PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL 1 FOR BAHA'IS ONLY 112 Linden Av., Wilmette, 111. 60091 Application to mail at Second Class Postage Rate is wndine No. 11 BAHA'I YEAR 125 NOVEMBER 1968 THE FUND IN CRISIS Dear Friends : As a means of reversing this trend, the National Spiritual Assembly has again set November 12, the The appeal from the Universal House of Justice for Birthday of Bahi'u'llbh, as the deadline for achieving increased contributions to the International Deputiza- one-half of the total budget: tion Fund (see November BAHA'~NEWS p. 1) comes at a time when our National Fund is in a most critical Our budget for one-half year ..................$609,000 state. The National Spiritual Assembly in full aware- Less our total income prior to October 1 ...... 407,749 ness of the growing needs of the International Funds and the mounting demands being made on our National Gives amount needed to meet our goal by Fund from other quarters, set a budget of $1,218,000 for November 12 ................................$201,251 the current Bahh'i year. Of that amount, $365,000 - $78,000 more than last year - has been pledged to the Beloved friends, we can achieve this goal by applying a International Funds, including the Deputization Fund. principle established by Shoghi Effendi: namely, con- tributions to the .Fund should involve some element of A careful assessment of the growing size and earning sacrifice. The combination of this principle with that capacity of our membership indicates that we are cap- of universal participation given us by the Universal able of meeting the budget. It is interesting to observe House of Justice can result in an outstanding victory for that in many instances denominations of other Faiths the Fund, the bedrock of the Cause. set a higher annual budget than our national budget for the operation of a single church. We urgently request that every individual believer give prayerful attention to this critical situation and The friends demonstrated last Year their great CaPa- make every effort to give to the National Fund regularly city for giving when contributions increased 63 percent and sacrificially. the midst of a rapidly deteriorating over the previous year. In the first six months of this order, it is only the ~~hi'i~themselves who have year, contributions and other income have amounted to the unspeakable privilege of contributing to a new $407,749, which is $51,396 more than in the same period order destined to bring an unprecedented reign of peace last year. Despite this increase, we are still falling short and progress to all men, of our budget goal. The steadily rising deficit had reached $201,25fon October 1. A- continuation of this We shall pray for the material success of the national trend will make it necessary for the National Spiritual community and await your response with confidence. Assembly to adopt at its November meeting drastic With loving Bah6'i greetings. austerity measures which could seriously curtail teach- ing and proclamation plans. -NATIONALSPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY NOVEMBER 1968 A Distinguished Baha'i Visitor 'Abdu'l-BahB-the Center of the Covenant e is and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of BahA1u'll&h's peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Inter- preter of His Word, the embodiment of every Baha'i ideal, the incarnation of every Baha'i virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb Mrs. Catherine Mboya, member of the National Spiri- of the Law of God, the Being "round Whom all names tual Assembly of Kenya, Africa, was a recent visitor to revolve," the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the National Baha'i Center in Wilmette, Illinois. During the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the her visit she toured the House of Worship and the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation - styles and various departments at the national headquarters. Mrs. titles that are implicity and find their truest, their Mboya visited the United States during July and August highest and fairest expression in the magic name as a guest of the U.S. State Department and attended 'Abdu'l-Baha. He is, above and beyond these appella- the convention of the Associated Country Women of the tions, the "Mystery of God" -an expression by which World held in Lansing, Michigan. She is regional vice Baha'u'llah Himself has chosen to designate Him, and president for Africa of the organization. She is also which, while it does not by any means justify us to treasurer of Kenya's largest African Women's organi- assign to Him the station of Prophethood, indicates how zation, Maendeleo Ya Wanawake. During her U.S. tour in the person of 'Abdu'l-Baha the incompatible charac- she visited many Baha'i communities from coast to teristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge coast. She is shown above with (left to right) Miss and perfection have been blended and are completely Charlotte Linfoot, Assistant Secretary, National Spiri- harmonized. tual Assembly; Mrs. Edna True, member Continental -SHOCHI EFFENDI Board for North America; Mr. Glenford E. Mitchell, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly ; Mrs. Mboya ; and Mrs. Glenford E. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell is explaining the Human Rights Award Racial Prejudices to be presented at the banquet in Washington, D.C.on December 10. (see this issue of National Baha'i Review Regarding the solution of the racial problem; the P 6) believers should of course realize that the principle of the oneness of mankind which is the cornerstone of the message of Baha'u'llah is wholly incompatible with all No Where Else to Turn forms of racial prejudices. Loyalty to this foundation The Methodist widow of a Muslim who died of injuries principle of the Faith is the paramount duty of every sustained in a motor accident called the secretary of believer and should be therefore whole-hearted and the Miami, Florida, Spiritual Assembly requesting a unqualified. For a Baha'i, racial prejudice, in all its Baha'i funeral service for her husband. Both had heard forms, is simply a negation of Faith, an attitude wholly of the Faith in Atlanta, Georgia, and they owned a incompatible with the very spirit and actual teachings Baha'i prayer book. The services, conducted by two of the Cause. Baha'is, consisted of twenty minutes of Baha'i prayers for the departed, "The Open Door," and excerpts on But while the friends should faithfully and coura- eternal life from the Q1ur6n. At the conclusion of the geously uphold this Baha'i principle of the essential services. the widow thanked the Bahi'is for coming and unity of all human races, yet in the methods they adopt said, "There was no where else to turn." for its application and further realization on the social plane they should act with tact, wisdom and modera- tion. These two attitudes are by no means exclusive. Good News From Neah Bay Bahl'is do not believe that the spread of the Cause and The 6th Annual Council Fire was a huge success! its principles and teachings can be effected by means of Over 1000 people attended! Since the Council Fire three radical and violent methods. While they are loyal to all Makah Indian youth and one adult have embraced the those teachings, yet they believe in the necessity of Faith of Baha'u'llih. An eye witness reports, "It was resorting to peaceful and friendly means for the reali- really tremendous! We feel that no proclamation en- zation of their aims. deavor could do more; nor really could do as much!" - SHOGHIEFFENDI Pictures taken at the Council Fire were prominently (BAHA'~NEWS no. 105 p. 1) displayed in the Port Angeles Evening News. REVIEW 3 Pioneer Goal of the Month: TOGO A challenging goal for the toughest of pioneers! DON'T VOLUNTEER unless you like CHAL- LENGE -challenge of a foreign language (French) - challenge of a tropical climate - challenge where most positions are reserved for Africans If you can meet this kind of challenge, you should know that in TOGO there are: - many who have accepted the Faith - many who are ready to accept the Faith -opportunities to teach those who wish to learn Pray - and meditate on this - then write or phone the DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL GOALS, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Ill. 60091; Phone 312 256-4400 A Family of Pioneers "The Prayers Work" An American Baha'i family, the William Bakers from We share a poetic and expressive letter from a Deerfield, Illinois, at a farewell party given for them pioneer newly arrived at his post. After sending out shortly before their departure, in October, for their some two hundred letters applying for a position, Chris- pioneering post in Peru, a Nine Year Plan goal of the topher Ruhe accepted one of two offered him, and went, United States. Mrs. Annamarie Baker is the daughter with his wife Julie and their small child, to a Nine Year of the Edwin Mattoons who pioneered to Key West, Plan goal in Central America. He recently wrote these Florida and Dr. William Baker is the son of Hand of the lines: Cause Dorothy Baker and Frank Baker. Also shown "I will not write this in official prose are: nine year old Robert Baker and Miss Crystal I would rather like to completely express myself in Baker who will accompany their parents and Frank the way who will remain in the U.S.