extension of teaching activity, embracing both the Northern and Southern
American continents, is now well advanced into its second year, and offers
to anyone who has observed its progress in recent months signs that are
extremely heartening and which augur well for the attainment of its
objectives within the allotted time. The successive steps designed to
facilitate, and covering the entire field of, the work to be achieved in
connection with the exterior ornamentation of the Temple have for the most
part been taken. The final phase which is to mark the triumphant
conclusion of a thirty-year old enterprise has at long last been entered.
The initial contract connected with the first and main story of that
historic edifice has been signed. The Fund associated with the beloved
name of the Greatest Holy Leaf has been launched. The uninterrupted
continuation to its very end of so laudable an enterprise is now assured.
The poignant memories of one whose heart so greatly rejoiced at the
rearing of the superstructure of this sacred House will so energize the
final exertions required to complete it as to dissipate any doubt that may
yet linger in any mind as to the capacity of its builders to worthily
consummate their task.
The teaching aspect of the Plan must now be pondered. Its challenge must
be met, and its requirements studied, weighed, and fulfilled. Superb and
irresistible as is the beauty of the first Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar of the
West, majestic as are its dimensions, unique as is its architecture, and
priceless as are the ideals and the aspirations which it symbolizes, it
should be regarded, at the present time, as no more than an instrument for
a more effective propagation of the Cause and a wider diffusion of its
teachings. In this respect it should be viewed in the same light as the
administrative institutions of the Faith which are designed as vehicles
for the proper dissemination of its ideals, its tenets, and its verities.
It is, therefore, to the teaching requirements of the Seven Year Plan that
the community of the American believers must henceforth direct their
careful and sustained attention. The entire community must, as one man,
arise to fulfill them. To teach the Cause of God, to proclaim its truths,
to defend its interests, to demonstrate, by words as well as by deeds, its
indispensability, its potency, and universality, should at no time be
regarded as the exclusive concern or sole privilege of Baha'i
administrative institutions, be they Assemblies, or committees. All must
participate, however humble their origin, however limited their
experience, however restricted their means, however deficient their
education, however pressing their cares and preoccupations, however
unfavorable the environment in which they live. "God," Baha'u'llah,
Himself, has unmistakably revealed, "hath prescribed unto everyone the
duty of teaching His Cause." "Say," He further has written, "Teach ye the
Cause of God, O people of Baha, for God hath prescribed unto everyone the
duty of proclaiming His Message, and regardeth it as the most meritorious
of all deeds."
A high and exalted position in the ranks of the community, conferring as
it does on its holder certain privileges and prerogatives, no doubt
invests him with a responsibility that he cannot honorably shirk in his
duty to teach and promote the Faith of God. It may, at times, though not
invariably, create greater opportunities and furnish better facilities to
spread the knowledge of that Faith, and to win supporters to its
institutions. It does not, however, under any circumstances, necessarily
carry with it the power of exercising greater influence on the minds and
hearts of those to whom that Faith is presented. How often--and the early
history of the Faith in the land of its birth offers many a striking
testimony--have the lowliest adherents of the Faith, unschooled and utterly
inexperienced, and with no standing whatever, and in some cases devoid of
intelligence, been capable of winning victories for their Cause, before
which the most brilliant achievements of the learned, the wise, and the
experienced have paled.
"Peter," 'Abdu'l-Baha has testified, "according to the history of the
Church, was also incapable of keeping count of the days of the week.
Whenever he decided to go fishing, he would tie up his weekly food into
seven parcels, and every day he would eat one of them, and when he had
reached the seventh, he would know that the Sabbath had arrived, and
thereupon would observe it." If the Son of Man was capable of infusing
into apparently so crude and helpless an instrument such potency as to
cause, in the words of Baha'u'llah, "the mysteries of wisdom and of
utterance to flow out of his mouth," and to exalt him above the rest of
His disciples, and render him fit to become His successor and the founder
of His Church, how much more can the Father, Who is Baha'u'llah, empower
the most puny and insignificant among His followers to achieve, for the
execution of His purpose, such wonders as would dwarf the mightiest
achievements of even the first apostle of Jesus Christ!
"The Bab," 'Abdu'l-Baha, moreover, has written, "hath said: 'Should a tiny
ant desire, in this day, to be possessed of such power as to be able to
unravel the abstrusest and most bewildering passages of the Qur'an, its
wish will no doubt be fulfilled, inasmuch as the mystery of eternal might
vibrates within the innermost being of all created things.' If so helpless
a creature can be endowed with so subtle a capacity, how much more
efficacious must be the power released through the liberal effusions of
the grace of Baha'u'llah!"
The field is indeed so immense, the period so critical, the Cause so
great, the workers so few, the time so short, the privilege so priceless,
that no follower of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, worthy to bear His name, can
afford a moment's hesitation. That God-born Force, irresistible in its
sweeping power, incalculable in its potency, unpredictable in its course,
mysterious in its workings, and awe-inspiring in its manifestations--a
Force which, as the Bab has written, "vibrates within the innermost being
of all created things," and which, according to Baha'u'llah, has through
its "vibrating influence," "upset the equilibrium of the world and
revolutionized its ordered life"--such a Force, acting even as a two-edged
sword, is, under our very eyes, sundering, on the one hand, the age-old
ties which for centuries have held together the fabric of civilized
society, and is unloosing, on the other, the bonds that still fetter the
infant and as yet unemancipated Faith of Baha'u'llah. The undreamt-of
opportunities offered through the operation of this Force--the American
believers must now rise, and fully and courageously exploit them. "The
holy realities of the Concourse on high," writes 'Abdu'l-Baha, "yearn, in
this day, in the Most Exalted Paradise, to return unto this world, so that
they may be aided to render some service to the threshold of the Abha
Beauty, and arise to demonstrate their servitude to His sacred Threshold."
A world, dimmed by the steadily dying-out light of religion, heaving with
the explosive forces of a blind and triumphant nationalism; scorched with
the fires of pitiless persecution, whether racial or religious; deluded by
the false theories and doctrines that threaten to supplant the worship of
God and the sanctification of His laws; enervated by a rampant and brutal
materialism; disintegrating through the corrosive influence of moral and
spiritual decadence; and enmeshed in the coils of economic anarchy and
strife--such is the spectacle presented to men's eyes, as a result of the
sweeping changes which this revolutionizing Force, as yet in the initial
stage of its operation, is now producing in the life of the entire planet.
So sad and moving a spectacle, bewildering as it must be to every observer
unaware of the purposes, the prophecies, and promises of Baha'u'llah, far
from casting dismay into the hearts of His followers, or paralyzing their
efforts, cannot but deepen their faith, and excite their enthusiastic
eagerness to arise and display, in the vast field traced for them by the
pen of 'Abdu'l-Baha, their capacity to play their part in the work of
universal redemption proclaimed by Baha'u'llah. Every instrument in the
administrative machinery which, in the course of several years, they have
so laboriously erected must be fully utilized, and subordinated to the end
for which it was created. The Temple, that proud embodiment of so rare a
spirit of self-sacrifice, must likewise be made to play its part, and
contribute its share to the teaching campaign designed to embrace the
entire Western Hemisphere.
The opportunities which the turmoil of the present age presents, with all
the sorrows which it evokes, the fears which it excites, the
disillusionment which it produces, the perplexities which it creates, the
indignation which it arouses, the revolt which it provokes, the grievances
it engenders, the spirit of restless search which it awakens, must, in
like manner, be exploited for the purpose of spreading far and wide the
knowledge of the redemptive power of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, and for
enlisting fresh recruits in the ever-swelling army of His followers. So
precious an opportunity, so rare a conjunction of favorable circumstances,
may never again recur. Now is the time, the appointed time, for the
American believers, the vanguard of the hosts of the Most Great Name, to
proclaim, through the agencies and channels of a specially designed
Administrative Order, their capacity and readiness to rescue a fallen and
sore-tried generation that has rebelled against its God and ignored His
warnings, and to offer it that complete security which only the
strongholds of their Faith can provide.
The teaching campaign, inaugurated throughout the states of the North
American Republic and the Dominion of Canada, acquires, therefore, an
importance, and is invested with an urgency, that cannot be overestimated.
Launched on its course through the creative energies released by the Will
of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and sweeping across the Western Hemisphere through the
propelling force which it is generating, it must, I feel, be carried out
in conformity with certain principles, designed to insure its efficient
conduct, and to hasten the attainment of its objective.
Those who participate in such a campaign, whether in an organizing
capacity, or as workers to whose care the execution of the task itself has
been committed, must, as an essential preliminary to the discharge of
their duties, thoroughly familiarize themselves with the various aspects
of the history and teachings of their Faith. In their efforts to achieve
this purpose they must study for themselves, conscientiously and
painstakingly, the literature of their Faith, delve into its teachings,
assimilate its laws and principles, ponder its admonitions, tenets and
purposes, commit to memory certain of its exhortations and prayers, master
the essentials of its administration, and keep abreast of its current
affairs and latest developments. They must strive to obtain, from sources
that are authoritative and unbiased, a sound knowledge of the history and
tenets of Islam--the source and background of their Faith--and approach
reverently and with a mind purged from preconceived ideas the study of the
Qur'an which, apart from the sacred scriptures of the Babi and Baha'i
Revelations, constitutes the only Book which can be regarded as an
absolutely authenticated Repository of the Word of God. They must devote
special attention to the investigation of those institutions and
circumstances that are directly connected with the origin and birth of
their Faith, with the station claimed by its Forerunner, and with the laws
revealed by its Author.
Having acquired, in their essentials, these prerequisites of success in
the teaching field, they must, whenever they contemplate undertaking any
specific mission in the countries of Latin America, endeavor, whenever
feasible, to acquire a certain proficiency in the languages spoken by the
inhabitants of those countries, and a knowledge of their customs, habits,
and outlook. "The teachers going to those parts," 'Abdu'l-Baha, referring
in one of the Tablets of the Divine Plan to the Central American
Republics, has written, "must also be familiar with the Spanish language."
"A party speaking their languages ...," He, in another Tablet, has
written, "must turn their faces to and travel through the three great
Island groups of the Pacific Ocean." "The teachers traveling in different
directions," He further states, "must know the language of the country in
which they will enter. For example, a person being proficient in the
Japanese language may travel to Japan, or a person knowing the Chinese
language may hasten to China, and so forth."
No participator in this inter-American campaign of teaching must feel that
the initiative for any particular activity connected with this work must
rest solely with those agencies, whether Assemblies or committees, whose
special concern is to promote and facilitate the attainment of this vital
objective of the Seven Year Plan. It is the bounden duty of every American
believer, as the faithful trustee of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Divine Plan, to
initiate, promote, and consolidate, within the limits fixed by the
administrative principles of the Faith, any activity he or she deems fit
to undertake for the furtherance of the Plan. Neither the threatening
world situation, nor any consideration of lack of material resources, of
mental equipment, of knowledge, or of experience--desirable as they
are--should deter any prospective pioneer teacher from arising
independently, and from setting in motion the forces which, 'Abdu'l-Baha
has repeatedly assured us, will, once released, attract even as a magnet
the promised and infallible aid of Baha'u'llah. Let him not wait for any
directions, or expect any special encouragement, from the elected
representatives of his community, nor be deterred by any obstacles which
his relatives, or fellow-citizens may be inclined to place in his path,
nor mind the censure of his critics or enemies. "Be unrestrained as the
wind," is Baha'u'llah's counsel to every would-be teacher of His Cause,
"while carrying the Message of Him Who hath caused the dawn of Divine
Guidance to break. Consider how the wind, faithful to that which God hath
ordained, bloweth upon all regions of the earth, be they inhabited or
desolate. Neither the sight of desolation, nor the evidences of
prosperity, can either pain or please it. It bloweth in every direction,
as bidden by its Creator." "And when he determineth to leave his home, for
the sake of the Cause of his Lord," Baha'u'llah, in another passage,
referring to such a teacher, has revealed, "let him put his whole trust in
God, as the best provision for his journey, and array himself with the
robe of virtue.... If he be kindled with the fire of His love, if he
forgoeth all created things, the words he uttereth shall set on fire them
that hear him."
Having on his own initiative, and undaunted by any hindrances with which
either friend or foe may, unwittingly or deliberately, obstruct his path,
resolved to arise and respond to the call of teaching, let him carefully
consider every avenue of approach which he might utilize in his personal
attempts to capture the attention, maintain the interest, and deepen the
faith, of those whom he seeks to bring into the fold of his Faith. Let him
survey the possibilities which the particular circumstances in which he
lives offer him, evaluate their advantages, and proceed intelligently and
systematically to utilize them for the achievement of the object he has in
mind. Let him also attempt to devise such methods as association with
clubs, exhibitions, and societies, lectures on subjects akin to the
teachings and ideals of his Cause such as temperance, morality, social
welfare, religious and racial tolerance, economic cooperation, Islam, and
Comparative Religion, or participation in social, cultural, humanitarian,
charitable, and educational organizations and enterprises which, while
safeguarding the integrity of his Faith, will open up to him a multitude
of ways and means whereby he can enlist successively the sympathy, the
support, and ultimately the allegiance of those with whom he comes in
contact. Let him, while such contacts are being made, bear in mind the
claims which his Faith is constantly making upon him to preserve its
dignity, and station, to safeguard the integrity of its laws and
principles, to demonstrate its comprehensiveness and universality, and to
defend fearlessly its manifold and vital interests. Let him consider the
degree of his hearer's receptivity, and decide for himself the suitability
of either the direct or indirect method of teaching, whereby he can
impress upon the seeker the vital importance of the Divine Message, and
persuade him to throw in his lot with those who have already embraced it.
Let him remember the example set by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and His constant
admonition to shower such kindness upon the seeker, and exemplify to such
a degree the spirit of the teachings he hopes to instill into him, that
the recipient will be spontaneously impelled to identify himself with the
Cause embodying such teachings. Let him refrain, at the outset, from
insisting on such laws and observances as might impose too severe a strain
on the seeker's newly awakened faith, and endeavor to nurse him,
patiently, tactfully, and yet determinedly, into full maturity, and aid
him to proclaim his unqualified acceptance of whatever has been ordained
by Baha'u'llah. Let him, as soon as that stage has been attained,
introduce him to the body of his fellow-believers, and seek, through
constant fellowship and active participation in the local activities of
his community, to enable him to contribute his share to the enrichment of
its life, the furtherance of its tasks, the consolidations of its
interests, and the coordination of its activities with those of its sister
communities. Let him not be content until he has infused into his
spiritual child so deep a longing as to impel him to arise independently,
in his turn, and devote his energies to the quickening of other souls, and
the upholding of the laws and principles laid down by his newly adopted
Faith.
Let every participator in the continent-wide campaign initiated by the
American believers, and particularly those engaged in pioneer work in
virgin territories, bear in mind the necessity of keeping in close and
constant touch with those responsible agencies designed to direct,
coordinate, and facilitate the teaching activities of the entire
community. Whether it be the body of their elected national
representatives, or its chief auxiliary institution, the National Teaching
Committee, or its subsidiary organs, the regional teaching committees, or
the local Spiritual Assemblies and their respective teaching committees,
they who labor for the spread of the Cause of Baha'u'llah should, through
constant interchange of ideas, through letters, circulars, reports,
bulletins and other means of communication with these established
instruments designed for the propagation of the Faith, insure the smooth
and speedy functioning of the teaching machinery of their Administrative
Order. Confusion, delay, duplication of efforts, dissipation of energy
will, thereby, be completely avoided, and the mighty flood of the grace of
Baha'u'llah, flowing abundantly and without the least obstruction through
these essential channels will so inundate the hearts and souls of men as
to enable them to bring forth the harvest repeatedly predicted by
'Abdu'l-Baha.
Upon every participator in this concerted effort, unprecedented in the
annals of the American Baha'i community, rests the spiritual obligation to
make of the mandate of teaching, so vitally binding upon all, the
all-pervading concern of his life. In his daily activities and contacts,
in all his journeys, whether for business or otherwise, on his holidays
and outings, and on any mission he may be called upon to undertake, every
bearer of the Message of Baha'u'llah should consider it not only an
obligation but a privilege to scatter far and wide the seeds of His Faith,
and to rest content in the abiding knowledge that whatever be the
immediate response to that Message, and however inadequate the vehicle
that conveyed it, the power of its Author will, as He sees fit, enable
those seeds to germinate, and in circumstances which no one can foresee
enrich the harvest which the labor of His followers will gather. If he be
member of any Spiritual Assembly let him encourage his Assembly to
consecrate a certain part of its time, at each of its sessions, to the
earnest and prayerful consideration of such ways and means as may foster
the campaign of teaching, or may furnish whatever resources are available
for its progress, extension, and consolidation. If he attends his summer
school--and everyone without exception is urged to take advantage of
attending it--let him consider such an occasion as a welcome and precious
opportunity so to enrich, through lectures, study, and discussion, his
knowledge of the fundamentals of his Faith as to be able to transmit, with
greater confidence and effectiveness, the Message that has been entrusted
to his care. Let him, moreover, seek, whenever feasible, through
intercommunity visits to stimulate the zeal for teaching, and to
demonstrate to outsiders the zest and alertness of the promoters of his
Cause and the organic unity of its institutions.