Bohci'i Year 131-32 Morch 1975 Baha'i News Vol. 52 No. 3 For Baho'i's only

Contents

The House of 1'bdu'lloh Pasho: Pri son home of the Master ...... 2 Around the world ...... · .5 World Center, International Baha'{Community, International Audio-Visual Center, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Haiti, Honduras, Korea, Norway, Portugal, Un ited States, Uruguay, Vietnam India: an historical overview ...... 16 Poge 14

Effective May 1 the subscription prices for BohO'i' News, World Order, ond Child's Woy will be increased to cover higher production costs for poper stock, printing, ond other services. " We regret that it hos been necessary to raise the subscription prices of the periodicals," soid William Geissler, Secretary of the National Information Committee, "but the costs of all materials ond production services have increased significantly over the past two years and there is no sign that the trend is abating." For example a new increase in the price of postage is soon to go into effect. "The Baha'i periodicals have attempted to keep the subscription prices down," Mr. Geissler said. "The last price odjustment was approximately four years ego. During that time the National Assembly has heavily subsidized the publication of periodicals. The increases will help to make the publications more self-sufficient," he said. After May 1 o one-year subscription to Saha'( News will cost US $8; two years US S 15. A one-year subscription to World Order, a quarterly magazine, will costUS $6; two years US $11 . A one-year subscription to Child's Woy. o Boha'i magazine for children, will cost US $5; two years US $9.50.

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BohO 'i News is published monthly for circulation omong Bahci'is only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahci'is of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Boho'i world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to: Boho'i News Ed itorial Office, 112 linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 , U.S.A. Change of address should be reported directly to Office of Membership ond Records, National Baho'i Center, 112 linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Subscription rates: one year, US $6.00; two years, US $12.00 Second d oss postage poid at Wilmette, Illinois 60091 . Copyright c 1975, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahci'ls of the United States. World Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. The House of Abdu'llah Pasha:

Prison home of the Master, The House of 'Abdu' l-BahShoghi Effendi was birthplace of the Guardian born, is shown in this aerial photo­ graph of the north-western quarter of the city of 14kkti. The borders of rhe extensive property are outlined in white. Ir is krwwn locally as the House of 'Abdu' llah Ptishci and ir was here that :4bdu' /-Baha received the pilgrims. in­ cluding that first group from rhe West (December JO, 1898). Seen nearby are rhe prison citadel with the windows of :4bdu' l-Balui' s cell clearly visible, rhe barracks square, and the mosque of Baha'i International News Service Jau.ar.

Some of the most poignant, dramatic boundary of the propert) is a row of houses admirers refrained, during the most tur­ and historically significant events of the giving directly. on ics western aspect, 10 bulent days of this period. from calling Heroic Age of our Faith are associated the courtyard and offering many additional upon Him. for fear of being implicated with this house. which derives its name vantage points for observing the Master. A and of incurring the suspicion of the from the Governor of 'Akka wbo built it similar row of houses ex1ends from the authorities. On certain days and nights. and used it as his official residence during north-eastern comer along the northern when the outlook was at its darkest, the his term of office. from 1820 to 1832. 1t boundary until they terminate at the lon­ house in which He was living, and stands just inside the north-western comer gitudinal wing of the main building which, which had for many years been a focus of the sea wall of'Akka, in the close neigh­ at this point, projects northwards into sev­ of activity, was completely deserted. borhood of the citadel where Baha' u'llah eral conjoined buildings, making a large Spies. secretly and openly, kept watch was confined. The main building is irregular outcrop on the northern bound­ around it. observing His every move­ L-shaped. facing south and east on it outer ary. The western end of the northern ment and restricting the freedom of His prospects. The srructure, though chiefly boundary is a short stretch of waJI complet­ family ... on two storeys, is irregular and on the ing the enclosure at the north-western Yet during these troublous times, and from inside angle has balconies. uncovered comer of the west wall. Large stables, 1his house He directed the construction of stairways, a bath house and a well. The coach houses and store rooms line 1he 1he Bab·s sepulchre on Mount Carmel. entire property comprises large courtyards southern boundary. erected under its shadow His own house in and is bounded on the west, or seaward In this house. fifty lunar years after the Haifa, and later the Pilgrim House, issued side by a wall, which rums due east at its Bab's martyrdom, in January. 1899, the instructions for the restoration of the Bab's southern angle and continues towards the casket containing His sacred and precious holy House in Shiraz and for the erection heart of 'Akka. forming after a few yards. remains was received by ·Abdu'l-BaM, of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkarofthe world the wall of a narrow street at the eastern Who successfully concealed it until it was in the city of 'Ishqabad. Again the Guar­ terminus of this wall, and within the prop­ possible to inter it, with all honors, in its dian is our reference for the Master's erty, is an imposing house which was oc­ permanent resting-place in the bosom of ceaseless activity at that time: cupied by that Governor of 'Akka whose Carmel. In this house Abdu'l-Baha was incumbency coincided with 'Abdu'lBaha,s confined during the period of His renewed . . . Eye witnesses have testified residence in the main building. and whose incarceration. Shoghi Effendi, in God that, during that agitated and perilous northern windows permitted him co main­ Passes By. testifies to the conditjons ofHis period of His life, they had known Him tain a constant surveillance of life at chat time: to pen, with His own Hand. no less than 'Abdu'l-Baha' s activities. Beyond this ninety Tablets in a single day, and to house is a small mosque. The eastern . . . Even His numerous friends and pass many a night, from dusk to dawn, 2 BAHA'i NEWS I March, 1975 alone in His bed-chamber engaged in a ing language, the ascendancy which the tempestuous days could shake His con­ correspondence which the pressure of torch-bearer of the Covenant would ulti­ fidence, nothing would be allowed to His manifold responsiblilities had pre­ mately achieve over them." interfere with His ministrations to the vented Him from attending to in the During the twelve years of His residence destiture. the orphan. the sick. and the day-time. in this house, 'Abdu'l-Baha demonstrated downtrodden, nctbing cound prevent the true nobility ofHis divine nature, over­ Him from calling in person upon those It was in this house that His celebrated came hatred with love, pursued without who were either incapacitated, or table talks were given and compiled. to be rest against ever-mounting opposition, the ashamed to solicit His aid ... published later under the title Some An­ direction of His Father's Cause, main­ So imperturbable was sered Questions. In this house and in the tained in the face of fanaticism. jealousy 'Abdu'lBaha's equanimity that. while darkest hours of a period which the be­ and bitterness His unceasing care of the rumors were being bruited about that He loved Guardian describes as ·'the most poor and sick and overcame, with unruf­ might be cast into the sea. or exiled to dramatic period of His ministry", "in the fled equanimity, the severest crisis of His Fizan in Tripolitania, or hanged on the hey-day of His life and in the full tide of life. The Guardian's words testify to these gallows. He. t-0 the amazement of His His power" He penned the first part of His things: friends and the amusement of His Will and Testament. which delineates the ememies, was to be seen planting trees features and lays the foundations of the ... At His table, in those days, and vines in the garden of His house. Administrative Order to arise after His whenever there was a lull in the storm whose fruits when the storm bad blown passing. In this house He revealed the raging about Him, there would gather over. He would bid His faithful gar­ highly significant Tablet addressed to the pilgrims, friends and inquirers from dener, lsma·n Aqa. pluck and present ro Bab's cousin and chief builder of the most of the afore-mentioned countries. those same friends and enemies on rhe 'lshqabad Temple, a Tablet whose import representative of the Christian. the Mus­ occasion of their visits to Him." can be appreciated and grasped only as litn, the Jewish. the Zoroastrian, the future events unfold before our eyes, and Hindu and Buddhist Faiths. To the In this house was born the child or­ in which, as testified by Shoghi Effendi, needy thronging His doors and filling dained ro hold the destiny of the Faith in 'Abdu·l-Baha "in stirring terms pro­ the courtyard of His house every Friday his hands for thirty-six years and to be­ claimed the immeasurable greatness of the morning, in spite of the perils that en­ come its "beloved Guardian" , the child Revelation of the Bab. sounded the warn­ vironed Him, He would distribute alms named ·'Shoghi" by his Grandfather, who ings foreshadowing the turmoil which its with His own hands. with a regularity grew up under His loving and solicitous enemies, both far and near. would let loose and generosity that won Him the title of care and became the recipient of His Tab­ upon the world. and prophesied, in mov- ·Father of the Poor'. Nothing in those lets.

Morch, 1975 I BAHA'I NEWS 3 When Baha'u'llah ascended, in 1892. ··rn tho e days of Shoghi Effendi's another by the inner wall of fortifica­ the Mansion at Bahjf remained in the oc­ childhood it was the custom to rise tion. A few feet beyond that is the outer cupancy of the arch-breaker of the Coven­ about dawn and spend the first hour of wall upon the sea. and between these ant, the Master's half-brother the day in the Master's room. where two are the guns and soldiers constantly MuJ:iammad-'Alf, and members of that prayers were aid and the family all bad on guard. A entry house tands at one branch of Baha'u'llah's family. breakfast with Him. The children sat on comer of the wall and garden, from 'Abdu'l-Baha and the member of His fam­ the floor. their legs folded under them. which the sentry can see the grounds ily, including His illustrious sister the their arms folded across their breasts, in and the tent where 'Abdu'l-Baha meets Greatest Holy Leaf, remained in the House great res~ ct; when asked they would transient visitors and the officials who of 'Abbud. which continued co be chant for 'Abdu'l-Baha; there was no often call on him. Thus all his acts out­ 'Abdu'l-Baha' official residence. In the shouting or unseemly conduct. Break­ side of the house itself are visible to the course of the fifth year after Baha'u'llah's fast consisted of tea. brewed on the Governor from his windows and to the passing the marriage of 'Abdu'l-Baha' bubbling Russian brass amovar and men on guard. Perhaps that is one two eldest daughters took place and it served in little crystal glasses, very hot reason why the officials so often be­ quickly became apparent tht the portion of and very weet, pure wheat bread and come his friends. No one, with human­ the House of 'Abbud available for occupa­ goats' milk cheese." ity. justice. or mercy in his heart. could tion was woefully inadequate to the en­ It was to thi house that that historic first watch 'Abdu'l-Baha long without admir­ larged family. With characteristic vigor groups of pilgrims from the West came to ing and loving him for the beautiful qualities con tantly displayed .., 'Abdu'l-Baha took action and in the see the Master in the winter of 1898-1899. months preceding the birth of Shoghi Ef­ and in which many more from both East Mary Hanford Ford published an ac­ fendi arranged to rent the main building, and West sought His presence. Some of count of her pilgrimage to this house in and subsequently the subsidiary wings. of them have left memorable de criptions of Srarofthe West, vol. XXlV: 'Abdu'llah Pa_ha's house and He estab­ their experiences with 'Abdu'l-Baha and "The little room in which 1 stayed and in lished it as His official residence. Thus it His household in that home. Ella Goodall which the significant conversations with came about that, in 1897. Shoghi Effendi Cooper, one of the very earliest American was born in the same house (in an upper believers, records the following: 'Abdu'l-Baha took place. was of the room of the wing facing outh) that wit­ simplest de cription. The floor was co­ nessed event of such vital importance to ··one day ... I had joined the ladies vered with matting. the narrow iron bed the Faith and the future of mankind. of the Farnil}' in the room of the Greatest and the iron wash stand with larger and The Guardian's childhood and upbring­ Holy Leaf for early morning tea. the smaller holes for bowl and pitcher were ing in that house are referred to by beloved Master was siting in His favo­ of that vennin proof description with Amatu'l-Baha RuJ:ifyyih Khanum in The rite corner of the divan where, through which I had become familiar. Every­ Priceless Pearl: the windo\\ on His right. He could look thing was crupulously clean. and there over the ramparts and ee the blue \\as an abundant supply of sparkling "It ma} sound disrespectful to say the Mediterranean beyond. He was bus) '-"ater for bathing and drinking. A wide Guardian was a mischievou child. but writing Tablets. and the quiet peace of window looked over the huge town wall he himself told me he was the acknow­ the room was broken only by the bubble upon the blue Mediterranean and before ledged ringleader of all the other chil­ of the samovar. where one of the young this stretched a divan upon which dren. Bubbling wth high spirits. en­ maidservant , itting on the floor before 'Abdu'l-Baha at when He came to see thusiasm and daring. full of laughter it. was brewing tea ... me. and wit, the small boy led the way in Thornton Chase, the first American be­ The palpable victory which many pranks: whenever something was liever, records in his memoir Jn Galilee: 'Abdu'J-Baha had wrested fonn the perse­ afoot. behind it would be found Shoghi cution, intrigue. hatred, vilification even. Effendi ! This boundless energy was "We did not know we had reached directed again t Hirn during His twelve often a ource of anxiety as he would our destination until we Sa\\ a Persian years in the House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha. rush madl) up and down the long flight gentleman. and then another and was signally apparent when. upon His re­ of high steps to the upper story of the another, tep out at the entrance and lease from incarceration in 1908, He house, to the consternation of the pil­ smile at us. We alighted and they con­ moved to His new residence in Haifa. At grims below, waitng IO meet the Mas­ ducted us through the arched, red brick that time the future Guardian was a boy of ter. His exuberance wa irrepressible entrance to an open court. across it to a eleven, but hfa appointment, although a and was in the child the ame force that long flight of stone steps. broken and carefully guarded secret, had already been was to make the man such an untiring ancient. leading to the highe t story and made by 'Abdu'l-Baha in the part of His and unflinching commander-in-chief of into a small walled court open to the Will and Testament revealed in that house. the forces of Baha'u'llah, leading them sky. where was the upper chamber as­ As we contemplate the extraordinary to victory after victory. indeed, to the signed to us. which adjoined the room focussing of powerful forces and events spiritual conquest of the entire globe. of'Abdu'l-Baha. The buildings are all of upon this house, we eagerly anticipate the We have a very reliable witness to this stone. whitewashed and pla tered. and day when it will be restored and made characteristic of the Guardian. it bears the aspect of a pri on. ready for pilgrims, who may inhale from 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself, Who wrote on a "Our windows looked out over the ics atmosphere, its grounds and sacred used envelope a short sentence to please garden and cent of 'Abdu'l-Baha on the walls. the fragrances of a glorious past. His little grand on: "Shoghi Effendi is a sea side of the house. That garden is wise man - but he run about very bounded on one side by the house of the much!' ... Governor. which overlook it, and on

4 BAHA'I NEWS I Morch, 1975 Around the World

World Center: homefrom and abroad. The Revelation ofB ahti'u'lltih: Baghdad Of particular interest to pioneers already 1853-1863, by Adib Taherzadeh; New pub Iications in the field and those ari ing to play their George Ronald, Oxford, 384 pages, part in the Five Year Plan will be those with illustrations. in English available chapters of the volume which cover uch The first of a four-volume urvey of che The Department of Publishing at the topics as: Where to Pioneer: What do do Writings of Baha'u'llab. by Adib Taher­ World Center has announced publica1ion When You Get There; Culture Shock; Tri­ zadeh. i now available. The volume just of ·'Analysis of the Five Year Internation­ bal and Local Custom ; Reflections on published focuse on the Tablets revealed al Teaching Plan'" which is now ready for Behavior; Vi as: Sanitary Facilities; Some between the year 1853-1863 and in addi­ hipmen1. The slim booklet coma in I 04 Common lllne ses and Hazards: Health tion to description of a great number of pages. thread sewn in ections, and has a Hint : Bachelor's Comer: and Some Basic Tablet . man) of which are unknown in paper cover. Recipes. the West, the book includes fascinating It is now available 10 ational Spiritual "This manual represents the personal ma1erial concerning evencs in the lives of Assemblies and their Publishing Trusts. experience and random observations of the Baha'u'llab and His companions. lnvididual and Local Spiritual Assem­ author:· Amatu'l-Baha states in the Mr. Taherzadeh is welJ qualified for the blies are directed to purchase books from foreword. "ln the course of my travel in monumental project he has undenaken. A the National Spiritual Assemblies or Pub­ Asia, Africa, Latin America and the graduate of Tihran University. he now lishing Tru ts. Caribbean and Indian Ocean islands I have lives in the Republic of Ireland where he met a great number of pioneers and learned serves as chairman of the National A Manual for Pioneers, by to admire 1heir consecration and fonitude Spiritual Assembly. Amatu' l-Baha Rtit:aiyyih K!!a num; in the face of many difficulties and prob­ Baha'i Publishing Trust of India, 228 lems ... I longed to be able in some way to Japan Will Turn Ablaze! (Tablets of pages. help them, co lighten their load and cheer 'Abdu' l-Baha, Letters of Shoghi Ef­ The wide travels of Amatu'l-Baha them up and perhaps through suggestions fendi , and Historical Notes about Rut:afyyih Khanum uniquely qualify her to make their road a little smoother and assist Japan); Baha' i Publishing Trust of write 1his book which, in addition to being them to a better understanding of their task Japan, 90 pages, with illustrations. precisely what its title implies - a "man­ and some of the peoples they will live with As suggested by the sub-title, this is a ual· · for pioneer - is a useful handbook and teach ...·· compilation con isting chiefly of the Tab­ for Baha'i teache~ everywhere, on the lets of 'Abdu'l-Baha to early believers in-

Australia: Hand of Cause lauds spirit of youth Some of the Baha'i assembled at the Sixth Australian Baha'i Peter Khan. an Auxiliary Board member from the United Youth Conference recently held in Canberra. The Hand of the States. addressed a well-attended public meeting held in con­ Cause Collis Featherstone reponed that he was impressed with junction with the conference. After the conference's adjourn­ the spirit animating the youth and the efficiency with which ment , a number of teaching teams were formed to travel they arranged the conference. A majority of the youth anend­ throughout Australia co carry out an intensive teaching cam­ ing the conference had been Baha'fs for les than three years. pai j?n.

Morch, 1975 I BAHA'I NEWS 5 Around the World

eluding 1he Hand of the Cau e Agnes present only three programs in the series spent more chan nine years as a prisoner. Alexander, Mr. Kanichi Yamamoto, the have been taped, the fir t dealing wich the Bahci'u'llah called this city ''the Most fir t Japanese believer. and Mr. Saichiro seminar, the second a slide program about Grear Prison,'' and said. ''From rhis Fujita; and the letters of Shoghi Effendi to the Faith. and the third with another Baha'i Prison His lighr was shed abroad: His individuals and to administrative institu­ ... the program will have as its opening fame conquered rhe world. and the proc­ tions in Japan. scene each week a poscer of the Shrine of lumarion ofHis g/01)' reached the East and the Bab with the quotation The earth is the West." The House of 'Abbud. where International Baha'i Community: one country and mankind its citizens ... the Kitab-i-Aqdas was revealed, can be seen clearly in the postcard. Cards are UN seminar inspires International Audio-Visual Center: available without words or with a caption in English. Spanish or French. TV series on Faith Three new postcards An architect's rendering of che future Participants from more than thin) coun­ seac of The Universal House of Juscice on tries ga1hered in Ottawa. Canada, Sep­ now available Mount Cannel is the cheme of the third tember 4-17, 1974. to participate in the Three new postcards suitable for teach­ card. The conscrucrion of this building is United Nations seminar on "Women's par­ ing and deepening Baha'ls are available one of che goals of the Five Year Plan. and ticipation in development and elimination from the lnternacional Baha'i Audio­ represents an imponanc step in the un­ of sex discrimination ... The Ottawa semi­ Visual Cen•er. These cards are particu­ foldment of the World Order of nar was the first inte rregional seminar 10 larly suitable for consolidation among be­ Bahci'u'llcih. The caption is in English. be held on che subject which. according to lievers in new communities. Spanish. and French. a press release from the UN Office of Pub­ The first card is a full-color aerial photo Although of particular interest to lic lnfonnation. is a topic .. the importance of the Baha'i Hou e of Worship in Bahffs, these cards are also excellenc of which has been emphasized in the re­ Panama. It shows hundreds of people teaching aids. Their attractiveness and por­ solution!. of the General Assembly. the walking around and entering che graceful. cability make them well suited for carrying Economic and Social Council. the Com­ white-domed structure overlooking che in pocket or purse for spontaneous mission on che Status of Women and the capical of this Central American republic. firesides. International· Conference on Human The caption is printed in Spanish and En­ Your local Baha'i librarian or au­ Rights (Tihran, 1968) .. , glish. thorized Baha' I distributor may have these Carol Bowie, a member of the ational The second card, also in color, is an cards in stock or may be able to supply Spiricual Assembly of Canada. and Judy aerial phoco of 'Akka, where Baha'u'Jlab information about prices and ordering. Gib on. represenced the Bahff Interna­ tional Communit) and had many oppor­ tunities to bring the Faith to the attention of delegate and obseivers. In their repon the Baha'i ob ervers commented chat they noted .. how very close in principle many of the delegates are to the Baha· I Teachings. Over and over from Third World countries' representa­ tives came the concept that without the full contribution of their women to society. the development of their countries would be crippled. chat education was crucial if this integration were to take place and chat "hat wa essential was a shift in che ta tu of \>.Omen and their role. whace,er the ul­ timate definition(s) of that role." Aware of the potential for publicit)' af­ forded by this event to the Faith and Inter­ national Women's Year. Mrs. Bowie ap­ proached the newspaper office and the cable TV studio in the city of Cornwall. The TV tudio. nOI have a scheduled pro­ Bra zil: Summer school launches teaching project gram with an interview fonnat on which As many as 200 people attended Brazil's first national summer school of the Five she could appear. offered Mrs. Bowie a Year Plan in Jandira. a small city near Sao Paulo, January 19-26. Continental TV how of her own. ·'The result wa :· Counsellor Raul Pavon. who has moved to Brazil to help with preparations for the he reported , "a 15-week series of 1976 international conference in Bahia. attended the summer school. When 30-minute shows called ·our World' on classes were completed rwo teams of six people. mainly youth. left from Jandira to which I am invited to freely di cu S'the proclaim the Faith in two goal cities in the northern pan of the state. Faith. the U • or any subject I wish . . at

6 BAHA'I NEWS I Morch, 1975 If these cards are not available in your creaced a sense of her presence during cbe Germany: area, please write to the International gatherings. Bahf f Audio-Visual Center. l640 Hol­ The program consisted of che following European Institutions comb Road. Victor. New York 14564, for themes: The Participation of Baha'i infonnation on where they may be ob­ Women in Community Activities: The consult on Plan tained. Importance of Deepening in the Cause; The following cable was sent to the Education of Children; and The Woman World Center by the European Counsel­ Argentina: and Her Family. lors, National Spiritual Assembly rep­ Other women's congresses will be held resentatives. and Auxiliary Board mem· in the Buenos Aires region in March and bers who met in conference at Women's Congress will include a group visit to che resting Langenhain, Gem1any, to discuss the recalls May Maxwell place of May Maxwell. progress of the Five Year Plan in Europe: The first regional Bahci"f Women·s Con­ Canada: EUROPEAN CONFERENCE, 72 PAR­ gress of the Five Year Plan was held in TICIPANTS. SHADOW MOTHER TEM· PLE. 1NCLUDl1 G 26 (AUXIUARY) Cordoba, January L8-19, 1975. The 19 Bilingual arts festival BOARD MEMBERS, REPRESENTA· women who attended enthusiastically re­ Tl VES ALL NATIONAL SPIRITUAL sponded to the congress the purpose of impresses community ASSEMBLIES. BLESSED PRESENCE which was to provide an opportunity for The Spiritual Assembly of Aylmer, HA D CAUSE ADELBERT MUHL· deepenfog and for discussion of the in­ SCHLEGEL, FIVE COUNSELLORS, Quebec recently presented a public bilin· creasing role women must play in winning EXPRESSES LOYALTY, SENDS LOV­ gual program of music and dance (includ­ the goals of the Five Year Plan. The Local fNG GREETINGS UNIVERSAL HOUSE ing ballet) under the title·· Unity Festival"' . Spiritual Assembly entered into the spirit JUSTICE. CONSCIOUS HISTORIC of the congress, offering hospitality and a The selections, presented by Baha'fs, a GATHERING, AWARE WEIGHTY RE· luncheon. An infonnal meeting attracted number of whom had professional train­ SPONSIBILITIES. CONSCIOUS GOALS, approximately 40 believers and their ing, were related to Baha' f principles. The PLAN EXCHANGE USE SHARE EX­ program served as an indirect method of PERIENCES. INVIGORATING ATMOS­ friends. PHERE. CONSULTATIONS FRUITFUL. As Argentina is the resting place of May attracting the interest of the townspeople in the Faith. Excerpts from the account CONFIDENT FINAL VICTORY. BE· Maxwell, the congress was appropriately SEECH PR AYERS HOLY SHRINES. opened with a study of her life which which was published in the local news­ paper stated: Haiti: Last Saturday's ··unity Festival" of music and modem dance succeeded in generating a tremendous spirit of unity between the audience and the perfor­ Baha'i community mers. afloat in Caribbean Pyer Vaillancourt, the Master of Ceremonies for the bilingual program, Mr. Paul Wilson Joseph. one of 1he ten and a member of the Spiritual Assembly Baba· i crew members aboard the cruise of the Baha' fs of Aylmer who sponsored ship Sun Viking, plying the Caribbean. the evening. said , "The response was wrote the following in a recent letter to the beyond our greatest expectations. We Universal House of Justice: had a good turnout, about 150 people of "I have been a Baha'i for almost four all ages, from children to senior citi­ months ... My dear brothers, I infinitely zens. regret not havi ng been a Baha'i since my The theme of unity was conspicuous birth. as this is the true saJvation, and not throughoucthe program .. . . all the acts to be a Bahci"f is a waste of time. I am were well received by the audience, proud to be in the company of the Baha'fs; which included residents of the Hospi1al here one can find faith . hope. happiness of St. Isadore. to whom a special invita­ and joy. The world is in great need of this tion had been extended. Faith . . . We are a group of ten members The Spiritual Assembly of the on the boat: ... we are all convinced; we Baha'fs of Aylmer hopes to sponsor a see the gentleness among the Baha' fs . Uruguay: similar festival later in the year, drawing Each day we have prayers together and The Hand of the Cause on more taleni from the Aylmer· discussions about the Faith ... and we also meet the Baha'is in our various ports of RaJ:imatu' llah Muhajir as he met Luceme-DesChenes region." call. It is wonderful to meet the Baha· fs with the fri e nds in Montevideo, when our ship enters the port.,. Uruguay, during a recenc tour of In concluding bis letter, Mr. Joseph re­ South America. quested prayers "so that I may continue to

March, 1975 I BAHA'I NEWS 7 Around the World

work for Bahii'u'llilh ... ters and distinguished citizens to anend the To make arrangements for displaying The believer who initiated teaching on Baha'i wedding. At least 20 news corres­ the banner, the Baha'is visited the town the ship is former Haitian National pondents were in attendance as well as hall where they spoke to the President Spiritual Assembly member, Mr. Philippe several cameramen. One article appeared (Mayor) who lovingly and in writing Bastien, who wrote: "In the ship are work­ under the heading, "We are a globaJ fam­ conceded the required authorization. ing people from all nations. The passen­ ily" and reference ro the wedding was this document being the first official gers come from all places. I don' t fail to aired three times during the news broad­ authorization which we have in our pos­ inform them that nowadays there is no cast on both radio and television. session. future. no hope for anybody, but in The principal newspaper of the city. Baha'u'llah." Portugal: which already had at various times pub­ lished articles and news about the Faith, Korea: Extensive publicity announced the meeting beforehand and the following week published a report Interracial marriage aids proclamation about the proclamation. Setubal. a city situated about 40 An "open letter" presenting the Faith publicizes Cause kilometers south of the capital, has a in a clear and simple manner and invit­ Extraordinary publicity for the Faith re­ community of approximately 100 believ­ ing people to attend the meeting was sulted from the recent Baha'i marriage of ers. Recently the Spiritual Assembly. in distributed during the day; to carry out Kamal Ridvani Nizbah to Choe Hak Cha. collaboration with the National Teaching this work, members of other com­ The groom w.ho is thought to be the only Committee, sponsored a large-scale proc-: muruties came to Setubal and gathered Iranian residing in Korea was interviewed lamation event in the city. Prior to the in the local center where they said on radio, television and by reporters from event attractive colorful posters were prayers and were organized into groups daily and weekly newspapers. During the prominently displayed throughout the before going into the streets to distribute interviews questions were asked about the town. They showed a photograph of the the invitations. history and teachings of the Faith, an out­ globe and the challenging phrase: '"Have The community reports that the procla­ line of the Stations of the Three Central you heard of Baha'u'llah'?'' In addition. a mation effort has begun to bear fruit as Figures was given, and the Baha'i mar­ large banner, five meters in length, was witnessed by the increase in attendence riage ceremony was described in detail. placed in the principal square of the city. and interest at the weekly meetings. The Secretary-GeneraJ of the Govern­ advertising the date, time and place of the ment Party sent flowers to the young f.Ublic meeting. A report received from the Togo: Baha'i couple and encouraged news repor- Spiritual Assembly states: Nine-day proclamation largest in 21 years More people may have heard of the Baha' f Faith during a recent nine-day proc­ lamation in Lorne, Togo than during the entire 21 years of painstaking labor since the Faith was introduced to the country in 1954. This assessment was given by the Spiritual Assembly of Lome at the close of its December 5- 13 teaching can1paign. In that brief period presentations were made at five secondary schools to more than 1.600 students, a series of four public meetings were held and were attended by more than 1,000 people. two television broadcasts on the Faith were made. and the national newspaper. Togo-Presse. carried a laudatory, full-page account of the Teachings of the Faith written by a promi­ nent sociologist. Honduras: Friends d iscuss Five Year Plan goals The occasion for the proclamation was Baha'fs who attended one of five scheduled conferences in Honduras last year. the visit to Lome by Ghanaian singer and called to consult on the goals of the Five Year Plan. This conference was at the guitarist Ranzie Mensah. Miss Mensah's Karbila School, near Tegucigalpa; others were held in Trujillo. La Ceiba, and program of Baha'i songs and instrumentaJs Santa Rosa de Copan. (The fifth conference, scheduled to be in San Pedro Sula, was enthusiastically received at many pub­ was cancelled because of damage caused by hurricane Fifi.) lic meetings. In Vogan, a town of J0,000 40 miles from the capital, the district gov-

8 BAHA'i NEWS I March, 1975 ernor invited Mi s Mensah to perform be­ special program at Cornell University. that we will succeed." He recalled that fore an audience of 600. The governor Ilhaca, New York. January 11 . ''hen Jesus Christ was brought into the himself served a master of ceremonies on Representatives from 115 communities gathering of the rabbis, with a crown of this occasion. As in most of her appear­ shared in the historic gathering. beginning thorns on His head. the rabbis questioned ances. Mi s Men ah wa accompanied in an intensive teaching campaign aimed at Him as to His po\\er and to produce the Vogan by Auxiliary Board member doubling the number of Local Spiritual sceptre of David. Christ replied: ··oo you Thelma Khelgha1i. who upplememed the As emblie in the state, opening five In­ not see the Son of Man tanding on the music with a talk on the Teachings of 1he dian reservations and establishing two right side of His Father. with all the glory. Faith. Local Spiritual Assemblies on Indian re­ power and majesty? " The:.e activities have sparked ne"' life servation . as well as greatly expanding .. 'Abdu'l-Baha tells us that people could in the Baha'i community of Togo. and use of news media and reaching the not see that. but Christ could see that the made everyone realize what victories can minorities designated in the Five Year crowns of the emperors of the world would be won if we but put our trust in Plan. be worth less than the thorns on His head." Baha'u'llah," the Spiritual A sembly of In their address tO the Baha' Is. both Mr. added Mr. Kbadem. Lome wrote. "All are now waiting to see Khadem and Mr. Sears stressed the un­ .. At the time when the Exalted Bab was what the remaining months before the doubted victorie~ assured us if we arise to brought as a prisoner to Mith-Ku. and had election of the first National Spiritual As­ pursue systematically the directions given not even a candle at night. He wrote to the sembl> of Togo at Riqvan wilt bring.·· us by the Master in The Tablets of the Shah of Persia and assured him that He Divine Plan. enjoyed being in the Chamber of Paradise. United States: Ci1ing instances of humiliation to the He said al o that all the keys of Paradise Prophets of God from the unknowing peo­ were as a ring on His finger. Special teaching plan ples of the world. Mr. Khadem repeatedly ··And what are those keys of Paradise'?" demonstrated the power of God to raise his asked Mr. Khadem. •·Jn fact, the very launched in New York Manifestations and bring down to abase­ night of the Declaration of His Holiness. Participation by the Hands of the Cause ment their enemies. the Exalted Bab, the keys of Paradise Mr. Dhikru'Uah Khadem and William ··Beloved friends!" he began. "At this started to open all the doors of learning. Sears. as well as all nine members of the time the present order is collapsing and The keys are }'Ou. my dearly-loved ational Spiritual Assembly of1he Bahii'fs will be replaced by the New World Order brothers and sisters of the West! It is you of the United States. in the official launch­ of Baba'u'llah. Although we are very whom His Holiness the Bab addressed ing of the Five Year Plan for New York humble and lowly. we have the assurance when He called upon the people of the State attracted more than 500 Baha'is to a of the Blessed Perfection. Baha'u'llah. West to issue forth from their cities and

Norway: Hand of Cause Faizl visits deepening conference Deepening conference sponsored by the National Teaching Committee of Nor­ way. held in Sandnes. October 19-20. More than 30 people from all over the country were present. The Hand of the Cause A.Q. Faizl gave talks on the Writings of Bahii'u'llfth, child development, and education. This session was one of several deepening conferences held in different parts of Norway since the start of the Five Year Plan. A national teaching conference was held in Norway in the early weeks of spring. Miss Ranzie Mensah

March, 1975 I BAHA'i NEWS 9 .. ·::--·~ ' caJI people to God. Right from that night. Assembl} of the Baha'i of the United all of the victories started from the fountain States." Although we are o humble. weak of His words. and lowly. yet Baha'u'llah is so Great, ··Again," continued Mr. Khadem, Powerful and Mighty. All the prophecies "when Bahfu'llah was in the Sfyah-Chal will be fulfilled. and the crowns of the in Tihran. He tells us of the Voice which world will be placed at His feet! We are proclaimed: ·Ere long will God raise up su re the world commonwealth of the treasures of the earrh-men ~i-110 will Baha'u'llcih will come to pass. Let us be an aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy instrument. let us be one of the treasures Name, wherewith God hath revii•ed the whom Baha'u'Jlab said in the Sfycih-Cha1 hearts of such as have recogni:;ed Him .· would be rai ed up to aid Him. Let us be "The ble sed Master Him elf. one of the keys of Paradise, whom the "Abdu'l-Baha. tell us that He entered the Exalted Bab. in :vtcih-Ku. although a Pris­ pri on a a young man and came out old. oner. predicted would be as a ring on His The moment He was released, He came to right hand. What glory. indeed. to be one the West. 10 Egypt, to Europe. back to of the keys. Let u fulfill the expectations Egyp1. to the United States and back to of the beloved Shoghi Effendi and The { Europe. over a three-year period. He came Universal House of Justice. Please God, ., to help the 'treasures' of the world, the we may achieve it!" ~ Bah3'1 . He came to inspire the people of ··The friends do not have to be told what the West. In His talk in Kenosha. Wi con­ do do! They know what to do! It is all in the sin. He helps us to see how significant was Writings. They just need to try it!" Recal­ Above: Auxiliary Board member His visit to this country! The friend had ling these words "°hich he heard as a pil­ Katherine McLaughlin, the Hands of the Cause William Sears and Dhikru' llah told Him that every nineteen days. ~t the grim in the presence of the beloved Guar­ Feasts in Kenosha. two vacant chairs were dian, the Hand of the Cause William Sears Khadem, and National Assembly members placed. one for Bahci'u"llcih and one for asked, "Do we under tand these words? Richard Betts. Daniel Jordan, and Mag­ 'Abdu'l-Baha. They longed for the vi it of Do we really believe that we don't have to dalene Camey were among the more than 'Abdu'l-Baha, and this is what the Master have meetings and worry about what to do. 500 Bahci' is gathered for the launching of said when He spoke there. 'I longed very we just have to get busy and try what we the teaching plan for New York. much that means be prepared for Me to have already been given in the Tablets of come to Kenosha. God has upset heaven the Divine Plan? That is why our heroic and eanh. that I come to America. God ha generals. the members of 1he National changed two Kingdoms (Persia and the Spiritual Assembl). have called us to­ Ottoman Empire) that 1 might come and gether today to see what we can do about see your face . I hope there will be a great this marvelous state of New York. Many outcome from this visit and that a new things have been said already from the pirit will appear in the Baba'f world!' Tablets of the Di1·ine Plan, the charter for "'Friend !" exclaimed Mr. Khadem, the spiritual cooque t of the planet. Des­ " two Emperors were removed from power tined to guide the teaching over the next by God, just so that 'Abdu'l-Baha could 500.000 years. this chaner was unveiled come to America and to Kenosha. And right here in this state. in New York City. first He came to New York. God changed .. Let us remember the praise of the whole pol itica1 si1uation of the world in 'Abdu'l-Baha to the Baha'fs of the north­ order 1hat 'Abdu'l-Baha could come to this eastern states and the as urance He gives country. that these states share a unique spirituaJ Citing the accomplishment of the be­ privilege. The Ma ter ays: 'Likewise as loved Guardian in raising up the in titu­ the cominent ofAmerica in the esrimation tions of the ew World Order of of the True One is the field of the ef­ Baha'u'llah, Mr. Khadem reminded the fulgence oflight, 1he Kingdom of1he man­ friends that Shoghi Effendi did not leave us ifestation of mysteries, the home of the until the illumination of the Faith was evi­ righteous ones and the ga1heri11g place of dent in all 1he countries of the world, wi1h 1he free, therefore every section thereof is the upreme body of the Faith, The Uni­ blessed: but because these nine states have ver al House of Justice. now bringing us beenfa1•ored in faith and assurance, hence the guidance of Bah:fu'llah for this his­ through this precedence they have ob­ toric day. Praising the generals of the tained spiritual pril'ilege . ... Now all Army of Bah:l'u'Jlah. the 1 ational these boumies exist and appear in full in Spiritual Assemblies of the world, Mr. these nine states. The divine Gardener "' Khadem urged that all listen carefully to passed by that holy ground and scattered ~ the Plan unveiled by the National Spiritual pure seeds from the lordly teachings in

10 BAHA'I NEWS I Morch, 197 5 that field; the rain of ihe bounties of God York had really loved each other. and ari­ poured doll'n and the heat of the Sun of sen to teach. living just one of the princi­ Reality- that is, the merciful confir­ ples in their live , half of the people in mations-shone ll'ith the wmost splendor. New York would have become Baha'fs by It is my hope that each one ofthose blessed that time. And that was in 1912! souls may become a peerless and unique ""Abdu"l-Baha Himself say that He has irrigator and the East and the West of scattered the eeds. In the Tablet to the America may become like unto a delecta­ Northeastern States He promises us that 'it ble paradise so ihat all of you may hear has often happened that one blessed soul from the Supreme Concourse the cry of has become the cause of the guidance ofa 'Blessed are you. and again blessed are nation. Now we must 11ot look at our own you. ability and capaciry: nay. rather, we must "Think of itt•· said Mr. Sears. "This is behold the favors and bounties of God in you whom the Master is addressing. My these days, who has made the drop to find hope is that from this room there will ap­ r:ze expression of rhe sea and tlze atom the pear such a light in the skies of New York importance of the sun." that we will win all of our goals. We hold .. lf one blessed soul can do all this. the potential in our hand. we have had the imagine what the number of people in this presence of the Divine Gardener in this room could do to bring change not just for region. this state but for this whole country. We .. Do you know how many times the hold the destiny of this country in the palm Master delivered public addresses an~ of our hands. At the pilgrim's 1able in 1he made formal visits in New York? In 55 presence of the beloved Guardian one separate place in ·ew York City. Heap­ evening he spoke to us of 1iss Manha peared. Now the very soil is throbbing Root. tar servant and foremost Hand of with His foot-steps and the hosts of the Cause of the first Baha-1 century. He Baha" u'llah' battalions are waiting to said there wasn't anyone at the table who Below: The Hand of the Cause William come to our a istance, if we arise. I hope didn'1 have more ofeverything in the world Sears addresses the gathering. you will memorize all of these goals. keep than Martha Root-more health. more re­ them on a Iittle card where you shave or put sources. more education-but that she had on your make-up. Keep them somewhere given her love to Baha'u' llah . She was handy and say them each day. l! only takes completely dedicated. So she was not a a minute. While you are riding in the bu hero. not a manyr. not a saint. but all or the streetcar. say the goals, such as three. A hero, a martyr and a aint! All of ·raise the number of localities where us sitting there fell less than dust, but the Baha'is reside in ew York to 360.' Ya beloved Guardian aid that we could equal Baha'ul-Abha! Beloved friends. let u call or surpa s her record! on the power of the Greatest Name. ··Often the beloved Master was heard to "At one end of this state is the City of say. ·Should each one of the friends take it the Covenant, and at the other. Hume. the upon themselves to carry out. in all its birthplace of the ·mother teacher of the integrity and implications. only one of the We t.' Lua Getsinger. 'Abdu'l-Baha aid teachings of the Faith. with devotion. de­ that people will come to visit the land tachment. constancy and perseverence, where she walked barefoot as a child. and exemplify it in all of his deeds and where Baha'u'llah Him elf chose her for pursuits of life. the world would become Hi work in your state. Think of the con­ another world. and the face of the eanh nection between the we tern and ea tern would mirror fonh the splendors of the ends of this state ... it really could become Abha paradise. a paradise! ··so there we have it. from the Blessed "Do you remember Mr. Roy Wilhelm? Beauty. Baba'u"llah; from "Abdu'l-Baha. He was a Hand of the Cause of God. When and from the beloved Guardian. lfwe lived Mr . Sears was on pilgrimage. the beloved just one principle in our lives! It doesn"t Guardian said he was appointed because cost anything. Just ay, 'Baha"u' llah. here he was a saint. But he was a very mis­ I am. Make something different of me than chievous man and bad a lot of good stories l was before. Make me an instrument of which he u ed very effectively. Mr. Thy Cause.' Then we would ee from this Wilhelm said that when he walked down room what could happen. the streets of New York City. the City of ''lt says in the Tablets ofrhe Divine Plan the Covenant. with the beloved Master. the that God can change one grain into seven Ma ter said that if the believers in New hundred. and if He o wills He will double Morch, 1975 I BAHA'I NEWS 11 Around the World these also. If we are 350 in this room. that is our instrument in this day. through makes 700, doubled. [Note: Actual atten­ Baha'u.Uiih. If we love each other. if we dance was over 500.] If we multiply that become united in our actions, we·ll reach Conference focuses by 700, I make that out to be 490,000 490,000, and of course if we do that every believers waiting. And that is not poetry, year, by the end of the Five Year Plan we on Baha'i family life Lhat is fact! That is the way it works. That will have 2,450,000 believers in New The first of a series of family life con­ is mass conversion. The Supreme Con­ York State alone! .. ferences was held in San Francisco Feb­ course. the powers that created the earth, ruary 14-16 by the ational Education Comminee. "The conference was designed to assist fan1ilies in developing Baha'i characteris­ tics in their homes," said Committee Sec­ retary Eileen Norman ... It was meant to assist parents in training children and in developing the distinctive character of Bahn life." Local Spiritual Assemblies in central and northern California were invited to send representatives to the conference in San Francisco. Approximately 60 As­ semblies responded; more than 100 people attended. After a brief opening address by Judge James Nelson, workshops were organized: how to set up children's classes; fun and games; children's materials and their uses; consultation and the family; preparation for a life of service; Baha'i marriage: par­ Above: National Education Committee member Deborah Christensen leads a workshop ent effectiveness - Baha' f style; and the on children's materials and their uses. Below: James Nelson gives a brief opening family as a cohesive unit. address at the Family Life Conference. The television at left was used to present a The participants learned to use special videotaped deepening session with the Hand ofthe Cause A .Q. Faizi prepared during his materials which had been prepared for the visit to the United Srates last year. workshops. They, in tum, are expected to demonstrate 1he materials at similar work­ shops in their own communities in the fu­ ture. The workshop materials were pre­ pared for the Education Committee by Baha'fs with experience and knowledge in the areas covered, Mrs. Norman said. They are the first of a series of materials che Committee has planned for use by the community. Addicional family life conferences will be conducted in Los Angeles. Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C., Mrs. Norman said. "The comments the friends made about this event were very favorable," the Com­ mittee Secretary said. "They said they had waited a long time for these materials and that the content could be immediately ap­ plied to their own lives. After a workshop on parent effectiveness one woman said she had had occasion to apply what she had learned in class and was amazed that it worked so well." The National Education Committee was formed shortly before the St. Louis Con­ ference last August. One of its first as­ signments was to absorb the functions of

12 BAHA'I NEWS I Morch, 1975 lhe Nacional Baha·r Schools Comminee, tivities at summer schools, she continued. ing late last year between the National from which it inherited supetvision of 20 .. For a Jong time children· s activities have Assembly and the heads of staff, called to funccioning Baha-1 schools. In the past been an afterchought. This year they will explore ways of cutting expenditures. several months che Educacion Committee be a first 1hough1." Some Baha' i schools One of the important suggestions ar rhat has briefed all the councils and commiuees have already appointed comminees to meering was that the National Center appointed to adminiscer the various work on children's programs, she said. should become more familiar with proven schools. One item on che briefing agendas "It is the Comminee's hope that the cechniques of managemenc. Mr. Jack on was the consideration of developing in­ Baha'i schools will give che friends an op­ explained. novative approaches to Bah:rf education. portunity to experience the consequences "At the acional Center we operate Mrs. orman aid. of Baha"I community life over a period of under limited resources of lime. people ··Tue Committee is also interested in the cime ... Mrs. l\orman explained. ·'The) and treasury ... he said. "We muse be crea­ development of sequential curricula at the should offer che believers an opportunity to tive about using what the ~orld has to offer summer schools." she explained. This participate in that experience within a con­ in tenn of managemenl technique. We would mean that a Baha'i school would rrolled environment·· have difficult goals to accomplish and few find a teacher'' ith knowledge of a particu­ resources to appl) 10 cbe task. Calling on lar subject who would make a long-tenn proven business procedures for assistance commitment to teach a course at a particu­ can be of greac benefit. lar chool. Each year the course would National Center staff The seminar wa held at a nearby hotel. build upon the material presented the pre­ The session was well attended and par­ vious year, becoming progressively more attends seminar cicipants indicaced chey had found che con­ detailed and complex. Enrollment in the Commiuee Secrecaries and a selected tent fruitful. course would be conditioned upon com­ portion of the 1a1ionaJ Center staff re­ One oflhe management cheories di cus­ pletion of all previous material in that se­ cently attended a daylong seminar on sed wa chat of Management by Objec­ quence. budget and management conducted by the cives, developed by che well-known busi­ During 1975 the summer schools will Office of the Treasurer. ness professor and consultanc Pecer emphasize the Five Year Plan in courses ''This seminar was an effort 10 relate Drucker. and materials prepared. At some of the well-proven business practices 10 the ad­ In a related action. che National As­ summer school a special course on the ministration of the National Baha'i Center, semby recently assigned two of its mem­ Fund "ill be taught by representatives of to facilitate the planning and winning of bers 10 participate in an in-deplh course in the Office of the Treasurer of the National goals and objectives in the mo t efficient business management practices. 10 decer­ Assembly, Mrs. orman said. manner possible:· said Stephen Jackson, mine what procedures could be proficably "In addition, renewed emphasis will be Assistant to the Treasurer. given to the development of children's ac- The seminar was planned after a meet-

Some of the sea.ff members raking part in the seminar ll'ere (from left to right): Diane Gray, Eileen Norman, Philip Christensen. Sam Sohrab. Russ Busey, and Cindie Hurley. Morch, 1975 I BAHA'i NEWS 13 applied to administration by all segments of the Baha'i community.

Pilgrimages to begin at House of Worship Applications are now being accepted for two scheduled, small-scale pilgrimages to the House of Worship in Wilmette. The first pilgrimage is scheduled to take place at the National Center between June 19-22; the second. between August 28-31. " The programs are planned to provide a unique opportunity for Baha'fs to develop an expanded awareness of the significance of the House of Worship and to gain a better perspective on the working of the National Center," said Ray Collins, Man­ ager of the House of Worship Activities Office. Each pilgrimage will begin on Thursday afternoon and end the following Sunday afternoon, Mr. Collins said. The activities planned for the visitors A/Jove: A view ofth e new displays in the House ofWorship in Wilmeue. The large planter include: set in the center of the display area and surrounded by a low bench enables visitors to ean exhibit drawn from the National rest, read rhe literature on display, and meditate. Below: Visirors descending the steps Archives; from the auditorium of rhe House of Worship. ea tour of the National Center, National Baha'i Committee offices, Baha'i Publish­ ing Trust, and the Baha'i Home; ea guided tour of the House of Worship and a presentation on its history and con­ struction; • dinner with the staff of the National Center; and elunch at the Ba'.?fratu'l-Quds with rep­ resentatives of the National Assembly . .. The friends will also have ample time for prayer and meditation at the House of Worship.'" Mr. Collins said. Mr. Collins said the House of Worship Activities Committee would like to see the pilgrimages become regular events at the National Center. " The intent of these pilgrimages are as serious as visits to the World Center," he said. "All Baha'is can't get to Haifa at this time for one reason or another. Maybe these pilgrimages to the National Center can serve as a prelude to going to the World Center on pilgrimage. The House of Worship is the holiest House of Wor­ ship ever constructed and there are still thousands of Baha'fs who have never vis­ ited here. These programs may provide that opportunity.

14 BAHA'I NEWS I March, 1975 Two members of the Citrus. J.D. As­ ture. Los Angeles County reportedly has sembly. Wayne Steffes (an Oneida Indian) one of the largest Indian populations in the Baha'ls help plan and his wife Alice. (a Navajo) are mem­ country. bers of tbe Dineh Bah A' Lil. Their daugh­ Indian festival ter Regina and Rhea perform with the Vietnam: The Spiritual Assembly of Citrus. J. D .. dance troupe. California, with the assistance of tbe England Dan and John Ford Coley per­ Human Rights program Navajo Culture Club of Los Angeles formed ballads and folk-rock selections County (Dineb Bah A'Lil), commemo­ which were warmly received. The receives wide support rated the binh of Baha'u'llfill with a pro­ California Baha'i Choru also performed A Human Rights Day observance in gram of entertainmenc which included In­ at this event. Saigon ponsored by the National Spiritual dian dancing, a chorale presentation, and During the intermission baskets of fry Assembly was held on December 10. Ap­ folk-rock music. bread. were distributed to the audience. proximately 200 people attended. among ~ore than 500 people - hundreds of The fry bread was prepared by the women them Buddhist monks, Christian ministers them non-Baha'fs - crowded into the of the avajo Culture Club. and priests, members of the diplomatic Ford Park Pavillion Auditorium in Bell The Baba' f speaker for the occsion was corps, and government representatives. Gardens for the November 10 event. More Franklin Kahn. a member of the National The speaker was Pierre Lucien Sales, resi­ than 100 of these, including many of the Spiritual As embly. Mr. Kahn, who is dent representative of the United Nations dancers. were American Indians. himself a Navajo, directed his remarks to Development Program. The National Most of the Dineh Bah A'Lil repertoire the Navajos in the audience. He spoke of Assembly"s Vice-Chairman. Pham Van was Navajo in origin. although the troupe the spiritual significance of sandpainting. Lien also made a brief address. He attemp­ also performed traditional dances of other a subject which only men of recognized ted a definition of justice from a Bah3'f tribes. The Begay and Hale families, who achievement are permitted to explore with perspective. participated in the dancing. are con idered fellow members of their tribe. That evening the Vietnamese National among the very finest Indian dancers in the David Villasenor. an Indian Baha'i ar­ Youth Committee joined the student body country. tist of note, displayed paintings and hand­ of Van Hanh University in sponsoring a The dancers on this occasion were chil­ icrafts at the event. Human Rights Day obseivance. More than dren primarily. They '>'ere taught by Vir­ The Baha'i community has expressed 2,000 students participated in the eve.• . ginia Denetdale, a Navajo interested in interest in working closely with the Navajo which was reported extensively in the local preserving Indian culture and traditions. Culture Club on similar events in the fu- press.

The Di11eh Bah A' Lil children's dance group.

Morch, 1975 I BAHA'I NEWS 15 One of the outstanding features of In­ dian history, and one which cannot but become apparent even to the casual ob­ server of this record, is the numerous re­ ligious traditions that have left their mark on India's cultural heritage. Three of the world's great living religions. Hinduism. Buddhism, and Islam, have at one time or i .._: other been focal points in the development of India's religio-cultural life, and, in modern times, Christianiry. though co a lesser extent, has also made contributions to this development. For this reason, India has often been referred to as a melting pot of religious experience. Today, the Baha:J Faith is in the process of adding another chapter to the history of religions in India. In the following pages we will attempt to trace the development of the Faith in that country. for at present. India harbors within its borders one of the largest Baba'! communities in the world. and therefore, its history deserves to be told. India's earliest contact with the new Movement took place during the time of the Bab. The various histories of the Bab India mention several prominent Indian believ­ ers within their accounts. Nabfl - i - A'~am tells us that one of the Letters of the Living An historical was an Indian who was known by the name Shaykh Sa'ld-i-Hindf. Like the other dis­ overview of the ciples of the Bab, he was directed by his progress of the Faith Master to spread the message of the new Revelation. This command took him not from the time of only to various pans of Persia, but also to bis homeland of lndia. However, his work the Bab to the in India was unproductive. As Nabil present day states, this enterprise "was productive of what might seem a negligible result, its only fruit being the conversion of a certain siyyid. ·· 1 After this. Shaykh Sa'ld-i-Hindf dropped from sight; his ultimate fate re­ mained a mystery. Another Indian convert during the Ministry of the Bab was a certain blind Siyyid, Jenab-i-B~sfr, about whose life the Babf histories are not in complete agree­ ment. Nabil states that thjs beUever was none other than the above mentionec! "siyyid" converted by Sa'Id-i-Hindf in the town of Mooltan. where, " Casting behind him the trappings of leadership, and sever­ ing himself from his friends and kinsmen, he arose with a fixed resolve to render his service to tbe Cause he had embraced." 2 The Tdrfkh-i-Jadid however claims that Siyyid Ba~ fr , having heard in Bombay of the Bab's appearance, hastened to Persia and subsequently Mecca where he met the Bab in person. 3 After this meeting he re­ turned to Persia and began to disseminate the teachings of his new Master. Both his­ tories agree however, that he became ac-

16 BAHA'I NEWS I March, 1975 tive within the Babi community. and that he was well known for his depth of learn­ ing and hi eloquence. The activitie of Jenab-i - B a~ir were fi­ nally brought to the attention of the state authorities. which resulted in his impris­ onment and eventual death. The Tarikh-i-Jadid ays that after the Mazindaran upheaval. the Siyyid went 10 ·Iraq. Eventually he was arrested by the Prince-Governor in Burujird [in the we t­ ern Persian provi nce of Luristan) who, ''because he was so ready of speech and eloquent in di cour e, first ordered his tongue to be cut out. and then put him to death. " 4 A third convert from India was a dervi h mentioned in the Tciriklt-i-Jadid. 3 Thi is most likely the same individual mentioned in Nabi1's account who while in India had seen the Bab in a vision and soon hastened 10 Persia on foot to find the M ihdf. The dervish met the Bab during his sojourn at Chihriq. where the laner gave him the title R I Qahru'llah. 6 The Indian believer. after llrl leaving the Bab's presence. began to ex- pound his Leader' doctrines which even- tually led to his being arrested by the Gov- ernor of Khuy. The new convert along with several other Babfs was beaten and paraded through the streets on an ass. 7 If indeed the Indian believer was the same Qahru'lllih mentioned by Nabi1. the like- ness of the two accounts making it appear to be so. he later, following orders from the Bab. left on foot for India where he was to announce the arrival of the Qa'im. Whether he succe fully returned to India by William Garlington is unknown. The presence of other Indian believer in Persia during the time of the Bab is documented by a monograph on the Babl insurrection in Mazindaran which lists four Indians among the 318 Babl who defended themselves at Fort Shaykh Tabarsf. 8 Ho

March, 197 5 I BAHA'i NEWS 17 for it was in thi year that Jamal Effendi In 1876 an historic gathering wa held in arrived in Bombay and began to active!) the old Mogul capital of Delhi. The event teach the doctrines and principles of the was the receiving of the title ''The Empress new religion. Since the time of the Bab's of India" b} Queen Victoria. Present at death in 1850. several Babfs and hence­ this ceremony were all the rulers of the forth Baha' f had settled in Bombay. various states in India. as well as numerous largely in association with the Parsi com­ religious and secular leaders of the coun­ munity the re . but no active teaching of the try. Jamal Effendi used this timely occa­ Message bad taken place. In 1871 sion to reveal the message of the Baha'f Baha'u'llah from his confines in · Akka Movement to many of the dignuaries. For commissioned one of the numerous pil­ example. he was able to meet and talk with grims who came to visit Him from Swami Dayanand Saraswati. founder of throughout the Near East to proceed IO the Arya Samaj. t 11 India and there spread the word of the The Faith's initial reception in India was Cause. This man. a learned scholar of a mixed one. l n most instance Jam al Ef­ Arabic and Persian. was the above men­ fendi wa met with consideration and cour­ tioned Sulayman Khan-i-Tanakabunf tesy. However. there were several excep­ Jamal Effendi. Having had the title of tions to thi gentility. notabl>. a we have Lamfa (the brilliant one) conferred upon already mentioned. his experiences in him by Baha'u'llah,9 Jamal Effendi and Bombay. and later, outbreaks of hostility his kinsman Mfrza Husayn late in the year by Muslims in Calcutta. The fruits of his The Hand of the Cause of God Siyyid 1872 boarded a boat in Port Said. Egypt. labor seemed negligible. During a year's Mu~!afa Rumi of Burma. who embraced and set sail for India. travel in India he had managed to attract the Faith in 1875 through the efforts of During his Sta> in Bombay, Jamal Ef­ only a handful of individuals. When he left Jamal Effendi. the first teacher sent to fendi delivered a great many talks concern­ the subcontinent in 1878 to carry the India by the instruction of Baht! in 1946.) leading Bahn communit) in India. The next twenty years was a period of After leaving Bombay. the tv. o men s)O\\ grov. th and development for the travelled throughout the subcontinent de­ Baha'i Faith in India. The me age of the livering the mes age of Baha'u'llah to the Movement wa spread via the work of de­ elite of the country. The Baha' f Newsletter voted convens to the major cities of the of India reported that it was Jamal subcontinent. Teaching activities were di­ Effendi's rected from three centers of Baha'i organi­ zation: Bombay. Calcuna. and Madras . . . . custom to notify his arrival to the \ttany of the programs were presented Governor or highest official of the place under the au pices of the Theo ophical in British India and to the ruling prince Society, while others were carried out by of an Indian State. He would then pa) a individual believers in their own wa) and visit to them and deliver the Me age. by their own means. Slowly. the claims of His list of those to whom he delivered the Baha"i Faith began to reach the ears of the Message contains names of almost man) of the educated member of Indian all the high officials and prince and society. princesses of the land. 1 0 During His years of leadership. 'Abdu'l-Baha sent several prominent '*A Muslim sub>ect in India. Bahf i teachers to India co help promote f"The Arya SaniaJ nre a protestant movement in the Cause. Among these were Aga Mfrza Hinduism "ho are ti) ing to reform Hindu -.oc1et) and Mahmud-i-Zarqanf, and Aga Mirza bnng it up-10-date "ithout reference to the onhodo:'t Mahram. The latter finally settled in Bom­ interpretation of the H mdu >enpture: although 3> far bay where he pla)ed a leading role in the as possible the) II) 10 read their in1erpre1a11on> mto Baha'i communit} there. while Aga Mfrza the ancient 1ex1~ .. cHorace Holle~. '"Sul"C) ol Cur­ :0.1ahmud-i-Zarqani toured the country rent Baha'i Acll\lllC\ m the Ea~t and Wec;i:· The 14 Baha'i World. \OI. 11. p. 42 .) eventually returning to his native Persia.

18 BAHA'I NEWS I March, 1975 Both men by means of their zeaJou spmt Stannard. a student of comparative reli­ helped enhance teaching activity through­ gion. well-versed in the teachings of the out the country. Thus. by the year 1908. religions of India. answered 1he call for there were a number of local spiritual as­ pioneers put out by the Indian community. semblies e tabli hed in lndia. including For several years these two dedicaied assemblies in Bombay, CaJcuua. Aligarh. women delivered lectures from one end of and Lahore. Of these, the Bombay com­ the country to the other. Lua Getsinger munit) took the forefront in both the teach­ spoke on various a pects of the Baha'i ing of the Cause and the translation of Faith at numerous meetings sponsored by .,, literature. Its advancements in the area of such groups a the Arya Samaj, the ! translation marked the first time that any of Brahmo SamaJ.t and the TheosophicaJ ~ the Writing ofBahci'u'llfill had been trans­ Sociery. Mrs. Stannard. in addition to her~ lated into one of the native languages of lecture cours. represented the Baha'i reli­ Members ofthe National Spiritual Assem­ India. The activities of the Bombay com­ gion ac the All India Thei tic Conference bly of India and Burma and of the Local 19 munity were commented upon b) a travel­ of 1913. Both women \\ere also very Spiritual Assembly of Bombay bidding ling American Baha'i, Sydney Sprague. influential in the area of publicity, for they farewell to Martha Root (seated, in the who in 1908 reported ...There are three were largely re ponsible for the publica­ cemer) after her lengthy tour of India and meetings a week held in Bombay and there rion of Baha'i articles in several Indian Burma in 1939. are as a rule eighty to a hundred men newspapers. For example. in the Sind present.., 1 ~ However. he aJso emphasized Ga;::.eue ofDecember24, 1913. an editor­ that it was no easy thing to become a ial appeared which tared that. Baha'i in India. "It often means a great A rather remarkable visitor to Karachi acrifice on the part of a believer. a loss of - far more remarkable than an} of the friend::., money, and position ... 16 Congress and Conference dignitaries - In January of 1910 a convention com­ is ~Ir . Scannard. the Baha·i Mission­ prised of members from the 'arious reli­ ary. This gifted lady. "ho has studied gions of India wa held in Allahabad. The all the religions of the world. and all the Baha'is were invited to this convention. philosophies, and has come to the con­ Siyyid Mu~~afa Ruml. one of Jamal Effendi. s original converts. presented a clusion. not that they are all wrong. but chac they are aJI right. has a new gospel taJk on the Baha'i Faith. According to the co preach - not her own. but that of her contents of a lener wrinen to the Baha'ls of Master, Abdu·l-Baha. the head of che the United States by some of the follower::. Baha'i religious movement. 20 in India. hi peech had a great effect on the delegates. Feeling tha1 the time for Other articles also appeared in such papers teaching wa~ ripe. members of the Indian as the Nell' Reformer of Madras. and the communil) made direct reque ts for Daily Ga:ette of Karachi. American teachers to come to India and The popular response thac the two help spread the message. Approximate!) Americans received chroughout their one year later a national teaching cam­ travels was a sign of things ro come, for in paign was launched with the help of sev­ future years American believers would eral notable American Bah

March, 1975 I BAHA'i NEWS 19 Baha· i Faith in India. lt was on these dates later. in January of 1933, this body wa that the first All India Baha'i Convention incorporated with the Government of was held in the city of Bombay. Represen­ India. tatives of all the major world religions Organized teaching activities and the were present, as well as Baha'i delegates distribution of literature were greatly in­ from throughout the country. Although creased during these years. One of the there were no official figures on the largest teaching events took place at the number of Baha'fs residing in India during centenary celebration of the birth of the this time. it was estimated that there were founder of the Arya Samaj, Dyanand nearly 175 followers present at this Saraswati. The commemoration was held conference. 21 in Mutra in the year 1925. It is estimated There were several important resolu­ that it was attended by nearly two million tions passed at the conference from which people. The Baha'fs were granted special The National Spiriwal Assembly of the the following were taken: (I) that funds be camp grounds and were allowed lO distri­ Bahci'is of India and Burma, 1935-36. collected to build a Baha'i temple in India, bute their literature. During the five-day (2) that a school be started in Bombay for event, almost 5,000 booklets explaining the education of Baha'i children, (3) that a the principle of the Faith were Baha'f library be established in India. (4) di tributed. 24 that a publishing society be established to The Guardian constantly encouraged translate Baha'i literature into different In­ the Baha'i community oflndia and Burma dian languages, and (5) that there be a to increase their teaching activities. He greater expansion in teaching activities continually stressed the point that it was and distribution of literatur~. 22 It was to part of their duty as Baha'f 10 spread the these objectives that the Baha'fs of India mes ageofBaha'u'llah. Forexample. ina now turned . message to the BaM'fs of India dated It is significant to note that the first All November 25. 1934. he said, "The essen­ India Bahci'f Convention and the death of tial is that all the friends, without any ex­ 'Abdu'l-Baha were separated by less than a ception whatever. should realise the full year. It was as if the India community measure of the responsibility which sensed the new course the Faith would take Baha'u'llah has placed on them for teach­ under the guidance of Shoghi Effendi. ing far and ""ide His Message."25 And From this point forward the Cause in again, ·-. .. an unprecedented effort in India. in accordance with the Guardian·s the field of teaching is urgently required. plans for the community , was to an ever­ Such an effort is of vital and paramount increasing degree to become oriented importance ... 26 towards executing its teaching plan and In an effort to timulate teaching activity activities within the framework of an in­ Shoghi Effendi sent several pioneers from ternational administrative structure. the various parts of the world to the subconti­ center of which was the Guardian himself. nent. Among the most famous of these Between the years 1921 and 1938 the travelling teachers was Martha Root. She objectives initiated by the first All India made two tours of India, one in 1930 and Baha'f Convention were pursued vigor­ the other in 1937-38. A short synopsi of ously. Consequently, there were notable her work shows that she delivered public accomplishments in all areas of endeavor lectures from Karachi to Madra . including during this period. The guidance of these major presentations in the colleges and projects was entrusted to the National universities of Lahore, Amritsar, Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma, Ludhiana. Delhi, Aligarh. Lucknow, which Shoghi Effendi aw fit to create in Cawnpore. AJlahabad. Benares. Patna and April of 1923. The role he bequeathed to Calcutta. She also broadca t radio me - this body is evident from the content of the sage in both Mysore and Hydrebad. and following message which he sent in met with many of the leading personalities ovember of 1925, "I pray that your of the country including tbe poetess. Saro­ newly con tituted National Spiritual As­ jini Naidu. Her work was so impressive sembly may gro"" from strength to that the National Spiritual A sembly of strength. may co-ordinate and consolidate India and Burma in a letter to the Baha'ls the ever-expanding activities of the friends of the United States said of her. ''Martha in India and Burma and innaugurate a fresh Root has opened the whole of India for us. campaign of Teaching that will redound to and it no\' devolves upon us to so utilize the gJof) and power of the Most Great the e openings as to produce the be t Name."23 The National Spiritual Assem­ results. " 27 bly met periodically in Bombay. Mr. There were numerous other teachers Hashmatu'llah of Karachi was elected who also took to the highways and rail­ India's first National Secretary. Ten years way oflndia during these years in order to

20 BAHA'I NEWS I Morch, 1975 help spread 1be knowledge of 1he Fai1h 10 a ing hand of Shoghi Effendi and their Na­ grea1er number of the inhabitants of the tional Spiritual Assembly the various subcontinent. Mahftlz'ul"Haq llmi carried Bahci'i communi1ies in India slowly began on ac1ive propagation in Delhi and other co function as a unit. The cime had come cicies of nonhem India. while Pritam when Shoghi Effendi could truly speak of Singh made several teaching tours of the the " Indian Community... However, even colleges and universicies of this section of with the inter-community organization che country. Shirin Fozdar spoke co over that marked this period, 1he number of new 1.000 people in the town hall of believers to join the Faith was practically CaJcutta, 28 and Keich Ran om-Kehler oil. Over the 18 year period onJy lhree new [later appointed a Hand of the Cause] Local Spiritual Assemblies had been made a two-month lecture tour which in­ added co the list of Assemblies in the coun­ volved talks in most of the major cities of try and not more than 50 new believers had the country. Thus. the teaching work been enlisted. To be continued. which Shoghi Effendi prescribed as a vital necessity to the maintenance oflhe Faich in India was consciously and systematically I. Nabfl-i-A' µrn. The Dawn-Breakers: Nabi/'s Nar­ r01il•e of the Early Days of the BaJrcf i Re1·elation. increased. lrallsl. and ed. Sboghi Effendi. (Wilmene.111. :Bah3'f Advancements were also made in the Publishing Trust. 1932) p. 652. field of publishing between the years l 921 2. NabO. Dawn-Breakers. p. 589. and 1938. Many Baha' f books were crans­ 3. Mirza Husa)n ofHamadan. Tarikh-i-Jadid. transl. lated into several different Indian lan­ E.G. Bro"ne. (Cambridge. 1893). p. 246. Baha'i Youth Committee of Karachi, 4. Mina Husayn. Ttirikh-i-Jadid. p. 247. guages including Gujrati. Bengali. Sindhi, 5. Mina Hu;ayn. Ttirikh+Jadid. p 241. India, circa 1935. Hindi. and Urdu. J.E. Esslemont's 6. H.M. Balyuzi, The Bab: The Herald ofthe Day of Balui' u' /Lah and the Nell' Era, was one of Days. (O~ford : George Ronald. 1973). p. 137. these texts. Shoghi Effendi had personally 7. Mirza Husayn. Tdrikh+Jadid. p. 2.W . encouraged cbe Baha'i of India to trans­ 8. E.G. Browne. ed .. Mareria/sfor the Study of the Babi Religion. (Cambridge. 1961 ). p. 238. l ate chis work. In March of J 932 he wrote, 9. Star ofthe West. vol. XXll. no . 3. June 1931. p. "I wi h to urge you to take as soon as you 76. possibly can, the necessary and mo t ef­ 10 . BaJrci'iNews/eueroflndia. no. 31. Ma) 1944. pp. fective steps to ensure the translation of 1-2. Dr. Esslemonc's book inco Urdu and l I. Siyyid .Moustafa Roumie. ··Bah:i'i Pioneers: A Short His1orical Su~ey of the Bahfi Movemen1 m 29 Gujrati. " One of the major accomplish­ India. Bunna, Java Islands, Siam and Malay Penin­ ments in publishing was the establishment sula: · vol. XXll. no. 3. June 1931. p. 78 of a Baha'i monthly magazine. the 12. Siyyid Moustafa Roumie. ··Baha'i Pioneers:· Kaukib-iHind. The magazine was pub­ July 1931, p. 112. 13 . BaJui'i Newsletter of India. no. 31. ~fa~ 1944. lished in Urdu and had over 200 sub crib­ pp. 1-2. ers. In addition. over 200 anicles appeared 14 . Baha'i.Vt!wslmer of!ndia . May 1944, p. 2 in newspapers and magazines throughout 15 . Sydne} Sprague, A Year ""h the Balrd'is of che country including many articles in Indian and Burma, (London. 1908). p. 15. 16. Sprague. Bahti'is of India. p. 17. Telgu-speaking areas. In fact, the Brahmo 17. Star of the West. vol. 2, nos. 7. 8. Augus1 1911. Samaj of Madras cranslated over 2.000 p. 14. booklecs enticled "The Dawn of the New 18. William Sears and Robert Quigle}". Tht Flame. Day'' into several Dravidian languages. \Oxford: George Ronald, 1972). p. 112 . Concerning the ocher goals which the 19. Sraroftht Wesr. vol. 5. no . 2. April 1914. p. 22. 20. Star of the West. April 1914. p. 22 . All India Baba'f Convention of 1920 had 21 . K.K. Bhargave. "'Echoes of Firsi All-India set for the Indian community, we can re­ Baha'i Convention.'' Star of the West. vol. 12. no. late the following: a Baha'f school for 13. November 1921. p. 220. children was successfully established in 22 . Starofihe IVesr, vol. 13. no. I. March 1921, p. 21. Poona. and in September of 1937 the first 23. Shoghi Effendi. DaM1 of a New Day , (Ne.., Indian Baha'i summer school session was Delhi: Baha'i Publbhing Trus1. 1970) p. 11 . held, to which Babci'fs from throughout 24. The Baha'i World. \'OI II. 1924-26 (Nev. York: the country came to receive instruction in Baha'i Publishing Comminee. 1926). p. 42 . various aspects of the Faith from hi tOf)' to 25. Sboghi Effendi. Dawn of a New Day . p. 50. 26. Shoghi Effendi. Dawn of a .Vt w Da.'. p. 59. administration. Although a separate 27. The Bah

March, 1975 I BAHA'i NEWS 21 Don Rufino F11enres, a Mayan Balui'I, at tire rnins of Uxmal. Baha'i Proclamation and Deepening Film 8tep by 8tep

Jn addirion, the 29-rninute, color-and-sound film men­ A n artist. a mechanic, a fie ld laborer, an accounting tions ancient Mayan prophecies concerning world peace. the manager. a policeman. a hospital administrator - what have Rerurn and a spiritual revival, and relates these to the new­ these people in common? They're Baha'ls and they appear est Baha'i House of Worship in Panama. lt complements in a new Baha'i film, Paso a Paso, produced by Kiva Films. rwo earlier films, El Alba and The Dedication. Designed for The film, which is titled Step by Srep in English. depicts television use, this new film is also suited to public meetings the growth of the Baha'i Faith among Indians, blacks and and other proclamation events. The film is also universally Latins in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Panama. suitable fo r teaching and deepening. Unified by their common belief in Baha'u'llah and His Mes­ How to Get the Film sage, these persons comment on their faith and what it To obtain rental information and purchase prices, write means to them. to your publishing trust or national Baha'i d istributor. If These native teachers share their views on such widely you do not know the name and address of the one serving varying topics as prophecy. the unity of mankind, world your area, you may send your inquiry to the Internarional peace, universal governing institutions and a divine civiliza­ Baha'i Audio-Visual Centre, 1640 Ho lcomb Road, Victor, tion. Simply, clearly and dir"ectly they discuss how the Faith N. Y. 14564, U.S.A. for forwarding to the proper organiza­ of Baha'u'llah is unifying all mankind, step by step, through tion. the infusion of Divine Love. Specify Step by Step, Product Number 20672, for the Feasts, the local spiritual Assembly, elections and other English edition, or Paso a Paso, Product Number 20671. for aspects of Baha'i administration are explained. the Spanish version.