News of the Cause

--Issue No. 3 March 1925:

After fifteen years of unique service to the Cause of interracial understanding and solidarity, the pioneer Baha’i servant, Dr. Moody has arrived in this country for a visit of probably one year or until improved conditions in Tihran enable her to resume her work. Accompanied by Elizabeth Stewart, Dr. Moody landed at Boston en route from Haifa on Wednesday, January 14th.

The New York Assembly, through Miss Nellie Lloyd arranged a reception for Dr. Moody and Miss Stewart at the Hotel Waldorf Astoria, Sunday, January 18th, and the large Waldorf Gallery was crowded in anticipation of the privilege of meeting Dr. Moody and Miss Stewart and hearing at first hand their remarkable story.

Calmly, yet with the dramatic emphasis which always surrounds one who has actually participated in stirring events, Dr. Moody related her experiences in Tihran. None present will ever forget her vivid account of the splendid accomplishment of the Tarbiat Schools, the unfailingly ardent devotion of the Persian Baha’is, and the remarkable part played by Major Imbrie in saving the lives of thousands of the Persian believers, and probably also of Dr. Moody and Miss Stewart themselves, at the sacrifice of his own life. By the Persian friends Major Imbrie is held in reverent memory among those whose sacrifice has been of signal service to the Baha’i Cause.

It is impossible in this brief space even to outline Dr. Moody’s full story, which will surely be one of the most significant pages in the history of the Cause. We hope that Dr. Moody will describe her experiences at length for the information and also inspiration of all the believers, in the pages of the Baha’i Magazine.

A letter has been received from our young Persian brother, A. Rahim Yazdi, secretary of the Baha’i student group at the American University of Beirut, Syria. For the first time in the history of this institution, the Baha’i student body have been able to organize for the study of the Baha’i teachings. These friends desire to receive communications from American Assemblies.

All those who were present at the Convention in Worcester, Mass., last year will recall the thrill of joy that followed the reading of a telegram from Bahaiyyih Khanum stating that Jinabi Fadil might continue his teaching in this country as the guest of the American Baha’is.

Following a summer of activity at Green Acre and Dublin, New Hampshire, Jinabi Fadil and his family spent some weeks with the Philadelphia Assembly holding daily instruction classes and assisting in the preparation of the Philadelphia Amity Convention.

On his journey to the Pacific Coast, Jinabi Fadil passed a brief period at Chicago where he delivered a series of public lectures at the headquarters of the Chicago Assembly, speaking also each Sunday afternoon in the Foundation Hall of the Temple.

Preparations for Jinabi Fadil’s activities throughout the Western States region had been energetically made by Mrs. Cooper, Chairman of the Western States Teaching Committee.

A letter from Adelaide Sharp, Secretary of the Denver Assembly, has brought most interesting details of the nine days spent by Jinabi Fadil in Denver. During this visit, Jinabi Fadil delivered ten public lectures at important centers which reveal the extremely successful efforts of the friends in Denver. Among these centers were: Woman’s Club, Theosophical Hall; Labor College, Grace Church Community Center; State Historical Society; Colorado Scientific Society; Young Women’s Christian Association; and Iliff School of Theology (Methodist). An address on the customs and manners of Persia was also delivered before the students of the State University at Boulder, Colorado. Many interesting newspaper clippings accompanied the letter of the Denver secretary.

The program of activities at Butte, Montana, was somewhat restricted by the fact that our brother’s visit coincided with election week, but the absence of constant public meetings enabled the friends to drink deeper from the inspiration of Jinabi’s loving wisdom.

Writing of Jinabi Fadil’s activities in Helena, Montana, our clear Baha’i brother Fred Mortensen has beautifully expressed the feeling of the friends in every Assembly inspired by the presence of the great Persian Baha’i teacher: “The magnetism of his devotion and the ardor of his ambition, to be constantly working in the Vineyard of Baha’u’llah, is a revelation and an inspiration to us, who seem as drones in comparison.” While in Helena Jinabi Fadil spoke before the Kiwanis Club, to the patients of the Government Hospital, the Helena Trades and Labor Assembly, Helena High School, Mount St. Charles College (Catholic) and St. Vincent Academy (Catholic school for girls).

Arriving in Spokane, Washington, in the latter part of November, Jinabi Fadil several times addressed a newly established group known as “Constructive Thinking for Direct Help.” Following this, addresses were given at the Business Women’s Club, the Truth Church, Young People’s Forum, Roosevelt School, and daily meetings at the Baha’i Assembly room in the Kuhn Building. The Spokane friends report a great increase of interest in the Cause as the result of these lectures.

The period from December 2nd to January first was spent with the Seattle Assembly which had arranged a daily program in their new headquarters at 4144½, Fourteenth Street, N.E. and public lectures before many different societies and groups. Among these were Liberal Catholic Church, Trinity Hall, Besant Lodge, Sojourners of Truth Club, Seattle Auto-Science Club, Women’s Educational Club, and Progressive Thought Club. The friends will remember that it was Seattle, on Jinabi Fadil’s last visit to this country, where the series of five little booklets reprinting Jinabi Fadil’s public lectures were published by Mr. Hougen. Dr. Grant, the pastor of the Christian Spiritualist Church, told his congregation following one of Jinabi Fadil’s addresses, “Make every effort to hear this wonderful teacher as often as you can.”

The month of January was spent by Jinabi Fadil in Portland, Oregon, and it would be difficult to imagine a more varied and significant program than had been arranged for him by the Portland Assembly. The Civic League Club, Church of Truth; Kiwanis Club, Progressive Business Men’s Club, First Divine Science Church, Spiritualist Church, Disarmament Forum, Theosophical Society, Women’s Advertising Club, Sorosis Club, Portland Women’s Research Club, -- all these platforms gave Jinabi Fadil the opportunity to reveal one or another ray of the Sun of Truth. “The Forum”, a weekly leaflet published by the Oregon Civic League, in its issue of January 7th, reported one of Jinabi Fadil’s addresses in detail.

The activities of Jinabi Fadil in San Francisco during February will be given in detail in an early number of the News Letter. The San Francisco Assembly have recently taken a most significant step in the development of a true Assembly life by acquiring for their exclusive use a home at 2108 Scott Street. The San Francisco Baha’i Home is open every afternoon for inquirers and public meetings are held Friday evenings and Wednesday afternoons.

The Fifth All-India and Burma Baha’i Convention was held December 29th, 30th and 31st, at Bombay, public sessions being held daily with lectures on International Religion, Universal Peace, World-wide Social Reconstruction, and Dawn of a New Dispensation. Mrs. Inez Cook of the New York Assembly writes as follows: “The friends in Bombay gave us a warm welcome as we had a letter to the Assembly from Shoghi Effendi. We met a number of the friends from all the cities, as they had gathered for the Convention, but we were unable to attend the sessions as our boat accommodations could not be changed.”

A letter from Miss Leonora Holsapple brings the interesting news that she and Miss Maud Mickle have established a Baha’i center in Bahia, Brazil. Meetings are held each Wednesday evening in Portuguese, and on Sundays in English. A reference library of Baha’i literature is available and the Cause has begun to spread in a most remarkable way.

Miss Agnes Alexander is now serving the Cause in Honolulu, and the secretary of the Honolulu Baha’i Assembly reports a great enlargement of their activities. Mrs. Anthony Y. Seto holds Wednesday evening meetings at the home of Mrs. S.A. Baldwin, and Friday afternoon meetings are held at the home of Dr. and Mrs. George J. Augur.

A Unity Feast for the Western New York Assemblies was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harlan F. Ober, Buffalo, on Saturday evening, January 17th. Believers from Geneva and Rochester were present, as well as members of the Buffalo Assembly. This Feast signalizes a new and most enthusiastic spirit of service on the part of the friends throughout Western New York and many public meetings have already been planned.

On Friday, February 6th, the New York Assembly held a Nineteen Day Feast in St. Mark’s Hall, followed by a reception to Mrs. Grace Krug and Mr. and Mrs. Ali Kuli Khan, just arrived from Haifa. The return of these distinguished and capable believers after several year’s absence, brought a great stimulus to the New York Assembly, of which about two hundred attended the Feast. The New York Assembly on this occasion, were the guests of Mrs. Grace Krug, Mrs. May Maxwell and Mrs. Florence Schopflocher.

Copies of a local newspaper published in Los Angeles have been received containing a series of three articles by our energetic and gifted brother, Ahmad Sohrab. In the preparation of these articles Ahmad had taken the opportunity created by a previous article on the subject of the expectation felt by many people of the coming of a World Messiah, to give Abdu’l Baha’s own criterion of how the World Master is to be recognized when He comes. It was part of the necessary limitations imposed upon him in writing these articles that Ahmad Sohrab made no definite reference to the Manifestation of Baha’u’llah.

The January issue of the Baha’i Magazine, Star of the West, is developed around the idea of spiritual education, and its various articles and quotations from ‘Abdu’l-Baha present this important subject in a way which should make this issue of the Star of permanent usefulness. It is hoped that the friends will secure many additional copies to give to those who they know are interested in education as the basis of the new age. The February number, just received, is if possible even more finely organized around the teachings and progress of the Cause. No believer out of touch with the Baha’i Magazine can possible realize what an effective teaching medium the Cause now possesses in this country. It would be an excellent service if each Assembly could place copies regularly in local libraries, schools and similar places.