# Pilgrim's Notes

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Marion Holley Hofman, Pilgrim's Notes, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> Pilgrim's Notes
> 
> Marion Holley Hofman
> 
> 1953
> 
> [page 1]
> 
> "The Administrative Order will gradually evolve into the World Order."
> 
> LeRoy: The establishment of Universal Peace does not mark the World
> Order?
> 
> Guardian: "No, No! The Lesser Peace will in all probability be in the
> Formative Age of the Faith. The Golden Age will witness the Most Great
> Peace. The Lesser Peace is a non-Bahá'í World Superstate. The Most Great
> Peace is the Bahá'í Superstate; the proper term is Commonwealth.
> 
> World Civilization will be the result of the establishment of the Most
> Great Peace. The establishment of the Commonwealth will follow the Most
> Great Peace as a development of it and the World Civilization will follow
> that as an evolution. It is a very long process from germ to maturity.
> It started in the Heroic Age and will culminate in the Bahá'í Cycle,
> not in the Bahá'í dispensation. This is more than the fruit; it is
> the Fruition. (Note three steps).
> 
> The Superstate will go on perfecting itself. It will take some time
> before International problems are solved and the Superstate begins to
> function properly. Meantime the Bahá'í World Order will be developing and
> gradually it will absorb the non-Bahá'í Superstate. when the nations are
> united and functioning as part of one whole, the Bahá'í world Order will
> be progressing and will gradually absorb one nation, then another. We
> have to wait until the majority of nations are Bahá'í before we have the
> Bahá'í world Commonwealth.
> 
> When the majority in a state become Bahá'ís, it will cease to be
> democratic and will become theocratic, following the Laws of Bahá'u'lláh -
> essentially religious. Ours is neither democratic nor secular for the
> simple reason that Bahá'í representatives are not responsible to the
> people, but to the Universal House of Justice. The representatives are
> elected by the people, which is democratic, but are responsible to a
> higher body. the rule is of God, not the rule of the people. Democracy
> is the rule of, for, and by the people. The Bahá'í state is the rule of
> God for the people by the Representatives of the people; essentially
> Divine, true theocracy. The Catholics believe their's is a
> theocracy, but there is a difference: their theocracy is man made.
> 
> World Order develops through National Communities. As nations pass
> through these stages (stated in Advent) World Order will be evolving at
> the same time and when the majority of the nations are Bahá'í, the Bahá'í
> World Commonwealth will be reached.
> 
> ............
> 
> MHH: What is the spiritual condition of humanity during most of the
> Dispensation? (I had reference to the WOB as the "sole refuge" and that
> the whole of humanity didn't reach it until near the close of the
> Dispensation."
> 
> G. While politically developing, the world is spiritually declining all
> the time. The world will feel more and more in need of a spiritual
> 
> [page 2]
> 
> revival and the WOB which is developing all the time, will be its
> deliverance. The world has to be politically united, then spiritualized.
> Political unity and spiritual revival - these are two essential needs of
> the world at the present time: unified and spiritualized; politically
> united and spiritually vitalized.
> 
> The great disaster that befell the Roman Empire was confined to the
> Empire, whereas this is on a world scale. A world convulsion which
> prepares man for political unification and ultimately spiritual
> revival.
> 
> The World Crusade as two aspects: territorial, the propagation; the
> administrative, the establishment of institutions. When Pioneers arrive
> at their posts, they must not think they have accomplished territorial
> expansion, but they must start building the administration - local LSA's,
> and National in the future. The reason why Bahá'ís scatter is not only to
> scatter but to increase numbers. The movement from place to place must be
> supplemented by action:
> 
> Move, settle,
> teach
> 
> Arise, Persevere, Establish,
> 
> Respond to
> pioneer call, lay foundations
> 
> By increasing
> number of believers.
> 
> ...1......
> 
> TEMPLES
> 
> The Temple on Mount Carmel will be the Mother Temple of the Holy Land; that of
> London, the Mother Temple of the British Isles; Sydney, the Mother Temple of the
> Antipodes; Paris, the Mother Temple of France; Sydney will have the Mother
> Temple of the British Commonwealth unless Canada beats it. In this case the
> mother will have to let the child surpass it!
> 
> Ishqabad Temple was built with bricks on a plain;
> 
> Wilmette Temple was built by a lake with concrete;
> 
> Persia and Germany will be built of stone.
> 
> Later they will be built of marble. Eventually rubies, precious stones will be
> used.
> 
> The Master named five doors of the Shrines after believers associated with the
> building of it. One person later became a Covenant-Breaker but his name will
> remain associated with his door.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh is the founder of the Shrine, and much more, He is the Founder of the
> whole set of Institutions on Mount Carmel. He is the Founder of both the spiritual
> and the administrative centers. The Tablet of Carmel is the Charter of the World
> Order of the Faith just as the Will is the Charter of the Administrative Order. We
> build according to the direction of these Charters. The Divine plan constitutes the
> 3rd Charter for the propagation of the Faith. There are three distinct processes:
> 
> 1. Building the administrative Order according to the Will.
> 
> 2. Propagation of the Faith according to the Divine Plan.
> 
> 3. Building up the World Center according to the Tablet of Carmel.
> 
> Note. The Guardian sat a long time in silence after this.
> 
> [page 3]
> 
> G. Communism was never successful among the peasants, but only in industrial
> areas. Russia will make this experiment but in the end will see that it is not
> successful. Meanwhile the world and Russia will suffer.
> 
> 1st epoch, the 25 years of the Formative Age distinguished by the rise of local and
> National Institutions;
> 
> 2nd epoch (now) distinguished by the rise of world institutions - Shrine of the Bab,
> establishment of the International Council prelude to the U.H.J.;
> 
> Purchase of land on Mt. Carmel (now about half million square metres);
> 
> 120 acres of land on Mt. Carmel and in Akka;
> 
> Purchase on land for the Bahá'í Temple -;
> 
> All this is evidence that the World Center of the Faith is being established in the
> Holy Land.;
> 
> Appointment of the Hands
> 
> The final stages in the evolution of human society.
> 
> Adolescence - now - efflorescence of Tree of Divine
> Revelation.;
> 
> Coming of Age World Unification.;
> 
> Superstate;
> 
> Lesser Peace;
> 
> Most Great Peace. Spiritualization of man.;
> 
> Fruition of
> Tree of Divine Revelation.
> 
> When all the processes merge, it will mark the birth of World Civilization. This is
> the starting point of a succession of dispensations culminating in the maturity of the
> World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, the majority of the Fruit of the Tree of Progressive
> Revelation, and the maturity of human society (all this together).
> 
> The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh is progressing, but purely Bahá'í. At the same time
> the world is progressing. Divine Revelation is progressing. (Here the Guardian
> showed a chart which he did not wish to be copied, showing this process) It is
> interesting how the two will merge: World Order and human Society, because they
> have to; they cannot go on being separate processes. The Bahá'í World and the
> non-Bahá'í world will meet in the World Civilization. They culminate in the same
> thing. Both culminate in the Bahá'í World Commonwealth towards the end of the
> Bahá'í Dispensation (not Cycle) and this leads to the birth of the world Spiritual
> Civilization. This is the fruit of the Golden Age.
> 
> (Note) In speaking of the world process of Human Society and showing it on the
> Chart, he told us that this process ends when it merges with the Bahá'í process of
> World Order.)
> 
> The process of the Diffusion of the Light of Bahá'u'lláh throughout the Planet -
> starts with Adam. In a way it is the evolution of the Divine Revelation... From
> Adam to the Bab is represented by the branch, leaf, bud and flower. The Bab is the
> fruit if one compares Him to the olive tree. The olive tree is mentioned in the
> Koran, not without reason. It is a different simile altogether. (See Convention
> Message USA 1953, also July Br. Journal #81.)
> 
> This is the station of the Bab: I compare it to the fruit. The olive sacrifices itself for
> the oil. The oil is ignited - this is Bahá'u'lláh.
> 
> [page 4]
> 
> The Koran refers to the tree that belongs neither to the East nor the West, and the
> oil is so powerful that it lights by itself. This oil refers to the Bab; when it is ignited
> it becomes Bahá'u'lláh. This happened in the Siyah Chal.
> 
> (S.E. then read from the Surah of Light. Sales version, sec. 5 v. 35.)
> 
> "Allah is the Light of the heavens and of the earth; a likeness of His light is as a
> pillar on which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, and the glass is as it were a brightly
> shining star, lit from a blessed olive tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil thereof
> gives light though fire touch it not - light upon light - Allah guides to his light
> whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men and Allah is cognizant of
> all things."
> 
> In the Siyah-Chal the light is only a faint glimmer, a flicker; soon enveloped by
> clouds, for ten years obscured, eclipsed by calamities. Then Bahá'u'lláh revives the
> community; the flicker becomes a lamp lighted in Baghdad. When Baha moved to
> Adrianople, the lamp was lighted in a crystal globe, meaning the stage of
> proclamation of the message in Adrianople: it shown more brightly. The light was
> confined to the East at this time. when Baha passed on, through the Covenant the
> Light strikes the "fingers" of the Continents of America, Europe and Australia.
> After the Master, as a result of the birth of the Administrative Order, (its father, the
> Law of Baha, its mother of the Covenant) the light spread over all continents. This
> is the stage we now witness. It is now "diffusing its light over all continents. Then
> it will "penetrate." When the Administrative Order is firmly established in each
> country, this firm establishment will cause penetration of that Light that its first
> flicker in the "year Nine". The olive tree and also the almond tree; these are very
> similar because the fruit of both give oil.
> 
> In the Koran the olive is symbolic of the Christian Dispensation and the fig is
> symbolic of the Mosaic. In the Tablet of Rais (Prime Minister of Turnkey) Baha says
> that 'once We appeared as a olive (Mount of olives) or Zetah and once as a fig. In
> another passage in the Koran, Mohammad swears by the fig and the olive (i.e. by
> the Christian and Mosaic Dispensations) and by 'this noble city, which means
> Mecca. The Muslim dispensation is not symbolized by the tree, but by Mt. Paran,
> near Sinai. Missionaries have derided Mohammad for swearing by trees, whereas
> He meant Dispensations. All three mountains are mentioned in Deuteronomy:
> Sinai, Paran and Seir (Christian) and the "10,000 saints" referring to Baha (33.2)
> 
> MHH asked: Will there be the same process each 500,00 years?
> 
> S.E. "Beyond 500,000 it is much too distant. There is nothing in the Teachings to
> reveal the station of the Manifestation after that.
> 
> L.I. "Will humanity start all over again in each universal cycle?"
> 
> S.E. "We do not know if humanity will start over again."
> 
> (Note) The Guardian showed us a chart. RK told us that he had been working on it
> all day. He did not wish us to copy it. The following are the actual headings and
> sub-headings.)
> 
> [page 5]
> 
> STAGES IN THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN SOCIETY
> 
> circa 4156 B.C. - 501844 or Bahá'í Cycle.
> 
> A. Adamic or Prophetic Cycle: circa 4156 BC-1844 A.D.
> 
> (lost of 7
> Religions below.)
> 
> B. Cycle of fulfillment : circa 1844-501,844 Bahá'í Cycle.
> 
> 1. Bahá'í Dispensation at least 1000
> years.
> 
> Babi
> Revelation
> 
> Bahá'í
> Revelation.
> 
> 2. Succession of Dispensations.
> 
> (Note: 4156 BC comes from the statement that Adam appeared 6000 years
> ago;
> subtract 6000 from 1844 A.D.
> 
> Also note that "Bahá'í Era and Bahá'í Dispensation are the same)
> 
> Bahá'í Cycle is different.)
> 
> The Revelation of the Bab is the 8th Revelation. This is why the throne of God is
> carried by eight (Bible) and why there are 8 pillars, eight minerals, eight doors, in the
> Shrine of the Bab. It is one before nine.
> 
> The Seven Religions of the Adamic Cycle:
> 
> HinduismAryanIndia
> 
> SabeansimSemiticIraq
> 
> JudaismSemiticPalestinecirca
> 1500.B.C.
> 
> ZoroastrianismAryanPersia1000 B.C.
> 
> BuddhismAryanIndia600 B.C.
> 
> ChristianitySemiticPalestine
> 
> IslamSemeticArabia632 A.D.
> 
> The process of World Order starts only with the Bahá'í Revelation. The
> Administrative Order is in the embryo and has three stages: Local, National, and
> International Bahá'í Institutions. We are now starting the third stage. It will
> gradually lead to the birth of World Order - the offspring. This will pass through
> the phases of
> 
> 1. Obscurity3. Emancipation5. Establishment
> 
> 2. Repression4. Recognition6.
> Sovereignty.
> 
> The emergence of a Bahá'í World Commonwealth marks the coming of age of the
> World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, signalizing the establishment of the Most Great Peace,
> This is the Golden Age.
> 
> This has never happened before nor could ever happen any other time. The planet
> was not yet discovered when Mohammad appeared, neither America nor the Far
> East; so it was impossible for Mohammad or the Prophets before Him to stress the
> unification of man. First the world had to be discovered; then science developed;
> then the world must contract - this marks the coming of age - the culmination of
> the 6000 year process. nothing more important happens in the life of man than
> reaching 21. Something happens inside him. (spiritually, psychologically,) Maturity
> reached at 40 is due to the change that came over him at 21. What happens at 21 is
> more important than what happens at 40, for the latter change is determined by
> what happens at 21. That is why the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh is so important
> ...This is the answer Bahá'ís must give when people object to our saying that other
> major Prophets will be under Bahá'u'lláh's shadow.
> 
> [page 6]
> 
> This is the only answer we can give.
> 
> We do not claim finality. All other Religions do claim it, and the Bahá'í are
> fundamentally different. In fact no Revelation will be final after Bahá'u'lláh. It is
> unreasonable to assert that Divine Revelation is final, it is progressive, and
> indefinitely so. But, at the same time we must assert that future Revelations will be
> under His shadow. We are not contradicting ourselves when we disclaim finality,
> yet claim that Revelations after Him will be under His shadow. The Revelators
> following will give Laws better suited to the evolution of humanity as it progresses
> but His spiritual station will be less.
> 
> Bahá'ís claims are very challenging, tremendous, but essentially reasonable. We
> make the most tremendous claim, are are most reasonable. No one had made a
> greater claim than Bahá'u'lláh in history, and no one of the Prophets a lesser claim
> than Mohammad because He, Mohammad, stressed the least challenging aspect of
> God. In the Iqan Bahá'u'lláh gives all the stations of the Manifestations (the
> Guardian quoted them here) "If We say we are servants, we are right; and if we say
> we are God, We are also right." Mohammad claimed only to be the Messenger of
> God, the least challenging. Bahá'u'lláh did the opposite. He claimed to be the
> reflection of God. When One claims a very high station, all lower ones are
> included.
> 
> Previous Prophets were all "preliminary" Manifestations, preparing the way for
> Him, under His shadow. Like John's relation to Christ the Bab to Bahá'u'lláh.
> There are two distinct Cycles - the Adamic or Prophetic; and the Bahá'í Cycle. The
> word, Prophet" means "announcer"; all those who appearing announced the
> coming of Bahá'u'lláh and paved the way. Their purpose was Bahá'u'lláh's
> Revelation, although They were major Prophets, independent, with Books and
> established new Dispensations. The "Seal of the Prophets" means the last of the
> Prophets" to announce" (Seal means last, prophet means "to announce".
> 
> Alaska is the connecting link between the Bahá'ís of the USA and the USSR
> through which the Americans will have to pass (to teach the Cause) They will enter
> Russia through Alaska. The Bahá'ís will converge on Russia from different
> directions and in all Soviet Republics the Cause will be established. Iraq, Persia,
> Germany, (into the Ukraine) the USA - all will converge on Russia. Eventually
> Siberia itself will be open to the Faith. Bahá'ís have been banished there. It is a
> huge concentration camp. I have promised their relatives that in Siberia there will
> be LSA's and a Mashriqu'l-Ahskar.
> 
> Just as Fezan, the Central Province of Lybia, has been opened to the Faith, it is quite
> possible there will be an LSA this Ridvan. Abdul-Hamid intended to banish the
> Master there...Cyprus too is historic. Subhi-Azel is buried not far from Famagusta
> where he lived. The Persians will send pioneers there. They should disburse all
> over Cyprus as soon as Necosia has an LSA. There will be an LSA in Famagusta.
> 
> Bahá'í invalids, especially in London, should disperse. It would be very good for
> the Cause and very good for their health. They should go to semi-tropical islands:
> Madeira, Canaries, Mediterranean islands. The British NSA reports are concise,
> precise, It is easy to read their reports. They always distinguish between the essential
> and non-essential, neither
> 
> [page 7]
> 
> too detailed or too abridged. The USA still has too many details.
> 
> Commenting on 1000 Jewish visitors on day to the Shrine, S.E, said: The
> fundamental reason why the Jews, after 2000 years of dispersal returned to
> Palestine is to become supporters of the Faith at its World Center. This
> is their future destiny. Their immediate destiny is to build up their
> state which is very valuable to the Faith. The Arabs would never have
> done this.... the Jews are 'cousins of the British" in tenacity and courage.
> They fought very bravely when defending their State. They are great
> thinkers, a scientific mind. They are keen business men - also a British
> trait.
> 
> S.E. told us that John R his wife and daughter have settled in
> Bechuanaland, in Mafeking. His son is a university student in
> Johannesburg and another son is pioneering elsewhere in Africa.
> 
> The period of Bahá'u'lláh's service started with the Declaration of the
> Bab. In the 9 years of the Bab's ministry the Cause spread to 2
> countries; in the 39 years of Baha's ministry the Cause spread to 15
> Oriental countries; in 29 years of Abdu'l-Bahá's ministry, 20 were added
> (9.39.29 strange coincidence) in that ² of a century number of countries
> was 35. When the Cause was in the days of its infancy, its spread was
> necessarily slow. It spread more in the days of the Master, not because it
> was a superior time but because the Cause had more vitality.
> 
> Note at the end of the manuscript:
> 
> Mrs. Marion Hoffman was a well-beloved teacher in the U.S. and later married David Hoffman.
> 
> They now live in England and operate the Ronald Press, producer of many Bahá'í books.
> 
> From the notebook of Laura R. Davis.
> 
> Material received from Mrs. Rosemary Sala of Port Elizabeth. South Africa.
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views1609 views since posted 2000; last edit 2025-10-01 20:42 UTC;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../hofman_marion_notes_1953;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
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> — *Pilgrim's Notes (Used by permission of the curator)*