U. S. SUPPLEMENT

No. 103 BAHA'I YEAR 123 SEPTEMBER 1966

Universal Participation

Through Prayer and Fireside Teaching The Universal House of Justice in its message to the

Bahi'is of the world at Ridvin 1965 called on all be- lievers "to raise the intensity of teaching to a pitch never before attained" for the vast increase in mem- bership and institutions of the Faith necessary to achieve the Nine Year Plan. It said: "Universal partici- pation and constant action will win this goal."

Daily prayer is one of the essentials in universal par- ticipation. This is why the National Spiritual Assembly is asking each and every Baha'i to recite the prayer for his region daily beginning no later than September 16 and continuing through Ridvin 1967. It is believed that by making this effort the bounties will be so ob- vious that everyone will recognize the wisdom of con- tinuing until all the goals of the Nine Year Plan have been won.

This date precedes by one week that of September 23 marking the anniversary of the first mention made of our beloved Faith on this continent. This occurred at the World's Parliament of Religion in Chicago, S e p tember 23, 1893. On this date seventy-three years later every BahQ'i is being asked to hold or attend a Baha'i fireside. As the Guardian has written:

'I. . . it has been found over the entire world that the most effective method of teaching the Faith is the fireside meeting in the home. Every Bahi'i, as a part of his spiritual birthright, must teach, and the one avenue where he can do this most ef- fectively is by inviting friends into his home once in nineteen days, and gradually attracting them to the Cause." * For the many Bahi'is who are already holding regu-

lar firesides every nineteen days or more frequently, this is an extra opportunity to teach, and surely there will be a great potency if every Bahi9i.will participate on that day through both prayer and attendance.

The fifty-one State Goals Committees are all partici- pating in this program heartily recommended by the National Goals Committee and the National Spiritual Assembly. In California this plan has been carried out with outstanding success. On September 1 !ast year a goal of 500 firesides was exceeded. Once started a reg- ular schedule has been easily maintained.

To facilitate the recital of the regional prayer as given to us by 'Abdu'l-BahA in The Tablets of The Di- vine Plan, they have been printed on cards for each of the four regions. These are being made available through the State Goals Committees to all believers.

B h ' i NEWS, #292 June 1955, p.9. A discussion of Fireside Teaching written by the NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMLILY iS in the U.S. Supplement #101, July 1966, p.2.

United Nations Day October 24, 1966

A Special Evenf for Proclaiming the Baha'i Faith to the Public

Theme: U.N. - Focus on the Future

Suggested Materials: Material suggested by U.N. Committee; Tomorrow and Tomorrow; Bahb'i Peace Program from Bahi'i Publishing Trust.

Reports: Good photographs and reports of out- standing meetings should be mailed immediate- ly to the Public Information Department.

Functions of State Service Representatives

Transferred to State Goals Committees As of August first the newly appointed State Goals

Committees absorbed the duties and functions per- formed by the State Service Representatives during the past two years. Henceforth, the State Goals Commit- tees - one for each state and electoral district - will report new enrollments, changes of address, and trans- fers of isolated and group members, and carry out all the functions %of these committees as described in the U.S. Supplement, No. 101, for July. The membership of the State Goals Committees and the addresses of the secretaries are to be found in the Bahi'i Directory, Part I1 mailed with this issue of B d ' i NEWS.

Pioneer Couple Needed

for Thailand The Universal House of Justice has requested that a

couple from the United States go as pioneers to assist with the teaching in Thailand. The request reads that this couple should, in addition to the usual qualifications, be well grounded in the teachings of the Faith and should understand Bahi'i administration. Preferably they should be self supporting so that they will be able to travel and teach. The Universal House of Justice, in making this appeal, states that they will offer their prayers at the Holy Shrines for the success of this project.

Any couple who can volunteer for this project should be in touch immediately with: U.S. Foreign Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

SEPTEMBER 1966

The True Character The Guardian's Statement on

Leaving One's Body to Science of Consultation

The attention of the National Spiritual Assembly has been called to an anonymous letter recently sent to lo- cal assemblies and American believers. In each in- stance where a copy of the letter has'been forwarded to the National Assembly it has been accompanied with a protest against that type of individual action.

Many years ago the National Spiritual Assembly re- corded and published the view (Baha'i News #83, May 1934) : ' I . . . first, that anonymous communications are not in conformity either with the spirit or the letter of the Baha'i Teachings, and secondly, that the general dis- tribution of any letter, whether anonymous or other- wise, by an individual believer to members of the American Bahi'i communities is an improper method of Bahi'i consultation.

"In this connection reference is made to the Guard- ian's instruction on page 23 of Bahi'i Administration: 'Not only with regard to publication, but all matters without any exception whatsoever, regarding the inter- ests of the Cause in that locality, individually or col- lectively, should be referred 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 body.'

"And to the Guardian's further instruction of Novem- ber 18, 1933, published in BmA'i. NEWS of February, 1934: 'Shoghi Effendi firmly believes that consultation must be maintained between the N. S. A. and the entire body of the believers, and that such consultation, while the Convention is not in session, can best be maintained through the agency of the local Assemblies, one of whose essential functions is to act as intermediaries be- tween the local communities and their national repre- sentatives. The main purpose of the Nineteen Day Feasts is to enable individual believers to offer any suggestion to the local Assembly which in turn will pass it to the N. S. A. The local Assembly is, therefore, the proper medium through which local Baha'i com- munities can communicate with the body of the na- tional representatives.' "

Conditions for Restoration of Voting Rights

From time to time individuals and local assemblies inquire how reinstatement of Baha'i membership may be achieved by those persons who have been deprived of their membership and administrative privileges.

The initiative for reinstatement must be taken by the Bahi'i whose voting rights have been removed for any reason whatsoever. He may appeal directly to the National Spiritual Assembly for the restoration of his membership and voting rights, but his appeal must be accompanied by an expression of sincere repentance for his actions which deprived him of his membership, and a statement of his willingness to rectify the matter as may be required by Baha'i law. The judgment of the National Spiritual Assembly will be based on the merits of the individual case.

-U. S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

(Reprinted f rom U.S. Supplement No. 43, September 1961, p. 3 )

The following excerpt from a letter to an American believer from the beloved Guardian through his secre- tary, dated March 22,1957, is published here because in a few words it answers the increasing number of inquiries coming to the National Spiritual Assembly from individual Bahi'is and local spiritual assemblies on these subjects:

"There is nothing in the Teachings against leaving our bodies to medical science. The only thing we should stipulate is that we do not wish to be cremated, as it is against our BahA'i laws.

"As many people make arrangements to leave their bodies to medical science for investigation, he suggests that you inquire, either through some lawyer friend or through some hospital, how you could do this, and then make the necessary provision in your will, stipulating that you wish your body to be of service to mankind in death, and that, being a Baha'i, you request that your remains not be cremated and not be taken more than an hour's journey from the place you die.

"The spirit has no more connection with the body after it departs, but as the body was once the temple of the spirit, we Baha'is are taught that it must be treated with respect. "

- NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

Operation Bootstrap - Lifting Up the National Center

With the growth of the Faith in numbers, in prestige and in general activity level, the growth of the institu- tions necessarily is also increasing. One highly, essen- tial and useful form of homefront pioneering is to serve for a short term of years at 'the National Center.

Currently the National Center offices in Wilmetk are in need of skilled secretaries who are also (preferably) veteran Baha'is. From time to time other types of positions are available. Lacking detailed and compre- hensive resource files on the national Bahi'i com- munity, we must rely upon your volunteering of infor- mation on your skills and availability. Detailed person- nel records will be sought on each volunteer, with interviews etc., in order to determine the fitness of volunteers for the several specialized tasks.

Compensation is of moderate level, in accordance with the strong spirit of sacrificial service which impels the Bahi'is. Work is demanding but usually not ardu- ous. A special experience awaits those who come to live and work in the shadow of "the Most Holy House of Worship" and who can share in a rich Baha'i life. Pioneering will be a natural development after service at the National Center.

Innovations of a New Community The newly formed Local Assembly of Howard County

Maryland has developed an excellent idea for the efficient distribution of literature in the community. A special order book is made available at each feast and all those requiring literature have an opportunity to

U.S. SUPPLEMENT

write in the items they wish to have ordered under the combined service of the community librarian.

The first issue of their monthly newsletter, June, 1966, also carries a one-page calendar chart for the whole month with every community activity written into the squares. This is a convenient way to keep the community informed of all BahP'i events.

An Invitation from Alaska The National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska urges that

all BahP'i teachers traveling the polar route to Asia and to Europe stop over in Anchorage and other places in Alaska if possible. The invitation states: "If BahP'is traveling through Alaska could make a teaching stop here, it would be a tremendous boost to our teaching efforts."

St. Louis Youth Club

Conference Announced The St. Louis Metropolitan Youth Club will sponsor

their third annual conference October 28 through 30 at Trout Lodge, a Y.M.C.A. camp in Potosi, Missouri. All Bahi'is are invited to attend and bring their friends. Registration begins Friday evening, October 28, and the conference closes Sunday afternoon, October 30. Classes for children are scheduled. Among the confer- ence leaders will be Mrs. Jane McCants.

Reservations: Write to: Miss Peggy Wattles, 6531 San Bonita, Clayton, Missouri 63005. A deposit of $2.00 must accompany each reservation.

Thousand NATIONAL BAHA'I FUND

B Monthly Income: 1966-1 967

Monthly ' Budget

Regular contributions - - -- Special contributions & Miscellaneous -

A Lifetime of Service Mr. Willard McKay who, with his wife Doris, was

among the first group of American BahH'is to respond to the call for pioneers to Canada under the First Seven Year Plan, passed away at his post in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on June 4, 1966 after nearly a quarter of a century of valiant and continuous service in this one locality. Mrs. McKay remains to carry on as one of the original members of that community whose first local Assembly was formed in 1944.

In Memoriam Mrs. Marta P. Bunz John C. Inglis Edison, N.Y. Birmingham, Alabama

June 6, 1966 June 6, 1966

Lee 0. Day Mrs. Katherine D. MacPhee Daly City, Calif. Calistoga, Calif.

May 18, 1966 June 10, 1966

Mrs. Emma Flynn Raymond Robinson Eliot, Maine Chicago, Illinois

May 17, 1966 June 11, 1966

Mrs. Carrie Fuhrman Mrs. Amanda Love Smith Suitland, Maryland Cleveland, Ohio

May 31, 1966 June 19, 1966

Miss Ida Hiltunen Ernest W. Van Meer, Sr. Chicago, Illinois Chicago, Illinois

June 11, 1966 May 27, 1966

Local Assemblies ~ o n t r i b r t i n ~ Each Month

SEPTEMBER 1966

In Memoriam Dr. Louella K. Beecher Jerome Kuperberg Lima, Ohio New York. N.Y.

June 3, 1966 May 20, 1966

Mrs. Anna B. Cooper Mrs. Katrina K. Mathewson Fremont, Ohio Newark, New Jersey

June 28, 1966 July 16, 1966

Miss Blanche Corliss Francisco Perez Portland, Maine Houston, Texas

June 6, 1966 June 26, 1966

Roy Davidson Mrs. Martha Richter Caldwell, Idaho San Diego, Calif.

June 1966 July 6, 1966

Treat Davis Mrs. Vera Lou Scott Muskegon, Michigan Huntington Beach, Calif.

June 16, 1966 March 18, 1966

W. Howard Eaket George H. Shetlin St. Louis, Missouri Los Angeles, Calif.

June 24, 1966 June 2, 1966

Mrs. Clara B. Haley Mack Turnbow Marysville, Wash. Chicago. Illinois

March 19, 1966 June 25, 1966

Mrs. Alethe H. Hogberg Frank E. Winegar Auburn, Calif. Houston, Texas

June 9, 1966 July 7, 1966

Baha'i Marriages Riverside, Calif.: Mrs. Edythe Frances Jackson to Leonard

John Schmahl on June 12, 1966 San Francisco, Calif.: Mrs. Charlesetta D. Vaughn to Bernard

L. Fishman on June 12, 1966 San Jose, Calif.: Miss Lori Rousseau to William Cothran on

June 10, 1966 Wilmette, Illinois: Mrs. Jean M. Kantola to Herbert Tatrow on

May 21, 1966 Wilmette; Illinois: Miss Karen Welin to Lambert W. Sindelar

on February 13, 1966 Winnetka, Illinois: Miss Janet Kramer to Orm Aniline on

June 11, 1966 (non-Bahl'is) Winnetka, Illinois: Miss Kathy Lee to Daniel Boyd Reimer on

June 11, 1966 Santa Fe, New Mexico: Miss Rebecca Bogart to Craig Ginn on

April 3, 1966 Raleigh, North Carolina: Miss Bettie Jean Brodie to Ozie Tid-

more on May 28, 1966 Berkeley, Calif.: Miss Laurie Elmlund to Farzam Arbab on

June 25, 1966 Glendale, Cali€.: Mrs. Marlene C. Wright to Robert G. Wood

on July 2, 1966 Oakland, Calif.: Miss Janeen L. Koch to Clinton R. Boyd on

July 9, 1966 San Diego, Calif.: Miss Ruth Ann Tarpley to David Donaldson

on June 18, 1966 San Jose, Calif.: Miss Rosmnary Maude Allen to Gilbert A.

Somerhalder on June 25, 1966 Sprin&eld, Ill.: Miss Janet M. BoeHner to Howard M. Switzer.

on June 22, 1966 (non-Bah5'is) Detroit, Mich.: Miss Eleanor Fikes to Richard W. Sweatt on

June 25, 1966 Teaneck, N.J.: Miss Diane Savage to William A. McLaughlin

on June 18, 1966 Albuquerque, N.M.: Mrs. Rosemarie Smith to Ralph Garcia

on June 3, 1966 Albuquerque, N.M.: Mrs. Mary F. Beary to Charles William

Smith on June 4, 1966 New York, N.Y.: Miss Marie Shure to John W. McNair on

June 4, 1966 Lima, Ohio: Miss Mary Ann Stahl to Joseph J. Tordiff on

July 3, 1966 Salt Lake City, Utah: Miss Lore Herbert to Walter M.

Rothaar on June 29, 1966

BAHA'I DIRECTORY CHANGES

ASSEMBLY SECRETARIES Arizona

~ l a g e t o h ~ r a d i n g Post: e/, American Indian Service Comm., 6549 W. Medlock Dr., Glendale

Pine Springs: % American Indian Service Comm., 6549 W. Medlock Dr., Glendale

Northern California Auburn J.D.: Mrs. Enola Leonard, 241 Tierra Way, Auburn Berkeley: Mr. Farzam Arbab. Chairman. 1300 Delaware

St., 94709 Havward: Mrs. Bernice W. Anderson. 22722 - 6th St.. 94541 ~ o b n t a i n View: Mrs. Fannie West, 61' Murlagan ~ v e . (per-

manent Secty.) San Francisco: Mrs. Anna Stevenson, 1801 41st Ave. (per-

manent Secty.)

Southern California District NO. 1 Antelope J.D.: Mrs. Lois Hill, P.O. Box 947, Lancaster 93534 Glendora: Mrs. Jean F. Villasenor, 1138 LaFlora Lane, 91740

Santa Barbara: Mrs. Jeanette Beachner, 1774A Prospect Ave. 93101

Southern Calilornia District No. 2 Garden Grove: Mrs. Marie Wright, Treas., 11542 Garden

Drive

Georgia Richmond County: Mrs. Mary Bowers, pro-tem, 117 McE1-

murray Dr., Augusta

Northern Illinois Glencoe: Mr. Robert Desatnick, Chairman, 1016 Forest Ave.

pansas Lawrence: Mrs. Laquette Ann Karch, 1535 New Hampshire

Louisiana Baton Rouge: Mrs. Rashel P. Rosen, Box 1861, 70821

Eastern New York North Hempstead Twp.: correct zip code no. to: 11030

Western New York Geneva: Mr. Henry Miller, 68 W. Genesee, Clyde 14433

Oregon Washington County: Mrs. Marguerite Earle, 4730 S.W. Ole-

son Rd., Portland 97225

South Carolina: Greenville: Miss W a i e Mae Ellis, Treas., 9 Elm St., 29605

Western Washington Everett: Mrs. Hazel Wing. pro-tern, 2923 Rockefeller North King Coui~ty Commissioners Dist.: Mr. Clyde John-

son, Chairman, 1510 N.E. 170th, #3, Seattle 98155

Important Notice

As of January 1, 1967 all second and third class

mail in the United States will be required to carry the ZIP code number of the person to whom it is

sent. If you have not already done so, please sup-

ply us with your ZIP Code number. If you do not

know what it is you can secure the information

from your local post office.