Work of National Committees

--Issue No. 2 January 1925:

Hooper Harris, 157 West 103rd Street, New York City, has been appointed Chairman of the Teaching Committee for the North-Eastern States’ region, and is engaged upon plans to unite the local Assemblies of this region in a more concentrated effort to carry out the advices which Abdu’l Baha gave these Assemblies in the Tablets of the Divine Plan. Will the Assemblies throughout the North-Eastern States enter into communication with him?

The January number of the Baha’i Magazine will be devoted to the subject of education, and the friends are urged to place copies of this number in the hands of teachers and others particularly interested in the spiritual significance of education. In a recent letter addressed to the editors of the Baha’i Magazine, Shoghi Effendi says: “I am quite pleased to note a decided improvement in the general aspect of the Star of the West. The liberal policy you have adopted is wise, sound, and extremely helpful. ... I wish you the highest success in your endeavors.”

The December number was beautifully developed around the Baha’i conception of Jesus. The contents included selections from the words of Abdu’l Baha on “The Brilliant Star, -- Christ;” and “The Divine Perfections of Jesus Christ;” “Ideals and Happiness” by Orrol L. Harper; “A Convention for Amity” by Louis G. Gregory; ‘The Conference of Living Religions” by Nellie S. French; “The Woods of Blavincourt’ A Poem by E.T. Hall, illustrated by Victoria Bedekian; “A Symphony of Life” by Albert Durrant Watson; A Poem, entitled “Christmas” by Shanaz Waite, and Persian Section edited by Jinabi Fadil.

Word has been received from the Temple Committee that great progress has been made in the work of gathering together, classifying and arranging the records of the Temple Fund and contracts, from the beginning of the Baha’i Temple Unity up to date. As soon as this work is finished a detailed report will be published for the information of all the friends.

We have been informed by the Archives Committee that Tablets and other material intended for the Archives should be sent to the Custodian, Mr. Albert Windust, instead of to the Secretary, Miss Buikema, as announced in News Letter No. 1.

The Library Committee urges the friends in the Assemblies, as well as those who are isolated, to make every effort to interest librarians to apply to the Library Committee for Baha’i literature.

From a report received from the Central States’ Teaching Committee, Mrs. Corinne True, Mr. Carl Scheffler and Albert Vail, we quote1 the following: “During the summer the Central States Committee held in the Mashraqu’l Adkhar Foundation Hall, on Sunday mornings, a conference for the training of Baha’i teachers which proved very successful and was attended by friends from Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Chicago and other cities. One session of these teachers’ conferences was held at the time of the Central States Teaching Convention in October, and we hope to hold sessions now and then during the year and to encourage the Assemblies in our Central States cities to hold similar classes, especially for the young people of our Assemblies.

“Since the first of last May, Mr. Arthur S. Agnew and Mr. Albert Windust have made teaching journeys into Michigan; Mrs. Corinne True has taught in Michigan and Ohio; Mr. Albert Vail has spoken many times in cities of Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio, with one tour into Michigan; Dr. Zia Bagdadi has given many addresses before various societies and in churches of Chicago and environs; and Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehler has given a number of addresses in Chicago and near-by cities.

“We are making a survey of the activities of the Central States Assemblies. As soon as we have reports from all the Assemblies we will forward an account of their work to the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly.”

In order to lend further stability to the work of the National Fund, and bring it as closely as possible to the activities of all the friends in the local Assemblies, the National Spiritual Assembly has appointed a new National Committee to be known as the National Finance Committee, and including one representative from each of the five regional divisions, the National Treasurer being secretary of the committee ex officio. The members appointed for this year are: Mrs. Roger Boyle, Southern States; Mrs. Spaulding, of the Chicago Assembly, for the Central States; Mrs. Elizabeth Greenleaf for Canada; Mrs. Amelia Collins for the Western States; and Miss Nellie Lloyd for the North Eastern States.

The particular influence of the National Fund with respect to the progress of the Cause cannot be fully exerted until all the friends have acquainted themselves with the facts concerning its origin and various functions fully set forth in letters already received from Shoghi Effendi, and also with its current obligations as included in each report of the National Treasurer. In all cases of doubt or misunderstanding that may now exist, or may arise in future, will the friends immediately turn for explanation to the member of the National Finance Committee representing their regional division. The National Spiritual Assembly can do no more than to publish complete reports at regular intervals, and present any situation of emergency that might exist. It is no part of the duties of your elected representatives to exert pressure upon any of the friends for the raising of funds. Greater by far than the most extensive financial resources is the spirit of confidence and truly voluntary cooperation which your National body desire above all to establish throughout the Cause in this land.