Work of National Committees

--Issue No. 4 April 1925:

The National Spiritual Assembly have recently appointed two new committees. A committee to compile a new and more complete prayer book includes the following members: Mr. Leroy Ioas, Mrs. Frankland, Mrs. Bosch and Mrs. Rabb. The members of this committee desire to have the friends cooperate by sending copies of Prayers they would like included in the new book. To undertake the preparation of a Baha’i Year Book in accordance with the recent instruction from Shoghi Effendi, another special committee has been appointed which includes: Albert Windust, Mason Remey, Mrs. Stewart French, Mrs. Mariam Haney, Ahmad Sohrab and Horace Holley.

The Archives Committee have available 200 copies of Mason Remey’s pamphlets entitled, “Baha’i Indexes” and “Baha’i Manuscripts”, containing extremely valuable information for students of the Cause. Copies may be obtained free on request by applying to the Baha’i Publishing Committee. Please enclose five cents for postage.

The Publishing Committee is now also prepared to supply the leather binders mentioned in the letter of the National Spiritual Assembly dated December 15th last. These binders are stamped with the Greatest Name in gold on the front cover and will hold securely up to three or four hundred sheets. It is hoped that each Assembly secretary will obtain one of these binders for preserving letters from Shoghi Effendi, from the N.S.A., and other communications and records. Individual believers will also find these binders very useful for preserving their important Tablets and other Baha’i papers. The price is $1.50 each.

The Publishing Committee brings to the attention of the friends the following new books and pamphlets: “Hidden Words,” translated by Shoghi Effendi, bound in leather, $1.00, in paper, $0.25; “Wisdom of Abdul Baha,” (Paris Talks), bound in cloth, $1.00; and in paper, $0.40; “Letters from Shoghi Effendi,” $0.20; “A Bird’s Eye View of the World in the Year 2000,” an eight-page pamphlet by Orrol Harper, reprinted from the Baha’i Magazine, $0.05; “Thoughts That Build,” by Rev. J. Storer, a most beautiful collection of short passages from the world’s spiritual literature, with many selections from Baha’u’llah and Abdul Baha (a very effective gift book), $1.75; “The Baha’i Religion,” a pamphlet printed under the direction of the English National Spiritual Assembly and reprinting the two Baha’i papers read at the Conference on Some Living Religions within the British Empire at London in September, 1924, $0.15; “The Reality of Religion,” an important new Tablet from Abdul Baha, translated by Shoghi Effendi, $0.05 a dozen. To obtain any of the above, address the Baha’i Publishing Committee, Post Office Box 348, Grand Central Station, New York City.

We are informed by the English N.S.A. that the entire series of Conference papers will soon be published in book form, and as soon as copies of this can be obtained, the book will be announced by the Publishing Committee.

The March number of the Star of the West brings out very beautifully the significance of the new spiritual springtime symbolized by our Naurooz celebration. It contains articles by Shanaz Waite, Fred Mortensen, Keith Ransom-Kehler, Helen F. Grand and James E. Morton, Jr. This number of the magazine is the first to appear without the Persian section, following the recent advice of Shoghi Effendi. Of great interest to all the friends will be the articles on the teaching work of Martha Root in Australia and other countries, and the progress of the Cause in Brazil, where Miss Leonora S. Holsapple and Miss Maude M. Mickle now live.

Very shortly a special letter will be sent to all Assemblies by the business manager of the Star of the West, Mrs. Elizabeth Herlitz, giving information concerning the new plans of the magazine and urgently requesting the assistance of all the friends. To this appeal the National Spiritual Assembly adds its unqualified approval, and would remind the friends that failure to recognize the part played by the Star in the public presentation of the Cause would constitute a grievous obstacle delaying the realization of all our noblest Baha’i ideals.

Recently the National Treasurer has received a contribution from Persia through the Spiritual Assembly of Tihran amounting to more than $2000 for the Temple Fund. The full measure of sacrifice denoted by this generous contribution will never be appreciated by us of the West. That it should inspire us to more vigorous support of the Temple is, however, the least evidence of appreciation we can render to these magnanimous friends.

The Chicago Spiritual Assembly have received this personal message from Shoghi Effendi in response to their expression of sorrow at the present unsightly condition of the Temple grounds: “My precious, my self-sacrificing friends: Just a personal assurance on my part that the case -- a very sad one indeed -- is receiving my prompt and earnest consideration and is the object of my fervent prayers for Divine Guidance. ... I assure you, nothing is dearer to my heart than the speedy completion of this unique edifice. Feel not disheartened -- God’s work will never be abandoned. Persevere and His Purpose will surely triumph.”

Those who have followed with deep interest and sympathy the important work being done to interest and instruct the young people in the Baha’i Message by Miss Ella Robarts, through the Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom, and by Mrs. Victoria Bedikian through the Baha’i World Fellowship, will rejoice to know that this work has now been linked together through a merging of these two magazines. In future, the Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom will be published under the editorship of Miss Robarts as part of the magazine Baha’i World Fellowship. In a future News Letter more details will be given concerning this far-reaching and remarkable effort to unify the children of the New Day.