Ministry of the Custodians:
An Account of the Stewardship of the Hands of the Cause 1957-1963
by / on behalf of Universal House of Justice and Ruhiyyih (Mary Maxwell) Khanum
 |
chapter 6 | start page | single page | chapter 8 |  |
Chapter 7
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THE MINISTRY OF THE CUSTODIANS
1963
1963
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THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK
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To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of...
January 27, 1963
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
The Hands of the Cause residing in
the Holy Land have surveyed the number of delegates allocated to
the various national communities for their National Convention, and
have increased the number of delegates allocated to some of the
communities.
The number of delegates allocated to your community
for this year's National Convention is ...
With warm Bahá'í love,
In the service of the beloved Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE
HOLY LAND
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
| Alaska...............19 | Iran...............95 |
| Argentina...............9 | Italy...............19 |
| Australia...............38 | Jamaica...............9 |
| Austria...............9 | Luxembourg...............9 |
| Belgium...............9 | Mexico...............19 |
| British Isles...............76 | New Zealand...............9 |
| Burma...............19 | Nicaragua...............19 |
| Canada...............38 | North East Asia...............38 |
| Ceylon...............38 | Paraguay...............9 |
| Chile...............19 | Peru...............19 |
| Colombia...............19 | Portugal...............19 |
| Costa Rica...............38 | South East Asia...............95 |
| Cuba...............9 | South Pacific Is ................38 |
| Denmark...............9 | Spain...............19 |
| Dominican Republic........9 | Sweden...............9 |
| Finland...............9 | Switzerland...............19 |
| Haiti...............19 | Turkey...............19 |
| Holland...............19 | USA...............171 |
| Uruguay...............9 |
To All Hands of the Cause of God
February 18, 1963
Beloved Co-workers:
We are sending
you the attached suggested Agenda for the Annual Gathering
beginning April 9th in the Holy Land. You will see that we
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have provided for any additional suggestions from the Hands of the Cause under the first item on the proposed Agenda: "Subjects Presented by the Hands". Any suggestions you may wish to add to the Agenda can be presented at this time at the outset of the Annual Gathering. If there are any other thoughts you may wish to express, please send them on to us after you have received and studied the attached suggested Agenda.
The news of additional teaching
victories is received almost daily from various parts of the world,
assuring a glorious conclusion to our beloved Guardian's Holy
Crusade.
We are eagerly looking forward to your arrival in the Holy
Land, the prelude to this unique and historic Ridvan Festival.
With
warmest and deepest Bahá'í love,
In the service of the beloved
Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND
PROPOSED AGENDA -1963 CONCLAVE
| 1. SUBJECTS PRESENTED BY THE HANDS 2. COMPLETION OF THE WORLD CRUSADE Other Unfinished Tasks3. MASS CONVERSION AND CONSOLIDATION 4. FINANCIAL SITUATION World Centre Report5. ACTIVITIES OF THE HANDS Future Functions6. THE WORLD CONGRESS 7. RELATIONSHIP OF THE HANDS AND THE HOUSE OF JUSTICE 8. THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE Convention |
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To the International Bahá'í Council
March 8,1963
Dear Bahá'í Friends:
Would you kindly convey to the Congress Arrangements
Committee in London the following information:
Realizing that there
may be problems which arise unexpectedly at the Congress, and are
of a nature which the Congress Arrangements Commit-tee may feel are
not within its province, we have appointed three of the Hands
residing in the Holy Land to be responsible for consulting with the
Congress Arrangements Committee in case this should become
necessary. They are: Amatu'l-Baha Rúhíyyih Khánum, Mr. 'Ali-Akbar
Furdtan and Mr. Leroy loas.
With loving greetings,
In the service of the beloved
Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND
To the Hands of the Cause of God
March 11, 1963
Beloved Co-workers:
Enclosed is a preliminary draft of the program of the World
Congress with names of speakers and chairmen of different sessions,
but without the quotations which will appear on the printed
program. Since some changes may still be necessary, we ask that you
keep the contents confidential.
It has been exceedingly difficult
to formulate this program, as you can well imagine. It has been our
hope and aim throughout to produce a program which would be in
keeping with the greatness of the occasion, and to have it as
representative as possible, including the wonderful richness of
races and ethnic groups now in the Faith. We also felt that the
Hands, the conveners of the Congress, should not unduly monopolize
the program. Our great difficulty has been in finding Bahá'ís, known
to us, who will be present at the Congress, and who can address in
English, an audience of over six thousand people.
We have a problem
which we want to share with you before you come here for our Annual
Gathering, as by then it may be too late to take action. We have
decided that it would be both unwise and unbefitting the sacredness
of the World Centre to have it seriously understaffed during the
Congress. Two Hands, we feel, must be present here all the time.
In order not to deprive anyone of the privilege of attending at
least part of
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the beloved Guardian's Congress, we are arranging for four Hands residing in the Holy Land (who have volunteered to be here) to alternate during the first and second halves of the Congress. However, we find this will not cover all of the days some of them must be in London because of the plane schedules.
We would like to
know if any of the other Hands would volunteer to make this
sacrifice to ensure the protection of the World Centre; one who
would be willing to stay the first part (up until Tuesday, April
30) and then go to the Congress, and one who would be willing to
leave London on Tuesday, April 30, and come to Haifa. We can then
adjust our program and the movements of the Hands here in a
satisfactory manner, and at the same time never leave the World
Centre unprotected.
Please let us know if any of you find this
possible, so that we can make plans.
Needless to say, as the time
draws nigh for so many wonderful events to take place, the work at
the World Centre becomes increasingly heavy. It is a comfort to
know that we will so soon be with you all again and able to consult
together in our Conclave.
With our warmest and deepest love,
In the
service of the beloved Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY
LAND
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS RIDVÁN 1963
(The members of National Spiritual Assemblies constitute the
Electoral College of the Universal House of Justice)
(The members of National Spiritual Assemblies constitute the
Electoral College of the Universal House of Justice)
Note: The letter "c" indicates that the member is attending the International Convention in the Holy Land.
---------------------------
| ALASKA | ARABIA |
| c Mrs. Kathryn Volz Alio | Mr. zia'u'llah AdIparvar |
| c Mr. Donald A. Anderson | Dr. Nosrat'u'llah Afndn |
| c Mr. Howard J. Brown | Mr. Zabih'u'llah Goulmohamadi |
| c Mr. Robin C. Fowler | Mr. Khosroo Khosravi |
| c Mrs. Evelyn G. Huffman | Mr. Ahmad Mohseni |
| c Mrs. Lois Katherine Lee | Mr. Masih'u'llah Rouhani |
| c Mr. Robert E. Moul | Dr. Manouchehr Salmanpour |
| c Mrs. Janet Smith | Dr. Aziz'u'llah Tahzib |
| c Mr. Verne Larue Stout | Mr. Shahab Zahra'i |
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| ARGENTINA | AUSTRALIA | |
| Miss Mary Binda | c Mr. Noel Bluett | |
| c Mr. Manuel Caballero | Mr. James Heggie | |
| c Mr. Cayetano Liardo | c Mr. Goro Jorgic | |
| c Mr. Cinar Torres Lopez | c Mr. Peter J. Khan | |
| c Dr. Josd Mielnik | c Mrs. Greta Lake | |
| c Mr. Badiollah Nosratpour | c Miss Thelma Isobel Perks | |
| Mr. Shapour Saeed | c Mr. David Podger | |
| Mr. Valiullah Samadani | c Miss Pamela Ringwood | |
| Mr. Ricardo Schwartzman | Mr. Jeffrey W. Rodwell |
| AUSTRIA | BELGIUM |
| c Dr. Aminollah Ahmedzadeh | Mr. Adolphe Decouvreur |
| Mr. Günther Haug | c Mrs. Elsa de Koninck |
| c Miss Ursula Kohler | c Mr. Shoghi Ghadimi |
| c Mr. Darius Ma'ani | c Mr. Fernand Gillain |
| Miss Bertha Matthiesen | c Mr. Louis Hénuzet |
| c Mr. Franz Pöllinger | c Mr. Robert Hubar |
| c Mr. Manutschehr Samyi | c Mr. Hassan-Ali Kamran |
| c Dr. Mehdi Vargha | Mr. Benjamin Levy |
| c Mrs. Johanna von Werthem | c Mrs. Lea Nys |
| BOLIVIA | BRAZIL |
| Mr. Estanislao Alvarez | Dr. M.deVasconcellos Dantas C. |
| c Mr. Athos Costas | Miss Dinah de Almeida C. Franca |
| Mrs. Costas | Mr. Ernani Mentz |
| c Mr. Massoud Khamsi | c Mr. Edmund John Miessler |
| Mrs. Yolanda de Lopes | c Mrs. Muriel Auble Miessler |
| Mr. Sabino Ortega | Mr. Vivaldo Ramos |
| c Mr. Alberto Saldias Reyes | c Mr. Rangvald Taetz |
| Mr. Alberto Rocabado | c Mrs. Nylza Taetz |
| c Mr. Andres Jachakollo Ticona | c Mrs. Marguerite Worley |
| BRITISH ISLES | BURMA |
| c Mr. Owen Battrick | U Ba Sein |
| c Mr. Ernest Gregory | Daw Hla Hla |
| c Mr. David Hofman | Shah Alain Chowdhuxi |
| c Mrs. Marion Hofman | Daw Thoung Khin |
| c Mr. John Long | U Myit |
| c Mr. Charles Macdonald | A.K. Ko Gyi |
| c Mrs. Betty Reed | U Doolman |
| c Mr. Adib Taherzadeh-Malmiri | U Soc Tin |
| c Mr. John Wade | Syed Murtaza Ali |
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| CANADA | CENTRAL AND EAST AFRICA |
| c Mr. A. H. Banani | c Mr. Edmund John Cardell |
| c Mr. Angus Cowan | c Mr. Charles Nalika Chelodi |
| c Mr. Rowland Estall | c Mr. Oloro Karen Sepiria Epyeru |
| Mr. Glen Eyford | c Mr. Philip Hainsworth |
| c Mr. Lloyd G. Gardner | c Mr. Sosipateri Malinga Isimai |
| c Mr. Frederick Graham | c Mr. Israel Kanyerezi-Mukasa |
| c Mr. J. Douglas Martin | c Mr. Kolonario Oule Omoyen |
| c Mrs. Peggy Ross | c Mrs. Isobel Alice Locke Sabri |
| c Mrs. Audrey Westheuser | c Mr. Hassan Abdel Fattah Sabri |
| CEYLON | CHILE |
| Mr. V. Chitravelu | Mr. Ricardo Bañados |
| Mr. A. M. Eshbaghian | Mr. Sergio Guillermo Aparicio |
| Mrs. Heshmat Eshbaghian | Miss Ema Luisa Cabezas |
| Mr. A.C.M. Fassy | c Dr. Alexander Reid |
| Mr. B. Kesawadatta | Mr. Ed. Fuchslocher |
| Mr. L.U.C. Kuruppu | Mr. Jorge Pallés |
| Mr. S. Nahvi | Miss Sylvia L. Franchino |
| Mr. A.B.D. de Silva | Mrs. L.M.G. Fuentes de Smithson |
| Mr. K. Sivappirakasam | Mr. Carlos C. Martinez |
| COLOMBIA | COSTA RICA |
| c Mrs. Gloria de Fritzsche | Mr. Josd Baltodano |
| c Mr. Charles Homby | c Mr. Aaron J. Bames |
| c Mr. Louis Montenegro | c Mr. Esteban Canales |
| c Miss Leonor Porras | c Mr. Theodore Cortazzi |
| c Mr. Habib Rezvani | Mrs. Jean Dobbs |
| c Mrs. Ellen Sims | Mr. Richard Mirkovich |
| c Mr. Ervin Thomas | c Mr. John Rutan |
| c Mrs. Wilma Thomas | c Mr. Antonio Soto |
| c Mr. Stewart M. Waddell | Mr. Fernando Soto |
| CUBA | DENMARK |
| Miss Josefina Camacho | c Mr. Palle Bischoff |
| Mr. Antonio Cubero | c Mr. Johan Fobian |
| Miss Migdalia Diez | c Mr. Baher Forghani |
| Miss Gloria Ortega | Mr. Egon Kamming |
| Miss Juana Ortuña | Mrs. Honor Kamming |
| Mr. Carmelo Pérez | c Mr. Kaj Mulvad |
| Miss Celestina Pérez | Mr. Verner Nielsen |
| Mrs. Marta Pimentel | c Mrs. Lisbeth Andersen Nygard |
| Mr. Rafael Pimentel | c Mr. Fereydoon Vahman |
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| DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | ECUADOR |
| c Mr. Rafael Benzan | Mr. Juan Luis Aguirre |
| Mr. Manuel Garcia | c Mr. Khalilu'llah Bahjati |
| c Mr. Celestino Gomez | c Mrs. Dorothy Campbell |
| c Mrs. Frieda van Houten de Gomez | c Mrs. Patricia Conger |
| Mr. Felix Ramon Gomez | Mr. Alberto Carbo |
| Mr. Rafael Felipe Peña | Mr. Fereydoun Monadjem |
| Mr. Benito Alejandro Pérez | Mr. Bolfvar Plaza Newell |
| c Mrs. Sheila Ricc-Wray | c Mr. Raúl Pavón |
| Mejia Mr. Wilfred Rowland | c Mrs. Gayle Woolson |
| EL SALVADOR | FINLAND |
| c Mr. Quentin Hamilton Farrand | c Mr. Godratollah Bidardel |
| Mrs. Jeanne Welsh Farrand | c Mrs. Greta Sofia Jankko-Badeau |
| Mr. Rafael Garcia | c Miss Aminda Josephine Kruka |
| Mrs. Elsa Maria Cubilla de García | c Mr. Mozaffar Namdar |
| Mr. Marco Antonio Martinez | c Miss Gudrun Øfstegaard |
| Mrs. Marcia Isabel Matamoros | c Miss Maija-Liisa Ravola |
| Mr. Mauricio Hernandez Muñoz | c Miss Sirkka Inkeri Salmi |
| c Mr. Josd Marfa Padilla | c Miss Mailis Kaarino Talvenheimo |
| Mr. Gabriel Torres | c Mr. Habibu'llah Zabihian |
| FRANCE | GERMANY |
| Mr. Chahab Alai | c Mr. Erik Blumenthal |
| c Mrs. Florence Bagley | c Miss Anneliese Bopp |
| c Dr. A.M. Barafroukhteh | c Mrs. Margot Dombrack |
| c Mrs. Sara Kenny | c Mr. Otto Häfner |
| c Mr. Lucien McComb | c Dr. Abouzarjomehr (Bozorg) Hemmati |
| c Miss Lucienne Migette | Mr. Ruprecht G. Krüger |
| c Mr. Yadullah Rafaat | c Mr. Hans Randel |
| c Mrs. Henriette Samimy | c Mr. Eugen Schmidt |
| c Mr. Omer Charles Tamenne | c Mr. René Steiner |
| GUATEMALA | HAITI |
| Mr. Manuel Agueda | Mr. Eustace Bailey |
| c Mrs. Louise Caswell | Miss Odette Benjamin |
| Mr. José Trinidad Gramajo | Mr. Ellsworth Blackwell |
| Mr. Artemus D. Lamb | Mr. Ruth Blackwell |
| c Mr. Alberto Landau | Mrs. Circe Brantome |
| c Mr. Harold Neff | Mr. Jean Desert |
| c Mrs. Elmerene Neff | Alcide Narcisse |
| Mr. Dale Sinclair | Speline Posy |
| Mrs. Alice Sinclair | Mr. Andrd St. Louis |
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| HONDURAS | INDIA |
| Mrs. Olinda Sierra Andrade | Mr. G. A. Amreliwala |
| Mr. Louis A. Bouche | c Mr. P.C. Auplish |
| Mrs. Ruby da Costa | c Dr. K.K. Bhargava |
| Mr. George Haley | c Mrs. Shirin Bowman |
| Mrs. Vivian Haley | c Mr. H. Fatheazam |
| Mrs. Mazie Haylock | Dr. H.M. Munje |
| Mr. José López | Mr. R.N. Shah |
| Mr. David E. Mathisen | Mr. K.H. Vajdi |
| c Miss Shirley Ross | Mr. R. R. Williams |
| ÍRÁN | 'IRÁQ |
| c Mr. Shu'd'u'llah'Alá'í | Mr. K. Abbas |
| c Mrs. B ahfyyih Nadiri | Mr. S. Abdu'l-Majid |
| c Mr. Salim Noonoo | Mr. A. Arif |
| c Mr. Habibu'llah Sabit | Dr. J. I. Baghdadi |
| c Mr. Abbds Quli Shahqoli | Mr. S. Dloomi |
| c Miss Adelaide Sharp | Mr. Kh. Halloubin |
| c Mr. Hadi Rahmani Shirazi | Mr. A. Hamdi |
| c Mr. Hedayatu'llah Sohrab | Mr. A. Sabour |
| c Dr. 'Ali Muhammad Varqá | Mr. D. Toeg |
| ITALY | JAMAICA |
| c Professor Hossein Avaregan | c Miss Doris Maud Buchanan |
| Mr. Alessandro Bausani | Mr. Randolph Fitz-Henley |
| c Mr. David Ned Blackmer | Miss Alice Maude Gallier |
| Professor Mario Fiorentini | Mr. Wm. Arthur Wellesley Mitchell |
| c Mr. Manoutchehr Madjzoub | Mr. Alfred Senior |
| c Mr. Hossein Mahboubi | Miss Emily Taylor |
| Mr. Mario Piarulli | Miss Ruby Taylor |
| c Mr. Augusto Robiati | c Mr. Clarence Ullrich |
| c Miss Teresa Taffa | c Mrs. Margarite Ullrich |
| LUXEMBOURG | MEXICO |
| Mr. Ronald Bates | c Mr. Samuel Burrafato |
| Mr. Pierre Brarn | c Mrs. Carmen Burrafato |
| c Miss Helene Suzanne Hipp | c Mr. Romeo Guerra |
| c Miss Honor Kempton | c Mrs. Anna W. Howard |
| Mr. Ernest (Claude) Lévy | c Mrs. Florence Mayberry |
| Mr. Leslie Marcus | Mr. Earl James Morris |
| Mr. Faizollah Namdar | c Mr. Harold Baldwin Murray |
| c Miss Virginia Orbison | c Mrs.Valeria Lamb Nichols |
| c Mrs. Betty Broome Thompson | c Dr. (Mrs.) Edris Rice-Wray |
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| NETHERLANDS | NEW ZEALAND |
| c Mr. Mas'ud Mazgani | c Mr. Hugh Blundell |
| c Mrs. Gieny Sijsling | Mr. John Carr |
| c Mrs. Elizabeth Charlotte Tobias | Mrs. Margaret Harnish |
| c Mrs. Gerrit van der Garde | c Miss Linda Hight |
| c Mr. Jacobus Eduard (Bob) van Lith | Mr. Percy Leadley |
| c Mr. Arnold van Ogtrop | Mrs. Phyllis Milne |
| c Mr. Gunther Emil Karl Vieten | Mrs. Jean Simmons |
| c Mrs. Hally Watrin | c Mr. Douglas Weeks |
| c Mr. Christiaan C. Westenbroek | Mr. Terry Stirling |
| NICARAGUA | NORTH EAST AFRICA |
| Mr. Francisco J. Arauz | c Dr. Hushang Ahdieh |
| Mr. José Barahona | c Mr. Foad Ashraf |
| Mr. Hooper C. Dunbar | c Mr. Gila Michael Bahta |
| Mrs. Leticia de Escalante | c Dr. Heshmat Farhournand |
| Mr. Salomon Escalante | c Dr. Leo Niederreiter |
| Mr. Armando Fonseca | Mr. Ali Hussein Ruhi |
| Miss Creadell Haley | c Mr. Gamal Rushdy |
| Mr. Jorge V. Harper | c Mrs. Ursula Samandari |
| Mrs. Blanca Lydia Sequeira | c Mr. Jamchid Monajjim Tehrani |
| NORTH EAST ASIA | NORTH WEST AFRICA |
| c Miss Agnes B. Alexander | c Mr. Koddabakch Attar |
| c Dr. David M. Earl | c Miss Elsie Austin |
| c Dr. Ikuo Mizuno | c Mr. Mustapha Bouchoucha |
| c Mr. Ataullah Moghbel | Mr. William Foster |
| c Mr. Rouhollah Momtazi | Mr. Abdullah Mesbah |
| c Mr. Masazo Odani | c Mr. Rowshan Mustapha |
| c Mrs. Barbara R. Sims | c Mr. Enoch Olinga |
| Mr. Hiroyasu Takano | c Mr. Emad Saberan |
| c Mr. Michitoshi Zenimoto | c Miss Valerie Wilson |
| NORWAY | PAKISTAN |
| c Mrs. Amelia Bowman | c Mr. Esfandiar Bakhtiari |
| c Mr. Ernst Holm | c Mr. Jean Pierre Louis Deleuran |
| Mrs. Aud Jervell Pettersen | c Mrs. Tove Lillian Alice Deleuran |
| Mr. Bruce Johnson | Mr. Siyyid Mehfooz-ul-Haq Ilmi |
| c Mr. Mahmood Madizoob | c Mr. Mehraban Jamshedi |
| c Mr. Trygve Nielsen | Mr. Asanand Chagla Joshi |
| c Miss Bodil Skodstrup | Dr. M. A. Latif |
| c Mrs, Gerd Strand | Dr. Mehboob Illahi Qureshi |
| c Miss Lecile Webster | c Mr. Faridoon U. Jamshed Yazamaidi |
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| PANAMA | PARAGUAY |
| Mr. Harry Haye Anderson | Mr. Amir Aazampanah |
| c Mrs. Rachelle Jean E de Constante | Mrs. Kayhanoush Aazampanah |
| c Mr. James Vassal Facey | c Mr. David P. Baral |
| c Mr. Kenneth Frederics | Mrs. Ana de Alvarez |
| c Mrs. Leota E. M. Lockman | Mrs. Victoria de Frey |
| c Mr. Alfred E. A. Osborne | Mrs. Rosa de Laterza |
| c Mr. William Alan H. Pringle | Mrs. Angélica Doldán |
| c Mrs. Ruth E. Yancey Pringle | c Mr. Gilbert Grasselly |
| c Mr. Donald Ross Witzel | c Miss Margaret Mills |
| PERU | PORTUGAL |
| Mr. Guillermo Aguilar | Mr. Angelo da Silva Carneiro |
| Mr. Fidel Flores | c Mr. Mansour Masrour |
| Mr. Cesar Loayza | Miss Sara Tiffon Ramonet |
| c Mr. Lester W. Long | Mrs. Hilda Xavier Rodrigues |
| Mr. Demetrio Molero | Mr. Carlos Salomao |
| Mrs. Jesus Rivera | Mr. Carl Scherer |
| Mrs. Josefina Rosas | Mr. Juliao Serrano |
| c Miss Mercedes Sanchez | c Mr. Celestino M. Silva |
| c Dr. Enrique Sanchez | Mr. Richard Walters |
| SOUTH EAST ASIA | SOUTH AND WEST AFRICA |
| c Mr. Jamshed Fozdar | c Mr. John Allen |
| c Dr. John Fozdar | c Mrs. Valera Allen |
| c Mrs. Shirin Fozdar | c Mr. Rudolfo Duna |
| Mr. Le Loc | c Mr. Shidan Fathe-Aazam |
| c Mr. Leong Tat Chee | c Mrs. Bahiyyih Ford |
| c Mr. Jamshid Ma'ani | c Mr. Lowell Johnson |
| c Mr. Dempsey W. Morgan | c Mr. William Masehla |
| Mr. Khodarahm H. Payman | c Mr. Andrew Mofokeng |
| c Mr. Kamran A. Samimi | c Mr. Max Seepe |
| SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS | SPAIN |
| c Mr. Suhayl Ala'i | Mr. Ramon Escartin Alamanac |
| Mrs. Elsa Blakely | Mr. Isidro Torrella Arnau |
| c Mr. Alvin Blum | Mr. Carlos Chias Gran |
| c Miss Irene Jackson | c Mr. Antonio Jimenez Gutierrez |
| c Mr. Lisiate Maka | Mr. Francisco Salas Heras |
| c Mr. Stephen Percival | c Mr. Charles M. loas |
| Miss Margaret Rowling | Mr. Ruhollah Mehrabkhani |
| c Miss Mabel Sneider | Mr. Jose Lopez Monge |
| c Mr. Niuoleava Tuataga | Mr. Luis Ortuno Puche |
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| SWEDEN | SWITZERLAND |
| c Mr. Hadi Afsahi | c Mrs. Mona Haermi de Bons |
| c Miss Elizabeth Bevan | c Mr. William Hatcher |
| Miss Jean Bonn | c Mrs. Anna Kunz |
| c Mr. Rouhollah Golmohammadi | c Mrs. Martha Miiller |
| c Mr. Sven Mards | c Dr. Heinrich Walter Ott |
| c Mr. John Nielsen | c Mr. Friedrich Schar |
| Mrs. Lotus Grace Nielsen | c Mr. Daniel-Robert Schaubacher |
| Mr. Hans Odemyr | c Mr. Fritz Semle |
| c Mrs. Marianne Pickens | c Miss Elsa Steinmetz |
| TURKEY | UNITED STATES |
| c Mr. Mahmud Afnan | c Mr. Hugh E. Chance |
| c Dr. hiayetullah Burhani | Mr. Arthur Dahl |
| Mr. Haydar Diriuz | c Mr. Amoz E. Gibson |
| c Mr. Diavad-Ghuchani | c Mr. H. B. Kavelin |
| c Mr. Sami Doktoroghlu | c Miss Charlotte M. Linfoot |
| Mr. Mejdettin Inan | c Dr. (Mrs.) Sarah M. Pereira |
| c Mr. Habib Manevi | c Dr. David S. Rulie |
| c Mr. Neyir Ozshuja | c Mrs. Velma L. Sherrill |
| c Dr. (Mrs.) Muzaffer Tanrikut | c Miss Edna M. True |
| URUGUAY | VENEZUELA |
| Mr. Edward Brownley Belcher | Mrs. Maria Ines de Caro |
| Mrs. Elena Ade Caraballo | Mrs. Maria de Dutto |
| Miss Eloisa Mary Dutra | Mr. Edwardo Maa Gamarra |
| c Mr. Ronald Lee Hauck | Mr. Camilo Grandi |
| c Mrs. Helen Hathorn Hauck | Mr. Anselmo Torres Morales |
| Mr. Aminullah Mandegari | Miss Mireya Munoz |
| Mr. Mario Regina Marios | Mr. Luis E. Narvaez |
| c Mr. Leo Perrin Powell | Mr. Hans Voss |
| c Mrs. Daisy Lapsley Powell | Mrs. Chana Mejia de Voss |
BAHA'I WILMETTE
APRIL 1, 1963
DEEPLY APPRECIATE LOVING MESSAGE STOP EVE MOST GREAT JUBILEE WISH EXPRESS PROFOUND ADMIRATION GRATITUDE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION CHIEF EXECUTORS DIVINE PLAN ACHIEVEMENT GOALS BELOVED GUARDIAN'S CRUSADE EVERY CONTINENT GLOBE FULFILLING HIGH DESTINY FORETOLD ABDU'L-BAHA.
| [CABLE] | HANDSFAITH |
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To National Spiritual Assemblies of the United States and Europe
April 4, 1963
Beloved Friends:
We are sending you the attached
statement of information and quotations concerning the television
interview of King Hassan and the Moroc-can case in general. You are
free to use it, if you choose. We are hopeful that it may be of
value for Local Assemblies and groups in counteracting the
unfavourable publicity caused by King Hassan's television interview
and subsequent newspaper publicity. It can be used locally and
nationally as your Assembly sees fit, in order to secure as
widespread publicity as possible.
We feel strongly that King Hassan
should not be allowed to make such damaging remarks, and then think
that by saying he will grant a royal pardon, that it will remove
the damage. As you know, from the beginning of the Morocco case,
we have agreed that clemency or even a pardon is not enough. The
prisoners must be entirely exonerated. They cannot be pardoned for
a crime they did not commit, and we must keep this truth before the
eyes of the public.
With the appeal coming up soon, we must do
everything in our power to secure a favourable decision from the
Supreme Court. If they uphold the condemnation, it is a defeat for
the Cause whether the King pardons the prisoners or not. We are all
anxious, of course, to keep the story of this injustice alive and
before the court of world opinion, just as all of you are exerting
every effort to do.
We are confident that this recent outburst of
King Hassan will prove providential, and afford the opportunity for
a fresh wave of counteracting publicity which will attract even
more attention, and proclaim our be-loved Faith on an even wider
scale.
With warm Bahá'í greetings,
In the service of the beloved
Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND
| "Condemned to Death
for Their Religion!" THE YEAR: 1963 |
WORLD SHOCKED
The London Times, January 9, 1963 ---"The recent death sentence on three Bahá'ís by a provincial court shocked Moroccan as well as foreign opinion."
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INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR RIGHTS OF MAN PROTESTSA NEW DEVELOPMENT
United Nations, N.Y., January 31, 1963 ---"During the trial which began last December 10, the only evidence was that they practised their Faith."
IRONIC TWIST
New York Herald Tribune News Service, United Nations, January 31, 1963 ---"Ironically, the trial began,last December 10, which is the U.N. Human Rights Day, and was finished December 14, the day when a new Moroccan constitution was promulgated guaranteeing to all free practice of their Faith."
March 31, 1963: King Hassan H of Morocco, in a television interview before a nation-wide audience in the United States, declared that the Bahá'í Faith was not a religion. It was, he said, "against good order and also morals."
FALSE INFORMATION BROADCAST TO MILLIONS
This interview, carried to an audience of
millions, was subsequently reported in the world press. Members of
the Bahá'í Community in over 250 countries, as well as their
sympathizers throughout the world, were stunned and shocked to hear
such words spoken by the head of a sover-eign state. That he should
be so misinformed as to make such a statement in a country where
Bahá'ís reside in over 1700 cities, where their National Assembly
is a legally incorporated body, where they have the right to
perform marriages and other privileges, and where the International
Bahá'í Community is accredited to the United Nations as one of the
Non-Governmental Organizations, seems incredible.
SAME FALSE CHARGES LED TO SENTENCE OF DEATH IN MOROCCO
The misinformation
given during this interview, was the same as that which led to the
arrest, conviction and sentence of death being pronounced against
the Bahá'ís in Morocco. Three were sentenced to death, five to life
imprisonment, one to ten years' imprisonment. They were accused of
rebellion, disorder and other crimes against the state, but the
simple truth was: They were Bahá'ís.
UNITED NATIONS APPEAL LABELS CHARGES FALSE
United Nations, N.Y., January 31, 1963 ---Roger Baldwin, Chairman of the International League for the Rights of Man, appearing before the U.N. sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities
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declared: "One charge ... the one from which the others stemmed ... was of injuring the Islamic faith."
"During the trial, which began
last December 10, the only evidence was that they practised their
faith and ignored the faith of Islám."
"So far as we know, this is
the only case in recent history in any country where members of a
religion have been condemned to death solely for holding and
expressing religious views regarded as heretical."
BAHÁ'ÍS CONFIDENT KING WOULD WISH WRONG CORRECTED
Since millions of people either
heard or read the statement of King Hassan, it is only proper that
the true facts of the case be placed before the public, in the
interests of justice, and to protect the good name of the Bahá'í
Faith, which is widely respected throughout the world. The Bahá'ís
assume that His Majesty, King Hassan made his erroneous statement
because of misinformation supplied to him about the Bahá'í Faith.
It is this error alone they wish to correct.
KING TELLS PRESS HE DISAGREES WITH JUDGEMENT, WILL GRANT PARDON
The good-will of His
Majesty has already been demonstrated by his statement in a Reuters
dispatch dated April 2, New York, in which he promised a royal
pardon for those condemned to death if the Supreme Court upholds
the decision. Le Monde, April 3, 1963 quotes the King: "I am not
personally in agreement with the condemnation to death of the
Bahá'ís in Morocco." "If there is an appeal," he is quoted as
saying, "if I am asked to pardon them, I shall do so."
Public
opinion demands that since the men were arrested without due cause,
imprisoned several months without trial, and condemned solely
because of their religion, it is not in the interests of justice
that they be given clemency or even a royal pardon. Men cannot be
pardoned for a crime they did not commit. They should be completely
exonerated. Furthermore, pardon for the prisoners cannot remove
the damaging effect caused by the widespread misinformation made
during the King's ill-advised television interview. It is for this
reason that we are issuing this statement.
WORLD PRESS COMMENTS ON
IMPRISONMENT
AND DEATH SENTENCES FOR RELIGIOUS BELIEF
AND DEATH SENTENCES FOR RELIGIOUS BELIEF
ONE DAY'S IMPRISONMENT TOO MUCH SAYS U. N. APPEAL
United Nations, Geneva: J. Duncan Wood, writing on behalf of The Friends World Committee for Consultation, submitted a statement to the Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva, stating: "In our view a
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sentence of even one day's imprisonment for religious belief is a clear form of religious discrimination." Wood also called attention to another astonishing breach of the human rights of the Bahá'ís in Morocco, a fact which had not been covered in earlier press releases. "Two Bahá'ís", he said, "have been detained in prison in that state for almost a year without ever having been brought to trial. Such an act of arbitrary arrest consti-tutes a further breach of human rights to which we call your attention. Because of the pressure of world opinion they have recently been interro-gated in camera and, instead of being liberated, have been returned to prison."
FAMOUS FRENCH NEWSPAPER QUOTES EDITORIAL FROM LEADING MOROCCAN PAPER
Le Monde, December 26, 1962 (Rabat) ---"Apparently, it would seem that the defendants might have been sentenced, and to what punishment ... without the 'cases and forms' having been expressly mentioned by law. For what written law, in Morocco, mentions attacks on religious faith and punishes such by a death sentence?" (From: Les Phares)
MOROCCAN PAPER APPEALS TO CONSCIENCE OF ALL MOROCCAN CITIZENS
Les Phares, Rabat, Morocco, December 29, 1962 ---"Yes, we wrote that the sentence of Nador seems to us redoubtable and stems from a severity which is outdated in this period of change. We wrote it and we repeat it and we once again appeal, because the judgement has not yet been made effective, to the conscience of all citizens."
MOROCCAN PRESS HIGHLIGHTS FREEDOMS GUARANTEED IN NEW CONSTITUTION
"ARTICLE 6: Islám shall be the official religion while the State shall guarantee the freedom of worship for all."LEADING BRITISH JOURNAL SAYS: INCONCEIVABLE SENTENCES WILL BE CARRIED OUT
"ARTICLE 9: The Constitution shall guarantee to all citizens: the free-dom of movement through, and of settlement in, all parts of the king-dom, the freedom of speech in all its forms."
The Guardian, Manchester, Friday, December 21, 1963 ---"Now three men who profess Bahá'í have been condemned to death by a regional court at Nador, in Morocco, and five others sentenced to life imprisonment ... simply, so far as one can see, because of their religion. It is astonishing enough that the Courts should still be condemning men to
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death for their religion anywhere in the world; that this happens in Morocco is, as Le Monde put it, a matter for stupefaction. The people of that country just voted themselves a bright new constitution which 'guaran-tees freedom of worship to all.' The condemned men are appealing, and it seems inconceivable that the sentence will be carried out in a country of Morocco's standing."
MOROCCAN PAPER LABELS VERDICT MEDIEVAL BARBARITY
The Economist, January 5, 1963 (Quotes leading Moroccan Journal) ---"Significantly, the newspaper attacked the verdict as a medieval barbarity, unworthy of modern Morocco. And many educated Moroccans have been shocked by what seems a reflection of their good name for religious tolerance ... a tolerance enshrined in their new constitution."
---------------------------------------
WHY DID THE LOWER COURT CONDEMN
THE PRISONERS OF NADOR?
THE PRISONERS OF NADOR?
THE CHARGES:
1. The Bahá'í Faith incites rebellion. (False)
2. The Bahá'í Faith attacks public security. (False)
3. The Bahá'í Faith is an association of criminals. (False)
4. The Bahá'í Faith advocates the overthrow of all governments. (False)
5. The Bahá'í Faith attacks other religions. (False)
6. The prisoners studied Bahá'í books and were members of the Bahá'í Religion. (True)
We
recommend to His Majesty, King Hassan 11, and to the Supreme Court
of Appeals, to weigh another type of testimony regarding the Bahá'í
Faith, the Bahá'ís, and what they stand for.
---------------------------------------
IMPRESSIVE TRIBUTES TO THE BAHA'I
FAITH
FROM WORLD LEADERS WHICH DEMONSTRATES
THE FALSE NATURE OF THE ACCUSATIONS
FROM WORLD LEADERS WHICH DEMONSTRATES
THE FALSE NATURE OF THE ACCUSATIONS
Historian Arnold Toynbee: Bahá'ísm is undoubtedly a religion. Bahá'ísm is an independent religion, on a par with Islám, Christianity, and other recognized world religions. Bahá'ísm is not a sect of some other religion;
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it is a separate religion, and it has the same status as other recognized religions.
Viscount Herbert Samuel, G.C.B., stated in August, 1959, that he had found the members of the Bahá'í Faith under his jurisdiction as a High Commissioner, to be "a valuable element in the population, intelligent, orderly, well-educated, and above all trustworthy. In government service and in commercial employment they were much esteemed as being free from corruptibility." The Bahá'í Faith, Samuel added, "command's the respect and goodwill of its neighbours."
Professor Benjamin Jowett, Oxford University, Master of Balliol described the Bahá'í Faith as "the greatest light that has come into the world since the time of Jesus Christ."
Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, K.C.S.L, President, Economic and Social Council of United Nations: "The Bahá'í Faith gives us the great and precious message of unity in religion. How much the world needs such a spirit today."
Leo Tolstoy: "Bahá'u'lláh's teachings . . . now present us with the highest and purest form of religious teaching."
U. S. Supreme Court Justice, William O. Douglas: "They (the Bahá'ís) enjoy a fine reputation as merchants. The reason is that they maintain high ethical standards in all their dealings ... and as a result, they gain in prestige."
Eduard Benes,former President of Czechoslovakia: "The Bahá'í Faith is one of the great moral and social forces in all the world today."
Senator Kenneth B. Keating, N.Y. (in U. S. Senate, February 18, 1963): "Proclaiming the oneness of all the great world religions, the Bahá'í Faith accepts all their major prophets as equally inspired. It believes in the unity of all mankind. . . How far religious freedom under the Moroccan Constitution really applies, will be revealed in the coming weeks when the appeal before the Supreme Court (of Morocco) is heard."
---------------------------------------
It is the hope of men of goodwill
everywhere that the Moroccan Su-preme Court of Appeal will correct
the grave injustice inflicted by its Lower Court, and completely
exonerate all the Bahá'í prisoners who have suffered for more than
a year a flagrant violation of religious freedom and human rights.
---------------------------------------
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"We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations . . . These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family."Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í Faith
CONCLAVE MESSAGE
1963
1963
BAHA'I WILMETTE
APRIL 9,1963
KINDLY CABLE FOLLOWING ALL NSAS EXCEPT PERSIA IRAQ ARABIA EUROPE QUOTE HANDS CAUSE GATHERED PRECINCTS MOST HOLY SHRINE URGE ALL BELIEVERS WORLD BAHAI COMMUNITY EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN GROUPS UNITE HEARTS ARDENT PRAYERS BEGINNING SUNDOWN APRIL TWENTIETH FIRST DAY RIDVAN BESEECH BLESSED BEAUTY INSPIRE GUIDE DELEGATES RAISE UP LONG AWAITED AUGUST INSTITUTION FULFILLING GLORIOUS PROMISES SACRED WRITINGS STOP REQUEST ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES INFORM FRIENDS HANDSFAITH UNQUOTE CHARGE COST VARGHA FUND.
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ROWHANI CARE NAWNAHALAN TEHERAN (IRAN)
APRIL 9, 1963
HANDS CAUSE GATHERED PRECINCTS MOST HOLY SHRINE URGE ALL BELIEVers WORLD BAHA'I COMMUNITY EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN GROUPS UNITE HEARTS ARDENT PRAYERS BEGINNING SUNDOWN APRIL TWENTIETH FIRST DAY RIDVAN BESEECH BLESSED BEAUTY INSPIRE GUIDE DELEGATES RAISE UP LONG AWAITED AUGUST INSTITUTION FULFILLING GLORIOUS PROMISES SACRED WRITINGS STOP REQUEST INFORM FRIENDS.
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BAHA'I LONDON
APRIL 9, 1963
KINDLY CABLE FOLLOWING ALL NSAS EUROPE QUOTE HANDS CAUSE GATHERED PRECINCTS MOST HOLY SHRINE URGE ALL BELIEVERS WORLD BAHAI COMMUNITY EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN GROUPS UNITE HEARTS ARDENT PRAYERS BEGINNING SUNDOWN APRIL TWENTIETH FIRST DAY RIDVAN BESEECH BLESSED BEAUTY INSPIRE GUIDE DELEGATES RAISE UP
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LONG AWAITED AUGUST INSTITUTION FULFILLING GLORIOUS PROMISES SA-CRED WRITINGS STOP REQUEST ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES INFORM FRIENDS HANDSFAITH UNQUOTE CHARGE COST OUR ACCOUNT
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To the International Bahá'í Council, Haifa
April 12, 1963
Beloved Friends:
All the Hands present at our meeting in Bahjf
wish to express to the members of the International Bahá'í Council
their deep appreciation of the services they have rendered the
Cause of God since they assumed their duties after their election
in 1961. Collectively and severally they have greatly contributed
to strengthening the World Centre of the Faith and to carrying out
those duties specified for that body by our dearly-beloved
Guardian.
The Hands in the Holy Land wish, on their own behalf, to
assure the Council members of their appreciation of the valuable
assistance they have given them locally in so many ways, and to
assure them our association has been not only a fruitful and
pleasant one, but a source of comfort and strength to us.
There are
two matters in connection with the Congress which we would like you
to immediately convey to the Congress Arrangements Committee:
During the first session, all Hands of the Cause and the members
of the Universal House of Justice will sit on the platform. During
the remaining sessions the Hands, their wives and the companion of
Amatu'l-Baha Rdbfyyih -Khanum, will occupy front row centre seats
facing the platform; if space in the centre is insufficient, then
two or more rows can be reserved for their use. Although we neither
know if all the members of the Universal House of Justice will be
present or where they would wish to be seated, we feel extra seats
should be included in this block for them and for their wives, in
case they desire to use them.
The Hands will arrange the devotional
readings and readers for the opening session of the Congress on
Sunday afternoon, the entire program of the Feast of Ridvdn, and
the readings at the closing devotional session on May 2nd in the
afternoon. However, the prayers for all other sessions, and those
who are selected to read them, are left to the discretion of either
your Committee or a sub-committee which you may wish to appoint.
We have laid down our policy for these prayers which we request be
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strictly adhered to: Prayers will be read at the opening and closing of every session. No prayers will be read at the time of the fifteen minute interval. The total time allotted for these readings is fifteen to twenty minutes. All sessions are carefully arranged as regards time allowed, chairman and speakers. It is therefore very important that the readers' prayers are approved beforehand by the Committee in order to be sure each person will read only a short prayer. If it is left to the individual's judgement, some very long prayer in a foreign language may be read and spoil the presentation of the different subjects the speakers have been asked to address the Congress on. There can be as many as three readers if so desired in each session.
It is our desire
to have as many of the different ethnic groups present at the
Congress read these prayers as possible. No Persian or Arabic
prayers or readers should be arranged for these sessions, as they
have already been amply provided for in the other sessions of the
program. The major emphasis in choosing readers should be among
those who belong to the tribes and races enrolled during the World
Crusade rather than those ethnic groups of Europe. We give you
below a sample program just by way of information. We leave the
last choice of readers and languages and order on the program to
you.
Monday MorningMonday Afternoon
Opening Prayer in Tongan
Prayer in Gujrati, or Hindi, etc.Closing Prayer in Finnish Tuesday Morning
Opening Prayer in Quechua Closing Prayer in Samoan
Prayer in English read by an AfricanTuesday Afternoon
Opening Prayer in African language read by an African
Prayer in FinnishClosing Prayer in Chinese Wednesday Morning
Opening Prayer in Korean (Bill Smits' wife is Korean)
Prayer in English read by some other raceClosing Prayer in Canadian Indian language
Opening Prayer in Indonesian
Prayer in African language by AfricanClosing Prayer in Japanese by Japanese
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Wednesday AfternoonThursday Morning
Opening Prayer in Vietnamese by native
Prayer in English read by another raceClosing Prayer in Malayan, or some other South East Asian language
Opening Prayer in Lapp or Gypsy if possible
Prayer in English by another raceClosing Prayer in Navajo or other Indian language
In our letter to you of
October 8, 1962, we conveyed to you our decision that the Hands of
the Faith would not put themselves forward in any way at the time
before the election of the House of Justice. The Hands of the Faith
support this decision. They will, in any case, be in session up
until the end of Ridvdn. We feel, however, that the ladies who are
doing the guiding and receiving of the delegates must be extremely
discreet in their remarks, and under no circumstances say the Hands
are keeping out of sight on purpose. If anyone asks where the
Hands--all or one-are, the answer should be: In session. They have
no time at the moment for anything else but their own work, and
hope after the first of Ridvdn to have time to enjoy meeting with
their friends and all the delegates. They should, under no
circumstances, become involved in discussions with the delegates,
should they be asked by them on the subject of whether the Hands
should or should not be on the Universal House of Justice.
With
warmest Bahá'í love,
In the service of the beloved
Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND
NAVIDI, BOITE POSTALE 114, MONTE CARLO (MONACO)
APRIL 15, 1963
KINDLY CONVEY IN PROPER MANNER FOLLOWING MESSAGE PRISONERS MOROCCO QUOTE ENTIRE BODY HANDS CAUSE MEETING PRECINCTS MOST HOLY SHRINE GREET YOU ONE AND ALL WITH DEEPEST LOVE AFFECTION STOP HAIL WITH PRIDE GRATITUDE YOUR HEROISM EXEMPLARY STEADFAST-NESS RECALLING IMMORTAL FEATS SPIRITUAL FORBEARS SHEDDING EVER-LASTING LUSTRE ANNALS CLOSING MONTHS BELOVED GUARDIAN'S MIGHTY CRUSADE BRINGING ABOUT UNPRECEDENTED SPREAD KNOWLEDGE FAITH ENHANCING ITS PRESTIGE DISTINCTION THROUGHOUT WORLD STOP PRAYING FERVENTLY SACRED THRESHOLD DIVINE PROTECTION VINDICATION.
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ROWHANI CARE NAWNAHALAN, TEHERAN (IRAN)
APRIL 15,1963
DEEPLY APPRECIATE RIDVAN MESSAGE JOIN YOU ARDENT PRAYERS DIVINE INSPIRATION GUIDANCE STOP EVE MOST GREAT JUBILEE WISH EXPRESS PROFOUND ADMIRATION GRATITUDE CONSECRATED HISTORIC SERVICES FRIENDS CRADLE FAITH STOP THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT MATERIAL RE-SOURCES PIONEERING SERVICES EVERY CONTINENT CONTRIBUTING SUCH LARGE MEASURE ATTAINMENT VICTORY BELOVED GUARDIAN's HOLY CRU-SADE ADDS YET ANOTHER BRILLIANT CHAPTER INVERISHABLE RECORD SERVICES SACRED THRESHOLD.
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ROWHANI CARE NAWNAHALAN, TEHERAN (IRAN)
APRIL 19,1963
HANDS GATHERED HOLY LAND REQUEST YOU APPOINT SUITABLE PERSON DELIVER FOLLOWING MESSAGE KAMIL ABBAS IN PERSON IMMEDIATELY QUOTE OCCASION MEMORABLE RIDVAN TERMINATION BELOVED's PLAN COINCIDING MOST GREAT JUBILEE ALL FRIENDS IRAQ LOVINGLY REMEM-BERED HOLY SHRINES STOP URGE JOIN US THANKSGIVING ASTOUNDING VICTORIES WON STOP YOUR ARDENT PRAYERS VISIT GREAT HOUSE GARDEN RIDVAN WILL CONNECT MADINATU'LLAH WITH WORLD CONGRESS CONVENED ACCORDANCE DIVINELY GUIDED PLAN FORMULATED BELOVED GUARDIAN STOP URGE FRIENDS SEND MESSAGE GREETING REACH WORLD CONGRESS OBSERVANCE NINTH RIDVAN DEEPEST LOVE.
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ELECTION OF THE
UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
PROGRAM
FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
APRIL 21-23, 1963
'AKKÁ -HAIFA
WORLD CENTRE OF THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH
PROGRAM
FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
APRIL 21-23, 1963
'AKKÁ -HAIFA
WORLD CENTRE OF THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH
April 21
9:30 a.m. Election of the Universal House of Justice 4:00 p.m. Ridván Feast Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh
+425
April 22
April 23
10:00 a.m. The Victories of the World Crusade 3:00 p.m. Teaching the Faith
Mass Conversion
Home Front Teaching
Liberalization of Enrolment of New Believers8:30 p.m. Status of Other Crusade Goals
(including the Mother Temple of Europe)
Note: The election of the Universal House of Justice on Sunday morning, April 21, will be held at the home of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 7 Haparsim Street, Haifa. The Ridvin Feast on Sunday afternoon will be held at Bahjf, in the garden surrounding the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh. The Convention sessions on Monday and Tues-day, April 22 and April 23, will be held at Beth Harofe Auditorium, 2 Wingate Avenue, Haifa.
10:00 a.m. Consolidation of the Faith
Preservation of Local Assemblies -
The Spiritual Prizes
Importance of Pioneers Remaining at their Posts
Establishment of Administration and its Proper Use
The Nineteen Day Feast3:00 p.m. Consolidation of the Faith (continued)
Protection of the Faith
Importance of Firmness in the Covenant
Public Relations of the Faith
Meeting Attacks
Making Friends for the Faith
Need for Caution in Critical Areas8:30 p.m. Intensification of the Spirit of Teaching throughout the World
Closing of the Convention
BAHA'I WILMETTE
APRIL 21,1963
OCCASION WORLDWIDE CELEBRATIONS MOST GREAT JUBILEE COMMEM-ORATING CENTENARY ASCENSION BAHA'U'LLAH THRONE HIS SOVEREIGNTY WITH HEARTS OVERFLOWING GRATITUDE HIS UNFAILING PROTECTION OVER-FLOWING BOUNTIES JOYOUSLY ANNOUNCE FRIENDS EAST WEST ELECTION
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SUPREME LEGISLATIVE BODY ORDAINED BY HIM IN HIS MOST HOLY BOOK PROMISED BY HIM RECEIVE HIS INFALLIBLE GUIDANCE STOP MEMBERS FIRST HISTORIC HOUSE JUSTICE DULY ELECTED BY DELEGATES COMPRISING MEMBERS FIFTYSIX NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES ARE CHARLES WOLCOTT ALI NAKHJAVANI BORRAH KAVELIN IAN SEMPLE LOTFULLAH HAKIM DAVID HOFMAN HUGH CHANCE AMOZ GIBSON HUSHMAND FATHEAZAM STOP TO JUBILATION ENTIRE BAHA'I WORLD VICTORIOUS COMPLETION BELOVED GUARDIAN'S UNIQUE CRUSADE NOW ADDED HUMBLE GRATITUDE PROFOUND THANKSGIVING FOLLOWERS BAHA'U'LLAH FOR ERECTION UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE AUGUST BODY TO WHOM ALL BELIEVERS MUST TURN WHOSE DESTINY IS TO GUIDE UNFOLDMENT HIS EMBRYONIC WORLD ORDER THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS PRESCRIBED BY BAHA'U'LLAH ELABORATED BY ABDU'L-BAHA LABORIOUSLY ERECTED BY SHOGHI EFFENDI AND ENSURE EARLY DAWN GOLDEN AGE FAITH WHEN THE WORD OF THE LORD WILL COVER THE EARTH AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA STOP CABLE ABOVE MESSAGE ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES EXCEPT IRAQ ARGENTINA AIRMAIL LATTER STOP SEND CANADA'S CARE HARPER PETTYPIECE STOP CHARGE COST VARGHA FUND.
| [CABLE] | HANDSFAITH |
RESOLUTION OF THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD
PASSED AT THEIR MEETING IN LONDON ON MAY 9, 1963
PASSED AT THEIR MEETING IN LONDON ON MAY 9, 1963
The following principles shall apply to
the relations between the body of the Hands and the Hands Residing
in the Holy Land and to the activities of the Hands in the Holy
Land:
1. Five of the Hands of the Cause are assigned to the Holy
Land. They will be responsible for coordinating the international
work of the institution of the Hands, in relation to the
Continental Hands and to the Univer-sal House of Justice.2. The quorum of the Hands in the Holy Land will be three, two of which must be from the original five elected to serve in the Holy Land. If necessary in order to maintain a quorum, the Hands in the Holy Land are authorized, after consultation with the Continental Hands, to request one of these Hands to serve temporarily in the Holy Land.
3. In the event of any vacancy occurring in the composition of the Hands in the Holy Land, the body of the Hands will fill such vacancy by election.
4. Meetings of the body of the Hands are to be called by the Hands in the Holy Land, after consultation with the body of the Hands.
5. The Hands in the Holy Land, acting on behalf of the body of the Hands, will allocate whatever international funds are available for the
+427
work of the Hands, in accordance with the general instructions of the body of the Hands.
[Signed as follows] Rúhíyyih Collis Featherstone Ugo Giachery Adelbert MiNschlegel John Ferraby Enoch Olinga Hermann Grossmann Zikrullah Khadem Agnes B. Alexander A. Vargha Paul Haney Sh. Alai William Sears John Robarts A. Furutan Jalal Khazeh Tarázu'lláh Samandarí Hasan M. Balyuzi A.Q. Faizi R. Mohajer
RIDVAN MESSAGE
1963
1963
TO ANNUAL BAHA'I CONVENTIONS
BAHA'I WILMETTE
MAY 19,1963
HANDS CAUSE WISH EXPRESS LOVING APPRECIATION HEROIC DEDICATED EFFORTS FRIENDS EVERYWHERE ASSURING TRIUMPHANT CONCLUSION BE-LOVED GUARDIAN'S MIGHTY CRUSADE STOP ENTIRE BODY HANDS DESIROUS DEVOTE ALL THEIR EFFORTS PROTECTION PROPAGATION FAITH ACCORDING FUNCTIONS LAID DOWN HOLY TEXTS AND SUSTAINED UPLIFTED ESTABLISHment SUPREME EDIFICE UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE INTEND CONCENTRATE ACTIVITIES ALL IMPORTANT TEACHING WORK THIS GLORIOUS PERIOD EX-PANSION FAITH STOP OUR BELOVED GUARDIAN ASSOCIATED FIVE HANDS WITH WORK HOLY LAND HIS LIFETIME STOP FOLLOWING THIS PATTERN FIVE HANDS NOW ASSIGNED HOLY LAND THUS ENSURING AT ALL TIMES PRES-ENCE HANDS WORLD CENTRE FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL WORK INSTITUtion HANDS ASSIST HOUSE JUSTICE ANY WAY DEEMED ADVISABLE THAT EXALTED BODY STOP FIVE CHOSEN SERVE HOLY LAND ARE AMATU'L-BAHA RUHIYYIH KHANUM LEROY IOAS ALI AKBAR FURUTAN PAUL HANEY ABU'L QASIM FAIZI STOP CHANGES ASSIGNMENT HANDS CONTINENTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY STOP CONFIDENT SPIRIT RELEASED MOST GREAT JUBILEE WILL INSPIRE FRIENDS ARISE ENSURE CONTINUATION UNPRECE-DENTED TIDE VICTORIES TEACHING FIELD.
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To the Hands of the Cause of God Residing in the Holy Land
May 26,1963
Beloved Friends,
We have been most grateful for the
consultations we were able to have with you over the past two days,
and look forward to others in the coming weeks as the process of
our taking over the administrative work of the Cause progresses.
As we explained on Friday, there is one decision made by the House
of Justice in London which we feel we should communicate to you
without delay: our decision to adopt 10 Haparsim Street as the
offices of the Univer-sal House of Justice and to terminate the
other uses of the building....
Our members will be arriving in the
Holy Land during the course of the next few weeks and by Ist
September eight of the members will be here. As it will take a
little time to prepare the premises for use as offices we would
therefore be grateful if we could have them as soon as possible.
The alternative accommodation for the western pilgrims has not yet
been finally decided, but we are investigating the possibility of
housing them in the Eastern Pilgrim House and the two houses
adjoining....
With loving greetings,
Yours in His service,
THE
UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
To the Hands of the Cause of God
May 27, 1963
Beloved Co-workers:
We hasten to send you the enclosed copy
of our message to the Annual Conventions. You will note that it
incorporates the points approved at our meeting in London.
Very
heartwarming acknowledgements have been received by cable from a
large number of the National Assemblies and Conventions,
containing expressions of appreciation of the services of the
Hands in bringing the beloved Guardian's Crusade to a successful
conclusion. When the file is complete, we plan to share these
messages with you.
We shall be writing you again shortly in
connection with various actions approved at our recent meeting.
With warmest loving greetings,
In the service of the beloved
Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND
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To the Universal House of Justice
June 7, 1963
Dearly Beloved Friends:
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 1963
For the records of your
august Body, we wish to provide you with the following statement
concerning the First International Bahá'í Convention held in Haifa,
Israel, on April 21-22-23, 1963.
This Convention was called by the
Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy Land, acting on behalf of
the entire body of the Hands of the Cause, the Chief Stewards of
the Faith.
The delegates to this Convention were the members of the
fifty-six existing National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'í
world. In accordance with the Bahá'í Sacred Writings these
delegates or electors cast their ballots for the election of the
first Universal House of Justice, All fifty-six National Assemblies
participated in the election, either through having their members
present in person at the Convention in Haifa, where they cast their
ballots individually, or through the casting of absentee ballots
sent by mail by those members of the various National Assemblies
unable to be present in person in Haifa at the Convention.
The
Convention itself was under the supervision of the Hands of the
Cause, who appointed the eighteen tellers responsible for
tabulating the ballots and announcing the result of the election
of the Universal House of Justice. These tellers were in all cases
themselves members of National Spiritual Assemblies, and therefore
delegates to the Convention. A list of the names of the eighteen
tellers is attached.
The casting of ballots for the members of the
Universal House of Justice took place on the morning of April 21,
1963 at the Home of 'Abdu'l-BahA, Number 7 Persian Street, Haifa.
The results of the election were announced by the tellers at the
Convention session held on Tuesday morning' April 22, 1963 at Beth
Harofe Auditorium, Number 2 Wingate Avenue, Haifa. The tellers'
report indicated that the following nine Bahá'ís received the
highest number of votes, and comprise the member-ship of the
Universal House of Justice:
Charles Wolcott Ian C. Semple Hugh E. Chance 'Ali Nakhjavani Lutfu'llah Hakim Amoz E. Gibson H. Borrah Kavelin David Hofman Hushmand Fatheazam
On motion made and duly
seconded the Convention approved and adopted the report of the
tellers.
After the presentation and approval by the Convention of
the tellers'
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report, the nine members of the first Universal House of Justice were presented as a group and individually to the Convention.
With
loving greetings,
In the service of the beloved
Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND
TELLERS
SUPERVISORY BOARD OF THREE
(TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN CHAIRMAN TO MAKE REPORT TO THE CONVENTION)
SUPERVISORY BOARD OF THREE
(TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN CHAIRMAN TO MAKE REPORT TO THE CONVENTION)
| Ernest Gregory | Husayn Mahboubi | James Facey |
FIVE TEAMS OF THREE TO COUNT THE BALLOTS
First Team
| Jamshid Monajjem | Lloyd Gardner | Leong Tat Che |
| Michitoshi Zenimoto | Max Seepe | Alejandro Reid |
| Salim Nounou | Lisiate Maka | Eugen Schmidt |
| Hassan Sabri | Noel Bluett | Athos Costas |
| Soheil Ala'i | Dempsey Morgan | Charlotte Linfoot |
To the Hands of the Cause of God Residing in the Holy Land
June 7, 1963
Beloved Friends,
Pursuant to the several
discussions which we have had with you rel-evant to the transfer
of the "functions, rights and powers" vested in the Custodians of
the Bahá'í World Faith by virtue of the Declaration of the Hands
of the Cause of God made at Bahjf on November 25th, 1957, please
be advised that the Universal House of Justice has decided that the
office of Custodians of the Bahá'í World Faith ceases to exist upon
your receipt of this communication.
With loving greetings,
THE
UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
To the Hands of the Cause of God
June 14, 1963
Beloved Co-workers:
The attached copy of a legal document
which we have executed on
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your behalf under the general authority approved at our recent meeting in London, is self-explanatory. It was worked out in consultation with the Universal House of Justice and with Dr. Weinshall, our attorney in Haifa.
Thus action has been taken to
terminate the legal entity of the Custodians, in accordance with
the language of the original document executed by the Hands of the
Cause on November 25, 1957, which provided that the body of the
Custodians would continue to exercise their functions, subject to
such directions and decisions as might be given by the entire body
of the Hands, "until such time as the Universal House of Justice,
upon being duly established and elected in conformity with the
Sacred Writings and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá may
otherwise determine." The actual date of termination of the
Custodianship was June 7, 1963. From that date the Hands in the
Holy Land will function under the terms of the document approved
in London.
In the course of other meetings and conferences during
the last three weeks documents have been executed designating the
members of the Universal House of Justice as the members and
managers of the eleven Israel or Palestine branches of the various
National Spiritual Assemblies, in successorship to the Hands in the
Holy Land.
We shall be writing you again shortly concerning other
matters growing out of our recent meetings, but we feel we should
share with you immediately certain facts which have just come to
our attention. The National Assembly of the United States has sent
us clippings from news-papers published in Santa Fe, New Mexico,
and in Florida, in the United States, describing the recent annual
convention of the "Bahá'ís of the United States Under the
Guardianship", which was held in Santa Fe. At this convention, "a
National Assembly of the United States" was established, and one
of the newspaper articles stated that in addition to the "National
Assembly" of the United States, two other national assemblies under
the guardianship were elected this year, one in Pakistan and one
in India. The news item published in Santa Fe stated that
eventually the Universal House of Justice would be elected by these
national assemblies under the hereditary guardianship, with the
guardian as its head, in accor-dance with the Bahá'í sacred
writings.
Appropriate steps are of course being taken to alert the
National Assemblies of India and Pakistan, and we shall report to
you any further significant developments which may occur.
We would
also like to inform you that representatives of the Universal House
of Justice and of the Hands in the Holy Land met with the head of
the Bahá'í Department of the Ministry of Religions in Jerusalem on
May 30th. At that meeting they were shown the originals of a number
of communications sent in April and May of this year by Mason Remey
to
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various officials of the Govermnent of Israel, including the President. In these communications Remey reiterated his claims, and in the one to the Ministry of Religions, asked them to advise him as to how he could gain recognition by the Government of Israel as the second Guardian of the Faith in successorship to Shoghi Effendi.
The above developments emphasize the need for exercise of
the utmost vigilance here at the World Centre in connection with
any possible further moves by Remey or his supporters. Steps have
been taken to formally notify the proper officials of the
Government of Israel, including the Prime Minister, of the
establishment of the Universal House of Justice, and that Body is
taking steps to strengthen its position with the Government.
Our
beloved fellow-Hand Enoch Olinga has reported that a former
believer in the Cameroons, Mr. Joseph Pamo, has joined the Remey
group, and is attempting to undermine the House of Justice and the
Institution of the Hands. He has been sending communications to the
Local Assemblies, groups and isolated believers in the Cameroons,
urging them to get in touch with Mason's group in Santa Fe, New
Mexico, and to accept Mason Remey as the second Guardian and the,
proper head of the Universal House of Justice.
On the basis of this
information furnished by Enoch we have expelled this individual,
and have taken steps to wam the believers in the Cam-eroons that
all association with him is forbidden. Needless to say, we
immediately met with the Universal House of Justice and informed
them of these developments.
As you know, our dear fellow-Hand
Collis Featherstone planned his return journey to Australia in such
a way as to visit a number of centres in Africa. He has cabled us
from Mauritius that there is an individual there, a Mr. Seechum,
who does not accept the Universal House of Justice and questions
the integrity of the Hands. He states that he is openly attempting
to cause division amongst several communities in Mauritius. Collis
met with the believers in these communities to combat his poisonous
attacks, and we are awaiting further information before taking
final action.
It is of course essential that we prevent the spread
of the poison of Covenant-breaking in the African continent and
surrounding islands which, with the exception of Réunion, have so
far been relatively free from this disease.
Our thoughts are with
you all, and our prayers, and we ask you to pray for us constantly
and to keep in close touch with us, so that we will be informed of
the progress of the work in all continents, and of your own
activities, and thus be in a position to pass on this news to all
the Hands.
With warmest and deepest love to you all,
In the service of the beloved
Guardian,
HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND
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DECLARATION
BY THE CUSTODIANS
RELEASING ALL THEIR FUNCTIONS, RIGHTS AND POWERS CONFERRED UPON
THEM BY THE DECLARATION OF THE HANDS, NOVEMBER 25, 1957,
TO THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
BY THE CUSTODIANS
RELEASING ALL THEIR FUNCTIONS, RIGHTS AND POWERS CONFERRED UPON
THEM BY THE DECLARATION OF THE HANDS, NOVEMBER 25, 1957,
TO THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
Haifa, Israel
June 7, 1963
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, DULY NOMINATED AND APPOINTED AS CUSTODIANS OF THE Bahá'í WORLD FAITH BY THE DECLARATION OF THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD MADE AT BAHJf ON NOVEMBER 25TH, 1957 "to exercise-subject to such directions and decisions as may be given from time to time by us as the Chief Stewards of the Bahá'í World Faith-all such functions, rights and powers in succession to the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, as are necessary to serve the interests of the Bahá'í World Faith, and this until such time as the Universal House of Justice, upon being duly established and elected in conformity with the Sacred Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, may other-wise determine", do now declare that the Universal House of Justice was so established and elected by action of the International Bahá'í Convention held at Haifa on April 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 1963 and we hereby release all the said functions, rights and powers which were conferred upon us under the said Declaration of November 25th, 1957 as determined by the Universal House of Justice in its communication of June 7th, 1963, and we declare that all the said functions, rights and powers now devolve rightfully and in full accordance with the Sacred Writings of the Bahá'í Faith upon the Universal House of Justice. We make this statement for the full body of the Hands of the Cause of God in accordance with the powers conferred upon us by the Declaration of November 25th, 1957, and the office of Custodians of the Bahá'í World Faith has thus ceased to exist
HANDS OF THE CAUSE RESIDING
IN THE HOLY LAND
| [Signed as follows] |
| Rúhíyyih Rabbani |
| Paul E. Haney |
| A. Furutan |
| Djalal Khazeh |
| William Sears |
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This book opened with the tribute to the Hands of the Cause of God
from the Universal House of Justice. Let it close with a tribute
to them from the National Spiritual Assembly of a small community:Your dedication, love and example to the Bahá'í world from the time of the passing of our beloved Guardian until the culmination of his Ten Year Crusade with the establishment of the Universal House of Justice will forever be in our memory and hearts. |
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