travel- > McLaughlins began to search for a religion ling with Kakine to teach the Baha'i Faith, > whose adherents would embrace the entire mostly in Mexico, Central America, and the > world, and were soon introduced to the Caribbean. During his many trips to Mexico > Baha'i Faith by Peter and Rene Welsh of and Central America, he became knowlnearby Greenwich, Connecticut. edgeable in Mayan art and architecture. In > Bob became a Baha'i in October 1944, 1965, he donated to Princeton University > and Kakine followed suit a few weeks later. a photographic index of some 20,000 pre- > In the summer of 1945, the McLaughlins Columbian artifacts that he had analyzed. > attended Green Acre Baha'i School, begin- In 1965, the McLaughlins moved to York, > ning a relationship with G1:een Acre that Maine, where Bob had lovingly restored an > would span four decades. During the 1950s old farmhouse not far from Green Acre. > they returned to Green Acre several times Freed from the demands of university life, > with their two children, Meredith and the McLaughlins used their farmhouse as a > Robert. base for local, national and international > In November 1945, Bob and Kakine were Baha'i activities and as a quiet haven for > appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly Baha' i visitors from all over the world. In > to the Regional Teaching Committee for the about 1970, the McLaughlins helped to form > State of New York. During the next seven a Local Assembly in York. > years, they were both active in teaching In 1962, the International Baha'i Council > activities throughout the State. had requested Bob's help in confronting a > Starting in 1947, Bob McLaughlin served serious threat to the Baha 'i properties on > on a Technical Advisory Board for construe- Mount Carmel: plans by local Haifa authorities > 952 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > decision to begin the selection of a design for > the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, > the House generously noted: > .. .MOVED PAY TRIBUTE EXPRESS HEARTFELT > GRATITUDE OUTSTANDING SERVICES ROB ERT > MCLAUGHLIN IN PREPARATION FOR TJ-IIS > HISTORIC UNDERTAKING. > Bob also served as architectural consultant to the Universal House of Justice for > the building of the Panama Temple. In 1964, > Bob had advised the Universal House of > Justice about solicitation of design proposals > for the House of Worship in Panama, then > from 1966 to 1972 he worked closely with > the architect, Peter Tillotson, and with the > National Assembly of Panama, to ensure > that the instructions of the House of Justice > were followed and that the Temple was > ready for its joyous dedication in Riqvan of > 1972. > Robert W McLaughlin In 1977, Bob served as consultant to > the Universal House of Justice in evaluatto "improve" existing roads running through ing several designs submitted for the > those properties and to add new ones. In Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Apia, Samoa. None > 1964, the Universal House of Justice had of the designs submitted that year was > amplified this request, calling for a master judged adequate, but the process of evaluaplan that would show the long-term develop- tion helped to clarify architectural options, > ment of the Sacred Properties, including and thereby contributed indirectly to selection > new terraces, buildings, monuments and of the superior design that was later submitgardens that would one day adorn Mount ted and built. > Caimel. After moving to Maine, both McLaughlins > Bob first submitted such a plan to the taught courses and gave lectures at Green > House of Justice in 1965. In subsequent Acre. Bob served on the Green Acre Council > meetings with local authorities in Haifa, his and helped the school on questions of > gentle manner and impressive knowledge construction, renovation and landscaping. In > of city planning helped to convince them 1980 he received the Reimer A ward from > that the long-term interests of Haifa would the Green Acre Council in recognition of > be better served by a verdant and beautiful dedicated services to that school over many > Baha'i World Centre, open to all, than by a years. > series of little roads that would do little to Throughout his years as a Baha'i, Bob > alleviate the city's growing traffic problems. was fascinated by the richness and power > From 1964 through the mid-1970s, Bob of the language used in the Baha'i Writings. > continued to serve as architectural consult- As he studied copies of the Sacred Texts he > ant to the Universal House of Justice for the am1otated them in his fine architect's hand, > development of Baha'i properties on Mount adding thousands of definitions, derivations > Carmel, visiting Haifa many times to offer and cross-references. In 1977 he informally > his suggestions as new challenges arose. In circulated to some Baha'i friends copies of > June 1972, in a cablegram announcing its Words about the Word, a compilation of > IN MEMORIAM 953 > > uplifting passages drawn from the Sacred STATES AND ACTIVITIES CONNECTED WITH > Writings. GREEN ACRE SCHOOL AND AS TRA YEUNG > In subsequent years, he devoted himself TEACHER GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGED. AR- > to analysis of a single passage that appears DENTLY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS > HIS NOBLE SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. OUR > three times in the Writings of Baha'u'llah, > LOVING SYMPATHY SURROUNDS DEAR > and of which Bob wrote: "This Tablet stands > KATHERINE AND FAMILY FOR WHOSE CONSO- > as a pinnacle from which salient points of > LATION AND WELL-BEING PRAYERS ARE ALSO > past Revelation may be viewed. About it > BEING OFFERED. > are spread the fertile plains, towering peaks > ROBERT T. MCLAUGHLIN > and flowing streams of the Revelation of > Baha'u'llah. Each word of these verses is a > sign-post leading to riches in His Word." > The resulting study was published as These PA TEPAERU ARIKI > (Lady Davis) > Perspicuous Verses (George Ronald, 1982). > 1922-1990 > During his later years, Bob became > intrigued by similarities between some of > It is recorded in a letter from Edith Daniel- > President Woodrow Wilson's "14 Points and > son dated 21 January 1960 that: "Pa Ariki, > subsequent addresses", as enunciated in > queen of the Ngatangiia District of Raro- > 1919-especially those describing a League > tonga, Cook Islands, has become a Baha'i". > of Nations-and the principles of the Faith. > Edith became acquainted with Pa Ariki > He began to investigate whether President > Wilson or his close associates had any in 1953, shortly after Edith had arrived in > Rarotonga. "She was one of the very few > contact with Baha'is or access to Baha'i > who asked about the Faith," Edith wrote She > literature. After considerable research he > found a possible connection through, the read Baha 'u 'llah and the New Era. Before > President's first wife, Ellen Wilson, an artist long she was speaking of the Faith and > who before her death in 1914 had close con- expounding its principles far and wide. > tacts with at least one Baha'i artist. Before One day I asked her why it was that she > his passing Bob prepared a short monograph believed but did not affiliate. She had two > on this subject, identifying additional leads problems. One was being of the nobility. > that future researchers might follow. It was her ancestors who had welcomed > Shortly after Bob McLaughlin 's passing the first Christian missionaries (London > on 30 November 1989, the Universal House Missionary Society) to the island and > of Justice cabled: became pillars of the church. The second > problem was that by tradition, if she were > DEEPLY DEPLORE LOSS STEADFAST, OUT- to change her religion, at least the elders > STANDING SERVANT BAHA'U ' LLAH ROB ERT of her district would be duty bound to fol- > W. MCLAUGl-ILlN. GENTLENESS, DILJG ENCE > low where she led and this was not the > CHARACTER IZED HIS UNSTINTING SERV ICES > Baha'i way of independent choice. I > CAUSE OF GOD OVER PERIOD MANY YEARS, > remember the many star-spangled eve- > DISTINGU ISHED BY EXPERTISE WH ICH AS > nings and even rainy nights we drove > ARCH ITECTURAL CONSULTANT I-I E LENT TO > about the island talking, finally ending up > MANY BAHA'i PROJECTS, I CLUDING TEMPLES > WILMETTE, PANAMA CITY, APIA AND WHICH > in her front yard sitting in the little car, > INVOLVED HIM PROMINENTLY IN CREATION > talking until two or three in the morning > PRELJMINARY PLANS TOWARDS REA LlZATION about the Faith, the world, the education > CONCEPT FOR DEVELOPMENT SACRED PROP- of people. Once she asked permission to > ERTIES MOUNT CARMEL. HIS MEMBERSHIP use Baha'i material in a talk she was > NATIONAL SP IRJTUAL ASSEMBLY UN ITED going to give. On Sunday afternoon or > 954 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > evening each village holds a meeting at During the hours that we sat and talked, > which a speaker is elected to pose ques- she often expressed her great desire for > tions prepared by the Oramatua (minister), her people to advance and her islands to > and one question of his own, then general prosper. She was immensely proud of her > discussion follows. Pa had been asked heritage. > many times but had always refused. She In 1984, the people of Samoa welcomed > said she had never felt she knew anything Pa Tepaem Ariki for the dedication of the > about God and was not qualified to speak Baha ' i House of Worship near Apia. On that > but 'now,' she said, 'I know something occasion she insisted on remaining with the > about Him and I want to tell it! ' When I Cook Islands contingent at a simple dwelling, > bade her a reluctant farewe ll in March rather than an acconunodation for dignitaries > 1958 she said, ' I think I will be a Baha'i as befitted her rank. This was typical of her > some day, but there are some things I feel humble attitude. > I must work out in my mind.' She was a member of the Local Spiritual > Pa Tepaeru Ariki became a Baha' i on Assemblies of Te Au 0 Tonga and Takitumu. > 4 October 1959. In 1985, she was elected to the first National > Tepaeru had been born 14 August 1922. Spiritual Assembly of the Cook Islands. > Her mother was Takirikou Potikitaua Mana- Pa Ariki rendered many important services > rangi, ofRua-o-te-Tonga, and her father was to the Baha' i Faith, attended many confer- > Taike Ariki M itiau, of Takitumu. Tepaeru ences and represented the Cook Islands in > was only nine years old when she received the Pacific. In 1985, she presented the Procthe title of Pa Ariki . From that time on she lamation ofBaha'u' llah to the Prime Minister > knew that she would become the Takitumu of the Cook Islands on behalf of the Universal > leader and was trained accordingly. She re- House of Justice and the National Assembly > ceived her education in New Zealand. of the Cook Islands. > In later years she became the distinguished The climax of her life came in 1986, when, > President of the House of Ariki- the house accompanied by her distinguished husband, > of the traditional chiefs-and was affection- Sir Thomas Davis, then Prime M inister, she > ately known by her people as "Aunty Pa." paid a visit to the Holy Land and the Univer- > "During the 30 years that I knew Pa sal House of Justice at its seat on Mount > Ariki," Suhayl 'Ala'i recalls, "I witnessed the Ca1m el, followed by a brief pilgrimage to > love and affection she showered upon every- the Baha' i holy places. > one in her charming and joyful manner. She Ever mindful of her position in Cook > was so proud of her extended fami ly. Islands society, Pa Ariki often called attention > "On my vis its to the Cook Islands she to a passage from the Tablets of Baha 'u ' llah > would often say to me, ' Let us walk through addressed to the kings and rulers of the > the town and meet some of my people'. We world: > would walk through A varue, stopping here > and there, and she would introduce many Fear the sighs and tears of this Wronged > of her family and friends. One, and lay not excessive burdens on > Pa Ariki was a staunch and outspoken your peoples. Do not rob them to rear > defender of her ideals. Her membership in palaces for yourselves ... Thus We unfo ld > the Baha'i community and her familiarity to your eyes that which profiteth you, ifye > with its principles greatly influenced her but perceived. Your people are your > way of thinking. She sháongly supported treasures. > the rights of women, the ideal of the one- These words governed all her actions. > nes s of humanity, the oneness of religion, Pa Tepaem Ariki passed away suddenly > and the rights of the individual. on 2 Febrnary 1990 at the age of 67 while on > IN MEMORIAM 955 > His restlessness and advanced ideas led > him to study Esperanto and to correspond in > that language with 72 people around the > world. One of his correspondents was a > Baha'i Esperantist in the United States, who > gave his address to Virginia Orbison when > she decided to pioneer to Spain in December > 1946, thereby opening that country to the > Faith. Mrs. Orbison was responding to the > call of the Guardian who had asked the > American Baha' i community to send nine > pioneers to Europe during the second Seven > Year Plan undertaken by the American > believers. > From the moment Manuel heard of the > Faith, he felt captivated by it and lived dedicated to its service. He accepted it formally > on 5 July 1947, becoming the third believer > to embrace the Faith in Spain. He was then > 24 years old. > Pa Tepaeru Ariki His family rejected him for his decision, > and he began a new life in connection with > a visit to New Zealand. The Cook Island the Faith. He participated actively in all > News reported: "As day breaks tomorrow, the teaching plans that Shoghi Effendi trans- > Rarotonga will be half way through eight mitted to the cornnmnity in the Iberian > hours of solemn ceremonies to mark the Peninsula, and he represented the Spanish > return home of the late Pa Tepaeru Ariki, community on various occasions at many > Lady Davis." international Baha'i events. He was a mem- > She was accorded the largest state funeral ber of the first National Spiritual Assembly > ever seen in the Cook Islands and the only of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Pmiugal), > one recognised by an official day of mourning. elected on 24 April 1957. > LILI AN ' AL1\'i Later in 1957, Manuel married Emilia > Garro Bermejo, and the couple pioneered > to the Dominican Republic, where Manuel > MANUEL GARCIA VAZQUEZ became the secretary of the first Local Spiri- > 1923-1990 tual Assembly of Santiago de los Caballeros. > They set up a school for native radio an- > Manuel Garcia Vazquez was born to Maria nouncers in their home, and their first > and Juan Garcia in Cabreiros, Orense Prov- daughter, Zoraida, was born there. > ince, Spain, on 20 August 1923. He lived in After the National Convention of the > that locality until he was 20 months old; then following year, he and his family left for > he lived in Chipiona, Cadiz, where his father Ciudad Trujillo as pioneers. > had moved as a teacher of primary school. Manuel served as secretary of the National > In 1939, Manuel moved with his family Spiritual Assembly of the Dominican Repubto Madrid, where he began to work for the lic and as a member of the first National > Hispano-American Bank, becoming secretary Radio Teaching Committee. The programmes > to the regional director of the central office about the Faith he created for radio were > of that banking corporation. broadcast on many stations. In 1962 he was > 956 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > provinces of Spain, from the border with > France to that of Portugal, to teach and open > those provinces to the Faith. > In 1980, the family moved again to Saragossa, where Manuel served as secretary of > the Local Assembly until 1989. In that city, > he created the Sisfor Institute, a centre which > conducted personal development courses for > groups of professionals. > The course of Manuel Garcia Vazquez's > Baha'i life was truly exemplary. He was an > untiring, sincere, dedicated, and enthusiastic soldier for the Faith from the time, at > 23 years of age, when he read, in only one > night, Dr. Esslemont's book Baha 'u 'llah > and the New Era. > Responding to the news of his death on > 9 February 1990, after an illness, the Universal House of Justice sent the following > message on 16 February to the National > Manuel Garcia Vazquez Spiritual Assembly of Spain: > > appointed to the Auxiliary Board. SADDENED NEWS PA SS ING STALWART > In 1965, he, his wife and their four chil- SERVANT BAHA' U'LLAH MANUEL GARCIA > dren-Zoraida, Juan Manuel, Alberto, and VAZQUEZ, ONE OF THE FIRST TO EMBRACE > Kasim-were forced to leave the country TH E CAUSE IN SPAIN. HI S RECORD DEVOTED > due to the revolution, and to leave their SERV ICES SPANN ING OVER FOUR DECADES > publicity business which had a staff of 32 UNFORGETTABLE. HI S MEMBERSH IP HISTOR IC > people. They returned to Spain, settling first FIRST LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMB LY MADRID, > in Madrid, and later in Zaragoza where SECRETARY FIRST NAT IONAL SP IRITUAL > Manuel served as Secretary of the Local ASSEMBLY IB ERIAN PENINSULA, HI S PIONEER- > Spiritual Assembly. ING DOMINICAN REPUBLI C AN D SEVERAL > Responding to the need for pioneers in HOM EFRONT GOAL TOWNS, HI S UNTIRING > the Basque area of the country, he settled EFFORTS TEACH ING , DEEPENING FIELDS > with his fami ly in Algorta, Vizcaya, in 1969, ARE WARMLY REMEMBERED. PRAYI NG HOLY > where they remained for nine years. At that SHRINES PROGRESS HI S RADLANT SOUL ABHA > time, he was a member of the National Radio KINGDOM. CONVEY LOV ING CONDOLENCE > Committee, to which he devoted much time MEMBERS HIS FAMI LY. > and energy. He created programmes for ZORA IDA GARCIA GARRO AND > > radio and attended all the Baha'i schools EM I LI A GARRO B ERMEJO > > held in Liria so that he could tape the sessions for broadcast afterwards for those who > were unable to attend, or for the believers > in general. He carried out this activity for > 14 years. > While living in Algorta, he travelled each > week to one of the capitals of the northern > IN MEMORIAM 957 > > KHODADAD H. V AJDI > 1928-1990 > > Born of Zoroastrian parents in Bombay, > India, in 1928, Khodadad Vajdi lost his > mother at the tender age of two and was > brought up by his aunt, Mrs. Daulat Vajdi, > who was very devoted and the only Baha'i > of the family. When Daulat went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1931, she took > Khodadad, who was then three years old, > and the child had the privilege of sitting on > the lap of the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahiyyih > Khanum. The Greatest Holy Leaf was reported to have said that he would grow up to be > a devoted and sincere servant of the Faith. > Upon completing his high school education at the age of 18, he offered his services > as one of the first pioneers from Bombay > to Dehra Dun in Uttar Pradesh in 1948-49, > under the Four-and-One-Half Year Teaching Khodadad Vajdi > Plan of the National Spiritual Assembly of > the Baha'is of India. He remained there for His love for mass teaching and his enthuone year, then had to return to Bombay to siasm in spreading the Faith in the vast > join his aunt's business. virgin land of India made him restless to > In 1953, Khodadad pioneered to East open new tenitories. He went to the north- > Africa under the Ten Year Plan of the eastern areas of India in 1964 where he > beloved Guardian. He opened Zanzibar, and took with him the available manpower from > was also responsible for opening Mafia and Madhya Pradesh, in consultation with the > Pemba islands to the Faith. His pioneering National Spiritual Assembly, and settled them > services were greatly appreciated by the as pioneers in Nagaland, Tripura, Assam, > Guardian. He returned to Bombay in 1955 as Manipur, and the border of Bhutan. He was > he could not extend his visa. Thereafter, he elected to the National Assembly oflndia in > served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of 1962, and served on this august institution > Bombay until 1959 and finally pioneered to until 1985 when ill health made it necessary > Ujjain after his maniage to Tahirah Boman, for him to resign. > daughter of Bahman and Shirin Boman. His international teaching trips extended > Inspired by the Hand of the Cause of God to Sikkim, the Andaman Islands, Mauritius > Ral.rmatu'llah Muhajir, Khodadad and Shirin and the Seychelles, Tanzania, Australia, and > Boman initiated the mass teaching campaign Fiji. > in Ujjain and Indore, Madhya Pradesh, in Khodadad was a man of the masses; they > 1961. Later, Khodadad encouraged a few adored him from their hearts. He would > Baha'i friends from Bombay to undertake confer with them, sit with them, and share in > mass teaching activities in the Saurashtra their joys and sonows. During mass teachand Dang areas in Gujarat, Balia in Uttar ing the villagers would listen to his talks on > Pradesh, and Rajasthan. He also contributed the Faith with rapt attention, as he had the > to opening the tribal areas of Bastar and art of capturing the minds of audiences. His > Jhabua to the Faith. talents were also exhibited in his book > 958 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > Human Happiness , wherein he traced the friend of Kathryn Frankland, one of the dishistory and teachings of the Faith in lucid tinguished early American believers. With > style. Kathryn' s help, Mabel began to serve the > His temperament and technique of reach- Faith quite diligently. She held firesides and > ing the elite classes was also noteworthy. study classes in her home, and became > He endeared himself to the audience with his active in women's organizations. > scholarly discourse punctuated by wit and On 18 October 1912, having heard that > examples from daily life. People remember 'Abdu ' l-B aha was in Los Angeles, Mabel > him for his illuminating talks which left took Edris and Colston to the hotel where > indelible impressions on their minds . the Master was staying. They spent over an > A selfless and devoted Baha' i, Khodadad hour with 'Abdu ' l-Baha in His room. Both > passed to the Abha Kingdom on 16 February Edris and Colston sat on 'Abdu ' l-Baha 's > 1990. As a tribute to his services to the knee and were given cookies. Some years > Cause of God, the following message was later, in response to a letter from their > sent by the Universal House of Justice: mother, 'Abdu ' l-Baha bestowed the name > Rawshan ("brilliance") on Edris, and Rul_J.i > GRJEVED PASSING KHODADAD VAJD I DEDI- on Colston, and revealed in their honor the > CATED SERVANT FAITH !NOIA WHOSE UN- well-known prayer for children that begins: > INTERRUPTED SERV ICES PARTICULARLY IN "O my Lord! 0 my Lord! I am a child of ten- > TEACHJNG, PIONEERING FIELDS WILL EVER der years . Nourish me from the breast of > BE REMEMBERED. HE IS NUMBERED AMONG Thy mercy ... " > THOSE FEW STALWART PROMOTERS FAITH The family moved to Detroit, Michigan, > ASSOCJA TED WITH PROCESS MASS TEACHING in 1914, and during the next few years, > IN IN DIA. HI S EXPLOITS IN EXPANS ION CON- summers were passed at Green Acre Baha ' i > SO LIDATION PROJECTS AMONG RURAL AND School where Edris and Colston spent much > TRJBAL AREAS BLESSED Tl-IE lND IAN COMMU- time with many of the most distinguished > NITY WITH OUTSTANDING VICTOR IES. ASSURE of the early North American believers: the > LOVING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS Maxwells, Haneys, Randalls, Obers, and Keith > HIS RADIANT SOUL AB HA KINGDOM SOLACE Ransom-Kehler, among others. Theron and > BEREAVED FAM ILY. Mabel eventually divorced, and in 1920, > OR. TAH I RAH VAJDI Mabel married Howard Colby Ives. > Edris graduated in 1927 from Vassar > College, then entered Cornell University > DR. EDRIS RA WSHAN RrCE-WRA Y Medical College. She soon transferred to > 1904-1990 Northwestern University Medical School, > there receiving her medical degree in 1932. > Edris was born in Newark, New Jersey, On 30 March 1929, she had married Robert > U.S .A., on 21 January 1904, to Theron Carson, and later bore two daughters, Lynn > Canfield and Mabel Rice-Wray. She had and Barbara. > two brothers, Landon Carter, who died as a In the midst of this intense period, she > child, and Colston, two years younger than was a devoted Baha'i, speaking on occasion > Edris. Mabel had become a Baha' i sometime at the House of Worship in Wilmette. She > before 1900, a few years before her mar- was famous for her hospitality, sometimes > riage. Although Theron never became an having guests for months. One frequent > active Baha'i, he held 'Abdu ' l-Baha in great guest was Dorothy Baker, who often stayed > esteem. with Edris during the late 1930s when she > In 1909, the family moved to the Los was in Wilmette for the meetings of the > Angeles area where Mabel became a good National Spiritual Assembly. During this > JN MEMORIAM 959 > period Edris deputized her mother's and > Howard Colby Ives' teaching trips, and > later, when they were living with her, Edris > persuaded Mr. Ives to record his memories > of the Master, resulting in the much loved > book, Portals to Freedom. > After a residence in medicine, and 15 years > of practice as an internist in the Chicago > area, Dr. Rice-Wray moved to the Caribbean > in answer to the call of the Guardian for > pioneers to Latin America. She arrived in > Puerto Rico in 1948 with her two daughters > (she and her husband had divorced), and she > accepted a position with the Health Department of Puerto Rico. This change to the field > of public health brought forth her organizational skills, her zeal and public spirit as she > became Director of Field Training for the > Health Department. > She accepted a scholarship in Public Health > at the University of Michigan, receiving her Dr. Edris Rice-Wray > Master's degree in 1950 and qualifying for > the American Board of Preventive Medicine. and the Margaret Sanger A ward from the > Plunging into service to the disadvantaged, Planned Parenthood Federation a few years > she found the grave problems of poor and before her death. > ignorant mothers to be an overwhelming con- On her retirement in 1973, she became > cern, and she seized upon the resolution of professor of population studies at the Unitheir material problems as her primary inter- versity of the Americas in Puebla. > est for the remainder of her professional life. Dr. Rice-Wray's Baha'i activities in Mexico > In 1956, Dr. Gregory Pincus enlisted her continued apace with her busy professional > services as a research collaborator for field years as physician, pioneer, mother, and > tests of Enovid, the first endocrine contra- teacher. She was elected to the first National > ceptive agent which permitted rational Spiritual Assembly of Mexico in 1961 , and > family planning for needy women. Moving continued to serve on it for the fo llowing six > with her two daughters to Mexico City in years. She was also very active in many > 1957, she accepted a position with the World women's organizations, speaking at confer- > Health Organization. ences and events, including the First Asian > In Mexico City, Dr. Rice-Wray opened Baha'i Women's Conference, held in India > a family planning clinic, organized the first in 1978. > national Family Planning Association for On 19 February 1990, Dr. Edris Rawshan > Mexico, established a Maternal Health Rice-Wray passed away at her pioneering > Association, and later a Foundation for Pop- post in Puebla, Mexico. The National Spiritual > ulation Studies. She published a number of Assembly of Mexico received the following > scientific papers, and received international message from the Universal House of Justice, > recognition and a number of awards including sent on 22 February 1990: > the Sesquicentelillial Award for "Knowledge, Wisdom and the Comage to Serve" SADDENED NEWS PASSING DEDICATED VET- > from the University of Michigan in 1967, ERAN PIONEER TIRELESS DISTINGU ISHED > 960 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > PROMOTER CAUSE GOD DR. EDRJS RICE-WRAY. > HER LONG RECORD UNFORG ETTABLE SERVICES > BOTH TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATNE FIELDS > ESPEC IALLY MEXICO HOLDS PROMISE BOUN- > TIFUL REW ARD. OUTSTANDING SCIENTIFIC > SERVI CES MANKIND ALSO RECALLED. FER- > VENTLY SUPPLICATING SACRED THRESHOLD > PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOUL WORLDS BE- > YOND. KINDLY CONVEY HEARTFELT SYMPATHY > HER RELATIVES AND FRJ ENDS. > > Adapted from Tributes by > MRS. JEANNE SERRANO AND D R. D A VI D R UHE > > APARICIA ORTIZ GUTIERREZ > 1957-1990 > > Aparicia Ortiz Gutierrez was born in Honduras in the Garifuna village of San Pedro de > Tocamacho, municipality of Iriona in the Aparicia Ortiz Gutierrez > Department of Colon, on 14 February 1957. > Her parents were Mr. Maximo Ortiz and permanent teaching team was established in > Mrs. Paula Gutierrez. the village of Sambo Creek, and Aparicia > Her childhood was spent in the place of decided to give two months of her time to > her birth, and she attended primary school to work on this group. The team consisted > grade five . Her mother was a Baha'i, and in of six Garifunas drawn from around the > her youth Aparicia was devoted to teaching country. She was the heart of the team: an > Baha'i children' s classes in addition to dem- example of purity, devotion, self-sacrifice, > onstrating to her own people and to strangers and dedication for all the others. In all the > the qualities and virtues pointed out in the towns she rapidly won the respect and admi- > Sacred Writings. ration of the people for her radiant example > Aparicia married Daniel Martinez and of service and sacrifice. > gave birth to four children: Patricia, Claudia Then in February, the National Spiritual > Ondina, Julia Vanessa, and Melvin Omar, all Assembly of Honduras decided to send a > of whom became believers. When her sister team of Garifuna ttáavelling teachers to the > passed away, Aparicia also adopted her sis- Garifuna people of Livingston, Guatemala, > ter's twins: Juan Eloy and Juan Guillermo. for the first time. Although Aparicia was > Following ancient customs, she worked in eager to return home to be with her children, > planting and harvesting the root vegetable she agreed to travel to Guatemala to serve > yucca, and preparing cassava . She did not her Lord in the new field of service. > neglect her good habits and the fulfilment of Nearing Livingston, she fell ill from a pain > her material and spiritual duties, particularly in her heart. Three hours after arriving, she > in the raising of her children and assisting her died suddenly of a heart attack. She had a > mother at home with support of the family. Baha' i funeral at the cemetery of Pue1io > In January 1990, a new national teaching Barrios in Guatemala. She is survived by her > 1111tiatlve was launched by the National children and by her siblings: Jorge, Nolasca, > Spiritual Assembly of Honduras. The first Edna, and Jeronimo. > IN MEMORIAM 961 > Aparicia was the first Garifuna believer distinguished him in his personal, social, and > to give her life for Baha'u ' llah . As one of spiritual life. > her companions on the team expressed, "she As a child his parents, especially his mother > was too good and pure for this world". who was from the renowned religious family > Upon hearing of her passing, the Universal of Arjumand, had inculcated in him love and > House of Justice sent the following message respect for the Faith and he was always > on 16 March 1990 to the National Spiritual filled with devotion. When he obtained his > Assembly of the Baha'is of Honduras: first automobile and worked as a taxi driver, > on any trip when he took passengers to ' Iraq > DEEPLY TOUCHED ACCOUNT LOVE DEVOTION or Lebanon, he would take the opportunity > APARICIA ORTIZ. MAY HER EXAMPLE BE to visit the Holy Places of the Baha'i Faith > SOURCE STRENGTH FOR BAHA'I COMMUN ITY as a pilgrim and had the privilege of many > HONDURAS ENSURING HER LABOURS IN CAUSE meetings with the beloved Guardian . > MAY YIELD ABUNDANT HARVEST. KINDLY I:Jabib married Bahereh (Bahirih) Khamsi > ASSURE FAMILY FRIENDS OF APARI CIA OF of Rasht, the daughter of Siyyid AlJmad > PRAYERS IN HOLY SHRINES FOR PROGRESS Khamsi Baqiraf, a prominent Baha'i and a > HER SOUL IN ALL WORLDS OF GOD. companion of'Abdu ' l-Baha in Paris, Germany, > Austria and Budapest. Her grandfather was > NAT IONAL SPIRITUAL A SSEMBLY Sadat Khamsi , a title given by the Blessed > OF HO NDURAS > Beauty. I:Jabib and Bahirih had two sons, > Iradj (Iraj) and Hormoz (Hurmuz). > I:Jabib began his career in a bicycle repair > HABIB SABET shop, subsequently becoming the founder > (I:Jabib Thabit) of a woodworking factory and over 40 com- > 1903-1990 panies, amongst which are Television of Iran, > the Pepsi Cola subsidiary in Iran, General > I:Jabib Thabit was a distinguished Iranian Tire, and Iran Volkswagen. He was a mem- > Baha'i, an entrepreneur and an industrialist. ber of the Board of Directors of Iranians' > He was born in a modest family in Tihran Bank, the Industrial Mining and Developin 1903 and passed away in Los Angeles, ment Bank, and the Bank of Iran. He was at > California, U.S.A., on 20 February 1990. the same time Board member of many other > The more successful he was in material companies and prestigious banks of Iran as > gain and fame, the more enthusiastic he was well as the Baha' i Children ' s Saving Comin his service to the Faith of Baha'u'llah, pany ofNawnahalan. > especially to fulfil the wishes and plan s of When the Shah closed the Baha'i schools > his beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi. There- in Persia in 1934 and communication with > fore , to describe the life of I:Jabib Thabit, the Baha'i World Centre was cut off, I:Jabib > one should write about the parallel progress and Bahirih, on instruction of the National > of the material and spiritual. Spiritual Assembly of Persia, immediately > A self-made man, I:Jabib only had the departed from Tihran and reached the Holy > privilege of a few years of education , first Land within 48 hours . They presented the > at the Tarbiyat Baha'i School, and then at plea of the National Spiritual Assembly and > the Saint Louis French School in Tihran received the answer and guidance for them. > which he attended while receiving payment On this occasion the beloved Guardian > as a private tutor of affluent children. There- showered love and bounty on the couple and > fore, it was neither his education, nor his told them that they were the first to reach > family background which brought him to the the World Centre so quickly. He said that > highest position of entrepreneurship, nor soon they would be able to have breakfast in > 962 THE BAHA 'i WORLD > > the second Baha'i century, and coinciding > with the termination of the first year of > the World Spiritual Crusade ... The site of > the Siyah-Chal-that pestilential subterranean Pit, the scene of the birth of > Baha'u ' llah's prophetic Mission, and the > holiest place in the capital city of His > native land-has been recently purchased, > together with the surrounding area, involving an expenditure of approximately four > hundred thousand dollars contributed by > a Persian follower of the Faith ... > > For over 20 years, I:Iabib Thabit served > as a member of the National Spiritual > Assembly of Persia, often using his good > relationship with the authorities or friends > to protect the Baha'is from persecution. In > 1955, the Baha'is of Persia were endangered > when Shaykh MuJ:iammad Taqi Falsafi made > Habib Sabet false accusations against the Baha'i Faith on > the government radio and incited the people > Tihran and lunch at the World Centre. This to massacre the Baha'is and confiscate their > was realized within a few years when the air precious centres and properties, a plan in > service was established between Persia and which the Shah, the government, and the > the Holy Land. clergy became involved. > While expanding his commercial activi- Mr. Thabit, under the guidance of the > ties, I:Iabib was proud that thousands of Guardian, and without regard for the danger > Baha'is, who were not able to work as civil and risk to his life, met with the authorities, > servants or at private jobs, could make their including the Shah, government ministers, > living by working in his companies and fac- and influential friends. Consequently, along > tories. This was a great service in those days with other measures taken at the instruction > of bitter animosity toward the Baha'is. of the Guardian, such as appeals to the Shah, > I:Iabib's wealth and wise behaviour to- Parliament, and the United Nations by all > wards prominent people allowed him to Baha'i localities in the world, the situation > befriend them, socially or officially, includ- changed and instead of massacre, the army > ing the highest government officials. This received orders to protect the Baha'is. > helped him to protect the Baha'i friends and On that occasion, Shoghi Effendi sent to > to accomplish the most difficult goal Shoghi Mr. Thabit the following cable: > Effendi assigned to Persia during the Ten DEEPLY APPRECIATE OUTSTANDING SERVICES. > Year Plan. He managed by long, wise, and On the eve of the last day of Mr. Thabit's > careful planning to purchase the Siyah-Chal, last pilgrimage, on 17 December 1956, the > the dungeon in Tihran. The Guardian, in a beloved Guardian, in the presence of other > message to the Baha'i world on 6 April 1954, pilgrims, stated: "He is the standard bearer > stated: of the oppressed, defender and helper of the > Faith ." Then turning to Mr. Thabit, the > On the eve of this Ric;!van Festival mark- Guardian said, "Your title will be Na~iri ' d­ > ing the opening of the second decade of Din" (Defender of the Faith). > IN M EMORIAM 963 > > Mr. Thabit resided in the United States ROSTAM SABET > for some years before the Islamic revolution (Rustam Thabit) > and never returned to Iran after 1978. The 1902-1990 > new government confiscated all his assets, > companies, factories , properties and private Rustam Thabit was born in Poona, India, on > residences, and so on, which he had acquired 15 July 1902. His father, Khusraw Biman, a > over 70 years of struggle and personal initia- Zoroastrian farmer who emigrated from Pertive . Consequently all the Baha'is working sia to escape religious persecution, had been > in these establishments were discharged, led to embrace the Faith of Baha'u'llah in > without compensation for their many years India through his contacts with I:Iaji Mirza > of labor and without pensions, and several Siyyid Afnan. His mother, Sarvar, worked > were subsequently executed. unceasingly to help run the family business > When Mr. Thabit passed away, the Uni- and to rear their seven children to be dediversal House of Justice sent the following cated believers, thus enabling her husband to > message to his widow on 22 February 1990: be free to teach the Cause. > Poona had a flourishing Local Spiritual > Share your grief passing veteran servant Assembly by the time Rustam finished his > Cause Habib Sabet. His steadfastness secondary education. He has written: > in devotion Beloved Guardian, his coura- I was 18 when the first general letter of > geous efforts in defense community cradle the Guardian to the Baha'i world was > Faith, his unique role in acquisition vital received, followed by others, and by his > sacred site Teheran lovingly remembered. superb translations of some of the Writ- > Offer heartfelt condolences to you and ings of Baha'u ' llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha. > through you to entire family. Praying Holy How captivating they were, how enthral- > Shrine progress his soul Abha Kingdom. ling. Like a magnet they gripped one and > you could not put them down till you > At his funeral at the Los Angeles Baha' i reached the end. I well remember starting > Center, over 3,000 people, including the on the Kitab-i-Iqan in the afternoon of the > Baha'i friends of California and nearby states day it was received and reading on until > and a great number of non-Baha'is, were the early hours of the next morning. > present and witnessed the simplicity and Rustam enrolled in Bombay University in > dignity of a Baha'i ceremony. Mr. Thabit 1918, but his formal education ended after > was buried at the Inglewood Cemetery near one month when he got typhoid, and then his > Thornton Chase's grave. brother Suhrab died, requiring him to return > N ewspapers, including the New York home to help with the business. In 1926, he > Times of24 February 1990, radio and televi- married Banoo (Bami), who came from > sion broadcasters announced his death and Yazd, Persia, and their union brought forth > praised his life. In New York, the Canadian two children, Mary and Ruhi (Rul;i) . > Ambassador to Iran, a former Prime Minis- After working assidiously for the Faith, > ter, and prominent personalities spoke at a he was elected to serve on the National > Baha'i commemoration service attended by Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma in > over 1,000 persons. 1933, and was duly elected secretary. On > HORMOZ SA BET 28 December 1935 , he arrived in Haifa for > (Hurmuz Thabit) his first pilgrimage and meeting with the > Guardian, whom he would come to correspond with often in the following years. > Rustam served as the secretary of the > National Assembly oflndia and Burma until > 964 THE BAH A' I WORLD > > National Assembly and resumed the arduous > task of secretary. It was around that time that > the Assembly transferred its headquarters > from Poona to New Delhi. Evidently when > the move was completed, the Guardian sent > a message to the Assembly to the effect that > the Baha 'is of India were at last emerging > from the confusion which had surrounded > their community since its birth in their native > land, followed by a gracious line of praise of > Mr. Thabit's contribution to this transformation. > After a time, Rustam approached Shoghi > Effendi for permission to move from India > and was advised that he could go to Europe. > The last letter he received from the Guardian > while in India, dated 4 November 1950, > included these words: > Dear and valued co-worker: > I wish to assure you in person of my > Rostam Sabet > deep and abiding sense of appreciation of > your long record of historic services to > 1938, when the Thabits joined Rustam's > our beloved Faith, and of my loving and > brother and his wife and moved to Persia. > ardent prayers on your behalf, that you > Before making the trip, they cashed in their > may, wherever you may labour in the > insurance policies to use for acquiring Holy > days to come, be graciously assisted to > Places in Persia, saving only enough cash > enrich this splendid record, and render > for their own travel expenses and enough to > still greater services to the infant institusurvive for a few weeks. > tions of our glorious Faith. > Rustam took employment with the Anglo- > Your hue and grateful brother, Shoghi. > Iranian Oil Company, and became known > for speaking up for the rights of labourers. The Thabit family left India in December > He was also known for his honesty and 1950, and initially took up residence in > integrity, which caused him to be promoted Brighton, England, where they helped form > several times until he was offered a top the Local Assembly. The scarcity of work > management position in Qazvin. But because forced them to move to London where, > pioneers were not needed in that city, he among other jobs, Rustam sold insurance. > rejected the job and applied for a visa to pio- Their time in London was followed by varineer to Quetta in Baluchistan, India, where ous moves to at least 15 different locations > he and his family anived in April 1944. In in the United Kingdom, some of which were > all, during his lifetime, he and his family pioneering posts, including the towns of > completed eight moves from one country to Hove, Reading, Corby, and Wokingham > another, twenty-one moves within countries, Rural Distiáict. The family spent 12 years in > and occupied forty-two houses. Hamilton, Scotland, and were instrumental > Rustam arrived in India in time to partici- in forming the Local Assembly of East > pate in the Baha' i Centenary celebrations Kilbride . > which were being held in Bombay. Quite In his later years, Mr. Thabit's services > soon, he again found himself elected to the mainly involved his amazing capacities for > IN MEMORIAM 965 > reviewing and editing, much use being made the Faith to thousands of country folk, and > of his exceptional personal library, where he helped to open up many difficult areas > his immense knowledge of the Baha' i Writ- throughout Ecuador. > ings and his eagle eye for errors proved He had been taught the Faith by Counsellor > invaluable. At one point he was invited by Raul Pavon, who later related how Rufino > the Universal House of Justice to spend six suffered in some areas from the hands of the > precious months at the Baha' i World Centre people he went to teach, and how in one > proofreading material for The Baha 'i World. village they beat him until he was uncon- > Rustam Thabit passed away on 21 March scious and left him for dead. Raul said when > 1990. The following message was sent by he tried to encourage Rufino to return to that > the Universal House of Justice: village, Rufino feared being killed, but after > a year he found strength and courage to > GR IEVE D NEWS PASSING DEVOTED PROMOTER return. To hi s surpri se the people came run- > CAUSE GOD ROSTAM SABET. HI S SfNCERE ning to greet him and wanted to know where > SE RVI CES DURI NG HIS ENT IRE Lll'E MAN IFOLD he had been and why he had not returned > CA PA CITI ES UNFORGETTABLE. CONVEY SYM- to tell them more about the Faith. On this > PATH Y LOVE RELATIVES FRIENDS. ASSURE trip the whole vill age accepted the Faith and > ARDENT PRAYERS PROGRESS HIS NOB LE SOU L treated him royally. > AB HA KI NG DOM . On another occasion Rufino and the > renowned Baha'i teacher, Teresa Jara, were > Based on in formation provided by the LOCAL > SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAH A 'is OF BRIGHTON, > imprisoned because the police suspected > ENGLAND, and on the memoirs of Mr. Thabit. they were communists. The police brought > him to Quito and put him in prison. They > finally said he could go free if he paid a > RUFINO GU ALA vrsf FARIN AN GO small fine, but Rufino said he was innocent > 1905- 1990 of wrongdoing and would not pay anything. > When the National Assembly heard that he > UN IVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTI CE was incarcerated, they sent a commission to > DEA R RUFfNO GU ALA VIS! TREASURED MASS get him out of jail. The commission was suc- > TEAC HER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF ECUA DOR cessful in obtaining his release, but Rufino > PASSE D ABHA KINGDOM MARCH 23 . REQUEST had already charmed the guards and the pris- > YOUR PRAYERS FOR TI-LE PROGRESS OF HIS oners by telling them about the Baha'i Faith > SOUL. and reading prayers to them. The prisoners > NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY asked him if he could stay longer and teach > OF THE BAHA' is OF ECUADO R them some more prayers and he was allowed > to stay two more days! > The renowned indigenous Baha' i teacher, When he left prison he went directly to > Rufino Gualavisi Farinango, passed away the home of the Auxiliary Board member in > on 23 March 1990 in Otavalo, Ecuador. His Quito smiling and as happy as he could be. > wife, Alejandrina de Gualavisf, was with A number of friends present gathered around > him, and pioneers Ralph Dexter and Nooshin him to listen to his account of his experi- > Burwell were at his bedside praying softly ences during the previous ten days. All were > and continuously the Greatest Name as he awed, for they had only heard of the martyrs > winged hi s flight toward his Beloved being happy in prison! > Baha' u' ll ah. Almost everyone who met Rufino felt he > Rufino was without a doubt on e of was "special" because he was so courteous, > Baha' u ' llah's most radiant, audacious, yet considerate, and kind, and the pioneers and > humble, and persevering teachers. He taught visiting teachers felt that it was a privilege to > 966 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > go on a teaching trip with him. He seemed and placed at the Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih > never to get tired and would laugh at the Khanum Institute in Otavalo as a symbol > younger teachers who could not keep up of the indigenous teacher. The night before > with his pace. It would take a book just to Dr. Muhajir passed away, the members of > mention the highlights of his teaching activi- the Continental Board of Counsellors, the > ties as a Baha'i! Auxiliary Boards, and the National Spiritual > It was announced in August 1970, at the Assembly of Ecuador were convened by the > Continental Conference in La Paz, Bolivia, Hand of the Cause for a meeting in Quito. > that Rufino, among others, had been made an Rufino arrived last and Dr. Muhajir beck- > Auxiliary Board Member for Propagation. oned to him and said "Come and sit beside > The next day, the President of Bolivia me, Samandari." Then he said to everyone > graciously invited the Baha'fs who were still present, "I want you to have a statue made of > in the city to the Presidential palace. A large Rufino ." > number of friends, led by the Hand of When Rufino was sent by the National > the Cause of God Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Assembly to open up the province of Loja > Khanum, were warmly received by the Pres- where the Saraguro Indians live, he found > ident. Among the indigenous believers who them very receptive, and two of the more > went forward to greet him personally was outstanding ones wrote a letter to Raul > Rufino. It is doubtful if anyone could hear Pavon, whom they had met, saying: > what Rufino said to the President because he We have heard the Message brought by > spoke so softly, but everyone could see his our brother Rufino and it has filled our > radiant face and the happy smile of the Pres- hearts with joy to hear that the Glory of > ident who, after listening to Rufino 's words, the Father, our Redeemer of the World, > lifted him up from the floor in a warm who is Baha'u'llah, has arrived. > embrace and kissed him on both cheeks. He During the last few years of his life, > later said he thanked the President for his Rufino suffered from dizziness and was > kindness. unable to function to the extent he had been > Rufino seemed to have had all of the accustomed to. This caused him great anxiqualities which the beloved Guardian said a ety and frustration. Finally, he passed to the > Baha'i teacher should have-and his love Abba Kingdom on 23 March 1990. His body > for Baha' u' llah and His prayers knew no was interred in the beautiful Remembrance > bounds. The Hand of the Cause of God Park cemetery in Quito, Ecuador, in a plot > Dr. Ral:imatu'llah Muhajir and Rufino adored adjoining the resting place of the Hand of > each other. On one of his visits Dr. Muhajir the Cause of God Dr. Muhajir. He was surbegan calling Rufino "Samandarf." He said vived by his wife and three children. > Rufino reminded him so much of the beloved When the Hand of the Cause of God > Hand of the Cause Tarazu'llah Samandarf, Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum learned of > both in spirit and stature, and he was sure his death, she wrote the following historic rethat the Hand of the Cause would not mind if miniscences of him to the National Assembly > he gave a Baha'i like Rufino his name. He of Ecuador on 9 April 1990: > said he fe lt sure that if Mr. Samandari had > the opportunity and the strength, he would My dear Baha'i Friends: > have been in the countryside helping Rufino The news of the passing of dear Rufino > to teach! Gualavisi brought back many memories, > From that time on, whenever he arrived in and I decided not to cable your National > the country, Dr. Muhajir would always ask Spiritual Assembly but rather to write you > about his "Samandari." On one of his visits, this letter in more detail. I have known > he said that a statue of Rufino should be made him since I first went to Ecuador in 1968 > IN MEMORIAM 967 > > when I visited the Baha'is in the Otavalo > area, and later had the opportunity to be > with him at the Convention in Quito in > 1970. I remember on that occasion, when > at times the consultation had a tendency to > be rather heated (there had been a certain > amount of inharmony at that period in the > community) and invariably Rufino, who > was a delegate, rose to his feet and suggested we have a prayer. It put the lid on > all the emotions, everything quieted down > and it did a great deal to help the situation. > I can also remember visiting his home > in the mountains above Otavalo; I was > going to go on a trip in the area and his > wife strongly objected to his being absent > so long from his fields and his flocks and > leaving all the work to her. You remember what a gentle soul Rufino was, but I > clearly recall how he seemed to agree very > sweetly with all her remarks, but when I Rufino Gualavisi Farinango > left, he was one of my party! He sneaked > away and accompanied me wherever I work. He should be remembered in deeds, > was going! not words. After all, Baha'u'llah Himself > Another of my very happy memories says, "Let deeds, not words, be your > of him was when the Bah:i'is of Ecuador adorning." Wishing you all every success > arrived by bus in Cuzco, Peru, to attend in your teaching activities, > the indigenous conference which took With most loving Baha' i greetings, > place there at the end of the Green Light (signed) RuJ:iiyyih > Expedition. I can hear myself shouting > After Amatu'l-Baha Rul)iyyih Khanum > "Rufino! Rufino! Rufino!" when I saw > had addressed the convention of 1970 in > him get off the bus! > Quito, which she mentions in her letter, > He was a small person but a very pre- > Rufino, who was noticeably moved, asked if > cious package. I can see him sitting with > he might speak for a moment. His request > other Quechua-speaking Baha'is trying to > was granted, and he arose so tranquil and > work out the possibility of a common > radiant and recited a beautiful poem which > Quechua publication that could be underhe had composed, after his prayer during the > stood by the Quechua-speaking Bah:i'is of > consultation, for his beloved Hand of the > Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Truly he was > Cause of God. > a heavenly soul and I am sure is associating now happily with other heavenly souls Ru~iyyih Khanum has brought us light > in the Abha Kingdom-but I miss him. and understanding > The best memorial to Rufino 's memory We must welcome this mysterious unfathis to encourage the Baha' is in the Otavalo omable message of God and Bahri 'u '!!ah. > area to retrace his footsteps and bring Divine Wisdom, Mother and Queen of the > back into the Faith some of the many entire worldhundreds who embraced it owing to his Amatu '!-Bahri Ru~iyyih Khrinum! 1 > and other Quechua Baha 'is' teaching > Free trnn slation of the poem by Helen Homby. > 968 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In honour of the dearly beloved Rufino, Denigrated as traditional misfit, Solomon's > on 27 March 1990 the Universal House of attachment to the church grew stronger and > Justice telexed this exalted condolence: stronger. At the age of 23 he was admitted > into the seminary, though he pulled out > DEEPLY SADDENED NEWS PASSING OUT- shortly after due to incongruities. "It looked > STANDING SACRJF!CIAL TEACHER CAUSE GOD like employment", he said. > RUFINO GUALA VIS!. HIS NOBLE QUALITIES, By 1937 he had started plantation farm- > HIS LOVING NATURE, HIS IMMENSE SERVICES ing with the Germans in Tombel. That same > IND IG ENOUS MASSES NATIVE LAND NEVER TO year he found his spouse, Esther Agbortoko, > BE FORGOTTEN AND WORTHY SOURCE PRJDE in Mfaitock Village. The couple had eight > YOUR COMMUNITY. URGE HOLD BEFITTING children, five of whom had died before > MEMORJAL MEETINGS HIS BLESSED MEMORY Solomon's own passing. > THROUGHOUT COUNTRY. ASSURE FERVENT His years as a lukewarm Christian were > PRAYERS HOLY THRESHOLD FOR PROGRESS brief. With an insatiable desire for the spir- > !áTI S RADIANT SOUL KINGDOM ON HIGH. KINDLY itual, and the Bible his cherished consort, > EXTEND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES FAMILY he returned to the seminary in Nyassoso in > AND FRIENDS. 1943. This time he completed the three year > HELEN HORNBY course and gained "employment" in Tombel > and later in Douala as catechist. But the > "irreconcilables" persisted. Among these > SOLOMON T ANYI T AMEE were dreary rituals and a strange realisation > 1912- 1990 within church ranks that "not every cleric's > turban is a sign of continence". Once again > Solomon Tanyi Tambe was born in 1912 in he was thrown in the lurch of unacceptables. > Bakebe Village in the Manyu Division of the At this point, by 19 50, he was resolute to > Republic of Cameroon. He died in Messing "quit catechism" and "return home to subsis- > Bakebe on 2 April 1990 at about 3:30 p.m. It tence farming". > was a quiet and peaceful death for a loving If Solomon was not a ready soul for the > servant of the Faith whom the Hand of the Cause of Bah:i'u'llah, he was certainly a > Cause of God Enoch Olinga had called man of sane judgment. He had demonstrated > "one of the pillars of the Baha'i Faith in remarkable courage several times against > Cameroon". despondent traditions and mortifying rituals . > From his teenage years Solomon had He was always quiet in meetings but affable > been attracted to deism, and in 1932 he was in reply to committee puzzles. His opinion > baptized by a Basel Mission Missionary. in most cases was respected as he was a > He returned home and immediately started cool-humoured man of wisdom. > gathering people to the church. This action His encounter with the Faith was quite > sent shock waves th.rough the family, and peculiar. One fine morning, in December > particularly tluáough his father, Tambe Eyong 1954, he woke up to find a vehicle standing > Enow, who was a combatant, a healer in in front of his door, off the roadside . The > traditional medicines, and a polygamist. occupants- a man and a lady whom he rec- > Solomon was not physically large or strong. ognised later as Enoch Olinga and Valerie > He was the only child of his mother, Eno- Wilson-had just wakened. The man crossed > wambane, who was the first of six wives to to a neighbour, requested water from the old > his father. Consequently his father could not woman, and then left with his companion on > hand down much of his traditional skills: it their day 's journey towards Mamfe. > was like a curse which he endured to his Solomon noticed a foreign accent and a > grave. certain reverence in the stranger, but he > IN MEMORIAM 969 > > ignored them and went to farm. All the > same, the circumstances remained enigmatic > in his mind. Who were these intruders? Why > had they stationed themselves only in front > of his door? Why had he failed to talk to > them? > That evening, while visiting a friend, > Sampson Agbortoko, at Bakebe Comers, > he was presented with a leaflet left by the > stranger. "Solo" suddenly found himself > captivated, attracted to the spell of its wording: " .. .a rose has the same fragrance no > matter in which orchard ... Man must be a > lover of light whether it comes from the east > or west". The pillars of faith remain shining > no matter from which heart, especially a > heart led by the spirit of God. Solomon's > immediate remark was, "Whoever is the > author of this leaflet has the same authenticity as the Bible." His embrace of the Faith > came with a stark sense of responsibility and Solomon Tanyi Tambe > a loyalty even greater than to his catechism. > In the wake of the early spiritual fire that National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is > blazed through West Africa with Baha'u'llili's of Cameroon Republic for 1967 to 1968. His > Teachings, Solomon played his part. Some services figure conspicuously in the decree > Cameroonians, including his family mem- recognizing and incorporating the Baha'i > bers, responded to the call of the Guardian to Faith in Cameroon. From 1969 to 1973 he > open virgin territories but back home it was was the first Cameroonian appointed to be > necessary to have the Faith's administration an Auxiliary Board member for Propagation, > built and Solomon Tanyi was one of its serving alongside Jaward Mughrabi who > indigenous architects. was an Auxiliary Board member for Pro- > By 1955, eleven people including himself tection. > had become Baha'is in Bakebe and were Besides his mother tongue, Kenyang, > having regular meetings. By Ri~van 1956, Solomon could speak Ejagham, Douala, > 18 believers had made a joint declaration, English, and German. His appellations, "Ta > permitting them to elect their first Local Mfaw Tanyi" ("teacher"), and "Solomon" > Spiritual Assembly with Solomon as secre- are indicative of a remarkable quality associtary. Other of his early activities included ated with a man who could literally sail in > participation in extensive teaching projects all winds and who was a father of wisdom > with Enyand Basi and Joana Ngo Mpek in dearly missed. > the Mamfe-Kumba-Victoria areas, the open- The following message was sent on 30 July > ing up of Mamfe, including Kendem and 1990 on behalf of the Universal House of > parts of the northwest, and translations of the Justice: > Holy Writings into the Kenyang language. > Solomon served on the National Spiritual ... the Universal House of Justice was > Assembly of the Baha'is of West Central very saddened to learn of the passing of > Africa from its inception in 1964 until 1967, dear Mr. Solomon Tanyi Tambe who is > and then was elected to the newly formed so fondly remembered for his historic > 970 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > services to the Cause of Baha'u'llah in > Cameroon. > Kindly assure his wife, his three sons and > his grandchildren of the ardent prayers of > the House of Justice in the Holy Shrines > for the progress of his pure soul in the > realms above. > SAMUEL T ANY! TAMBE > > DORIS LOHSE > 1899-1990 > > GRIEVED LEARN PASSING DEVOTED RADIANT > PIONEER DORIS LOHSE. HER LONG RECORD > SELF-SACRIFICING SERVICE CAUSE GOD PIO- > NEERfNG FIELD, THE SPIRJT OF fNFECTIOUS > JOY WITH WHICH SHE CONVEYED MESSAGE > FAITH UNFORGEITABLE. ASSURE PRAYERS > SACRED THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER NOBLE > SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. Doris Lohse > Universal House of Justice > 21May1990 1948, 100 years after the historic conference > ofBadasht. The conference took place in the > Doris Lohse was born on 7 October 1899 Hotel de la Paix in which 'Abdu'l-Baha had > in Brussels, Belgium, the daughter of a re- stayed during his trip through Europe. Doris > spected family from Berlin. She and her was one of the American pioneers who, in > siblings spent their youth in Belgium under response to the call of the Seven Year Plan > the shadow of the disturbances created by of the Baha'is of America (1946-1953), setthe first World War. tled in 10 European countries. > She learned of the Baha'i Faith in the After her first pioneer posts in Belgium > 1920s and immediately embraced it. Shortly and Luxembourg she went to Zurich, > after, she emigrated to the United States Switzerland, at the request of the European > where she pursued her studies and for many Teaching Committee of the National Spiriyears worked for the National Geographic tual Assembly of the United States. For the > Society in Washington, D.C. , as a translator. then four-strong Baha'i group in Zurich, > In time, her entire family joined her in hearing that she was coming was wonderful > America and, in tum, each one of them news! > accepted the Faith. A period of fruitful teaching activity began > All of her love was dedicated to Baha'u'llah for Doris, pursued steadfastly in spite of the > and to serving His Cause. In her free time fact that only a handful of people showed > she fully engaged herself in promoting race interest. Doris's knowledge of English and > unity and in teaching countless children's German and her firm grasp of Baha'i history > classes. Even in her later years she always and teachings proved invaluable. As a result > felt a very strong connection with young of new enrolments, the first Local Spiritual > people. Assembly of Zurich was established, with > Doris Lohse attended the first European great joy, in 1950. Doris later moved to > Baha' i Conference held in Geneva in May Gemrnny and pioneered to Bonn. She was > IN MEMORIAM 971 > also elected to the National Spiritual Assem- HIM, IN HER LATER YEARS MOSTLY AS A > bly of the Baha'is of Germany and Austria. DEVOTED PIONEER IN EUROPE. HER SELFLESS > In 1962 Doris settled in Switzerland, first SPIRIT, AMIABLE AND UNASSUMING PERSON- > in Biel and then in Lucerne. "With indefati- ALITY, UNFLAGGING DEVOTION TO SPREADING > gable devotion", wrote Josef Aregger in the THE FAITH SI-IE LOVED SO WELL, FOR MANY > Swiss Bahti 'i News after Doris 's passing, YEARS, WITH THE DIRECT APPROVAL AND EN- > "she continued to serve the Cause, giving COURAGEMENT OF HER BELOVED GUARDIAN, > talks, organizing gatherings, going out of her NO DOUBT NOW ENTITLE HER TO TH E RE- > way to strike up conversations with people, WARD OF THE FAITHFUL AN D DISTINGUISHED > dedicating much time to translation and to the SERVANTS OF THE BLESSED BEAUTY IN THE > comparative study of religion. Her thoughts ABI-IA KlNGDOM. WOULD DEEPLY APPRECIATE > and her actions were tempered by her hospi- YOUR ASSEMBLY PLACING SOME FLOWERS > tality and her sense for the universal." ON HER GRAVE IN MY NAME. > After National Spiritual Assemblies had RUI-IIYYIH > been established in all ten goal countries of > the second Seven Year Plan and when Doris DR. M ASSOUD BERDJIS > had, so to speak, reached retirement age, the (Mas ' i'.1d Bi1jis) > National Spiritual Assembly of the United > States suggested, offering financial support, > that she return to her second homeland, EPHRAIM TE PAA > having successfully fulfilled her assignment, 1904-1990 > to enjoy some well-deserved peace and quiet. Ephraim Te Paa was born at midnight on > Her response, "That doesn't even come into 1 January 1904, as the old year passed and > question'', still rings in my ears. She really a new one dawned. His birthplace was the > did want to serve Baha'ullah to the very last remote settlement of Rangikohu, a small > breath. Maori village in the far north of New > During the fall of 1987 the infirmities of Zealand. Ephraim was one of many children, > old age began to manifest themselves, and in his family having lived in that area for many > April of 1988 a move to the EichhofNursing generations. He left school at the age of 12. > Home became necessary. Here she was lov- His father died during an influenza epidemic > ingly cared for and she would often say: "I and so, at the age of 14, Ephraim took over > am so happy, so grateful, that I am permitted many of the family responsibilities. > to be here in Switzerland, in Lucerne." Like other Maori children of the time, his > Her passing on 18 May 1990 saddened school years were difficult, as the children > all who had known her. Her humble, joyful were beaten for using their native tongue, > spirit and her example in the pathway of even though this was the only language > service will serve as a shining star in the fir- they knew when they first arrived at school. > mament of European Baha'i history. Of all Nevertheless, throughout his life, Ephraim > the statements of appreciation Doris Lohse displayed a command of both English and > received, the most beautiful came in the form Maori that others admired. As a young man > of a telegram from the Hand of the Cause of he attended St. John 's Theological College > God Amatu ' l-Baha Ru~iyyih Khanum: in Auckland, a city several days journey > from his home. However, due to the barriers > DESIRE PAY TRIB UTE DORIS LOHSE MY OLD imposed by a limited education and the need > PERSONA L FRLEN D WHO CAME FROM DISTIN- to take on the responsibilities imposed by > GU ISHED EARLY JEWI SH BAHA' i FAMILY IN his father ' s death, he did not complete his > BERLIN . DORJS, WITH A HEART FULL OF LOVE training, but instead served for many years > FOR BAHA'U ' LL!\I-I , CONSTANTLY SERVE D as a lay reader in the Church of England. > 972 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > His marriage in 1928 to Hariata Hunia, a the Christian belief in a time when swords > young Maori woman who had been one of would be beaten into ploughshares. It was > his childhood companions, was the begin- known as the Staff of Seers, but was rening of a lifetime of commitment and service named at the time of presentation as the > both to his ever-growing family and to the Staff of Hope. > community in which he lived. After their At the ceremony, Ephraim was told that > marriage, Ephraim and Harriet, as she came he was the recipient of the testimony of foreto be called, moved to Ahipara, a small bears and that he held this staff on behalf of > coastal settlement near the sparkling Ninety the people. The message he was given with > Mile Beach, where they ran a dairy farm the staff was: "Proceed to the Mountain and > until the mid- l 970s. They were blessed with let your staff be the staff of Hope, but be ye > 15 children, 48 grandchildren, and more than robed with the cloak of Love." > 20 great-grandchildren. Several of these off- Realising the importance of his mission, > spring accepted the Faith. but being unsure of his direction, Ephraim > Ephraim and Harriet were an integral part began an intensive study of both Christianity > of their community, working in many areas and the history, myths, and legends of his > of development for the benefit of their people. own culture, seeking answers. He also t:J.áav- > Much of this work was carried out through elled the perimeter of New Zealand searching > their close association with Te Ohaki Marae, for the mountain referred to in his message, > the Marae being a place which serves as but without success. > both the physical and spiritual centre of In June 1955, Ephraim heard of the Baha'i > Maori community life. A unique feature of Faith and inquiried about it. The National > Te Ohaki Marae was the carved figurehead Teaching Committee sent two couples to > on the highest and most prominent patt of give him the Message-Margo and Joseph > this sacred building which, in a bold depar- Been and Leonie and Be1tam Dewing- and > ture from Maori tradition, symbolised the they were received with great warmth. Many > equality of men and women. hours were spent in discussion that week- > The far north had always been geographi- end, and when the visitors left they had the > cally isolated from the rest of the count:Iy by impression that here was a searching soul > reason of its mountainous terrain. Ephraim that just could not believe that his search > was part of a work gang which succeeded was nearly over. > in building a road through the Mangamukas, In the late 1950's, Ephraim met Les > a high mountain range which had previously Sinm1ons, a healer from Whangarei, some > only allowed access by horse and cart and 100 miles distant, who was visiting the area, > thereby maintained the isolation of that and staying at nearby Pukepoto. Ephraim > region from the outside world. Ephraim was had been told by his sister that this man > able, throughout his life, to foster a balance could cure his arthritis. Ephraim arrived in > which supp01ted the preservation of his own Pukepoto and went to the Robson house, > unique Maori culture whilst incorporating where Les was staying. He was ushered into > such new ideas as would benefit the growth the room where Les practised his healing. > of the community. As soon as Les laid eyes on Ephraim, he > In his middle years, Ephraim was chosen exclaimed "God has sent you to me!" > by the elders of his t:J.áibe to be presented with Ephraim was bewildered, but felt drawn to > a taiaha, a wooden weapon or staff that was this unusual man. > for ceremonial purposes only, and never for In the following weeks, the two men > the t:J.áaditional use in battle. The taiaha sym- began what became a mystical walk, beginbolised a vision handed down by successive ning with an ascent of the mountain that > generations of his ancestors, which mirrored overlooked the community marae and then to > IN MEMORIAM 973 > > other often remote and uninhabited areas of > significance, the sites of ancestral homes > and burial grounds. > On the mountain of Whangatauatia, Les > Sinm1ons told Ephraim that he could see a > purple haze sunounding the Marne, and a > spring that had been long overgrown about > to gush forth with life-giving waters of spiritual regeneration for the people. He said he > could see the people preparing a feast, but > that the cooking stones were not yet hot > enough; the food not yet ready to be given to > the people. Ephrain1 remembered these words > until the close of his earthly life. They seemed > to symbolise the readiness of the Maori people to assimilate the Message ofBaha'u'llah. > During their time in the wilderness, Les > Simmons had visions of ancestors dressed in > full ceremonial costume. Ephraim was often > discomforted by these experiences, but felt > compelled to continue, being swept along by Ephraim Te Paa > the escalating chain of events. > They returned to Ephraim's home where, prepared for Enoch Olinga. Inspired by the > only a few days later, Les Simmons suddenly Book of Isaiah, Ephraim called out to the > announced that they must proceed many people gathered that he had come to sound > hundreds of miles south to Turangawaewae the trumpet to all four corners of the court > Marne at Ngarnawahia, which was the seat of Maoridom, and that his message was: > of the Maori King, and the collective spiri- "Open, o ye gates of old, and the King of > tual heart of his followers. Ephraim was Kings will enter". Presently, he was led into > loathe to do this, as approaching another the King's chamber and then, he recalled, a > tribal area without invitation was unheard of mystical rain swept the court and the place > in Maori protocol. However, upon reflection where, shortly afterwards, he was to make > Ephraim realised that he did indeed have his first acquaintance with Enoch Olinga. > tribal connections with King Koroki, through Ephraim was often to recall his reception > two female ancestors, Reitu and Reipae. in honor of Enoch Olinga, who spoke of his > Therefore, it was appropriate for hin1 to ask wish that "this table could extend to all corfor an audience with the court of Maoridom. ners of the earth and all peoples could share > Ephraim then sent a telegram to Ngaruawa- in this bounty". Ephraim was profoundly > hia and received an i11ID1ediate reply. The moved by this meeting, and renewed his > invitation was for a week's time. Little did investigation of the Baha'i teachings. > Epluáaim know that his appointment was to For five years he continued to study the > coincide with the official welcome of Hand Writings and to observe the Baha'is he met. > of the Cause of God Enoch Olinga, who was He knew he could make no mistake in his > visiting New Zealand to proclaim the Baha'i assessment of this new religion as he would > message, including a proclamation to the be held up to public scrutiny, his actions > Maori Sovereign and his people. being viewed as an example by some, and > Ephraim 's formal welcome took place the provocation of opposition and derision > only about two hours before the welcome by others. > 974 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > His final acceptance of the Baha'i Faith 1985, he met with the Governor-General of > came in 1962 when he was visited by New Zealand, Sir Paul Reeves, to present him > Dr. RaJ:rmat'u'llah Muhajir, who stayed for with a copy of Th e Promise of World Peace. > several days at Ephraim's tiny farm cottage. In May 1985, he was to realise the ful- > When Dr. Muhajir read the Tablet of Al). mad, filment of his mission as holder of the Staff > Ephraim was deeply affected from the very of Hope, when he proceeded to the mountain > first line, which refers to "the Nightingale of of the Lord, Mount Carmel in Haifa. Here, > Paradise". Once again, Ephraim heard ech- Ephraim was later to recount, the myths of > oed the voice of his ancestors, and shortly the ancestors became a reality. His pilgrimafter Dr. Muhajir had departed, on 10 March age was a journey of awe and wonderment > 1962, sent him this "note of submission" via which words cannot capture. Strangely, the > Douglas Weeks, a Baha'i pioneer who had "staff' disappeared at some stage of his jourbecome a close friend of Ephraim. ney to Israel, but he was unconcerned as > the Elders had intimated when giving it to > Dear friend, > him that it would reach its destination but > Greetings. Please convey and transmit > not return to them, as would have been usual > this information to the President or the > with most ceremonial treasures. > Hand of the Cause. > Ephraim's services to his people were > The voice of the 'Huia,' the nightingale > recognised in the New Year's Honours List > of the spirit, is heard in this court, calling > of 1987, when he was awarded the Queen's > the peoples to assemble in the Unity of > Service Medal. He was also recognised as > Love, Peace and Concord, is received, > one of Maoridom's foremost authorities on > accepted and recorded. > Maori folklore and oral history, language > Signed Your friend, Ephraim > and theology, and many considered him one > Ephraim was privileged to receive a of the last of the great orators of his Te > number of the Hands of the Cause of God in Rarawa tribe. > his home, including Amatu 'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Harriet accepted the Faith on 21April1990, > Khanum during her visit in 1979, and Collis and shortly thereafter, on 19 May 1990, and > Featherstone. Of course, he met many other following a brief illness, Ephraim's soul took > distinguished Baha' is as well. One of these its flight. He had called family members into > was Richard St. Barbe Baker, who visited his bedroom to say prayers and asked his > Ephraim and Harriet on several occasions. granddaughter's husband, an Anglican min- > In 1963, Ephraim was invited to attend ister, to say a prayer from his Baha'i prayer > the Baha'i World Congress in London to book. During the prayer for unity, Ephraim > represent the Maori people, but was unable departed from this life. > to go. In his place, he sent the following For three days, Ephraim's body lay in > message in his Maori tongue: "All praise be state on his Marne, during which time a conto God. Greetings and love to all people.' tinual flow of mourners arrived to pay their > In 1984, at the request of his National respects and to mourn their loss. Many reli- > Assembly, Ephraim travelled extensively gions were represented during the three days > around New Zealand with respected Maori of continual services and tributes , including > Elder, Mary Fox, and a group of younger Baha'i, Ratana (a respected Maori religion), > Baha'is. The purpose of the trip was to visit and Christian. As Ephraim's coffin was > other tribal groups, government officials, and borne into the carved meeting house where > local authorities, sharing pertinent Baha'i those who loved him would say their final > teachings related to youth, race relations, farewells on this earth, it was preceded by > women' s issues, and encouraging the people a fantail bird, spiritual portent of the Maori > to work towards the unity of mankind. In people and a Messenger of Joy, which > IN MEMORIAM 975 > accompanied his body into the house and felt the presence of a spiritual aristocrat. In > remained in that place for several hours . his later years, when he was frail, this nobil- > On 22 May, the Universal House of Justice ity acquired such a transparent quality that > sent the following message to the National one could discern through it the essential > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New purity of a child which the worldly wisdom > Zealand: of the man might have belied. > Salim Nounou was the eldest son of a > ... we are distressed to learn of the passing well-to-do Jewish family in Baghdad. His > of Mr Ephraim Te Paa, whose steadfast father was a successful merchant and his > services to the Faith for several decades mother was refined and well educated, and > have made a distinctive contribution to to these gifts of business acumen and culture, > the unity of the races in New Zealand. he himself added the quality of passionate > Prayers will be offered in the Holy Shrines commitment to a cause. He was born somefor the progress of his soul. Kindly con- time in December 1907, during the period of > vey our condolences to the members of Hanukkah, but after he became a Baha' i on > his family. 8 March 20 years later, he adopted that day > SUZANNE WORTERS for his birthdate. It was typical of him to > call this fudging of official records "cheating" by his own admission, for he was a man > SALIM NOUNOU completely honest and scrupulous in all his > 1907- 1990 dealings . And yet it was also characteristic > that he should have done so, for his life as a > In Memorials of the Faithfit!, 'Abdu ' l-Baha Baha'i was his only life, and he attributed all > distinguishes those who have lived as lovers his material successes to his spiritual comof the Cause by the stature of their faith. mitment to the Faith. > Their spirits soar like cypress trees . Their He was just 18 years old when he first > souls expand in seas of exaltation. They heard of the Teachings from Daoud Toeg, a > scintillate like stars. They bloom in the heart Baha' i of Jewish background who was one > of the hundred-petalled rose. And having of the pillars of the community in Baghdad > thus conjured them from the Concourse, He and who had business dealings with his father. > then lays their lives to rest with the gentlest Mr. Toeg, Mr. Ishaq Banani, and Mr. Ezra > of benedictions. He seats them at the ban- Soffer, who were at least 30 years older than > quet-table of their Lord. He gives them to the impressionable Salim, first attracted his > drink of "the wine that has been tempered attention by the fact that they were altoat the camphor fountain". He blesses them gether different from the other clients and > with the sweetest of sleeps after their tireless business partners who came to his father's > services. But even when a cypress sleeps it offices. Through their enthusiastic discusstill stands sentinal. sions they befriended and then gradually > Salim Nounou had a cypress tree in convinced the young man that "the Baha'i > his soul. It was rooted in humility, soaring religion was the real thing" and that he had > towards the infinite, and always with that to study its teachings seriously. Although > delicate bending of the head that denoted he initially kept his convictions private in > complete submission to the will of his Lord. order to protect his family from scandal in > It was not only his physical build that recalled the Jewish community of Baghdad, he began > the cypress-for he was tall and slim and to frequent Baha'i meetings, make friends > always elegant- but he also seemed to bend among Baha' is of Muslim and Christian > over the souls around him in a manner both backgrounds, and in 1928 started to work on > unassuming and protective. With him, one the art of becoming a Baha'i himself. > 976 THE BAH k i WORLD > > mentioned, were Persian men such as Mr. > Dhikru 'llah Khadim, Mr. Ni'matu 'llah Khan > 'Ala'i, Mr. Abu'l-Qasim Fayc;li, and others. > Salim acquired Persian citizenship and > lived in that country between 1932, when he > started a business with an Armenian partner, > and 1964, when he moved to France, which > became his second home. Although he kept > all his connections in the Jewish community, > both through his marriage and his successful > business, and was well respected, he also > maintained a passionate love for the Arabs, > their religious fervour and their language. > During his last years he served as the liaison > between the Universal House of Justice and > the Arabian Baha'is who corresponded with > Haifa through his telex in Nice. By the time > he retired, as a widower in England, he > had truly mastered the art of transcendence > without the loss of his culture. A Jew from > Salim Nounou Bag.Qdad who spoke fluent Persian as well as > Arabic and who was as much at ease in > The art of becoming a Baha'i, according France as he was in England, Salim Nounou > to Shoghi Effendi, requires transcending was first and foremost a Baha'i. Nothing > one's cultural and religious background. In less could have contained his soaring aspirathe late 1920s and early 1930s the Baha' is tions or his love for Shoghi Effendi. > in Bag.Qdad and Tihran were Jewish Baha 'is, That love was first imprinted on his heart > Christian Baha'is and Muslim Baha'is, ac- on a silent winter's day in Palestine when > cording to Mr. Nounou. They brought all he entered the courtyard of the home of > their prejudices with them into the Baha'i Shoghi Effendi in Haifa and stepped, as he > community. To be a Baha'i first, and an 'Iraqi himself put it, into "another world". It was > Jew or a Persian Muslim second, in such a 11 o'clock in the morning, in December 1937, > context, was not easy. In the early years after and he was 30 years old. The sky was blue > his acceptance of the Faith, until his first pil- and the trees rippled in the pale sunlight. > grimage in 1937, Salim Nounou served his Time seemed to hold still in this place, and > apprenticeship in that art. when he heard the step and saw the youthful > He first transcended culture and language face of the beloved Guardian he found > when he began to travel between the two himself curiously affected. The question of > capitals of 'Iraq and Persia, and sensed the obedience dominated his pilgrimage: obedifreedom which this gave when he served ence to parental consent for Baha'i maras a translator for Western Baha'i visitors riage, obedience to the laws of Balm 'u 'llah, > sent by Shoghi Effendi. One of these was the and most significantly, obedience to the > great teacher Martha Root who came to Covenant. > Bag.Qdad in the winter of 1929, and another When the 19 days of his pilgrimage were > was Keith Ransom-Kehler, whom he met over- days of complete solitude, (for he > in Tihran in 1932. But the great influences was the only Eastern pilgrim to have the > on his spiritual life, after the patriarchs of privilege at this time), punctuated by a > the Baha'i community in Bag.Qdad already tumultuous visit to Cairo during which all > IN MEMORIAM 977 > the issues of obedience were tested-Salim, There was one particular service which > a transformed man, returned to Ba~dad , to Salim Nounou rendered the Faith, however, > the home of his father. In his own words, "I among many others, which might be characwas like a piece of clay in the hands of the terized as having been perfectly filled by > beloved Guardian , and he moulded and him . It was his service as Deputy Trustee of > imprinted on me the intense love and desire I:Iuququ' llah. He received his training from > to behave as a Baha'i." Although he had a Mr. Valiyu'llah Varga himself, whom he > second pilgrimage, the time he met Shoghi assisted from time to time, and with whom > Effendi in 1940 was a completely different he developed a deep and abiding friendship, > experience for he was not alone: he was but it was a service for which his whole > in the company of many others from Persia. life seemed to have been a preparation. Both > It was an opportunity for that initial seal of temperament and culture had given him a > love to sink even deeper in his soul, but the marvellous sense of what he called valuesimprint was unchanged. a sense of the true worth of things that com- > From this point on, Salim Nounou's life bined several dimensions of the word. And > throbbed with this love for Shoghi Effendi years of business experience had sharpened > and this desire to be obedient to his instruc- his judgment to such a degree that he seemed > tions. The trip he took throughout Persia in to see past the literal transaction to its > 1939, sharing his pilgrimage with the spiritual worth. He could feel the weight > friends, and the subsequent trip he took in of people. The intensity of his devotion > 1950, when, with the Guardian's approval, combined with a generosity of spirit to prohe visited the Baha' is all over Europe in the duce a servant of the beloved Guardian and > company of his wife who was not a Baha'i, later of the Universal House of Justice so > were characterized by this intensity and this true and so trusted, that according to the > desire . words of the cable sent at his passing on > Years of service on the National Spiritual 20 June 1990: > Assemb lies of both Persia and France were > ... THE SPIRIT OF TOTAL DEDICATION, DEEP > also stamped by this fervor and passionate > HUMILITY AND UNSHAKABLE LOYALTY > commitment. It is typical of Salim's ex- > WHI C H HE EV INCED, WILL ALWAYS BE RE- > quisite fair-mindedness that in his brief > MEMBER.ED. > memoirs written for his children, he asks > Baha'u' llah's forgiveness for the very inten- B AHi YYIH N AKHJ AVAN i > > sity of his commitment, which he admits > was not always wise in relation to his Jewish > family. He deplores the fact that his imper- MAHV ASH MASTER > fections may have been an impediment to 1941=1990 > his dear wife's willingness to accept the > truth ofBaha'u' llah's Revelation, but finally This is the story of a unique and most remarkconcludes: able lady upon whose passing to the Abha > When one is a perfectionist, he may lose a Kingdom the Universal House of Justice sent > lot of chances while the other person, the following message: > who lets things go and gives full vent to > his feelings, may do a lot more errors, but SADDEN ED PASS ING MAHVASH MASTER. HER > > perhaps he may do something good at the CEASELESS DEDICATIO N TO TEACHING WORK > > same time which will recompense all the MA NY PARTS WORLD, HER DISTINGUISHED > > errors he has made. I wonder if I was that SERVICES AUXILIARY BOARD AND HER RADI- > > much of a perfectionist, would I have ANT SPIRIT ARE WORTHY EXAMPLE OTHERS, > > ever become a Baha'i? CONVEY BEREAVED FAMJL Y FRIENDS DEEPEST > 978 TH E BAH A' I WORLD > > one of the monarchs of the Qajar Dynasty. > Her mother remained a Muslim until she > met the Guardian in 1955. Her father, on the > other hand, was the grandson of a devoted > believer at the time ofBahit' u'llah who was > honoured by Baha'u 'llah with a few Tablets > and the title of $affar, meaning coppersmith. > He was the son of Ni'mat 'ullah $affar, a > renowned calligrapher who copied by hand > the Bab's and Baha'u' llah's Writings and was > an expert on the Writings and the Revelation > of the Bab. > When she was a 14-year-old child on > pilgrimage with her family in 1955, Shoghi > Effendi pointed to a group of children, which > included Mahvash, and said "These children > will be successful in teaching the Cause of > God". It seems as if this statement became > the motivating force of her life. She knew > she would be successful as long as she arose > Mahvash Master to teach, and because the Guardian had > uttered these words she felt deeply and yet > SYMPATHY, PRAYING HOLY SHR IN ES PRO- gloriously obliged to do so. > GRESS HER SOUL ABHA KINGDOM . After pilgrimage, Mahvash ' s family, con- > 26 July 1990 sisting of herself, four brothers and her > parents, pioneered to Monte Carlo, Monaco. > Mahvash was so much in love with the A few months later, the family transferred its > Cause of the Blessed Beauty that nothing was pioneering post to Freiburg, West Gern1any. > strong enough to prevent her from sharing In August 1956, Mahvash ' s father died in > His Message. In the St. Vincents Hospital Basel, Switzerland, from a heart attack while > in Karlsruhe, Germany, where she spent the on his way to visit iran. > last two weeks of her life, she gave all Mahvash studied physiotherapy, while > of the staff, including specialists, doctors , ensuring that her studies did not deter her > nurses, orderlies and visitors , the Message of from her teaching activities. She and her > Baha 'u' llah. She did this until her last four brothers were deeply involved in Baha' i > breath. Indeed when she was failing and did activities , and their home was practically the > not have the strength to speak audibly, two Baha'i centráe ofFreiburg. > Catholic nuns came into her room to give On 21March1961 , Mahvash married Iraj > her their blessings. Mahvash whispered in (Iradj) Master, and they moved to Bonn. At > her husband ' s ear, asking him to give the the end of 1964, Mahvash, along with her > nuns pamphlets and to tell them about her husband and their baby son, returned to iran > dream the previous night when she saw where fraj was appointed as Associate > Baha'u'llah and Jesus conversing together. Professor at the University of Shiraz. Baha'i > Mahvash was born in Tiluáan, Persia, on activities, such as children' s classes, firesides > 22 January 1941 , into a family with two and deepenings, continued to be a major part > ve1y different and distingujshed backgrounds . ofMahvash' s life. > Her mother was a very staunch Muslim with Professionally, Mahvash became very sucroyal blood, a descendant ofFatl)- 'Ali Shah, cessful in Shiraz, and she was the co-founder > IN MEMORIAM 979 > > of the Physiotherapy Department of the Uni- arranged and organised public teaching > versity Hospital in Shiraz. She was renowned activities , pamphlet distribution, and held a > for her healing hands. fireside meeting at least once a week in her > The oppressive conditions for teaching home. > the Faith in Shiraz were a challenge for Soon her teaching activities stretched > Mahvash, who was used to the freedom of beyond the borders of the State. First, she > teaching in Europe. Although Baha'is in started to travel to Tasmania at least twice > Iran in those days were very active within a year to teach. She used to relate a dream in > the community, there were great pressures which 'Abdu'l-Baha was showing her a map > on them from various Muslim groups and of the Australian continent; He was pointing > government circles preventing them from to Tasmania and telling her that Tasmania > teaching. was important and that she should study the > In spite of extremely favourable eco- Book of Certitude. A number of Baha'is in > nomic, social, and professional conditions Tasmania who became Baha'is through her > and success, Mahvash and family pioneered efforts recall their encounter with Mahvash > to Melbourne, Australia, in late 1968. In with affection and delight. > those days Australia was in need of assis- Crossing the state borders was not enough > tance, as the Melbourne Metropolitan area for Mahvash ' s high fl ying spirit. In 1973, > had only two Local Spiritual Assemblies, she travelled to Germany to participate in > and indeed in the whole State of Victoria their teaching activities to complete the final > there were only three or four. year of the Nine Year Plan. She travelled > Mahvash's teaching efforts continued in alone with great difficulties to the remote > Australia and she never failed to make the island ofBorkum in the North Sea to form a > most of any opportunity that presented itself. Baha'i group there. She managed to achieve > For example, in 1969, when her husband that after a few days on that island. > was a visiting Senior Research Fellow with Mahvash had an extraordinary love for > the Melbourne University, one of the daily Aborginals, and she repeatedly reminded > newspapers approached the University and herself and others of the impo1iance of > asked for the names of academic women teaching indigenous people as mentioned > from overseas to be interviewed for the so often by the Guardian of the Faith. In > paper. For some unknown reason they con- Melbourne she was always searching for the > tacted Mahvash's husband and ended up Aboriginals, and one summer day in 1974 > interviewing her, and she did not miss the she came home with a whole family consistopportunity of proudly mentioning the Faith. ing of the parents and six children. She > This was the start of a number of interviews explained to her husband that she had met > she obtained on radio stations, and opened them in the supermarket and had helped > the way for Mahvash to use the media for them to carry their shopping home. This was > teaching the Faith. the Langley family from Mornington Island, > Mahvash had a great organising capacity who had come to Melbourne with other > and while she was deeply involved in teach- Aboriginals for an exhibition of Aboriginal > ing work she could ably manage her own art and dancing. During their stay in Melhome and family. In addition she sponsored bourne the Langleys and a few other > and greatly assisted her mother and her two Aborigines became Baha'is and returned to > younger brothers to happily and successfully Mornington Island. > settle in Australia. Even after the birth of her Prior to the return of the Langleys , Mornthird son, she embarked on unprecedented ington Island, with a population of 800 > mass teaching in Melbourne and country Aborigines, had only seven or eight Baha' is. > areas of Victoria. Mahvash persistently Mahvash kept in touch with the Langleys , > 980 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > and three years later, in 1977, she, with great enthusiasm, and sincerity when she spoke of > enthusiasm, chartered a small four-seater the Faith she lived for, and it was this quality > plane and with three other Baha'is flew to that was almost infectious and drew people > Mornington Island to teach the Aboriginals. to her. In her physiotherapy practice, no > While there, during only eight days , several patient could leave without being taught the > Aborigines accepted the Faith. Faith in a loving and interesting manner. > In the same year, the Hand of the Cause She constantly reminded the friends of > of God Amatu'l-Baha Rul;iyyih Khanum the urgency of teaching, and would repeatedly > went from Japan to Australia to recuperate quote from Th e Advent of Divine Justice > from an illness, and she urged the National (p. 39) where the Guardian wrote: > Assembly to have the Local Spiritual Assem- > The field is indeed so immense, the period > bly of Mornington Island formed. Mahvash > so critical, the Cause so great, the workcould not stay quiet. Two months later her > ers so few, the time so short, the privilege > husband and three other Baha'is went to > so priceless, that no follower of the Faith > Mornington Island, with the result that a > of Baha'u'llah, worthy to bear His name, > significant number of Aborigines became > can afford a moment's hesitation. > Baha'is. > Mahvash continued to travel to Mornington In conformity with this quote she would > Island. In Normanton, the last stop before often state the following in her talks: "This > Mornington Island, she emolled several day and age is of such importance according > more people in the Faith, and her travels to to Baha'u'llah that the prophets of the past > northeast Australia became a regular event. would love to be back for one moment so > She never stopped teaching the Aborigines, that they could serve. We don' t realise how > and without any doubt a great number of privileged we are to live in this day and age. > Aboriginal Baha 'is throughout Australia Please put the Faith as the first priority in > came into the Faith through her efforts. your life before everything else." > In 1974, she was appointed Auxiliary She also used to say that every single day > Board member for Propagation in the state in one 's life was a bonus and the opportuniof Victoria, and served in that capacity until ties should not be missed. Mahvash followed > 1988. Of course, the additional duties of a this advice herself very religiously . > Board member did not diminish her teaching One of her very many remarkable achieveactivities, or her activities as a wife, mother ments was that in 1976, while on a visit to > of three boys, and physiotherapist. She still Iran and on pilgrimage, she managed to perfow1d the time to write repotis and articles suade her father-in-law, Ardishir Master, to > for the Baha' i magazines and gain publicity purchase a house in Malvern (a fairly central > for the Faith through government and com- suburb in Melbourne) and donate it to the > mercial media. Baha'i community. This was the first Baha'i > She had no difficulty in approaching CentTe outside Sydney to be wholly owned > people high or low, rich or poor. Even when by the Baba ' i commW1ity of Australia. > the family was living in a rented home without With t1emendous energy and persistence, > adequate facilities, she would not hesitate she worked to have this house renovated and > to invite people for firesides or dinners. The made suitable for teaching and other Baha'i > Speaker of the Australian Parliament, journal- activities. She was the motivating force behind > ists for the Australian Broadcasting C01poration the grand opening of Baha' i House in 1978, > and commercial media, and "modest" peo- officiated over by the Mayor of the City of > ple all had lunch or dinner at her home. Malvern in the presence of the Local Mem- > Mahvash was a very attractive and vital ber of the Australian Parliament, reporters > personality. She "bubbled" and radiated love, for the Australian Broadcasting Cotporation, > IN MEMORIAM 981 > newspapers, local radio, and representatives doctor became very upset, but she consoled > of the National Assembly, as well as a great him and told him that she believed in life > number- ofBaha'is and non-Baha'is. after death and she would be happier in the > Furthermore, Mahvash was the major other world. > initiator and consistent supporter of Baha'i Mahvash always, and especially during > children' s classes, using the Baha'i House as her illness, implored the friends to teach > the venue. She would encourage every parent while they enjoy their good health. > to send their children to the Baha'i classes Kate Dwyer, a respected ex-Catholic > every Sunday. Mother Superior who became a Baha'i wrote > On one memorable occasion, Mahvash to Mahvash's family: > and her husband were attending an anniver- > Only one of the many, many, people she > sary celebration at the public school their > helped, I could never forget her kindness, > children attended. The guest of honour was > especially in the early days of my Baha'i > the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Ninian > life in 1972. Mahvash did all in her power > Stephen. Mahvash rather honified iraj by > to stráengthen and deepen my faith in > saying, "We will go and tell him about the > Baha 'u'llah and His great Cause and I > Faith". The security guards were not so > watched that dear soul do likewise for so > impressed with people wanting to speak to > many others. > their charge but that did not deter Mahvash. > With Iraj following behind she seized the Mahvash was like a candle burning heropportunity and introduced herself to Sir self to diffuse light and brighten others, and > Ninian and told him about Baha'u'llah's finally she burned herself out in Germany > call. Sir Ninian was interested and respectful and her soul flew to the Abha Kingdom on > and thanked Mahvash. He said she had 25 July 1990, at the age of 49 years. > reminded him that he had an invitation to Perhaps her short life can be as a message > visit the Sydney Temple soon and he would to us all to serve the Cause of Baha' u'llah > look forward to that visit. while we can. > Mahvash became afflicted with breast Mahvash, in her last statement, said, > cancer in January 1985. This calamity did ... don't ever feel sad for me, instead say a > not become a reason to stop her from teach- prayer for my soul. > ing. On the contrary, she expanded her BILL JOHNS ON > > activities. She added New Caledonia to her > travel list and visited that country several > times. Friends who became Baha'is through > her are now active in various parts of that JANE VILLIERS-STUART > country. 1919-1990 > She organised groups of youth, including > her own children, to travel to Hong Kong, Jane Villiers-Stuart was born into the Fowler > Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan to teach. family in Kells, County Meath, Ireland, on > She encouraged her sons to learn the Chi- 29 September 1919. The Fowlers were a > nese language in order to be able to teach the well established family in the Protestant > Chinese people. Her last trip overseas con- Anglo-Irish tradition, which tended to be > sisted of teaching activities in the United land-owning, English-educated, and staunchly > States; she appeared on television in Atlanta, loyal to Monarch, Empire and Church. Life > Georgia, and was planning to teach in East was privileged, conformist and imbued with > Germany. Alas , this wish was not fulfilled. a sense of upper-class exclusiveness. Such > She fought her illness with great courage. was the ambience in which Jane was brought > When it recurred for a second time, her up. > 982 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > However, Jane was 20 years younger than Three years later, having explored the > her nearest brother, her father died when she teachings of the Faith with the aid of George > was eight, and her mother, having witnessed Townshend, Adib Taherzadeh, and Lady > the carnage of the first World War, sanc- Hornell, she declared on the day of the Feast > tioned a somewhat unusual upbringing. She of Questions. She said that she knew she had > was tutored at home to the age of 14. She to make a decision, and had gone to the local > was encouraged to roam and explore and run church to pray for the right answer. As she > free in the unspoiled countryside of County prayed she felt as if she were being lifted > Meath. She became an experienced horse- up to heaven. This experience, coupled with > woman. Then her further education took her natural sympathy with Baha'i princ iples, > place in a boarding school in the south of confirmed to her the truth ofBaha'u'llah and > England. It all allowed for the flowering of His Revelation. > a personality sensitive, inquiring, rebellious The rest of her life became an expression > in defence of her own and others' freedom , of her commitment to the truth of His Revefull of imagination, and wonderfully uncir- lation. Along with Lady Hornell and Lizbeth > cumscribed by the inhibitions developed by Greaves, she became a most potent invigoramore formal upbringing. tor of the Irish Baha'i community. She > In 1940, family reasons bound up with involved herself fully in the domestic nittythe second World War caused her mother gritty of building this still fragile community. > to leave the neutral Irish Republic and settle Any soul who showed the slightest interest in > in Northern Ireland. Jane, who had lived a the Faith would receive her total and loving > life of leisure until this time, was drawn into attention . Nothing would be too much trouble > the war effort. She worked as an orderly in a if it helped to confirm that interest. > hospital in London. When she moved to the Jane discovered that she had a great skill > north of Ireland, she ran a mobile canteen for bringing people together. She began to > for the troops. It was here that she met use this skill in making connections between > Michael Vil liers-Stuart. He was then in the the many different social classes, interest > Royal Navy, but had previously moved from groups and nationalities that inhabited her > the south to the north of Ireland to help de- social world. Her home became almost the > velop the family nicotine insecticide business. 20th century equivalent of an 18th century > Jane and Michael were married in 1943 . salon. The sewing lady would have tea with > Sally was born in 1945, Virginia in 1947, the Wing Commander, the poet would dis- > Garry in 1949, and Katherine in 1951. They cuss Vietnam with an aristocratic Persian > set up home in a house called Loughside lady, the business consultant joke with an > on the shores of Belfast Lough. It was their African student, the wild and uncultured > home for the next 38 years. "new estate" boys share cake with respect- > Jane first read about the Baha'i Faith in able aging lady inquirers. > 1948, in an article in a local paper which The house, blessed by the Grace of > sympathetically reviewed The Promise ofAll Baha' u'Jlah and energised by Jane's gener- > Ages, by George Townshend. Two years later, ous hospitality, hosted innumerable morning > on a journey to London on the occasion of devotions, tea and lunch parties, musical eveher great aunt's 80th birthday, she shared a nings, buffet suppers, and firesides. Every > cabin with Ursula Newman, who was then a moment of her life, and all events organised > pioneer in Belfast and a member of the in it were seen as occasions when the Baha'i > National Spiritual Assembly of the British Revelation and its implications could be > Isles. For both the meeting was significant, discussed and explored. Loughside became > and it marked a new phase in Jane's spiritual an unofficial hotel for travelling teachers > journey. going to Northern Ireland. Its visitors ' book > IN MEMORIAM 983 > read like an unofficial "Who's Who" of > the Baha'i world. Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih > Khanum, George Townshend, l:fasan Balylizi, > Tarazu'llah Samandari, Hermann Grossmann, > Ral:imatu'llah Muhaji..r, and others, were > visitors at vaiious times. The number of > grace-filled moments during these times > cannot be computed. > Jane's official Baha'i life was also ever > full. For example, she set up and supported > countless firesides , both in the Province and > in the Irish Republic. She helped to organise > the first n01ihern Irish summer school. She > helped to form the first Local Spiritual > Assembly in the area in which she lived (the > fourth in Northern Ireland). For many years, > almost until her death, she was elected as a > N01ihern Ireland delegate to the National > Baha'i Convention of the United Kingdom. > She became the official Travel Teacher > Coordinator for the Province. Rich were the Jane Villiers-Stuart > many itineraries she organised, and brilliantly successful she was in gaining media although she later admitted that she found all > coverage for both these travelling teachers these demands difficult to cope with at times. > in particular and the Baha ' i community in She became a much loved and respected > general. local figure. > When "The Troubles" (that is, violent Jane served for many years on a commitinter-religious conflict between the Catholic tee that attempted to proclaim the Faith to > and Protestant communities) flared up again important public figures. Her wide family > in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, Jane dedi- connections enabled her to do this in a succated more of her time to help the cause cessful manner. In the early 1970s, through > of peace. Her contribution was particularly her efforts and contacts, she enabled the > effective in the area of hosting events in the Tablets of Baha'u 'llah written to the Kings > community and in her house to which both of Europe to be unofficially presented to > Catholics and Protestants would come. It Queen Elizabeth II. She also arranged for > was not unknown for the "wild boys" as she the formal presentation of the same book to > affectionately called them, from both sides Eamon de Valera, the President of Ireland. > of the community divide, to serve tea to each In the early 1980s, she organised a very sucother during a fireside, and to wait to ambush cessful meeting in the House of Lords as a > each other after it was over. way of drawing attention both to the Baha' i > As a result of "The Troubles'', one of her Faith and to the plight of the Baha'is in Iran. > cars was hijacked and used as a car bomb, During the last years of her life she > and another was turned on its side and used travelled to India to teach the Faith, and also > as a road banicade! Despite all these com- to represent Northern Ireland at the 1978 > plications, Jane remained cheerful and full Asian women's conference in New Delhi. > of laughter. She seemed able to absorb the Later, she was invited to represent Northern > pressure and tensions of such an environ- Ireland at an international women's peace > ment and fit it into her hectic domestic life, conference in Dallas, Texas, U.S .A. During > 984 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > the last months of her life, while battling HEDA YA TO ULLAH AHMADI YEH > against a creeping cancer, she involved her- (Hidayatu'llah Ahmadiyyih) > self in the organisation of a cross-border 1933-1990 > Irish women's peace conference. Her room > in the Hospice where she stayed for some PROFOUNDLY DEPLORE TRAGIC CIRCUM- > weeks became a focus for visitors near and STANCES SUDDEN PASSING DEARLY LOVED , > far, and each found in her a rich source of WHOLLY DEVOTED, !NDEFATIGABLE SERVANT > > inspiration. For the last week of her life she BAHA'U' LLAH HEDA YATO ULLAH AHMADIYEl-I. > > was cared for by her family in the prayer- HIS CONST ANT PROMOTION SACRED CAUSE > > filled atmosphere of her home. THROUGH HIS INTENS IVE IMMENSELY SUC- > > When Jane passed away in August 1990, CESSFUL INVOLVEMENT TEACHING WORK > > her funeral became a wonderful proclama- INCLUD!NG HIS AUTHORSHIP WIDELY USED > > tion. The local people in the small town TEACHING BOOKLET WAS AT CORE HI S > > where she lived were amazed at the number DYNAMIC SERV ICES AS CONT!NENTAL COUN- > > and diversity of people who came to pay SELLOR IN AMERICAS, AS MEMBER AND > > their last respects. CHAIRMAN FOR MANY YEARS OF NAT IONAL > > Jane's life was filled with love and laugh- SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY BELIZE AND AS PIO- > > ter and happiness and a passionate sense NEER DURING HIS YOUTHFUL YEARS IRAN. > > of justice, all of which spilled over into and OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS HIS EXTENS IVE > > touched the lives of the many souls who TEACHING TRIPS THROUGH CENTRA L, NORTH > > were lucky enough to come into contact with AND SOUTH AMERICA WILL FOREVER BE > > her. There can be no more fitting epitaph to ASSOCIATED WITH BRILLIANT CHAPTERS > > her life than the message sent by the Univer- DEVELOPMENT FA ITH THESE AREAS. DEEPLY > > sal House of Justice to the National Spiritual SYMPATI-IIZE MEMBERS HIS BELOVED FAMILY > > Assembly of the United Kingdom on 24 August WHOSE WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT HIS > > 1990, on the occasion of her passing, which ACTIV ITIES WAS EXEMPLARY.PRAYING HOLY > > read: THRESHOLD THAT HIS SOUL MAY RECEIVE > RICH REWARDS MAY BE IMBUED WITH > ETERNAL 1-IAPP!NESS THROUGHOUT DIVINE > Grieve passing stalwart promoter Faith > dearly loved Jane Villiers-Stuart. Her WORLDS. > exemplary life of service to the Cause and ADVISING MEMOR IAL SERV ICES BE HELD > TEMPLES PANAMA CITY AND WILM ETTE AND > fellow human beings, her loving nature > and passionate love for Baha'u'llah, IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICAS IN > > her tireless unceasing efforts teaching HIS HONOUR. > > proclamation are fondly remembered. The Universal House of Justice > shining record services Cause she loved 29 August 1990 > so dearly served so nobly are indelibly > recorded history Faith British Isles, and Hidayatu'llah Al)madiyyih was born into a > will serve as befitting example for pro- Persian Baha'i family on 11 July 1933, in > moters Cause Baha'u'llah to emulate the village of"fizi1jan, near the city of Yazd. > in those Islands. Praying Ho ly Sluáines Both of his parents had become Baha'is on > progress her radiant soul. Kindly convey their own, and were the only Baha' is in their > loving sympathy her beloved family. families. > Although his parents practised the Faith, > GARRY VILLIERS-STUART they would not talk about it to the children, > fearing that they would speak to their schoolmates and cause difficulties and persecution. > As a result, Hidayatu'llili and his older > IN MEMORIAM 985 > > brother, being under the influence of their anything else and other youth likewise > maid who was a devoted Muslim, were should follow the same path. [Translated > brought up as Muslims and practised Islamic from the original letter in Persian.] > laws. After receiving these instructions, he > The family moved to the small town of became very anxious and restless. After one > Barn in the province of Kirman. When year of unsuccessful efforts to arrange a > Hidayatu ' llah was 11 years old, a pioneer pioneering post, he decided to continue his > family moved to Barn and encouraged the sh1dies and also to pursue his pioneering > Al:unadiyyihs to send their children to goal on the homefront. Immediately after his > Baha'i children's classes. The first class that acceptance at Shiraz University, he, along > Hidayatu'llah attended brought many ques- with a group of Baha'i medical students, > tions to his heart, and it was then that his pioneered to a nearby village called Qa~ru' dmother explained the Faith to him. Dasht and formed a new Local Spiritual > He studied the Faith for several years, and Assembly there. > was intellectually convinced but still had The following year their number increased > doubts. Then one day, at the age of 16, he to 11 students and two Baha'i families. > was studying The Dawn-Breakers when he Since they were not all needed in that > came across the story of the seven martyrs locality, they encouraged and invited other > of Tihran. Among these martyrs was J:Iaji friends from Shiraz to pioneer to new locali- > Siyyid- 'Ali, the uncle of the Bab, who ties. These efforts resulted in the formation > was His custodian from His childhood. of five new Local Spirihial Assemblies. > Hidayatu'llah was shaken by the story of his Hidayatu'llah moved to a village called Pushtmartyrdom, and, his heart moved, he became i-Mulih. Among the individuals on this new > convinced of the truth of the Cause of God. Assembly was Mr. Mihdi Anvari who, years > To him, the conclusion became clear; even later, gave his life heroically as a martyr. > if thousands of martyrs could have been After graduating from medical school in > deceived by the Bab, His uncle who was like 1960, Dr. Al:unadiyyih passed the Educational > a father to Him, could not have been. Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates > Hidayatu'llah's conviction was so strong examination and left for the United States in > that nothing could change it. He became 1961 to further his education. > very active in the Faith and served on sev- He studied for five years in the pediatric > eral national committees in Tihran. He was field. After passing the American Board > in the last year of high school when the Ten of Pediatrics examinations with excellence, > Year Crusade began. He became very he was awarded the Diploma of the American > anxious and eager to leave everything Board of Pediatrics. While in the United > behind and go pioneering, but the national States, he served on the Local Spirihial > committees and institutions of the Faith that Assemblies of St. Louis, Missouri, and > he consulted advised him to continue his Nashville, Tennessee. > studies. Upon finishing his studies in 1966, he > Hidayah1'llah wrote to Dr. Lutfu'llah decided to go pioneering. He wrote a letter > J:Iakim requesting him to ask the beloved of inquiry to British Honduras [known as > Guardian about his obligations and the obli- Belize after June 1973], and when the friends > gation of the other young students like him. there responded his decision was made. > The answer written by Dr. J:Iakim was brief He arrived in British Honduras in Decembut clear: ber 1966. He had to wait for two years > Write to Mr. Al:imadiyyih that he should before he was given permission by the govnow concentrate all his thoughts on pio- ernment to work. Finally, he was hired as a > neering because it is more important than Medical Officer in the Belize City Hospital. > 986 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Island, Peru, Brazil and Guyana. Later he > travelled to Paraguay and Bolivia. > In 1971, after receiving the news of the > passing of his father, he made a trip to Iran, > and it was there that he manied Ri~van > RaJ:iimi, who had been pioneering in India. > Dr. Al)madiyyih travelled again in 1974. > This trip lasted for six weeks, and took him > to Antigua, Barbados, Barbuda, Dominica, > Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, Panama, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, and > St. Vincent. > In October 1976, he was appointed to the > Continental Board of Counsellors in Central > America. > Towards the end of the Five Year Plan, > in 1978, he closed his medical practice for > eighteen months and travelled extensively in > Central America and among the Caribbean > islands trying to help the friends to win their > Hedayatoullah Ahmadiyeh teaching goals. At the end of September of > the same year, having instructions from the > Working with much dedication, he became Universal House of Justice and an invitation > known as "Angel of Mercy" by the nurses from the National Spiritual Assembly of the > with whom he served. United States, he visited that country, and > At that time, the population of British with the active participation of the friends > Honduras was only 140,000, with 80 believ- and constant help and guidance from the > ers and two Local Spiritual Assemblies . National Assembly and the National Teaching > Most teaching efforts had been concentrated Committee, more than 320 Local Assemin the areas of Belize City and Bunell Boom. blies were formed in eight weeks. Later, in > Dr. Al~madiyyih travelled around the country December 1978 and then in February 1979, > taking the Message of Baha'u' llah to the he visited Canada and helped the friends > towns and villages. Soon two more Assem- there attain all their teaching goals. > blies were formed, and the National Spiritual In November 1980, the Universal House > Assembly was established in April 1967. of Justice appointed five Boards of Cow1sel- > The first National Convention of Belize lors , one for each continent. Dr. AIJmadiyyih > was held in the presence of the Hand of the was appointed to the Board of Counsellors > Cause Dr. Ugo Giachery. Dr. AJ:imadiyyih for the Americas, and was reappointed in > was elected to the first National Spiritual November 1985. He was also a Deputy of > Assembly and was its chairman tmtil 1969, I:Iuququ' llah. for seven countries in Central > when he was appointed to the Auxiliary America for several years . > Board. As an Auxiliary Board member he He travelled very often to the countries > was very active and made regular trips to assigned to him as Counsellor; especially to > the villages and towns in Belize and also El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. He > travelled abroad. also made occasional háips to other countries > In 1970, he made an extensive teaching in the Americas, such as Brazil, Canada, > trip th.rough Central and South America, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, > visiting Colombia, San Andres, Providencia and the United States. His private practice > JN MEMORIAM 987 > was affected by these repeated absences and tool, so a copy was sent to the Universal > they caused financial difficulties for him and House of Justice in 1978, and the booklet > his family, but this fact was accepted by all was then printed in different languages and > involved. adapted for use in many countries around the > During the last two months of his life, world. > he travelled to Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. Dr. Al:rmadiyyih also put together a booklet > While he was in Canada, a permanent teach- based on the Baha'i Writings for the deepening team was formed for the first time. In ing of Local Spiritual Assemblies which was > Mexico, he met with the Mayan Teaching tested in a few communities in Belize. He > Committee in Merida and a team for teach- was in the process of writing a deepening > ing among the Mayan was formed. course suited for home-based study which > After leaving the meeting of the friends was left unfinished with his untimely death. > in Merida to go back to Belize on 26 August Another achievement was his role in > 1990, he met his untimely death. At the establishing permanent teaching teams in > border of Mexico and Belize, crossing the several countries in the Americas. The idea > bridge that separates the two countries, he had first been suggested by the Hand of > fell through an opening which was left un- the Cause Dr. Ral:rmatu'llah Muhajir on one > guarded and unlit and drowned in the river of his visits to British Honduras in March > below. He attained his wish, which was to 1976, and it came into reality in October > die while serving Baha'u'llah. 1988 when Dr. Al.rmadiyyih offered the idea > Among his many achievements was the during a joint meeting of the National > creation of a teaching booklet, the result of Assembly and the National Teaching Coman extensive teaching project in the Western mittee. By the end of the consultation the > Highway in Belize. The format is based on first permanent teaching team of Belize was > a quotation from a letter written by the formed. It immediately sta1ied functioning, > Universal House of Justice and sent to all with tremendous and exciting results, so > National Spiritual Assemblies on 13 July 1964: he took the idea to other countries including > El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and later > When teaching among the masses .... The > to Canada and Mexico. These countries adoptprime motive should always be the reed the idea and, based on their resources and > sponse of man to God's Message, and the > needs, established permanent teaching teams > recognition of His Messenger.... The > which brought thousands of souls into the > declarants need not know all the proofs, > Faith ofBaha'u'llah. > history, laws, and principles of the Faith, > but in the process of declaring themselves > REZV AN AHM A DIYEH > they must, in addition to catching the spark (Ric;Ivan Ahmadi yyih) > of faith, become basically informed about > the Central Figures of the Faith, as well as > the existence of laws they must follow > and an administration they must obey. WINNIFRED I. HARVEY > 1911-1990 > The first copies were written by hand > using postcards as pictures. These were Winnifred Harvey was born on 24 Jw1e 1911 > given to the graduates of a week-long teach- in Rapid City, in the Canadian province of > ing institute as gifts to be used by them. Manitoba, the eldest daughter in a family of > Soon, the National Teaching Committee of 12 children. > British Honduras had copies of the booklet As a child, Winnifred thought and read a > printed for use by teachers around the country. great deal, always searching for answers . > It proved an extremely successful teaching She found small town life very confining, > 988 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > and was often ill. Neve1iheless, her intelli- months of weekly talks? But she was still > gence and photographic memory were highly searching for a philosophy that made sense. > respected by her family. At the end of grade After some discussions with Rowland Estall, > 11 in public school she won a scholarship, she agreed to read the Baha' i Writings and > and her uncle sold some livestock to raise became quite engrossed in her reading. The > the money for her to go to teachers' college. two often met to discuss them. > She found college especially enlightening In 1940, during this time of intense search > when she met there an instructor who intro- and confusion, Winnifred left Winnipeg and > duced her to the arts and to oriental thought. moved to the capital, Ottawa, to begin a posi- > She then taught in rnral schools for a few tion with the governrnent as a statistician. > years . Despite the Great Depression, and the There were no Baha' is in Ottawa then, so > fact that she was penniless, Winnifred decided she visited Montreal to attend an afternoon > to resign her teaching position and enrol in tea at the home of Siegfried and Florence > university to pursue a bachelor of aiis degree. Evaline Schopflocher. > University opened for her the life of the In June 1940, she suddenly experienced a > mind. Although materially barely surviving sense of conviction, and enrolled in the Faith. > on scholarships, she felt intellectually and Still, she believed there might be errors in its > spiritually nourished. Thoughts she had had teachings so she spent eve1y spare moment > for years, and kept to herself, she now found at the library hying to find inconsistencies, > in the writings of the world's philosophers. reading close to 100,000 pages of religious, > She was elected president of the student body philosophical, and historical books, includand won many medals and scholarships. ing some attacks on the Faith. Despite all her > Eventually, however, she realized that she efforts, no flaws were discovered. > had found only knowledge, and not the foun- One evening, a young woman came to > tain of wisdom for which she longed. Winnifred' s room at the Young Women' s > It was dming these years that she decided Christian Association (YWCA) to ask about > to enter an essay contest on how to achieve the Faith. When the woman left, Winnifred > world peace, sponsored by one AJ:unad Sorab. realized that it was selfish to keep to herself > She wrote for info1mation on his organiza- the greatest thing that had ever happened > tion, planning to discover its point of view to her. She left the YWCA and moved to a > so she could incorporate it into her essay, room where she could hold weekly firesides , > giving her a better chance of winning the beginning in November of the same year. > contest and the badly needed cash prize. She continued holding regular firesides as > Because of the conespondence and informa- long as she lived in Canada. > tion she received, she quickly decided she Winnifred's services to the Cause were > did not like the organization but was attracted many. In the Ottawa area she has been > by one small book: The Hidden Words of refened to as the mother teacher of eastern > Ba ha ' u ' llah. Ontario and western Quebec. Not only was > After completing her bachelor of arts she the first pe1manent Baha'i resident in > degree in English, she taught at Dominion Ottawa, and hostess of the first firesides, she > Business College in Winnipeg. There she ananged the first public meeting in Ottawa, > attended a Baha'i public meeting, but still worked toward the foiming of the first Local > was not drawn to the Faith. Rowland Estall, Spiritual Assembly in Kingston, Ontario, > a Baha' i pioneer and fellow member of an and addressed the first public meeting in > educators' association, invited her to a series Belleville, Ontario . > of firesides , but she declined, deciding the She taught at Quebec and Ontario sum- > Baha'i Faith was something she could inves- mer schools, and gave talks on the Faith > tigate herself, so why subject herself to wherever she travelled. She is remembered > IN MEMORIAM 989 > not only for her eloquent, inspired and wellresearched talks, but also for her listening > ear, quiet advice and comforting manner. > Her home at 36 Waverly St. in Ottawa was > the centre of Baha' i activity in the region for > many years. Not only did it serve as a home > for many Baha ' is, but it was also a popular > stopping-off place for Baha'i visitors from > across the country. > In 1956, she was the first Ottawa area > Baha'i to go on pilgrimage and to meet the > Guardian, bringing with her a gift of maps of > Canada, especially of the Canadian north. > Win11ifred was twice a homefront pioneer. > She moved from Ottawa to nearby Eastview > (now Vanier) in the early 1950s to help form > the first Assembly there. Then she thought > of pioneering to the maritime province of > Newfoundland, but at the Guardian's request > she went instead to Hull, Quebec. Having > moved to this French-Canadian city, across Winnifred Harvey > the river from Ottawa, she, in her 50s, had > to learn to speak French, an accomplishment and reminding all of the power of prayer and > that took enormous effort. She succeeded, the importance of teaching minorities. > however, and continued to conduct regular She touched the lives of those she met in > Friday night firesides at her Hull apartment, many ways. A fellow servant at the World > but now in two languages. Centre noted that she would be sorely missed > She served in many administrative capac- by the young security guards who were > ities. She was an invaluable member of the assigned to the "Winnie Walk," when they > National Spiritual Assembly of Canada from had a chance to speak with her alone as they > 1950 to 1961, serving also on the National accompanied her up the hill to her office in > Teaching Committee and the Canadian Baha'i the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. > News Committee. Despite being diagnosed with terminal > In September 1979, Winnifred took early cancer, Winnifred continued to inspire her > retirement in order to serve the Faith at the co-workers in the Holy Land as well as fam- > Baha'i World Centre, first as a statistician, ily and friends around the world. She > and later in the bookstore. During her vaca- worked as long as her health permitted and > tions, she also took time for teaching trips in continued to give talks, especially to the > Nigeria and Ireland, as well as to Canada. youth. A few months before her death, she > She maintained a large correspondence with wrote to her largely non-Baha'i family about > Baha'is and non-Baha' is around the world, her situation, assuring them that as this world > and entertained Baha ' i pilgrims, especially was the womb of the next world, she was in > Canadians. no way perturbed by death. She looked for- > Wherever she travelled around the world ward to death as a totally new experience, > she served the Cause steadfastly, not only with the same eagerly inquiring mind that > with her eloquent talks but also by the exam- had characterized her throughout her life. > ple of her life. She never tired of reminiscing Winnifred died on the slopes of her > about her conversations with the Guardian, beloved Mount Carmel on 27 September 1990, > 990 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > and was buried in the Baha'i cemetery at its Manitoba. She spent her early married life > foot. with her husband, Joseph, on a Reserve just > The themes of spirituality, service, and outside of Broadview, Saskatchewan. In 1953, > devotion to truth ran through her life. Her one of her nine children died because there > final task, before she entered the hospital were not adequate hospital facilities for > for the last time, was to arrange for the sale Native Canadians, so the family moved to > of her beloved books to benefit the building Regina, Saskatchewan. But no one would > of the Arc on Mount Carmel. Just after her rent a house to Indians with a large family, > funeral, a friend at the World Centre wrote so they ended up pitching a tent on the outto Winnifred's family, enclosing a copy of a skirts of town. > Japanese print of a crane soaring over high At that time there were fewer than > mountains. It shows a plump Japanese lady 50 Native Americans in the area Dorothy > in a kimono, riding on the back of the crane became involved in the Regina Native Society > and reading a book, and had inspired one and then founded the first Indian Friendship > of Winnifred's jokes about riding a bird in Center, spending most of her evenings counheaven and reading. selling there. > On 28 September, the Universal House The family then moved to Winnipeg, > of Justice sent the following cable to the Manitoba, where Dorothy went to work for > National Spiritual Assembly of Canada: the Indian Center, first as arts and crafts manager, then as family counsellor. She became > Deeply grieved passing steadfast servant an economic development officer and Indian > Faith Winnifred Harvey. Her indefatiga- culture worker, then was elected chai1man > ble efforts in promoting teaching work of the National Arts and Crafts Advisory > Canada, her valued membership and Committee. She also served on the Ontario > services on National Spiritual Assembly Indian Arts and Crafts Advisory Board. > of her native country, her constancy, self- Dorothy was an artist, and some of her work > abnegation in discharge her responsibilities can be found in the Royal Ontario Museum > at World Centre will undoubtedly assure in Toronto. > her bountiful reward Abha Kingdom. Dorothy hosted a weekly Native cultural > Convey members her family and friends program for Canada's national radio network, > deepest loving sympathy, assurance published a book on Native legends, and > prayers Holy Shrines progress her soul in recorded Native lullabies. > all worlds of God. Dorothy became a Baha'i in 1960, taught > by Arthur and Lily Ann Irwin, and invited to > H EATHER HARV EY join the Faith by the Hand of the Cause of > God John Robarts. Confused by the conflict > between the Native and Christian cultures, > and searching for her place and the place of > DOROTHY FRANCIS her people in Canadian society, she found > 1913- 1990 that the Faith not only let her keep her identity, it encouraged it. > Dorothy Maquabeak Francis was one of She was a very active Baha'i, serving on > Canada' s great Native teachers, meshing her several Local Spiritual Assemblies. She was > love of Baha'u'llah with her promotion of also elected a delegate to Canada's National > Indian culture and identity. Convention several times. She travelled to > A Saulteax Indian, Dorothy was born in many parts of the country by small plane > 1913 and raised on the Waywayseecappo with Baha'i pilot Fletcher Bennet, and in > Indian Reserve near the town of Russell, in the early 1970s travelled by plane into many > IN MEMORIAM 991 > ... saddened news passing Dorothy Francis. > Kindly convey condolences family friends . > Assure prayers Holy Shrines progress her > soul. > > N ATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > OF HIE BAHA'is OF C ANADA > > AKBAR HADDAD > 1912_:1990 > > Akbar I:Iaddad was born on 12 May 1912 in > Tihran, Persia. He was only a child of six > when his parents embraced the Baha'i Faith. > His early education was at the Tarbiyat Baha'i > School in Tihran, and later he attended the > Persian/Gern1an technical college where he > specialised in steel fabrication. He used > this expertise in various public and private > Dorothy Francis projects, as well as in the service of many > Baha'i institutions. > remote communities in Alaska during a one- In 1936, he married Vajihih Muhajir and > month campaign for the Alaskan National from this union two sons, Fu 'ad (Foad) and > Assembly. Dhikru'llah (Zekrullah), and two daughters , > Travelling to teach on the Canadian Tali'ih (Talieh) and Najmiyyih (Najmieh), > prairies was not always easy; she recalled were born. From their unions there came > pushing a friend's car through deep snow, nine grandchildren who became the source > and shovelling the snow to reach Native of delight and happiness in the closing years > Reserves for teaching activities. Of her of Akbar's life. > teaching trips Dorothy once said: "I had Among Akbar 's notable accomplishments > wonderful opportunities at all these places to in service to the Cause was his involvement > speak of the Faith, and it just seemed that in the construction, beginning in the late > Baha'u' llah made all our plans." 1930s, of the National Baha' i Centre in > Over the years, she promoted Indian cul- Tihran. He was instrumental in the planning > ture and identity in a variety of ways. For and design and final completion of the > that work, she was honoured in 1978 by highly complex, beautiful, and unique dome > being appointed a member of the Order of of that building. Despite many difficulties > Canada. In her later years, despite the effects and the stopping of constrnction by the > of a severe stroke, she created and organized authorities and enemies of the Faith, Akbar > a Native spirituality project that is still active persevered and the dome was finally comin the British Columbia corrections insti- pleted. (When the wave of persecution > tutes . against the Baha'i Faith once again swept > Dorothy died of a heart attack in New through Persia in 1955, one of the first tar- > Westminster, British Colombia, on 16 Octo- gets for destruction was this beautiful dome.) > ber 1990. In response to the news, the At the end of the second World War, and > Universal House of Justice sent the follow- on the advice and encouragement of the > ing message: beloved Guardian, many friends left their > 992 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In 1959, during the Ten Year World Crnsade, he was again moved to participate in > the pioneering field and together with his > family left his homeland to reside in Italy, > in the city of Perngia. His family members > were the first Baha'is in that city and they > were able to establish a Local Spiritual > Assembly during the following year. > In 1964, the Italian town of Como needed > assistance. The I:Iaddad family answered > this need by moving to Como, where they > were instrumental in forn1ing the Local Spiritual Assembly. > A turning point in Akbar's life was in > 1968, when he moved to Haifa, Israel, upon > the invitation of the Universal House of > Justice, to assist with the maintenance of the > Holy Shrines and Gardens. Akbar remained > in the Holy Land for 14 years, until his > retirement, when he and his wife moved to > Akbar Haddad Australia where he spent the remaining days > of his life. > homelands and settled in other countries to One of his notable accomplishments in > establish the Faith. Akbar's heart was so the Holy Land was to design and constmct > overflowing with love for the Guardian and beautiful wrought iron gates for the Baha'i > obedience to him, that he immediately gardens in Haifa and 'Akka. He also had the > responded and succeeded in settling in ' Iraq. privilege of erecting the obelisk-the marble > His devotion to the Cause was limitless. It landmark that had atTived in Haifa during > was immaterial to him where he resided. the life of Shoghi Effendi to mark the site > However, he was forced to return to his of the future Mashriqu'l-Adhkar on Mount > native land because of pressure on the part Carmel. > of government authorities. Akbar's interest in the affairs of the Faith > He continued his services to the Cause and its international development moved > in Persia until 1956, when a long-cherished him to participate in many conferences during > hope of his dear heart was achieved: he his lifetime. In 1953, he attended the Intermade a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and vis- national Teaching Conference in Kampala, > ited his Beloved. Those who knew him often Uganda. In 1958, he travelled to Kampala > recognised the influence and impact that his again for an international conference that > visit to Shoghi Effendi made on his life. was called by the Guardian just prior to > Akbar's unique memory registered every his passing. In 1963, he attended the World > word spoken by the Guardian, and he often Congress in London, the crowning glory of > repeated the words he had heard with of the World Crnsade of the Guardian. And > profound intensity and sweetness. These in 1982, he attended the historic Interremained with him all the days of his life. Continental Conference that was held in > He had also committed to heart extensive CanbetTa, Australia. > passages from the Writings of Baha' u ' llah Akbar was a man who, from humble > which he often recited. These were powerful beginnings, became a source of inspiration > instrnments for him in teaching the Cause. to many. His open-mindedness, tolerance, > IN MEMORIAM 993 > broad vision, and sense of devotion and per- of Baha'i service. Kindly convey my > severance, brought him into the international loving sympathy his relatives. > arena of service on three continents of the RUI~iYY!H > > globe. When he passed away on 24 October [Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:iiyyih Khanum] > 1990, he brought to a close a life of devoted 10 September 1990 > and loving service to all, and in particular, to > the Cause he loved and served with such Emeric Sala came into this world on 12 Novexemplary devotion. ember 1906, at the beginning of the "Century > On 28 October 1990, the Universal House of Light". The timing was propitious, for > of Justice sent the following message to the by the time he reached manhood Emeric > National Spiritual Assembly of Australia: was able to play a leading role in building > the Baha'i Administrative Order. > ... deeply grieved passing staunch stead- His birthplace was an obscure Hungarian > fast servant Cause Ali-Akbar Haddad. village called Havas Dombrovica, which > His devoted services Cradle and World roughly translates into "snowed-in village''. > Centre Faith unforgettable . Convey mem- He was the first of four children born to > bers family heartfelt sympathy. Assure a Jewish lumber inspector, Adolf, and his > loving prayers progress his soul Abba wife, Charlotte. His parents later moved to > Kingdom. Herrmannstadt in Siebenbuergen, today > known as Sibiu in Romania, where Emeric > May the memory of his life of service and spent his school years. > dedication be another link in the unification After the first World War, when in his > of the peoples of the world and the cause of teens, Emeric felt intensely alienated by the > peace on this planet. prevailing militari sm and lack of personal > SUHAYL 'ALA'i freedom, as well as the social and religious > prejudices in the strife-tom Balkan countries. He was drawn to the United States, but > EMERIC SALA there was no immigration quota for him. So > 1906- 1990 he made his way to the German seaport of > Hamburg where he finally landed a job as a > Grieved passing dear Emeric Sala per- ship's helper, sailing for the west coast of > sonal friend for over sixty years who Africa. The ship returned to Hamburg and > accepted Faith Maxwell's home Mont- then sailed for Montreal, Canada. When he > real. Emeric was very active member our arrived in 1927, not quite 21 years old, he > Baha'i youth group period when Baha'i jumped ship and went into hiding. He dug > youth were few in number throughout ditches and washed dishes in a small hotel, > Canada. He was a devoted, consecrated, but soon got fired because he broke too > constantly active believer until end of his much crockery. > life: he served in the pioneer field in Ven- Apart from hi s native Hungarian, Emeric > ezuela, Africa and Mexico; he was author spoke Romanian, some German, French, > of a useful and thoughtful book for truth and Italian, but he didn't speak a word of > seekers; he was an excellent speaker, and English . Learning the language became his > a very capable member of various Baha'i obsess ion . Rather than just reading books, > administrative bodies and committees and he wanted to hear people talk, so he attended > was a brilliant protagonist of our Faith in every free lecture. > every field of service. May new generation One public meeting proclaiming a new > Canadian believers follow his footsteps World Order intrigued him . In Emeric's own > and seek equal distinction in every field words, taken from his autobiography: > 994 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > nized youth class in the Wes tern Hemisphere. > From that youth group came a Hand of the > Cause of God, a member of the Universal > House of Justice, two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors, three members > of National Spiritual Assemblies, and the > authors of three Baha' i books. One member > of the Montreal youth group was a charming > young woman by the name of Rosemary > Gillies. In 1934, she became Emeric's wife > and they spent 46 years serving the Cause of > Baha'u'llah and one another. > The English language, once his handicap, > now became his strength. He owned a small á > import business and had occasion to travel > coast-to-coast. In some cities he was the first > Baha'i to ever give a public talk about the > Faith. In 1937, at the encouragement of May > Maxwell, he extended a European business > trip to include Haifa, where he had the privi- > Emeric Sala lege of spending an evening alone with > Shoghi Effendi. Upon his return, Emeric > A lovely lady sat in the speaker' s chair. teamed up with Siegfried Schopflocher, a > Then a beautiful 17-year-old girl got up German immigrant who had built up a large > and with the greatest of ease, without any chemical business and who later was named > self-consciousness, introduced the speaker. as a Hand of the Cause of God, to purchase > The speaker got up and with a radiant the first Canadian Baha'i property at Beaulac, > smile started to speak. She must have north of Montreal in the Laurentians, where > mesmerized me for I could not take my the first Canadian summer and winter schools > eyes from her. I was not conscious that were held. > she was speaking a language I did not By 1930, Emeric's sister had manied and > understand. I witnessed a kind of beauty moved to New York. Just before the second > and radiance in a person I had not experi- World War, he managed to bring his parents > enced before. I was also impressed by the and brothers Paul and Ernest to Canada. > close and harmonious relationship between Without his foresight, his loved ones would > the chairman and the speaker. It was only likely have perished in the Nazi death camps. > months later that I learned that the unfor- In 1940, Emeric and Rosemary pioneered > gettable speaker was Mrs . May Maxwell for one year to Venezuela and served as travand the chairman was her daughter Mary elling teachers throughout South America. > Maxwell. They both had an indelible They were the first Canadian Baha' is to visit > influence on me for the rest of my life. the grave of May Maxwell in Buenos Aires, > where May had passed away while on a > In 1929, Emeric emailed in the Faith, and teaching tour. Before leaving Monháeal, she > soon he and two other young men, Rowland had asked Emeric always to pray for her, > Estall and George Spendlove, began the first which he steadfastly did every day until he > Canadian Baha'i Youth Group in Montreal. left this world. > They began to hold classes, and soon the In 1945, as the world emerged from the > attendance was about 60. It was the first orga- global convulsion of the war and many people > IN MEMORIAM 995 > were searching for a new order in the affairs addresses. He had overcome all handicaps, > of humanity, Emeric published This Earth burst the boundaries of nation and conven- > One Count1y, in which he wrote about such tional thought, and devoted his talents and > concepts as "planetary economy", "a supra- energies to the World Order ofBaha'u'llah. > national community" and "a world plan". When news of his passing reached the > Emeric and Rosemary were elected to Universal House of Justice, it sent the folthe first National Spiritual Assembly of Can- lowing message on 9 September 1990: > ada in 1948, and they continued to serve > with distinction until 1953. That year they HEARTS GRJEVED PASSING VETERAN TEACHER > responded to the Guardian's call for pio- PROMOTER FA ITH EMERIC SALA. HIS WORLD- > neers at the beginning of the Ten Year WIDE TRAVELS, HIS HlSTORJC EFFORTS IN REAR- > Crusade. Emeric handed his business to his ING ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE CANADIAN > brother, Ernest. The couple sold their charm- BAHA'i COMMUNITY, HIS SCHOLARLY WORK, > ing home on the banks of the St. Lawrence HIS ENTHUS IASM, ARDOUR AND STEADFAST- > River in St. Lambert, Quebec, and prepared NESS WlLL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED. PRAY- > to settle in the Comoro Islands off the east LNG HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS NOBLE SOUL. > coast of Africa. CONVEY FAMlL Y FRJENDS DEEPEST LOVING > However, the French authorities refused SYM PATHY. > to grant them residence status in the Comoro Compiled from material submitted by > Islands, so the Guardian asked them to settle H AR RY LIEDTKE AND J AMESON BOND > in Zululand instead. There they ran a trading > post among the Zulus at a place called > Eshowe until the South African government NORANIEH PARSA MAZZONI > refused to renew their license and they moved (Nuraniyyih Parsa Mazzoni) > on to P01t Elizabeth. They befriended many 1943- 1990 > Africans who came to their home tluáough > the back door when it was dark, calling ... grieve passing stalwart maidservant of > Rosemary "Our Mother". She founded school Baha'u'llah Nura Parsa Mazzoni. Her > libraries and organized the shipment of books noble qualities steadfastness and dedicafrom North America. tion to the Cause, her devoted services > After returning to Canada briefly in the teaching pioneering, administration Faith > late 1960s, the couple pioneered again, this are fondly remembered .... > time to Guadalajara, Mexico, and travelled Universal House of Justice > extensively in Central America. Rosemary 5 November 1990 > died in Mexico on 24 January 1980. Emeric > continued serving at his post and remarried Nuraniyyih Parsa was born in Sangsar, Peron 27 September 1980. His second wife, sia, in 1943, into a Baha'i family of modest > Donya, also became a Baha'i and together means. At that time her parents were getting > they travelled through America, China, India, ready to leave Tihran for Gunbad-i-Kavus > and Europe. Donya passed to the Abha at the request of the Pioneering Committee. > Kingdom a few weeks before Emeric's own Born at the beginning of a pioneering phase, > death on 5 September 1990. Nura devoted her whole life to the service of > Emeric, with his six foot, four inch frame, the Faith. > wearing size 14 shoes, always towered above Nfua spent her childhood and part of her > any crowd. He was equally a spiritual giant. adolescence in Gunbad-i-Kavlis, studying at > The poor Hungarian immigrant boy who school there. In 1956 her parents moved to > knew no English became best known for his nearby Shahpasand, but Nfua stayed behind > book, his lectures, and his stirring public with her young sisters, their father's mother > 996 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Breakers band together with other young > people. This was fundamental in developing > the Italian community and in increasing the > declarations of faith. > During all of these activities for the Faith, > Nura kept up her university studies, eventually graduating in chemistry with honours. > Once graduated, Nura began a brilliant career > as a teacher, and she was much appreciated > by her pupils, colleagues, and superiors. > In 1972, she married Gianfranco Mazzoni, > a young Italian Baha'i, and they began their > married life serving the Faith as pioneers in > Scandicci, a small town near the suburbs of > Florence. Then they responded to the appeals > of the National Spiritual Assembly to go as > pioneers to the cities of Pisa and Mantova, > where their daughters, Shabnam and Sharon, > were born. > At the beginning of 1977, when the Man- > Noranieh Parsa Mazzoni tova community had become more stable, > Gianfranco and Nfua wished to serve as piotaking care of them so that they could con- neers in the international field. After loving > tinue their education. A few years later, in consultations with the National Assembly, > response to the goals of the Ten Year Cru- which advised the couple to remain in Italy > sade, the Parsa family decided to move to at least until the end of the Five Year Plan, > Turkey as pioneers. But in December 1959, they eagerly accepted the idea of adventure > when the family stopped in Tihran on the in southern Italy. This time the challenge > way to their post, they were influenced by was to open up one of the last virgin areas, > the Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali-Akbar Basilicata, with its capital, Potenza. Just > Furutan to change their goal, and they went at this time, the Hand of the Cause of God > instead to Italy, to the city of Perugia. Ral.rmatu ' llah Muhajir had a meeting with > In Italy, Nfua's presence was vital to the the members of all the National Committees > family, not only as the eldest daughter but at the Baha'i Centre in Rome to encourage > also as the only member of the family who pioneering as an urgent matter. His words on > had any knowledge of the English language. that occasion to the new pioneers were: > During the first few years in Perugia, the > Go with confidence-there is a big house > financial position of the fami ly was not good > waiting for you in Potenza! > and there were many privations. > Despite the hardships, Nura immediately And how true this was! There, as in all the > became active in the Italian Baha'i commu- other towns, Nura and Gianfranco settled in > nity, and in 1966 she became a member of immediately, and there was certainly no lack > the National Youth Committee. From this of loyal friends to enrich their lives. A new > moment onwards, she took on commitments Baha'i community was born and, at Ric;lvan > at both national and international levels. She 1978, the first Local Spiritual Assembly was > took pa1i in the activities of the musical elected. In the meantime, Nura's participagroup called The Dawn-Breakers in Europe, tion in teaching and administrative activities > and felt encouraged to get the Italian Dawn- at the national level increased. > IN MEMORIAM 997 > > God's plans are often shown in ways strength and determination; she was capable > which are so different from our human of alternating her roles as a careful adminisexpectations. In 1987, Nura discovered that trator, conscientious teacher, loving mother, > she was seriously ill. Yet this did not stop and wonderful wife. > her from attending, two weeks after a serious It will be absolutely impossible to fill the > operation, the most meaningful experience space she occupied in life, yet her presence > of her life-the 1988 International Conven- will be felt at all times by those who loved > tion to elect the Universal House of Justice. and admired her. The whole purpose of her > A year later, in 1989, she was elected life was to create love and unity around her. > chairperson of the National Assembly and Her conversation was always full of elevatdistinguished herself for her capacity to ing illuminating subjects. In the heart of > bring out the best in each member of that whoever came into contact with her, if only > divine institution and to create a sense of briefly, she left the desire to go deeper into > unity which brought great benefit to the the truths which enlivened her every action. > entire national community. MARIO PIARULLI > Her disease rapidly advanced until Nura > was no longer able to be completely selfsufficient, yet even in her worst moments, LUDWIG PAPAI > her service and devotion were exemplary. 1937-1990 > She continued as chairperson insofar as she > was able to do so. Her love was a determin- "He was the founder of the Roma Society > ing factor toward strengthening the unity of for the promotion of gypsies and he was a > the members of that same National Assembly follower of the Baha'i Religion." > and the entire national community. These were the opening words of an > During the last months of her life on article in one of the major Austrian daily > earth, she joyously offered her sufferings to newspapers describing the funeral of Ludwig > God for the development of the Cause among Papai who, at 54 years of age, had ascended > her friends, colleagues, and neighbours. to the Abba Kingdom. > There were almost daily prayer meetings held A member of the Roma folk and a simple > on the initiative of Catholic friends, joyously man, he accepted the Faith of Baha 'u'llah > attended by children, women, priests, col- in 1986 and recognized the importance of > leagues and acquaintances in a desperate unifying the different peoples while respectattempt to keep Nura in this world. But on ing diversity. He was elected as the first > 2 November 1990, her bright soul joined President of the Roma Society in Ausháia > those of the dear martyrs, with whom she and later functioned as their Honorary Presifelt so united in moments of intense suffer- dent. He was the first Roma to be officially > ing. A huge crowd was present at her last received by the President of Austria and > journey to the Potenza cemetery, which had caused the existence of this gypsy minority > never at any time witnessed so many friends in Austria to be publicly recognized and posjoined together in prayer from so many itively acknowledged. > distant cities. Born 25 July 1937, Ludwig spent his > Nura's willingness to help friends and early childhood in the concentration camp of > strangers, her calmness at school, her strong Lackenbach under the Nazi regime. After > sense of service, and her sweet nature char- a youth full of suffering and hardships, and > acterised her brief existence on this earth. upon completing his professional education, > Brief but full of intense activity- not even he married Renate from Felixdorf in Lower > one ounce of energy was spared. Of slight AustTia in 1958. Their man-iage brought forth > build, Nura possessed rare resources of three children. > 998 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > filled the cemetery. Dr. Kurt Sypal, the Director of the Presidential Office of President > Kurt Waldheim, spoke heartfelt and moving > words at his graveside. Journalists repmted > on his ascension, causing a wave of proclamation of the Faith in Austria in va1ious > newspapers. > Many who knew him realised it was his > Faith that gave him the strength and the > measure with which he served his people. > THE NATIONAL SPIR ITUAL ASSEMBLY > OF THE B A HA 'is OF AUSTRIA > > FRANCES GORDON HELLER > Knight ofBaha'u'llah > 1909-1990 > > Born in Avoyelles Parish in Louisiana, > U.S.A., on 16 December 1909 and chris- > Ludwig Papai tened Frances Verna Gordon in the Catholic > church, Frances was the eldest of eight > As a school caretaker, he provided all children-six girls and two boys. Her father, > his children with a good formal education Frank Gordon, was a self-taught civil engiand it was through them that he learned about neer, related to the well-known Gallo family > the Baha'i Faith in 1980. Even before he ofitaly. He worked for the Texas and Pacific > declared his faith officially, he strove Railroad, travelling around Louisiana buildbravely for its proclamation. He was loved ing levees, railroads, and bridges. Her > by all, especially for his warmheartedness mother, Elma Brulte Gordon, was French > and humble servitude. His untiring efforts Acadian, related to the Couvillions and > in teaching the principles ofBaha'u'llah and the Lady Evangeline, about whom Henry > his own example helped his neighbours to Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his famous > accept the Faith. His home became a centre narrative poem by the same name. Frances > for many Baha'i activities. grew up exploring the bayous with her > When he fell ill and was physically weak- cousins and two brothers, planning to > ened by a series of operations, he strove explore the rest of the world when she was > with even greater spiritual efforts for the old enough. > recognition of the Roma minority and taught Frances was raised a devout Catholic. She > the Baha' i Faith at every opportunity. constantly studied the Bible as a youth, and > He left this world on 2 November 1990 her keen intellect saw many discrepancies > accompanied by the prayers and loving between the teachings of Christ and the > respects of many. Many newspapers and radio practices of the priests and the Church. At > broadcasts reported that "The Founder and 16 years old, she vowed to God and to herfirst President of the Roma Society for the self that she would search for the truth until > promotion of gypsies in Austria has died .... " she found it, and she set out on a life-long > His funeral on 9 November 1990 was an study and quest for knowledge. > event of the region as hundreds of people of Frances investigated every religious > all races and Baha'is from all over Austria organization she could find, from Jehovah's > IN MEMORIAM 999 > Witnesses, Christian Scientists, and Seventh > Day Adventists to Yogis, Rosicrucians, and > Theosophists. She found truth in all of them. > Still, she was not completely satisfied with > any of them. > She graduated from high school and business college in Louisiana, and found a job as > a medical secretary for the U.S. Army. She > was transferred to Chicago, where she met > and married her beloved husband, Sydney > Heller, in 1948. > In 1949, just before they moved to San > Francisco to open a music store, Frances went > to Wilmette to visit friends . They were not > home, so she decided to find out what mystery lay in the Baha' i House of Worship. > Foundation Hall, in the basement of the > Baha'i House of Worship, held a tiny bookstore. Frances spoke with the person in > charge, and then proceeded to buy two of > every book. As the storekeeper tallied the Frances Gordon Heller > books, he remarked that many people had > bought one of everything, but no one had She travelled to Rome and was being robed > ever bought two of everything. Could she and prepared to meet the Pope to ask her > please explain? Frances said, "Certainly! If questions when, suddenly, she knew the > this is as good as it sounds, then someone answers. She rushed out of the preparation > else needs to know about this. " Frances room into St. Peter' s Cathedral and there, > filled one of her suitcases with Baha'i books under the dome, declared her belief in > and set out for San Francisco. Baha' u'llah. > Frances attended her first Baha' i meeting Frances returned to San Francisco, enat Mamie Seto's house in San Francisco. rolled in the Faith, and in 1953 eagerly > She met Lucy Marshall, who became her received plans for the Guardian' s Ten Year > first Baha' i teacher and great friend, but she Crusade. She felt compelled to respond to > did not emol in the Faith. Frances was in tur- the call for pioneers, no matter what. > moil because of her Catholic upbringing. If Frances went to the Asian Intercontinental > this was the truth, why were the Catholics Teaching Conference in New Delhi, India, > not responding to Baha ' u'llah ' s Message? from 7 to 15 October 1953. On the way to > Frances was daring and courageous, fearless the conference, she obtained one visa for the > in searching for the truth, and she always Gilbert Islands, and one for Macau. At that > went to the source when investigating any- time it was extremely difficult for Americans > thing. She decided to ask for an audience to obtain visas to Macau because of the Porwith the Pope. tuguese Catholic influence so, since Frances > She planned to ask the Pope three ques- had that visa, she went directly there and > tions: "Do you know about Baha'u 'llah and was designated as a Knight ofBaha 'u'llah. > His claims? If so, do you believe they are She arrived 20 October 1953 and settled > the truth? If not, why not, and if so, why are into a large one-room apartment. She took > you not a Baha'i?" In the fall of 1951, she classes in dance and Chinese brush painting, > received an audience with Pope Pius XII. and began to teach English to children. > 1000 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Frances taught the Faith to and confirmed was named Tinai, whose uncle later became > the first Chinese woman in Macau, Mary the King of Fiji. Frances brought Tinai to the > Shia, through teaching Mary's son English. Baha'i Centre and introduced her to the other > She also taught the first Portuguese Baha'i Baha'i teachers there, including Donald > in Macau, Manual Ferreira, by teaching Hancock from New Zealand. Tinai and > him English through study of the book, Donald eventually married, raised a family, > Baha 'u 'llah and the New Era. and Tinai Hancock became a member of > Other pioneers soon came to Macau: Carl the Continental Board of Counsellors in the > and Loretta Scherer, who also became Pacific. > Knights of Baha'u'llah, and then Mr. and In the spring of 1957, a freighter left Fiji > Mrs. Ishmat'u'llah 'Azizi. After a year the with Frances aboard, bound for Abaiang in > Guardian wrote Frances a letter saying, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, later named > "You may leave your post at any time. There Kiribati and Tuvalu, respectively. She loved > are too many Baha'is in Macau." She left the native peoples and lived in a thatched > for the United States on 4 November 1954. hut close to their village, ate their food, gave > Frances arrived in the United States on them what medical care she could, and > 4 December 1954 and stayed long enough to taught them English and the Baha'i Faith. > obtain a visa for a new pioneering goal in She was able to arrange with the government > Puebla, Mexico, where she arrived in March for a 99-year lease for two pieces of land for > of 1955 and directed her efforts towards Baha'i centres in the Gilbert Islands, one in > meeting and teaching the Mexican Indians. Abaiang, one in Beiginibou. > Frances taught the Faith by making friends Frances was joined by Mabel Snyder > with the native people and then finding ways in September 1957. In November, Frances > to serve them. They in turn were attracted went to the island of Tarawa where she > to the Faith by her selfless service. helped to establish the first Local Spirihial > In the spring of 1956, Frances attended Assembly. Her health gradually deterioa teaching conference for Central America rated because of the weather and food, until > and Mexico, in Mexico. A message from a local doctor ordered immediate leave from > Shoghi Effendi was received; he wanted a the Colony for complete rest and medical > pioneer to go to the Gilbert Islands to replace care. She departed in the summer of 1958, > the original pioneers, Elena and Roy Femie. bound for Hawaii and the United States. > In October 1956, she returned to the United Frances recuperated on the ocean liner > States to obtain a new visa for the Gilbert and stayed in Hawaii for a few months, > Islands. The only way to get one was to go teaching the Faith. She spent as much time > to Australia or Fiji and apply there. as possible with the Hand of the Cause of > Frances arrived in Suva, Fiji, in late 1956. God Agnes Alexander during this period. > She taught English and tráavelled by long In January 1960, she went to San Rafael , > motor boats (Frances called them "put-puts") California, where she helped to f01m the > and ouháigger canoes to visit different first Local Spiritual Assembly in 1961. > islands, made friends with the native peoples Sydney and Frances adopted their Koreanand taught them the Faith. When visitors American daughter, Jennifer Rhea Heller, > arrived in the villages, they would have big in 1960, when Jennifer was six-and-a-half > parties in the long-houses, and cook, sing, years old. Frances and Jennifer went to > and dance all night. Frances and other pio- London in the fall of 1962, where Frances > neers often spent the night in these long helped to prepare for the first Baha' i World > houses on their teaching trips. Congress, held in London at the Royal Albert > One day Frances met tluáee Fijian teenage Hall, from 28 April to 2 May, 1963. From > girls, and spoke to them about the Faith. One London, Frances and Jennifer went on > JN MEMORIAM 1001 > > pilgrimage and dined with Amatu'l-Baha suffering and ready to help in whatever way > Rul;iyyih Khanum, and then they made a she could. She had an encompassing feeling > teaching trip through Norway and Scotland. of family and was a true friend. Above all, > They returned to the United States so that she was steadfastly devoted to Baha'u'llah, > Jennifer could continue her education, and to spreading His Message and to serving His > spent summers on teaching/consolidation trips: Faith to the end of her life. > to the Mexican villages of San Francisco and ]OY WIECZOREK > Chilula near Puebla; to Chichicastenango; to > the American southwest Indian reservations; > and to the Gilbert Islands. > MONIREH REzv ANI > Frances and Sydney moved to Novato, (Munirih Ri<;lvani) > California, in 1978, and in 1989 they moved 1906-1990 > to Gretna, Louisiana, where Frances passed > away on 6 November 1990. GRIEVE D NEWS PASSING DEARLY LOVED > Frances had a strong intuition and spiri- CONSECRATED PIONEER CAUSE GOD MONIREH > tual connection with people. Once she was REZVANI. MOVED RECALL LONG RECORD > walking past a used bookstore, and on a HER VALIANT COURAGEOUS SERVICES INDIG- > whim decided to enter. Inside she found an ENOUS AREA IN FACE LONELINESS MORTAL > original translation of the Qur'an by Robert DANGERS ILLNESS AND DEPRIVATION CON- > Sale. It was very rare, but Frances said 'this STITUTING WORTHY SOURCE INSPIRATION > is not for me'. She decided that Shoghi HER BEREAVED COWORKERS. ASSURE FER- > Effendi should have this copy, so she mailed VENT PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES FOR PROGRESS > it to the Holy Land with no return address. HER RADIANT SOUL ABI-IA KINGDOM. KINDLY > Later, a friend returned from pilgrimage and CONVEY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES HER > mentioned that Shoghi Effendi had told the DISTINGUISHED FAMILY. > pilgrims that he had always wanted a copy Universal House of Justice > of Robert Sale's original translation of the 14 November 1990 > Qur'an and had just received one anonymously. It had pleased him tremendously, as Munirih Ri<;lvani was born into a Baha'i > her life of pioneering and service must have family in Najafabad (I~fahan), Persia, in > pleased him. March of 1906. Her great-grandmother was > Frances never wanted recognition for any a learned and courageous Babi and then > of her services, but almost everyone who Baha'i named Fatimih Bagum, who diswas ever close to her received some valuable cussed the Faith with the 'ulama of that > assistance from her at a critical juncture in time and held classes from behind a curtain > their lives. She taught the Faith unceasingly, for students of theology. Once, when her > and was a perpetual student, continuously husband Mulla Qasim was put in jail by > taking classes in languages, art, dance, and Zillu's-Sultan, she walked to I~fahan and > cultures. She was also a scholar of the Faith, addressed the governor. She asked him why > and had an unerring knowledge of its his- her husband was being kept in jail. When > tory, as well as its spiritual and social one of the 'ulama who was present answered, > teachings. She read all of the published "Because he is a Babi", she quoted this verse > works of the Central Figures every year for of the Qur' an, "We have obeyed our leaders > more than 20 years. and elders, but they have misguided us." The > Frances Heller is remembered by those mulla left the place in a state of fury, and > who knew her as an independent woman her husband was released. Later, she was > with great courage and a quick, deep sense of honoured with a Tablet revealed by 'Abdu 'ljustice, compassionate toward other people 's Baha telling how great the Day is when a > 1002 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Tihran for Arabia, causing one of the members of the pioneering committee to write > later: "Such a courageous mother deserved a > pioneer son. She didn 't shed a drop of tears > and was very happy all the time." > A year later she also decided to participate in the Ten Year Crusade and left Iran > with another son and his wife. They first > lived in Dubai, tolerating the terrible conditions there. Later, she went with her son and > daughter-in-law and their new-born baby to > settle in Qatar. She was able to participate > in forming a goal Assembly in a village near > Dubai. > In 1968, Munirih went to Colombia, and > after a few years staying with family she > moved to the Baha'i Institute in Riohacha > in an indigenous area of the Guajira. She > was very happy there and dedicated her time > to serving the visitors because she believed > Monireh Rezvani that guests were a bounty of God. Her happiest times were when she could cook and > woman can refer to the verse of the Qur'an, serve the youth who went to the institute for > "We have obeyed our leaders and elders, but Baha'i courses. She also gave the neighbor's > they have misguided us." children literacy classes. > When Munirih was 16 years old, she was She served at the Institute with utmost > married to her cousin, Na~ru'llah Ric:Jvani, love and enthusiasm until about 1985 when, > the son of ' Ali. Six years later her husband because of loneliness and danger in the area, > died after a long period of illness, leaving she had to leave. At one point, thieves had > her with three sons, the youngest only three broken in and tied her up while they stole > months old. She never wanted to get married items; she finally managed to untie herself > again and dedicated her life to the care and and get help from neighbors. However her > education of her children. Sometimes she desire always was to be buried there. When > was criticized for working too hard and she she later became ill she moved back again > would answer, "My duty as a Baha'i is to to this area that she so loved, and after two > give at least a primary school education to months, on 10 November 1990, she passed > my children, and I have to fulfill it." away. Providentially, she was buried in the > She said that many times she was inspired indigenous cemetery, which greatly imby the talks and guidance of the Hand of the pressed the native friends who attended her > Cause of God Abu '1-Qasim Fayc:Ji which she funeral service in good number, and gave > received while attending the weekly meet- them more confidence in the Baha'is. > ings held for women, called "the assembly of HABIB R EZYA N I > the elders". She used to look at her children (l~abib Ri<;lvani) > while they slept thinking of the day when > they would be grown up and serving the > Faith. In 1953, she was ve1y pleased when > her son I:Iabib decided to pioneer during > the Guardian's Ten Year Crusade. He left > IN MEMORIAM 1003 > > FLORENCE E. BAGLEY 1953, both as secretary and chairman, and > Knight ofBaha'u'llah was a frequent teacher there both before and > 1914-1990 after the Ten Year World Crusade. > Florence wrote in her memoirs about her > Florence Esther Johnson Bagley was born in response to the call for pioneers. > Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.A ., on 3 Jan- > We had all attended the Jubilee Celeuary 1914. A few years before her passing > bration and the following Conference in > on 3 December 1990, she wrote about her > Chicago. As soon as we returned home, > first contact with the Faith: > I began to so1i through my papers and > I learned about the Baha'i Faith in the books, deciding what to take with us ... > spring of 1930, at age 16. I became a We offered to go to Africa but never > believer immediately. My mother was a received acknowledgement from the Comseeker, and we had attended religious ser- mittee ... The Guardian sent a message > vices and related groups for several years, that the Americans could fill the goals of > this time attending a spiritualist meeting other countries, so we searched through > in a private home. Our hostess had met the booklet containing the goals, and by > Mrs. Elizabeth Greenleaf at the YWCA, a process of elimination, chose Sicily. I > and had invited her to speak to us about don ' t remember why. I think it chose us! > her visit to the Holy Land. This was in Flint, We left from New York on an Italian > Michigan ... she told us Who Baha 'u'llah ship, the Conte Biancarnano, on 17 October > was, and I believed her. From then on I 1953. (It was Gerry ' s 16th bi1ihday.) We > called myself a Baha'i. My mother ac- arrived at Palermo, Sicily, on 27 October > cepted a little later, and frequently became 1953 . > the hostess for travel teachers. Stan couldn't find work in Sicily and > we began to run out of savings. We had > Florence introduced her future husband, > permission from the Beloved Guardian > Stanley T. Bagley, to the Faith. They both > to change posts, and to leave Gerry in > signed official Baha' i membership cards in > Sicily. As soon as a telegram came from > April 1935, shortly after their marriage. > Horace Holley suggesting that Stan might > They both served on the first Local Spiritual > find work in France at the American Air > Assemb ly of Flint from its inception in 1935 > Force Base in Chateau-roux, Stan took a > until their departure for Sicily in 1953. > ship to France that same evening, and got > Florence served as Secretary of the Flint > a job almost immediately. (The Beloved > Assembly for many years. > Guardian 's cable had said, 'Permission > The Bagleys welcomed seekers to weekly > granted- praying. ') > firesides and deepening classes and confirmed a steady stream of new believers. The Bagleys remained in Chateauroux > They hosted regional conferences for Baha'i from October 1954 to August 1963, except > youth who came from several states in the for nine months in Charleroi, Belgium, in > Midwest. Their home was dedicated to the 1959- 1960. Florence continued her life-long > service ofBaha' u' llah. habit of deeply studying the Teachings, but > Florence recounted to her children that now learned French in order to prepare study > she had worked with her mother, Genevieve courses and public talks in that language. > Elizabeth Hempftling Johnson, to provide This enabled her to render valuable services > meals at Louhelen Ranch (now Louhelen as a teacher at firesides and summer schools, > Baha' i School) during the first two summers and as a teacher travelling in the Benelux > of the school's existence. She served on the countries. She produced the French Baha 'i > Louhelen Program Committee from 1951 to Bulletin for a number of years. > 1004 THE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > with the same dedication in Alabama and > Georgia, teaching and serving on Local > Assemblies and committees. > In 1972, and again in 1974, Florence spent > four months travelling to teach in the French > Antilles. In 1976, she and her husband > pioneered to Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, > remaining there for four years, and in 1980, > settled in Fort-de-France, Martinique, for one > year. She served on the National Spiritual > Assembly of the Leeward and Virgin Islands > (1976-77) and on the National Assembly of > the French Antilles (1977- 1981), as chairman during the first two years, and as > recording secretary for two years. She had > a great love for the people in her pioneering > posts, and left the foreign field reluctantly. > In 1981 , the Bagleys returned to the United > States, settling near their daughter Carol in > Ozark, Alabama. Florence's services in the > Florence Bagley Deep South continued unabated. Finally, > she devoted her last energies to compiling a > Florence served on the National Spiritual record of the family's pioneering experi- > Assembly of France from its formation in ences for the archives at the request of the > 1958 until August 1963, except for the Universal House of Justice. She called this, > period in Belgium in 1960. Stan lost his job "A Family Odyssey". The first volume covin France, forcing their departure, but was ered the World Crusade and the second, > called back nine months later. This was only the years after, including family members ' > one of many hardships which later proved to experiences in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, > be providential. Not only was a strong Local the French Antilles, and Paraguay. > Assembly formed in Charleroi, but Florence Looking back on 60 years of devoted > avoided the Covenant-breaking in France, a services, she believed that the years of the > grave test for the National Assembly of that World Crusade were the most poignant. She > cow1try. responded to the beloved Guardian's call > Returning to France at the request of the and never stopped until her strength failed. > Hands of the Cause of God in Haifa, Florence First and foremost, she loved Bahi'u'llah. > joined the Hand of the Cause Abu'l-Qasim She enlightened and set an example for her > Fayc;li in visiting the French believers to family. Her beloved granddaughter, Jocelyn > reinforce their steadfastness. Her daughters, Baral, together with her husband Michael, > Susan and Carol, pioneering in Orleans, pioneered to Siberia, keeping the family > remained faithful throughout this tense period. odyssey alive. > Florence was tireless in her services. Her The Universal House of Justice sent this > home was always busy with seekers, travel- message upon hearing of her passing: > ling teachers, and administrative meetings. DEEPLY SADDENED LOSS STALWART STEADFAST > She travelled frequently throughout Europe KNIGHT BAl-IA 'U' LLAH FLORENCE BAGLEY > for meetings, conferences, and schools. WHOSE srx DECADES DEVOTED SERVICE HI S > In August 1963, Florence and Stanley CAUSE 1-llGl-IL Y DISTINGUISHED BY OPENING > returned to the United States. They served SICILY, WITH HER HUSBAND STANLEY AND > IN MEMORIAM 1005 > THEIR THREE CHILDREN, DURING HISTORIC a brilliant man, but writing an exact man.' > TEN YEAR WORLD CRUSADE. HER LEONINE When I confront an audience, words come > DEFENCE COVENANT FRANCE AND HER PIO- and then flow from me, but when I take a > NEERING ACTIVITIES VIRGIN AND LEEWARD pen, the words do not come easily or please > ISLANDS AND FRENCH ANTILLES ON WHOSE me either." She was a "platform speaker" > NAT!ONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES SHE SERVED par excellence. > ARE UNFORGETTABLE. FERVENTLY PRAYING Helen was born in Mazatlan, Mexico, on > PROGRESS HER ILLUMINED SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. 19 July 1905 Her father, Guy Pilkirlgton, > KJNDLY CONVEY OUR LOVING SYMPATHY was an American who traced his ancestry to > MEMBERS HER DEAR FAMJLY. one who had fought at the Battle of Hastings > in 1066. Her mother, Maria, was a Mexican > She was buried in Ozark, Alabama. > who was a descendant of a Spanish Viceroy. > GERROLD STANLEY BAGLEY Helen was the third of six surviving children. > She attended a convent school, but her > father took her out because he feared that > she would become a nun. She loved to read > HELEN PILKINGTON BISHOP and "wept over Anna Karenina and Daniel > 1905-1990 Deronda" when she was eleven. She remairled an avid reader throughout her life. > After a public lecture which Helen Bishop The family moved to the United States, > delivered on the Cause of Baha'u 'llah at the and it was on the eve of the Master's ascen~ > Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) sion that Helen for the first time heard of > in Los Angeles on 23 Febrnary 1939, she the New Dispensation from Orcella Rexford > received a letter from the organization's at the Fai1TI1ont Hotel in San Francisco. But > executive secretary: the "true beginning of her Valley of Search" > As a novice listener-observer, I was was in 1925- her 20th year-when "in reprofoundly impressed with your presenta- sponse to the Great Announcement" she > tion. The rhetorical and spiritual content; made her declaration. She was taught by the > magnetic warmth; all blended admirably George Latin1er family of Portland, Oregon, > to create a message of unlimited spiritual and soon had the privilege of meeting in > value. We somewhat regretted our inade- the same city other outstanding Baha'is such > quate background in the Baha'i Faith, as as May Maxwell, Louis Gregory, Horace > we speculated for a richer one upon which Holley and Roy Wilhelm. > to register your words. Louis Gregory wrote to her in Portland > from Seattle, Washington, on 7 June 1926: > That statement appropriately character- > My dear little sister. ..It has surely been > ized what made Helen so effective as a > my good fo1tune to see one so illuminated > teacher of the Faith. She possessed a marvelat so tender an age as is yours. God has > ous intellect, was well versed in philosophy, > been infinitely kind to imbue you with His > psychology, literature and art, and had a proknowledge, and you show your gratitude > found interest in religion. Though she wrote > by your wish to inspire and help others to > articles for World Order and The Baha'i > the pathway of all beauteous Light. > World and a most remarkable Introduction > to The Book of Certitude when the beloved In July 1927 Helen manied Charles Reed > Shoghi Effendi translated it into English, she Bishop (born 24 October 1889), a member of > did not cherish the challenge of writing. She one of the most distinguished Hawaiian famonce wrote to the Guardian (20 August 1946): ilies, and it was Charles who proposed that > "Francis Bacon said 'Speaking will b1ing forth his bride attend Reed College in Portland. > 1006 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In September 1929 Helen enrolled. Al- reach its aim and that we have only to be > ready she had begun her correspondence with superlatively faithful and to be obedient > the beloved Guardian, and consulted with and active ... > him about her thesis on the Baha'i Faith. From 1934 to late 1937, Helen was in > When she sent her thesis to him, she charge of the International Baha'i Bureau > received a letter written on behalf of Shoghi in Geneva. It had been established to coordi- > Effendi stating, "It is hoped that all Baha'i nate Baha'i activities and establish the Cause > students will follow the noble example you in Geneva, but after more than nine years of > have set before them ... " (Letter dated 6 Au- continued support, the Bureau had failed to > gust 1933) achieve its goal; no Assembly, no group of > In December 1933, Shoghi Effendi sug- genuinely interested people was fmmed . By > gested that the Bishops go from Portland to sending Helen to Geneva, the Guardian > Geneva, Switzerland, and that Helen assist wanted to simplify the status of the Bureau; > Mrs. Emogene Hoagg in the International no longer was it to be an auxiliary center to > Baha'i Bureau in that city. "You are just the Haifa. In a letter written on behalf of the > right person who is needed now that the Guardian dated 13 June 1934, Helen was > Bureau is acquiring an important interna- asked to "help in making the Bureau a powertional status in the Administration." (Letter ful and effective machinery for co-ordinating > written on behalf of the Guardian dated the activities of the Faith in Europe". She was > 23 December 1933) to travel and teach outside of Geneva, visit > Meanwhile, the Bishops were given per- various Baha'i centers in Europe, pa1iicularly > mission for pilgrimage. In January 1934 they the Balkans, Central Europe, Ge1many and > left for the East Coast of the United States, the Northern Countries. The Bureau was to > and on St. Valentine 's Day (14 Febrnary) be a center for distribution of information > they sailed on the Conti di Savoia for Haifa. and literature about the Faith. > Among other passengers on board was Chaim Helen began her task immediately and in > Weizm~n, the future President oflsrael. earnest by visiting Baha'is in the Balkans > The image of the Guardian and the and Germany. In 1934 the National Socialist > memory of that pilgrimage never faded from Party began rnling Germany, but as yet the > Helen' s mind. To Alfred Hunt, in Portland, teaching of the Faith was not totally outshe wrote: lawed. She had helped the Baha' is of Berlin > to receive permission from the city's author- > It is a great experience to go to Haifa, > ities to hold local meetings, and in the spring > and one changes one's point of view on > of 1935 she and Charles attended the > many matters. The Guardian is an exam- > Gern1an Baha'i Convention. But soon the > ple of how intellect can serve the spirit in > government's policies changed radically. > a manner we in the West have never > Police observers were accompanying Helen > known .. . I have never heard him recite an > wherever she was to give a lecture, and in > incident in which he is the major figure ... > Frankfurt the police cancelled her speaking > This may sound very naive but the point > engagements when she refused to sign the > is that Shoghi Effendi simply refutes all > article excluding "non-Aryans" from the > those theories with which our academies > gatherings and from all communications. By > are subjected that every ego is trying > late 193 S all Baha'i meetings were closed. A > merely to maximate itself... His speech is > letter written on behalf of the Guardian held > rapid and his English is stunning; when > comforting words for Helen: > he speaks the hours pass timelessly ... > Again and again he seems to convey to In fact, the more obstacles develop in > one that the Cause of Baha ' u' llah will number and in strength, the firmer your > IN MEMORIAM 1007 > faith should become in the sacredness and > vital importance of the mission you have > been called upon to fulfil for the Cause in > Germany. (29 September 1935) > In the fall of 1936, Helen visited the > Scandinavian countries. In the summer of > the same year, she represented the Faith at > the World Congress of Faiths held in Great > Britain and sent a detailed report of its proceedings to Shoghi Effendi. He responded: > "I know of no one better qualified to write > such an interesting report", and he asked > Helen to write an article on the same subject. > The report was published in The Bahri 'i > World, Vol. VII. > Helen spent much of the year 193 7 in > England, travelling and teaching with great > success. Mark Tobey was, at the time, a resident teacher in Torquay, and with her help, > soon there was an Assembly there. Helen Bishop > Charles, however, never felt comfortable > in Europe, and made repeated trips back > America, friends will rejoice in your > to the United States. By the summer of 1937, > return and surely will benefit immensely > he decided to return to America, and Helen > from the presence in their midst of such > followed him in the fall. She informed > a ...devoted and loyal teacher as you. > the Guardian of her intention, and a letter > (16 November 1937) > written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi said, > In 1939, the Bishops were at home for > "deplore this quite sudden and unexpected > only four months, travelling the rest of the > turning point in the career of your internatime to teach the Faith. It took its toll, but > tional services to the Faith". The Guardian > they never complained. "A little travel", > himself added his "deepest gratitude", and > Helen wrote to Mark Tobey (14 July 1939), > expressed his appreciation for the "sacrifices > "makes one reluctant to settle anywhere; and > you have so patiently and courageously borne > I fancy a great deal of travel makes one > during these years ... " (18 July 1937). Helen > willing to settle anywhere". > left England on 30 October 1937. > In 1941, the Bishops went to Mexico on > Shoghi Effendi's secretary, on his behalf, > behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of > wrote to Helen: > the United States and Canada. > ... he cannot but deeply grieve over your During World War II, they spent most of > departure from Europe where you have their time in Pasadena, California, where > accomplished, during those years, ser- Helen visited all the surrounding Baha'i > vices that are truly unforgettable and communities and sent food and clothing > wmihy of every admiration and praise ... packages to the friends in England. > He is fully aware of the circumstances that In 1944, the new method for the election > have forced you to return to America ... of the members of the National Spiritual > For it is not so much the place where one Assembly-the holding of State Convenworks that matters . The essential is the tions and the sending of state delegates to the > quality of work one is able to attain .. . In National Convention-was inaugurated. The > 1008 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > first State Convention of California was held The Bishops continued their extensive > at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on teaching trips in the United States and Canada > 9 April, and 22 delegates were elected. Helen where there was always great demand for > was one of the delegates, and she was one of Helen's services as a public speaker, teacher > the two speakers who addressed the public and conductor of seminars and deepening > meeting in Wilmette during the centennial classes. A letter written on behalf of the > anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab. Guardian dated 6 January 1949 stated that > For the centenary vo lume of The Baha 'i it was always Shoghi Effendi's hope that > World, she also-on a recommendation by " ... you both will be able to continue your > the Guardian-wrote "The Beloved Returns". teaching trips which have invariably been a > From Wilmette, Helen wrote a long and real and much needed assistance to the > detailed letter to Shoghi Effendi which centers you visit". > included a fascinating report of her encoun- Age did not slow down Helen's service > ter with Sir Alexander Lindsay, Master of to the Cause. For example, in 1966 one of > Balliol College, who had been the Guardian's her teaching trips included visits to Iowa, > tutor while he was at Oxford. In December Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New > 1943 , Professor Lindsay gave a talk called Mexico, Arizona, and California. She con- > "Democracy and Common Man" in Califor- sidered that journey "one of the most > nia at the invitation of Athenaeum, an rewarding" of all her teaching efforts. She > affiliation of the patrons and patronesses of was interviewed by members of the press, > California Institute of Technology. After the radio and television. > talk and during his reception, Helen and Charles passed away on 9 July 1967. > Sir A lexander engaged in a remarkable intel- He had been a caring, loving, and supportive > lectual dialogue, for Helen a prelude to asking husband. Living on his family trust income, > questions regarding the Guardian. After he had devoted all of his days to the service > more than 20 years, he, indeed, remembered of Baha'u'llah. They had no chidren, and > Shoghi Effendi very well. since Helen had never learned to drive a car, > Sir Alexander told Helen that his young by necessity she had to limit her teaching > student's "idea of education was to discover trips. Yet, even in her 60s and 70s she consomebody whose opinions he valued and ducted classes in various Baha'i schools in > then question him . When Shoghi Effendi got the West Coast and elsewhere. > his answers, he wrote them all in a small When she had embraced the Faith, Louis > black book". Professor Lindsay then related: Gregory had written to her (26 June 1927): > When I had posted my schedule, Shoghi Guide my dear child, the young and the > Effendi came to me asking, 'What do you old, the wise and foolish, the guilty and > have between seven and half past eight? ' just. Transform their lives by the Elixir of > 'Why man ,' I cried, ' I dine!' 'Oh,' said Life. If you lived for thousands of years > Shoghi Effendi, with obvious disappoint- in this world you could not select a work > ment, 'but must you have all that time?' I that is fraught with more far reaching and > had not found so much eagerness for eternally happy results. > knowledge at Oxford! So I gave him > Thus she lived her life. > another quarter-hour and went with less > Helen passed away on 23 December > dinner. So it was I suffered for him. > 1990. She left a rich legacy for the Cause of > Then the professor commented to Helen: Baha'u'llah. > "Q uite soon after that, we lost him. He left NOS RA TOLLA H RASSEKH > (Nu~ratu ' ll ah Rasikh) > us to become the head of a religion. What a > pity!" > IN MEMORIAM 1009 > > ARTHUR ALLEN ZUCKER > 1901-1991 > > Arthur Zucker was born into a Jewish family > in New York City on 17 March 1901. He > first heard of the Faith in Chicago, and studied it there for several years. In 1954, he > returned to his native New York, where, > together with his wife, Dorothy, and son, > Bill, he attended Baha'i meetings and study > classes regularly. During this time, he went > to weekly meetings at the Kinney house in > New Jersey, at the Evergreen Log Cabin in > Teaneck, as well as at the New York Baha'i > Center. He declared his belief in Baba 'u' llah > in 1956. In his twilight years, he often talked > about how he became a Baha'i and often > mentioned with regret that it took him many > years to become one, even though in his > heart he had wanted to embrace the Faith > when he heard of it in Chicago. Arthur Allen Zucker > Arthur was a salesman by profession. > He had studied drama and was an eloquent appropriate institutions, he went to the > speaker. Thus he frequently served as a Mariana Islands to pioneer. He actively > speaker in many Baha'i communities. In served and taught the Faith there to his last > New York, he and Dorothy conducted a days on this earth. > Baha'i study class on The Divine Art of Arthur passed away on 19 March 1991. > Living for more than ten years. He also When the news reached the Universal House > served as treasurer of the Local Spiritual of Justice, they sent the following message > Assembly of New York for several years. on 20 March: > Arthur was a steadfast and devoted Baha'i > teacher. He and Dorothy pioneered for a SADDENED PASSING DEARLY LOVED ARTHUR > time to the Turks and Caicos Islands in A. ZUCKER. PRA YrNG HOLY SHRJNES BELOVED > > the Caribbean, then returned to the United MAY FULLY REWARD HIM FOR ALL SERVICES > States where they served as homefront HE HAS RENDERED TO THE FAITH BOTH ON > pioneers in North Carolina for many years. HOME FRONT IN UNITED ST ATES AND IN > Arthur travelled to teach in the mass teach- PIONEER FIELD CARIBBEAN AND PACIF IC RE- > ing areas of South Carolina in the 1970s. He GIONS. KINDLY CONVEY OUR CONDOLENCES > would go to retirement and nursing homes TO FAMILY. > to visit and perform Broadway musicals to > cheer up the residents. The National Spiritual Assembly of the > In 1980, after his wife's passing, when United States sent the following cable: > he was 79 years of age and in a wheelchair, > he went to Fiji to pioneer with his only son WE MOURN THE LOSS OF STAUNCH SUPPORT- > and daughter-in-law. In Fiji, he taught the ER, FAITHFUL SERVANT OF CAUSE OF GOD > Faith as umestrainedly as always. Unfore- ARTHUR ZUCKER. THE EXAMPLE OF STEAD- > seen circumstances forced him to leave Fiji FASTNESS [N THE COVENANT OF BAHA'U'LLAH, > after two years. After consultation with the UNSHAKEABLE INTEGRJTY AND LOVING SPLRJT > 1010 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > ARE HIS LEGACY TO PRESENT AND FUTURE Baba held no bounds. One could also feel > GENERATIONS. WE PRAY THAT HE WILL RE- it when Mona would say prayers with a par- > CEIVE HIS FULL SHARE OF DIVIN E BLESSINGS ticularly moving fervour. She knew how to > lN THE NEXT WORLD AND WE ASK THAT YOU transmit this Jove for 'Abdu'l-Baha with > CONVEY OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO HIS intense feeling to everyone she met and all > FAMILY. who were suffering. > S IEWLIA N KARYN ZUCKER She would also express her love through > her care for animals. Friends who visited > her will always remember the lost cats she > MONA HAENNI DE BONS gathered. In fact, she also cared for many a > 1904-1991 human "lost cat". > Her faith was, in all viewpoints, excep- > Grieved learn passing dearly loved Mona tional. One could feel her devotion when she > Haenni de Bons. Her stalwart, distinguished gave talks or when she defended the Faith. > services to the Cause of Baha 'u ' llah in She identified herself with the Baha' i Faith > Switzerland over so many years enrich to such a point that her whole being was > annals Faith that land, constitute worthy wounded when the Faith was suffering. I > continuation historic achievements her shall never forget how she showed her > noble parents. Praying Holy Shrines pro- solidarity with the suffering of the Baha'i > gress her radiant soul Abha Kingdom. friends in iran. > Convey sympathies bereaved family. Mona had exceptional intelligence and > Universal House of Justice could analyze situations that were difficult > 5 May 1991 to understand. Her intuition was extreme > and she could often read people's thoughts. > Mona Haenni de Bons-bom on 20 April She was gifted with sound judgment and a > 1904 into a Baha'i family-had the honour particularly acute sense of justice: she often > of being the first Baha'i child in her com- defended victims. She also could become > munity. Her parents were among the first as enthusiastic as a child when the Faith > Baha'is of Switzerland. Her mother, who was making progress. Fidelity was one of > had become a Baba' i in Paris through her her most moving qualities. Indeed, Mona > contact with May Bolles, was brought up in was, for all those who knew her, a deeply > Paris, having a French mother and a North charming and very genuine friend. > American father. Her father, a native of Sion Her love for the Canton of Valais was > in the Canton of Valais, had declared him- very keen, and she would express it in her > self a Baba' i after their marriage. singing and in wearing the costume of Lady > When Mona was two years old, her par- of Sion with pride. We were able to proents moved to Ramleh, Egypt, to live closer claim the Faith tluáough radio and television > to 'Abdu' l-Baba. They lived in Egypt w1til on many occasions, thanks to her, because > 1917. It was during that time that Mona she herself had sung many times on the > met 'Abdu'l-Baba and had the immense radio. > privilege of sitting on his lap. 'Abdu 'l-Baha However, her great sensitivity and her > autographed a photograph for her, and the wish for fulfilment as a woman were not > friends have many copies of it. always understood in a sometimes insensi- > When Mona used to speak of 'Abdu ' l- tive and male chauvinistic environment. I > Baba, one could see her whole face become often had the impression of a very great soul, > illumined and her whole being transfom1ed and of an in1ffiense potential which could not > as if, suddenly, another dimension were readily find the necessary means of expresvibrating within her. Her love for 'Abdu'l- sion. There was a .nobleness in Mona's > IN MEMORIAM 1011 > also a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Geneva. > She moved to Sion, as a pioneer, in 1972 > where she remained practically until the end > of her life. She died on 2 May 1991. > BIJAN GHAZNA V J > (Bi~an Ghaznavi) > Translated from the French by Marie-Therese Levoy > > EDITH MCLAREN > 1901-1991 > > GREATLY SADDENED LEARN PASSING DEARLY- > LOVED DEVOTED PIONEER PROMOTER CAUSE > GOD EDITH MCLAREN. RECALL WITH PRIDE > HER MANY YEARS OUTSTANDING COURA- > GEOUS SERVICES FAITH ESPECIALLY CENTRAL > AMERICA. ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS HOLY > SHRINES FOR PROGRESS HER LUMINOUS SOUL > Mona Ha enni de Bans WORLDS GOD. KINDLY CONVEY HEARTFELT > CONDO LENCES HER DISTINGUISHED SON > personality, together with a revolutionary DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS HOUR > side which wanted to change what she saw BEREAVEMENT. > as the "Establishment". Universal House of Justice > Mona married Maurice Haenni, a chemist 2 June 1991 > in Geneva, on 3 August 1925, and had one > daughter, Ariane. One of Mona's greatest Edith McLaren was born on 28 July 1901 in > joys was Ariane's declaration of belief in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., the first of four > Baha'u ' llah. Together they made their first daughters in a family having strong ties with > pilgrimage, in 1974. the Methodist Church. A few years later her > Mona served on the National Spiritual parents decided to move to the nearby town > Assembly of Italy and Switzerland in 1958, of Hamburg, where they took up vegetable > then on the National Spiritual Assembly of and fruit farnling. Although the four sisters > Switzerland in 1962-1963 . While serving on enjoyed farm life and helped their parents > the latter she had the immense privilege of with the work as much as possible, all four > attending the fust International Convention eventually chose careers as teachers. > in Haifa in 1963. She was among the first From childhood, Edith showed artistic > Auxiliary Board members of Switzerland talent in drawing, painting, and music. She > and of part of France, and served as an Aux- learned to play the piano well and won a > iliary Board member for Protection w1til she scholarship which enabled her to continue > was in her early 70s. studying piano at a well-known music school > She was a member of the Archives in New York City. However, her love for > Committee as early as 1955, then of the small children led her to study primary edu- > Translation Committee, and at last of the cation in college, after which she taught > Committee of Pensee baha 'ie, [Swiss Baha'i kindergarten for more than 25 years. She > Journal] where she served with great zeal was greatly appreciated by her students and > and enthusiasm. For a few years, she was by their parents as well. > 1012 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Although an active member of her fam- In 1954, Edith made a pilgrimage to the > ily's church, Edith became disillusioned in Baha'i World Centre where she had the > her early 30s by problems of disunity within inestimable bounty of meeting the beloved > the congregation. An unhappy marriage was Guardian. This experience and subsequent > also a great disappointment and eventually correspondence with the Guardian affected > ended in separation. She turned for inspira- her profoundly and generated an intense > tion to serious study of the Bible, which desire to reach higher levels of service to the > awakened her desire for a much deeper Cause she loved so ardently. > understanding of spiritual realities. In 1958, she qualified for an early retire- > Edith 's search brought her into contact ment from her teaching position and, to > with several religious groups, but none satis- the surprise of her many friends among the > fied her longing for the tiuth until she met a school teachers, she left Hamburg and the > Baha' i who shared with her the Message of United States to settle in a pioneering post in > Baha'u' llah. After a period of intensive study, Guatemala. Thus, at the age of 57, Edith > she accepted Baha'u 'llah with all her heart. entered a new field of service which contin- > From that moment she dedicated her life to ued for the rest of her life. While learning a > the promotion of her newly-found Faith. new language and culture, she became enthu- > Over the years, Edith's home in Hamburg, siastically involved in the teaching work and > New York, became the scene of frequent development of local Baha'i communities in > firesides , children's classes, study meetings, Guatemala, gradually extending the sphere > and talks by numerous Baha'i speakers- of her activities to neighboring countries. > including the Hands of the Cause of God In 1966, Edith was appointed to the Aux- > Dorothy Baker, Louis Gregory, Horace Hol- iliary Board and, while continuing to focus > ley, and John Robarts. Initially, many of her her energies primarily on Guatemala, she > friends showed interest in the Faith, but their was also called upon to assist with the work > lack of willingness to accept Baha 'u'llah as in several other Centiáal American countries. > the Manifestation of God for this Day was Great was the mutual feeling of love and > tiuly disappointing. appreciation between Edith and her numer- > However, Edith' s faith and perseverance ous friends in Central America; in all those > were finally rewarded. After years of patient countries she was affectionately referred to > work, a small nucleus of dedicated believers, as "Dona Edith". > including two of her sisters, began to grow Visiting cities and towns , even very reuntil an active Baha'i community emerged mote villages, unconcerned about her own > with a strong Local Spiritual Assembly. Al- safety and ignoring the remonstrances of her > though her aging father remained a church close friends , she travelled by bus, boat, on > member, he was greatly attracted to the muleback and on foot, often alone, in the > spirit of the Faith and often attended Baha'i cold of the mountains and the heat of the > firesides organized by his daughters. coastal regions, meeting with the believers > With an active Local Assembly estab- of all backgrounds, encouraging them in > lished in Hamburg, the Faith soon spread to their efforts to study and serve the Faith, and > several swTounding villages. In later years, giving an understanding ear to those facing > the seeds planted in Hamburg also bore fruit difficulties or suffering. The youth were esin far-flung regions of the world, when pecially attracted to her, and eager to receive > Baha 'is from that community took up pio- her visits and guidance. > neering posts in other parts of the United Edith had unshakable faith in the power > States and in more than ten countries of of prayer. Many Baha'is and other friends > Central and South America, the Caribbean frequently asked her for prayers on their > islands , and Europe. behalf- to assist them to solve a problem, to > IN MEMORIAM 1013 > find employment, to be cured of an illness, > to train their children well, to achieve victories in teaching .... All felt that Edith's prayers > had a great effect. She always carried a long > list of friends for whom she prayed regularly, an:d from personal experience she > could recount wonderful stories about the > power of prayer. > In 1973, at the request of the Continental > Board of Counsellors, Edith moved to > Nicaragua, where she was warmly welcomed and continued her services on the > Auxiliary Board. She also continued to visit > throughout Central America for many years. > During the civil war in Nicaragua, she was > obliged to leave the country for several > weeks, although this was contrary to her > desire, but she returned to Nicaragua as soon > as it was possible, eager and happy to be > back serving the friends she loved so dearly! > In 1984, while travelling in Costa Rica, Edith McLaren > Edith suffered a hip fracture as the result of a > fall. She had two operations, but her health National Spiritual Assembly of the United > gradually deteriorated, which obliged her States, in its message of condolence, stated: > to discontinue her services as an Auxiliary > Board member. Unable to visit the friends as THE WORK WITH WHICH HER NAME HAS > she had done for so many years, she now BEEN ASSOCIATED WILL CONFER UPON HER > dedicated more time to prayer and study of IMP ERISHA BLE GLORY AND HER DEEDS WILL > the Sacred Writings, and her prayer list grew REMAIN AN EVERLASTING EXAMPLE AND > longer. At this time of need, when her inde- INSPIRATION. > pendent spirit had to submit to the realities PETER MCLAREN > > of physical weakness, several dear friends > responded with loving care and hospitality. > In 1986, after staying for some time with MAX KANYEREZI > two sisters in Binghamton, New York, Edith Knight ofBaha'u'llah > returned to the pioneering field in Latin 1918- 1991 > America, settling in Maracaibo, Venezuela, > with her son and his family. In spite of When Max Kanyerezi was 16 years old and > advanced age and failing health, her enthusi- a student at Kings College in Budo, Uganda, > asm and steadfastness in the Cause of God he had a striking dream which repeated itself > was undiminished. However, by the time twice in the same night: > she had entered her 90th year, her soul was > A large figure stretches up and starts to > longing to fly to the spiritual world, and on > roll up the earth, as one would roll up a > several occasions she expressed this desire. > newspaper. People are running in panic. > On 26 May 1991 , after more than half a > Three officials sit on a hill where people > century of devoted service to the Faith of > are to register in the Book of Life. Young > Baha'u ' llah, Edith passed on to the Abha > Max approaches the table where they are > Kingdom. Upon learning of her passing, the > 1014 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > In his diary account of this meeting, Max > wrote: > There [he was] standing with his penetrating eyes together with a wonderful > smile and overflowing wann kindness > toward a stranger, a welcome and friend ly > way of treatment very rare to find .... 'Ali > greeted me in that way which remained in > my mind and will remain forever. > Max was enthralled with the love and the > character of the Na~avanis, the Bananis, > and the small group of other devoted pioneers. So great was his joy among them > that the days between the weekly meetings > "seemed like eternity'', and he earnestly > wished that he "had the powers to shorten the > days". During one particular meeting which > lasted from 9:00 one morning until 3:00 of > the next morning, Max had all of his ques- > Max Kanyerezi tions answered to his satisfaction. When > writing to the British Baha'i Teaching Cominscribing the names . The eldest tells him, mittee for Africa to become Africa's seventh > 'Go and learn to register your friends, believer, Max only had one secret worrythereafter you will also be registered'. how his father would accept the fact that > he had become a Baha'i. But Max left that > Max had that dream in 1934, and he saw > problem to Baha'u'llah. This reliance and > in it a divine calling. At first he thought that > acceptance ofBaha'u ' llah's unfailing support > perhaps he should become a Christian minisand love was to become like a flourishing > ter like his father, who was one of the first > tree within Max's heart. > seven ordained Christian clergy in Uganda. > One day not long after he embraced the > When that did not work out he went to the > Faith, Max's father sent word to him to > Farmers Institute at Namutamba for two years > come. Upon arrival, his worry about his > to become a trained farmer. He had difficulfather soon turned into joy as his father > ties as a farmer and went to Kampala, where > described to Max a vivid dream which he > he found a job as a clerk in the Uganda > felt only Max could understand. In this > Company. Though happy with his work, the > dream the Lord Christ had announced to him > vividness of his dream had not worn off and > that He had "returned" in Uganda and that > he remained puzzled as to its true meaning. > all the tribes should be informed. This gave > One morning in 1952, a junior staff mem- > Max the opportunity to explain the meaning > ber in the office told him about a new Faith > of this dream to his father who then immediwhich accepted the teachings of all other > ately accepted Baha'u ' llah. Although he never > religions . Eventually he learned that one of > formally joined the Baha'i community, he > his distant relatives, C. Kajubi, knew this > was a Baha'i at heart. > Faith and, by chance, he came across Kajubi > In February 1953 , soon after Max and > who introduced him to a man who was > his wife Florence became Baha'is, the first > to become "his spiritual guide and father" , > International Baha'i Teaching Conference > Mr. 'Ali Na~avani . > in Africa was held under a tent erected on > IN MEMORIAM 1015 > the grounds of the Kampala Baha 'i Centre. CHARLES ROBERTSON MACDONALD > The spirit and enthusiasm prevailing at this 1916-1991 > conference, which sounded the call to pioneer, was indescribable for Max. He found At the British National Convention in May > himself "overcoming the mountains within 1991 , Charles Macdonald and his devoted > him" and taking up the divine call to bring wife Yvonne were invited to the platforn1 by > the Faith to Brazzaville, the capital of the newly elected National Spiritual Assem- > French Equatorial Africa (later to become bly and were each presented with nine red > the capital of the Congo). This step was to roses. Charles had asked to be relieved of his > confer upon Max the title of Knight of membership in the outgoing National Assem- > Baha'u'llah, but equally important to him bly because of severe ill-health. Neither the > was to see the fulfilment of his cherished Convention nor his wife knew that he was > dream. tem1irrally ill (Charles himself knew), and so > On 30 August 1953, Max joined 'Ali and the nature of the friends' farewell tribute > Violette Na~avani, Enoch Olinga, and was far more poignant than they realised. > Samson Mungono as they set off on their Charles spoke from the platform and, impashistoric journey to West Africa. The results sioned as ever with his love for Baha'u'llah, > of their efforts went beyond anything they exhorted the friends to teach with unflagging > could have imagined. Max, without any vigour. In his own last months he seized > knowledge of French or the local languages, every opportunity to speak of Baha'u'llah, > touched the hearts of the people there and in a last letter he wrote: > through his unfailirrg prayers and reliance on > Separation will be painful but inevitable > Baha'u'llah. A Local Assembly was estaband a necessary part of the great cycle of > lished in Brazzaville. > existence for each one of us in the > Time passed, and in 1955 Max returned > approach to the brilliant new vistas which > to Uganda. He began teaching the Faith > lie ahead. Ya Baha'u' l-Abha. > throughout East Africa, often travelling for > months and enduring many hardships . His The Hand of the Cause of God George > service deepened him and prepared hin1 to Townshend, in his essay "The Genius oflrebecome one of the first members of the new land", described the "power of vision (as) an > National Spiritual Assembly for Central and Irish gift. It marked the Irish long ago and it > East Africa. Soon thereafter, he also became marks them now. " Charles was sustained by > one of the first Auxiliary Board members. an unshakeable and certain vision, a vision > Max Kanyerezi passed away on 16 June expressed by the Romantic poet Tennyson > 1991 . His love, his steadfastness and his for whose writings Charles had a particular > humbleness bore rich testimony to his deep respect: "One God, one Law, one element/ > attachment to his Lord throughout many And one far-off divine event/To which the > years of service, and the sweetness of his whole creation moves ... " > presence still lingers in the hearts of all Charles was born in Pietermaritzburg, > those who were touched by his life. His love South Africa, on 31 December 1916. His > for teaching never diminished. He remained father, Charles Robertson Macdonald, had > hue to his dream; that divine call to "go and only recently come from Ireland to South > learn to register your friends " . Africa to work as a journalist, but tragically > NA TI ONAL SP IRITUAL ASSEM BLY died of tuberculosis before his son 's birth. > O F TH E B AHA ' is OF U GAN DA His mother, Maude (nee Beattie), returned > with her infant son to Belfast, Northern > Ireland, where she later married Samuel > Beckett and bore five more children. > 1016 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Charles received one of the very few City was to say, "What on earth have you found > of Belfast Scholarships to the prestigious now?" The Kirkwoods inháoduced him to the > Royal Belfast Academical Institution. On dedicated English pioneer to Belfast-Lady > leaving school he entered the Northern Ire- Kathleen Hornell. > land Civil Service. The threat of war made After several months, both Charles and > Charles decide to join the Royal Air Force Yvonne accepted the Cause of God with > Volunteer Reserve, and he was directly a love and commitment that was to absorb > called up to the Royal Air Force in Septem- and dominate the rest of their lives. Within > ber 1939. Charles qualified for his wings months of declaring, they sold their comfortin July 1940, the same month he married able and attractive suburban home to pioneer > Yvonne, and went on to serve in Bomber to Belfast to secure its Local Assembly. It > Command with exemplary courage, leader- was the first of many sacrifices they were > ship and skill. He achieved the rank of to make for Baha'u'llah. Charles accepted > Squadron Leader and at the end of the war much bemused derision from friends and > was awarded the D.S.O. (Distinguished Ser- colleagues, but his faith was absolute and he > vice Order) and D.F.C. (Distinguished Flying had always been his own man, never cowed > Cross) by King George VI. or impressed by orthodoxy or convention. > He was hailed in one contemporary mag- He threw himself into teaching and servazine as one of the most outstanding bomber ing the Faith with characteristic courage and > aces of the war: "To every generation belong vigour, reading the Writings extensively and > men whose deeds merit the highest praise opening his home for regular teaching and > their comrades can bestow on them." Charles ' discussions. He soon brought his talents to > photograph appeared beside that of the a variety of Baha'i committees including the > legendary Leonard Chesire V.C. (Victoria Regional Teaching Committee and the Brit- > Cross), D.S.O. and Bar, D.F.C. Such heroism ish Bah was the stuff of others' awe and respect and In the early days of his newfound Faith, > one of his crew once confided to Yvonne he received a short letter from the Guardian > that "They would follow Mac to hell and concerning the teaching work in Northern > back." After his passing many letters and Ireland. It was a deeply treasured letter, > tributes magnified this quality to inspire and when Shoghi Effendi passed away in > devotion. Charles ne\'.er ceased to be someone November 1957, Charles was overcome > who made others feel secure, worthwhile with grief for one whom he had never met. > and significant. He acted as one of the stewards at the > After the War, Charles was seconded to Guardian's funeral. > the fledgling British Overseas Airways Cor- In July 1961 , Charles was elected to the > poration (later British Airways) as an airline National Spiritual Assembly of the British > captain to assist in opening up new world Isles in a by-election to replace Mr. Ian > airline routes . However, he decided to aban- Semple, who had been appointed to the Interdon this career for a more settled existence national Baha'i Council. His subsequent > with his family, and he once again entered service to the National Assembly was distinthe Northern Ireland Civil Service. His clear guished and remarkable. He was elected > intelligence and administrative abilities were the Assembly's treasurer for several years > rewarded with swift promotion. before becoming its secretary in April 1970. > It was Yvonne's parents, William and He relinquished his senior Civil Service post > Dora Kirkwood, who introduced Charles to and career, and he and Yvonne sold their > the Baha' i Faith in 1956. They had been home in Ireland to go and live in the top flat > constant seekers throughout their lives and of the J:Ia?:iratu'l-Quds at 27 Rutland Gate- > Charles ' reaction to their latest discovery au experience akin to moving into Piccadilly > IN MEMORIAM 1017 > tube station! He served the British friends > with great skill and love as an administrator, > counsellor and teacher. He was an inspired > communicator. > In 1974, Charles and Yvonne offered > themselves as pioneers to the Universal > House of Justice, which suggested they go > to India. Charles was appointed as Manager > of the Indian Baha'i Publishing Trust and > Secretary of the National Teaching Committee for India. He and Yvonne travelled > extensively to both teach and consolidate, > enduring the inevitable privations and difficulties with great spirit. For the latter part > of their stay in India, Charles was appointed > an Auxiliary Board member, and he finally > worked briefly with Fariburz $ahba, the > architect of the Indian Temple, on the temple > site in New Delhi. Charles contributed an > article to the special section of Baha'i News > India in December 1985 entitled "The Jewel Charles Macdonald > in the Lotus." > Upon his return to England in 1981, after He was a man of absolute love: for > six to seven years in India, he was once Baha'u'llah, his wife, his family and his > again elected to the National Assembly of friends. After his passing the myriad letters > the United Kingdom. Again he served as its Yvonne received testified to countless acts > treasurer and then again as its secretary of kindness and of love; Charles was diplobetween 1985 and 1987. He and Yvonne also matic, supportive and caring. Shakespeare > undertook a short pioneer move to Cyprus in provides the most appropriate quotation: > 1990. > His life was gentle, and the elements so > For most of his life Charles had been > mixed in him that nature might stand up > dogged by recurring illness and pain, a fact > and say to all the world 'This was a man!' > easily missed by those who seemed to > always see a man who said he was "Fine!" It Soon after Charles' passing the Universal > was cancer that finally forced him to ask to House of Justice sent the following message: > be relieved of his Assembly duties in 1991, > and he passed away on 12 September of that Deeply grieved passing dearly loved > year. stalwart servant of Baha'u'llah Charles > In its response to Charles' passing the Macdonald. His long record distinguished > Universal House of Justice referred to his services teaching, administration fields > life as "noble". It was an apt word. He was over three decades notably enriched > both physically and spiritually noble, his annals faith British Isles, India. His lovcharacter springing from the most unpreten- ing nature, sterling qualities , radiant spirit > tious of natures and selfless service to animated by his intense love for the > others. He had great personal cha1m, crystal Blessed Beauty endeared him to his felintegrity, an outstanding sense of humour, low believers. Confident members United > and compassionate warmth. He had a won- Kingdom community will be inspired by > derful smile and a bear-hug of an embrace. his noble life. > 1018 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Praying Holy Shrines progress his radiant Back in Duluth, Lotus became known as > soul Abha Kingdom. Convey loving sym- an eloquent speaker and a talented writer. > pathy his dear wife and family. Assure She was so active as a Baha'i that a local > prayers for their consolation. newspaper referred to her as "leader of > the Baha'i Movement in Duluth" . She was > IAIN MACDONALD frequently a delegate to the National Conventions, but pioneering was always first > in her mind. She longed to heed the words > of 'Abdu ' l-Baha and to serve the beloved > LOTUS NIELSEN Guardian to her fullest. > 1925- 1991 Lotus soon moved to Fargo, North Dakota, > as a home-front pioneer, then in 1952 she > The Cause of Baha'u'llah owes its world- went to work at the National Baha'i Office > encompassing spread to the valiant and in Wilmette, Illinois, as a secretary. She was > courageous pioneers who, in many cases, well-liked and efficient, but the yearning to > sacrificed everything to take Baha'u'llah's pioneer could not be stilled. In 1954 she > healing Message to people in the most packed her bags and left for a pioneering > remote areas of the planet. One such pioneer post in Finland. > was Lotus Grace Nielsen. Lotus loved Finland. At first she rented a > Lotus was born on 25 March 1925, the room in the house of an elderly non-Baha'i > eldest of three children born to Grace and couple who were very kind to her. Then, > Oscar Petersen, a young Baha'i couple in during a Baha' i conference in Finland, Lotus > Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.A. Grace, her brother met a young Baha'i from Denmark, John > Eldrid Bauers, and their mother Caroline Nielsen. They were married in 1955 and > Grace Bauers had all become Baha'is around moved into the newly-acquired I}a'.?iratu'l- > 1916, Grace being the first in the family to Quds in Helsinki as caretakers. Lotus served > accept the new Message. on the Local Assembly of Helsinki and was > Lotus grew up on a dairy farm on the out- later appointed to the Nordic Baha'i Council > skirts of Duluth. She loved the farm animals (the forerunner of the Regional Spiritual > and as a little girl would try to dress and Assembly of the Baha 'is of Scandinavia and > bed the fa1m cats like dolls . Baha' is in the Finland). > United States at that time were few in 1mm- In August 1956, the Nielsens' first child, > ber, so travelling Baha' is would often visit Grace, was born, and in December of that > the friends living in fairly remote areas. Thus year the family moved to Sweden. The > among the visitors to Lotus's childhood social conditions and job opportunities in > home were Martha Root, Louis Gregory, Sweden were better than in Finland, and > Roy C. Wilhelm, and Victoria Bedikian. Sweden needed pioneers as badly as its > The yearning to pioneer came at a very neighbour. In Sweden, John and Lotus > early age for Lotus. She first pioneered at served on the Regional National Assembly > the age of 17, moving with her mother to for Scandinavia and Finland and on the > Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. When she Local Assembly of Stockholm. During their > was 21, she set out alone for Venezuela. years in Sweden, the family grew from three > However, the cultural shock proved too great to five, with the addition of Lisbeth and > for the young farm girl from Minnesota with Patricia. > an American/Swedish/German background, As in Finland, Lotus and John lived in > and Lotus returned home shortly after her Sweden's National Baha' i Centre. This was > arrival. She was heartbroken and felt like a a very small house on the outskirts of Stockfailure as a pioneer. holm with one room set aside for meetings . > IN MEMORIAM 1019 > In effect, however, the whole house was in > use during any Baha'i function and the > Baba 'i Centre always seemed full of people. > Many stayed overnight leaving the Nielsen > family with little privacy, but each guest was > welcomed. The children often found themselves sharing one bed because their parents > had given their beds to some tired visitors > for the night. > In 1962, the Scandinavian countries elected their own National Spiritual Assemblies > and Lotus and John were elected to the first > National Spiritual Assembly of Sweden. > Once activities in Sweden were well underway, Lotus' restless pioneering soul started > to stir again. John liked the idea of moving > to Greenland because it belonged to the > Kingdom of Denmark, of which John was a > native, and one of the two official languages > spoken was Danish. Lotus liked the idea of > an unfulfilled goal! Thus it came about Lotus Nielsen > that in early April 1966, after having bidden > farewell to everyone, the family set out on room, a very tiny bedroom, and a small > its greatest adventure. kitchen with an electric stove and cold > The goal for Greenland for the Nine Year running water. There was no hot water, no > Plan, which ended at Ric:Jvan 1966, was bathroom (only a chemical toilet in the hallto have one group in the capital, Nuuk way), and no central heating (a kerosene > (Godthab), and a Baha'i in one other local- stove in the larger room provided the only > ity. When the Nielsens left Sweden, Bill heat). The house was very poorly insulated > Can, a Canadian Baha'i, was on the Ameri- and ice would collect on one wall in the tiny > can Air Force Base in Thule as a civilian, room where the children slept. A water truck > and the first Greenlandic Baha'i, Hendrik came once a week to fill the house's tank; > Olsen, was living in Sisimiut approximately the tank was made of iron and so the water > 600 kilometres from Nuuk. Therefore, the always had a rust-red colour. The family > Nielsens tried to get to Nuuk. often ran out of water before the truck came, > Travelling in Greenland at any time can so water had to be fetched from the nearest > be difficult as the weather is unpredictable, pumping house . The year spent in this house > and in the mid- l 960s Greenland Air only taxed Lotus' health, and she developed mihad three 20-seater Sikorsky S-61N helicop- graine headaches from which she suffered > ters for passenger transport. Lotus and her for the rest of her life. > fa mily were held up for three weeks in John worked as a truck and taxi driver > Kangerlussuaq (S0ndre Strnmfjord) before until starting a small newspaper and working > being able to travel on to Nuuk; they anived as its editor, writer, and printer with the help > just in time to fill the goal of the Nine Year of the whole family. After several years, the > Plan. They spent their first night in the home paper was sold. Meanwhile, Lotus noticed > of John 's new boss and his family . that there was no furniture store in Nuuk so > A 36-square-metre house was waiting for the Nielsens opened one in 1967. This was > them the next day, consisting of one larger an instant success and grew to become the > 1020 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > largest furniture store in the country, with a have its own National Assembly. It took > branch in another town. Persian carpets were courage and soul-searching to make the > sold too, imported through a Persian Baha' i move. She was in her sixties, her children > friend in Denmark. and grandchildren were all in Nuuk, she was > The Lutheran church was very strong, living in a comfortable three-room apartand introducing a new religion turned out ment with all the amenities, and she had a > to be quite difficult. Much time and effort well-paying job. Yet the establishment of the > was spent on preparing the soil: praying and National Assembly for Greenland became > making friends. Because of the expense and the most important thing for Lotus during > difficulty of háavelling to Greenland, Lotus the last years of her life, so in 1988 she sold > and John did not see another adult Baha'i or gave away many of her belongings, > for over two years, until Else Fynbo of packed the rest in a container for sending, > Copenhagen went to visit her sister who was and went 600 kilometres north to an uncermarried to the Viceroy of Greenland. Even- tain future . > tually, after 1968, more Baha'is came to She first settled in Sisimiut where she > visit from Denmark, the United States, and rented a room in the home of Wendy and > Canada. The first believer of Nuuk declared Carsten Lind, a pioneer couple. In Sisimiut > in 1970: Else Boesen, a Danish nurse. she assisted the friends in many ways, from > During the 1970s, serious problems sur- arranging meetings to babysitting. By 1990 > faced in the Nielsens' marriage, and the Lotus felt the Sisirniut community was doing > couple divorced in 1975. Lotus, who had fine and that her services were more in > been a home-maker during all her married demand in Aasiaat. She again packed all her > years, had to find a way to support herself things and headed north. > and her one child still living at home. She In Aasiaat she rented a couple of small > took over the furniture store, but eventually rooms in the home of a Baha' i couple, Marie > gave it up and purchased a small gift shop in and Ravi Butalia, until she managed to get > Nuuk called the Arctic Gallery. Every year a nice apartment which belonged to the hosshe closed the store for Naw-Ruz and had an pital. The only problem was that the hospital > ad printed in the newspaper to publicize this needed the apartment during the summer > event. The gift shop became a meeting point months for temporary staff. Thus , when > for the Baha' is and many on-the-spot fire- summer came, Lotus packed up most of her > sides were held there. In order to make ends belongings but left Baha ' i books standing, > meet, Lotus also taught English at the local and found on her return that the books had > schools. been opened and presumably read. In both > The first Local Spiritual Assembly in Sisimiut and Aasiaat, Lotus supplemented > Greenland was formed in 1979. This was a her meagre pension by teaching English, > major victory for Lotus and the first goal on babysitting, cleaning house, and doing other > a very long road. In the early 1980s, she odd jobs. > became the first Baha'i in Greenland to be Lotus' health began to deteriorate and > appointed an assistant to the Auxilia1y Board, in the summer of 1991 she went into the hosand a few years later became the first mem- pital in Nuuk for an operation. The doctors > ber of the Auxiliary Board for Propagation. suspected cancer and performed another > Around 1986, Lotus felt that the com- operation but after it Lotus slipped into a > munity in Nuuk was firmly established and coma. During her last days her family and > her pioneering spirit again started to stir. friends took turns sitting by her bedside and > She knew that pioneers were needed to caring for her. Their steadfasmess and gentle > strengthen the Assembly in Sisimiut and to acceptance of the inevitable impressed the > fo1m one in Aasiaat if Greenland were to hospital staff, and quite a bit of teaching > IN MEMORIAM 1021 > took place. Some of Lotus' last words to one Board, and have earned her an undying > of her daughters, upon hearing of new teach- place in the annals of that greatly proming victories in Aasiaat, were: "Now we will ising community. We extend our loving > get our National Assembly!" sympathy to the members of her family > Lotus passed away peacefully on 25 Octo- and to the entire Greenlandic Baha'i > ber 1991, and had the honour of being the community, and shall pray at the Sacred > first person to have a Baha'i funeral in Threshold for the progress of her radiant > Greenland. Prayers were said in Greenlandic, soul in all the worlds of God. > English, and Danish, and the message of the > Universal House of Justice was read in all GRACE J. NIELSEN > > three languages. More than 100 people > attended the funeral, and her passing was > mentioned on the national radio. She was MAGDALENE MARGARET CARNEY > laid to rest in the cemetery in the old part of 1929- 1991 > town, a very beautiful spot overlooking the > hills and the fjord. Upon the passing of Magdalene Camey on > The following spring, Lotus ' dream of an 10 October 1991, in Haifa, Israel, the Uniindependent National Assembly for Green- versal House of Justice sent the following > land became a reality. This first convention cable to all National Spiritual Assemblies: > was a major event for the Baha'i community > and was blessed with the presence of the DEEPLY GRIEVED SUDDEN PASSING STALWART > Hand of the Cause of God 'Ali-Mu~ammad MAIDSERVANT SAHA 'U'LLAH MEMBER INTER- > Varqa. Dr. Varqa honoured Lotus and her NATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE MAGDALENE > family by visiting her resting place. M. CARNEY. HER WELL NIGH THREE DECADES > A happy, energetic person with a distinct UNBROKEN SERVICE CAUSE GOD EXERTED > sense of humour, Lotus was always looking IMMENSE INFLUENCE TEACHING WORK SOUTH- > for ways to promote the Cause. Her hospitality ERN REGION UN ITED STATES, INVOLVED > was legendary, her home always immaculate THIRTEEN YEARS MEMBERSHIP NATIONAL > and ready to receive any number of guests SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY THAT COUNTRY UNTIL > willing to hear about Baha'u' llah. Honesty, HER APPOINTMENT IN 1983 TO INTERNATIONAL > truthfulness, and loyalty were some of her TEACHING CENTRE. IN DO MITABLE FAITH, UN - > strongest characteristics. She had courage, SWERVING DEVOTION COVENANT, SELFLESS > determination, patience, and complete faith SPIRIT, OPEN CANDOUR, WHOLEHEARTED > in Baha'u'llah. COMMITMENT EDUCATION CHILDREN AND > The Universal House of Justice sent the YOUTH ARE AMONG QUALITIES THAT WILL > following message on 27 October 1991, upon EVER BE ASSOCIATED WITH GOLDEN MEMO- > hearing of her passing: RIES HER HIGHLY ACTIVE LIFE. ARDENTLY > PRAYING HOLY THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER > We are deeply grieved by the news of the STERLING SOUL THROUGHOUT DIVINE WORLDS. > passing of the dearly loved maidservant ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL SERV ICES HER > of Baha' u 'llah and valiant promoter of HONOUR ALL HOUSES WORSH IP AND IN > His Faith, Lotus Nielsen. Her persevering, BAHA'I COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT WORLD. > highly valued services to the Cause of > God over so many years in North America Magdalene Margaret Camey, affectionately > and Scandinavia have been crowned known as "Mag", was born on 19 October > by her vital contribution to the raising up 1929 in Ringold, Tennessee. Her parents > of the Baha'i community of Greenland as were Herbert and Sallie Lisenby Camey, > pioneer and member of the Auxiliary and all eight of their children were delivered > 1022 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Tennessee, with highest honors. In 1953, she > graduated magna cum laude from Tennessee > Agricultural & Industrial State University > in Nashville, with majors in English and > Spanish and minors in Speech and Drama. > She taught in elementary and high schools in > Nashville for 15 years, and served as chairman of the English Department of Cameron > High School. In 1967, she completed a master > of arts degree at George Peabody College > in Nashville, majoring in Education and > English. > Mag became a member of the American > Baha'i community during the summer of > 1962 after meeting Dr. Sarah Martin Pereira, > then Professor of Romance Languages at > Tennessee State University in Nashville. > Dr. Pereira gave Mag a pamphlet, Modern > Religion for Modern Man, that summarized > the purpose of religion, outlined the essen- > Magdalene Carney tial features of a new religious system being > established in the world, and invited the > at home by a family physician with the assis- reader to investigate its tenets. Mag said, > tance of a mid-wife or close relatives. As "By the time I finished reading, I believed in > the eldest of the children, Mag was pressed the new system: the Baha' i Faith. Unimagininto service at an early age to help raise her able joy flooded my heart! " That flood of > brothers and sisters and assist her parents joy was extensively spread throughout the > with every aspect of running their farm. She southern United States as Mag became an > wrote: indefatigable teacher of the Cause that she > embraced wholeheartedly and unreservedly. > My parents placed a weighty responsi- > Over the next three decades, she served > bility on me early on. They expected me > the Baha'i Faith in many capacities on local, > to set the proper example for my brothers > national, and international levels. She served > and sisters in all matters pertaining to > on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Nashmoral and wholesome living. > ville for several years, and in 1968 she was > While she was still quite young Mag dis- appointed to the National Teaching Commitplayed determination to obtain an education. tee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the > She wrote: "I privately vowed to educate United States. In 1969, she was appointed to > myself so that I would be able to increase our the Deep South Committee and was elected > resources and thereby give our family a little to serve as its secretary, and in 1970, when > relief from dire poverty." One time, she was the Southern Office of the National Teachdetermined to go to school despite a blizzard ing Committee was opened, she became its > so her father lifted her up onto a fa1m horse, administrative assistant. > wrapped her feet and legs in burlap bags to During this time, from 1969 to 1971 , > protect her against frostbite, and off she rode she served as Chairman of the Rogers > into the snow storm. She made it. High School English Depa1iment in Canton, > She excelled in her studies, graduating Mississippi, and in 1969 she coordinated a > from Burt High School in Clarksville, successful desegregation program in the > IN MEMORIAM 1023 > Canton Public School system at the high She was a true friend. Above all, she encourschool level. Her excellence in education aged the friends to arise to teach the Faith. > was recognized with a Ford Fellowship in D R. BETH BOWEN > > Educational Leadership which enabled her > to work towards a doctorate in education > from 1972 to 1977, and she received her SHIRLEY A. WARDE > Doctor of Education degree from the Knight ofBaM'u ' llah > University of Massachusetts in 1977. Mag's 1901- 1991 > professional interests included the role of > ideals in human development, emotional Shirley Warde was born in Albany, New > development, the education of children, and York, U.S .A., on 23 January 1901, and was > the education of competent and compassion- brought up in New York City. She was > ate teachers. raised in the Christian Science Church, but > On 13 November 1970, Dr. Carney was by the age of 12 she was asking questions > elected to the National Spiritual Assembly to which the church offered no acceptable > of the United States, in a by-election. She answers, and she soon embarked on a quest > served continuously on the National Spiri- for rational truth. > tual Assembly for 13 consecutive years, and At the age of 14 she persuaded her mother > from 1978 to 1983 she served as full-time that acting would have to be her career, and > Assistant Secretary of the National Spiritual with that declaration she ended her formal > Assembly in Wilmette, Illinois. In 1983, she schooling and studied with excellent tutors > was appointed to serve as one of the Cow1- to pursue her goal. From small walk-on parts > sellor members of the International Teaching in big New York productions she climbed > Centre at the Baha'i World Centre, and the theatrical ladder to attain leads, then comoved to Haifa, Israel. starring parts on Broadway. Meanwhile she > Throughout her many years of service had started writing short stories for top magto the Faith, Magdalene Camey travelled azines and, with a fri end, wrote three plays, > extensively in the United States, especially two produced on Broadway and one sold to > the southern states. Once she was appointed Hollywood for a film. > to the International Teaching Centre, she Shirley was married in 1921 and had > was called upon to travel worldwide and one child, Charmian. Tluáoughout her brief > visited the Bahamas, Canada, Finland, the marriage and during the establislunent of > Gambia, Ghana, Iceland, Jamaica, Kenya, her acting and writing career, she never > Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, and neglected her search for truth. In her own > Samoa. words: > Mag radiated such warmth and friendli- ... we (Shirley, her grandmother, her > ness that everyone who met her immediately mother, her aunt, and her daughter) invesfelt at home and at ease with her. Her abun- tigated everything we could find or hear > dant love brought out the best in people, about in the way of esoteric and religious > especially young people. She adored chil- teachings, but it was not Wltil 1932 that > dren and youth and showed great affection we encow1tered the Baha' i Faith in Teafo r them. Her marvelous sense of humor neck, New Jersey, where we were then > brightened many a gathering. Her deep living. The Great Depression was on and > knowledge of the Baha'i Writings and of it was tluáough feeding a hungry man > education emiched every consultation. She that we were led to the Hand of the Cause > maintained a voluminous correspondence Roy Wilhelm, the Log Cabin Centre and > with BaM'is all over the world. For nearly adjoining pine grove where 'Abdu' l-B aha > three decades , she was a leader in race unity. had given His historic Unity Feast. The > 1024 THE BAl-IA ' i WORLD > > In California, Shirley and her mother > were deeply involved in Baha ' i workholding classes, giving talks, strengthening > weak Assemblies, and forming the Burbank > Local Spiritual Assembly. > Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, > she accepted a post with the Office of War > Info1mation in San Francisco and became > active with the Baha'is in the San Francisco > area. With Marion Holley, she wrote and > produced radio programs each week for > three years, and participated in activities > with William and Marguerite Sears, the > Leroy Ioas family, Marzieh Gail, Arthur and > Joyce Dahl, and many others. They proclaimed the Faith through newspaper > advertising as well as the radio shows, and > their public meetings often had up to 1,000 > people attending. When San Francisco > played host to the nascent United Nations in > Shirley Warde 1945, the Baha'is were well represented in > various associated activities. > man had secured work painting the Wil- During the celebrations in Chicago in > helm home and told us of ' some Eastern 1944 of the Centenary of the Declaration > Cult that believed in all religions,' to of the Bab, Shirley volunteered to pioneer, > which Roy and his mother belonged. We and when the war ended she went to South > finally found the Cabin, attended a meet- America. Her main destination was Argening, borrowed books and soon knew we tina, but she also spent time in Brazil, > had ' come home ', and four generations Paraguay, and Urnguay. In spite of some > became Baha ' i in one night- my mother, trouble from secret service organizations > my nine-year-old daughter, my grand- because of her work with the State Departmother and I, plus an aunt then living in ment during the war (which led to an attempt > Teaneck. on her life), she was able to make a living in > Buenos Aires in advertising and publishing, > It was a great bounty to become a Baha'i and she also served as chairman of the Local > in Teaneck because Shirley was exposed to Spiritual Assembly. > many great Baha'i teachers, some of whom She returned to the United States shortly > were to be Ia ter named as Hands of the Cause after her mother died in 1949, but her goal > of God, as well as other early believers, many was to pioneer, and, with the opening of the > of whom had known 'Abdu'l-Baha. Ten Year Plan, she went to British Honduras > In 1932, the Depression was in full swing in October 1953, in tin1e to be named a > and the theatre badly hurt, so Shirley Knight of Baha'u ' llah by the Guardian . She > accepted an offer from the Columbia Broad- served her beloved Cause in this countly > casting System and became its first woman until her death. > writer-producer. She later shifted to adver- Simply to summarize Shirley's contributising, and in 1936 she was sent to Hollywood tion to the culture and the Faith in British > to write and produce radio programmes for Honduras [known as Belize after June 1973] > J. Walter Thompson. would require many pages. From her first > IN MEMORIAM 1025 > > week in the country she was active in theatre very aware of the Baha'i victories taking > by offering her services in producing a vari- place in Beli ze and throughout the world, > ety program for the Federation of Women to victories which owed their origins to those > raise funds to build a day nursery. This led who, like Shirley, dedicated their whole > to many productions of plays and variety beings to planting the seeds and watering > shows. She coached the drama group of the them with the sacrifice of their very life's > Extramural Department of the University of blood. > the West Indies. It was from her contacts She passed to the Abba Kingdom on > with this group that many of the early Bel- 10 October 1991. Her dedication and ferocious > izean believers emerged. energy will be an inspiration to Baha' is for > Shirley trekked literally from one end of many years to come. > the country to the other to teach the Faith. ERI C AN D VICKI E WILSON > Her "passport" to the villages was a small > tape recorder on which she collected the folk > EBERHARD K. FRIEDLAND > songs and stories of Belize. Some of these Knight ofBaha'u'llah > tapes are on fil e at Goshen College in Indiana, 1902- 1991 > U.S.A., and also at the Folklore Museum > of the University of Indiana. She combined 0 Son of Being! Make mention of Me on > these collections from the various ethnic My earth, that in My heaven I may > groups-Creole, Garifuna, Maya, Spanish- remember thee, thus shall Mine eyes and > into a folklore fantasy called "Boss King" in thine be solaced. > 1965. It was an immediate success and ran -Baha 'u' llah 1 > for 19 performances, a record that was not > broken for many years. Many Baha ' is and non-Baha ' is will remem- > She continued her active teaching work ber Eberhard Friedland as a man with a > throughout the country into her 70s. After smile for everyone and whose passionate > that she " limited" her work to writing and aim was to share hi s knowledge with others. > producing weekly radio programs, serving on He was a man who continuously encouraged > the Local Spiritual Assembly of Belize City children and youth by saying "enlarge your > (1964-1983), the National Spiritual Assembly horizon" . He took this advice to heart him- > (1968-1983), and various local and national self, as the many books he left behind as an > committees. She wrote and personally add- inheritance to his friends and admirers > ressed and mailed a Baba' i news letter for testify. > several years. Eberhard was born in Germany on 23 June > She was a well-known figure on her bicy- 1902. With the outbreak of the first World > cle in the crowded Belize City streets as she War he immigrated to the United States > took care of her daily needs and pursued her where he became a citizen after some years. > other, , more important, work. On her 76th There he learned about the Baha' i Faith and > birthday she produced and directed a play for the rest of his life he chose to be guided > she had written many years earlier entitled by its principles. > "Paradise Postponed", and several years During an animated conference in the > later she produced and directed "Boss King" United States, he was insp ired to help estabfor the last time. lish hi s beloved Faith in French Guiana, an > She was in her 80s when she attended a act which earned him the title of Knight of > National Spiritual Assembly meeting during Baha ' u' llah. After some time of service > which she experienced the first of a series of in French Guiana, he went to Suriname in > strokes. For several years she lingered on the > threshold between this world and the next, I The Hidden Words of Baha'u ' l ah, Arabic No. 43. > 1026 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > of the latest editions and developments in > their respective fields of study. > Eberhard was blessed with a long life, > and frequently remarked that he "was living > on credit". Finally, at the age of 89, his soul > winged its flight to the Abba Kingdom. > 0 my God, Thy Trust hath been returned > unto Thee. It behooveth Thy grace and > Thy bounty that have compassed Thy > dominions on earth and in heaven, to > vouchsafe unto Thy newly welcomed one > Thy gifts and Thy bestowals, and the > fruits of the tree of Thy grace! Powe1jit! > art Thou to do as Thou willest... > - Baha'u'llah > Eberhard, we will always think of you > with warmth in our hearts. > LYGI A VASILD A > > Eberhard Friedland > KAZUTOMO UMEGAE > 1954, where he spent the remaining years of 1924-1992 > his life. > In the beginning he rented a room in the Kazutomo Umegae was among the first > capital city, Paramaribo, and held firesides members of the Ainu race to accept the > regularly. Baba 'is of those early times still Faith. He had heard of it in 1957 from two > remember the warmth, cordiality and serenity travelling teachers who had gone to Japan 's > of those evenings, which sometimes caused northern island of Hokkaido , where most of > pa1iicipants to remark that they did not feel the Ainu live, after the Guardian had encourlike going home. The spiritual atmosphere aged Baba' is to take the Faith there. > which prevailed during those meetings Various Baha' is visited the Ainu villages > worked like a strong magnet. through the years, and in December 1961 > Assisted by Eberhard Friedland 's devoted six Japanese of Ainu ancestry declared their > and tireless effo1is, the first local Baha'i belief in Baha ' u'llah. Kazutomo and his > institution was established in 1966. After- wife, Taeko, were among them, as were his > wards the Faith grew rapidly, and within a mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Takeichi > few years became a community with a few Moritake. Mr. Moritake was a headman in > thousand believers and sympathizers . As a the village. A number of their other relatives > result the first Spiritual Assembly of Suri- eventually became Baha'is. Mr. Moritake > name and French Guiana was established in later said that many tourists had come to the > 1977. village to see the Ainu but that the Baha' is > Eberhard was not only active directly on had been different- they had brought somebehalf of the Faith. Many non-Baha ' is will thing new. > gratefully remember the hours during which A letter written on behalf of the Guardian > he tried to teach them the English language. sa id, > He assisted many medical doctors, booksell- He [the Guardian] was greatly pleased to > ers, teachers , and students in keeping abreast learn of the contacts which have been > IN MEMORIAM 1027 > He was a wood carver of some skill, and as > a businessman he was instrumental in selling > Ainu handicrafts. He also trained handicapped people in those arts. > Kazutoma travelled to many Ainu villages teaching the Faith. In 1965, he was > appointed by the Hands of the Cause as an > Auxiliary Board member in Asia. He served > in that capacity for 21 years, longer than any > other Auxiliary Board member in Japan. In > the later years he travelled and taught all > over Japan, including to the remote Japanese > island of Ogasawara. > The Universal House of Justice sent the > following message 13 February 1992 after > being informed ofKazutoma's passing: > > GRIEVED PASS ING DISTINGUISHED BELIEVER > KAZUTOMO UMEGAE WHO WILL BE REMEM- > BERED IN THE ANNALS OF TH E FAITH AS ONE > Kazutomo Umegae OF THE FIRST AMONG THE AlNU PEOPLE TO > RECOGNI ZE BAI-IA 'U' LLAH AND SERVE UN DER > made by the Friends with the original HIS BANNE R OF UNITY fN VARIOUS CAPAC I- > natives of Japan, namely the Ainu people. TIES. ASSURE HIS FAMILY AN D FRIENDS > He hopes that. .. they may teach the call LOVfNG PRAYERS HOLY SHRfNES FOR THE > of God to the remainder of their people. PROGRESS OF HIS SOUL fN THE REALMS OF > There is no doubt that great results will be ETERN ITY. > achieved if this can be done. BARBARA R. SIMS > > (20 October 1957) > > Kazutomo said he was initially attracted SHIRIN FOZDAR > to the Faith because he saw a lack of preju- 1905-1992 > dice among the Baha'is. He said that when > he was growing up there was considerable Born in Bombay, India, on 1March1905 of > prejudice against the Ainu people. In the Persian Zoroastrian parents who had con- > Meiji Era of Japanese history (1868-1911) verted to the Baha'i Faith, Shirin Behjat > the govenunent enforced a policy to tiy to Fozdar was by any measure a remarkable > absorb the Ainu into the Japanese main- person and a truly great woman. She was > stream so that the race would die out. At that taken on her first pilgrimage to the Holy > time the govenunent forbade the Ainu to use Land when she was 11 months old, and took > their language and made them take Japanese her first steps while holding onto the cloak > names and attend Japanese schools. of 'Abdu 'l-Baha. She was taken on her sec- > During the 1960s and 1970s, the preju- ond pilgrimage when she was six years old, > dice considerably lessened or disappeared and remembers meeting Shoghi Effendi, > and people became interested in the Ainu who impressed her immensely. > lifestyle and culture. Kazutomo, with his By the age of 17, Shirin Behjat had > open and wam1 personality, was featured on emerged as a strong and outspoken defender > television and in exhibitions of Ainu culture. of women's rights. The year 1922 saw her > 1028 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > > become one of the first Eastern women to of Hindus and Muslims. He also suggested > speak in public in the East when she that she establish institutions in Ahmedabad > addressed a meeting in the town hall of the for the upliftment of the "untouchable" > city of Karachi, the centre of Muslim influ- social caste in that whole province. Despite > ence in what was then British India. considerable personal danger, Shirin was > Karachi's mayor presided at that historic talk. singularly successful in fulfilling the behest > In 1925, at the age of 20, she married of Mahatma Gandhi, who later was reported > Dr. Khodadad M. Fozdar, a medical doctor to have said that "the Baha' i Faith is the > for the Indian Railways who was of Parsi- solace of Mankind''. > Zoroasháian background. He became a Baha'i During the 1940s, by her tireless work for > and served the Faith with great distinction; one of the cardinal principles of the Faithhe was named a Knight of Baha'u'llah women' s rights-Mrs. Fozdar won the refor the Andaman Islands. (See The Baha 'i spect of not only Mahatma Gandhi, but also > World vol. XIII, p. 892). He passed away of MuQ.ammad Ali Jinnah, the Founder of > in 1958 and is buried in Choa Chu Kang, Pakistan. > Singapore. Five children-three sons and By 19 50, the F ozdars' children had all comtwo daughters-were born of that marriage: pleted their college education and entered > Jamshed, John, Minoo, Mona, and Zena. careers of their own. Then, Dr. Fozdar > In 1931, Shirin was elected to the Execu- resigned from his job in order to answer the > tive Committee of the All-Asian Women's call for pioneers, and he and Mrs. Fozdar > Conference, and by 1934 she was represent- settled in Singapore. There, in early 1950 he > ing the Asian Women's Conference at the began his medical practice while Mrs. Fozdar > League of Nations, pleading with represen- continued to work for women's rights. > tatives of the great powers at the League to On 2 April 1952, the Singapore Council > proclaim a Universal Declaration of Women's of Women was born with 2,000 members. > Rights. Shirin Fozdar was acknowledged as its > Returning to India in 1935, she accompa- founder and appointed as its Secretarynied her husband to his many postings in General, with the mandate to contact leaders > north and central India, while at the same in all walks of life as well as government > time bringing up five children, as well as officials, politicians, and members of the > proclaiming the principles of the Faith at media. Her quest was not without considerevery opportunity thrnugh personal talks and able personal physical danger since > public addresses. Her fame as the foremost Singapore in the early 1950s was beset with > champion of women's rights in India spread social unrest caused by lack of proper > to other lands adjoining the sub-continent, housing, employment and schools . > and she travelled to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) In 1954, Shirin spent four months in > and Burma, feted by members of the nascent Saigon, Vietnam, on behalf of the Baha' i > women's rights movements in those lands Faith and became the first Baha'i to step > which owed their formations to their aware- foot in what was then French Indochina. In > ness of her pioneer achievements in India. March of that same year, during a sh.mi visit > While the second World War confined to Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, she > Shirin's activities to India, in 1941 she was was decorated by Prince Norodom Sihanouk > urged by Mahatma Gandhi (later to become with a gold medal accompanied by the first > the Father of Indian independence) to go on certificate of Satrei Vatthana (Champion of > his behalf to the city of Ahmedabad, a hot- Women 's Rights). She returned to Singapore > bed of communal strife, and there to speak from Viehrnm and continued work on her > publicly on the unifying principles of the chosen goa l of women's emancipation. In > Baha'i Faith to the dissenting communities 1958 she led a delegation from Singapore to > IN MEMORIAM 1029 > > the Afro-Asian Women's Conference held > in Colombo, Sri Lanka. > In 1959, she was invited by the All China > Federation of Women to visit China, where > she was received by some of the top leaders > of the Chinese state and allowed to travel > extensively around the country. Upon her > return from China, she was invited by the > U.S. State Department to travel extensively > in the United States lecturing on her favourite ideals. > Back in Singapore, she strenuously canvassed for a Women's Charter and met with > Mr. Lee Kuan Yew to explain the necessity > of granting such a Charter and encouraged > the adoption of "one man one woman" on > the platfo1m of the People's Action Party. > Upon its victory in the general elections, the > Party enacted the "Women's Charter" on > 6 April 1960, and monogamous marriage > thus became law. Following on its heels the Shirin Fozdar > Government of Singapore passed other acts > such as the Inheritance Act in 1966, the continued her work with the Women's > Family Provision, and acts completing ordi- Council and the expanding institutions of the > nances giving more consideration to women. Baha' i Faith there. Many accolades came > Others may have been content to rest on her way from the humble and the high, not > those laurels. Not so Shirin, who, with a only in Asia, but also from the world at large. > number of volunteers, initiated the formation Singapore 's own Sinathamby Rajaratnam, > of the first girls' club in the Joo Chiat Wel- the Foreign Minister for nearly a quarter > fare Centre in Singapore and also became century wrote: > the first woman to address an audience at > I have known Mrs. Fozdar and the single- > Changi Prison on the subject of reformation > minded way in which she struggled to > and becoming useful members of society. > promote and safeguard the rights of > In 1961 , at the age of 56, Shirin left for > women and to enhance the status of > Bangkok, Thailand, to proclaim the teachwomen in our country. She did this withings of the Baha'i Faith. There she received > out regard to race or creed and I would > an audience with His Majesty Bhumibol > like to join with the others in recognition > Adulyadej, Rama IX of Thailand. Besides > of her services to promote justice for > obtaining wide recognition for the Faith, > women in Asia". And the famous author > Mrs. Fozdar also founded the Santitham > Han Suyin adds, "All her life has been a > Vittayakom School at Yasothon in the Ubol > dedication to justice, to humanity and I > Province of northeast Thailand. This school > can never forget it. She is an example to > became the largest co-educational institution > womankind. I am happy to have been her > in the province, providing secretarial and > humble friend. > home-economic education to help youth > from straying into crime in the cities. Those of us who knew her remember that > Shirin returned to her beloved Singapore one of her favourite anecdotes was, "If Eve > after a decade of activity in Thailand and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge first > 1030 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > and then induced Adam to also taste of it, which time she also suffered a massive heart > did that not prove it was the woman who attack in Bombay. However, her indomitable > attained to knowledge first and that the first spirit enabled her to return to spend her last > act of obedience was by man to woman and days in her beloved Singapore. > not the other way around?'" When she died, she left behind fiv e chil- > Rare is the individual whose acts inspire dren, seventeen grandchildren, and twenty > others to dedicate their own lives to improv- great-grandchildren. There is no doubt in > ing the human condition, especially the lot their minds that, however bright their stars > of women, the world over. To those who may shine- however eminent they become > knew her, and from whose life they and in their professions or in their service to the > others to follow shall continue to draw heroic Baha'i Faith-they will be but pale reflecinspiration, Shirin Fozdar was one such tions of that brilliant orb from which it is > person. their honour to have been born. > Shirin spent the last year of her life in > Written by her children: > hospitals in India and Singapore, during J AMS HED, JOHN , MI NOO, M ONA, AND ZENA > PART SIX > > DIRECTORY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, > GLOSSARY > 1032 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > I > I > > Relics of Baha 'u 'llah, including His pen and pencase. > > "Think not that We > have revealed unto > you a mere code of > la ws. Nay, rather, > We have unsealed the > choice Wine with > the fingers of might > and power. " > -Baha 'u 'llah > I > BAHA'f DIRECTORY 1986- 1992 > 143-148 OF THE BAHA'f ERA > > 1. THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE > Address: 16 Golomb Avenue, 33 392 Haifa, Israel (P.O. Box 155, 31 001 Haifa) > > 2. THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE > Address: 7 Haparsim Street, 35 055 Haifa, Israel (P.O. Box 155, 31 001 Haifa) > > Amatu'l-Baha Rlil?iyyih Khanum > Dr. Ugo Giachery Dr. 'Ali-Mul!ammad Varqa > 'A li -Akbar Furutan William B. Sears > Dhikru'llah Khadem John A. Robarts > Jalal Khazeh H. Collis Featherstone > > 3. THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE > Address: 10 Haparsim Street 35 055 Haifa, Israel (P.O . Box 155 , 31 001 Haifa) > > 4. CONTINENTAL BOARD OF COUNSELLORS 1 > > AFRICA ASIA > > THE AMERI CAS AUSTRA LAS IA > > EUROPE > > Cun-ent addresses are ava il ab le from the Baha'i World Centre, P.O. Box 155, 3 1 00 1 Haifa, Israe l. > 1034 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > 5. BAHA'i INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 1 > > World Centre Offices: Fiji Office: > Office of the Secretary-General United Nations Office > Office of Public Information P.O. Box 15888 > P.O. Box 155 Suva > 31 001 Haifa Fiji Islands > Israel > > New York Offices: Hong Kong Office: > Office of the Administrator-General Office of Public Information, Hong Kong > United Nations Office 2/F-B Tung Hey Building > Office of Public Information 12-22 Queen's Road > Office of the Environment East Wanchai > 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120 Hong Kong > New York, New York 10017 > U.S.A. > > Geneva Offices: Paris Office: > United Nations Office Office of Public Info1mation, Paris > Refugee Office 45 rue Pergolese > Route des Morillons 15 F-75116 Paris > CH-1218 Grand-Saconnex (Geneva) France > Switzerland > > 6. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > At Ric;!van 1986, there were 148 Baha 'f National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world, > and at Ridvan 1992, there were 165-47 in Africa, 43 in the Americas, 29 in Asia, 17 in > Australasia and 29 in Europe. Current addresses are available from the Baha'i World Centre, > P.O. Box 155, 31 001 Haifa, Israel. > > Addresses as at 21 April 1992 > DIRECTORY , BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1035 > > 7. BAHA'i PUBLISHING TRUSTS 1 > > ARGEN T fNA ITALY > > E.B.I.L.A. Casa Editrice Baha' i > Otamendi 217 /15 Via Filippo Turati, 9 > 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina 00040 Ariccia (Rome), Italy > > AU STRALIA JAPAN > Baha' i Publishing Trust Baha'i Publishing Trust > P.O . Box 285 7-2-13 Shinjuku > Mona Vale, N.S.W. 2103 , Australia Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160 Japan > > B ELG IUM > KENYA > Maison d 'Edition s Baha ' ies Baha ' i Publi shing Agency > Rue du Trone 205 P.O. Box 47562 > B-1050 Brussels , Belgium Nairobi, Ken ya > BRA ZIL > KORE A > Editora Baha ' i Brasil > Baha' i Publishing Trust > Rua Conego Eugenio Leite, 350 > 249-36 Huam-dong > 05414 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil > Yongsan-ku , Seoul 140-1 90, Korea > COTE D ' I VO IRE > Maison d 'Ed itions Baha'ies LEB ANON > > B.P. 770 > Abidjan 04, Cote d' Ivoire MALAYS IA > > Baha ' i Publishing Trust > fill I SLANDS 4 Lorong Titiwangsa > Baha' i Publi shing Trust 5 Setapak > P.O. Box 2007 53200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia > Government Buildings > Suva, Fiji Islands NETHERLANDS > Stichting Baha' i Literatuur > GERMA NY Riouwstraat 27 > Baha'i-Verlag 2585 GR The Hague, Netherlands > Eppstei ner Strasse 89 > D-6238 Hofheim (Langenhain) , Germany N IGER IA > > Baha'i Publishing Trust > IND IA P.O. Box 2029 > Baha'i Publishing Trust Lagos, Nigeria > Baha'i House, 6 Canning Road > P.O. Box 19 NORWAY > > New Delhi 110001, Indi a Baha ' i Forlag > Drammensveien 11 0 A > N-0273 Oslo 2, Norway > Addresses as at 2 I Apri I I 992 > Address commun ications to th e Baha'i Worl d Centre, P.O. Box 155, 31 00 I Haifa, Israe l. > 1036 THE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > BAHA'I PUBLJSl-IING TRUSTS-C ONTINUED > > P AK ISTAN T AIWAN > > Baha' i Publishing Trust Baha' i Publishing Trust > P.O. Box 7420 149-13 Hsin Sheng Nan Lu, Section 1 > Karachi 3, Pakistan Taipei 10626, Taiwan, R.O.C. > > PHILIPPINES UGANDA > > Baha'i Publishing Trust Baba 'i Publishing Trust > P.O. Box 4323 P.O. Box 2662 > 1099 Manila, Philippines Kampala, Uganda > > SPAIN UNITED KINGDOM > Editorial Baha'i de Espana Baba' i Publishing Trust > Bonaventura Castellet 17 6 Mount Pleasant > ES-08222 Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Oakham, Leics. LE15 6HU, England > > SWEDEN UNITED STATES > Baha' i FOrlaget AB Baha'i Publishing Trust > Bjorkgatan 4 415 Linden A venue > S-753 28 Uppsala , Sweden Wilmette, Illinois 60091, U.S.A. > II > BAHA'i BIBLIOGRAPHY > > 1. BAHA'U'LLAH'S BEST-KNOWN WORKS > > IN PERSIAN AND ARABIC > > Alval}-i-Laylatu 'l-Quds. Lawh-i-Burhan. > A~l-i-Kullu '1-Khayr. LawJ:i-i-Dunya (Tablet of the World). > Az-Bagh-i-Ilahi. Lawl:i-i-Fitnih. > Baz-Av-u-Bidih-fami. Lawl:i-i-Ghulamu '1-Khuld. > Bisharat (Glad Tidings). LawJ:i-i-I:Iabib. > Chihar-V adi (Four Valleys) . LawJ:i-i-Haft-Pursish. > Haft-Vadi (Seven Valleys) . Lawl:i-i-I:laqq. > Halih-Halih-Y a-Bisharat. Lawl:i-i-Hawdaj . > I:Iur-i- 'Ujab. Lawl1-i-I:likmat (Tablet of Wisdom). > I:Iurufat-i- 'Allin. Lawh-i-Hirtik. > Ishraqat (Splendours). Lawl}-i-I:Iuriyyih. > Kalimat-i-Firdawsiyyih (Words of Paradise). Lawh-i-I:Iusayn. > Kalimat-i-Maknlinih (Hidden Words) . Lawh-i-lbn-i-Dhi > . - 'b > Kitab-i- ' Ahd (Book of the Covenant). (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf). > Kitab-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book). Lawl:i-i-Ittil:iad. > Kitab-i-Badi' . Lawh-i-Jamal. > Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude). Lawh-i-Karim. > Lawl:i-i-'Abdu'l- ' Aziz-va-Vukala. Lawh-i-Karmil. > LawJ:i-i-'Abdu'l-Vahhab. LawJ:i-i-Kullu't-Ta'am. > Lawl:i-i-' Abdu'r-Razzaq. Lawl:i-i-Malikih (Tablet to Queen Victoria). > Lawl:i-i-Al;bab. Lawh-i-Malik-i-Rus > Law~1-i-Al_rmad (Tablet of Al:imad). (Tablet to the Czar of Russia). > Lawl:i-i-Amvaj. La wb-i-Malla!;u' 1-Quds > Law~1-i-Anta '1-Kafi. (Tablet of the Holy Mariner). > Lawl:i-i-Aqdas. Lawl:i-i-Manikchi-$aJ:iib. > Lawl:i-i-Ashraf. Lawh-i-Maq ~ud. > Lawh-i- 'Ashiq-va-Ma ' shUq. Lawl:i-i-Maryam. > Lawl:i-i-Ayiy-i-Nur. Lawh-i-Mawlud. > Lawl:i-i-Baha. Lawl:i-i-Mubahilih. > Lawl:i-i-Baqa. Lawl:i-i-Napulylin I > Lawl}-i-Basitatu '1-I:Iaqiqih. (First Tablet to Napoleon III). > Lawl:i-i-Bismilih. Lawl:i-i-Napulylin II > Lawl:i-i-Bulbulu ' l-Firaq. (Second Tablet to Napoleon III). > 1038 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > LawJ:i-i-Na~ir. Suriy-i-Asma'. > LawJ:i-i-Nuqtih. Suriy-i-Bayan. > LawJ:i-i -Pap (Tablet to the Pope). Suriy-i-Damm. > LawJ:i-i -P isar-' Amm. Suriy-i-DhabiJ:i . > LawJ:i-i -Qina'. Suriy-i-DhibJ:i. > LawJ:i-i-Quds. Suriy-i-Dhikr. > LawJ:i-i-Rafi'. Suriy-i-Fac;ll. > LawJ:i-i-Ra'is (Tablet to ' Ali Pasha). Suriy-i-FatJ:i. > LawJ:i-i-Ra~a. S11riy-i-Fu'ad. > LawJ:i-i-Rasul. S11riy-i-Ghu ~n (Tablet of the Branch). > LawJ:i-i -RuJ:i. Suriy-i-I:lajj I. > Lawh-i-Ru'ya. S11riy-i-I:lajj II. > LawJ:i-i-SaJ:iab. Suriy-i-Haykal. > LawJ:i-i-Salman I. Suriy-i-I:Iif'.?. > LawJ:i-i-Salman II. Suriy-i-Hijr. > LawJ:i-i-$arnsun. Suriy-i-'Ibcid. > LawJ:i-i-SayyaJ:i. Suriy-i-Ism. > Lawl)-i-Shaykh-Fani. Suriy-i-Ismuna 'l-Mursil. > Lawl)-i-Sultan. Suriy-i-Javad. > LawJ:i-i-Tawhid. Suriy-i-Khitab. > LawJ:i-i-Tibb. Suriy-i-Ma'ani. > Lawl)-i-Tuqa. Suriy-i-Man'. > Lawl)-i-Yusuf. Suriy-i-Muluk. > LawJ:i-i-Zaynu '1-Muqarrabin. St'.1riy-i-Nida. > Lawl)-i -Ziyaril). Suriy-i-Nu~J:i. > Madinatu'r-Rida. S1iriy-i-Qadir. > Madina tu 't-Tawl)id. St'.1riy-i-Qahir. > Mathnavi. Suriy-i-Qalam. > Munajathay-i-$iyam. Sur i y -i-Qami ~. > Qad-IJ:itaraqa' l- Mukh li ~t'.ma. Suriy-i-$abr. > Qa~idiy-i-Varqa'iyyih. Suriy-i-Sultan. > Rashl)-i-' Arna. Suriy-i-Vafa. > Ric;!vanu'l-' Adi. St'.1riy-i-Ziyari h. > Ric;lvanu' 1-Iqrcir. Suriy-i-Zubur. > $aJ:iifiy-i-Shattlyyih. St'.iriy-i-J;': uhUr. > $alat-i-Mayyit (Prayer for the Dead). Tafsir-i-Hu. > Saqi-az-Ghayb-i-Baqa. Tafsir-i-I:Iurufat-i-Muqaga' ih. > Shikkar-Shikan-Shavand. > - - - > Tafsir-i-Suriy-i-Ya'sh-Shams. > Subhana-Rabbiya '!-A' la. Tajalliyat (Effulgences). > SubJ:ianaka-Y a-Hu. Tarazat (Ornaments). > Suratu' ll ah. Ziyarat-Namih (The Tablet of Visitation). > Suriy-i-Ahzan. Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Awliya. > Suriy-i-Amin. Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Babu ' 1-Bab-va-Quddus. > Suriy-i-Amr. Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Bayt. > Suriy-i-A'rab. Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Maryam. > Suriy-i-A~l!ab. Z i yarat-N am iy-i-S iyyidu' sh-Shuhada. > DIRECTORY , BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1039 > > IN ENGLISH, TRANSLATED BY SHOGHI EFFENDI > > Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, by Kitab-i-fqan, by Baha'u ' llah. Baha ' i Pub- > Baha'u'llah. Baha'i Publishing Trust, lishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois, 1931 , > Wilmette, Illinois, 1941 , 1953, and other 1950, and other Baha'i Publishing Trusts. > Baha' i Publishing Trusts. Prayers and Meditations by Bahtiu '!!ah . > Gleanings fl-om the Writings of Baha 'u 'llah. Baha ' i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illi- > Baha'i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illi- nois, 1938, 1962, and other Baha'i Pubnois, 1939, 1952, and other Baha' i Pub- lishing Trusts. > lishing Trusts. Tablet of the Holy Mariner, by Baha'u'llah. > The Hidden Words of Baha 'u 'llah (Arabic Published in Star of the West, vol.XIII , no . > and Persian). Baha'i Publishing Commit- 4, May 1922, p. 75. Subsequently pubtee, New York, 1924. Baha'i Publishing lished in Prayer Books and other compi- > Committee London, 1932, and other lations. > Baha'i Publishing Trusts. > > COMPILATIONS IN ENGLISH > > Tablets of Bahti 'u 'lltih revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas. > World Centre Publications, 1978. > > 2. THE BAB'S BEST-KNOWN WORKS > > IN PERSIAN AND ARABIC > > The Arabic Bayan. Risali y-i-Dhahabiyyih. > Dala'il-i-Sab ' ih. Risaliy-i-Fiqhiyyih. > Epistles to Mu]_lammad Shah and Risaliy-i-Funi' -i-' Adliyyih. > I::Iaji Mirza Aqasi. $al_iifatu' l-I::Iaramayn. > Kha~a'il-i-Sab'ih. $a]_lifiy-i-Ja 'fariyyih. > Kitab-i-Asma '. $a]_lifiy-i-Makhzunih. > Kitab-i-Panj-Sha 'n. $a ]_lifiy- i-Ra~aviyyih. > Kitabu'r-Rul_i. Suriy-i-Tawl_iid. > Lawl_i-i-I::Iunifat. Tafsir-i -Nubuvvat-i-Kha~~ih. > The Persian Bayan. Tafsir-i-Suriy-i-Kawthar. > Qayylimu ' l-Asma '. Tafsir-i-Suriy-i-Va '1- 'A~r. > Risatiy-i-Adliyyih. Ziyarat-i-Shah-'Abdu ' l-' A~im. > > COMPILATIONS IN ENGLISH > > Selections from the Writings of the Bab. > World Centre Publications, 1976. > > (Note : The Bab Himself states in one passage of the Persian Bayan that His writings comprise no less than 500,000 verses.) > I > 1040 THE BAHA ' I WOR LD > > 3. 'ABDU'L-BAHA 's BEST-KNOWN WORKS > > IN P ERSIAN AND ARABIC > > Ad'iyih va Munajat. LawJ:i-i -Mal)il-i-Shawr. > Alvah-i-Tablighiy-i-Imrfka. LawJ:i-i -MuJ:iabbat. > Alvah-i-Va~aya. Lawl)-i -Tanzih va Taqdis. > Khitabat dar Urupa va Jmrika. LawJ:i-i-Tarbiyat. > LawJ:i-i-Aflakiyyih. Madaniyyih. > LawJ:i-i- ' Ahd va Mifuaq (Imrika). Maqaliy-i-SayyaJ:i. > LawJ:i-i- ' Ammih. Mufavic;!at. > LawJ:i-i-Ayat. SharJ:i-i-Fa~~-i-Nigin-i-Ism-i-A '~a m. > Lawh-i-Du-Niday-i-Falal) va Najal;. Sharl)-i-Shuhaday-i-Yazd va J~fahan . > LawJ:i-i-Dr. Fore!. Siyasiyyih . > LawJ:i-i-Haft Sham'. Tadhkiratu'l-Vafa. > LawJ:i-i-Hizar-Bayti. Tafsir-i-Bismi' llahi 'r-RaJ:imani 'r-Rahim. > LawJ:i-i-Khurasan. Tafsir-i-Kunh1 Kanzan Makhfiyyan. > LawJ:i-i-Lahih. Ziyarat-Namih . > > (Note: The majority of the works listed above have been collected in the eight-volume series > Makatib-i- 'Abdu 'l-Baha, the first three volumes of which were initially published > under Baha'i auspices in Cairo, and the subsequent volumes in Iran by the National > Spiritual Assembly which also reprinted the first three . Developments since 1979 in > Iran have intervened to halt furth er progress of the intended project of collecting and > publishing under this title all of' Abdu' l-Baha 's important Tablets.) > > IN ENGLISH, TRANSLATED BY SHOGHI EFFENDI > > Tablet to the Central Organization for a Will and Testament. Baha' i Publishing Com- > Durable Peace, the Hague. Baha'i Pub- mittee, New York, 1925, .1935. Baha' i > lishing Committee, New York, 1930. Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois, 1944, > Tablet to Dr. Fore!. Baha ' i Publishing Com- 1968, and other Baha' i Publishing Trusts. > mittee, New York, 1930. > > IN ENGLISH, OTHER TRANSLATIONS > > The Secret of Divine Civilization. Baha'i Some Answered Questions. First printed by > Publishing Trust, Wilmette Illinois, 1957. Kegan , Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co. Ltd., > Originally published by Cope & Fenwick, London, 1908. Subsequently published by > London, 1910, under the title The Myste- Baha'i Publishing Society, Chicago, 191 8, > rious Forces of Civilization. Subse- and other Publish ing Trusts. > quently published by Baha ' i Publishing Tablets of the Divine Plan. Baha' i Publishing > Society, Chicago, 1918. Trust, Wilmette, Illinois, 1959. > DIRECTORY , BIBLIOGRAPHY , GLOSSARY 1041 > A Traveller 's Narrative. Translated into Memorials of the Faithful. Translated from > English by Edward Granville Browne the original Persian and annotated by > under the title A Traveller's Narrative Marzieh Gail. Baha'i Publishing Trnst, > written to illustrate The Episode of the Wilmette, Illinois, 1971. > Bab. Cambridge University Press, 1891. > Baha'i Publishing Committee, New York, > 1930. > > COMPILATIONS IN ENGLISH > > Foundations of World Unity; a selection of Canada and the United States in 1912. > letters and public addresses. Baha'i Pub- Baha' i Publishing Society, Chicago, 1922 > lishing Trnst, Wilmette, Illinois, 1945. and 1925. > Paris Talks; a compilation of His addresses Selections fi'om the Writings of 'A bdu 'lin Paris. G. Bell and Son Ltd., London, Baha; compiled from His conespondence > 1923. Subsequently published by Baha'i with individual believers, groups and > Publishing Trnst, London, 10th edition Assemblies of the East and the West. > 1961 ; and in the United States under the World Centre Publications, 1978. > title Th e Wisdom of 'Abdu 'l-Baha; Bren- Tablets of 'Abdu 'l-Bahiz, vols. !, ff, !JI; a > tano 's, New York, 1924. compilation of His letters to individual > Th e Promulgation of Universal Peace, vols. believers in America. Baha' i Publishing > I, II; a compilation of His addresses in Society, Chicago, 1909, 1915, 1916. > I > > 4. SOME COMPILATIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF > BAHA'U'LLAH, THE BAB AND 'ABDU'L -B AHA IN ENGLISH > > The Baha 'i Revelation. Baha' i Publishing Illinois, 1939, 1952, and other Baha'i > Trust, London, 1955. Publishing Trusts. > Bahiz 'i World Faith. Baha'i Publishing Com- Prayers and Meditations by Baha 'u 'llah . > mittee, Wilmette, Illinois, 1943, 1956. Baha' i Publishing Committee, Wilmette, > The Covenant of Bahiz 'u 'llah. Baha'i Pub- Illinois, 1938, 1954, and other Baha' i > lishing Trust, London, 19 50; revised, Publishing Trnsts. > 1963 . The Reality of Man. Baha'i Publishing Com- > The Divine Art of living. Baha' i Publishing mittee, Wilmette, Illinois, 1931; revised, > Committee, Wilmette, Illinois, 1944; re- 1962. > vised, 1960. > Gleanings fi'om the Writings of Baha 'u 'llah. > Baha'i Publishing Committee, Wilmette, > > (Note: A large number of Prayer Books compiled of prayers revealed by Baha'u'llah, the > Bab and 'Abdu ' l-Baha has been published by Baha' i Publishing Trusts and National > Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world.) > 1042 TH E BAHA ' i WORLD > > 5. SHOGHI EFFENDI'S BEST-KNOWN WORKS > > The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah. February America and the Most Great Peace. April, > 1929. 1933. > The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, Further The Dispensation of Bahti 'u 'llah. February > Considerations. March, 1930. 1934. > Th e Goal of a New World Order. November, Th e Unfoldment of World Civilization. > 1931. March, 1936. > The Golden Age of the Cause of Bahti 'u- > 'llah. March, 1932. > > (Note: The above seven essays have been published in one volume entitled The World Order > of Bahti 'u 'llah. Baha' i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois, 1938. Revised edition, > 1955; second printing, 1965.) > > Th e Advent of Divine Justice. Baha' i Pub- God Passes By. Baha'i Publishing Trust, > lishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois, 1939. Wilmette, Illinois, 1944. > Th e Promised Day is Come. Baha'i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois, 1941. > > TRANSLATIONS (see also p.1039, p.1040) > > Th e Dawn-Breakers, by MuJ:iammad-i-Zarandi, surnamed Nabil-i-A á~am. > Baha' i Publishing Committee, New York, 1932, and other Baha'i Publishing Trusts. > > SOME COMPILATIONS FROM Hrs WRTTlNGS > > Baha 'i Administration. Baha'i Publishing Citadel of Faith (Messages to America > Committee, Wilmette, Illinois, 1928, 1947- 1957). Baha ' i Publishing Trust, > 1960. Wilmette, Illinois, 1965. > Messages to America (1932- 1946). Baha' i Messages to Canada. á National Spiritual > Publishing Committee, Wilmette, Illinois, Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada, > 1947. 1965. > Messages to the Bahti 'i World (1950- 1957). Letters ji-om the Guardian to Australia and > Baha'i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illi- New Zealand (1923-1957) . National > nois, 1958. Spiritual Assembly of Australia, 1970. > Principles of Bahti 'i Administration. Baha'i Dawn of a New Day-Messages to India > Publishing Trust, England, 1950. (1923- 1957). Baha'i Publishing Trust, > Guidance for Today and Tomorrow. Baha' i New Delhi, 1970. > Publishing Trust, London, 1953. > DIRECTORY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1043 > Directives fiáom the Guardian. Baha'i Pub- Bah6. 'is of the British Isles. Baha'i Publishing Trnst, New Delhi, 1970. lishing Trnst, London, 1981. > High Endeavours: Messages to Alaska. The Light of Divine Guidance: The Mes- > National Spiritual Assembly of the sages Fam the Guardian of the Bah6. 'i > Baha'is of Alaska, 1976. Faith to the Bah6. 'is of Germany and Aus- > Call to the Nations. World Centre Publica- tria. Baha'i Verlag, 1982. > tions , 1977. Th e Light of Divine Guidance, vol. JI: Let- > The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bah6. 'i ters fi-áom the Guardian of the Bah6. 'i > Community: The Messages Fam the Faith to Individual believers, Groups and > Guardian of the Bah6. 'i Faith to the Bah6. 'i Communities in Germany and > Austria. Baha 'i Verlag, 1985. > > 6. LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE ACHIEVEMENTS > > ONE of the goals of the Six Y:ear Plan was "Increasing the Worldwide Availability and > Use of Baha'i Literature" (see pp.157- 159). The promotion of translation has been an > imp01tant objective of the international plans conducted by the Baha' i world community > over the years, so that Baha'i Scriptures and other works may be read by the peoples of the > world in their own tongue. > Previous volumes of The Bah6. 'i World list more than 780 languages, major dialects and > scripts into which the Sacred Writings and other literature of the Baha'i Faith have been > translated; the number has now reached over 800. These achievements include translations, > publications and recordings on tape. > Infomrntion about the languages in which the Baha 'i literature is currently available may > be obtained from the Baha'i World Centre, P.O. Box 155, 31001 Haifa, Israel. > THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > 7. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THESES RELATING > TO THE BAHA'f FAITH > > THIS bibliography is an attempt to bring together all theses and dissertations relating to > the Baha'i Faith which have been required for obtaining university degrees, whether Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral. Entries are arranged alphabetical ly by author's family name. > Each thesis is assigned a number in sequence which begins with TH. This volume of The > Baha'i World continues the first two installments included in The Bahci 'i World Vol. XVIII > (1978- 1983) and Vol. XIX (1983-1986). > > TH I 06. Ad lparvar, Kam ran. ( 1967) Baha'i tempes TH I 17. Bornstein, Yae l. ( 1990) Leaving Europe: > [sic}-B.A., University of Newcastl e upon English poet1y in Israel: an exa111ple: Awaiting > Tyne. Genesis by Reva Sharon.-B.A., Universitat > THI07. Afnan, Elham. (1987) The Good of the world Zurich. > and lhe happiness of the nations: a study of THll8. Bowen, Eli zabeth L., 195 1-. (1977) A Commodern utopian and dystopian literature.- prehensive approach to child heallh through > B.A., McMaster Un iversity. parent and teacher education. - Ph.D ., Uni- > THI08. Afshari, Moha111mad Reza. (1981) A Study versity of Massachu setts. > of the conslil11tio11al revolution within the TH I 19. Boyles, Ann . ( 1987) A Certain tall element: > fra111ewo rk of Iranian histo1y.-Ph.D ., Temp le images and e111bodime11/s of the sacred in the > University (Philadelphia, Pa.). poet1y of Robert Lowell, Robert Hayden, and > TH 109. Amini , Parivash. (1989) Analyse sociologique William Stajford.-P h.D ., University of New > des pri11cipes Baha 'is re/at ifs ala paix mondi- Brunswick (Fredericton, N.B .). > ale.-Memoire de dip!. de fin d 'etudes THl20. Brassesco, Ley la. ( 1983) Robert Hayden e > superieures, Universite de Conakry, Faculte Roger White, poeti Baha'i Nord-America11ides Lettres et Sciences Hu111ain es. Universita' Delgi Studi di Roma "La Sapi- > TH I I 0. Angus, Jacky. (I 99 1) Sh i "i lsla111for the West: enza". > the Baha'i package.-B.A. Honours, Univer- TH 121. Braswell, George W., 1936-. (1985) A Mosaic > sity of Queensland (Brisbane, Qld.). of mullahs and 111osques: religion and politics > TH 111 . Arqu illiere, Chri stophe. ( 1992) The Baha'i in Iranian Shi 'ah !slam.-Ph.D., University of > Faith, can Catholics believe in the theo1y of No rth Caro lina, Chape l Hill. > the "progressive revelation ".-Memoire de TH 122. Brilcke, Sil via. ( 199 1) Annotierte Bibliogra- > 3i:111e annee-Ecole Superieure de Co111111erce phie deutschsprachiger Baha 'i-Litera/ur vo11 > (Lyon). 1945- 1990: un/er besonderer Beriicksichti- > TH I 12. Ba rtlett, Jean Eleanor. ( 1986) Balza 'i world gu11g der Proble111e der i11haltlichen Erschliesfaith - a case sludy in adull socialization.- su11g. - (Diplo111a " Diplomprilfung ftir den > Ph.D. , Uni vers ity of Ca liforni a (Riverside). Dienst an wissensc ha ftlichen Bibliotheken")- > TH 11 3. Bastani Hesa ri , Hor111oz. ( 1969) Shrine of (Fachhochschule Ha111burg, Fachbereich Bib- > Bahaul/ah [sic} in the Bay of Haif [sic} liothek und ln for111a ti on). > lsrael. -Bachelor of Architecture, Iowa State TH 123. Buck, Ch ri stopher. ( 199 1) Symbolic Quranic > University of Science and Technology. exegesis in Ba ha '11 '/tah 's Book of Certitude: > TH 11 4. Bazil enko, I. V. ( 1988) (lstoriia voz11ik11oveniia the exegetical creation of the Baha 'i Faith.- > Bekhaizma): (Bekha-ulla [1 817-1892} i ego M.A., University of Calgary, Alta. > uche11ie).-Ph.D., Leni ngrad State Un iversity. TH I 24. Carney, Magdalene, 1929- 199 I. (I 977) Th e > TH 11 5. Billlllardi, Val; id. ( 1986) (al-Lughat al-!ftifiyyah Learning competence paradigm of the Anisa > wa mu!flalih-ha fl ~i 'r !bn al-Fa1"i Arabic li terature, A111erican Un iversity of Ph.D., University of Massachu setts. > Beirut. TH 125. Casu, Jean- Christophe. ( I984-85) Le Concept > TH I 16. Bopp, Michael. (1985) Education for human de religion progressive dans la Joi 111ondiale > de velopment.-Ph.D ., Un ivers ity of Alberta, baha'ie et da11s /es oeuvres d'Amadou Ham- > Ed111onton. pa te Ba. - Doctorat de 3e111e cycle de Lettres > D IRECTORY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1045 > Modernes, Un iversite de Paris X II (Val de dimensions and values.- Ph.D., Un iversity of > Marne). Rajasthan. > TH 126. Chou leur, Jacques. ( 1978) le Mormonisme: de TH l 42. Harrison, Jill. (1990) The Dawn of Baha'i > la secte americaine ala religion universe!le.- art.-B.A. , Radc li ffe College, Harvard Un i- > Ph.D., Universite de Paris. vers ity. > TH 127. Christensen, Pia Monrad. ( 1992) Baha'i troen: TH 143. Hassall , Graham H. (1989) Religion and > troens udbredalse pa fsland.-B.A. , Hask6 1i nation-state formation in Melanesia: 1945 > islands [University of Iceland], Reykjavik. to independence.-Ph.D., Austra li an National > TH 12 8. Colon, Ariane. ( 1989) Etude approfondie de Un iversity (Canberra, A.C.T.). > questions d 'histoire et de sociologie des reli- TH l44. Haugseggen, Ka i. ( 1988) Mal og metoderfor > gions: theme: la Foi Baha 'ie. - B.A. , Univer- arbeidet i lokale andelige rad: lokale andelige > site Libre de Bruxe ll es . rad b0r fungere "Harmonisk, kraftfi1!/t > TH 129. Daliri , Farvardin. (1990) Contradictions of ogellektivt".-Statens laererl10g-skole i Han - > multiculturalism: insights fi'om th e Balza 'i del s og Kontorfag, Hoslemo , Norway. > theoretical basis of unity in diversity.- M.Ed., THl45. Hi lckmann, Stephen. ( 1987) Religion und > Monash University (A ustrali a), 1990. Frieden, heute.-Die Freie Kunststudienstatte, > TH 130. Djahanjiri, Saed. ( 1992?) Presentazione s1illa Ottersberg, West Germany. > Fede Baha 'i.-B.A.? TH 146. Hinton, Sean. ( 1990) Urtyn duu: a preliminwy > THl3 1. Duda, Barbara. ( 1987) Die Baha'i im Iran: consideration of Mongol long Song.- > eine religiose Minderh eit in historischer M. Phil., Univers ity of Cambridge (U.K.). > Sicht.- M.A., Uni versitat Gottin gen. THl47. Hubendick , Bj0rn Ivar. (1990) The Environ- > TH 132. Fil so n, Gera ld Wesley. ( 1982) A Case study of mental crisis and the Baha'i Faith.-Cand. > the role of media in an educational campaign Philo!. , Oslo Uni versity, Norway. > in the Canadian Baha'i Community.-M.A., THl48 . Ivanov, M. S. (1939) Babidskie vosstani/a v > Conco rdi a Uni versity (Mon trea l). lrane, 1848- 1852.- Ph.D. , Trudy lnstituta > TH 133. Foster, M. (1980) Social evolution: a case Vostokovedeni ia. > study of the Baha'i Faith.-M.A. , Lo ng Island THl49. lxmeier, Elisabeth. (!98-?) Mark Tobey.- > University. Ph.D., Ruhr-Universitat, Bochum. > "j'H 134. Fox, Edward A. ( 1972) Engineering analysis TH 150. Jaggi, Christian. ( 1987) Zum interreligiosen > of computerized information retrieval of the Dialog zwischen Christentum, Islam und > Baha'i writings.-B.S., Massachusetts Insti - Baha 'itum .-Ph.D., Universitat ZUric h. > tute of Technology. TH 15 1. Karl berg, Michae l. ( 1990) The Baha'i Faith > TH l 35. Gagnon, Richard . (1988) Analyse de la struc- and the vital role of religion in contemporwy > ture de l'ordre administratif Balta 'i. - Ph.D. , environmental thought.-B.A., University of > Universite Laval. Santa Cruz, Ca li fornia. > TH 136. G hanea Tabrizi, Nazi la. ( 1992) The Baha'i TH 152. Kelley, Edward Ru lief. ( 1986) Mark Tobey > concept ofpeace.-M.A., Uni versity of Leeds. and the Baha'i Faith: new per:.pectives on > THl37. Galata, Joseph A. ( 1988) Cross cultural ther- the artist and his paintings.-Ph.D., Un iverapy with culturally disadvantaged adolescents: sity of Texas at Austin. > an ontological dimensional foc us using the TH 153. Lawson, B. Todd. ( 1987) The Qur 'an comp:,ychiatric writings of Wilhelm Stekel, the mentwy of Sayyid 'Ali Muhammad the Bab.- > existential philosophy and psychology of Ph.D., McG ill University. > Viktor Frankl and the theological writings of THl54. Lawson, Lauren Valk . (1986) Characteristics > Baha 'u '/!ah.-Ph.D., Southwest[ern?] Univer- ofsocial network contacts recruited by Iranian > sity. Baha 'i refi1gees.-M.N. , Univers ity of Wash- > TH 138. Ge isler, Ramo na C. ( 1986) World govern- in gton (Seatle, Wash.). > ment.-M.A., Sch iller Internat iona l University T H 155. Lem, Kari. ( 1991) Moral education = Hovedf- > (Lo ndon). agsoppgave: a thesis.-M.A., Uni versity of > TH 139. G hadrshenass, De la var. ( 1987) Dispute resolu- Tromsoe. > tion studies in the institutions of higher TH 156. Linge, Bitten. ( 1974) Baha'i i Narge.-Un ilearning: an initial investigative study of pro- vers itetet i Bergen. > fessors' attitudes. - Ph.D., North Texas State TH 157 Littrell , Eileen. ( l 992) Qurratu '/-Ayn Tahirih: > University (Denton). a study in transformational leadership.- > TH 140. Grigoriian S. N. ( 195 1) Bekhaizm kak ideolog- Ph.D. , Un ited States International University, > icheskoe oruzhie Anglo-Amerikanskogo impe- San Diego, Ca lifornia. > rializma v lrane.-Ph.D. TH 15 8. Loeb, Laurence Delemos, 1942-. (1983) The > TH 141. Haghighat, Nejat. ( 1992) Baha'i religion: a Jews ofsouthwest Iran: a study of cultural persociological study of its institutional sistence.-Ph .D. , Co lumb ia Universi ty. > 1046 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > TH 159. Maher, Fataneh. ( 1982) L 'Echec sco/aire chez TH 173. Mol ineaux, Pasca l Jean, ( 1987) Fundaec in > / 'ecolier de Brazzavi/le. -Ph.D., Universite /he Norte de f Cauca, Colombia: calalyzing > Paris V. rural development through rural educalion.- > TH 160. Mahmoud i, Hoda. ( 1979) Th e Structure of M.A. , Corne ll Un iversity (Ithaca, N.Y.). > organizations in Iran: a comparative analy- TH 174. Morisette, Jea nn ine. ( 1988) L 'Aulo-developpes is.-P h.D., Un iversity of Utah. ment au sein des projels de l'ACDI.-M.A ., > TH 16 1. Malik-Mul)ammadi, Manuchir, 1313 sh Uni vers ite Lava l, Quebec, Quebec. > [1934]. (1338 [ 1959- 60]) (Ta 'thir dastiirat-i TH 175. Mo slehi, Shanaz. ( 1986) An Iranian informal > adyan dar salamati-yi afrad-i insani). - M.D., educational network in America: a descriplive > Uni versity of Tehran. No d irect reference to sludy. -Ph.D., Uni versity of Southern Cali fornia. > Faith, but co ntains translations of excerpts of TH 176. Mowzoon, Farideh. ( 1987) The HistOJy and > Lawl)-i-Tibb. development of Baha'i educalion in th e United > TH 162. Ma louf, Diana. ( 1988) The Hidden words of States, 1892- 1986. - Ph .D., George Washing- > Baha 'u '//ah- translation norms employed by ton Uni versity (Wash ington, D.C.). > Shoghi Eflendi.-Ph.D., State University of TH 177. Nasseri , Behrouz. ( 1987) Vrijheid van godsdi- > New York at Bi nghamton. ensl in het inlemationaal recht.- L.L.M., Uni- > TH l 63. Marrero , Myriam. (1990) The Principles by versity of Leiden . > which we live: a comparison between the TH 178. Newton, Peter Cra ig. ( 1985?) In search of > Baha 'i Faith and Chinese belief and their pwpose in educa1io11: implica/ions of the > ph ilosophy. -B.A. Baha'i wrilings.- M.A., Uni versity of Ca li for- > TH 164. Marchal, Dominique. ( 1986) L 'Hygienisme au ni a (Davi s). > service de / 'humanite.-Certificate, Un iversite TH 179. Nussmayr (Nadji), Mahnas. ( 1988) Erziehung > de Psyco-somatique Naturell e de V ie et in der Baha 'i-Religion.-B.A., Karl-Franzens- > Action , Joue-l es-Tours, France. Quotations Universitat. (Graz, Austria) > from the Baha'i writings throughout. TH 180. N utako r, Eddie Mawusi. ( 1987) Recherche > TH 165. Masumbuko Mutima. ( 1984-85) Projet de reli- pour une langue 1111iverse/le: comparaison > ance d 'une economie paysanne delaissee: "cas socio-linguistique du francais et de > de / 'Assemb/ee Baha 'ie de Karava-Runingo / 'esperanlo.-M .A.?, Un iversity of Science > en Co/lec/ivile Bafulero" (Zo ne d'Uvira). - and Techno logy. (Kumasi, Ghana) > Gradue en Developpement Rura l, ln stitut TH 18 1. Oboodiat, Farideh. ( 1992) Young ch ildren's > Supe ri eur de Developpment Rural, Bukavu. understanding of peace concepls: negalive > THl66. Mboya, Ati eno. (1987) Law and the Baha'i peace, nonviolent-conflict-resolution, and > lheocracy: a jurisprudenlial perspective.- posilive peace.-Ph. D., University of Texas > LL.B ., Uni vers ity of Na irobi, Kenya. (Austin) . > TH 167. Merritt , Johanna. ( 1990) lntem alizalion of TH 182. Pappa lardo, Patri zio . (1985) E!emenli per ww > religious beliefs in Irish Baha'i adolescents.- ricerca sul movimen/o 111essianico profelico > B.A., Uni versity of North Caro lina (Chapel de/ Bab (dal 1844 al 1853): analisi lipologica > Hi ll). e s/orico-religiosa de/ primo testo de movi- > TH168. Mil ler, Carole Pritchard. (1992) Cultural plu - mento.- Tesi di Laurea, Un iversita degl i Stud i > ralism: a transformational agenda.- Ph.D., di Tori no. > Georgia State University (Atlanta, Ga.). TH 183. Parsa, Lida . ( 1986) "La Moda Persiana" ne/la > TH169 . Mil lingto n, Thomas V. ( 1986) Baha'i consul- lelleralura inglese dei secoli diciottesimo & > /a/ion and group decision dynamics : a study diciannovesimo.-Tesi di Laurea B.A . in > of the compatibility of religious philosophy Eng li sh language & literatu re, Uni versita dagli > and scienlijic research. - Ph.D. , Co lu mb ia Stud i di Fi renze. > Paci fi e Un iversity. TH 184. Pelto la, Harri. ( 1987) Babi-ja Baha'i- > TH 170. Mobi ni -Kesheh, Natalie. ( 199 1) Guided reli- liikkeiden imago suomessa Cobineausta teinogion: religious policy in old order Indonesia seen. - Uskontoti enteen pro gradu-tutkielm a, > and th e banning of the Baha 'is.-B.A. Hel sin gi n y li op isto Hi storiall is-kielitieteel- > Honours, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic .. linen osasto. > TH 17 1. Mohadjer, Sa ideh. ( 1986) Eine Deutsch- TH 185. Penn , Michael Lee. ( 1992) An Evalualion > Franzosische Terminologie w den Schriflen of the re/alionship between world view, hopeder Baha 'i-Religion.- B.A .?, Uni vers itat des lessness, /emporality, and depression among > Saarlandes. adolesce11/s and young.-Ph.D, Temple Uni- > TH 172. Mohregi, Mehrdad. ( 1984) (B i-YGd-i Tahirih) ve rsity (Phil ade lphi a, Pa.). > = A la memoire de Tahirih.-Thesis (Memoire Tl-1186. Pen-y, Mark Lloyd. (1986) The Chicago > de Troi sieme Cyc le)- Ecole d ' Architecture de Baha'i Co111m1111i1y, 1921- 1939.-Ph.D., Uni- > Na ncy. versi ty of C hi cago , 1986. > DIR ECTORY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1047 > > TH 187. Pili , Patri zia. (I 986- 1987) William Sears, outcomes.-M.A., Univers ity o f Georgia, > ii messaggio ecum enico Bahri 'i ne// 'area di Athens. > lingua inglese.-Tesi di laurea [B.A.?], Uni- TH203. Sefidvash, Mehrvash. ( 1985-86) Relazione > versita degli Studi di Cagliari. madre-bambino dura nte la gravidanza (con > TH 188. Rama n, S. Pattabi. (1974) Biological dimen- accenni da / p1111to di vista Bahrii) [sic}.-Tesi > sions of the value theo1y of the Anisa edu ca- di Iaurea [B.A. ?], Uni versita degli Studi di > tional model. -Ed.D ., Uni versity of Milano. > Massac hu setts. TH204 . Sefidvash, Shid vash. ( 198-?) L 'Educazione > TH 189. Rassek h, Chahine Rouhani Ardekan i. ( 1987) religiosa nel/a Fede Baha 'i. -B.A .? "Tes i in > Socio-economic rural development: grassroots pedagogia", Uni versita Deg li Stud i di Verona . > participation fo r social change.-M . Libera l TH205 . Sm ith , L. Douglas. ( 1987) Evaluation de la > Stud ies, Uni versity of Oklahoma. co11vert11re vaccinale clans le district rural > TH 190. Re imer, Kathy. ( 1987) The Impa ct of develop- d'Alplahoue en Republique Populaire du > ment 011 the sexual division of labour: a Benin. -Memoire, Universite Nationale du > Botswana case study.-M.A., Un iversi ty of Ben in, Cotono u. > the W itwatersrand, Johann esburg. TH206 Snyder, Channing Z. ( 199 1) Dawn of the solar > TH I9 1. Riis Zahra i, Annette. ( 1986) Evolution of the energy revolution.-M.S., Pac ific Western > Baha 'i Faith in the United States since 1960= University, Los Angeles. > Evo lutio n du mo uvement Baha' i aux Etats TH207. Soave, Fernando. ( 1988) Het Baha'i beleid als > Unis depuis 1960.- Maitrise, Civilisati on Nord- model voor een nieuwe beschaving.-Diplom a > Ameri ca ine Contemporaine, Uni versite Paris X. in Marketing, Limb urgs Hoger Hande lsin stit- > TH 192. Robarts, Adam J. T. ( 1985) "Akbar's dream": uut Hasse ll, Be lgium . > a discourse 011 the Baha 'i Temple in Wilmel/e, TH208. Stephens, K. Dean. ( 1990) Village radio: the > //linois.'-Architecture, 3rd year undergraduate development of com111u11icatio11 and the > studies, Jesus Co ll ege, Cambri dge Un iversity. commw1icatio11 of development.-Ph.D ., The > TH 193 . Rogers, Kim . ( 1989) Canada's co11trib11tion Uni on Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio. > to third world development: the case of the T H209. Stockman, Robert H., ( 1990) The Baha 'i Faith > l11tematio11al Developm ent Research Cen - and American Protestantism.-Ph.D., Harvard > tre. - M.A., Univers ity of Guelph, Ont. Uni veristy. > TH 194. Ruys, Barbara Ann, ( 1986) Green Aere TH2 I 0. Tapon , Francis A ndrew. ( 1992) The End is at > Baha'i lnstilute.-M .A., Harvard Uni versity hand: the eschatology of the Bahri 'i Faith and > (Camb ri dge, Mass.). the worldwide church of God. - B.A. with > TH 195 . Saberi , Vahi deh. ( 1987) Socio-economic study Honors, Amherst Co llege (Amherst, Mass.). > of the Baha 'is in lndia.-P h.D ., Bhopa l Uni- TH211. Taylo r, Mahdokht Martha Tebyan i. ( 1988) The > versity. Baha 'i educational ph ilosophy: its implica- > TH 196. Sabet, Behrooz. ( 1987) Curriculum theo1y and tions to values education in the Philippines.- > the Bahri 'i Faith : relationship between the Ph.D., Uni vers ity of the Philippi nes System. > phenomenal world and the spiritual reality.- TH2 I 2. To lui e, Koorosh. ( 1989) Th e Establishment > Ph .D., State Uni versity of New York at Buffalo. of a permanent and universal peace as the > TH 197. Sabet-Esfahani , Afsaneh. ( 1988) Th e Experi- supreme goal of mankind.-Ph.D., City Unience of immigration: the case of Iranian versity of Los Angeles. > women. -M.A ., University of British Co lumbi a TH2 I 3. Towfi gh, Nicola. ( 1987) Schopfung und O.ffe11- > (Vancouver). ban111g aus der Sicht der Bahri 'i- Religion > TH 198. Samandari , Maryam. ( 1970) La Foi Ba ha 'ie. anhand ausgewtih/ter Texte.- Inaugura l -Di s- > - Universite de Neuchatel. sertati on/ Ph.D., Ruhr Uni versittit. > TH 199. Sa ni ee, Mahdad. ( 1982) The Baha'i house of TH214. Ubben, Lori L. ( 1992) Development of the > worship. Edinburgh-Un iversity of Edi nburgh. Baha'i Faith in Cen tral Illinois, 1898-1957.- > TH200 . Schoos, Martin e. ( 1989) Erziehung aus der M.A., Illinois State Uni versity. > Sich t des Baha 'i Glaubens, aujgewiesen am T H2 15. Vargha, Ruhi. ( 1986) The Architectural and > Model/ der Anis-Zun uzi-Schule au/ Haiti.- symbolic sig11ifica11ce of the Baha 'i House of > B.A ., Uni versitat Bonn. Worship in Wilmette, 11/inois.-M.S ., Brooks > TH201. Sco lni k, Be rn ardo. ( 1989) Mark Tobey (1890- In stitute of Photographi c Art and Sc iences > 1976).- B.A., Accademia di Be ll e Arti Di (Santa Barbara, Ca lif.). > Roma. TH216. Wa lline, David L. ( 1974) A Hist01y of th e > TH202. Sea le, Thomas Scott. ( 1980) An Examination Baha 'i National Spiritual Assembly of th e > of the science curriculum as it reflects social- United States and Canada from its origins to > industrial change: a proposal for curriculum 1937.-B.A ., Yale Uni versi ty (New Have n, > involving social interactions and utilitarian Conn.). > 1048 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > TH217. We in berg, Robert M., (1986) Meetings with TH220. Woodbury, Sarah . (1990) Unity in diversity: > remarkable men: a special study. - B.A., a study of belief and practice in a Baha'i > Brighton Po lytechnic. Community. - B.A ., Bryn Mawr Co llege (Pa.). > TH2 I 8. Williams, Pontheolla Taylor. ( 1977) A Critical TH22 I. Wright, Campbell Robert. ( 1987) Baha 'is and > analysis of the poet1y of Robert Hoy den education in New Zealand. - M.A ., Uni versity > through his middle years.-Ed.D ., Co lum bia of Auck land. > University Teachers Co ll ege. Tl-1222. Wyman, June R. ( 1988) Becoming a Baha 'i: > TH2 I 9. Wi se, An ny. ( 1985) Joseph and his multi- discourse and social networks in an American > coloured sto1 y: the sto1y of Joseph and his religious movement.- Ph .D., The Catholi c > brothers. - Facu lty of Co mparative Religions, University of Ameri ca (Washingto n, D.C.). > Antwerp. > > 8. A PARTIAL LISTING OF CURRENT GENERAL BAHA'i > P ERIODICALS > > A. PRODUCED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF B AHA' i INSTITUTIONS > I. 'A ndalib. v. I, no. I (13 8, 198 1- 1982)-. Thorn hill 8. One Cow1t1y: newsletter of the Bah aá; International > Ont. : Nationa l Spiritual Assemb ly of the Baha' is of Community. v. I, no . I (Winter 1988)-. New York: > Canada . Persian language genera l Baha'i jou rnal. Baha' i Internationa l Community, Office of Publ ic > 2. Baha'i Digest. (Apr. 1988)- . Kuala Lumpur: In forniation . > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha ' is of 9. One Count1y: revue de la Communautee fntema- > Malaysia. Digest of articles from Baha ' i period ica ls tional Baha 'ie. no. I (Jan./Mar.1989)-. Ed. Francaise. > around th e world . New York: Communautee Intern ationale Baha ' ie. > 3. Baha'i Studies Bulletin . v. I. (June 1982)- . Newcas- I 0. Opinioni Bahri 'i. no. I ( 1973) - no. 16 (luglio 1976); > tle upon Tyne. Eng.: Stephen Lambden. Unoffic ial v. I, no. I (in verno 1977)-. Roma: Assemblea Spirjournal of Baha ' i studies. itua le Nazionale dei Baha' i d' llali a. Itali an language > 4. Brilliant Star. v. 15, no . I (Mar.- Apr. 1983)- . genera l Baha' i journal. > Hixson, Tenn.: Nationa l Sp iritual Assembly of the I I. la Pensee Baha 'i. no. I (Jan. 1962)-. Berne: Assem- > Baha'is of the United States. Children's journal blee Sp irituell e Nati onales des Baha'is de la Su isse. > whi ch succeeds Child's Way. French language general Baha' i jou rnal. > 5. Glo1y : Baha'i Youth Magazine. v. I, no . I (Dec. 12. Tia- n xia yljia. [On e Count1y . Chin ese, sim plifi ed > 1966)-. Panchgani: National Baha' i Yo uth Comm it- script]. no . 6 (Nov. 199 1)- . New York: Baha'i > tee of India. Internati onal Community, Office of Public lnfornia- > 6. Herald of the South [New series}. v. I (Oct. 1984)- . tion . > Canberra , A.C.T.: National Spiritual Assemb li es of 13. Tia- n xia yl jia [One Co11nt1y Chinese, traditiona l > the Baha'is of Austra li a and New Zea land. script]. no. I (Sept. 199 1)- . New York: Baha ' i > 7. The Joumal of Baha 'i Studies = la Revue des International Community, Office of Pub lic Informaeludes Baha 'ies =la Revis/a de estudios Baha 'is. ti on. > v. I , no. I ( 1988)- . Ottawa, Ont.: Assoc iation for 14. World Order. v. I, no. I (Fa ll 1966)- . Wilmette, 111.: > Baha' i Studi es. A multi-lingua l journal of Baha ' i National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha' is of the > scho larsh ip. United States. General Baha'i journal. > > B. PRODUCED UNDER NON-INSTITUTIONAL AUSPICES > I . From the !-!earls of the Handmaidens. v. I , no . I 2. Spiritual Mothering Joumal. v. I, no. I (Jan.-Feb. > (March 1989)-. Lynnwood, Wash.: Women' s Con- 198 1)-. Dover, N.H.: Melinda Armstrong. > sul tati ve Group. > DIR ECTORY, B IBLI OGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1049 > > 9. A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF COMMERCIALLY > PRODUCED SLIDE SHOWS ON THE BAHA'I FAITH 1971-1992 > > I. 6-slide sets. (Wilmette, Ill.]: Nationa l Sp iritua l 13. Bahci 'i house of worship, Wilm el/e, 11/inois: Baha 'i > Assembly of the Baha ' is of the United States; house of worship is open to all people. [Wilmette, > (Vi ctor, N.Y.]: Internationa l Baha'i Audio-Visual Ill.]: Baha ' i Publi sh ing Trust, 1978?. I slide sho w > Center (di stributor], 1976. 54 sl ides: co l. in 2 pts. ( 12 slides): co l. > 2. 24 deepening slides. [New Delhi]: Nati onal Baha' i 14. Bahri 'i house of worship, Wilmel/e, Illin ois. (Wil- > Audio-Visual Committee of India, ca . 1980. 24 slides: mette, Ill.]: Baha ' i Publi shing Trust, ca. 1970. I s li de > co l. + I sound casse tte + 24 leaves: ill. ; 8 x 22 cm . show ( 18 slides): co l. > 3. 1963 International Bahri 'i Convention and World 15. Die Baha'i i111 Iran. [Ho fbeim-Langenhain]: Baha' i > Congress. [Wilmette, Ill.]: Published for the Universa l A ud io-Vi sual Committee Germany = Referat Bild > House of Justice by the National Sp iri tual Assemb ly & Ton des Nati o nalen Ge isti gen Rates der Baha 'i in > of the Baha ' is of the United States, 1964. I slide Deutschland , 1983. I slide show (94 slides): co lor, > show (82 slides): co l. + script (22 p.: ill. ; 18 x 18 b&w + I so und cassette + script (I I leaves; 30 cm.). > cm.) . 16. Baha'i International Conference. Canberra, 1982. > 4. 'Abdu '/-Bahri, Lichtblicke der Vo/lko111111 enheit. [Mona Va le, N.S. W.): National Saha ' i Audio- > [Hofl1eim-Langenhain]: Baha ' i Aud io-Vi sual Com- Visua l Committee, 1982. 33 slides in box: co l. + > mittee Gerniany = Referat Bild & Ton des Natio nal en I sound cassette + script, (7 leaves ; 30 cm.). > Geisti gen Rates der Saha ' i in Deutsch land , 197-. 17. Bahri 'i principles . [Victor, N .Y.?]: Internati o nal > 6 leaves; 30 cm. + I sound cassette (25 min.) + 78 Baha ' i Aud io-V isual Ce nter?, ca. 1970. 1 s lide show > sli des: col ., b & w. (8 slides): co l. > 5.Arcand terraces project. [Haifa]: Baha'i World Cen- 18. Bahri 'i social and economic development. [H aifa]: > tre A udi o-Vi sual De partment. [Belchertow n, Mass.] : Baha ' i World Centre; [Thornhi ll , Ont.]: Interna- > Images Internatio nal , 1991. I slide show (20 slides): tional Baha ' i Audio-V isual Center [di stributor], > co l. Ricjvan 1987. 1 slide sho w (80 slides): col., + scri pt > 6. Der Bab. [Ho ll1ei m-Langenhain]: Baha ' i Audio- ( 13, [5] leaves). > Visual Committee Germany = Referat Bild & Ton 19. Baha'i social and economic development. [H aifa]: > des Natio nalen Geistigen Rates der Baha ' i in Deut- Baha'i Worl d Centre; [Thornhill , Ont.]: Internaschl and, I 97-. 8 leaves ; 30 cm. + I so und cassette tio nal Baha ' i Aud io-Visual Center (di stributor] , > (27 min .) + 85 slides: col., b & w. Ricjvan 1987. I slide show (80 sl ides): col ., + > 7. Bahri 'i Faith I a slide lecture by Juliette Soderberg. I sound cassette + sc ript ( 13, [5] leaves). > (New York]: Sheikh Production s, 1975. I slide show 20. Bahri 'i World Congress 1963. [Victor, N.Y. ): Inter- > (32 slides): co l. + script ( 19 p. ; 28 cm.) in 3-hol e nati onal Baha ' i Audio-Vi sua l Center, 1968?. I slide > binder. (Religio ns- East and West) . show (82 slid es): co l. + script (5 p. ; 28 cm.). > 8. Bahri 'i holy places, 'A kka. [Vi ctor, N.Y.]: Interna- 21. Th e Bahri 'is and the holy land. Na rrated by William > tiona l Baha ' i Audio-V isual Center, 197-?. I slide Sears, Hand of the Cause. (W ilm ette, Ill.) : Baha ' i > show (6 slides): col. Publi shing Trust, 197 1. 1 slide show (8 slides): co l. > 9. Bahriá; holy places, Ball)i-Mazra 'ih. [Victor, N.Y .]: + I sound cassette + I script (4 p.; 28 cm.) . > International Baha' i Audio-Vi sual Center, 197-?. 22. The Bahri 'is and the holy land (H aifa]: Baha ' i > I s lide show (6 slides): col. World Centre- a slide program prepared by the > IO. Bal11i 'i holy places, Haifa. [Vi ctor, N.Y.]: Intern a- A udio-V isual Department. Rev., 198 5. I s lide show > tiona l Saha ' i Aud io-Visual Center, 197-?. I sl ide (76 slides): col. ; + I script (8 p.). > show (12 slides): co l. 23. Bahri 'i holy place, Haifa. [Dilsse ldorf, Ger. ]: Spa nk , > 11 Bahri 'i house of worsh ip. India. [Haifa) : Office of 197- 9. I sl ide show (6 slides): col. > Public In fo rmation. A series of co lor sli des of the 24. Bahri 'u '/lah. [H o ll1 ei111-Langenh ai n): Baha ' i Audio- > Ba ha ' i house of wo rship in New De lhi , Indi a, V isual Com mittee Ge rmany= Re ferat Bild & Ton > December 23 to 26, 1986. Photographer, Paul des Nation alen Ge istigen Rates der Baha'i in Deut- > Slaughter, 1986. I slide show (30 slides): col. + sch land, 197- . 9 leaves; 30 cm. + I sound cassette > script ( I leaf; 30 cm.). (31 min.) + 96 sl ides: co l., b & w. > 12. The Bahri 'i house of worship, Sydney, Australia. 25. Birds of di verse feath ers consult together. Written > [M ona Vale, N.S .W .): Baha ' i Ho use of Worsh ip, by Dani el C. Jordan; Eng li sh narratio n by Caro l and > 1982?. 6 p. fo lder: ill. ; 2 1 cm. + 6 s lides: co l. Jim All en; artwork by Douglas Honake r. (Wilmette) > 1050 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the 38. Election de /'A ssemblee Spirituelle locale = The > United States; (Victor, N.Y].: International Baha'i Election of the local Spiritual Assembly. [Abidjan, > Aud io-Visual Center [distributor] , 1972. I slide Cote d ' Ivoire]: Centre d 'A udio-Visuel Baha ' i de > show (94 slides): col. + I sound cassette + script l'Afrique, 1984?. 8 p.: ill. ; 21 c111. + I sound cas- > (5 p.; 28 c m .). sette+ 54 slides: co l. > 26 . Bonds of unity. (Wilmette, 111.]: Nationa l Spiritua l 39. Die Erde isl eine Heimat: Tonbi ld schau, D-4, > Assembl y of the Baha'is of the United States, 1977. 98 Dias, 28 min. [H ofhei111]: Baha'i Audio-Visual > I slide show (140 slides): col. + script (18 leaves). Com111ittee Gerniany, 197-?. 8 leaves; 30 cm. + > 27. Call to action: revision 2. (Wilmette, Ill. ?]: National I sound cassette (28 min. )+ 98 slides: col. > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha ' is of th e United 40. Die Erzieher der Menschh eit. [Hofheim]: Baha'i > States?, ca. 1960?. I slide show ( 104 slides): col., Audio-Visual Committee Germany, 1980. I slide > b&w. show in 2 parts (79, 97 slides)+ 2 sound cassettes > 28. Call to action: revision 3. (Wilmette, Ill. ?: ] Nationa l + Textmanuskript (8 leaves; 30 cm.) . > Sp iritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United 41 la Foi Balui 'ie. [Paris]: Com ite Nationa l Audio > States?, ca. 1960?. I sl ide show (87 slides): col., b&w. V isuel des Baha'is de France, 1985 . I slide show > 29. Canada's six year plan. [Thornhill , Ont.]: Nationa l (78 slides) : col. + script (8 leaves). > Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada, Dec. 42 . Das Geheimnis des Gartens-von Winni fried Bar- > 1986. I slid e show (54 slides): col. + "slide guide" num Newman (frei Ubersetzt). [Hofheim-Langen- > (4 p. ; 28 cm.) . hain]: Ausschuss flir Bild & Ton, 1988. I sli de show > 30. Cannel ... the mountain of God: the relati onship of (36 slides): col. > Mount Carmel to the Central Figures of the Baha'i 43. The Green light expedition of Riihiyyih Rabbani. > Faith. (Victor, N. Y.]: International Baha ' i Audio- [Wilmette, Ill.]: Baha'i Publishing Trust; (Victor, > Visual Center, 1969. I slide show (59 slides): co l. + N.Y.]: International Baha'i Audio Visual Cente r > script(l 8 p.: ill. ; 18 x 18 cm.). [di stributor] , 1976. 4 pts. slide show (160, 112, 160, > 31. Th e Centwy of light: an introduction to the Baha'i 160 slides): col. 4 sound cassettes + scripts ((24), > Faith. [New Delhi]: National Spiritual Assem bly of (20] , (24], (24] p.: ill. ; 18 x 18 cm.). > the Baha ' is of Indi a, 1988. I slide show (159 slides): 44. The Green light expedition of R1i(1iyyih Rabbani. > col. (Wilmette, Ill ): Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1976. 4 pis. > 32 . Challenge to vict01y. (Victor, N.Y .]: Internationa l slide show (160, 11 2 160, 160, sl ides) : col. + 4 > Baha'i Audio-Visua l Center, 1969. I slide show sound cassettes + sc ripts ([24] , [20] , (24], (24] p.: > ( 123 sl ides): co l. ill.; 18 x 18 cm.). > 33 . Color slides of the Baha'i lntemational Convention, 45. Growth and development of the Baha 'i World com- > April 1988. [Haifa]: Office of Publi c In formation; munity= Crecimiento y desarrollo de la comunidad > [Thornhill , Ont.]: Internati ona l Baha ' i Audio-Visual mundial Balza 'i = Croissance et developpment de la > Center (di stributor], 1988. I slide show (20 s lides): communaute mondiale baha 'ie. [Haifa]: Baha'i > col. I p. script. World Centre Department of Statistics. [Thornhill , > 34. Convencion lntemacional Boho 'i y Congreso Mun- Ont.]: International Baha ' i Audio-Visual Center, > dial, 1963. [Wilmette, Ill.] : Publicado para la Casa 1986. 65 sl ides: co l. & English script ( 18 leaves ; 28 > Universa l de Justicia por la Asamb lea Espiritual cm .), Spanish script (9 leaves; 28 cm.), French script > Nacion al de los Baha ' is de Ios Estados Unidas de ( 11 leaves; 28 cm .). > America, 1964. I slide show (82 slides): co l. + a > 46. Da guerra paz-para ilustrar a mensagem da Casa > script (22 p.: ill. ; 18 x 18 cm.). Universal de Justi9a aos povos do mundo "A > 35. Th e Dawning place of the mention of God. [Wil - Prom essa da paz"; crai9ao e roteiro, Luis Hennique > mette, Ill.]: Baha'i Publi sh in g Trust, 1972. I slide Beus!. [Mag i Mirim , S.P., Brasil]: Centre Baha'i de > show (80 slides) : col. +script (20, (4] p.: ill.; 18 x Produ9ao Audio Visual, 1986. I s lide show ( 11 6 > 18 c m.). slides): col. + I so und cassette + script ( 10 leaves, > 36. Th e Dawning place of the mention of God = El 33 cm.). > Punta de aman ecer de la mencion de Dios. [Wil- 47. The Heritage of the martyrs. (Thornhill , Ont.]: > mette, Ill.]: Nati onal Spiritual Assembly of the National Spiritual Assemb ly of the Baha'is of > Baha'is of the Un ited States; (Vi ctor, N.Y.]: Inter- Canada, 1981. 1 slide show ( 140 slides): co l. , b & w > national Baha'i Audio-Visual Center [distributor], + I so und cassette + script (5 p.). > 1972 . I slide show (80 slides): co l. + 1 sound cas- 48 . Holy places. [Haifa]: Baha'i World Centre Audiosette + Engli sh & Span ish scripts (4 p. ; 28 cm. Visual Department. [Belchertown, Mass.]: Images > [each]). International, [ 199 1). I slide show (20 sl ides): co l. > 37. Each one teach one. (Wilmette, Ill.) : Nationa l 49. Th e Hundredth year: the 1967 inter-continental > Teaching Committee, Nationa l Education Co111 mit- Baha' i conferences commemorati ng the centenary > tee, 1975. I slide show (44 sli des): col. + 1 so und of the proclamation of Baha ' u' ll ah. [Victor, N.Y.): > cassette. Baha'i International Audio-Visual Center, 1971. > DIRECTORY , BIBLIOGRA PHY , GLOSSARY 1051 > I slide show ( 11 4 slides) : co l. + script (25 p.: 8 x 18 6 1. Radio Baha'i Equa /eur. [Paris]: Com ite National > cm.). Audio Visuel des Baha' is de France, ca. 1985. > 50. Huququ 'I/ah compilation. A Cod ifi catio n of the law I slide show (36 slides): col. + 1 sound cassette > of J:luququ'Ilah. History of the trustees of script (3 leaves). > Huququ ' llah. [Rocky River, Ohio]: Board of Trust- 62. The Red velvet story. [W ilmette, III.]: National Spirees of Baha ' i J:luququ'Ilah in the Uni ted States, itual Assembly of the Un ited States; [Victor, N.Y.]: > 1988. 2 pt. slide show (95, 37 slides): co l., b & w + Internati onal Baha' i Audio-Visual Center [distribuguide (3 leaves). tor] , 1973. 1 sl ide show (112 slides): col. 1 sound > 51 Le Jour promis. [Paris]: Comite National Audio cassette ( 19 min.) + scri pt (5 p.; 28 cm.). > Visuel des Baha'i de France, 1984. I slide show 63 . Second International Baha 'i Convention, Haifa, > (72 slides): co l. + script (8 leaves). April 1968. [Victor, N.Y .]: International Baha'i > 52. Kings and rulers to whom Bah a 'u 'I/ah addressed Audio-Visual Center, 1968?. I slide show (36 slides): > messages. [Victor, N.Y.]: International Baha'i col. +sc ript (5 p.). > Audio-Visual Center, 1968?. I slide show (8 slides): 64. Si nous n 'enseigno11s pas, qui le /era? [Pari s]: > b & w +script (2 p.; 21 cm.). Comite Nationa l Audio Yisuel des Baha ' is de > 53. land of resplendent g/01y. Written and photo- France, ca. 1985 . I slide show (35 slides): col. + > graphed by Guy Murchie; cassette narrated by I so und cassette+ script (4 leaves) . > Marzieh Ga il. [Victor, N.Y]: International Baha' i 65.Social and economic development. [Haifa]: Baha'i > Audio-Vi sual Center, 197 1. I slide show (258 slides): World Centre Audio-Visual Department. [Belch ercol., b & w + I sound cassette + script ( 10 p.; town, Mass.]: Images Internati onal, 199 1. I slide > 28 cm.). sho w (20 slides): col. > 54. literacy. [Haifa] : Baha' i World Centre Audio- 66. Temples. [Ha ifa]: Baha' i World Centre Audio- > Visual Department. [Belchertown , Mass. ]: Images Visual Departm ent. [Be lchertown, Mass.]: Images > Internati onal, 199 1. 1 slide show ( 19 slides): col. Internatio nal, 1991 . I slide show (20 sl ides): col. > 55. Th e Majesty of the World Order of Balza 'u 'I/ah. 67. The Trusted ones of God. [Wilmette, Ill.]: National > [Nashua, N.H. ]: Amecap Corporation, cl989. 1 slide Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United > show (54 slides): co l. + I so und cassette + script States; [Victor, N.Y .]: Internationa l Baha'i Audio- > ([2], ii , 13 [I] leaves; 28 cm.). Visual Center [di stributor], 1972. I s lide show > 56. Mediterranean Baha 'i Conference, Palermo, Sicily, (50 slides): co l. + I sound cassette+ script (4 p.). > August 1968 and Centenary Commemoration of 68 . Unity in diversity: a report on the eight oceanic and > Arrival of Bahli'u'llah in 'Akka. Palestine, 31 continental conferences. [Wilmette, Ill.] : Baba ' i > August 1968. [Vi ctor, N.Y]: International Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1972. I slide show (130 slides): > Audio-Vi sual Center, 1968?. I slide show (36 slides): col. + I sound cassette + script(32 p.: ill. ; 18 x 18 cm.). > col. +slide labels (2 leaves) . 69. Das Vermiichtnis der Miirtyrer. [Hofheim-Langen- > 57. Out of God 's eternal ocean. Written and photo- hai n]: Baha ' i Audio-Visual Com mittee Gemrnny, > graphed by David Walker; narrated by Joan Bu lkin. ca. 1980. I slide show (140 slides): co l., b & w. + > [Wilmette, Ill.]: Nationa l Spiritual Assembly of the script ( 12 leaves; 30 cm.) [The Heritage of the > Baha'is of the Uni ted States; [Victor, N.Y.] : Inter- martyrs. Gem1an]. > national Baha ' i Audi o-Vi sual Center [d istributor], 70. la Vie Jam ilia le Bahi 'ie: diapositi ves et cassette I > 1974. 1 slide show (149 slides): col. script (6 p.). photos, Joseph Tsaka; vo ix Delphine Biteghe; texte > 58. Le Pays de la gloire resplendissante. Ecri t et photo- Susan All en. [Port Genti l]: Comi te Natio nal Audiograph ie par Guy Murchie. [Victor, N.Y .]: Intern a- Visuel du Gabon, 1990?. I s lide show (35 slides): > tional Baha'i Audio-Visual Center, 1971. (258 slides): col. I sound cassette. > co l. , b & w + I so und cassette + sc ript (I I p.; 28 7 1. Women. [H aifa]: Baha' i World Centre Audio-Visual > cm.). [Land of resp lendent g lory. French]. Department. Belchertown , Mass.: Images Interna- > 59.Peace. [H aifa ]: Baha ' i Wo rld Centre Audio-Visua l tional, 199 1. I sl ide show (20 slides): col. > Departmen t. [Be lchertown, Mass.]: Images Interna- 72 . The World Centre. [Victor, N.Y.]: International > tional, 199 1. I slide show (20 slides): co l. Baha' i Audio-Visua l Ce nter, 1968. 1 slide show > 60.La Promesa de la paz mundial. [Bogota]: National (75 slides): col. + script (18 p. ; 18 x 18 cm.). > Spiritual Assemb ly of the Baha' is of Colombia, 73. Youth and children. [H aifa]: Baha' i World Centre > 1987?. I slide show (54 slides) : co l. + 1 sound cas- Audio-Visua l Department. [Belchertown , Mass. ]: > sette+ script ( I 0 leaves). Images lntemationa l, 199 1. (20 s lides): col. > 1052 TH E BAHA'i WORLD > > International Baha'i Archives Building, on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. > III > ORIENT AL TERMS > > 1. TRANSLITERATION OF ORIENTAL WORDS FREQUENTLY > USED IN BAHA'i LITERATURE > > ' Aba 'Arabistan Bushnlyih Hawdaj > Abadih Asma ' I:£a ydar -'Ali > 'Abbas Astarabad Chihriq Haykal > ' Abdu' l-Baha ' Avashiq I:Ia'.?iratu' 1-Quds > 'Abdu ' l-I:£amid Ayadi Dala'il-i-Sab'ih I:Iijaz > 'Abdu ' l-I:£usayn Azal Darug!!ih Hijrat > 'Abdu ' llah 'Azamat Daw lat-Abad I:£immat-Abad > Ab ha 'Aziz Dhabil_i I:£ujjat > Abu'l-Fa~l Duzdab I:£usayn > ' Adasiyyih Bab > Adhan Babi Fara'id Ibrahim > Adhirbayjan Babu ' l-Bab Faran ii > Afnan Bag!!dad Farman ' Ilm > Ag!!~an Baba Farrash-Bashi Imam > ' Ahd Baha'i Fars Imam-Jum' ih > AI:unad Baha 'u ' llah Farsakh Imam-Zadih > AI:isa ' i Bahiyyih Fath-'Ali iqan > Ahvaz Bahji Firdaws iran > Akbar Baluchistan Firdawsi ' Iraq > 'Akka Bandar-' Abbas ' Iraqi > ' Ala' Baqir Ganjih 'Iraq-i-' Ajam > 'Ali Baqiyyatu' llah Gil an Isfahan > 'Ali-Mul_immad Barfurush Gui ' Ishqabad > Allah-u-Abha Ba~rih Gulistan Ishraqat > Alval_i Bat{1m Gurgin Ishtihard > Alval_i-i-Salatin Bayan Islam > Amatu ' l-Baha Bayt I:£abib Isma-' iliyyih > Amin Big I:£adith ' Izzat > Amir Birjand I:£a~rat > Amir-Ni'.?am Bisharat I:£aj 1 JaiaI > Anm1 ' llah Bismi'llah I:£aji Mirza Aqasi Jamadiyu ' I-A vval > Amul Bukhara I:Iajj Jamal > Anzali Burujird Ramadan Jamal-i-Mubarak > Aqa Bushihr I:£ aram Jamal-i-Qidam > Aqdas Bushru ' i I:£asan Jasb > 1054 THE BAl-IA ' i WORLD > > Jubbih Mashhad Qam~ar Simnan > Mashiyyat Qasr-i-Shirin Sis tan > Ka'bih Masluáiqu ' 1-Adhkar Qasvin Siyah-Chal > Kad-Khuda Masjid Qawl Siyyid > Kalan tar Maydan Qayytim $ufi > Kalimat Mazindaran Qayytimu'l-Asma' Su layman > Kamal Mihdi Qiblih Sultan > Ka rand Mil)rab Quchan Sultan-Abad > Karbila Milan Quddus Sultanu' sh-Shuhada ' > Kashan Mi'raj Qudrat Sunni > Kashklll Mirza Qum Sura tu ' 1-Haykal > Kawmu' ~-$a' ayidih Mishkin-Qalam Qur'an Surih > Kawthar Mu 'adhdhuin Qurban Si'.iriy-i-Damrn > Kazin1 Mufti Qurrah1'l-'Ayn Suriy-i- Ghu~n > Ka?imayn Mul)amrnad Si'.iriy-i-Ra'is > Khalkhal Mul)amrnd-'Ali Rafsanjan Si'.iriy-i-$abr > Khan Mul)amrnarih Rahim > Khaniqayn Mul;arram Rahman Tabarsi > Khayli Khi'.1b Mujtahid Ra hmat Tabriz > Khurasan Mulk Ra ' is Tahirih > Klmy Mu Ila Rama9an Tajalliyat > Kirman Munirih Rasht Takur > Kim1anshah Mu~tafa Rawl)ani Taqi > Kitab-i-'Ahd Mustag!!a!Q Rid van Tarazat > Kitab-i-Aqdas Muzaffri'd-Din Ruhu'llah Tarbiyat > Kitab-i-Asma' Tashkand > Kitab-i-Badi' Nab ii Sabzivar Tawl;id > Kitab-i-iqan Nabil-i-A '?'.am Sadrah1'l-MuntaM Thurayya > Ku lah Najaf $a~ibu 'z-Zaman Tihran > Kurdistan Najaf-Abad $a~ifatu '1-I:Iaramayn Ti'.1man > Naqi9in Sa'id Turkistan > Uhijan Na~ir Salsa bi! > Ur Na~iri'd-Din Samarqand 'Ulama > Lawh Navvab Sangsar Unimiyyih > Luristan Naw-Ruz Sari 'Utlunan > Nayriz Says an > Madris ih Nayshapur Sha'ban Val:iid > Mal)bilbu 'sh- Nuqtih Shah Vali > Shuhada Nur Shahid Vali-'Ahd > Mahdi- ' Ulya Shahmirzad Varqa > Mah-Ki'.1 Pahlavi Shahrud Vazir (also Vizir) > Mal:imud Pa ran Sharaf > Malayir Shari 'ah Ya BaM'u'l-Abha > Man-Yuzhiruhu ' llah Qa9i Shaykh Yal:iya > Maqam Qadiyan Shaykh-Tabarsi Yazd > Marag_hih Qahqahih Shaykhu ' I-Islam > Mar~ aba Qa'im Shi'ah (Shi'ih) Zanjan > Marv Qajar Shiraz Zarand > Masa'il Qalyan Shush tar Zaynu' l-Muqarrabin > DIRECTORY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY > > 2. GUIDE TO TRANSLITERATION AND PRONUNCIATION OF > THE PERSIAN ALPHABET > > THE system outlined below was approved the Roman alphabet. Research by Baha'i > by the Guardian of the Baha' i Faith for use scholars has concluded that the system is > by Baha'is thr~ughout the world in tran- based on the one adopted by the Tenth Interscribing the Persian and Arabic terms and national Congress of Orientalists which was > names which occur frequently in Baha'i held in Geneva 1894, and was also adopted > literature, thus ensuring uniformity in the by the Council of the Royal Asiatic Society > practice of Baha'i communities which use in October 1896. > > Character TS IPA Character TS IPA Character TS IPA > > sj t ' [?] r [r] ~ f [f] > ~ 0 > . > '---' b [b] > ~ > z [z] q [q] > > -- > '--' p [p] - > ....) -zh [3] > ~ > k [k] > > ~ g > LY"- > t [t] s [s] [g] > ~ J7 > ~ th [s] sh [f] > J I [l] > > c > - - > > J [d.3] > ~• > ~ [s] > r m [m] > > ~ > ~ > ch > - [tn ~ [z] c) n [n] > > L_ h [h] t [t] _J v [v] > - > L_ kh [x] J; [z] h [h] > > ~ > - > > d [d] ,c ~ > > ' [?] > ~ > 0.. y [j] > > ~ -dh [z] > t_ gQ [y] > > TS IPA Approxin1ate pronunciation in English > > a [ IB] As in 'bat' > a [a:] Between the sound in 'sharp ' (British) or 'shop' > (American), and that in ' hall ' > i [E] As in 'best ' > i [i:l As in 'meet' > u [ :J l As in 'shot' (British) or ' short' (American) > u [u:] As in 'moon ' > aw [ou] As in 'know ' > ay [Ei] As in ' hay' > 1056 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > The first of the above tables shows the letters in the Persian alphabet, the equivalent in the > transliteration system (TS) and the sound as shown by the International Phonetic Alphabet > (IPA). > Vowels can be indicated in Persian and Arabic by signs written above or below the preceding consonant, followed, if they are long, by another consonantal letter. These vowel > signs, however, are seldom written. Therefore, for simplicity's sake, the second table shows > only their transliterated fom1 and their equivalents in the International Phonetic Alphabet. > > 3. NOTES ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF PERSIAN WORDS > The emphasis in Persian words is more or Similarly, the following consonants may > less evenly distributed, each syllable being all be pronounced 'ss': 'th, s, ~ '. > equally stressed as in French. For example, 'Zh' is pronounced like the 's' in 'pleado not say 'Tabriz' or 'Tabarsi'; stay as long sure' . 'Kh' is pronounced like 'ch' in Scottish > on one syllable as on the next; 'Tabriz', 'loch ' or German 'Nacht' ; do not pronounce > 'Tabarsi ' . (While there are many exceptions it as 'k'. English-speakers often experience > to this rule, it is the most generally conect difficulty pronouncing '@ ' and 'q'; a guttural > method of háeating the question of stress.) French 'r' will serve here; otherwise use a > A frequent mistake is the failure to distin- hard 'g' as in 'good'. > guish between broad and flat 'a's. This dif- 'H' and 'l_i', although having different > ferentiation makes the language especially sounds in Arabic are pronounced in Persian > musical and should be observed: in the word approximately as is the English aspirate ' h '. > 'Afnan', for example, pronounce the first 'a' This sound should never be dropped, even > as in ' at' and the second syllable to rhyme when it comes at the end of a word, nor does > with 'on' (American) or ' barn' (British). it lengthen a preceding short vowel. > English-speakers are apt to pronounce a In the case of double letters, pronounce > short 'a' plus 'r' like the word ' are '; this is a both as in the case of the 'nn' in the English > mistake; 'ar', as in 'Tarbiyat' for example, word ' unneeded', eg. "Abbas'. > should be pronounced as in the name 'Harry'. The characters háansliterated (') represent > The same differentiation should be ob- a pause; it is not unlike the initial sound > served in the case of long and short ' i' and made in pronouncing such a word as > long and sh011 'u'. As the guide to the háans- 'every'. The word 'Baha 'i' has a short ' a' in > literation indicates, sh011 ' i' is like the 'e' the first syllable, then a long 'a' in the secin ' best', and long ' i' like 'ee' in ' meet' ; ond, followed by a brief pause and then a > for example, 'Ibrahim' is pronounced 'Eb- long 'i'. > raheem', 'Islam' is 'Esslahm'. Short ' u' The character transliterated (') may also > being like ' o' in 'short' (American) or 'shot' be treated as a pause. > (British), and long ' u' like ' oo ' in 'moon ', As Persian writing usually indicates no > the following would be pronounced: 'Quddus' short vowel sounds and as its pronunciation > -' Qod-doos'; 'Barfurush '-' Barforoosh'. differs in different localities throughout Iran > Pronouce 'aw' to rhyme with 'low', or and the Near East as well as among individ- > 'mown'; 'Naw-Ruz' is 'No-Rooz '. uals in any given locality, a uniform system > The following letters have different sounds of transliteration such as the above, which is > in Arabic, but in Persian are all pronounced in use by Baha'i communities all over the > like 'z' : 'dh, z, '.?, <;!'. world, is indispensable to the student. > DIRECTORY , BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY > > 4. DEFINITIONS OF SOME OF THE ORIENTAL TERMS > USED IN BAHA'i LITERATURE > > Ab Father Akbar Greater, greatest. (See Allah-u-Akbar; > AM (See Abu) Kabir.) > 'Aba A loose, sleeveless cloak or mantle, open Al- The definite article in Arabic. > in fron t. A 'Ia Most Exalted. (See J:Ia<;trat-i-A 'Ia; > 'Abd Servant, bondsman, worshipper (of God). Qalam-i-A' Ia.) > 'Abdu'l-Baha Servant ofBaha: title of the 'Ala' Loftiness: njneteenth month of the Badi' > eldest son of Baha'u'llah, and Centre of calendar. (See Ha.) > His Covenant. AJ-Abha The Most Glorious. (See Baha'u' l- > Abba Most Glorious. (See Allah-u-Abha; Abha.) > Baha'u'l-Abhli.) 'AH The first Imam and rightful successor of > Abi (See Abu.) MuJ:iammad ; also the fourth Caliph ac- > Abjad notation System whereby each letter of cording to the Sunnah. > the Arabic alphabet is assigned a specific Allah God. > numerical value. Allah-u-Abhli God is Most Glorious: The > Abu, Aba, Abi Father of Greatest Name, adopted during the period > Adhan Muslim call to prayer. of Baha'u' llah 's exile in Adrianople as a > Adib Refined, cultured, learned; writer, greeting among the Baha' fs. > scholar, man of letters: title of one of the Allah-u-Akbar God is Most Great: Muslim > early Hands of the Cause. salutation, and opening words of the call > 'Adi Justice. (See Baytu'l-' Adl-i-A 'pm.) to prayer, superseded by Allah-u-Abha as > Afnlin Literally Twigs: the Bab 's kindred; a greeting among the Baha' is during the > specifically, descendants of His three mater- Adrianople period. > nal uncles and His wife 's two brothers. Al-Madinah Literally The City (of the > A.g!!a Originally Lord, nobleman; officer, com- Prophet) . (See Mecca.) > mander: placed after a woman's name Amih Maid(servant), handmaid(en). > A.g]!a is a courtesy title comparable with Amatu'l-Baha: Maidservant of Baba. > A.qa; may also form part of a compound Amatu'llah : Handmaiden of God. > proper name. Amin Faithfu l, trustworthy, honest; trustee: > Ag!!~an Literally Branches: denotes sons and title bestowed by Baha'u' llah on I:Iajf > male descendants ofBaha ' u ' llah. Shah-Mul~ammad-i-Manshadi and I:Iajf > A.H. Anno Hegirae (in the year of the Emi- Abu'l-I:Iasan-i-Ardikanf, first trustees of > gration): denotes the Muslim Era, reck- the J:luququ'llah. > oned from the year ofMuJ:iammad's flight Amir Prince, ruler; commander, governor. > from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622. (See Anis Literally companion, friend, associate: > Hij r at.) appell ation given by the Bab to Mirza > 'Ahd Covenant, bond, treaty; the Covenant MuJ:iarnmad-' Alfy-i-Zunuzf, the youthful > (of God). disciple who shared His martyrdom . > A~san u'I-Qi~a~ Literally The Best ofStories: A.qa Master; The Master: title given by > a name for the Surih of Joseph. Tafsir-i- Baha ' u' llah to 'Abdu'l-Baha. Also used, > A~sanu 'l-Qi~a~; the Bab's Commentary preceding a name, in an honorific sense: > on the Surih of Joseph, the Qayyumu '!- Mister, Sir. (See Sarka r-Aqa.) > Asma '. Aqdas Most Holy. (See Kitab-i-Aqdas.) > 1058 THE BAH A' I WORLD > > Ar<;I Earth, land, territory. (See ~ad; Shin; Baqiyyatu'llah Remnant of God: traditional > Sirr; Ta.) appelation of the Qa'im, derived from the > 'Ashura Tenth day of the month of Qur' an; designation of the Bab as the > Mul;iarram, anniversary of the martyr- Promised One of Islam, and applied by > dom of the Imam I:Jusayn. Him to Baha'u'llah. > Asma' Names: ninth month of the Badi' ca l- Bayan Literally exposition, explanation, > endar. lucidity, eloquence, utterance: title given > Ayadi Literally hands; Hand(s) ofthe Cause. by the Bab to His Revelation, and to two > Ayyam Days. (See Ha.) of His Writings, one in Persian, the other > A'pm Greatest. (See Baytu'l-'Adl-i-A'?am; in Arabic. > Ism-i-A 'pm; ~adr-i-A '?am.) Bayt House. > 'Apmat Grandeur: fourth month of the Baytu'I-' Adl-i-A '?am The Supreme House of > Badi' calendar. Justice: a title of the Universal House of > 'A?im Literally mighty, great, glorious: Justice. > title given by the Bab to Mulla Shaykh B.E. Baha'i Era: denotes the Badi' calendar, > 'Ali ofKhurasan. reckoned from the year of the Bab's dec- > Bab Gate: title assumed by Mirza 'A li- laration of His Mission in 1844. > MulJammad after the declaration of His Big Literally lord, prince; governor, bey: > Mission in Shiraz on 23 May 1844. placed after given name, Big was used as > Babi Follower of the Bab. a courtesy title for middle-ranking offi- > Babu'l-Bab The Gate of the Gate: title of cials. (See Khan.) > Mulla I:Jusayn, the first Letter of the Living. Bisharat Glad Tidings: title of one of the > Badi' Wonderful: (1) title of Aqa Buzurg of Tablets of Baba 'u' llah revealed after the > Khurasan, the seventeen-year-old bearer Kitab-i-Aqdas. > of Baha'u'llah's Tablet to Na~iri ' d-Din Bismillahi'r-Ral;imani'r-Ral;iim In the Name > Shah; (2) style of the new ninteen-month of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful: > calendar of the Baha'i Era. (See B.E.) invocation prefixed to all but the ninth > Bagum Lady (of rank), dame, begum: placed surih of the Qur 'an, and composed (in > after a woman's given name Bagum is a Arabic) of nineteen letters. > courtesy title comparable with Big. Caliph Vicar, deputy: successor of the > Baba Glory, splendour, light: (1) the Great- Prophet MuDammad, supreme civil and > est Name (See Baha'u'llah.); (2) first spiritual head of the Islamic world, a title > month of the Badi' calendar. claimed by successive dynasties. > Baha'i Follower ofBaha'u'llah. Caravanserai, -sera, -sary (See Khan.) > Bah:i'u'l-Abha The Glo1y of the Most Glo- Darug!!_ih High constable. > rious. Ya Baha'u'l-Abha! 0 Thou the Darvish (Religious) mendicant, dervish, > Glory of the Most Glorious! Muslim mystic. (See ~Ufi.) > Bah:i'u'llah The Glory of God: title of Dawlih State, government. > Mirza I-:Iusayn-' Ali: born in Tihran on 12 Dayyan Literally conqueror, ruler; Judge > November 1817; ascended in Bahji, near (an epithet of the Godhead): title con- > 'Akka, on 29 May 1892. ferred by the Bab on Mirza Asadu' llah, > Bahji Literally delight, gladness, joy: learned divine ofKhuy. > denotes that part of the Plain of 'Akka Dhabil;i Literally slain, sacrificed, offered up: > where the Shrine and Mansion of (!) designation of Aqa Siyyid Isma'il-i- > Baha'u'llah are situated. Zavari'i, enraptured fo llower ofBaha'u'llah; > Bani-Hashim Literally Sons ofHashim (great (2) title given by Baha'u'llah to I:Jaji > grandfather ofMuhammad): clan of Quraysh MuDammad-Isma'il-i-Kashani, ardent early > from which Mul)ammad was descended . teacher of the Cause. > DIRECTORY, BIBLIOGRAPHY , GLOSSARY 1059 > > Dhi'b The Wolf: appellation applied by from four to five to accommodate the extra > Baha'u'llah to Shaykh Mu~ammad-Baqir day of the leap year. > who, together with Mir Mu~ammad ­ J:ladith Literally report, account; prophetic > I:Jusyan (the Ra~a), precipitated the deaths tradition: the whole body of sacred tradi - > of the King and Beloved of Martyrs, and tion of the Muslims is called the I:Jadith. > instigated the martyrdom of many other J:la~rat Literally presence: placed before a > Baha'is, particularly in I~fahan and Yazd. name, in the form of ljacj,rat-i- the word > (See Mahbtlbu'sh-Shuhada; Sultanu'sh- is a courtesy title signifying 'His Majesty', > Shuhada.) 'His Holiness ' . > Dhikr Mention, remembering; rememberance of J:la~rat-i-A 'Ia His Holiness, The Most Exalted > God; praise and thanksgiving; recital of One: a title of the Bab. > the Names of God, religious exercise or J:laji, J:lajj A Muslim who has performed the > ceremony; the Qur'an, the Word of God. pilgrimage to Mecca. > (Plural: Adhkar; see Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.) J:laram Sanctuary, sacred precinct or court. > Dhi'l-J:lijjih Twelfth month of the Muslim (See J:lill.) > lunar calendar. J:Iaram-i-Aqdas The Most Holy Court: a des- > Dhi'l-Qa'dih Eleventh month of the Mus- ignation given by the Guardian to the northlim lunar calendar. western quadrant of the garden surrounding > El-Abhli (See Al-Abhli.) the Shrine ofBaha'u'llah. > Farman Order, command, edict, royal decree. Hawdaj Howdah: a litter carried by a camel, > Farrash Footman, lictor, attendant. Far- mule, horse or elephant for travelling purrash-Bashi The head-farrash. poses. > Farsakh Unit of measurement, approxi- J:l~iratu'l-Quds The Sacred Fold: official title > mately 3-4 miles or nearly 5.5 kilometres. designating headquarters of Baba' i admin- > Fatimih Daughter of the Prophet, wife of the istrative activity in a particular country or > Imam' Ali and mother of the Imam J:lusayn. region. > Fatva A legal pronouncement or decree by a Hijrat, Hijra(h) Literally Emigration; Hegira: > Muslim mufti. the date ofMu~amrnad's flight from Mecca > Firdaws Garden; paradise. to Medina in A.O . 622; the basis oflslamic > Firman (See Farman.) chronology. > Ghu~n Literally Branch: son or male de- J:lill Non-sacred ground, an antonym of > scendant ofBaha'u'llah. (Plural: Ag!!~an.) J:laram. > Ghu~n-i-Athar The Purest Branch: title Howdah (See Hawdaj.) > conferred by Baha'u'llah on Mirza Mihdi, J:lujjat Literally proof, argument, reason: > brother of ' Abdu'l-Baha who died in the title of Mulla Mu~ammad- ' Aliy-i-Zanj ani, > Most Great Prison in ' Akka. hero of the Zanjan upheaval. > Ghu~n -i-A'~am The Most Great Branch: J:Iuququ'llah Right of God: payment by the > title conferred by Baha'u'llah on 'Abdu'l- believers, instituted in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. > Bahli. J:lusayn The third Imam, second son of' Ali > Ha The thirty-first letter of the Persian alphabet, and Fatimih, martyred on the plains of > with a numerical value of five . Ayyam-i- Karbila on 10 Mu~arram A .H.61 (A .o.680). > Ha Literally The days of Ha: the Intercalary J:lusayniyyih A place where the martyrdom > Days, so nan1ed by Baha'u'llah in the Kitab- of the Imam I:Jusayn is mourned, or > i-Aqdas, where He also ordained that they where Muslim passion-plays may be preshould immediately precede the month of sented. The term is the designation that > 'Ala, the month of fasting which closes was given to Baha' u ' llah ' s Most Great > the Baha'i year. Every fourth year the House in Baghdad after its forcible occunumber of the Intercalary Days is raised pation by the Shi' ah community. > 1060 THE BAHA.'i WORLD > > -i- Sound inserted in pronunciation (though Jamadiyu'l-Avval Fifth month of the Muslim > not represented in Persian script) at the end lunar calendar. > of a word to indicate that the following Jamadiyu'th-Thani Sixth month of the > word stands in a possessive or adjectival Mus lim lunar calendar. > relation to it. Jamal Beauty: third month of the Badi' callbn Son. endar. > it Clan, tribe. Jamal-i-Mubarak Literally The Blessed > 'Ilm Knowledge: twelfth month of the Badi' Beauty: a title ofBaha'u'llah. > calendar. Jihad Literally striving, endeavour; crusade; > Imam Head, chief, leader.(!) Muslim cleric holy war: enjoined in the Qur'an, abrogated > who leads the congregation in prayer (See by Baha'u'llah. > lmam-Jum'ih.); (2) title applied by the Jinab Literally threshold: placed before a > Shi'ahs to each of the twelve successors of name, in the form Jinab-i- the word is > MuDammad in the line of 'A li. (See 'Ali; courtesy title signifying 'His Excellency', > I;Iusayn.) ' Hi s Honour'. > Imam-Jum'ih Muslim clergyman who per- Jubbih An outer coat or cloak. > forms the Friday prayers, the leading imam Ka'bih The Kaaba: ancient sluáine at Mecca, > in a town or city; chief of the mullas, who chosen by M ul~ ammad to be the centre of > recites the Friday prayers for the sover- pilgrimage for Muslims; the most holy shrine > eign. in Islam and Qiblih of the Muslim world. > Imam-Zadih Descendant of an Imam or his Kabir Literally great, big, old. (See Akbar.) > shrine. Kad-Khuda Chief of a ward or parish in a > ln-sh:i'a'llah If God wills. town; headman of a vi Hage. > iqan Literally Certitude: title of Bahi'u' llah 's Kalantar Mayor. > Epistle to I:Iaji Mirza Siyyid MuDammad, a Kalim Speaker, inter/acuter: title given by > maternal uncle of the Bab. Baha'u'llah to His faithful brother, Mirza > lshraqat Splendours: title of one of the Musa. (See Kalimu'llah .) > Tablets of Baha 'u ' llah revealed after the Kalimat Words: seventh month of the Badi' > Kitab-i-Aqdas. calendar. > Ism Name. (Plural: Asma'.) Kalimu'llah He Who Conversed With God: > Ism-i-A '?'.am The Greatest Name. title of Moses, given to Him in the Islamic > Ismu'llah Literally The Name of God: title Dispensation. > bestowed by Baha' u' llah on a number of Kamal Perfection: eighth month of the > believers. Badi' calendar. > Israfil Angel who sounds the trumpet on the Karbila'i Style of a Muslim who has per- > Day of Judgement. forn1ed the pilgrimage to Karbila; as a > 'lzzat Might: tenth month of the Badi' cal- title it is placed before the given name. > endar. Kawthar Literally plentiful, abundant, sweet > Jabal Mountain. Jabal-i-Basi~ The Open (potion): a river in Paradise, whence all > Mountain, Jabal-i-Shadid The Grievous other rivers derive their source. > Mountain: the Bab ' s allusions to the for- Khadimu'llah Servant of God: title of Mirza > tress of Mah-Ku and the castle of Chihriq -Aqa Jan, amanuensis ofBaha'u ' llah. > respectively. Khalifih (See Caliph.) > Jahiliyyih The Age of Ignorance: denotes Khalil Friend: ( 1) (See Khali'u'llah.) (2) title > the state of paganism prevailing in Arabia of I:Iaji MuDarnrnad-lbrahim-i-Qazvini, > before the advent of MuDammad. conferred on him by the Bab. > Jalal Glory: second month of the Badi' cal- Khalilu'llah Friend of God: title given to > endar. Abraham in the Qur'an. > DIRECTORY , BIBLIOGRAPHY , GLOSSARY 1061 > Khan (I) Prince, lord, nobleman, chieftain: Mashhadi Style of a Muslim who has peroriginally used as a courtesy title for officers formed the pilgrimage to Mashad; as a > and high-ranking officials, Khan came to title it is placed before the given name. > denote-placed after a given name-simply Mashiyyat Will: eleventh month of the Badi' > 'gentleman' (See Big.); (2) exchange, mar- calendar. > ket; inn, caravanserai: an inn constructed Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Literally The Dawningaround a central court where caravans (trains place of the Praise of God: title designatof pack animals) may rest for the night. ing a Baha'i House of Worship. > Khanum Lady; wife : placed after a woman's Masjid Mosque: a Muslim place of worship. > given name, Khanum is a courtesy title Maydan A square or open place. > meaning 'gentlewoman' comparable with Mecca Birthplace of the Prophet Mu~ammad > Khan. and scene of the early, difficult years of His > Khi~r The Green One: a prophet, companion ministry before His emigration to Medina. > of Moses according to Islamic tradition, (See Hijrat; Ka'bih.) > associated with the unnamed personage Medina The 'City of the Prophet', Mu~am­ > mentioned in Qur'an 18:60-82; believed to mad 's adoptive home after His flight from > have drunk from the fountain of life and to Mecca, and scene of the latter years of His > be its custodian, he symbolizes the true guide. ministry, during which His Faith spread > Khutbih Sermon delivered in the mosques on throughout the Arabian Peninsula, and its > Fridays at noon by the imam. social teachings were promulgated. (See > Kiblah (See Qiblih .) Hijrat.) > Kitab Book. Mihdi Literally directed, guided; one who is > Kitab-i-Aqdas The Most Holy Book: title rightly guided; The Mahdi: a designation > ofBaha'u'llah's Book of Laws and Ordi- of the Twelfth Imam; title of the Manifesnances. tation expected by Islam. > Kitab-i-Iqan (See iqan.) Mi~rab A niche in the wall of a mosque > Koran (See Qur'an.) indicating the direction of Mecca, before > Kulah The Persian lambskin hat worn by which the imam stands when leading the > government employees and civilians. congregation in prayer; the most important > Kull-i-Shay' Literally all things: the term, part of a mosque. > whose numerical value is 361, signifies Mir A contraction of amir, used, when pre- > 19 cycles of 19 years in the Badi' calendar. fixed to a name, to denote descent from > Law~ Literally slate, sheet, table; Tablet. the House of the Prophet. (See Siyyid.) > Madinih (See Medina.) Mi'raj The Ascent: Muhammad's mystic > Madrisih Seminary, school, religious college. vision of the 'night journey' in which He > Ma~biibu'sh-Shuhada Beloved ofMartyrs: ascended into heaven. > title conferred by Baha' u'llah on Mirza Mirza A contraction of amir-zadih, mean- > Mu~ammad-I:Iusayn, martyred in I~fahan ing 'son of an amir'. When affixed to a > together with his brother, the Sultanu'sh- name it signifies 'Prince'; when prefixed, > Shuhada. (See Dhi'b.) it either denotes a clerk, secretary, scribe > Mahdi (See Mihdi.) or scholar, or conveys a merely honorific > Makkih (See Mecca.) sense: Mister. > Man-Yu?hiruhu'llah He Whom God Will Mishkin-Qalam Literally the musk-scented > Make Manifest: title given by the Bab to pen: title applied to Mirza I:Iusayn-ithe Promised One. I~fahani, a distinguished Baha'i calligraphist. > Mar~aba Welcome! Brave! Well done! Mu'adhdhin Muezzin: the one who sounds > Mas:i'il Questions: fifteenth month of the the adhan, the Muslim call to prayer. > Badi' calendar. Mubarak Blessed. (See Jamal-i-Mub:irak.) > 1062 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Mufti Expounder of Muslim law; gives a Qa'im He Who Shall Arise: title designating > fatva or sentence on a point of religious the Promised One of Islam. > jurisprudence. Qalam Pen. > Mu~arram First month of the Muslim lunar Qalam-i-A'la The Pen of the Most High: a > calendar, the first ten days of which are designation of Baha 'u' llah. > obvserved by the Shi'ahs as part of their Qalyan Narghile, hookah, hubble-bubble > mourning period for the Imam l;lusayn, pipe: Oriental pipe in which the smoke is > whose martyrdom occurred on the tenth drawn through water in a vase by means > day, Ashura. of a long tube. > Mujtahid Muslim doctor-of-law. Most of Qawl Speech: fourteenth month of the Badi' > the mujtahids of Iran have received their calendar. > diplomas from the most eminent jurists of Qayyumu'I-Asma' (See A~sanu'l-Qi~a~.) > Karbila and Najaf. Qiblih Literally that which faces one; > Mulk Dominion: eighteenth month of the prayer-direction; point of adoration: the > Badi' calendar. focus to which the faithful turn in prayer. > Mulla Muslim trained in theology and The Qiblih for Muslims is the Ka'bih in > Islamic jurisprudence; theologian , priest. Mecca; for Baha' is, the Most Holy Tomb > Mustag.!!ath He Who Is Invoked (for Help), of Baha'u'llah at Bahji: 'the Heart and > God: term used by the Bab in reference to Qiblih of the Baha'i world'. > the advent of Baha'u'llah on the Day of Quddus Literally Pure, Holy, Blessed; title > the Latter Resurrection. conferred by Baha'u'llah on Mulla MuJ:iam- > Muta~arrif Governor: lower in rank than a mad-' Aliy-i-Barfurushi, last of the eighteen > vali. Letters of the Living at the Conference of > Nabil Learned, noble: title bestowed by Badasht. > Baha'u'llah on a number of the believers, Qudrat Power: thirteenth month of the Badi' > most prominent among whom were Mulla calendar. > MuJ:iammad-i-Zarandi, author of The Dawn- Qur'an The Reading; The Recitation; That > Breakers (Nabil-i-A'?'.am), and Mulla Which Ought To Be Read: the Book > MuJ:iammad-i-Qa'ini (Nabil-i-Akbar). revealed to MuJ:iammad; The Koran, Holy > Navvab An honorific implying Grace, High- Book of the Muslims. > ness: title of Asiyih Khanum, wife of Qurban Sacrifice. > Baha'u'llah and mother of 'Abdu' l-Baha. Qurratu'I-'Ayn Literally Solace of the Eyes: > Naw-Ruz Literally New Day: Baha'i New a term applied to an object of affection. > Year's Day, date of the vernal equinox; (I) title conferred upon Tahirih by Siyyid > according to the Persian calendar, the day Ka?'.im of Ras ht; (2) term used by the Bab > on which the sun enters Aries. in the Qayyumu 'I-A sma' to refer both to > Nuqtih Point. Baha'u' llah and to Himself. > Nuqtiy-i-Ula The Primal Point: a title of Rabb-i-A' la Exalted Lord: one of the desthe Bab. ignations of the Bab. > Nur Light: fifth month of the Badi ' calendar. Rabi'u'l-Avval Third month of the Muslim > Pahlavan Athlete, champion: term applied lunar calendar. > to brave and muscular men . Rabi'u'th-Thani Fourth month of the Mus- > Pasha Honorary title formerly given to a lim lunar calendar. > Turkish officer of high rank such as mili- Ra~mat Mercy: sixth month of the Badi' > tary commander or provincial governor. calendar. > Pish-Kish Present, tip, douceur. Ra'is President, head, leader. Lawh-i-Ra'is: > Qa<;H Muslim judge-civil, criminal or ec- Tablet addressed by Baha'u ' llah to ' Ali > clesiastic. Pasha, the Ottoman Grand Vizier. > DIRECTORY , BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1063 > > Rajah Seventh month of the Musl im lunar Shah-Bahram World Saviour and Promised > calendar. One of the Zoroastrians, identified by > Rama"an Ninth month of the Muslim lunar Baha'is with Baha'u'llah. > calendar in which the Fast is observed. Shahid Martyr. (Plural: Shuhada; see > Raqsha The She-Serpent: appellation ap- Ma~bubu'sh-Shuhada; Siyyidu'shplied by Baha'u' llah to Mir Muryammad- Shuhada; Sultanu'sh-Shuhada.) > I:Jusayn, the Imam-Jum'ih of I~fahan, Sharaf Honour: sixteenth month of the Badi' > accomplice of Shaykh Muryammad-Baqir. calendar. > (See Dhi'b.) Shari'at, Shari'ah Literally path, way; cus- > Ri"van Literally good-pleasure, favour, tom, law: Muslim canonical law. > acceptance; garden, paradise: name of Shavval Tenth month of the Muslim lunar > the custodian of Paradise. The holiest and calendar. > most significant of all Baha'i festivals, Shaykh Venerable old man; tribal or village > commemorating Baha'u'llah's Declaration chief, patriarch, sheik; learned man, elder, > of His Mission to His companions in 1863, professor; clerical dignitary, superior of > a twelve-day period extending from 21 Ap- dervish order. (See Shaykhu'l-Islam.) > ril to 2 May, and celebrated annually. Shaykhi (Follower) of the school founded > ~ad The seventeenth letter of the Persian by Shaykh Arymad-i-Al}sa ' i. Among his > alphabet. Ar"-i-~ad Literally Land of doctrines, in addition to the imminent dual > !$ad: I~fahan. Advent, was that the Prophet Muryammad' s > Sadratu'l-Muntaha The Divine Lote Tree, material body did not ascend to heaven on > The Tree beyond which there is no passing: the night of the Mi'raj. > symbolic of the Manifestation of God. Shaykhu'l-Islam High Priest, Grand Mufti: > (See Sidrih.) highest rank in the Muslim religious hier- > ~adr-i-A ''.?am Grand Vizier, Prime Minister. archy; also, title of the head of a religious > ~afar Second month of the Muslim lunar court, appointed to every large city by the > calendar. Shah. > ~a~ibu'z-Zaman Lord of the Age: one of Shi' ah, Shi'ih Literally fraction, party, sect: > the titles of the promised Qa'im. Ya ~a~­ partisans of' AH and of his descendants as > ibu 'z-Zaman! Rallying cry of the early the so le lawful 'Vicars of the Prophet'. > Bab is. The Shi'ahs reject the first three Caliphs, > Salam Peace, salutation. Salamun 'Alaykum believing that the successorship in Islam > Peace be with you! a greeting among belonged by divine right to 'Ali (first > Muslims. Va's-Salam And peace (be with Imam and fourth Caliph) and to his > you): formula used to conclude an epistle descendants. Originally, the successoror dissertation, indicating that the author ship was the vital point of difference, and > has nothing further to say. Islam was divided because Muryammad's > Salsabil Pure, limpid water: a fountain in (albeit verbal) appointment of ' AH was > Paradise. disregarded . (See Sunnah; Imam .) > Samandar Literally salamander; phoenix: a Shi'i, Shiite Member of the Shi' ah (or Party) > mythical creature indestructible by fire. of'Ali; Muslim of the Shi'ah branch oflslam. > Title bestowed by Baha'u'llah on Shaykh Shin The sixteenth letter of the Persian alpha- > Ka?im-i-Samandar of Qazvin. bet. Ar"-i-Shin Literally Land of Shin: > Sarkar-Aqa Literally The Honourable Master: Shiraz. > a designation of 'Abdu ' l-Baha. Sidrih Lote tree. (See Sadratu'l-Muntaha.) > Sha'ban Eighth month of the Muslim lunar ~irat Literally path, way; the Way of God; > calendar. the Religion of God; 'The Bridge ' leading > Shah King, especially of iran. to heaven. Denotes the True Faith of God. > 1064 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Sirr Secret, mystery. Ar9-i-Sirr Literally the Taj Literally crown: tall felt head-dress > Land of Mystery: Adrianople. adopted by Baha'u'llah in 1863, on the day > Sirru'llah The Myste1y of God: a designation of His departure from His Most Holy House > of 'Abdu'l-Baha, conferred on Him by in Bagb.dad. > Baha'u'llah. Tajalliyat Effulgences: title of one of the > Siyah-Chal Black Pit: the subterranean Tablets of Baha'u'llah revealed after the > dungeon in Tihran to which Baha'u'llah Kitab-i-Aqdas. > was consigned in August 1852. Here, Takyih Religious house, monaste1y; hostel > chained in darkness three flights of stairs for pilgrims; religious theatre for presenting > underground, in the company of some Muslim passion-plays; place at which the > 150 thieves and assassins, He received martyrdom of I:Jusayn is commemorated. > the first intimations of His world Mis- (See J:Iusayniyyih .) > sion; regarded by Baha'is as the holiest 'farazat Ornaments: title of one of the Tablets > place in Iran's capital. ofBaha'u'llah revealed after the Kitab-i- > Siyyid Literally chief, lord, prince: descen- Aqdas. > dant of the Prophet MuDammad. Tuman Discontinued unit of Iranian cur- > Siyyidu'sh-Shuhada Prince ofMartyrs: title rency. > oflmam I:Jusayn. 'Ulama Literally learned men, scholars; > ~ufi An exponent of Sufism, a Muslim mystic clerical authorities, theologians, divines: > or darvish . the Muslim re ligious hierarchy. > Sultan Sovereignty: (I) seventeenth month Umm Mother. > of the Badi ' calendar; (2) king, sovereign, 'Urvatu'l-Vuthqa The Sure Handle, Firm > monarch, sultan. Cord: a Qur'anic term, used in the Baha' i > Sultanu'sh-Shuhada King of Martyrs: title Writings to symbolize the Covenant and > conferred by Baha' u'llah on Mirza Testament. > MuDammad-I:Jasan, martyred brother of Ustad Teacher, professor; mechanic, artisan, > the Ma~bubu'sh- Shuhada. craftsman. > Sunnah Literally way, custom, practice; The Va~id Single, unique, peerless: title of > Way of th e Prophet as reported in the Siyyid YaI:iyay-i-Darabi, hero of the > J:Iadith. Designates by far the largest sect Nayriz upheaval. > of Islam, which includes the four so-called Va~id Literally unity; one, single, unique; > orthodox sects: Hanbalites, Hanafites, Mali- the One, Indivisible God: the word, > kites and Shafiites. Swmis accept the Caliphs whose numerical value is nineteen, denotes: > as legitimate, believing that the position of (!)a ' unity' or section of the Bayan. The > Caliph is elective. (See Shi'ah; Caliph.) Persian Bayan consists of nine VaDids of > Sunni, Sunnite Muslim of the Sunnah branch nineteen chapters each, except the last, > oflslam. which has only ten chapters; (2) the eigh- > Slirih Name of a chapter of the Qur'an; used teen Letters of the Living (the Bab's first > by the Bab and Baha'u'llah in the titles of disciples) and the Bab Himself, who > some of Their Own Writings . together constitute the first VaQ.id of the > Slirih-i-Muluk Silrih of the Kings: Tablet Babi Dispensation; (3) each cycle of > revealed by Baha'u'llah while in Adrianople. nineteen years in the Badi' calendar. (See > Ta The nineteenth letter of the Persian alpha- Kull-i-Shay' .) > bet, with a numerical value of nine. Ar9- Vali Guardian. > i-Ta Literally Land of Ta: Tihran. V ali Governor (of a province). > 'fahirih Literally the Pure One: title con- Vali-'Ahd Crown prince, heir to the throne. > ferred on Zarrin-Taj by Baha'u'llah at the Varaq ih Leaf' often used metaphorically in > Conference of Badasht. the Baha'i Writings to refer to a woman. > DIRECTORY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, GLOSSARY 1065 > Varaqiy-i-'Ulya Literally The Most Exalted Zadih Born; offspring, son: used as a suffix > Leaf; the Greatest Holy Leaf title of after a proper name it means 'Son of -'. > Baha'iyyih (or Bahiyyih) Khanum, saintly (See Imam-Zadih; Mirza.) > daughter ofBaha'u'llah and ' the outstand- Zarrfn-Taj Literally Crown of Gold: title by > ing heroine of the Baha'i Dispensation'. which Fatimih, daughter of Mulla $ali~-i­ > Varqa Bird, nightingale; the Heavenly Dove. Baraqani of Qazv in-better known as > Va's-Salam (See Salam.) Tahirih-was designated by her family > Vazir Vizir, minister (of state), vizier. and kindred. > Vazir-i-A'pm: Grand Vizier, Prime Zawra' A term signifying Bag!!dad. > Minister. Zamzam Literally copious (water): sacred well > Vilayat Guardianship. within the precincts of the Great Mosque > Waqf Literally bequeathing (for charitable in Mecca. Though salty, its water is much > uses); pious bequest, religious endowment, esteemed for pious uses, such as ablutions, > estate held in mortmain: denotes landed and drinking after a fast. > property endowed to the Muslim commu- Zaynu'I-Muqarrabin Literally Ornament of > nity; in Iran, the estate of the expected the Near (or Favoured) Ones: title bestowed > Imam. by Baha'u'llah on Mulla Zaynu'l- 'Abidin > Ya Vocative particle meaning 'O'. (See ofNajaf-Abad, faithful apostle and trusted > Baha'u'l-Abha; ~a~ibu'z-Zaman.) scribe. > PART SEVEN > > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS > 1068 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > The Prison Cell in the Most Great Prison of 'A kka, where Baha 'u 'llah and His family were > incarcerated for two years, two months and five days. > I > ESSAYS AND REVIEWS > > 1. THE SUFFERING, TRIBULATION, EXILE, CAPTIVITY AND > CONFINEMENT OF BAHA'U'LLAH > COMPILED BY DONALD R. WITZEL > > INTRODUCTION > > B AHA' U 'LLAH tells us: The understanding of His words and the comprehension > of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon human learning. > They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit. 1 The memorization of quotations from Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha is not only important but vitally > necessary for the deepening of the believers and their teaching the Faith. > The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts regarding the methods of > teaching. From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize > phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech > they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these > holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman. So potent > is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for vacillation. I swear by My life! > This Revelation is endowed with such a power that it will act as the lodestone for all > nations and kindreds of the earth. 2 > To deepen in the Cause means to read the writings of Baha'u'llah and the Master so > thoroughly as to be able to give it to others in its pure form. There are many who have > some superficial idea of what the Cause stands for. They, therefore, present it together > with all sorts of ideas that are their own. As the Cause is still in its early days we must be > most careful lest we fall into this error and injure the Movement we so much adore. There > is no limit to the study of the Cause. The more we read the Writings , the more truths we > can find in them, the more we will see that our previous notions were erroneous. 3 > > Spiritualization can be a step towards spiritual transformation which the Universal House > of Justice mentioned in its Ric;!van message: > > Baha ' u'llah, The Kitab-i-iqan (Wilmette: Baha ' i 3 Shoghi Effendi, quoted by the Universal House of > Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 211. Justice, Wellspring of Guidance-Messages from > Baha' u ' llah, Tablets of Ba ha 'u 'I/ah revealed after the Universal House of Justice 1963-1968 > the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1970), > 1978), p. 200. pp. 88- 89. > 1070 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Souls must be transformed, communities thereby consolidated, new models of life thus > attained. Transformation is the essential purpose of the Cause ofBaha'u'llah, but it lies in > the will and effort of the individual to achieve it in obedience to the Covenant. Necessary > to the progress of this life-fulfilling transformation is knowledge of the will and purpose > of God through regular reading and study of the Holy Word. 1 > The act of kindling the light of love in every heart "through being ... set aglow with the > fire of the love of God", of maintaining this "fire of love" and of increasing it daily, can be > achieved by reading or listening to the scriptures about the suffering, persecutions and sacrifices of Baha ' u' llah on a daily basis. If we understand what He did for us and we keep it > always before our eyes, this will increase our love for Him. The purpose of Baha'u'llah's > forty years of sacrifice and tribulation was to redeem mankind. We have to fall in love with > the Blessed Perfection. This love has to grow daily in our hearts. Then we have to become > lovers of Baha'u'llah. All the things in this life grow; our love for Baha'u'llah also has to > grow. Gradually this love has to convert itself into a great fire as we arise to serve the Cause > of God with pure hearts full ofa new spirit. This is the transforming power ofBaha'u'llah! > We live the Baha' i life and follow the laws of God for the love of Baha ' u'llah. For this > reason we are firm and constant in God's Covenant. > The new be lievers must be deepened in the Covenant. This is really the only source of the > fire of the love ofGod. 2 > > A. THE DAY OF GOD AND ADVENT OF THE PROMISED ONE > > The announcement > Behold, how the divers peoples and kindreds of the earth have been waiting for the > coming of the Promised One. No sooner had He, Who is the Sun of Truth, been made > manifest, than, lo, all turned away from Him, except them whom God was pleased to > guide. We dare not, in this Day, lift the veil that concealeth the exalted station which > every true believer can attain, for the joy which such a revelation must provoke might > well cause a few to faint away and die. 3 > Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of > the Promised One. The Call of God hath been raised, and the light of His countenance > hath been lifted up upon men. It behoveth eve1y man to blot out the trace of every idle > word from the tablet of his heart, and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the > signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission, and the tokens ofHis glo1y. 4 > Great indeed is this Day ! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day > of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, > hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, > > 1 3 Bah:i'u'llah, Glea11ingsfro111 th e Writings of > Universal Ho use of Justice, "To the Baha ' is of the > World", Ridvan, 1989. Bafia 'u 'I/ah (W ilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, > 2 Shoghi Eff~ndi, quoted in Th e Covenant of 1976), pp. 9-10. > Baha 'u 'I/ah (A compilation), (Manchester: Baha ' i ibid., pp. 10-11. > Publishing Tru st, 1950), p. viii. > LIT ERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1071 > > yearned to attain it. No sooner, however, had the Day Star of His Revelation manifested > itself in the heaven of God's Will, than all, except those whom the A !mighty was pleased > to guide, were found dumbfounded and heedless. 1 > 0 thou that hast remembered Me! The most grievous veil hath shut out the peoples of the > earth from His glory, and hindered them from hearkening to His call. God grant that the > light of unity may envelop the whole earth, and that the seal, "the Kingdom is God 's", > may be stamped upon the brow of all its peoples.2 > > B. EN ROUTE TO THE SiYAH-CHAL OF TIHRAN > An old woman with a stone > As He was approaching that dungeon, an old and decrep it woman was seen to emerge > from the midst of the crowd, with a stone in her hand, eager to cast it at the face of > Baha' u' llah. Her eyes glowed with a determination and fanaticism of which few women > of her age were capable. Her whole frame shook with rage as she stepped forward and > raised her hand to hurl her missile at Him .... "!adjure you," she pleaded, as she ran to > overtake those into whose hands Baha' u' llah had been delivered, "give me a chance to > fling my stone in his face!" "Suffer not this woman to be disappointed," were > Baha' u ' llah's words to His guards, as He saw her hastening behind Him. "Deny her not > what she regards as a meritorious act in the sight of God. "3 > > C. THE SiYAH-CHAL, THE BLACK PIT > > God alone knoweth what befell Baha'u'llah > We were consigned for four months to a place foul beyond comparison. As to the dungeon > in which this Wronged On e and others similarly wronged were confined, a dark and > narrow pit were preferable .. .. Th e dungeon was wrapped in thick darkn ess, 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 kn oweth what befell Us in that > most foul-smelling and gloomy place!4 > The pri son into which my father had been cast was a terrible place, seven steps below the > ground; it was ankle-deep in filth, infested with horrib le vermin, and of an indescribable > loathsomeness. Added to this, there was no glimmer of li ght in that noisome place. > Within its walls forty Babis were crowded; murderers and highway robbers were also > imprisoned there. My noble father was hurled into this black hole, loaded with heavy > chains; five other Babis were chained to him nig ht and day, and here He remained for > four months. Picture to yourself the horror of these conditions. > > 1 4 > ibid ., p. 11 . Baha ' u' ll ah, Epist le to the Son of the Wo lf > ibid . (Wi lmette : Baha' i Publishing T rust, 1979), > Nabil-i-A á~am, Th e Da wnbreakers (Wilmette: pp. 20-2 1. > Baha'i Pub lishing Trust, 1974), pp. 607-608. > 1072 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Any movement caused the chains to cut deeper and deeper not only into the fl esh of one, > but of all who were chained together; whilst sleep or rest of any kind was not poss ible. No > food was provided, and it was with the utmost difficulty that my mother was able to > arrange to get any food or drink taken into that ghastly prison. 1 > Jamal-i-Mubarak (a name given to my father, i.e., literally the Blessed Beauty) spoke > very little of the terrible sufferings of that time! We, who saw the marks of what he had > endured, where the chains had cut into the delicate skin, especially that of his neck, hi s > wounded fee t so long untended, evidence of the torture of the bastinado, how we wept > with my dear mother. > He, on his part, told of the steadfast faith of the friends , who had gone forth to meet their > death at the hands of their torturers, with joy and gladness, to attain the crown of > martyrdom. 2 > 'Abdu ' l-Baha 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. Baha'u'llah was terribly altered, > so ill He could hardly walk. His hair and beard unkempt, His neck galled and swollen > from the pressure ofa heavy steel collar, His body bent by the weight of His chains .. .. 3 > Describing His confinement in the Siyah-Chal, the Blessed Beauty recall ed: The weight > of the chain placed about Our neck was difficult to bear (the heaviest chain used weighed > over fifty kilos), but having the thumbs of both hands bound together behind the back was > even more aggravating. Th e royal guards were unyielding, but the executioners would > show us kindness. One even offered Me tea and some grapes, but as I was freighted with > chains and My hands were bound, I was unable to accept them. 4 > For three days and three nights, no manner of food or drink was given to Baha'u'llah. > Rest and sleep were both impossibl e 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 .5 > > Descent of the Holy Spirit-the "Most Great Spirit" > One night in a dream these exalted words were heard on every side: "Verily, We shall > render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy p en. Grieve Thou not for that which hath > befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Ere long will God raise > up the treasures of the earth-men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through > Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him . "6 > During the days I lay in the prison of '[ihran, though the galling weight of the chains > and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of > slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as > > 1 4 > Bahiyyi h Khanum , quoted in Lady Blomfi eld, 'A li-Akbar Furutan, Stories of Baha 'u 'I/ah > Th e Chosen Highway (Wilmette: Baha'i (Oxford : George Rona ld, 1986), p. 108. > 5 Dawnbreakers, p. 608. > Publishing Trust, 1967), pp. 41-42. > 6 Baha ' u ' llah, quoted in Shoghi Effend i, > ibid., pp . 44-45. > Esslcrnont, John E., Balza 'u '/tah and the New Era God Passes By (W ilmette: Baha'i Publi shing Trust, > (Wi lm ette: Baha'i Publi shing T rust, 1980), p. 5 1. 1987), p. I OI. > LITERARY AND MUS ICAL WORKS 1073 > a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire. At such moments My tongue > recited what no man could bear to hear. 1 > 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 and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath > caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow .... This is but a leaf which the > winds of the will of Thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred ... 2 > > D. THE HORRIBLE JOURNEY FROM TrnRAN To BAGHDAD > > The first exile > My God, My Master, My Desire! ... Thou has created this atom of dust through the consummate power of Thy might, and nurtured Him with Thine hands which none can chain > up .... Thou hast destined for Him trials and tribulations which no tongue can describe, > nor any of Thy Tablets adequately recount. The throat Thou didst accustom to the touch > of silk Thou hast, in the end, clasped with strong chains, and the body Thou didst ease > with brocades and velvets Thou hast at last subjected to the abasement of a dungeon. Thy > decree hath shackled Me with unnumbered fetters, and cast about My neck chains that > none can sunder. A number of years have passed during which afflictions have, like > showers of mercy, rained upon Me .... 3 > How many the nights during which the weight of chains and fetters allowed Me no rest, > and how numerous the days during which peace and tranquillity were denied Me, by > reason of that wherewith the hands and tongues of men have afflicted Me! Both bread > and water which Thou hast, through Thy all-embracing mercy, allowed unto the beasts of > the field, they have, for a time, forbidden unto this servant, and the things they refused > to inflict upon such as have seceded from Thy Cause, the same have they suffered to > be inflicted upon Me, until, finally, Thy decree was irrevocably fixed, and Thy behest > summoned this servant to depart out of Persia, accompanied by a number offrail-bodied > men and children of tender age, at this time when the cold is so intense that one cannot > even speak, and ice and snow so abundant that it is impossible to move. 4 > > E. BAGHDAD: THE SORROWS AND BLACK WOES > Malice and jealousy were constant > The wrongs which l suffer, have blotted out the wrongs suffered by My First Name (the > Bab) from the Tablet of creation .... 0 Maryam! From the Land of Ta (Tihran), after > countless afflictions, We reached 'Iraq, at the bidding of the Tyrant of Persia, where, > after the fetters of Our foes, We were afflicted with the perfidy of Our friends. God > knoweth what befell Me thereafter!. .. I have borne what no man, be he of the past or > the future, hath borne or will bear. 5 > > I ibid. 3 ibid., p. I 09. > 2 4 > ibid., p. I02. ibid. > 5 Baha ' u'llah quoted in God Passes By, p. 11 8. > 1074 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Oceans of sadness, have surged over Me, a drop of which no soul could bear to drink. > Such is My grief that My soul hath well nigh departed from My body.. .. Give ear, 0 > Kamal! to the voice of this lowly, this forsaken ant, that hath hid itself in its hole, and > whose desire is to depart from your midst, and vanish from your sight, by reason of that > which the hands of men have wrought. God verily, hath been witness between Me and His > servants. 1 > Noah 'sflood is but the measure of the tears I have shed, and Abraham 'sflre an ebullition > ofMy soul. Jacob's grief is but a reflection ofMy sorrows, and Job 's afflictions a fraction > of my calamity.... Pour out patience upon Me, 0 My Lord! and render Me victorious over > the transgressors.2 > In these days, such odors ofjealousy are difji1sed, that ... from the beginning of the foundation of the world ... until the present day, such malice, envy and hate have in no wise > appeared, nor will they ever be witnessed in the future.3 > Woe is Me, woe is Me! ... All that I have seen from the day on which I first drank the pure > milk from the breast of My mother until this moment hath been effaced from My memOJy, > in consequence of that which the hands of the people have committed.4 > These creatures are the same creatures who for three thousand years have worshipped > idols, and bowed down before the Golden Calf. Now, too, they are flt for nothing better. > What relation can there be between this people and Him Who is the Countenance of > Glory? What ties can bind them to the One Who is the supreme embodiment of all that > is lovable ?5 > > F. KURDISTAN THROUGH THE DESERT MOUNTAIN AND SULAYMANiYYIH > > Two years in the wilderness > The one object of Our retirement was to avoid becoming a subject of discord among the > faithful, a source of disturbance unto Our companions, the means of injwy to any soul, > or the cause of sorrow to any heart.... Our withdrawal contemplated no return, and Our > separation hoped for no reunion. 6 > I roamed the wilderness of resignation traveling in such wise that in My exile eve1y eye > wept sore over Me, and all created things shed tears of blood because ofMy anguish. Th e > birds of the air were My companions and the beasts of the field My associates. 7 > > G. BAGHDAD ONCE AGArN > "Be patient, be patient" > There was a time in 'Iraq, when the Ancient Beauty ... had no change of linen. The one > shirt He possessed would be washed, dried and worn again. 8 > > I ibid. 5 ibid., p. 119. > ibid. 6 ibid., pp. 11 9- 120. > ibid. , pp. 11 8- 119. ibid. , p. 120. > ibid., p. I 18. 8 ibid. , p. 137. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1075 > I saw the Prophets and the Messengers gather and seat themselves around Me, moaning, > weeping and loudly lamenting. Amazed, I inquired of them the reason, whereupon their > lamentation and weeping waxed greater, and they said unto me: "We weep for Thee, 0 > Most Great Mystery, 0 Tabernacle of Immortality!" They wept with such a weeping that > I too wept with them. Thereupon the Concourse on high addressed Me saying: " ... Erelong shalt Thou behold with Thine own eyes what no Prophet hath beheld.... Be patient, > be patient." ... They continued addressing Me the whole night until the approach of > dawn. 1 > > H. THE DECLARATION OF BAHA 'u'LLAH > > Ri~van: "The Most Great Festival", "The King of Festivals" and > "The Festival of God" > Rejoice, with exceeding gladness, 0 people of Baha! as ye call to remembrance the Day > of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, as > He departed from His House proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole > of creation the splendors of His Name, the All-Merciful ... Were We to reveal the hidden > secrets of that Day, all that dwell on earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die, > except such as will be preserved by God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. > Such is the inebriating effect of the words of God upon the Revealer of His undoubted > proofs that His pen can move no longer. 2 > The Divine Springtime is come, 0 Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful > is fast approaching .... The Day-Star of Blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our > Name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the Kingdom of the Name of God hath been adorned with > the ornament of the Name of Thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens.... Take heed lest > anything deter Thee from extolling the greatness of this Day-the Day whereon the > Finger of Majesty and Power hath opened the seal of the Wine of Reunion, and called all > who are in the heavens and all who are on earth .... This is the Day whereon the unseen > world crieth out: "Great is thy blessedness, 0 earth, for thou hast been made the footstool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of His mighty throne. "3 > > I. THE EXILE FROM BAGHDAD TO CONSTANTINOPLE > "Mounted on His steed, a red roan stallion of the finest breed, > the best His lovers could purchase for Him ... " > He (God) it was Who enabled Me to depart out of the city (Bagf!:.dad), clothed with such > majesty as none, except the denier and the malicious, can fail to acknowledge. 4 > > ibid., p. 147. 3 > ibid . > ibid. , p. 154. 4 > ibid., p. 155. > 1076 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > J. THE EXILE FROM CONSTANTINOPLE TO ADRIANOPLE > > Expelled during freezing weather > ... the place which none entereth except such as have rebelled against the authority of the > sovereign.... They expelled Us from thy city (Constantinople) with an abasement with > which no abasement on earth can compare .... Neither My family, nor those who accompanied Me, had the necessary raiment to protect them from the cold in that freezing > weather.... The eyes of Our enemies wept over Us, and beyond them those of every > discerning person. 1 > Whatever action the ministers of the Sultan took against Us, after having become > acquainted with its contents, cannot be regarded as unjustifiable. The acts they committed before its perusal, however, can have no justification. 2 > > K. ADRIANOPLE: THE PROCLAMATION OF Hrs MISSION TO THE KINGS OF > THE EARTH > > Baha'u'llah's Anguish due to the Machinations of Mirza Yal}ya and > Siyyid MuJ:iammad: "The Most Great Separation", > Expulsion of the "Most Great Idol" > He who for months and years I reared with the hand of loving-kindness hath risen to take > My life.. .. The cruelties inflicted by My oppressors have 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 > hath faded, by reason of the oppression of the infidels .... By God! No spot is left on My > body that hath not been touched by the spears of thy machinations. 3 > Thou hast perpetrated against thy Brother what no man hath perpetrated against > another.... What hast proceeded from thy pen hath caused the Countenances of Glory to > be prostrated upon the dust, hath rent in twain the Veil of Grandeur in the Sublime Paradise, and lacerated the hearts of the favored ones established upon the loftiest seats. 4 > > Call to the Kings and Rulers of the World > (Suriy-i-Muluk-Tablet to the Kings-addressed collectively to all the monarchs of > the East and the West disclosing the character of His Mission) > 0 Kings of the earth! He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is come. 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.5 > 0 Kings of the earth! The Most Great Law hath been revealed in this Spot, this Scene of > transcendent splendour. Every hidden thing hath been brought to light, by virtue of the > > I ibid ., p. 161. 5 Baha ' u'llah , The Proclamation ofBa/l(i áu 'I/ah to > 2 the Kings and Leaders of the World (Haifa: Baha ' i > ibid., p. 160. > 3 World Centre, 1972), p. 5. > ibid. , p. 169. > ibid. , pp. 169- 170. > LITERARY AND MUS ICAL WORKS 1077 > Will of the Supreme Ordainer, He Who hath ushered in the Last Hour, through Whom the > Moon hath been cleft, and every irrevocable decree expounded. 1 > Ye are but vassals, 0 kings of the earth! He Who is the King of kings hath appeared, > arrayed in His most wondrous glo1y, 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 hath > created you through a word from Him, and ordained you to be, for all time, the emblems > ofHis sovereignty. 2 > The one true God, exalted be His glo1y, hath ever regarded, and will continue to regard, > the hearts of men as His own, His exclusive possession. All else, whether pertaining > to land or sea, whether riches or glory, He hath bequeathed unto the kings and rulers of > the earth. From the beginning that hath no beginning the ensign proclaiming the words > 'He doeth whatsoever He willeth ' hath been unfurled in all its splendour before His Manifestation. What mankind needeth in this day is obedience unto them that are in authority, > and a faithful adherence to the cord of wisdom. The instruments which are essential to the > immediate protection, the security and assurance of the human race have been entrusted > to the hands, and lie in the grasp, of the governors of human society. This is the wish > of God and His decree.. .. We cherish the hope that one of the kings of the earth will, > fo r the sake of God, arise for the triumph of this wronged, this oppressed people. Such a > king will be eternally extolled and glorified. God hath prescribed unto this p eople the > duty ofaiding whosoever will aid them, ofserving his best interests, and ofdemonstrating > to him their abiding loyalty. Th ey who fo llow Me must strive, under all circumstances, to > promote the welfare of whosoever will arise for the triumph of My Cause, and must at all > times prove their devotion and fidelity unto him. Happy is the man that hearkeneth > and observeth My counsel. Woe unto him that faileth to fidfil My wish.3 > > L. THE PRISON CITY OF 'AK.KA-THE MOST GREAT PRISON > Arrival at 'Akka > "Know thou, " Baha'u' llah, wishing to emphasize the criticalness of the first nine years of > His banishment to that prison-city, has written, "that upon Our arrival at this Spot, We > chose to designate it as the 'Most Great Prison. ' Though previously subj ected in another > land ([ihran) to chains and fetters, We yet refi1sed to call it by that name. Say: Ponder > thereon, 0 ye endued with understanding! "4 > .. . we had reached 'Akka, the end of our journey. The landing at thi s place was achieved > with much difficulty; ... All the townspeople had assembl ed to see the arrival of the prisoners. Having been told that we were infidels, criminals, and sowers of sedition, the > attitude of the crowd was threatening. Their ye lling of curses and execrations filled us > with fresh misery. We were terrified of the unknown! We knew not w hat the fate of our > > I ibid. 3 ibid ., pp. 13- 14. > 2 4 > ibid., pp. 5-6. God Passes By, p. 185. > 1078 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > party, the friends and ourselves would be. We were taken to the old fortress of ' Akka, > where we were crowded together. 1 > Having, after a miserable voyage, disembarked at ' Akka, all the exiles , men, women and > children, were under the eyes of a curious and callous population that had assembled at > the port to behold the "God of the Persians," conducted to the army barracks, where they > were locked in, and sentinels detailed to guard them. "The first night, " Baha'u'llah testifies in the Law~-i-Ra ' fs , "all were deprived of either food or drink ... They even begged > for water, and were refused. " So filthy and brackish was the water in the pool of the > courtyard that no one could drink it. Three loaves of black and salty bread were assigned > to each, which they were later permitted to exchange, when escorted by guards to the > market, for two of better quality . Subsequently they were allowed a mere pittance as substitute for the allotted dole of bread. All fe ll sick, except two, shortly after their arrival. > Malaria, dysentery, combined with the sultry heat, added to their miseries. Three succumbed, among them two brothers, who died the same night, "locked," as testified by > Baha ' u' llah, "in each other's arms. "The carpet used by Him He gave to be sold in order > to provide for their winding-sheets and burial. The paltry sum obtained after it had been > auctioned was delivered to the guards, who had refused to bury them without first being > paid the necessary expenses. Later, it was learned that, unwashed and unshrouded, they > had buried them, without coffins, in the clothes they wore, though, as affirn1ed by > Baha'u ' llah, they were given twice the amount required for their burial. "None," He > Himself has written, "knoweth what befell Us, except God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing > ... From the foundation of the world until the present day a cruelty such as this hath > neither been seen nor heard of "2 > > The Prison > "He hath, during the greater part of His life," He, referring to Himself, has, moreover, > recorded, "been sore-tried in the clutches of His enemies. His sufferings have now > reached their culmination in this ajjlictive Prison, into which His oppressors have so > unjustly thrown Him. "3 > Behold how this wronged One is now, whilst surrounded by a "generation of vipers, " > calling aloud and summoning all men to Him Who is the world's Ultimate Desire, the > Summit and Day-Spring of Glory.4 > > Tragic Loss of Mirza Mihdi, the Purest Branch > I have, 0 my Lord, offered up that which Thou hast given Me, that Thy servants may be > quickened, and all that dwell on earth be united. 5 > Thou art the Trust of God and His Treasure in this Land. Erelong will God reveal > through thee that which He hath desired.6 > > 1 Bahiyyih Khanum, quoted in Lady Blomfield, 4 > Gleanings, p. 345 . > 5 Ba ha ' u ' lla h, quoted in God Passes By, p. 188. > The Chosen High way, p. 66. > God Passes By, pp. 186- 187. 6 ibid. > 3 ibid. , p. 187. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1079 > The Proclamation of His Mission to the Kings, Rulers and > World's Religious Leaders (continuation) > Upon Our arrival at this Prison We purposed to transmit to the kings the messages of > their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Though We have transmitted to them, in several > Tablets, that which We were commanded, yet We do it once again, as a token of God's > grace. 1 > [Baha 'u ' llah] .. . proclaimed Himself to be "the King of Kings" and "the Desire of all > Nations'', declared them [the kings and rulers] to be His "vassals" and "emblems of His > sovereignty"; .. . 2 > > TABLET TO QUEEN VICTORIA > > 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 ... . We have > also heard that thou has 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 lo w, will be tranquilized.3 > In His Tablet to Queen Victoria He, moreover, invites these kings to hold fast to "the > Lesser Peace, " since they had refused "the Most Great Peace"; exhorts them to be reconciled among themselves, to unite and to reduce their armaments; bids them refrain from > laying excessive burdens on their subjects, who, He informs them, are their "wards " and > "treasures"; enunciates the principle that should any one among them take up arms > against another, all should rise against him; and warns them not to deal with Him as the > "King of Islam " and his ministers had dealt. 4 > > SECOND TABLET TO THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH, NAPOLEON Ill > > 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 hast wrought. Then > wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred. Commotions shall seize all the people in > that land, unless thou arises! to help this Cause, and followest Him Who is the Spirit of > God (Jesus Christ) in this, the Straight Path. Hath 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, whilst thou art of the heedless. It behoveth > thee when thou hearest His Voice calling from the seat of glo1y to cast away all that > thou possesses!, and c1y out: "Here am l 0 Lord ofall that is in heaven and all that is on > earth! "5 > > BAHA'U'LLAH PREDICTED THE FALL OF THOSE > WHO PARTICIPATED IN HIS BANISHMENT . .. > > .. . such as Fu'ad Pasha-Minister of Foreign Relations for Turkey. He was expelled from > his post and died in France from a heart attack. His colleague, the Prime Minister-'Ali > > ibid. , p. 206. 4 > God Passes By, pp. 206--207. > God Passes By, p. 206. 5 > The Proclamation of Baha 'u 'I/ah, > The Proclamation ofBa ha 'u '//ah, pp. 33-34. pp . 20- 21. > 1080 THE BAHA'I WO LD > > Pasha-was fired soon after the prediction ofBaha'u'llah. Then came the overthrow and the > death of Sul~an 'Abdu '1- ',Aziz and the loss of the Turkish territories in Europe. > > THE FALL OF NAPOLEON III ... > > . . . came in less than a year due to the disastrous Franco-Prussian War. The invasion of the > papal estates and the annexation of Rome by the forces of the new Italian Kingdom came > only a few months after a statement ofBaha'u'llah addressed to the Pontiff Pope Pius IX. > Abandon thy kingdom unto the kings, and emerge from thy habitation, with thy face set > towards the Kingdom, ... Be as thy Lord hath been ... 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 ofjustice, and cast into the fire that which befitteth it. 1 > > BAHA'U'LLAH STRONGLY WARNED THE GERMAN KING-WILLIAM I.. . > > . . . whose government provoked the war with France and established the new "German > Empire". > 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. 2 > > IN THE TABLET TO THE RULERS OF AMERICA > AND THE PRESIDENTS OF ITS REPUBLICS ... > > He announced the arrival of the Day of God and closed with a call that is unparalleled > with His other messages. Truly it is a mandate. > Bind ye the broken with the hands of justice, and crush the oppressor who jlourisheth > with the rod of the commandments ofyour Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise. 3 > > Revelation and Promulgation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas > In Baha'u'llah's words, the Kitab-i-Aqdas is the "Most Sacred Book'', the "new heaven", > the "new earth'', "the Tabernacle of God'', the "Holy City'', the "Bride'', "New Jerusalem > coming down from God", the "Holy City", this "Most Holy Book", the "Most Great Law", > and the "Unerring Balance"; and in the words of Shoghi Effendi: "Charter of the future > world civilization." > Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We have > unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power. To this beareth witness > that which the Pen of Revelation hath revealed. Meditate upon this, 0 men of insight! 4 > Blessed those who meditate upon it! Blessed those who ponder its meaning! So vast is its > range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it. Erelong will its sovereign power, its pervasive influence and the greatness of its might be manifested on earth. 5 > > 4 Saha ' u ' llah, Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab- > I ibid. , pp. 85- 86. > 2 ibid., p. 39. i-Aqdas the Most Holy Book of Baha áu '//ah (Haifa: > 3 ibid., p. 63. Baha'i World Centre, 1973), frontispiece . > 5 Baha'u ' llah, quoted in God Passes By , p. 216. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 108 1 > > .. . the Kitab-i-Aqdas, revealed from first to last by the Author of the Dispensation Himself, not only preserves for posterity the basic laws and ordinances on which the fabric of > His future World Order must rest, but ordains, in addition to the function of interpretation > which it confers upon His Successor, the necessary institutions through which the integrity and unity of His Faith can alone be safeguarded. 1 > "We, verily, " wrote Baha' u ' ll ah, surveying, in the evening of His life, from His Most > Great Prison, the entire range of this vast and weighty Revelation, "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." "Is there any excuse," He further has stated, "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. "2 > > M. BAHA'U'LLAH'S CAPTIVITY: THE PURPOSE FOR Hrs SUFFERING > What Could Possibly Cause Him Shame? > My captivity can bring on Me no shame. Nay, by My life, it conferreth on Me glory. That > which can make Me ashamed is the conduct of such of My followers as profess to love > Me, yet in fact follow the Evil One. They, indeed, are of the lost. 3 > The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be > released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most > mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to > its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding > joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, > the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, 0 believers in the Unity of God, that > ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and > flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have > joined partners with God ha ve forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities! 4 > > Why did He suffer so much? > THE LOVE OF GOD > > As My tribulations multiplied, so did My love for God and for His Cause increase, in such > wise that all that befell Me from the hosts of the wayward was powerless to deter Me > from My purpose. Should they hide Me away in the depths of the earth, yet would they > find Me riding aloft on the clouds, and calling out unto God, the Lord of strength and of > might. I have offered Myself up in the way of God, and I yearn after tribulations in My > love for Him , and for the sake of His good-pleasure. Unto this bear witness the woes > which now afflict Me, the like of which no other man hath suffered. Every single hair of > Mine head calleth out that which the Burning Bush uttered on Sinai, and each vein of > My body invoketh God and saith: "O would I had been severed in Thy path, so that the > > God Passes By, pp. 213- 2 I4. 3 Gleanings, pp. 117- 118. > ibid. , p. 220. ibid. , pp. 99- 100. > 1082 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > world might be quickened, and all its peoples be united! " Thus hath it been decreed > by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. 1 > > THE LOVE OF Goo FOR HUMA NITY > > Consider to what extent the love of God makes itself manifest. Among the signs of His > love which appear in the world are the dawning-points of His Manifestations. Whal an > infinite degree of love is reflected by the divine Manifestations toward mankind! For the > sake of guiding the people they have willingly fmfeited their lives to resuscitate human > hearts. They have accepted the cross. To enable human souls to attain the supreme > degree of advancement, they have suffered during their limited years extreme ordeals and > difficulties. 2 > Observe how rarely human souls sacrifice their pleasure or comfort for others; how > improbable that a man would offer his eye or suffer himself to be dismembered for the > benefit of another. Yet all the divine Manifestations suffered, offered their lives and > blood, sacrificed their existence, comfort and all they possessed for the sake of mankind. > Therefore consider how much They love. Were it not for Th eir love for humanity, spiritual > love would be mere nomenclature. Were it not for Their illumination, human souls would > not be radiant. How effective is Their love! This is a sign of the love of God; a ray of the > Sun of Reality. 3 > > TH E LOV E OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF Goo > > Nine days before His passing, 'Abdu ' l-Baha gave a talk in His home in Haifa to some > Baha' is who had gathered there for a meeting with Him. These notes of 'Abdu'l-Baha 's > address were taken down in Persian at that meeting and later translated: > His Holin ess the Christ loved both His disciples and believers to such an extent that He > sacrificed His life for them. His Holiness the Supreme (the Bab), loved the friends to such > an extent that He gave His life for them. The Blessed Beauty (Saha 'u 'llah) loved the > friends so much that for their sakes He accepted a thousand difficulties and ajjlictions. > Four times He was exiled. He was banished from one place to another. His properties > were confiscated. He gave all-His family, His relatives, His possessions. He accepted > imprisonment, chains and fetters. His Holy Person was imprisoned in the fortress of > 'A kka . ... He was made lo suffer more calamities, ajjlictions and difficulties than could be > enumerated. He had not a moment's rest. He had not an hour's comfort. He was continually under the greatest hardships and ordeals. What great persecutions He endured from > his enemies! What great ajjliclions He bore from His own relatives! He accepted all these > trials for our sakes so that He might educate us, so that He might make us illumined, so > that He might make us heavenly, so that He might change our character, change our > lives, so that He might illumine our inmost self. All these troubles He accepted for our > sakes. He did indeed sacrifice His life for us. This love is the real love. This is the inner > attachment and the genuine friendship. This is the love which sacrifices one's all, one's > life. This is the reality of love ... 4 > > 1 4 > Epi stle to the Son of the Wolf, pp. 52-53. 'Abdu ' l-Baha, "The Universal Language of the > 2 Spirit", Siar of//1e Wes!, vol. VIII, no.7, October > 'Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity (Wi lmette: Baha ' i Publi shin g Trust, 1979), p. 89. 1922, pp. 163- 164. > ibid. , p. 90. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1083 > > N. THE PURPOSE OF BAHA'u'LLAH'S SUFFERING > > To sanctify people from all earthly defilements > Say: We have accepted to be tried by ills and troubles, that ye may sanctify yourselves > from all earthly defilem ents. Why, then, refuse ye to ponder Our purpose in your hearts? > By the righteousness of God! Whoso will reflect upon the tribulations We have suffered, > his soul will assuredly melt away with sorrow. The Lord Himself beareth witness to the > truth of My words. We have sustained the weight of all calamities to sanctify you from > all earthly corruption, and ye are yet indifferent. 1 > His Holin ess Balui 'u 'll6.h endured ordeals and hardships sixty years. Th ere was no persecution, vicissitude or suffering He did not experience at the hand of His enemies and > oppressors. All the days of His life were passed in difficulty and tribulation; at one time > in prison, another in exile, sometimes in chains. He willingly endured these difficulties for > the unity of mankind, praying that the world of humanity might realize the radiance of > God, the oneness of humankind become a reality, strife and warfare cease and peace and > tranquillity be realized by all. In prison He hoisted the banner of human solidarity, proclaiming Universal Peace, writing to the kings and rulers of nations summoning them to > international unity and counselling arbitration ... > Therefore we also must strive in this pathway of love and service, sacrificing life and > possessions, passing our days in devotion, consecrating our efforts wholly to the cause > of God, so that, God willing, the ensign of universal religion may be uplifted in the world > of mankind and the oneness of the world of humanity be established. 2 > Briefly, this Wronged One hath, in the face of all that hath befallen Him at their hands, > and all that hath 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 gl01y-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 what > they have said, endured with seemly patience, and have left them to God. 3 > Who can ever believe that this Servant of God hath at any time cherished in His heart a > desire for any earthly honor or benefit? The Cause associated with His Name is far above > the transitory things of this world. Behold Him, an exile, a victim of tyranny, in this Most > Great Prison. His enemies have assailed Him on eve1y side, and will continue to do so > till the end of His life. Whatever, therefore, He saith unto you is wholly for the sake of > God, that haply the p eoples of the earth may cleanse their hearts from the stain of evil > desire, may rend its veil asunder, and attain unto the knowledge of the one true God- the > most exalted station to which any man can aspire. Th eir belief or disbelief in My Cause > can neither profit nor harm Me. We summon them wholly for the sake of God. He, verily, > can afford to dispense with all creatures. 4 > Thou hast known how grievously the Prophets of God, His Messengers and Chosen Ones, > have been afflicted. Meditate a while on the motive and rea!fon which have been responsible for such a persecution. At no time, in no Dispensation, have the Prophets of God > > Gleanings, p. 307. Baha ' i Publi shin g Trust, I 976), pp. 230-23 1. > 'Abdu ' l-Baha, Balza 'i World Faith- Selected Writ- Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 34. > ings of Baha 'u 'I/ah and 'Abdu '/-Balza (W ilmette: Gleanings, p. 85. > 1084 Tl-IE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > escaped the blasphemy of their enemies, the cruelty of their oppressors, the denunciation > of the learned of their age, who appeared in the guise of uprightness and piety. Day and > night they passed through such agonies as none can ever measure, except the knowledge > of the one true God, exalted be His glmy. 1 > Ponder a while on the woes and afflictions which this Prisoner hath sustained. I have, all > the days ofMy life, been at the mercy of Mine enemies, and have suffered each day, in the > path of the love of God, a fresh tribulation. I have patiently endured until the fame of the > Cause of God was spread abroad on the earth ... > It beseemeth all men, in this Day, 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 refi1ge that any one can seek, > except Him .2 > > 0. SUMMARY OF THE PURPOSE OF ALL His SUFFERING > The Ablui Beauty Hims elf- may the spirit of all existence be offered up for His loved > ones-bore all manner of ordeals, and willingly accepted for Himself intense ajjlictions. > No torment was there left that His sacred form was not subjected to, no suffering that > did not descend upon Him. How many a night, when He was chained, did He go sleepless > because of the weight of His iron collar; how many a day the burning pain of the stocks > and fetters gave Him no moment's peace. From Niyavaran to '[ihran they made Him > run- He, that embodied spirit, He Who had been accustomed to repose against cushions > of ornamented silk- chained, shoeless, His head bared; and down under the earth, in > the thick darkness of that narrow dungeon, they shut Him up with murderers, rebels and > thieves. Ever and again they assailed Him with a new torment, and all were certain that > from one moment to the next He would suffer a martyr's death. After some time they > banished Him from His native land, and sent Him to countries alien andfar away. During > many a year in 'lraq, no moment passed but the arrow of a new anguish struck His holy > heart; with every breath a sword came down upon that sacred body, and He could hope > for no moment of security and rest. From every side His enemies mounted their attack > with unrelenting hate; and singly and alone He withstood them all. After all these tribulations, these body blows, they flung Him out of 'Iraq in the continent of Asia, to the > continent of Europe, and in that place of bitter exile, of wretched hardships, to the wrongs > that were heaped upon Him by the people of the Qur'an were now added the virulent > persecutions, the powe1ful attacks, the plottings, the slanders, the continual hostilities, > the hate and malice, of the people of the Bayan. My pen is powerless to tell it all; but > ye have surely been informed of it. Then, after twenty-four years in this, the Most Great > Prison, in agony and sore ajjliction, His days drew to a close. > To sum it up, the Ancient Beauty was ever, during His sojourn in this transitory world, > either a captive bound with chains, or living under a sword, or subjected to extreme > suffering and torment, or held in the Most Great Prison. Because of His physical weakness, brought on by His ajjlictions, His blessed body was worn away to a breath; it was > light as a cobweb from long grieving. And His reason for shouldering this heavy load and > enduring all this anguish, which was even as an ocean that hurleth its waves to high > > I ibid., pp. 57- 58. ibid., p. 203 . > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1085 > heaven-His reason for putting on the heavy iron chains and for becoming the ve1y > embodiment of utter resignation and meekn ess, was to lead every soul on earth to > concord, to fellow-feeling, to oneness; to make known amongst all peoples the sign of the > singleness of God, so that at last the primal oneness deposited at the heart of all created > things would bear its destined Fuit, and the splendour of 'No difference canst thou see > in the creation of the God of Mercy, ' 1 would cast abroad its rays. 2 > > Qur'an 67:3 'Abdu '/-Bahri (Haifa: Baha'i World CentTe, 1978), > 'Abdu ' l-Baha, Se/eclionsfi'om the Writings of pp. 262- 263. > THE BAHA'i WORLD > > 2. THE CONCEPT OF LAW IN THE BAHA'f FAITH AND THE > LAW OF l:IUQUQU'LLAH > DR. AMiN BANANi > > THE approaching confluence of two mo- from? This is the concept of law in human > mentous events at the beginning of the Baha'i societies from the beginning until now. We > Holy Year in Ric;!van of 1992-publication are obliged to use words that are familiar, > of the translation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, and words which have had certain connotations > the universal implementation of the Law of in the past; but Baha'u'llah intends to infuse > I:Iuququ'llah-is an opportune time to re- them with new meanings; and it is for us to > flect on the concept of law in the Revelation think and reflect on the nature of these new > of Baha'u'llah, and to view the Law of meanings and the key that He has given us. > I:Iuququ'llah in the light of that concept. It is All the words that we use in all languages > understood that the purpose of Divine Laws to describe laws- in Arabic, for instance, > is to aid humans to realize the goodness that we speak of hudud (limits) or ahkam (comis within them and to curb the potential for mandments )-immediately bring to mind the > lapses from that goodness which may also image of those who live under those laws as > tempt them. The laws of Baha 'u'llah are people bound by them. The notion oflaws as > aimed at nothing short of a transfo1mation of limits or commandments carries with it the > our nature. corollary of those who are limited, com- > Where would be a better place to begin manded and forced to obey. BaM'u'llah tells > our reflections on the concept of law us that His Laws are not like that at all. They > in Baha'u'llah's Revelation than the very are, rather, like the choice Wine. > opening passage in the Kitab-i-Aqdas where That is indeed an interesting metaphor. It > Baha'u'llah makes use of a beautiful poetic is not merely a poetic phrase. At the outset > metaphor to describe the nature of His Laws. we may ask ourselves what is the function of > He says: choice Wine? and what is the relevance of > this metaphor in the context of laws? On a > Think not that We have revealed unto you > very superficial level we may note that both > a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We > in Islam and in the Baha'i Faith ordinary > have unsealed the choice Wine with the > 1 wine is a substance forbidden by law. Obvifingers of might and power. > ously the metaphor is not to be understood > We may often pass over this passage on that superficial level. It is the impact > simply moved by the beauty of the image or produced by the choice Wine, the spiritual > perhaps even perplexed by the intent of the analogy of good stráong wine, on the individmetaphor, but it is, in fact, the key that ual which is just the opposite of binding him > Baha'u'llah has provided us for understand- with limits. It is hue liberation. When you > ing the nature of His Laws. have imbibed of this choice Wine you are > What, we may ask, is the mere code of freed from inhibitions. Baha'u'llah tells us > laws that Baha'u'llah disassociates Himself that His Laws are not intended to bind but to > liberate us . That is the purpose of the key > 1 Baha'u'llah, A Synopsis and Codification of the Laws that He provides us in the opening of His > and Ordinances of the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Haifa: Baha' i Book of Laws. > World Centre, 1973), fronti spiece. > > From a talk given by Dr. Amfn Banani at the Arabic Session of Landegg Academy, August 1991. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1087 > When we think of it in that way we real- ourselves for the universal observance of > ize that we are witnessing the dawn of a new this Sacred Law. This education is not just > phase of the spiritual evolution of the human for the western friends who did not observe > race, a spiritual evolution that results in the it before. It is for all of us, eastern and westtransformation of human nature. It is within ern, to acquire a deeper and more mature > this evolutionary process that law ceases to understanding of this Law. > be an external limit imposed upon us and While looking at the implications of this > begins to be a liberating energy arising from Law as a liberating force, we should also > within us . keep in mind that none of the Laws of > Baha'u'llah intends for us that His Laws Baha'u'llah stand in a vacuum in isolation > become a self-generated part of our con- from the others. They are all part of an intescience to protect us from lapses. By freeing grated fabric, the ultimate purpose of which > us from our baser motives it bestows true is building the World Order of Baha'u'llah. > liberty upon us . This is not to say that human All of His Laws-and the Law of I:Iuquqnature, which has the potential of achieving 'u 'llah is no exception-are building materials > perfection, is necessarily perfect at all times. for raising the edifice of His World Order. > For this reason the Kitab-i-Aqdas delineates Also, as in many of the other Laws of > categories of wrongdoing and specifies Baha'u'llah, there is more than one aspect to > punishments for them. But when it comes to the Law ofI:Iuququ'llah. There is the purely > motivations for avoiding these lapses, it is personal aspect which has to do with purifialways based on the spiritual strength and cation of our motives and the spiritualization > moral stamina of the individual. Protection of our mundane cares and concerns. The > is built from within, not by erecting walls other aspect has to do with binding the body > without. Should we fail to grasp this novel of humanity in a fair and equitable way. In a > concept of law as an instrument of liberation beautiful phrase in the Ri~van 1991 message > rather than limitation, Baha'u ' llah states in of the Universal House of Justice, the Law of > that same opening passage of the Most Holy I:Iuququ'llah is referred to as "a profoundly > Book that the primary agent for the private act of conscience that promotes the > enforcement of His Laws is not fear of the common good." The two aspects are, of > consequences, but the love of His beauty: course, integral and inseparable. Because > "Observe My commandments, for the love our attention is usually drawn to the personal > of My beauty." blessings with not much attention given to > Those of us who by accident of birth and the public benefits of this Law, here we may > mother tongue or acquired second language reflect more on the "common good". > have had access to the Kitab-i-Aqdas for In a beautiful and profound Tablet, 1 > nearly a century, have been tráying to live up 'Abdu'l-Baha likens the whole of human > to its commandments, not so much out of a society to the human body. The cooperation, > deep and full understanding of their purpose collaboration and balance among the limbs > and implications but for the love of His and organs of the human body that are > Beauty. And now the Universal House of necessary for its health and well-being, He > Justice is on the verge of promulgating one asserts, are the same as interdependence and > of these laws which some of us have been equitable relationships within the entire > observing for the love of His beauty, as the human family, and I:Iuqt'.1qu'llah is a means > universal and loving obligation of the entire of achieving that balance. > Baha'i world. Noting the desire of the entire > Baha'i community to share in the blessing of 1 > Huqiiqu '//ith, Comp ilation by the Research Departthe Law of I:Iuqt1qu'llah, the House of Jusment of the Universa l House of Justice (Haifa: > tice has asked us to educate and prepare Baha'i World Centre, 1985), pp. 14-15. > 1088 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > J::Iuququ'llah is a major instrnment that Assemblies, and only an infinitesimal num- > Baha 'u ' llah has given us for achievement of ber ever have the honor of serving on the > economic justice and a more equitable distri- Universal House of Justice. And as the > bution of wealth. Narrowing the tragic and Baha'i population of the world grows, the > dangerous gap that exists between the few percentage of those who are elected to serve > rich and many poor of this world is an urgent on the different levels of that pyramid will > need of our time. If not out of altruism, then become smaller and smaller. So the direct > out of enlightened self-interest even the rich connection of the individual to the source of > nations of the world are groping for ways to authority in the Faith becomes more and > reduce this gap. But the obsolete barriers of more occasional and infinitesimal except in > the old world order have so far made all such observance of the Law ofJ::Iuququ'llah, where > efforts futile . every individual has the continuous privilege > In contrast, at this embryonic stage of of sustaining the very apex of the pyramid. > emergence of the Baha'i world community Baha'u'llah has given us the charter for > the channel for a meaningful beginning of His new World Order, created the instituredistribution of wealth is already in place tions for governance of the Baha'i world, > in the Law of J::luququ' llah. To have but one and in the Law of J::luququ ' llah, He has > example of this fact it is enough to reflect legislated a regular and continuous source of > that out of more than one hundred and fifty revenue for the worldwide operation of the > national Baha'i communities in the world supreme authority of His Faith. We may > today, perhaps fewer than ten percent are think of it, therefore, as a global tax for the > financially self-supporting. The rest-and benefit of the global authority in the Faith. > those are communities with the largest Baha'i This limited analogy to taxation is both > populations, the most dynamic teaching instructive and eye-opening. We know a good > activities, and most important of all , the deal about the history of taxation in human > most active proj ects for social and economic societies and, sad to say, much of it is indisdevelopment- depend on generous, well- tinguishable from extortion. Even in the more > coordinated and sustained financial support democratic societies where taxes are apfrom the Universal House of Justice. proved by the elected representatives of the > In the same Ri<;lvan 1991 message of people, and where the generality of the public > the Universal House of Justice we come recognizes the need for taxation for its own > across another profound phrase describing protection, no tax system can be upheld with- > J::luququ'llah as the Law " ... which directly out the strong arm of the law to enforce it. > connects the individual believer with the Where does the power of enforcement of > Central Institution of the Faith .... " J::luququ'llah res ide? Only in the innermost > In describing the structure of the Admin- depth of our own conscience. As we contemistrative Order of our Faith we often make plate the enormity of this fact we begin to > us e of the form of a pyramid, with the realize the concrete reality behind that other- > Local Spiritual Assemblies at the base, the wise platitudinous sounding phrase which we > National Spiritual Assemblies in the inter- often pass over: "spiritual solutions for ecomediate place and the Universal House of nomic problems." What kind of tax system > Justice at the apex of the pyramid. Now is this that requires a "profoundly private act > if we try to think of the connection of the of conscience" fo r its enforcement? It places > individual Baha'i to this pyramid of author- a premium upon spiritual growth and matuity we realize that some of us are elected to ration and not upon raising of revenue. > various Local Spiritual Assemblies and thus The impetus for spiritual growth does not > connected to that strncture of authority. Far end with the private assumption of responsifewer are elected to the National Spiritual bility for upholding the law. Baha'u' llah > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1089 > adds a further condition to that act of private established. l:fuququ'llah is a portion of our > conscience, and that has to do with a certain wealth which by God's Law is His Right. > spiritual attitude. That is the attitude of We simply return it to Him. What is required > joyful and radiant acquiescence. If we do of us in discharge of our l:fuququ'llah oblinot have it, He tells us, we are not ready to gation is accountability and trustworthiness. > observe the Law. Here is another important What we give to the other Funds is out of our > difference between I:Iuququ'llah and other own substance, summoned by our sense of > systems of taxation: if in calculation of our generosity and sacrifice. > I:Iuququ'llah obligation we look for loop- The difference between l:fuququ'llah and > holes, we have not yet achieved that degree the other Funds can best be illustrated by > of spiritual maturity that Baha'u'llah wishes the difference between the Daily Obligatory > for us, and in a sense we are not yet qualified Prayer and the wealth of all the other prayers > to observe the Law. This is another demon- and meditations that we have available to us. > stration of "spiritual solutions for economic We are free, indeed strongly urged, to enrich > problems." and sanctify our lives with frequent recourse > Baha'u'llah is asking of us nothing less to those prayers; but they do not take the > than a complete reversal of habitual human place of the Daily Obligatory Prayer. One > behavior when it comes to payment of is a legal obligation, the other a moral obli- > I:Iuququ'llah. Payment of taxes has often gation, if we remember the nature of > been accompanied by coercion, reluctance Baha'u'llah's Laws in the first place. > and avoidance. Baha'u'llah makes I:Iuququ- If in calculation of our I~Iuququ'llah obli- > 'llah voluntary, joyful and radiant. It was gation we wish to count our contributions > Benjamin Franklin who spoke of two to the other Funds as part of our 'needful' > unavoidable calamities by saying you cannot expenses, the House of Justice has told us > escape death and taxes . We are already that we may do so. But it should be inconfamiliar with Baha'u'llah's utterance in The ceivable that those contributions should rule > Hidden Words that, "! have made death a out the discharge of our l:f uququ 'llah obligamessenger ofjoy to thee .. . " 1 Now we learn tion in the same sense that it is inconceivable > that taxes too are to be paid with joy. that saying of constant prayers should leave > The transfo1ming power and the liberat- us no time to perfo1m our Daily Obligatory > ing influence of the Law of I:Iuququ'llah is Prayer. > as yet dimly experienced by us . It is a Law Another question that often comes up in > that is a test offirnmess in the Covenant, and our educational gatherings and must be on > a joyful way of building the strong fabric of the minds of many friends has to do with the > the World Order ofBaha'u'llah. timing of the universal implementation of > As we approach the universal implemen- the Law of l:fuququ'llah in Ri<;lvan 1992. Is > tation of the Law of l:fuququ ' llah, often the it because of the unusual need for financial > question is asked by the friends about the resources at this time when the Arc on > relationship of l:fuququ ' llah to other Funds Mount Carmel is being completed? The > in the Faith. The answers are, of course, answer is both yes and no without any > fully given in the Compilation from the Writ- equivocation and contradiction. It is yes in > ings of Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi the sense that already for the last hundred > Effendi and the Universal House of Justice, years the preponderant share of the funds > and the priority of l:fuququ'llah is clearly needed for all the development and expansion > of our World Centre has been provided by > I:Iuququ'llah, and the completion of the Arc > Baha' u'llah, The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1979), > will be no exception. But if we think that > Arabic, #32: p. 11. the universal implementation of the Law of > 1090 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > I:Iuququ'llah is merely another exigent fund- I:Iuququ'llah will continue to build and > raising device to meet the current needs at invigorate and reinforce the World Order of > the World Centre, then we are completely Baha'u'llah for centuries and centuries to > missing the point, and the answer is come, and will be an integrated part of the > emphatically no. This Arc will be built and power and authority of the Universal House > completed in a short time, but the Law of of Justice. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS > > 3. INTERDEPENDENCE OF BAHA'f COMMUNITIES- > SERVICES OF NORTH AMERICAN BAHA'i WOMEN TO IRAN > BY BAl-IARIEH ROUl-IANI MA' AN! > > INTRODUCTION > > "All men have been created to cany forward generating influence of the spiritual forces > an ever-advancing civilization." 1 At the heart released, the receptivity of the people, the > of such a civilization is the spiritual, eco- commitment of the followers of the new > nomic and social well-being of humanity. creed to champion the cause of change, the > Religion has no claim to validity and cannot availability of means, and the nature and > make progress if it is without concern for timeliness of activities undertaken all play a > spiritual health, economic development, and crucial role . This article presents the findimprovement in social conditions. ings of a study of North American women's > The amount of time needed to make espousal of the Baha'i Faith and their > meaningful change depends on several fac- response to the social needs of their Iranian > tors. The power of the creative Word, the coreligionists. > > THE SPREAD OF THE BAHA'f FAITH IN AMERICA > > The Name of Baha'u'llah was first men- the nineteenth century. BaM'u'llah's enuntioned publicly in North America in 1893. 2 ciation, in the latter half of that century, of > This was one year after BaM'u'llah had teachings and laws to unite humankind in a > passed away in what was then Palestine, and common cause, provided the focus. His > His eldest son, 'Abdu'l-BaM, had been ap- advent renewed hopes of salvation and > pointed as BaM'u'llah's successor and the released spiritual forces needed to prepare > Centre of the Covenant. The first American the way for establishing universal peace. > follower of BaM'u'llah, Thornton Chase, After Thornton Chase, many receptive > embraced the Baba ' i Faith in Chicago in souls entered the Faith, including a number > 1894. of prominent women. Some of them sought > The swift spread of the Baha'i Faith to 'Abdu'l-Baha's permission and embarked > the West was due not only to the applicabil- upon a historical voyage to 'Akka, His place > ity of its message, but also to the needs of of exile in Palestine. Their intention was > the time and the availability of means of twofold: first, to make a pilgrimage to the > conununication and travel. The need for a land where the Prophet-Founder of the > fresh spiritual stimulus was strongly felt in Baba 'i Faith spent the last twenty-five years > > Baha' u' ll ah, Gleaningsji-0111 tlze Writings of 23 Sept. 1893, quoted in his speech words that > Bahn '11 '/litlz (Wil mette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, Baha'u'llah had spoken to Edward G. Browne in > 1983), p. 215. 1891. E.G. Browne was the onl y orienta list granted > A mi ssionary based in Syria, in a sess ion of the an interview with Baha'u' ll ah. The interview took > Wo rld 's Parliament of Religions held in Chi cago on place in Baha ' u ' ll ah's place of ex il e in 'Akka. > > This essay, rev ised for incl usion in the international record, originally appeared in The Journal of Bahit 'i Studies, > vol.4,no.l,May 199 1. > 1092 Tl-IE BAHA'i WORLD > > of His life and where He is buried; and, process of integration of the East and the > second, to meet 'Abdu ' l-Baha and partake West-a process which evolved and entailed > of His divine wisdom. Their an-ival in the many significant developments and under- > Holy Land in 1898 signalled the dawn of the takings. > > EARLY AMERICAN BAHA'f WOMEN > WHO RENDERED OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO IRAN > > Louisa A. Moore (Lua Getsinger) Through her efforts other women in the > Among the first group of pilgrims was Lua West, such as Phoebe Hearst and May Ellis > Getsinger. She was in love with the Faith Bolles, "the mother teacher of Europe," > she had espoused and wished to devote her embraced the Faith and rendered outstandlife to its service. 'Abdu'l-Baha saw in her mg service. > the potential to undertake and accomplish Lua Getsinger was chosen by 'Abdu ' lgreat tasks . He nurtured her zeal and enthu- Baha to undertake an important mission on > siasm, and provided her with spiritual behalf of her co-religionists in Iran-the > guidance and momentum. Her intense love first service of its kind undertaken by a > for Baha'u'llah' s Revelation and her selfless Wes tern believer. In 1902 she was sent to > way of conveying Baha'i teachings to others meet Muzaffari ' d-Din Shah, the Shah of > made her a remarkable teacher of the Faith. Iran, dur.ing his secondvisit to Paris, 2 to > 'Abdu ' l-Baha surnamed her Liva (Banner) acquaint him and his Prime Minister, Mirza > and Ummu '!-Mu 'minin (Mother of the 'Ali A~ghar Khan-i-Atabak, with the situation of the oppressed Baha'i community in > Iran, to seek restitution of Baha'i rights, and > to appeal for justice on their behalf. The Iranian Baha' i community had been persecuted > since its inception. The Muslim clerical > class had used every opportunity to incite > the population against the Baha'is, and the > governn1ent had often condoned the maltreatment of the Baha ' is by the fanatics. > 'Abdu'l-Baha saw the time as propitious, the > place favourable, and the personality of Lua > fit for the task He wanted undertaken. > > A title of di stincti on gi ve n to spec ifi c beli evers who > rendered outstanding servi ces to the Baha' i Faith > durin g the mini stry of 'A bdu' l- Ba ha. > 2 A meeting with a sovereign who enj oyed absolute > > power over the inhabitants of the co untry he rul ed by > a member of the fe male sex, regard ed as inferior and > Lua Getsinger, whom 'Abdu 'l-Baha named un worthy in Muslims' eyes- especiall y one who had > "Liva" (Bann e1), and "Unmrn'l-Mu ' minin" espoused a reli gion unrecognized and persecuted in > (Moth er of the Believers) . iran- was a unprecedented event. The envoy prev iously sent by Baha' u' ll ah to prese nt Hi s Epistl e to > N a~ iri 'd-Din Shah , the grandfather and predecesso r > Believers). Shoghi Effendi called her " the of Mu ~affa ri ' d-Din Shah, had bee n brutally tortured > mother teacher of the West", and designated and put to death. I-le was a seventeen-year-o ld youth, > her as one of 'Abdu ' l-Baha's Disciples. 1 entitled Saeli' (Wonderful) . > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1093 > > Mu~tafa Khan (left) looking at (fiáom left to right): Miss Lillian Kappes, Dr. Sarah Clock, > and Dr. Susan Moody, with a woman named Tahirih Khanum in Tihran, fran, circa 1912. > > Lua received the necessary instructions the situation of the Baha'is in Iran was laid > and set out to accomplish the mission. She before the King and his Prime Minister. > secured an appointment through the Persian They could no longer use ignorance of facts > Embassy in Paris, then wrote a petition in as an excuse for their inaction to redress the > English and had it translated into French by injustices inflicted upon the Baha 'is. Hence, > a notable French Balla 'i, Hippolyte Dreyfus. a task inconceivable in Iran was accom- > Accompanied by Dreyfus, she met with the plished. An official petition on behalf of the > Shah in the grand reception hall of the Iranian Baha'i community was made to its > Elysees Palace Hotel, where the King and temporal rnler by an ardent American female > his entourage were staying in September Baha'i. > 1902. She was greeted with kindness and Lua Getsinger submitted a second peticourtesy, and received favorable responses tion to the Shah, through official cham1els in > to her petitions. 1 However, subsequent events 1903, when disturbances in Iran claimed the > in Iran show that very little practical im- lives of several Baha'is in Yazd, I~fahan , > provement was made in the treatment of and other places. In that petition she said: > Baha'is for a number of reasons. Islam was, "And be assured that this Light will never be > as now, the state religion; the clerical class extinguisl1ed, even should you permit the > was in ascendancy; and the government's blood of the Baha'is to rnn in rivers throughinterests dictated its compliance with the out your land, for it is evident that the blood > desires of the clergy. The requirements of of the Persian Baha'is is but the oil which > social justice were, therefore, overshadowed has fed and will feed the flame in the Lamp > by the self-seeking interests of the authori- of the Cause of Baha'u'llah .... " 2 This petities and ecclesiastics. But Lua's mission tion produced some relief, and for several > served one important purpose: the truth of years the persecutions ceased. > > Star of the West, vol. XV, no.8 (Nov. 192 1), p. 231. 2 ibid., p. 233 . > 1094 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Dr. Susan Moody- Amatu 'l-A 'Id (Hand- appeal without hesitation. She arranged her > maid of the Most High) affairs and left for Iran in November 1909. In > The initiation of development projects in Tihran, she joined the team of Balla' i doctors > Iran goes back to the early years of 'Abdu'l- who had established a hospital called ~il.iat. > Baha's ministry. The Baha'i community in The vital services Dr. Moody provided to > Tihran established a boys' school in 1900; the community of Iran were acknowledged > later a group of doctors came together to set in the following notice and editorial, pubup a hospital. A female doctor was needed to lished in a newspaper in Tihran. It reads : > treat the female patients, who could not be Doctor Moody-American lady-Not > examined by male physicians. When a group only does she know medicine, but also > of Baha' is from the United States visited gynecology, obstetrics and women's > Iran in 1908: diseases. Her good qualities and kind > . .. some Iranian doctors asked if it would attributes, her love for her Persian orienbe possible to induce an American tal sisters, are all equal. Every day from > woman doctor to come to Tihran, Iran, morning till noon she is in her office, > to live, for the purpose of caring for the No. 10 Avenue Aladauleh, receiving her > women of Iran who at that time were so patients for consultation, examination and > deprived of skilled medical care. Stop- treatment, excepting Friday and Sunday > ping in 'Akka, Palestine, on their return, afternoons, when she goes to the Hospital > the Americans communicated this wish Sehat (Hospital of Health), where she > to 'Abdu' l-Baha who asked them if they meets the patients of the higher and > knew of such a doctor. The name of wealthier class.2 > Dr. Moody was presented, and she received The editorial reads: > word without delay from 'Abdu'l-Baha We give the utmost thanks and gratitude > telling her she had been chosen for this to such a noble woman, to such a > great medical work in Iran. "I knew respected person, whose presence here is > then," Dr. Moody often remarked, "why a great privilege to the country of Persia. > I had felt the urge so strongly to study On account of the great care of this > medicine; I was obliged to study medi- blessed person, the sick of all nationalicine in order to come to Iran." When ties, moslems, et al., become healthy and > the call came from 'Abdu' l-Baha, she well. We beg of God to keep this blessed > proceeded immediately on her journey. 1 and respected person with us. 3 > Susan Moody was born on 20 November Dr. Moody's services in Tihran were not > 1851 in Amsterdam, New York. She became confined to the medical field. She worked > a Balla 'i in 1903 after making an in-depth closely with Baha'i women who were eager > study of the tenets of the Faith with Isabella to improve their lot, encouraging them in > Brittingham, one of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Disciples their quest for emancipation and equality, > in the West. She had first studied music, and lending them effective help to achieve > painting and sculpture, but had later switched their objectives. She recognized the need > to medicine. She had graduated from a med- to educate women if change of a permanent > ical college in Chicago. nature was to be realized, and did all she > The same spirit of willing obedience could to bring about the establishment of a > which characterized Lua Getsinger's unqual- formal Baha'i girls' school, similar to the > ified response to 'Abdu 'l-Baha's instruction Tarbiyat Boys ' School that had been estabprompted Susan Moody to respond to His lished in 1900. > > 1 The Bahn 'i World, 2 > vol. VI ( 1934- 1936) (Wilmette: Star, vol. I, no.15 (20 August 19 10), p. 9. > Baha'i Publi shing Trust, 1980), p. 483. ibid. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1095 > Those genuinely concerned with the > education oflranian Baha'i children had tried > for some time to raise money to establish a > formal girls' school in the capital, but the > needs of the boys' school and the lack of > sufficient means had delayed its realization. > Their efforts were augmented by the endeavors of the American Baha'is, particularly the > women, who met the challenge of providing > financial assistance and qualified personnel. > In January 1910 the Persian-American > Educational Society was established in the > United States, with its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Approved by 'Abdu'l-Baha, it > was an attempt to streamline cooperative > enterprises between the two countries. One > of the services it provided was financial > assistance to ensure the continued functioning of the Tarbiyat Boys' School, which was > experiencing financial difficulty. The secre- Dr. Susan Moody in Tihran, fran, with two > tary of the Society wrote in his first report: young children, circa 1912. > On account of the political conditions and > general demoralization of internal affairs, name of this Society to Persian-American > the founders of this school, before that Interdependence Society so that in the > time men of means, found themselves future it may include all points, such as > unable to continue its activities because commerce, industry and education so that > of lack of funds .... As an outcome of the spiritual and material results and benefits > interest manifested, and considering the might be produced. 2 > greater needs of the East, as well as the And in another Tablet 'Abdu'l-Baha > opportunity for a Baha'i demonstration wrote: > from the West to the Orient, this Society The believers of God must give great > was formed. 1 importance to this Society and arise to > As the Persian-American Educational perform its fundamental principles and > Society evolved, 'Abdu'l-Baha encouraged essential duties with heart and soul. ... > its basic aims and gave the members insights Persia and America are in great need of > to see things in a different light. The Tablet such a Society, even to matters pertaining > of 'Abdu'l-Baha, dated 3 April 1910, to material relations between these two > addressed to Officers of the Society, reads in countries, especially America .... 3 > part: Later in his address to the Orient-Occi- > According to the reports . .. in these days dent Unity Conference held in Washington, > the Persian-American Educational Soc- D.C., 'Abdu ' l-Baha said: > iety is organized in America and the May the material civilization of America > friends of God and the maid-servants of find complete efficacy and establishment > the Merciful with the utmost zeal and in Persia, and the spiritual civilization of > enthusiasm are engaged in the solidarity Persia find acceptance and response in > of this Society. If possible, change the > ibid., p. 4. > 1 3 > Star, vo l. I, no.5 (5 June I 910), p. 2. ibid. > 1096 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > America .... May they become one race girls' school was initially very slow. > endowed with the same susceptibilities. The 1913 report of the Executive Secre- > May these bonds of amity and accord be tary of the Persian-American Educational > fomly established .... I have traveled this Society, based on Dr. Moody's submission, > long distance, crossed the Atlantic Ocean offers an interesting analysis regarding subto this western continent in the desire and sidized education. First of all, it shows that > hope that the strongest bond of unity may the friends and institutions in Iran, despite > be established between America and Per- economic difficulties, were providing some > sia .... May this American democracy be financial help. Second, it shows that the > the first nation to establish the foundation girls ' school was still held in a rented place. > of international agreement. May it be the Third, it indicates that Dr. Moody herself > first nation to proclaim the universality of offered generous financial assistance not > mankind. May it be the first to upraise the only towards the education of Baha'i > standard of the "Most Great Peace," and children in Tihran, but also to non-Baha'i > through this nation of democracy may educational institutions. Finally, the report > these philanthropic intentions and institu- provided a list of the children sponsored by > tions be spread broadcast tluáoughout the the friends and Assemblies in the United > world. 1 States. Of the 77 names listed, 18 were girls > A new era of cooperation, based on spir- and 59 boys. The sponsors consisted of > itual principles, had begun. Development 18 Assemblies, 3 couples, and 67 individuprojects and cooperative ventures between als: 45 women and 22 men.3 > the Baha'i corrmmnities of North America In July 1915, Dr. Moody info1med the > and iran translated the principle of unity of Society in the United States of the > the Baha'i world into practice. The interde- creation of a building fund. The plan was > pendence of the East and the West in both to set aside "any margin which may > spirihial and material matters grew steadily accrue after deducting from the scholarand yielded remarkable results. In February ship fund of$18.00 per annum, the achial > 1910 Dr. Moody wrote to the American expenses of h1ition, books, etc. To this > Baha'is and conveyed the joyous news: will be added such special amounts as the > The girls' school is assured. They will start American friends may contribute from > with accommodations for fifty pupils .... time to time." 4 Her letter stated "This > Please tell any who want to help that it year nine of the American boy pupils > will take only $1.50 per month to educate received sixth grade certificates from the > a girl. There are many here too poor to university. In all forty-tluáee boys passed. > pay and this is the way to help lift Persia From the Girls' Tarbiet, twelve girls > from her otherwise hopeless condition .... 2 received the same certificate. We are very > As soon as the establishment of a girls' proud of them, as they have had so few > school became a reality, Dr. Moody helped years of preparation." 5 > the Iranian friends to secure the services of a Other American Baha'i women went to > qualified American Baha ' i teacher to take Iran and served in different capacities. These > charge of the school and ensure its proper women joined with Dr. Moody and other > functioning and development. At her sug- interested people in the country to ensure > gestion Lilian Kappes took up the challenge. that the young girls received Baha'i educa- > We will later learn of Miss Kappes's tion, similar to that provided to the boys. > services in Iran. The development of the > 3 Star, vol. IV, no.1 3 (9 November 19 13), p. 221 -223. > 1 4 > Star, vol. XV, no. 8 (November 1924), p. 235- 236. Star, vol. VI, no.7 (1 3 Jul y 1915), p. 54. > 2 Star, vo l. I, no. 2 (9 April 19 10), p. 11. 5 ibid. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1097 > > Women sitting, from left: Lillian Kappes, Muchul Khanum, Dr. Susan Moody, Dr. Sarah > Clock and Elizabeth Steward; with four children and a maidservant, Tihran, iran, c. 1912. > > In May 1914, Dr. Moody reported: The establishment of a women's assem- > We have established twelve centres for blage for the promotion of knowledge is > teaching girls the foundation principles of entirely acceptable, but discussions must > the Baha' i Revelation-the teachers met be confined to educational matters. It > on Saturday last. .. . In about a month we should be done in such a way that differwill hold a large meeting for examining ences will, day by day, be entirely wiped > the various centers. The boys have had out, not that, God forbid, it will end in > similar classes for three years and their argumentation between men and women . > examination this year was a great suc- . . . Now the world of women should be a > cess.1 spiritual world, not a political one, so that > The presence of American Baha' is in a it will be radiant. .. I am endeavoring, with > country where women had no voice in the Baha'u'llah's confirmations and assisdecision-making process served another valu- tance so to improve the world of the > able purpose. They provided the examples of handmaidens that all will be astonished .. .. > how women could become assertive and Ye need to be calm and composed, so > claim their God-given rights . The Iranian that the work will proceed with wisdom, > Baha'i women gradually began to ask otherwise there will be such chaos that > questions. When their petitions for equal ye will leave everything and run away. > treatment remained unanswered, they wrote "This newly born babe is traversing in > to 'Abdu'l-Baha and complained. It is unfor- one night the path that needeth a hundred > tunate that the texts of such petitioning years to tread ." In brief, ye should > letters are not available, but from the now engage in matters of pure spirituality > contents of the responses they received one and not contend with men. 'Abdu'l-Baha > can gain insight into the women' s appeals: will tactfully take appropriate steps. Be > assured . In the end thou wilt thyself > 1 exclaim, "This was indeed supreme > Star, vo l. V, no. 5 (5 June 1914), p. 74. > 1098 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > wisdom!" I appeal to you to obliterate four-year visit to the United States. She > this contention between men and women . ended her visit and left to return to iran late > . . . No one can on his own achieve any- in 1928, in response to the expressed wish of > thing. 'Abdu'l-Baha must be well pleased Shoghi Effendi: > and assist. 1 I pray that you may soon in the company > Two points in the above Tablet attract of a capable and devoted American coattention. First is the emphasis on the word worker, resume your historic labors for > now. 'Abdu' l-Bahi says: "Now the world of our beloved Cause in Tihran. 2 > women should be a spiritual world, not a Susan Moody was 77 years old when > political one ... " and "ye should now engage she went back to Iran. She traveled in the > in matters of pure spirituality and not con- company of Adelaide Sharp, visiting Haifa, > tend with men." 'Abdu ' l-Baha knew- had Palestine, on the way, and confen-ing with > in fact said in other contexts-that in time Shoghi Effendi. She spent the remaining > women would have to enter the "political years of her life in Iran, dying in Tihran on > world" if they were to attain their equality 23 October 1934. Her funeral, attended by > with men, but the time was not propitious several hundred Baha'is, was a testimony to > then. The second point is the need for the inestimable esteem in which her highly > "wisdom" which prompted 'Abdu'l-Baha 's prized services were held by the friends; > appeal to the women. it was a magnificent mark of honor for a > Parallel with His appeals to the women, person to whom the Baha'i community felt > 'Abdu' l-Baha sent Tablets to the community eternally indebted. Shoghi Effendi's cable to > in general promoting the principle of the the friends in the United States reveals the > equality of the sexes, emphasizing the impor- worth of her services: > tance of educating the women and explaining Passing dearly beloved Susan Moody > the benefits thereof. Here one can discern deprives Baha'i world (of the) far-famed > 'Abdu'l-Baha 's wisdom in neither overruling pioneer who, through her indomitable > the men abruptly, nor immediately granting spirit, ceaseless services, earned unique > the women's petitions, even though these distinction. (She) forged first link in (the) > actions were within the scope of His author- chain uniting (the) spiritual destinies (of > ity and in line with the principle of equality the) cradle of our faith (i.e., Persia) and > prescribed by Baha'u'llah. In one Tablet (the) community (of its) stalwart defend- > 'Abdu'l-Baha appealed to the women not to ers in (the) great American Republic. > press for equality at a tin1e when the Faith (I am) instructing Persia rear monument > was making progress, saying that pressing perpetuating memory (of) her noble > for equality at that time would hamper the mission. (I) am gladly defraying whatever > advancement of the Cause and paralyze its expense incurred as token (of) my admiinstitutions. He was fully aware of the men's ration for community (i.e., America) to > fierce resistance to equality at that early which she originally belonged and on > stage in the development of the Cause. He which her sacred life shed imperishable > had sent them living examples of what lustre. Advise holding befitting Memorial > educated women could do and intended to gathering (in) Temple Foundation Ha!l. 3 > continue the practice until the goal was In a message to the National Spiritual > realized. Assembly of Iran dated 12 November 1934, > Dr. Moody served in Iran for more than Shoghi Effendi said Susan Moody excelled > twenty-five years, broken by one nearly those of her kind in faith and certitude. He > 1 refen-ed to the projects she had initiated as > Women, a Co mpilation. Compil ed by the Research > Department of the Unive rsal I-louse of Ju st ice The Balin 'i World, vo l. YI (I 934- 36), p. 486. > (London: Baha'i Publi shin g Trust, 1990), p. 5. ibid. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1099 > examples worthy of emulation by others and male teacher for the Tarbiyat Boys ' School. > gave the glad-tidings that the Baha'is in The nature of the request reveals the vast > America would follow in her footsteps and difference between the curriculum of the > would hasten to the sacred land of Iran, boys ' school and the one for girls: > would continue her undertakings, and would They have written from Tihran that there > engage in the praise and commendation of is need of a scientific teacher for the > her luminous and extensive services. 1 School of Tarbiat. He must be efficient in > science as well as the English language; > Lillian F. Kappes for at present there is no man in the > One of the receptive souls in the West who School ofTarbiat who is a scientist or linenlisted under the banner of Baha'u'llah guist. They are in need of both, science > before the tum of the century was Lillian F. and the English language .. ..3 > Kappes. She was a teacher by profession, Before the anival of Miss Kappes, some > and became a Baha' i in New York in 1898- Baha'i women in Tihran had responded to > 99. She met 'Abdu'l-Baha in Thonon-les- the educational needs of girls by initiating > Bains on Lake Geneva in October 1911, private proj ects on a small scale. With > when she was on her way to Iran in response ' Abdu 'l-Baha's constant encouragement and > to a request for a competent female Baba' i to guidance, and Dr. Moody's perseverance > serve as the principal as well as teacher of and assistance, the education of girls was > the first Baha 'i girls' school in Tihran. finall y institutionalized. The Baba 'i girls' > In early 1911 , the Baha' is in Tiluáan had school, although operating under the auspices > appealed to 'Abdu'l-Baha for assistance of an existing all-male Education Commitfrom the West in the form of educators. The tee, was run competently by Lillian F. > request had been approved, and 'Abdu'l- Kappes . She became the women's spokes- > Baha had revealed a Tablet asking the person with regard to their educational needs > Baha 'is in the United States to: and served as liaison between them and the > ... select a woman teacher who may fill the Committee. > position of principal as well as teacher, It is apparent from the following that, > and send her without delay. The woman after 'Abdu ' l-Baha's approval was sought, > must have a share of the knowledge of the friends in Iran specifically requested > sciences and be proficient in woman's Miss Kappes 's services: > work, such as sewing, housekeeping, Word has come from Dr. Moody that > hygiene and household economics, etc. 2 the Tihran Board of Consultation has sup- > This passage of 'Abdu ' l-Baha 's Tablet plicated 'Abdu'l-Baha that Miss Lillian > reflects the nature of the petition in response Kappes might be permitted to come to > to which the Tablet was revealed, and indi- that c"ity to teach in the Girls' Baha'i > cates the perceived needs of the Persian School. ... 4 > women at the time, society's expectations of Lillian Kappes arrived in Iran in October > them, and the influence of tradition on the 1911. Her first report, dated 19 December > Baha'i community's list of priorities when stated: > women 's secular education was first After the first week of almost incessant > addressed. It also shows the high expecta- calling or meeting of friends at special > tions that people had of women teachers. In gatherings, I began my work in the main > the same Tablet 'Abdu'l-Baha asked for a boys' school and took charge of the girls ' > school. .. I give the highest class in the > Shoghi Effend i, Ta wqi'itt-i-Mubitrakih 1922- 1948 > (Tihran: Baha'i Publishing Committee of the > Nati onal Assembl y ofiran , 130 B.E.), pp. 126-127. ibid. > 2 4 > Star, vo l. II , no. I (2 1 March 1911 ), p. 6. Star, vol. I, no. 7 ( 13 July 19 10), p. 14. > 1100 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Miss Lillian Kappes with boys in a class that she was teaching at the Tarbiyat School in > '[ihran, !ran, circa 1912. > > boys' school. The boys have had several seemingly insurmountable obstacles and the > years of English, so my work there is resultant stress she experienced threatened > easier, but the girls' school was only her health. Initially, the school had been > started last spring and of the three classes established as a department of the boys' > of girls I teach only the highest has had school and the Education Committee was > instruction in English ... The native teach- principally concerned with the needs of the > ers here are lovely women but have never boys. A letter sent by Dr. Sarah Clock in > been educated themselves, except the 1916 to some of the Baha' i women in the > directress who learned or studied fifteen United States described the situation: > years ago in the mission school here. So Yesterday Miss K.(Kappes) was simply > the work is seriously handicapped and my abused by the meeting of 5 men, came > hands are full, indeed. But during the home in perfect nervous collapse & was > three months, or, rather ten weeks, I have awake all night from sheer nervousness & > been here, we are slowly evolving into worry ... Not long ago a Tablet came to a > some show of system. 1 Persian here praising Miss K & her work > She went to iran intellectually aware of in the school. . . she has the moral support > the plight of women in that counhy, of the of many of the best men, all the women > domination of men over all affairs including who in an excited meeting all stood by > that of women's education, and of the derog- her. > atory manner in which women were tiáeated .. .if Miss Kappes were not a Bahai or not > even within the nascent Baha' i community. less than a saint she would not have put > Her meeting with 'Abdu'l-Baha in Thonon up with all she has, for five years her > had to some degree prepared her, but despite hands have been tied, that is they have not > her readiness to meet the challenge, the allowed her to use her own advanced > ideas as to a school. .. some of the good > Star, vol. II , no. 18 (7 February 1912), pp . 12-13. men are entirely with her. They offer to > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1101 > open another school for her & several of fund that she had established for the school > the nicest of the girls will teach for noth- continued after her death as the "Lillian > ing.1 Kappes Memorial Fund" and helped in the > 'Abdu'l-Baha's loving advice and encour- expansion of the school. > agement, conveyed through his Tablets > revealed in honor of those who were > concerned with the situation, and Lillian Sarah Clock and Elizabeth Stewart > Kappes's own perseverance finally reaped Dr. Moody had the good fortune of having > results. A society was fonned in Tihran to two other American Baha'i women helping > oversee the education of both the girls and her in the discharge of her duties. They were > the boys. Although the society's member- Dr. Sarah Clock and Miss Elizabeth Stewart. > ship was all male, the men worked with Sarah Clock left the United States for > Miss Kappes and followed her suggestions Haifa and Persia in September 1910. Her > "even in the working of the boys school first letter dated 20 March 1911, written > where she taught English until last year from Iran, contains some salient points: > when they permitted her to devote all her All Americans will certainly love Persia > time to the girls .. .. " 2 if they feel as I do. I am very happy > Lillian Kappes' devotion and conscien- here ... No one can over-estimate the joy > tious services to the cause of women's of the Persians in anticipation of the comeducation were decisive factors in the ing of Americans. Everything having any > success of the girls' school. The project had connection with America is attractive to > started on a very modest scale, initially with them... The eagerness for education > only between thirty and fifty pupils, but by makes the young people and children > the time it was closed by the govemment3 it very apt and only those who are with > had seven hundred and fifty Baha'i and non- them are able to realize it. .. if one wants > Baha'i students, and it was considered the to be convinced of a very practical side of > best girls' school in Iran. the Revelation, they should see the > Lillian Kappes' struggles in Iran lasted improvement in the way of living here. It > for nine years. In 1920 she contracted is more apparent here than anywhere. 5 > typhoid, which claimed her life. She died Dr. Clock, although not a teacher by proin Tihran and became the first Western fession, taught English in 'filuáan for a while. > believer to die in active Baha'i service in Her aforementioned letter makes this point > Iran. Shoghi Effendi later designated her as clear: > one of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Disciples. In the A young man had been kind to us when > report of her visit with 'Abdu 'l-Baha, Lillian we first came here and I offered to do > Kappes said "He iterated and reiterated: 'I something for him in return. His sister > am sending you to Persia that you may serve wanted to study English and although I > in Persia, so that all the friends and all the had never taught anyone, I felt I must try, > people will praise you. "'4 The educational and before the end of a week I had a room > full and finally was invited to a little > Quoted in Smith, Peter, In Iran, Studies in Babi and school and take my class with me . .. Two > Baha 'i Histoiy, vol. 3 (Los Angeles: Kali mat Press, > I 986), p. 190. > hours a week is very little to give to such > Studies, vol. Ill, pp. 190-191. bright, eager people, and I want to do > Baha ' i schools in iran were closed on all Baha'i more. The opportunity will soon be mine, > holy days. The government refused to recogn ize the for another school is to be opened this > Baha'i Faith and would not tolerate the observance of > Baha'i hol y days. The authorities used this as an > excuse to order the closure of al l Baha'i schoo ls Star, vol. II , no. 18 (7 February 1912), p. 2. > in 1934. Star, vo l. II , no. 3 (28 April 191 l) , pp. 6--7. > 1102 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > ('Abdu ' l-Baha) that Miss Elizabeth H. > Stewart might be permitted to come to > Teheran as professional nurse to assist the > doctor in her medical work." 3 > Elizabeth Stewart travelled to Iran in > the company of Lillian Kappes, visited > 'Abdu'l-Baha in Thonon, and arrived in Iran > in October 1911. She worked with Dr. Moody > as a team and "working under the most > difficult circumstances, not only saved hundreds of lives, but helped to bring the Baha'i > Communities of Persia and America more > closely together." 4 > Before leaving the United States, > Elizabeth Stewart had been appointed to the > Unity Band, a Baha'i Committee established > in the United States in 1910 for the purpose > of corresponding "every month with one of > the twelve Women's Assemblies of the > Standing: Dr. Sarah Clock (left) and Orient." 5 > Dr. Susan Moody (right). Sitting, Lillian In 1925, Elizabeth Stewart, in the com- > Kappes (lefi) and Elizabeth Stewart (right) pany of Dr. Susan Moody, returned to the > in '[ihran. 1913. United States for health reasons. She died > in the United States in October 1926. > week. Some of the pupils know English > but want experience in talking and I will Genevieve Coy > give them at least two hours each week. 1 Lillian Kappes's untimely death deprived > The Executive Secretary of the Persian- the Tarbiyat Girls' School of its valiant > American Educational Society reported on patron and created a vacuum. 'Abdu'l-Baha > 13 July 1915: "Dr. Clock and Miss Kappes encouraged the Baha'is in the United States > are interested in establishing centers to teach to send another person to Iran to serve in a > manied women to read and write, and work- similar capacity. In the interim, Qudsiyyih > ing with the advanced girl students as Ashraf, 6 the first American-educated Perteachers. " 2 sian Baha'i woman, took charge of the > Sarah Clock died in Tilm\n on 24 January school. During the North American Baha' i > 1922. Very little is known about her background and the nature of her services in iran. 3 > Slnr, vol.l,no.7 (1 3 Julyl910), p.14. > Elizabeth Stewart was introduced to the 4 > Whitehead, Zebbie. Some Enrly Bnhn 'is of I he West > Faith in 1899 by her renowned aunt (Oxford: George Ronald , Pub! is her, 1977), p. 13 1. > 5 ibid . > Isabella Brittingham, herself an early > convert to the Baha'i Faith in the United > Qudsiyyih A~rafwas one of the few Baha' i women > who attended the American mi ss ionary school in > States. Miss Stewart immediately recog- Tihran. Through Dr. Moody 's instrumentality and > nized the truth of the Cause and paid with the help of so me American women believers , > allegiance to it. When Dr. Moody settled she continu ed her education in the United States. > in Iran, she "personally supplicated After nine years she returned to Iran with a master's > degree in education . The Mini stry of Education > refused her employment on the ground that she was a > I ibid. , p. 6. Baha'i. She later went to Beirut and studied public > Slnr, vol. VI , no . 7 (13 Jul y 19 15), pp. 54--55. health . > LITERARY AND MUSI CAL WORKS 1103 > Baha'i educational institution .. . are today > subj ects of gravest concern to the elected > representatives of our suffering brethren and > sisters in Persia." He began his message thus: > The situation as I see it calls for the > devoted efforts of one or two capable > workers who, untrammelled and with > independent means, can quietly, tenaciously and tactfully, pursue over a > considerable length oftime the meritorious > work of fostering the cause of Baha' i > education, for both boys and girls, in the > swiftly changing capital of a promising > country. 2 > In the same message he made the following appeal: > I would strongly urge the friends to > consult most earnestly with that devoted, > experienced and indefatigable handmaid > Dr. Genevieve Coy during her visit to Haifa of Baha'u'llah, Dr. Moody, whose past > in April 1922 on her way to take up her post services have ennobled the record of > at the Tarbiyat Girls ' School in Tihran. collaboration of East and West for the > furtherance of the Cause of Baha'u'llah. > Convention of 1921 , Dr. Genevieve Coy, It would be highly satisfactory and > who held a doctorate in psychology, was in1mensely helpful if our beloved sister > chosen to replace Lillian Kappes. Dr. Coy, could find it possible and convenient > born in 1886, had accepted the Faith in 1911. to accompany such a carefully-chosen > 'Abdu'l-Baha approved her appointment. By person on the way to Tihran, and, by her > the time she visited Haifa on her way to Iran umivaled experience and loving-kindto take up her post in early 1922, 'Abdu'l- ness, assist personally in the fulfillment > Baha had died and Shoghi Effendi had suc- of this pressing need. 3 > ceeded Hin1. Genevieve Coy served as the Speaking of the ordeals awaiting the cho- > Director of Tarbiyat Girls' School in Tihran sen person and of the rich spiritual rewards > for nearly two years. She returned to the that such service would attract, Shoghi > U nited States in 1924. 1 Effendi wrote: > Whoever steps into this field will find, > Adelaide Sharp as he settles down to his work, that the > After the departure of Genevieve Coy, the environment is extremely disheartening, > fortunes of Tarbiyat Schools in Tihran that restrictions are oppressive, that the > suffered a setback. Shoghi Effendi refen-ed to amenities of social life are lacking, that > this in his message of 14 November 1926: the forces of opposition are determined > "the prolonged absence of competent teach- and organized. But let him realize also > ers and organizers that can revive the that, however tedious and exacting his > declining influence of a hitherto renowned labors, however precarious and thankless > Genev ieve Coy continued her servi ces in the United > States until 1958 when she pioneered to Salisbury, Shoghi Effendi , Bnha 'i Administrntion (Wilmette: > Rhodes ia (later Harare, Zimbabwe). She died there Baha 'i Publishi ng Trust, 1968), pp. 119- 120. > on 31 July 1963 . 3 > ibid. > 1104 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Miss Adelaide Sharp with the Baha'i Youth Group in '[ihran, !ran. circa 1937. > > his task, the pioneer services it is his Clara Sharp, to join her. Upon anival in > unique privilege to render in this time of Tihran, Adelaide Sharp took charge of the > stress will forever live in the annals of affairs of the Tarbiyat Girls ' School and > God's living Faith, and will prove a worked hard to restore its prestige. She consource of inspiration to the countless tinued her work as Director of the school > workers who, in happier times and with until 1934, when the government closed the > better means at their disposal, will con- school. At that time the National Spiritual > sununate the spiritual regeneration and Assembly of Iran sought Shogh.i Effendi's > material rehabilitation of Baha'u'llah's guidance regarding the services of Miss > native land. 1 Sharp. He informed the Assembly that it was > The person who responded to this earnest necessary for her to reside in the capital and > appeal was another female Baha'i from the pariicipate in different Baha'i activities. He > United States-Adelaide Sharp. Her enthu- also advised both the National Assembly of > siasm and spirit of devotion matched those Iran and the Local Assembly of Tihran to be > of her predecessors. She arrived in iran in very considerate of her and to provide the > 1929, accompanied by Susan Moody, who necessary encouragement and guidance to > was returning to Iran from the United States. enable her to be of service. 2 > They visited Haifa on their way and spent Adelaide Sharp served on several importwelve days, receiving spiritual sustenance tant committees, including the Unity of the > and guidance from Shoghi Effendi . East and the West Committee. She also > Two years after her anival in Iran, organized study classes for Baha' i youth on > Adelaide Sharp requested and received per- the Baha'i Writings in English. > mission from the Guardian for her mother, > Shoghi Effendi , Tai vqi"irt-i-Mubirrakih 192 7- 1939 > I ibid. (Tihrim: Baha ' i Publi shing Institute. vol. 111), p. 147. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1105 > In 1954, when the Guardian announced Sharp whose selfless labour nearly five > that women in Iran could serve as elected decades community Cradle Faith in edumembers of Baha'i administrative bodies, cating its children inspiring enriching > Adelaide Sharp became the first woman spiritual life its youth researching transelected to the National Spiritual Assembly. lating writings consolidating its adminis- > Her services on that institution spread over a trative institutions and as first woman > period of fourteen years. She served as the member its National Spiritual Assembly > foreign correspondent secretary of the will always be lovingly remembered stop > Assembly for many years. Her devoted services won her praise > Miss Sharp died in Tihran in October beloved Guardian reinforced ties binding > 1976 and was buried there. The cable sent American Baha' i Community to friends > by the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'u ' llah's native land stop Fervently > National Spiritual Assembly of Iran after her praying Holy Shrines continuous progress > passing, summarizes the manifold services her soul Abba Kingdom stop Advise hold > she rendered to the Baha' i community in iran: befitting memorial gatherings honour her > Deeply grieved passing dedicated steadfast name stop NSA US holding memorial > promoter Cause dearly loved Adelaide gathering Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. 1 > > WOMEN'S SERVICES IN IRAN ASSUME A NEW DIMENSION > > Shoghi Effendi continued 'Abdu'l-Baha's Keith Ransom-Kehler-The First > method of using the force of example to American Martyr > familiarize the Iranian believers with the Keith Ransom-Kehler embraced the Baha'i > potential contributions of women believers. Faith in the United States in 1921. She was a > He was well aware of the deep gap that university lecturer and a writer. Before she > existed between the component parts of the undertook her historic trip to Iran in 1931, > Iranian Baha'i community, a gap that tradi- she visited Australia and India, where she > tion had created by affording the men every rendered memorable services. She then travopportunity to render effective service to the eled to Haifa, visited the Baha'i sacred > Cause and depriving the women of attaining shrines, met Shoghi Effendi, and received > their potential. guidance and direction regarding the mission > In addition to supporting in Tihran one or he encouraged her to undertake . Thereafter, > two fema le Baha'is from abroad, Shoghi she proceeded to Iran carrying a letter dated > Effendi nurtured the enthusiasm of capable I 0 June 1932 addressed by the American > and brilliant international Baha'i travelling National Spiritual Assembly to Ric:la Shah > teachers, such as Keith Ransom-Kehler and Pahlavi. The letter introduced her as the > Martha Root. He sent them to the land National Assembly's chosen representative > of Baha' u' llah's birth and instructed the to present in person the renewed appeal of > National Assemb ly of the country to arrange removing the ban on entry of Baha'i literaa befitting welcome, to receive them lov- ture to Iran. The letter read in part: > ingly and with pride, to lend them whatever Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehler, an American > assistance they required, to ensure their citizen, a member of the Baha'i commusafety and protection by using wisdom and nity of this country, and a distinguished > tact, and to make arrangements for them to student of the teachings and history of the > visit other parts of Iran. 2 Baha'i Faith, can, with your Majesty's > > 1 2 > Th e Balui 'i World. , vol. XVII ( 1976- 1979), p. 420. Tawqi'at, vol. Ill , pp. 128- 129. > 1106 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > gracious permission, ampl ify and supple- She apprised the Court Minister of these > ment the statements made by this Assembly incidents. > in the written petition addressed to your She also met with the secretary charged > Majesty under date of January 12, 1932. with American affairs at the Foreign Office > ... The appointment of a representative to and sent a report of the meeting to the > journey to Tihran for the purpose of pre- National Assembly. The secretary had > senting in person the petition of this confirmed that Baha' i literature could not > Assembly will make it evident to your circulate in Persia at that time for three > Majesty how profoundly the American reasons: > Baha'is are moved by their inability First, that it is contrary to the constitution > to communicate fully with their fellow- of Persia to recognize any religion founded > religionists in Persia by reason of the after Islam and, since the Baha'i religion > Postal regulations still prohibiting the cannot legally receive recognition, it folentry of Baha'i books and magazines lows that our literature must remain > published in the United States and Can- unrecognized. Second, that it is contrary > ada.1 to the constitution of Persia to permit the > Upon arrival, Keith Ransom-Kehler circulation of any literature [which the > received a loving welcome from the friends government considers] opposed to Islam. > in Tabriz, Milan, Saysan, Mianej, and Third, that the circulation of Baha' i litera- > Qazvin. "Her entrance in Tihran was like the ture at this time might cause grave intervisit of a queen, amid the acclamations of nal disorders that would bring much > thousands of rejoicing Baha' is. Never had suffering to the Bah a' is themselves. 4 > Tihran so welcomed any guest from the Keith Ransom-Kehler addressed a com- > West." 2 munication to the Shah on 25 February 1933, > On 20 August 1932 Keith Ransom-Kehler refuting the above reasons for not granting > cabled: "Mission successful. " The cable was perm1ss1on: > followed by a report to the National Spiritual In my report to America I shall be > Assembly of the same date. It confirmed constrained to admit that I must have miswhat the cable had conveyed: understood completely the purpose and > On August 15 I saw His Highness Taymur intent of the interpreter, for exhaustive > Tash and received from him the direct, investigation reveals no reference in the > unqualified assurance that Baha' i litera- Constitution of Persia to the status of > ture wo uld be admitted freely into Persia religions founded later than Islam. > and permitted to circulate. 3 Since every Baha'i before he can so > Keith Ransom-Kehler acted on the assur- designate himself must accept the validity > ance of the Court Minister and had her of the Prophet Mu~ammad and display > Baha' i books sh ipped from Beirut. Soon she toward the Qur'an the same reverence as > discovered the betrayal of the promise and that shown by the most orthodox Muslim , > the imposition of further restrictions. Her and since this attitude is inculcated > books were confiscated. The Governor- through Baha'i literature, the point of > General of Adharbayjan refused to receive excluding it because it is opposed to > her during her visit to that province, and Islam will, I fear, be incomprehensible ... > police orders forced the local Baha' is to I shall await your Majesty's authority to > abandon the meetings arranged in her honor. submit the result of my conversation with > the Foreign Office, herein set forth, to the > 1 Quoted in Th e Balui 'i World, vol. V (1932- 1934), > proper Baha'i centers throughout the > p. 391. > ibid. , p. 392. > 3 ibid., p. 393. 4 > ibid. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1107 > > Keith Ransom-Kehler at the seventh National Convention of the Baha 'is in Persia, 1933. > > world; for I have no desire, a second time, and seeking justice on their behalf. In the > to find myself mistaken as to your same letter she made the following bold > Majesty's intention. I statement: > Her appeals to the Shah received no The Baha' is of Persia are not a weak and > response. The National Assembly addressed helpless minority; we stand in numbers > another letter to the Ruler of Iran through its next to the State religion; but as the > representative. A part of this letter reads: League report further says, 'The Baha'is > Infom1ation has been received which are by their religion, tenets and character > leads us to believe that the permission of an extremely conciliatory disposigranted in your Majesty' s name by your tion '.3 > Majesty's Minister of Court some months For that reason they patiently endure > ago removing the ban on the entrance of whatever hardships are imposed upon > Baha'i literature into Persia has now been them by their governments, and for that > withdrawn ... The responsibility seems same reason they are worthy of the > now resting upon us to inform the press utmost trust and confidence from those in > that our previous communication, made authority .... The numerous communicain perfect good faith, must now be with- tions ... which I have had the honor of > drawn.2 addressing to the Crown since my inter- > One year after her stay in Iran, on 8 June view at the Foreign Office have had but > 1933, Keith Ransom-Kehler sent a detailed one purpose: that of ascertaining in defiletter to the Shah, voicing her deep concerns nite and dependable form whether or not > at the maltreatment of the Baha'is of Iran the amazing and feeble statements given > > ibid. 3 > I Minutes of the Twenty-Second Session of the Permaibid. nent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations. > 1108 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > me there were really in accord with your security under the shadow of the power > Majesty's intent and desire. 1 and grandeur of His Majesty Shahanshah > Keith Ransom-Kehler sent a final letter to Pahlavi, may our souls be sacrificed for > the Shah on 3 July 1933, the day she was him, and they benefit equally from the > informed that the photographs of 'Abdu'l- privilege of existing laws. But in the > Baha had been burned by officials in meantime new publications which are > Kirmanshah. She closed the letter with the considered contrary to the official relifollowing plea: gion of the country or its political aspect > I now with the most intense fervor suppli- can not be agreed to. 4 > cate and implore your Majesty to put a Keith Ransom-Kehler's strenuous efforts > final stop to these fanatical persecutions in Iran to accomplish the specific mission > that disgrace in the eyes of men the annals with which she had been entrusted, although > of Persia's fo1mer rulers, by removing appearing initially successful, did not achieve > this ban against Baha'i literature, that bids the desired result for several reasons. First, > fa ir if it continues to involve the world in although her mission was purely religious > contempt for this sacred land. 2 in nature, she was dealing with politicians > On the same day she also sent a challeng- whose honesty of purpose and integrity of > ing letter to every cabinet minister and to the character could not be trusted. Second, the > President of Parliament, saying: system of government and the prevailing > It would give me great pleasure to place bureaucracy made it impossible for Keith > in your hands portions of our Baha' i liter- Ransom-Kehler to have direct access to the > ature in order to prove the great contribu- Shah. Her meeting with the Minister of the > tion that it has made to the advancement Court brought about the confusion that cost > of Islam in countries unfriendly to its his eventual dismissal. For this reason, the > reception; but although Jewish, Christian National Spiritual Assembly of the United > and Zoroastrian literature, all opposed to States and Canada sent a delegation of three > Islam is permitted to circulate, our Baha'i to present to the Persian Minister in Washliterature that upholds and conve1is to ington its letter of 10 July 1933, addressed to > Islam is denied this privilege. Therefore the Shah. The letter summarized the outcome > I have nothing available to present to you . of efforts made by Keith Ransom-Kehler > In the Post Offices and Customs of and expressed optimism for a favorable > Persia, however, are thousands of volumes result. It remained unanswered. > that have been confiscated. Even a brief The third reason Keith Ransom-Kehler > survey of any one of these will prove that was not able to fulfill her mission was her > Baha'u'llah lays down as fundamental , sudden and untimely death on 27 October > loyalty to one's government, and the 1933. While on a visit to I:;;fahan, she consanctity and verity oflslam. 3 tracted smallpox, which claimed her life. > This challenge could not be ignored. The Before she died she wrote: > Minister of Education responded in a letter . .. I have fallen, though I never faltered. > dated 28-4-1312 [19 July 1933]: Months of effort with nothing accom- > I would inform you that today all individ- plished is the record that confronts me. If > uals and inhabitants of the cotmtry, whether anyone in future should be interested in > Mul)ammadan or people of other nations , this thwarted adventure of mine, he alone > are resting in the cradle of tranquility and can say whether near or far from the > seemingly impregnable heights of complaisance and indifference, my tired old > Th e Bahir 'i World, vol. V, pp. 394-395. > ibid ., p. 396. > 3 4 > ibid ., p. 395. ibid., p. 396. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1109 > body fell. The smoke and din of battle are Shoghi Effendi took further steps to show > to-day too dense for me to ascertain the high station of Keith Ransom-Kehler. > whether I moved forward or was slain in In his message of 1 November 1933, he inmy tracks. 1 structed the Tihran Assembly, together with > Shoghi Effendi's message of 30 October representatives from Shiraz, Kirman, Abadih, > 1933 described Mrs. Ransom-Kehler's station Yazd, and the southern ports of Iran, to visit > and the worth of her services: her resting place on his behalf. In that > Keith's precious life offered up in sacri- message he refened to Keith Ransom-Kehler > fice to beloved Cause in Baha'u'llah's as the standard bearer of the rights of the > native land. On Persian soil, for Persia's persecuted community, the true and peerless > sake, she encountered, challenged and helper of the believers in Iran, the object of > fought the forces of darkness with high envy of her Baha'i brothers and sisters in > distinction, indomitable will, unswerving, the Western counháies, the one who strengthexemplary loyalty. The mass of her help- ened spiritual links between the friends in > less Persian brethren mourns the sudden the East and the West and the one who, both > loss of their valiant emancipator. American in life and death, was the cause of glory, elebelievers grateful and proud of the mem- vation, and victory of the Cause of God and > ory of their first and distinguished martyr. the exaltation of His Word. 3 On 3 November, > Sonow stricken, I lament my earthly sep- he informed the National Assembly of the > aration from an invaluable collaborator, United States: > an unfailing counsellor, an esteemed and Instructed I~fahan Assembly to inter > faithful friend. I urge the Local Assemblies Keith in the vicinity of the grave of Sultabefittingly to organize memorial gather- nushushuada,4 surnamed by Baha'u'llah > ing services entitled her to an eminent "King ofMartyrs." 5 > rank among the Hands of the Cause of He also advised the Assembly to dissemi- > Baha'u'llah.2 nate his cabled messages among the Baha' is > Shoghi Effendi's designation of Keith of provinces, that all may learn of and know > Ransom-Kehler simultaneously as the first about the lofty station of Keith Ransom- > American Baha'i martyr and a Hand of the Kehler. > Cause of Baha'u'llah was a unique honor. > Furthern1ore, he refened to her as his "un- Martha Root > failing counsellor", "invaluable collaborator'', Another outstanding person who conse- > "esteemed and faithful friend" and the "val- crated her life to the service of the Cause > iant emancipator" of "her helpless Persian was Martha Root. She used her professional > brethren." Such attributes used to eulogize a training as a journalist to travel extensively, > female believer caused the Iranian Baha'is taking the message of the oneness of humanto pause in reflection. They saw that in the kind to people of all ranks and met with > Baha'i Faith women are not only capable of remarkable success. > scaling the same heights claimed by men but Martha Root was born on 10 August 1872 > are able to surpass them. They also saw that at Richwood, Ohio. She fmished her univerthe contribution of such women was recog- sity education in Chicago, heard of the > nized and rewarded by the head of the Faith. Message ofBaha'u'llah in 1909, and began > Thus, psychological barriers to the emancipation of Baha ' i women in Iran were removed 3 > Tnwqi 'at, vol. Ill , p. 128. > one by one and preparations made for their 4 > Siyyid Hasan , entitled Su//anu á~-Shuhnda (King of > full pariicipation in all Baha'i services. Martyrs), was condemned to death for his belief and > publicly executed in I ~fa han in 1883. He was desig- > I ibid., p. 409. nated as an Apostle of Baha'u' ll ah. > 2 5 > ibid ., p. 398. The Baha'i World, vo l. V, p. 398. > 1110 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Martha Root with some Baha'i women in Tihran, Iran . c. 1937 > > her life of service a decade later, in 1919, soul, this precious personage. They > when she embarked on her extensive travels should offer hospitality with utmost > for the Faith. When Tablets of the Divine respect and loving kindness; convene > Plan 1 were unveiled in the United States, gatherings and meetings with the wisdom > she was the first to arise in response to and dignity that is in keeping with the > 'Abdu'l-Baha's smmnons. Her world jour- Cause of God, celebrate, and prove in > neys took her to South America, Europe, words and deeds their pride in being > Africa, Asia, and Ausháalia. related to a person chosen by God to > In December 1929, when Martha Root elevate the name of Baha'u' llah's Faith. > was on her way to Iran, Shoghi Effendi For this peerless believer has, with astonaddressed a letter to the Trustees of the ishing might, unsurpassed bravery and > Central Assembly (precursor of the National amazing steadfash1ess, raised the cry of > Spiritual Assembly of Iran) and the Ya Baha'u' l-Abha in the highest places; > members of Local Spiritual Assemblies she has brought the sacred name of > throughout Iran, inháoducing her thus: the Faith of God to the attention of the > Miss Martha Root. .. foremost among the potentates of the earth, be they rulers, > male and female Baha'i teachers, is ministers , learned, or sovereigns; and has > proceeding to Iran. It is incumbent upon glorified and endeared the oppressed and > all the friends of God and the handmaids sh-uggling community of that land in the > of the Merciful to receive, with heart and eyes of the prominent people of the > world .2 > These Tab lets, fourteen in all, were revealed by > ' Abdu ' l-Baha in 191 6 and 1917. The Tabl ets , > addressed to the Baha' is in North Ameri ca, were > received by them in 1919. Shoghi Effendi has called Ta wqi'itt, vol. Il , pp. 150- 151, freely trnnslated by > the Tabl ets " the supreme charter for teaching." the writer. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1111 > Despite the inadequacy of the means of These historic labours, pursued singletravel, Martha Root visited many provinces handed and in circumstances of financial > in Iran. Wherever she went, she was met stringency and ill-health, have been > with a tumultuous welcome by Baha'is, characterized throughout by a spirit of > large numbers of whom would await, with fidelity, of self-effacement, of thoroughreverence and pride, her arrival several kilo- ness and vigor that none has excelled. > meters outside the city limits. In Qazvin her He ended his message with the following > adventurous spirit guided her to the family extraordinary appeal: > of Tahirih, from whom she gathered infor- I appeal to individual believers and > mation for her book entitled '[ahirih-The Baha'i Assemblies alike to... respond > Pure. speedily and entirely to every request that > Martha Root was a prodigy of her time. from time to time she feels moved to > She had served the Faith in ways that no address to her fellow-workers in every > other had dared. She had introduced a land, to strive to attain the high standard > crowned head, Queen Marie of Romania, of stewardship that she has set, and to > and her daughter, Princess Ileana, to the pray from the very depths of their hearts > Cause of Baha'u'llah. She had met with for the uninterrupted continuance of her > King Faisal of 'Iraq, and with many other noble endeavors. 1 > renowned personalities of the world. The When Martha Root died, Shoghi Effendi > Guardian of the Faith has sununarized her sent a cable to the National Spiritual Assembly > services in the following tribute contained in of the United States and Canada on > his message of 12 February 1929: 3 October 1939 and referred to her as "fore- > . . .I wish, in a few words, to pay a tribute, most Hand which 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will has > however, inadequate, to the magnificent raised up in first Baha'i century", "the first, > services rendered by that exemplary and finest fruit which the Formative Age of t11e > indefatigable teacher of the Cause, our Faith of Baha'u'llah has as yet produced" > dearly-beloved sister, Miss Martha Root. and "one whose acts shed imperishable lustre > Her international travels on behalf of the on American Baha' i conununity." In the same > Baha' i Faith, so wide in their range, so message the beloved Guardian advised the > extensive in their duration, so inspiring in National Assembly about sharing the expenses > their results, will adorn and emich the of"erection of monument in symbolic spot,2 > annals of God's immortal Faith. Her the meeting-place of East and West, to both > earliest journeys to the southernmost of which she unsparingly dedicated the full > limits of the American continent, to India force of her mighty energies ." 3 > and to South Africa, to the eastern In his review of the history of the first > confines of Asia, to the islands of the Baha'i century, Shoghi Effendi singled out, > southern Seas and the Scandinavian coun- ... for special reference her who ... > tries of the North; her more recent contact through her prodigious and indeed unique > with the rnlers and crowned heads of exertions in the international teaching > Europe and the impression which her field , has covered herself with a glory that > undaunted spirit created in royal circles in has not only eclipsed the achievements > the Balkan countries; her close affiliation of the teachers of the Faith among her > with international organizations, peace contemporaries the globe around, but has > societies, humanitarian movements and > Esperantist circles; and her latest victories 1 > Bnha 'i Administration, p. 174. > in the university circles of Germany-all 2 > In Honolulu, Hawaii, which links the two continents > constitute a compelling evidence of what of Asia and America. > the power of Baha'u'llah can achieve. The Bnha 'i World, vol. VIII (1938- I 940), p . 646. > 1112 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > outshone the feats accomplished by any immense potential latent in the world of > of its propagators in the course of an entire women? > century. To Martha Root, that archetype In 1954, when Shoghi Effendi gave the > of Baha'i itinerant teachers and the fore- "glad-tidings" to the Baha'i women of Iran > most Hand raised by Baha'u'llah since that during Ri~van of that year they would > 'Abdu'l-Baha's passing, must be awarded share with the men the right of membership > ... the title of Leading Ambassadress of on the Local as well National Spiritual > His Faith and Pride of Baha'i teachers, Assemblies, he counselled them to not be > whether men or women, in both the East satisfied with administrative equality. He > and the West. 1 encouraged them to surpass the men in the > Brilliant and celebrated Ba ha' is like fields of teaching and pioneering, to outdo > Martha Root and Keith Ransom-Kehler, them in the arena of service, to become more > who had achieved outstanding successes in courageous, more audacious and more > the teaching field, were sent by Shoghi detached. He persuaded the women to emu- > Effendi to Iran, where they could neither late the example of their spiritual sisters in > speak the language nor teach the inhabitants . America who, he said, had excelled the men > One may ask: Why? Could it not be for the in opening up countries to the Faith. Martha > need to remind the Baha' is in that land of the Root was mentioned by name. 2 > > THE IMPACT OF THE SERVICES OF THE AMERICAN WOMEN > ON THE IRANIAN BAHA 'i COMMUNITY > > The Baha ' i conummity of Iran which had, women proved that notion wrong. Several > from the inception of the Faith, nmtured the decades of constant and courageous service > tree of the Cause with the blood of unnum- provided the Iranian Baha'i community with > bered martyrs and had helped spread the proof that women were capable of shouldering > new Faith to the Western hemisphere, had a administrative and decision-making responbasic problem at home. Unwarranted con- sibilities, and that the time had arrived for > servatism was preventing the women from the Iranian women to try their hand in such > recognizing their potential and attaining their works. > rights . Role models were needed to prove the It is notew011hy that when the time for the > falsity of the culture's perception of women. election of women to the national and local > The calibre of the American women who Baha'i institutions arrived, the only woman > went to Iran was o great significance. They elected to the National Assembly was Adewere well educated, independent, audacious, laide Sharp, an American resident in Tihran. > inflexibly devoted to the Cause of God, It took the Baha'i community longer to realhighly motivated, and firmly committed to ize that the Iranian women believers were > the work they had set out to do. These were capable for the job. Bahiyyih Nadiri was the > qualities Iranians had believed belonged first Persian woman to be elected to the > exclusively to men, and the Western Baha'i National Assembly. 3 Thereafter, until the > > 1 Shoghi Effendi , God Passes By (Wilmette: Baha'i was suspended. The first issue (four in one), which > Publishing Trust, 1970), p. 386. reported the names of members of the new National > 2Tawqi'lzt1952-1957, pp . 190- 191. Assembly, came out in June 1960. Mrs. Nadiri was > 3 In 1955, widespread persecutions spearheaded by also on the National Assembly in l 980 when the > Mul)ammad Falsafi circumscribed the admini stra- Islamic Revolutionary Guards abducted the nine > tive activities of the Baha'i Faith in lran. During that members. They have not been heard from since . > time the publication of Af0.biir-i-Amri (Bahn 'i News) > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1113 > time of the Assembly's disbandment by the steps to convince members of the commu- > Islamic Revolutionary Government in 1984, nity, especially in the East, of women's > the number of women on the National As- potential to undertake responsible tasks. > sembly fluctuated between zero and two. However, in His lifetime, 'Abdu'l-Baha did > Tracing the process that culminated in the not pronounce the women in Iran eligible for > election of a woman or two to the National membership on elective Baha'i institutions > Assembly of Iran sheds light on the wisdom and did not appoint them as Hands of the > which necessitated the gradual implementa- Cause of God. Also, no Iranian woman was > tion of women's rights to equality with men. designated as 'Abdu'l-Baha's Disciple. But > The Bab had appointed a woman as one of in the West the story was very different. > His Letters of the Living. 1 Tahirih removed Of the nineteen Baha'is the Guardian desigthe veil, championed the cause of change nated as 'Abdu'l-Baha's Disciples, six were > and refused to honor traditions which kept women. Some were also designated as Hands > women backward. The Bab supported her of the Cause posthumously. This welcomed > views and actions which gave hope and change was so gradual that its repercussions > courage to other Babi women. In Nayriz and were not felt in the East, where the men > Zanjan Babi women fought side by side with would not hear of the prospect of women > men to defend themselves against the assault serving with them on the institutions of the > of their enemies. Faith. > Baha'u'llah did not follow the Bab's revo- A letter written on behalf of Shoghi > lutionary way of introducing sudden change Effendi in July 1936 included the statement > in the fabric of society, but used a gradual that, according to a Tablet from 'Abdu'lprocess to prepare His followers for spiritual Baha, "the membership of the Universal > transfo1mation. His Mission was to save the House is confined to men .. . [but that] In the > moribund body of humanity; He diagnosed local as well as the national Houses of > the illness and prescribed the remedy. The Justice ... women have the full right ofmemworld in general, and the Muslim world in bership."2 This instruction notwithstanding, > particular, was not ready for the application women in Iran were not given the right to be > of the principle of equality during His Min- elected to an Assembly until 1954, at the end > istry. Men and women alike would have of the first year of the Ten Year Global Plan. > suffered the adverse consequences of a dras- And this despite the fact that women in India > tic change. He enunciated the principle of and Burma (non-Islamic Eastern countries) > equality, emphasized the tenets of unity and had been made eligible for election since > equity, acknowledged the women's contri- 1923. Shoghi Effendi likewise did not name > bution to the development of His cause, and any Persian Baha'i woman as a Hand of the > praised their achievements. But the scope Cause, although several of his appointees to > for the implementation of practical change the rank in the West were women. > in the status of women remained, of neces- When the Boards of Counsellors were > sity, limited to inconspicuous improvements appointed by the Universal House of Justice > during His Ministry. in 1968, no Baha'i woman in Iran was > 'Abdu '1-Baha continued the practice of appointed a Counsellor. However, in the > gradual implementation of change. He spoke western Asia zone Shirin Boman, a woman > most forcefully about the need for women's of Persian background living in India, was > emancipation and progress, and took practical appointed to the position in 1970. Later, > more women of Iranian origin were > The first eighteen believers in the Bab. They indepen- appointed Counsellors in India, and by the > dently searched for and found Him. They were des ignated as Hunif-i-Hayy (Letters of the Living). The > numerical value of'Hayy' is eighteen. Women: a Compilation, p. 12. > 1114 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Six Year Plan Persian Baha'i women had race, and have been fulfilling a giant share in > been designated Counsellors in Africa, Aus- the execution of' Abdu 'l-Baha 's Divine Plan. > tralasia, and Europe. They have produced at home and abroad > The paucity of female leaders points to exemplary pioneers, teachers, administrators, > the tremendous difficulty associated with and even martyrs, some of whom have been > change in the status of Iranian women; yet, in their teens . > the change had to be made for the community The argument that the implementation of > to confo1m to the Teachings of the Blessed the principle of equality should take longer > Beauty. Change required sacrifice, which than it already has involves a danger. The > the American Baha'i women made through problem with too slow a process of change is > their selfless service. Their anguish, self- that slowness itself becomes a practice and > abnegation, loving labors, long years of creates a pretext under which the natural and > suffering in acquiescence, steadfastness, per- timely consummation of the desired change > severance, and hard work won them success . is indefinitely delayed. This stifling process > Baha'i women in Iran, who had received was detected by 'Abdu'l-Baha, Who wisely > enlightenment through their belief in Baha'u- reversed its course with the dispatch of auda- > 'llah but had generally remained backward cious Baha'i women to Iran. Their services > because of their lack of secular education, will be remembered for the essential changes > learned, tluáough long years of association they inháoduced in the Baha' i community, > with the American Baha'i women, the value especially in the area of implementing the > of education which gave them insights into principle of the equality of men and women. > smrnounting the barriers erected in their way. Their sacrifices will have borne fruit when > They gradually began to scale the heights of the women in Iran and Iranian women > glory destined for members of the human abroad attain full equality with men. > > CONCLUSION > > The heroic and sacrificial services of the the traditional belief in their "divine right" > American Baha'i women between 1909 to to assume superiority over women. > 1976 achieved two basic purposes. First, Second, American Baha'i women proas skilled and professional Baha'is, they vided the means by which women in Iran > bore eloquent testimony that, given equal could claim their rights. They offered girls > oppo1tw1ity, women were fully capable of education similar to that which the boys > ascending to the heights claimed by men in enjoyed, not only providing the requirements > the field of service to humanity. This was an of a secular curriculum, but also offering > important lesson for the Baha'i women of enlightenment with regard to what equality > Persia, whose confidence in their ability to meant and how it could be implemented. The > succeed in what they thought was men's services of the American women believers > domain had been shattered over long centu- in Iran were maintained until the women's > ries of deprivation and denial of their rights equal right to education and to service on > in a Muslim country. The lesson was equally local and national Baha'i institutions was > valuable to male Baha'is, who had held onto attained. > LITERARY AND MUSlCAL WORKS > > 4. JAMAL EFFENDI > ELHAM AFNAN > (lLHAM AFNAN) > > THE Indian sub-continent has come to be There he found the Faith and became a > one of the strongholds of the Faith of devoted and enthusiastic believer. Thence- > Baha'u'llah. India boasts the largest Baha'i forward, he dedicated his life to the service > national community, one of the first National of the Cause. He was never married and > Spiritual Assemblies in the Baha'i world, spent the remainder of his days travelling > established in 1923, and one of the most and teaching. > beautiful edifices ever raised to the glory of Jamal Effendi put on the garments of a > God, the Baha'i Temple in Bahapur outside dervish and travelled to the Holy Land, where > New Delhi, dedicated in December 1986. "for a time he rested under the protection of > Now, at a time when we are witnessing the the Ancient Beauty; .. . gained the honor of > entry of tens of thousands of souls into the entering the presence of Baha 'u '!!ah, and > Cause of God in India, it is befitting to listened to momentous teachings from His > remember the origins of the Faith in that holy lips." 2 Following his pilgrimage, he > land. travelled extensively throughout the Ottoman > One of the Letters of the Living was Empire, hoping to teach the Faith. He was > Sa'id-i-Hindi, an Indian, who met the Bab in in Istanbul in 1874 (1291 A.H.), where he > Shiraz. Another Indian, a dervish, whom He met Shaykh Ka~im-i-Samandar. Realizing > named Qahru ' llah attained His presence in that the people there were not yet ready to > Chihriq. Yet another, Siyyid Ba~ir, accepted embrace the Faith, he finally returned to > the Bab and had the bounty of meeting 'Akka. > Baha'u'llah in Nik But none of these men At about this time, the Afnans in lndia, > left a permanent trace of his work in his realizing the Indians' receptivity to the Faith, > native land. Later, several of the Afnans sent a petition to Baha'u'llah, asking that a > established a trading company and a printing knowledgeable and experienced teacher be > press in Bombay. Bombay thus became a sent to India. Baha'u'llah sent Jamal Effendi, > centre for the Ba ha ' is, especially those trav- who arrived in Bombay in 1878 (1295 A.H.), > elling to the Holy Land. However, no effort accompanied by Mirza I:Jusayn, one of his > had yet been made to teach the native people kinsmen. He travelled widely throughout > the Faith. The distinction of first bringing India and adjacent countries for eleven years, > the Faith ofBaha ' u'llah to a large number of until 1888. > Indians was to belong to Sulayman Khan-i- He was sustained in his labors by numer- > Tunukabuni, surnamed Jamali ' d-Din by ous Tablets he received from Baha'u' llah. > Baha'u'llah, and known as Jamal Effendi. He sowed the seeds of knowledge and love > Su layman Khan was the son of 'Isa Khan, for the Faith through his great spiritual power, > a wealthy and influential man. He was born in his vast experience and deep understanding, > Tunukaban, in the province of Mazindaran. his beautiful words and upright character. > 'Abdu'l-Baha says that from childhood, "he He talked to people of every class and > had high ambitions and noble aims, and he > was honor and aspiration personified. " 1 1 > ' Abdu ' l-Baha. Memorials of the Faithful (Wilmette : > He moved to Tihran hoping to achieve an Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1971), p. 134. > important position in government circles. 2 > ibid., p. 135. > 11 16 THE BAHA' i WORLD > > visited dignitaries in every land. Many were fell into a river from the top of a steep mouninformed of and attracted to the Faith and tain. Also, he met some savage and warlike > many embraced it through him. He delivered tribes of the Ism a' iii sect who treated him > the Tablets revealed for these believers and cruelly. Much grieved, he decided to return > was himself the recipient of many Tablets via Kabul and wrote to ' Abdu'r-RaI:iman > from the Most Exalted Pen. Later he also Khan, the governor, for pem1ission. In reply > published and disseminated Baha' u'llah ' s to the letter, in which he had mentioned > The Seven Valleys, in Persian. the wounds afflicting his feet, the governor > In Madras, he met Siyyid Mu~tafay-i­ wrote "that should he come to Kabul , his > Rumi, a young and deeply religious man, hands would go the way of his feet". 1 Diswho was soon attracted by Jamal Effendi ' s appointed, Jamal Effendi proceeded to > charm and radiance. He embraced the Cause Balkh and Badakhshan, thence to Laddakh > of God and was set aflame with the fire of and Srinagar in Kashmir, and to other parts > the love of Baha' u ' llah. He served the Faith of India. J:Iaji Faraju ' llah passed away in > with great distinction, in both the teaching Bombay in 1894. > and administrative fields in Burma. The most Jamal Effendi ' s travels were filled with > illustrious of Jamal Effendi's converts, he numerous incidents and anecdotes, only a > was posthumously named a Hand of the few of which have so far been recorded > Cause of God by Shoghi Effendi in 1942. by historians. One concerns the Navvab of > Jamal Effendi and Mirza J:Iusayn visited Rampur, who knew and greatly respected > Ceylon and its capital, Colombo, which was Jamal Effendi. One of the Navvab's relaa centre of Buddhism. There they faced tives, a young man, had turned away from > severe opposition from the religious leaders his religion and become an agnostic. The > and suffered greatly. Mirza J:Iusayn became religious leaders to whom the Navvab had > ill and passed away there, thereby becoming turned to guide the young man had failed. > the first Baha' i to be buried on that island. He therefore wrote to Jamal Effendi and > In 1888, Jamal Effendi set out for ' Akk:a invited him to his seat, sending some digniwith two new believers, one a hatter and the taries to welcome and escort him to Rampur. > other an engraver, and a child named Bashir At a meeting arranged for the purpose and > who served him . However, he had been in attended by the young man's friends and > Baha' u' llah 's presence but a short time companions, Jamal Effendi entered into diswhen the Blessed Beauty dispatched him cussion with him, using the Socratic method > once again back to India. Thus in that same of question and answer. He proved his point > year, on 20 March, Jamal Effendi sailed to so convincingly that the man's friends all > India, this time attended by J:Iaji Faraju 'llah- confessed the truth of Jamal Effendi ' s posii-Tafrishi. He resumed his travels there, tion. The young man, however, felt humiligoing to places he had not visited previously, ated and enraged and wrote a letter to Jamal > such as Java, Siam, Singapore, Kashmir, Effendi saying, "In retaliation for what you > Tibet, Yarkand, Kokand and Russian Turki- have done, I shall spread far and wide your > stan. He taught souls everywhere and in Java reputation as a Babi so that all may arise to > particularly was able to attract several of the oppose and persecute you." Jamal Effendi > rulers and dignitaries. replied: "My friend, should you keep your > These travels took a year and six months word and make me known as a Babi, I shall > during which he suffered much hardship. be deeply grateful to you and reward you > His feet were fro zen and wounded from with a costly Kashmir shawl." > travelling in the snowy mountains between > Kashmir and Tibet. At one point, he lost all 1 Bal yuzi, 1-1.M . Eminent Bahti 'is in the Time of > his belongings, books and Tablets when they Balui 'u 'l/rih (Oxford: George Ronald, 1985), p. 124. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1117 > > Jamril Effendi, standing in back row fourth from left (with white beard), with friends in > Egypt including the Hand of the Cause Mirza Mu~ammad Taqi (seated seventh from right). > > Another story tells how Jamal Effendi the Cause and were deepened in it by Mirza > taught the Faith to 6,000 people in Mandalay, MaJ:iram. > Burma. Because they were not yet ready for Jamal Effendi, after twenty years of conit, he did not disclose to them that Bahci'u- tinually teaching the Faith in India and its > 'llah had established a new Dispensation. neighboring countries, returned to the Holy > Thus, although they acknowledged the truth Land, about five years after Bahci'u'llah's > ofBaha'u'llah's Message, they continued to ascension. Some time later, 'Abdu'l-Baha enpractice Islamic laws and rituals. After trusted him with another important mission. > Jamal Effendi had left India, 'Abdu' l-Baha Shortly before the ascension of Baha'u'llah, > sent Mirza MaJ:iram, another great teacher, two outstanding believers, Hand of the Cause > to Mandalay, where he announced to the J:Iaji Akhund and the Trustee ofJ:Iuququ'llah > people the independent character of the Faith J:Iaji Amin, were imprisoned in Qazvin. The > and told them of its laws. Nearly two-thirds Prime Minister at the time, Aminu's-Sultan, > of the believers were so agitated that they was sympathetic to their plight, realized the > rejected the Faith entirely and even tried to injustice of their imprisonment and made > put Mirza MaJ:iram to death. Had it not been kind remarks about them. Baha'u'llah was > for the interference of a British police pleased at this and, according to 'Abdu ' lofficer, the mob would have succeeded in Baha, said, > killing him. The policeman, a Christian, > Should someone go to Persia, and manasked Mirza MaJ:iram what he had said so to > age to convey it, this message must be > inflame the crowd. He replied, "I said the > delivered to Aminu 's-Sul{an: you took > same thing that Christ said in His day." 1 > steps to help the prisoners; you freely > Nevertheless, the remaining 2,000 embraced > rendered them a befitting service; this > service will not be forgotten . Rest assured > Taherzadeh, Adib. The Revelation of Bah a 'u 'I/ah, that it will bring you honor and call > Mazra 'ih and Bahji: 1877- 92 (Oxford: George > Ronald, 1987), p.184. > down a blessing upon all your affairs. 0 > 1 118 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Aminu 's-Sul{an! Every house that is addressing the Khan he said: "! had > raised up will one day fall to ruin, except given up hope. If this longing is fulfilled, > the house of God; that will grow more I will arise to serve; I will preserve and > massive and be better guarded day by uphold the friends of God. " ... > day. Then serve the Court of God with all Jn brief, the Minister pledged himself > your might, that you may discover the to serve the friends, and Sulayman Khan > way to a home in Heaven, and found an took his leave. The Minister then desired > edifice that will endure forever. " 1 to give him a sum of money to defray the > expenses of his journey, but Sulayman > Some years later, Aminu's-Sultan once > Khan refused, and despite the Minister's > again was able to aid one of the Baha' i > insistence, would accept nothing. The Khan > teachers, Siyyid Asadu'llah-i-Qumi, and gave > had not yet reached the Holy Land on > him sanctuary at a time of severe persecuhis return journey when Aminu 's-Sul{an > tion. Shortly thereafter he lost favor with the > was recalled from exile and immediately > Shah and was exiled to another town. > summoned to the Premiership again. He > 'Abdu'l-Baha took the opportunity to fulfill > assumed the position and functioned with > His Father's wishes by sending Jamal > full authority; and at first he did indeed > Effendi to deli ver a "prayer and missive" to > support the believers, but toward the > Aminu 's-Su l!an. > end, in the case of the Yazd martyrdoms, > The prayer besought God's aid and he was neglectful. He neither helped nor > bounty and succor for the fallen Minister, protected the sufferers in any way, nor > so that he might, from that corner of would he listen to their repeated pleas, > oblivion, be recalled to favor. Jn the letter until all of them were put to death. > we clearly stated: "Prepare to return to Accordingly he too was dismissed, a > Tihran. Soon will God's help arrive; the ruined man. 2 > light of grace will shine on you again; > Jamal Effendi returned to 'Akka, where > with full authority again, you will find > before long he passed away on 9 November > yourselffree, and Prime Minister. This is > 1898 (24 Jamadiyu'!!!-Thani 1316 A.H.). He > your reward for the efforts you exerted on > is buried in 'Akka and the inscription on > behalf of a man who was oppressed. " ... > his gravestone, revealed by 'Abdu'l-Baha, > From Tihran, Sulayman Khan journeyed > reads: > to Qum, and according to his instructions > went to live in a cell in the shrine of the Jamali 'd-Din, the renowned traveller in > Immaculate .... Sulayman Khan inquired every region, the disseminator of the > after the fallen Minister and expressed fragrance of the love of God, has become > the wish to meet him. a tra veller in God's domains which are > When the Minister learned of this, he sent hidden from the eyes of those who are > for Sulayman Khan. Placing all his trust shut out as by a veil. D. 1316 A.H. > in God, Sulayman Khan hastened to the > Minister 's house and, meeting him in > Other Sources: > private, presented the letter from 'Abdu 'l- - Sulayrnanii, 'Azizu'll ah. Ma~l1bi(1-i-Hidayat , > Baha. The Minister rose, and received vol. 8 (Tihran: Baha'i Publishing Trust, BE I 30, > the letter with extreme respect. Then [AD 1973]). > > 1 2 > 'Abdu ' I-Baba. Memorials, p. I 36. ibid. , pp . I 37-38. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS > > 5. THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE: > AGRICULTURE AND THE PROMISE OF PEACE > > PAUL HANLEY > > THE vision of a "peaceable Kingdom" has long been an impelling human aspiration > generating rich literary and artistic expression, fueling secular ideologies and pervading > faith and scripture. Often, descriptions of an ideal future are replete with bucolic imagery of > agricultural bounty. This agrarian conception of God's Kingdom was eloquently voiced by > Isaiah, 1 whose prophecy anticipates the conflux of a future peace and an effective, just and > sustainable agriculture. > This prophetic theme is continued and developed in the Baha'i Writings. In the Tablet of > the World, Baha' u' llah clearly established the importance of agriculture in His World Order: > Whilst in the Prison of 'Akkci, We revealed in the Crimson Book that which is conducive > to the advancement of mankind and the reconstruction of the world. The utterances set > forth therein by the Pen of the Lord of Creation include the following which constitute the > fundamental principles for the administration of the affairs of men .... The first four principles given were the promotion of the lesser peace, the adoption of a universal auxiliary > language, adherence to that which will promote fellowship, kindliness and unity, and universal > education. Continuing with the fifth principle, Baha'u ' llah stated: Special regard must be > paid to agriculture. Although it hath been mentioned in the fifth place, unquestionably it > precedeth the others. 2 > That agriculture should be placed "unquestionably" first among these "fundamental > principles for the administration of affairs of men ," which are "conducive to the advancement of mankind and to the reconstruction of the world," is remarkable. In it is grounded the > quest for peace, no longer a pious dream but intrinsically linked with the concrete task of > human development. > Baha'u' llah 's statement demands a broad definition of the term agriculture; not farming > alone, but agriculture in the fullest sense with economic, social, and spiritual connotations > referring to the food and agricultural system as a whole. He leads us to conclude that the > development of sustainable agriculture will play a leacling role in the process of peacemaking itself, and that the outcome of this process will be an economic, social and > administrative order guided to a great extent by its agricultural priorities. > Aside from Baha'u'llah's emphatic statement in the Tablet of the World, there are few > specific references to agricu lture in the Writings. Nevertheless, a survey of the Writings > yields much that is relevant to a study of agriculture and related concerns. Furthermore, the > agriculturalist sees in the basic tenets of the Faith the preconditions for successful agricultural development. > A reflection, then, on the general principles of the Faith as they apply to agriculture is > presented prior to consideration of ideas specifically related to agricultural concerns. > > Isaiah , 2:4; 11: 1-9. the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, > Baha ' u ' llah, Tablets of8al11i'u'l/ah revealed after 1978), pp. 89-90. > > Adapted from an article publi shed in The Journal of Balza 'i Studies, May 1990. > 1120 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > A. THE PRECONDITIONS FOR > SUCCESSFUL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT > The Baha'i approach to any major question-whether related to the economic, political, or > social order, to health, education or social services, to the a1is or to agriculh1re-is by definition wholistic, recognising not only the integrity of the human species but also the coherence > of the physical and spiritual dimensions of creation. For a Baha'i, no problem can be solved > in isolation as none is isolated. The agricultural question is a prime example. > Successful development requires a world view and institutions which reflect a profound > understanding of who we are and why we are living here and now. Humans have been > placed by the Creator at a point between the material and spiritual dimensions of His Creation. Our role on the planet is to be its consciousness, to bring the Kingdom of God to eaiih > and to establish its good order. The Revelation of Baha'u'llah defines the requirements, > establishes the processes, and illuminates the qualities and values required in the shaping of > a new order which is at once the goal and the means of transforming its constituent systems. > The animating, pivotal principle of the World Order ofBaha'u'llah is unity. Three facets > of the principle- unity embraces all of creation, the material and spiritual requirements for > life are interconnected, and personal and socia l responsibility must be balanced-greatly > influence the development process as we work to build a new order with a renewed > agriculture sector. > > Unity embraces all of creation > The principle of unity has far-reaching implications. It causes us to widen our perception > of ourselves, our human relationships and our relationships with nature. "The essential oneness of all the myriad forms and grades of life" wrote Esslemont "is one of the fundamental > teachings ofBaha'u'llah." 1 The Baha'i view of unity, embracing the whole of creation, is the > paradigm for our age. The acceptance of the paradigm in the collective consciousness is the > key to development both in peace and in man/nature co-evolution. > The first and most important stage in the unity paradigm is acknowledgment of the unity > of the human race . ... until the minds of men become united, 'Abdu' l-Baha stated, no important matter can be accomplished. 2 In fact, Baha'u' llah wrote, ... th e áwell-being of mankind, > its p eace and security are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established. 3 > Disunity explains most of our modern fa ilures in agriculhIIe- our failure to ensure > universal nourishment or to adequately husband natural resources such as soil and forests. > Unbridled nationalism, racism, sexism, and religious animosity allow small groups of > people to wantonly devour the lion's share of the eatih's bounty. Greed for power and profit > bear a large measure of responsibility for the misappropriation of resources. Poverty and > hunger intensify as a powerful elite grows fat yet remains unfulfilled. This desire to conháol > and profit from others is reflected in our attitude towards nature. > The light of unity can eclipse divisive prejudices and nurture the human solidarity that > alone can support a foundation for peace and development. An acceptance of the oneness of > > Esslemont, John E, Bahit 'u '//Ith and the New Em 3 Bahil'u'llah, Gleani11gsfro111 the Writings of > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publi shing Trust, l 980), p. IOI. Bahit 'u 'I/Ith (W ilmette: Baha'i Publ ish in g Tru st, > 2 'Abdu'l -Baha, Selections from the Writings of l 976), p. 286. > 'A bdu '/-Bahit (Haifa: Ba ha'i World Centre, 1978), > p. 297. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1121 > mankind makes not only right social relationships possible but also our relationship to the > earth, whose resources, Shoghi Effendi wrote, " ... dissipated and wasted on war, whether > economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human > inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind ... " 1 > > The material and spiritual requirements for life are interconnected > The struggle of humanity toward the Kingdom of God on earth necessitates the infusion of > spirit into every facet of our being. "From the beginning of His stupendous mission," stated > the Universal House of Justice, "Baha'u' llah urged upon the attention of nations the necessity of ordering human affairs in such a way as to bring into being a world unified in all > aspects of its life. In unnumbered verses and tablets He repeatedly and variously declared > the 'progress of the world' and the ' development of nations' as being among the ordinances > of God for this day. The oneness of mankind, which is at once the operating principle and > the ultimate goal of His Revelation, implies the dynamic coherence between the spiritual > and practical requirements of life on earth." 2 > Recognition of the spiritua l dimension of life is a condition of continued material > existence, just as the material requirements of living are conditions for the manifestation of > the human spirit. Our civilization as a whole, however, is increasingly preoccupied with the > material; the gods of wealth and power have seduced society and left it deadened. The possibility of there being spiritual remedies for social ills is not part of peoples' world view. > Commenting on this malaise, Baha ' u'llah described the current state of humanity: > Witness how the world is being ajjlicted with a fresh calamity eve1y day, its tribulation is > continually deepening ... 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. 3 But this > tribulation is a signal, an antecedent to awakening spirituality. "Adversity, prolonged, > worldwide, affl ictive, allied to chaos and universal destruction, must needs convulse the > nations, stir the conscience of the world , disillusion the masses." And, wrote the Guardian, > "precipitate a radical change in the very conception of society ... " 4 > The new World Order which will arise will feature the broad acceptance of the coherence > of material and spiritual requirements of life, acceptance of which is a prerequisite for > successful agricultural development. > > Personal and social responsibilities must be balanced > The development process succeeds to the extent that it resounds within the individual; the > Kingdom must be found within and brought out into the world. Thus personal and societal > transformation are an harmonic pair; progress results from a new way of living individually > and collectively. The Baha'i Faith, the Universal House of Justice wrote, "does not comprise > a series of specific answers to current problems, but rather the illumination of an entirely > new way of life. Without this way of life the problems are insoluble; with it they will either > > Shoghi Effendi , Call lo the Nations: Extractsji"Oln Th e Baha'i Wo rld, vol. XIX ( 1983- 1986), (Haifa: > the writings ofShoghi Effendi (Haifa: Baha ' i World Baha ' i World Centre, 1994). p. 346. > Centre, 1977), p. 56. 3 Gleanings, pp. 39-40. > Universal House of Justice in a letter to the Baha'is Shoghi Effendi, Th e Promised Day is Come (Wi lof the World dated 20 October 1983. Published in mette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 196 1), p. 127. > 1122 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > not arise, or if they arise, can be resolved ... " 1 The new way of life aims to educe individual > potential and ensure that our contributi on-through our skills and labor, our organizational > abilities, our efforts for education or science, or in whatever field of expertise-will render > service to society. > " ... as the Baha'i community grows it will acquire experts in numerous fields," the > Universal House of Justice wrote. " ... As these experts bring their knowledge and skill to > the service of the community, and even more, as they transform their various disciplines by > bringing to bear upon them the light of the Divine Teachings, problem after problem now > disrupting society wi ll be answered." 2 For this reason a Baha' i approach to development > assigns great imp01iance to the expansion of awareness and the cultivation of virtues, and to > the design and implementation of systems supportive of the attainment of spiritual maturity. > It is clear, then, that a spiritual orientation is necessarily the starting point in the development process in general and within each field of human endeavor specifically. It is > particularly pertinent to the study of agriculture because sustainable agriculture is fundamental to solidarity and world order. A spiritual focus includes the recognition of a new > unity paradigm, of the confluence of material and spiritual requirements for life, and of the > need for a balance of individual and social respo nsibility for change. With these preconditions in mind we can begin to consider specific aspects of Baba' i approach to agriculture. > > B. PRINCIPLES FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: > A SURVEY OF THE WRITINGS > Baha'u' llah's remarkable statement that agriculture precedes even the promotion of the > Lesser Peace as a priority in establishing world order reinforces the essential connection > of development and peace. This is further emphasised by 'Abdu' l-Baha, Who said in His > public talks concerning universal peace and order that .. . the fundam ental basis ofcommunity > is agriculture, 3 and that .. . the peasant class and the agricultural class exceed other classes > in the importance of their service. 4 > There are at least three reasons for the emphasis on agricu lture as the foundation of social > order. The first is obvious: although we don't live by bread alone, each of us needs food first > and foremost- before clothing, shelter, or television! Religion calls us to pay attention to > what is essentia l as opposed to what is not. Special regard should be given to ass ure that all > have a diet suffic ient to nourish full physical and mental well-being- in preference to > current economic imperatives, such as the production of armaments or frivolous consumer > items. > Second, the agricultural sector plays a significant role in any economy. Although as few > as two percent of populations are engaged in farm ing as an occupation in industrial nations, 5 > as many as twenty-five percent work in the agricultura l sector in production and distribution > of food, of farm supp li es and mach inery, marketing, transportation, food sales and handling, > advertising, finance, and so on-many more if food handling at home is included. (Economists speculate that one in four devoted themselves to food gathering as far back as the > Stone Age-it seems that some things never change.) In most Third World countries a > > 1 3 > Un ive rsa l House of Just ice, letter to the Na ti ona l 'Abdu ' l-Ba ha, Foundations of World Unity : com- > Spiritual Assembly o f the United States dated piled from Addresses and Tablets of 'Abdu '1-Balui > 21 July 1968. (Wilmette: Baha ' i Pu bli shing Trust, 1979), p. 37. > 2 4 > Uni versa l House of Ju stice, Letter to an individual ibid ., p. 39. > dated2 1 August1977. 5 Production Yearbook. vo l. 35 . Rome: Food and > > Agricu lture Organi zation. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1123 > > Students in the New Era Development Institute 's Community Development Facilitator > Course help Chikali women in Maharashtra, India, plant rice in the fields. The purpose was > to have the students experience rural life with their fellow Baha 'is. August 1991 . > > Members of the Baha'i community of Caserta, Italy, planting acorn seedlings on a hill as an > environmental project to enhance their city. 15 March 1987. > 1124 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > majority are directly employed in farm work. The figure is forty-four percent world-wide. 1 > Those not directly employed in the food industry, of course, allocate a sizable portion of their > income to food. The point is that everyone, not only the producer, has a high stake in the > success of the agricultural system. > Third, food has tremendous cultural significance. Our most basic human relationshipsmother to babe, parent/child, gatherings of family or friends , national, religious, or ethnic > feasts and festivals-all have nurturing through food at their center. A lso, because of the > driving need to eat we can all understand and empathise with hunger. Food and agriculture, > then, have a profound symbolic power which can be a unifying force. > Despite these factors , which should establish food production at the centre of social concern, our perception of its importance has decreased as our capacity to produce it has grown. > One farmer with modern technology can now produce enough food for fifty people. This > increases the population of non-producers, who migrate to towns and cities where they lose > touch with the land and become alienated from production. They perceive cheap food to be a > right but feel little responsibility for farm viabi lity, farm prices, or resource conservation. > Because of their majority and their administrative and economic influence, their concerns > override others and agriculture is impoverished. > The Baha' i approach resolves the modern rural/urban split by emphasising the centrality > of agriculture for all of society. The perceived division between urban and rural is repaired > as the two become mutually supportive, an advocatory rather than antagonistic relationship: > the rural nurtures the city which in tum provides full support for a vital rural community. > This strong support for agriculture, rural life, and respect for the producing class suggests > that a new order would act to halt rural-to-urban migration and to maintain a large and > healthy rural population. > > Justice, equity, and world order > Our civilization's problems, including agricu ltural problems, arise from defects in its prevail ing order. The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, wrote > Bah a 'u ' llah, and the strife that divides and afflicts the human race is daily increasing. Th e > signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing > order appears to be lamentably defective.2 The major defect in the present world order is its > inherent injustice and inequity on the personal, local , national, and international fronts: > Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and Equity groaneth beneath the yoke of > oppression. 3 > Food is a material need, and Baha'u'llah stated clearly that justice is the key to satisfying > material needs: The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men .... Were > mankind to be adorned with this raiment, they would behold the day-star of the utterance, > 'On that day God will satisfj; everyone out of His abundance, 'shining resplendent above the > horizon of the world. 4 > 'Abdu'l-Baha identifies tyranny-which might be defined in this context as the inequitable allocation of land and other food producing resources in order to benefit a minority > (individual, state, or corporate) at the expense of the majority-as responsible for much > > 3 Gleanings, p. 92 . > ibid. > World Order of Baha 'u 'I/ah. Selected Letters by Tablets of Baha 'u 'I/a h, pp.66-67. > Shoghi Effendi (W ilmette : Baha'i Publi shing Trust, > 1974), p. 32. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1125 > > human misery: When we see poverty allowed to reach a condition of starvation, He said, it > is a sure sign that somewhere we shall find tyranny. 1 > Equity is parallel with justice. It is ... the most fundamental among human virtues, > Baha'u'llah wrote. The evaluation of all things must needs depend upon it. 2 Equity as > applied to agriculture might be defined as a fair sharing of production and, more importantly, of food producing resources. The objective of an equitable agricultural policy must be > to increase not production but the inclusiveness of productivity and the sharing of production. > > Globalism and decentralization > The Writings call for the establishment of a just world community. At present, the connections that exist in the world are material connections-transnational systems of commerce, > trade, communication, et cetera. These connections are shaped by the ethics of power, profiteering, colonialism, and production based on exploitation of people and resources. The role > of spiritually informed people at this time is to contribute to a planet united in justice, equity, > and real co-operation as expressed by the Guardian: > > The unity of the human race, as envisioned by Baha ' u'llah, implies the establishment of a > world commonwealth .... This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualise it, consist > ofa world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws > as shall be required to regulate life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all > races and peoples .... The economic resources of the world will be organised, its sources > of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilised, its markets will be coordinated and > developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated .... Destitution > on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear .... 3 > > The implications of this paragraph are so far-reaching that a few of its phrases bear > repeating: " .. . a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the who le of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of the component nations .... " That is, use of the > air, land and sea will all fall under an international system of law. And these law-makers, > " ... the trustees of the whole of mankind ... will enact such laws as shall ... satisfy the needs > and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples .... " This is a very new and exciting concept of the sharing of natural resources. > This idea of globalism," .. .repudiates excessive centralization on one hand, and disclaims > all attempts at uniformity on the other. Its watchword is unity in diversity .... " 4 > A global approach is required for a healthy food and agriculture system, unlike the > current system which is subject to practices wh ich undercut national and local self-reliance. > The foundation of a Baha'i commonwealth will be mature, self-reliant localities with a solid > agrarian base. > > Interdependence and self-reliance > Globalism and decentralization correspond to interdependence and self-reliance, qualities > required to build good order. The Writings suggest an economy based first on individual and > > 1 2 > 'Abdu '1 -Baha, Paris Talks: Addresses given by Gleanings, p. 203 . > 'Abdu'l-Balui in Paris in 1911-1912 (London: 3 World Order, pp. 203-204. > Baha' i Publi shing Trust, 1979), p.1 53. ibid ., p. 42. > 1126 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > and family, local and national self-reliance, paired with a sophisticated interdependence on > the global, national and local levels. To help us visualize a Baha'i social order, 'Abdu'l- > Baha used a number of organic (purposely non-mechanistic?) analogies-the family, the > human body, a garden. 1 His analogy of the household conesponds to the concept of oikos > (literally household), the root of the words ecology and economy. 2 Ecology deals with the > relationships between organisms and their environment, while economy in this context can > refer to regulation and management of relationships in order to assure the well-being of both > pa1t and whole. Using this analogy we can view economics then as management of > resources for the benefit of whole communities, rather than competition in a struggle to > capture wealth for individuals, a ruling class, or a state monopoly. > The Writings outline a new economic order in skeletal fom1, which will be fleshed out > under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice. > > 1. Economic conditions are reflections of spiritual conditions; thus the ultimate economic > solutions to problems lie in spiritual transfmmation. > We ask God to endow human souls with justice so that they may be fair, and may strive to > provide for the comfort of all, that each member of humanity may pass his life in the > utmost comfort and welfare. Then this material world will become the very paradise of > the Kingdom, this elemental earth will be in a heavenly state and all the servants of God > will live in the utmost joy, happiness and gladness. We must all strive and concentrate all > our thoughts in order that such happiness may accrue to the world ofhumanity. 3 > > 2. Ownership of the means of production and tenure of land will take a variety of fom1s. > Entirely new systems, or those little used or known, may be employed. Private ownership is > safeguarded, but state ownership or control will also have a role to play. That Certain trustees will be elected by the people in a given village to look after these [economic] > transactions 4 suggests one new path the future will follow. > In reality, so far great injustice has befallen the common people. Laws must be made > because it is impossible for the laborers to be satisfied with the present system. They will > strike every month and every year. Finally, the capitalists will lose .... In the Bolshevistic > principles equality is effected through force. The masses who are opposed to the people > of rank and to the wealthy class desire to partake of their advantages. But in the divine > teachings equality is brought about through a ready willingness to share .... This equality > is the result of the lofty characteristics and noble attributes of mankind.5 > > 3. Although our vision must be world-embracing, the initial stage of economic reconstruction is at the local level, begi1ming with agricultural reform. > First and foremost is the principle that to all the members of the body politic shall be > given the greatest achievements of the world of humanity. Each one shall have the utmost > welfare and well-being. To solve the problem we must begin with the faimer; there we > will lay a foundation for system and order because the peasant class and the agricultural > class exceed other classes ill the importance of their service. 6 > > ibid. 4 ibid., p. 40. > 2 Foundations, pp. 38--43. 5 ibid 'p. 44. > 3 ibid., p. 43. 6 ibid. , p. 39. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1127 > > 4. Village reconstruction will involve the establishment of a central community institution, termed the "general storehouse" or "House of Finance," directed by a democratically > elected council of trustees responsible for the allocation of resources and services. > Jn every village there must be established a general storehouse which will have a number > of revenues. > The first revenue will be that of the tenth or tithes. > The second revenue (will be derived) from the animals. > The third revenue, from the minerals, that is to say, every mine prospected or discovered, > a third thereof will go to this vast storehouse. > The fourth is this: whosoever dies without leaving any heirs all his heritage will go to the > general storehouse. > Fifth, if any treasures shall be found on the land they should be devoted to this > storehouse. > All these revenues will be assembled in this storehouse. > As to the first, the tenths or tithes: we will consider a farmer, one of the peasants. We will > look into his income. We will find out, for instance, what is his annual revenue and also > what are his expenditures. Now, if his income be equal to his expenditures, from such a > farmer nothing whatever will be taken. That is, he will not be subjected to taxation of any > sort, needing as he does all his income. Another farmer may have expenses running up to > one thousand dollars we will say, and his income is two thousand dollars. From such an > one a tenth will be required, because he has a surplus .... > Then there must be considered such emergencies as follows: a certain farmer whose > expenses run up to ten thousand dollars and whose income is only five thousand, he will > receive necessary expenses from the storehouse. Five thousand dollars will be allotted to > him so he will not be in need. > Then the orphans will be looked after, all of whose expenses will be taken care of The > cripples in the village-all their expenses will be looked after. The poor in the villagetheir necessary expenses will be defrayed. And other members who for valid reasons are > incapacitated-the blind, the old, the deaf-their comfort must be looked after. Jn the > village no one will remain in need or in want ... > Certain trustees will be elected by the people in a given village to look after these transactions. The farmers will be taken care of and if after all these expenses are defrayed any > surplus is found in the storehouse it must be transferred to the national treaswy. > For larger cities, naturally, there will be a system on a larger scale. Were J to go into that > solution the details thereof would be ve1y lengthy. 1 > > 5. Farmer workers, indeed all workers, should receive a fair share of profits accrued as a > result of their labor. > ... the owners of properties, mines and factories should share their incomes with their > employees and give a fairly certain percentage of their products to their workingmen in > order that the employees may receive, beside their wages, some of the general income of > the factory so that the employee may strive with his soul in the work. 2 > > I ibid., pp. 39-41. 2 ibid., p. 43. > 1128 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > 6. Baha'u ' llah allows the charge of a reasonable rate of interest: > ... it is lawful and proper to charge interest on money .. . However, this is a matter that > should be p racticed with moderation and fairness. Our Pen of Glo1y hath, as a token > of wisdom and for the convenience of the people, desisted from laying down its limit. > Nevertheless We exhort the loved ones of God to observe justice and fairness, and to do > that which would prompt the friends of God to evince tender mercy and compassion > toward each other ... 1 > This provision eases the tremendous burden of hi gh interest on debts which now faces > fa rmers world-wide, and also encourages a more inclusive system of credit. > > 7. Instructions on inheritance recommend a wide dispersal of property within and also > outside of the fam ily of the deceased; thi s will also aid in limiting concentration of land > ownership. > We ha ve divided inheritance into seven categories: to the children, We have allotted nine > parts comprising five hundred and forty shares; to the wife, eight parts comprising four > hundred and eighty shares; to the father ... ; to the mother ...; to the brothers .. .; to the > sisters .. .; and to the teachers .... 2 > > 8. Redi stribution of wealth wi ll be carried forward in international relations. As quoted > before, > The economic resources of the world will be organised, its sources of raw materials wi ll > be tapped and fully utili sed, its markets wi ll be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products wi ll be equitably regulated. 3 > Equitable patterns of trade, finance, and production will mean maj or change for food and > agricu lture systems that now bear colonial patterns which virtua lly assure poverty in the > underdeve loped countries and the accumulation of wealth in the industri al world. > > Science, technology, and moderation > Perhaps the most obvious trend in agri cultu re today is its growing mechanization . Farming > increas ingly copies the industrial model. The Baha' i approach promotes modernization to > the extent that the application of technology actually aids in the task of nourishing people > wh il e conserving resources for future generations. The adoption of modern technology, > however, usually outpaces the development of the social structures required to cope with the > consequences of mechani zati on whi ch cause dislocation of the farm population and an everintensified stress on the resource base. These problems are addressed in the Writings. > Achieving a sustainable society is centra l to life's purpose: All men have been created to > can y forward an ever-advancing civilization.4 The impl ications for agriculture of this ethic > are far-reaching; poor husbandry is w itho ut parallel in its destructi veness of so il and fo rests > and an ethic which prioritizes conservation will drastically alter farm practice. Baha' u' llah > states that one purpose of His laws is to protect the earth : Each one of the ordinances We > have revealed is a mighty stronghold fo r the preservation of the world of being. 5 The > > 1 3 World Order, p. 204. > Tablets of Baha '11 '//Gh , pp. 133- 134. > 2 4 Gleanings, p. 2 14. > Baha ' u' ll ah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas (Ha ifa: Ba ha'i > 5 Tablets, p. 69. > World Centre, 1992), p. 26. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1129 > > Guardian, himself a supporter of conservation efforts, states that the tasks of "protection > physical world and heri tage future generations .. . constitute yet another force working for > peace and brotherhood." 1 > Foreseeing the potential consequences of the technical/scientific revol ution, Baha'u ' llah > warned of its dangers and presented a principle of moderation to guide modernization: > The civilization, 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. Th us warneth > you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a > source of evil as it had been ofgoodness when kept within the restraints of moderation ... > All other things are subject to the same principle of moderation. 2 > Negative aspects of growth and modernization occur when science is divorced from the > moderating influence of true religious values. (Humanity) cannot fly with one wing alone. If > it tries with the wing of religion alone it will land in the slough of superstition, and if it tries > to fly with the wing of science alone it will end in the dreary bog of materialism, 3 in the > words of 'Abdu'l-Baha. > With the love of God all sciences are accepted and beloved, but without it, are fruitless; > nay, rather the cause of insanity. Every science is like unto a tree; if the fruit of it is the > love of God, that is a blessed tree. Otherwise it is dried wood and finally a food for fire. 4 > A Baba 'i approach will see agricultural science redirected to goals of nourishment, fulfilment, and permanence from those of profit, power, and production at any cost. > > A right relationship to the earth > As has been stated, the Baha'i approach suggests a paradigm of unity embracing all of > creation. The separateness of man from nature which is seen in modern agriculture must be > reconsidered in this light. The Writings provide valuable insights on this complex problem, > suggesting that a right relationship is threefold, involving attitudes of humility, unity, and > detachment. > First, we are called upon to honor creation and to humble ourselves before it. The earth > is itself a revealer of God. > Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is a direct evidence of the revelation within it of the attributes and the names of God, inasmuch as within every atom are > enshrined the signs that bear eloquent testimony to the revelation of the Most Great > Light. 5 > Again and again this theme of revelation through creation crops up in the Writings : "No > thing have I perceived, except that I perceive God within it, God before it, or God after it. "6 > Every man of discernment, while walking upon the earth feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his prosperity, his wealth, > his might, his exaltation, his advancement and power is, as ordained by God, the very > earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men. There can be no doubt that whoever > > 1 4 > Shoghi Effendi , Cabl e to the New Earth Luncheon, Baha'i World Faith (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing > London, England, dated May 23, 1951. Trust, 1976), p. 366. > Gleanings, pp. 341 -342. 5 > Gleanings, p. 177. > New Era, p. 2 I4. 6 > Baha'u'llah quoting Imam 'A li , ibid., p. 178. > 1130 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > A papaya farm in > Dzitya, Yucatan, > Mexico, which > Baha 'is are working > as a rural development > project; 1986. > > A piggery project > in Liancourt, Haiti, > conducted by the > local Baha'i community; 1987. - > > The Tahirih Farm > in Moissala, Chad, > initiated by the local > Bahti 'i community > as a social and economic development > project; 1989. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1131 > is cognisant of this truth, is cleansed and sanctified from all pride, arrogance, and vain > glmy. 1 > This attih1de of humility is not only important to our spiritual development but underscores the requirement to conserve nature in its wholeness. > Second, the essential unity of man and nature is both implied in the unity principle and > stated in several passages: > You are well aware, praise be the lord, that both interaction and cooperation are evident > and proven amongst all beings, whether large or small. !n the case of large bodies interaction is as manifest as th e sun, whilst in the case of small bodies, though interaction be > unknown, yet the part is an indication of the whole. All these interactions therefore are > connected with that all-embracing power which is their pivot, their centre, their source > and their motive power. 2 > In Some Answered Questions, 'Abdu'l-Baha described the mineral, plant, and animal as > possessing a spirit. 3 A mechanistic understanding of nahlfe is therefore inadequate; more > correct is a view of the earth as a whole, living organism. While this concept resembles > animism, it is more a balance of ancient wisdom and contemporary science. The picture is > completed as the world of the Manifestation is drawn into the image: ... all parts of the > creational world are of one whole .... All the parts are subordinate and obedient to the > whole. The contingent beings are the branches of the tree of life while the Messenger of God > is the root of that tree. 4 > Third, although we are taught to honor and live harmoniously with the earth, we are also > instrncted to become detached from the physical world. > Observe how darkness has overspread the world. !n every corner of the earth there is > strife, discord and wmfare of some kind. Mankind is submerged in the sea of materialism ... They have no thought beyond earthly possessions and manifest no desire save the > passions of this fleeting, mortal existence. Their utmost purpose is the attainment of material livelihood, physical comforts and worldly enjoyments such as constitute the > happiness of the animal world rather than the world of man. > The honor of man is through the attainment of the knowledge of God; his happiness is > from the love of God; his joy is in the glad tidings of God; his greatness is dependent > upon his servitude to God.... Although it is necessmy for man to strive for material needs > and comforts, his real need is the acquisition of the bounties of God... . While possessing > physical life, he should lay hold of the life spiritual, and together with bodily comforts > and happiness, he should enjoy divine pleasures and content. Then is man worthy of > the title man; then will he be after the image and likeness of God, for the image of the > Merci.fit! consists of the attributes of the heavenly Kingdom. 5 > Baha'u'llah bids us to meditate upon freedom from this nalTow world: Were ye to > discover the hidden, the shoreless oceans of My Incorruptible Wealth, ye would, of a > > Bahil'u'llah, Epi stle to the Son of the Wolf 4 Bahn 'i World Faith, p. 364. > (W ilmette : Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1988), p. 44. 5 'Abdu 'l-Ba ha, Promulgation of Universal Peace > 2 Bahn 'i World Faith, p. 345. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 335. > 3 'Abdu'l -Baha, Some Answered Questions > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1981), > p. 78; pp. 143- 144. > 1132 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > certainty, esteem as nothing the world, nay the entire creation.' However, "the world" is > clarified by Baha'u'llah: Know ye that by 'the world' is meant your unawareness of Him Who > is your Maker, and your absorption in aught else but Him. 2 This clarification is importantwe are not to despise the physical world, but to avoid a shallow perception of our station. > The Baha'i Writings harmonize elements of ancient and modem views of creation, overcoming unbalanced unity with or detachment from the world. The three-fold relationship of > man to nature spelled out in the Writings gives our work on the land a quality of worship. > > Agriculture and worship > The relationship between agriculture and worship is ancient. "Agriculture" means literally > the cultivation of fields , but behind the word "culture" is the Latin cultus and the Sanscrit > kwel, which means to dwell , to care, and to worship. From the word agriculture, then, we are > led to a deeply religious concept imbedded in language. , > In this Day, Baha 'u'llah has designated every kind of work as worship: It is enjoined on > every one ofyou to engage in some occupation, such as crafts, trades, and the like. We have > graciously exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God, the True > One. 3 'Abdu'l-Baha expanded the theme in a letter to a young friend : > Thy letter was received. Praise be to God it imparted the good news of thy health and > safety and indicated that thou art ready to enter into an agricultural school. This is highly > suitable. Strive as much as possible to become proficient in the science of agriculture for > in accordance with the Divine Teachings, the acquisition ofsciences and the perfection of > arts are considered as acts of worship. If 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. Thus as thou enterest a school ofagriculture and strives! in the > acquisition of that science thou art day and night engaged in acts of worship-acts that > are accepted at the threshold of the Almighty. What bounty greater than this that science > should be considered as an act of worship and art as service to the Kingdom of God. 4 > The acceptance of our work as worship depends on the quality, motivation, and direction > of our efforts. 'Abdu'l-Baha stated: .. .strive that your actions day by day may be beautiful > prayers. 5 And, ... all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fitllness of his heart is > worship, if it is promoted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This > is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people.6 Our work/worship > becomes worthy to the extent that we assume our responsibility for the land and to each > other by implementing sound husbandry in a just and sustainable food system. > > The role of women > The important role that women play in agriculture was stressed by 'Abdu ' l-Baha: Woman > must especially devote her energies and abilities toward the industrial and agricultural > sciences, seeking to assist mankind in that which is most needfit!. By this means she > will demonstrate capability and ensure recognition of equality in the social and economic > equation. 7 > > Gleanings, p. 323. Bahti 'i World Faith, pp. 377- 378. > 5 Paris Talks, p. 8 1. > ibid., p. 276. > 3 Tablets of Bahti 'u 'lltih, p. 26. 6 ibid ., p. 176. > 7 Promulgation, p. 283. > LITERARY AND MUSI CA L WORKS 1133 > > Emphasis on women's invo lvement in agriculture can be understood from at least three > points. First, women are in fac t the primary agricultural producers in much of the world. In > Africa, for example, women are responsible for eighty percent of agricultural production. 1 > One implication of this statistic is that agricultural development proj ects should focus on > women, rather than men and machines as is often the case now. > A second point is that equal opportunity and responsibility in the agricultural sector contributes to the sexual equality which is a precondition for the appearance of the Kingdom of > God on earth. Education is an important avenue for advancing women in agriculture and > 'Abdu ' l-Baha encouraged women to attend agricultural college. In the following quotation > He stressed again the importance of equality in educational opportunity and relates it to > development and peace: > [Bah a 'u 'llah] promulgated the adoption of the same course of education for man and > woman. Daughters and sons must follow the same curriculum of study, thereby promoting unity of the sexes. When all mankind shall receive the same opportunity of education > and the equality of men and women will be realized, the foundations of war will be utterly > destroyed. Without equality this will be impossible because all differences and distinctions are conducive to discord and strife ... .2 > Third, there is a need to stress qualities associated with "the feminine" in our relationships > to the land and with each other. Qualities of nurturance, intuition, empathy, caring, and identification with forces of productivity and fruition are needed in our agricultural work. > 'Abdu'l-Baha said, ... it is well established in history that where woman has not participated > in human affairs the outcomes have never attained a state of completion and perfection. On > the other hand, every influential undertaking of the human world wherein woman has been > a participant has attained importance. This is historically true and beyond disproof even > in religion.3 > > Exhortations and prohibition s > A number of the exhortations and prohibitions found in the Baha' i Writings will have an > effect on the agricultural sector. > > I. Kindness to animals is one principle which will have wide repercussions in the field of > animal husbandry. > 0 ye friends of God! Ye must not only have kind and merciful feelings for mankind, but > ye should also exercise the utmost kindness towards every living creature . .. . Educate the > children in their infancy in such a way that they may become exceedingly kind and merciful to animals. If an animal is sick they should endeavor to cure it; if it is hungry, they > should feed it; if it is thirsty, they should satisfy its thirst; if it is tired, they should give it > rest ... > This sympathy and kindness is one of the fundamental principles of the divine kingdom. 4 > His warnings in other places about the need for kindness even to the lower creatures will > have furth er repercussions on all aspects of our interaction with ecosystems. May Maxwell's > observations in this regard are interesting: '"Abdu'l-Baha said that we should always be kind > > Karl , Maril ee, Women in Development, I 983. 3 ibid., p. I 34. > Promulgation, p. I 75. 4 > Baha'i World Faith, pp. 373-374. > 1134 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > and merciful to every creature; that cruelty was sin and that the human race should never > injure any of God's creatures, but ought to be always careful to do nothing to diminish or > extem1inate any order of living thing .... " 1 > In this light we wi II have to redesign farm practice to avoid destruction of habitat and to > reduce or eliminate practices which are destructive to animal organisms. This thinking is in > keeping with ecological science which recognises the important role played by all levels of > creatures in the functioning of whole systems. > > 2. The change in human diet away from eating meat will have a deep impact on resource > allocation. Now, about one half of all grain protein is fed to livestock-a very inefficient use > of protein. In the future that grain will be available for human consumption. > As humanity progresses, meat will be used less and less, for the teeth of man are not carnivorous. For example, the lion is endowed with carnivorous teeth, which are intended > for meat, and if meat be not found, the lion starves ... The human teeth, the molars, are > formed to grind grain. The front teeth, the incisors, are for fruits, etc. It is, therefore, > quite apparent according to the implements for eating that man ls food is intended to be > grain and not meat. When mankind is more fitlly developed, the eating of meat will gradually cease. 2 > > 3. Adherence to just one paragraph from The Kitab-i-Aqdas will dramatically change > agricultural resource allocation: > Gambling and the use of opium have been forbidden unto you. Eschew them both, 0 > people, and be not of those who transgress. Beware of using any substance that induceth > sluggishness and torpor in the human temple and injlicteth harm upon the body. We, verily, > desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created > things, had ye but ears to hear. 3 > a. Speculation on land and agricultural commodities will be either moderated or eliminated in view of this injunction against gambling. > b. The prohibition on opium, marijuana, and other narcotics will release tremendous > resources for food production. (Now, marijuana is surpassed only by corn as a cash crop in > the United States.) > c. Similarly, the terrible waste of food for alcohol production will be eliminated. In the > future the fruit, grains and vegetables used in this industry will be available to feed > humanity. > > 4. The tobacco industry will be phased out as more and more people read this Tablet of > 'Abdu'l-Baha: > Among these latter is smoking tobacco, which is dirty, smelly, offensive-an evil habit, > and one the harmfulness of which gradually becometh apparent to all. Every qualified > physician hath ruled-and this hath also been proven by tests-that one of the > components of tobacco is a deadly poison, and that the smoker is vulnerable to many > and various diseases. This is why smoking hath been plainly set forth as repugnant ... .4 > > 1 3 > Maxwell , May , An Early Pilgrimage. (Oxford: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 75. > George Ronald, 1974) p. 29. Selections from the Writings of 'A bdu '/-Balui , > Promulgation, p. 170- 171. pp. 147- 148. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1135 > > C. CONCLUSION > In summary, agricultural development is a "fundamental principle" for the advancement of > mankind, linked to the establishment of the Most Great Peace. For this reason we are > instructed to give "special regard" to agriculh1ral development- development shaped by and > serving the spiritual causes of unity, justice and equity. The agricultural system must be > redesigned to ensure economic viability for producers in self-reliant communities. These > communities must then be seen as vital cells in a global organism founded on co-operative > interdependence. > We are asked to bring a spiritual sense to our agricultural work, to elevate it to a fom1 of > worship, and in the process to transform our inner lives to correspond to God's Will revealed > in Word and nature. We are asked to conduct our lives individually and collectively in such > fashion as to ensure a sustainable society by balancing technical and spiritual development. > We are given a vision of our relatedness to the earth but are called upon to take full responsibility for carrying forward an ever-advancing civilization. > How can we aid in this transformation? We can make every effort to allow the creative > influence of the Spirit to inform our thought, feeling, and action. We can pay full attention > to the consequences of what we do as we share in the bounty of the ea1ih and the work of > producers-when we pursue education and research, or as we work on the land. The task of > agricultural development cannot be carried out in isolation from the process of spiritual > development, recognising, as ' Abdu'l-Baha says, When the love of God is established, > everything else will be realized. 1 > As we witness in our time the failure of agriculture to meet even the basic need of > the people for nourishment and watch the continued decline of soil and other resources for > production, we can avoid despair and paralysis by remembering that the destiny that we > have been promised is approaching, and that while it may seem impossible in any significant > way to alleviate the growing suffering of humanity ... thanks to the unfailing grace of God, > the loving kindness of His favoured ones, the unrivalled endeavours of wise and capable > souls, and the thoughts and ideas of the peerless leaders of this age, nothing whatsoever > can be regarded as unattainable. 2 > > 1 2 > Pro11111/gatio11 , p. 239. 'Abdu' l-Baha quoted in World Order, p. 38 . > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 6. THE SPIRITUAL ROLE OF ART > LUDWIG TUMAN > > THE Baha'i Writings make numerous references to the arts, and from these references we > can attempt to glean a conception of the nature and ideal role of art. In this discussion, the > term "art" will be used broadly to refer to practices such as painting, poetry, dance, and > music, as well as to the design arts such as architecture, industrial design, and fashion > design. In addition, art is considered to encompass crafts such as pottery, stained-glass > setting, and rug-weaving. The following passages from the Writings refer to all kinds of art > and indeed apply to all skills and sciences as well. Regarding the nature of the arts and > sciences,' Abdu'l-Baha wrote: > What bounty greater than this that science should be considered as an act of worship and > art as service to the Kingdom of God. 1 > In this great dispensation, art (or a profession) is identical with an act of worship and > this is a clear text of the Blessed Pe1fection.2 > In one of his talks, 'Abdu' l-Baha stated: > ... In the Baha'i Cause arts, sciences and all crafts are (counted as) worship .... Briefly, > all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is > prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity.3 > That the a1is and sciences must be of benefit to humankind was emphasized by Baha'u'Ilah > in the Tablet ofMaq~ud: > Of all the arts and sciences, set the ch ildren to studying those which will result in advantage to man, will ensure his progress and elevate his rank. 4 > To learn the arts and sciences is "the greatest glory of mankind," but, as 'Abdu'l-Baha > explained, only when a certain condition is met: > Although to acquire the sciences and arts is the greatest glory of mankind, this is so only > on condition that man's river flow into the mighty sea, and draw from God's ancient > source His inspiration .... > ... By the one true God! If learning be not a means of access to Him, the Most Manifest, it > is nothing but evident loss. 5 > > 1 'Abdu '1-Baha in Paris in 1911 (London: Baha'i > ' Abdu ' l-Baha, Selections from th e Writings of > 'Abdu'l-Bal11i (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1978), Publishing Trust, 1969), pp . 176-77. > p. 145 . Baha'u ' ll ah, Tablets of Baha 'u "//ah revealed after > 2 Baha'i World Faith (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publi shing the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Haifa: Baha ' i World Centre, > Trust, 1956), p. 3 77. 1978), p. 168. > 3 5 Selections, p. 110. > 'Abdu' l-Baha, Paris Talks: Addresses Given by > > This artic le is a modifi ed version of one of twelve chapters in a book by the same author entitled Mirror of the > Divine: Ari in the Baha'i World Commun ity (Ox ford: George Ronald, 1993). > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1137 > > One of the gifts sent > from the Bahci 'is of > Alaska to the Bahci 'is > of Samoa for the > House of Worship in > Apia. > > The arts and sciences depend upon the pervasive grace of the Manifestation of God, > so much so that they owe their very existence and life to the Manifestation. To this effect, > Baha'u ' llah wrote: > The Sun of Truth is the Word of God upon which dependeth the education of those who > are endowed with the power of understanding and of utterance. It is the true spirit and > the heavenly water, through whose aid and gracious providence all things have been and > will be quickened. Its appearance in every mirror is conditioned by the colour of that mirror. For instance, when its light is cast upon the mirrors of the hearts of the wise, it > bringeth forth wisdom. In like manner when it manifesteth itself in the mirrors of the > hearts of craftsmen, it unfoldeth new and unique arts .... 1 > To the same effect, 'Abdu' l-Baha is quoted in Star of the West as having said: > The Divine Teachers have the innate Light; They have knowledge and understanding of > all things in the universe, the rest of the world receives its light from Them, and through > Them the arts and sciences are revived in each age. 2 > On another occasion, 'Abdu ' 1-Baha indicated that the radiance of the arts is but a reflection ofBaha'u'llah's divine and all-encompassing knowledge: Again among His signs is the > dawning sun ofHis knowledge, and the rising moon of His arts and skills ... .3 > > When in London, 'Abdu' l-Baha was reported to have sa id the following regarding the > influence of the Holy Spirit and the highest purpose of art: > All Art is a gift of the Holy Spirit. When this light shines through the mind of a musician, > it manifests itself in beautiful harmonies. Again, shining through the mind of a poet, it > is seen in fine poetry and poetic prose. When the Light of the Sun of Truth inspires the > > 1 2 > Baha'u'llah, previously untranslated Tablet, cour- Star of the West, The Baha 'i Magazine, vo l. XX II , > tesy of the Baha'i World Centre. no. 3 (June 193 1), p. 87. > Selections, p. 15. > 1138 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > mind of a painter, he produces marvellous pictures. These gifts are fulfilling their highest > purpose, when showing forth the praise of God. 1 > The principle that art is a form of worship is applied to a specific art form in the following > passage from 'Abdu' l-Baha: > I rejoice to hear that thou takest pains with thine art, for in this wonderful new age, art > is worship. The more thou strives! to perfect it, the closer wilt thou come to God. What > bestowal could be greater than this, that one's art should be even as the act of worshipping the Lord? That is to say, when thy fingers grasp the paint bntsh, it is as if thou wert > at prayer in the Temple. 2 > The idea that the arts have to do with the worship and glorification of God is also reflected > in a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice: > ... Our Sacred Writings confirm it [music] as one of the great arts by which mankind can > express its worship of God and joy in His creation ... It is from their [Baha 'i artists'] > desire to glorify God through their creative activities that new arts and sciences will gradually develop to enrich a new culture. 3 > > Running throughout the above passages like golden threads are three themes regarding > the nature and purpose of the arts and sciences. We might summarize them as follows: > All arts and sciences are for the worship and glorifi cation of God; the arts and sciences > should be a means of access to God; and arts and sciences should be of service to humankind. In reality, these are but different ways of saying the same thing. For in the Baha'i > teachings, the worship of God, the gaining of divine knowledge, and pure-hearted service to > humanity are inseparably woven together in the golden brocade of sp iritual growth. We saw > in a quotation above how 'Abdu'l-Baha equated worship with service. In the following > passages, moreover, Baha' u' llah reveals that the knowledge of God and access to God > depend upon one's deeds, upon one's observance of the divine teachings. Since the teachings are concerned with humankind 's spiritual and social well-being, to observe the > teachings is to render service: > The first Tajalli [Effulgence} which hath dawned from the Day-Star of Truth is the knowledge of God-exalted be His glory. And the knowledge of the King of everlasting days > can in no wise be attained save by recognizing Him Who is the Bearer of the Most Great > Name [Baha 'u 'llah} .... Attainment unto the Divine Presence can be realized solely by > attaining His presence .... True belief in God and recognition of Him cannot be complete > save by acceptance of tliat which He hath revealed and by observance of whatsoever hath > been decreed by Him and set down in the Book by the Pen of Glory. 4 > For man's knowledge of God cannot develop fully and adequately save by observing > whatsoever hath been ordained by Him and is set forth in His heavenly Book. 5 > > 1 compi lation prepared by the Research Department > Quoted in Blomfield, Lady, Th e Chosen Highway > (London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1940), p. 167. of the Universal House of Ju st ice. p. 2. > 2 "Extracts from the Writings and from the letters 3 Unpublished letter, dated 22 February 1980. > of the Guardian and the Universa l House of Justi ce Tab/els, p. 50. > 5 ibid., p. 268. > on the Arts and Architecture." Unpub li shed > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1139 > By emphasizing deeds, Baha'u' llah obliges the individual to make effort, to develop > personal potential, to grow spiritually toward the fulfillment of the purpose for which each > was created to know and to worship God . 1 In this li ght, all the foregoing appears to resolve > itself into one principle: the common, the most general and fundamental aim of the arts and > sciences, indeed of all human endeavors, however material or mundane they may seem, is to > foster spiritual growth. > > ART AS A MEANS OF ENNOBLEMENT > > Beyond this general principle, however, questions arise. How is God worshipped and glorified through the arts? How are the arts a means of access to God and a service to > humankind? How can the arts foster spiritual growth? > In the Baha'i teachings, the arts are associated with certain spiritual and educational roles > that have mystical, moral, and social facets. In one of his talks, 'Abdu'l-Baha was recorded > as saying, Music is an important means to the education and development of humanity .... > He immediately added: > ... but the only true way is through the Teachings of God. Music is like this glass .. .. and > the Teachings of God, the utterances of God, are like the water. When the glass or chalice > is absolutely pure and clear, and the water is perfectly fresh and limpid, then it will confer Life .... 2 > A conversation 'Abdu'l-Baha held with an actor, while in London, was described by a > believer as follows: > An actor mentioned the drama, and its influence. "The drama is of the utmost importance," said 'Abdu ' l-Baha. "It has been a great educational power in the past; it will be > so again." He described how as a young boy he witnessed the Mystery Play of ' Ali's > Betrayal and Passion, and how it affected him so deeply that he wept and could not sleep > for many nights. 3 > > The far-reaching implications of this statement seem worthy of consideration. For the > drama is not a single art form but usually a combination of two or more. Traditionally it can, > and in many parts of the world does, involve poetry or dramatic prose, dance, music, and > several auxi liary arts. Part of the "educational power" of such arts lies in their ability to > probe the significance and preserve the memory of important historical events, to reinforce > the divine teachings and exhortations, to demonstrate the consequences of obedience or > disobedience to spiritual law, and to reveal the human soul in action-the process of > spiritual growth. In short, such arts share with other arts the ability to impart an understanding of spiritua l reality, and this is one way they meet 'Abdu ' l-Baha's requirement that the > arts and sciences be "a means of access to Him, the Most Manifest." In so doing, they render > a service on a mystical plane; that is to say, they help strengthen the relation between > humanity and its heavenly king. > > In the Sho11 Obligatory Prayer, revealed by 2 > Bahri 'i Writings on Music. Comp. Research Depart- > Baha ' u ' ll ah, the believer recites: "! bear witness, O ment of the Universal House of Justice (London: > my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1973), p. 8. > and to worship Thee." (Bahri 'i Prayers, Wilmette: 'Abdu 'I-Bahri in London: Addresses and Notes of > Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 4. Conversations (London: Baha' i Pub li shing Trust, > 1982), p. 93. > 1140 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > Roya Aschari playing > the violin during > Art Forum '91, > organized by the > Baha'i Association for > the Arts and held at > De Poort, Netherlands. > > A further example of the service the arts can render on the mystical plane is given in > the following passage, in which 'Abdu'l-Baha refers to music as a means of helping to draw > the sou ls toward the radiant Source of divine love: > Thank thou God that thou art instructed in music and melody, singing with pleasant voice > the glorification and praise of the Eternal, the Living. I pray to God that thou mayest > employ this talent in prayer and supplication, in order that the souls may become quickened, the hearts may become attracted and all may become inflamed with the fire of the > love of God! 1 > However, on a moral plane, where the relation between artist and public is involved, another > kind of service comes to light. As expressed by the Universal House of Justice: > ... music, art, and literature ... are to represent and inspire the noblest sentiments and highest aspirations and shou ld be a source of comfort and tranquillity for troubled souls .... 2 > > Moreover, viewed in its educational role as an edifying and uplifting power, art finds > its moral responsibilities implied in 'Abdu'l-Baha's outline of the cardinal principles underlying Baha'i ed ucation/ram the cradle up to the age of manhood. One of the principles, He > said, is > .. .service to the cause of morality, raising the moral tone of the students, inspiring them > with the sublimest ideals of ethical refinement, teaching them altruism, inculcating in > their lives the beauty of holiness and the excellency of virtue and animating them with the > excellences and perfections of the religion of God. 3 > Since the Baha'i Faith aims to provide spiritual and moral education to the whole of humanity, the above passage will be seen to apply not only to students but also to people of > > 1 Tablets of 'Abdu '1-Baha. Comp. Albert R. Windus! 2 > Th e Baha'i World, vo l. XV III (1979- 1983) > (Ch icago: Baha' i Publi shing Society, 19 16), p. 5 12. (Haifa: Baha' i World Cen tre, 1986), p. 358. > 3 Quoted in Star of the West, vol. IX, no. 9 > Bahii 'i Writin gs on Music, p. 3. > (20 August 1918), p. 98. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1141 > > whatever age or occupation, and bears relevance not only to academic curricula but also to > the educational aspect of art. > > At yet another level-the social plane, involving human relations-the arts have a vital > service to render: that of helping to unite humankind. On this theme, Baha' u'llah wrote: > The source of crafts, sciences and arts is the power ofreflection. Make ye every effort that > out of this ideal mine there may gleam forth such pearls of wisdom and utterance as will > promote the well-being and harmony of all the kindreds of the earth. 1 > This power of reflection, the source of the arts, is one of the faculties the Creator has > bestowed upon human beings. 'Abdu'l-Baha, too, said such powers should be employed for > the attainment of human unity: > The truth is that God has endowed man with virtues, powers and ideal faculties .... We > must thank God for these bestowals, for these powers He has given us, for this crown He > has placed upon our heads. > 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 .... 2 > Turning again to the educative influence of the arts, we find that social harmony and world > unity are also included in the above-cited outline of educational aims given by 'Abdu'l- > Baha. Education must seek > ... the elimination of the causes of ignorance and social evils .... [and} service to the oneness of the world of humanity; so that each student may consciously realize that he is a > brother to all mankind, irrespective of religion or race. 3 > > The arts are especially well suited to promote unity, the central theme of the Baha'i > Revelation. First, when addressed to the spiritual life of humanity, the arts can highlight that > which is universal. Second, their influence can be far-reaching: a single work of art may > touch the lives of thousands, even millions of people, and in some cases may continue to do > so for centuries. And third, as time goes on, the cumulative effect of the work of thousands > of Baha'i artists can be expected to contribute substantially to the emergence of a world > environment, a world climate of thought and feeling with which all peoples feel themselves > identified. > > The Baha'i teachings appear to indicate, in sum, that the principal aims and highest aspirations of the arts are as follows: > • On a mystical plane, to impart spiritual knowledge, attract the souls to the beauty of > the All-Glorious, and brighten the flame of God's love; > • On a moral plane, to "represent and inspire the noblest sentiments and highest aspirations," foster a desire for moral excellence and obedience to the divine teachings, and > "be a source of comfort and tranquillity for troubled souls"; > • On a social plane, to promote social well-being, harmony, world unity, and universal > brotherhood. > > Tablets, p. 72. (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1972), p. 62. > 2 3 > ' Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity Star, vol. IX, no . 9 (20 August 1918), p. 98. > 1142 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > These aims apply to the arts that are called " the fine arts." They also appear to characterize the spiritual side of the service rendered by the design arts and the crafts. In other words, > they apply as much to urban design as to poetry, as much to rug-weaving as to music. It is in > realizing such aims that the arts glorify and become a means of access to God, render a > service to humanity, and foster spiritual growth. > It would be an error to consider that the mystical aims are spiritual while the moral and > social ones are not. All three aims are spiritual in nature and are integral parts of what we > could call the spiritual role of art. For in the Baha'i teachings, as we have seen, worship, > morality, and social relations are inseparable parts of a way of life. Indeed, it is through a > divinely ordained, world-embracing administrative and social order that the Baha' i Faith > channels and incarnates the bounties of a life-giving Spirit, thereby regenerating the spiritual > life of the millions of individuals who constitute the body of its world community. > Due to their ability to render services of a mystical, moral, and social nature, the arts > constitute an effective means of conveying spiritual teachings to the public. For in realizing > such services, the arts are, directly or indirectly, making divine precepts known throughout > society, diffusing the spirit of oneness and helping to deepen the understanding, the love, > unity, and faith of humankind . The great potential of the arts in this domain was described > in a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi: > That day will the Cause will spread like wildfire when its spirit and teachings will be presented on the stage or in art and literature as a whole. Art can better awaken such noble > sentiments than cold rationalizing, especially among the mass of the people. > We have to wait only a few years to see how the spirit breathed by Baha'u'llah will find > expression in the work of the artists. What you and some other Baha'is are attempting > are only faint rays that precede the effulgent light of a glorious morn . 1 > Let us attempt to summarize. Art can impa1i a knowledge of things divine; it can also > stir yearning for the Kingdom, strengthen faith in God, help instill fear of God ' s justice and > hope for his mercy, and fan the flame of the love of his beauty; and it can, thereby, affect the > will to act, to obey God's commandments, and to live in harmony with God's teachings, > which are the essence of morality and the source of spiritual growth. In so doing, art assists > humankind to attain the very purpose of its existence: to know and to worship God. Toward > this end, moreover, art can promote the formation of praiseworthy character; can disseminate > the divine teachings; can strengthen, through its unifying influence, the bonds of harmony > and human fellowship; and can reinforce throughout the world the sense of common identity > shared by members of the Baha'i community. > All such services can be implied, in a word, by saying that art has to do with ennoblement: its highest purpose is to ennoble the individual soul and the collective life of > humanity. > > ART AND RELIGION > > The reader familiar with the Baha'i teachings will note that the ideal aims of art outlined > above are in fact among the principal objectives of the Baha'i Faith itself and that these > aims harmonize with the spiritual values upheld by the teachings of the world's major > > 1 Hornby (New Delhi: Baha'i Publi shing Trust, > From a letter dated I 0 October 1932 to an indi vidual believer (Balui"i News No. 73 [May 1933] p. 7. 1988), p. 98. > Quoted in lights of Guidance. Comp. Helen > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1143 > religions. What is the explanation of this unity of purpose? It is that art, when quickened by > the spirit and teachings of religion, reflects (on an infinitely lower level) the generative > process set into motion by the Word of God and attempts in its humble way to reinforce the > spiritual and social handiwork of the Almighty. This is the principle implied in 'Abdu'l- > Baha's statement that Music is an important means to the education and development of > humanity, but the only true way is through the Teachings of God. 1 This is also the reason > why the arts, throughout the history of civilization, and particularly during its spiritual high > tides, have been intimately associated with religion. > Here, though, one needs to distinguish between reli gion and religious community. In > speaking ofreligion as a whole, our focus is not upon the institutions, dogmas, superstitions, > rites, or customs associated with particular historical communities. Our focus is rather upon > the body of spiritual and moral teachings that constitute the essence and common foundation > of religion, as revealed by the Messengers of God. In the words of'Abdu'l-Baha: > Religion ... is not a series of beliefs, a set of customs; religion is the teachings of the Lord > God, teachings which constitute the very life of humankind, which urge high thoughts > upon the mind, refine the character, and lay the groundwork for man's everlasting > honour. 2 > > It is true that art, throughout history, has been placed in the service of the dogmas, superstitions, and customs of particular communities. But parallel with this, art has been > employed to reinforce the fundamental spiritual aims ofreligion as defined by 'Abdu ' l-Baha. > It is also true that some religious authorities, at some points in history, have imposed their > views and their will on artists and obliged them to serve the interests of religious institutions. > But that alone would not explain the worldwide and long-enduring intimacy between > religion and art. The intimacy, rather, is a spontaneous outcome of the awe or the love artists > have borne toward the Creator (however diverse the forms in which they have conceived of > that Creator), recognizing in religion a reservoir of God's grace to humankind, acknowledging that in the spiritual and moral teachings of religion are found the fountain and the > bedrock of their civilization, and desiring to promote, by embodying such teachings in their > works of art, the highest interests of their fellows. > Since the sixteenth century, the arts in the West have steadily drifted away from a religious viewpoint-a process that in the twentieth century has spread to most parts of the > world. Humanity, having turned away from God, has fallen into a spiritual and moral decline > and is now descending to its utter depths. The Universal House of Justice indicated that the > arts have not escaped the effects of the general chaos this spiritual decline has unleashed: > Every discerning eye clearly sees that the early stages of this chaos have daily manifestations affecting the structure of human soc iety; its destructive forces are uprooting > time-honoured institutions .... The same destructive forces are also deranging the political, > economic, scientific, literary, and moral equi librium of the world and are destroying the > fairest fruits of the present civilization .... Even music, art, and literature, which are to > represent and inspire the noblest sentiments and highest aspirations and should be a > source of comfort and tranquill ity for troubled souls, have strayed from the straight path > and are now the mirrors of the soiled hearts of this confused, unprincipled, and disordered > age. 3 > > Bahri 'i Writings, p. 8. 3 From a circular letter, dated I 0 February 1980, pub- > Selections, pp. 52-53. li shed in The Bahri 'i World, vol. XVIII. p. 358. > 1144 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > During an 'awareness > camp ' held in Jhabua, > Madhya Pradesh, > India, Baha 'is are > using street theatre as > a means of teaching > people principles on > development themes > such as health, education and agricultural > issues. May 1988. > > For the Universal House of Justice to have made such a strongly worded generalization, > the decline blighting present-day society must have affected the spiritual and moral content > of art to a high degree. If what constitutes religion, according to 'Abdu ' l-Baha, are divine > teachings which urge high thoughts upon the mind, refine the character, and lay the groundwork for man's everlasting honour, 1 then art such as that described above would have to be > considered either irreligious or non-religious. Nonetheless, even in the twentieth century, a > significant number of works of art can be found that reflect the higher inclinations of the > human spirit, inclinations "towards transcendence, a reaching towards an invisible realm, > towards the ultimate reality, that unknowable essence of essences called God". 2 The current > state of affairs, then, does not disprove that the bond between art and religion is natural , > vital, and timeless; rather, it simply indicates that present-day civilization has descended > spiritually to a low-water mark and that the nonreligious attitude currently reflected in the > greater part of art constitutes one of the transient exceptions to a rule that has prevai led > throughout thousands of years of world history. The matter is confirmed by the history of the > arts in the various regions of the world .3 > Selections, p. 53. emergence of modem civi lization, the worldview in > 2 Un iversal House of Justice, Th e Promise of World which artists were immersed , in which they li ved, > Peace (October 1985), p. 4. and to which they gave expression in their works, > 3 In some cases, during a certain period of a given was usually a religious one. The concept that art is a > civilization, the State may appear to have been a manifestation of cosmology is exp lored in Ludwig > more important patron of the arts than was religion. Tuman, "Toward Critica l Foundations" (Tuman, > But even when the artist worked fo r a king, a court, Ludwig. "Toward Criti cal Foundations for a Worl d > or some other temporal instituti on, it should be Cu lture of the Arts," World Order 9.4 [Summer > remembered that througho ut the world, prior to the [ 975 ]: pp. 17- 21.) > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1145 > With respect to existing primitive societies and to prehistoric peoples, in whose cases a > history of art is impossible to construct, anthropology adds its confirmation that, on the > evidence available, art and religious belief have universally gone hand in hand. In sum: the > traditional arts of Oceania, of sub-Saharan Africa, of the pre-Columbian Americas, of > Islamic domains, of Christendom, of ancient Greece and Rome, of the ancient Near East, > and of the peoples of South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Far East, one and all > give eloquent testimony to the abiding service art has rendered to the spiritual and moral > aims of religion. In its highest role, art is a handmaiden of divine truth. > What observations could be made regarding the relation between religion and art, in > the case of the Baha'i Faith? First, the important distinction between religion and religious > community should again be drawn. 1 In its relation with the Baha'i Faith, the Baha'i world > conmrnnity has a favorable position. The Writings of Baha'u'llah and those of the authorized interpreters of his Word provide for an institutional order that guides the affairs of the > Baha'i community. The Writings stipulate the few, simple rites that are observed; preclude > the formation of rigid, divisive dogmas; and shield the conmrnnity against schism by means > of an explicit and inviolable Covenant. While such measures are indispensable and greatly > aid the community in approaching the spiritual ideals upheld by the Baha'i teachings , > it should nonetheless be remembered that the religion and its followers are different entities. > The artist's relation with the divine teachings of the Baha'i Faith is one matter; the artist's > relation to fellow believers is another. > Another important aspect of religion, as conceived of in the Baha'i teachings, is that it > envelops the whole of human life. For many, this is a difficult notion to accept. The world > has grown accustomed, in the twentieth centuty, to seeing a wide gulf between religion and > other human concerns. Indeed, many have come to regard this breach as the normal state of > affairs. Yet to separate religion from the art of living has proven fatal, for the gap between > the two has been filled by that materialistic view of life which Baha'u' llah regarded as the > chief factor in precipitating th e dire ordeals and world-shaking crises that afflict all > peoples. 2 > The Baha' i Faith restores the vital bond between religion and daily living. 'Abdu'l-Baha > emphasized that deeds are the only sure proof of faith: > For in this holy Dispensation, the cro wning glmy of bygone ages and cycles, true Faith > is no mere acknowledgment of the Unity of God, but rather the living of a life that will > manifest all the p e1fections and virtues implied in such belief. ... 3 > > The Universal House of Justice draws this di stinc- make the mi stake of regarding the say ings and > ti on between reli gion and religious community: beliefs of certain Bah: ' is at any one time as being > " ... true rel igion , far from being the product so lely the Baha'i Faith. The Baha'i Faith is the Revelation > of human striving after truth, is the fruit of the cre- o f Baha'u'llah: Hi s Own Words as interpreted by > ative Word of God which, with divine power, 'Abdu ' l-Baha an d the G uardi an" . (Universal House > trans forms human thought and action. A Baha'i, of Justice . "The Challenge and Promise of Baha'i > through this faith in, this 'conscious knowledge' of, Scho larshi p. " In The Bahná; World. vol. XV II > the reality of di vin e Revelation, can distinguish, for [1974- 1978]. (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1986). > instance, between Chri stian ity, whic h is the divine p. 195.) > message g iven by Jesus of Nazareth, and the devel- 2 Shoghi Effendi, Citadel ofFaith: Messages to > opment of Chri sten dom, whi ch is the history of America. 1947- 1957 (W ilmette : Baha'i Publi shing > what men d id with that message in subsequent cen- Trust, 1965), p. I 25. > turies; a di stincti on which has beco me blurred if not 3 The Bahil "i Yearbook, vol. I (1925- 1926] (New > entirely obscured in current Christian theology. A York: Baha'i Publishing Committee, 1926), p. 2. > Ba ha' i scholar conscious of thi s di stinction will not > 1146 THE BAHA' I WORLD > > Further still, in the following passages revealed by Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu ' l-Baha, we find > that every aspect of life comes under the sheltering shade of the di vine teachings and that > every detail of civilization deri ves from the creative potenti al latent in such teachings: > Weigh not the Book of God with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you, > for the Book itself is the unerring balance established amongst men. Jn this most perfect > balance whatsoever the peoples and kindreds of the earth possess must be weighed, while > the measure of its weight should be tested according to its own standard, did ye but know > it. I > ... even the minutest details of civilized life derive from the grace of the Prophets of God. > What thing of value to mankind has ever come into being which was not first set forth > either directly or by implication in the Holy Scriptures?2 > > From a Baha' i perspective, then, reli gion subsumes all of human life. And as art is a part > of li fe, religion also subsumes art. Thi s is further confirmed by Baha ' u' llah's teaching that > the arts and sciences themselves are but refl ections of the knowledge of the Manifestation of > God, and in each age are revived and stimulated by the leavening spirit the Manifestation > releases into the world: > Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God is endowed with such potency as can > instill new life into every human frame.... Through the mere revelation of the word > "Fashioner," issuing forth from His lips and proclaiming His attribute to mankind, such > power is released as can generate, through successive ages, all the manifold arts which > the hands of man can produce. 3 > In referring to Jesus Christ, Baha' u' ll ah gave an example of the quickening influence that > the Manifestation of God exercises over all aspects of civili zation, including the arts: > The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any > mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands ha ve produced, the influence exerted > by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening po wer released by > His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit. 4 > Given such unequivocal teachings, to continue to regard art and religion as two separate > powers , to continue to hold that art should be independent of reli gion, would be to perpetuate the fatal cleavage between religion and life that has undermined the basis of present-day > civili zation. 5 > > Baha ' u ' ll ah, Gleani11gsfr o111 the Writings of speak of art and reli gion in th e same way? It should > Balui 'u 'I/ah (Wilmette : Baha' i Publi shing Trust, be noted that Shoghi Effendi did not state th at sci - > 1976), p. 198. ence is independent of reli gion, nor did he state th at > 2 the two are, in all ways, eq ually potent. T he present > 'Abdu ' l- Baha, Th e Secret of Divine Civilization > (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1975), p. 96. writer feels that th e reco nc iling of religion and sc i- > 3 Gleanings, pp. 141 - 142. ence, as spoken of in the above passage, could be > Gleanings, pp. 85-86. understood as a reconciling of two basic human > 5 Shogh i Effendi w rote that sc ience and religion are powers -those of fa ith and of reason. When fa ith is > " the two most potent fo rces in human life" and that, not blind but is supported by reason, the result is a > in the world society anticipated in the Baha'i Writ- religion that Shoghi Effendi described as "sc ientific > ings, they "will be reconciled, wi ll cooperate, and in its method" (World Order (1 938 ed.] xi). Simiwi ll ham10niously develop" (World Order, p. 204). larly, when reason is in formed and illumined by > It mi g ht we ll be asked, therefore : if one can speak faith in the revea led Word o f God, then sc ience wi ll > of sc ience and relig ion as di stinct force s, why not be practi ced w ith w isdom and wi ll become imbued > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 114 7 > But at this point a clarification should be made. If one says that it is in the nature of art > to serve the spiritual, fundamental aims of religion, this does not imply that the content > and style of the artist's work need be determined in all cases by the desires ofreligious insti - > tutions or by the devotional tastes of the religious community. (Here we see one reason why > it is important to distinguish between religion and community.) Nor does it imply that one > conceives of art as being constrained within the nine walls of the Baha'i Temple. It implies, > rather, that one recognizes life itself as a temple without walls, the sky as a limitless dome > that speaks of the Creator' s sovereignty, and religion (in its renewed and purified form: the > Revelation of Baha'u' llah) as the sun that rides the dome's center, shedding light and life > on all things. > Viewed from such a perspective, the domain of art would legitimately include everything > under the sun, from the first cry of a newborn chi ld to the last breath of a departing soul. To > make this statement is not only to affirm the right of artists to treat the entire range of human > experience in their work: it is also to recall the holiness of life. It is to affirm that all aspects > of life- both light and darkness, joy and suffering, triumph and setback-are contained > within the framework of a divinely ordained purpose and are designed by the Creator to > be conducive to spiritual growth. 1 > > BEAUTY REFLECTED IN THE CREATION AND IN ART > > It is beyond the scope of this article to attempt even a brief survey of the points of agreement > and divergence between established, specific theories of beauty and the outlook derived here > from Baha'i teachings. In one case, however, we need to examine what is not so much a > theory as it is a general tendency found in much of current Western thinking on beauty-a > > with divine and merciful qualities . In this case, then, because it is a pilgrim 's note; and second, because it > we are viewing religion and science in the dimen- does not specify the nature and extent of the freesion of their human practice. But to acknowledge dom involved. It would be unwarranted to assume, > that sc ience and religion can be reconciled and on the basis of this verbal account, that the Baha ' i > cooperate is not necessarily to place them on the Faith regards art as being independent of religion > same plane. lfwe view religion not in its human (the latter understood as a body of divine teachdimension, but rather as an expression of God's will ings). The most that can be safely concluded is that > through divine Revelation, then we find religion to artists, if they wish, can in certain ways be indepenbe preeminent. The all-encompassing nature of the dent of the religious community. When Baha' i > divine foundation of religion is affirmed in the fol- artists operate as individua l economic units, the > lowing statement made on behalf of the Universal style and content of their work need not respond to > House of Justice: " ... it should never be overlooked the prevailing taste of the religious community or > that the Revelation of the Manifestation of God is of the Faith ' s institutions. Historically, religious > the standard for all knowledge, and scientific state- institutions often required artistic style to remain > ments and theories, no matter how close they may within narrow limits. In the Baha' i community, artcome to the eternal principles proclaimed by God's ists are free to operate independently; even when > Messenger, are in their very nature ephemeral and they produce specifically for the use of the commulimited" (from a letter dated 2 l July 1968 to a nity or its institutions, there will be no official style > National Spiritual Assembly). Here aga in, we are to which their work will have to confom1. Even so, > led to conclude that religion envelops all of human it should be noted that Baha'i artists remain responlife . And as the arts and sciences are parts of sible for the spiritual and mora l implications of > human life, religion also subsumes the arts and their work, their ultimate background of reference > sciences. being the Baha' i teachings. Moreover, the absence > The painter Mark Tobey stated that Shoghi Effendi of an officia l Baha ' i art does not preclude the spontold him in a conversation that Bah a'i artists are taneous development of an important body of works > free to produce as they wish. Care should be taken, explicitly dedicated to religious themes . > however, not to make too much of this report: first, > 1148 THE BA HA' I WORLD > > tendency that compels attention in a discussion where we are concerned with fundamental > concepts. > In the West, there are several theori es of beauty reflecting the idea that beauty is an end > in itself, that it has no purpose outside the giving of some form of pleasure. The kind of > pleasure emphasized may be sensual (as in hedonistic theory). The pleasure may be derived > from the intellectual appreciation of design and pattern (as in naturalistic theory) . It may > arise from the recognition of artistic patterns corresponding to instinctive mental patterns (as > in Gestalt theory) ; from an intuitive appreciation of qualitative vividness (as in contextualistic > theory) ; from an appreciation of the work of art as an integrated organic whole (as in organistic theory); and from the recognition and appreciation of ideal forms (as in formistic > theory) . It may also involve satisfaction which the artist derives from the expression of > emotion and the public from emotional arousal (as in expressionism). Each theory stresses a > different facet of the experience of beauty, but what they have in common is the basic notion > that beauty's essential characteristic is to give sensual, intellectual, or emotional pleasure > without higher purpose. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, philosophers and theorists > have gon e to considerable lengths to elaborate upon this concept. 1 > What is the origin of this widespread, modern view of beauty? In the late Middle Ages, > philosophers of Christian Europe certainly did not look upon beauty as a source of pleasure > without purpose, but rather as the attractive power of spiritual perfection. 2 Is it a coincidence > that modern theories viewing beauty as an end in itself emerged and were developed in the > centuries following the Renaissance, when Europe drifted away from the shores of a religious world outlook into the seas of secularism and materialism? > Surely few would deny that beauty gives pleasure and that such pleasure may be of a > sensual, emotional, intellectual, or even spiritual nature. In this regard, the findings of the > various modem theories of beauty are most valuable for their analysis and insights into some > of the ways in which beauty is experienced. Such studies, however, do not appear to go > far enough . They deal intensively with the "how" of beauty, but scarcely with the "why." > They focus on the ways that the experience of beauty engages the senses and the mind but > offer little explanation as to what purpose this subtle and delicate process may serve except > to give pleasure. The point here is to suggest that pleasure is not the end of beauty; it is only > a natu ra l part of the experience that beauty offers.3 > The Great Architect designed the creation such that all creatures take pleasure in that > which is natural to their lives. The dog enjoys romping about. The infant delights in play. > > For an overview o f occidental theori es, see Monroe the human so ul. The very word aesthetic implies a > C. Beardsley, Aesthetics: Problems in the Philoso- view ing of art more as a sensory and mental ex periphy of Criticism (Indianapolis: Hackett Publi shing ence than as a spiritual on e. Th e term therefore > Co. , 198 1). Aesthetics fi"o m Classical Greece to the appears in appropri ate fo r use in a di scussion where > Present (New Yo rk : Macmill an, 1966). the essenti al nature, purpose, and effect of bea uty > 2 are held to be spiritual. Coined in the eig hteenth > Coomaraswam y, Ananda K. Christian and Oriental > Philosophy of Art (New York: Dover Publicatio ns, century by th e thinker A lexander Baumgarten, it > 1956), p. 11 2. takes as its roo t the Greek aesthesis, whi ch in > 3 Some theo ries observe that beauty has edu cational Hell enic usage meant simply sense percepti on or > va lue because it hones sensory di scrimin ati on, or phys ica l sensati on. Its o pposite is the medical term > psycho logical value because it prov ides a release anaesthetic, re ferring to the in ab ili ty to fee l such > fo r pent-up emotions, or social value in th at its phys ical sensa ti on. See the arti cles. v. " aesthetics" > employment in art can rein fo rce cul tural identi ty. in Th e New Encyclopaedia Britannica; Macropae- > Such theori es, however, stop short of recogni zing dia I , p. 150. See also Coomaraswamy, Christian > that beauty affects not only hum an beings' senso ry, and Oriental Philosophy , pp. 16, 46, and 64 . > mental, and social life but also a ffects, above all , > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1149 > > The body, when tired after a day's work, is refreshed by a night of rest. In each of these > instances, there is not only pleasure but also divine wisdom in the service of a higher > purpose. For exercise is indispensable to the dog's health. Through play, the child develops > both body and mind. And sleep affords not only a pleasant restoration but also, to the Baha'i, > a preparation for further service. In this connection, 'Abdu '1-Baha wrote: > ... man must become evanescent in God. Must forget his own selfish conditions that > he may thus arise to the station of sacrifice. It should be to such a degree that if he sleep, > it should not be for pleasure, but to rest the body in order to do better, to speak better, > to explain more beautifully, to serve the servants of God and to prove the truths. 1 > > We note that 'Abdu'l-Baha did not deny the pleasure involved in sleeping but held that > such is not its ultimate purpose. > This principle of pleasure channeled into the service of a divine purpose would seem to > apply not only to humanity 's physical life but also to its higher, spiritual life: > It is natural for the heart and spirit to take pleasure and enjoyment in all things that show > forth symmetry, harmony, and perfection. For instance: a beautiful house, a well > designed garden, a symmetrical line, a graceful motion, a well written book, pleasing > garments-in fact, all things that have in themselves grace or beauty are pleasing to the > heart and spirit .... > What is music? It is a combination ofharmonious sounds. What is poetry? It is a symmetrical collection of words. Therefore, they are pleasing through harmony and rhythm ... > All these have in themselves an organization, and are constructed on natural law. Therefore, they correspond to the order of existence like something which would fit into a > mold .... When it is so, this affects the nerves, and they affect the heart and spirit. 2 > > These words of' Abdu'l-Baha, which refer to all the principal mediums (visual, spatial, > gestural, verbal, and auditory) in which art is constituted, show that beauty does indeed > give pleasure, in this case to "the heart and spirit." But what higher end might such pleasure > serve within the scheme of divine creation, within the framework of God's purpose for > humanity? If it were to serve no such higher end, then the enjoyment of beauty in the arts > would be little more than a frivolous pastime, hardly worthy of the noble distinction > accorded to all arts and sciences in the Writings. > In a religious worldview, all things are found to have a reason for being. The fundamental > purpose all created things have in common is to enab le humankind to know and to love God: > Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, [God] .. . chose to confer > upon man the unique distin ction and capacity to know Him and to love Him-a capacity > that must needs be regarded as the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation .... 3 > Within the framework of this broad purpose, every created thing, from the humblest atom > to the greatest spiritual law, has a specific role to play and an assigned purpose to fulfil. > Baha'u' llah affirmed this ancient teaching in the following way: > > 1 3 > Baha'i World Faith, p. 384. Gleanings, p. 65. > 'Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Writings, pp. 8-9. > 1150 THE BAHA ' i WORLD > > ... when the light of My Name, the All-Pervading, hath shed its radiance upon the > universe, each and every created thing hath, according to a fixed decree, been endowed > with the capacity to exercise a particular influence, and been made to possess a distinct > virtue. 1 > And addressing the world of humankind, Baha'u'llah wrote: > Out of the wastes of nothingness, with the clay of My command I made thee to appear, > and have ordained for thy training eve1y atom in existence and the essence of all created > things .... And My purpose in all this was that thou mightest attain My everlasting dominion and become worthy of My invisible bestowals. 2 > > Even the towering principle of justice-which Baha'u'llah called the best beloved of all > things in My sight3, which he made to be the axis of the Baha'i World Order, and whose name > He gave to the supreme governing body of the Baha'i world community-is but a means to a > higher end. The purpose ofjustice, Baha' u'llah disclosed, is the appearance of unity among > men .4 And unity itself, the central theme of the Baha' i Revelation, stands revealed in another > passage as a means to a still further end: ... unity and concord ... in turn are conducive to the > maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration ofnations. 5 In view of this consistent pattern, can we doubt that beauty, too, must have some role to play? > The Baha'i Writings make many references to beauty, but space permits us here to > consider briefly only a few passages from the Divine Pen of Baha' u' llah. In the first, there > seems to be a distinction between the Beauty that is of God and the beauty found in the > creation. The Beauty of God is inherently glorious, primary, original; whereas that of > creation is subordinate, secondary, reflected: > I beseech Thee, 0 my God, by Thy Beauty that shinethforth above the horizon of eternity, > a Beauty before which as soon as it revealeth itself the kingdom of beauty boweth down > in worship, magnifying it in ringing tones, to grant that I may die to all that I possess and > live to whatsoever belongeth unto Thee. 6 > But since the Creator is sanctified above all attributes and holy above all names, 7 it is utterly > impossible for humanity to perceive the beauty of God ' s essence: > Too high art Thou exalted for the eye of any creature to behold Thy beauty, or for the > understanding ofany heart to scale the heights of Thine immeasurable knowledge. 8 > The most humanity can hope to perceive of a beauty that pertains to God is the beauty > revealed in the attributes and perfections of God's divine Messengers, the founders of the > > Gleanings, p. 189. or Ba ha ' u ' llah . For the purposes of our discussion, > Baha ' u'llah. The Hidden Words of Baha ' u' ll ah though, it is the same w hethe r the passage refers to > (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1939), divine beauty in the abstract or as personified in a > Persian #29, p. 32. Manifestation of God , just as it is the same whether > 3 we speak of the sun's rays in genera l or as reflected > Hidden Words, Arabic #2, p. 3. > Tablets, p. 67. in a fl aw less mirror. For what concerns us here is > Tablets, p. 36. not the individuality of the mirror, but the li ght.) > 6 7 > Balui á;Prayers (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, Baha á; Prayers, p. 12. > 8 Baha ' u' llah , Prayers and Meditations by > 1985), p. 241. (It is possible that the word beauty, > when capitali zed in Shoghi Effend i's translations Baha 'u 'I/ah (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, > of the Baha'i Writings, refe rs in some cases to a 1969), p. 88. > Manifestation of God, such as Jesus, Mul)ammad, > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1151 > > Detail of a tapestry > made by Vickie Hu > Poirier called "Holding Up Half the Sky." > It was made as a gift > for the first Sino - > American Women's > Conference, held in > Beijing in 1990. > > world's great religions. Regarding the relation between such Messengers and the Supreme > Creator, Baha'u'llah wrote: > Every one of them is a mirror of God, reflecting naught else but His Self. His Beauty, > His Might and Glory, if ye will understand. All else besides them are to be regarded as > mirrors capable of reflecting the glory of these Manifestations Who are themselves the > Primaiy Mirrors of the Divine Being, ... 1 > These sanctified Mirrors, these Day Springs of ancient glory, are, one and all, the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe,... The beauty of their > countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless > glory .... By the revelation of these Gems of Divine virtue all the names and attributes of > God, ... are made manifest. 2 > In this connection we note that Baha'u'llah is often referred to in the Baha'i Sacred Writings > by the titles "the Blessed Beauty" and "the Ancient Beauty." > Divine beauty stands revealed, perfect and consummate, in the Manifestations of God; > but, on the level of the creation, it is reflected by each created thing in a limited way, "each > according to its capacity and rank." > ... the revelations of Thy matchless Beauty have at all times been imprinted upon the > realities of all beings, visible and invisible. 3 > > 1 3 > Gleanings, p. 74. ibid., p. 63. > ibid., pp. 47-48. > 1152 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > From the exalted source, and out of the essence of His favor and bounty He hath > entrusted eve1y 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 glo1y of the names and attributes of God, and reveal the wonders > of His signs and knowledge. 1 > Upon the inmost reality of each and eve1y created thing He hath shed the light of one of > His names, and made it a recipient of the gl01y of one of His attributes. Upon the reality > of man, however, He hath focused the radiance of all of His names and attributes, and > made it a mirror of His own Self Alone of all created things man hath been singled out > for so great a favor, so enduring a bounty. 2 > > It is important to observe that in the above passages Baha'u'llah equates beauty with the > glory of the names and attributes of God. > Though one can know absolutely nothing of God's essence, one can, however, appreciate > God's Beauty as revealed in the Messengers or Manifestations. This capacity is mentioned > in the following passage, whose context is a warning that those who tum away from > Baha'u'llah and His Revelation will be held responsible before God: > ... 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? 3 > By the same token, when one contemplates the beauty reflected in the creation, and in the > human heart itself, one finds that it leads to the same divine Source: > Every created thing in the whole universe is but a door leading into His knowledge, a > sign ofHis sovereignty, a revelation ofHis names, a symbol of His majesty, a token ofHis > power, a means of admittance into His straight Path ... .4 > The Creator's purpose in endowing humanity with the capacity to appreciate beauty is to > enable the human soul to recognize and feel attracted to God and to the Manifestation. This > capacity is alluded to in a passage from a prayer revealed by 'Abdu'l-Baha: > 0 Lord, make me hear Thy call, and open before my face the doors of Thy heaven, so that > I may see the light of Thy gl01y and become attracted to Thy beauty. 5 > > Deprived of such a capacity, humanity, though surrounded by the evidences of God's > presence, the signs of God's dominion, and the revelation of God's attributes, would be > unable to respond to them, would remain insensible to their drawing power, and would feel > no attraction to them. In such a condition, we would have no desire to make divine attributes > our own and to reflect them in our way of life: no desire either to know God or to grow > spiritually. We would lie wrapped in a paralyzing ignorance, and all our distinctive powers > > Gleanings, p. 262. 4 ibid., p. 160. > 2 ibid., p. 65. 5 Bahná; Prayers, p. 62 > 3 ibid ., p. 143. > LITERARY AN D MUSICAL WORKS 1153 > > would remain dormant and undeveloped. How much difference would there be, in such a > case, between human and anima1? 1 > Beauty may be regarded as an attracting quality that radiates from the Manifestation of > God, is reflected in all of God's handiwork and is felt in the human heart as a stirring and > awakening of love. Beauty, then, plays an essential role in aiding humanity to fulfil the very > purpose of its existence: to know and to love God. In the words of' Abdu'l -Baha, Real love > is impossible unless one turn his face towards God and be attracted to His Beauty.2 > Humanity's love of God, in turn, generates a powerful desire to obey the Creator's > wil l. What would a person not do for someone he or she loves? To obey God for the love of > His beauty requires greater spiritual maturity than does an obedience motivated solely by > fear of God or by hope for divine reward. 3 Yet Baha'u'llah, in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, calls for > humankind to aspire to such maturity: > The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven ofMy omnipotent glory, addressed to My > creation these words: "Observe My commandments, for the love ofMy beauty. "4 > > To be sure, the Long Obligatory Prayer itself (one of the three prayers destined by > Baha' u ' llah to be regularly recited throughout the Baha'i world for at least a thousand years) > opens by supplicating God to enable the believer to perceive the Creator's beauty: > I beseech Thee by them Who are the Day Springs of Thine invisible Essence, the Most > Exalted, the All-Glorious, to make of my prayer afire that will burn away the veils which > have shut me out from Thy beauty, and a light that will lead me unto the ocean of Thy > Presence.5 > Towards the end of the prayer, we find that the perception of divine beauty is linked with > obedience to God's will: > I entreat Th ee .. . to ordain that I may gaze on Thy beauty and observe whatsoever is > in Thy Book. 6 > > The result is an ascending spiral of cause and effect: beauty calls forth love; love > motivates observance of the divine teachings ; observance leads to greater knowledge and > understanding, and stimulates spiritual growth; while growth, in turn, increases the capacity > to respond to beauty and to love God. The final objective of this ascending spiral is to enable > the human soul so to attune itself to the will of God that it may, in the words ofBaha 'u'llah, > be to all eternity the revelation of My everlasting being. 7 > > In m ystic theory, one finds an approach to art and of art philosophy in the Orient, see Thomas Munro, > beauty resembling th at taken in this articl e. The Oriental Aesthetics. > mystic approach predominates in a large part of 2 > Bahri 'i World Faith , p. 364. > traditiona l Ori enta l theory and practice, notably in 3 > Th e Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab. > Ind ia and China. But even here it shou ld be no ted Comp. Research Department (Haifa: Baha'i World > tha t some mystic th eory regards beauty primaril y as Centre, 1976), pp. 77-78. > a stimulus conduci ve to a state or ecstatic union 4 > Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordiwith God or with the uni verse, whereas the accent nances of the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Haifa: Baha'i World > in this essay is on beauty as a means to the knowl- Centre, 1973), p. 12. > edge of divine attributes and as a stimulus in the 5 Baha 'i Prayers, pp. 7- 8. > dai ly process of sp iritual growth. For an overview > ibid. , pp. 13- 14. > The Hidden Words, Arabic #64, p. 19. > 1154 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > In Vanuatu, Baha 'is > are performing a > custom dance during > a spiritualization > institute organized > by Auxiliary Board > members and held in > Lawital, on Tanna. > January 1992. > > One common and current notion of beauty is to regard it as a kind of exalted prettiness. > Beauty as we have conceived of it here is not incompatible with loveliness, but it is, > however, of a different order. In the Baha'i Writings, beauty is associated not merely with > sensual and intellectual pleasure but with divinely revealed truth, with the spiritual principles and teachings that constitute truth insofar as we can know it, and ultimately with the > attributes of God .. .. the pure heart, wrote 'Abdu'l-Baha, becometh the mirror of the beauty > of truth. 1 Thus viewed, beauty is not an end in itself but a means to an end. Its purpose in the > world of creation is to draw the human soul into a spiral of spiritual growth, carried upward > on the wings of love toward the kingdom of the most great Beauty. Its purpose in the realm > of human creativity is the same. Art attracts the soul, through beauty, to a work in which the > knowledge of things divine is imparted, by which attitudes to life are spiritualized, morality > is strengthened, and service is rendered to the cause of spiritual growth. Acting as an agent > of spiritual attraction, beauty thus plays an essential role in the process whereby art seeks to > help ennoble the human soul. > This is not to suggest, however, that the subject matter of Baha' i-engendered art need > always be serene, harmonious, delicate, or blissful. It is also legitimate for art to portray the > workings of the lower side of human nature, provided the latter is viewed in proper relation > to the higher, spiritual side. On the subject of human nature, ' Abdu'l-Baha taught: > In man there are two natures; his spiritual or higher nature and his material lower > nature. In one he approaches God, in the other he lives for the world alone. Signs of both > these natures are to be found in men. In his material aspect he expresses untruth, cruelty > and injustice; all these are the outcome of his lower nature. Th e attributes of his Divine > nature are shown forth in love, mercy, kindness, truth and justice, one and all being > expressions of his higher nature. Every good habit, every noble quality belongs to man's > spiritual nature, whereas all his imperfect and sinful actions are born of his material > nature. If a man 's Divine nature dominates his human nature, we have a saint. 2 > > 1 2 Paris Talks, p. 60. > Baha'i World Faith, p. 333. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1155 > > Man has two aspects: the physical, which is subject to nature, and the merciful or divine, > which is connected with God. If the physical or natural disposition in him should overcome the heavenly and merciful, he is, then, the most degraded of an animal beings; and > if the divine and spiritual should triumph over the human and natural, he is, verily, an > angel. The Prophets come into the world to guide and educate humanity so that the > animal nature of man may disappear and the divinity of his powers become awakened. 1 > > If an artist portrays aspects of humankind's lower nature-such as greed, antagonism, > hatred, and selfish struggle-in such a way as to demonstrate the truth of what Baha'u'llcih > taught on such subjects, is this not a service as valuable as that rendered by an artist whose > works are permeated with undisturbed peace? What is important is not only the subject > matter but also the way the artist treats it; not only the cognitive and emotional content > manifest in a work of art but also, and especially, the effect such content is intended to have > on the knowledge and the feelings of the participant. > In another passage from the pen of 'Abdu'l-Baha, we find reason to feel that artespecially the narrative arts such as literature, theater, and dance-in fulfilling an edifying > role, can legitimately treat aspects of humanity 's lower animal nature: > ... things are often known by their opposites. Were it not for darkness, light could not be > sensed. Were it not for death, life could not be known. If ignorance did not exist, knowledge would not be a reality. It is necessary that each should exist in order that the other > should have reality. Night and day must be in order that each may be distinguished. 2 > > However, for art merely to display the workings of humanity's lower nature is not > enough: if art is to be edifyi ng, the portrayal needs to be placed within a spiritual context, > with in the framework of God's purpose in creating humankind. For it is only against such > a framework that darkness can be perceived as the lack of light, evil as the absence of good. > Only against such framework can viewers, listeners, or readers of a work of art measure > their own potential and be stimulated to grow spiritually. In other words, if artists refer in > their work to the darker as well as the brighter side of human nature, they shou ld try to do > so in such a way as to engender within the participants' souls an experience that will aid > them to journey on "the road which leads to divine knowledge and attainment." In the words > of ' Abdu' l-Baha: > Man must walk in many paths and be subjected to various processes in his evolution > upward. Physically he is not born in full stature but passes through consecutive stages of > fetus, infant, childhood, youth, maturity and old age .... Unless you have passed through > the state of infancy, how would you know this was an infant beside you ? If there were no > wrong, how would you recognize the right? If it were not for sin, how would you appreciate virtue? If evil deeds were unknown, how could you commend good actions? If > sickness did not exist, how would you understand health? Evil is nonexistent; it is the > absence of good. Sickness is the loss of health; poverty, the lack of riches .... Without > knowledge there is ignorance; therefore, ignorance is simply the lack of knowledge. > Death is the absence of life. Therefore, on the one hand, we have existence; on the other, > nonexistence, negation or absence of existence. > > 1 2 > 'Abdu' l-Baha, Th e Promulgation a/Universal Peace ibid ., p. 82. > (Wi lmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 41. > 1156 THE BAHA ' i WOR LD > > The Bahri 'i puppet > theatre group known > as El Retablo de! > Mosquito,from the > May Maxwell Cultural > Centre in Buenos > Aires, Argentina, > presenting a play in > a park in I 988. > > Briefly, the journey of the soul is necessary. The path way of life is the road which leads to > divine knowledge and attainment. Without training and guidance the soul could never > progress beyond the conditions of its lower nature, which is ignorant and defective. 1 > The principle of making things known by their opposites has been applied in Western > theater from ancient times, notably in the Greek concept of tragic drama. Consider, for > example, a story about a person who was given a unique opportunity to establish justice but > who exploited the chance instead for personal gain and in the end Jost everything. In this > story, injustice, worldly desire, and selfishness may figure prominently. If such negative > qualities are presented in the light of Baha'i teachings, however, they will be recognized > as but the shadows cast by the positive qualities of justice, spiritual enkindlement, and > altruism, and, if well conceived, the work may inspire in the reader or spectator a desire to > attain these qualities and to shun their opposites. It is thus possible for art to be edifying even > when its subject matter is apparently base, to be beautiful even when its subject matter is > superficially unappealing; for beauty, as we have seen, is associated with divine truth and > spiritual attributes. 2 > An important conclusion can be drawn from the foregoing discussion: One of the primary > responsibilities of Baha' i artists is to take care that the beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions manifested in their art, on the one hand, and those that are intended to be stimulated > > Promulgation, pp. 295-296. between beauty and truth . See Coo maraswamy, > Note the para llels here with Keats, and with Orien- Christian and Oriental Philosophy, pp. I 07-109. > tal and medieval Christian thinking on the relation > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1157 > > and reinforced in the participant, on the other, vibrate in harmony with the teachings of the > Baha' i Faith. This is the best artists can do to make it likely that the experience their art > engenders in the participant will have an ennob ling effect. > > EMOTION IN ART > > Our consideration of the subject of beauty enab les us now to h1rn to the closely related > theme of emotion in art. One of the most popular and widespread views on this subject > is that the purpose of art is to express the emotions of the artist or to stimulate those of the > public. There is no doubt that certain fee lings of artists may in fact become manifest in > their work and that the emotions of the public are affected. Emotion, like beauty, is surely > an important element in the experience of art. A ll the principal theories of art take emotion > into account. But if we were to view art mainly as an opportunity to give expression to the > a11ist's feelings, or if we were to value it primarily for the emotional stimulus it provides > the public, would we not be giving disproportionate prominence to one element in the > experience of art to the detriment of the others? Would we not, moreover, be losing sight of > the highest aim of art, which is spiritual ennoblement? > To hold that the ultimate purpose of art is to provide emotional express ion or stimulation > is simi lar to holding that the value of beauty lies only in the pleasure it gives: in both cases > means are mistaken for ends. We have seen that, according to the Baba' i teachings, all > created things serve some purpose and are a means to some further end, that of beauty being > to attract the human soul toward its Creator and thereby to faci litate spiritual growth. We > have seen, too, that beauty can accomplish such ends not only in the creation as a whole but > in art as well. Might we not conclude that emotion, likewise, should be viewed from the perspective of its role in human life, and within the framework of the hi ghest objectives of art? > In daily living, emotion serves to energize the mind and to activate the will. 1 Similarly, > the emotions that art seeks to elicit, if appropriately managed and channeled by the artist, > can aid the artist to fulfil art's mystical aspect by stirring up a joyous attraction toward the > kingdom of God. Such emotions can assist the artist to realize the moral aspect of the role of > art by arousing in the public, hope for God's bounty and fear of disobedience to divine law, > and by imparting feel ings of comfort and tranquillity to troubled souls. They can, furthermore, help the artist to render a social service by stimulating love toward humanity and > sentiments of brotherhood and world unity. 2 > Emotion plays a key role in the realization of all the spiritual objectives of art, whether of > a mystical, moral, or social nature. An example of its importance in the first case is found in > the fo llowing passage from the writings of' Abd u 'I-Baba: > > See Emotion: A Comprehensive Phenome110/ogy of They are often not th e same. Grief expressed by > Th eories and Th eir Meanings f or Th erapy. Ed . actors on a stage may inspire in the spectator not > James Hillman (London : Routledge and Kegan grief but pity. In a novel , the fright expressed by a > Paul , 1960). See also Tuman, "Toward Critica l plotter whose scheming backfired may inspire in > Foundations" , pp. 30-33 for parallels between the the reader not fe ar but sati sfaction. (See Ne lson > ro le of emotion in cognition generall y and in the Goodman, Languages of Art: An Approach to a > cogn ition of art specifically. Th eo1y a/Symbols [Indianapolis: Hackett Publish- > We must distingui sh between the emotions mani- ing Co. , 1976], pp. 249- 250.) Our focus here is on > fe sted by the work of art itself and those stirred the emotions stirred by art within the participant. > with in the person who experiences the work of art. > 1158 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Therefore .. .set to music the verses and the divine words so that they may be sung with sou/- > stirring melody in the Assemblies and gatherings, and that the hearts of the listeners may > become tumultuous and rise towards the Kingdom of 'Abha in supplication and prayer. 1 > A further example of the effect of emotion, thi s time on a moral plane, is afforded by > Shakespeare's tragedies, whose underlying spiritual laws concerning human motivation and > conduct could never be so effectively highlighted and driven home without that eloquent > terror and consternation to which the violation of such truths inevitably leads. And for an > illustration of effectiveness of emotion on the social plane, we have only to observe that the > linking of appropriate verse with music can inspire such sentiments of national identity and > cohesion that one of the earliest acts of a newly formed State is to commission the writing > of a national anthem. > In brief, emotion in art is not an end but a means. By carefully designing works of art with > the intention of inducing an experience in which the participant's emotions are selectively > aroused and oriented, the artist can help ensure that the spiritual content of his or her work > is effectively communicated, vividly felt, long remembered, and therefore the more likely > to help broaden the vision, deepen the understanding, spiritualize the sentiments, and affect > the thought and even the conduct of those who wish to receive it. Art can thereby assist the > fundamentally joyous Baha'i attitude to life, and with it the whole range of human emotions, > to sail and find safe anchor in the harbor of God's remembrance. > > Baha'i World Faith, p. 378. > > A painting by a prisoner in Yazd, Iran, showing nine felled trees representing the seven martyrs > of Yazd in 1980, and two in 1984. The artist explained: "The earth is covered with snow. > Jn some areas the snow is melting and thousands oftiny trees are growing out ofthe large roots. > 'Verily God hath made adversity as a morning dew upon His green pasture. '" > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS > > 7. ALTRUISM AND EXTENSIVITY IN THE BAHA'i RELIGION > WENDY M. HELLER AND HODA MAHMOUD! > > HUMAN history abounds with examples that human nature is not innately and inof oppression and injustice inflicted by one coITigibly aggressive and egocentric-that > group on another. Over the centuries, ideo- human beings are genuinely capable of selflogically sanctioned patterns of prejudice, lessness and extensive behavior toward all > distrust, and suspicion have given rise to people, regardless of the group to which they > norn1s of exclusiveness, aggression, and vio- belong. This article will examine some of > lence toward those outside one's own social the ways in which the Baha'i Faith combines > group. Ironically, religion, which has the the unifying function of religion with altruism > potential to transcend other group affiliations in its aspiration to develop an altruistically > in uniting people into a community, has itself oriented global society. > been the cause of some of the most bitter, Located in over two hundred countries, > violent, and seemingly unsolvable conflicts the Baha'i Faith has recently been identified > between peoples. Yet, even while religion has as the second most widely distributed religion > often been used to justify prejudice and hos- (geographically) after Christianity. I Although > tility against other groups, religious scriptures the Baha'i Faith originated in nineteenthhave furnished inspiring appeals to altruism century Iran, the vast majority of its multiand enduring exhortations to embrace the racial and multicultural membership is now > "other". located in other countries, especially in the > Despite the pattern of group divisiveness, Third World, with the largest national comhuman history also contains examples of munity being in India. The Baha' i religion > acts that defy this pattern: individuals who has no clergy; its community administrarisk their lives to save others, who refuse tion is conducted by elected councils of nine > to collaborate in acts of oppression even members at the local, national, and interthough in doing so they set themselves apart national levels. The Baha'i teachings are > and risk ostracism or even death. Yet, in contained in the writings of Baha'u'llah, > spite of the high cultural regard for valiant 'Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi. Baha'is > individual examples of moral heroism, soci- accept these works as authoritative texts and > eties have generally been slow to promote the definitive model for belief and behavior, > altruistic behavior as a model to be emu- as well as the blueprint for social transforlated; they have not deliberately encouraged mation and for the global social order that is > the development of "altruistic personalities" the religion 's ultimate goal. 2 > able to transcend self-interest and group > affiliation. However, it is precisely in those 1 > Banet!, D.B., "World Religious Statistics." Encyexamples of altruistic acts that a glinlmer of > clopedia Britannica Book of the Year (Chicago: > hope can be discerned for a solution to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 1988), p. 303. > monumental dysfunction that plagues human 2 > Universal House of Justice, Th e Promise of World > societies today, as well as solid evidence Peace (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1985). > > Th is paper was originally presented at an internationa l conference , "Theoretical and Social Impli cations of Rescuing People in Extreme Situations: Another Look at Altru ism," held in Radziejowice, Poland, June 12- 15, I 989. > A version of the paper has been publi shed in Embracing the Other: Philosophical, Psychological, and Historical > Perspectives on Altruism, (New York University Press, 1992). > 1160 THE BAH}\'i WORLD > > Baha'is aim to transform civilization by Such an emphasis on collective progress > transforming themselves and their own social has important implications for the relationship > institutions on the basis of principles con- of individual entities-whether individual > tained in the Baha'i scriptures. Both altruism persons, nations, or other groups- to the > and extensivity-a pattern of personal com- larger society of which they form a part. As > mitment and responsibility that embraces Shoghi Effendi wrote in 1936, that relationdiverse groups of people 1-are fundamental ship is essentially based on the principle > components of Baha'i belief and practice, of the subordination of "every particularistic > a factor that has important implications for interest, be it personal, regional, or national, > the global society Baha'is are attempting to to the paramount interests of humanity .... " 3 > construct. This principle, in tum, is based on the idea > The social change envisioned by Bahci' is that, in a world of inter-dependent peoples > involves interrelated and interactive processes and nations the advantage of the part is best > of individual and structural transfom1ation. to be reached by the advantage of the whole, > Individual transformation embodies more and that no abiding benefit can be conferred > than a profession of belief; it is viewed as upon the component parts if the general > a process of acquiring distinctive personal interests of the entity itself are ignored or > characteristics and demonstrating them in neglected. > social interactions as well as in working, Yet, the interests of humanity as a whole > together with other Baha'is, to develop the are not conceptualized in terms of a vague > emerging Baha'i social institutions. abstraction that could be appropriated by a > In the Baha'i view, spiritual life is not particular dominant group and interpreted as > separated from the realm of social relations identical with its own interests, but rather as > but integrated with it. The Baha' i teachings a complex dynamic relationship between the > shift the primary focus of religious practice parts and the whole, in which the viability of > from individual salvation or enlightenment the whole is served by ensuring the wellto the collective progress of humanity as a being of all its individual parts, an enterprise > whole.2 Those teachings address social con- for which all share responsibility. > ditions and global problems as directly This conception is demonstrated at its > related to the individual's spiritual life: issues most basic in the relationship of the individof world peace, the equality of men and ual person and society. Although that > women, harmony between science and reli- relationship is, as Shoghi Effendi has stated, > gion, the equitable distribution of wealth and "essentially based on the principle of the > resources, and the elimination of prejudice subordination of the individual will to that > are, for Baha 'is, inseparable from religious of society," a complex balance is sought bebelief and practice. tween individual freedom and responsibility, > in which the individual is neither suppressed > nor excessively exalted. Cooperation between > Oliner, Samuel P., and Pearl M. Oliner, " Promoting > society and the individual is stressed, as is > Ex tensive Altrui stic Bonds: A Conceptu al the fostering of"a climate in which the untold > Elaborati on and Some Pragmatic Impli cations." In potentialities of the individual members of > Embracing the Other: Philosophical, Psychologi- society can develop .... "4 > cal, and 1-listorial Perspective on Altruism. ed. Pearl > 3 Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Bahti '11 '//tih: > M . Ol iner, et al (New York : N ew York University > Press, 1992). Selected Letters (Wil mette: Baha' i Publ ishin g > 2 Arbab, Farzam, "The Process of Soc ial Transforma- Tru st, 1974), p. 198. > tion ." In Th e Balza 'i Faith and Mat~tism: Uni versa l Ho use of Justice, Individual Rights and > Proceedings of a Conference Held Januat y 1986 Freedoms in the World Order of Bahti 'u '//tih: > (Ottawa: Association for Baha ' i Studies, 1987), A Statement by the Universal Hous e ofJustice > p. 10. (Wilmette: Bah:i ' i Publi shing Trust, 1989), p. 20. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1161 > > The Huxtables-a Baha 'i > family on St. Helena Island, > in th e South Atlantic. > From left to right: Delia, > Robert, Clifford, and Jane. > 1986. > > Jn Ma lawi, fi"iends > help to get the car > of a visitor up the > road. August 1990. > > Members of the > Spirit of Badi' > teaching project in > New Zealand enjoying a moment of > relaxation. > 1988. > 1162 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > Such a relationship, as it is envisioned, Thus, he concludes, the Baha'i path of > "must allow 'free scope' for 'individuality to spiritualization "should not be confused with > assert itself through modes of spontaneity, one that defines goodness passively and proinitiative and diversity that ensure the via- duces a human being whose greatest virtue > bility of society." Thus, even while the will is not to harm anyone; it is a path to create > of the individual is subordinated to that of social activists and agents of change." 4 > society, "the individual is not lost in the Altruism is a major component of that > mass but becomes the focus of primary desired social change and figures promidevelopment. ... " 1 The fulfillment of individ- nently in the Baha'i texts. Many scriptural > ual potential is to be sought not in pursuing exhortations delineate altruistic norms > self-centered desires but in contributing to explicitly, holding in high regard those who > the well-being of others, and the honor and nurture altruistic aims and plans for the > distinction of the individual consist in this, well-being of their fellow men .... 5 and urgthat he among all the world's multitudes ing individuals to be ready to lay down your > should become a source of social good. 2 lives one for !he other, and not only for > As Farzam Arbab has noted, this shift of those who are dear to you, but for all > emphasis to the progress of humanity is also humanity.6 > reflected in the importance given to specific Other teachings reflect values and attiqualities that Baha'is are enjoined to acquire, tudes that, as Oliner and Oliner report in Th e > qualities that promote prosocial behavior and Altruistic Personality, are conducive to an > lead to unity: for example, justice is stressed altruistic orientation. These include a sense of > more than charity, and the acquisition of atti- unity with and responsibility toward others > tudes conducive to human solidarity is valued beyond one's own social group, a strong > over simple tolerance. Even the qualities of family orientation, emphasis on relationship > love and of detachment from the material rather than on status, generosity, trustworthiworld are conceived of as active and social ness, appreciation of diversity, as well as > rather than passive and inwardly directed: ethical values of justice and caring. > ... the social dimension is also enhanced Unity and interdependence, and their link > through the expansion of the meaning of to helping behavior, are prominent themes > most qualiti es to include a social vision. in the Baha'i texts, often expressed through > Love includes the abolition of social prej- organic metaphors, as in this passage from > udices and the realization of the beauty of the Writings ofBaha'u'llah: > diversity in the human race. Detachment The utterance of God is a lamp, whose > from the world is not taught in a way that light is these words: Ye are the fruits of > leads to idleness and to the acceptance of one tree, and the lea ves of one branch. > oppression: it is acquired to free us from Deal ye one with another with the utmost > our own material interests in order to ded- love and harmony... . So powerful is the > icate ourselves to the well-being of others. light of unity that it can illuminate the > To this expansion of the meaning of whole earth. 7 > almost all qualities is also added a constant endeavor to acquire social skills, to ibid. > 5 'Abd u' l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of > participate in meetings of consultation, to 'Abdu '/-Baha (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1978), > work in groups ... to reach and carry out p. 72. > collective decisions. 3 6 'Abd u' l-Baha, Paris Talks : Addresses given by > 'A bdu '/-Baha in Paris in 191 I (London: Baha ' i > I ibid. , pp. 20- 21. Publishing Tru st, 1969), p. 170. > 2 7 Baha ' u ' llah , Gleanings from the Writings of > 'Abdu '1-Baha, The Secret of Divin e Civilization > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1975), p. 2. a > Bah 'u '/tah (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, > 3 Arbab, "Process", p. 11. 1976), p. 288 . > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORK S 1163 > > Explaining this metaphorical reference, of worship, the Baha'i religious tradition > 'Abdu '1-Baha writes that because all humans accepts all the great spiritual teachers as > are interconnected and mutually dependent, equals. Baha'is are expected to revere > they must "powerfully sustain one another" Buddha, Zoroaster, Moses, Jesus, and > by caring for each other: MulJammad, as well as Baha'u'llah, recog- > Let them at all times concern themselves nizing in them all the same spirit of the > with doing a kindly thing for one of their mediator between God and humanity. Thus, > fellows, offering to someone love, consid- although the body of teachings composing > eration, thoughtful help. Let them see no the Baha'i religion itself cannot accurately > one as their enemy, or as wishing them ill, be called eclectic, the Baha'i religious > but think ofall humankind as their friends; tradition includes all of the previous dispenregarding the alien as an intimate, the sations, which are viewed as "different stages > stranger as a companion, staying free of in the eternal history and constant evolution > prejudice, drawing no lines. 1 of one religion, Divine and indivisible, of > The theme of inclusiveness is emphasized which it [the Baha' i Faith] itself forms but > in every aspect of Baha'i individual and an integral part." 2 > community life, beginning with the funda- From the Baha'i perspective, the princimental teachings of the oneness of humanity ple of the unity of religion and progressive > and the unity of religion. The Baha'i teach- revelation restores the unific role of religion > ings view divine revelation not as a static, in society, providing a basis for resolving > unique event, but as a continuing process long-standing, apparently unbridgeable divithat is the central feature of human history. sions among religious communities as well > The spirit that inspired all the founders of as a resolution of the dilemma posed by the > the great religions of the past, the Manifesta- existence of numerous religions, each claimtions of God, is recognized as one and the ing divine origin. For Baha'is, the principle > same. Their original teachings contain the removes any pretext for disunity deriving > same basic, unchanging spiritual and ethical from religious affiliation; in fact, all religious > precepts, prominent among which are the conflict is forbidden. The Baha'i writings > teachings that promote altruism. The tenets direct Baha'is to love .. . all religions and all > that change from one religious dispensation races with a lo ve that is true and sincere and > to another are the social laws and practices, show that lo ve through deeds ... ;3 to exert > which apply those precepts in specific forms. their efforts so that the tumult of religious > Thus, religious truth is understood to be dissension and strife that agitateth the > relative, progressive, and developmental. peoples of the earth may be stilled, that > Such a perspective implies more than eve1y trace of it may be completely oblitertolerance for the equality of individual ated. 4 That the divers communions of the > religions as separate entities to be respected earth, and the manifold systems of religious > in a pluralistic society. It redefines the belief, Baha'u'llah writes, should never be > nature of their relationship to one another allowed to foster the feelings of animosity > and thus sets new terms for a definition of among men, is in this Day, of the essence of > identity based on connection rather than sep- the Faith of God and His Religion. 5 Affirmaration. Unlike religious groups who define ing the preeminence of the principle of > themselves by their distinction from other religious inclusiveness and unity, the Baha'i > groups based on the claim that their founder writings go so far as to state that if religion > was the sole or the final source of truth or > that their practices are the only correct form World Order, p. 114. > Selections, p. 69. > Gleanings, p. 288. > 1 5 > Selectio11s, pp. 1-2. ibid., p. 287. > 1164 THE BAl-1..\'i WORLD > > Children in Baha'i literacy classes in the Upper Corentyne District of Berbice, Guyana, > finding letters which spell out "I Love Guyana"; 1990. > > An American Baha'i Youth Year of Service volunteer who lived in Botswana in 1987 > used a globe to help convey concepts while deepening some of the jhends. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1165 > becomes the cause of division and disunity, Far from being an abstract principle reit is better to have no religion at all. 1 moved from the real social conditions, the > Closely linked to the principle of the unity of humankind must be lived in practice, > unity of religion is the distinguishing feature as 'Abdu'l-Baha told a gathering in Europe > of the Baha'i dispensation: the principle of in 1912: > the oneness and wholeness of humanity. The Do not be content with showing friendfull equality of all members of the human ship in words alone ... > species and their close relationship to one When you meet a [stranger]. .. speak to > another requires that Baha' is regard people him as to a friend; if he seems to be lonely > from all racial, religious , ethnic, class, and t1y to help him, give him of your willing > national backgrounds as members of one service; if he be sad console him, if poor > global family. Rather than offering mere succour him, if oppressed rescue him ... > "symbols of internationalism" in the hope What profit is there in agreeing that unithat these might, as Allport suggested, "pro- versal friendship is good, and talking of > vide mental anchorage points around which the solidarity of the human race as a > the idea of world-loyalty may develop," 2 the grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are > Baha'i religion begins with áthe underlying translated into the world of action, they > principle of world loyalty and human unity, are useless. 5 > which is itself the anchorage point, "the Although the Baha'i writings speak of the > pivot," according to Shoghi Effendi, "round absolute equality of all, the intent is not > which all the teachings of Baha'u'llah sameness of conformity to a dominant culrevolve .... " 3 The extension of the individual's ture, nation, race, class, or any other group. > personal commitments and relationships In theory and in practice, cultural and racial > to include the diverse groups composing diversity is valued in the Baha'i community. > humanity is repeatedly urged in Baha'i texts Along with the expression of the ideal, a > in the strongest terms possible-that is, as conscious awareness exists that effort is > no less than a divine commandment: necessary to break down age-old baITiers > In every dispensation, there hath been of prejudice and separation. The cultivation > the commandment offellowship and love, of friendships with people of different backbut it was a commandment limited to the grounds is repeatedly encouraged, but perhaps > community of those in mutual agreement, the most notable evidence of the Baha'i > not to the dissident fo e. Jn this wondrous commitment to inteITacial unity is the attiage, however, praised be God, the com- tude toward inteITacial maITiage, which is > mandments of God are not delimited, not actively welcomed and encouraged in the > restricted to any one group of people; Baha'i writings. > rather have all the friends been com- In consonance with the prosocial orientamanded to show forth f ellowship and tion of the Baha'i teachings, the ideal Baha'i > love, consideration and generosity and personality, as implied in the Baha'i scriploving-kindness to eve1y community on tures, is other centered, extensive, and altruistic. > earth. 4 In one passage, 'Abdu'l-Baha makes altruism itself the touchstone for a new definition > 'Abdu' l-Baha , Promulg ation a/Universal Peace: > of true human nature: > Talks D elivered by 'Abd11 '/-Bahit during His Visit to ... man should be willing to accept hardth e United States and Canada in 1912. (Wilmette: ships for himself in order that others may > Baha'i Publi shing Trust, 1975) p. 117. enjoy wealth; he should enjoy trouble for > A llport, Gordon W. , Th e Nature of Prejudice himself that others may enjoy happiness > (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1954), p. 44. > World Order, p. 42. > 4 5 > Selections, pp. 20- 21. Paris Talks, p. 16. > 1166 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > and well-being. This is the attribute of without direct reinforcements." 4 Yarrow, > man .. .. Scott, and Waxler conclude that "generalized > He who is so hard-hearted as to think altruism would appear to be best learned > only of his own comfort, such an one will from parents who do not only try to inculnot be called man. cate the princip les of altruism, but who also > Man is he who forgets his own interests manifest altruism in everyday interactions." 5 > fo r the sake of others. His own comfort The role of parental influence in fostering the > he forfeits for the well-being of all. Nay, development of the altruistic personality has > rather, his own life must he be willing to been further w1derscored by Oliner and Oliner > forfeit for the life of mankind. 1 in The Altruistic Personality, their study of > Although personal transformation is seen rescuers of Jews during World War II. 6 > as a lifelong process, according to the Baha'i Another area of related emphasis is > texts, the foundations of altruistic behavior parental discipline. The Baha' i writings state > can be developed in childhood. Children are that, It is incumbent upon every father and > believed to be born with the capacity for mother to counsel their children over a long > good or bad behavior; during the course of period, and guide them unto those things > their development they can be influenced which lead to everlasting honour. 7 The > by their social interactions, especially in development of good character and behavior > the family. Thus, the development of the in children, however, is to be encouraged > prosocial individual begins with the training through the love, understanding, and wise > and socialization of children. The Baha' i guidance of the parents, using reason rather > writings urge parents to teach [children} to than force. Baha'i texts strongly discourage > dedicate their lives to matters of great im- the use of physical punishment or verbal > port, and inspire them to undertake studies abuse of children, stating that, it is not .. . perthat will benefit mankind. 2 So crucial is the missible to strike a child, or vilify him for the > teaching of prosocial behavior that training child 's character will be totally perverted if > in morals and good conduct is far more he be subjected to blows or verbal abuse. 8 > important than book learning. 3 The Baha'i view on parental discipline > However, teaching children lofty ideas is supported by contemporary social psycholis not considered sufficient on its own. Em- ogists. Hoffman, as well as others, suggests > phas is is repeatedly placed upon behavior that the use of physical power or material > rather than professions of belief-on deeds, resources to control a child 's behavior (power > not words. Thus, the most powerful method assertion) is least effective in developing > by which children can be taught a prosocial consideration for others. Power-assertion > orientation is the model of parents whose techniques of discipline promote in children > actions reflect the ideal personality charac- aggressive behavior, self-centered values, > teristics. and an unwillingness to share with other > The impact of modeling on children has > received significant support in the li terature 4 > M usse n, P., and N. Eisenberg-B erg, Roots of > on altruism and prosocial behavior. Mussen Caring, Sharing, and Helping: The Development of > and Eisenberg-Berg write, "A substantial Prosocial Behavior in Children (San Franc isco : > Freema n, 1977), p. 3 I. > proportion of the individual 's helping and 5 Yarrow, M.R., P. Scott, and C.Z. Wax ler, " Learni ng > sharing responses is acquired through obser- Concern fo r Others." Developmental Psychology > vation and imitation of a model's behavior ( 1973) , p. 256. > 6 Oliner, Samuel P., and Pearl M. Oliner, The Altruis- > 'Abdu'l-B aha, Foundations of World Unity (W il- tic Personality: Rescuers ofJews in Nazi Europe > mette: Baha ' i Publishing Trnst, 1979), p. 42. (New York: Free Press, 1988) . > 2 7 > Selections, p. 129. Selections, p. 134. > 3 8 ibid., p. 125. > ibid ., p. 135 . > LITERARY A N D MU S ICAL WORKS 1167 > > children. 1 In contrast, the disciplinary tech- the "feminine" ethic of caring,4 'Abdu'lnique of induction-reasoning and explanation Baha had written: "Th e Kingdom of God is > based on the impact of the child's behavior founded upon equity and justice, and also > on others- encourages prosocial behavior. 2 upon mercy, compassion, and kindness to > Baha'i child socialization aims to develop every living soul. Strive ye then with all your > a prosocial orientation in children, who are heart to treat compassionately aU humanencouraged to recognize themselves as kind ... . " He then qualified this statement, > members of a community that begins with asserting that oppressio,n must be opposed: > the family and extends to include all of "Kindness cannot be shown the tyrant, the > humanity. They are encouraged to develop deceiver, or the thief, because, far from > a sense of personal spiritual responsibility awakening them to the error of their ways, it > to act toward others with empathy and com- maketh them to continue in their perversity > passion as well as justice and equity, and as before. " 5 > to sacrifice their own material self-interests The Baha' i teachings recognize that the > for others in need. As adults, Baha'is are transformation of individuals into altrui stic > expected to make a commitment to continue persons cannot take place outside the social > internalizing such patterns until they become context, which must provide a matrix for > the foundation of the personality itself. that transformation. Recent research has > Spiritual development is seen as an infinite drawn attention to the importance of group > process of self-transformation- that is, a norms in motivating moral behavior, whether > continual, conscious refining of one 's be- directly, as a response to the social expectahavior in the crucible of social interaction. tions as such, or indirectly, as internalized > The cultivation of spiritual, altruistic qualities personal norms. 6 The findings of Oliner and > remains the aim and central focus of life for Oli ner, outlined in Th e Altniistic Personality, > the adult Baha'i. further emphasize the importance of the > In light of recent research, it is note- "normocentric" orientation in motivating the > worthy that both the ethical principles of altruism of rescuers of Jews during World > justice and of caring, important motivators War II. > of altruistic behavior (see Oliner and Oliner, Such findings imply that, while altruistic > The Altruistic Personality), are emphasized qualities must be fostered in individuals, a > in the Baha' i writings, where they are not social framework must also be provided withviewed as contradictory or exclusive but as in which extensivity and altruism are valued > inseparably connected. Even when the ethic and represent the norms of the group itself. > of justice is enjoined, it is usually as a The creation of such a society is inseparable > practice to be performed out of concern for from the development of individual altruistic > others. Justice is presented as the practice of personalities, for, so long as groups value > equity, often linked with safeguard[ing} the egocentrism, unfettered individualism, status > rights of the downtrodden ....3 The Baha'i seeking, dominance, and a materialistic ori - > conception of justice means that all have a entation, altruism will remain an exception > right to receive care. to the rule, and the altruistic personality will > Well over half a century before Carol > Gilligan called attention to the complemen- 4 > G illigan, Caro l, Jn a Different Vo ice: Psychological > tarity of the "masculine" ethic of justice and Th eory and Women's Development (Cambridge: > Harvard Uni versity Press, I 982). > 1 5 > Ho ffman, Martin, " Moral Internalization, Parental Selections. p. I 58. > Powe r, and the Nature o f Parent-Child Interaction." 6 > Reykowski , Janusz, " Motivation o f Prosocial > Developmental Psychology I I (I 975) pp. 228-23 9. Behav ior." In Cooperation and Helping Behavior: > Musse n a nd Ei senberg-Berg, Roots. Th eories and Research. ed. V.J . Derlaga and J. Gri- > Gleanings , p. 247 . zelak (New York: Academic Press, 1982), p. 359. > 1168 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > appear as deviant in comparison to the rest allows the "clash of differing opinions" that > of the group. In Baha'i society, this situation can strike the "shining spark oftruth".2 Each > is reversed: member of the consultative group has an > Altruism is not an aberrant behavior con- equal right of expression, and no blocs, factrary to convention because the normative tions, or any subdivisions of the group are > expectations (which individuals are ulti- permitted. Inseparable from the Baha'i conmately expected to internalize) are altruistic. sultative process is the development of > It is beyond the scope of this discussion sensitivity and respect for the different voices > to describe in its entirety the social order whose expressions of opinion may not fit > Baha'is envision and to which they are into conventional or dominant cultural modes > committed. However, they believe that of communication. Since the group attempts > much of it will be the fruit of the process to work toward consensus on an issue, > of integration of now isolated or even voting only as a last resort, the process does > hostile races, groups, and nations who, as not necessarily require reduction to duality: > they come together and unite in the same alternatives need not be narrowed down to > cause, become transformed and help the two poles "for" and "against". Instead, > transform each other, and bring to the ris- the consultative process itself, drawing on > ing institutions of a new World Order the the interactive contributions of all its diverse > richness of different cultures and of dif- members, is looked to as the creative source > ferent social thought and experience. 1 of new solutions. > Thus, in the Baha'i view, it is through the Consultation is regarded both as a method > individual practice as well as the institution- for generative decision making and conflict > alization of the principle of unity in diversity resolution as well as an instrument for reinthat human society can evolve to an unprec- forcing the unity of a diverse group. It is the > edented level of cohesion and cooperation, method by which the Baha'i administrative > and transcend the limitations implicit in the institutions conduct the affairs of the Baha'i > current state of separation and competitive- community, but Baha'is are also encouraged > ness. While the Baha'i conception of unity to use consultation in all aspects of their > in diversity should not be conshued as lives, whether in the family, neighborhood, > merely a version of liberal pluralism, the or workplace. > safeguarding and encouraging of diverse Another way in which Baha'i administraelements within the Baha'i community is a tive institutions are structured to implement > major institutional principle. It is embedded unity in diversity involves practices intended > within Baha'i institutions through practices to ensure the participation of minority etlmic > that require the participation and support of populations. (The definition of what constithe entire Baha'i community because they tutes a "minority" is left to the discretion of > apply at all levels of administrative and the national institution in each country.) "To > community functioning-local, national, and discriminate against any race, on the ground > international. of its being socially backward, politically > Most prominent of these practices is con- inm1ature, and numerically in a minority'', > sultation, a group decision-making process is considered to be "a flagrant violation > whose goal is to reach solutions to problems of the spirit" of the Baha'i teachings. 3 In > by consensus. Baha'i consultation encourages principle, protecting the "just interests of > the open and frank expression of diverse any minority element within the Baha'i > views on the topic under discussion in an > atmosphere of love and respect that also 2 > Bahn 'i Administration, p. 21. > Shoghi Effendi , Th e Advent of Divine Justice (Wi l- > 1 mette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1984), p. 35 . > Arbab. "Process," p. 11. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1169 > community" and ensuring that all have the > opportunity to contribute their perspectives > to collaborative efforts of the group, is considered so important that representatives of > minority populations "are not only enabled > to enjoy equal rights and privileges, but they > are even favored and accorded priority." 1 > Baha' i communities are instructed that it is > their duty to ensure that "Baha'i 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." 2 > One way in which the principle is > practiced is the minority tie rule of Baha'i > elections. In the course of elections for > Baha'i administrative institutional membership-elections conducted without nominations > or campaigning and decided by plurality > vote-if voting results in a tie between persons, one of whom represents a minority, > "priority should unhesitatingly be accorded > the party representing the minority, and this At the Baha 'i Vocational Institute for Rural > for no other reason except to stimulate and Women in Kalyanpura, Madhya Pradesh, > encourage it, and afford it an opportunity to India, women learn how to read and write. > further the interests of the community." 3 In 1988. > addition to its direct effect in increasing > minority representation on Baha'i administrative institutions, the practice of this rule leading to the development of an altruistic > heightens the sensitivity of the group to global society. Such a society, in the Baha'i > its minority membership and reaffirms the context, begins with the individual striving > group commitment to valuing and encourag- daily toward personal transforn1ation-the > ing minority participation. For the individual deliberate internalization of spiritual teachbeliever, conceding a tie vote to the minority ings incorporating altruistic, extensive values > representation becomes a concrete opportu- as personal norn1s. The Baha'i teachings > nity to practice sacrifice of self-interest for strive to imbue individuals with an inclusive > the other within a context of social approval. orientation transcending, though not sup- > Whether applied in community adminis- pressing, other group loyalties and valuing > tration, in the family, in education, or in the the well-being of the entire planet and all its > economy, the Baha'i principles and practices inhabitants . Throughout the Baha'i writings, > are viewed as catalysts whose application will the vision imparted to the individual is that > ultimately bring about social transforn1ation of a peaceful, just, and caring civilization > whose foundation rests on the cornerstone > of the unity of all human beings, a unity that > Un iversal House of Justice, Messages from the > Universal House ofJustice 1968- 1973 (Wilmette, > is to be consolidated and protected by insti- > Baha'i Publi shing Trust, 1976), p. 49. tutions which reflect and promote the > Advent, p. 36. principles of unity, equity, and altruistic > ibid., p. 35. service as normative expectations. > II > VERSE > > THIS IS FA ITH THE V ISIT > > To walk where there is no path "That Church no di exist for here again," > To breathe where there is no air that old woman said, > To see where there is no light - pointing a bony finger at the abandoned > This is Faith. I:Ia~iratu ' l-Quds > now overgrown with grass and sadly derelict > To cry out in the silence, like an old man who has neglected his beard. > The silence of the night, Rumours of witchcraft had frightened the > And hearing no echo believe villagers away. > And believe again and again - > This is Faith. We knew what we must do: > Summon the hosts of Abha to action, and > To hold pebbles and see jewels with machets sharp and lean, > To raise sticks and see forests conquer the witchcraft and the grass. > To smile with weeping eyes - Soon the green tufts were cleared from the > This is Faith. roof, > the path was made smooth, > To say: "God, I believe" when others deny, the interior straightened and ordered. > "I hear" when there is no answer, We gathered some children, > "I see" though naught is seen - taught them songs and prayers. > This is Faith. > By evening, word had spread, > And the fierce love in the heart, the children carrying the news > The savage love that cries of our meeting to their families. > Hidden Thou art yet there! > Veil Thy face and mute Thy tongue Sixteen Baha'is came > Yet I see and hear Thee, Love, and two women inquirers. > Beat me down to the bare earth, The fruit of the meeting was the resolution > Yet I rise and love Thee, Love! never to neglect again > This is Faith. the "church of Balla" - > the center where all may come > - Ruhiyyih (Israel) in peace and unity. > (Amatu '/- Balza R1if1iyyih Khanum) > -Samuel Tanyi-Tambe > (Cameroon Republic) > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1171 > LIVIN G TOGETH ER > > On flax-clad hill I lie At last we are one, at last we are grafted > watching the sun set together, > colours so thick I should You the outspread wing and I the feather. > wrap them round me; We are the sail and the mast > keep out the evening chill. We are the wind and the weather; > We are the song birds sing . .. > Increase my wonder and And the honey drawn from the heather. > amazement at Thee, 0 God > We are one! We are parting and meeting, > My children come to me. Voice . .. and the echo replying. > Running. We are farewelling and greeting, > Sharky smiles on grubby Living . . . and dying. > little faces. > Instant action response to We are one ... the known and unknowing, > this energy; The wi ld wind blowing each to the other. > life At last, at last we are one, > At last we are grafted together, > Increase my wonder and You ... the outspread wing > amazement at Thee, 0 God and I... the feather. > > Smooth profiles woman of -Kate March (Australia) > candle-glow > curved in devotion. > Breathing sculpture. > Timeless. > Her beauty gladdens > my heart. > > In crease my wonder and > amazement at Thee, 0 God > Baha'u'llah is the Prophet of God > I hear of a man. 'Abdu ' l-Baha is His son, > One man. and They both shine under the sun. > One They are a good two > man because They gave away Their cloth > whose life is changing the and shoesworld and that is the poem ofBaha'u'llah > changing me. and His son. > He was real, no myth . > -Geojji-ey Cameroon (Canada) > 'Abdu'l-Baha. > (Age 8) > > In crease my wonder and > amazement at Thee, 0 God > > ~Fay Sweetman (New Zealand) > 1172 TH E BAHA'I WORLD > > PROMISE F ULFILLED THE D ANCE > > With lucent newsong, (Dedicated lo the Pygmy people of Mugambiro, Zaire, > who tried to teach me the reality of Joy) > dawn breaks. > With springsong and madrigals, > 0 star catchers, 0 forest dancers, your > flowering roseháees and > heads only reach my breasts, but your vision > nightingales trilling, > takes in the universe . Your laughter > dawn breaks . > echos in my head, your joy is a > With a sun of hope, > suspended crystal reflecting light. You > day is born. > give me a new name, Kahinda, the one > Lightening shadows, > greening deserts , > who rouses the people to move. You > uniting peoples and races, > teach me to see in the dark, you > defeating prejudices, > teach me to move to the rhythm of > day comes surging. > my heart, by moonlight. > With two morning stars, > dawn comes now, - Kathleen LeMone (United Stales) > with a chorus of cocks > sudden and sharp, > and with a song of lights and flowers , > a cry of great love, > and hope for a new day ... > > Oh Best Beloved! > Oh Living Faith! I am a rose, > Of Glory of Glories! single and alone- > Oh Promise Fulfilled! but I know the Wind. > No one can stop You. > You come, breaking the dawn. - Kateya Robbie (Canada) > (Age 9) > You come, bearing day. > > With seven hundred fifty rifles, > they would darken the day. > Oh, Your weeping, Your pain. > Streams of blood > irrigate Your holy earth; > roses and lost stars > bring in the dawn. > > - Jose Gre (Chile) > (Translation by Ja nel Ruhe-Schoen, > Jaleh Ruhe, Em il Groth) > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1173 > I III > > EVERYTHING IS OF GOD BAHA'U'LLAH IN A DREAM > > They are of God The eyes > all the virtues hard, sharpened diamonds > the merits of indefinable steel penetrated > the most luminous gems the dream > the arcane knowledge sweet-light as fragrant bread > that the baker has just > They are of God removed from the oven > all future good You came at dawn > life and death the day of my years > time and You toasted with crystalline > poetry springwater that > the hand and the pen quenches every thirst > the Intellect and the heart from every throat > all that is searched for in the night In the torment > and is lost of contorted thoughts > among the stars of the sky in the nucleus of a swooning soul > I was devastated > mutely cringing on the bed > II among a festive gathering > of tender, unknown friends > FROM INFINITE DISTANCES > The dawn filtering through the window > The Well-Beloved was calling me found me astonished and without voice > the Nightingale of the prison of 'Akka The room tasted of > the Exile Whom even mint and of poetry > the guards venerated > with sympathetic smiles of understanding (Selected stanzas from "The March of Utopia") > and I heard His voice > intoning an inesistible song > - Daniele Giancane (Italy) > I was caught by a lasso (Translations by lskander Tinto and > one time Elizabeth Peedo) > and forever > like a weary eagle > after a crazy race > of a dozing donkey > 1174 THE BAHki WORLD > > NOTES POSTMARKED THE MOUNTAIN Beyond his window confident stars > OF Goo form new configurations, > effortlessly shaping themselves > Beginning into the alphabet of homecoming. > Arrival > > The plane touches down at Ben Gurion. Day On e > Like a latter-day Noah he is disgorged Visit to the Shrine of the Bab > to move groggily tluáough humid air, > the smell of warm tarmac The first glimpse brings assurance, > and the hum of Levan tine confusion. like learning that the Alps > Everywhere, the seduction of orange resemble the postcards, and a sense > blossoms. of familiarity, of longstanding personal > The luggage he struggles with ownership. > bulges with untried convictions, Mingling at Pilgrim House he finds himself > rusted resolve and umelinquished lightheaded with happiness and anticipation, > disappointments. his hopes fleshed, his expectations peopled. > He has brought more clothing A sense of belonging invades him, causes > than he will have time to wear. the others to seem like family . > Hope, his best provision, He recognizes even the furniture as that of > is crammed in among random indiscretions, home. > outworn hesitancies and inappropriate The luxury of saying Allah-u-Abhir. > tweeds. cloistered from offence or ridicule, > Had he not guessed this venture calls for the immediate acceptance, are as he has > the lightweight wardrobe of beginnings? dreamed, > a minor private confirmation. > The journey has taken longer > than the airline's tidy prediction. The visit to the Shrine takes place > The passenger has known false starts, in an easy but awesome silence. > obscure delays and ill-judged detours The crunching of tile shards underfoot as > but feels he has at last he moves in file with the others towards > attained the suburbs of authentic anival. the goal > helps anchor him to his purpose from which > Outside the airport, as he hails a cab, he might be pulled by exquisite details > Israel opens itself to him of the garden > offers its noise, vitality and or even the unself-conscious trill of a bird > curiously familiar foreigm1ess , that clothes in song his mounting ecstasy. > presents the gift of palpable certainty His senses collude with the beauty to delay > that this is a holy land. his pace > and postpone the rewarding confrontation. > Alone, he offers a small prayer But then he is there with the othersthrough fatigue-numbed lips , too soon > sunenders his weariness and jetlag and far from soon enough- and the door, > to the Tel Aviv hotel bed giant-tall and heavy and swung on its > and, mumbling like a drowsy child, hinges , > Tomorrow, Haifa and the Mountain of God, extends its inesistible invitation. > falls into a welcoming chasm Attar of roses becomes his oxygen. > ofrestorative sleep. The pattern in the carpet provides > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1175 > occupation to his insatiable eyes "See, Azerbaijan, > till he raises them to see the petal-strewn this constant flame > threshold which casts no shadow." > and, beyond, the inner chamber screened by > golden mesh. And then he sleeps. > Are the prayers offered here invested with > a special potency? he wonders, In a troubling dream he sees the face > but his words of the girl > seem impertinent in this setting and whom he had hoped long ago to companion > leave no imprint on his mind. on pilgrimage > He blushes, concerned that he might (when such excursion was but a phantasmal > have spoken aloud, impulse) > and cannot tell, but whom he had driven away > so articulate is this silence, so resonant through his awkward and in1mature > of all the anguish deposited there. insistence > He hears a fellow pilgrim weep that she-puzzled and ill preparedand longs to have his own heart break wear the cloak of his vision > or conflagrate that he might rush forward, though her spirit drew her elsewhere. > ashes dribbling from his cupped hands, He remembers their last despairing > to scatter them upon the threshold. conversation, > A scornful voice in his head causes hin1 to a classic pas de deux of misunderstanding, > squirm the telephone receiver heavy in his hand, > in discomfort, but shrugging it away his head throbbing, his voice clotted > he finds it possible to recite prayers with hurt, > and then he slowly takes his leave the long imponderable silences > wondering what he may have left thick with unspoken accusations. > on the threshold He had imposed on her blindly his singular > where the petals gave their lives. need > to feel he was her rescuer, > As day expires he reflects oblivious to the mystery of her own > on the Bab's captivity, integrity, > turns to his journal, writes: her private and necessary rebellion, the > personal choices > "He Who had no candle through which she found protection and > has here, ensconced in circled circle, fulfillment > amid adoring flowers and, eventually, the contented life > and green deferential trees, he could never have afforded her. > this whitest marble taper > tipped with gold. In the dream he sees a sooty congregation- > It gleams serenely from Carmel, crows he supposes-arranged high overhead > inextinguishably lights the world, along a telephone wire, their light-struck > our reverential hearts feathers > the willing wick. glinting with vague menace. > > "This light will melt He awakens with a start from his broken > remotest snows, rest, > outlast the names greets his mirrored reflection raw-eyed and > by which we know it. ruefully, > 1176 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > thinking: One brings one's past on As dawn takes command of the sky > pilgrimage and- he offers the prescribed prayer, > what? Does one leave it here unassimilated, then, extemporizing, supplicates : As daytangled light appropriates the darkness > and opaque, or take it home transmuted, may God's will appropriate mine- > God's providence that had been concealed and with quiet elation prepares leisurely > in the calamity revealed at last? to descend to breakfast. > > He is flooded with a sense of relief All that one relinquishes of the past is not so > and freedom . consciously shed, he thinks, as the wake-up > With pre-dawn chill invading the room call > and mourning doves beginning to voice which he forgot to cancel cuts through his > their nonspecific discontent, sleep proves revene > impossible. with an imperious ring. > An image from his dream tickles his mind. > Opening his notebook he scribbles hastily > "Punctuation" Da y Two > and sets down the poem that presses itself Th e Trouble with Mountains > upon him: > Leaving the hotel with others > "Tentative as commas in the light camaraderie of pilgrimage > they balance on wing-swung wires he remembers with renewed astonishment > along which our voices speed, that the sun-drenched vista presenting > itself before them > "preside with feigned indifference is the mountain of God. At last the unattainover crackling reports of our triumphs, able attained. > our dissembled defeats; our garbled > anguish, He thinks of mountains he's known, > remembers the Rockies, Kilimanjaro, San > "and sometimes rise, excitedly cawing, Jacinto, > a flurry of black exclamation marks the snow-furred lions of Vancouver's > against the sky's pale slate coastal range . > And now this rocky hill, Ca1mel's bony > "pointing, perhaps, a lover's spme > voluble avowals or the finality from whose grudging soil these gardens > of a choked goodbye, were coaxed > and jacaranda persuaded to grant its mauve > "then settle nervously benefaction. > on their high-strung perch, But nature was here before the designer > a dark ellipsis, imposed his Order > resigned to brood on the ambiguous intent upon the ravishment of human vision > tongue and the pilgrims' eyes are furnished proof, > of those who cannot soar." seared by the sight of a brilliant red poppy > defiant among the tangle on the untended > That is the past, or part of it, he thinks, outcrop > closing his book and walking to the window beyond the garden 's boundary. > before his inner dissenting voice > presents its inevitable quibble. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1177 > He thinks of his father "And do not hear the battered bird > who found mountains claustrophobic, high in the torturing wind: Pass! Pass! > and of the upward climb of the soul, With adamant soul > and of the early pilgrim who was reminded and sharpest sight > by Shoghi Effendi, when she protested on f eet of brass! " > the slope > and the challenging paths, I shall call it, he reflects as he falls asleep, > that Baha'u 'llah bids us advance on feet of "The Trouble with Mountains'', > brass though the trouble is with us. > led by Him on feet of steel. > A bird invades his dreams of labouring > He wonders why he has waited so long upward > to approach this unprepossessing hill urging him forward with sharp little cries > that so daunts him and whether and sometimes dipping to gaze into his eyes. > his commitment > is adequate to aid him up its incline At breakfast he asks a fellow pilgrim > where a panorama and enhanced perspective to whom he related his dream, > are the rewards. He imagines himself "Was it Dickinson who wrote > at the crest, flushed and breathless, Hope is the thing with feathers?" > looking and pointing- Th ere! There! Th ere! Although knowing the lines well, > barely able to withstand the beauty, he hoped to explore their implications, > the acuity of vision, the intensive joy. savour the meaning of his experiences > behind the locked door of sleep > Extraneous thoughts, and postpone entry > but that evening he writes: into the day 's experience. > But poetry has no place > "We come to this mountain late amid the clatter of cutlery > in laggard wonder and the pilgrims' hasty preparations, > and atrophied awe, is dismissed with a sluug by his companion > in distrust of the promptings of angels, who, delirious with anticipation, > the voice in the thunder. pores over a city map > and charts an unscheduled visit > "Like the old plainsman brought dazed to a holy site. > to the coast to die, > needing to hate The insistent world is never far away, > Vancouver and his death, he thinks, > who glared sullenly at its peaks gulping coffee that has not had time to cool. > which to outwit defeat > he 'd never try > protesting they block the view Da y Three > and stifle breath. Choreography of Reverence > > "An ant's dusty truth. We gaze Another day of soul-reeling busyness, > at our thorn-stabbed feet. of gluttonous banquets of the spirit > ft is too late, too late, and ample feastings of the eyes. > the bruising stones reveal He is a magpie gathering memories > to follow to the summit seizing and sorting and storing > One Whose feet were steel. a miscellaneous haul to nourish him > 1178 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > after the banishment of departure, Day Four > time's cruellest farman. The Perfect Journey > > In the courtyard, as he chats with a pilgrim, The pilgrimage a meal, > her young daughter rushes up each day a different course, > in the uninhibited exuberance of six but no cessation of hunger. > fresh from her private possession Why had he waited to walk > of 'Abdu ' l-Baha 's Shrine on the mountain that had known > which had been momentarily deserted. the footstep of the King? > With shining eyes she announces Had he a shadow self intent upon > that within the Master's tomb the sabotage of his best interests, > filled with forgiveness and soft pink light the shipwreck of his growth? > she had ached to leave Him something All day, in quiet moments, > so broke into a small rapturous dance he gives himself to this question, > having nothing else to offer. jingling it in the pocket of his mind > He had been so lonely as a prisoner, like a worn but favourite coin. > she tells them, then, exulting, Later, alone and sated with the > she floats away day's unassimilated sensations and delights, > fulfilled, a rush of swirling skirts he writes: > and evanescence, oblivious to her mother's > apprehensive glance. But the Shrine beams "This, the perfect journey; this alone > back approval. Although the spurious brother came > with petulant demand > Leaming, always learning, he was substanceless in all that light. > is his late-night thought, > the skipping child's smile still with him "The choices leading to this holy stone > and her assuredness in tendering I blessed in silence but could not name; > her spontaneous gift. outstretched a timid hand > Tired as he is , he yet takes up his journal, but heard the banished sobbing in his > writes of "the choreography of reverence" night. > and then: > "Turned to embrace him then. To claim > "We, deft practitioners this home, > of protocols of piety an angel spoke, enter whole or else > are stranded on uncertainty remain > who had entered and then left Eden's orphan; understand- the brother > that rare Presence, blesses, too, > rehearsed petitioners, though is not blessed with sight. " > joylessly > and empty-handed." He has been at Bahji. He sees the heart of > Carmel aglow > Other phrases suggest themselves at sunset as the bus returns to its starting > but he is too fatigued and point, > laden with impressions to carry the thought feels the shadow self offering conciliation, > further. a tenuous tiuce, the wholeness > That night he dreams of the biblical widow that makes one human, > offering her mite, her face shining, the unity from which one can choose > her eyes full of light. And she is dancing. between > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1179 > the dark and the light, the murk and the an unbearable weight, and his intractable > gleam. will that clasps his wrists in an icy grip? > He remembers reading the Master's avowal > that the mere mention of the name of the From the shore he looks across > Magdalene to the mountain > brought a smile to the face ofBaha'u'llah- where have been raised in marble > she had risen from shade and obscurity, the vindicating structures which, > chosen the light that is unfading, in the play of shimmering light, > and while the men wept and cowered grow luminous. > became the first among Christ's followers to At the crest he glimpses the imposing edifice > know. where God has seated justice > and raised the nine men ofBaha to serve her. > The mountain in his sleep that night > is drenched with light, 'AbbUd's house, all majesty and power, > covered with velvety grass and starred gives him solace. From its balcony he looks > with flowers from which tears flow. down > The hearts of the lovers, he murmurs on the congested alleys of 'Akka > in the Pidgin of half-consciousness then gazes at the room where > but the dream ends and sleep draws him the Kitab-i-Aqdas > closer to her anesthetizing breast. was revealed, its Author commanding a full > view > of the neighbour 's petty transgressions and > Day Five their lines of > A Metropolis of Owls flapping laundry, limp as the flags of defeat. > > 'Akka disturbs him, unrelievedly grey, Though he knows in the late hours > brooding, and malevolent. Its menacing walls that on subsequent visits > give off an exhausted, sour odour, 'Akka will be the bustling town of > refusing to reflect the light vivacious people he glimpsed > and giving foothold, in their crevices, like an artists ' underdrawing > to only the hardiest weeds. behind the historical overlay > He knows he sees it through the eyes his distress superimposed upon it, > of the exiles. his journal bears the brunt of his dismay . > He walks through the city's narrow lanes He pictures 'Akka as an ageing courtesan, > hoping fancifully to hear the footstep of the cold-hearted, and abandoned to beg her > Master bread, > or glimpse Him at a window. then writes: > But 'Akka is a shuttered world, > confining and oppressive and filled with an "With disconsolate dusk > air of loss, the carnival of her bazaar subsides > the clanging iron of deprivation. leaving her in darkness, with no warming > Denial lurks in every doorway. fire, > leaning toward the water' s edge > He enters the cell as though hobbled in where the mortified day will expire. > heavy chains > picturing it dank, dark and verminous. "Low squatting, knees clasped > He shudders. Is it his heart he trails to her thin, unsuccouring chest, > behind him, she does not raise her bat-encircled head > 1180 THE BAHA'i WORLD > > at the hawk's cry, the haggling of housewives, > nor heed the quernlous questions of the and leering merchants' trivial affairs. > owl. > The pale paste jewel of her lighthouse "She rises shivering, and disfiguring her > beckons wanly but the senile, impotent face, > mosque rehearses a grotesque, coquettish smile > can only lewdly smile. She does not see for her reeking market-place; > the stricken night huddling comf01ilessly but leaving, looks back to where > by her garment's soiled, unfastened hem the denunciatory waves recede, > nor hear her own demented keening her unspeakable, lip-locked, bosomechoed in the surfs low moan, buried crime > much Jess gaze adoringly at Carmel (till their eve's retelling) > extreating greenly from across the bay. a secret aqueously kept: > Indifferent to the lascivious mist To have seen the loneliness of God > obscenely fingering her lank hair and not have wept! " > her stare is inward, > fixed upon her private stunning grief, The pain of reviewing the Beloved's > turned from the world, tribulations leaves him spent and restless. > consumed beyond self-pity or contrition. "We are saved not once > but once in every moment'', he broods, "witl1 > "She knows the moment when she chose every > her death, breath we must choose grace. Stasis is death." > knows it, lives it, nightly > as the murmurous sing-whispering Sleep, when it comes, brings him Mazra ' ih, > waves pile in, soothes him with echoes of laughter. > forty upon forty, restless with accusation: He is surrounded in dream by > verdancy and dehiscence, the hibiscus > the Cargo of cargoes ignominiously gaping in wonder, > spewed ashore; their leaves clapping green hands > the metallic futile protest of the in jubilation, > rnsted chain; and sees delineated in an unwavering light > the thickening indignation of the sor- the spareness and simplicity > did, misled mob; of the architecture of happiness. > the unwilling lock-key turning > in a prison cell; > the infamous farman piously read Day Six > (she knows it well, the parchment The Refi1ge of Cowards > crackling wildly in her reeling > brain); Every hour new bounties to catlogue. > the shattered skylight and the frai l Bahji is an oasis, its garden a > youth' s twisted frame; rare and living carpet, > the mother's sob-and then, and its walks the very corridors of heaven. > then, It draws the pilgrin1s to it with quiet power > Oh then, unbearably, the scratching that causes their hearts to shake. > ofa Pen! He, with the others, approaches > in an exquisite fear > "The dawn releases her to trinkets, plastic with háembling knees. What will be asked of > wares, him here? > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1181 > But beyond the stately doors He wanders through the garden's tapestry > the atmosphere wondering at the art of it, the sheer beauty, > is all compassion and unquestioning the suitability of its spoked paths > welcome. to hold the jewel set there within which lies > God's Own Gem. > He feels as though the silence-its punctation, birdsong- And struck by the simplicity, he writes, > comprehends all, answers all; that no word leaning against a tree: > has yet been coined to describe this fragrant > hush. "Is this then all there is, a simple garden, > Had he expected lightning to cleave him, And a silence that displaces need for > choirs of angels to strike up ethereal hymns? words? > The feel of the threshold when his brow What portent in the blood-red wayside > touches it poppy? > is that of a father's worn hand extended in What message in the music of the birds? > forgiveness , > soothing, warming, calming, and offering "The hero's heart is hoisted on a cypress, > the "There, there, little one" comfort that a The saint's is softly folded as a rose; > parent But mine lies shattered here among the > provides a fretting child exhausted from pebbles > sobbing. On the only path the fainting coward > All prayer save that transcending knows." > syllables and soundsthe pluáase drifts to him from a Pleased with his efforts he hums, > half-remembered prayer- fitting a melody to the words, > seems inappropriate here where till he is called back by a waving pilgrim > supplications sing to the bus-to-catch realm, the arena of need, > in the pulse and praise ascends in the breath uncertainties and sudden departures. > of every moment. > An industrious ant toils across the mosaic of "I came here to war with my soul > petals and I think I've lost the battle," > that uncomplainingly accept its slow a pilgrim remarks as they stroll > progress. through fading light to the hotel. > "The beauty of the gardens alone > He remembers having written at one time, was enough to capture the castle." > imagining this present visit: > In his room the words will not leave him. > " .. .Stillness gives us back with scented He plays with the conceit, decides on the > breath: title "Dispatch from a War Zone" and > Who chooses love of Me must first writes: > choose death." > "Spring's unheralded invasion > The words seem too stark for this restful anows of light ambush intention > haven zeppelin clouds in an azure assault > where he would gladly close his eyes and vision held hostage by verdancy > sleep > blissfully, innocently, securely, "shrapnel of petals > his own breathing his lullaby. the air' s fragrant artillery > 1182 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > bombards the reeling senses suddenly cancels the green day > unconditional surrender demanded presenting to him a mirage, a trackless > desert, > "rhetorical birds with a suddenness that takes his breath > melodious saboteurs away. > forecast capitulation Fishing for his notebook he remembers > the conscripted grass assumes its green the desert place of Matthew, Mark and Luke > uniform and writes , resting on a low stone wall: > > "landmines of flowers in red pools "In the sandy convolutions of this land > ranks of bauhinias scape > camouflaged in twigs engage in grainy, parched and impersonal as God's > espionage brain > plot pink and white cannonades perception shifts and shimmers > and the crazed hot wind mutters > "sap rises in the trees like adrenalin apocalyptically. > buds of affirmation on every branch Here, we are beyond the known and > and the heart explodes into bloom possible. > always the first casualty." > "Can anything survive the unquenchable > The critic somewhere deep inside of him sun? > offers the accustomed ridicule A solitary lizard darting from invisibility > but, lighthearted and chuckling, he counters: to invisibility like a fleeting thought > "If you're my still, small voice-be still! leaves no trace. > This is my pilgrimage, my response, my > poem!" "The stinging eye, amazed, > Within minutes, sleep brings armistice sees the heat as a solid malignancy > and he hears no sound till morning. hulking on the horizon > mesmerizing and merciless. > The combustible soul might vanish in a > Day S e ven puff > Conditional Truces leaving the charred self to stumble back > into the verdant world > Surfeited with bright social exchanges, wild-eyed and jabbering incoherently > he eludes the convivial congregation of about last things. > pilgrims, > sets out for the Shrine of the Master, "Small wonder the Prophets were placed > walking slowly, relishing the scent, in this oven > the gentle morning sunlight, his solitude, where the heat consumes all but > picking his way among-he smiles at a knot compassion > of youngsters bound for school- the that they might return to our midst, > children of Israel, igneous and authoritative, but speaking > savouring the metaphor, Isaiah's words redemptive words glacially austere > flitting to cool our raging fever." > lightly across the screen of his mind, > ... and y e shall be gathered one by one, His effort restores to his eye the palette, > 0 y e children of Israel ... when the refracted the greens returning with heightened > light intensity, > LIT E RARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1183 > the flowers riotously coloured, the sky cavorting animatedly in a ray, but hears the > indelibly blue. bruised petals reply > He imagines he sees Baha'u'llah's pitched Accept! Accept! and the Master's warm > tent, laughter > the imprint of His sandals and, in the that offers renewal of courage and the > distance, intimacy of an embrace. > 'Abdu'l-Baha striding away rapidly On what conditions must I accept? But, > bent on some errand for His Father, unanswered, > His cream-coloured 'aba swirling behind the trite words sink into the plushy carpet > Him, with the arrival of other worshippers. > His white hair glinting where it escapes His > turban. An evening stroll, listening to his own > footfall, > The Sirrine again compels him. He draws he thinks of the mind's spat with the heart, > close the quintessential row, the lastingness of it, > overwhelmed by a desire to protect it, the tentative and conditional truces between > even to feel responsible for it, on a plane skirmishes. > exalted above private ownership, > that it become part of the heritage A rhythm begins in his head and, stopping > of coming generations. Reaching it for coffee > as tourists in a quiet cafe, he takes up a paper napkin > begin to arrive, busload after busload, and writes: > he stands aside watching, touched by their > subdued bearing "A lifetime is composed of rows > that is incongruous with their festive and grudges daily borne. > clothing, Though evening calm repairs the breach > their holiday mood, their cameras and the quarrel resumes each mom. > sunhats. > The rows of shoes they leave outside stab "If my lifetime were dumbstruck as peace > him with tenderness, I would bicker as a ruse > as though this small obeisance has left them and set it warring with my heartvulnerable and, too soon comes final truce." > unweighted by leather, they might float > away skyward, "Something is owed to Emily Dickinson," > delirious with delight, never to be seen again. his internal voice scorns, > Is it not theirs too, though they may not yet but ignoring his fractious mentor he walks to > claim it? the lookout > The Revelation, warrant for service for all, that places in view a crescent of winking > the Shrine its emblem, the Covenant its seal. lights > stretching around the bay from Haifa to > Alone, later, in his chosen ventricle, 'Akka > delivered of his prayers, like a discarded tiara. "All poets owe somehe offers wordless gratitude, remembers thing to all poets," > friends, he retorts, emboldened by the darkness > experiences a tranquil sense of well-being, and his need to etch the scene in memory. > almost a coziness, in the diffuse rosy light. > What tithe is asked here? he asks the He is glad to join the small circle of friends > dustrnotes in the hotel lobby who are postponing sleep > 1184 Tl-IE BAl-IA'i WORLD > > reviewing the day's treasures, which is carried away on a tide of > whispering, giggling, or in awe, exhaustion > enjoying their own recounting. Their affable to a deep cool place where no sound can be > chatter heard > restores his social self, bonds them to him above the gentle plashing of water among > even more deeply, makes parting difficult the fems. > though his pillow beckons and his eyes droop. > Rising to go the words "Seventh day!" are > on every lip. Day Eight > Has it for them, too, passed too swiftly? A Call on the Sleepers > > But sleep is elusive. The reality of leaving Here on the mountainside are the graves of > Mount Carmel begins to bear in. He recon- holy ones > structs the chaste white colunms of their markers, > for his journal lines he had written smooth as alabaster, standing > long years before he embarked on this in umeproachful dignity. > pilgrimage Now his most tenuous prayer uttered almost > when he had wondered about the "What inaudibly > now?" seems to give ready access > that he felt must be every suppliant's to these choicest of the choice > nervous, parting plea: whose sacrifice and service > earned them proximity to their Beloved > '"O my Beloved', the pilgrim said, in this palm-fringed setting. > 'I am filled with childish dread. > You send me forth. But where? And at the mountain's foot another cluster of > Do not leave me in despair, sleepers > tell me what now lies ahead. who dropped their labours here at the > What strange, dark roads must I tread?' world's heart > rest in a genial garden where warm sunlight > "'Go gladly without a care, plays hide-and-seek among the eucalyptus > naught shall harm a single hair and pine. > of your dear, faithful head. There is no sorrow here, only triumph > Wherever you may be led and a companionable silence. Sweet promptknow this: I shall be there ings pervadebeside you. I shall be there."' he might, on impulse, hug the markers, > recite aloud the victorious tenants ' names. > The voice of derision casts up its scorn. He feels a need to knit and purl himself > "They'll say you've been reading George into history, to gain a sense of belonging, > Herbert," as though his choice of the Faith > he hears as he closes his notebook. had ostracized him from the ordinary, > expunged his record, denied him common > "Had I Herbert 's purity of heart privileges, > I could make it needle to my compass, left him without citizenship or passport. > launch my frail craft of faith Now in this hushed colony > on the turbulent sea that laps the shores of the gravemarkers like unfurled scrolls > 'Yea, verily!"', offer their mute, comforting testimony, > he thinks, eyes shut, but cannot rescue the the verification of heaven 's handful. > thought In the rnstling of the palms he hears > LITERARY AND MU S ICAL WORKS 1185 > Accept! Accept! "Let the dreaming, lovely drowned > who loll and bob in bubbled wonder > Here lies Winnifred Harvey who passed to tell us why, returning, > him weeping without sound, > the chalice containing the immortal draught. we stand, wistful and incredulous, > It had come to her from Rowland Estall along the shore." > who had accepted it from May Maxwell's > hands. At Pilgrim House later he feels > The link contemplating its place in the an unearned excruciating happiness > chain. amid the happy babble of voices rising and > This Faith so young one can trace ancestry, falling in soft exclamations of reunion. > dare hope secretly for kinship of spirit. Am I feeling this, or is it that > But he turns abruptly from the presumptuous I feel I should feel it? an inner voice chalclaim. lenges, > He thinks of those who have laid their bones but he turns from it to render a small service > in farflung tombs-those victors to a pilgrim. Was the gesture sincere? > in whose wake all advance-and of the voice persists, the bicameral mind > Thomas Breakwell in his lonely unmarked a constant observer, ever disdainful, > grave. tireless in spying on even his most private > moments. > Familiar names now meet his gaze, carved "Prithee desist, Hamlet", he chides himself, > on white tombstones formal as engraved clumsily counterfeiting Shakespeare, > invitations : "lest thou bar thy way back to innocence." > Horace Holley, Fugita, The notion of return seems feasible here > the Revell sisters, John Esslemont, in this sea of fellowship and warm > many distinguished and obscure. acceptance. > Waves of admiration sweep over him. > For each dear name a smile of recognition Preparing for bed, thinking of Esslemont, > and a prayer. he chuckles remembering Samuel Johnson' s > "Much may be made of a Scotchman > From the cemetery he looks up to Carn1el ifhe be caught young." He takes up his pen > needing always to have replenished to his to write a tribute, imagines the graveside > VISlOn trees remarking This bonny lad did well > the slope's white ornament, its dome and pauses, pleased with his inventiveness. > gleaming in the sun; Let Esslemont stand for all the faithful ones > and looks out to the sea, Alfred de Musset's whose memory we keep, he thinks, before > words Et j e me demandais: Est-ce assez sleep > dáadmirer? engulfs him in a black cloak of > coming to his mind, casting a small shadow forgetfulness. > across his contentment. The sea. The Most > Great Ocean. > "It is not enough to marvel; the sea asks Day Nine > more", Souvenir > he recites aloud, remembering an early > poem The day bursts open like a pod > he had written, but only a fragment comes to in this complex garden > him: dispensing the promise of a potential > fulfilled. > 1186 THE BAHA'f WORLD > > The silky air canies the commingled scents He smilingly removes the fragile token, > of roses and mysteries a scented receipt, places it in his prayerbook. > and the faint echo of unanswered questions Almost furtively he passes the disinterested > that have come to rest among the placid cypresses that point heavenward, > flowers the wind in their uplifted boughs sighing > or tumble fretfully on the grass Accept! Accept! > where pools of sunlight soothe them. > On the trees the enviable oranges A sense of urgency pervades him . > glow like contented stars in their green uni- but he is reluctant to part from the garden > verse. where now the jasmine's perfume captivates > Was it submission that taught them his sense, > roundness, paralyzing his will. > passion that set them ablaze? > Their juices have the sharp taste of renuncia- "Laughter is divine antidote to pomposity; > tion. art is a bulwark against fanaticism; > there are many molds ofholiness"- > Does one weary of nightingales and all he had reasoned he rehearses here, > peacocks? panning for affirmations. But he has been > he wonders inelevantly, pausing by statuary, given > teasing out his progress. all the nuggets his heart can hold. > But no preparation is adequate to what > awaits. A rosaiy of farewells at Pilgrim House, > promises to keep in touch. > All paths lead to the centre where The pilgrims' faces glow with earnestness > - aspiration given form- and gratitude: they have won through, > the marble marvel holds up1ight gathered to them their trophies. > its golden head above dust that altered Dazedly they call "Good-bye! God bless!" > history. His affection affords each head a nimbus. > Entry gained, the pilgrim knows > this is the breeding place of questions, He leaves through the gate's lacy iron barrithis ideal model of the heart 's own cade > chambers, which yields daily to the ardency of lovers > this humbling vault where, to resume his ordinary life > head on carpeted threshold, in the world of contention and crises and > the suppliant hears whispered in his veins clocks. > Accept! Accept! Already, deadlines tug at his sleeve > and schedules jostle one another > Must I accept, he wonders, that my life is clamouring for his attention. > the sum of my questions, my answers ? He looks back wistfully to his refuge > That I must make a higher will my own? then returns to his room to pack > He frowns at the uselessness of words, the belongings he would gladly jettison > the fruitlessness of speculation, though already his bag feels weightless. > smiles at his wish to wring from that reticent He is gnawed by a sense of having forgotten > place some vital possession, wonders what > a formula for perfection, then emerges to he may have unwittingly relinquished > stumble among the petals or lost like a cherished > from sanctuary into demanding daylight. talisman along some pebbled path. A failed > A petal has clung to his moist forehead. self? > LITERARY AND MUSI CAL WORKS 1187 > Later, there is one more good-bye aptness of his purchased bric-a-brac > as the cab flashes past his loved landmark, despairingly matching gift to receptor. > just a glimpse, a pang, As dawn musters its luminous rose > the bloodless death of separation affirmation > under a moon coolly indifferent to this he turns in his dream to his truest souvenir: > wrenching. Many pilgrims. Many questions. > The car speeds on, bent obsessively One unalterable answer: > on effecting his expulsion from all he knows Accept! Accept! > of Eden. > > At the airport, seeking consolation, Roger White (Israel) > possessive, hoping to bolster memory, > he buys a last postcard > of the building with the gold tiled dome, [The poem do es not follow strictly the > makes his seat selection, program ofpilgrimage nor does it allude to > smuggles his convictions past Customs every point of historic interest visited by > and, aboard the aircraft, in the fretful Bahri 'i pilgrims during the course of their > sleep of the traveller, broods on the stay in the Holy Land.] > 1188 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > SEE THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY > For Mixed Chorus (S.A.T.B.) Jack Lenz, Tom Price & Jim Seals > > D A F#m G c F > > l G E~ > > L88 > Cm7 Dsus4 > > SOPRANO f > - > ,_/A JJ. > > tJ > u > - > - .. - ,, > - - > I > - > Come and be - hold Him! Tell of His sto - ry > ALTO f r... r... > A JJ. I I > ~ «" / > > ., > Come > .. > and be - hold Him! Tell of > - > His > I > sto > I > > - ry > TENOR f r... r... > A JJ. I > ~ «" " > > ,,, > " ' " - .. - - -- I I > r > > Come and be - hold Him! Tell of His sto - ry > BASS f r... ~ '!' > > ~ > • • «'ll > - "~ > -- > I I I > ~ > > Come and be - hold Him! Tell of His sto - ry > r... J = 88 r... r... > ~ I > " .II > > -- - [# -- I I > > I~-. > r r- r j'J r ~ r r > ,, á~ - > > r... ~ -J r... > ~ > it > l r > -e- > - - - I > ~ > I I I > ~ > r... > - > I > I I ~ > I I "" I " > D D A Bm Em D/F# GIB D/A Em/G E#71G# A > © 1994 Global Music Inc. 134 Galone Dr. , Hendersonvi lle TN, 37075, USA Tel: (615) 822- 1822 Fax: (6 15) 822-8720 > LITERARY AND MUS ICAL WORKS 11 89 > > flt. > > Lift up your voi-ces to the King of Glo > > Lift up your voi-ces to the King of Glo ry! _ _ _ __ > > to the King of > > Glo ry! _ _ __ > > F#IA# BmEm A D G Bm Em D/F# Gmaj7 Asus4 A > > D G/D A Dsus4 D F#IA# Em7/G D/A A D > > SOPRANO > mp > > of His glo - ry , 0 peo - pie, shin - ing be-fore you, Ba - > > D G A Dsus4 D F# Bm > 11 90 THE BAH A' I WORLD > > SOPRANO mf > > Lord of Lords, King of Kings, He is won - drous, > > mf > > Lord of Lords, King of Kings, He is won - drous, > > DIF# A D D G/D A Dsus4 D > > f > > - ther, Ba - h~ ' u' llah. Re- joice! Re-joice! this > > Re -j oice! Re-joice! this > > Re-j oice! Re-joice! this > > BASS f > > Re -j oice! Re-joice! this > > F#IA# Em/G D/A A? D A D > ------- > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 11 9 1 > > .,.-'II ~ > > - -- - -- .. - > u > > t) > > - . . > II ~ > u > > t) > ... > ,. > u > > ... > > " > is the pro-mised > > -,J -,J > -------- > day > > - > - > - > - - > I > - - - > the > - > day > - > > of > > - -- - -- - > ~ > > God > > -:jJ. -:jJ. > is the pro - mised day, the day of God, the most great peace shall > > . ... -- -- -- - > ~ ~ > . - - - > ,, " > > is the pro-mised day, > - -- ~ > ~ > > the > ~ > > most great peace shall > > I > : > > ' IS the pro- mised day, > > I > II ~ > > - I I > -I I > > r r- .. - > - > v - L I I I > > '". > -áá • •t. > " > > GIB > - -- > - > ~ > > - > AIC# > I > > ''' fl- > > Bm > ~ "f:. fl- # .. -- > > -'11~,-.... > > t) > ~ > > - ~- -- > - the most great peace shall come! > > - --á > II ~ > u > > t) > ... > > "" > - - -- - -- - > - - > come, the most great peace sha ll come ! > > . ... - - - > ~ > ~ > > -- > ~ > > -- -- ~- > ~ ,, > I > ~ come, the peace shall come! > > I > > . > I', " > " > - > the most great peace shall come! > - --- > .. J---J. > - .- -- -r-i-- > II ~ > u ... > ,. > u > ~ I I > .. > .....--.. # > > v I > ~. ~ > > t) I I > I r I > > .. -I -I -J > : > - - ~ > > - > - > ,, > ., > ., > ,, > -á- > ~ > > I I > Em? F#m Bm C(add9) GIB A7sus4 A > 1192 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > _, / JJ. > > - > tJ > " > - > > - > tJ > / JJ. > > " > - - - - > > . JJ. > w > ~ - - - - > ~ > ........ > • • ..-1L - - - - > r.. > ... ... .. > - ...- > / JJ. I rJ J J I i1 I n I r--l I > I " > tJ I I I r I I I 7~ 1 7 1 ~ > f > .,,_ ,,.. > .,,_ .. .fl- m~ .,,_ "f J J'i - > I -:: > " > - - - • - ... I > - - •-,; > D G/D A Dsus4 D F#IA# Em7/G D/A A D > > _, / JJ. > > - - > tJ > " > " > I > > - > I > > - > I > > -- - -- -- - -- - > - - > Lift your eyes and be - hold the new ere - a - tion, > > mf > -..,/ JJ. > - w .. > > .. .. .. .. • > Lift your eyes and be - hold the new ere - 3 - tion , > > ' ... > mf > -- - > ~ - L--...J > a tion , > Lift your eyes and be - hold the new ere - - > > mf I > -áá .... - > r-- I > - - > I > - > - > - - - - - - I > > - > Lift your eyes and be - hold the new ere - a - ti on, > > IA JJ. I > I > > - - - - - - > ' > tJ > I > mf Lr r r i r r > " > - > > I - > -- > I I > > D Em A Bm > LI TE RARY AN D MUS IC AL WORKS 1193 > > - > _ , " JJ. > > "' > ~ > > W ord > .. -e > • •of God - > - > ter - > ... > nal, > .. .. > Ba - h~ > •. .. "' > ' u' Jlah. > > "y .JJ.. . > > "' #* ~ 71 • .. 71. 71 ~ ...____-~á ~ :6t > W ord of God e - ter - nal , Ba - ha _ _ _ ' u' llah. > > ... > JJ. I > > - - - - - > ~ > > ~I > " - -~ á > -~ > > -~ > > W ord of God e - ter - nal, Ba - ha _ _ _ 'u ' llah. > I > > I°' > I > > Word of God > .. .. e - ter nal, Ba - ha _ _ _ ' u' llah. > - > > , " JJ. > I > -J > á"' .. •• .. •- > LJ r r > tJ --. > ( > #f r r fl- > - > " .. - > F#IA# Em7/G DIA A7 D > > ,.., " JJ. f. I > > tJ > An - cient voice > - > of the Wronged - > One is call - ing, > > - - > f - > "y JJ. > > - - > ... > > "' > ~~ > - -~ ~ > > - > ~ > > - > ~ > > - > ~ > > - > ~ > > - > An - cient voice of the Wronged One is call - ing, > > , > JJ. f. > --- - > I > - > - > ~ > > I I > An - c ient_ voice of the Wronged One is ca ll - ing, > > -áá- > f > - - > I > - > I > - > I --..i > - > - .." > " An - cient voice of the Wronged One is ca ll - ing, > > " JJ. > ... ... ... n > .... - ~ ... ~ ! • > l "' > •••IL > " > > D > - > fl- ... .. > Em AIC# > I > A#dim7 > JJ. > > '" I > .. > I > Bm > 1194 THE BAHA ' I WORLD > > ,..,. " "' • > - - - " > ~ - > - > I I > > "' en - ter now the King - dom, Ba - ha ' u' llah. Re - > > - > -" _"' . > ~ > > - - .. > --- - > ~ > > " > " - > "' en - ter now the King - dom, Ba - ha _ _ 'u' _ _ _ llah. Re - > - • > , > " > - -- " > " - - -- -- > - > ~ > > -~ > -á -- - - > en - ter now the King - dom , Ba - ha 'u' llah. Re - > > I ~ > > ' > I > ~~ > .. . . . - > en - ter now the > ~ > > King - > - - > ~ > > dom , Ba - ha _ _ ' u' _ _ _ !lah. Re - > > it.. .fl- ~ ~ .fl- .fl- ... J . > " "' - - > !.~.-" .. " > I > > I > > - > I > - > I > > .. -- - - - > I I I > ~ > I > ~ > I > > -- > I I > - > - > > --' > - - - .fl- > > F# G Asus4 A D > > l I I > > - j oice! Re -joice ! this is the pro-mised day, Re - > I. > " "' > - joice! Re- joice ! > .. > this is the > - > pro-mised day, > .. Re - > > ~ - > r- - > r- - > r- - > ,... > I > > , . . I ' > - JO!Ce. Re -joice ! this is the pro-mised day, Re - > > I I > > - joice ! Re - joice ! this is the pro-m.ised day, Re - > > "" J I I I > I I I > I > -~á - > =' > > . . > 11.......l:L:__J:::::I > A > L.......J > D GIB > I I I > - > A#IC# > ~ > LIT ERARY AND MUS ICAL WORK S 11 95 > > ,,;'" .II I i.. > _,. I > '' > - > ~ > > " - > v I r > - joice! Re- joice! this is the pro - mised day! The > > -v -á"y .II > _,. . . > - -á > u > ' > " > ,, > - joice ! Re - joice! this is the pro-mised day! > JO > _,, > " > I r > - > -- -- r• > > I > ' - joice! Re- joice! this is the pro -mised day! > > I > : > I > ' > -- -- -- > , > r. ,,.- > -~ > > - joice! Re- joice! th is is the pro - mised day! > > I I J. h ij ri I ~ > á- -- - - > A JO > > -- - > < > > ..... _ > " > " > "/ "/ ~ "/ I > .. > - I > " > l.......J I > > - --"G# - - -- C#- - > I I I I I I I > > J u > " - - - > - L.......J > - > Bm > > ,,;'A JO > > .., > " ' > most great peace, the most great peace, the > > -v "y .II > _,. > u > " > ~ > > -' -- - -- > ~ > ~ > > -- - -- > ~ > > -á I > -' > the most great peace, the most great peace shall > ~JO > _,, ... i- i .. .. -- - > ,) > ~ > " > " > r• > > I > > peace the most great peace, the most great > > -á ~ > - - " > " -- I > > ' I r I > > most great peace, the most great peace, the > > I > A JO > > "" > " > J J -J. - > _h > -I I > -~ > v I > ~ ~ r I I r > > < > > _h "r-i > -r .. _I -- - --- - > ~ > "/ I > > --"I- > I I I I > : > --. - > I > " ~ > > I > I I > F#m D E A > 11 96 TH E BAH A' i WORLD > > great peace shall come! > > shall co me ! > ,.--,...._ > > peace, _ _ __ the peace shall come!_ __ > ~.il. > > most great peace shall come! > > D G Dbsus4 Db Gb Cb/Gb > > ff > > See the light of His > ff > > See the light of His > ff > > See the light of His > > See the light of His > > Jfl > > Db Gbsus4 Gb Gb Cb/Gb > LITERARY AND MUS ICA L WORKS I 197 > > glo ry, 0 peo pie, shi ning be - fo re you, Ba - > > glo ry, 0 peo ple, shi ning be - fo re you, Ba - > > shi ning be - fore you, Ba - > > ry, 0 peo shi ning be - fore you, Ba - > > D ~/G~ Gbsus4 Gb B~ > r > Ebsus Ebm > > ......__.,. > - ha__ ' u' ll > ......__.,. > - ha __ 'u' llah. Lord of Lords , King of Kings, He is won - drous, > > ......__.,. > - ha __ ' u' Uah. Lord of Lords, King of Kings, He is won - drous, > > - ha __ ' u' llah. Lord of Lords, King of Kings, He is won - drous, > > r > Dbsus4 Db G~ Gb Cb/G b Db/Gb Gbsus4 Gb > l 19 8 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > -.....__.- > E-ver-las.-ting Fa - ther, Ba - ha_ ' u' llah. Re - joice ! Re-joice! this > > -.....__.- > E-ver-las.-ting Fa - ther, Ba - ha _ ' u' ll ah. Re - joice! Re-joice! this > > -.....__.- > ther, Ba - ha _ 'u' llah. Re - j oice ! Re-joice ! this > ..--... > > ' u' llah. Re - joice ! Re-joice! this > > ,..,,. I > > - > I > ~ > - - - ~ > n > > .., á~ ~ > > is the pro - mised day, the day of God, > > -..," > y > > ~ > I > " ~ > " > - - á~ > ~ > > - -- -- -- > - > I > > is the pro-mised day, the day of God, > > . . . - - - - -- > I I I > > - -- -á > I I > - -- - - > , ~ > " ~ > > ~ " > > is the pro-mised day , the > • > day of God, > - > ~ > > r > the most great peace shall > ~ > > .. > ''" " > ~ > ~ > - - - - - - -- - - > .fL ~á .. > ., > ~ .fL ._. • > " > > l"..- > I' > is the pro - mised day, the day of God, the most great peace shall > > " I . .- -..- ..- -- . - - ..! J > .- > > .., > i,,. II - > ~ > > - - ~ > > I > ~ > > á~ > > I > ~ > > ~ > > • " > . > k > - - > - - - > I ... - > I > - ... > -.J > Cli Eb Db Ebm > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 11 99 > > I ; j J ~ > -áI-á > ,.,,A I > > "' > .; > . > ~ > . -- > J > > -, - J > > I-' > the most great peace shall come, the most great peace shall > A - > -r - - - - > I > > - > J > J > v > "' J J• > > .; > the most great peace shall come, the most great peace shall > ~ I > > ,) r I r > - - - > J > J > > ... > come, > ... fl. # .. - ... > the most great peace shall come, the most great peace shall > ... ... - > ~áá > . •• II > .. > k ~ > ~ > > " come, the most great peace shall come, the most great peace shall > > I > II I .J > -I .J -I -J -J > "! ~ n - _J_ J J > r r I > > ,....._, > .. .. -- > . - .. - > J > ~áá ~ > > • • > Abm'Eb Db/ F Abm > > Re - joice! _ _ __ __ Re - joice! _ __ > > ------ > Re - joice! - - -- - - > > Re - joice! _ _ __ _ _ > Re - joice! _ __ > > Re - joice! _ __ > > Re - joice! - - - - - - Re - joice! _ __ > 1200 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 0 PEOPLES OF THE WORLD > Words of the Bab Music by Jean SOUTH > > SOPRANO > Moderato "if a tempo > -..,A > > " > .. > I > > IJ > • •w > ....... > - - . > A --- ~ > I I > > 0 pea -pies of the world! > !':'. !':'. > II I I I I I l I I I ~ I > > .., - > I r I > - > I r I -1 - > r -1 > , > -á -- > r > ' np p > ,, ,, ,, ,, > , " > . " " > I I I I I > á- I > - > ,_ > I > ,_ > I > > p poco rit "if a tempo > " I > > .., . " " A > - w -á ,, > - -- > 0 pea - pies of the world! What - so - e - ver ye have > > I > -.., > "" > ~ > I > ; ~ > I > > = > I I > > -I --á > ~ I > !':'. > I I I > - > I r I r i I I = > ' p poco rit. "if a tempo > .. > ~, . .= .= ,, - > ~ > - > " " ~ > > I I I I I I > > p > A I !':'. - > .., ..... ""' ..,,,,,,. > > of- fered > -á > up > .. > in the way of the one > .. > true God, > .. - > In the > > I > -..," > ~ > I I > - I > > r .. - ácr'--'r > ~ > > " > > r - - r r f -# -,; > .._ - > ' p > f > I > • I > ,, > > - a• > 'I > , > - - I I > > n- > I I r--=--~ > LITERARY AND MUS ICAL WORKS 120 1 > > pp poco rit. > > of the one true God, Ye shall, in - deed, find pre-served > > a tempo > > -" - - . > ~ > I > ' > -- -- - > ' > . - > ' > - > ' > -- > - > v ~ > > - tact at God ' s Ho--ly > I" IJ k A ~ > > v ~ > > - ~ > > "' By God, the pre - ser - - ver, ill - > > r-, > " I - l I ~ > l > I > > ráá r----r- - '" > - - - > < > "' r - r r > > : > v > I > - > - > I I > r~ > I > > I I > > (HUM HERE) in - tact at God' s Ho - ly > > I > " > "' Gate. > _J > ~ > á1 ~JJ J _J - > H > - > - "- > I > v > > - > > l > v r~á > > 4• > "' ritardando pp > > '" > I > v- > " > " > --..- . > v > ' ~ > & > > h:. ..i 1 u > 1202 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > PRAYER FOR THE > HANDS OF THE CAUSE > For Mixed Chorus (S.A.T.B.) Bah:i'u'llah, The Tablet of the World > A Capella Music by Tom Price > > _," " SOPRANO I > > Light and glo - ry, gree-ting and praise be u - pon the > "" ALTO > > ti ~á > Light and glo - ry, gree-ting > - > and praise > ~ .g• > be > ... u - pon > ~ ~ > > the > ".11 TENOR I > > I I > Light and glo - ry , gree-ting and praise be u - pon the _ > BASS I I > > I I > Light and glo - ry, gree-ting and praise be u - pon the > I > > r I > J j_ j_ > I I rI rI rI > I I I I I I I I I I > I I I I > > Hands > -- > of His Cause, > ~ > light and > I > g lo - ry, gree-ting and praise > " ... > ti .g ... ... u > Hands of His Cause, light and glo - ry, gree-ting and praise > " ... I I > > Hands _ of His Cause, light and glo - ry , gree-ting and praise > I I I I I > > I-lands of His Cause, light and > " > glo - ry ,_ > ---- gree - ting _ > I > > and praise > I I I > > ~.: ~ > I > > 'I I I > > 1 s I TT JJ 1 > I I I > ''I I I I I I > > Copyright © 1993 G lobal Music Inc. 134 Gatone Dr., Hendersonville,1N, 37075, USA. Tel: 615-822-1822 Fax: 615-822-8720 > LITERARY AN D MUSICAL WORKS 1203 > > u - pon the _ Hands of His Cause, through whom the light of for - ti-tude, through > > u - pon the_ Hands of His Cause, through whom the light of for - ti-tude, through > > be u - pon the_ Hands of His Cause, through whom the light of for - ti-tude, through > > be u - pon the_ Hands of His Cause, through whom the light of for - li-tude, through > > 1 1 > > of for - ti-tude, through whom the light of for - ti-tude > > of for - ti-tude, through whom the light of for - ti-tude > > of for - ti-tude, through whom the light of for - ti -tude > > of for - ti-tude > 1204 TH E BAHA ' I WORLD > > and the truth hath been e - stab -lished that au - tho - ri - ty to > > shone forth and the truth hath been e - stab - lished th at au - tho - ri - ty to > > forth and the truth hath been e - stab-lished th at au - th o - ri - ty to > > hath shone forth and the truth hath been e - stab-lished th at au - th o - ri - ty to > > ..____,.. > God, with God, _ _ the Pow - er - ful , the Migh-ty, the > > God, with the Pow - er - ful , the Migh-ty, the > > with God, _ _ the Pow - er - ful , the Migh-ty, the > > God, with God,__ the Pow - er - ful, the Migh-ty, the > LITERA RY AND MUSIC AL WORKS 1205 > > .,,, " " > - --~ > y - > r, > I > > .. " > " > " - - r > I > > -- -- -- -- > I I > > - -- > Un - con - strained! We be - seech Him, ex - al - ted is He, > > "" - - -- -- .. " > - - > y - > > ~ - " > " > c:;• - ,, - > Un - con - strained! We be - seech Him, ex - al - ted is He, > > ,, > ~" I I > > I I I > - -- - n > > I > - -- > I > > Un - con - strained! We be - seech Him, ex - al - ted is He, > > , .. - - - "- - - -- > ,,,..-._ > w- r • > - - > - - - - - -- -- I I I I > > I I I > I'Un - con - strained! We be - seech Him , ex - al - ted_ is He, > > -" " - -- --- - r- - "-- > I I > > r- I > r, > or, > - r, > r, > ~ > r > 1 ~ > 'I rá I I > > - -J -J J - .n J. J d 1 > - - J > j .. n > I > ... ,. > , > - > w - > "- > I > -- > r • > - -- > I I > - I- - - - > I I > I I > > ,.., " " > - > ~ > y - > > - > - rJ > -- - > - .. .. rJ• > I I > > " > shield them through the pow' r of His hosts, we be - > > -" " > ~ 4' ... v v -61- ... ... u - - > - > shield them through the pow'r of His hosts, we be - > > ~ > -" - I I I > > - > ,, shield the m through > -- > the __ pow- er of His hosts, > I > > we > I > > be - > > .. - > I I > > r • > - -- - n - - > -- - -- > - > " shield the m through the pow' r of His hosts, we be > > "" I I > > - r r-- > I y - > > ,, > - r. > - -- > ~ > > r r tt > r > -I J ~ J > ' > TT > : > I I I I > -I J J > I I I I I I I r. r > 1206 THE BAH A' I WORLD > > ...,,,. J!. I I I I > - -- - - > I I > > I - > - seech Him, ex - al - ted is He, shield them through the _ pow' r of His > A J!. > > - seech Him, ex - al-ted is He, > "'' > shield > .. "' > them through the pow'r of His > - - > I > > - - > JJ. I I I I > > , - seech Him, ex - al -ted > '~ ~ > > is He, > '~. > > shield > - > them through > u > > the > u > -- > pow' r of His > > áá- I > -áá- > ~ - -- - - - > " - seech Him , ex - al- ted _ > I > > is He, shield them through the pow'r of His > > -..," ... --- -- -- - > w - > I I I I > > ,, > I > > - .... > I > > , . - -- -- -- --- -- r-- > I I I I I > > < > r rr á1 I I rá r r r r r > _j_ JJ JJ ~ J > -J.. -J -J -J -J -J > -& > - > > - -- ~ --- - > I I > ~ > > I > .. , > -I - > ~ > , " > - I- > T I I I I I I I I > > po - ten-cy, pro - tect them through His po - ten-ey, pro - > > pro - tect the m through His po - ten-cy, pro - tect them through His po - ten-ey, pro - > > pro - tect the m through His po - ten-cy, pro - tect them through His po - ten-ey , pro - > > pro - tect the m through His po - ten-cy, pro - tect the m through His po - ten-ey, pro - > LIT ERARY AN D MUSICAL WORKS 1207 > > po - ten-cy, aid thenLthroughHis_ strength, light and glo - ry, > > po - ten-cy, aid them through His strength , light and glo - ry, > > po - ten-cy, aid them through His strength, light and glo - ry, > > aid them through His strength, light and glo - ry, > > be u - pon the Hands of His Cause! _ _ > > be u - pon the I-lands > > be u - pon the Hands __ of His Cause! _ _ > > be u - pon the I-lands of His ---- > Cause! _ _ > > J1J > 1208 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > WHO IS THE PROPHET? > Saul Accouche > > 4•s J ; ~ IJ j ~ IJ j J IJ r ,,~I~~ ~ > Who is the Pro - phet of God for to - day? > ...___..,. > Ba - ha ' u' - llah_ > > t'J r j IJi J, u 'f I > J ; J IJ j J > Ba - ha' u' - Uah Who came ex - act - ly as > > ,. J j J IJ § )IJS JOJ § ) I~ > ~ > J_ u § ~I > fore- told by Christ? Ba - ha'u'- Uah _ _ Ba-M' u'- llah _ _ Ba- > > ,. E E f lf j > ~ > Air F f lf j I J J 4J? > ~He brought > j J1 > - ha' u'..llah came _ for all man - kind _ us love _ and > > :r lr___r_F It F f 'I > ,..-.... > > peace of mi nd_ He said men_ should live as one_ > > D.C. > , •. f 'f IJ > ~ > J ) g.cJ j......_.,J IJ J j_ I) w > 'f II > There is no _ _ place for _ us to run. _ _ > > Verse 1. Who is the Prophet of God for today - Baha'u' llah, Baha' u' llah. > Who came exactly as foretold by Christ - Baha'u' llah, Baha'u'llah. > > Chorus Baha'u ' ll ah came for all mankind > He brought us love and peace of mind > He said men should live as one > There is no place for us to run. > > Verse 2. Who brought this message oflove to mankind - Baha'u'llah, Baha'u' llah. > Who said that justice was best in His sight - Baha'u'llah , Baha'u'llah. > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 1209 > > ONE FAMILY > Red Grammer > > (Verses) > Fadd2 3 > > $~tJ JJft] J I It J J J IA i©J J I > 1. Light on the ho-ri - zon off s tar-board bow feel the spi-rit ri - sm > 2. Lead-ers at the ta - ble talkin' 'bout an end to war but we need more than chess > 3. Feel the ex-pee-ta - tion all the world around ev - e - ry-one is wait- in' > Bb/Fmaj7 > > hear the mi - ghty shout > 4A IJ n J J J j > = > oh - oh > ..._, > watch the whole ere - a - tion > moves we've gotta open up the door and let a lit - tie sun - light > Lo hear the j oy-ful sound oh oh of all the na-tions sing - ing > Fadd2 Dm > lift] )J J J > turn-ing in side _ out He's ma -kin' His Will made known > shine on each and every face and in the light of morn - ing > sing -ing out in har- mo - ny there's a new world in the mak-ing > 1 '2&1f (Chorus) > if . :II - uáI > the time for peace is now We are > let them bless the human race singing > won•t you sing along, sing along with me > Fadd2 Bb/Fmaj7 > > $~rá {Jn1 '.r11J liQnJIJ ft...._, I > one fa - mi-ly we are too close not to le t it ~ we are > Gm F/A Bb C Fadd2 1 D.C. > > $~)?1Jf? !JJ. JI dttf tLJF IJ114 > _ sis - lers and bro-thers~ a coat of_ ma-ny_ co - lors, you and me > .....--ibridge) > > r d- r CJ ~ ,. J I > # 2 Bbmaj7 Am7 > > ~~'! LJ j I > Shout it from the moun - tain - top, sail it on the breeze the > F/A Bb > > J h J J. :J I r > on - ly way we're gon-na have peace is when we come to see _ _ _ __ > uá 1 > we are > (last chorus) > Bbmaj7/F > ' > ~ rá > Fadd2 > > one > @Jj I- > fa - mi-ly > n. J Ji o n 3bYIJ ' > we are > > too close not to let it > !J. I > we are _ > Gm F/A Bb C Fadd2 > > $~ :!?JJ. "j !J. J. :JIEiUJittiF 10J4 > - s is - ters _ and bro-thers _ a coat of_ ma - ny _ co - !ors, you and me_ > Bbmaj7/F Fadd2 > > ~~ - r F I4&t.Jl-@). I- t tr Irá @UJl@§JJ II > you and me, we are one fa - mi-ly. > 1210 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > YA BAHA'u'L-ABHA > Music by Hooper Dunbar > Arranged by Torn Price > > SOPRANO > > Ba - ha ' u' l-Ab - ha, Ya 'A - lfy-yu 'l - A - ' Ia, > > u > Ba - ha ' u'l- Ab - ha, Ya 'A - lfy-yu 'l-A - ' la, > > Ya 'A - lfy- yu'l-A - 'la, > > Ba - ha ' u'l - Ab - Ya 'A - lly - yu' l- A - 'la, > > u > Ba - ha ' u'l -Ab - h~ Ya 'A - lfy-yu'l- A - 'la, > > Ya 'A - lfy-yu ' l- A - 'la, > > Ya ' A - lfy - yu' l - A - ' la, > > r > LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS 12 11 > > Ya 'A - lfy-yu'l-A - 'la, > > '--' > ha 'u' l -Ab - ha _ _ _ __ Ya 'A - liy-yu' l-A - 'la, _ _ __ > > Ba - ha 'u' l - Ab - ha _ _ _ __ YL 'A - lfy-yu'l-A - 'la, > > Ya 'A - lfy-yu' l-A - 'la, > > ~ > ha _ __ _ Ya 'A - lfy- yu' l-A - 'la. > > '--' u- > Ba - ha ' u'l- Ab Ya 'A - lfy-yu'l- A - 'la. > > Ba - ha 'u'l-Ab ha Ya 'A - lfy-yu' l -A - 'la. > > ha _ _ __ Ya 'A - lfy-yu'l-A - 'la. > > J J > > — *The Baha'i World: Volume 20 (1986-1992) (Used by permission of the curator)*