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Abstract: Philosophical essays; recollections of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Laura Dreyfus Barney, Curtis Kelsey, and other Europeans; recollections of Shoghi Effendi by ten individuals; dreams and visions; eulogies of the author's parents; travel teaching across Russia. Notes: Mirrored with permission from jack-mclean.com. |
Summary contents (see book below)
Confessions of a Child of the Half-Light has passed Bahá'í review, but I did not submit it to any Bahá'í publisher because I don't think they would be interested in such an atypical book that is a medley of mostly unrelated chapters. Here is a summary of the book's content by chapter:"Confessions" in the title does not refer to the confessions of sins, but to the more antiquated meaning of the word as religious and spiritual convictions and beliefs.
- Abdu'l-Bahá: Remembering the Master. The revisited 1967 Paris interview with Laura Dreyfus Barney; the old Frenchman who met Abdu'l-Bahá; highlights reported by Curtis Kelsey of his visit with the Master.
- Shoghi Effendi: Remembering the Guardian. Memories of 8 Bahá'ís of my acquaintance who made the pilgrimage during the ministry of Shoghi Effendi.
- Teaching the Faith, Magic Moments, Meeting Great Souls. Autobiographical.
- Essays and Reflections. 21 essays on a variety of topics, both sacred and secular.
- Mysticism: Experiencing the Transcendent. To examine mystical experiences by Bahá'ís, there must be personal testimony. Here are grouped under the following headings, mystical experiences of mine that began in childhood: 1. Being in the Presence 2. Visions 3. Clairvoyance 4. Clairaudience 5. Dreams
- The Book of Eighteen. Aphorisms and pensees of my own invention grouped under 18 topics.
- Family Matters. Reminiscences of my English grandparents, Jessie and Will Halsted; sayings of parents and grandparents; eulogies for my parents.
- Travel Teaching in the Former Soviet Union and the Ukraine (1990).
Detailed contents
Her “Imperishable Service” The Interview The Old Frenchman who had met ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Memories of the Master: Highlights Reported by Curtis Kelsey
Mr. Daoud Toeg, Baghdad, Iraq and Hull, Quebec Ms. Winnifred Harvey, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hull, Haifa Mr. Munir Bahá’í Mrs. Laura Rumney Davis, Toronto, Ontario Ms. Joyce Frances Devlin, Burritts Rapids, Ontario Mr. Allan Raynor, Toronto, Canada Allan Raynor through Robert “Bob” Leblanc Mr. Mozhan Khádem, Son of the Hand of the Cause Mr. Zikrulláh Khádem The Iranian Pilgrim (Paris, France)
Our Spiritual Mother: Ruth Halsted Kern, “Auntie Ruthie” Faith of Our Fathers: Our Grandparents Jessie Fallon Halsted & William Henry Halsted The Devoted Servant of All: Violet Fallon Halsted, “Auntie Vi” My Elder Sister Mary Louise McLean, Mary Lou Early Youth and Declaration of Faith: Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. William Sears Teaching the Faith to the Presbyterian Minister Reverend W. A Bountiful Harvest: The McLean Firesides at 6 Emery Circle, Etobicoke Success in Teaching: My brother Stephen Stewart McLean The Declaration of Faith of my Father Allan James McLean (1969) The Steadfast Teachers and Pioneers Who Arose The Paris Years (1965-1968): Hands of the Cause, Outstanding Believers and Pioneers Marriage, Family Life, Teaching School Transition Years: Salt Spring Island, British Columbia (1997-1999) The Return to Ottawa (1999-2013) The Last Hand of the Cause and One of the Last Few Remaining Knights of Bahá’u’lláh Three Year Stay in Carleton Place (2013-2106): Second Return to Ottawa and Co-op Living (2016-) Fourteen Real Life Lessons and Recommendations
The Consumer Mass Market: Bridging the Gap Between the Secular and the Sacred Voices of Conscience Dichotomies are not Always False The Prophetic Call, the Voice of God and Divine Signs Actors and Acting Today: A Mixed Assessment The Scholars of the Second Bahá’í Century Mr. Roger White Poet and Dancer: What the Dream Revealed The Relevance of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle for Saving the Soul from Twenty-First Century Materialism The Soul and the Paradoxes of Human Existence in Light of Eternity A Modern Ballad: The Tragic Death of John Doe Recapitulation and Endurance in the Senior Years The Strange Paradox of Theology and Union with God The Simplicity and Complexity of Attaining Spiritual Freedom Correlating the Four Universal Material and Spiritual Phenomena of Nature and Spirit The Eternal Now, Attaining the Divine Presence, Discovering the Self and the Soul Why Love is Greater than Science, Why Science Needs Love, Why Love Needs Science The Messianic Secret Disclosed in the Garden of Riḍván: Contrast Between Cosmic Celebration and Historical Event Spiritual Capacity and What the Photographs of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Reveal The Degeneration of Morals, Broadcast News, Violence in Sports and Corporate Power The Creative Process: A Little Bit of Heaven, a Little Bit of Hell
Five Types of Transcendental Experiences:
What Happened Then: What I Learned from this Experience Hand of the Cause Mr. Zikrulláh Khádem Vehicles the Love of Shoghi Effendi After His Passing: In my Father’s Presence with my Mother Mother Keeps her Promise to Show me the Bliss of Heaven And the Heavens Opened: An Experience of Cosmic Happiness Resetting the Distressed Mind Through the Power of the Word of God Meeting Hand of the Cause Mr. Khádem in the Rose Garden of the Spirit Three Dreams: The Two Bábí Shaykhs, the Ark and the Lotus The Blessed Night of Peace III. CLAIRVOYANCE IV. CLAIRAUDIENCE V. DREAMS
Sayings of My Maternal Grandparents Halsted My Parents Eulogy for Allan James McLean (November 29, 1913-April 7, 1995) Scottish Tranquility (Allan James McLean 1913-1995) Eulogy for Joyce Mary Halsted McLean (July 14, 1920-November 28, 2001)
Moscow (5-8 August, 1990) On the Train from Moscow to Kyiv Kyiv Lyviv Homeward Bound See also To Russia with Love: Journal of a Member of the Quddus Team (2018). |
Download: mclean_confessions_child_half-light.pdf.
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