Not formatted or fully proofread. See http://bahai-library.com/usnsa_bahai_world_4 ---------- [p1] THE BAHA'I WORLD 87 AND 88 OF THE BAHA'I ERA 19301932 A.D. [p2] [p3] [p4] FACSIMILE OF APPRECIATION WRITTEN BY DOWAGER QUEEN MARIE OF RUMANIA [p5] [p6] [p7] THE BAHA'I WORLD A Biennial International Record Prepared under the supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada with the approval of Shoghi Effendi Volume IV 87 AND 88 OF THE BAHA'I ERA APRIL 19301932 A.D. BAHA BAHA'I PUBLISHING TRUST Wilmette, Illinois [p8] Copyright, 1933, by National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. Reprinted 1980 N 0 T F: The spelling of the Oriental words and proper names used in this issue of THE BAHA'I WORLD is according to the system of transliteration established at one of the International Oriental Congresses. Printed in the United States of America [p9] SHOGHI EFFENDI Guardian of the Baha'i Cause this work is dedicated in the hope that it will assist his efforts to promote that spiritual unity underlying and anticipating the "Most Great Peace" BAHA'U'LLAH [p10] [p7] CONTENTS PART ONE PAGE Baha'u'llah: The Voice of Religious Reconciliation 3 II. Aims and Purposes of the Baha'i Faith 15 III.Martyrdom of the Mb (From Nabil's Narrative) 22 IV.Survey of Current Baha'i Activities in the East and West 43 V. Excerpts from Baha'i Sacred Writings 100 PART TWO The World Order of Baha'u'llah 133 1.Present-day Administration of the Baha'i Faith 133 2.Excerpts from the Will and Testament of cAbdu~1~Bah& 142 3.The Spirit and Form of Baha'i Administration 148 4.Declaration of Trust by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada149 5.Certificate of Incorporation by the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of the City of New York 158 6.Documents related to the incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada as a recognized Religious Society in Palestine 165 7.Petition addressed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is s of the United States and Canada to the Prime Minister of the Egyptian Government 166 8.Excerpts from the Letters of Shoghi Effendi 170 9. Facsimile of Baha'i Marriage Certificates adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'is of Persia and of Egypt 1823 10. Facsimile of the Certificate of the United States Federal Government t to the Declaration of Trust entered into by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada 184 11.Facsimile of the Certificate of the Palestine Government incorporating g the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada as a Religious Society in Palestine 185 12.Facsimile of the Certificate of Incorporation, The Spiritual Assembly y of the Baha'is of the City of New York 186 vii [p8] CONTENTS vi" PAGE H. The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar 188 1. Foreword 188 2.Architecture Expressing the Renewal of Religion 189 3. God-intoxicated Architecture 195 4. The Baha'i Temple 201 5. A Temple of Light 204 6. A Statement by the Architect 205 7. Dedication of the Temple 206 8.A Glorious Gift Ñ from a Shrine to a Shrine 208 9.The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar 210 III. References to the Baha'i Faith 217 IV. Further Developments in the Case of Baha'u'llah's House: Extracts from the Minutes of the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations 237 1.Minutes of the Sixteenth Session: November 1929 237 2.Minutes of the Nineteenth Session: November 1930 238 3.Minutes of the Twentieth Session: June 1931 239 4. Letter from the British Government 243 5.Minutes of ~he Twenty-First Session: November 1931 246 6.Extracts from the Report to the Council of the League of Nations 247 V.Bah&'i Calendar and Festivals 248 1. Foreword 248 2.Bah&'i Feasts, Anniversaries and Days of Fasting 248 3.Additional Material gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding the Baha Calendar 249 4.Historical Data gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding ding Baha'u'llah 253 VI. Short History of the International Baha'i Bureau at Geneva, Switzerland 257 VII. In Memoriam 262 1. Miss Ethel Rosenberg 262 2. Mrs. C. S. Coles 263 3. Consul Albert Schwarz 264 PART THREE I. Ba1A'i Directory, 193 11932 269 1. Baha'i National Spiritual Assemblies 269 2. Baha'i Local Spiritual Assemblies and Groups 271 3. Officers and Committees of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada 274 4. Local Baha'i Spiritual Assemblies and Groups in the United States and Canada 276 [p9] CONTENTS ix PAGE 5. Baha'i Administrative Divisions in Persia 278 6. Address of Centers of Baha'i Administrative Divisions in Persia 282 7. List of the BTh's bestknown works 282 II. Baha'i Bibliography 283 1. Baha'i Publications of America 283 (a) Books about the Baha'i Faith 283 (b) Writings of the Mb 286 (c) Writings of Baha'u'llah 286 (d) Writings of ~Abd'1Bh' 28C (e) Writings of Shoghi Effendi 288 (f) Prayers 288 (g) Baha'i Literature in Pamphlet Form 288 (h) Compilations 292 2. Baha'i Publications of England 294 3. Baha'i Literature in French 296 4. Baha'i Literature in Italian 296 5. Baha'i Literature in Dutch 296 6. Baha'i Literature in Danish 296 7. Baha'i Literature in Swedish 296 8. Baha'i Literature in Portuguese 298 9. Baha'i Literature in Albanian 298 10. Baha'i Literature in Esperanto 298 11. Baha'i Literature in Russian 300 12. Baha'i Literature in German 300 13. Baha'i Literature in Oriental Languages 303 (a) Persian 303 (b) Urdu 304 (c) Arabic 304 (d) Turkish 304 (e) Burmese 304 (f) Chinese 305 (g) Hebrew 305 (h) Tatar 305 (i) Gujrati 305 (j) Japanese 305 (k) Armenian 305 (1) Tamil 305 14. Baha'i Literature in Braille (for the Blind) 305 15. Baha'i Periodicals 305 16. References to the Baha'i Faith in Books by non Ñ Baha'i Authors 307 17. References to the Baha'i Faith in Magazines by non-Bah4'i 'Writers 312 [p10] IC CONTENTS PAGE III. Transliteration of Oriental Words frequently used in Baha'i Literature with Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of the Persian Alphabet 314 IV.Definitions of Oriental Terms used in Baha'i Literature. Glossary 318 PART FOUR I.The Goal of a New World Order: A Letter of Shoghi Effendi 325 II. The Way of the Master, by G. Townshend 337 III.Italy and the Baha'i Cause, by General Renato Piola Caselli 344 IV.The World Economy of Baha'u'llah, by Horace Holley 351 V.Education as a Source of Good Will, by President Bayard Dodge 368 VI.Unity through Diversity: A Baha'i Principle, by Alain Locke, A.B.,Ph.D 372 VII.A Short Chronicle of cAbdu~L~Bahi~s Visit to London, 19111912, by Lady Blomfield 375 VIII.Professor Auguste Ford and the Baha'i Teaching, by Stanwood Cobb 390 IX. A Tribute from Dr. Edmond Privat 395 X. A Visit to CAk1~4 by Mrs. Alexander Whyte 396 XI.The First Fruits of Victory, by Keith Ransom-Kehier 400 XII.Where is the Key to World Unity, by Louise Drake Wright 405 XLII. A Visit to Baha, by Nancy Bowditch 411 XIV. Religion in Asia, by Herbert A. Miller 416 XV. China's Tribute to the Cause of Baha'u'llah 420 XVI.Appreciations of the Baha'i Movement, by Martha L. Root 429 XVII. The Supreme Affliction, by Alfred E. Lunt 435 XVIII.The Baha'i Movement and North American University Circles, by Martha L. Root 461 XIX.Bahi'i Ideals of Education, by Stanwood Cobb 470 XX.Man and Mankind on the Way of Progress, by Lydja Zamenhof 474 XXI. The Epidemic of the Persian Jews, by A. j. Wienberg 481 XXII.The Younger Generation, by Mar4liyyih Nabil Carpenter 483 XXIII. Light on Basic Unity, by Louis G. Gregory 486 XXIV.The Baha Movement in Japan, by Tokujiro Toni 490 XXV. Science and Religion, compiled by Loulie A. Mathews 494 XXVI. A Baha'i Traveler in Palestine, by Walter B. Guy, M.D 509 XXVII. Dr. David Starr Jordan, by Willard P. Hatch 513 Song-offerings 517 Echoes from the Spheres 525 [p11] ILLUSTRATIONS FAGS Facsimile of Appreciation Written by Dowager Queen Marie of Rumania Frontispiece Exterior of the Holy Tomb of Dab S'u'11Th at Baha i ¶ Entrance to the Holy Tomb s !Abdu'l-Baha in the Garden Surrounding the Tomb at Baha'i. May 1, 1921 7 Looking Towards 'Akka and Haifa from the Mansion at Baha 10 The Tomb of Baha'u'llah and the Mansion from the Pines at Baha 10 Views of the Tomb of Baha'u'llah at Baha'i 13 tAbdu'1-Bahi in Mr. Milburn's Church, Chicago. May 5, 1912 16 Monument to CAbd 'iBahi Erected in Spa Mergentheim, Southern Germany, in Memory of His Visit, April, 1913 19 Mirza Siyyid Hasan, Haji Mirza Abu'1-Qasim, Brothers-in-Law of the Bib 24 Relics of the BTh Preserved in Yazd and Shir~z, Persia 27, 29 The "Bayt" (House) in Shir~z in which the B~b Declared His Mission, May, 1844 31 Outskirts of Shiriz Where the Bab Often Walked 33 Pulpit in the ttMasjid-i-Vakil" Shir&z, from which the B~b Addressed the Congregation regation 33 The ShTh-Chir&gh, Shir~z, the Burial-place of the BTh's Wife 33 Tabriz, Persia 35 The "Ark" (Citadel) of Tabriz, where the Bib Was Confined 35 The Courtyard of the House of the Shaykhu'l-Isl.im in Tabriz where the Kb Was Bastinadoed 35 The Baha'is of Mandalay, Burma, with the Marble Casket Offered by Them for the Remains of the Bab 38 The Tomb of the BTh on Mount Carmel FloodLighted41 A View of Baha'i from the Fortress of Akka Palestine 41 The Room in the Mansion at Baha in which Baha'u'llah Passed Away 45 Village of TAkur, M6zindarin, Persia, Ancestral Home of Baha'u'llah 49 Room Occupied by Baha'u'llah in T4kur, M~zindar~n, Persia 49 Interior of Room Occupied by Baha'u'llah in T~kur, Mizindarin, Persia 49 International Baha'i Archives, Adjoining the Holy Shrines on Mount Carmel 59, 68 The Garden of Ridvan Near tAkk~ 72 The Baha'i Burial Ground in tAkki Room Occupied by Baha'u'llah on the Upper Floor of the Barracks in tAkk~. The Grave of the Purest Branch (Brother of CAbd 'lB h') at tAkk~i Rooms Occupied by Baha'u'llah in the House Where He Was Confined in tAkk~. Mirza Buzurg, Father of Baha'u'llah Apostles of Baha'u'llah Disciples of tAbdu'1-BaM 118 xi [p12] xii ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Miss Helen Keller 127 Delegates to the First Convention of the Baha'is of America, March, 1909 137 Baha'is of Tihr4n, Persia facing p. 142 National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada 152 National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Egypt 152 Spiritual Assembly of Tihr~n, Persia 156 Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New York 163 New York Baha'i Community 163 National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Germany 164 Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of cIs1iq~bAd, Russia 164 The First National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of tlriq 169 Baha'i Marriage Certificate Adopted and Enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly sembly of the Baha'is of Persia 182 Baha'i Marriage Certificate Adopted and Enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly sembly of the Baha'is of Egypt 183 Certificate of the United States Federal Government to the Declaration of Trust Entered into by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada 184 Certificate of the Palestine Government Incorporating the National Spiritual Assembly sembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada as a Religious Society in Palestine 185 Certificate of Incorporation, The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the City of New York 186 cAbdu~1~Bah~ on Temple Grounds at Spot Where He Laid the Stone Now Resting Inside of Outer Temple Wall. May 1, 1912190 Views of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar at Wilmette 192 Drawing by the Late Louis Bourgeois, Architect of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Suggesting gesting His Idea of the Interior Decoration of the Temple 194 Ornamental Design to Cover One of the Windows of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar 196 An Aerial View of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar at Wilmette, Illinois 200 Drawing of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Showing the Outer Shell of Ornamentation When Applied to the Present Superstructure 202 Dedication of the First Baha'i House of Worship in the Western World 207 The Most Valuable Ornament of Baha'u'llah's Shrine 209 Delegates and Friends at Twenty-Third Annual Convention of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada 211 The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of tlshq6bid, Turkist~n 213 Baha'is Celebrating the Ri~1v4n Festival at tlshqTh4d 215 Part of Garden, Temple Grounds 215 Facsimile of Letters of Introduction Issued in 1852 by the Turkish Legation in Tihr4n 221 Reproduction of Page in The Sun, New York City, of December 10, 1883 227 Genealogy of the BTh facing p 234 Baha'is of Pretoria, South Africa 240 The Ua?iratu'1-Quds of thc Baha'is of tAvthiq, First Baha'i Edifice Erected in tlriq 240 [p13] ILLUSTRATIONS xiii PAGE Early Believers of Sis6n, Persia 245 The Haziratu'1-Quds of the Baha of Tihr~n, the First Edifice of Its Kind Erected in Persia 245 Map Showing Travels of the BTh and Baha'u'llah Map Showing Section of Route Followed by Baha'u'llah on His Journey from Batd~d to Constantinople 252 The International Baha'i Bureau at Geneva, Switzerland 259 Miss Ethel Rosenberg, London, England 262 Mrs. Claudia Coles, London, England 264 Consul Albert Schwarz, Stuttgart, Germany 265 Abu'1-Qasim Khur~is~ni, Custodian of the International Baha'i Archives 268 Delegates Attending the Annual Convention of the Baha'is of Germany, April, 1931 270 First Baha'i School of tI~q~ib~id, Russia 275 Baha'is of Sydney, Australia 275 Baha'is of Hamadin 281 $ulayrn~n Kh~n Ilyas, Jamil Effendi, First Baha'i Teacher Sent to India and Burma by Baha'u'llah in 1875 285 The Baha'is of Mosul 289 Baha'is of Berlin 293 Baha'is of Heidelberg, Germany 293 Baha'is of London 295 Baha'i Hall, Walmar House, 288 Upper Regent Street, London, W. 1 295 Baha'i Children of Qazvin, Persia 297 Baha'is of tlshq6bAd, Russian Turkist6n 299 Early Baha'i Pilgrims to CAkk~ Palestine 302 The Baha'is of BaghdSd 306 Administrative Building and Baha'is Attending Summer School at Geyserville, California 311 Baha'is of Constantinople 317 Baha'is of Antep, Turkey 319 Baha'is of Adelaide, Australia 319 A Group of Burmese Baha'is with Miss Martha L. Root 335 General Renato Piola Caselli 345 Baha'is of Tahiti 349 Baha'is of Sofia, Bulgaria 349 Baha'is of Auckland, New Zealand 365 Baha'is and Friends at Orakei, Auckland 365 Bayard Dodge, President, American University of Beirut, Syria 369 Baha'is of Cairo 388 Baha'is of Vienna 388 Dr. Edmond Privat, Advocate of Esperanto 395 Baha'is of Poona, India 401 The Central Hall in the Mansion at Baha 409 [p14] xiv ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Interior Views of the Mansion at Baha 414 Baha'is of Shanghai 421 Annual Commemoration of Visit of Abdu'l-Baha at West Englewood, New Jersey 436 The Eggles ton Farm Near Flint, Michigan 462 Baha'is Assembled for Their Summer School, June, 1930 462 First InterRacial Amity Dinner Held Under Auspices of the Pasadena Baha'i Assembly 487 Baha'is and Their Friends, Tokyo, Japan, March 21, 1931, Feast of Nawruz 491 Baha'i Pioneers of Bombay 510 The Ua;iratu'1-Quds of the Baha'is of Karachi 510 David Starr Jordan 514 [p15] INTRODUCTION THE ascension of tAbdu'1-Bahi in 1921 deprived the Baha'i Faith of the central spiritual being who, weilnigh alone, had promulgated the Cause of Baha'u'llah to the ends of the earth. During His Mission, a potent bond of union held together the Baha'i communities of East and West, the strength and significance of which could not be appreciated until suddenly taken away. With the Master ever accessible to the growing number of His devoted followers s Ñ with the facility, except during the War years, of pilgrimage to His Household at Haifa Ñ with the increasing literature in many languages compiled d from His Tablets of spiritual counsel and encouragement Ñ the Baha'is themselves were conscious of a worldwide solidarity so real and complete that it required no other instrument nor symbol than His outpouring iove and the mighty influence of His consecration to the Cause. The years since 1921 have witnessed a rapid and far-reaching effort on the part of Baha'is to realize, through loyalty to the Master's Testament, concrete and visible means of unity and spiritual cooperation, the evidences of a true community of faith embracing the most diverse elements in presentday society. By 1924 the time seemed opportune for the preparation of a work, in the nature of a year book, which could serve to acquaint the international Baha'i community with the scope of its increasing activities and the important new trends apparent in its development. By suggestion of Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada took the initiative in summoning together an international committee to plan the work, gather the material and make possible e the publication of an annual record. The Baha'i Year Book, Volume One, April 1925-April 1926, was the first result of this task. The experience of the editorial committee proved that a period of two years would be advisable for the preparation of a work drawing upon sources so widely separated in distance and so widely diversified in language. . The first, necessarily experimental volume, however, revealed so firm a community among the believers that it was decided to change the title to the present one, The Baha'i World. Bearing this new title, and greatly increased in size, volumes have been published for the period 19261928, and for the period 19281930. The present work is accordingly the fourth in this series. All have been supervised and given final editing by Shoghi Effendi. Even for non Ñ Baha'is these volumes recording the vital growth of a new and distinctive religious commonwealth possess a great measure of interest. The collapse of conventional creeds, the sudden and unexpected economic depression, the smouldering fear of another and even more disastrous armed xv [p16] xvi INTRODUCTION conflict, the existence of emboldened and desperate revolutionary movements in many countries, combine to emphasize, even to the unthinking person, the value of any influence which can renew the sources of faith and offer a means of moral union and solidarity to the clashing elements of society at this time. More and more, the considered attention of this age turns to the Faith inspired by Baha'u'llah as the sole path promising to lead a divided and overburdened humanity toward world order and peace. A record of actual growth in the spirit of unity, such as this volume presents, , even though in comparison to conventional standards the record be of a people socially uninfluential and numerically unimpressive, nevertheless by the vitality of that spirit stands apart from other contemporary records, as the first faint signs of dawn stand apart from the gloom of night. From a letter written by Shoghi Effendi dated Haifa, Palestine, December 6~ 1928, the editors of the present work quote the following passage which referred to the publication of a previous volume: "This unique record of worldwide Baha'i activity attempts to present to the general public, as well as w the student and scholar, those historical facts and fundamental principles that constitute the distinguishing features of the Message of Baha'u'llah to this age." No better statement could be found to describe the purpose of this later record. Each successive volume has contained, in addition to the factual material essential to this type of book, certain features possessing extraordinary spiritual importance. Thus, in the first volume was included "The Passing of CAbdu~1 Bah5," by Lady Blomfield and Shoghi Effendi, and "Extracts from Baha'i Sacred Writing"; while the two succeeding volumes were distinguished by additional Excerpts, including passages from the Testament of tAbdul'1-Bahi and C(The City of Certitude" from words of Baha'u'llah; "The Dawn of the Baha'i Revelation," from Nabil's Narrative; Excerpts from letters of Shoghi Effendi and C!Th Case of Baha'u'llah's House in BaghdAd Before the League of Nations." The present volume is noteworthy more particularly in that it contains such material as ttBah4'u'116h: The Voice of Religious Reconciliation"; "Mar-tyrdom m of the Bib," from Nabil's Narrative; and ~tThe Goal of a New World Order," by Shoghi Effendi. The many reproductions of photographs, especially those of Persian scenes associated with the history of the Faith, add immeasurably y to the interest of the book. [p17] STAFF OF EDITORS AMERICA Ñ Nellie S. French, Chairman, 501 Bellefontaine St., Pasadena, Calif. Albert R. Windust, Secretary, 4639 Beacon St., Chicago. Horace Holley, 125 East 10th St., New York City. Wanden M. LaFarge, 205 East 69th St., New York City. Victoria Bedikian, Photograph Editor, P. 0. Box 179, Montclair, N. J. GREAT BRITAIN Ñ Annie B. Romer, 288 Upper Regent St., London, W. 1. GERMANY Ñ Dr. Hermann Grossmann, Friedrich Voglerstrasse 4, Weinheim, Baden SWITZERLAND Ñ Emogene Hoagg, Case 181 Stand, Geneva. FRANCE Ñ Madame Hesse, 27 Rue R6rnusat, Auteuji, Paris. PERSIA Ñ Dr. Lutfu'llAh Ilakim, Avenue Chir&gh Barg, Tihr~n. INDIA AND BURMA Ñ Prof. Pritam Singh, 9 Langley Road, Lahore, India. PALESTINE Ñ Eflie Baker, Assistant Photograph Editor, Baha'i Pilgrim House, Haifa. EGYPT Ñ Mubarnmad Mu~vaf 4, Egyptian State Telegraphs, Port Said. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND Ñ Bertram Dewing, S Aidred Road, Remuera, Auckland, New-Zealand. ~IRAQ Ñ Dr. Afl~pXn Mirza ~i, Baghchicl. INTERNATIONAL Ñ Martha L. Root, care Roy C. Wilhelm, 104 Wall St., New York City. xvii [p18] [p1] PART ONE [p2] [p3] THE BAHA'I WORLD BAHA'U'LLAH: THE VOICE OF RELIGIOUS RECONCILIATION The Unity and Continuity of Divine Revelation THEY Who are the Luminaries of truth and the Mirrors reflecting the light of the unity of God, in whatever age and cycle they are sent down from their invisible habitations of ancient glory unto this world, to educate the souis of men and endue with grace all created things, are invariably endowed with an all-compelling power, and invested with invincible sovereignty. For these hidden Gems, these concealed and invisible Treasures, in themselves manifest and vindicate the reality of these holy words: tVerily God doeth whatsoever He willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.' ~To every discerning and illumined heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the Divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His praise, or that human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is and bath ever been veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Real-fry everlastingly hidden from the sight of men. CNO vision taketh Him in, but He taketh in all vision; He is the Subtile, the All-Perceiving.' The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in the face of all beings, the Source of infinite grace, according to His saying: tHis grace hath transcended all things; My grace hath encompassed them all' bath caused those luminous Gems of holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence. These sanctified Mirrors, these Daysprings of ancient glory are one and all the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and Ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory. They are the Treasuries of Divine knowledge, and the Repositories of celestial wisdom. Through them is transmitted a grace that is infinite, and by them is revealed the light that can never fade. These attributes of God are not and have never been vouchsafed specially unto certain Prophets, and withheld from others. Nay, all the Prophets of God, His well-favored, His holy and chosen Messengers, are, without exception, the bearers of His names and the embodiments of His attributes. They oniy differ in the intensity of their revelation, and the relative potency of their light. Even as He hath revealed: ~Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others.' It bath become therefore manifest and evident that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of detachment doth in no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God's attributes and the Treasuries of His holy 3 [p4] 4 THE BAHA'I WORLD names did not actually possess it. Therefore, these illuminated Souls, these beauteous Countenances have, each and every one of them, been endowed with all the attributes of God, such as sovereignty, dominion and the like, even though, to outward seeming, they be shorn of all earthly majesty. Furthermore, it is evident to thee that the Bearers of the trust of God are made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause and the Bearers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the Celestial Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, and as they all arise to proclaim His irresistible Faith, they therefore are regarded as one soul and the same person. For they all drink from the one cup of the love of God, and all partake of the fruit of the same tree of oneness. These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath revealed: tNo difference do We make between any of His Messengers.' ror all of them summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the Unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the robe of ProphetMood, and honored with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muhammad, the Point of the Qur'an, revealed: 'I am all the Prophets.' Likewise, He saith: am Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.' A similar statement hath been made by Au. Sayings such as this, which indicate the essential unity of those Exponents of Oneness, have also emanated from the Channels of God's immortal utterance, and the Treasuries of the gems of Divine knowledge, and been recorded in the scriptures. These Countenances are the recipients of the Divine Command, and the Daysprings of His Revelation. This Revelation is exalted above the veils of plurality and the exigencies of num-her. Thus He saith: tOur Cause is but one. Inasmuch as the Cause is one and the same, the Exponents thereof also must needs be one and the same. Likewise, the Im~ms of the Mubammadan Faith, those lamps of cer titude, have said: 'Muhanirnad is our first, Muhammad our last, Muijammad our all.' cdt is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of these Essences of being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendor. Wherefore, should one of these Manifestations of holiness proclaim, saying: tj am the return of all the Prophets,' He verily speaketh the truth. In like manner, in every subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is a fact, the truth of which is firmly established. We have already in the foregoing pages assigned two stations unto each of the Luminaries arising from the Daysprings of eternal holiness. One of these stations, the station of essential unity, We have already explained. tNo difference do We make between any of them.' The other is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation and to the change and chances thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God bath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined Revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite Mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He said: cSoe of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God bath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, the Son of Mary, We gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit.~ ~tIt is because of this difference in their station and mission that the words and utterances flowing from these Wellsprings of Divine knowledge appear to diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them that are initiated into the mysteries of divine wisdom, all their utterances are in reality but the expressions of one truth. As most of the people have failed to appreciate those stations to which We have referred, they there [p5] Exterior of the Holy Tomb of Baha'u'llah at Baha. Entrance to the Holy Tomb. [p6] 6 THE BAHA'I WORLD fore feel perplexed and dismayed at the varying utterances pronounced by Manifestations that are essentially one and the same. cdt bath ever been evident that all these divergences of utterance are attributable to differences in station. Thus, viewed from the standpoint of their oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence, have been and are applicable to those Essences of being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne of Divine Revelation, and are established upon the seat of Divine Concealment. Through their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the Divine Being. c~Viewed in the light of their second station Ñ the station of distinction, differentiation, temporal limitations, characteristics and standards Ñ they manifest absolute servitude, utter destitution and complete self-effacement. Even as He saith: 'I am the servant of God. I am but a man like you.' ctFrom these incontrovertible and fully demonstrated statements strive thou to apprehend the meaning of the questions thou hast asked, that thou mayest become steadfast in the Faith of God, and not be dismayed by the divergences in the utterances of His Prophets and Chosen Ones. "Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: ~I am God!' He verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Reve Ñ lation, their Attributes and Names, the Revelation of God, His Names and His Attributes, are made manifest in the world. Thus, He hath revealed: tThose shafts were God's, not Thine!' And also He saith: Cm truth, they who plighted fealty to Thee, really plighted that fealty to God.' And were any of them to voice the utterance: am the Messenger of God,' He also speak-eth the truth, the indubitable truth. Even as He saith: ~Mharnmad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger of God.' Viewed in this light, they are all but Messengers of that Ideal King, that unchangeable Essence. And were they all to proclaim: ti am the Seal of the Prophets,' they verily utter but the truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they are all but one person, one soui, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They are all the manifestation of the tBeginning' and the 'End,' the Tirst' and the 'Last,' the tSeen' and tHidden' Ñ all of which pertain to Him Who is the innermost Spirit of Spirits and eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to say: ~'We are the servants of God,' this also is a manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain. Thus in moments in which these Essences of being were deep immersed beneath the Oceans of ancient and everlasting holiness, or soared to the loftiest summits of Divine mysteries, they claimed for their utterance to be the Voice of Divinity, the Call of God Himself. Were the eye of discernment to be opened, it would recognize that in this very state, they have considered themselves utterly effaced and nonexistent in the face of Him Who is the All-Pervading, the Incorruptible. Methinks, they have regarded themselves as utter nothingness, and deemed their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy. For the slightest whisperings of self, within such a Court, is an evidence of self-assertion and independent existence. In the eyes of them that have attained unto that Court, such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression. How much more grievous would it be, were aught else to be mentioned in that Presence, were man's heart, his tongue, his mind or soui, to be busied with anyone but the Well-Beloved, were his eyes to behold any countenance other than His beauty, were his ear to be inclined to any melody but His voice, and were his feet to tread any way but His way. "In this day the breeze of God is wafted, and His Spirit hath pervaded all things. Such is the outpouring of His grace that the pen is stilled and the tongue is speechless. "By virtue of this station, they have claimed for themselves to be the Voice of Divinity and the like; and by virtue of their station of Messengership, they have declared themselves the Messengers of GQd. In every [p7] Abdu'l-Baha in the garden surrounding the Tomb at Baha. May 1, 1921. [p8] S THE BAHA'I WORLD instance they have voiced an utterance that would conform to the requirements of the occasion, and have ascribed all these declarations to themselves, declarations ranging from the realm of Divine Revelation to the realm of creation, and from the domain of Divinity even unto the domain of earthly existence. Thus it is that whatsoever be their utterance, whether it pertain to the realm of Divinity, Lordship, Prophethood, Mes-sengership, Guardianship, Apostleship or Servitude, all is true, beyond a shadow of doubt. Therefore, these sayings which We have quoted in support of our argument must be attentively considered, that the divergent utterances of the Manifestations of the Unseen and Daysprings of holiness may cease to agitate the soui and perplex the mind. Consider the past. How many, whether high or low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy may blow, and the promised Beauty may step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest unto all the world. And whensoever the portals of grace would open, and the clouds of divine bounty would rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen would shine above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him and turned away from His face Ñ the face of God Himself. Reflect, what could have been the motive for such deeds? What could have prompted such behavior towards the Revealers of the beauty of the All-Glorious? And whatever hath in days gone by been the cause of the denial and opposition of those people hath now led to the perversity of the people of this age. To maintain that the testimony of Providence was incomplete, that it hath therefore been the cause of the denial of the people, is but open blasphemy. How far from the grace of the All-Bountiful, and from His loving providence and tender mercies, to single out a soui from amongst all men for the guidance of His creatures, and, on one hand, to withhold from Him the full measure of His divine testimony, and, on the other, inflict severe retribution on His people for having turned away from His chosen One! Nay, the manifold bounties of the Lord of all beings have at all times, through the Manifestations of His Divine Essence, encompassed the earth and all that dwell therein. Not for a moment hath His grace been withheld, nor have the showers of His lovingkindness ceased to rain upon mankind. Consequently, such behavior can be attributed to naught save the petty-mindedness of such souis as tread the valley of arrogance and pride, are lost in the worlds of remoteness, walk in the ways of their idle fancy, and follow the dictates of the leaders of their faith. Their chief concern is mere opposition, their sole desire to ignore the truth. Unto every discerning observer it is evident and manifest that had these people in the days of each of the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth sanctified their eyes, their ears and their hearts from whatever they had seen, beard, and felt, they surely would not have been deprived of beholding the beauty of God, nor strayed far from the habitations of glory. But having weighed the Testimony of God by the standard of their own knowledge, gleaned from the teachings of the leaders of their faith, and found it at variance with their deficient understanding, they arose to perpetrate such unseemly acts. Consider Moses! Armed with the rod of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of divine knowledge, and proceeding from the HrSn of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the world. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of faithfulness. You are surely aware of the fierce opposition of Pharaoh and his people, and of the stones of idle fancy which the~ hand of the infidel has cast upon that blessed tree. So much so that Pharaoh and his people finally arose and exerted their utmost endeavor to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and dehial the fire of that sacred tree, oblivious of the truth that no earthly water can quench the flame of divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish [p9] BAHA'U'LLAH 9 the lamp of everlasting dominion. Nay, rather, such water cannot but intensify the burning of the flame, and such blasts cannot but ensure the preservation of the lamp, were ye to observe with the eye of discernment and to walk in the way of God's hoiy will and pleasure. And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of Jesus, striving forth from the Daysprings of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of Israel rose in protest against Him. They clamored that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfil the laws of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who lay claim to the station of the Divine Messiah, had annulled the law of divorce and of the Sabbath day the most weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to come? These people of Israel are even unto the present day expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! How many Manifestations of holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting have appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork should appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived! Thus hath God laid hold of them in their vices, hath extinguished in them the spirit of faith, and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost fire, And this for no other reason except that Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs of the coming Revelation, As she never grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she therefore remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the Face of God. 'And they still await His coming.' From time immemorial even unto this day all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to such fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and thus deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from the springs of purity and holiness. To them that are endowed with understanding it is clear and manifest that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced, He, the Revealer of the Unseen Beauty, addressing one day His spiritual companions, referred unto His passing, and kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto them: cj go away and come again unto you.' And in another place He said: tJ go and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfil all that I have said.' Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder upon the Manifestations of holiness with divine insight, Every discerning observer will recognize that in the QurYtnic Dispensation both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed, As to the matter of names, Muhammad Himself declared: ~J am Jesus.' He recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Christ, and testified that they were all of God. In this sense, neither the person of Christ nor His writings have differed from that of Muliam-mad and of His holy Book, inasmuch as both have championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise, and revealed His corn-mandrnents, Thus it is that Jesus Himself declared: tJ go and shall again return.' Consider the sun. Were it to say now: I am the sun of yesterday, it would speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind, claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth. In like manner, if it be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is correct and true; and if it be said, with respect to their particular names and designations, that they differ, that again is true, For although one and the same, yet one doth recognize in each a separate designation, a specific attribute, a particular character, Conceive accordingly the distinction, variation and unity characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness, that you may comprehend the allusions made by the Creator of all names and attributes to the mysteries of distinction and unity, and discover the answer to your question as to why that everlasting Beauty should have, at sundry times, called Himself by a different name and title. 'When the Unseen, the Eternal, the Divine Essence, caused the Daystar of Muhammad to rise above the horizon of knowi [p10] Looking towards Akka and Haifa from the mansion at Baha. The tomb of Baha'u'llah and the mansion from the pines at Baha. [p11] BAHA'U'LLAH 11 edge, among the objections which the Jewish divines raised against Him was that after Moses no Prophet should be sent of God. Yea, mention hath been made in the scriptures of a Soul Who must needs be made manifest and Who will advance the Faith, and promote the interests of the people of Moses, so that the Law of the Mosaic Dispensation may encompass the whole earth. Thus hail the King of eternal glory referred in His Book to the words uttered by those wanderers of the vale of remoteness and error: tTh hand of God,' say the Jews, tis chained up.' Chained up by their own hands! And for that which they have said, they were accursed. tNay, outstretched are both His hands.' CThe hand of God is above their hands.' ceA1thoug1~1 the commentators of the Our'dn have related in divers manners the circumstances attending the revelation of this verse, yet thou shouldst endeavor to apprehend the purpose thereof. He saith: tHow false that which the Jews have imagined! How can the Hand of Him Who is the King in truth, Who caused the countenance of Moses to be made manifest, and conferred upon Him the robe of Prophet-hood Ñ how can the hand of such a One be chained and fettered? How can He be conceived as being powerless to raise up yet another Messenger after Moses? Behold the absurdity of their saying; how far it hath strayed from the path of knowledge and understanding!' Observe how in this day also, all this people have occupied themselves with such foolish absurdities. For over a thousand years they have been reciting this verse, and unwittingly pronouncing their censure against the Jews, utterly unaware that they themselves, openly and privily, are voicing the sentiments and belief of the Jewish people! Thou art surely aware of their idle contention, that all Revelation is ended, that the portals of Divine mercy are closed, that from the Daysprings of eternal holiness no sun shall rise again, that the Ocean of everlasting bounty is forever stilled, and that out of the Tabernacle of ancient glory the Messengers of God have ceased to be made manifest. Such is the measure of the understanding of these small-minded, contemptible people! The flow of God's all-encompassing grace and plenteous mercies, the cessation of which no mind can contemplate, these have imagined it to have been arrested. From every side they have risen and girded up the loins of tyranny, and exerted the utmost endeavor to quench with the bitter waters of their idle fancy the flame of God's burning Bush, oblivious that the globe of power shall within its own mighty stronghold protect the Lamp of God.... Behold how the sovereignty of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, is today apparent and manifest amongst the people. You are well aware of what befell His Faith in the early days of His dispensation. What woeful sufferings did the hand of the faithless and the lost, the divines of that age and their associates, inflict upon that spiritual Essence, that most pure and holy Being! How abundant the thorns and briars which they have strewn over His path! It is evident that that wretched generation, in their wicked and satanic fancy, regarded every injury to that immortal Being a means to the attainment of abiding felicity; inasmuch as the recognized divines of that age, ,such as tAbdu'lUh-i-Ubay, Aba-tAmir, the hermit, Ka'b-fbn-i-Ashraf and Nard-Ibn-i-H~rith have all treated Him as an impostor, and pronounced Him a lunatic and a calumniator. Such sore accusations they brought against Him that in recounting them God forbiddeth the ink to flow, Our pen to move, or the page to bear them. These malicious imputations provoked the people to arise and torment Him. And how fierce would be that torment if the divines of the age be its chief instigators, if they denounce Him to their followers, cast Him out from their midst, and declare Him a miscreant! Hath not the same befallen this servant, and been witnessed by all? c(For this reason did Mubammad cry out: tNo Prophet of God hath suffered such harm as I have suffered.' And in the Qur'an are recorded all the calumnies and cavillings uttered against Him, as well as all the afflictions which He suffered. Refer ye thereunto, and haply ye will be informed of that which bath befallen His Revelation. So grievous was His plight, that for a time all [p12] 12 THE BAHA'I WORLD ceased to hold intercourse with Hint and His companions. Whoever associated with Him fell a victim to His enemies' relentless cruelty. Consider, how great is the change today! Behold, how many are the Sovereigns who bow the knee before His name! How numerous the nations and kingdoms who have sought the shelter of His shadow, who bear allegiance to His Faith, and pride themselves therein! From the stall and choir there ascends today the hymn which in utter lowliness glorifies His blessed name, and from the heights of minarets there resounds the call that suntimoneth the concourse of His people to adore Him. Even those Kings of the earth who have refused to embrace His Faith and to put off the garment of unbelief, none the less confess and acknowledge the greatness and overpowering majesty of that Daystar of lov-ing-kindness. Such is His earthly sovereignty, the evidences of which thou dost on every side behold. This sovereignty must needs be revealed and established either in the lifetime of every Manifestation of God or after His ascension unto His true habitation in the realms above. lit is evident that the changes effected in every Dispensation constitute the dark clouds that intervene between the eye of man's understanding and the Divine Luminary which shineth forth from the dayspring of the Divine Essence. Consider how men have for generations been blindly imitating their forefathers, and been trained according to such ways and manners as have been laid down by the dictates of their Faith. Were these men, therefore, suddenly to discover that a Man Who hath been living in their midst, Who with respect to every human limitation hath been their equal, had risen to abolish every established principle imposed by their Faith Ñ principles by which for centuries they have been disciplined, and every opposer and denier of which they have come to regard as infidel, profligate, and wicked Ñ they would of a certainty be veiled and hindered from acknowledging His truth. Such things are as clouds that veil the eyes of those whose inner being hath not tasted the Salsahil of Detachment, nor drunk from the Kawthar of the knowledge of God. Such men, when acquainted with these circumstances, become so veiled that without the least question they pronounce the Manifestation of God an infidel, and sentence Him to death. Such things you must have witnessed and heard since the earliest days, and are observing them at this time. (cIt behooves us, therefore, to exert the utmost endeavor, that by God's invisible assistance these dark veils, these clouds of Heaven-sent trials, may not hinder us from beholding the beauty of His shining Countenance, and that we may recognize Him oniy by His own Self Baha'u'llah: The Kitib-i-fq6n Thus the Baha'i Revelation is not at all an abrogation of Judaism, Christianity or Islam. On the contrary, it is the fulfilment of each through the removal of the accumulations of human error and misinterpretation that have obscured and rendered impotent the divine light and power implicit in the life and teachings of the Founders of these great religions. "It is not a new Religion, it is Religion renewed," tAbdu'1-BaM said of it. And in its light the Prophets of the past are seen to have been but one Spirit, manifesting in different bodies and employing different languages and forms, according to the widely varied needs of the peoples to whom their messages were addressed. But all teaching, fundamentally, the same great message, and each forming an integral and essential part of the one mighty stream of spiritual evolution, which is to flow together again outwardly in this day through the new understanding given us by Baha'u'llah. In explaining the word of Baha'u'llah, tAbdu'1-BahA taught that there are two aspects of religion, primary and secondary. One basic, fixed and never changing; the fundamental spiritual realities, such, for instance, as love and brotherhood and the unity of God. The other relative, fluid and constantly changing with each successive Prophet, such as forms of worship, ritual, etc., and the social and economic laws which the progress and development of the period and people he addressed demanded. It is through misunderstanding the secondary im [p13] Views of the tomb of Baha'u'llah at Babji. [p14] [p15] [p16] 16 THE BAHA'I WORLD to awaken peopie to the unreality of manmade dogmas and creeds, the source of all antagonistic institutions and destructive customs, and quicken in them a hunger for a reality raised above human will in the realms of the divine. Thus the teachings of Baha'u'llah have spread not merely because they renew hope and inspire enthusiasm, but because also they uphold a world order as the end and aim of human evolution in this new age. The sciences and arts they bring failure through international war and class revolution is ever to be removed. In the principles of individual and social regeneration laid down by Baha'u'llah over eighty years ago, this spiritual element exists in a form so pure, so complete and so positively forceful that devoted groups of students assemble in cities and villages in Europe, the Orient and America at the present time for the sole purpose of reinforcing their intellectual education with the moral cAbdu~1~Bahi in Mr. Milburn's Church, Chicago. May 5, 1912. back into the heart of human experience by showing them to be the true modes of religious worship; the functions of government are ennobled as the union of morality and social usefulness; and democracy is vitalized by the realization that all men are children of the one God. The Baha'i Principles The public education which fills the mind with facts, however true and useful, but leaves old, destructive prejudices in the heart, must be augmented by the addition of spiritual principles if the peril of world power and nobility emanating from the teachings of Baha'u'llah. American Baha'is who have traveled extensively and visited these groups in various parts of the world state that the result of this new spiritual knowledge has been to eliminate, among large numbers of believers, the evils of the caste system in India, religious prejudice in Persia and the Near East, racial and national antagonisms in Europe, while in the United States and Canada the Baha'i teachings have been fruitful in removing prejudice between the white and colored peoples. To summarize and outline the spiritual verities revealed by Baha'u'llah, one may [p17] AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE BAHA'I FAITH 17 begin by quoting the following words uttered by tAbdu'1-BahA, the great Exemplar of the Baha'i Faith: fCThis is a new cycle of human power. The gift of God to this enlightened age is knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental unity of religions." The conviction that humanity has entered upon a new era, when the latent possibilities of men and women are to be fully expressed by the gradual development of a world community reflecting the ideals of all the prophets, and the sciences and arts shall flower gloriously under the inspiration of mutual fellowship and trust, is a distinguishing characteristic of the Baha'i message. Since every child is born without innate prejudice, the organized hates and fears of mankind are acquired from the attitudes of those who control youth. By replacing the present mental environment with a psychology upholding the power of love, a new generation will come into being free of the baneful influence of hostility and antagonism. The decisive point in spiritual educatiOn, according to followers of Baha'u'llah, consists in realizing that the founders of all the revealed religions were actuated by the same purpose and reflected the same divine power. When agreement exists on this principle, the very roots of prejudice are destroyed, for aside from the influence of the prophets there is no social force able to overcome the animal status of man by connecting him with the providence of God. Baha'is, therefore, practise the lesson of regarding all others, irrespective of race, class, nation or creed, as expressions of the one creative, universal love. The teachings of Baha'u'llah reinforce this truth by proving from recorded history that faith in a prophet has ever produced the social community out of which nations and races are afterward derived, and that it is the inhumanity caused by religious hostility which later gives destructive force to national, racial and class divisions. A new and worldwide spiritual movement is needed at this time, every social student is aware, in order to give men the sense of community in obedience to the divine Will and raise them above the destructive darkness lingering in traditional views. Upon the basis of this new and broader outlook, the teachings of Baha'u'llah raise a mighty edifice of social regeneration, the pillars of which are the following organic principles: the harmony of true science and religion; the spiritual equality of man and woman; the education of all people in terms of the complete personality Ñ including adequate training in a trade or profes-non and moral culture, as well as mental discipline and knowledge; the continuance of education throughout life by unceasing open-minded search for truth; social responsibility for every individual's eco-nonuc wellbeing; the addition of a universal secondary language to school curriculums; the spiritual obligation of every government to make world peace its first and most important concern; and the organization of an international tribunal capable of maintaining world order based upon equal justice to the various nations and peoples. The Baha'i teachings differ from the liberal philosophies of the day by making personal development absolutely contingent upon social usefulness and cooperation. They meet the egoistic longing for an independent, individual ccperfection~~ or "blessed-ness" by enunciating the sound psychological principle that, because all human beings are interdependent, fulfilment comes only to him who seeks satisfaction in mutual rather than selfish good. Baha'u'llah has revivified the teaching of love revealed by all the prophets, and supplemented this doctrine by new teachings which reveal the nature of the world order which humanity needs supremely at this time. Outline of Baha'i History The beginnings of the ttmodern" age Ñ marked by industrialism in the West and the stirrings of political reform in the East Ñ can be completely explained only by reference to the spiritual enlightenment which dawned upon the world over eighty years ago through the universal message of Baha'u'llah. In this message, which Baha'is feel is oniy now being fully understood and appreciated, a program for true human progress was laid down by which the aspirations and hopes of Christians, Jews and other re. [p18] 18 THE BAHA'I WORLD ligionists for world peace and righteousness will be vindicated and fulfilled. The history of the Baha'i Cause is the outward and visible evidence that humanity in this age has been stirred by a new spirit, the effect of which is to break the bonds and limitations of the past and remold the world in a universal civilization based upon knowledge of divine reality. On May 23, 1844, a radiant youth of Persia known as the Bib ("The Gate") proclaimed His mission of heralding a mighty Educator who would quicken the souls, ii-lumine the minds, harmonize the consciences and exalt the habits and customs of mankind. After six years of heroic steadfastness and ardent teaching, in the face of the combined opposition of Church and State in His native land, the Rib fell a victim of fanatical persecution and was publicly martyred by a military firing squad at Tabriz, Persia, July 9, 1850, leaving behind Him among the Persian people such loyalty and faith that thousands of His followers underwent martyrdom rather than recant and forsake their devotion to the BTh's assurance that the day of the Promised One had at last dawned. Upon this preparation the foundation of the Cause was laid by Baha'u'llah (~'G1ory of God"), whose enlightened principles of personal and social regeneration were revealed under conditions of cruel oppression, extending through a period of more than forty years, unequalled in the annals of religion. Baha'u'llah, a majestic personage whose greatness was felt and admitted even by His bitterest foes, gave the glad-tidings to East and West that the Holy Spirit was once again manifest in the image of man to revivify humanity in its hour of supreme need, that a new and greater cycle of human power had begun Ñ the age of brotherhood, of peace, of spiritual love. All peoples He summoned to partake of the knowledge of reality uttered through Him. The dire sufferings to fall upon mankind through international war and rebellious unrest until the lessons of unity had been learned, were clearly foretold. The message of Baha'u'llah was revealed in the form of books dictated to secretaries during days of exile and imprisonment, and in letters addressed to kings and rulers, and to the heads of religions, in Europe, the Orient and the United States. As the desperate forces of reaction gathered against Him, the ecclesiastical and civil authorities of Persia realizing that their influence would be destroyed by the spread of the enlightened teachings of Baha'u'llah, He and I Ñ us little band of faithful followers were imprisoned in Tihr~n, stripped of property and rights, exiled to Baghdad, to Constantinople, to Adrianople, and at last, as the supreme affliction, in 1868, confined for life in the desolate barracks of tAkk~ a Turkish penal coiony, near Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. Scarcely fifty years later, as the Baha'is point out, those responsible for the exile and imprisonment of Baha'u'llah Ñ the Shili of Persia, and the SultAn and Caliph in Constantinople Ñ were themselves abjectly hurled from power. Voluntarily sharing these ordeals from very childhood was the eldest son of Baha'u'llah, !Abdu'l-Baha (ccServant of Baha"), whose confinement at tAkk~, lasting forty years, was terminated in 1908 by the Turkish Revolution initiated by the Young Turk Party. Baha'u'llah left this life in 1892. From then untif His own ascension in 1921, 'Abdu'l-Baha served the Cause as its appointed Exemplar and Interpreter, and through His unique devotion, purity of life, tireless effort, and unfailing wisdom, the Baha'i message slowly but surely penetrated to all parts of the world. Today, Baha'i centers exist in most countries, and the membership of the movement embraces practically every nationality, class and creed. At the present time the unity of the Baha'is and the integrity of the teachings of Baha'u'llah is maintained by Shoghi Effendi, grandson of tAbdu'1-Baht and in His Will and Testament appointed Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. The Baha'i Teachings and Universal Peace The secret of universal peace has not only been found but made to work in actual practice, followers of Baha'u'llah assert, [p19] Monument to tAbdu'1-BaM erected in Spa Mergentheim, southern Germany, in memory of His visit, April 1913. [p20] 20 THE BAHA'I WORLD throughout a large and rapidly growing spiritual community with established centers in every part of the world. The universal peace obtaining among the Baha'is of the Orient, Europe and America, establishes the perfect model by which the various nations and peoples can raise the true world peace on enduring foundations. In the application of the principles enunciated by Baha'u'llah, world peace is reinforced by spiritual truths and given religious sanction without disregarding the part that must be played by political and economic considerations. The Baha Cause, in fact, made the question of peace the supreme issue more than sixty years ago, before the subject had been seriously considered by existing rulers and churches. In a series of letters addressed to kings and heads of government in Europe, Asia and the United States, written in 1868, 1869 and 1870, Baha'u'llah proclaimed that the era of international order had dawned, and called upon the reigning rulers to assemble and take steps to eliminate the possibilities of future war. He expressed the profound truth that service to the ideal of peace was not merely an attitude of political wisdom, but obedience to God, and continued irresponsibility and unfaithfulness to the right of the peoples to live in peace would produce international strife and anarchy so widespread that every reactionary rdgime would be destroyed. Following in the footsteps of Baha'u'llah, his son tAbdu'1 Ñ Baha, Exemplar of the new Faith, consecrated his life to the ideal of unity, and from 1911 to 1913, on the eve of the great war, traveled throughout Europe and America in order to bring the principles of peace directly to the people. Speaking at Stanford University, California, in 1912, tAbdu'1-Bahi definitely predicted the outbreak of international conflict in the imminent future, calling upon the American people to arise as pioneers of universal peace. In the Baha'i teachings, universal peace is far more than absence of military conflict. It embodies also peace between the religions, peace between the races and peace between the classes of mankind. Universal peace, according to these teachings, can only come into being as the roots of all antag onism, prejudice, strife and competition are removed from the hearts of men, and this transformation of attitude and action in turn depends upon devotion to the divine Will. The development of believers in so many parts of the world, who accept the equality and fundamental unity of all religions and races, stands as the most vital proof that the spirit of religion has been renewed in this age. But the Baha'i Cause represents far more than merely a new attitude of friendliness and amity among groups of people; Baha'u'llah also created an organic and structural unity capable of relating the religious and humanitarian activities of Baha'is throughout the world. The Baha'i Cause is today functioning as a body in accordance with this organic unity, which coordinates local, national and international units in one harmonious whole. Stressing above all the spiritual character of this Cause, and its rigid and uncompromising insistence upon loyalty of all believers to their own civil government, the Baha'i Cause at the same time provides order and purpose for that sphere of effort and action wherein all individuals are left legitimately free to cooperate with others for spiritual and ideal ends. A movement which can thus unify Christians, Muhammadans, Jews, Zoroastrians and other religionists Ñ which in its own membership can subdue racial and class prejudice, and applies the principles of democracy to the election of local, national and international assemblies Ñ is, its members believe, a true application of the ideal of universal peace meriting the study of all who realize that peace cannot be attained merely by treaty and pact between armed governments all subject to conflicting influences from their own citizens. The "moral equivalent" of a true League of Nations and a World Court has been created by the power of love manifest in Baha'u'llah and made evident in teachings accepted as prophetic by His followers in all lands. The warning uttered by tAbdu'1-Bahi at Haifa in 1921, His last year on earth, was that class dissension would continue to develop in all countries, and become a sinister menace to civilization, until the nations sincerely sought to establish universal [p21] AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE BAHA'I FAITH peace. The Baha'i peace program was defined by Abdu'l-Baha in a letter written to the members of the Central Organization for a Durable Peace, The Hague, in 1919. Many years earlier he wrote the following significant words: !Wrue civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of dis-tin guished Sovereigns of lofty aims Ñ the shining exemplars of devotion and determi nation Ñ shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise with a firm resolve and clear vision to establish the cause of Universal Peace. The fundamental principle underlying this solemn Agreement should be so fixed that if one of the governments of the world should later violate any of its provisions, a11 the governments on earth would arise to reduce it to utter submis-slon. [p22] MARTYRDOM OF THE Bab From Nabil's Narrative THE tale of the tragedy that marked the closing stages of the Nayriz upheaval spread over the length and breadth of Persia and kindled a startling enthusiasm in the hearts of those who heard it. It plunged the authorities of the capital into consternation and nerved them to a resolve of despair. The Amir-NizAm, the Grand Vazir of N~siri'd-Din Sh6h, was particularly overawed by these recurrent manifestations of an indomitable will, of a fierce and inflexible tenacity of faith. Though the forces of the Imperial army had everywhere triumphed, though the companions of MulU ~usayn and Vabid had successively been mowed down in a ruthless carnage at the hands of its officers, yet to the shrewd minds of the rulers of TihrAn it was clear and evident that the spirit responsible for so rare a heroism was by no means vanquished, that its might was far from broken. The loyalty which the remnants of that scattered band bore to their captive Leader still remained unimpaired. Nothing had as yet been successful, despite the appalling losses they had sustained, in sapping that loyalty or in undermining that faith. Far from being extinguished that spirit had blazed more intense and devastating than ever. Galled by the memory of the indignities they had suffered, that persecuted band clung ever more passionately to its Faith and looked with increasing fervour and hope to its Leader.1 1 ~Des B~bis, ii y en avait partout, on ne le savait que trop. La Perse en &ait pleine, et si les esprits inquiets de choses transcendantes, si les philosophes ~ Ia recherche de combinaisons nouvelles, si les ames froiss6es ~ qui les injustices a les faiblesses du amps pr~sent dpugnaient, s'~taient jusqu'alors livr6s avec emportement ~ 1'id6e et aux promesses d'un nouvel 6tat de choses plus satisfaisant, on 6tait en droit de penser que les imaginations turbulentes, amies de l'action, m&me au prix du d&astre, que les esprits braves et passion6s pour les batailles, et, enfin, les ambiticux hardis n'auraient que trop de tendance ~ se pr6cipiter dans les rangs qui se montrajent riches de taut de soldats propres ~ former d'intr6pides phalanges. Mirza Taqi Kh~n, maudissant La mollesse 22 Above all He Who had kindled that flame and nourished that spirit was still alive, and, despite His isolation, was able to exercise the full measure of His influence. Even a sleepless vigilance had been powerless to stem the tide that had swept over the entire face of the land, and which had as its motive force the continued existence of the Mb. Extinguish that light, choke the stream at its very source, and the torrent that had brought so much devastation in its way, would run dry. Such was the thought that swayed the Grand Vazir of Nasiri'd-Din Shili. To do Him to death seemed to that foolish minister the most efficacious means for the recovery of his country from the shame into which he thought it had sunk.2 avec laquelle son pr&l6cesseur, fl~iji Mirza Aq~si, avait laiss6 naitre et grandir un pareil p6ril, comprit qu'iI ne fallait pas prolonger cette faute et voulut couper le mal dans sa racine. II Se persuada que la source en 6tait le Bab lui Ñ m&me, premier auteur de toutes les doctrines qui troublajent le pays, a ii voulut faire disparaitre cette source." (Comte de Gobineaus 'Les Religious et ics Philosophies clans 1'Asie Centrale," pp. 2101 1.) 2 ~Cependant, H~ji Mirza Taqi r&olut de frapper Ic monstre du B~bisme ~ La tate, et ii se persuada que, ce coup port6, l'instigateur du d6sordre une fois doign6 de La sc~ne et n'exerqant plus daction tout reprendrait son cour naturel. Toutefois Ñ chose assez remarquable dans un gouvernement asiatique, et surtout chez un homme d'ttat comme Mirza Taqi Khin qui nc regardait pas de tr~s pr~s & une ex-ag6ration de s6v6rit~ Ñ ce ministre ne s'arr~ta pas d'abord ~ ordonner la mort du novateur. Ii pensa que le meilkur rnoyen de ic d6truire &ait de Ic perdre moralement. Le tirer de sa retraite de Chihriq, oii une aur6ole de souffrance, de saintet6, de science, d'6loquence, l'entourait et le faisait briller comme un soleil; le montrer aux populations tel quit 6tait. ce qui veut dire, tel qu'il se Ic figurait, c'6tait Ic meil-leur moyen de I'emp~cher de nuire en dAtruisant son prestige. 11 se le repr6sentait, en effet, comme ian charlatan vulgaire, un r~veur timide qul n'avait pas eu Ic courage de concevoir, encore moms de diriger les audacieuses entreprises de ses troTh ap6tres, cu m&me dy prendre part. Un homme de cette esp&e, amene ~ TihrAn et jet6 en face des pius habiles dialecticiens tie 1'IsUm, ne pourrait que plier bon-teusement, a son credit s'6vanouirait bien miens par Ce moyen que si, en supprimant le corps, on laissait encore flotter dans les esprits le fant6me d'une su-ptriorit6 que Ia mon aurait rendue irr6futable. On [p23] MARTYRDOM OF THE Bab 23 Bestirred to action, he summoned his counsellors, shared with them his fears and his hopes, and acquainted them with the nature of his plans. CtBeho1d~~ he exclaimed, "the storm which the Faith of the Siyyid-i-BAb has provoked in the hearts of my fel-low-countrymen! Nothing short of his public execution can, in my mind, enable this distracted country to recover its tranquillity and peace. Who dare compute the forces that have perished in the course of the engagements at Shaykh Tabarsi? Who can estimate the efforts exerted to secure that victory? No sooner had the mischief that convulsed MAzindarin been suppressed, than the flames of another sedition blazed forth in the province of Firs, bringing in its wake so much suffering to my people. We had no sooner succeeded in quelling the revolt that had ravaged the south, than another insurrection breaks out in the north, sweeping in its vortex Zanj in and its surroundings. If you are able to advise a remedy, acquaint me, for my sole purpose is to forma donc le projet de le faire arr~ter, de le faire venir ~i Tihr~in, et, sur Ia route, de l'exposer en public, enchain6, humiLi~; de le faire discuter par Ñ tout avec des mulhs, lui imposant silence lorsqu'il deviendrait t6ni&aire: en un mot, de lui susciter une s6rie de combats in6gaux oji ii serait n&essairement vaincu, &ant d'avance d6rnora1is~ par tant de moyens propres ~ briser son courage. C'&ait un lion qu'on voulait ~nerver, tenir h Ia chaine et d6sarmer dongles et de dents, puis livrer aux chiens pour montrer combien ceux-ci en pouvaient triompher ais6ment. Une fois vaincu, peu importait cc qu'on se d6ciderait en faire. Ce plan ne manquait pas de port6e; mais ii se fondait sur des suppositions dont les principales n'6taient rien moms que prouv&s. Ce n'6tait pas assez que d'imagincr Le B~b sans courage et sans fermet6; ii fallait qu'il le filt r6ellement. Or, 1'attitude de ce personnage dans le fort de Chihriq ne le donnait pas ~ penser. II prialt et travaillait sans cesse. Sa douceur &ait inalt6rable. Ceux qui 1'approchaient subissajent maigra eux 1'influence s6ductrice de son visage, de ses mani&es, de son langage. Les soldats qui le gar-dajent n'6taient pas tous rest~s exempts de cette faiblesse. Sa mort !ui paraissait prochaine. 11 en par-lait fr6quemment comme d'une id6c qui lui ~tait non seulernent famili&c, mais aimable. Si donc, promene arnsi dans toute Ia Perse, ii allah ne pas s'abattre? S'il ne se inontrait ni arrogant, ni peureux, mais bien au Ñ dcssus de sa fortune pr6sentc? Sil allah confondre les prodiges de savoir, d'adresse et d'6loquence ameut6s contre lui? S'il restait plus que jamais le Bib pour ses sectateurs anciens et Ic devenait pour les indif-f~rents ou merne pour ses ennemis? C'6tait beaucoup risquer afin de gagner beaucoup sans doute, mais aussi pour beaucoup perdre, a, tout r~fl6chi, on n'osa pas courir cette chance." (Comte de Gobineau's ~Les Religions et les Philosophies dans 1'Asie Centrale," pp. 21113.) insure the peace and honour of my countrymen." Not a single voice dared venture a reply, except Mirza AqA Kh&n-i-Niiri, the Minister of War, who pleaded that to put to death a banished Siyyid for the deeds committed by a band of irresponsible agitators would be an act of manifest cruelty. He recalled the example of the late Muhammad SMh whose invariable practice was to disregard the base calumnies the enemies of that Siyyid brought continually to his attention. The Amir-Ni?~m was sorely displeased. 'tSuch considerations," he protested, are wholly irrelevant to the issue with which we are faced. The interests of the State are in jeopardy, and we can in no wise tolerate these periodic upheavals. Was not the Im&m Ijusayn, in view of the paramount necessity for safeguarding the unity of the State, executed by those same perSons who had seen him more than once receive marks of exceptional affection from Muhammad, his Grandfather? Did they not in such circumstances refuse to consider the rights which his lineage had conferred upon him? Nothing short of the remedy I advocate can uproot this evil and bring us the peace for which we long." Disregarding the advice of his counsellor, the Amir-Nizim despatched his orders to Navv~b IJamzih Mirza, the governor of Adhirbiyj An, who was distinguished among the princes of royal blood for his kindheartedness and rectitude of conduct, to summon the Bab to TabrizJ He was careful not to divulge to the Prince his real purpose. The NavvAb, assuming that the inten-non of the minister was to enable his Captive to return to His home, immediately directed one of his trusted officers, together with a mounted escort, to proceed to Chihriq, where the B~b still lay confined, and to bring Him back to Tabriz. He recommended Him to their care, urging them 1 '~Lc premier ministre, ayant inand6 Su1aym~n j~%4n, 1'Afsh&r ii le chargea de porter ?~ Tabriz, au prince Uamzih Mirza devenu gouverneur de 1'Adhir-b4yj~n, 1'ordre de tirer le IMib du fort de Chihriq et de 1'amener dans la citadelle de Tabriz, oii ii ap-prendrait plus tan! cc qu'il aurait ~ en faire." (Comte de Gobinean's "Les Religions et les Philos-phies dans 1'Asie Centrale," p. 213.) [p24] Mi rz~ Siyyid H~tji Mirza Abu'1 Ñ Q~sim. kTasan. Brothers-in-law of the Bib. [p25] MARTYRDOM OF THE Bab 25 to exercise towards Him the utmost consideration. Forty days before the arrival of that officer at Chihriq, the BTh collected all the documents and Tablets in His possession and, placing them with His pen-case, His seals, and agate rings, into a coffer, entrusted them to the care of Mulli BAqir, one of the Letters of the Living. To him He also delivered a letter addressed to Mirza Ahmad, His amanuensis, in which He enclosed the key to that coffer. He urged him to take the utmost care of that trust, emphasized the sacredness of its character, and bade him conceal its contents from anyone except Mirza A1~jrnad. MulH B~qir departed forthwith for Qazvin. Within eighteen days he had reached that town and was informed that Mirza Abmad had departed for Qum. He left immediately for that destination and arrived toward the middle of the month of Shacb~n.l I was then in Qum, together with a certain $Adiq-i-Tabrizi, whom Mirza Ahmad had sent to fetch me from Zarand. I was living in the same house with Mirza Abmad,a house which he had hired in the BAgh-Pan-bih quarter. In those days Shaykh tA~Arn, Siyyid Ismi~il and a number of other companions likewise were dwelling with us. MulIA Biqir delivered the trust into the hands of Mirza Ahmad who, at the insistence of Shaykh tAzim, opened it before us. We marvelled when we beheld among the things which that coffer contained a scroll of blue paper, of the most delicate texture on which the Bib, in His own exquisite handwriting, which was a fine shikastih script, had penned, in the form of a pentacle, what numbered about five hundred verses, all consisting of derivatives from the word Bah&.2 That scroll was in a state of perfect preservation, was spotlessly clean, and gave the impression at first sight of being a printed rather than a written page. So fine and intricate was the penmanship that viewed from a distance the writing appeared as a single wash of ink on the paper. We were overcome with admiration 1June 12-July 11, 1850 A.D. 2 According to "A Traveller's Narrative" (p. 42), the B~b had produced no less than three hundred and sixty derivatives from the word t'Bah4." as we gazed upon a masterpiece which no calligraphist, we believed, could rival. That scroll was replaced in the coffer and handed back to Mirza Abmad, who, on the very day he received it, proceeded to Tilirin. Ere he departed he informed us that all he could divulge of that letter was the instruction that the trust was to be delivered into the hands of Jin&b-i-Bah4 in TihrAn.4 As to me I was instructed by Mirza Alimad to proceed to Zarand and join my father who was anxiously awaiting my return. Faithful to the instructions he had received from NavvAb Harnzih Mirza, that officer conducted the Bab to Tabriz and showed Him the utmost respect and consideration. The Prince had instructed one of his friends to accommodate Him in his home and to treat Him with extreme deference. Three days after the BTh's arrival, a fresh order was received from the Grand Vazir commanding the Prince to carry out the execution of his Prisoner on the very day the farmTh ~ would reach him. 'Whoever would profess himself as His follower was likewise to be condemned to death. The Armenian regiment of Uriimiyyih, whose colonel was Slim KhAn was ordered to shoot Him, in the courtyard of the barracks of Tabriz, which was situated in the center of the city. The Prince expressed his consternation to the bearer of the farm6n, Mirza Hasan KMn, the Vazir Ñ Niz6m and brother of the Grand Vazir. ttThe Amir," he told him, "would do better to entrust me with services of greater merit than the one with which he has now commissioned me. The task I am called upon to perform is a task that ~ Title by which Baha'u'llah was designated in those days. ~ "The end of the BTh's earthly Manifestation is now close upon us. He knew it himself before the event, and was not displeased at the presentiment. He bad already %et his house in order,' as regards the spiritual affairs of the BAN community, which he had, if I mistake not, confided to the intuitive wisdom of Baha'u'llah It is impossible not to feel that this is far more probable than the view which makes Subh-i-AzaI the custodian of the sacred writings and the arranger of a resting-place for the sacred remains. I much fear that the AzaI'is have manipulated tradition in the interest of their party." (Dr. T. K. Cheyne's "The Reconciliation of Races and Religions," pp. 656.) See glossary. [p26] 26 THE BAHA'I WORLD only ignoble people would accept. I am neither Ibn-i-Zi~d nor Lbn-i-Satd 1 that he should call upon me to slay an innocent descendent of the Prophet of God." Mirza Ijasan Kh~n reported these sayings of the Prince to his brother who, thereupon ordered him to follow himself, without delay and in their entirety, the instructions he had already given. "RP us," the Vazir urged his brother, "from this anxiety that weighs upon our hearts, and let this affair be brought to an end crc the month of Ramadin breaks upon us, that we may enter the period of fasting with undisturbed tranquillity." Mirza Hasan KLin attempted to acquaint the Prince with these fresh instructions, but failed in his efforts, as the Prince, pretending to be ill, refused to meet him. Undeterred by this refusal, he issued his instructions for the immediate transfer of the Bib and those in His company from the house in which He was staying to one of the rooms of the barracks. He moreover directed S&m Kh4n to despatch ten of his men to guard the entrance of the room in which He was to be confined. Deprived of His turban and sash, the twin emblems of His noble lineage, the BTh, together with Siyyid ~usayn His amanuensis, was driven to yet another confinement which He well knew was but a step further on the way leading Him to the goal he had set Himself to attain. That day witnessed a tremendous commotion in the city of Tabriz. The great convulsion associated in the ideas of its inhabitants with the Day of Judgment seemed at last to have come upon them. Never had that city experienced a turmoil so fierce and so mysterious as the one which seized its inhabitants on the day the Bab was led to that place which was to be the scene of His martyrdom. As He approached the courtyard of the barracks a youth suddenly leaped forward who, in his eagerness to overtake Him, had forced his way through the crowd, utterly ignoring the risks and perils which such an attempt might involve. His face was haggard, his feet were bare, and his hair dishevelled. Breathless with excitement and exhausted with fatigue, he flung himself at the feet of 1 Persecutors of the dcscendants of Muhammad. the B~b and, seizing the hem of His garment, passionately implored Him: ccSend me not from Thee, 0 Master. 'Wherever Thou goest, suffer me to follow Thee." CCMh mad-tAli," answered the Bab, (Crie and rest assured that you will be with me? Tomorrow you shall witness what God has decreed." Two other companions, unable to contain themselves, rushed forward and assured Him of their unalterable loyalty. These together with Mirza Mubammad-tAliy-i-Zuniizi, were seized and placed in the same cell in which the Bib and Siyyid ~usayn were confined. I have heard Siyyid ~Iusayn bear witness to the following: "That night the face of the Bab was aglow with joy, a joy such as had never shone from His countenance. Indifferent to the storm that raged about Him, He conversed with us with gaiety and cheerfulness. The sorrows that had weighed so heavily upon Him seemed to have completely vanished. Their weight appeared to have dissolved in the consciousness of approaching victory. tTomorrow,' He said to us, twill be the day of my martyrdom. Would that one of you would now arise and, with his own hands, end my life. I prefer to be slain by the hand of a friend rather than that of the enemy.' Tears rained from our eyes as we heard Him express that wish. We shrank, however, at the thought of taking away with our own hands so precious a life. We refused and remained silent. Mirza Muhaninad-tAli suddenly sprang to his feet and announced himself ready to obey whatever the Bib would desire. tThis same youth who has risen to comply with my wish,' the Bib declared, as soon as we had intervened and forced him to abandon that thought, twill, together with me, suffer martyrdom. Him will I choose to share with me its crown. Early in the morning Mirza Hasan Khin ordered his farr~sh-bAshi to conduct the Bab to the presence of the leading mujta-hids of the city and to obtain from them 2 ~It is no doubt a singular coincidence that both Ali-Mubammad and Jesus Christ are reported to have addressed these words to a disciple: tTo-day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.' (Dr. T. K. Cheyne's "The Reconciliation of Races and Religions," p. 185.) a See glossary. [p27] Relics of the BTh preserved in Yazd and Shir~z, Persia. [p28] 28 THE BAHA'I WORLD the authorization required for His execution.1 As the Bab was leaving the barracks, Siyyid ~Jusayn asked Him as to what he should do. "Confess not your faith," He advised him, 'tthereby you will be enabled, when the hour comes, to convey to those who are destined to hear you, the things of which you alone are aware." He was engaged in a confidential conversation with him when the farr~sh-Mshi suddenly interrupted and, holding Siyyid ~Jusayn by the hand, drew him aside and severely rebuked him. ~'Not until I have said to him all those things that I wish to say," the BTh warned the farr6sh-bAshi, ~~Can any earthly power silence me. Though all the world be armed against me, yet shall they be powerless to deter me from fulfilling, to the last word, my intention." The farrAsh-bishi was amazed at such a bold assertion. He made, however, no reply and bade Siyyid ~usayn to arise and follow him. When Mirza Muhammad-~A1i was ushered into the presence of the mujtahids he was repeatedly urged, in view of the position which his stepfather, Siyyid 'Aliy-i-Zun4zi, occupied, to recant his faith. 1 "Le lendemain, de grand matin, les gens de Ham-zib Mirza ayant ouvert les portes de la prison, en firent sortir le B~b et ses deux disciples. On s'assura que les fers qu'ils avaient au cou et aux mains &aient solides; on attacha de plus au carcan de chacun d'eux une longue corde dont un famish tenait le bout, puis, afin que chacun p~t bien les voir et les reconnaitre, on les promena ainsi par Ia yule, dans toutes les rues et dans tous les bazars, en les acca Ñ blant dinjures et de coups. La foule remplissait les chemins Cr les gens montajent sur les ~pau1es les tins des autres pour consid6rer de leur mieux 1'homme dont on avait tant park. Les B~bis, les demi-B~bis, r~pandus tie tous c6t~s tachajent d'exciter, chez quelques-uns des spectateurs, un peu de commis6ra-non ou quelque autre sentiment dont i's aurajent profit6 pour sauver leur maitre. Les indiff6rents, les philosophes, Les Shaykhis, les siifis, se d~tournaient du cort&ge avec d~goCit et rentrajent chez eux, Cu, 1'attendant au contraire au coin des rues, le contem-plajent avec une muette curiosit~ a rien davantage. La masse d~gueniIke, turbulente, impressionable, criait force grossi~ret6s aux troTh martyrs; mais elle 6tait toute pr&te & changer d'avis pour peu qu'une cir-Constance quelconque vint pousser ses esprits dans un sens diffdrent. Enfin, les musulmans, maitres de Ia journ6e, poursuivajent d'outrages les prisonniers, cher-chajent ~ rompre l'escorte pour les frapper au visage ou sur la t&te, et quand on ne les avait pas repouss6s ~ temps ou qu'un tesson Ianc~ par quelque enfant avait atteint le Bab ou Pun de ses compagnons ~ Ia figure, 1'escorte a la foule &lataient de rire." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions a 'Cs Philosophies dans 1'Asie Centrale," p. 220.) ttNever," he exclaimed, "will I renounce my Master. He is the essence of my faith, and the object of my truest adoration. In Him I have found my paradise, and in the observance of His law I recognize the ark of my salvation." "Hold your peace," thundered MuJU Muhammad-i-M~miq~ni, before whom that youth was brought, ttSuch words betray your madness; I can well excuse the words for which you are not responsible." "I am not mad," he retorted, "Such a charge should rather be brought against you who have sentenced to death a man no less holy than the promised Q6.'im. He is not a fool who has embraced His Faith and is longing to shed his blood in His path." The Bab was, in His turn, brought before MullA Muhammad-i-MAm~qini. No sooner had he recognized Him than he seized the death-warrant he himself had previously written and, handing it to his attendant, bade him deliver it to the farrish-b&shi. C!NO need," he cried, "to bring the Siyyid-i-B&b into my presence. This death-warrant I have penned the very day I met him at the gathering presided over by the Vali-tAhd He surely is the same man whom I saw on that occasion and has not, in the meantime, surrendered any of his claims." From thence the Bab was conducted to the house of Mirza Mirza, the son of Mirza Ahmad to whom he had recently succeeded. When they arrived they found his attendant standing at the gate and holding in his hand the BTh's death-warrant. ttNo need to enter," he told them, !(MY master is already satisfied that his father was right in pro-flouncing the sentence of death. He can do no better than follow his example." MulU MurtacU-Quli, following in the footsteps of the two other mujtahids, had previously issued his own written testimony and refused to meet face to face his dreaded opponent. No sooner had the farr~sh-Mshi secured the necessary documents than he delivered his Captive into the hands of S~m KMn assuring him that he could proceed with his task now that he had obtained the sanction of the civil and ecclesiastical authorities of the realm. 2 See glossary. [p29] Relics of the B~b preserved in Yazd and Shir~z, Persia. [p30] 30 THE BAHA'I WORLD Siyyid Iflusayn had remained confined in the same room in which he had spent the previous night with the Mb. They were proceeding to place Mirza Mubammad-tAli in that same room, when he burst forth into tears and entreated them to allow him to remain with his Master. He was delivered into the hands of S~m Khin who was ordered to execute him also, if he persisted in his refusal to deny his faith. SAm KhAn was in the meantime finding himself increasingly affected by the behaviour of his Captive and the treatment that had been meted out to Him. He was seized with great fear lest his action should bring upon him the wrath of God. "I pro-Less the Christian Faith," he explained to the Bib, "and entertain no ill-will against you. If your Cause be the Cause of Truth, enable me to free myself from the obligation of shedding your blood." tTollow your instructions," the Bab replied, ttand if your intention be sincere, the Almighty is surely able to relieve you from your perplexity." Sim KMn ordered his men to drive a nail into the pillar that lay between the door of the room that Siyyid ~usayn occupied and the entrance to the adjoining one, and to make fast two ropes to that nail, from which the Mb and His companion were to be separately suspended.' Mirza MuliarnmadiAli begged SAm KbAn to be placed in such a manner that his own body would shield that of the Bib.2 He was 1 ~B~b gardait ic silence; son p&Ie et beau visage qu'encadraient une barbe noire et de petites moustaches, sa tournure a ses mani&res distingu6es, ses mains blanches et cklicares, ses v&tements simples, maTh d'une exquise proprev6, tout enfin dans sa per-sonne 6veillait la sympathie a Ia compassion." (Journal Asiatique, 166, tome 7, p. 378.) 2 "Proof of the devotion and steadfastness of this noble man is afforded by a letter in his own blessed writing which was in the possession of his brother Mullii tAbdu'114h, who still lives in Tabriz. This letter he wrote from the prison three days or two days before his martyrdom, in reply to his brother, who had written to him counselling him to turn aside from his devotion and thraldom; and therein hc makes his apology. And since the martyr was the younger of the two brethren, therefore he adopts a respectful tone in his letter. The text of this letter of reply is as follows: 'He is the Compassionate. o my Qiblib! Thanks be to God, I have no fault to find with my circumstances, and "to every travail rest succeeds." As to what you wrote, that this matter bath no end, what matter, then, bath an end? 'We, at least, have no discontent therein; being, indeed, unable sufficiently to express our gratitude for eventually suspended in such a position that his head reposed on the breast of his Master. As soon as they were fastened, a regiment of soldiers ranged itself in three files, each of two hundred and fifty men, each of which was ordered to open fire in its turn until the whole detachment had discharged the volleys of its bulletsA The smoke of the firing of the seven hundred and fifty rifles was such as to turn the light of the noonday sun into darkness. About ten thousand peopie had crowded onto the roof of the barracks as well as on the top of the adjoining houses, all of whom were witnesses to that sad and moving scene. As soon as the cloud of smoke had cleared away, an astounded multitude were looking upon a scene which their eyes could scarcely believe. There, standing before them alive and unhurt, was the companion of the Bab, whilst He Himself had vanished uninjured from their sight. Though the cords with which they were suspended had been rent in pieces by the bullets, yet their bodies had miraculously escaped the volleys.4 Even the this blessing. At most we can but be slain for God's sake, and 0, what happiness were this! The Lord's will must be accomplished on His servants, neither can prudence avert predestined fate. What God wills comes to pass: there is no strength save in God. 0 my Qiblih! The end of the life of the world is death: %very soui shall taste of death." If the appointed destiny which the Lord (mghty and glorious is He) Lath decreed should overtake me, then God is the guardian of my family, and thou art my trustee; act in such wise as accords with God's good pleasure. Forgive any failure in the respect or duty owed to an elder brother of which I may have been guilty, seek pardon for me from all those of my household, and commend me to God. God is my portion, and how good is He as a guardian!'" ("The T~rikh-i-Jadid," pp. 301303.) ~ '~Lorsqu'on fusille, en Perse, les condamn~s sont attach6s ~ un poteau, Ic dos tourn6 aux spectateurs et de sorte qu'ils ne puissent voir les signes du corn-mandement." (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 377.) ~ "Une clameur intense s'6leva de la foule & cc moment. C'est que les spectateurs venajent d'aperce-voir B~IJ, d6livr6 de ses entraves, s avancer libre vers eux. Un hasard merveilleux avait fait qu'aucune balk n'avait attcint le condamn6; au contraire, ses liens avajent ~ rompus, ii 6tait delivr6. G'6tait un vrai miracle, et flieu sait cc qui serait arriv6 sans la fid6litd et le sangfroid dont le dgiment cbr&ien fit montrer en cette circonstance. Les soldats, pour calmer )'effervescence de la foule qui s'agitait, pr~te & croire & Ia v6rit6 d'une religion qui faisait ainsi ses preuves, lui montr~rent les cordes bris6es par les balks, demonstration visible de 1'inanit6 du miracle. En m&me temps on saisissait B~b et on le lhilt de nouveau au poteau fatal. Gate fois Ic [p31] The ~Bayt' (House) in Shir~z in which the Bib declared His mission, May 1844. [p32] 32 THE BAHA'I WORLD tunic which Mirza Muhammad~tA1i was wearing had, despite the thickness of the smoke, remained unsullied. "The Siyyid-i-BAb has gone front our sight!" rang out the voice of the bewildered multitude. They set out in a frenzied search for Him and found Him, eventually, seated in the same room which He had occupied the night before, engaged in completing His interrupted conversation with Siyyid Ijusayn. An expression of unruffled calm was upon His face. His body had emerged unscathed from the shower of bullets which the regiment had directed against Him. t~J have finished my conversation with Siyyid ~usayn," the 13Th told the farr~sh-bAshi "Now you may proceed to fulfill your intention." The man was too shaken to resume what he had already attempted. Refusing to accomplish his duty he, that same moment, left that scene and resigned his post. He related all that he had seen to his neighbour, Mirza Siyyid Mubsin, one of the notables of Tabriz, who, as soon as he heard the story, was converted to the Faith. I was privileged to meet, subsequently, this same Mirza Siyyid Mubsin who conducted me to the scene of the Mb's martyrdom and showed me the wall where He had been suspended. I was taken to the room in which He had been found conversing with Siyyid ~usayn, and was shown the very spot where He had been seated. I saw the very nail which His enemies had hammered into the wall and to which the rope which bad supported His body had been attached. S~m Khin was likewise stunned by the s~pplice fut bon; Ia justice musulmane et la loi canonique avajent repris lair droits. Mais Ia foule, vivement impression& par le spectacle qu'eIle avait eu sous les yeux, s'6coula lentement, mal convaincu que le Rib 6tait un criminel. Sa flute, apr&s tout, n'en 6tait une que pour les gens de Id, et le monde est indulgent aux crimes qu'il ne comprend point." (M. C. Huart's "La Religion de Mb," pp. 34.) "C'est alors que se passa un hit &range, unique dans les annales de 1'humanit~ Les balks 6taient venues couper Jes cordes qui retenajent le Mb, celul-ci etomba sur ses pieds sans une ~gratignure." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid ~A1i-Muhammad dit le p. 375.) "Par un hasard extraordinaire, les balles ne toucb&ent ques les cordes qui tenajent Mb attach6; cites se rompirent a ii se sentit libre. Du bruit, des 6clats de voix retentirent de tous les c6t& sans qu'on comprit d'abord de quoi ii s'agissait." (Ibid., p. 379.) force of this tremendous revelation. He ordered his men to leave the barracks immediately and refused to ever again associate himself and his regiment with any act that involved the least injury to the Mb. He swore as he left that courtyard never again to resume that task even though his refusal should entail the ioss of his own Life. No sooner had S~m Kh&n departed than Aq~ J6n KhAn-i-Khamsih colonel of the bodyguard, known also by the names of Kbamsih and N6siri, volunteered to carry out the order for execution. On the same wall and in the same manner the Mb and His companion were again suspended, while the regiment formed into line to open fire upon them. Contrariwise to the previous occasion, when oniy the cord with which they were suspended had been shot into pieces, this time their bodies were shattered and were blended into one mass of mingled flesh and bone.1 "Had you believed in me, 0 wayward generation," were the last words of the Bab to the gazing multitude as the regiment was preparing to fire the final volley, "everyone of you would have followed the example of this youth, who stood in rank above most of you, and willingly would have sacrificed yourselves in my path. The day will come when you will have recognized me; that day I shall have ceased to be with you." 2 ' According to "A Traveller's Narrative" (p. 45), ~the breasts (of the victims) were riddled, and their limbs were completely dissected, except their faces, which were but little marred." 2 ~'Tbe Mb, the Lord most high, may the life of all be a sacrifice to Him, hath specifically revealed an Epistle unto the ~u1am~s of every city, wherein He bath fully set forth the character of the denial and repudiation of each of them. Wherefore, take ye good heed, ye who are men of insight!" (Baha'u'llah: ~'The KitTh-i-iq~n," p 193.) "Pr be to God Who manifested the Point (the Rib) and caused to proceed therefrom the knowledge of all that was and shall be He is that Point which God hath made to be an Ocean of Light unto the faithful among His servants, and a Ball of Fire unto the deniers among His creatures and the impious among His people." (Baha'u'llah: "The Ishr&q4t," p. 3.) '¶In His interpretation of the letter 'Hi,' He craved martyrdom, saying: 'Methinks I beard a Voice calling in My inmost being: t~fl0 thou sacrifice the thing which thou loven most in the path of God, even as Ijusayn, peace be upon him, bath offered up his life for my sake." And were I not regardful of this inevitable mystery, by Him in Whose hand is My soul, even if all the kings of the earth were to [p33] Outskirts of Shir&z where the Bab often walked. Pulpit in the "Masjid-i-Vakil " Shir&z The Shih-Chir~gh, Shir~z, the burial-from m which the B&b addressed the con-place ce of the B6t's wife. gregation. [p34] THE BAHA WORLD The very moment the shots were fired a gale of exceptional severity arose and swept be leagued together, they would be powerless to take from Me a single letter, how much less can such servants as these who are worthy of no attention, and who verily 2re of the outcast? That all may know the degree of My patience, My resignation and self-sacrifice in die path of God.' (Baha'u'llah: "The Kit~b-i-1q~in," p. 195.) ~This illustrious Soul arose with such power that He shook the supports of the religion, of the morals, the conditions, the habits, and the customs of Persia, and instituted new rules, new laws, and a new religion. Though the great personages of the state, nearly all the clergy, and the public men, arose to destroy and annihilate Him, He alone withstood them, and moved the whole of Persia He imparted Divine education to an unenlightened multitude and produced marvellous results on the thoughts, morals, customs, and conditions of the Persians." (tAbdu'1-Bah~: "Some Answered Questions," pp. 30 Ñ 3 1.) ~'Les chr&iens sont en effet convaincus que si Jesus-Christ avait voulu descendre vivant de Ia croix, ii 1'efit fait sans difficultA: ii est inert volontairement, parcequ'iI devait mourir et pour accomplir les pro-ph&ies. Ii en est de m&me pour le Bib, disent les J3ibis, qui voulur donner aussi une sanction ~videnre & ses paroles. Lui aussi mourut volontairement, parce que sa mart devait sauver 1'humanit6. Qui dira jamais les paroics que le Bib put prononcer au milieu dii tumulte sans nom qui accucillir son d6part: qui saura quels souvenirs agitalent sa belle &me, qui nous dira jamais le secret de cette mon Le spectacle des turpitudes, des hontes, des vices, du mensonge de Ce clerg6 r6voltait son ~me pure et sinc&re: ii sentait le besoin d'une r6forme profonde ~ introduire dans les mo±urs publiqucs et dut, plus d'une fois, h~siter devant Ia perspective de Ia r~volution qu'il lui fal-lait d6chaincr pour d6livrer les corps a les intelligences du joug dabrutissement et de violence qui pesait sur toute la Perse pour le plus grand profit d'un ~1ite de jouisseurs et pour la plus grande honte tie Ia vraie religion du Proph&te. Sa perpIexit~ lut &tre grande, ses angoisses terribks, et ii Lui fallut le triple airain dont pane Horace pour se pr&ipiter tate baiss& dans l'oc6an des superstitions et des haines qui devait fatalement 1'engloutir. C'est un des plus magnifiques exemples de courage qu'il ait 6t~ donn6 & 1'humanit6 de contempler, et c'est aussi une admirable preuve de 1'amour pie notrc h6ros portait ses concitoyens. II s'est sacrifi6 pour 1'humanite: pour elle ii a donn6 son corps et son ftme, pour elk ii a subi les privations, Ics affronts, les injures, Ia torture, et le marryre. II a scelk de son sang I.e pacte tie 12 fratcrnit6 universelle, a comme J&us ii a pays de sa vie I'annonce du r~gne dc Ia concorde, de a de 1'amour du prochain. Plus que tout autre ii savait quels dangers formidables ii accuniulait sur sa tate, ii avait Pu juger par 1ui-rn~me de l'ex Ñ asp6ration & laquelle le fanatisme savamment excit6 petit atteindre: mais toutes les r6flexions qu'il put faire ?i ce sujet ne furent point assez puissantes pour Ic d&ourner de la voie dans laquelle ii avait d6sor Ñ mais r6solu d'entrer: La peur n'eut aucune prise sur son &me a tranquille, sans daigner jeter un regard en arri~re, calme, en pleine possession de Iui-meme, ii entra clans la fournaise." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid A11 Ñ Muhammad dit le 13Th," pp. 203204 and 376.) over the whole city. A whirlwind of dust of incredible density obscured the light of ~Le chef de la religions nouvelle 6tait mort, et suivant 'es calculs de Mirza Taq'i Kh~n, premier ministre, La paix La plus profonde allait se r&ablir dans les esprits et ne plus &tre troubl6e au moms de ce cOt61&. Mais Ia sagesse politique se trouva cette Lois en d~faut, et au lieu d'6teindre 1'incendie on en avait au contraire attis~ la violence." "On le 'terra tout ~ 1'heure, quand j'exarninerai leg dogmes re-ligieux prkh6s par le Bib: la perp6tuit~ de Ia secte ne tenait nullement ~ sa pr&ence; tout pouvait marcher et se d6velopper sans lui. Si le premier mm-istre avait eu connaissance de ce point fondamental de Ia religion ennemie, ii est probable qn'il n'efit pas etc aussi empress6 & faire disparaitre un homme dont 1'existence, en d6finitive, ne lui efir pas d&s lors im-porrn5 plus quc Ia mon." (Cornte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans 1'Ask Centrale," pp. 224 and 225.) "Such a prophet," writes the Rev. Dr. T. K. Cheyne, "was the Bib; we call him ~prophet' for want of a better name; ~yea, I say unto you, a prophet and more than a prophet.' His combination of mildness and power is so rare that we have to place him in a line wIth supernormal men. We learn that, at great points in his career, after he had been in an ecstasy, such radiance of might and majesty streamed from his countenance that none could bear to look upon the effulgence of his glory and beauty. Nor was it an uncommon occurrence for unhelievers involuntarily to bow down in lowly obeisance on beholding His Holiness; while the inmates of the castle, though for the most part Christians and Sunnis, reverently prostrated themselves whenever they saw the visage of His Holiness. Such transfiguration is well known to the saints. It was regarded as the affixing of the heavenly seal to the reality and completeness of [the] Bab's detachment." ("The Reconciliation of Races and Religions," pp. 89.) 'Eew believe that by these sanguinary measures the doctrines of [the] Bab's will cease from propagation. There is a spirit of change abroad among the Persians, which willi preserve his system from extinction; besides which, his doctrines are of an attractive nature to Persians. Though now subdued, and obliged to lurk concealed in towns, it is conjectured that the creed of [the] Bib, far from diminishing, is daily spreading." (Lady Sheil's "Glimpses of Life and Manners in Persia," p. 181.) can fail to be attracted by the gentle spirit of Mirza ~A1i-Muhamrnad? His sorrowful and persecuted life; his purity of conduct, and youth; his courage and uncomplaining patience under misfor Ñ tune; his complete self-negation; the dim ideal of a better state of things which can be discerned through the obscure and mystic utterances of the Bay~n; but most of all his tragic death, all serve to enlist our sympathies on behalf of the young Prophet of $hir&z. The irresistible charm which won him such devotion during his life still lives on, and still continues to influence the minds of the Persian people." (Ii. G. Browne's "The B~bis of Persia," Journal of the R. A. S., 1889, p. 933.) "The story of the Bab, as Mirza 'Ali-Muham-mad called himself, was the story of spiritual heroism unsurpassed in Svabhava's experience; and his own adventurous soul was fired by it. That a youth of [p35] Tabriz, Persia. The tArk' (Citadel) The courtyard of the of Tabriz, where the house of the Shay-kbu'1-Isl.&m B~b was confined. in Tabriz where the Bib was bastinadoed. 35 [p36] 36 THE BAHA'I WORLD the sun and blinded the eyes of the people. The entire city remained enveloped in that darkness from noon till night. Even so strange a phenomenon, following immediately in the wake of that still more astounding failure of Sim Khin's regiment to injure the BTh, was unable to move the hearts of the people of Tabriz, and to induce them to pause and reflect upon the significance of such momentous events. They witnessed the effect which so marvellous an occurrence had produced upon S4m KMn; they beheld the consternation of the fardsh-bishi and saw him take his irrevocable decision; they could even examine that tunic which, despite the discharge of so many bullets, had remained whole and stainless; they could no social influence and no education should, by the simple power of insight, be able to pierce into the heart of things and see the real truth, and then hold on to it with such firmness of conviction and present it with such suasion that he was able to convince men that he was the Messiah and get them to follow him to death itself, was one of those splendid facts in human history that Svabhava loved to meditate on. The Bib's passionate sincerity could not be doubted, for he had given his life for his faith. And that there must be something in his message that appealed to men and satisfied their souls was witnessed to by the fact that thousands gave their lives in his cause and millions now follow him. If a young man could, in only six years of ministry, by the sincerity of his purpose and the attraction of his personality, so inspire rich and poor, cultured and illiterate, alike, with belief in himself and his doctrines that they would remain staunch though hunted down and without trial sentenced to death, sawn asunder, strangled, shot, blown from guns; and if men of high position and culture in Persia, Turkey and Egypt in numbers to this day adhere to his doctrines; his life must be one of those events in the last hundred years which is really worth study." (Sir Francis Younghusband's ~The Gleam," pp. 18 3 Ñ 84.) "Thus, in only his thirtieth year, in the year 1850, ended the heroic career of a true God-man. Of the sincerity of his conviction that he was God-appointed, the manner of his death is the amplest possible proof. In the belief that he would thereby save others from the error of their present beliefs he willingly sacrificed his life. And of his power of attaching men to him the passionate devotion of hundreds and even thousands of men who gave their lives in his cause is convincing testimony." (Sir Francis Younghusband's "The Gleam," p. 210.) "The B~b was dead, but not B~b'ism. He was not the first, and still less the last, of a long line of martyrs who have testified that, even in a country gangrened with corruption and atrophied with indifferentism like Persia, the soui of a nation survives, inarticulate, perhaps, and in a way helpless, but still capable of sudden spasms of vitality." (Valentine Chirol's "The Middle Eastern Question," p. 120.) read in the face of the BTh, who had emerged unhurt from that storm, the expression of undisturbed serenity as He resumed His conversation with Siyyid klu-sayn; and yet none of them troubled himself to enquire as to the significance of these unwonted signs and wonders. The martyrdom of the Bab took place at noon on Sunday, the twenty eighth of Sha~b4n of the year 1266 NH.,1 thirty one lunar years, seven months and twenty seven days from the day of His birth in Shir6z. On the evening of that same day the mangled bodies of the BAt and His companion were removed from the courtyard of the barracks to the edge of the moat outside the gate of the city. Four companies, each consisting of ten sentinels, were ordered to keep watch in turn over them. On the morning following the day of martyrdom, the Russian Consul in Tabriz, accompanied by an artist, went to that spot and ordered that a sketch be made of the remains as they lay beside the moat.2 I have heard H~ji tA1i-~Askar relate the following: "An official of the Russian Consulate, to whom I was related, showed me that same sketch on the very day it was drawn. It was such a faithful portrait of the Mb that I looked upon! No bullet had struck His forehead, His cheeks, or His lips. I gazed upon a smile which seemed to be still lingering upon His countenance. His body, however, had been severely mutilated. 1July 9, 1850 A. D. 2 The Emperor of Russia,' he (IjAji Mirza JAni) says, tsent to the Russian Consul at Tabriz, bidding him fully investigate and report the circumstances of His Holiness the Mb. As soon as this news arrived, they, i.e., the Persian authorities put the Mb to death. The Russian Consul summoned Xq~ Siyyid Muhammad-Husayn, the BTh's amanuensis, who was imprisoned at Tabriz, into his presence, and enquired concerning the signs and circumstances of His holiness. Aq& Siyyid flusayn, because there were Musulm4ns present, dared not speak plainly about his Master, but managed by means of hints to communicate sundry matters, and also gave him (the Russian Consul) certain of the Bib's writings. That this statement is, in part at least, true is proved by the testimony of Dorn, who, in describing a MS. of one of the Mb's Commentaries on the Names of God' (which he calls tQur'~n tier B~bi') says, at p. 248 of vol. 8 of the ¶Bulletin de 1'Acad6mie Imp6riale des Sciences de St. P&ersbourg,' that it was received directly from the Bib's own secretary, who, during his imprisonment at Tabriz, placed it in European hands.'" ("The T&rikh-i-Jadid," pp. 39596.) [p37] MARTYRDOM OF THE Bab 37 I could recognize the arms and head of His companion who seemed to be holding Him in his embrace. As I gazed horror-struck upon that haunting picture, and saw how those noble traits had been disfigured, my heart sank within me. I turned away my face in anguish and, regaining my house, locked myself within my room. For three days and three nights I could neither sleep nor eat, so overwhelmed was I with emotion. That short and tumultuous life, with all its sorrows, its turmoils, its banishments and eventually the awe-inspiring martyrdom with which it had been crowned, seemed again to be reenacted before my eyes. I tossed upon my bed writhing with agony and pain. On the afternoon of the second day after the BTh's martyrdom, Hiji Sulaymin KMn, son of YahyA KhSn, arrived at B~gh-Mishih, a suburb of Tabriz, and was received at the house of the Kalantar,1 one of his friends and confidants, who was a dervish and belonged to the ~iafi community. As soon as he had been informed of the imminent danger that threatened the life of the Bib, Tjiji Su1aym~n Kh4n left TihrTh with the object of achieving His deliverance. To his dismay he arrived too Late to carry out his intention. No sooner had his host informed him of the circumstances that had led to the arrest and condemnation of the Bib, and related to him the events of His martyrdom, than be instantly resolved to carry away the bodies of the victims, even at the risk of endangering his own life. The Kalan-tar advised him to wait and follow his suggestion rather than expose himself to what seemed to him would be inevitable death. He urged him to transfer his residence to another house and to wait for the arrival, that evening, of a certain HAji Allih-Y4r, whom, he said, would be willing to carry out whatever he might wish him to do. At the appointed hour {JAji Sulaym&n Kh~n met UAjI A11Ah-Y&r, who succeeded, in the middle of that same night, in bearing the bodies from the edge of the moat to the silk factory owned by one of the believers of MilAn; laid them, the next day, in a specially constructed wooden case, and 1 See Glossary. transferred them according to Ijiij i Sulay-m~in KhAn's directions, to a place of safety. Meanwhile the sentinels sought to justify themselves by pretending that, while they slept, the wild beasts had carried away the bodies.2 Their superiors, on their part, unwilling to compromise their own honour, concealed the truth and did not divulge it to the authorities.3 H~ji Sulaymin Khin immediately reported the matter to Baha'u'llah, Who was then in Tihr4n and Who instructed Aqiy-i-Kalim to despatch a special messenger to Tabriz for the purpose of transferring the bodies to the capital. This decision was prompted by the wish the Bib Himself had expressed in the Ziy~rat-.i-Shih-~Abdu'1-tAzim, a Tablet He had revealed while in the neighbourhood of that shrine and which Lie delivered to a certain Mirza. Sulaymin-i-Khatib, who was instructed by Him to proceed together with a number of believers to that spot and to chant it within its precincts.4 "'Well is it with you," the B&b ad2 2 "Suivant un usage imm6morial en Orient, usage en vigucur au si~ge de B&hulie comme aucour du tombeau de Notre-Seigneur, une sentinelle est un guerrier qui dort de son micux aupr~s du poste qu'il en charg6 de garder." (Comte de Gobineau's '~Re1igions et Philosophies dans 1'Ask Centrale," p. 166.) "On a pu voir au cours de cette histoire ce que sont les sentinelles persanes: leurs fonctions consistent essentiellement ~ dormir aupr& du d626t qu'ils sont sens6s garder." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid ~Ali-Muhanimad tilt le B6k," p. 378.) 8 "M. de Gobineau, d'accord en cela avec 'Cs au-teurs du N~sikhu't-Tav~rikh, du Rawdatu's-Saf A, du Mir'~itu'1-Bu1d~in, en un mot avec tous les historiens officiels, rapporte qtr'apr~s 1'~xecucion, le cadavre du BTh fut jet6 dans les foss& de la yule et devor6 par les chiens. En reaIit~ ii n'en a pas ~t6 ainsi, et nous allons voir pourquoi ce bruit a 6t~ r~pandu tant par les autorit~s de Taliris peu soucieuses de s'attirer les r6primandes du gouvernement pour une complaisance ch~rement vcndue, que par les B~bis d6sireux de pr&-venir ainsi les recherches de Ia police. Les t~moig Ñ nages les plus stirs des spectateurs m~me du drame ou de ses acteurs ne me laissent aucun doute que le corps de Siyyid ~A1i-Muhammad n'ait &6 recuejili par des mains picuses et n'ait enfin, aprs les p6rip&ies que je vais raconter, re~u une s~pulture digne de (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid All-Muhammad dit le B~b," p. 377.) ~ "Tihr~n is thus endowed in respect of the mausoleum and sanctuary of SMh Abdu'I-'A4m. Reposing beneath a golden-plated dome, whose scintillations I had seen from afar while riding towards the city, the remains of this holy individual are said to attract an annual visitation of 300 thousand persons. I find [p38] 9~ 2~. The Baha'is of Mandalay, Burma, with the marble casket offered by them for the remains of the Bib. [p39] MARTYRDOM OF THE Bab 39 dressed the buried saint, in words such as these, in the concluding passages of that Tablet, "to have found your resting-place in Rayy, under the shadow of my Beloved. Would that I might be entombed within the precincts of that holy ground!" I was myself in TibrAn, in the company of Mirza Ahmad, when the bodies of the B~b and His companion arrived. Baha'u'llah had in the meantime departed for Karbili in persuance of the instructions of the Amir-Ni;~im. Aq~y-i-Ka1im, together with Mirza Alxmad, transferred those remains from the Imim-ZAdih-lasan,' where they were first taken, to a place the site of which remained unknown to anyone excepting themselves. That place remained secret until the departure of Baha'u'llah for Adrianople, at which time Aq~y-i-Ka1im was charged to inform Mirza, one of his fellow-disciples, of the actual site where the bodies had been laid. In spite of his search he was unable to find it. It was subsequently discovered by Jamil, an old adherent of the Faith, to whom that secret was confided while Baha'u'llah was still in Adrianople. That spot is, until now, unknown to the believers, nor can anyone conjecture as to where the remains will be eventually transferred. The first to hear in Tihrin of the circumstances attending that cruel martyrdom, that most writers discreetly veil their ignorance of the identity of the saint by describing him as % holy Mussulman, whose shrine is much frequented by the pious Tihixinis.' It appears, however, that long before the advent of IslAm this had been a sacred spot, as the sepulchre of a lady of great sanctity, in which connection it may be noted that the shrine is still largely patronised by women. Here, after the Mussulman conquest, was interred Im4ni-Z4dih Uamzih, the son of the seventh Im~ni, Mus4-K~zim; and here, flying from the Khalif Mutavakkil, came a hoiy personage named Abu'1-Qisim ~Abdu'1-~Azim, who lived in concealment at IRayy till his death in about 861 AD. (This is the account given by the Persian KitThi-MajIisi, quoting Shaykh Naj~shi, quoting Barki). Subsequently his fame obscured that of his more illustrious predecessor. Successive sovereigns, particularly those of the reigning dynasty, have extended and beautified the cluster of buildings raised above his grave, the ever-swelling popularity of which has caused a considerable village to spring up around the hallowed site. The mosque is situated in the plain, about six miles to the south-south Ñ east of the capital, just beyond the ruins of Rayy, and at the extremity of the mountain Ñ spur that encloses the Tihrin plain on the southeast." (Lord Curzon's "Persia and the Persian Question," pp. 34547.) 'A local shrine in Tihrk. after the Grand Vazir, was Mirza Aq~ KMn-i-N6ri, who had been banished to KAshin by Mubammad ShAh when the B&b was passing through that city. He had assured Ijiji Mirza J6.ni, who had acquainted him with the precepts of the Faith, that if the love he bore for the new Revelation would cause him to regain his lost position, he would exert his utmost endeavour to secure the wellbeing and safety of the persecuted community. HAji Mirza J6ni reported the matter to his Master, Who charged him to assure the disgraced minister that ere long he would be summoned to Tihr6n and would be invested, by his sovereign, with a position that would be second to none except that of the Shili himself. He was warned not to forget his promise and strive to carry out his intention. He was delighted with that message and renewed the assurance he had given. When the news of the Bib's martyrdom reached him he had already been promoted, had received the title of Vtimidu'd-Dawlih, and was hoping to be raised to the position of a Grand Vazir. He hastened to inform Baha'u'llah, with Whom he was intimately acquainted, of the news he had received, expressing the hope that the fire he feared would one day bring untold calamity upon Him, was at last extinguished. ttNot so," Baha'u'llah replied, "If this be true, you can be certain that the flame that has been kindled will, by this very act, blaze forth fiercer than ever, and will set up a conflagration such as the combined forces of the statesmen of this realm will be powerless to quench." The significance of these words Mirza Aq4 Kh6n was destined to appreciate at a later time. Scarcely did he imagine when that prediction was uttered that the Faith which had received so staggering a blow could survive its Author. He himself had, on one occasion, been cured by Baha'u'llah of an illness from which he had given up all hope of recovery. His son, the Ni~mu'1-Mu1k, one day asked him whether he did not think that Baha'u'llah, Who, among all the sons of the late Vazir, had shown Himself the most capable, had failed to live up to the tradition of His father and had disappointed the hopes that had been reposed in Him. [p40] 40 THE BAHA'I WORLD "My son," he replied, ctdo you really believe him to be an unworthy son of his father? All that either of us can hope to achieve is but a fleeting and precarious allegiance which will vanish as soon as our days are ended. Our mortal life can never be free from the vicissitudes that beset the path of earthly ambition. Should we even succeed in ensuring, in our life time, the honour of our name, who can tell whether, after our death, calumny may not stain our memory and undo the work we have achieved? Even those who, while we still live, honour us with their lips would, in their hearts, condemn and vilify us were we, for but one moment, to fail to promote their interests. Not so, however, with Baha'u'llah. Unlike the great ones of the earth, whatever be their race or rank, he is the object of a love and devotion such as time cannot dim nor enemy destroy. His sovereignty the shadows of death can never obscure nor the tongues of the slanderer undermine. Such is the sway of his influence that no one among his lovers dare, in the stillness of night, evoke the memory of the faintest desire that could, even remotely, be constructed as contrary to his wish. Such lovers will greatly increase in number. The love they bear him will never grow less, and will be transmitted from generation to generation until the world will have been suffused with its glory." The malicious persistence with which a savage enemy sought to ill treat and eventually to destroy the life of the Bib brought in its wake untold calamities upon Persia and its inhabitants. The men who perpetrated these atrocities fell victim to gnawing remorse, and in an incredibly short period were made to suffer ignominious deaths. As to the great mass of its people, who watched with sullen indifference the tragedy that was being enacted before their eyes, and who failed to raise a finger in protest against the hideousness of those cruelties, (they) fell in their turn victims to a misery which all the resources of the land and the energy of its statesmen were powerless to alleviate. The wind of adversity blew fiercely upon them, and shook to its foundations their material prosperity. From the very day the hand of the assailant was stretched forth against the Bib, and sought to deal its fatal blow to His Faith, visitation upon visitation crushed the spirit out of that ungrateful people, and brought them to the very brink of national bankruptcy. Plagues, the very names of which were almost unknown to them, except for a cursory reference in the dust-covered books which few cared to read, fell upon them with a fury that none could escape. That scourge scattered devastation wherever it spread. Prince and peasant alike felt its sting and bowed to its yoke. It held the populace in its grip, and refused to relax its hold upon them. As malignant as the fever which decimated the province of Gikn, these sudden afflictions continued to lay waste the land. Grievous as were these calamities, the avenging wrath of God did not stop at the misfortunes that befell a perverse and faithless people. It made itself felt in every living being that breathed on the surface of that stricken land. It affected the life of plants and animals alike, and made the people feel the magnitude of their distress. Famine added its horrors to the stupendous weight of afflictions under which the people were groaning. The gaunt spectre of starvation stalked abroad amidst them, and the prospect of a siow and painful death haunted their vision. People and government alike sighed for the relief which they could nowhere obtain. They drank the cup of woe to its dregs, utterly unregardful of the Hand which bad brought it to their lips, and of the Person for Whose sake they were made to suffer. The first who arose to ill-treat the Mb was none other than ~usayn KhAn the governor of ShirAz. His disgraceful treatment of his Captive cost him the lives of thousands who connived at his acts and to whose protection they had been committed. His province was ravaged by a plague which brought it to the verge of destruction. Impoverished and exhausted, Hrs languished helpless beneath its weight, calling for the charity of its neighbours and the assistance of its friends. ~{usayn Khin himself witnessed with bitterness the undoing of all his labours, was condemned to lead in obscurity the remaining days of his life, and tottered to his grave, abandoned and f or [p41] The Tomb of the Bib on Mount Carmel floodlighted. A view of Baha'i from the Fortress of tAkk~, Palestine. [p42] 42 THE BAHA'I WORLD gotten alike by his friends and his enemies. The next who sought to challenge the Faith of the Bib and to stem its progress was IjAji Mirza Aq4si. It was he who, for selfish purposes and in order to court the favour of the abject Culamis of his time, interposed between the B&b and Muhammad ShAh and endeavoured to prevent their meeting. It was he who pronounced the banishment of his dreaded Captive to a sequestered corner of Adhirb~yj~n and, with dogged vigilance, kept watch over His isolation. It was he who was made the recipient of that denunciatory Tablet in which his Prisoner foreshadowed his doom and exposed his infamy. Barely a year and six months had passed after the Bab had reached the neighbourhood of TihrSn, than Divine vengeance hurled him from power and drove him to seek shelter within the inglorious precincts of the shrine of Sh~h-tAbdu'1-cAzim a refugee from the wrath of his own people. From thence the hand of the Avenger drove him into exile beyond the confines of his native land, and plunged him into an ocean of afflictions until he met his death in circumstances of abject poverty and unspeakable distress. As to the regiment which, despite the unaccountable failure of SAm KMn and his men to destroy the life of the Mb, had volunteered to renew that attempt, and who eventually riddled His body with their bullets, two hundred and fifty of them met their death, in that same year, together with their officers, in a terrible earthquake. Whilst resting on a hot summer day under the shadow of a wall on their way between Ardibil and Tabriz, absorbed in their games and pleasures, the whok structure suddenly collapsed and fell upon them leaving not one survivor. The remaining five hundred suffered the same fate as that which their own hands had inflicted upon the Bab. Three years after His martyrdom that regiment mutinied and was thereupon mercilessly shot by command of Mirza Sadiq Kh4n-i-Nuri. Not content with a first volley he ordered that a second one be fired in order to insure that none of the mutineers had survived. Their bodies were afterwards pierced with spears and lances and were left exposed to the gaze of the people of Tabriz. That day many of the inhabitants of the city, recalling the circumstances of the Bib's martyrdom, wondered at that same fate which had overtaken those who had slain Him. C~Cou1d it ever be the vengeance of God," a few were heard to whisper to one another, "that has brought the whole regiment to so dis Ñ honourabie and tragic an end? If that youth had been a lying impostor, why should his persecutors have been so severely punished?" These expressed misgivings reached the ears of the leading multahids of the city, who were seized with great fear and ordered that all those who entertained such dcrubts should be severely punished. Some were beaten, others were fined, all were warned to cease such whisperings that could oniy revive the memory of a terrible adversary and rekindle enthusiasm in His Cause. The prime mover of the forces that precipitated the BTh's martyrdom, the Amir-Niz~im, as well as his brother the Vazir-Niziim, his chief accomplice, were within two years of that savage act, subjected to a dreadful punishment, which ended miserably in their death. The blood of the Amir-Nizim stains to this very day the wall of the bath of Fin,' a witness to the atrocities his own hand bad wrought.2 1 "It is true," writes Lord Curzon, ~that his (Nisiri'd Ñ Din Skiih's) reign has been disfigured by one or two acts of regrettable violence; worst among which was the murder of his first Prime Minister, Mirza Taqi Kiln, the Amir-Niz~im The brother-in-law of the ShTh, and the first subject in the kingdom, he owed to the vindictiveness of court intrigue and to the maliciously excited jealousy of his youthful sovereign, a disgrace which his enemies were not satisfied until they had fulfilled by the death of their fallen, but still formidable victim. (Persia and the Persian Question, vol. 1, p. 402.) 2 ~Tout Ic monde savait que les B~bis avajent pr6 Ñ dit Ia fin prochaine du premier ministre et annond son genre de mort. Cela eat lieu exactement, dit-ori, comme 1'avaienv annonc~ les martyrs de Zanj~n, Mirza Rid&, H~i~ Muhammad-~AIi, et ltji Muhsin. Le ministre, tomb6 en disgrace et poursuivi par Ia haine royale, cut les veines ouvertes au village de Fin, pr&s de K~sMn, comme les avajent eu ses sup-plici&. Son successeur fut Mirza .A4& Kb~n-i-N&i, d'une tribu noble du M~zindar~n, et ~usqu-aLors ministre de la guerre. Ce nouveau d6positaire du pouvoir prit Ic titre de Sadr-i-A%am, que portent les grands vizirs de 1'empire ottoman. On ~tait alors en 1852/' (Comte de Gobincau's '~Les Religions a les Phi. losophies clans 1'Asie Centrale," p. 230.) [p43] SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES IN TIlE EAST AND WEST B~ HORACE HOLLEY ON a Tablet written by cAbdu~1Bah4 many years ago, He made the significant statement that the nations of the world consider themselves safe and secure upon the heavenly path, heedless of their mortal danger, even as those communities in ancient times of which no trace nor record now remains. The present generation has been given two manifest warnings that our social structure has no true foundation Ñ the war in Europe mistermed the "World War," and the economic collapse which entered so crucial a phase in 1929. Since the present survey of Ba1i~'i activities is written in the light of the latter condition, it may well be introduced by a brief comment emphasizing how vitally the status of the Faith of Baha'u'llah has been thtnsformed, in its relations to the whole progress of world events, since the previous survey was undertaken for The Baha'i World during the summer of 1930. To describe this transformation in the briefest possible way, it is oniy necessary to remark that the course of human history during the past two years has vindicated, or rather, exemplified, beyond denial by any informed student, the force as well as the truth of the Baha'i teachings. The major events not only correspond to the content of these teachings with respect to their statements of spiritual truth Ñ the events actually follow the definite predictions broadcast throughout Europe and America by cAbdu2l Baha before the outbreak of war in 1914. Whereas, therefore, an intelligent non-BaM'i observer of affairs might have felt himself justified even recently in regarding the Faith of Baha'u'llah as nothing more than an expression of a remote idealism, or as a somewhat new and fresh emphasis laid upon general principles already made familiar by older religious and ethical systems and hence committed more or less exclusively to their care, the swift descent of the modern world from power and progress to insecurity and chaotic confusion now makes this attitude of negative tolerance untenable. It is not the Faith of Baha'u'llah which has changed, but the condition of the entire world and the outlook of its races and peoples. The impenetrable veil of self-confidence, of materialistic desire, of superficially rationalistic aim, thrown by man himself between daily life and divine 'Will Ñ the veil represented by an intricate, everchanging and wholly illusory and irre Ñ ligious civilization Ñ has been cast down by a Providential hand. Looking backward with the greater insight supplied by our collective experience of war and depression, it now appears evident that from the very dawn of this new age in the person of the BTh, civilization has not progressed along the true path of human evolution, but on the contrary has plunged with inconceivable rapidity toward an inevitable climax of frustration and ruin. The path of human evolution, revealed in the teachings of the Baha'i Faith, was diverted from the processes of civilization, and prevented from contributing aim and purpose to the direction of human affairs, by the deliberate oppression exercised by two governments and the priesthood of IsUm. In bitter degradation and loss, mankind once more learns the vital truth that faith in God is no mere belief in a formula but participation in the outpouring grace of the divine power which controls the universe and man. Many, indeed, outside the Cause of Baha'u'llah and unaware that its teachings are the conscious expression of the power be43 43 [p44] 44 THE BAHA'I WORLD bind this modern world movement, begin now to admit that society possesses '~Qitbin itself no sources of recovery. The arrogance of arbitrary authority and materialistic influence wanes with the passing of every anxious month. Behind this entirely new outlook stands the unquestionable fact that as the European 'War shattered the pillars of civilization by rendering governments well-nigh impotent, so the subsequent economic collapse has broken its foundations by disclosing the hollowness of the doctrines long substituted for revealed religion. Of the two manifest warnings, we may say that the first was directed to the nature of the social structure, while the second has uncovered the lack of spiritual life in man himself. Even the dire consequences of the war did not bring humanity farther than effort to establish peace by organizations which would leave human character unchanged. Had this effort succeeded, faith in God could pragmatically be denied, but the more intimate, perplexing and overwhelming catastrophe of general depression compels even the rationalist eventually to heed the element of spiritual truth. The unbiassed student may consequently approach the activities of the followers of Baha'u'llah with far greater sympathy and understanding at this time than even so late as the first months of 1929. The true nature of the Faith has been obscured by the fact that response to the "spirit of the new age has by no means been confined to those claiming to be Baha'is. On the contrary, many of the principles declared by Bah&'u' -I14h have found more vigorous and effective champions among developed non-Balti'i personalities than among the believers themselves. No believer would assert that the human body of Baha'is has been responsible for the international peace movement or any other organized modern social ideal. There is perhaps no single Baha'i teaching, even the most mystical Ñ with the sole exception of the significance of Baha'u'llah Himself Ñ which has not been projected into the stream of modern consciousness and been made to evoke widespread visible response. On the other hand, not one of these uni-versa1 humanitarian movements possesses a sufficiently firni basis to maintain itself and obtain its ultimate goal through its existing connections with a dissolving society. They are as branches cut from the tree; after a time their leaves fall, never to return. In the failure of the League of Nations, the separate nations come to failure; in the failure of the nations, what movement organized out of national substance can endure? Sooner or later, every ideal born from the spirit of the age centered in Baha'u'llah will return to its source of life. Human unity, not personality or separately organized group influence, is the condition which destiny has fixed for the realization of every legitimate hope in this cycle. There is, accordingly, a profound connection between the Baha'i Faith as a body of believers and the future sequence of world events. While its teachings and principles have been promoted everywhere by ardent and capable souls ignorant of their origin, its way of unity Ñ its method of solving the basic problem of human relationships Ñ has been developed among the believers alone. In living out the pattern of spiritual unity created by Baha'u'llah Ñ that unity which must reconcile, harmonize and eventually blend organically the races, nations, religions and classes of East and West Ñ the Baha have contributed the enduring foundation on which the new civilization must rest. Lacking as it yet does the distinctive values of culture, deprived of the necessary resources of intelligence and other highly developed social qualities still given to the civilization rooted in the past, this contribution nevertheless is unique and its importance will be revealed more and more during the coming years. In part four of this volume the definite prediction is made that the final outbreak, the 'World 'War, still lies ahead lind that universal peace Ñ the Most Great Peace of Baha'u'llah Ñ will be established by 1963. How much more, then, will the immediate future serve to repudiate that which now still seems powerful and impressive, and enhance that which still seems iowiy and weak. It is because Baha'i activities reveal the working of the true principle of unity that * "The Goal of a New World Order," by Shoghi Effendi. [p45] The room in the mansion at Baha in which Baha'u'llah passed away, showing the corner he occupied on the occasion of the visit of Prof. E. Granville Browne of Cambridge University. [p46] 46 THE BAHA'I WORLD they are significant far beyond their present influence in comparison to the activities of other movements. This unity will eventually gather to itself the genius and higher faculties of the race, the dynamic power of immense numbers, for it is the gate through which humanity must pass before it can become established on the higher plane of reality disclosed by the Revelation of God. NORTH AMERICA Further development in this world Faith will enable the editorial staff to overcome the difficulties of language and distance which still serve to prevent the preparation of a summary of activities fully expressive of each constituent national and regional Baha'i community. At present, the only detailed article available is one on the United States and Canada, prepared by Mr. Allen B. McDaniel, Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly. It is hoped that for the next volume, similar statements can be prepared by representatives of the other National Assemblies forming the Baha'i world. Since Mr. McDaniel's statement was written, the editors have come into possession of some additional data, and after this is briefly summarized, his article is presented in its entirety. Completion of the Temple Superstructure In addition to Mr. McDaniel's references to this important topic, and the series of descriptive and analytical articles published in another section of the present volume, the significance of the completion of the superstructure of the Baha'i House of Worship may again be stressed. That a Faith which originated in Persia has been able to achieve such substantial expression in the continent of the NVest; that amid the restless fears and retrenchments of the present period a small, materially poor community of believers have succeeded in creating so impressive an embodiment of an ideal; that, in opposition to every powerful influence making for sectional and parochial loyalty, a new Cause has been privileged to establish a mighty bulwark for the aspiration of human brotherhood and peace Ñ this event, not sufficiently understood by the general public, stands as a tremendous fact the importance and far-reaching consequences of which will become manifest at no distant date. Suffice it to remark that this accomplishment has released a greater degree of spiritual power among the adherents of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, has deepened their sense of responsibility and trusteeship for the precious Teachings they are endeavoring to live by and promote, and has given to the world a rallying-point, a collective center, around which can and will gather continuous reinforcement from a public rapidly discovering the vital weaknesses of its traditional social leadership and institutions. Baha'u'llah, it should be recalled, directed His message first to the kings and rulers of earth; and in His travel throughout Europe and America, CAbd 'lBh' expounded the Teachings to audiences possessing coi-lectively the preponderant intellectual and moral influence of the prewar generation. Those who accepted the call, those who acted upon the message, were for the most part without influence or power; but it has been their devotion and unity which, under inspiration from a higher spiritual realm, has transmuted their weakness into strength and made of their humility a Temple reflecting the dawning light of the Glory of God. Growth and Consolidation of Baha'i Administration That which is universal, cAbdu~1~Bahi de-dared, is from God, and that which is from men is not universal. Just as a divine Teaching brings to a soul a ray of the universal Light, and faithfulness to any one universal truth causes evolution from lower to higher worlds, so a divinely ordained institution brings to a community a leaven which eventually purifies the collective relationships of the individual members and gives them entrance into a society aimed to be an environment for spiritual consciousness and not merely a jungle for the fulfilment of the tiger and the ape in every unregenerate man. The period of two years since 1930 has [p47] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 47 greatly increased the knowledge of the Baha'is with respect to the significance of their administrative institutions as an organic element in a world Faith. The inevitable tendency of westerners to emphasize the factor of individualism, and unconsciously subdue to the needs of the traditional ideal of freedom their capacity to unite for the sake of truly mutual ends, has steadily been overcome. This growth cannot be expressed in words, even though it is a fact of the greatest importance in the development of the Cause. The effect, upon the one hand, of the general confusion prevalent since 1929, and upon the other hand of the four communications issued by Shoghi Effendi under the respective titles of ~'The World Order of Baha'u'llah," CCThe World Order of Baha'u'llah: Further Considerations," ~'The Goal of a New World Order," and "The Golden Age of the Cause of Baha'u'llah" Ñ the scope of which transcends the Guardian's previous communications concerned necessarily with the explanation of details of local and national Baha'i administration Ñ has been to enhance every believer's appreciation of the spiritual power latent in Baha'i institutions, and to direct personal loyalties into a common channel of conscious faith. Increasingly have believers become aware of the fact that religious love Ñ the ultimate aim and highest ideal of every Faith in the past Ñ is no mere static longing more or less suppressed in the secret heart, or mere public ideal to be occasionally respected, but a dynamic social principle possessing an actual body visible and pulsating upon earth here and now. For Baha'is, the response to the inspiration of love freely offered in the Word of Baha'u'llah is saved from subjective sterility and clashing personal disagreement by recognition of the Teaching that conscience, in this age, has become vested in a spiritually united community and is no longer vested in the evolving personality of individuals. Having a community made organic by the institution of the Spiritual Assembly, the individual believer enters into a collective mind and heart which does not divert or suppress but fulfils his own being. He knows himself as a part of the whole Baha'i society, responsible for contributing to its decisions and thereby legitimately controlled by them. The breaking down of the artificial distinction between layman and cleric; the aim of his institutions to serve the Cause as a whole; the reinforcement of the impetus of love by the principle of justice; the rebirth of a larger being as the individual becomes imbued with the spirit of his whole community; the feeling of a common devotion for the preservation of institutions he has helped evolve Ñ these characteristics of the Baha'i commonwealth, still in their early years of emergence from a society cursed by division, throw a revealing light upon the constant progress made among the local Baha'i communities of the United States and Canada. This progress is yet larger in terms of the deepening attitude of Baha'is themselves than in numbers of new adherents or in the formation of visible Baha'i institutions such as the future is to behold. Development of the Local Baha'i Community A great impetus has been given to the sound development of local Baha'i communities in the United States and Canada by the formulation of ByLaws defining the functions of a Spiritual Assembly, a step taken four years after the functions of a National Spiritual Assembly had similarly been defined. These ByLaws have not oniy made for increased clarity in the delicate relations of a Spiritual Assembly and its community of believers, but also have provided the necessary foundation for the legal incorporation of Ba1A'i communities under the Religious Statutes of the various States and Provinces. The draft prepared by the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the City of New York (reproduced elsewhere in the present volume) after approval by the National Spiritual Assembly and by the Guardian, led to the incorporation of the New York Community and of the Chicago Community during the spring of 1932. A letter from the Spiritual Assembly of BaghdAd conveys the interesting information that these ByLaws have been adopted as a model for local Baha'i communities in tlr4q and [p48] 48 THE BAHA'I WORLD in fact have been circulated by the Guardian as the basis of legal incorporation by communities throughout the Baha'i world. In a letter written by Shoghi Effendi to the Baha'is of New York City, it was pointed out that this matter of a legal status will in future become more important when each Baha'i community will create a number of humanitarian institutions, such as hospitals, schools and homes for the orphans and the aged. Baha'i Summer Schools A significant movement in the direction of permanent Baha'i communities in the full sense of that word has begun through the rapid development of three Summer Schools under direct Baha control: Green Acre, at Eliot, Maine; Loubelen Ranch, at Flint, Michigan; and the Bosch estate, at Geyserville, California. These three centers, located as they are in the East, Middle 'West and West, are become regional centers for the three major divisions of North America, and provide facilities not merely for educational work but for the application of Baha'i principles to many problems of modern life. The following report on a season at Green Acre was prepared by Mr. Albert Vail: When Miss Sarah Farmer, then forty-six years of age, attended the Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in 1893, she began to dream of the results which might come if such a parliament were held every year, at some definite place, not in a great city, but in the country. She realized how needful it was that the religions of the world should look at one another with an understanding heart; she was ready to aid such a work for she had inherited the spirit of the pioneer from her father, Moses Farmer, who, as an electrical engineer, was far ahead of his time, he and his brother being among the first in the world to light a room by electricity. Miss Farmer owned a beautiful tract of land at Eliot, Maine, and here she called her first conference. It was very successful and was followed by others, for there were many notable and public spirited people who were ready to respond to her call and to work for peace among races and religions. They met in the broad meadow and on the hill of Miss Farmer's estate overlooking the Piscataqua River, the Indian name for "River of Light." Members of all the great world religions presented their faith one to another and tried to outline a sympathetic meeting ground. During these conferences, which lasted sometimes all summer, many of the people pitched their tents on Miss Farmer's land and lived there while the meetings lasted. Miss Farmer named her land c(Green Acre," and over it raised a white flag of peace. Then there dawned for Miss Farmer a great experience. Some Baha'is, filled with joy at their sublime discovery, came to Green Acre. Their faces shone with a strangely universal love, and they told Miss Farmer the glad tidings that a great Prophet had appeared on earth. He made the old religions new again, and united them. He came as the morning light of a new and universal day on earth when ccthese fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the tmost great peace' shall come." They gave Miss Farmer some books to read, and in the writings of Baha'u'llah and cAbdu~1~Bah~ she discovered a glorious program. Through their writings and back of them she felt a mighty, divine power. In 1900 Miss Farmer went to Akka, Palestine, that she might meet tAbdu'1-BahA, the Center of the New Faith who, for thirty-two years had been a prisoner in the path of religious unity. She had some remarkable interviews with 'Abdu'l-Baha. He answered all her questions, solved all her perplexities and set her heart aglow with a still more xiniversal love. From this visit she returned to Green Acre truly born anew. It is an illuminating study to read the journal or writings of an earnest seeker after truth, of whatever religion he may be a member, before he has partaken of the spiritual food in the Baha'i writings and been baptized with their spirit. He may be spiritually minded, an ardent lover of mankind, and may hold aloft a light of, say, ten candle power. But we will perceive a straining after righteousness, a longing, unsatisfied, for the truth that sets men free. Then that person becomes immersed in the full [p49] Village of T~kur, M~zindar~in, Persia, ancestral home of Baha'u'llah. Room (left) occupied by Baha'u'llah in T~kur, M~zindar~n, Persia. Interior of room occupied by Baha'u'llah in T~kur, M~zindar~in, Persia. [p50] 50 THE BAHA'I WORLD orbed glory of the Sun of Reality as it is reflected in Baha'u'llah and tAbdu'L-BaM, and lo, his words begin to glow with assurance and love, hope rings in every sentence, light shines from his written pages. Instead of a ten candle power light he has become a fifty, perhaps a hundred candle power light. Such is the experience one has when one reads Miss Farmer's letters and her Green Acre announcements. Before she met CAbdu~1~BahA she was spiritually sensitive, self-sacrificing: afterwards, she was fairly ablaze with the love he had ignited in her heart. Her new joy and assurance and the love which she transmitted to others sing in her letters. As the years went by the great Baha'i scholar and former college president, Abu'1 Fadi came to America. At Miss Farmer s invitation he went to Green Acre and gave a series of lectures. These meetings were held under a group of pine trees on Miss Farmer's estate. These trees have ever since been called "the Persian Pines" in honor of Abu'1 Fadi. He was a scholar of the first magnitude, and with his great knowledge of history and science he proved conclusively that oniy the great Prophet can unite the religions and set up the universal, divine standard of truth. Abu'1 Fadi came in 1902. In 1912 those who gathered at Green Acre had the never-to-be-forgotten experience of tAbdu'1-. Baha'is visit. It is a joy to read the addresses which Abdu'l-Baha gave at Green Acre, they are so logical, serene, simple, aglow with divine love. One of them is on the subject, how to separate the true from the false and how to prove that love is the greatest thing in the world. After tAbdu'I-BahA's visit the Baha'is at Green Acre became more and more devoted to the high ideals which he had held before them, and his love shone in their hearts. A cultivated Bostonian came to Green Acre in the summer of 1916. He came to stay a few days Ñ he remained a week, and then three weeks. He said ttTh Baha'is have the best of everything at Green Acre Ñ the best music, the best lectures, the best friendships, the best religion." Miss Farmer left most of her property to the Green Acre Fellowship. Miss Helen Cole some years before Miss Farmer's death donated to her Green Acre friends the beautiful Fellowship House and the rich furnishings of her own home. This Fellowship has now passed into the hands of the Baha'is of America who are working to fulfil the ideal of a summer center and school for the independent investigation of reality, the service of universal peace and the meeting of religions and races on a platform of friendship and unity. A kind friend of Brooklyn built at Green Acre a potter's kiln, and for years classes have been held there in arts and crafts. There have been courses in general science, psychology, education, spiritual teaching, in the history and philosophy of religions; there have been lectures on spiritual healing, economics, the divine art of meditation, sociology and spiritual administration, English literature, and the solution of presentday world problems; there have been Esperanto congresses and World Unity conferences and World Unity lecture courses presented by brilliant scholars. Each season for a number of years there has been held an amity conference, to bring together in loving conference, on the basis of heavenly teachings, the colored and white races of America. These gatherings are often the crowning inspiration of the Green Acre season for there is a singular outpouring of the Holy Spirit when people strive to practise the oneness of mankind and to iove all races. The speakers and singers at these amity conferences have been gifted and radiant lovers of mankind. In the summer of 1931 the Green Acre Youth arranged a conference on international relations. They presided, themselves, and spoke with joyousness and charm, as they have done at many Green Acre gatherings. They invited highly trained specialists in international relations to be the chief speakers at these meetings. Most of the classes and conventions, the social evenings and dances are held in the Green Acre Inn, and the Fellowship House overlooking the "River of Light." And Miss Farmer's plan is not forgotten for a great campus of scientific and technical schools on the summit of an elevation to the north of Green Acre. This property, called Mount [p51] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 51 Salvat, she willed also to the Green Acre Fellowship. 'With the Green Acre properties it is now administered by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of America. A more magnificent site for a great spiritual university could scarcely be imagined. From its northern summit one looks for some thirty miles down over wide spreading valleys. In the blue distance rise the foothills of the White Mountains. On this super tableland Abdu'l-Baha stood in August of 1912 and told how Miss Farmer's hopes would one day be realized. Here, he said, would rise a university where science and religion would be united. Its center would be a temple of universal religion, with portals open to all sects and races and peoples. Each summer the program committee is bringing to Green Acre scholars, musicians, Baha'i teachers, Baha'i youth, men and women of science who can present the courses, the spiritual guidance and refreshment which are a precursor of the great university of the Kingdom. And through the coining centuries, we may believe, the students at the new university on the hill will now and then tclight a candle" in memory of Miss Sarah Farmer, the spiritual pioneer. Miss Clara Weir similarly describes a season of activity at Geyserville: Truly, the Summer School at Geyserville demonstrates the import of the statement of tAbdu~1Bah4 ~~The city is the home of the body, while the country is the home of the souL" There were about one hundred and sev-enty-five members and guests in attendance at the opening of the fifth annual session. The registration of students during the session numbered ninety-nine, with an average attendance of forty-five. There were representatives from as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia, and from as far south as Phoenix, Arizona. The daily program opened with morning devotion, after which the class repaired to Odd Fellows Hall for the lectures. Mr. Stanley Kemp, Director of Summer School Activities, acted as chairman throughout the session. Professor William John Meredith, Dean of the Montezuma School for Boys, in his series of lectures, traced the evolution of society from its beginning, in the organization of family life to its present development. He stressed the correlation of the Baha'i teachings with modern thought, and human experience. (CAlL humanity," he said, "is growing into an organization. We live a life of relations, and nothing is isolated. The essence of all prophetic message is the social relation, and the goal of human endeavor is tthe better way of living.' " ' One of the lectures of Professor Meredith was devoted to the discussion of the fifth and ninth principles of Baha'u'llah, or, "Accord of Science and Religion," and ~~Universal Education.~~ Mr. Leroy loas in a very comprehensive lecture, ccThe Development of a Universal Consciousness," began with these words of Abdu'l-Baha "The disease affecting humanity, today, is the absence of love and the lack of altruism." He traced the influence of scientific thought and modern invention upon our economic life and upon international relations. A second lecture was on, t~The Solution of the Economic Problem." Mr. loas interpreted the Baha'i teachings in terms of current experience in a way which was not oniy unique, but refreshing, and with the full spirit of hope for the solution of the serious economic problems confronting society today. In her talk, ccThe New Political Outlook," Mrs. Ella Goodall Cooper emphasized the fact that the economic situation could be improved only through international cooperation, quoting the opinions of leaders from various current publications which concurred with the Baha'i solution. Among these were the aids enunciated by Rabbi 'Wise as, first, !tEducation, worthy of the name," and, secondly, "Religion." Mrs. Grace Holley, in a lecture entitled (cUniversal Education," enumerated the factors which have contributed to international understanding in the Baha'i era, some of which are: the Suffrage Movement (1850), the Postal Conference (Paris, 1863), the 1 '~the better way of Iiving" Ñ Prof. Meredith's own words referred to repeatedly during his lectures, and adopted by the whole Summer School. Ñ C. W. [p52] 52 THE BAHA'I WORLD establishment of the American Red Cross (1863), the Salvation Army (1865), the influence of the International Education Association upon the rewriting of history books, the establishment of cosmopolitan clubs in universities, the exchange of faculties between countries; the establishment of the Institute of Pacific Relations by Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur (which so effectively demonstrates the value of consultation), the International Chamber of Commerce, World Friendship societies, Trade Journals; the study of Esperanto, and comparative religions; the Religious Congress; the study of the race question; the Olympic games; the organization of the Department of Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations; the recognition of the essential unity and interdependence of the world by President Hoover; and, a fact of most interest, the spread of the Baha vocabulary, and the adoption of Baha'i terminology by the press and by magazines. In his lectures on ttThe Machine Age," and ttThe Relation between Invention and Universality," Professor 'Ward, University of California, showed the relation between invention and universality. He outlined our progress in the field of invention since the advent of the steam engine, and the effect of the various means of transportation and communication, upon our national life and upon international relations. In a second lecture, Professor Ward discussed the factors influencing the changing conditions of wealth, referring often to the Baha'i teachings, and citing concrete examples of their fulfillment, as evidenced during the past year, both in the rural community and in the city. Mrs. Helen Bishop shared with us the re-suits of her splendid research work, in her lecture, The "Abolition of Racial Barriers and the Development of Latent Powers in All Peoples." It was a very scholarly presentation of an important subject. Among the outstanding statements are the following: "The differences in the individua1~ of a race are greater than the differences between the averages of all the races," and, t(In intelligence tests the New York negroes tested higher than the Alabama whites, because the schools in the North are superior to those in the South." A very stimulating course of lectures on Comparative Religions was presented by Dr. George P. Hedley, Archxologist and scholar, Pacific School of Religions. Dr. Hedky gave as his definition of religion, ttReligion is the life of God in the soul of man." He pointed out that the first distinction of religion was the tendency toward tcuniversa1izing,~~~~ that Greece, India, Persia, and China were working it out at the same time with the same result; that there was probably greater unity in the Hellenistic age than ever before, or since, and as various tribes and cui-tures coalesced their gods also coalesced. He presented the various divisions of Hindu philosophy, drawing comparisons between the Indian books and the Christian Bible; the religions of China and Japan; of Greece and Rome, the Semitic religions, and Muhammadanism, concluding his course with a lecture on, 'tThe Aspects of Christianity," at the end of which he made this statement, t~One cannot discuss comparative religions without discussing tWorld Peace,' and tSo-cial Justice.'" Dr. Hedley very generously gave an additional talk on his archxological work in Palestine. He was a member of the expedition which discovered the ancient biblical city of Mizpeh. Mr. George Latimer gave a series of lectures which were of especial interest to students of economics. He outlined presentday tendencies and presented a solution of the various problems confronting this country and the world in general, based upon, first, the plan of Baha'u'llah, and, secondly, upon a complete understanding of our economic, political, and ethical institutions. Mr. Lad-mer's lectures showed careful research, and his extensive bibliography will prove of inestimable value to students. An added attraction was the showing of Dr. Getsinger's educational film, "The Pyramid of Cheops," which illustrates a new theory of the origin of the Great Pyramid; its age, based upon astronomical calculation, and the plan and probable purpose of its builders. The round table discussions in the Redwood Grove were a source of delight to everyone. Two of these meetings were de [p53] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 53 voted to informal talks by believers who had visited Haifa; another to a lecture by Mrs. James Otis Lincoln, founder of St. Dorothy's Rest, a home for crippled children, on the "Power of Prayer and Faith"; and, still another, to a discussion of children's activities in the Summer School. The Teaching Conference which was held on August second, was well attended. Delegates to the convention reported on such measures as were pertinent to teachers. There was consultation regarding the important question of teacher training, and of methods of teaching children. One of the high lights of the Summer School was the combined Unity Feast and program held on the Griffith estate, which is probably as picturesque a setting as one can find. Mr. Griffith has permitted ten acres of his ranch to remain in its natural state. There are trickling streams, and rustic bridges; miniature falls and springs; and trees, tall and mighty. A small, but perfect, amphitheater furnished a delightful setting for the Unity Feast and later for the program in which many members of the summer school participated. There were skits and stunts which were highly entertaining to an appreciative audience. The outing was concluded with the lighting of a bonfire on the knoll, and the singing of old, familiar songs. Every member of the Summer School, at some time during the session, enjoyed the charming hospitality of Mrs. Whitton, and those who were so fortunate as to linger at Geyserville partook of a delectable feast provided by Madame Klimansky of Santa Rosa, a lady of unusual charm, and, truly, a Baha'i in spirit. Those who were privileged to attend the Summer School at Geyserville, received not oniy spiritual ref reshment and intellectual stimulation, but shared in the building of an historic Baha'i institution, Such an experience demonstrates that, notwithstanding man is engulfed in a sea of conflicting interests, social values, and spiritual emotions, the Baha'is, having gained the spiritual key to human relations, are rearing a social structure, which will not only clarify our present problems, but will lay the foundation for the next step in the evolving social structure, namely that of world brotherhood, and Universal Peace. PROGRAM FIFTH ANNUAL BAHA'I SUMMER SCHOOL AT GEYSERVILLE JULY 26 Ñ AUGUST 8,1931 THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIAL ECONOMY 1. THE SOCIAL RELATION, EVOLUTION OF SOCIETY Ñ ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, ETHICAL. Earliest Societies; primitive agriculture and manufacturing; division of labor; organized commerce; war as a profession; invasion and feudalism; revolt and self-rule. 2. WEALTH AND ITS DISTRIBUTION. Plunder vs. accumulated profits; earnings and thrift vs. tribute and taxation; emergence of idea of capital; standards of living; poverty and de pression as evidence of unintelligent organization; emergence of idea of justice and courts; control of profits for social safety. 3. CURRENT ECONOMIC TRENDS. Problems of capitalism; how can the State best help economics; recent suggested improvements in present system Ñ socialism, syndicalism, fascism, communism, etc.; how dynamic force or religious faith will help correct po-lirical and economic difficulties and further the "Better Way of Living." [p54] 54 THE BAHA'{ WORLD 4. EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL ECONOMY. (a) Internationalism Ñ the Basis of World Welfare. Development of universal consciousness; new political outlook; limitation of armaments; institutes of peace; universal education; abolition of racial barriers; development of latent powers in all peoples; agricultural and urban life; machine age; dawn of era of industrial energy. (b) The World Order of Baha'u'llah. Houses of finance; minimum livelihood assured; balance of production, and consumption; distribution; participation in profits; taxation on profits; control of methods and prices; right of bequest; social control and administration; Houses of Justice Ñ local, national, and universal. Prof. William John Meredith, Dean of Faculty, Montezuma Mountain School for Boys, will present subjects covered by Divisions 1, 2, and 3, daily at 9:30 a. in., July 27th to August 1st, inclusive. Baha'i Teachers, including Prof. N. F. Ward, Prof. E. Kern, Mrs. E. G. Cooper, Mrs. Grace Holley, Mrs. Helen Bishop, Mr. George 0. Latimer, and Mr. Lero}r loas, will present subjects covered by Division 4, daily at 11:30 a. in., July 27th to August 8th, inclusive. COMPARATIVE RELIGIONS 1. THE EVOLUTION OF RELIGION. What is religion? 'What were its origins? What are its psychological bases? What have been the steps in its development through the centuries? 2. THE RELIGIONS OF INDIA. Indian origins. The religion of the Vedas. Philosophical and popular Hinduism. Buddhism, Hinayana and Mahayana. Jainism. The Sikhs. Recent developments and modern leaders. 3. RELIGIONS OF CHINA AND JAPAN. Confucius and Confucianism. Taoism, original and historical. The significance of Shinto. Chinese and Japanese adaptations of Buddhism. 4. RELIGIONS OF GREECE AND ROME. The Homeric pantheon. Religious as-peas of Greek philosophy. The mystery religions of the Hellenistic age. 5. SEMITIC RELIGIONS. The origins of Judaism. Development in new environments. Modern Judaism, orthodox and reform. Primitive religion in Arabia. The life and work of Muhammad. Islam in the Middle Ages. Isl4m today. 6. ASPECTS or CHRISTIANITY. The message of Jesus. Hellenization and "heresy." Christianity and the Roman State. Medieval and modern Catholicism. "Orthodox" Protestantism. Liberal Christianity. Prof. George P. Hedley, Pacific School of Religion, daily at 9:30 a. in., August 3rd to 8th, inclusive. Children's Activities Ñ Teaching and recreation under direction of Mrs. Mabel Wever and Miss Alice Rouleau, with the aid of trained counsellors. Mrs. Bertha Hyde Kirkpatrick has provided the following report on Louhelen Ranch: For many years Baha'is and other forward looking people have assembled during the summer months at Green Acre, Maine, for the purpose of promoting interest in the universal principles of Baha'u'llah; and for the past several summers the friends in the Pacific States have gathered at a camp near Geyserville, California, for a short time in order to study and promulgate these principles which are the basis of universal peace and world unity. [p55] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 55 This last summer (1931) a new and similar venture was carried out for the Central States at Louhelen Ranch, Davison, Michigan. This beautiful farm is most strategically located for such purposes, being twelve miles from Flint and only fifty from Detroit. Indeed, situated, as it is, on a state highway, we may say in these days when distance is no barrier, that it is easily accessible from all parts of the Middle West. Here in a beautiful ravine, a half mile back from the road, a group of earnest friends gathered daily to listen to talks on subjects of vital importance to mankind. Individuals and groups all over the country and throughout the world are asking the same questions as were asked here: Why this stagnation in business? Why starvation and inadequate clothing when enormous crops of wheat and cotton lie unused in storehouses? Why must the willing worker sit abjectly and hopelessly idle at home or homeless wander the streets? Why continued war and fighting when all agree that prosperity cannot come without peace? These questions, asked so often as to seem almost trite in spite of their tremendous importance, were asked here. And we believe the true answer was given. The cause of the world maladjustment is deep seated and the remedy must go to the roots of human nature and come from spiritual sources. Nineteen years ago and more tAbdu~1~Bahi traveled from coast to coast of the United States explaining the cause of the world sickness, and telling the remedy. More than this he carried with him and radiated wherever he went the boundless, tender, universal love which, he said, is the remedy and which must come into human hearts to heal the ailing world. These are the penetrating yet loving words he spoke on that trip to a group in New York City: "Love and unity are the needs of the body politic today. Without these there can be no progress or prosperity attained. Therefore the friends of God must adhere to the power which will create this love and unity in the hearts of the sons of the men. Science cannot cure the illness of the body politic. Science cannot create amity and feb lowship in human hearts. Neither can patriotism nor racial allegiance effect a remedy. edy. It must be accomplished solely through the divine bounties and spiritual bestowaL which have descended from God in this day for this purpose. This is an exigency of the times and the divine remedy has been provided. The spiritual teachings of the religion of God can alone create this love, unity and accord in human hearts." The group of thirty or forty souls assembled at Louhelen Ranch last summer believed these words and were acting on them. They believed that tAbdu~1 BaM had understood and stated the true cause of the world misery and disintegration. Yet at the time these words were spoken the World War had not occurred and few realized how sick the world was. They believed too that these t(spiritual teachings of the religion of God" which Ctcan alone create this love, unity and accord in human hearts" are found in the written teachings of Baha'u'llah and tAbdu~1~Bah4, that these creative teachers have brought again to the earth the Christ love that the sick world so much needs today. Those who know the teachings and follow them will grow in love, unity and accord. It is even as Christ said, "If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love." The aim of the school was to study these teachings and spread them abroad. Those who were well informed in Babi'i knowledge through long study and experience and those who were eager beginners were happily brought together. People in neighboring communities heard the Baha'i message for the first time. A spirit of cooperation and unity was established, spiritual forces were loosed, confirmations descended. Two series of five lectures formed the nucleus of the nine day program. One series was on the "New Economics." These lectures were designed to make the listeners intelligent in regard to the established economic order, giving a bird's-eye view of the economic development of society as civilization has advanced, and to set forth the New World Order. The speaker traced briefly this development from the nomadic and barter stage of society down through the emergence of our presentday metropolitan industrial system, showing how this system coupled with man's greed and selfish [p56] 56 THE BAHA'I WORLD ness has plunged the world into its present plight. Then he pointed out how completely Baha'u'llah's teachings give us the perfect remedy for this sick world, and finally set out vividly the need of a Baha'i community as a working plan of the New World Order. The other series dovetailed into the first, furnishing as it did both practical sugges-dons and spiritual inspiration for the bound-'ess, selfless love and infinite wisdom which are needed to raise the call and summon others to aid in establishing the New 'World Order. A daily class in public speaking unfolded latent talent, developed the immature, furnished a real basis for cooperation and ±riendship, for all, younger and older were learners together. Vivid and meaningful reminiscences of Abdu'l-Baha, experiences of those who are~ devoting their lives to the spread of Baha'u'llah's Message, a carefully developed and practical outline for the (cEducation of Children for the New Day," talks on "Radiant Acquiescence," "Russia Today," "The Hidden Words," Ñ all these varied themes make it apparent that this group realized the need for and the interdependence of both the practical and spiritual. Nor were the social and physical needs ignored. The opportunity for swimming and horseback riding was made good use of; the lawn and other quiet places were used for group conversations, intimate talks and rest. The evening campfires and outdoor suppers were particularly conducive to friendship and unity. The physical setting of this school must not be overlooked, for the natural beauty of the place did its part in adding the quiet inspiration and peace which comes with close contact with nature. The traveler speeding along M 15 would not realize that he was passing any but an ordinary Michigan farmstead unless the modest sign ttBahi'i Summer School" caught his eye. He who stopped to investigate found a real welcome, an atmosphere of hospitality and rest which invited him to linger. He sensed a feeling not of an impersonal school but of a home. Outside again he found the road which led between the farm buildings and past the corn fields to the wide ravine, through whose grassy valley a silvery stream wound. Halfway down the valley side a log cabin had been built overlooking the valley. CCRidv~n Garden" was the name given to this lovely, peaceful valley. It was here, out in the open or on the cabin porch, that most of the meetings were held. A miniature dam held back the waters of the stream, thus forming a pooi where the children delighted to play. Across the stream the wooded banks invited both children and elders to explore the hidden beauties above and beyond them. Even so the beauties of the Divine Word that were unfolded at the meetings invited the seeker to explore its hidden meaning. But although we may enumerate the varied activities and dwell on the beauty of the natural environment, these do not hold the secret of the bountiful blessings gathered into these nine days or of the spirit of attraction which urged friends from a distance to drive there day after day, or the spirit of love and unity which caused those who came for the purpose of finding fault to go away in silence, or the spirit of power which awakened sleeping souis and sent them forth to bear to others Baha'u'llah's Message. This spirit of love, attraction, and power can be explained in no other way than as the ccanimating, unifying presence of the Hoiy Spirit" radiated from the hearts of those present. Those who experienced some of the bounties of this summer school are tempted to paint its future in glowing terms but it is the part of wisdom not to make predictions. It may be allowable, however, to suggest that observers keep watch for future activities and developments at Louhelen Ranch where in the summer of 1931 such a happy and fruitful beginning was made. Miss Martha Root's University Lectures Those who read the summary of IBaM'i activities in the previous volume learned something about the tremendous teaching mission voluntarily undertaken and self-sac-rificingly maintained by Miss Martha Root, American believer, over a period of practically uninterrupted effort during ten years. In 1931 Miss Root returned to the United States from the Orient and for about nine months carried out a truly remarkable pro [p57] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 57 gram. Part IV of the present volume con Ñ tains an article by her relating her experiences at colleges and universities. Her success in bringing the Teachings of Baha'u'llah to the attention of faculties and student bodies constitutes one of the fundamental achievements of the Faith in America. Miss Root brought to this task, in addition to an unfailing ardor and amazing vitality, an extraordinary equipment of personal experience gained during the course of her previous travels in South America, Europe and the East. Possessing the highest of credentials in the personal letters written her by leading men and women of other lands, Miss Root undertook to impress upon American educators and students the importance of the spiritual element given the world by Baha'u'llah Ñ the element without which no true education can be obtained. The record of her results must be consulted in Miss Root's own words. That record makes it evident that the educational world, like the worlds of politics and economics, has moved from its traditional foundations and feels the need of a new basis and a new impetus. The challenge of changing conditions has destroyed the last defences of cloistered medievalism behind which a traditional education has remained as far as possible aloof from life. The seeds sown by this ardent follower of Baha'u'llah were planted in rich soil and at a favorable season. The formation of Baha'i communities in American colleges and universities will in due time follow as result of the trail blazed by this spiritual pioneer. Baha'i Youth Activities in Montreal The worldwide stirring of the younger generation characteristic of this period, with its heartfelt enthusiasm for every ideal promising to make for social reorganization and peace Ñ an enthusiasm at times invoked by movements fundamentally radical and destructive in program Ñ has evoked a vivid response among the youth of the Cause in America. The Baha'i youth, unlike their contemporaries outside the Cause, have found ideals at once universal and constructive, challenging yet eminently sane, to be fulfilled. With self-imposed discipline and ardent faith they have begun to express themselves vigorously in the activities of many local Baha'i communities. The Youth Group of Montreal has planned its work with special clarity and attained a degree of influence gratefully acknowledged by Baha'i young people in other cities. A committee of that group has prepared the following report: In the winter of 1927 three young Baha'is of Montreal, inspired and assisted by a visiting Baha'i teacher, Mrs. Elisabeth Greenleaf, determined to carry on regularly every Tuesday night a study group for young people oniy. Their object was to deepen their knowledge in the Teachings, and to spread the Faith of Baha'u'llah amongst the Youth of Canada. These meetings have been conducted for over four years, in the course of which period its average attendance increased almost tenfold. The success of the Montreal Youth Group, whose fame reached already many parts of the American Continent, is attributable to two facts: First, the liberality, foresight and cooperation of the Montreal Spiritual Assembly. Adopting a policy of noninterference, they displayed that loving trust and genuine understanding which is so essential for the unhindered growth of any youth movement. Second, an unswerving adherence to the following admonition of Shoghi Effendi, addressed to one of their members in his letter of March 20th, 1929: ~ urge them to study profoundly the revealed utterances of Baha'u'llah and the discourses of tAbdu~1Ba1~ and not to rely unduly on the representation and interpretation of the teachings given by Baha'i speakers and teachers." The following historical sketch shows the various phases of their development. In the first season of their activities, December 1927 to August 1928, their meetings were held for the study of the Baha'i teachings oniy. They called themselves "The Baha Young People's Study Class" and followed as an outline "God and His Manifestations." Two prepared talks of five to ten minutes each were followed by discus [p58] 58 THE BAHA'I WORLD sion. The average attendance was about five. Autumn 1928 was inaugurated with a typewritten program headed "Young People's Study Group." They stated their object as: "To know ourselves and to get a clear understanding of the problems facing us, spiritual, intellectual and physical in trying to tLive the Life.' " Speakers and chairmen were alternately Baha'is and nonBahA'is. Spring 1929, their first printed program changed their name to: (tModern Study Class and Forum for Young People." This program shows more definitely their departure towards a universal platform for attracting a larger number of young people. Autumn 1929, their name was changed to: "Youth Group for Independent Investigation of Truth," and they printed the following statement of purpose on their program: "The meetings of the Youth Group for Independent Investigation of Truth are held because of a firm purposeful belief that the youth of the world today are seeking for solutions to the problems facing them as individuals in a great whole. "'We wish to establish a platform on which can be discussed with complete freedom the questions and solutions of scientific, social, economic and religious problems; at the same time affording young peo-pie the opportunity of coming into contact with the Baha'i teachings on these and other topics. Our object is one of cooperation, mutual benefit in discussion, and the chance to voice our opinions amongst sympathetic hearers. We sincerely hope that no one will feel restricted in meeting us on the neutral road of research through inter-exchange of views. This policy was pursued for two years, causing a remarkable increase in numbers, and what is perhaps more significant, a renown amongst hundreds of young people in this City. Occasionally they had only one speaker with a time limit of thirty minutes. When they had two, the second speaker was usually a Baha'i, who correlated the statements of the first non-BaM'i speaker with the Teachings. As the number of young Baha'is increased from three to nineteen, teen, they were enabled to have every meeting conducted by a Baha'i chairman. Speakers and chairmen were with very rare exceptions young people. From time to time one or two older friends were invited to attend their meetings. During the summer of 1931 the Tuesday meetings were continued, and not interrupted as was the case in previous years. The attendance not only did not decrease, but reached a maximum of thirty to sixty-five. Autumn 1931 saw another change in the name of the group to: "Baha'i Youth Group." The neutrality of their programs often attracted a larger number of young people than their hail could hold. The freedom of expression that prevailed throughout their meetings brought out predominantly economic and social problems, in which young people seem to be most deeply interested. The young Baha'is present usually succeeded in correlating the various ideas advanced with the Baha'i teachings. They seldom failed to create an atmosphere of goodwill and fellowship, which is so characteristic and unique a feature of Baha'i meetings, impressing many with the desire to return again and again to these meetings. The young Baha'is discovered that the measure of their growth and development is conditioned by the measure of the solidarity, iove and cooperation which existed among the young Baha'is. The impression an outsider could gather at the Tuesday meetings, was unconditionally a reflection of the unity and spiritual condition of the Baha'is themselves. And in the Autumn of 1931 they felt themselves strong enough to adopt a more direct method of teaching. They supplanted their previous statement of purpose with the following quotation by tAbdu'1-Bah&: ttThe Baha'i message is a call to religious unity and not a call to a new religion, not a new path to immortality, God forbid! It is the ancient path cleared of the ddbris of imagination and superstitions of men, of the d~bds of strife and misunderstanding and is again made a clear path to the sincere seeker, that he may enter therein in assurance and find that the word of God is one word though the speakers were many. [p59] International Baha'i Archives adjoining the Holy Shrines on Mount Carmel. [p60] 60 THE BAHA'I WORLD Since the Autumn of 1931 a Friday night study class has been established for the purpose of gaining a more profound understanding of the Teachings. It seems unquestionable that young Baha'is are more likely to attract young people to the Cause than older Baha. But when they have been acquainted with the Baha'i teachings, they seem to need the support, maturity and experience of the older generation, and it is to an experienced Baha'i teacher, seasoned in the school of 'Abdu'l-Baha's love, that these newly attracted souls gravitate, instinctively seeming to know that they can give them that spark of confirmation they seek. They have two members on the executive committee of a citywide organization, representing religious, educational and other groups, Ñ in the interest of better understanding and constructive cooperation Ñ having as their immediate objective a mass meeting for Peace and Disarmament, in which several thousand young people are expected to participate. Although the Youth Group of Montreal has often been praised for their achievements, they feel that whatever they may have accomplished in the past, cannot be measured with their opportunities in the future. Humanity is facing perhaps the greatest catastrophe in history. The Youth of today may be called upon to govern and control a chaotic and perplexed world tomorrow. They feel that they have to equip themselves to be adequately prepared for the great tasks they are going to face. This small group in Canada hope to participate in the awakening of the Baha'i Youth all over the world, who are arising with an answering determination, to turn the gaze of a greatly suffering humanity to Baha'u'llah, whose message "calls for no iess than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world." If they arise in this spirit of true sincerity, their highest purposes will be guided into action, directed into service by the firm, deeply-rooted love, loyal and wholehearted devotion they bear for Shoghi Effendi. In his recognition of them as workers" with Him, he has caused the humblest efforts of every Baha'i to become a permanent and integral part in the estab Ñ lishment of the World Order of Baha'u'llah. Special Services to InterRacial Amity Toward the end of His earthly mission, tAbdu'1-Bahi impressed upon the American Baha'is the vital importance of the race problem upon the future of the United States. He made it clear that this matter affects the very existence of that nation s civilization. If the racial elements composing the American people can be truly reconciled, and justice established, He stated that America will have the supreme privilege of promoting Universal Peace; but that if racial discord and enmity persists, the nation will invite foreign attack, and the combination of internal and external conflict can lead to ruin. During the period 19301932, in addition to the interracial amity activities carried on throughout more than fifty local Baha'i communities, three special services on behalf of the amity ideal merit recording. On February 27, 1932, through the efforts of Mrs. R. E. Mathews, the National Baha'i Committee on Racial Amity and the Spiritual Assembly of New York City jointly held a dinner in honor of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the New York Urban League. The following account was published in a Negro paper of Chicago: tcThe peace and amity and love of mankind as advocated by the philosophy of the followers of the great and good 'Abdu'1 Baha were expressed by and impressed upon the select interracial group which attended the banquet in honor of the work of both the N. A. A. C. P. and the National Urban league, held at the Hotel Shelton, Lexington Ave. and 49th St., Saturday evening. ttThrough the group of 125 persons, seated together in a room made beautiful by the flowers of spring, a group assembled to listen to a common point of view and bent upon the promotion of understanding Ñ not only the mind, but of the spirit Ñ and between all races and creeds there was the permea [p61] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 61 tion of the soul of peace and the wisdom of Baha'i. ~tPresiding over the program were Mrs. Loulie A. Mathews and Louis G. Gregory. Speeches were limited to three minutes. In an introductory speech Mr. Gregory commented upon the changing order of things, noting the recreational and welfare program of such organizations as the two honored ones of the occasion. He drew the simile between the changing attitudes which they had promoted between the thinkers of the races and the new ideology of science since Einstein has made his investigations and contributions, even within the past 25 years. ttHooper Harris expressed thanks to the Highness, the Almighty, for gathering in such a calm manner with hope for fellowship and brotherhood in the future. He praised the National Urban league and its policy of enlisting in its units both black and white, both loyal to the promotion of the former race for the greater good of mankind. "In the remarks of Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford was stress upon fellowship which would promote friendship, the greatest thing in the world. Hearts, she said, beat together naturally, then why should not the external conduct of peoples be more in accord. Next, in the speech of Horace Holley was the thought that people should be identified by the tasks they perform and not by dialect and creed. He urged alliance of different peopies in seeking a common end. W'th the spirit of the Baha'i thus expressed and reiterated, the program proceeded. The piano improvisation by Edward Kinney was a fitting and pleasant interlude. Next the Southernaires, composed by W. W. Edrnondson, Lowell Peters, Homer Smith and Jay Toney offered their matchless songs, so well known to the world which has been made boundaryless by radio. C(J~ the second group of speeches Dr. W. E. B. DuBois remarked the unity of the N. A. A. C. P. and of the National Urban league sitting down together at a banquet table. William J. Schieffelin, Arthur B. Spingarn, Arthur E. Holden, Dean Sage and President John Hope of Atlanta University also spoke in this group. "David Fontaine offered in the second musical selection two piano soios, Brahms' CCRhd in E Flat" and Lecuona's c(Ma1a~ guena." Edward Matthews, director of Negro music at Fisk university, who came all the way from Nashville, Tenn., just to sing at the Baha'i dinner, showed remarkable artistry in addition to the splendid, natural gift of his mellow baritone voice in three program numbers: Purcell's tWhen I Am Laid in the Earth,' Handel's ~Where'er You Waik' and Duranre's cDanza Danza, Fanciulla.' For an encore he sang Robinson's arrangement of tWater Boy.' He was accompanied by Miss Zabelle Bayentz. "Welcome to the Baha'i movement as one of the great forces of human understanding was the germ of the speech of Walter F. White, secretary of the N. A. A. C. P. He felicitated the coming together of the two organizations, and said he felt great happiness to speak at a Baha'i meeting. "Miss Mary White Ovington, James B. Hubert and Mrs. Wanden LaFarge, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Mathews and the wife of Oliver LaFarge, whose book 'LaUgi-ling Boy' showed consideration and love for the American Indian, concluded the last four speeches. ccThe adieu of the meeting, completing the chain of peace and amity and love of mankind, as advocated by the philosophy of the great and good tAbdu'1-Bahi, and the better understanding of the doctrine as expressed and demonstrated at the banquet, the new friendship and fellowship experienced by 125 people, assembled in a room made beautiful by flowers Ñ all these were summarized by Mrs. Loulie A. Mathews. ccAlnong those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Noah Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Allen, Dr. and Mrs. W. E. Burghardt DuBois, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Nail, Dr. and Mrs. E. P. Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bagnall, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Wilkins, Mrs. Cora Home and her son, Burke Home, Mr. and Mrs. James B. Hubert, Mrs. Noisette and her daughter, Mrs. Clara Burrill Bruce, Mrs. Minta Trotman, Mrs. Viola Bibb, Mrs. Eva Parks, Mine. Lillian Evanti, Mr. and Mrs. William Saunders, Mrs. William Pickens, Miss Evan Bowles, the Rev. Shelton Bishop, Walter F. White, Mrs. Ad [p62] 62 THE BAHA'I WORLD die Hunton, Mr. Dill, Mrs. Willis Cummings, Roy Lancaster, Mrs. Norman T. Cotton, Miss R. Randolph, Mrs. ]3essye J. Bear-den, Edward G. Perry, Henry L. Moon, Mrs. Mamie Anderson Pratt, Dr. John Hope, Edward Matthews, David Fontaine, Lewis G. Gregory, George Harris, Cleveland Allen and Mr. Madison, attorney." Not less significant an occasion was the Christmas dinner and festival arranged by the Baha'i young peopie of New York City in 193 0 for several hundred colored children, invited through the kind auspices of the New York Urban League. The public hail at the Baha'i Center on 57th Street filled to overflowing with an eager and happy throng of little children, leaving upon visitors an unforgettable impression of the power of love to surmount the cruel and artificial barriers humanity has created between the members of the one divine family. The climax of amity service rendered by American Baha'is up to this time was in all probability the teaching trip carried out in the South by Mr. Willard McKay and Mr. Louis G. Gregory for a period of several weeks during the winter of 1931. This union of a white and colored believer in a mission of racial amity fulfilled a wish expressed by CAbdu~1~Bah~ many years ago. The journal of that mission Ñ as important an undertaking as could be planned by any spiritual person in this age Ñ conveys an indescribable atmosphere of joyous radiance revealing the more clearly the determination that inspired these ~'soldiers in the army of the Lord of Hosts" to discharge successfully the noble task they had voluntarily incurred. The cities visited were Atlanta, Georgia, Tuskegee, Montgomery and Huntsville, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio. As far as state and local ordinances made it possible, the two Baha'is shared all things together as if both were members of the same race. Colleges, churches and other organizations provided constant opportunity to deliver Baha'u'llah's message of the oneness of mankind to attentive audiences. Summarizing and symbolizing also the entire journey was the remark made to Mr. McKay by a colored student, that the greatest news he could take back home to his father was that a white man had slept in a Negro dormitory! The general summary of Baha'i activities in America prepared by Mr. McDaniel gives further important details. Mr. McDaniel's Summary of Activities in America The past two years have witnessed two outstanding achievements in the Cause in America, both of which are demonstrations of the influence and power of the Cause of Baha'u'llah. The fulfilment of the "Plan for Unified Action" was achieved just before the Twen-ty-Second Annual Convention which was held in the Temple Foundation Hall at the end of April, 1930. About $409,000 was made available for the construction of the Temple. The contract for the building of complete framework and part of the utilities was awarded in August, 1930 and the construction work completed early in June 1931. The Baha'i Administration has become definitely manifested in the establishment and development of over sixty local Spiritual Assemblies throughout America and the correlation of their activities with those of a national character under the direction and supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly. Thus the Revelation of Baha'u'llah is beginning to express itself in these elements of the New World Order. The First Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in the \Vest Nine years ago the Temple foundation was completed on the beautiful site in Wilmette, Ill., at the intersection of Sheridan Road with the north channel of the canal taking water from Lake Michigan. Since that time the many thousands of people who daily pass the structure have wondered as to what use was being made of this great flattop cylindrical structure, or as to what was to be built on it. The people of the North Shore of Chicago now have their answer, for during the eight months (September, 1930 to April, 1931) on this foundation has arisen a unique and remarkable building. All are [p63] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 63 impressed with its beautiful proportions, the uniqueness of its design and the dignity of its style and form. The general contractors, the George A. Fuller Company of New York and Chicago, working in collaboration with twenty-four subcontractors, completed the work which was included in the contract entered into by the Temple Trustees on August 27, 1930, for the construction of the main superstructure of the Temple. This superstructure comprises a structural steel and reinforced concrete and glass-enclosed building which has the general shape and form of the final design of the architect, the late Louis Bourgeois. The engineers in preparing their plans and specifications arranged for the construction at this time of a building which would embody the architect's design and provide for the future application of the exterior ornamental material. This artistic clothing will be added later as funds become available. During the past nine years the architects and engineers, collaborating with the Trustees and the architect, have been studying this unique problem. It is likely that the major portion of the visible ornamental exterior will be some special form of architectural concrete. Metal of a suitable nature, such as an aluminum alloy will doubtless be used for window grilles and the finer sections of the ornamentation. The building as it is now, consists of four main divisions or stories. The base portion at the first floor is 36 ft. high and 150 ft. in diameter. It includes a circular hall 72 ft. in diameter and extending for a clear height of 13 8 ft. to the interior of the dome. Around this circular hail are nine recessed smaller rooms or alcoves, with a main entrance between each pair of rooms. A unique feature of the building is its shape, having nine sides with a pyion at the intersection of each pair of sides or faces. Above the main story is the first gallery which is also nine-sided, but with the corner pylons at the middle of the faces of the main story that is over each of the nine doorways. This first gallery floor has a height of 47 ft. and an approximate diameter of 136 ft. Above the first gallery is the second gallery story which has a height of 20 ft. and a diameter of 93 ft. Above this story rises the dome which forms the covering or roof of the central circular area or hail. The dome consists of an unusual steel framework built in two sections; the lower section supports the hemispherical glass dome which will serve as a watershed for the structure and later on will also support the interior ornamental ceiling. The outer section will support the exterior ornamental surface material. For the present, at least, there will be used oniy one of the nine entrances to the building, namely, that facing the intersection of Sheridan Road and Linden Avenik. This is made necessary as, with the available funds, it will be impossible to build the eighteen circular steps on the Foundation structure; these must form a part of the surface ornamental material to be placed in the future. The beautiful arched window spaces are enclosed with heavy glass set in frames and sash, formed of a noncorrosive material. Through the excellent cooperation of the general contractor, the subcontractors, and the engineers, it has been possible with the funds available to do considerable work in the basement and in the installation of part of the utilities, including the plumbing, heating, ventilation and electric light and power. In the basement structure the entire floor has been concreted and permanent partitions have been erected for several rooms adjacent to the Linden Avenue entrance, including toilets and rest rooms, receiving room, kitchen and serving room, transformer room and space for mechanical and electrical equipment. The entire plumbing for the building has been installed; this includes ample toilet and rest room facilities in the basement and toilet facilities on the gallery floors. The heating plant put in at this time includes all of the boilers that will be finally required, also the indirect heating for the superstructure. Enough of the ventilation is being installed to provide for the heating of the basement. Provision is made for future electrical work and connections with the Public Service Company. The fall and winter of 1930 was an unusually mild one in Wilmette and remarkable progress was made on the construction [p64] 64 THE BAHA WORLD Favorable weather conditions made it pos-. sible to secure a high quality of concrete masonry. Experts in this field who have seen the work are impressed with this quality and permanent character. In the early morning of January 15, 1931, a fire broke out in a second story space, which was being heated to protect the concrete while it was setting under iow temperature conditions. This fire driven by a high wind spread over several bays of the second gallery story and destroyed a platform which was suspended at the base of the dome putting the concrete masonry to a severe test. Careful inspection made by experts after the fire indicated that, aside from the blackening of the face of the masonry and some slight spalling of the concrete, there was no real structural damage done. The loss was covered by insurance carried by the general and subcontractors; all damage sustained has been repaired and replaced. As the building is now entirely enclosed and sufficiently equipped with facilities for beating, ventilation and light, it will be used for the various services of the Cause. These will be set forth and provided for later on by the National Spiritual Assembly, in accordance with the instructions of the Guardian of the Cause, Shoghi Effendi. The building of the Temple has aroused interest in people the world over, for this is truly the first universal Temple which is open to all the peoples of the world regardless of race, sect or belief. in the years to come people from everywhere will gather under the central dome to worship the one God in the spirit of loving unity and in accordance with the Revelation of Bahi'u' Ilili. Teaching ~In these days the most important of all things is the guidance of the nations and peoples of the world. Teaching the Cause is of utmost importance for it is the head cornerstone of the foundation itself. This servant has spent his days and nights in promoting the Cause, and urging the peo-pies to service. He rested not a moment, till the fame of the Cause was noised abroad in the world, and the celestial strains from the Abh& Kingdom roused the East and the West. The beloved of God must also follow the same example. This is the secret of faithfulness, this is the requirement of servitude to the Threshold of Bah&." With these stirring words did tAbdu'1 BaM in His Will and Testament call the people to service in spreading the Message of 13ah4'u'11Th. And truly have the teachers and friends generally arisen to heed this call and bring the Sun of Truth of this day into the hearts and lives of the people throughout America. The circuits of the traveling national teachers have widened, carrying these devoted message-bearers not only to all parts of the American continent, but to South Africa, South America and the islands of the sea. Thus is the Divine Plan bearing fruit. Among the new features of the constructive activities of the National Teaching Committee are the outlines of teaching for groups and classes prepared by the Outline Bureau, the Baha'i Correspondence Course, and the creation of a Bureau of Information on the Pacific Coast. Many hundreds of copies of outlines on '~Materia1 and Divine Science," "New Light on the Scriptures," and "The Baha'i Teachings Concerning Christ" have been distributed and used in class and group teaching work. These aids to teaching have been invaluabk in confirming those who needed a thorough understanding of the Teachings, especially with relation to Christianity. Public addresses, talks before groups and class work have been widely carried on in communities from the largest cities to small towns by the traveling teachers and others including Mr. Albert Vail, Mr. Louis Gregory, Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehier, Miss Fanny Knobloch, Mrs. Elizabeth Greenleaf, Mrs. Ruth Moffett, Mr. and Mrs. Willard McKay, Mr. Philip Marangella, Mr. Leroy loas, Mr. George Latimer, Miss Orcella Rex-ford, Mrs. Beulali Lewis, Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford, Miss Juliet Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ives and many others. Several business men in their travels have found many opportunities to speak and teach; everywhere finding people eager to know about the Cause and to find out what the Temple stands for. The doors of humanitarian and [p65] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES progressive institutions have opened to the Truth. The spirit of search and receptivity manifest by people in all walks of life is an encouraging sign of the rapid spreading of the Spirit of the New Day. During the Green Acre season of 1930, a teaching conference was held and resulted in the formulation of a plan for inter-assem-bly cooperation in teaching. This plan was gradually introduced and developed, and several effective teaching districts established. Among the more active and successful of these districts have been the Illinois-Wisconsin, Washington-PhiladelphiaBaltimore, New England, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Northern Ohio. In these districts, the teaching work has been stimulated, community membership has increased, and greater public interest aroused. Green Acre has developed as a teaching and training center. During the season (July to September), courses of lectures on religion, science, methods of teaching, etc., roundtable discussions, classes for young people and children have been held daily and with large groups of the Baha'is and their friends in attendance. During the season of 1931, Miss Martha Root, Mr. Albert Vail, Miss Pearl Easterbrook, Miss Orcella Rexford, Prof. Glenn Shook and others gave inspiring and helpful series of talks, and the Inn was well filled and run with a profit in spite of the unfavorable business conditions of the world about. The Geyserville Summer School during two weeks of August brought together a large group of believers and attracted peo-pie of the Pacific Coast. Here under the loving care of Mr. and Mrs. John Bosch, as at Green Acre, a true Baha'i community spirit and life is being developed. Peoples of various races and interests in life gather and discuss the problems of the world today and the solutions as given in the Revelation of Baha'u'llah and the teachings of tAbdu'1-BaM. Professors Meredith and Rogers gave a senes of lectures relating to tcMan and This Universe." Miss Julia Goldman with her art work, Mrs. Keith Ransom-Keller with her educational work, and Mrs. Ella G. Cooper with stories, contributed among others to the life of this unique summer school. During two weeks in August, 1931 a new summer school was opened and most hospitably conducted by Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Eggleston on their farm near Flint, Michigan. Many of the teachers and friends including Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ives, Mr. and Mrs. Harlan Ober, Miss Fanny Knobloch cooperated in giving talks and in conducting roundtable discussions. The camps and a barn transformed into a stationary Pullman, served as the temporary home of many attracted people of southern Michigan, who came to listen and departed to their homes uplifted by the spirit of unity and harmony of this lovely spot and inspired by the Message of the Cause of God. After nine wonderful, fruitful years of traveling and teaching around the world, Miss Martha Root arrived in Honolulu in January, 1931. During nine days in our Pacific isle, Miss Root gave twenty-five talks, including four broadcasts from radio sta-tons. She spoke before schools, clubs, the Pan-Pacific Union and various other organizations. Landing in San Francisco on January 20, 1931, Miss Root spent about six weeks on the Pacific Coast; a large part of this time in giving addresses before schools, colleges, clubs, Y. W. C. A.'s, peace societies, racial groups, amity conferences and at several radio stations. Coming east, Miss Root attended and spoke at the Twenty-Third Annual Convention held in the Tem-pie Foundation Hall, May 13, 1931. Subsequently she traveled throughout the middle West and East giving talks on the Cause before classes, clubs and many types of humanitarian and progressive organizations, and especially at the colleges and universities. It has been her privilege to speak before classes and groups of students and teachers at the Universities of Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and Harvard, Columbia, Howard and other leading institutions in the East. InterRacial Amity "The convention of the colored and white was in reality a great work, because if the question of the colored and white should not be solved it will be productive of great dangers for America in the future. Therefore the Confirmations of the Kingdom of Abb& shall continually reach any person [p66] 66 THE BAHA'I WORLD who strives after the reconciliation of the colored and the white." These words of !Abd~1Bh~ commenting on the first Amity Convention held in Washington, D. C., in 1921, have inspired great activity in the various Baha'i communities in the spreading of the teachings, through meetings, and the services of Mr. Louis Gregory and other teachers. Each year the work was initiated with a threeday conference at Green Acre in August. During the past two years several of the sessions were held in the neighboring city of Portsmouth, N. H. Noted speakers, of both races, gave inspiring addresses and all of the meetings were conducted in the spirit of true harmony and unity. A demonstration of this spirit was witnessed during the seasons (July to September) in the happy association of the friends Ñ both colored and white Ñ in the life of this remarkable Baha community. In November, 1930, a conference on racial amity was held in New York City in cooperation with National Urban League and the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People. The social, economic and spiritual aspects of race relations, and the program and message of Baha'u'llah as the, one great solution of all problems of this nature, were the essential features of these meetings. Various Baha'i communities throughout America have done constructive work. Many of the friends including Mr. Gregory, Mr. Vail, Dr. Zia Bagdadi and Mrs. True have given talks and conducted classes in Chicago, Wilmette and Evanston, Ill., and Racine, Wis. On the Pacific Coast, a racial amity dinner was held in Pasadena, and the friends of Seattle, Wash., held their ninth peace and amity conference in October, 1930; the peace societies and the Unitarian Church cooperating. The Washington, D. C., friends have conducted a discussion group, which includes representative and influential members of several races. Although not avowedly Baha'i, this group is conducted by several believers and has been successful in bringing together in a spirit of harmony and unity leading people of the white, black, yellow and red races. The discussions have been illuminating and helpful, and have introduced the constructive teachings of the Baha'i Revelation. The Baha'i Magazine The policy of the editors of the Magazine, in accordance with the instructions of Shoghi Effendi, to make this teaching medium strictly Baha'i in character and with a universal appeal, has increasingly borne fruit rn an advance in new subscriptions and renewals. Letters not only from believers but also from general readers demonstrate the appeal and value of the articles. A unique new feature in the administration of the Magazine was the appointment of Contribut Ñ ing Editors to represent other countries. This plan has helped to produce a more balanced periodical and to increase its scope and universal character. Representatives are functioning in Great Britain, Persia, Egypt, Japan and China. As the circulation of the Magazine increases and funds become available, it is planned to enlarge the issues; adding more illustrations and articles of the highest interest and attractiveness. Publications The National Publicity Committee in cob laboration with the Reviewing Committee has placed the literature of the Cause on a high plane of excellence as regards authenticity, accuracy, composition, typography and physical production. The Reviewing Committee has rendered notable service in its reviews and constructive suggesti6ns relative to the reprinting of existing leaflets, pamphlets and books and of new literature. The Publishing Committee through the fine cooperation of the J. J. Little and Ives Company and other concerns has been uniformly successful in producing well printed and attractively bound works at a iow cost. The most outstanding current book is The Dawn Breakers; a notable translation of the Narrative of Nabil made by Shoghi Effendi. This book of about 700 pages is fully illustrated with authentic reproductions of the autographed Tablets of the B&b addressed to the 1 8 Letters of the Living, one to the B~b Himself and one to Baha'u'llah, [p67] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 67 and a remarkable series of photographs and drawings illustrating the scenes of early BTh'i and Baha'i history. This work will be of inestimable value to the Cause and to the public in presenting to the world an authentic picture of the early history of the Cause, and describing internal conditions in Persia in the middle of the 19th Century, including a delineation of the Qaj ar Dynasty Ñ the reigning house in Persia during the period of Baha'i persecutions Ñ as well as the genealogy of the B&b and Baha'u'llah throughout several generations. Another notable work is the new translation of the Iqan recently made by the Guardian and affording an authentic and beautifully rendered edition of this fundamental text of Baha'u'llah Ñ the Book of Certitude, or Assurance. Additional books have included a new edition of A Traveller's Narrative, the Prayer Book compiled by Mrs. Loulie Mathews, Whence Comes the Light, Baha'i Peace Program, U V'rai Baha'i, Races of Men, Many or One? and The World Economy of Baha'u'llah. Reprints to meet the increasing demands for literatures have produced large editions of The Baha'i Proofs, Book of Assurance, Hidden Words, Baha'u'llah and the New Era and Wisdom of rAbdu~IBahd Baha'i News This news periodical has gone out monthly to all believers throughout America. It has kept the friends informed of the progress of the Baha'i activities Ñ national and local Ñ especially letters and instructions from the Guardian, reports of Temple construction and services, news from the field of work of the traveling teachers, inter-assembly and amity conferences, financial statements, etc. GERMANY Since outward expressions of truth correspond to inward realities, the land of Germany is regarded by Baha'is as having a special capacity for faith and service in promoting the Cause of Baha'u'llah. With respect to the development of the Baha'i Faith in Germany, its history is briefer than that of the Cause in America; its present condition consequently reveals a stage which the American believers passed through some years ago. The Baha'is of Germany, for example, have triumphantly emerged from a period of intense spiritual test, marked by the determined effort of enemies of the Cause to profit by the ascension of tAbdu'1-Bahi to destroy the faith and unity of the believers in that land. By false interpretations of the Teachings, by subtle propaganda and by every manner of devious attack upon the integrity of the Faith, they strove to uproot the Cause of Baha'u'llah throughout Germany, with the result that the hostility has definitely collapsed and the knowledge and firmness of the believers greatly reinforced. Just as this same test confronted the American Baha during the period of general confusion which led to the decision of the United States Ñ contrary to the wise hope of tAbdu'1-Bahi Ñ to engage in the European War, so it befell the German Baha'is at the time when their country was struggling to organize itself in the difficult postwar era. The future historian will not fail to mark how this Faith Ñ the new life and sole hope of the world Ñ has been compelled to assert its power and grow to maturity in the face of obstacles both material and spiritual whose complexity would de Ñ stray any movement emanating from human nature alone. New Baha'i centers have been established in a number of cities, notably Heidelberg and Bremen. At Eslingen the first German Baha'i House" was dedicated during the Annual Convention in 1931; and this institution will in time become a training school for Baha'i teachers after the manner of Green Acre in the United States. German Baha'is are taking an ever-increas-ing share in the pioneer task of spreading the Cause throughout Europe Ñ into the Scandinavian countries, to Austria and to Bulgaria in particular. The efforts of Dr. Hermann Grossmann and of Herr Benke have been greatly appreciated by the German believers in connection with this teaching work. A strong foundation for a future flourishing Baha'i community has, for cx [p68] International Baha'i Archives, adjoining the Holy Shrines on Mount Carmel. [p69] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 69 ample, been laid by Herr Benke in the city of Sofia. The influence of Esperanto in preparing the way for the adoption of a universal secondary language Ñ an ideal emphatically announced by Baha'u'llah Ñ has been thoroughly understood by the German Baha'is. Recent Annual Esperanto Congresses have recognized a number of Baha'i delegates from Germany. As the result of this cooperation, a number of Esperanto translations of Baha'i texts have been prepared by Fraulein Lidja Zarnenhof, daughter of the creator of Esperanto, of which ttBahi'u'11Th and the New Era," by Esslemont, has already been published and widely circulated among Esperanto groups. The Paris addresses of tAbdu'1-Bah~, Some Answered Questions and the Tablet of Iqan, also translated by Fraulein Zamenhof, are now either on the press or soon to appear. Of unusual interest is the following brief statement by a Baha'i of Berlin. tC~ 1913 tAbdu'1-Bah4 sowed the divine seed in Stuttgart; there it grew and bore fruit and from thence the teachings of Baha'u'llah spread and reached Berlin. tcAfter the World War the glad-tidings came through various channels to this metropolis. As it has ever been in the early days of great spiritual movements, they owe their spread to the zeal and devotion of single individuals, so we find also in Berlin the spread of the teachings closely connected with the work of certain pioneers who visited us. Among them were Frau Schweizer of Zuffenhausen, Frau Schwarz of Stuttgart, later on Miss Martha Root of the United States. In a true spirit of selflessness and service they spread the Baha'i teachings both in Berlin and elsewhere in Germany with great success. The Baha'i spirit is now firmly rooted in Berlin and the Assembly has proven its strength through many tests. "During the last nine years the movement in Berlin has suffered many changes. Periods of growth and enthusiasm have been followed by periods of spiritual inactivity and depression. As was the case with early Christianity the great difficulty which the people have experienced has been to free themselves from old ideas, superstitions and dogmas of the past. Frequently those who came with great enthusiasm deserted these new teachings not finding them to conform with their own ideas. Others came with the intention of promoting their own personal convictions and finding no success in this, it resulted in further separations. It seems, however, that such circumstances cannot be avoided in new spiritual movements, and we are glad and thankful that the great Manifestation given to the world in Baha'u'llah has now been accepted by many sincere souis in this great city. Some are truly awake whilst many seeds are still lying dormant in the minds of the people; nevertheless, we are sure that some day our efforts will bear fruit. There must come a time when also to these hearts a great spiritual awakening will come and many will find their way and will unite with us in raising the call of ~ "God always finds the way to assist us as He assisted the Baha'i friends here some years ago when they found themselves in a deep valley of discouragement. Then He made it possible for one of the friends (Mr. Theo Lehne), to visit the Holy Land. The experiences of this pilgrimage, the visit to the Holy Shrines, the conversations with the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, enabled him to bring back to Berlin and to share with the friends a great spiritual consciousness. The power of the Baha'i inspiration revealed itself, a new sense of unity filled the hearts of the friends and a new phase of development began. "Now Berlin is beginning to exert a noticeable influence in other groups in Northern and Central Germany, and we hope that the Spirit of Baha'u'llah will so fill the hearts of the friends that they will be nobly inspired to futfil their glorious mission and responsibility." BAHA'I ESPERANTISTS The fact that a number of Baha'i works have been translated into Esperanto leads to the important subject of the many affiliations between the Baha'is and the Esperanto movement, not oniy in Germany but in other countries. Every local Baha'i secretary is well aware of the number of general letters issued by [p70] 70 THE BAHA'I WORLD Spiritual Assemblies of the Orient in Esperanto. Classes for the study of Esperanto have for many years been conducted under Baha'i auspices in the United States and other countries. Miss Martha Root, whose travels have taken her to all five continents, testifies to the immense value of her knowledge of Esperanto in meeting liberal groups and woridminded individuals outside the realm of the English tongue. This Summary is consequently fortunate in being able to include a statement written by Miss Evelyn Baxter, of England, who attended the Twenty-Third Annual Esperanto Congress at Cracow, Poland, in August, 1931. cCWhat a wonderful and useful asset is a gift for languages! But a more useful one still in the coming days will be the acquisition of the international language, Esperanto, originated by that great genius and servant of his fellowmen, Dr. Ludwig L. Zamen-hof of Poland. etTlie great International Congresses, conducted entirely in this medium, of which the twenty-third was held at Cracow (Po-land) August 1st to 8th; 1931, are a striking proof of the efficacy and stupendous success of this simple and beautiful language, and also of the keen enthusiasm of its users, who assemble in thousands yearly from the ends of the earth to put to the proof an auxiliary tongue whose use is worldwide. "Every year a fresh country is honoured by entertaining the Congress. 1930, Oxford (England) was the scene of its activities, and the forthcoming one in August, 1932 will be in Paris. Tremendous interest centered round this year's Congress on account of Poland's association with Dr. Zamenhof. A street in Cracow was publicly named after him; in Warsaw the house where he devoted his labours as oculist in a poor quarter was marked by an inscribed tablet, and an impressive ceremony was attended by representatives of many nations at his tomb in the Jewish cemetery; and after the Congress a number of devoted adherents laid the foundation stone of a splendid monument in his birthplace, Bialystok, a small town in Eastern Poland, and were allowed the privilege of entering the humble cottage where he was born. Great blessings come to thee, as great blessings will flow from thee, unhappy land, for the great gift of thy noble son. What genius have thy very oppression and misery brought forth! "Particularly in such a country as Poland, whose language is too difficult of acquisition for foreigners, was the necessity for a common tongue shown. Nobly had the civil authorities of Cracow shown their sympathy with the multinational visitors, Ñ a number of police had learnt Esperanto and wore a badge so as to be of the utmost service, (and were they not!) ; also restaurants and caf~s printed a menu in Esperanto, and some waiters spoke the auxiliary language, so that many visitors who would otherwise have found feeding a great perplexity were relieved of all their troubles on that score. Streets and principal buildings were decorated with the Esperanto emblem, the five-pointed green star, and evergreens, and some of the largest public buildings were at the disposal of the Congress, among them the historic Jagellona University. tecracow itself with its mediaeval towers, city wall, castle and numberless churches and ancient Jewish quarter and the shady belt of parkiand encircling the town, was full of interest, but Congress business held first place. A river-trip up the shallow Vistula, a visit to a fortified mound commem Ñ orating the renowned Kosciusco, and the world-famous Salt Mines were wonderful experiences. "Mornings were given up to the business in hand, when such pressing subjects as Esperanto and its relation to the Press, Schools, Radio, the Cinema, etc., were reported on and discussed. We rejoiced that the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, as he always does, sent a letter of greeting. The Congress was attended by Dr. Felix Zamenhof, (brother), Dr. Adam Zamenhof (son) and Dr. Sofie and Miss Lidja Zamenhof (daugh-ters) of the inventor. It was a great joy to have them amongst us, and to know of their ardent support of their father's cherished lifework. ~tFor several years a Baha meeting has been held under the auspices of the International Congress. The first were arranged [p71] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 71 by our devoted pioneer Miss Martha Root, and in her absence these have been continued by other believers. Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford (New York) has twice spoken at these meetings, but this year she was unable to attend. The arrangements were made under the able direction of Dr. Hermann Grossmann of the Baha'i Esperanto Publishing House (Weinheim, Germany) who kindly sent current copies of tNova Tago' and (9~ Compilation in Esperanto for distribution. Miss Lidja Zamenhof (Warsaw, Poland) youngest daughter of Dr. Zamen Ñ hof, and Miss Almida Zetterlund (Stock-holm, Sweden) gave rousing addresses to an interested audience of over fifty people of many nations, who at the close took away literature, and some asked questions about the Cause. May God raise up many pioneers to make known His Cause in the midst of this worldwide Movement towards Unity, and hearts attune to respond to the Call." BRITISH ISLES, EUROPE Outside of Germany, the oniy other Baha'i National Spiritual Assembly so far to be elected is that of the British Isles. The International Baha'i Bureau at Geneva, Switzerland, however, fills an important special rOle as focal point of Baha'i interest at the very center of the world's international activities. The following excerpts have been taken from reports supplied by the British Asset-n-bly. ccWe record with regret the passing of one of the oldest believers Ñ Miss Ethel Rosenberg. She was greatly loved by Abdu'l-Baha, spent much time with the Holy family at Haifa, served with unwavering faith and clear insight into the teachings for nearly 30 years, and did much to help students and believers. A memorial service was held for her and tributes paid to her in the Baha'i magazines. A more complete review of her life and work will appear later. "We regret also that some of our members have been called away Ñ among them Mr. Cleaton, who has returned to Canada for an indefinite period; Mrs. Fforde of Ireland who worked so unassumingly in the centre at Walmar House and in many ways, Miss Drake-Wright, who spent considerable time in London, and Mrs. Becker who has been in Switzerland and on the Continent. "To our list of voters have been added the name of Miss Miriam Jalal, the granddaughter of our beloved Master, to whom we all extend the most cordial and loving welcome, Mr. Dehkan, a student from Beirut, who has already spoken for us at our Wednesday evening meeting and who is most welcome, Mrs. Ruth Hall, who has been a faithful attendant at our meetings for many years, Mr. Wragg, of Australia and America, who is very helpful in many ways, Miss Irwin, who is an old and valued friend, Miss Musgrove, who belongs almost equally to London and Bournemouth, but who, we are glad to say, expects to reside in London for some time. We also welcome most cordially Mrs. Cowles of Montreal and Africa, who has promised to remain and assist us in the centre for a time. "The usual Wednesday evening meetings have been held and a few outside speakers have honored us with their presence and quite a number of new faces have appeared amongst us. Not nearly as many as we hope will during the coming year. ccThe prayer meetings have been held steadily on Monday afternoons at four regardless of the number presents as it is the prayers going forth which attract the confirmations. These are open to all and the more candles there are the more light there is. Prayers are also read every day the room is open for the peace of the world, for friends in all parts of the world, for Shoghi Effendi, for friends in trouble or who are ill, and for the spread of the Cause. Some wonderful answers have been received. ttMrs. George has carried on her Sunday meetings at her house with cheering results and many people appreciate keenly the spirit of friendliness and hospitality and the opportunity for discussion. "The Young People's Class, or Study Glass, has met regularly and a report of this work will be given later. t~The usual Feasts and Memorials have been held here, including the Feast of Naw-Riiz, The Declaration of the Bab and Birthday of Abdu'l-Baha The Birth of Eah6'u' Ñ 11Th. The Ascension of Baha'u'llah and tAbdu'1-EaM. [p72] The garden of Ridvan near tAkk~. [p73] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 73 "A special meeting was held on New Year's Eve to inspire the believers to greater effort and activity; A meeting was held for consultation on the affairs of the Cause in order that each one might express himself or herself openly and offer suggestions for the furtherance of the work. An informal Saturday afternoon tea was held, with Lady Blomfield as speaker, and Sister Grace Challis from Bournemouth and Miss Miriam Jalal added messages of beauty and inspiration. (cSeveral most interesting visitors have attended the meetings and come to the room during the year, including an influential Indian minister, in attendance at the Indian Conference Ñ he had met Martha Root and she cabled from Japan to the secretary to get into touch with this gentleman. He had many conferences with Baha'is and said that he was in full sympathy with the Movement and believed that it was the only solution for the problems of that country. He purchased quite a large supply of books and reads the literature in the original Persian. 'We had the pleasure of meeting a Greek gentleman who is carrying literature back to his country and a Japanese professor who was greatly interested and promised to work for the spread of the Cause. We have also been delighted to meet several visiting Persian friends, including Mr. Ghorban from France, who spoke at our Wednesday evening meeting on Methods of Te;ching in Persia. "The room at Walmar House has been kept open during the year, at great sacrifice and effort, and is now known all over the world. Mrs. Slade will tell us more about this later. "Two articles have appeared in the magazine Ñ The Star of the West Ñ written by London believers Ñ one by Miss Pinchon on the Persian Exhibition and one on Go-opera-tion by Miss Irwin. ~~There has not been as much publicity in the press as we could wish, but an article in the London Times by Sir Denison Ross mentioned the Cause and was widely read. This Exhibition brought Persia very much to the front and the American Publishing Committee sent 21 copies of the new volume The Baha'i World Ñ which was edited by Shoghi Effendi Ñ to London for distribution to prominent people especially some of those connected with the Persian Exhibition. These books have been given to very interesting people and it is believed will do much good. An article also appeared in a magazine, written by Mr. Sugar of Manchester, and a long review of The Baha'i World in John O'Groat's paper. A review of this book also appeared in the magazine of the All People's Association. ccConsiderable publicity is achieved through the printed notices of our Wednesday evening meetings as they are placed on many notice boards, besides being posted to individuals. Some of these include the OverSeas Club, English-Speaking Union, New Thought, American Women's Club, Eellow-ship of Faiths, etc. Mrs. Caledfryn, of the Fellowship of Faiths has distributed considerable of our literature, and we displayed and sold our books at a Sale held by that organization. Over fifty people were interviewed concerning the Cause at that sale. "The most outstanding teaching activity during the year was the fourth annual visit of Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford. She, as usual, spoke in many places, including Unitarian Churches, New Thought, Theosophical, Whitefield's Tabernacle, Fellowship of Faiths, and others, and gave informal talks and interviews. ~~Other teachers have spoken in Ilford at a Unitarian meeting, four times at the London Fields Fellowship, at a meeting in Caxton Hall, at a meeting of the Fellowship of Faiths, at a meeting of colored people and at a meeting in Orpington. "Of course each individual member makes many valuable contacts and teaches in his or her own way. And more than all else all teach by their lives. A number of exceedingly interested people have been corresponded with and received literature and information. ttThe Baha'i Cause is steadily progressing in Britain. It is little use troubling ourselves about the rise and fall of the wavelets in our activities; the tide is coming in Ñ and it is the tide that matters. It is not a long time since there were no friends of the Cause of Baha'u'llah in Britain; the Baha'i Glad Tidings of the Kingdom were unknown, unvoiced, even unimagined Ñ but today scores of earnest souis are alive to the [p74] 74 THE BAHA'I WORLD subject, voicing it, loving it, magnifying it, awakening people to the Glory of the coming era; and it is true to say that thousands of people in Britain have now heard the first faint but certain notes of the sweet call of the Abha Kingdom. In fact, the Call for the Unification of the World in the Glory of God is being more and more definitely heard by the people through the efforts of a steadily increasing number of friends. ttDuring the last three months the London friends have had the pleasure of welcoming these visitors from abroad: Mr. Dorakhshan, of Paris and Tihr~n; Mr. Mountfort Mills, of New York and Geneva; Mr. Albert Win-dust, of Chicago, on his way home to America from Haifa; and Mr. Faridoon, of KirmTh and Berlin. At a Unity Feast held at the Baha'i room on February 29, short talks were given upon the subject, tThe World Crisis and the Baha'i Movement.' Professor Shastri joined wholeheartedly in the appeal for more enthusiasm in spreading the universal Message of Baha'u'llah in this critical time. Lady Blomfield, Mrs. Slade, Miss Pinchon, Miss Baxter, and Mrs. Romer have given the Message in many places, including New Thought, Quaker, and Esperanto meetings, the International Guest House, and the London Fields Fellowship. In connection with this latter Mrs. Romer and Miss Phillips have spoken to a group of about one hundred children from eight to sixteen years of age. "Mrs. George, indefatigable and faithful at all times, has continued her Sunday afternoon meetings, the most precious function of which is to deepen in the souis of people the profound spiritual teachings of the Cause." From bulletins issued by the Ba1A'i Bureau at Geneva are quoted the following items. "We are happy to welcome to the Bureau our indefatigable worker in the Cause, Miss Martha Root, who arrived in Geneva on 29th January. She is attending diligently the public sessions of the Disarmament Conference. She is meeting also many people privately, and we hope will find time to give some public talks at the Bureau. C(J~ our last Bulletin we failed to speak of the visit to Geneva of Miss Isabel Carey of England. It will be remembered that Miss Carey assisted in the Bureau about three years ago. "We are happy to announce that the French translation of Dr. Esslemont's book is going to press, and soon will be ready for distribution. CCQ~ 29th December, 1931, Mr. Windust of Chicago, Editorial Manager of the tBahA'i News' arrived in Geneva on his way from Haifa, and we were very happy to welcome him at the Bureau. He left for Germany on 2nd January, where he visited friends in Weinheim and Berlin, thence proceeding to England before sailing for America. ccMme. Dreyfus Ñ Barney finds time in between the Sessions of the Disarmament Conference and her activities with the International Council of Women to pay occasional visits to the Bureau. Mine. Dreyfus is one of the Vice-Presidents of the Disarmament Committee of Women's International Organizations representing fifteen organizations with branches in 56 countries and a membership of 45 million. This Committee presented the first week of the meeting, a petition to the Disarmament Conference through Mary A. Dingliam, their President. In the points made we cull this as another example of the penetration of the Spirit of this Age: ~A great vision has become clear to the eyes of this generation Ñ the vision of the forces of humanity working together toward one single aim, towards a new world order based on mutual understanding and international goodwill.' "From a Tablet written by CAbd~1Bh~ in 1913 we have the following concerning women: tln the Baha'i Revelation the women go hand in hand with the men. In no movement will they be left behind. Their rights with men are equal in degree. They will enter all the administrative branches of politics. They will attain in all such a degree which will be considered the very highest station of the world of humanity and will take part in all the affairs. Rest ye assured.' And in the Promulgation of Universal Peace, Vol. I, p. 130, he says: tThe most momentous question this day is international peace and arbitration, and universal peace is impossible without universal suffrage.' [p75] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 75 "Mr. Mountfort Mills is in Geneva again attending to the Baha question. He spoke recently at the Bureau on disarmament from the Baha'i approach, when Martha Root was hostess. ccSeveral inquiries about the Cause have been addressed to us by people who have read Dr. Auguste Forel's Testament, which has been published in pamphlet form by tEdition de la Libre Pens6e Internationale,' 4 rue de Ia Paix, Lausanne. The reference is as follows: in 1920 I learned at Karisruhe of the nonconfessional world religion of the Baha'is, founded in the Orient 70 years ago by a Persian, Baha'u'llah. This is the real religion of ~tSocia1 Welfare," without dogmas or priests, binding together all men of this small terrestrial globe of ours. I have become a Baha'i. May this religion live and prosper for the good of humanity! This is my most ardent desire.' " Little imagination is needed in order to appreciate the striking contrast between the modest and unassuming Baha'i Bureau, upholding Baha'u'llah's plan of world order, and the vastness of the resources, intellectual as well as material, which are at the disposal of the political agencies centered at Geneva. But peace eludes the best efforts of these formal agencies, and their impressive mechanism is therefore spiritually less vital than the element of devoted, conscious faith. The same contrast might have been noted, long ago, between the "community of the catacombs" and the unavailing power of the rulers of that League of Nations of ancient times, the Roman Empire. In many other European centers, Baha'i activity has achieved distinct advance during the past two years. One devoted Albanian Baha'i, Mr. Cha-pan, is establishing a center in that land, literature for which he has prepared in Albanian translations of Hidden Words, Tablet of fqAn, and Esslemont's ttBah&'u'-11Th and the New Era." In Bulgaria, the successive visits made by Miss Martha Root, Mrs. Louise Gregory, Mr. Adam Bencke and Miss Jack, have also formed Baha'i groups in Sofia and Turnovo. The election of a Spiritual Assembly in Sofia is anticipated within the coming year. Significantly enough, it is among university students and instructors that the greatest interest has been aroused. The Bulgarian translations of Baha'i literature, and also those which have been made into Swedish, Danish and other European tongues, are mentioned later in the present article under a separate heading. Of the Baha'i work in the smaller European countries at this time it may be said that it has been maintained by extreme sacrifice, and still represents the pioneer stage when future possibilities are more important than present attainment. Italy, despite superficial appearance, is a fertile field for the spread of the Baha'i teachings. A real foundation has been laid through the efforts of a number of American and European believers in recent years. CIRAQ In April, 1931, a National Spiritual Assembly after the model of the American Assembly was duly elected by delegates representing the Baha'i communities of Bagbd~d, tAv~shiq-Mosu1, Basrih, Huvay-dar, Ya !qubiyyih and Adhyabil. Following its election, the National Spiritual Assembly has prepared a draft of a constitution and bylaws based upon the American Declaration of Trust published elsewhere in the present volume. Steps have also been taken to apply to the civil government for recognition of the Baha'i community as a legal corporation. This accomplished, each local Spiritual Assembly will apply to the authorities for recognition of the legal status of its local jurisdiction under a Declaration of Trust conforming to the instrument adopted by the Baha'i community of the City of New York. The Baha'is of 'Ir&q are profoundly conscious of their high mission as trustees of a Faith so intimately associated with their native land. It was to Baghdad that Baha'u'llah was sent on the first stage of that long exile which, in conformity with ancient prophecy, culminated at cAkki, Palestine. It was near Eaghd~d that Baha'u'llah made the declaration of His mission, transforming the B&bi Cause to the Baha'i Faith. In BaghdAd are situated those dwellings occupied by Baha'u'llah during his residence in that city, and by Him constituted a Baha'i [p76] The Baha'i burial ground in tAkki. Graves at right mark resting-places of mother of tAbdu'1-BaM and brother of Baha'u'llah. [p77] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 77 Shrine, a center of pilgrimage throughout future times. The significant history of those houses Ñ their seizure by Shah Muliamrnadan enemies of the Cause about ten years ago, initiating a series of efforts by Baha to regain possession which led to a petition being made to the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations Ñ was outlined in the previous volume of The Baha'i World, and is continued in a later part of the present article. Meanwhile, from a report prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly of tlriq, it is of interest to note that the local press duly published the decision of the Council of the League affirming the recommendation made by the Mandates Commission that the mandatory power, Great Britain, should see to it that the tJr~qi government restore the houses of Baha'u'llah to their rightful Baha'i owners. The publication of this record made a tremendous impression upon the people of Baghdad, depressing the Shiahs and exalting the reputation of the Baha'i Faith. The efforts of even a great number of Baha'i teachers in promoting the Cause could not have accomplished so much result. "For the first time," the Assembly points out, "a public meeting has been held in BaghdAd for non-Bahi'is. The Y. M. C. A., a British organization, invited Dr. Aflatum, Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly, to address its members and guests on the subject of The Baha'i Cause: Its History and Teachings.' This meeting took place in February, 1932, before members of the local British community as well as liberal minded tlrAqis. "Details of activities in local Baha'i communities of CJ~jq are quoted from reports furnished by the National Assembly. "Shaykh Muhyiddeen Sabri, a well known and deeply-informed Baha'i teacher, was asked by the Guardian to make a second visit to our country, in 1931, for the twofold purpose of teaching and of helping in the establishing of the N.S.A. He faithfully carried out his mission, and after a sojourn of about four months during which he spared no efforts in the promulgation of the teachings, left for the Holy Land. "The friends in Mosul during the summer of 1930 passed through an experience which tested their patience, steadfastness and prudence, when some ignorant people, instigated by fanatic and malicious mullahs, and armed with knives, hammers, sticks, etc., rushed into the new headquarters of the Baha'is, because the believers in that locality, praise be to God, had increased in number and their old building could no longer house them comfortably. The new building had been situated on the main street of the city, and the friends placed over the main entrance a sign bearing the Greatest Name Ta Bahd'u'1-Abha in conspicuous letters. The result was that the whole populace and some newspapers heard and talked about the Cause for several weeks during which time the Message was passed on to many broadminded, unprejudiced inquirers, some of whom consequently accepted the Teachings and the divine Mission of Baha'u'llah. ttThe peaceful outlying Baha'i village of Av~shiq has come to be known in many parts of tldq as the headquarters and the chief center of Baha'is. One of the outstanding reasons for the good name of Av~shiq is the fine two-story building of the tHadira-tul-Kuds' there which the friends of God constructed some two years ago with a high degree of sacrifice. These Arab believers, whose chief occupation is agriculture, are, although somewhat illiterate, steadfast in the Faith, and wonderfully simple and pure-hearted. It is very lovely to be with them in their home village and hear them talk about the Cause. "Last year the local daily Arabic papers began translating the full discussions of the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations, concerning the conditions in tIr~iq, which included the case of Baha'u'llah's House in Baghdid. This particular part of the discussions created a general impression as to the possibility of expropriation, and caused a widespread anxiety, nay, even rage; and in particular among the Shi'iteUlemas who did all in their power to stir and excite the common people against the League's decision. For nearly three months scarcely a day passed without one or more of the daily papers remarking on the CBah~~i House.' Thus everyone in this country came to realize at last that there is [p78] 78 THE BAHA'I WORLD in the world a movement called the Baha'i Faith which has its faithful adherents all over the world." EGYPT Between Baha'is of the Muslim East and those of the West there is a very far-reaching difference in general condition due to the fact that, apart from the Turkish Republic, Muslim countries have no civil code. The personal status of Baha'is in Egypt, therefore, is greatly affected in such fundamental matters as marriage, divorce and inheritance from the imposition of the tenets of the Qur'an. They are subject to the jurisdiction of Muslim, and therefore frequently antagonistic courts, on decision of questions which for western Baha'is are essentially civil and not ecclesiastic in nature. But this disability is likely to have, in the long run, tremendous consequences entirely favorable to believers in Muslim lands. It was pointed out in a previous summary of Baha'i activities in Egypt that the highest ecclesiastical court has already pronounced the Baha'i faith an independent religion, a complete break (from the point of view of Muslim tradition) with the Mul?ammadan practice and faith. This pronouncement had the effect, and perhaps the deliberate intention, of depriving Egyptian believers of access to the courts for consideration of all matters deriving from the code based upon the Qur'an. To find any equivalent to such a state of affairs in the West one must go back to medieval Europe and the union of church and state, under which heresy became outlawed by the state. To meet this problem, the Egyptian Baha'is have applied to the government not merely for recognition as a legal corporation empowered to hold property and transact its religious affairs, but also for recognition of the National Spiritual Assembly as a Baha'i religious court having, for members of the Baha'i community, the same scope and authority as is exercised by the Muslim Supreme Court itself upon Egyptian Muslims. In this application, the National Assembly included a Baha code based upon the KITAB-I-AQDAS revealed by Baha'u'llah, in addition to the text of a Baha'i Declaration of Trust. Continuous appeal has been made for a favorable decision on this application in petitions addressed to the Prime Minister, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Justice. Joining with their fellow believers, the American National Assembly has also made appeal to the Egyptian government, citing the legal status enjoyed by the American Baha'is. Up to the date of the present writing, final decision has not yet been made. The eventual result, however, will not be doubted by any follower of Baha'u'llah. When the believers of Egypt have been granted freedom to apply Baha'u'llah's laws and principles to their personal affairs, and exercise, through their National Assembly, due judicial as well as administrative functions, the international progress of this Faith will be vastly accelerated. The ultimate goal of a World Religion, exercising spiritual influence and control, while scru-puiousiy abstaining from the interference with and usurpation of the functions and powers of civil states Ñ the bane of ecciesi-. asticism in the past Ñ is held steadily in view by every Baha'i. The cumulative effect of this conscious faith, so steadfastly promoted in all continents, can scarcely be overestimated by clear minded students of world affairs. Legal victory won in Egypt, the same appeal will then be made in Syria, Palestine, Persia, tlrAq and India, with inevitable enhancement of the prestige of the Cause and renewed stimulus to the Baha'is of the West. Among the details of Baha activities in Egypt to be recorded here are: the gradual spread of the Faith among the Copts, members of the Orthodox Church, and the commencement of Baha'i community life in new centers such as Hamul, Shibini'1-Kawm, Assiut and Tanta, with penetration into the province of Darfur and the Sudan. PERSIA In dealing with Baha'i affairs in Persia, a Western Baha'i feels an inevitable incapac [p79] Zr V Room (on the left) occupied by Baha'u'llah on the upper floor of the Barracks in tAkk4. [p80] 80 THE BAHA'I WORLD ity, not merely because of the historical differences between that ancient country and Europe or America, nor because of the fact that its cultural background is more remote than that of India, China or Japan, but above all because Persia stands apart from other countries as the land chosen to be the birthplace of the Mb and Baha'u'llah, the destined theatre in which were played the first acts of the World Faith which They established. This sense of reverent hesitation has become deeper as the result of the publication of The Dawn-Breakers: A History of the Early Days of the Baha'! Revelation in the translation made by Shoghi Effendi, which conveys to Baha'is of the West so intense and vivid a picture of conditions in Persia during the middle of the last century. In spirit one lives in the Presence of the World Educator and beholds as actual figures the great martyrs enrolled in the annals of this Faith. With such an inner experience, no Western believer can fail to realize by what supreme struggle and sacrifice the Persian Baha'is, now in the third and fourth generation, have attained their present degree of collective capacity and influence. The long policy of hostility and repression on the part of a civil government until recently dominated by the ecclesiastical leaders of IslAm now appears to be definitely abandoned. Only a few years ago, petitions were addressed to the ShAh by American Baha'is to plead the cause of their brothers and sisters in Persia being savagely slain in several villages. Fresh in mind, also, is the incident of the assassination of Major Imbrie in Tihrin itself, victim of a fanatical mob which resented the protection he demanded for the little group of American Baha'i women serving as teachers and physicians at the Tarbiyat School. That incident may well be regarded as the climax of nearly seventy years' effort to exterminate the Baha'i Faith in the land of its origin. Unhappily, the change of heart revealed by the civil government, at last powerful enough to throw off the influence of a medieval-minded Isl&m and wise enough to lay foundations for a Persian citizenship based upon the constitutional rights taken for granted in the West, has but transferred the hostile attitude to another group Ñ the missionaries representing a Protestant Church in the United States. The hour of the collapse of IslAm as powerful State religion apparently found these missionaries fully aware of their opportunity to promote the claims of Christianity in one of its sectarian branches, but unprepared spiritually to express their loyalty and zeal through true religious motives and self-sacrificing works. Faced by the need to vindicate to their supporters at home the results obtained through the expenditure of millions of dollars over a period of a hundred years, the Presbyterian missions and schools, lacking such vindication, fell into the lamentable error of attempting to conceal their failure by attitudes and acts of determined hostility toward the Persian Baha'is. A detailed catalog of these acts will one day, if necessary, be made available to the American body of Christians who unwittingly have been made partners in this policy, as vairn as it is unchristian in character, temporarily deceived by the anti-BaIA'i literature written by missionaries and officially sponsored by their American boards. The matter at present is one merely for this brief comment, in recording the current activities of the Persian Baha'is. Turning now to the positive achievements of these believers, free at last of the terrible burden of public oppression: what dramatic contrast between the martyrdoms of even recent years, and the achievement represented by the construction of a Haziratu'I-Quds in Tihr4n, the Persian capital, at an expense of approximately $100,000 Ñ a central Baha'i institution which serves as meeting-place for general gatherings of the Baha'i community, for the sessions of the Tibrin Spiritual Assembly, for a library, a Baha'i Archives and many other needs of a rapidly growing Faith. Compelled for so many years to hold small, private meetings here and there throughout the city, the Baha'is of Tihrin have recently held public meetings with as many as three thousand people present, and the construction of the Haziratu'1-Quds provides for this number. [p81] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 81 The edifice will serve also for the de Ñ liberations of the ninety-five delegates elected from the various Baha'i administrative divisions of Persia to constitute the Annual Convention Ñ a forward step which now makes possible the election of a Persian National Spiritual Assembly fully representative of men and women believers throughout the land. Thus becomes imminent the election of the International House of Justice provided for in the teachings of Baha'u'llah, as Persia adds her National Spiritual Assembly to those already existing in other countries. The Persian Baha'is have also taken action leading to the purchase of a large area on the slopes of a hill overlooking Tihrin, as the site for the construction of a second Baha House of Worship in the East, the first having been erected at Ihq~b~d many years ago. In accordance with Abdu'l-Baha's expressed wishes the Persian believers have deferred the building of this Mashriqu'l-Adhkar until the American Baha'i Temple is completed. How long a confused, afflicted age re~ quires before it can recognize so many clear evidences of Baha'u'llah's power to renew humanity's faith in the one God, it is impossible for any one to say. But none can gainsay the fact that in a dark and backward nation, a half century ago bestrode by the sinister colossus of an arbitrary State ana a fanatical Church, zhere has been created a strong and vigorous Baha'i coinrnu-• nity now beginning to tower above the ruins of IslAm, attracting to Persia the regenerating forces of a new spirit and a new civilization. Without paying the fatal price demanded by the civil authority recently overthrown by the reigning ShTh Ñ rhe price of alliance in dishonor and partnership in spoliation of the common people Ñ the Baha'i community has earned its position of strength by sheer power of sacrifice, integrity and goodwill. To Persia it has given no mere local successor to IslAm, but the very branch of a tree of faith rooted in the depths of reality, a universal tree whose leaves are humanity itself. More than those of any country, the Baha'is of Persia demonstrate the working of an essential teaching of Baha'u'llah: that believers shall abstain from political affairs, join in no party, but stand loyal to the government of the land. Such administrative posts as are above the reach of partisan politics may be filled by members of the Baha'i community, but as a community and also as individual believers, Ba Ñ hi'is cannot be identified with political controversies, policies and factions. A number of important administrative positions in Persia are now held by members of the Baha'i community, for example that of head of the municipality of HarnadTh, one of the chief cities. As was pointed out in a previous voiurne of The Baha'i World; the great emphasis laid by the Baha'i teachings on character and also education inevitably produces capacity for public service an age when character and training replace favoritism as qualifications for office in the commonwealth. The peculiar situation existing ~n Isl6aiic countries through absence of a civil code has already been referred to in connection with the Egyptian Baha'is. In Persia, public recognition is now being tacitly given to the legal capacity of the Baha'i community to follow the laws of Baha'u'llah in such matters as marriage. The signature and seai of a Spiritual Assembly on a Baha'i marriage certificate is now sufficient to validate the document for public registration, and the formal permit of Mul?ammadan ecclesiastic authorities is no longer necessary. This detail, in view of the rapid secularization of affairs in Persia, has special significance. The last real barrier interposed by the Persian government against the freedom of Baha'is has been the ban on the entry and circulation of Baha'i literature. This edict, made under a previous reign, has prevented full intercourse between Baha'i communities outside of Persia and those within that country. In realizing that the Sacred Literature of this Faith was revealed for the most part in the Persian language (Baha'u'llah composed also in Arabic), this ban has operated strangely enough in resisting entrance into Persia of translations made from the Persian language itself! In recent years the edict has been somewhat relaxed, with the result that certain Baha'i texts [p82] 82 THE BAHA'I WORLD have been published in Tilirtin. Unremitting effort has been made by Persian Baha'is to obtain the complete removal of the postal regulation, an effort in which American Baha'is joined by sending formal petitions to the government and to the Sh&h. Significant details of Baha'i activities in Persia are now presented, taken from reports prepared under the direction of the Spiritual Assembly of Tihdn. The first BabS'i Convention was held in Persia during 1927. Nine districts were represented. Due to general conditions, only a few Baha'i centers ~had yet developed means for joint consultation, but now about five hundred local centers have administrative unity through the National Spiritual Assembly in Tihnin. Following the Convention of 1930, twenty-four national committees were appointed, with activities ranging from the education of children to the raising of funds for the Haziratu'1-Quds, from the care of aged and destitute believers to the taking of a complete Baha'i census throughout Persia Ñ a task which will require several years. The Baha'i Schools in Tihr~n, one for girls and one for boys, have high rank among the educational institutions of Persia. An American Baha'i, Miss Adelaide Sharp, has served as principal of the Girls' School for a number of years. The study of Esperanto has recently been added to its curriculum. A large number of non-BaM'i children, representing families holding important government posts, attend these two schools. Many of the Baha'is deported by the Soviet Government, as explained in Volume Three of The Baha'i World, from Ishqabad, Bad Koubeh, Moscou and Tiflis, now reside in Tihdn and other Persian cities, their devotion and zeal highly appreciated by their fellow-believers. The public addresses delivered by tAbdu'1-Bah~ in Europe and America, many of which were taken down stenographically in Persian as well as in English, French or German, are being collected for publication in the Persian language. A monthly bulletin known as Baha'i News reports for the information of Persian believers the current Baha'i activities of other lands. An English translation is sent to Baha'i centers outside Persia. A book by Dr. Younes Khan Afrou-khteh, The Unity of East and West, has been published. One of the committees has the important function of meeting and entertaining scholars and other important visitors from the West. Another committee has been making intensive study of the problem of how to establish a legal basis for the Baha'i community. Educational facilities are being extended as rapidly as possible to women and children in the smaller towns and villages. The freedom of women in IsUm arose from that great Baha'i martyr, TThirih, and not from the influence of Christian missions in Persia, as officially reported by American religious bodies. Occasional persecution, unhappily, still takes place. Such incidents have been reported from Shir~z, the environs of 1sf Thin and the districts of Adharbayej an, Khur&sAn and Abadih since 1930. The civil authorities, however, have in most instances taken energetic action to protect the Baha communities. The extensive Baha'i books and pamphlets possessed by the believers expelled from cIshqThid were seized by the customs officials at the frontier and ordered burned. An order from higher officials at Tihdn, however, prevented this destruction, but the Baha literature had to be returned to tIshq&b~id. From a Persian believer resident in the United States, who recently visited Persia after a number of years' absence, the significant fact is reported that the attitude of Persian nonbelievers toward the Baha'is has completely changed in this brief interval. The Baha'i salutation, Cf Alldh-u-Abhd," is now very generally used by non-believ-ers in greeting Baha'is, and the Cause can be discussed openly in restaurants and other public places. A committee on economics is engaged in consideration of means by which Baha communities may provide occupation for their members and, in general, apply the economic principles as explained by tAbdu'1-Bah~ to the affairs of the friends. [p83] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 83 AUSTRALASIA AND THE FAR EAST The Baha'i Faith has been firmly established in Australia and New Zealand in the incredibly short time of twelve years. The story of this achievement has been written for The Baha'i World by Mr. Hyde Dunn who, with Mrs. Dunn, carried the proclamation of Baha'u'llah to the last of the continents. tGod suffices all things above all things Ñ Everything in heaven and earth God suf the significance and force of the Christ-life unfolded. ttThat one glorious utterance magnetized the whole being; it appealed as a New Note sent forth from God, to His wandering creatures, a message from the Supreme to the sons of men. "Since that crucial moment the heart and soul have not been still, but ever investi-. gating and praying for the promulgation of the glorious Revelation of Baha'u'llah and the Center of His Covenant. The grave of the purest branch (brother of tAbdu'1-Bahi) at Akka. fices. He is in Himself the Knower Ñ the Sustainer Ñ the Omnipotent.' "It was in 1905 while in a tinker's shop in Seattle, U. S. A., that my hungry searching heart heard the penetrative utterance of Baha'u'llah from one just returned from the prison of Akka and the Presence of tAbdu'1-Bahi. ttThe words werc not spoken to me, but to the tinker, though they were for me to hear. Ñ tLet not a man glory in this that he loves his country, let him rather glory in this that be loves the whole world.' ccThe effect was dynamic Ñ its truth and power Christianized in the heart instantly; a new consciousness was awakened; man's proper attitude to humanity made clear; "It was unfortunate that the tinker himself did not hear or recognize the Note or the sweet melody it contained, and continued in his work. "Thus, in due course of time through that authoritative utterance from the lips of Baha'u'llah to Professor E. Browne of Cambridge University, the Baha'i Message and its Cause found an humble outlet on the continent of Australia. ttln January, 1920, two Baha'is left San Francisco, U. S. A., for Australia; visiting Honolulu en route, there meeting the Hawaiian believers, who gave much inspiration for this pioneer work in the Southern Hemisphere. "We arrived in Sydney on April 10th, 1920, with naught but faith in tAbdu'1- [p84] 84 THE BAHA'I WORLD Baht He soon provided suitable employment that enabled both Bab6'is to travel and visit the Capital cities of the Commonwealth. "Gatherings were attracted and meetings held; groups formed and in some instances Baha'i Assemblies established, as a nucleus to which other teachers might follow strengthening those who had been attracted. CCJ~ less degree the Message had been carried into about seven hundred towns covering the whole Commonwealth where literature and books were distributed. C!Then a few years ago our beloved Martha Root, famed for her world campaign in the Baha'i Movement, visited Australia on her return from China. She lectured in the capital cities of Australia and New Zealand, winning the hearts of the people and her memory is stamped on them indelibly as an earnest universal Baha'i lecturer. !(TJ~en again, we were suddenly surprised to find dear Fred Schophiocher in our midst, but unfortunately for too short a time; though honor is due to him, for he returned among us two years later. His visits were a joy and happiness to all; his kindness and his love will remain lasting and fragrant; we look for him again to help us in strengthening the Baha'i hearts ±n this Continent. CcAdelaide South Australia, is perhaps the most active Assembly, with devout earnest searching members ever striving to expand the Cause. It was with great happiness that this Baha'i Assembly, took hold of the Magazine, The Herald of the South, and are ardently working to carry it forward as a beacon of light for the Southern Hemisphere. !rThe Herald was first started in New Zealand, by one loving heart, Bertram E. Dewing. This fine Baha'i is at present in America, still working hard for the Blessed Cause and his interest in the Herald has never waned; in fact it is greater than ever. "In Adelaide, work is going on steadily in the Baha'i Sunday School Rose Garden, and in the Wednesday afternoon classes for women. A Baha'i Youth Class has been formed which we hope will grow and be the means of linking the youth of Australia to that of other lands. "All the friends in Australia are awaiting the arrival of Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehier with great rejoicing. Already she has been invited to speak at numerous Public meetings. We know her efforts here will be blessed and we hope that as a result of her visit there will be much to report in the 1934 Baha'i World. "New Zealand, too, has had a firm Baha'i Assembly for many years, with steadfast earnest believers Ñ striving to advance the Movement in that beautiful country. CCAt this time of writing the first fruit of the seed sown is sitting near me; one who has wholly accepted the Revelation and its Manifestation, and his deep desire for the advancement of the Cause is ever urging him to further effort. May God so quicken us all until Australia is awakened and enkindled in every fibre of her being! C(WWe appeal to all the Baha'i world to supplicate for Australia. CCTh best work in Australia has been accomplished Ñ through home groups, combined with a warm hospitality. "Since writing the above: It is our joy to have Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehier with us in Australia Ñ en route from Japan she passed through Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, receiving a hearty Baha'i welcome at each port, coupled with earnest entreaties for her speedy return and teaching campaign. "Our beloved Baha'i sister arrived in Adelaide, her journey's end for the time being, very exhausted and tired after a long, wearisome trip. "While as yet, only a few days with us, she has given many interesting and attractive talks, holding her audiences in rapt attention, giving all an appetite or desire for more spiritual food. CtM hearts have become thrilled and eager inquiry is being made for public lectures. ccArrangements are now being completed for nine Public Lectures, talks over the radio, and at various Societies. Private interviews are being held and Baha'i investigators are continually arriving, seeking the pure seed of the Revelation of BahS'u' [p85] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 85 llAh and the Life and Love of the Covenant." For New Zealand we have the following statement by the Assembly of Auckland: "Toward~ the end of the year 1922 a great event happened to a few people in Auckland, N. Z. This event was the visit of Mr. and Mrs. Hyde Dunn, two selfless seed-sowers for the Baha'i Cause, from California. How farreaching and important this will prove in the future development of the movement in this far land, who shall say? "The point of contact for Mr. and Mrs. Dunn was Miss Margaret Stevenson, the present Secretary of the Auckland Spiritual Assembly. (Miss Stevenson, hearing of the Cause from an English friend about 1913, was deeply interested and became a believer and subsequently a subscriber to the tStar of the 'West.') Mrs. Blundell, who also knew something of the Cause, arranged a meeting at her home, to which some twenty people were invited. Mr. Dunn spoke on the Baha'i Movement in its relation to other great religions and their founders, stressing the universality of this later Manifestation of the Spirit through Baha'u'llah. The address was lucid and satisfying and made a deep impression on most of those present. Other meetings followed, some in private houses, several at the Higher Thought center, then ncwiy established, at Spiritualist Churches, and other unorthodox communities. Mrs. Dunn gave up her afternoons to enquirers and assisted Mr. Dunn at the evening meetings. As a result of their short stay a study group was formed, out of which grew the Spiritual Assembly which now functions. ctAnother important event was the visit of Miss Martha Root in the winter of 1924. During her two weeks' visit she addressed nearly every association in the City, including the National Council of Women, the Rotary Club, The Women's Club, The Chinese Nationalist Society and others. In addition the Unitarian Minister invited her to officiate at the morning service and the Labour Party included her in their speakers at a great mass meeting in a large city theatre, the occasion being the annual Peace Sunday. Hundreds of people then heard the name tBah~~i~ for the first time, and public meetings were continued weekiy for some months. These had to be abandoned for lack of a leader who could undertake responsibility for addressing meetings and also on account of expense, so through the kindness of the Misses Stevenson the meetings were afterwards held at their home in Parnell, as they were before Miss Root's arrival. Every member constitutes his or herself a seed-sower and visitors are welcomed at the meetings. "A library has been established and a system of posting magazines on loan to interested people who cannot attend. CCAS a result of the enthusiasm of one of our young members, Bertram Dewing, a Baha'i Magazine for Australasia was started from this center in 1926. This effort had the approval and blessing of the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, and was named by him The Herald of the South.' tCFiil difficulties were overcome and publication continued till Mr. Dewing's removal to Canada, since when the Adelaide, Australia Assembly, have assumed responsibility and the Magazine is now published there. ttRegular weekly meetings are held and a sewing guild supplies children's garments for the Auckland Anglican City Mission and needy individual cases. This effort is greatly appreciated. "Though the Teachings are becoming known through this small center and isolated believers the Movement has not yet made any wide appeal, the chief reason being the lack of a capable leader with time, and enthusiasm to put into the work. Still there is a leaven working here as elsewhere which is laying the foundation for a broader conception of religious truth and a more just social and economic system." In April of the fateful year 1932, Baha'i activities in Japan became more firmly rooted through the formation of a Spiritual Assembly at Tokyo. The details of this action belong more properly in the next biennial volume. The most important aspect of the work in Japan since 1930 has been the teaching meetings held by Mrs. Keith Ransom-Keb-ler of New York, who has spent more than [p86] 86 THE BAHA'I WORLD a year in visiting Baha'i communities in the Orient. Miss Agnes Alexander, whose residence in Tokyo over a long period of time has culminated in the formation of the Local Assembly, thus relates the details of her visit. "It was a happy meeting in Yokohama on June 25, 1931, when Mrs. Keith Ransom-Keller arrived. We felt peace and joy in being together and Keith said she felt a happiness here. I longed that she might remain longer, as there was so much we could do together, but as her plan had been submitted to Shoghi Effendi, she did not feel that she should change it without his knowledge and consent, so two days after her arrival, I cabled him asking if it were permissible for her to remain longer. We decided that if no word came in answer, then she would keep to her original plan. The day before Keith was to leave, when we felt satisfied that we were striving to do His Will oniy, the following cable was received, ~Who1ehearted1y approve Keith, extend stay. Love. Shoghi.' At the time Keith was packed to go. The cable was probably late in reaching us as Shoghi Effendi had left Haifa for the summer. "As the steamers to Australia go monthly, Keith remained for another month, making a stay in all of six weeks. Without making previous plans, each day was filled and it was very important that Keith had opportunity to speak more of the Baha'i Administration, of which she is so well qualified to speak. "Through a cable, again from Mrs. Ella Cooper, we were able to meet Miss liu of Canton, who was on her way from the United States. 'While her steamer was in port in Yokohama, she came to Tokyo and spent the night and we had an inspiring meeting in the evening. Miss Liu's brother heard of the Baha'i Cause in the United States a number of years ago and had assisted Martha Root when she visited Canton in 1924 and also last year. Recently Miss Liu had met Martha when she spoke at the University of Michigan where Miss Liu was taking her Master's Degree and Martha arranged for her to meet the Baha'is as she went westward on her way to San Francisco. cisco. Miss Liu was very earnest and enthusiastic about the Cause and invited Keith to Canton to be a guest in her home and to arrange meetings for her there. As Keith was to have a week in Hongkong, this seemed to just fit in and was surely His Plan. Now that Keith has been there, though as yet there has not been time to hear from her, I feel that the Tokyo group of Baha'is and those of Canton will be brought into a strong unity and this we know is the oniy hope of the nations today. "All that it has meant to Japan to have Keith with me to strengthen and encourage the friends, can never be told in words. Her first public speech, the day after her arrival, was at the weekly Pan-Pacific luncheon. As the speeches there are taken down by a stenographer, I was delighted the next morning to see the best of her words, under the heading, The Baha'i Movement,' in the Japan Advertiser, the leading English newspaper of Japan which is American owned. This was a great confirmation and showed how, when we are in love and unity, the Holy Spirit speaks tbrough us and attracts people to our Cause. The newspaper account is as follows: cc C~4~.S Ransom-Kehier spoke on the Ba-h~'i Movement, saying that its founder, Baha'u'llah, had laid down as a basis for the solution of the grave problems which confront humanity in this age, what He terms the ttMost Great Peace." This meant not oniy a peace among nations, but among races, religions and social classes as well; a peace which will reconcile all these opposing forces. "The world," she said, "had developed into a neighborhood, but there is no spirit of friendliness and neighborliness. The Baha'i Movement has given to 12,000,000 men and women today, representing every race, every religion, every nationality, every class, every type of human being, this great unifying impulse, which we believe will enable us to move forward like an army of faith and strength to vanquish evil things on earth, such as the racial prejudices, religious animosities, social antagonisms Ñ these things that have spread and divided men," the speaker said.' t'That same evening we had a gathering [p87] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 87 of the friends in my room to meet Keith. The next day, the 2 7th, we attended a tea party where I knew her presence would attract to our Cause. In the evening we had a Chinese dinner with some of the directors of the Chinese Y.M.C.A., after which she spoke to a group of the Chinese students of which there are several thousand in Tokyo. On Sunday, the 28th, a group met in my room. Keith spoke with our dear brother, Rev. Sempo Ito, a Universalist minister, translating. Among the group were two Korean students whom Mr. Ito had brought. He told us afterwards that they had said they found a tvery good feeling' in the gathering. "At S A. M., the morning of the 29th, Keith spoke at the chapel exercises of the Japan Woman's University, one of the teachers, a graduate of Vassar College, translating. The founder of this university, the late President Naruse, met tAbdu'1-BahA when in London in 1912. CAbdu~1 Baha urged him to return to Japan and spread the Baha'i Teachings, and in 1916, I think it was, he asked me to speak in the chapel to the whole school on the Baha'i Movement. So in this University the seed has been sown and the future will show the results. That evening Keith spoke to a group of students from the Commercial University who had arranged a tea party for us. Keith was delighted with meeting this group of the growing generation of Japan and of having opportunity of talking with them and answering their questions. "The next afternoon we were invited to the beautiful garden of Dr. Masujima, who shows great kindness to the Baha'i friends. He was then away en route to England, but we met in his law library, law students from Kejo University who gather there every Tuesday to study and then have Japanese supper together. Martha and I had both spoken here at different times and so it was good to have Keith reinforce the efforts which had been made. ttAfter attending a tea party the next day, we were guests of the Y.M.C.A. English Speaking Club for supper, and Keith spoke after supper. This club has heard the Baha'i Teachings many times, but as the members are constantly changing, it is almost always a new group. Martha, on her three visits to Japan, has each time spoken there and I have spoken a number of times of the Baha'i Movement, so again Keith reinforced the work and we returned to the Club, at their request, on several Wednesday evenings when they met, each time Keith speaking. Many seeds were sown and some of the members came to my room to hear more. ttSeveral evenings we especially invited the Baha'i friends and those whom we hoped to confirm, to my room so that Keith might speak to them of the Baha'i Administration. One evening we had the pleasure of welcoming two Indian young men who were most open-minded in regard to the Cause. ttTWO meetings of great importance, 1 feel, were those of Buddhist gatherings. One was at the Buddhist temple where, on January 10th, I had been asked to speak on the Baha'i Movement, which was the beginning of a series of meetings held on the 10th of each month. In the June number of our Star, page 75, is a picture which was taken at that time. Keith spoke here on the 10th of July, the Rev. Sempo Ito translating for her. The other gathering was a Buddhist summer lecture conference. Here Keith spoke on the Baha'i Message referring to the Buddha's teachings, Rev. Sempo Ito again translating into Japanese. "One day, through the efforts of Rev. Sempo Ito, we were invited to a private school which prepares students for immigration to South America. The principal of this school, which is out of the city and self-supporting, is a most earnest Christian. Here we were received with the greatest cordiality. We will never forget the sight of the principal kneeling before his students, leading them in fervent prayer. That afternoon we were guests for tea of Dr. Nasu, who first heard of the Baha'i Teachings in New York and who is a devoted friend of Roy Wilhelm's. He had us meet a dozen or more graduate students who are assisting him in his work as Director of the Agricultural Department of the Imperial University. "Every day was filled with seed sowing. Several afternoons I invited ladies to meet Keith and have tea with us. One of these [p88] 88 THE BAHA'I WORLD ladies (American), invited us also to tea at her home. She writes me, c~ cannot tell you how much I enjoyed having her (Keith) Ñ she was like a being from another planet.' "Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehier spoke also in the Y.M.C.A. night school, to an English night school and at girls' higher school where I had been teaching Esperanto. Martha Root spoke also in this school after which the principal asked me to teach Esperanto. "This is a very brief outline, and does not adequately convey the wonderful spirit which Keith showed to all and which was reciprocated by those who met her. CcWh Keith left Tokyo to take a steamer at Yokohama for Kobe and China, I accompanied her, and we spent a happy night in Kyoto, while her steamer was in port at Kobe, in the Baha'i home of our blind brother, Mr. Toni. The next morning Mr. Toni and his son, Akin, and I accompanied Keith to her steamer in Kobe where we met our dear Buddhist priest brother, Mr. Dauin Inoue. My mission in going to Kobe had been especially to confer with Mr. Inouc about a most important matter. Dear Mr. Inoue lost his only daughter on June 8th. She was 15 years old and was sick with typhoid fever for four months. After the steamer sailed away we three were the guests of Mr. Inouc for lunch. As a memorial to his little daughter, he is going to do a work of love for the people of Japan of which I may later write. My plan had been to return then to Tokyo, but how little we know of God's plans for us! Instead of returning to Tokyo, I accepted the invitation to Mr. Toni's father's home, where I went with his family and where, for nine days, I was most happy and felt that something was accomplished each day. Probably I am the oniy foreigner who has visited that village where Mr. Toni's family are engaged in silk manufacture. The whole family could not have been more kind to me and they said it was oniy balancing what I had done for their son and brother in the past. The night after Keith left, I had spent in Kobe with another Baha'i sister, who, when a schoolgirl in Tokyo, became confirmed in the Cause and who was often, in those days before the great earthquake of 1923, in my little Japanese home in Tokyo. She is now married and has two lovely boys. She and her husband made me most welcome and asked me always to come and stay in their home and this she said was to repay for what she had received in my home when a school girl. I speak of these things for they came to me so unexpectedly. "And now I am here (at Toyohashi) where I came to see, after 12 years, our Baha'i brother, Mr. Fukuta. He was the first confirmed Baha'i when I came to Japan for the first time and had the honor of receiving from the Master the first Tablet sent to a Japanese living in Japan. He is married and has three lovely children and is working in the wholesale rice business. He says he puts the Baha'i principles in his business and that all his customers know of these. Here I have received again the greatest kindness in this humble home. It is a sorrow to my heart that so many years had passed without seeing this spiritual son, but no response had come from my many letters to him and I had not known what to think. His address was changed, it seems, seven years ago, and in all this time he had not received any of my letters. I found that he was still as firm as ever in his faith and now I hope will arise with new impetus to work for the Cause." The message of Baha'u'llah would have been carried to China by tAbdu'1-BahA Himself, as He declared in a notable Tablet, had He not been confined to tAkk~ by the Sultan's government until 1909. To China He attributed utmost importance in the future world civilization. While in the United States during 1912 He informed one of the American believers that if China became militarized, it would be a terrible menace to other countries. It was with this emphatic statement in mind that Miss Martha Root a few years ago devoted every possible moment to teaching activity in China, concentrating upon colleges and universities and the press with extraordinary result. Soon Baha'is in the West began to receive copies of newspapers in Chinese containing reproductions of a photograph of tAbdu'1-Bah~ and a view of the Temple at Wilmette. This visit was repeated by Miss Root in 1930. [p89] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 89 From this effort the Cause gained the full adherence of a Chinese scholar and educator, who immediately took up the task of translating the literature into the native language. Correspondence with the Baha'i community at Shanghai has brought forth the following details. In 1902 a Persian Baha'i was sent to Shanghai as representative of a business firm in tJshq~bid. 'the first native Chinese to accept the Faith was, it is believed, T. J. Cliwang, who attended Baha'i meetings in Chicago and returned to Shanghai in 1916. In 1917 a Korean Baha'i made a Chinese translation of the c~Twe1ve Baha'i Princi-pks" and of passages in writings of Abdu'l-Baha explaining the spiritual significance of the European ~War. This translation was published as a pamphlet by the Shanghai believers. Meanwhile the small compilation known familiarly as the ~No. 9" compila Ñ non, which has been published by American Baha'is in ten or more languages, was also issued in a Chinese edition. In 1931 Mrs. Keith Ransorn-.Kehier xis-ited Shanghai and carried out an intensive program, including radio addresses, public lectures and interviews with prominent educators and officials. The Cause in China has not yet developed to the point of elective Assemblies; the activities are maintained through the devoted loyalty of a few, but by these few knowledge of Baha'u'llah has been made to penetrate far into the consciousness of the educated class. Current activities in India and Burma for the period 19301932 have been extensively reported by the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, Mr. A. Rushdy and other sources. tRVe have altogether seven centers in India and Burma: four in India proper at Bombay, Calcutta, Poona and Karachi, and three in Burma: Rangoon, Mandalay and Kungangoon. cdIn the Summer of 1930 Miss Martha Root, the wellknown American Baha'i teacher, visited India after she had completed her tour in Persia. A graphic account of her visit was circulated in the form of a pamphlet and was also published in the Baha'i Weekly. She landed in Bombay in May, 1930, and went to Poona, where she met the famous Indian Poetess, Mrs. Sarojini Naidu who was in prison at that time and gave her the Message and Baha'i literature. A copy of the Buhd'i World: Vol. II was placed in the Yaravada Jail where Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned at the time. From Poona she went to Hyderabad (Deccan), a Muslim State, where she was treated as state guest. She met many prominent people there. She came back to Bombay and then visited Surat, che city in which lives the President of the National Assembly, and then went all the way to Karachi, crossing the Sindh Desert which is two days' journey by train. At Karachi we have a beautiful Baha'i Center which is going to have a Fiaziratu'1-Quds of its own. Miss Root addressed the Parsis and gave a lecture in the Theosophical Hall and spoke to two hundred boys in a High School. "From Karachi she came to Lahore, the city where the Secretary resides, and delivered one public lecture in the Brahmo Samaj Temple and another in the Y.M.C.A. Hall. She then went to Simla, to which place Asphandyar Bakhtiari of Karachi and the Secretary accompanied her. She met all the prominent people in Simla, which is summer capital of the Government of India as well as of the Punjab Government. She met the leaders of Indian thought, some prominent religious personalities and some of the distinguished ministers of the State and aiso leading women of India. A lecture was delivered in the Himalyan Brahmo Mirza of Simla and many people interested in rho Baha'i Cause called on Miss Root. From Simla the party was invited by H.H. Mah raja of Patiala who had his summer residence at Chail. The Message of Baha'u'llah was given to His Highness who was much impressed. ~tMiss Martha Root then visited Delhi, the capital of India, and met the Muslim scholar Khwaja Ñ Hassan Nizami who had met tAbdu'1-Bah6. in Egypt and had tans-lated tSeven Valleys' into Urdu. Next she visited Lucknow and then Benares and Patna. At Benares she addressed the professors of the Hindu University and also met the Maharaja of Benares to whom she [p90] 90 THE BAHA'I WORLD presented a copy of tSome Answered Questions.' At Patna she met the Judges of the High Court and paid a visit to the Famous Khuda Bakhsh Library and lectured before the students of the Behar National College. Her next place of visit was Bolepur where Rabindranath Tagore the poet of India has his famous International University known as the Shantineketan. The poet was in Germany when Miss Martha Root arrived, yet she was much impressed by all that she saw there. Miss Root delivered two lectures at Bolepur and she put some Baha'i literature in the Library. There were five Religions represented in the form of special Chairs at the University and the time may come when a Baha'i Chair may be endowed by some philanthropic Baha'i. "From Bolepur Miss Root went to Calcutta, where she lectured before the Muslim Institute and the Brahmo Samaj and she had to refuse many invitations from other institutions as she was pressed for time. At Calcutta she met the prince of Mayurbhanj who is a Hindu but believes in universal religion. "Miss Martha Root set sail from Calcutta for Burma where she paid a visit to the towns of Mandalay, Kunjangaon and Rangoon. At Mandalay she was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Syed Mustaf a Rumie, the oldest Baha'i in India. Lectures were delivered at the Theosophical Hall and at the Baha'i Assembly Hall which is the gift of Syed Mustaf a Rumie and his dear wife Halimah. Kunjangoon is, as we all know, Abdu'l-Baha's own village and Miss Root was delighted to be there and meet some 700 Baha'i friends, men, women and children. The whole village is Baha'i. At Rangoon several lectures were delivered which were arranged through the efforts of the friends. The Theosophical Society Library has on its shelves several Baha books and more were presented. Lectures were also delivered at Bralimo Samaj, Rangoon, and at the High School which were very well attended. ttFro Burma Miss Martha Root went over to China and Japan and the work she did in India is being followed up by the Indian Baha'is. (cEarly in January, 1931, we did some work with the All Asian Women's Conference ence held in Lahore. Mrs. Shirin Fozdar of Bombay represented the Baha'i Women of India as well as Persia and her speeches were very well received. A pamphlet known as the Baha'i Movement specially published for the occasion was distributed at these Conferences. "The Impressions recorded by Mrs. Margaret E. Cousins, Honorary Secretary Women's Indian Association, of the All-Asian Women's Conference are given below: ~At least twelve hundred men and women wended their way through the sunlit streets and clear cold air of the city which has been called the "Gateway into India" on that historic afternoon, "and what went they forth for to see?" Women unknown before in their vicinity, women of countenance and costume different from their own, women who had travelled from Japan, Java, Burma, Ceylon, women from other continents Ñ New Zealand, America, Europe, all interested in achieving increased powers of service through increased union of good will, of increased interchange of knowledge of one another, and of increased self-consciousness of Oriental possibilities for world's enrichment. She continued: tAnother organization which has given unstinted help to this Conference is the Baha'i, even to the extent of securing a cable from the Sister of the famous 'Abdu'l-Baha ("Greatest Holy Leaf") and Shoghi Effendi from their headquarters, Haifa, in Palestine, ending, "May Almighty guide and bless their high endeavours." CCAt the beginning of 1930 a paper known as the Baha'i Weekly was started in Lahore under the auspices of the N.S.A. with the object of popularising the Cause among the English-speaking Indians. At present the circulation is limited, but it is hoped that this Weekly will do the work which the Urdu monthly Kaukib-i-Hind of Delhi has done among the Hindustani speaking people of Northern India. "India is of course a difficult country for the Baha'is. It is a land of many languages and of many faiths. There are the Mubam-madans and the Hindus, the Parsis and the Indian Christians besides other minor communities. There are many religious organi [p91] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 91 zations both among the Hindus and the Muslims which a Baha'i must consider. There is one organization, however, the Ahmadya Movement, the doctrines of which have the closest affinity with Baha doctrines and are according to some directly traceable to that influence. The Editor of the Kaukib-i-Hind, an indefatigable worker in the Cause belonged to the Ahmadya Movement from which the logic of facts led him to embrace Bahi'ism. In spite of all these difficulties, the Baha'i Message has gone on progressing and spreading. In conclusion we are very happy to be able to say that Mrs. and Mr. Syed Mustafa Rumie of Manclalay have only last year deeded their whole property to the Cause. Then our Karachi friends will have their own Hazira-tu'1-Quds in the course of the next few months and the Calcutta Baha'is have only very lately rented their own meeting place, which is the gift of a Persian Baha in Calcutta. These are evident indications of a bright future for the Baha'i Cause in this country. "The Bombay Baha'i Assembly has asked Maulvi Mahfooz-ul-Haq Ilmi, the editor of the Kaukab-i-Hind Delhi, to tour Northern India during this winter (193132) and spread the Cause in the cultural centers of India. Prof. Pritam Singh, M.A., of the Lahore Baha'i Weekly is visiting some of the important towns of the Punjab with a view to give the Message to the educated classes." The work carried on by Mrs. Keith Ran-som-Kehier has been described by Mr. Beh-ram, representing the Bombay Assembly. On the morning of Thursday, the 31st of March, 1932, many believers collected together at the Docks to receive her when she arrived here from Karachi. On the same evening Mrs. Ransom-Kehier met the believers who had collected in the Baha'i Hall in great numbers and addressed them in English which was translated into Gujerati by Mrs. Shirin Fozdar. Her sweet and loving personality made a very profound impression on her hearers. "Next evening she spoke on tThe Interesting Personalities I have met in the Orient' at the Marwadi Vidyalaya Hall when Mr. F. S. Talyarkhan, Barrister-at-Law, took the chair. The hail was crowded by men and women of all shades of belief and thought and her speech was greatly acclaimed by all. "On Saturday evening the Theosophical Hall was crowded to its utmost capacity to hear this most brilliant woman speak on ~The Spiritual Basis of Citizenship' under the chairmanship of Mr. F. J. Ginwalla, M.A., LL.B. She spoke with such fervor and energy that the audience was, as it were, spellbound. "On Sunday evening she talked again and this time exclusively to the confirmed and tried believers in the Baha'i Hall. Her speech was translated into Gujerati by Mr. H. K. Modi and into Persian by Mr. Rustom Khusrove. This evening Mrs. Ransom-Kehier gave them the message sent with her by their beloved Guardian. ~~On the evening of the 4th she again spoke to the crowded house at the Prathna Samaj with Mr. G. K. Nariman in the chair. Here she gave 'The Great Message of Baha'u'llah' with such force and vitality that the audience went away greatly impressed. ctTuesday the 5th of April saw the Sir Cawasji Jehangir Hall fully packed with men and women of all nationalities. Shum-sul Ulma Dr. Sir Jiwanji J. Mody who took the chair introduced the lecturer to the audience. She chose on this day as her subject ~The Baha'i Teachings: They make a person a better follower of his own religion.' On this day she spoke like one who is inspired. She made an appeal to the audience to practise love towards God and man. She emphasized the fact that Baha'u'llah has renewed the spiritual vitality of his followers, not by taking from them their most cherished beliefs but by emphasizing anew the likeness of the fundamental teachings of the great faiths of the world. "On the evening of the 6th the Theosophical Hall was once again full with interested and appreciative audience. Here she spoke on tls Universal Brotherhood Possible?' when Mr. J. F. Ginwalla presided. The learned men who collected there listened to her speech with great interest and attention. At the end of her speech questions were asked and they were satisfactorily answered. [p92] 92 THE BAHA'I WORLD "The Sir Cawasji Jehangir Hall was again the scene of great enthusiasm and animation on the evening of the 7th instant when she spoke on tThe Baha'i Solution of World Problems'; Dr. (Mrs.) Hirabai Gilder took the chair. She said that unless we can speedily find some basis for adjustment among men the social structure cannot much longer withstand the storm of our hatred, animos-fry and strife. (CThe same night she left here by the Madras Mail for Deccan Hyderabad where she will be the guest of the State. ttJn addition to all these, and probably equally as important if not even greater, was the dynamic service which she rendered by holding a free Study Class every morning in the Baha'i Hall when those interested in the practical solution of the world's grave problems laid down by Baha'u'llah used to regularly attend it. This was indeed an outstanding and superb service and one which will doubtless be very far-reaching in its effect." Mrs. Keith Ransom-Keller, in a letter written to the American National Spiritual Assembly on March 28, 1932, gives a most interesting description of her stay in Karachi. "Upon my arrival in India, Mr. Pritam Singh, designated by the National Spiritual Assembly to accompany me on my journey, delivered an invitation from the Baha'is of Karachi to dedicate the new tBaM'i Hall' recently erected through their sacrifice and effort. (tEverything else was bent to the end of my presence in Karachi on Nawruz. Other engagements were cancelled, invitations refused so that I might accept this high honor. ttThe Baha'is of Karachi, the majority of whom are Persian Zoroastrians, are a group of dedicated loyal and devoted friends, filled with the true spirit of the Cause. Their president, Asfendiar Bakhtiari, is one to whom I would point if I were asked to define a Baha'i. "The dedication took place at six o'clock on the day of my arrival. "The Baha meeting-place, not a Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is called in Persian tHazira-tu'1-Quds,' a pure garden Ñ or something that corresponds to that, I'm told Ñ but by direction of our Guardian is called in English merely CBah4~i Hall.' "The one in Karachi is situated on the outskirts of the city in a handsome and prosperous new residential district. Our plot is an expansive garden, to the extreme right of which as you enter stands the new hail. "Tea tables were arranged out-of-doors, and when the guests and friends were gathered, in all a hundred or more, his honor, Mr. Jamshed Mehta, the four-times elected mayor of Karachi, was incited to take the chair. "He first called upon Mr. Asfendiar, who, all agreed, was the moving spirit in the erection of the building, to open the meeting with a prayer, which was chanted in Persian. Then Mr. Jamshed read passages from tAbdu'1-Bahi concerning the purpose and influence of the Baha place of worship. Mr. Abbassi, a former pupil of the late Professor Shirazi, who did so much to further the prestige of the Cause in Karachi, gave a brief account of the manner in which the Haziratu'1-Quds was built, and then I was called upon to make the Dedication address. After a brief summary of the basic teachings, consisting for the most part of quotations from the sacred utterance, I led the way to the front door of the building; removing the large bouquet that hung from the knob and turning the key, I said, tTo the glory of God and the brotherhood of man I declare this hail open for public worship, and may Baha'u'llah richly bless all who enter here.' CCAS the door was opened in swarmed the guests, expressing admiration both for the hail itself and for the tireless effort required to build it. After this tea was served and a social hour greatly enjoyed, at the close of which Mr. M. Robertson moved a vote of thanks. Again Asfendiar chanted before the gathering was disposed. "It has been a bounty to meet and work with the dear friends of Karachi." A bibliography of Baha'i literature in India and Burma, prepared by the venerable Mustafa Rumie, contains thirty titles. These include translations and also books written by Mr. Rumie and other Indian believers. [p93] Rooms occupied by Baha'u'llah in the house where he was confined in cAkk&. KITAB-I-AQDAS was revealed in room at left. [p94] 94 THE BAHA'I WORLD INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I ACTIVITIES OF MISS MARTHA ROOT Miss Martha Root, international Baha'i teacher and journalist, has continued to travel in service to the Faith during these past two years, as she had also traveled continuously during the preceding seven years. Her activities have been recounted in Volumes Two and Three of The Baha'i World. It was in Tilirin, Persia, that the story of her work concluded in the last survey. During her last two days in Tihr~n, she spoke at the Nawruz Feast before twenty-five hundred men at one meeting and an equal number of women at another, in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar grounds. The next day she left Tihr~n to continue her Baha'i teaching tour through southern Persia, meeting the friends and lecturing in Qum, in KAshAn, 1sf ihAn, Najaf, Ab~dih ShirAz and Biishihr. Miss Root had interviews and wrote magazine articles about the Minister of the Imperial Household, Ministers of State, Governors of provinces, Mayors of cities, Ministers of education; she lectured nearly every day on Baha'u'llah's teachings and the progress of the Cause in other parts of the world. She was received with friendliness by all classes because she wrote and spoke for goodwill between all countries, all religions, all races. In her articles and in her later broadcast speeches in the Radio stations of the Far East and America, she graphically described the safety of travel in Persia, the phenomenal progress of Jdn under ShAh Pahiavi. Miss Root emphasized the fact that a great new culture is arising in Persia. One fruit of her visit to Persia, too, was the writing of the life of T&hirih, known in the West as Qurratu~1~cAyn, and she also prepared for publication a story called ~t9'QThite Roses of Persia," relating the life of Au Mohammed Vargha and his little son RouhCo~11ah, two of the great Baha'i martyrs of Persia. After a sojourn of five months in Persia, Miss Root went to India. She first visited Yeravada to try to meet Mahatma Gandhi and Mrs. Sarojina Naidu to give them Baha'i books and to speak with them of Baha'u'llah's teachings. Mrs. Naidu, who is the national president of all the women s clubs of India and one of India's great poets, said that she had met tAbdu'1-Bahi in London. Interviews were made with Governors of the Dominion and several other officials. Through the help of the beloved Baha'i friends of India, some of whom traveled with Miss Root, she journeyed to many of the leading cities of India where she spoke before large audiences. Several societies of the Bralima Somaj and the daughters of the founder of this movement, received her and arranged for her to lecture in their halls. She found the Bralima Somaj a spiritually living movement in India. Several days were spent in Simla where the government has its summer headquarters. Miss Root was the guest of the Maharaja of Patiala, Chancellor of the Chamber of Princess of India at his summer home at Simla Hill. He is not a Baha'i. He is a Sikh but he has read several of the Baha'i books and one of his first questions was How is the Baha'i Temple, which is being built in Chicago, progressing?" Miss Root also later had audiences and interviews with the Maharaj a of Benares and with other Maharaj as. She spoke in some of the great Universities of India, and gave two lectures in the school of Rabindranath Tagore. She was lecturing in India just at the time the ttnon-violence" movement of Gandhi was at its height. While in Burma, she lectured in Rangoon University. In Burma she spoke in Judson University and in both India and Burma sbt~ also addressed Theosophical Societies and many Women's Clubs. She spoke in Buddhists' Temples and was warmly received and welcomed in the Baha'i village of Kun-jangoon, in the jungles of Burma. Everywhere in India and Burma she was enthusiastically and most graciously welcomed by the Baha'is. She addressed their groups and some of them arranged many and very important lectures for her to meet the thinkers of India. Miss Root spent about two and a half months in India. Then she came to Penang and Singapore, in the Malay Straits, where she remained for one week. Traveling on from Singapore, she came to China. First, she lectured in Hong Kong University and before other groups in the [p95] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 95 city. She broadcast and all the leading papers of Hong Kong published long articles about the Baha'i Teachings. Next, she visited the city of Canton, where Baha'is welcomed her and arranged for her to meet the Governor of Kwangtung Province, to broadcast, to lecture in the University and in other higher Institutions of learning and to meet several of the editors. The Esperantists of Canton who had greeted Miss Root in her previous visits, did everything to help her. Two weeks were spent in Shanghai, three lectures were given in the National Geographical Society Hall. These lectures being arranged by the Baha'is of Shanghai. Editors were visited. Dr. Y. S. Tsao, former President of one of China's greatest universities, offered to translate CCBh~~~11~h and the New Era" into the Chinese language. In Shanghai and in the other cities of China, Miss Root met many friends whom she had known in her two preceding sojourns in China. Miss Agnes Alexander, Baha'i teacher of Tokyo, came to Shanghai to welcome Miss Root to the Far East and to work with her for a few days. Shanghai friends went with Miss Root to Nanking, the Capital, where the Baha'i Teacher lectured in Nanking Central University before more than two thousand students. She interviewed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Education, the Legal Advisor of the Chinese Government and several other State Officials. She met the Chinese leaders of the Y.M.C.A. and was asked to give an address especially to their group. She spoke in several Colleges and other Schools and three thousand little booklets about the Baha'i Movement were requested and later distributed in the Educational Circles of Nanking. Miss Root, after her sojourn in China, traveled to Japan and this was her fourth visit to Nippon. She was the guest of Miss Agnes Alexander in Tokyo and together they did excellent work. She had audience with the Minister of the Imperial Household and gave him several Baha'i books. Visits were made to the Head of the Bureau of Religions, to statesmen, to editors, to educators. A lecture on the "Progress of the Baha'i Movement in Five Continents" was broadcast to every village in Japan. Lectures were given in the leading universities and other educational institutions. Miss Root spoke before the Pan-Pacific Club of Tokyo, the Women's Press Club and Mr. Noma, the chief magazine owner of Japan, arranged a great conference for Miss Root in his "Hochi Shimbun Hall" where seventy-five Baha'i stereopticon pictures were shown for the second time in the Far East. Buddhist priests, Japanese ministers and leaders of thought in several other of the great religions of Japan welcomed the Baha'i teacher. The newspapers published numerous articles about the Ba-h&'i Movement. After a two months' stay in Tokyo, Miss Root sailed for Honolulu, where she had many lectures, for example in one day she gave seven lectures, two of which were broadcast. The director of one of the broadcasting stations arranged an interview on the air on the subject "What is the Baha'i Movement?" Miss Root lectured in Hawaii University and presented thirty-six books to that institution. Many other lectures were given in schools of Honolulu, before the Pan-Pacific Club, before women's clubs and men's clubs and in some of the churches. The newspapers published excellent articles. Proceeding from Honolulu to San Francisco, Martha Root has lectured in the leading universities and broadcast in each city through which she has passed on her way across the American Continent from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast. Some idea of the scope of her work may be glimpsed from the fact that she has lectured in more than four hundred universities and colleges of the world and some of her broadcast speeches had at least one million listeners. A great impetus to the Baha'i work in the United States has come through Martha Root's historic and dynamic visit. She spent twelve months in her native land, lecturing every day and meeting the statesmen and the educators. She met, too, the Esperanto groups of America and in each city through which she passed she has spoken in the churches and educational institutions of both the white and the colored races. She remarked that she thought the Baha'i Movement would do more than any other influ [p96] 96 THE BAHA'I WORLD ence to bring understanding between the white and the colored races. tAbdu'1-Bahi had said to her when He visited her city, Pittsburgh, in 1912: reUnless the white and the colored races stand together in your country, the United States will go down!" After her strenuous tour of one year in America, Miss Martha Root sailed January 22, 1932, for Europe. Between January and April, 1932, she participated in the Disarmament Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, and made an extended tour through Germany, the Balkans and the Scandinavian countries. The annals of the Baha'i Faith up to this time contain the name of no other believer who has carried the teachings of Baha'u'llah literally to every part of the earth. The present extensive travels of Mrs. Keith Ransom-Keller well merit special reference as a tremendous undertaking which follows in Miss Root's footsteps. TRANSLATIONS OF DR. ESSLEMONT'S VOLUME The Cause of Baha'u'llah stands apart from the religions of the past in that not oniy are its revealed Teachings available in writing, but widespread education has prepared the world to study truth at its source and not be content to accept the personal views of another about it. More important, then, than even the travels of consecrated believers is the increasing circulation of Baha'i literature in all civilized lands. C(BahA~u~11~h and the New Era," by the late Dr. J. E. Esslemont of England, an introductory work on the Cause which tAbdu'1-Bah4 read in part before His ascension, has for ten years been highly regarded by Baha'is as a clear and very complete outline of Baha'i history and doctrine. In addition to the English text, which has now gone into several large editions, Dr. Esslernont's book has been translated and published in the following languages: German, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, Esperanto, Russian, Hebrew, Chinese, Swedish, French, Persian and Czech. Translations have been completed or are under way for editions in Japanese, Bulgarian, Spanish, Turkish, Norwegian wegian and Albanian. Preliminary arrangements have been made for translations into Maori, Urdu and Gujrati Ñ a total of twenty-two languages. PRESENTDAY ATTACKS UPON THE CAUSE OF BAHA'U'LLAH A Cause which presents to every people the true essence of its spiritual tradition, free from the artificial limitations imposed upon religion by those who reduce its spirit to form and its inspiration to subservience to materialistic authority, will inevitably be viewed as a challenge by all who profit through the maintenance of such authority. The view that the renewal of religion is the gift of life to mankind; that it establishes a basis for world peace; that it releases the higher motives of the race; and that it carries the mysterious power of "sec-ond birth" Ñ this deeper recognition of blessing has ever been darkened by the uneasy conviction that the Prophet brings light by which the people can discern the difference between truth and falsehood. As pagan Rome assailed the Cause of Christ, so Islim concentrated all its secret fear and desperate rage against the Bab and the Cause of Baha'u'llah. The power of Islam, as was the power of Rome, disintegrated within a century of the rise of the divine Faith, has spent its force. But the Cause of Baha'u'llah, a World Faith, is destined to reveal its irresistible might by encountering a far greater hostility than ever attempted to resist the Manifestations of the past. Deemed weak and unworthy of notice by ecclesiastical authorities in Europe and America up to the present time, its steady progress, as exemplified in the House of 'Worship at Wilmette, will later on arouse implacable bitterness and hostility even in socalled liberal and tolef ant lands. Christian leaders, especially of the most orthodox church, will (as clearly foretold by !Abdu~1 Bah6) make every effort to villify and destroy the Cause of God. This clamor of religious doctors was described by Baha'u'llah as one of the signs accompanying the renewal of faith. In connection with the summary of activities in Persia brief reference was made [p97] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES 97 to the attitude of the Christian missionaries in that country. Of great significance to believers is the recent action of the central authorities of the Soviet government in publishing an official statement hostile to the Baha'i Religion. It must be recalled that practically no Baha'i literature had previously been issued in Russian, the circulation of the literature having been confined to Persian and Turkish books owhcd by the believers in Caucasus and Turkistan. Now, through the action of a powerful government which oniy a few years ago imprisoned and exiled all knqwn Baha'is, the Cause of Baha'u'llah is becoming known to the entire literate population. While the Soviet leaders can destroy orthodox forms of religion, which depend upon wealth and privilege, their hatred of Baha'u'llah's Cause will but intensify the flame of faith and devotion. About five years ago the American National Spiritual Assembly addressed a letter to official religious bodies in the United States, informing them of a Persian Baha'i who had betrayed his faith and was known to be attempting to sell to missionaries in Tihr~n a number of "charges" against this Cause. In that communication the offer was courteously made to furnish all needed information in the event that these false statements were conveyed to them. Despite this effort to forewarn those responsible for missionary work in the Orient, a volume has recently been published by a Christian missionary in Persia, heralded and sponsored by his American religious leaders, which exultingly quotes as an authority some of the statements made by this faithless Baha'i, without one effort to verify them or seek authentic sources of information. It is one of the ironies of history that only a single year after this event, the Protestant Christian world has been deeply stirred by a comprehensive investigation of missionary work as a whole, the report of which suggests an attitude toward other religions taken, unconsciously, from the Teachings of Baha'u'llah! "Associate with people of all religions with joy and fragrance. Two years ago the editors of The Baha'i World reported the action of the Turkish government in arresting the Baha'is of Turkey under the statute prohibiting membership in political groups. At that time the event had proceeded to the point where, the nonpolitical character of the Faith having been proved, the prisoners were released. It is deeply moving at this time to consider a letter written by a Baha'i, resident in Turkey, dated January 20, 1932, which relates in definite detail the efforts on the part of certain Sunni Muhammadans in his city to destroy the local Baha'i community. With the obvious connivance of minor officials and the local court, this faithful believer has been openly attacked, his life threatened, and his means of livelihood made precarious. Other faithful believers have been deprived of livelihood and rendered destitute. THE HOUSES OF BAHA'U'LLAH AT BAGHDAD The unusual chain of circumstances which have led from the houses occupied by Baha'u'llah during His exile in BaghdAd, to the Council of the League of Nations, was described in this survey two years ago. The last link in the chain at that time was the decision of the League Council approving the recommendation of the Mandates Commission and instructing the Secretary General to bring to the notice of the mandatory power, Great Britain, as well as to the petitioners (the Baha'i community of BaghdAd) the views and conclusions of the Mandates Commission. This placed upon Great Britain a certain degree of responsibility in taking steps toward having the ~Iriq government, whose membership as member in the League of Nations was already imminent, restore to the Baha'is the houses unjustly seized by Shi'ih Mubammadan leaders of tIr~q and by them constituted an Iskmic holy place Ñ which action had the intention of making it impossible for the civil government to restore the property without arousing intense f a-naticism. On learning of the League's decision, Baha of East and West awaited the next step in this important case with profound interest. It must be borne in mind that ~IrAq had [p98] 98 THE BAHA'I WORLD already applied for membership in the League, and that acceptance of tlrAq as member state would terminate the mandate held by Great Britain. The situation, then, has been that refusal by tIr~iq to heed the advice of the mandatory power would mean that the League of Nations in September, 1932, will be passing formally upon the acceptance of a new member state which has, to say the least, neglected to carry out a definite resolution voted by the Council. It would mean, further, that the mandatory power, which has spared no effort to see that justice is done to the Baha'is of Bagbd~d (as related in previous volumes of this work), will be obliged to approve the application of CJr~q as member state before tlr&q has enabled Great Britain to discharge her responsibility as mandatory power in carrying out the decision recommended by the Permaent Mandates Commission. Carrying the matter forward to April, 1932, the following statement summarizes events since the last Baha'i World was published. The British authorities have strongly pressed the ~Ir4q government to find a soiu-tion of the case. The latter body proposed that the Baha'is of Baglidid accept financial payment in lieu of the restoration of property all Baha'is regard as a Sacred Shrine, an offer which the Baha'is refused. At the Sixteenth Session of the Permanent Mandates Commission, the Commission acted to urge Great Britain to remedy the injustice suffered by the Baha'is. The matter was then unfortunately delayed by the sudden death of the British High Commissioner, who knew the details of the case intimately, and of Sir Abdu'1-Muhsin. Following the drawing up of the new formal Treaty between Great Britain and tlr4q, the government of tIr~q appointed a strong committee to take up the qtiestion afresh. This ~ommittee reported the recommendation that the government expropriate the Baha'i property together with a large area surrounding it and devote it to public use. This recommendation, politically advantageous because it denied the claim of the Baha'is at the same time that it removed the houses from Shitih control, was approved by the Government of tldq. Meanwhile, it had been suggested that the case be referred to the Permanent Court of International Justice, but this proved impracticable; doubtless because it involved asking that Court to pass upon the power of the League Council to act. On January 12, 1931, the British Government, in a letter signed by C. NV. Baxter on behalf of Mr. Arthur Henderson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, communicated to the League Secretariat the report of the special committee, mentioned above, appointed by the Government of ~Iriq, and transmitting also the measures taken by the tlr&q Government in execution of the committee's recommendations. Two months previously the Permanent Mandates Commission, meeting at Geneva, had recorded in its minutes that CtTh Permanent Mandates Commission would not iose interest in the fate of this small community so long as it had not been granted the reparation which was its due. The way in which the government dealt with this question would be a criterion of the spirit of the government and the people." The letter dated January 12, 1931, is reproduced elsewhere in the present volume. To complicate the case even more, it appears that the Shicihs of tlrAq, who religiously are affiliated with Persian Mubam-madans more closely than with the Sunnis of Turkey, have appealed to the Persian Government and this body in turn seems to have attempted to bring indirect pressure upon the League at Geneva. As was made clear in previous references to this case, Baha'is see in it a working of Providence to compel the world to realize the power of Baha'u'llah. In His own time, the houses will be made an international Baha'i Shrine. INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I ARCHIVES Of utmost interest to Baha'is in all lands is the recent establishment of an International Baha'i Archives in the two rooms adjoining the hallowed Shrine of the Bab on Mount Cannel. Here have been collected and arranged for permanent preservation not oniy original writings, but also relics, articles of cloth [p99] CURRENT BAHA'I ACTIVITIES ing and photographs directly associated with the Bib, Baha'u'llah and tAbdu'L-BahA, to Ñ gether with invaluable documents and manuscripts. Pilgrims visiting the Holy Land may now see many treasures which enrich the histofy of the Baha'i Faith. Planned by Shoghi Effendi, the International Baha'i Archives will have additional importance by serving as a stimulus to each National Spiritual Assembly in collecting their own available Baha'i records. The Mansion of Baha'u'llah at Baha has also been completely restored from the condition of decay into which it fell during the years it was occupied and partly controlled by one who bitterly opposed the life work of tAbdu'1-Bahi. Here in this historic place it was that the late Dr. Edward E. Browne of Cambridge University, was permitted to see Baha'u'llah in 1 890. Baha'i pilgrims now have the great privilege of spending a day or two at Baha, made forever sacred by Baha'u'llah's presence and His ascension. The civil government, recognizing the character of these Baha'i Holy Places, now lists them as religious Shrines exempt from tax. [p100] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 1. THE Bab Farewell Address to Letters of the Living O MY beloved friends! You are the bearers of the name of God in this Day. You have been chosen as the repositories of His mystery. It behooves each one of you to manifest the attributes of God, and to exemplify by your deeds and words the signs of His righteousness, His power and glory. The very members of your body must bear witness to the loftiness of your purpose, the integrity of your life, the reality of your faith, and the exalted character of your devotion. For verily I say, this is the Day spoken of by God in His Book< On that day will We set a seal upon their mouths; yet shall their hands speak unto Us, and their feet shall bear witness to that which they shall have done." Ponder the words of Jesus addressed to His disciples, as He sent them forth to propagate the Cause of God. In words such as these, He bade them arise and fulfil their mission: "Ye are even as the fire which in the darkness of the night has been kindled upon the mountaintop. Let your light shine before the eyes of men. Such must be the purity of your character and the degree of your renunciation, that the people of the earth may through you recognise and be drawn closer to the heavenly Father who is the Source of purity and grace. For none has seen the Father who is in heaven. You who are His spiritual children must by your deeds exemplify His virtues, and witness to His glory. You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? Such must be the degree of your detachment, that into whatever city you enter to proclaim and teach the Cause of God, you The Qur'an. should in no wise expect either meat or reward from its people. Nay, when you depart out of that city, you should shake the dust from off your feet. As you have entered it pure and undefiled, so must you depart from that city. For verily Ii say, the heavenly Father is ever with you and keeps watch over you. If you be faithful to Him, He will assuredly deliver into your hands all the treasures of the earth, and will exalt you above all the rulers and kings of the world." 0 My Letters! Verily I say, immensely exalted is this Day above the days of the Apostles of old. Nay, immeasurable is the difference! You are the witnesses of the Dawn of the promised Day of God. You are the partakers of the mystic chalice of His Revelation. Gird up the loins of endeavour, and be mindful of the words of God as revealed in His Book: t~Lo, the Lord thy God is come, and with Him is the company of His angels arrayed before Him!" Purge your hearts of worldly desires, and let angelic virtues be your adorning. Strive that by your deeds you may bear witness to the truth of these words of God, and beware lest, by "turning back," He may ctchange you for another people," who ttshall not be your like," and who shall take from you the Kingdom of God. The days when idle worship was deemed sufficient are ended. The time is come when naught but the purest motive, supported by deeds of stainless purity, can ascend to the throne of the Most High and be acceptable unto Him. ttThe good word riseth up unto Him, and the righteous deed will cause it to be exalted before Him." You are the iowiy, of The QUR'AN. 100 [p101] Mirza Buzurg, father of Baha'u'llah. 101 [p102] 102 THE BAHA'I WORLD whom God has thus spoken in His Book: 1 ttAnd We desire to show favour to those who were brought iow in the land, and to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make them Our heirs." You have been called to this station; you will attain to it, only if you arise to trample beneath your feet every earthly desire, and endeavour to become those "honoured servants of His who speak not till He hath spoken, and who do His bidding." You are the first Letters that have been generated from the Primal Point,2 the first Springs that have welled out from the Source of this Revelation. Beseech the Lord your God to grant that no earthly entanglements, no worldly affections, no ephemeral pursuits, may tarnish the purity, or embitter the sweetness, of that grace which flows through you. I am preparing you for the advent of a mighty Day. Exert your utmost endeavour that, in the world to come, I, who am now instructing you, may, before the mercy-seat of God, rejoice in your deeds and glory in your achievements. The secret of the Day that is to come is now concealed. It can neither be divulged nor estimated. The newiy born babe of that Day excels the wisest and most venerable men of this time, and the lowliest and most unlearned of that period shall surpass in understanding the most erudite and accomplished divines of this age. Scatter throughout the length and breadth of this land,8 and, with steadfast feet and sanctified hearts, prepare the way for His coming. Heed not your weaknesses and frailty; fix your gaze upon the invincible power of your Lord, your God, the Almighty. Has He nor, in past days, caused Abraham, in spite of His seeming helplessness, to triumph over the forces of Nimrod? Has He not enabled Moses, whose staff was His oniy companion, to vanquish Pharaoh and his hosts? Has He not established the ascendency of Jesus, poor and lowly as He was in the eyes of men, over the combined forces of the Jewish people? Has He not subjected the barbarous and militant tribes of Arabia to the holy and transforming discipline of Muhammad, His Prophet? Arise in His name, put your trust wholly in Him, and be assured of ultimate victory. 2. BAHA'U'LLAH From Tablet to the Shdh of Persia Verily I am a servant who believed in God and His signs, and I have sacrificed myself in His Way; to this do the afflictions wherein I am (the like of which none amongst mankind hath borne) testify, and my Lord the All-knowing is the witness to what I say. I have not summoned men unto aught save unto thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds. In love for Him there hath come upon me that whereof the eye of creation hath not beheld the like; in this will these servants whom the veils of humanity have not withheld from confronting the supreme Outlook bear me out, and beside them He with whom is knowledge of all things in a preserved Tablet 1 The Qur'an. 2 One of the Mb's titles. 4Persia. And as for those who work sedition in the earth, and shed blood and falsely consume men's wealth, we are quit of them, and we ask God not to associate Us ~ with them either in this world or in the world to come, unless they repent unto Him; verily He is the most merciful of the merciful, verily it behooveth him who turn-eth towards God to be distinguished in all actions from what is apart from Him and to conform to that which is enjoined upon him in the Book; thus is the matter decreed in a perspicuous Book. As for such as cast the command of God behind their backs and follow after their lusts, they are in grievous error. 0 ShAh I conjure thee by thy Lord the servants of God; i.e., people, human beings. the Prophets collectively. [p103] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 103 merciful to regard His servants with the gaze of pitiful eyes, and to rule with justice in their midst, that God may award His favor unto thee; verily thy Lord judgeth as He pleaseth. The world shall perish with whatsoever of glory and abase, ment is therein, while dominion remaineth unto God, the supreme and All-knowing King 0 ShAh, verily I was as any one amongst mankind, slumbering upon my couch.1 The gales of the All-glorious passed by me, and taught me the knowledge of what hath been. This thing is not from me but from One who is mighty and all-knowing. And He bade me proclaim between earth and heaven, and for this there hath befallen me that whereat the eyes of those who know overflow with tears. I have not studied those sciences which men possess, nor have I entered the colleges; inquire of the city wherein I was, that thou mayest be assured that I am not of those who speak falsely. This is a Leaf which the breezes of the will of thy Lord, the mighty, the extolled, have stirred. Can it be still when the rushing winds blow? No, by my Lord of the names and attributes! Rather do they move it as they list, for being belongeth not to nonentity in the presence of the Eternal. His decisive command did come, causing me to speak for His celebration amidst the worlds. Verily I was not save as one dead in presence of His command, the hand of thy Lord, the merciful, the clement, turning me. Can any one speak on his own authority that for which all men, whether high or iow, will contradict him? No, by Him who taught the Pen 2 eternal mysteries, no one save him who is strengthened by One mighty and strong Amongst mankind are some who say this servant desireth the world for himself, notwithstanding the fact that I have not found during the days of my life a place of safety such that I might set my feet therein, but was ever overwhelmed in the floods of affliction whereof none knoweth save God; verily He knoweth (the truth of) what I 1 In the state of ordinary human consciousness, until quickened to Prophethood by Divine inspiration. 2 The Author of Revelation; the Prophet. say. How many were the days wherein my friends were disquieted for my distress, and how many tbe nights wherein the sound of lamentation arose from my family in fear of my life; none will deny this save him who is devoid of truthfulness. Doth he who re Ñ gardeth not his life (as assured) for less than a moment, desire the world? I marvel at those who speak after their lusts, and wander madly in the desert of passion and desire. They shall be questioned as to that which they have said; on that day they shall not find for themselves any protector nor any helper. And amongst them (are those) who say, "Verily, he denieth God," notwithstanding the fact that all my limbs testify that there is no God but Him, and that those whom He quickeneth with the truth and sent for men's guidance are the Manifestations of His most comely names, the Daysprings of His supreme attributes, and the recipients of His revelation in the realm of creation; by whom the proof of God unto all beside Himself is made perfect, the standard of faith and unity is set up, and the sign of renunciation becomes apparent; and by whom every soul taketh a course toward the Lord of the (heavenly) throne Glory be to Thee, 0 God! 0 God, how many a head hath been set up on spears in Thy way! How many hearts have been riddled for the exaltation of Thy Word and the diffusion of Thy religion! How many eyes have overflowed with tears for Thy love! I ask Thee, 0 King of Kings, pitier of the oppressed, by Thy Greatest Name,8 which Thou hast made the Dayspring of Thy most comely names and the Manifestation of Thy supreme attributes, to lift up the veils which intervene between Thee and Thy creatures, withholding them from turning toward the horizon of Thy revelation; then draw them, 0 God, by Thy supreme Word from the left hand of fancy and forgetfulness to the right hand of certainty and knowledge, that they may know what Thou, in Thy bounty and grace, desireth for them, and may turn toward the Manifestation of Thy religion and the Dayspring Baha'u'llah, "Glory of God." ~ Manifestation of God; the Prophet, founder of revealed religion. [p104] THE BAHA'I WORLD 104 of Thy signs. 0 God, Thou art the gracious, the Lord of great bounty; withhold not Thy servants from the most mighty Ocean which Thou hast made to produce the pearls of Thy knowledge and wisdom; neither pci them from Thy Gate which Thou hast opened unto all who are in Thy heaven and Thy earth. 0 Lord, leave them not to themselves, for they know not, and they flee from what is better for them than whatsoever hath been created in Thine earth. Look upon them, 0 Lord, with the glances of the eye of Thy favors and bounties, and free them from passion and lust, that they may draw nigh unto Thy Supreme Horizon, and may discover the delight of remembering Thee and the sweetness of the TThle which bath been sent down from the heaven of Thy will and the atmosphere of Thy bounty. Everlastingly hath Thy grace encompassed all contingent beings, and Thy mercy precedeth all creatures; there is no God but Thee, the forgiving, the merciful! From Lcnvh-i-Hiltmat (Tablet of Wisdom) The East, dazzled with the brilliancy of Western civilization, became so engrossed and occupied with its visible achievements as to fail to recognize its true Source and Origin. But in the past they that were the daysprings and mines of wisdom in no wise ignored its ultimate Cause or denied its Fountain and Source Remarkable and farreaching as the intellectual and industrial accomplishments of the leaders of thought have been in modern times, yet to every discerning observer it is clear and manifest that they have derived the greatest part of their knowledge from the sages of the past. They in truth have established the basis of learning, have raised its edifice and reinforced its foundation These sages of old in their turn acquired their knowledge from the Prophets of God, for these verily were the Manifestations of Divine Wisdom and the Revealers of heav-eniy mysteries. From among the people some have quaffed their fill from the crystal stream of their Utterance, others have drunk but the dregs of their Cup. He bestoweth upon every man his portion according to his capacity, and He verily is the Just, the All-Wise... The true philosophers have never denied the Ancient of Days; how many of them departed from this life, yearning to know Him as they themselves have testified! Hippocrates, one of the most eminent philosophers of his time, acknowledged God and His sovereignty. After him came Socrates, a man of great wisdom, accomplished and pious, who lived the life of an ascetic, forsook earthly desires, turned away from the pleasures of the world, withdrew to the hills, sought the retirement of a cave, turned away from the worship of idols, instructed them in the way of the Merciful, till at last the ignorant rose against him, laid hold on him and put him to death in his prison How keen was the perception, how profound the wisdom of this prince of all philosophers! We bear witness that in the field of wisdom he was a valiant horseman, and to the cause of philosophy a loyal and distinguished servant. Great was his knowledge of such sciences as are known of men as well as of those that have remained hidden Then came the divine Plato, who was a pupil of Socrates and occupied the chair of philosophy after him. He too acknowledged God and His signs that encompass all that was and will be. Then came Aristotle, the far-famed philosopher, who discovered the power of steam. These men were among the foremost leaders of the people and they all recognized and acknowledged the Ancient of Days in Whose grasp are the reins of all knowledge. Behold what Pliny says: "I am Pliny, the wise philosopher, the author of talismans and wonders." He more than any man spread the knowledge of arts and sciences, and he walked, humble and suppliant, before God. Hearken to his prayer and supplication to the All-Possessing, Possessing, the Most High: 0 my Lord! Thou art God and there is none other God but Thee, and Thou are the Creator and there is none other Creator but Thee. Assist me with Thy grace and strengthen me. Mine heart is faint, my limbs are trembling, my mind is at a loss and my thoughts bewildered. Give me Thy power and loosen my tongue, that I may speak with wisdom. [p105] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 105 Tbou art verily the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the Eternal, the Compassionate." Take heed, 0 concourse of the earth, lest in your zeal for wisdom ye fail to recognize the Dayspring and Source thereof. Hold fast to your Lord, the Instructor, the All-Wise. The true philosopher denieth not God and His proof but testifieth to His majesty and His sovereignty that overshadow all creation Beware, 0 my loved ones, lest ye deny the merit of men of wisdom, the servants of God, whom He made the daysprings of His Name that hath fashioned the worlds. Exert yourselves that ye may show forth by your arts and achievements that which shall benefit both the exalted and the iowiy. We wash our hands of those foolish ones who speak after their own desires and call it wisdom, who fancy that to be wise is to turn away from God, the Lord of all men The beginning and the true foundation of wisdom is to acknowledge that which God hath revealed, for upon this sure basis rests the edifice of wise administration. Verily this is the shield that hath ever protected the body of mankind. Ponder in your hearts that ye may know that which the Pen of Glory hath revealed in this wondrous Epistle. From Epistle to the Son of Sloaykia Bdquir In the name of God, the single, the one, the powerful, the wise, the knowing. Glory to God, He who subsists without dying, He who is eternal without decline, He who stands immovable, He who, protected by His sovereignty, is revealed by His signs (but) hidden by His mysteries; He by whose commander the banner of the sublime 'Word was raised aloft in the world of creation and the standard of (THe doeth whatsoever He willeth" was set up among the people. He it is, who made His Cause manifest to guide His creatures, who made His verses to descend that they might render visible His argument and His proof; who adorned with explanation the preface of the book of man. God taught the Book, created man and gave him the interpretation. There is no God but Him, the single, the one, the powerful, the mighty, the supreme! May the light which shines from the horizon of the Heaven of generosity, and the benediction which arises from the dawn of the will of God, the King of the kingdom of names, rest upon the sublime Intermediary and upon the supreme Pen, which God has made the source of His comely names and the dawningplace of His sublime attributes. Through Him the light of unity shall dawn from the horizon of the world, and the command of singleness shall spread among the nations who have advanced with luminous faces unto the supreme Dawn, recognizing the language of interpretation in the kingdom of knowledge. The kingdom of the visible and invisible, the glory, the heavens, belong to God, the powerful, the mighty, the good! Now is the time in which to cleanse yourself with the waters of detachment flowing from the Supreme Pen, and to meditate, in the love of God, upon that which has been manifested in the past and now is manifested again; after which you must make every effort in your power to extinguish, with the aid of knowledge and of explanation, the fire of antagonism concealed in the hearts of the people. By sending the Prophets and in revealing the Books, it was purposed that men might attain unto knowledge of God and become united and in agreement; but now, behold, they have made the law of God a cause and pretext for hatred and division. What tragedy that the majority cling to that which comes from themselves and are negligent and indifferent to that which comes from God! Today the religion and the law of God is this: the people of the world must not make the various creeds and different sects pretexts for hatred. Those strong and mighty principles, laws and pathways have appeared from the one Dawningplace, and have shone forth from the one refulgent Horizon; and their (apparent) differences have been in accordance with the exigencies of times, epochs, centuries and ages. Gird up the loins of endeavor, so that perchance religious dissension and strife may, through your efforts, be reduced to nothingness among the in [p106] 106 THE BAHA'I WORLD habitants of the world. Arise for the love of God and man in this important Cause! Intolerance and religious hatreds are a consuming fire, which cannot be extinguished without divine aid. From Hidden Words This is that which hath descended froi'n the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power and might, and revealed unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous, that they may stand faithful unto the Covenant of God, may fulfil in their lives His trust, and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue. 0 SON OF SPIRIT! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting. O SON OF SPIRIT! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behoveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My lovingkindness. Set it then before thine eyes. O SON OF MAN! Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty. O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life. o SON OF BEING! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, 0 servant. O SON OF BEING! Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hail been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted Dominion. O SON OF SPIRIT! There is no peace for thee save by renouncing thyself and turning unto Me; for it behoveth thee to glory in My name, not in thine own; to put thy trust in Me and not in thyself, since I desire to be loved alone and above all that is. 0 SON OF UTTERANCE! Thou art My stronghold; enter therein that thou mayest abide in safety. My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee. O SON OF BEING! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favour upon thee. o SON OF BEING! With the hands of power I made thee and with the fingers of strength I created thee; and within thee have I placed the essence of My light. Be thou content with it and seek naught else, for My work is perfect and My command is binding. Question it not, nor have a doubt thereof. o SON OF MAN! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not, wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished, why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then [p107] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 107 in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory. 0 SON OF UTTERANCE! Turn thy face unto Mine and renounce all save Me; for My sovereignty endureth and My dominion perisheth not. If thou seekest another than Me, yea, if thou search-Ca the universe for evermore, thy quest will be in vain. O SON OF LIGHT! Forget all save Me and commune with My spirit. This is of the essence of My command, therefore turn unto it. o SON OF MAN! Be thou content with Me and seek no other helper. For none but Me can ever suffice thee. o SON OF SPIRIT! Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself. o SON OF THE WONDROUS VISION! I have breathed within thee a breath of My own Spirit, that thou mayest be My lover. Why hast thou forsaken Me and sought a beloved other than Me? O SON OF SPIRIT! My claim on thee is great, it cannot be forgotten. My grace to thee is plenteous, it cannot be veiled. My love has made in thee its home, it cannot be concealed. My light is manifest to thee, it cannot be obscured. o SON OF MAN! Transgress not thy limits, nor claim that which beseemeth thee not. Prostrate thyself before the countenance of thy God, the Lord of might and power. o SON OF SPIRIT! Know thou of a truth: He that biddeth men be just and himself committeth iniquity iquity is not of Me, even though he bear My name. 0 SON OF BEING! Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it. O SON OF MAN! Deny not My servant should he ask anything from thee, for his face is My face; be then abashed before Me. o SON OF MAN! Sorrow not save that thou art far from Us. Rejoice not save that thou art drawing near and returning unto Us. O SON OF MAN! Rejoice in the gladness of thine heart, that thou mayest be worthy to meet Me and to mirror forth My beauty. o SON OF MAN! Divest not thyself of My beauteous robe, and forfeit not thy portion from My wondrous fountain, lest thou shouldst thirst for evermore. o SON OF BEING! Walk in My statutes for 'owe of Me and deny thyself that which thou desirest if thou seekest My pleasure. O SON OF MAN! Neglect not My commandments if thou lovest My beauty, and forget not My counsels if thou wouldst attain My good pleasure. o SON OF MAN! Magnify My cause that I may reveal unto thee the mysteries of My greatness and shine upon thee with the light of eternity. o SON OF MAN! Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee. Arise for the triumph of My cause, that while yet on earth thou mayest obtain the victory. [p108] :1) 9 APOSTLES OF BAHA' U'LLAI-{ ~Pi11ars of the Faith." 108 [p109] 1. Mirza M~s&: the onlyii. Mu11~ Mu~ammad-Taqi: truz brother of BahA'u'lLih,prominent teacher. surnamed "Kalim." 12. MullA Mubammad: poet, 2. Mirza. Buzurg: youthfulhistorian, and teacher martyr, bearer of Bah&'u'1J&h'sof the Faith, surnamed Tablet to N~siri'd-Din SliTh,"Nabil-i-At zam." surnamed "Bad?." 13. Shaykh K~zim: a flame 3. Siyyicl Hasan: one of of the love of God, favored the martyred brothers of Baha'u'llah, surnamed "Samanclar." of TsfAhin, surnamed 14. Muhammad Mustafi: brave trSul~ tinu'sh Ñ Shuhad?." and vigilant custodian 4. MuLIA Abu'1-Hasan: faithfuland bearer of the remains of steward of Baha'u'llah the 13Th. and cAbd~~BahA surnamed CC 15. Mirza Ijusayn: distinguished Am tn " calligraphist, and companion-in-exile 5. Mirza Abu'1-Fadl: foremostof Baha'u'llah, surnamed and authoritative expounderttMishkin~Qa1am~~ of the BabS'i Revelation. 6. Mirza tAli-Muhammad: 16. Mirza Hasan: devoted poet, teacher, and martyr teacher of the Cause, of the Faith, surnamed surnamed ttAdib." 7. Mirza. Mahmid: an indomitable17. Shaykh Muhammad2Ali: spirit and jealous defendereloquent and learned champion of the Faith. of the Faith in Russian 8. Mu1IA tAli-Akbar: a TurkistAn. flame of zeal and devotion. 9. MuIIS Muhammad: learned18. Zaynu~1~tAbidin: noted and steadfast exponent scribe, chief figure among of the Baha Revelation, surnamed"the exiles of Mosul," '~Nabi1-i-Akbar." surnamed "Zaynu'1-Muquarra-bin." 10. Iyliiji Mirza Mu1~ammad-Taqi: cousin of the Bab and 19. Mirza ~A1i-Muharnmad: chief builder of the Mashriqu'1-Adhk6xzealous advocate in the of !Ishqabad, surnamed early days of the proclamation ~ of the covenant of Baha'u'llah, surnamed "Shahid-ibn-i-Shahid." 109 [p110] 110 THE BAHA'I WORLD 0 SON OF BEING! Make mention of Me on My earth, that in My heaven I may remember thee, thus shall Mine eyes and thine be solaced. 0 SON OF THE THRONE! Thy hearing is My hearing, hear thou therewith. Thy sight is My sight, do thou see therewith, that in thine inmost soui thou mayest testify unto My exalted sanctity, and I within Myself may bear witness unto an exalted station for thee. O SON OF BEING! Seek a martyr's death in My path, content with My pleasure and thankful for that which I ordain, that thou mayest repose with Me beneath the canopy of majesty behind the tabernacle of glory. O SON 01? MAN! Ponder and reflect. Is it thy wish to die upon thy bed, or to shed thy lifeblood on the dust, a martyr in My path, and so become the manifestation of My command and the revealer of My light in the highest paradise? Judge thou aright, 0 servant! O SON OF MAN! By My beauty! To tinge thy hair with thy blood is greater in My sight than the creation of the universe and the light of both worlds. Strive then to attain this, 0 servant! O SON OF MAN! For everything there is a sign. The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials. O SON OF MAN! The true lover yearneth for tribulation even as cloth the rebel for forgiveness and the sinful for mercy. O SON OF MAN! If adversity befall thee not in My path, how canst thou walk in the ways of them that are content with My pleasure? If trials afflict thee not in thy longing to meet Me, how wilt thou attain the light in thy love for My beauty? O SON OF BEING! If thine heart be set upon this eternal, imperishable dominion, and this ancient, everlasting life, forsake this mortal and fleeting sovereignty. O SON OF MAN! Put thy band into My bosom, that I may rise above thee, radiant and resplendent. O SON or MAN! Ascend unto My heaven, that thou mayest obtain the joy of reunion, and from the chalice of imperishable glory quaff the peerless wine. O SON OF MAN! Many a day hath passed over thee whilst thou ban busied thyself with thy fancies and idle imaginings. How long art thou to slumber on thy bed? Lift up thy bead from slumber, for the Sun hath risen to the zenith, haply it may shine upon thee with the light of beauty. O SON OF MAN! The light hath shone on thee from the horizon of the sacred Mount and the spirit of enlightenment bath breathed in the Sinai of thy heart. Wherefore, free thyself from the veils of idle fancies and enter into My court, that thou mayest be fit for everlasting life and worthy to meet Me. Thus may death not come upon thee, neither weariness nor trouble. O SON OF MAN! My eternity is My creation, I have created it for thee. Make it the garment of thy temple. My unity is My handiwork; I have wrought it for thee; clothe thyself therewith, that thou mayest be to all eternity the revelation of My everlasting being. O SON OF MAN! My majesty is My gift to thee, and My grandeur the token of My mercy unto thee. [p111] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 111 That which beseemeth Me none shall understand, nor can any one recount. Verily, I have preserved it in My hidden storehouses and in the treasuries of My command, as a sign of My lovingkindness unto My servants and My mercy unto My people. 0 CHILDREN OF THE DIVINE AND INVISIBLE ESSENCE! Ye shall be hindered from loving Me and souls shall be perturbed as they make mention of Me. For minds cannot grasp Me nor hearts contain Me. 0 SON OF BEAUTY! By My spirit and by My favour! By My mercy and by My beauty! All that I have revealed unto thee with the tongue of power, and have written for thee with the pen of might, bath been in accordance with thy capacity and understanding, not with My state and the melody of My voice. 0 YE SONS OF SPIRIT! Ye are My treasury, for in you I have treasured the pearls of My mysteries and the gems of My knowledge. Guard them from the strangers amidst My servants and from the ungodly amongst My people. 0 SON OF HIM THAT STOOD BY HIS OWN ENTITY IN THE KINGDOM OF HIS SELF! Know thou, that I have wafted unto thee all the fragrances of holiness, have fully revealed to thee My word, have perfected through thee My bounty and have desired for thee that which I have desired for My Self. Be then content with My pleasure and thankful unto Me. o SON OF MAN! Write all that We have revealed unto thee with the ink of light upon the tablet of thy spirit. Should this not be in thy power, then make thine ink of the essence of thy heart. If this thou canst not do, then write with that crimson ink that bath been shed in My path. Sweeter indeed is this to Me than all else, that its light may endure for ever. O YE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MINDS TO KNOW AND EARS TO HEAR! The first call of the Beloved is this: 0 mystic nightingale! Abide not but in the rosegarden of the spirit. 0 messenger of the Solomon of love! Seek thou no shelter except in the Sheba of the well-beloved, and 0 immortal phrnix! dwell not save on the mount of faithfulness. Therein is thy habitation, if on the wings of thy soul thou soarest to the realm of the infinite and seek-est to attain thy goal. 0 FRIEND! In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold. Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly. 0 SON OF JUSTICE! Whither can a lover go but to the land of his beloved? and what seeker findeth rest away from his heart's desire? To the true lover reunion is life, and separation is death. O SON OF LOVE! Thou art but one step away from the glorious heights above and from the celestial tree of love, Take thou one pace and with the next advance into the immortal realm and enter the pavilion of eternity. Give ear then to that which hath been revealed by the pen of glory. o SON OF GLORY! Be swift in the path of holiness, and enter the heaven of communion with Me. Cleanse thy heart with the burnish of the spirit, and hasten to the court of the Most High. 0 FLEETING SHADOW! Pass beyond the baser stages of doubt and rise to the exalted heights of certainty. Open the eye of truth, that thou mayest behold the veiLless Beauty and exclaim: Hallowed be the Lord, the most excellent of all creators! [p112] 112 THE ~AHA'i WORLD 0 SON OF DESIRE! Give ear unto this: Never shall mortal eye recognise the everlasting beauty, nor the lifeless heart delight in aught but in the withered bloom. For like seeketh like, and taketh pleasure in the company of its kind. 0 MAN OF TWO VISIONS! Close one eye and open the other. Close one to the world and all that is therein, and open the other to the hallowed beauty of the Beloved. o MY CHILDREN! I fear lest, bereft of the melody of the dove of heaven, ye will sink back to the shades of utter loss, and, never having gazed upon the beauty of the rose, return to water and clay. 0 FRIENDS! Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must dIe, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust. o SON OF SPIRIT! The time cometh, when the nightingale of holiness will no longer unfold the inner mysteries and ye will all be bereft of the celestial melody and of the voice from on high. o ESSENCE OF NEGLIGENCE! Myriads of mystic tongues find utterance in one speech, and myriads of hidd:n mysteries are revealed in a single melody; yet, alas! there is no ear to hear, nor heart to understand. o COMRADES! The gates that open on the Placeless stand wide and the habitation of the loved one is adorned with the lovers' blood, yet all but a few remain bereft of this celestial city, and even of these few, none but the smallest handful hath been found with a pure heart and sanctified spirit. 0 YE DWELLERS IN THE HIGHEST PARADISE! Proclaim unto the children of assurance that within the realms of holiness, nigh unto the celestial paradise, a new garden hath appeared, round which circle the denizens of the realm on high and the immortal dwellers of the exalted paradise. Strive, then, that ye may attain that station, that ye may unravel the mysteries of love from its windflowers and learn the secret of divine and consummate wisdom from its eternal fruits. Solaced are the eyes of them that enter and abide therein! 0 MY FRIENDS! Have ye forgotten that true and radiant morn, when in those hallowed and blessed surroundings ye were all gathered in My presence beneath the shade of the tree of life, which is planted in the all-glorious paradise? Awestruck ye listened as I gave utterance to these three most holy words: 0 friends! Prefer not your will to Mine, never desire that which I have not desired for you, and approach Me not with lifeless hearts, defiled with worldly desires and cravings. Would ye but sanctify your souls, ye would at this present hour recall that place and those surroundings, and the truth of My utterance should be made evident unto all of you. In the eighth of the most holy lines, in the fifth Tablet of Paradise, He saith: o YE THAT ARE LYING AS DEAD ON THE COUCH OF HEEDLESSNESS! Ages have passed and your precious lives are well-nigh ended, yet not a single breath of purity hath reached Our court of holiness from you. Though immersed in the ocean of misbelief, yet with your lips ye profess the one true faith of God. Him whom I abhor ye have loved, and of My foe ye have made a friend. Notwithstanding, ye walk on My earth complacent and self-satisfied, heedless that My earth is weary of you and everything within it shun-neth you. Were ye but to open your eyes, ye would, in truth, prefer a myriad griefs unto this joy, and would count death itself better than this life. O SON OF DESIRE! The learned and the wise have for long years striven and failed to attain the pres [p113] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 113 ence of the all-glorious; they have spent their lives in search of Him, yet did not behold the beauty of His countenance. Thou without the least effort didst attain thy goal, and without search hast obtained the object of thy quest. Yet, notwithstanding, thou didst remain so wrapt in the veil of self, that thine eyes beheld not the beauty of the Beloved, nor did thy hand touch the hem of His robe. Ye that have eyes, behold and wonder. O DWELLERS IN THE CITY OF LOVE! Mortal blasts have beset the everlasting candle, and the beauty of the celestial Youth is veiled in the darkness of dust. The chief of the monarchs of love is wronged by the people of tyranny and the dove of holiness lies prisoned in the talons of owls. The dwellers in the pavilion of glory and the celestial concourse bewail and lament, while ye repose in the realm of negligence, and esteem yourselves as of the true friends. How vain are your imaginings. 0 MY FRIEND IN WORD! Ponder awhile. Hast thou ever heard that friend and foe should abide in one heart? Cast out then the stranger, that the Friend may enter His home. O ESSENCE OF DESIRE! At many a dawn have I turned from the realms of the Placeless unto thine abode, and found thee on the bed of ease busied with others than Myself. Thereupon, even as the flash of the spirit, I returned to the realms of celestial glory and breathed it not in My retreats above unto the hosts of holiness. O SON OF BOUNTY! Out of the wastes of nothingness, with the clay of My command I made thee to appear, and have ordained for thy training every atom in exist~nce and the essence of all created things. Thus, ere thou didst issue from thy mother's womb, I destined for thee two founts of gleaming milk, eyes to watch over thee, and hearts to love thee. Out of My lovingkindness, 'neath the shade of My mercy I nurtured thee, and guarded thee by the essence of My grace and favour. And My purpose in all this was that thou mightest attain My everlasting dominion and become worthy of My invisible bestowals. And yet heedless thou didst remain, and when fully grown, thou didst neglect all My bounties and bccupied thyself with thine idle imaginings, in such wise that thou didst become wholly forgetful, and, turning away from the portals of the Friend didst abide within the courts of My enemy. 0 MY BROTHER! Hearken to the delightsome words of My honeyed tongue, and quaff the stream of mystic holiness from My sugar-shedding lips. Sow the seeds of My divine wisdom in the pure soil of thy heart, and water them with the water of certitude, that the hyacinths of My knowledge and wisdom may spring up fresh and green in the sacred city of thy heart. 0 DWELLERS OF MY PARADISE! With the hands of lovingkindness I have planted in the holy garden 01 paradise the young tree of your love and friendship, and have watered it with the goodly showers of My tender grace; now that the hour of its fruiting is come strive that it may be protected, and be nor consumed with the flame of desire and passion. O MY FRIENDS! Quench ye the lamp of error, and kindle within your hearts the everlasting torch of divine guidance. For ere long the assayers of mankind shall, in the holy presence of the Adored, accept naught but purest virtue and deeds of stainless holiness. Quoted in "The Goal of a New World Order" How long will humanity persist in its waywardness? How long will injustice continue? How long is chaos and confusion to reign amongst men? How long will discord agitate the face of society? The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divides and afflicts the human race is daily increasing. The [p114] 114 THE BAHA'I WORLD signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appears to be lamentably defective. The world is in travail and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then and oniy then will the Divine Standard be unfurled and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody. Take ye counsel together, and let your concern be oniy for that which profiteth mankind and bettereth the condition thereof Regard the world as the human body which, though created whole and perfect, has been afflicted, through divers causes, with grave ills and maladies. Not for one day did it rest, nay its sickness waxed more severe, as it fell under the treatment of un skilled physicians who have spurred on the steed of their worldly desires and have erred grievously. And if at one time, through the care of an able physician, a member of that body was healed, the rest remained afflicted as before. Thus informeth you the All-Knowing, the All-Wise ... That which the Lord hath ordained for the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This verily is the truth, and all else naught but error. (From Tablet to Queen Victoria.) The Tabernacle of Unity has been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers Of one tree are ye all the fruit and of one bough as the leaves The world is but one country and mankind its citizens Let not a man glory in that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind. 3. tABDU'L-BAHA From Public Addresses in the United States and Canada, 1912 All created things have their degree or stage of maturity. The period of maturity in the life of a tree is the time of its fruit-bearing. The maturity of a plant is the time of its blossoming and flower. The animal attains a stage of full growth and completeness, and in the human kingdom man reaches his maturity when the lights of intelligence have their greatest power and development. From the beginning to the end of his life man passes through certain periods or stages each of which is marked by certain conditions peculiar to itself. For instance during the period of childhood his conditions and requirements are characteristic of that degree of intelligence and capacity. After a time he enters the period of youth in which his former conditions and needs are superseded by new requirements applicable to the advance in his degree. His faculties of oh-servation servation are broadened and deepened, his intelligent capacities are trained and awakened, the limitations and environment of childhood no longer restrict his energies and accomplishments. At last he passes out of the period of youth and enters the stage or station of maturity which necessitates another transformation and corresponding advance in his sphere of life-activity. New powers and perceptions clothe him, teaching and training commensurate with his progression occupy his mind, special bounties and bestowals descend in proportion to his increased capacities and his forni~er period of youth and its conditions will no longer satisfy his matured view and vision. Similarly there are periods and stages in the life of the aggregate world of humanity which at one time was passing through its degree of childhood, at another its time of youth but now has entered its long pres [p115] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 115 aged period of maturity, the evidences of which are everywhere visible and apparent. Therefore the requirements and conditions of former periods have changed and merged into exigencies which distinctly characterize the present age of the world of mankind. That which was applicable to human needs during the early history of the race could neither meet nor satisfy the demands of this day and period of newness and consummation. Humanity has emerged from its former degrees of limitation and preliniinary training. Man must now become imbued with new virtues and powers, new moralities, new capacities. New bounties, bestowals and perfections are awaiting and already descending upon him. The gifts and graces of the period of youth although timely and sufficient during the adolescence of the world of mankind, are now incapable of meeting the requirements of its maturity. The playthings of childhood and infancy no longer satisfy or interest the adult mind. From every standpoint the world of humanity is undergoing a reformation. The laws of former governments and civilizations are in process of revision, scientific ideas and theories are developing and advancing to meet a new range of phenomena, invention and discovery are penetrating hitherto unknown fields revealing new wonders and hidden secrets of the material universe; industries have vastly wider scope and production; everywhere the world of mankind is in the throes of evolutionary activity indicating the passing of the old conditions and advent of the new age of reformation. Old trees yield no fruitage; old ideas and methods are obsolete and worthless now. Old standards of ethics, moral codes and methods of living in the past will not suffice for the present age of advancement and progress. This is the cycle of maturity and reformation in religion as well. Dogmatic imitations of ancestral beliefs are passing. They have been the axis around which religion revolved but now are no longer fruitful; on the contrary, in this day they have become the cause of human degradation and hindrance. Bigotry and dogmatic adherence to ancient beliefs have become the central and fundamental source of animosity among men, the obstacle to human progress, the cause of warfare and strife, the destroyer of peace, composure and welfare in the world. Consider conditions in the Balkans today; fathers, mothers, children in grief and lamentation, the foundations of life over: turned, cities laid waste and fertile lands made desolate by the ravages of war. These conditions are the outcome of hostility and hatred between nations and peoples of religion who imitate and adhere to the forms and violate the spirit and reality of the divine teachings. While this is true and apparent, it is likewise evident that the Lord of mankind has bestowed infinite bounties upon the world in this century of maturity and consummation. The ocean of divine mercy is surging, the vernal showers are descending, the Sun of Reality is shining gloriously. Heavenly teachings applicable to the advancement in human conditions have been revealed in this merciful age. This reformation and renewal of the fundamental reality of religion constitute the true and outworking spirit of modernism, the unmistakable light of the world, the manifest effulgence of the Word of God, the divine remedy for all human ailment and the bounty of eternal life to all mankind. IN our solar system, the center of illumination is the sun itself. Through the will of God this central luminary is the one source of the existence and development of all phenomenal things. When we observe the organisms of the material kingdoms we find that their growth and training are dependent upon the heat and light of the sun. Without this quickening impulse there would be no growth of tree or vegetation, neither would the existence of animal or human being be possible; in fact no forms of created life would be manifest upon the earth. But if we reflect deeply we will perceive that the great bestower and giver of life is God; the sun is the intermediary of His will and plan. Without the bounty of the sun therefore the world would be in darkness. All illumination of our planetary 1 1912. [p116] 116 THE BAHA'I WORLD system proceeds or emanates from the solar center. Likewise in the spiritual realm of intelligence and idealism there must be a center of illumination, and that center is the everlasting, ever-shining Sun, the Word of God. Its lights are the lights of reality which have shone upon humanity, illumining the realm of thought and morals, conferring the bounties of the divine world upon man. These lights are the cause of the education of souL and the source of the enlightenment of hearts, sending forth in effulgent radiance the message of the glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God. In brief, the moral and ethical world and the world of spiritual regeneration are dependent for their progressive being upon that heavenly center of illumination. It gives forth the light of religion and bestows the life of the spirit, imbues humanity with archetypal virtues and confers eternal splendors. This Sun of Reality, this center of effulgences is the prophet or Manifestation of God. Just as the phenomenal sun shines upon the material world producing life and growth, likewise the spiritual or prophetic Sun confers illumination upon the human world of thought and intelligence, and unless it rose upon the horizon of human existence the kingdom of man would become dark and extinguished. The Sun of Reality is one Sun but it has different dawning-places, just as the phenomenal sun is one although it appears at various points of the horizon. During the time of spring the luminary of the physical world rises far to the north of the equinoctial; in summer it dawns midway and in winter it appears in the most southerly point of its zodiacal journey. These daysprings or dawning-points differ widely but the sun is ever the same sun whether it be the phenomenal or spiritual luminary. Souls who focus their vision upon the Sun of Reality will be the recipients of light no matter from what point it rises, but those who are fettered by adoration of the dawn-ing-point are deprived when it appears in a different station upon the spiritual horizon. Furthermore, just as the solar cycle has its four seasons, the cycle of the Sun of Reality has its distinct and successive pe nods. Each brings its vernal season or springtime. When the Sun of Reality returns to quicken the world of mankind a divine bounty descends from the heaven of generosity. The realm of thoughts and ideals is set in motion and blessed with new life. Minds are developed, hopes brighten, aspirations become spiritual, the virtues of the human world appear with freshened power of growth and the image and likeness of God become visible in man. It is the springtime of the inner world. After the spring, summer comes with its fullness and fruitage spiritual; autumn follows with its withering winds which chill the soul; the Sun seems to be going away until at last the mantle of winter overspreads and oniy faint traces of the effulgence of that divine Sun remain. Just as the surface of the material world becomes dark and dreary, the soil dormant, the trees naked and bare and no beauty or freshness remain to cheer the darkness and desolation, so the winter of the spiritual cycle witnesses the death and disappearance of divine growth and extinction of the light and love of God. But again the cycle begins and a new springtime appears. In it the former springtime has returned, the world is resuscitated, illumined and attains spirituality; religion is renewed and reorganized, hearts are turned to God, the summons of God is heard and life is again bestowed upon man. For a long time the religious world had been weakened and materialism had advanced; the spiritual forces of life were waning, moralities were becoming degraded, composure and peace had vanished from souL and satanic qualities were dominating hearts; strife and hatred overshadowed humanity, bloodshed and violence prevailed. God was neglected; the Sun of Reality seemed to have gone completely; deprivation of the bounties of heaven was a fact; and so the season of winter fell upon mankind. But in the generosity of God a new springtime dawned, the lights of God shone forth, the effulgent Sun of Reality returned and became manifest, the realm of thoughts and kingdom of hearts became exhilarated, a new spirit of life breathed into the body of the world and continuous advancement became apparent. I hope that the lights of the Sun of [p117] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 117 Reality will illumine the whole world so that no strife and warfare, no battles and bloodshed remain. May fanaticism and religious bigotry be unknown, all humanity enter the bond of brotherhood, souls consort in perfect agreement, the nations of earth at last hoist the banner of truth and the religions of the world enter the divine temple of oneness, for the foundations of the heavenly religions are one reality. Reality is not divisible; it does not admit multiplicity. All the holy Manifestations of God have proclaimed and promulgated the same reality. They have summoned mankind to reality itself and reality is one. The clouds and mists of imitations have obscured the Sun of Truth. We must forsake these imitations, dispel these clouds and mists and free the Sun from the darkness of superstition. Then will the Sun of Truth shine most gloriously; then all the inhabitants of the world will be united, the religions will be one, sects and denominations will reconcile, all nationalities will flow together in the recognition of one fatherhood and all degrees of humankind gather in the shelter of the same tabernacle, under the same banner. Until the heavenly civilization is founded, no result will be forthcoming from material civilization, even as you observe. See what catastrophes overwhelm mankind. Consider the wars which disturb the world. Consider the enmity and hatred. The existence of these wars and conditions indicate and prove that the heavenly civilization has not yet been established. If the civilization of the Kingdom be spread to all the nations, this dust of disagreement will be dispelled, these clouds will pass away and the Sun of Reality in its greatest effulgence and glory will shine upon mankind. DURING my visit to London and Paris last year' I had many talks with the materialistic philosophers of Europe. The basis of all their conclusions is that the acquisition of knowledge of phenomena is according to a fixed, invariable law, Ñ a law mathematically exact in its operation 1911. through the senses. For instance, the eye sees a chair; therefore there is no doubt of the chair's existence. The eye looks up into the heavens and beholds the sun; I see flowers upon this table; I smell their fragrance; I hear sounds outside, etc., etc. This, they say, is a fixed mathematical law of perception and deduction, the operation of which admits of no doubt whatever; for inasmuch as the universe is subject to our sensing, the proof is selfevident that our knowledge of it must be gained through the avenues of the senses. That is to say, the materialists announce that the criterion and standard of human knowledge is sense perception. Among the Greeks and Romans the criterion of knowledge was reason; that whatever is provable and acceptable by reason must necessarily be admitted as true. A third standard or criterion is the opinion held by theologians that traditions or prophetic statement and interpretations constitute the basis of human knowing. There is still another, a fourth criterion upheld by religion-ists and metaphysicians who say that the source and channel of all human penetration into the unknown is through inspiration. Briefly then, these four criterions according to the declarations of men are: First Ñ Sense Perception; Second Ñ Reason; Third Ñ Traditions; Fourth Ñ Inspiration. In Europe I told the philosophers and scientists of materialism that the criterion of the senses is not reliable, For instance, consider a mirror and the images reflected in it. These images have no actual corporeal existence. Yet if you had never seen a mirror you would firmly insist and believe that they were real. The eye sees a mirage upon the desert as a lake of water but there is no reality in it. As we stand upon the deck of a steamer the shore appears to be moving, yet we know the land is stationary and we are moving. The earth was believed to be fixed and the sun revolving about it but although this appears to be so, the reverse is now known to be true. A whirling torch makes a circle of fire appear before the eye, yet we realize there is but one point of light. We behold a shadow moving upon the ground but it has no material existence, no substance. In deserts the atmospheric effects are particularly productive of illusions [p118] U '3 1~~ DISCIPLES OF ABDU'L-BAHA ~Heralds of the Covenant." 118 [p119] 1. Dr. J. E. Esslemont:10. Mrs. Lua M. Getsinger: distinguished Ba-h&'i renowned and devoted international author. Baha'i teacher. 11. Mr. Joseph Hannan: 2. Mr. Thornton Chase: indefatigable servant "first Baha'i in America.~~of the Cause. 12. Mr. C. I. Thacher: 3. Mr. Howard MacNun: zealous Baha'i worker. noted Baha teacher. 13. Mr. Ch. Greenleaf: firm supporter of the 4. Miss Sarah Farmer: Faith. Founder of Green Acre. 14. Mrs. J. D. Brittingham: trusted and energetic 5. Monsieur Hippolyte sower of the Seed. Dreyfus-Barney: 15. Miss E. Rosenberg: author, translator, and a pioneer of the Faith international promoter in England. of the Faith. 16. Mrs. Helen S. Goodall: ardent estab-usher of 6. Miss Lillian Kappes: the Cause in America. noted teacher of the 17. Mr. Arthur P. Dodge: Tarbiya~ School, Tihnin. staunch advocate of the Cause. 7. Mr. Robert Turner: 18. Mr. William I Ñ I. Hoar: first Baha'i of the Negro prominent Ba-M'i teacher. race in America. 19. Dr. J. G. Augur: pioneer of the Faith in the Pacific 8. Consul A. Schwarz: Islands. pioneer worker for the 119 Faith in Germany. 9. Mr. W. H. Randall: eloquent upholder of the Baha'i Cause in America. [p120] 120 THE BAHA'I WORLD which deceive the eye. Once I saw a mirage in which a whole caravan appeared traveling upward into the sky. In the far north other deceptive phenomena appear and baffle human vision. Sometimes three or four suns called by scientists CCk suns" will be shining at the same time whereas we know the great solar orb is one and that it remains fixed and single. In brief, the senses are continually deceived and we are unable to separate that which is reality from that which is not. As to the second criterion Ñ reason Ñ this likewise is unreliable and not to be depended upon. This human world is an ocean of varying opinions. If reason is the perfect standard and criterion of knowledge, why are opinions at variance and why do philosophers disagree so completely with each other? This is a clear proof that human reason is not to be relied upon as an infallible criterion. For instance, great discoveries and announcements of former centuries are continually upset and discarded by the wise men of today. Mathematicians, astronomers, chemical scientists continually disprove and reject the conclusions of the ancients; nothing is fixed, nothing final; everything continually changing because human reason is progressing along new roads of investigation and arriving at new conclusions every day. In the future much that is announced and accepted as true now will be rejected and disproved. And so it will continue ad infinitum. When we consider the third criterion Ñ traditions Ñ upheld by theologians as the avenue and standard of knowledge, we find this source equally unreliable and unworthy of dependence. For religious traditions are the report and record of understanding and interpretation of the Book. By what means has this understanding, this interpretation been reached? By the analysis of human reason. When we read the Book of God the faculty of comprehension by which we form conclusions is reason. Reason is mind. If we are not endowed with perfect reason, how can we comprehend the meanings of the Word of God? Therefore human reason, as already pointed out, is by its very nature finite and faulty in conclusions. It cannot surround the Reality Itself, the Infinite Word. Inasmuch as the source of traditions and interpretations is human reason, and human reason is faulty, how can we depend upon its findings for real knowledge? The fourth criterion I have named is inspiration through which it is claimed the reality of knowledge is attainable. What is inspiration? It is the influx of the human heart. But what are satanic promptings which afflict mankind? They are the influx of the heart also. How shall we differentiate between them? The question arises, How shall we know whether we are following inspiration from God or satanic promptings of the human soul? Briefly, the point is that in the human material world of phenomena these four are the oniy existing criterions or avenues of knowledge, and all of them are faulty and unreliable. What then remains? How shall we attain the reality of knowledge? By the breaths and promptings of the Holy Spirit which is light and knowledge itself. Through it the human mind is quickened and fortified into true conclusions and perfect knowledge. This is conclusive argument showing that all available human criterions are erroneous and defective, but the divine standard of knowledge is infallible. Therefore man is not justified in saying "I know because I perceive through my senses"; or "I know because it is proved through my faculty of reason"; or "I know because it is according to tradition and interpretation of the holy book"; or "I know because I am inspired." All human standard of judgment is faulty, finite. WHEN we ponder over the reality of the microcosm, we discover that in the microcosm there are deposited three realities. Man is endowed with an outer or physical reality. It belongs to the material realm, the animal kingdom, because it has sprung from the material world. This animalistic reality of man he shares in common with the animals. The human body is like animals subject to nature's laws. But man is endowed with a second reality, the rational or intellectual reality; and the intellectual reality of man predominates over nature. All these sciences which we enjoy were the [p121] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 121 hidden and recondite secrets of nature, unknowable to nature, but man was enabled to discover these mysteries, and out of the plane of the unseen he brought them into the plane of the seen. Yet there is a third reality in man, the spiritual reality. Through its medium one discovers spiritual revelations, a celestial faculty which is infinite as regards the intellectual as well as physical realms. That power is conferred upon man through the breath of the Holy Spirit. It is an eternal reality, an indestructible reality, a reality belonging to the divine, supernatural kingdom; a reality whereby the world is illumined, a reality which grants unto man eternal life. This third, spiritual reality it is which discovers past events and looks along the vistas of the future. It is the ray of the Sun of Reality. The spiritual world is enlightened through it, the whole of the Kingdom is being illumined by it. It enjoys the world of beatitude, a world which had no beginning and which shall have no end. That celestial reality, the third reality of the microcosm, delivers man from the material world. Its power causes man to escape from nature's world. Escaping, he will find an illuminating reality, transcending the limited reality of man and causing him to attain to the infinitude of God, abstracting him from the world of superstitions and imaginations, and submerging him in the sea of the rays of the Sun of Reality. This fact is proved from scientific as well as spiritual evidence. When we ponder over the conditions of phenomena, we observe that all phenomena are composed of single elements. This singular cell-element travels and has its coursings through all the grades of existence. I wish you to ponder carefully over this. This cellular element has at some time been in the mineral kingdom. While staying in the mineral kingdom it has had its coursings and transformations through myriads of images and forms. Having perfected its journey in the mineral kingdom, it has ascended to the vegetable kingdom; and in the vegetable kingdom it has again had journeys and transformations through myriads of conditions. Having accomplished its functions in the vegetable kingdom, the cellular element ascends to the animal kingdom. In the animal kingdom again it goes through the composition of myriads of images, and then we have it in the human kingdom. In the human kingdom likewise it has its transformations and coursings through multitudes of forms. In short, this single primordial atom has had its great journeys through every stage of life, and in every stage it was endowed with a special and particular virtue or characteristic. Consequently, the great divine philosophers have had the following epigram: All things are involved in all things. For every single phenomenon has enjoyed the postulates of God, and in every form of these infinite electrons it has had its characteristics of perfection. Thus this flower once upon a time was of the soil. The animal eats the flower or its fruit, and it thereby ascends to the animal kingdom. Man eats the meat of~ the animal, and there you have its ascent into the human kingdom, because all phenomena are divided into that which eats and that which is eaten. Therefore, every primordial atom of these atoms, singly and indivisible, has had its coursings throughout all the sentient creation, going constantly into the aggregation of the various elements. Hence do you have the conservation of energy and the infinity of phenomena, the indestructibility of phenomena, changeless and immutable, because life cannot suffer annihilation but oniy change. The apparent annihilation is this: that the form, the outward image, goes through all these changes and transformations. Let us again take the example of this flower. The flower is indestructible. The only thing that we can see, this outer form, is indeed destroyed, but the elements, the indivisible elements which have gone into the composition of this flower are eternal and changeless. Therefore the realities of all phenomena are immutable. Extinction or mortality is nothing but the transformation of pictures and images, so to speak Ñ the reality back of these images is eternal. And every reality of the realities is one of the bounties of God. Some people believe that the divinity of God had a beginning. They say that before [p122] 122 THE BAHA'I WORLD this particular beginning man had no knowledge of the divinit.y of God. With this principle they have limited the operation of the influences of God. For example, they think there was a time when man did not-exist, and that there will be a time in the future when man will not exist. Such a theory circumscribes the power of God, because how can we understand the divinity of God except through scientifically understanding the manifestations of the attributes of God? How can we understand the nature of fire except from its heat, its light? 'Were not heat and light in this fire, naturally we could not say that the fire existed. Thus, if there was a time when God did not manifest His qualities, then there was no God, because the attributes of God presuppose the creation of phenomena. For example, by present consideration we say that God is the creator. Then there must always have been a creation Ñ %ince the quality of creator cannot be limited to the moment when some man or men realize this attribute. The attributes that we discover one by one Ñ these attributes themselves necessarily anticipated our discovery of them. Therefore, God has no beginning and no ending; nor is His creation limited ever as to degree. Limitations of time and degree pertain to things created, never to the creation as a whole. They pertain to the forms of things, not to their realities. The effulgence of God cannot be suspended. The sovereignty of God cannot be interrupted. As long as the sovereignty of God is immemorial, therefore the creation of our world throughout infinity is presupposed. When we look at the reality of this subject, we see that the bounties of God are infinite, without beginning and without end. The greatest bounties of God in this phenomenal world are His Manifestations. This is the greatest postulate. These Manifestations are the Suns of Reality. For it is through the Manifestation that the reality becomes known and established for man. History proves to us that apart from the influence of the Manifestations, man sinks back into his animal condition, using even his intellectual power to subserve an animal purpose. Therefore there is no cessation whatsoever in the future for the appearance of the Manifestation of God, because God is infinite and His purpose cannot be limited in any way. If we ever dare to limit and circumscribe God's purpose within any bounds, then of necessity we have dared to set limitations to the omnipotence of God. The created has dared to define his Creator! Consequently, the perfect man ever beholds the rays of the Sun of Truth. The perfect man ever awaits and expects the coming of the effulgence of God, he ever ponders over the methods and purposes of God, knowing that of certainty the realities of the Divine are not finite, the Divine names and attributes are not finite. God's graces and bounties are without limit, and the coming of the Manifestations of God are not circumscribed by time. THE elemental atoms which constitute all phenomenal existence and being in this illimitable universe are in perpetual motion, undergoing continuous degrees of progression. For instance, let us conceive of an atom in the mineral kingdom progressing upward to the kingdom of the vegetable by entering into the composition and fibre of a tree or plant. From thence it is assimilated and transferred into the kingdom of the animal and finally by the law and process of composition becomes a part of the body of man. That is to say, it has traversed the intermediate degrees and stations of phenomenal existence, entering into the composition of various organisms in its journey. This motion or transference is progressive and perpetual, for after disintegration of the human body into which it has entered, it returns to the mineral kingdom whence it came, and will continue to traverse the kingdoms of phenomena as before. This is an illustration designed to show that the constituent elemental atoms of phenomena undergo progressive transference and motion throughout the material kingdoms. In its ceaseless progression and journeyings the atom becomes imbued with the virtues and powers of each degree or kingdom it traverses. In the degree of the mineral it possessed mineral affinities; in the kingdom of the vegetable it manifested the virtue [p123] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 123 augmentative or power of growth; in the animal organism it reflected the intelligence of that degree, and in the kingdom of man it was qualified with human attributes or virtues. Furthermore, the forms and organisms of phenomenal being and existence in each of the kingdoms of the universe are myriad and numberless. The vegetable plane or kingdom for instance has its infinite variety of types and material stru:tures of plant life, each distinct and different within itself, no two exactly alike in composition and detail, for there are no repetitions in nature, and the virtue augmentarive canner. be confined to any given image or shape. Each leaf has its own particular identity, so to speak, its own individuality as a leaf. Therefore each atom of the innumerable dc-mental atoms, during its ceaseless motion through the kingdoms of existence as a constituent of organic composition, not only becomes imbued with the powers and virtues of the kingdoms it traverses but also reflects the attributes and qualities of the forms and organisms of those kingdoms. As each of these forms has its individual and particular virtue, therefore each elemental atom of the universe has the opportunity of expressing an infinite variety of those individual virtues. No atom is bereft or deprived of this opportunity or right of expression. Nor can it be said of any given atom that it is denied equal opportunities with other atoms; nay, all are privileged to possess the virtues existent in these kingdoms and to reflect the attributes of their organisms. In the various transformations or passages from kingdom to kingdom, the virtues expressed by the atoms in each degree are peculiar to that degree. For example, in the world of the mineral, the atom does not express the vegetable form and organism, and when through the process of transmutation it assumes the virtues of the vegetable degree, it does not reflect th~ attributes of animal organisms, and so cn. It is evident then that each elemental atom of the universe is possessed of a capacity to express all the virtues of the universe. This is a subtle and abstract realization. Meditate upon it, for within it lies the true explanation of pantheism. From this point of view and perception, pantheism is a truth, for every atom in the universe possesses or reflects all the virtues of life, the manifestation of which is effected through change and transformation. Therefore the origin and outcome of phenomena is verily the omnipresent God for the real-fry of all phenomenal existence is through Him. There is neither reality nor the manifestation of reality without the instrumentality of God. Existence is realized and pos-5ible through the bounty of God, just as the ray or flame emanating from this lamp is realized through the bounty of the Lamp from which it originates. Even so all phenomena are realized through the divine bounty, and the explanation of true pantheistic statement and principle is that the phenomena of the universe find realization through the one power animating and dominating all things; and all things are but manifestations of its energy and bounty. The virtue of being and existence is through no other agency. Therefore in the words of Baha'u'llah the first teaching is the oneness of the world of humanity. Baha'u'llah has announced that no matter how far the world of humanity may advance in material civilization, it is nevertheless in need of spiritual virtues and the bounties of God. The spirit of man is not illumined and quickened through material sources. It is not resuscitated by investigating phenomena of the world of matter. The spirit of man is in need of the protection of the Holy Spirit. Just as he advances by progressive stages from the mere physical world of being into the intellectual realm, so must he develop upward in moral attributes and spiritual graces. In the process of this attainment he is ever in need of the bestowals of the Holy Spirit. Material development may be likened to the glass of a lamp whereas divine virtues and spiritual susceptibilities are the light within the glass. The lamp chimney is worthless without the light; likewise man in his material condition requires the radiance and vivification of the divine graces and merciful attributes. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit he is lifeless. Although physically and mentally alive he is spiritually dead. His Holiness Christ announced, ttThat which is born [p124] 124 THE BAHA'I WORLD of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit," meaning that man must be born again. As the babe is born into the light of this physical world so must the physical and intellectual man be born into the light of the world of divinity. In the matrix of the mother the unborn child was deprived and unconscious of the world of material existence but after its birth it beheld the wonders and beauties of a new realm of life and being. In the world of the matrix it was utterly ignorant and unable to conceive of these new conditions but after its transformation it discovers the radiant sun, trees, flowers and an infinite range of blessings and bounties awaiting it. In the human plane and kingdom man is a captive of nature and ignorant of the divine world until born of the breaths of the Holy Spirit out of physical conditions of limitation and deprivation. Then he beholds the reality of the spiritual realm and kingdom, realizes the narrow restrictions of the mere human world of existence and becomes conscious of the unlimited and infinite glories of the world of God. Therefore no matter how man may advance upon the physical and intellectual plane he is ever in need of the boundless virtues of divinity, the protection of the Holy Spirit and the face of God. THE world of existence is an emanation of the merciful attribute of God. God has shone forth upon the phenomena of being through His effulgence of mercy and He is clement and kind to all His creation. Therefore the world of humanity must ever be the recipient of bounties from the eternal Lord; even as His Holiness Christ has declared, "Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven." For His bounties like the light and heat of the sun in the material heavens descend alike upon all mankind. Consequently man must learn the lesson of kindness and beneficence from God Himself. Just as God is kind to all humanity, man also must be kind to his fellow creatures. If his attitude is just and loving toward his fellow men, toward all creation, then indeed is he worthy of being pronounced the image and likeness of God. Brotherhood or fraternity is of different kinds. It may be family association, the intimate relationship of the household. This is limited and subject to change and disruption. How often it happens that in a family, love and agreement are changed into enmity and antagonism. Another form of fraternity is manifest in patriotism. Man loves his fel-low-men because they belong to the same nativity. This is also limited and subject to change and disintegration, as for instance when sons of the same fatherland are opposed to each other in war, bloodshed and battle. Still another brotherhood or fraternity is that which arises from racial unity, the oneness of racial origin, producing ties of affinity and association. This likewise has its limitation and liability to change, for often war and deadly strife have been witnessed between people and nations of the same racial lineage. There is a fourth kind of brotherhood, the attitude of man toward humanity itself, the altruistic love of humankind and recognition of the fundamental human bond. Although this is unlimited it is nevertheless susceptible to change and destruction. Even from this universal fraternal bond the looked-for result does not appear. What is the looked-for result? Loving kindness among all human creatures and a firm, indestructible brotherhood which includes all the divine possibilities and significances in humanity. Therefore it is evident that fraternity, love and kindness based upon family, nativity, race or an attitude df altruism are neither sufficient nor permanent since all of them are limited, restricted and liable to change and disruption. For in the family there is discord and alienation; among sons of the same fatherland strife and internecine warfare are witnessed; between those of a given race, hostility and hatred are frequent; and even among the altruists varying aspects of opinion and lack of unselfish devotion give little promise of permanent and indestructible unity among mankind. Therefore the Lord of mankind has caused His holy divine Manifestations to come into the world. He has revealed His heavenly books in order to establish spiritual brotherhood, and through the power of the Holy Spirit has made it practicable for perfect [p125] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 125 fraternity to be realized among mankind. And when through the breaths of the Holy Spirit this perfect fraternity and agreement are established amongst men, this brotherhood and 'ove being spiritual in character, this lovingkindness being heavenly, these constraining bonds being divine, a unity appears which is indissoluble, unchanging and never subject to transformation. It is ever the same and will forever remain the same. For example consider the foundation of the brotherhood laid by His Holiness Christ. Observe how that fraternity was conducive to unity and accord and how it brought various souls to a plane of uniform attainment where they were willing to sacrifice their lives for each other. They were content to renounce possessions and ready to joyously forfeit life itself. They lived together in such love and fellowship that even Galen, the famous Greek philosopher, who was not a Christian, in his work entitled CtThe Progress of the Nations" says that religious beliefs are greatly conducive to the foundation of real civilization. As a proof thereof he says, CtA certain number of people contemporaneous with us are known as Christians. These enjoy the superlative degree of moral civilization. Each one of them is a great philosopher because they live to. gether in the utmost love and good-fellow-ship. They sacrifice life for each other. They offer worldly possessions for each other. You can say of the Christian people that they are as one person. There is a bond amongst them that is indissoluble in character." It is evident therefore that the foundation of real brotherhood, the cause of 'ox'-ing cooperation and reciprocity and the source of real kindness and unselfish devo-don is none other than the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Without this influence and it is impossible. We may be able to realize some degrees of fraternity through other motives but these are limited associations and subject to change. When human brotherhood is founded upon the Holy Spirit, it is eternal, changeless, unlimited. In various parts of the Orient there was a time when brotherhood, lovingkindness and all the praiseworthy qualities of mankind seemed to have disappeared. There was no evidence of patriotic, religious or racial fraternity but conditions of bigotry, hatred and prejudice prevailed instead. The adherents of each religion were violent enemies of the others, filled with the spirit of hostility and eager for shedding of blood. The present war in the Balkans 1 furnishes a parallel of these conditions. Consider the bloodshed, ferocity and oppression manifested there even in this enlightened century; all of it based fundamentally upon religious prejudice and disagreement. For the nations involved belong to the same races and nativities, nevertheless they are savage and merciless toward each other. Similar deplorable conditions prevailed in Persia in the nineteenth century. Darkness and ignorant fanaticism were widespread; no trace of fellowship or brotherhood existed amongst the races. On the contrary, human hearts were filled with rage and hatred; darkness and gloom were manifest in human lives and conditions everywhere. At such a time as this His Holiness Baha'u'llah appeared upon the divine horizon, even as the glory of the sun, and in that gross darkness and hopelessness of the human world there shone a great light. He founded the oneness of the world of humanity, declaring that all mankind are as sheep and that God is the real and true shepherd. The shepherd is one and all peopie are of his flock. The world of humanity is one and God is equally kind to all. What then is the source of unkindness and hatred in the human world? This real shepherd loves all his sheep. He leads them in green pastures. He rears and protects them. 'What then is the source of enmity and alienation among humankind? Whence this conflict and strife? The real underlying cause is lack of religious unity and association for in each of the great religions we find superstition, blind imitation of creeds, and theological formulae adhered to instead of the divine fundamentals, causing difference and divergence among mankind instead of agreement and fellowship. Consequently strife, hatred and warfare have arisen, based upon this divergence and separation. If we investigate the foundations of the divine religions, we find them to be one, absolutely changeless and never 1 1912. [p126] 126 THE BAHA'I WORLD subject to transformation. For example each of the divine religions contains two kinds of laws or ordinances. One division concerns the world of morality and ethical institutions. These are the essential ordnances. They instill and awaken the knowledge and love of God, love for humanity, the vrtues of the world of mankind, the attributes of the divine kingdom, rebirth and resurrection from the kingdom of nature. These constitute one kind of divine law which is common to all and never subject to change. From the dawn of the Adamic cycle to the present day this fundamental law of God has continued changeless. This is the foundation of divine religion. The second division comprises laws and institutions which provide for human needs and conditions according to exigencies of time and place. These are accidental, of no essential importance and should never have been made the cause and source of human contention. For example during the time of His Holiness Moses Ñ Upon him be peace! Ñ according to the exigencies of that period, divorce was permissible. During the cycle of His Holiness Christ inasmuch as divorce was not in conformity with the time and conditions His Holiness Jesus Christ abrogated it. In the cycle of Moses plurality of wives was permissible but during the time of His Holiness Christ the exigency which had sanctioned it did not exist, therefore it was forbidden. His Holiness Moses livcd in the wilderness and desert of Sinai; therefore his ordinances and commandments were in conformity with those conditions. The penalty for theft was to cut off a man's hand. An ordinance of this kind was in keeping with desert life but not compatible with conditions of the present day. Such ordinances therefore constitute the second or nonessential division of the divine religions and are not of importance for they deal with human transactions which are ever changing according to the requirements of time and place. Therefore the intrinsic foundations of the divine religions are one. As this is true, why should hostility and strife exist among them? Why sit ou!d this hatred and warfare, ferocity and bloodshed continue? Is this allowable and justified? God forbid! TODAY the human world is in need of a great power by which these glorious principles and purposes may be executed. The cause of peace is a very great cause; it is the cause of God, and all the forces of the world are opposed to it. Governments for instance, consider militarism as the step to human progress, that division among men and nations is the cause of patriotism and honor, that if one nation attack and conquer another, gaining wealth, territory and glory thereby, this warfare and conquest, this bloodshed and cruelty are the cause of that victorious nation's advancement and prosperity. This is an utter mistake. Compare the nations of the world to the members of a family. A family is a nation in miniature. Simply enlarge the circle of the household and you have the nation. Enlarge the circle of nations and you have all humanity. The conditions surrounding the family surround the nation. The happenings in the family are the happenings in the life of the nation. Would it add to the progress and advancement of a family if dissensions should arise among its members, fighting, pillaging each other, jealous and revengeful of injury, seeking selfish advantage? Nay, this would be the cause of the effacement of progress and advancement. So it is in the great f am-ily of nations, for nations are but an aggregate of families. Therefore as strife and dissension destroy a family and prevent its progress, so nations are destroyed and advancement hindered. All the heavenly books, divine prophets, sages and philosophers agree that warfare is destructive to human development, and peace constructive. They agree that war and strife strike at the foundations of humanity. Therefore a power is needed to prevent war and to proclaim and establish the oneness of humanity. But knowledge of the need of this power is not sufficient. Realizing that wealth is desirable is not becoming wealthy. The admission that scientific attainment £s praiseworthy does not confer scientific knowledge. Acknowledgment of the excellence of honor does not make a man honorable. Knowledge of human conditions and the needed remedy for them is not the cause of [p127] Miss HELEN KELLER Autographed photograph from one of the world's most remarkable and unique personalities s Ñ who, though blind and deaf and formerly dumb, has become one of America's wellknown n thinkers and speakers along philosophic and spiritual lines. It was sent to Mrs. French for The Baha'i World by Miss Keller. 127 [p128] 128 THE BAHA'I WORLD their betterment. To admit that health is good does not constitute health. A skilled physician is needed to remedy existing human conditions. As a phy~ician is required to have complete knowledge of pathology, diagnosis, therapeutics and treatment, so this world physician must be wise, skillful and capable before health will result. His mere knowledge is not health; it must be applied and the remedy carried out. The attainment of any object is conditioned upon knowledge, volition and action. Unless these three conditions are forthcoming there is no execution or accomplishment. In the erection of a house it is first necessary to know the ground and design the house suitable for it; second, to obtain the means or funds necessary for the construction; third, to actually build it. Therefore a power is needed to carry out and execute what is known and admitted to be the remedy for human conditions; namely, the unification of mankind. Furthermore, it is evident that this cannot be realized through material process and means. The accomplishment of this unification cannot be through racial power, for races are different and diverse in tendencies. It cannot be through patriotic power, for nationalities are unlike. Nor can it be effected through political power since the policies of governments and nations are various. That is to say, any effort toward unification through these material means would benefit one and injure another because of unequal and individual interests. Some may believe this great remedy can be found in dogmatic insistence upon imitations and interpretations. This would likewise be without foundation and result. Therefore it is evident that no means but an ideal means, a spiritual power, divine bestowals and the breaths of the Holy Spirit will heal this world sickness of war, dissension and discord. Nothing else is possible; nothing can be conceived of. But through spiritual means and the divine power it is possible and practicable. Consider history. What has brought unity to nations, morality to peoples and benefits to mankind? If we reflect upon it we will find that establishing the divine religions has been the greatest means toward accomplishing the oneness of humanity. The foun dation of divine reality in religion has done this; not imitations of ancestral religious forms. Imitations are opposed to each other and have ever been the cause of strife, enmity, jealousy and war. The divine religions are collective centers in which diverse standpoints may meet, agree and unify. They accomplish oneness of nativities, races and policies. For instance, His Holiness Christ united various nations, brought peace to warring peoples and established the oneness of human kind. The conquering Greeks and Romans, the prejudiced Egyptians and Assyrians were all in a condition of strife, enmity and war but His Holiness gathered these varied peoples together and removed the foundations of discord; not through racial, patriotic or political power but through divine power, the power of the Holy Spirit. This was not otherwise possible. All other efforts of men and nations remain as mere mention in history, without accomplish-inent. As this great result is contingent upon divine power and bestowals, where shall the world obtain that power? God is eternal and ancient; not a new God. His sovereignty is of old, not recent; not merely existent these five or six thousand years. This infinite universe is from everlasting. The sovereignty, power, natnes and attributes of God are eternal, ancient. His names presuppose creation and predicate His existence and will. We say God is creator. This name creator appears when we connote creation. We say God is the provider. This name presupposes and proves the existence of the provided. God is iove. This name proves the existence of the beloved. In the same way God is mercy, God is justice, God is life, etc., etc. Therefore as God is creator, eternal and ancient, there were always creatures and subjects existing and provided for. There is no doubt that divine sovereignty is eternal. Sovereignty necessitates subjects, ministers, trustees and others subordinate to sovereignty. Could there be a king without country, subjects and armies? If we conceive of a time when there were no creatures, no servants, no subjects of divine lordship we dethrone God and predicate a time when God was not. It would be as if He had been recently appointed and man [p129] EXCERPTS FROM BAHA'I SACRED WRITINGS 129 had given these names to Him. The divine sovereignty is ancient, eternal. God from everlasting was love, justice, power, creator, provider, the omniscient, the bountiful. As the divine entity is eternal, the divine attributes are coexistent, coeternal. The divine bestowals are therefore without beginning, without end. God is infinite; the works of God are infinite; the bestowals of God are infinite. As His divinity is eternal, His lordship and perfections are without end. As the bounty of the Hoiy Spirit is eternal, we can never say that His bestowals terminate, else He terminates. If we think of the sun and then try to conceive of the cessation of the solar flame and heat, we have predicated the nonexistence of the sun. For separation of the sun from its rays and heat is inconceivable. Therefore if we limit the bestowals of God we limit the attributes of God and limit God. Let us then trust in the bounty and bestowal of God. Let us be exhilarated with the divine breath, illumined and exalted by the heavenly glad-tidings. God has ever dealt with man in mercy and kindness. He who conferred the divine spirit in former times is abundantly able and capable at all times and periods to grant the same bestowals. Therefore let us be hopeful. The God who gave to the world formerly will do so now and in the future. God who breathed the breath of the Holy Spirit upon His servants will breathe it upon them now and hereafter. These is no cessation to His bounty. The divine spirit is penetrating from eternity to eternity for it is the bounty of God and the bounty of God is eternal. Can you conceive of limitation of the divine power in atomic verities or cessation of the divine bounty in existing organisms? Could you conceive the power now manifest in this glass in cohesion of its atoms, becoming nonexistent? The energy by which the water of the sea is constituted, failing to exert itself and the sea disappearing? A shower of rain today and no more showers afterward? The effulgence of the sun terminated and no more light or heat? When we observe that in the kingdom of minerals the divine bounties are continuous, how much more shall we expect and realize in the divine spiritual Kingdom! How much greater the radiation of the lights of God and the bounty of life everlasting upon the soui of man! As the body of the universe is continuous, indestructible, the bounties and bestowals of the divine spirit are everlasting. I praise God that I am privileged to be present in this revered assembly ' which is quickened with spiritual susceptibilities and heavenly attraction; its members investigating the reality; their utmost hope the establishment of international peace and their greatest purpose service to the world of humanity. When we observe the world of created phenomena we discover that each atom of the atoms of substance is moving through the various degrees and kingdoms of organic life. For instance, consider the ethereal element which is penetrating and traveling through all the contingent realities. When there is vibration or movement in the ethereal element, the eye is affected by that vibration and beholds what is known as light. In the same manner the bestowaL of God are moving and circulating throughout all created things. This illimitable divine bounty has no beginning and will have no ending. It is moving, circulating and becomes effective wherever capacity is developed to receive it. In every station there is a specialized capacity. Therefore we must be hopeful that through the bounty and favor of God, this spirit of life infusing all created things shall quicken humanity and from its bestowals the human world become a divine world, this earthly kingdom the mirror of the realm of divinity, the virtues and perfections of the world of humanity become unveiled and the image and likeness of God be reflected from this temple. Seven Lights of Unity In cycles gone by, though harmony was established, yet, owing to the absence of means, the unity of all mankind could not have been achieved. Continents remained widely divided, nay even among the peoples of one and the same continent association and interchange of thought were well nigh 1 Theosophical Society. [p130] 130 THE BAHA'I WORLD impossible. Consequently intercourse, understanding and unity amongst all the peo-pies and kindreds of the earth were unattainable. In this day, however, means of communication have multiplied, and the five continents of the earth have virtually merged into one. In like manner all the members of the human family, whether peo-pies or governments, cities or villages, have become increasingly interdependent. For none is self-sufficiency any longer possible, inasmuch as political ties unite all peoples and nations, and the bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture and education, are being strengthened every day. Hence the unity of all mankind can in this day be achieved. Verily this is none other but one of the wonders of this wondrous age, this glorious century. Of this past ages have been deprived, for this century Ñ the century of light Ñ has been endowed with unique and unprecedented glory, power and illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh marvel every day. Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles will burn in the assemblage of man. Behold how its light is now dawning upon the world's darkened horizon. The first candle is unity in the political realm, the early glimmerings of which can now be discerned. The second candle is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will ere long be witnessed. The third candle is unity in freedom which will surely come to pass. The fourth candle is unity in religion which is the cornerstone of the foundation itself, and which, by the power of God, will be revealed in all its splendor. The fifth candle is the unity of nations Ñ a unity which in this century will be securely established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as citizens of one common fatherland. The sixth candle is unity of races, making of all that dwell on earth peoples and kindreds of one race. The seventh candle is unity of language, i.e., the choice of a universal tongue in which all peoples will be instructed and converse. Each and every one of these will inevitably come to pass, inasmuch as the power of the Kingdom of God will aid and assist in their realization. [p131] PART TWO [p132] [p133] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH PRESENTDAY ADMINISTRATION OF THE BAHA'I FAITH B~ HORACE HOLLEY IT has been the general characteristic of religion that organization marks the interruption of the true spiritual influence and serves to prevent the original impulse from being carried into the world. The organization has invariably become a substitute for religion rather than a method or an instrument used to give the religion effect. The separation of peoples into different traditions unbridged by any peaceful or constructive intercourse has made this inevitable. Up to the present time in fact, no Founder of a revealed religion has explicitly laid down the principles that should guide the administrative machinery of the Faith He has established. In the Baha'i Cause, the principles of world administration were expressed by Baha'u'llah, and these principles were developed in the writings of tAbdu'1-BaM, more especially in His Will and Testament. The purpose of this organization is to make possible a true and lasting unity among peoples of different races, classes, interests, characters, and inherited creeds. A close and sympathetic study of this aspect of the Ba-h~'i Cause will show that the purpose and method of Baha'i administration is so perfectly adapted to the fundamental spirit of the Revelation that it bears to it the same relationship as body to soui. In character, the principles of Baha'i administration represent the science of cooperation; in application, they provide for a new and higher type of morality worldwide in scope. In the clash and confusion of sectarian prejudice, the Baha Movement is impartial and sympathetic, offering a foundation upon which reconciliation can be firmly based. Amid the complex interrelations of governments, the Movement stands absolutely neutral as to political purposes and entirely obedient to all recognized authority. It will not be overlooked by the student that Baha'u'llah is the only religious teacher making obedience to just governments and rulers a definite spiritual command. In this brief analysis of the several features of the Baha'i system of administration the purpose is rather to place in the hands of the believers themselves a convenient summary of the available instructions than to clarify this aspect of the Movement to the non-Bahi'i. Until one has made contact with the spirit of the Baha'i teachings and desires to cooperate wholeheartedly with their purpose, the administrative phase of the Movement can have little real meaning or appeal. At the time of the passing of cAbdu~1~~ Baha, the organization was fully defined but not yet established among His followers. The responsibility for carrying out the instructions was placed by tAbdu~1~BahA upon His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to whom was assigned the function of CCGdi of the Cause." Obedience to the authority of the Guardian was definitely enjoined upon all Baha'is by tAbdu'1-BahA, but this authority carries with it nothing of an arbitrary or personal character, being limited as to purpose and method by the writings of Bah&' Ñ u'HAh and tAbdu'1-Bah6. The Guardian unifies the efforts to bring into complete application those principles of world administration already clearly defined. To assist the Guardian in his manifold responsibilities and duties and particularly in the promotion of the teaching work, tAb-du'1-BaM provided for the appointment of 133 [p134] 134 THE BAHA'! WORLD a group of coworkers to be known as "The Hands of the Cause of God." The appointment of this body is a function of the Guardian, and these from their own number are to elect nine persons who will be closely associated with the Guardian in the discharge of his duties. It is the function of the Guardian also to appoint his own successor, this appointment to be ratified by the nine Hands of the Cause. It is the genius of the Baha'i Cause that the principle underlying the administration of its affairs aims to improve the life and uphuild the character of the individual believer in his own local community, wherever it may be, and not to enhance the prestige of those relatively few who, by election or appointment, hold positions of higher authority. Baha'i authority is measured by self-sacrifice and not by arbitrary power. This fundamental aim can be seen clearly on studying the significant emphasis which tAbdu'1-BabA placed upon the local Baha'i community. The local group, involving as it does men and women in all the normal activities and relations of life, is the foundation upon which rests the entire evolution of the Cause. The local Baha'i community is given official recognition oniy after its number of adult declared believers has become nine or more. Up to this point, the community exists as a voluntary group of workers and students of the Cause. In this connection, the word tcommu-nity" is not used in the sense of any locality, exclusively Baha'i in membership, nor of any manner of living differing outwardly from the general environment, such as has been attempted by religionists and also members of philosophic and economic movements in the past. A Baha'i community is a unity of minds and hearts, an association of people entirely voluntary in character, established upon a common experience of devotion to the universal aims of Baha'u'llah and agreement as to the methods by which these aims can be advanced. A Baha'i community differs from other voluntary gatherings in that its foundation is so deeply laid and broadly extended that it can include any sincere soui. Whereas other associations are exclusive, in effect if not in intention, and from method if not from ideal, Baha'i association is inclusive, shutting the gates of fellowship to no sincere soul. In every gathering there is latent or developed some basis of selection. In religion this basis is a creed limited by the historical nature of its origin; in politics this is party or platform; in economics this is a mutual misfortune or mutual power; in the arts and sciences this basis consists of special training or activity or interest. In all these matters, the more exclusive the basis of selection, the stronger the movement Ñ a condition diametrically opposed to that existing in the Baha'i Cause. Hence the Cause, for all its spirit of growth and progress, develops siowiy as regards the numbers of its active adherents. For people are accustomed to exclusiveness and division in all affairs. The important sanctions have ever been warrants and justifications of division. To enter the Baha'i Movement is to leave these sanctions behind Ñ an experience which at first invariably exposes one to new trials and sufferings, as the human ego revolts against the supreme sanction of universal love. The scientific must associate with the simple and unlearned, the rich with the poor, the white with the colored, the mystic with the literalist, the Christian with the Jew, the Muslim with the Parsee: and on terms removing the advantage of long estab Ñ lished presumptions and privileges. But for this difficult experience there are glorious compensations. Let us remember that art grows sterile as it turns away from the common humanity, that philosophy likewise loses its vision when developed in solitude, and that politics and religion never succeed apart from the general needs of mankind. Human nature is not yet known, for we have all lived in a state of mental, moral, emotional or social defense, and the psychology of defense is the psychology of inhibition. But the love of God removes fear; the removal of fear establishes the latent powers, and association with others in spiritual love brings these powers into vital, positive expression. A Baha community is a gathering where this process can take place in this age, slowly at first, as the new impetus gathers force, more rapidly as the members become conscious of the powers unfolding the flower of iinfty among men. [p135] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 135 Where the community is small and insignificant, in comparison with the population of the city or town, the first condition of growth is understanding of the Manifesta Ñ tion of Baha'u'llah, and the next condition is that of true humility. If these two conditions exist, the weakest soul becomes endowed with effective power in service to the Cause. The result of unity, in fact, is to share the powers and faculties of all with each. The responsibility for and supervision of local Baha'i affairs is vested in a body known as the Spiritual Assembly. This body (limited to nine members) is elected annually on April 2 1st, the first day of Ridvan (the Festival commemorating the Declaration of Baha'u'llah) by the adult declared believers of the community, the voting list being drawn up by the outgoing Spiritual Assembly. Concerning the character and functions of this body, tAbdu'1-BahA has written as follows: (cIt is incumbent upon everyone (every believer) not to take any step (of Baha'i activity) without consulting the Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and soul its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act independently and after his own judgment, will follow his own desire, and do harm to the Cause. ttT1~e prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His divine fragrance, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and longsuffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold. Should they be graciously aided to acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom of Baha shall be vouchsafed to them. In this day, Assemblies of consultation are of the greatest importance and a vital necessity. Obedience unto them is essential and obligatory. The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresses with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should anyone oppose, he must on no ac count feel hurt, for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions. If after discussion a decision be carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, a majority of voices must prevail. CtTh first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the Assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must manifest in themselves the Unity of God, for they arc the waves of one sea, the drops of one river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of one sun, the trees of one orchard, the flowers of one garden. Should harmony of thought and absolute unity be nonexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed and that Assembly be brought to naught. t~The second condition: They must when coining together turn their faces to the Kingdom on high and ask aid from the realm of Glory. Discussions must all be confined to spiritual matters that pertain to the training of souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Holy Word. Should they endeavor to fulfil these conditions the grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them and that Assembly shall become the center of the divine blessings, the hosts of divine confirmation shall come to their aid, and they shall day by day receive a new effusion of spirit." The letters of Shoghi Effendi quote the fundamental instructions .contained in the writings of Baha'u'llah and CAbd~1Bh~ on the character of Baha'i administration, and give them definite application: ttA careful study of Baha'u'llah's and tAbdu'1-BahA's Tablets will reveal that other duties (besides teaching the Cause), no less vital to the interests of the Cause, devolve upon the elected representatives of the friends in every locality. "They must endeavor to promote amity and concord amongst the friends and secure an active and wholehearted cooperation for the service of the Cause. [p136] 136 THE BAHA'I WORLD ttThey must do their utmost to extend at all times the helping hand to the po.r, the sick, the disabled, the orphan, the widow, irrespective of color, caste and creed. CCThCY must promote by every means in their power the material as well as spiritual enlightenment of youth, the means for the education of children; institute, whenever possible, Baha'i educational institutions; organize and supervise their work, and provide the best means for their progress and development. "They must make an effort to maintain official, regular and frequent correspondence with the various Baha'i centers throughout the world, report to them their activities, and share the glad-tidings they receive with all their fellow-workers in the Cause. "They must bend every effort to promote the interests of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (i.e., House of Worship),' and hasten the day when the work of this glorious Edifice 2 will have been consummated. ccThey must encourage and stimulate by every means at their command, through subscriptions, reports and articles, the development of the various Baha'i magazines. ccThey must undertake the arrangement of the regular meetings of the friends, the feasts and anniversaries, as well as the special gatherings designed to serve and promote the social, intellectual and spiritual interests of their fellowmen. "They must supervise in these days when the Cause is still in its infancy all Baha'i publications and translations, and provide in general for a dignified and accurate presentation of all Baha'i literature and its distribution to the general public. "These rank among the most outstanding obligations of the members of every Spiritual Assembly. In whatever locality the Cause has sufficiently expanded, and in order to insure efficiency and avoid confusion, each of these manifold functions will have to be referred to a special Committee, responsible to that Assembly, elected by it from among the friends in that locality, and upon whose work the Assembly will have to exercise constant and general supervision. 1 Referring particularly to Spiritual Assemblies in America. 2 On the shore of take Michigan. "In every locality, be it city or hamlet, where the number of adult declared believers exceed nine, a local Spiritual Assembly must be forthwith established. (CAS the progress and extension of spiritual activities is dependent and conditioned upon material means, it is of absolute neces-sky that immediately after the establishment of local as well as national Spiritual Assemblies, a Baha'i Fund be established, to be placed under the exclusive control of the Spiritual Assembly. All donations and contributions should be offered to the Treasurer of the Assembly, for the express purpose of promoting the interests of the Cause throughout that locality or country. It is the sacred obligation of every conscientious and faithful servant of Baha'u'llah, who desires to see His Cause advance, to contribute freely and generously for the increase of that Fund. The members of the Spiritual Assembly will at their own discretion expend it to promote the teaching campaign, to help the needy, to establish educational Baha'i institutions, to extend in every way their sphere of service. ttNot1~ing whatever should be given to the public by any individual among the friends, unless fully considered and approved by the Spiritual Assembly in his locality; and if this (as is undoubtedly the case) is a matter that pertains to the general interests of the Cause in that land, then it is incumbent upon the Spiritual Assembly to submit it to the consideration and approval of the National Body representing all the various local Assemblies. Not oniy with regard to publication, but all matters without any exception whatsoever, regarding the interests of the Cause in that locality, individually or collectively, should be referred exclusively to the Spiritual Assembly in that locality, which shall decide upon it, unless it be a matter of national interest, in which case it shall be referred to the National (Baha'i) Body. With this National Body also will rest the decision whether a given question is of local or national interest. (By national affairs is not meant matters that are political in their character, for the friends of God the world over are strictly forbidden to meddle with political affairs in any way whatever, but rather things [p137] ~1 Delegates to the first convention of the Baha'is of America. March 1909. [p138] 138 THE BAHA'I WORLD that affect the spiritual activities of the body of the friends in that land.) CCFUI1 harmony, however, as well as cooperation among the various local Assemblies and the members themselves, and particularly between each Assembly and the National Body is of the utmost importance, for upon it depends the unity of the Cause of God, the solidarity of the friends, the full, speedy and efficient working of the spiritual activities of His loved ones. ccThe various Assemblies, local and national, constitute today the bedrock upon the strength of which the Universal Housz (of Justice) is in future to be firmly established and raised. Not until these function vigorously and harmoniously can the hope for the termination of this period of transi-don be realized. Bear in mind that the keynote of the Cause of God is not dictatorial authority, but humble fellowship; not arbitrary power, but the spirit of frank and loving consultation. Nothing short of the spirit of a true Baha'i can hope to reconcile the principles of mercy and justice, of freedom and submission, of the sanctity of the right of the individual and of self-surrender, of vigilance, discretion and prudence on the one hand, and fellowship, candor, and courage on the other." Experience in the life of a Baha'i community and participation in the details of its several activities impresses one with the fact that Baha'i unity has in it new elements which work powerfully to expand one s area of sympathy, deepen one's insight, develop one's character and bring order and stability into all of one's affairs. There can be no higher privilege than the experience of attempting to serve faithfully upon a Spiritual Assembly, conscious as its members are of the unique standard upheld by Abdu'l-Baha and bringing as it does the opportunity of dealing with a large range and diversity of human problems from an impersonal point of view. It is inevitable that the nine elected members shall exemplify diverse interests and types of character, with the result that unity of heart and conscience with the other eight members is a direct training to enter into spiritual unity with the larger body of mankind. No such schools of discipline and inspiration exist on earth today, for one must bear in mind that a Baha'i community can never be an exclusive group nor a closed circle of interests but, on the contrary, its fundamental purpose is to unify and cooperate with every possible element in the surrounding population. The local Spiritual Assembly after election organizes by electing from its own number a chairman, corresponding secretary, recording secretary and treasurer. It should appoint from its own members or from the local Baha'i community working committees responsible for the various permanent activities of the Cause. Since a Spiritual Assembly is established upon a new and higher ideal, the character, knowledge and purity of its members is essential to success. Wherever personal ambition, narrowness or impurity enters a Spiritual Assembly, the results are invariably to check the growth of the Cause and, if these conditions are prolonged, to destroy the foundation already laid. the careful student of the teachings will accept this result as one more vindication of the all-surround-ing spirit protecting this Faith. The elimination of an unworthy group from the I3ahi'i Cause would be a bitter disappointment but not an evidence that the Cause had failed. On the contrary, the Cause cou!d oniy be declared a failure if personal ambition, pride, narrowness and impurity should so prevail as to build a worldwide organization able to pervert the original purpose. The local Spiritual Assemblies of a country are linked together and coordinated through another elected body of nine members, the National Spiritual Assembly. This body comes into being by means of an annual election held by elected delegates representing the local Baha communities. The delegates are elected by all the adult declared believers of a community in which a Spiritual Assembly exists. The National Convention in which the delegates are gathered together is composed of an elective body based upon the principle of proportional representation. The total number of delegates is fixed by Shoghi Effendi for each country, and this number is fulfilled by assigning to each local community the number of delegates called for by its relative [p139] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 139 numerical strength. These National Conventions are preferably held during the period of Rid vAn, the twelve days beginning April 21st which commemorate the Declaration made by Baha'u'llah in the Garden of RiQ-vAn near Baghdid. The recognition of delegates is vested in the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly. A National Convention is an occasion for deepening one's understanding of Ba1A'i activities and of sharing reports of national and local activities for the period of the elapsed year. It has been the custom to hold a public Baha'i Congress in connection with the Convention. The function of a Baha'i delegate is not limited to attendance at the National Convention and participation in the election of the new National Spiritual Assembly. While gathered together, the delegates are a consultative and advisory body whose recommendations are to be carefully considered by the members of the elected National Spiritual Assembly. Even after the Convention, this consultative function may continue throughout the year, and by the close and intimate association of the deliberations of the National Spiritual Assembly with the delegates, the National Body is enabled to be more representative of the entire Baha'i community of the land. Delegates unable to attend the Convention in person are permitted to vote for the new National Spiritual Assembly by mail. The relation of the National Spiritual Assembly to the local Spiritual Assemblies and to the body of the believers in the country is thus defined in the letters of the Guardian of the Cause: "Regarding the establishment of National Assemblies, it is of vital importance that in every country, where the conditions are favorable and the number of the friends has grown and reached a considerable size Ñ that a National Spiritual Assembly be immediately established, representative of the friends throughout that country. "Its immediate purpose is to stimulate, unify and coordinate, by frequent personal consultations, the manifold activities of the friends as well as the local Assemblies; and by keeping in close and constant touch with the Holy Land, initiate measures, and direct in general the affairs of the Cause in that country. "It serves also another purpose, no less essential than the first, as in the course of time it shall evolve into the National House of Justice (referred to in Abdu'l-Baha's Will as the tSecondary House of Justice') which according to the explicit text of the Testament will have, in conjunction with the other National Assemblies throughout the Baha'i world, to elect directly the members of the International or Universal House of Justice, that Supreme Council that will guide, organize and unify the affairs of the Movement throughout the world. "This National Spiritual Assembly which, pending the establishment of the Universal House of Justice, will have to be reelected once a year, obviously assumes grave responsibilities for it has to exercise full authority over all the local Assemblies in its province, and will have to direct the activities of the friends, guard vigilantly the Cause of God, and control and supervise the affairs of the Movement in general. ttVital issues, affecting the interests of the Cause in that country, such as the matter of translation and publication the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar the teaching work, and other similar matters that stand distinct from strictly local affairs, must be under the full jurisdiction of the National Assembly. cdt will have to refer each of these questions, even as the local Assemblies, to a special committee, to be elected by the members of the National Spiritual Assembly from among all the friends in that country, which will bear to it the same relations as the local committees bear to their respective local Assemblies. WI~Tith it, too, rests the decision whether a certain point at issue is strictly local in its nature, and should be reserved for the consideration and decision of the local Assembly, or whether it should fall under its own province and be a matter which ought to receive its special attention. "It is the bounden duty, in the interest of the Cause we all love and serve, of the members of the incoming National Assembly, once elected by the delegates at Convention time, to seek and have the utmost regard, individually as well as collectively, [p140] 140 THE BAHA'I WORLD for the advice, the considered opinion and the true sentiments of the assembled delegates. Banishing every vestige of secrecy, of undue reticence, of dictatorial aloofness from their midst they should radiantly and abundantly unfold to the eyes of the delegates by whom they were elected, their plans, their hopes and their cares. They should familiarize the delegates with the various matters that will have to be considered in the current year, and calmly and conscientiously study and weigh the opinions and judgments of the delegates. The newly elected National Assembly, during the few days when the Convention is in session, and after the dispersion of the delegates, should seek ways and means to cultivate understanding, facilitate and maintain the exchange of views, deepen confidence, and vindicate by every tangible evidence their one desire to serve and advance the common weal. ccThe National Spiritual Assembly, however, in view of the unavoidable limitations imposed upon the convening of frequent and longstanding sessions of the Convention, will have to retain in its hands the final decision on all matters that affect the interests of the Cause Ñ such as the' right to decide whether any local Assembly is functioning in accordance with the principles laid down for the conduct and the advancement of the Cause. "The seating of delegates to the Convention (i. e., the right to decide upon the validity of the credentials of the delegates at a given Convention), is vested in the outgoing National Assembly, and the right to decide who has the voting privilege is also ultimately placed in the hands of the National Spiritual Assembly, either when a local Spiritual Assembly is for the first time being formed in a given locality, or when differences arise between a new applicant and an already established local Assembly. tt'~7ere the National Spiritual Assembly to decide, after mature deliberation, to omit the holding of the Baha'i Convention and Congress in a given year, then they could, only in such a case, devise ways and means to insure that the annual election of the National Spiritual Assembly should be held by mail, provided it can be conducted with sufficient thoroughness, efficiency and dispatch. It would also appear to me unobjectionable to enable and even to require in the last resort such delegates as cannot possibly undertake the journey to the seat of the Baha'i Convention to send their votes, for the election of the National Spiritual Assembly oniy, by mail to the National Secretary." Concerning the matter of drawing up the voting list to be used at the annual local Baha'i elections, the responsibility for this is placed upon each local Spiritual Assembly, and as a guidance in the matter the Guardian has written the following: "To state very briefly and as adequately as present circumstances permit, the principal factors that must be taken into consideration before deciding whether a person may be regarded a true believer or not: Full recognition of the station of the Forerunner, the Author and the True Exemplar of the Baha'i Cause, as set forth in !Abdu~l Baha'is Will and Testament; unreserved acceptance of and submission to whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of our Beloved's sacred Will; and ciose association with the spirit as well as the form of the presentday Baha administration Ñ these I conceive to be the fundamental and primary considerations that must be fairly, discreetly and thoughtfully ascertained before reaching such a vital decision." Abdu'l-Baha's instructions provide for the further development of Baha'i organization through an International Spiritual Assembly to be elected by the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies. This international body has not yet come into existence, but its special character has been clearly defined: ~tAnd now, concerning the Assembly (Baha'u'llah: i. e., House of Justice) which God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God, and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's Faith, and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this Assembly is meant the Universal Assembly: that is, in [p141] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 141 each country a secondary Assembly must be instituted, and these secondary Assemblies must elect the members of the Universal one. "Unto this body all things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved, and the Guardian of the Cause is its sacred head and the distinguished member, for life, of that body. Should he not attend in person its de1iberation~, he must appoint one to represent him. This Assembly enacteth the laws and the executive enforceth them. The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body, so that, through the c1os~ union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself. "Unto the Most Holy Book everyone must turn, and all that is not expressly recorded therein must be referred to the Universal Assembly. That which this body, either unanimously or by a majority, doth carry, that is verily the truth and the purpose of God Himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom is verily of them that iove discord, hath shown forth malice and turned away from the Lord of the Covenant." Even at the present time, the Baha'is in all parts of the world maintain an intimate and cordial association by means of regular correspondence and individual visits. This contact of members of different races, nationalities and religious traditions is concrete proof that the burden of prejudice and the historical factors of division can be entirely overcome through the spirit of oneness established by Baha'u'llah. The general student of religion will not fail to note four essential characteristics of Baha'i administration. The first is its completely successful reconciliation of the usually opposed claims of democratic freedom and unanswerable authority. The second is the entire absence from the Baha Cause of anything approaching the institution of a salaried professional clergy. The Baha'i conception of religion is one which combines mysticism, which is a sacred personal experience, with practical morality, which is a useful contact between the individual and his fellow man. In the nature of things, some souls are more advanced than others, and the function of spiritual teaching is given special importance in the writings of Baha'u'llah and tAbdu'1-Bahi. The Baha'i teacher, however, has no authority over the individual conscience. The individual conscience must be subordinated to the decisions of a duly elected Spiritual Assembly, but this relationship is entirely different in character and results from the relationship of an individual with minister or priest. The third characteristic is the absence of internal factionalism, that bane of all organized effort, and the sure sign of the presence of spiritual disease. The predominant spirit of unity which distinguishes the Baha'i Cause in its rtlation to the world, making its followers strive for reconciliation rather than partisan victory, creates an internal condition, unlike that which exists in movements which accept partisan victory, in one or another form, as their very reason for being. Such movements can but disintegrate from within; the Baha'i Movement can but grow. Significant also is the fourth characteristic, namely that the Baha'i Cause has within it an inherent necessity operating slowly but surely to bring its adrninisisa-non into the hands of those truly fitted for the nature of the work. The lesser vision gives way invariably for the larger vision, itself replaced by the still larger vision in due time. The result is an inevitable improvement in the qualities placed at the service of the Cause, until the highest attributes of humanity will be enrolled. In the Baha'i Cause we are actually witnessing the fulfillment of that strange and cryptic saying: "The meek shall inherit the earth." That the administrative machinery is not an end in itself but merely the means to spread everywhere the light of faith and brotherhood, is frequently expressed by the Guardian in his general letters, and this brief survey may well close with one of those passages: ~ by the force of numbers, not by [p142] 142 THE WORLD ORDER 017 BAHA'U'LLAH the mere exposition of a set of new and noble principles, not by an organized cain-paign of teac/bing Ñ no matter how worldwide and elaborate in its character Ñ not even by the staunchness of our faith or the exaltation of our enthusiasm, can we ulti-inately hope to vindicate in the eyes of a critical and skeptical age the si preme claim of the Abhd Revelation. One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely the extent to which our owls life and private character mirror forth in their inanif old aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclainsed by Baha'u'llah." EXCERPTS FROM THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF tABDIJ'L-BAHA FOREWORD IT IS significant of the completeness of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah that the text of His Book provided for every emergency confronting human souis in this age. The supreme tests of the Baha'i Faith had in fact already been successfully met during the days which followed the ascension of Baha'u'llah in 1892. By the appointment of tAbdu'1-Bah& as the Center of His Covenant, Baha'u'llah prolonged His own ministry for well-nigh thirty years, a period coinciding with an entire generation and therefore sufficient to withstand the onslaughts of those ambitious persons who arose to overthrow or pervert the Faith from within and without its ranks. For the words of tAbdu'1-BahA, according to the text of this appointment, have equal rank and spiritual validity with those of the Manifestation. Thus, during the ministry of 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Cause of Baha'u'llah was not only safeguarded from confusion and division, it was vastly extended into Europe, America and the Far East, and the fundamental literature of the raith was amplified by tAb-du'1-BahA's public addresses and Tablets, many of which were directed to the administrative side of Baha'i service. By 1921, the outer form of this community had been fairly defined in many localities and impressed upon the habits as well as thoughts of the believers. Despite this fact, it is more than doubtful, ful, it is positively certain, that the worldwide Baha'i community could not have survived the shock of cAbdu~1~Bah4~s passing, and perpetuated its complex unity into the future, had He not made definite provision for a point of unity acceptable to all the believers and a continuance of that administrative authority which is the body of the soul of faith. These provisions were made in the Will and Testament of !Abdu'l-Baha, excerpts from which follow. By the appointment of a Guardian of the Baha'i Cause, CAbdu~1 Bah~ created an executive head and center possessing unquestioned consecration and capacity for the tremendous task of inspiring the worldwide Baha'i community to develop along the path of human service marked out for it in the Religion of Baha'u'llah. ALL-PRAISE to Him who, by the Shield of His Covenant, hath guarded the Temple of His Cause from the darts of doubtfulness, who by the Hosts of His Testament hath preserved the Sanctuary of His Most Beneficent Law and protected His Straight and Luminous Path, staying thereby the onslaught of the company of Covenant-breakers, that have threatened to subvert His Divine Edifice; who hath watched over His Mighty Stronghold and All-glorious Faith, through the aid of men whom the [p143] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 143 slander of the slanderer affects not, whom no earthly calling, glory and power can turn aside from the Covenant of God and His Testament, established firmly by His clear and manifest words, writ and revealed by His All-glorious Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet. Salutation and praise, blessing and glory rest upon that Primal Branch of the Divine and Sacred Lote Ñ Tree, grown out, blest, tender, verdant and flourishing from the Twin Holy Trees; the most wondrous, unique and priceless pearl that doth gleam from out the twin surging seas; upon the offshoots of the Tree of Holiness, the twigs of the Celestial Tree, they that in the Day of the Great Dividing have stood fast and firm in the Covenant; upon the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God that have diffused widely the divine Fragrances, declared His Proofs, proclaimed His Faith, published abroad His Law, detached themselves from all things but Him, stood for righteousness in this world, and kindled the Fire of the Love of God in the very hearts and souls of His servants; upon them that have believed, rested assured, stood steadfast in His Covenant and followed the Light that after My passing shineth from the Dayspring of divine Guidance Ñ for behold! he is the blest and sacred Bough that hail branched out from the Twin Holy Trees. Well is it with him that seeketh the shelter of his shade that shadoweth all mankind. 0 ye beloved of the Lord! The greatest of all things is the protection of the True Faith of God, the preservation of His Law, the safeguarding of His Cause and service unto His Word. Ten thousand souls have shed streams of their sacred blood in this path, their precious lives they offered in sacrifice unto Him, hastened wrapt in holy ecstasy unto the glorious field of martyrdom, upraised the Standard of God's Faith and writ with their lifeblood upon the Tablet of the world the verses of His divine Unity. The sacred breast of His Holiness, the Exalted One Ñ May my life be a sacrifice unto Him Ñ was made a target to many a dart of woe, and in M~zindar4n, the blessed feet of the Abbas Beauty Ñ May my life be offered up for His loved ones Ñ were so grievously scourged as to bleed and be sore wounded. His neck also was put into captive chains and His feet made fast in the stocks. In every hour, for a period of fifty years, a new trial and calamity befell Him and fresh afflictions and cares beset Him. One of them: after having suffered intense vicissitudes, He was made homeless and a wanderer and fell a victim to still new vexations and troubles. In 'Idq, the Daystar of the world was so exposed to the wiles of the people of malice as to be eclipsed in splendor. Later on He was sent an exile to the Great City (Constantinople) and thence to the Land of Mystery (Ad-rianople), whence, grievously wronged, He was eventually transferred to the Most Great Prison (tAkkA). He whom the world bath wronged Ñ May my life be offered up for His loved ones Ñ was four times banished from city to city, till at last condemned to perpetual confinement, He was incarcerated in this Prison, the prison of highway robbers, of brigands and of manslayers. All this is but one of the trials that have afflicted the Blessed Beauty, the rest being even as grievous as this. According to the direct and sacred command of God we are forbidden to utter slander, are commanded to show forth peace and amity, are exhorted to rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and harmony with all the kindreds and peoples of the world. We must obey and be the well-wishers of the governments of the land, regard disloyalty unto a just king as disloyalty to God Himself and wishing cvii to the government a transgression of the Cause of God. 0 God, my God! Thou seest this wronged servant of Thine, held fast in the talons of ferocious lions, of ravening wolves, of bloodthirsty beasts. Graciously assist me, through my love for Thee, that I may drink deep of the chalice that brimmeth over with faithfulness to Thee and is filled with Thy bountiful Grace; so that, fallen upon the dust, I may sink prostrate and senseless whilst my vesture is dyed crimson with my blood. This is my wish, my heart's desire, my hope, my pride, my glory. Grant, 0 Lord my God, and my Refuge, that in my last hour, my end may even as musk shed its fragrance of glory! Is there a bounty greater than this? Nay, by Thy [p144] 144 THE BAHA'I WORLD Glory! I call Thee to witness that no day passeth but that I quaff my fill from this cup, so grievous are the misdeeds wrought by them that have broken the Covenant, kindled discord, showed their malice, stirred sedition in the land and dishonored Thee amidst Thy servants. Lord! Shield Thou from these Covenant-breakers the mighty Stronghold of Thy Faith and protect Thy secret Sanctuary from the onslaught of the ungodly. Thou art in truth the Mighty, the Powerful, the Gracious, the Strong. 0 God, my God! Shield Thy trusted servants from the evils of self and passion, protect them with the watchful eye of Thy lovingkindness from all rancor, bate and envy, shelter them in the impregnable stronghold of Thy Cause and, safe from the darts of doubtfulness, make them the manifestations of Thy glorious Signs, illumine their faces with the effulgent rays shed from the Dayspring of Thy divine Unity, gladden their hearts with the verses revealed from Thy holy Kingdom, strengthen their loins by Thy all-swaying power that corneth from Thy Realm of Glory. Thou art the All-bountiful, the Protector, the Almighty, the Gracious. o ye that stand fast in the Covenant! When the hour cometh that this wronged and broken-winged bird will have taken its flight unto the Celestial Concourse, when it will have hastened to the Realm of the Unseen and its mortal frame will have been either lost or hidden beneath the dust, it is incumbent upon the AfnAn, that are steadfast in the Covenant of God, and have branched from the Tree of Holiness; the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God Ñ the glory of the Lord rest upon them Ñ and all the friends and loved ones, one and all to bestir themselves and arise with heart and soul and in one accord, to diffuse the sweet savors of God, to teach His Cause and to promote His Faith. It behooveth them not to rest for a moment, neither to seek repose. They must disperse themselves in every land, pass by every clime and travel throughout all regions. Bestirred, without rest and steadfast to the end they must raise in every land the triumphal cry "0 Thou the Glory of Glories!" (Y~-Bahd'u'I-Abhi), must achieve renown in the world wherever they go, must burn brightly even as a candle in every meeting and must kindle the flame of divine iove in every assembly; that the light of truth may rise resplendent in the midmost heart of the world, that throughout the East and throughout the West a vast concourse may gather under the shadow of the Word of God, that the sweet savors of holiness may be diffused, that faces may shine radiantly, hearts be filled with the divine spirit and souls be made heavenly. In these days, the most important of all things is the guidance of the nations and peoples of the world. Teaching the Cause is of utmost importance for it is the head cornerstone of the foundation itself. This wronged servant has spent his days and nights in promoting the Cause and urging the peoples to service. He rested not a moment, till the fame of the Cause of God was noised abroad in the world and the celestial strains from the AbM Kingdom roused the East and the West. The beloved of God must also follow the same example. This is the secret of faithfulness, this is the requirement of servitude to the Threshold of Baha The disciples of Christ forgot themselves and all earthly things, forsook all their cares and belongings, purged themselves of self and passion and with absolute detachment scattered far and wide and engaged in calling the peoples of the world to the divine Guidance, till at last they made the world another world, illumined the surface of the earth and even to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that Beloved One of God. Finally in various lands they suffered glorious martyrdom. Let them that are men of action follow in their footsteps! 0 my loving friends! After the passing away of this wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Aglisin (Branches), the Afn~n (Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God and the loved ones of the AbbA Beauty to turn unto Shoghi Effendi Ñ the youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and sacred tote-Trees and the fruit grown from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness Ñ as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the Guardian of the Cause [p145] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 145 of God, he unto whom all the AghsAn, the Afn&n, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn. He is the expounder of the words of Cod and after him will succeed the firstborn of his lineal descendants. The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, as we" as the Universal House of Justice, to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and protection of the AbbA Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of His Holiness, the Exalted One Ñ may my life be offered up for them both. Whatsoever they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him not, neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him and against them bath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath contended with God; whoso disputeth with him bath disputed with God; whoso deniech him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him bath disbelieved in God; whoso deviat-eth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him, hath in truth deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God Ñ may the wrath, the fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him! The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the Aglis~n, the Afrnin, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hail opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition. Beware, beware, lest the days after the ascension (of Baha'u'llah) be repeated when the Center of Sedition waxed haughty and rebellious and with divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself and perturbed and poisoned others. No doubt every vainglorious one that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, would he seize upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the gathering of the people of Baht My object is to show that the Hands of the Cause of God must be ever watchful and so soon as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the Guardian of the Cause of God, cast him out from the congregation of the people of Bah~ and in no wise accept any excuse from him. How often bath grievous error been disguised in the garb of truth, that it might sow the seeds of doubt in the hearts of men! 0 ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own lifetime him that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing. He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning. Thus, should the firstborn of the Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words: "The child is the secret essence of its sire," that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he (the Guardian of the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him. The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God. The election of these nine must be carried either unanimously or by majority from the company of the Hands of the Cause of God and these, whether unanimously or by a majority vote, must give their assent to the choice of the one whom the Guardian of the Cause of God hath chosen as his successor. This assent must be given in such wise as the assenting and dissenting voices may not be distinguished (i.e., secr~r ballot). 0 friends! The Hands of the Cause of God must be nominated and appointed by the Guardian of the Cause of God. All must be under his shadow and obey his command. Should any, within or without the company of the Hands of the Cause of God disobey and seek division, the wrath [p146] 146 THE BAHA'I WORLD of God and His vengeance will be upon him, for he will have caused a breach in the true Faith of God. The obligations of the Hands of the Cause of God are to diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to promote learning, to improve the character of all men and to be, at all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words. This body of the Hands of the Cause of God is under the direction of the Guardian of the Cause of God. He must continually urge them to strive and endeavor to the utmost of their ability to diffuse the sweet savors of God, and to guide all the peoples of the world, for it is the Light of Divine Guidance that causeth all the universe to be illumined. To disregard, though it be for a moment, this absolute command which is binding upon everyone, is in nowise permitted, that the existent world may become even as the Abh& Paradise, that the surface of the earth may become heavenly, that contention and conflict amidst peoples, kindreds, nations and governments may disappear, that all the dwellers on earth may become one people and one race, that the world may become even as one home. Should differences arise they shall be amicably and conclusively settled by the Supreme Tribunal, that shall include members from all the governments and peoples of the world. 0 ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and contention are in nowise permitted. Every aggressor deprives himself of God's grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show the utmost iove, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere kindliness unto all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be they friends or strangers. So intense must be the spirit of love and lovingkindness, that the stranger may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between them. For universality is of God and all limitations earthly. Thus man must strive that his reality may manifest virtues and perfections, the light whereof may shine upon everyone. The light of the sun shineth upon all the world and the merciful showers of Divine Providence fall upon all peoples. The vivifying breeze revived-i every living creature and all beings endued with life obtain their share and portion at His heavenly board. In like manner, the affections and Lovingkindness of the servants of the One True God must be bountifully and universally extended to all mankind. Regarding this, restrictions and limitations are in nowise permitted. Wherefore, 0 my loving friends! Consort with all the peoples, kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost truthfulness, uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, goodwill and friendliness; that all the world of being may be filled with the holy ecstasy of the grace of Baha, that ignorance, enmity, hate and rancor may vanish from the world and the darkness of estrangement amidst the peoples and kindreds of the world may give way to the Light of Unity. Should other peoples and nations be unfaithful to you show your fidelity unto them, should they be unjust toward you show justice towards them, should they keep aloof from you attract them to yourself, should they show their enmity be friendly towards them, should they poison your lives sweeten their souis, should they inflict a wound upon you be a salve to their sores. Such are the attributes of the sincere! Such are the attributes of the truthful! And now, concerning the House of Justice which God bath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this House is meant the Universal House of Justice; that is, in all countries, a secondary House of Justice must be instituted, and these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the Universal ane. Unto this body all things must be referred. It en-acteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved and the Guardian [p147] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 147 of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him. Should any of the members commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the Guardian of the Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him, whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead. 0 ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon you to be submissive to all monarchs that are just and show your fidelity to every righteous king. Serve ye the sovereigns of the world with utmost truthfulness and loyalty. Show obedience unto them and be their well-wishers. Without their leave and permission do not meddle with political affairs, for disloyalty to the just sovereign is disloyalty to God Himself. This is my counsel and the commandment of God unto you. Well is it with them that act accordingly. By the Ancient Beauty! This wronged one bath in nowise borne nor doth He bear a grudge against anyone; towards none doth He entertain any ill-feeling and uttereth no word save for the good of the world. My supreme obligation, however, of necessity, prompteth Me to guard and preserve the Cause of God. Thus, with the greatest regret, I counsel you saying: "Guard ye the Cause of God, protect His law and have the utmost fear of discord. This is the foundation of the belief of the people of Baha Ñ may my life be offered up for them. His Holiness, the Exalted One (the B&b), is the Manifestation of the Unity and Oneness of God and the Forerunner of the Ancient Beauty. His Holiness the Abli& Beauty Ñ may my life be a sacrifice for His steadfast friends Ñ is the Supreme Manifestation of God and the Dayspring of His Most Divine Essence. All others are servants unto Him and do His bidding." Unto the Most Holy Book every one must turn and all that is not expressly recorded therein must be referred to the Universal House of Justice. That which this body, whether unanimously or by a majority, doth carry, that is verily the Truth and the Purpose df God Himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom from is verily of them that love discord, hath shown forth malice and turned away from the Lord of the Covenant. By this House is meant that Universal House of Justice which is to be elected from all countries Ñ that is, from those parts in the East and West where the loved ones are to be found Ñ after the manner of the customary elections in western countries, such as those of England. 0 ye beloved of the Lord! Strive with all your heart to shield the Cause of God from the onslaught of the insincere, for souis such as these cause the straight to become crooked and all benevolent efforts to produce contrary results. o God, my God! I call Thee, Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, Thy Saints and Thy Holy Ones, to witness that I have declared conclusively Thy Proofs unto Thy loved ones and set forth clearly all things unto them, that they may watch over Thy Faith, guard Thy Straight Path and protect Thy Resplendent Law. Thou art, verily, the All-knowing, the All-wise! Whosoever, and whatsoever meeting, becometh a hindrance to the diffusion of the Light of Faith, let the loved ones give them counsel and say: "Of all the gifts of God the greatest is the gift of Teaching. It draweth unto us the Grace of God and is our first obligation. Of such a gift how can we deprive ourselves? Nay, our lives, our goods, our comforts, our rest, we offer them all as a sacrifice for the Abh~i Beauty and teach the Cause of God." Caution and prudence, however, must be observed even as recorded in the Book. The veil must in no wise be suddenly rent asunder. The Glory of Glories rest upon you! 0 ye the faithful loved ones of Abdu'l-Baha! It is incumbent upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi, the twig that bath branched from the fruit given forth by the two hallowed and Divine Lote-Trees, that no dust of despondency and sorrow may stain his radiant nature, that day by day he may wax greater in happiness, in joy and spirituality, and may grow to become even as a fruitful tree. For he is, after tAbdu'1-Bah~, the Guardian of the Cause of God. The Afn~n, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause and the be [p148] 148 THE BAHA'I WORLD loved of the Lord must obey him and turn unto him. He that obeyeth him not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, bath turned away from God and he that denieth him, hath denied the True One. Beware lest anyone falsely interpret these words, and like unto them that have broken the Covenant after the Day of Ascension (of Baha'u'llah), advance a pretext, raise the standard of revolt, wax stubborn and open wide the door of false interpretation. To none is given the right to put forth his own opinion or express his particular convictions. All must seek guidance and turn unto the Center of the Cause and the House of Justice. And he that turneth unto whatsoever else is indeed in grievous error. The Glory of Glories rest upon you! THE SPIRIT AND FORM OF BAHA'I ADMINISTRATION now as I look into the future, I hope to see the friends at at1 times, in every land, and of every shade of thought and character, voluntarily and joyously rallying round their local and in particular their national centers of activity, upholding and promoting g their interests with complete unanimity and contentment, with perfect understanding, , genuine enthusiasm, and sustained vigor. This indeed is the one joy and yearning g of my life, for it is the fountain-bead from which all future blessings will flow, the broad foundation upon which the security of the Divine Edifice must ultimately rest." Ñ SnocnI EFFENDI FOREWORD lITHE 19261927 National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada completed a task which, while pertaining to the outer and more material aspects of the Cause, nevertheless has a special significance for its spirit and inward sacred purpose. This task consisted in creating a legal form which gives proper substance and substantial character to the administrative processes embodied in the Baha'i Teachings. The form adopted was that known as a Voluntary Trust, a species of corporation recognized under the common law and possessing a long and interesting history. The famous Covenant adopted by the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower, the first legal document in American history, is of the same nature as the Declaration of Trust voted by the National Spiritual Assembly. This Declaration of Trust, with its attendant ByLaws, is published for the information of the Baha'is of the world. Careful examination of the Declaration and its ByLaws will reveal the fact that this document contains no arbitrary elements nor features new to the Baha'i Cause. On the contrary, it represents a most conscientious effort to reflect those very adminis trative principles and elements already set forth in the letters of the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, and already determining the methods and relationships of Baha'i collective association. The provision both in the Declaration and in the ByLaws for amendments in the future will permit the National Spiritual Assembly to adapt this document to such new administrative elements or principles as the Guardian may at any time give forth. The Declaration, in fact, is nothing more or less than a legal parallel of those moral and spiritual laws of unity inherent in the fulness of the Baha'i Revelation and making it the fulfilment of the ideal of Religion in the social as well as spiritual realm. Because in the Baha'i Faith this perfect correspondence exists between spiritual and social laws, the Baha'is believe that administrative success is identical with moral success; and that nothing less than the true Baha'i spirit of devotion and sacrifice can inspire with effective power the worldwide body of unity, revealed by Baha'u'llah. Therefore it has seemed fitting and proper to accompany the Declaration of Trust with excerpts from the letters of Shoghi Effendi which furnished the source [p149] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 149 whence the provisions of the Declaration were drawn, and which furthermore give due emphasis to that essential spirit without which any and every social or religious form is but a dead and soulless body. Horace 1-lolley. DECLARATION OF TRUST By the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada Allen B. McDaniel of Washington, D. C., Horace Holley of New York City, N. Y., Carl Scheffler of Evanston, Ill., Roy C. Wilhelm of West Englewood, N. J., Flor Ñ ence Morton of Worcester, Mass., Amelia Collins of Princeton, Mass., ~A1i-Ku1i-Kh~n of New York City, N. Y., Mountfort Mills of New York City, N. Y., and Siegfried Schopilocher of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, duly chosen by the representatives of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada at the Annual Meeting held at San Francisco, Calif., on April 29, April 30, May 1, and May 2, 1926, to be the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, with full power to establish a Trust as hereinafter set forth, hereby declare that from this date the powers, responsibilities, rights, privileges and obligations reposed in said National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada by Baha'u'llah, Founder of the Baha'i Faith, by cAbdu~1~Bah5, its Interpreter and Exemplar, and by Shoghi Effendi, its Guardian, shall be exercised, administered and carried on by the above-named National Spiritual Assembly and their duly qualified successors under this Declaration of Trust. The National Spiritual Assembly in adopting this form of association, union and fellowship, and in selecting for itself the designation of Trustees of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, does so as the administrative body of a religious coin-munity which has had continuous existence and responsibility for over eighteen years. In consequence of these activities the National Spiritual Assembly is called upon to administer such an ever-increasing diversity and volume of affairs and properties for the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, that we, its members, now feel it both de sirable and necessary to give our collective functions more definite legal form. This action is taken in complete unanimity and with full recognition of the sacred relationship thereby created. We acknowledge in behalf of ourselves and our successors in this Trust the exalted religious standard established by Baha'u'llah for Baha'i administrative bodies in the utterance: "Be ye Trustees of the Merciful One among men and seek the help of God and His guidance in order to fulfill that exhortation. ARTICLE I The name of said Trust shall be the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. ARTICLE II Sharing the ideals and assisting the efforts of our fellow Baha'is to establish, uphold and promote the spiritual, educational and humanitarian teachings of human brotherhood, radiant faith, exalted character and selfless iove revealed in the lives and utterances of all the Prophets and Messengers of God, Founders of the world's revealed religions Ñ and given renewed creative energy and universal application to the conditions of this age in the life and utterances of Baha'u'llah Ñ we declare the purposes and oblects of this Trust to be to administer the affairs of the Cause of Baha'u'llah for the benefit of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada according to the principles of Baha'i affiliation and administration created and established by Baha'u'llah, defined and explained by tAbd'lBh' and amplified and applied by Shoghi Effendi and his duly constituted successor and successors under [p150] 150 THE BAHA'I WORLD the provision of the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha These purposes are to be realized by means of devotional meetings; by public meetings and conferences of an educational, humanitarian and spiritual character; by the publication of books, magazines and newspapers; by the construction of temples of universal worship and of other institutions and edi Ñ fices for humanitarian service; by supervising, unifying, promoting and generally administering the activities of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada in the fulfillment of their religious offices, duties and ideals; and by any other means appropriate to these ends, or any of them. Other purposes and objects of this Trust are: a. The right to enter into, make, perform and carry out contracts of every sort and kind for the furtherance of the objects of this Trust with any person, firm, association, corporation, private, public or municipal or body politic, or any state, territory or coiony thereof, or any foreign government; and in this connection, and in all transactions under the terms of this Trust, to do any and all things which a copartnership or natural person could do or exercise, and which now or hereafter may be authorized by law. b. To hold and be named as beneficiary under any trust established by law or otherwise or under any will or otter testamentary instrument in connection with any gift, devise, or bequest in which a trust or trusts is or are established in any part of the world as well as in the United States and Canada; to receive gifts, devises or bequests of money or other property. c. All and whatsoever the several purposes and objects set forth in the written utterances of Bali &'u'llTh, 'Abdu'1 DaM and Shoghi Effendi, under which certain jurisdiction, powers and rights are granted to National Spiritual Assemblies. d. Generally to do all things and acts which in the judgment of said Trustees, i.e., the National Spiritual Assembly sembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, are necessary, proper and advantageous to promote the complete and successful administration of this Trust. ARTICLE III Section 1. All persons, firms, corporations and associations extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trustees, i.e., the National Spir Ñ itual Assembly, and the members thereof, of any character whatsoever, whether legal or equitable and whether arising out of contract or tort, shall look solely to the funds of the Trust and to the property of the Trust estate for payment or indemnity, or for the payment of any debt, damage, judgment or decree or any money that may otherwise become due or payable from the Trustees, so that neither the Trustees, nor any of them, nor any of their officers or agents appointed by them hereunder, nor~ any beneficiary or beneficiaries herein named shall be personally liable therefor. Section 2. Every note, bond, proposal, obligation or contract in writing or other agreement or instrument made or given under this Trust shall be explicitly executed by the National Spiritual Assembly, as Trustees, by their duly authorized officers or agents. ARTICLE IV The Trustees, i.e~, the National Spiritual Assembly, shall adopt for the conduct of the affairs entrusted to them under this Declaration of Trust, such bylaws, rules of procedure or regulations as are required to define and carry on its own administrative functions and those of the several local and other elements composing the body of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada~ not inconsistent with the terms of this instrument and all in accordance with the explicit instructions given us to date by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Cause of Baha'u'llah, which instructions are already known to the Baha'is of the United States and Canada and accepted by them in the government and practice of their religious affairs. [p151] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH ARTICLE V The central office of this Trust shall be located in such place as may be decided upon from time to time by the National Spiritual Assembly. ARTICLE VI The seal of this Trust shall be circular in form, bearing the following description: National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. Declaration of Trust, 1927. ARTICLE VII This Declaration of Trust may be amended by majority vote of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada at any special meeting duly called for that purpose, provided that at least thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for said meeting a copy of the proposed amendment or amendments is mailed to each member of the Assembly by the Secretary. ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly ARTICLE I THE National Spiritual Assembly, in the fulfillment of its sacred duties under this Trust, shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over all the activities and affairs of the Baha'i Cause throughout the United States and Canada, including paramount authority in the administration of this Trust. It shall endeavor to stimulate, unify and coordinate the manifold activities of the local Spiritual Assemblies (hereinafter defined) and of individual Baha'is in the United States and Canada and by all possible means assist them to promote the oneness of mankind. It shall be charged with the recognition of such local Assemblies, the scrutiny of local membership rolls, the calling of the Annual Meeting or special meetings and the seating of delegates to the Annual Meeting and their apportionment among the various local Baha'i communities. It shall appoint all national Baha'i committees and shall supervise the publication and distribution of Baha'i literature, 151 the reviewing of all writings pertaining to the Baha'i Cause, the construction and administration of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and its accessory activities, and the collection and disbursement of all funds for the carrying on of this Trust. It shall decide whether any matter lies within its own jurisdiction or within the jurisdiction of any local Spiritual Assembly. It shall, in such cases as it considers suitable and necessary, entertain appeals from the decisIons of local Spiritual Assemblies and shall have the right of final decision in all cases where the qualification of an individual or group for continued voting rights and membership in the Baha'i body is in question. It shall furthermore represent the Baha'is of the United States and Canada in all their cooperative and spiritual activities with the Baha'is of other lands, and shall constitute the sole electoral body of the United States and Canada in the formation of the Universal House of Justice provided for in the Sacred Writings of the Baha'i Cause. Above all, the National Spiritual Assembly shall ever seek to attain that station of unity in devotion to the Revelation of Baha'u'llah which will attract the confirmations of the Holy Spirit and enable the Assembly to serve the founding of the Most Great Peace. In all its deliberation and action the National Assembly shall have constantly before it as Divine guide and standard the utterance of Baha'u'llah: "It behooveth them (i.e., Spiritual Assemblies) to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to consider themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that dwell on earth. It is incumbent upon them to take cou&el together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly." ARTICLE II The Baha'is of the United States and Canada, for whose benefit this Trust has been established, shall consist of all persons resident in the United States and Canada who are recognized by the National Spiritual Assembly as having fulfilled the require [p152] National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. 193 11932. National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Egypt. 19311932. 152 [p153] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 153 ments of voting membership in a local Baha'i community. To become a voting member of a Baha'i community a person shall Ñ a. Be a resident of the locality defined by the area of jurisdiction of the local Spiritual Assembly, as provided by Article VII, Section 12, of this instrument. ft. Have attained the age of 21 years. c. Have established to the satisfaction of the local Spiritual Assembly, subject to the approval of the National Assembly, that he possesses the qualifications of Baha'i faith and practice, required under the following standard: Full recognition of the station of the Forerunner (the Bab), the Author (Baha'u'llah), and tAbdu'1-BaM the True Exemplar of the Baha'i Cause: unreserved acceptance of, and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of CAbdu~1~ Baha'is sacred Will; and close associa-ciation with the spirit as well as the form of presentday Baha'i administration throughout the world. ARTICLE III The National Assembly shall copsist of nine members chosen from among the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, who shall be elected by the said Baha'is in manner hereinafter provided, and who shall continue in office for the period of one year, or until their successors shall be elected. ARTICLE IV The officers of the National Spiritual Assembly shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as may be found necessary for the proper conduct of its affairs. The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the Assembly taken by secret ballot. ARTICLE V The first meeting of a newly-elected National Assembly shall be called by the mem her elected to membership by the highest number of votes or, in case two or more members have received the same said high-esv number of votes, then by the member selected by lot from among those members; and this member shall preside until the permanent Chairman shall be chosen. All subsequent meetings shall be called by the Secretary of the Assembly at the request of the Chairman or, in his absence or incapacity, of the Vice-Chairman, or of any three members of the Assembly; provided, however, that the Annual Meeting of the Assembly shall be held at a time and place to be fixed by a malority vote of the Assembly, as hereinafter provided. ARTICLE VI Five members of the National Assembly present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of those present and constituting a quorum shall be sufficient for the conduct of business, except as otherwise provided in these ByLaws, and with due regard to the principle of unity and cordial fellowship involved in the institution of a Spiritual Assembly. The transactions and decisions of the National Assembly shall be recorded at each meeting by the Secretary, who shall suppiy copies of the minutes to the Assembly members after each meeting, and preserve the minutes in the official records of the Assembly. ARTICLE VII Whenever in any locality of the United States and Canada, be it city, town or village, the number of Baha'is resident therein recognized by the National Spiritual Assembly exceeds nine, these may on April 21st of any year convene and elect by plurality vote a local administrative body of nine members, to be known as the Spiritual Assembly of the Babi'is of that community. Every such Spiritual Assembly shall be elected annually thereafter upon each successive 21st day of April. The members shall hold office for the term of one year and vntil their successors are elected and qualified. When, however, the number of Baha'is in any community is exactly nine, these may on April 21st of any year, or in suc [p154] 154 THE BAHA'{ WORLD cessive years, constitute themselves the local Spiritual Assembly by joint declaration. Upon the recording of such declaration by the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, said body of nine shall become established with the rights, privileges and duties of a local Spiritual Assembly as set forth in this instrument. Section 1. Each newly-elected local Spiritual Assembly shall at once proceed in the manner indicated in Articles IV and V of these ByLaws to the election of its officers, who shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as the Assembly finds necessary for the conduct of its business and the fulfillment of its spiritual duties. Immediately thereafter the Secretary chosen shall transmit to the Secretary of the National Assembly the names of the members of the newly-elected Assembly and a list of its officers. Section 2. The general powers and duties of a local Spiritual Assembly shall be as set forth in the writings of Baha'u'llah, !Abc1u~1~ Ba1A and Shoghi Effendi. Section 3. Among its more specific duties, a local Spiritual Assembly shall have full Iurisdiction of all Baha'i activities and affairs within the local community, subject, however, to the exclusive and paramount authority of the National Spiritual Assembly as defined herein. Section 4. Vacancies in the membership of a local Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by election at a special meeting of the local Baha'i community duly called for that purpose by the Assembly. In the event that the number of vacancies exceeds four, making a quorum of the local Assembly impossible, the election shall be held under the supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly. Section 5. The business of the local Assembly shall be conducted in like manner as provided for the deliberations of the National Assembly in Article VI above. Section 6. The local Assembly shall pass upon and approve the qualifications of each member of the Baha'i community before such members shall be admitted to voting membership; but where an individual is dissatisfied with the ruling of the local Spiritual Assembly upon his Baha'i qualifications, such individual may appeal from the ruling to the National Assembly, which shall thereupon take jurisdiction of and finally decide the case. Section 7. On or before the 1st day of February of each year the Secretary of each local Assembly shall send to the Secretary of the National Assembly a duly certified list of the voting members of the local Baha'i community for the information and approval of the National Assembly. Section 8. All matters arising within a local Baha'i community which are of purely local interest and do not affect the national interests of the Cause shall be under the primary jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly of that locality; but decision whether a particuLar matter involves the interest and welfare of the national Baha body shall rest with the National Spiritual Assembly. Section 9. Any member of a local Baha'i community may appeal from a decision of his Spiritual Assembly to the National Assembly, which shall deternfne whether it shall take jurisdiction of the matter or leave it to the local Spiritual Assembly for reconsideration. In the event that the National Assembly assumes jurisdiction of the matter, its finding shall be final. Section 10. Where any dissension exists within a local Baha'i community of such a character that it cannot be remedied by the efforts of the local Spiritual Assembly, this condition shall be referred by the Spiritual Assembly for consideration to the National Spiritual Assembly, whose action in the matter shall be final. Section 1 1. All questions arising between two or more local Spiritual Assemblies, or between members of different Baha'i communities, shall be submitted in the first instance to the National Assembly, which shall have original and final Iurisdiction in all such matters. Section 12. The sphere of jurisdiction of a local Spiritual Assembly, with respect to residential qualification of membership, and voting rights of a believer in any Baha'i community, shall be the locality included within the civil limits of the city, town or village, but Baha'is who reside in adjacent, outlying or suburban districts and can regularly attend the meetings of the local Ba [p155] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 155 h&'i community, may be enrolled on the membership list of the adjacent Spiritual Assembly and enjoy full voting rights pending the establishment of a local Spiritual Assembly in their home community. All differences of opinion concerning the sphere of jurisdiction of any local Spiritual Assembly or concerning the affiliation of any Baha'i or group of Baha'is in the United States and Canada shall be referred to the National Spiritual Assembly, whose decision in the matter shall be final. ARTICLE VIII The Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly at which its members shall be elected shall be known as the National Convention of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, and shall be held at a time and place to be fixed by the National Assembly, which shall give sixty days' notice of the meeting to each local Baha'i community through its Spiritual Assembly. The National Assembly shall at the same time inform each S~iritua1 Assembly of the number of delegates to the Convention it has assigned to the local Baha'i community in accordance with the principle of proportionate representation in such manner that the entire number of delegates composing the National Convention shall be ninety-five. Upon receipt of this notice each local Spiritual Assembly shall, within a convenient period and after giving due and sufficient notice thereof, call a meeting of the voting members on its rolls for the purpose of electing their delegate or delegates to the National Convention; and, not later than thirty days before the date of the Convention, the Secretary of each local Spiritual Assembly shall certify to the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly the names and addresses of the delegates so elected. Section 1. All delegates to the Convention shall be elected by plurality vote. Members who for illness or other unavoidable reasons are unable to be present at the election in person shall have the right to transmit their ballots by mail or telegram under conditions satisfactory to the local Spiritual Assembly. Section 2. All delegates to be seated at the Convention must be enrolled as voting members of the Baha'i community represented by them. Section 13. The rights and privileges of a delegate may not be assigned nor may they be exercised by proxy. Section 4. The recognition and seating of delegates to the National Convention shall be vested in the National Spiritual Assembly. Section 5. Delegates unable to be present in person at the Convention shall have the right to vote for members of the National Spiritual Assembly by mail or telegram under such conditions as may be indicated by the National Assembly. Section 6. If in any year the National Spiritual Assembly shall consider that it is impracticable or unwise to assemble together the delegates to the National Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly shall provide ways and means by which the business of the Convention may be conducted by correspondence or telegram. Section 7. The presiding officer of the National Spiritual Assembly present at the National Convention shall call to order the delegates, who shall then proceed to the permanent organization of the meeting, electing a presiding officer, a Secretary and such other officers as are necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Convention. Section 8. The principal business of the National Convention shall be the election of the nine members of the incoming National Spiritual Assembly, the consideration of the reports of the financial and other activities of the outgoing National Assembly and its various committees, and deliberation upon the affairs of the Baha'i Cause in general, it being understood, however, in accordance with the principles of Baha'i administration defined by the Guardian that all deliberation and action of the delegates at the National Convention, other than the election of the members of the incoming National Spiritual Assembly, shall constitute merely advice and recommendation for consideration by the said Assembly, final decision on all matters concerning the affairs of the Baha'i Cause in the United States and Canada being vested soleLy in that body. Section 9. The general order of business [p156] Spiritual Assembly of Tihdn, Persia. 193 11932. [p157] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 157 to be taken up at the National Convention shall be prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly, but any and all matters pertaining to the Cause introduced by any of the delegates may upon motion and vote be taken up as part of the deliberations of the Convention. Section 1 0. The election of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote of the delegates recognized by the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly, i. e., the members elected shall be the nine persons receiving the greatest number of votes on the first ballot cast by delegates present at the Convention and delegates whose ballot has been transmitted to the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly by mail or telegram. In case by reason of a tie vote or votes the full membership is not determined on the first ballot, then one or more additional ballots shall be taken until all nine members are elected. Section 11. All official business transacted at the National Convention shall be recorded and preserved in the records of the National Assembly. Section 12. After the termination of the National Convention and until the next such Annual Meeting has been called in session, the delegates shall continue as a consultative body capable of rendering a distinctive service to the work of the Cause, and they shall make every effort to contribute to the unified spirit, information and useful action of the National Spiritual Assembly throughout the year. Section 13. Vacancies in the membership of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by a plurality vote of the delegates composing the Convention which elected the Assembly, the ballot to be taken by correspondence or in any other manner decided upon by the National Spiritual Assembly. ARTICLE IX Where the National Spiritual Assembly has been given in these ByLaws exclusive and final jurisdiction, and paramount executive authority, in all matters pertaining to the activities and affairs of the Baha'i Cause in the United States and Canada, it is un derstood that any decision made or action taken upon such matters shall be subject in every instance to ultimate review and approval by the Guardian of the Cause or the Universal House of Justice. ARTICLE X Whatever functions and powers are not specifically attributed to local Spiritual Assemblies in these ByLaws shall be consid-. ered vested in the National Spiritual Assembly, which body is authorized to delegate such discretionary functions and powers as it deems necessary and advisable to the local Spiritual Assemblies within its jurisdiction. ARTICLE XL In order to preserve the spiritual character and purpose of Baha'i elections, the practice of nominations or any other electoral method detrimental to a silent and prayerful election shall not prevail, so that each elector may vote for none but those whom prayer and reflection have inspired him to uphold. Among the most outstanding and sacred duties incumbent upon those who have been called upon to initiate, direct and co-ordi-nate the affairs of the Cause as members of local or national Spiritual Assemblies are: To win by every means in their power the confidence and affection of those whom it is their privilege to serve; to investigate and acquaint themselves with the considered views, the prevailing sentiments and the personal convictions of those whose welfare it is their solemn obligation to promote; to purge their deliberations and the general conduct of their affairs of self-con-tained aloofness, the suspicion of secrecy, the stifling atmosphere of dictatorial assertiveness and of every word and deed that may savor of partiality, seif-centeredness and prejudice; and while retaining the sacred right of final decision in their hands, to invite discussion, ventilate grievances, welcome advice, and foster the sense of interdependence and copartnership, of understanding and mutual confidence between themselves and all other Baha'is. [p158] 158 THE BAHA'I WORLD ARTICLE XII These ByLaws may be amended by majority vote of the National Spiritual Assembly at any of its regular or special meetings, ings, provided that at least fourteen days prior to the date fixed for the said meeting a copy of the proposed amendment or amendments is mailed to each member of the Assembly by the Secretary. CERTIFICATE OF INCORPQRATION THE SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE CITY 017 NEW YORK We, the undersigned, all being of full age, and citizens of the United States, and residents of the State of New York, desiring to form a corporation pursuant to Section 193 of the Religious Corporation Law of the State of New York, do hereby make, sign, and acknowledge this certificate as follows: First: The purpose and oblects for which the corporation is formed are to administer the affairs of the Baha'i Religion for the benefit of the Baha'is of the City of New York in accordance with the religious teachings and administrative principles of this Faith. Second: The name of the corporation is to be ~~The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the City of New York." Third: The territory in which its activities are principally to be conducted is New York City and vicinity. Fourth: The principal place of worship is to be located in the City of New York, County of New York, State of New York. Fifth: The number of trustees is to be nine. Sixth: The names and places of residence of the persons to be trustees until the first annual meeting are as follows: Name and Place of Residence Ophelia Crum 101 'West 55th Street, New York City Horace Halley 125 East ifith Street, New York City Bertha Herklotz 1810 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn, N. Y. Hooper Harris 162 'West 13th Street, New York City Julia Threlkeld 101 'West 55th Street, New York City Loulie A. Mathews 430 East 57th Street, New York City Marie B. Moore 41 Convent Avenue, New York City Marion Little 485 Park Avenue, New York City Edward B. Kinney 204 'West 55th Street, New York City Seventh: The time for holding its annual meeting is to be on the twenty-first day of April in each year. The first meeting was held on March 30, 1932, at Baha'i Center, 119 'West 57th Street, New York City. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, We have made, signed and acknowledged this certificate in triplicate. Dated this thirty-first day of March, 1932. Horace Holley Presiding Officer Ophelia Gum Bertha Herklotz Before me on this thirty-first day of March, 1932, personally appeared Horace Holley, Ophelia Crum, and Bertha Herklotz, who being by me severally sworn did acknowledge that they had executed the written certificate of incorporation. Samuel Schneider COMMISSIONER OF DEEDS, NEW YORK CITY New York Co. Clerk's No. 50 New York Co. Register's No. 2084 Commission Expires Feb. 2, 1934 [p159] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 159 BYLAWS OF THE SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK ARTICLE I The Baha'is of the City of New York adopt this Corporation in order to suppiy proper legal status to the conduct of the affairs of a religious community which has had continuous existence for more than thirty years, being one of the first two local Baha'i communities established in North America. During this period the community has been recognized, encouraged and instructed in Letters and communications addressed to it by cAbdu~1Bah6. who in one communication designated New York "The City of the Covenant." It was in this city that tAbd'lBh' devoted the larger portion of His American visit in 1912. The Assembly has been recognized since the Ascensioh of CAbd~1Bh~ in letters addressed to it by the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. The New York Baha'i community has been continuously and uninterruptedly represented by delegates in the Annual Meetings held by the recognized national Ba-h~'i body of North America since the formation of that body in 1909. The Spiritual Assembly is at present enrolled in the list of Local Spiritual Assemblies recognized by the National Spiritual Assembly. The Trustees, i.e., the Spiritual Assembly, recognize that this action has been taken in full unanimity and agreement. They acknowledge for themselves and on behalf of their successors the sacred meaning and universal purpose of the Baha'i Faith, the teachings and principles of which fulfil the divine promise of all former revealed religions. ARTICLE II In administering the affairs of the Ba-h~'i Religion under this Corporation for the benefit of the Baha'is of the City of New York in accordance with the religious teachings and administrative principles of this Faith, the Spiritual Assembly shall act in conformity with the functions of a Local Spiritual Assembly as defined in the ByLaws adopted by the National Spiritual Assembly sembly and published by that body for the information and guidance of Baha'is throughout the United States and Canada. ARTICLE III The Spiritual Assembly, in the fulfilment of its obligations and responsibilities under this Corporation, shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over all the local activities and affairs of the Baha'i community of the City of New York, including paramount authority in the administration of this Corporation. It shall be responsible for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of all BabS'i teaching, whether written or oral, undertaken throughout the local community. It shall make available the published literature of the Faith. It shall represent the community in its relations to the National Spiritual Assembly, in its relation to the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, to other local Baha'i communities, and to the general public in the City of New York. It shall be charged with the recognition of all applicants requesting membership in the local Baha community. It shall pass upon the right of any and all members of the community whose membership is in question to retain their status as voting members of the community. It shall call the meetings of the community, including the Babfl Anniversaries and Feasts, the meetings of consultation, the Annual Meeting and the meeting for the election of delegates to the Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly. It shall appoint and supervise all committees of the Baha'i community. ft shall collect and disburse all funds intended for the maintenance of this Corporation. It shall have full and complete custody of the headquarters or meeting place of the Ba-h~'i community. It shall report to the National Spiritual Assembly annually, or when requested, the membership roll of the Baha'i community, for the information and approval of the national Baha'i body. The Spiritual Assembly, however, shall recognize [p160] 160 THE BAHA'I WORLD the authority and right of the National Spiritual Assembly to declare at any time what activities and affairs of the Baha'i community of the City of New York are national in scope and hence subject to the jurisdiction of the national Baha'i body. It shall likewise recognize the right of any member of the community to appeal to the National Spiritual Assembly for review and decision of any matter in which the previous decision of the local Spiritual Assembly is felt by the member to be contrary to the explicit teachings of the Baha'i Faith or opposed to its best interests. It shall, on the other band, have the authority and right to appeal from the decision of the National Assembly to the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith for review and final decision of any matter related to the Faith in the City of New York. ARTICLE IV The Spiritual Assembly, in administering this Corporation, shall ever bear in mind the ideals upheld in the Sacred Writings of the Baha'i Faith respecting the relationships of a Spiritual Assembly to its Baha'i coinmu-nity, respecting the relations of Baha'is to one another in the community, and the relationships of Baha to all non-BaM'is, without prejudice of race, creed, class or nationality. The Assembly shall therefore above all recognize its sacred duty to maintain full and complete unity throughout the Baha'i community, to relieve and comfort the sick and distressed, to assist the poor and destitute, to protect the orphans, the crippled and the aged, to educate the children of Baha'is according to the highest religious and intellectual standards, to compose differences and disagreements among members of the community, to promulgate the principles of Divine Civilization revealed by Baha'u'llah, and to promote in every way possible the Baha'i aim of the oneness of mankind. It shall faithfully and devotedly uphold the general Baha'i activities and affairs initiated and sustained by the National Spiritual Assembly. It shall cooperate wholeheartedly with other local Spiritual Assemblies throughout North America in all matters declared by the National Spiritual ual Assembly to be of general Baha'i importance and concern, It shall rigorously abstain from any action or influence, direct or indirect, that savors of intervention on the part of a Baha body in matters of public politics and civil jurisdiction. It shall encourage intercourse between the Baha'i community of the City of New York and other recognized Baha'i communities, issuing letters of introduction to Baha'is traveling from New York and passing upon letters of introduction issued by other Baha'i Assemblies. It shall regard its authority as a means of rendering service to Baha and non-BaM'is and not as a source of arbitrary power. While retaining the sacred right of final decision in all matters pertaining to the Baha community, the Spiritual Assembly shall ever seek the advice and consultation of all members of the community, keep the community informed of all its affairs, and invite full and free discussion on the part of the community of all matters affecting the Faith. ARTICLE V The Baha'is of the City of New York, for whose benefit this Corporation has been established, shall consist of all persons resident in the City of New York who are recognized by the Spiritual Assembly as having fulfilled the requirements of voting membership in this local Baha'i community. To become a voting member of this Baha'i community a person shall a. Be a resident of the City of New York as defined by the area of jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly, as provided hereinafter in this instrument. b. Have attained the age of 2 1 years. c. Have established to the satisfaction of the Spiritual Assembly, subject to the approval of the National Spiritual Assembly, that he (or she) possesses the qualifications of Baha'i Faith and practice required under the following standard: Full recognition of the Station of the Forerunner (the Bab), the Author (Baha'u'llah), and Abdu'l-Baha, the Exemplar of the Baha'i religion; unreserved acceptance of, and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by Them; loyal and steadfast adherence to every [p161] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 161 clause of Abdu'l-Baha's sacred Will and Testament; and close association with the spirit as well as the form of Baha'i administration throughout the world. ARTICLE VI The Spiritual Assembly shall consist of nine Trustees chosen from among the Ba Ñ hA'is of the City of New York, who shall be elected by these Baha'is in a manner hereinafter provided and who shall continue in office for the period of one year, or until their successors shall be elected. ARTICLE VII The officers of the Spiritual Assembly shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as may be found necessary for the proper conduct of its affairs. The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Assembly taken by secret ballot. ARTICLE VIII The first meeting of a newly-elected Assembly shall be called by the member elected to membership by the highest number of votes, or, in case two or more members have received the same said highest number of votes, then by the member selected by lot from among those members; and this member shall preside until the permanent Chairman shall be chosen. All subsequent meetings shall be called by the Secretary of the Assembly at the request of the Chairman, or, in his absence or incapacity, of the Vice-Chairman, or of any three members of the Assembly; provided however that the Annual Meeting of the Assembly shall be held on April 2 1st, in accordance with the administrative principles recognized by all Baha'i Assemblies. Section 1. Five members of the Assembly present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of those present and constituting a quorum shall be sufficient for the conduct of business, except as otherwise provided in these ByLaws, and with due regard to the principle of unity and cordial fellowship involved in the institution stitution of a Spiritual Assembly. The transactions and decisions of the Assembly shall be recorded at each meeting by the Secretary, who shall have the minutes adopted and approved by the Assembly, and preserve them in the official records of the Assembly. Section 2. Vacancies in the membership of the Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by election at a special meeting of the local Ba1A'i community duly called for that purpose by the Assembly. In the event that the number of vacancies exceeds four, making a quorum of the Spiritual Assembly impossible, the election shall be under the supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly. ARTICLE IX The sphere of jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly, with respect to residential qualification of membership, and voting rights of a believer in the Baha community, shall be the locality included within the civil limits of the City of New York, but Ba-h&'is who reside in adjacent, outlying or suburban districts and can regularly attend the meetings of the local Baha'i community, may be enrolled on the membership list of the Spiritual Assembly and enjoy full voting rights pending the establishment of a local Spiritual Assembly in their borne community. ARTICLE ARTICLE X Section 1. In the event that any decision of the Assembly is unacceptable to any member or members of the community, the Assembly shall after endeavoring to compose the differences of opinion invite the said member or members to make appeal to the national Baha'i body and notify that body of the condition of the matter and the readiness of the Assembly to become party to the appeal. Section 2. In the same manner, if any difference arises between the Assembly and another local Assembly, or Assemblies, in North America, the Assembly shall report the matter to the national Baha body and inform that body of its readiness to make joint appeal together with the other Assembly or Assemblies. [p162] 162 THE BAHA'I WORLD Section 3. If, however, the result of such appeal is unsatisfactory to the Spiritual Assembly or the Assembly at any time has reason to believe that actions of the Nationali Spiritual Assembly are affecting adversely the welfare and unity of the Baha'i community of the City of New York, it shall, after seeking to compose its difference of opinion with the national body in direct consultation, have the right to make appeal to the Guardian of the Faith. Section 4. The Assembly shall likewise have the right to make complaint to the National Spiritual Assembly in the event that matters of local Baha'i concern and influence are referred to the national body by a member or members of the local community without previous opportunity for action by the local Assembly. ARTICLE XI The Annual Meeting of the Corporation at which its Trustees shall be elected shall be held on April 21st at an hour and place to be fixed by the Assembly, which shall give not less than fifteen days' notice of the meeting to all members of the local Baha'i community. Section 1. The Assembly shall accept those votes transmitted to the Assembly before the election by members who by reason of sickness or other unavoidable reason are unable to be present at the election in person. Section 2. The election of members to the Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote. Section 3. All voting members of the local Baha'i community are eligible for election as members of the Spiritual Assembly. Section 4. The Assembly shall prepare an agenda for the Annual Meeting in which shall be included reports of the activities of the Assembly since its election, a financial statement showing all income and expenditure of its fund, reports of its committees and presentation of any other matters pertaining to the affairs of the Baha'i community. The Assembly, both preceding and following the annual election, shall invite discussion and welcome suggestions from the community, in order that its plans may reflect the community mind and heart. Section 5. The result of the election shall be reported by the Spiritual Assembly to the National Assembly. ARTICLE XII In addition to the Annual Meeting, the Assembly shall arrange for regular meetings of the Baha'i community throughout the year at intervals of nineteen days, in accordance with the calendar incorporated in the teachings of the Baha'i Faith. ARTICLE XIII The Spiritud Assembly, on notice from the National Spiritual Assembly, shall report the number of voting members in the local community, that the national IBahA'i body may be duly informed of the number of delegates to be assigned to the Baha'i community of the City of New York in accordance with the principle of proportionate representation controlling the annual election of members to the National Spiritual Assembly. Section 1. When informed of the number of delegates assigned to the local community, the Spiritual Assembly shall call a special meeting of the community for the purpose of electing said number of delegates to represent the community at the Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly. Section 2. The election of delegates to the Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote. Section 3. All voting members of the loCal Baha'i community are eligible for election as delegates to the Annual Meeting of the National Assembly. Section 4. The result of the election shall be reported by the Spiritual Assembly to the National Spiritual Assembly, and the Spiritual Assembly shall meet all the conditions laid down by the national Baha'i body for the recognition of local Spiritual Assemblies and the participation of local Baha'i communities in the annual election of the national Baha'i body. ARTICLE XIV The seal of this Corporation shall be circular in form, bearing the following description: The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the City of New York, Corporate Seal. [p163] Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New York. 19311932. New York Baha'i Community. 163 [p164] National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Germany. 193 11932. Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of ~Ishq~b~d, Russia. 19311932. 164 [p165] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 165 ARTICLE XV These ByLaws may be amendod by majority vote of the Spiritual Assembly at any of its regular or special meetings, provldzd that at least fourteen days prior to the date fixed for the said meeting a copy of the proposed amendment or amendments is mailed to each member of the Assembly by the Secretary. DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE INCORPORATION OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BARR 'f S OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA AS A RECOGNIZED RELIGIOUS SOCIETY IN PALESTINE (1) TEXT OF APPLICATION TO THE PALESTINE GOVERNMENT Haifa the 8th of April, 1930. To the District Commissioner, Haifa. Sir, In conformity with the notice dated the 26th of August, 1919, regarding registra-don of Societies I beg to request that "The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada Ñ Palestine Branch" be registered as a Society under the Ottoman Law of the 3rd of August, 1925. The address of the Society is: Persian Colony, C] RiXhi Afndn, Haifa. The oblects of the Society are stated in the attached Articles. The Management of the Society is vested in Shoghi Effendi Rabb~ni; R~hi Afnin is acting as Secretary of the Society. Two copies of the Society's Regulations are attached. Yours faithfully, Shoghi RabbAni (President) R~bi Afn~i~ (Secretary) Seal of National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada Ñ Palestine Branch. (2) ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF "THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OP THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA Ñ PALESTINE BRANCH." 1. The Name. The name of the Association shall be: ~tThe National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada Ñ Palestine Branch" (hereinafter called the Association). 2. Membership. The Association is composed of Shoghi Effendi Rabixini or whoever may lawfully succeed him as the Guardian of Baha'i Faith, Rflhi Afnin and such other persons as may be appointed from time to time by Shoghi Effendi RabMni or his lawful successors with consent of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada organized and existing under the Declaration of Trust adopted on the 4th of April, 1927, New York City, New York, U.S.A. 3. Purposes. The Association is formed in order to hold and to administer various movable and immovable properties belonging to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada in Palestine, and generally to act on behalf of and to represent the said Assembly. 4. Management. Shoghi Effendi Rabb~ini or whoever may lawfully succeed him as the Guardian of Baha'i Faith or any other person appointed by Shoghi Effendi Rabb&ni or his lawful successors with approval of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada shall be entitled to act on behalf of the Association, to sign any deeds or documents, to represent the Association in any dealings or transactions, to enter into any agreements, to receive moneys and to give effectual receipts or discharges, to appear before the Courts and Government Offices, to acquire properties, lands, houses, and other immovables in the name of the [p166] 166 THE BAHA'I WORLD Association and to dispose of any such properties, lands, houses and immovables by way of sale, mortgage, gift, partition or otherwise and generally to do validly any acts which may be lawfully done by the Association. 5. The affairs of the Association shall be conducted in conformity with such directions and instructions as may be given by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. 6. Dissolution. In the event of dissolution of the Association all and any properties movable or immovable and all and any assets of the Association shall be disposed of in such a manner as may be decided by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. 7. Alteration of Articles. The present Articles can be altered by decision of Shoghi Effendi Rabb~ni or whoever may lawfully succeed him as the Guardian of Baha'i Faith with approval of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. Certified true copy of regulations submitted to the District Commissioner s offices for registration. (Sigd) F. MacLaren, for District Comn-iisKoner. Haifa 15.5.30. Seal of National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada Ñ Palestine Branch. PETITION ADDRESSED BY THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAnk 'is OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT December 14th, 1931. To His Excellency The Prime Minister, The Egyptian Government, Cairo, Egypt. Honored sir: The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United Staves and Canada conveys to you and your Government its greetings and good wishes, on the part of the Baha'is of this continent. Our purpose in addressing you at this time is in order to draw your attention to the adverse and unwarranted burdens and persecutions at present and for some time laid upon the Baha'is of Egypt, through the application of certain religious tests to their religious and domestic life. The use of these (tests) we would respectfully emphasize, is in no wise called for or justifiable in the light of the special circumstances of the Egyptian Ba-M'is, the principles and elements of their Faith, or their relation to the Religion of Muhammad. We are assured that the just and equitable Egyptian Government would wmh to become informed of all the basic facts underlying this matter, so vital to your Baha'i subjects, and to remedy any wrong that may have been done to these faithful and loyal citizens in the past, as well as to provide for their protection in future. In this connection, we ask permission to place before you certain salient facts bearing upon the civil rights of the Egyptian Baha'is. We are informed that some time prior to March 1930, at Kawmu's-S&iyidih, Markaz Bab, certain Baha'is were put on trial, on religious grounds, in the Shariab court, as a result of which the Q~di gave judgment against them, as heretics. This judgment was followed by decrees arbitrarily divorcing the wives of these men and without other cause than the finding of heresy. None can deny the suffering and extreme humiliation which fell upon these Baha'is and their families because of this sweeping judgment. We are, we believe, correctly advised that in the Islamic countries, and according to the accepted view of various highly regarded Muslim doctors, heresy consists in [p167] THE WORLD ORDER OF IBAHA'U'LLAH 167 the denial of AlITh, or of Muhammad, or any one of the Divine Messengers and Prophets. Yet, it is one of the most outstanding teachings of the ]Sah&i Religion that every Baha'i must believe in AuTh and in all His Books, and Prophets. These Ba-M'is in Egypt, therefore, recognize and acknowledge the truth and validity of Mu Ñ kiammad and the Qur'an, and are the friends and well-wishers of every sincere Muslim. How, then, can such a finding of heresy be justified or permitted to stand against these souls, whose loyalty to the Egyptian Government is unquestioned, and whose lives and conduct are examples of goodness and rectitude to all who witness? We are further informed that instead of investigating this matter with iustice and open-mindedness, the Q~idi and, in certain instances, the people themselves, have displayed an unbelievable prejudice, and also showed forth anger and wrath against these helpless ones, thus preventing a proper and unbiased presentation of their case to the tribunal. The situation seems to urgently require the application of that justice so brilliantly set forth in the Qur'an, to the Baha'is of Egypt. Your honorable Government has, we understand, had before it for considera-don, over a considerable period, the question of legal competence among non-Mus-urn communities. We would respectfully emphasize and urge upon your Excellency the adoption of a decree Ñ (1) Recognizing the Baha'i community of Egypt as an integral and fully coordinated religious body, among the several religious sects or groups, fully qualified and entitled to jurisdiction over its own internal religious affairs; and over the personal status of its adherents; (2) To prohibit the application of the rule growing out of the Ijisbih case (which appears to have been a religious case against heretics) to the religious status of Baha'is in Egypt; (3) And to so order that the Baha'is of that country be permitted to apply the Baha'i law in all matters of personal and family status, and, in ac cordance with the Baha law, administer the marriage sacrament and act in all matters of divorce between themselves and in the adjustment of legacies and inheritance. In other words, to administer and carry on their purely religious affairs in accordance with the laws of their religion, in the same measure as enjoyed by other religious coin-munities. In the writings of Baha'u'llah, the founder and establisher of this religion, it is stated Ñ "Consort ye, 0 People, with all religions with joy and fragrance." And also Ñ "Let every one of the Kings Ñ may God strengthen them Ñ arise to protect and assist this oppressed (Baha'i) community. Each must precede the other in serving and showing love unto them." Again, it is written Ñ (CJ~ every country or government where any of this (Baha'i) community reside, they must behave toward that government with faithfulness, trustfulness and truthfulness." In countless epistles, Baha'u'llah testifies to the sacredness and validity of the Mission of the Prophet, Muhammad, and unfolds to men's understanding the pearls of divine wisdom contained in the Qur'an. This (Baha'i) Religion and the believers therein, constitute an eloquent testimony of 'ow, faith and knowledge to the fundamental and divine basis of IsUm. The Egyptian Government possesses nowhere in its dominions subjects of greater loyalty and service than the Baha'is. These souls are well-wishers of your Government. Their standards of life are pure example to all who know them. They are never engaged in sedition but rather in good deeds. They are lovers of humanity, and faithful to their promise. More than this, they are followers of a religion which contains just and constructive laws for the conduct of their internal affairs. Are not such souls entitled to the protection of the Government? Is it right that their lives be disrupted, their homes and families separated, their wives torn from them, all because of the finding of a prejudiced Court whose judgment in [p168] 168 THE BAHA'I WORLD yokes a religious test from which, under the greatest tenets of their Faith, they are and should be wholly exempt? These men are not heretics but believers in A1L&h, and His Prophets. Therefore should this unjust judgment be expunged, and these faithful servants of your Excellency's Government restored to their deserved position in the community. And upon these basis we found our above appeal to your Excellency that a just law be promulgated at this time, granting to the Baha the rights and the protection which their faith and good citizenship merits, and to which the sincere believer in any religious faith contributing to the general welfare, is entitled. In the United States, the Baha'i Community is known to all as an orderly, spiritually devoted and exemplary body. This is the case throughout the world. Please note the enclosed certified copy from the Federal Department of State, in which the American Government acknowledges the deposit in its records of the Declaration of Trust entered into by the American Baha'is and forming the rules governing the administration of their internal affairs. We trust that should the Egyptian Baha'is desire to adopt a similar Declaration your Excellency's Government will likewise permit its filing and give your approval thereto. The deposit and official Government certification issued at Washington of the Declaration of Trust of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada must convince your Excellency of the peaceful, nonpolitical nature of this community. We unhesitatingly assure you that the Egyptian Baha'is possess qualities at least equal in integrity and good-citizenship to those of the American Baha'is, Ñ since all are followers of BaJA'-u' llAh, believers in the Oneness of God and the unity of mankind, lovers of their fel-low-men, and obedient to government. In short, these, your subjects, are worthy of managing the affairs of their religion, and of being free from the undeserved status and penalties of heresy. We confidently look forward to remedial action by your Excellency along the lines above set forth, and the placing of the Baha'i Religion in Egypt upon that free and coordinate religious basis, to which all these facts clearly point. Thus will the respected Egyptian Government demonstrate not only its justice but also its statesmanlike insight into the field of religious freedom and universality. Such action wiii at once arouse and deepen the respect of the western world for that just Government and implant in that ancient land the seed of a degree of religious tolerance, which w'il in the near future glorify and bless its people. Trusting to be assured of your favorable consideration, and with high regard, Sincerely yours, The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. Alfred E. Lunt, Secretary, duly authorized. Baha'i Secretariat, Evergreen Cabin, West Englewood, N. J. [p169] The First National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of 'Iraq. 19311932. [p170] 170 THE BAHA'I WORLD EXCERPTS FROM THE LETTERS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI FOREWORD r~High aims and pure motives, however laudable in themselves, will surely not suffice if unsupported by measures that are practicable and methods that are sound. Wealth of sentiment, abundance of good will and effort, will prove of little avail if we should fail to exercise discrimination and restraint and neglect to direct their flow along the most profitable channels. The unfettered freedom of the individual should be tempered with inn/na1 consultation and sacrifice, and the spirit of initiative and enterprise should be reinforced by a deeper realization of the supreme necessity for concerted action and a fuller devotion to the common sveal." Ñ SHOGHI EFFENDI. THE character of Baha'i unity and administration is such that its full power and significance can oniy be manifest when the believers are not oniy thoroughly informed but imbued with the true spirit of cooperation. The ideal text book for this study is, of course, the published letters of Shoghi Effendi, since that volume includes important extracts from the Master's Will and Testament and also the Declaration of Trust and ByLaws adopted by the National Assembly and approved by the Guardian and recommended by him as the model to be fol-Iowa! by all other National Assemblies. Conscientious study and discussion of the Guardian's letters will produce a body of believers capable of carrying out all the spiritual and material teachings of the Cause. In order to maintain a true balance between the Teachings that apply to the spiritual phases of the Cause and those that apply to the administrative elements, it might be well to trace the sequence of authority by which the text of the Revelation has successively come into being. The foundation of the Cause for American believers is Baha'u'llah and not the Mb, for the reason that no American believer participated in the Cause during the era when the Bab was the expression of the Divine Will. 'We, therefore, never shared the experience of those Persian believers whose devotion was first directed toward the Bab and, after His martyrdom, transferred to Baha'u'llah. Here, in the West, we have on the contrary accepted the station of the BTh as the result of our acceptance of Baha'u'llah and we appreciate the vital importance of the Bib's mission and ~he majesty of His life in the Light of the statements made by Baha'u'llah and tAbdu'1-Bahi concerning Him. For American believers, therefore, the starting point of spiritual authority for this age is Baha'u'llah. Those who accept the station of Baha'u'llah can oniy fulfil their obedience by accepting also those passages in His Writings which concern the appointment of tAbdu'1-BaM as the Center of His Covenant. These passages are found in Ba-M'i Scriptures, paragraphs 527, 529, 540 and 541. Most American believers also were not called upon to undergo the test of transferring their loyalty and allegiance to tAbdu'1-Bahi after Baha'u'llah's ascension. The few who failed in this test justified themselves by the argument that Bah4'u' Ñ fiSh had written that another Manifestation would not come for a full thousand years, and that, consequently, the station filled by the Master was in contradiction to the revealed text of the Holy Book. Knowing the Master's life and message as we do at the present time, it is possible for us now to realize that the appointment of Abdu'l-Baha was not equivalent to the coming of another Manifestation but was rather the direct prolongation and extension of the Manifestation of Baha'u'llah. The Master's prayer, found in Baha'i Scriptures at the beginning of the second part which contains quotations from the writings of 'Ab [p171] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 171 du'1-IBahA, makes it perfectly clear that the Master fulfilled His appointment by selfless servitude to the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. The one was as the root and the other the trunk or "Greatest Branch" of the same tree. The one was as the Sun of Truth, the other the rays by which the sun is made visible and effective throughout the world. As far as the believers are concerned, the words of tAbd'lBh' have the same authority as those of Baha'u'llah. The Master, therefore, had the power to leave a Will and Testament to guide the believers and control the work of the Cause after His own ascension. Although the beginnings of Baha'i administration were made during the Master's lifetime, His words and efforts were directed far more toward the awakening of hearts and illumination of minds than toward the development of formal administrative bodies. During the Master's lifetime, all the powers and functions now exercised in Baha'i administrative bodies were concentrated in Him. Nevertheless, anyone who makes a careful study of the Tablets published in the three volumes of Tablets of rAbdu~l.Bahd, and the Tablets published in the bound volumes of the Star of the West, can trace very clearly the gradual evolution of the local and National Assemblies as they exist today. For example, the Master instructed the annual Baha'i Convention to select the Temple design, and it is incredible that this authority would have been given the delegates from the local Assemblies unless the Master had felt that this responsibility would be rightly fulfilled. The student of Baha'i administration should also give particular attention to the Tablet revealed to the Chicago Assembly, in which that body was addressed as "The House of Justice" and also to the Tablet published on page 107, Vol. 10 of the Star of The West, in which the Master informed the American believers, through Dr. Zia Bagdadi, that as conditions changed new instructions would be sent. This is a clear indication that, following the greatest change of all Ñ the Master's own ascension Ñ the American believers could expect definite instructions enabling them to meet such an emergency. The next significant document, in the order of time, is, of course, the Master's Will and Testament, appointing Shoghi Effendi to the station of Guardian of the Cause and outlining the institutions of the National and International Houses of Justice and the Hands of the Cause. The Master's Will and Testament terminates the Revelation in this age as far as its writings are concerned. With the closing of the Book, the Cause entered upon the era of establishing the institutions which will reflect in the material world blessings already disclosed in the world of the heart. It was inevitable that our efforts to administer the affairs of the Cause locally and nationally during the years preceding the appointment of the Guardian should have reflected the manners and habits of the society in which we lived. The years since November 28, 192 1, have, consequently, been largely devoted to the elimination of any non-Balti'i views which might exist and to our reeducation in Baha'i administration by the Guardian. Perhaps none of us will understand the real blessings of the institutions given us in this age until the institutions and organizations of the society in which we live come to further collapse. Under such conditions the unity of the friends in the Guardian and the institutions and Baha'i bodies he is perfecting would be an ark of safety not oniy for the believers but for the world. Every step we take toward fuller understanding of these institutions at the present time is a contribution to the welfare of the Cause as necessary as our study and practice of the spiritual Teachings. The culmination of Baha'i administration was indicated by the Guardian in his letter published in the spring of 1929 under the title The World Order of Baha'u'llah. As we learn to soive the local and national problems that continue to arise from time to time, and perceive how only the personal ego can blind us to the privilege of obedience to responsible Baha'i bodies, we shall collectively draw near to the complete fulfillment of that world order which is the Divine Kingdom on earth. HORACE HaLLEY. [p172] 172 THE BAHA'I WORLD To the Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada. Dearly-beloved coworkers: I have been acquainted by the perusal of your latest communications with the nature of the doubts that have been publicly expressed, by one who is wholly misinformed as to the true precepts of the Cause, regarding the validity of institutions that stand inextricably interwoven with the Faith of Baha'u'llah. Not that I for a moment view such faint misgivings in the light of an open challenge to the structure that embodies the Faith, nor is it because I question in the least the unyielding tenacity of the faith of the American believers, if I venture to dwell upon what seems to me appropriate observations at the present stage of the evolution of our beloved Cause. I am indeed inclined to welcome these expressed apprehensions inasmuch as they afford me an opportunity to familiarize the elected representatives of the believers with the origin and character of the institutions which stand at the very basis of the world order ushered in by Baha'u'llah. We should feel truly thankful for such futile attempts to undermine our beloved Faith Ñ attempts that protrude their ugly face from time to time, seem for a while able to create a breach in the ranks of the faithful, recede finally into the obscurity of oblivion, and are thought of no more. Such incidents we should regard as the interpositions of Providence, designed to fortify our faith, to clar-if y our Vision, and to deepen our understanding of the essentials of His Divine Revelation. Sources of the Baha'i World Order It would, however, be helpful and instructive to bear in mind certain basic principles with reference to the Will and Testament of eAbdu~l~Bahd, which together with the Kitab-i-Aqdas, constitutes the chief depositary wherein are enshrined those priceless elements of that Divine Civilization, the establishment of which is the primary mission of the Baha'i Faith. A study of the provisions of these sacred docu-. ments will reveal the close relationship that exists between them, as well as the identity of purpose and method which they inculcate. Far from regarding their specific provisions as incompatible and contradictory in spirit, every fair-minded inquirer will readily admit that they are not oniy complementary, but that they mutually confirm one another, and are inseparable parts of one complete unit. A comparison of their contents with the rest of Baha'i Sacred Writings will similarly establish the conformity of whatever they contain with the spirit as well as the letter of the authenticated writings and sayings of Baha'u'llah and tAbdu'1-BabA. In fact, he who reads the Aqdds with care and diligence will not find it hard to discover that the Most Holy Book [Aqdds] itself anticipates in a number of passages the institutions which cAb~ du'i-BaM ordains in His Will. By leaving certain matters unspecified and unregulated in His Book of Laws [Aqdds], Baha'u'llah seems to have deliberately left a gap in the general scheme of Baha'i Dispensation, which the unequivocal provisions of the Master's Will has filled. To attempt to divorce the one from the other, to insinuate that the Teachings of Baha'u'llah have not been upheld, in their entirety and with absolute integrity, by what !AJJd 'lB If has revealed in His Will, is an unpardonable affront to the unswerving fidelity that has characterized the life and labors of our beloved Master. I will not attempt in the Least to assert or demonstrate the authenticity of the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha, for that in itself would betray an apprehension on my part as to the unanimous confidence of the believers in the genuineness of the last written wishes of our departed Master. I will oniy confine my observations to those issues which may assist them to appreciate the essential unity that underlies the spiritual, the humanitarian, and the admims-trative principles enunciated by the Author and the Interpreter of the Baha'i Faith. I am at a loss to explain that strange mentality that inclines to uphold as the sole criterion of the truth of the Baha'i Teachings what is admittedly only an obscure and unauthenticated translation of an [p173] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 173 oral statement made by !Abd~1Bh~ in defiance and total disregard of the available text of all of His universally recognized writings. I truly deplore the unfortunate distortions that have resulted in days past from the incapacity of the interpreter to grasp the meaning of CAbdu~1~BahA, and from his incompetence to render adequately such truths as have been revealed to him by the Master's statements. Much of the confusion that has obscured the understanding of the believers should be attributed to this double error involved in the inexact rendering of an only partially understood statement. Not infrequently has the interpreter even failed to convey the exact purport of the inquirer's specific questions, and, by his deficiency of understanding and expression in conveying the answer of cAbdu~1 DaM, has been responsible for reports wholly at variance with the true spirit and purpose of the Cause. It was chiefly in view of the misleading nature of the reports of the informal conversations of ~Abd'1Bh' with visiting pilgrims, that I have insistently urged the believers of the 'West to regard such statements as merely personal impressions of the sayings of their Master, and to quote and consider as authentic only such translations as are based upon the authenticated text of His recorded utterances in the original tongue. It should be remembered by every follower of the Cause that the system of Baha'i administration is not an innovation imposed arbitrarily upon the Baha'is of the world since the Master's passing, but derives its authority from the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha, is specifically prescribed in unnumbered Tablets, and rests in some of its essential features upon the explicit provisions of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. It thus unifies and correlates the principles separately laid down by Baha'u'llah and cAbd~1Bh* and is indissolubly bound with the essential verities of the Faith. To dissociate the administrative principles of the Cause from the purely spiritual and humanitarian teachings would be tantamount to a mutilation of the body of the Cause, a separation that can oniy result in the disintegration of its component parts, and the extinction of the Faith itself. Local and National Houses of Justice It should be carefully borne in mind that the local as well as the international Houses of Justice have been expressly enjoined by the Kitab-i-Aqdas; that the institution of the National Spiritual Assembly, as an intermediary body, and referred to in the Master's Will as the t~Secondary House of Justice," has the express sanction of CAbdu~1 Baha; and that the method to be pursued for the election of the International and National Houses of Justice has been set forth by Him in His Will, as well as in a number of His Tablets. Moreover, the institutions of the local and national Funds, that are now the necessary adjuncts to all Local and National Spiritual Assemblies, have not only been established by tAbdu~1~ BaM in the Tablets He revealed to the Baha'is of the Orient, but their importance and necessity have been repeatedly empha Ñ sized by Him in His utterances and writings. The concentration of authority in the hands of the elected representatives of the believers; the necessity of the submission of every adherent of the Faith to the considered judgment of Baha Assemblies; His preference for unanimity in decision; the decisive character of the majority vote; and even the desirability for the exercise of close supervision over all Baha'i publications, have been sedulously instilled by tAbdu'1 Ñ Baha, as evidenced by His authenticated and widely-scattered Tablets. To accept His broad and humanitarian Teachings on one hand, and to reject and dismiss with neglectful indifference His more challenging and distinguishing precepts, would be an act of manifest disloyalty to that which He has cherished most in His life. That the Spiritual Assemblies of today will be replaced in time by the Houses of Justice, and are to all intents and purposes identical and not separate bodies, is abundantly confirmed by tAbd'lBh' Himself. He has in fact in a Tablet addressed to the members of the first Chicago Spiritual Assembly, the first elected Baha'i body instituted in the United States, referred to them as the members of the ccHouse of Justice" for that city, and has thus with His own pen established beyond [p174] 174 THE BAHA'I WORLD any doubt the identity of the present Ba-hWi Spiritual Assemblies with the Houses of Justice referred to by Baha'u'llah. For reasons which are not difficult to discover, it has been found advisable to bestow upon the elected representatives of Baha'i communities throughout the world the temporary appellation of Spiritual Assemblies, a term which, as the position and aims of the Baha'i Faith are better understood and more fully recognized, will gradually be superseded by the permanent and more appropriate designation of House of Justice. Not only will the presentday Spiritual Assemblies be styled differently in future, but will be enabled also to add to their present functions those powers, duties, and prerogatives necessitated. by the recognition of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, not merely as one of the recognized religious systems of the world, but as the State Religion of an independent and Sovereign Power. And as the Baha'i Faith permeates the masses of the peoples of East and SMest, and its truth is embraced by the majority of the peoples of a number of the Sovereign States of the world, will the Universal House of Justice attain the plenitude of its power, and exercise, as the supreme organ of the Baha Commonwealth, all the rights, the duties, and responsibilities incumbent upon the world's future super-state. It must be pointed out, however, in this connection that, contrary to what has been confidently asserted, the establishment of the Supreme House of Justice is in no way dependent upon the adoption of the Baha'i Faith by the mass of the peoples of the world, nor does it presuppose its acceptance by the majority of the inhabitants of any one country. In fact, tAbd~1Bht Himself, in one of His earliest Tablets, contemplated the possibility of the formation of the Universal House of Justice in His own lifetime, and but for the unfavorable circumstances prevailing under the Turkish r6-gime, would have, in all probability, taken the preliminary steps for its establishment. It will be evident, therefore, that given favorable circumstances, under which the Bab's of Persia and of the adjoining countries under Soviet Rule, may be enabled to elect their national representatives, in ac cordance with the guiding principles laid down in tAbdu'1-Babi's writings, the oniy remaining obstacle in the way of the definite formation of the International House of Justice will have been removed. For upon the National Houses of Justice of the East and the West devolves the task, in conformity with the explicit provisions of the W/iIl, of electing directly the members of the International House of Justice. Not until they are themselves fully representative of the rank and file of the believers in their respective countries, not until they have acquired the weight and the experience that will enable them to function vigorously in the organic life of the Cause, can they approach their sacred task, and provide the spiritual basis for the constitution of so august a body in the Baha'i world. The Institution of Guardianship It must be also clearly understood by every believer that the institution of Guardianship does not under any circumstances abrogate, or even in the slightest degree detract from, the powers granted to the Universal House of Justice by Baha'u'llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, and repeatedly and solemnly confirmed by tAbdu'1-BaN in His Will. It does not constitute in any manner a contradiction to the Will and Writings of Baha'u'llah, nor does it nullify any of His revealed instructions. It enhances the prestige of that exalted assembly, stabilizes its supreme position, safeguards its unity, assures the continuity of its labors, without presuming in the slightest to infringe upon the inviolability of its clearly defined sphere of jurisdiction. We stand indeed too close to so monumental a document to claim for ourselves a complete understanding of all its implications, or to presume to have grasped the manifold mysteries it undoubtedly contains. Only future generations can comprehend the value and the significance attached to this Divine Masterpiece, which the hand of the Master-builder of the world has designed for the unification and the triumph of the worldwide Faith of Baha'u'llah. Only those who come after us will be in a position to realize the value of the surprisingly strong em [p175] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 175 phasis that has been placed on the institUtion of the House of Justice and of the Guardianship. They only will appreciate the significance of the vigorous language employed by tAbd'lBh' with reference to the band of Covenant-breakers that has opposed Him in His days. To them alone will be revealed the suitability of the institutions initiated by cAbdu~1~Bah4 to the character of the future society which is to emerge out of the chaos and confusion of the present age. In this connection, I cannot but feel amused at the preposterous and fantastic idea that Muhammad 'Au, the prime mover and the focal center of unyielding hostility to the person of CAbdu~1 Baha, should have freely associated himself with the members of the family of tAbdu'1 Ñ Bah~ in the forging of a will which in the words of the writer, herself, is but a "re-cital of the plottings" in which for thirty years Muhammad ~A1i has been busily engaged. To such a hopeless victim of confused ideas, I feel I can best reply by a genuine expression of compassion and pity, mingled with my hopes for her deliverance from so profound a delusion. It was in view of the aforesaid observations, that I have, after the unfortunate and unavoidable delay occasioned by my ill health and absence from the FLoiy Land during the Master's passing, hesitated to resort to the indiscriminate circulation of the Will, realizing full well that it was primarily directed ta the recognized believers, and only indirectly concerned the larger body of the friends and sympathizers of the Cause. The Animating Purpose of Baha'i Institutions And now, it behooves us to reflect on the animating purpose and the primary functions of these divinely-established institutions, the sacred character and the universal efficacy of which can be demonstrated only by the spirit they diffuse and the work they actually achieve. I need not dwell upon what I have already reiterated and emphasized that the administration of the Cause is to be conceived as an instrument and not a substitute for the Faith of Baha'u'llah, that it should be regarded as a channel through which His promised blessings may flow, that it should guard against such rigidity as would clog and fetter the liberating forces released by His Revelation. I need not enlarge at the present moment upon what I have stated in the past, that contributions to the local and national Funds are of a purely voluntary character; that no coercion or solicitation of funds is to be tolerated in the Cause; that general appeals addressed to the communities as a body should be the oniy form in which the financial requirements of the Faith are to be met; that the financial support accorded to a very few workers in the teaching and administrative fields is of a temporary nature; that the present restrictions imposed on the publication of Baha'i literature will be definitely abolished; that the World Unity activity is being carried out as an experiment to test the efficacy of the indirect method of teaching; that the whole machinery of assemblies, of committees and conventions is to be regarded as a means, and not an end in itself; that they will rise or fall according to their capacity to further the interests, to coordinate the activities, to apply the principles, to embody the ideals and execute the purpose of the Baha'i Faith. Who, I may ask, when viewing the international character of the Cause, its far-flung ramifications, the increasing complexity of its affairs, the diversity of its adherents, and the state of confusion that assails on every side the infant Faith of God, can for a moment question the necessity of some sort of administrative machinery that will insure, amid the storm and stress of a struggling civilization, the unity of the Faith, the preservation of its identity, and the protection of its interests? To repudiate the validity of the assemblies of the elected ministers of the Faith of Baha'u'llah would be to reject these countless Tablets of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, wherein they have extolled their privileges and duties, emphasized the glory of their mission, revealed the immensity of their task, and warned them of the attacks they must needs expect from the unwisdom of their friends as well as from the malice of their enemies. It is surely for those to whose hands so priceless a heritage has been committed to prayerfully [p176] 176 THE BAHA'I WORLD watch lest the tool should supersede the Faith itself, lest undue concern for the minute details arising from the administration of the Cause obscure the vision of its promoters, lest partiality, ambition, and worldliness tend in the course of time to becloud the radiance, stain the purity, and impair the effectiveness of the Faith of Baha'u'llah. Situation in Egypt I have already referred in my previous communications of January 10, 1926, and February 12, 1927, to the perplexing yet highly significant situation that has arisen in Egypt as a result of the final judgment of the Muslim ecclesiastical court in that country pronounced against our Egyptian brethren, denouncing them as heretics, expelling them from their midst, and refusing them the application and benefits of the Muslim Law. I have also acquainted you with the difficulties with which they are faced, and the plans which they have conceived, in order to obtain from the Egyptian civil authorities a recognition of the independent status of their Faith, It must be explained, however, that in the Muslim countries of the Near and Middle East, with the exception of Turkey which has lately abolished all ecclesiastical courts under its rule, every recognized religious community has, in matters of personal status such as marriage, divorce and inheritance, its own ecclesiasticaL court, totally independent of the civil and criminal tribunals, there being in such instances no civil code promulgated by the government and embracing all the different religious communities, Hitherto regarded as a sect of Islam, the Baha'is of Egypt, who for the most part are of Muslim origin, and unabLe therefore to refer for purposes of marriage and divorce to the recognized religious tribunals of any other denomination, find themselves in consequence in a delicate and anomalous position. They have naturally resolved to refer their case to the Egyptian Government, and have prepared for this purpose a petition to be addressed to the head of the Egyptian Cabinet, In this document they have set forth the motives compelling them to seek recognition from their rulers, have asserted their readiness and their qualifications to exercise the functions of an independent J3ab&'i court, have assured them of their implicit obedience and loyalty to the State, and of their abstinence from interference in the politics of their country. They have also decided to accompany the text of their petition with a copy of the judgment of the Court, with selections from Baha'i writings, and with the document that sets forth the principles of their national constitution which, with few exceptions, is identical with the Declaration and ByLaws promulgated by your Assembly. I? have insisted that the provisions of their constitution should, in all its details, conform to the text of the Declaration of Trust and ByLaws which you have established, endeavoring thereby to preserve the uniformity which I feel is essential in all Baha'i National Constitutions. I would like therefore in this connection to request you what I have already intimated to them that whatever amendments you may decide to introduce in the text of the Declaration and ByLaws shouLd be duly communicated to me, that I may take the necessary steps for the introduction of similar changes in the text of all other National Baha'i Constitutions. It will be readily admitted that in view of the peculiar privileges granted to recognized religious Communities in the Islamic countries of the Near and Middle East, the request which is to be submitted by the Baha'i Egyptian National Assembly to the Government of Egypt is more substantial and far-reaching than what has already been granted by the Federal Authorities to your Assembly. Vor their petition is chiefly concerned with a formal request for recognition by the highest civil authorities in Egypt of the Egyptian National Spiritual Assembly as a recognized and independent Baha'i court, free and able to execute and apply in all matters of personal status such laws and ordinances as have been promulgated by Baha'u'llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. I have asked them to approach informally the authorities concerned, and to make the fullest possible inquiry as a preliminary measure to the formal presentation of their historic petition. Any assistance which your [p177] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 177 Assembly, after careful deliberation, may find it advisable to offer to the valiant promoters of the Faith in that land will be deeply appreciated, and will serve to confirm the solidarity that characterizes the Baha'i Communities of East and West. Whatever the outcome of this mighty issue Ñ and none can fail to appreciate the incalculable possibilities of the present situation Ñ we can rest assured that the guiding Hand that has released these forces will, in His inscrutable wisdom and by His omnipotent power, contrnue to shape and direct their course for the glory, the ultimate emancipation, and the unqualified recognition of His Faith. (February 27, 1929.) And now in conclusion, may I be permitted to direct your attention to the lesson which the trend of worLd events brings home to us, the little band of His chosen workers who, according to the intelligent efforts we exert, can prove ourselves the determining factor in the immediate fortunes of the society we live in, As we witness on ali sides the growing restlessness of a restless age, we are filled with mixed feelings of fear and hope Ñ fear, at the prospect of yet another deadly encounter, the inevitability of which is alas! becoming increasingly manifest; hope, in the serene assurance that whatever cataclysm may yet visit humanity, it cannot but hasten the approaching era of universal and lasting peace so emphaticalLy proclaimed by the Pen of Baha'u'llah, In the political domain, where we have lately witnessed, in the coun-cii of the leading nations of the world, the surrender of humanity's noblest conception to what may be regarded only as a transient phase in the life of peoples and nations; in the industrial world, where the representatives of the wage-earning classes, either through violence or persuasion, are capturing the seats of authority and wielding the scepter of power; in the field of religion, where we have lately witnessed widespread and organized attempts to broaden and simplify the basis of man's faith, to achieve unity in Christendom and restore the regenerating vigor of IsUm; in the heart of society itself, where the ominous signs of increasing extravagance and profligacy are but lending fresh impetus to the forces of revolt and reaction that are growing more distinct every day Ñ in these as in many others we have much cause for alarm, but much to be hopeful and thankful for also. To take but one instance more fully: Observe the fierce and as yet unsilenced dispute which the proposal for the introduction of a binding and universal pact of nonaggression among the nations of Europe has aroused among the avowed supporters of the League of Nations Ñ a League so auspiciously weLcomed for the ideal that prompted its birth, yet now so utterly inadequate in the actual principles that underlie its presentday structure and working. And yet, in the great outcry raised by postwar nationalism in blindly defending and upholding the unfettered supremacy of its own sovereignty, and in repudiating unreservedly the conception of a world super-state, can we not discern the reenactment only on a larger scale of the dramatic struggles that heralded the birth of the reconstructed and unified nations of the 'West? Has not authentic history clearly revealed in the case of these nations the painful yet inevitable merging of rival, particularistic and independent cities and principalities into one unified national entity, the evolving of a crude and narrow creed into a nobler and wider conception? Is not a parallel struggle being now manifested on the world stage of ever-advancing humanity? Can it lead to any other result than that which shall reaffirm the truth of humanity's onward march towards an ever-widening conception, and the ever-brighten-ing glory of its destiny? Reverses and setbacks, such as we have already witnessed, no doubt will retard the ripening of the choicest fruit on the tree of human development. Yet the fierceness of controversy, the weight of argument advanced in its disfavor, cannot but contribute to the broadening of the basis and the consolidation of the foundations upon which the stately edifice of unified mankind must ultimately rest, Let us take heart therefore, and labor with renewed vigor and deepened understanding to contribute our share to those forces which, whether or not cognizant of the regenerating Faith of Baha'u'llah in this [p178] 178 THE BAHA'I WORLD age, are operating, each in its respective sphere and under His all-encompassing guidance, for the uplift and the salvation of humanity. (October 18, 1927.) At this grave and momentous period through which the Cause of God, in conformity with the divine wisdom is passing, it is the sacred duty of every one of us to endeavor to realize the full significance of this hour of transition, and then to make a supreme resolve to arise steadfastly for the fulfillment of our sacred obligations. A perusal of some of the words of Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha on the duties and functions of the Spiritual Assemblies in every land (later to be designated as the local Houses of Justice), emphatically reveals the sacredness of their nature, the wide scope of their activity, and the grave re Ñ sponsibility which rests upon them. Addressing the members of the Spiritual Assembly in Chicago, the Master reveals the following: ~'Whenever ye enter the council chamber, recite this prayer with a heart throbbing with the love of God and a tongue purified from all but His remembrance, that the All-powerful may graciously aid you to achieve supreme victory: ~O God, my God! We are servants of Thine who have turned with devotion to Thy Holy Face, who have detached ourselves from all beside Thee in this glorious Day. We have gathered in this spiritual assembly, united in our views and thoughts, with our purposes harmonized to exalt Thy Word amidst mankind. 0 Lord, our God! Make us the signs of Thy Divine Guidance, the standards of Thy Exalted Faith amongst men, servants to Thy Mighty Covenant, 0 Thou, our Lord Most High! Manifestations of Thy Divine Unity in Thine Abhd Kingdom, and resplendent stars shining upon all regions. Lord! Aid us to become seas surging with the billows of Thy Wondrous Grace, streams flowing from Thy All-glorioits Heights, goodly fruits upon the Tree of Thy Heavenly Cause, trees waving through the breezes of Thy Bounty in Thy Celestial Vineyard. 0 God! Make our souls dependent upon the Verses of Thy Divine Unity, our hearts cheered with the out pourings of Thy Grace, that we may unite even as the waves of one sea and become 'merged together as the rays of Thine Effulgent Light; that our thou ghts, our views, our feelings may become as one reality, manifesting the spirit of union throughout the world. Thou art the Gracious, the Bountiful, the Bestower, the Almighty, the Merciful, the Corn passionate.' Furthermore, Abdu'l-Baha reveals the following: "It is incumbent upon everyone not to take any step without consulting the Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and soui its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act independently and after his own judgment, will follow his own desire, and do harm to the Cause. "The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and longsuffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold. Should they be graciously aided to acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom of Bah& shall be vouchsafed to them. In this day, assemblies of consultation are of the greatest importance and a Vital necessity. Obedience to them is essential and obligatory. The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that-no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setreth forth his argument. Should anyone oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth oniy after the clash of differing opinions. If after discussion a decision be carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, a majority of voices must prevail." Enumerating the obligations incumbent upon the members of consulting councils, the Beloved reveals the following: "The first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the Assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must manifest in themselves the [p179] THE WORLD ORDER or BAHA'U'LLAH 179 Unity of God, for they are the waves of one sea, the drops of one river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of one sun, the trees of one orchard, the flowers of one garden. Should harmony of thought and absolute unity be nonexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed and that Assembly be brought to naught. The second condition: They must, when coming together, turn their faces to the Kingdom on high and ask aid from the Realm of Glory. They must then proceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care and moderation to express their views. They must in every matter search out the truth and not insist upon their own opinion, for stubbornness and persistence in one's views will lead ultimately to discord and wrangling and the truth will remain hidden. The honored members must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and it is in nowise permissible for one to belittle the thoughts of another; nay, he must with moderation set forth the truth, and should differences of opinion arise a majority of voices must prevail, and all must obey and submit to the majority. It is again not permitted that any one of the honored members object to or censure, whether in or out of the meeting, any decision arrived at previously, though that decision be not right, for such criticism would prevent any decision from being enforced. In short, whatsoever thing is arranged in harmony and with love and purity of motive, its result is light, and should the least trace of estrangement prevail the result shall be darkness upon darkness. If this be so regarded, that Assembly shall be of God, but otherwise it shall lead to cooiness and alienation that proceed from the Evil One. Discussions must all be confined to spiritual matters that pertain to the training of souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Holy Word. Should they endeavor to fulfill these conditions the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that Assembly shall become the center of the divine blessings, the hosts of divine confirmation shall come to their aid, and they shall day by day receive a new efl?usion of spirit." This is indeed a clear indication of the Master's express desire that nothing whatever should be given to the public by any individual among the friends, unless fully considered and approved by the Spiritual Assembly in his locality; and if this (as is undoubtedly the case) is a matter that pertains to the general interests of the Cause in that land, then it is incumbent upon the Spiritual Assembly to submit it to the con-sicteration and approval of the National body representing all the various local Assemblies. Not oniy with regard to publication, but all matters without any exception whatsoever, regarding the interests of the Cause in that locality, individually or coi-lectively, should be referred exclusively to the Spiritual Assembly in that locality, which shall decide upon it, unless it be a matter of national interest, in which case it shall be referred to the National (Baha'i) body. With this National body also will rest the decision whether a given question is of local or national (Baha'i) interest. (March 5, 1922.) As the administrative work of the Cause steadily expands, as its various branches grow in importance and number, it is absolutely necessary that we bear in mind this fundamental fact that all these administrative activities, however harmoniously and efficiently conducted, are but means to an end, and should be regarded as direct instruments for the propagation of the Baha'i Faith. Let us take heed lest in our great concern for the perfection of the administrative machinery of the Cause, we lose sight of the Divine Purpose for which it has been created. Let us be on our guard lest the growing demand for specialization in the administrative functions of the Cause detain us from joining the ranks of those who in the forefront of battle are gloriously engaged in summoning the multitude to this New Day of God. This indeed should be our primary concern; this is our sacred obligation, our vital and urgent need. Let this cardinal principle be ever borne in mind, for it is the mainspring of all future activities, the remover of every embar [p180] 180 THE BAHA'I WORLD rassing obstacle, the fulfillment of our Master's dearest wish. (January 10, 1926.) The administrative machinery of the Cause having now sufficiently evolved, its aim and oblecv fairly well grasped and understood, and its method and working made more familiar to every believer, I feel the time is ripe when it should be fully and consciously utilized to further the purpose for which it has been created. It should, I strongly feel, be made to serve a twofold purpose. On one hand, it should aim at a steady and gradual expansion of the Movement along lines that are at once broad, sound and universal; and on the other it should insure the internal consolidation of the work already achieved. It should both provide the impulse whereby the dynamic forces latent in the Faith can unfold, crystallize, and shape the lives and conduct of men, and serve as a medium for the interchange of thought and the coordination of activities among the divers elements that constitute the Baha'i community. (May 11, 1926.) 'With this vision clearly set before us, and fortified by the knowledge of the gracious aid of Baha'u'llah and the repeated assurance of tAbdu'1-BahA, let us first strive to live the life and then arise with one heart, one mind, one voice, to reinforce our numbers and achieve our end. Let us recall, and seek on this sad occasion the comfort of, the last wishes of our departed yet ever-watchful Master: ~ beloooveth them not to rest for a moment, neither to seek repose. They must disperse themselves in every land, fiass by every clime, and travel throughout all regions. Bestirred, without rest, and steadfast to the end, they must raise in every land the triumphal cry rYa..Bahd~u~4Abhd!) (0 Thou the Glory of Glories!) The dis-ci4les of Christ forgot themselves and all earthly things, forsook all their cares and belongings, purged themselves of self and fiassion, and with absolute detachment scattered far and wide and engaged in calling the peoples of the world to the divine guidance; till at last they made the world another world, illumined the surface of the earth, and even to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that beloved One of God. Finally in various lands they suffered glorious martyrdom. Let them that are men of action follow in their footsteps!" Having grasped the significance of these words, having obtained a clear understanding of the true character of our mission, the methods to adopt, the course to pursue, and having attained sufficiently the individual regeneration Ñ the essential requisite of teaching Ñ let us arise to teach His Cause with righteousness, conviction, understanding and vigor. Let this be the paramount and most urgent duty of every Baha'i. Let us make it the dominating passion of our life. Let us scatter to the uttermost corners of the earth; sacrifice our personal interests, comforts, tastes and pleasures; mingle with the divers kindreds and peoples of the world; familiarize ourselves with their manners, traditions, thoughts and customs; arouse, stimulate and maintain universal interest in the Movement, and at the same time endeavor by all the means in our power, by concentrated and persistent attention, to enlist the unreserved allegiance and the active support of the more hopeful and receptive among our hearers. Let us too bear in mind the example which our beloved Master has clearly set before us. Wise and tactful in His approach, wakeful and attentive in His early intercourse, broad and liberal in all His public utterances, cautious and gradual in the unfolding of the essential verities of the Cause, passionate in His appeal yet sober in argument, confident in tone, unswerving in conviction, dignified in His manner Ñ such were the distinguishing features of our Beloved's noble presentation of the Cause of Baha'u'llah. (November 24, 1924.) It would be impossible at this stage to ignore the indispensability or to overestimate the unique significance of the institution of the National Spiritual Assembly Ñ the pivot round which revolve the activities of the believers throughout the American continent. Supreme is their position, grave their responsibilities, manifold and [p181] THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH 181 arduous their duties. I-low great the privilege, how delicate the task of the assembled delegates whose function it is to elect such national representatives as would by their record of service ennoble and enrich the annals of the Cause! If we but turn our gaze to the high qualifications of the members of Baha'i Assemblies, as enumerated in Abdu'l-Baha's Tablets, we are filled with feelings of unworthiness and dismay, and would feel truly disheartened but for the comforting thought that if we rise to play nobly our part every deficiency in our lives will be more than compensated by the all-conquering spirit of His grace and power. Hence it is incumbent upon the chosen delegates to consider without the least trace of passion and prejudice, and irrespective of any material consideration, the names of oniy those who can best combine the necessary qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience. May the incoming National Spiritual Assembly Ñ the privileged and chosen servants of the Cause Ñ immortalize their term of stewardship by deeds of loving service, deeds that will redound to the honor, the glory and the power of the Most Great Name. I would also earnestly entreat all the delegates at this coming Convention, and through them I appeal to the larger body of believers whom they represent, to ever bear in mind the supreme injunction of tAbdu'1-BaLi, to teach unceasingly until the "head cornerstone of the foundation" of the Cause of God is firmly established in every heart. Let those whose time, resources and means allow, travel throughout the length and breadth of that vast continent, let them scatter to the most distant regions of the earth and, fired with enthusiasm and detachment, hand on the torch of God's undying flame to the waiting multitudes of a sadly-stricken world. (June 3, 1925.) As already intimated, I have read md reread most carefully the final draft of the ByLaws drawn up by that highly-talented, much-loved servant of Baha'u'llah, Mountfort Mills, and feel I have nothing substantial to add to this first and very creditable attempt at codifying the principles of general Baha'i administration. I heartily and unhesitatingly commend it to the earnest perusal of, and its loyal adoption by, every National Baha'i Spiritual Assembly, whether constituted in the East or in the West. I would ask you particularly to send copies of the text of this document of fundamental importance accompanied by copies of the Declaration of Trust and the text of the Indenture of Trust, to every existing National Spiritual Assembly, with my insistent request to study the provisions, comprehend its implications, and endeavor to incorporate it, to the extent that their own circumstances permit, within the framework of their own national activities. You can but faintly imagine how comforting a stimulant and how helpful a guide its publication and circulation will be to those patient and toiling workers in Eastern lands, and particularly Persia, who in the midst of uncertainties and almost insuperable obstacles are straining every nerve in order to establish the world order ushered in by Baha'u'llah. You can hardly realize how substantially it will contribute to pave the way for the elaboration of the beginnings of the constitution of the worldwide Baha'i Community that will form the permanent basis upon which the blest and sanctified edifice of the first International House of Justice will securely rest and flourish. I would specifically remind you that in the text of the said ByLaws which to the outside world represents the expression of the aspirations, the motives and objects that animate the collective responsibilities of Baha'i Fellowship, due emphasis should not be placed only on the concentrated authority, the rights, the privileges and prerogatives enjoyed by the elected national representatives of the believers, but that special stress be laid also on their responsibilities as willing ministers, faithful stewards and loyal trustees to those who have chosen them. Let it be made clear to every inquiring reader that among the most outstanding and sacred duties incumbent upon those who have been called upon to initiate, direct and coordinate the affairs of the Cause, are those that requIre them to win by every means in their power tbe confidence and affection of those whom it is their privilege to serve. [p182] Baha'i Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Persia. 182 31 -~~494jJ~j~ ~~494jJ~j~ ,L~)2/&~,LJl L~& ,~Q ]LZX~< •~ ) -]~~"K'"'~ ]~~"K'"'~ ~ ••.•:••~, L :;;i,~J~, L~ <]~'4~ ~§ ii [p183] Baha'i Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Egypt. 183 L+. ~: ~j AA: )~ '~ c~ ~ ~ )A JKb~ J$~ ~i%~ ~ CL:; J~~JL~A ~) ~ '