axjJLjjcani REPORT TQ° ISI -BN1A ill, r ' a.Jl r. ¦> .^ A », f>-IT •YAius-'VMnmEissirinf- Presented by the Author |*|3-S— *¦** :f*S3E " ST- H I? E&&W ¦ 8^ ¦ftttWRKB Atin "¦^ZtS'T-i? 2Zaxzdzxs T JUNE 1919 A REPORT TO ABDUL BAHA OF THE BAHAI ACTIVITIES IN THE STATES OF NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, U.SA. MARCH-APRIL, 1919 HUMBLY SUBMITTED BY I CHARLES MA5DN REMEY. AND A LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BAHAI BOARD OF TEACHING IN AMERICA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PREFACE Shortly, after Mr. Bassett and I set forth upon our tour South, of which this report treats, a cablegram was re ceived from Abdul-Baha containing several instructions regard ing our travels, among which was to "write letters11- From various cities and towns, letters were written, and forwarded to the Holy Land, telling of meetings held and of the general progress of the Bahai work in the states visitad, hut on account of the rush of travel and meeting many people, these accounts were necessarily brief and fragmentary. Now that time and other conditions permit, this more detailed account of pur tour is being prepared to send to The Holy Presence of The Center of the Covenant of El Baha. {®JU^, ypA4^xO^^V Washington, D. C. 7 June 1919. INTRODUCTORY During the time that the United States was engaged in the European war, it was very difficult to teach the Cause of GOD to the people in general. The war activities occupied the time, attention and energy of the vast majority of men and women, and for the most part the leaders of religion confined their at tention largely toward preaching patriotic sermons calculated to stir up and maintain the war valor of the country. Thus the carrying on of any teaching or propaganda calculated to inculcate tangible love and friendship between warring nations was frowned upon and considered as a treasonable offense — therefore the friends had to' conduct themselves with carefulness and wisdom, so, during the months while this intense war spirit reigned, the believers were in certain ways hindered from giving forth the teachings. In fact in those days, the pillars of civilization were so shaken by the great wave of war hatred that it was with the greatest difficulty that the Bahais retained their composure, for when the whole world is ablaze with animosity and enmity, it is like a plague from which protection is difficult and even the friends of GOD at times had to make efforts lest, like others, they themselves might be swept into the psychol ogy of war. However, praise be to GOD, that hatred, prejudice and enmity did not find root in the hearts of the Bahai friends. Though distressed in body and soul, because of the terrible conditions of the world, it being so difficult to proclaim the cause to the people of the world during those days, the friends were actively engaged in giving moral support to one another, and in strengthening the circle of the people of The Covenant. As it was, various of the friends in America had trouble because of their activities in the Bahai work, which was not appreciated by the governments. In Canada, Mother Beecher was arrested and made to leave the city where she was teaching; in New York Juliet Thompson was "investigated" and had it not been for the timely intervention of Mr. Wm. H, Randall of Boston, who interviewed certain officials and explained to them the reality of the affair, she might have gotten into very serious trouble; while in California the home of Mr. Beckett was searched for documentary evidence that the Eahai Cause was against the then existing policy of this government. This last caused the Bahais in southern California to cease for a time, their meetings. At another time., those who had turned against the Cause of GOD, published an article in a California newspapger stating that Abdul- Baha and His followers were against the United States Government, and about this same time it was reported that these same enemies had tried to spread the rumor that the Mashrak-El-Azkar fund was in reality not for the building of a temple, but was to be devoted to the purpose of working against the Government. These and other statements were circulated, but were found by the Government to be false, sn the Bahais have been spared any great troubles and difficulties. Although the friends have been obliged to be most careful and circumspect in their words and conduct, yet through all they have been divinely blessed and protected. For exam ple, - Green-Acre had always stood for Peace, and from its flag pole waved the ensign of Peace, which emblem also appeared upon the stationery used by the friends there. However, during the war, this flag had to be lowered, and general Peace propaganda eliminated from the programs. The Green- Acre property being quxte sur rounded by war institutions which absorbed the public mind, but few people attend ed the conferences, so there was but very little work dar.e there last season m the way of general public teaching. Notwithstanding this, we all felt that a very great and a glorious spiritual work was accomplished within the circle of the friends there. Twice daily, morning and afternoon, the friends assembled in the home of the Misses Thompson of New Haven, in which house the Kinney family and ethers dwelt, and there tablets and prayers were read and the teachings of the Bahai peace given. In this manner a very virile and a strong spiritual center was formed, and great confirmations resulted from those gatherings, so much so that people were so attracted that they could not easily remain away from the meetings. Friends who came to Green-Acre intending to remain but for a few days, stayed on for weeks, while others who were obliged to return to their homes, arranged their affairs and came back again to Green-Acre. This spiritual unity was acknowledged by all to be a Divine Bounty of The Covenant, for in those gatherings they found the Bahai Peace and strength, while the outside world was in the throes of conflict and disaster. Now the visible collapse of the old ideals of the former civilization is causing many people to consider the spiritual reality behind these phenomena now transpiring upon every hand, and is causing them to inquire as to the reason of this great change, the explanation of which lies in the Revelation of EL ABHA. With the signing of the armistice in Europe, the intense war enthusiasm of the people throughout the country diminished greatly and then the public seemed more approachable upon matters of religion, so the Bahais found themselves able, as never before, to give the ABHA Glad Tidings to the people. As conditions throughout the country became, more feasible for the gen eral teaching and proclamation of the Glad Tidings, the friends began to consider more and more the ways and means for spreading The Message. Abdul-Baha' s tablets, dwelling upon "teaching" were discussed and among these was considered that tablet sent over a year before and addressed to the Washington friends, exhorting them to teach the Cause of GOD in sixteen mentioned states in the southern part of this country. Desirous of serving in this field and feeling the need of, and the de sire for a companion and a fellow server in this -.vork, I opened up former nego tiations, which had been interrupted by the v?ar, with Mr. John B. Bassett, with the result that, together we undertook this work of teaching in the South. ¦John Bassett, originally from Chicago, and later of Schenectady, New York, first heard of the Bahai Revelation about two years ago through Mr. Albert Vail who lectured in Schenectady. Subsequently he met Mrs. May Maxwell and others and became a confirmed believer and was actively associated in the Bahai propaganda with Mr. Allen B. McDaniel in Schenectady. Over a year ago, Mr. Bassett and I had talked together of traveling and teaching, but as it v»as necessary for him to enter military service, for the period of the war, our hopes and plans had to be deferrad until this Spring, when he obtained his discharge from active service in the navy early in the month of March, after which he came on here to Washington, preparatory to our setting. forth together. Before leaving TTashington, however, there was a good deal of preliminary work to be done toward getting a better understanding of the particular problems now agitating the public mind in the states which we ant- cipated visiting. In this matter several friends of the cause rendered valuable assistance. During this past winter, there has been associated with the cause, liv ing in Washington, Mrs. Janowitz, a lady whom George Latimer and I had the pleas ure of knowing in Honolulu, several years ago, one who is earnestly working and serving to hasten the realization of the ABHA Kingdom. Mrs. Janowitz has been in the employ of the Department of Labor of the United States Government, working in connection with the Bureau of Negro Economics - she, at various times having been ser.t South "by the Department to study questions pertaining to racial problems, with the hope of creating as much co-operation and economic adjustment., as possi ble between the white and the colored races. Through the good services of Mrs. Janowitz, several of us Bahais, who have these racial problems much at heart, became better informed of the efforts being made in government circles to amicably adjust some of the very serious as pects of this race problem. I had several talks with Dr. George E. Haynes, formerly a professor at Fiske University in Nashville, Tennessee, one of the largest institutions of learning for the colored in this country. At present, Dr. Haynes is at the head of the Bureau of Negro Economics in the Department of Labor. Through Dr. Haynes, and through Mr. Emmett J. Scott, fonnerly of the Tuskeege Institute and at present special assistant to the Secretary of War in negro metters, whom I also met through Mrs. Janowitz, I gathered a good deal of information regarding conditions among the colored people of the South. Both of these men are striving to amelio rate the condition of their people, so various phases of the race problem were learned of in detail, and many good suggestions were received regarding the pur suance of the Bahai work among people, both white and colored, names and addresses of progressive individuals and some introductions were received, all of which will doubtless be of value in the pursuance of the Bahai work. I must not omit mention of Dr. Thos. Jesse Jones who is at the head of the division of Negro Education of the Department of Interior Affairs, through whose kindness I was furnished with a list of the most progressive negro educa tional institutions throughout the country where it was hoped that the Bahai Message might be given. In the early spring a meeting of the Executive Board of The Bahai Mashrak-El-Azkar Unity was held in Washington, and while the out-of-town members 1 of the Board were in the city it was arranged to have them meet some of these aforementioned workers who are striving to better the condition of the colored race. Accordingly Mrs. Ledyard, who has been spending this winter in Washington, invited this ^roup of friends to her home where a notable gathering took place. It has been the experience of the Bahais to find much response to the teaching among those people in general who have at heart the betterment of the condition of the colored people. These people seem to recognize that nothing short of a change of heart and of spirit can dispel the increasing animosity and distrust which exists between the two races in this country. In considering this racial problem one recalls vividly Afcdul Baha's admonition to the people of America given in this country in 1912 - forecasts of impending troubles which would befall the nation unless this racial hatred and -4- enmity were overcome and replaced by trust and confidence; but now to one's dismay he finds in some respects the alienation of the races to be on the increase and the separation to be even greater than before! The white people in many parts of the country fear the negro on account of his education and increasing knowledge of the world, of his economic independence, and of the increased and widened vision of life which he is now receiving from the colored American soldiers now returning from Europe where they fraternized with their white European allies and were re ceived as social equals. In fact as one views the present racial situation in this country he sees that the people of both races have much to lose and little to gain in the face of conflict and trouble, whereas if all these adjustments can be made amica bly between the negroes and the whites all will be better off and happier than ever before. It therefore seems as if A^dul Baha's call to unfurl the standard of Baha'o'llah in the Southern States is the hope of conciliation between the races, for as the people respond to the call and to the spirit of The Abha Covenant, hearts will be melted, animosity will be dispelled, co-operation, justice and op portunities for the advancement and development of all will ensue, and there will cease to be a "race problem" as we now know it. — ooOoo — -5- REPORT For some weeks prior to starting South I had been writing to various persons in the states which we intended visiting, in the hope that through cor respondence the way might be opened for reaching people with the teachings. To this end, I had printed an outline of five lectures upon the Bahai Cause, with a brief historical sketch of the Revelation and some of its salient principles, and also another leaflet telling about the Mashrak-El-Azkar and description of a series of preliminary dosigns for the temple v/hich were available to be ex hibited before and explained either to people interested in the building of this edifice or to those interested in architecture and building. Copies of these prospectuses are attached to this report. In order to secure the names and addresses of persons residing in the South who might be already interested in the cause, a general letter was circu lated among the Bahais in all parts of America asking them for the names and addresses of any people of their acquaintance who were interested - people liv ing in the territory of the sixteen states mentioned in the tablet to Washington as follows: Delaware South Carolina Louisiana Mississippi Maryland Georgia Texas Tennessee Virginia Florida Oklahoma Kentucky North Carolina Alabama Arkansas West Virginia From these letters there were many replies with names and addresses. Also over one thousand letters, with copies of the above mentioned prospectuses, were sent forth throughout these states of the South to the presi dents of colleges and universities, clubs and societies and progressive institu tions, informing these people of this occasion to learn of the Bahai Teachings, and seeking the opportunity to tell them of the Message. From these various missives there were some very warm responses. Although these replies were not as numerous as I had anticipated, nevertheless there was an appreciable result which in time I trust may yield good fruits. Leaving Washington on March 16th, John Bassett and I went by boat to Norfolk, Virginia, and from there travelled by train to Washington, in North Caro lina, where the doors were open to the c'ause. Through the kindness of Mrs. Hooper Harris of New York, we had been placed in correspondence with her brother- in-law and sister, Dr. and Mrs. W. H. Carter in the town of Washington, and at their invitation we stayed in their home while there. Mrs. Harris had taught in Washington, and upon one occasion, Mrs. Hannen, of Washington, D.C., had gone there on a similar mission, so the ground had been prepared. The Carter family were most hospitable and kind to us, and through their efforts two well attended meetings were arranged in their home, - one in which the history and general teachings of the cause were explained, and the other in v/hich the Mashrak-El-Azkar and its spiritual and philanthropic functions were explained to the people. The response was good, and from the happiness and joy in the hearts and faces we felt that something had been accomplished. In Washington, T.C., there is a large negro population, among the mem bers of which the living and educational conditions are not good. Mrs. Carter is -6- interested in the matter of a new school house, so during our visit a meeting was arranged for us at the colored school. On our way thither through the negro quar ter which, with its unpaved streets and side walks presented a strong contrast with the general character of the rest of the town, we had occasion to inquire from an old colored man the direction of the school. He assured us that we were heading the right way, adding that we could not miss finding it since it was the most "tumbledowndest" building on the street;. From this graphic description we had no difficulty in locating the school, an old frame building crowded to the doors and the windows with the audience of parents, teachers and scholars await ing us. There was considerable applause when Mrs. Carter spoke of the new build ing which they were all hoping for, - about as much applause as one cared to wit-r ness in so rickety a building, - after v/hich the children who ranged from six or seven years of age upwards, sang a number of songs - hymns at first and later various of the real negro melodies. All listened wrapt and attentively to the story of the Bahai Revelation, and as The Message of The Covenant v/as explained to them the entire crowd of two or three hundred souls seemed to respond and to vibrate as one soul in many bodies, then in their final hymn they gave forth in song the spiritual note struck through the mentioning of the Holy Word. It was impressive. Never have I enjoyed choral singing as upon that day, for it was indeed melodies produced by the call of the Kingdom. It is always a particular joy to the Bahai teachers when they find a response to their message amongst the clergy and this experience was one of our many pleasures v/hile in the town of Washington. Mrs. Carter arranged a morning for us with the clergymen of the two principal churches of the town. It v/as a memorable interview, one which I will always look back upon with a sense of real joy. Both gentlemen were deeply touched by the message and by the spirit of the cause. Passing quickly over the general philosophic principles of the teachings, as matters the truth of which were so evident that they offered no questions nor arguments, many basic and fundamental truths were discussed, particularly those relative to divine revelation, and the Reality of the Word of GOD, and of His Manifestation. Our meeting v/as so fragrant and harmonious, and there was such gladness of heart manifest in the faces of each one present that we knew that the spirit of El ABHA was in our midst and that in the Lord's ov/n time the fruits of that day would be forthcoming. In several of the towns which we visited upon this tour v/e went to the public libraries in order to ascertain what literature upon the Bahai Religion was available to the reading public, and with the idea of the possibility of placing in libraries, where acceptable, some of those Bahai publications suited to the general reading public. Mrs. Carter was interested in getting some Eahai literature into the local public library in her town, so we wrote to Miss Elizabeth Hopper, the Secretary of the Bahai Library Committee in Washington, D.C, that she might for ward to Mrs. Carter, for the town library, copies of such books as the committee had in hand, thus making it possible for those with whom we met and talked, as well as others, to follow up their first interest with a systematic study of the teachings. An effort has been made upon the part of this Library Committee, appoint ed by the annual convention of Bahais, to enlist the co-operation, of the friends in the various assemblies in placing those Bahai books v/hich are suitable for general circulation in their local public libraries. During the past three or -7- four years between three and four thousand books and bound pamphlets have been thus placed in libraries with the hope of furthering the knowledge of the cause. The Bahai Library Committee has extended a general call to the friends in all parts asking them to arrange with the librarians of public libraries to apply for Bahai books addressing their communications to the Secretary of the Bahai Library Conanittee, P. 0. Box 1319, Washington, D. C. ooOoo — On leaving Washington, North Carolina, our next stop was in Greenville in the same state. There we called upon Mrs. K. R. Beckwith (to whom we had a letter of introduction from Dr. Carter). Mrs. Beckwith is the principal of the East Carolina Teachers Training School - a large institution where three hundred young women are being educated to become teachers. This lady received us very graciously and listened with interest to an aocount of our work. The daily curriculum of the school was so filled and taken up that there was no oppor tunity on that day for us to talk before the student body, but an evening gathering of the teachers was arranged which proved to be very satisfactory. The talk commenced with a discourse upon the influence of religion upon civilization and architecture, which led to a description of the Mashrak- El-Azkar and an exposition of some of the preliminary designs for the edifice to be built in Chicago. Afterwards, as every one was thoroughly interested, questions were asked regarding the cause and the spiritual teaching. It was late in the night when, with happy heart c, we left the school for we had been able to speak freely and fully of the Bahai Message and Glad Tidings, and all which had been said had been received with joy and fragrance so from the glow within our own hearts we felt that that which we had offered to our audience had been well accepted. ooOoo — Raleigh, the capitol city of the State of North Carolina was our next field of activity. Here we knew no people, nor did we have letters to anyone, al though we knew the name of a prominent clubwoman of broad interests, Mrs. Timberlake. We called upon this lady and told her of our v/ork and of the meetings held in Greenville and in Washington. She became interested, and through her kindness we met several other progressive women which resulted in a meeting- in an auditorium in the Woman's Club. At this meeting a good and responsive audience assembled to hear the message with particular respect to the influence of the Bahai Revelation for the upliftment of women. The audience listened very attentively to the account of the life of Kurat-Ul-Ayn and of the great work which she accomplished and they were much in terested in hearing about the Bahai women in Persia and other countries in the East and the freedom from ignorance and the educational advantages which the Bahai Cause is inculcating into the mind of humanity, all of which is so changing and ameliorating the status of woman in the Orient. The two Raleigh daily papers published good articles which, in order to secure accuracy of statement, we our selves had written about the lecture, so we had some publicity of a good character. We were in Raleigh at a time when the public mind was much occupied with the returning troops of soldiers from Europe. Triumphal arches spanned the streets, buildings were hung with flags, strains of martial music were heard -8- repeatedly from the passing bands while thousands of people from the countryside thronged the streets. This general prevailing excitement made it somewhat diffi cult to get hearings for the message. In various ways v/e tried to increase our scope of work. Visiting the Agricultural and Engineering University in the out skirts of the city, we interviewed the professor in charge of the department of civil engineering and architecture, suggesting that v/e give an illustrated lecture upon the Mashrak-El-Azkar, explaining this architectural and engineering problem to the students and faculty, but there was too much going on that v/eek to admit of this matter, through which we had hoped would be aroused some interest in the cause Then we directed our steps toward Shaw University, v/hich is the principal institu tion of learning in those parts for the members of the colored race. Here we were very cordially received, were given seats upon the platform at their morning chaper. exercises, and there a couple of days later, under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, addressed an audience of fine young colored men, giving them as comprehensive an outline as the hour would allow, of the principles and the divine foundation of The Holy Cause. The Dean of the University and several other members of the faculty v/ere present and the response was very good. We found that our Eahai fellow servant and brother Mr, Gregory had lectured upon the Bahai Religion before the students of Shaw, so through his work our way there had been facilitated and made easy. ooOoo Columbia, the capitol of South Carolina, was our next abiding place. Here v/e had a difficult time in finding a listening ear. We visited the Univer sity of South Carolina, which is the most important institution of earning in Columbia, and there arranged with the president and one of the professors for a lecture to be given upon the "Influence of Religion upon Architecture", to be il lustrated with the Maskrak-El-Azkar designs, but after the matter was all arranged and, as we thought, settled, the president of the university became troubled and would not allow the meeting to be held. He undoubtedly feared the criticism of the people, because the Bahai Religion v/as not known to them, so we went our way. Having failed with this university, which was for the white students, we visited Benedict College, which is a large university for colored peogle, the president and some of the faculty of which are white people. Here also it was impossible to gain an entrance or to find an audience. In brief, during our visit in that city we found no opening by which an audience could be assembled, though we labored diligently. For example, one day John Bassett called at the Young Men's Christian Association, and interviev/ed a gentleman in -charge in the hope of there finding an opening for the Glad Tidings of Baha'o'llah. This man questioned him closely about our work, travels, etc., but v/as not awake to the spiritual reality of religion. He asked John as to what money he was making from the Bahai Teaching, and when John informed him that he was not only receiving no pay, but was defray ing his own expenses from money which he had earned in his profession, the gentle man marveled, and presumed to suggest to him that he would do better were he to engage in the Young Men's Christian Association work for there he would receive a salary for services rendered. After various disappointments, in the end v/e met with one lady, the wife of a judge of one of the local courts, and we found this lady to be most sympa thetic, receptive and alive to the truths of The Bahai Cause, so we knew that our stay in that town had been successful despite the many disappointments. ooOoo -9- Leaving Columbia we journeyed to Augusta in Georgia. Miss Margaret Klebbs, a teacher of vocal culture and a friend of Miss Farmer, who for a number of years had been associated v/ith the Bahai work at Green Acre, spends her winters in Augusta, where she has been blessed by diffusing the ABHA fragrances in the hearts cf a number of people, some of whom are believers, while others are becom ing deeply attached to the cause. We spent eight busy days in Augusta, addressing meetings and holding long conversations upon the teachings with the various people attracted. Miss Klebbs kindly engaged accommodations for us in the same house where she has her studio for instructing her pupils, and as this was very centrally located, and easy of access from all parts of the city, the work was facilitated and so arranged that we met many people with ease. Miss Julia Moore, one of the editors of the "Augusta Herald" is doing much to assist in the Bahai work. Through the kind services of this lady, we had some good publicity in her paper - meetings were announced - and articles upon the history and principles of the cause were published. The night after our ar rival in Augusta, a large meeting was arranged in the home of Miss Julia Moore - people of various churches and different thoughts, including a clergyman, com prising the audience. The topic .presented was the Oneness of all Religions and the Manifestation of this day. All present seemed happy and attracted. The City of Aiken, South Carolina, is not. very far from Augusta. Miss Klebbs spends a certain amount of time there, where she has succeeded in inter esting some people in the Bahai work. Through a notice in the local Aiken paper, the public was invited to a meeting there held in the studio of Miss Blondelle Malone, a painter of land scapes. There was quite a good turn out of people, though not as many as we had expected. The people are apt to be so busy with various matters that it is quite impossible to find a time to hold a Bahai meeting which will not conflict with something which some of the people will want to do. The day of our meeting in Aiken there was another matter v/hich claimed the attention of a number of those whom Miss Klebbs had expected in our gathering, nevertheless the meeting was a very good one, for it seemed as if the very people who were ready for The Message of the Covenant gathered to meet us. The first part of the meeting was devoted to The Mashrak-El-Azkar and the influence of religion upon civilization and art, after which The Message of the Great Universal Master, Baha'o'llah, was explained to the people and they were told of the Center of the Covenant and of the life and service of Abdul-Baha, of His spiritual penetrative power, of the great love which He has for all humanity, and of the lives of the people of various religions, races, nationalities and classes. now being reached by the spirit of Baha'o'llah through The Center of The Covenant. During the latter part of this meeting, a hushed spirit jprevailed in the room, and the whole thought of the gathering seemed to be concentrated upon the one pivotal point, the Center of the Covenant.'. It is very difficult to put into a word picture one's impression of such a deeply spiritual gathering - there re mains always something which perforce is left unsaid, therefore I find it impossi ble to convey in words the spiritual fragrance of that meeting - a gathering which in the beginning was almost a disappointment because a number of those whose pres ence had been anticipated v/ere not there, yet in the end it proved to have been arranged, as it v/ere, by Divine Providence. In this Bahai v/ork this has very -10- often proven to be the case. When a planned meeting does not carry out the origi nal plan of the friends, one finds almost invariably, that it turns out to be a far better meeting and one more productive of spiritual fragrance than could pos sibly have been arranged and anticipated by human thought and calculation. ooOoo — One evening Miss Klebbs arranged a meeting in her studio. Some of her vocal pupils sang, the significance of the Mashrak-El-Azkar was explained as well as a general summary of the Bahai teaching, particularly upon the principle of the Oneness Of the World of Humanity as expressed in the Mashrak-El-Azkar. The most stirring meeting held while v/e were in Augusta took place in the home of Mr. and Mrs* Jas. H. Jackson, in North Augusta, whose daughter Mrs. Daisy Moore is a believer. About forty were present, a few of whom were believers v/hile the rest were interested and attracted. Since the majority of those present had been brought up in the orthodoxy of the Christian teaching the message v/as presented from the standpoint or foundation of Christianity and the Biblical pro phecies and proofs, with particular emphasis upon the unity of all religions and the ABHA Kingdom, which is sustained by the words of Christ and the Prophets. Several people present asked questions - one gentleman in particular - a lawyer queried and quizzed to his heart's content. It was really astonishing that one could think of so many intricate questions to ask. Later on, we found that he had merely been voicing inqueries made by a lady who sat near him, who, not wish ing to appear herself as an inquirer, had arranged v/ith him to propound an inter rogation upon her behalf. Usually one seeks to avoid such a bombardment of questioning before a large gathering for it is sometimes difficult to preserve equanimity and the spirit of unity under such circumstances, but in this particular gathering the Bahai spirit was so strong amid the group that this storm of questions and cross ques tions only brought out more clearly and more perfectly the presentation of the Glad Tidings. Every one present seemed too in the best of spirits and happy and attracted so' we felt that the evening had been a spiritual success. Besides meeting the Augusta people in the gatherings described above, we had the pleasure of meeting various ones individually and of holding personal interviews with them. One was a Christian Scientist, another, a lady - a writer from Boston who had attended Bahai Meetings in New England - and another a physi cian of note, who was one of the most sincere and attracted seekers of truth whom we met while on our travels. This gentleman had been a student of religion for some years and had delved and studied and was prepared for the knowledge of the "Manifested Word" which we explained to him and to which he was responsively at tracted. In fact we had several visits together and when we left, he gave us the names and addresses of three friends of his in Savannah, and of a lady living in Jacksonville, Florida, whom he assured us were students of truth and would welcome the Bahai Message. In fact we were much impressed by the spiritual influence v/hich Miss Klebbs has made in the hearts of the- people in Augusta, for we found that although the people there needed to study and to learn more than they knew about the Holy Teachings of The Revelation, they were nevertheless profoundly impressed and attracted - yet we felt that much teaching and study was needed in those parts in order to confirm the people in the service of The Covenant. Mr. Joseph Hannon of WnoVi -ino-t on. D.C.. had lectured upon the cause in Augusta a year or two before our -11- visit, and now we hope other may go there, from time to time to help Miss Klebbs . with her work. -*-- ooOoo — While in Augusta v/e received many letters and telegrams from the friends who were arranging for the Bahai Convention to be held in New York -. all urging our immediate return to the North that we might there engage with them in making pre paration for the coming Convention and Congress. Tne friends were so sincere and pressing and so united in their urge to us that for a time we considered returning North, However, after much thought and consideration, we decided that there were many Bahais in New York to arrange for the convention while for the moment there v/ere but the two of us touring and teach ing in the South, so we determined to continue our teaching, for we knew that after the convention was over the coming hot weather and summer season would be too ad vanced for work in that part of the country. Therefore it seemed imperative that we continue our mission since these Southern travels had already been an entirely too long delayed effort in response to Abdul-Baha's call received a year and some months before. — ooOoo—— From Augusta we went to Atlanta in the same state. For several years there have been some Bahais in Atlanta. Mr. Fred Mortensen once spent a year there and gave the message to some souls who believed, and later one of the old Chicago believers, Dr. J. C Oakshette, settled there. On our arrival we found Dr. Oak- shette ill, but had the pleasure of meeting Mr. J. Elmore Hays, a friend of Mr. Mortensen, and also Mrs. Minge, a daughter of Mrs. Diggett of Chicago. These Bahais were very kind and hospitable to us, and in their company we passed some profitable hours. In response to one of the circular letters and the prospectus of lec tures sent out from Washington, we had been in correspondence with Mrs. Rose M. Ashby, the founder and president of the "Psychological Society" of Atlanta. This lady was attracted by what she had heard of the Bahai Cause, and had extended to us an invitation to meet with the society of which she was the leader, eo we placed ourselves in communication v/ith her as soon as possible after reaching the city. We found Mrs. Ashby to be quite a moving spirit in the midst of a large group of thinking and v/ide awake people. One afternoon she assembled a few persons v/ho were interested in the history of anciert Egypt and v/ho had been making a particular study of the pyramids. Somewhat hastily and crudely we made a diagram drawing of the Great Pyramid and I was able to tell them some things about its structure of which they had not known, after which the conversation was turned toward the Egyptian belief in the immortality of the soul and at this point the Bahai Teach ing of immortality was introduced as the full and perspected assurance of the future life which the teachings of the religions of the past had introduced and for which they had paved the way. It was on a Sunday afternoon that we met with the people of the Psycho logical Society at their regular place of meeting at the Ansley Hotel, one of the large Atlanta hostelries. A good and a most unusual audience composed of people of almost every type and shade of modern thought, people who were but partially satisfied with the spiritual knowledge which was theirs but who were open and re ceptive to truth from whatever horizon it might cast its light and shine upon them. The oneness of the foundation of all religions and the Oneness and Singleness of -12- °f the Word of GOD was the ba?is of the presentation which led up "to the Bahai Reve lation of this day and its relation to the particular world problems of this new day and age. Rarely have I ever met with a more receptive and attracted group of souls. Under such circumstances when the audience is drinking in every v/ord in harmony and fragrance of thought, one is quite conscious of the descent of the divine confirmations into his soul and the going out of a spiritual force from his heart to the hearts of those who are hearing. Thus the seeds of the knowledge of the Kingdom seem to be sown in the hearts of the people. It is my earnest hope that I may again visit that group of souls in Atlanta and try to do more toward placing them in touch with the center of the life of the New Kingdom. While in Atlanta I met one night informally with a group of Theosophists. The Bahais invariably find much in common with Theosophists. After speaking about the cause and its teachings one gentleman present said, that he could see no dis agreement between the Bahai and the Theosophical teachings and he asked me if there was any point of differences He seemed very much aroused and awakened when told that the principle difference between the Bahais and the Theosophists was that the Theosophists were looking and praying for the comiiy- of the Great World Master (Manifestation) while the Bahais knew that He had corns. I left the house of meet ing in company with that man and in parting with him at the corner of two streets, he taking one way and I another, I could see as my eye followed him disappearing into the night that he went away thinking deeply over all which he had heard. — ooOoo- — Leaving Atlanta, we went dov/n into Florida, our first stop in that state being Jacksonville. Here we spent a busy week. Calling there upon the lady whose name had been given us by the physician in Augusta, we were very cordially received and entertained, she suggesting to us several names of people known to be progres sive in religious matters - also advising us to see the president of the Jackson Art Club in order to enlist his aid in arranging for an exhibition of some of the preliminary drawings for the Mashrak-El-Azkar, and with this as a basis of interest, be able to speak with them about the cause and its principles. The president of the Art Club we found to be most affable, and through his kindness arrangements were made for holding an exhibition in the auditorium of the Woman's Club, which was a large hall, the club building being centrally located in the heart of the city. Moreover this same gentleman introduced us to the art editors of the two leading daily papers, both young women who found sufficient interest in the exhibition to give it a series of very good writeups, which at tracted a good many people, and brought them to the exhibit. From these people there were some who were led to investigate the teaching. A New Thought center, the members of which met in a small auditorium in the Womans' Club building, was an open door to us, for they welcomed us in their meetings, where we met and spoke with a number of people who were seeking spiritual knowledge. Some of these persons invited us to their homes, and in this manner we addressed several parlor groups. The night before we left Jacksonville, we held a meeting of our own in the small auditorium of the Womans' Club, which we had rented for the purpose, the larger auditorium on the floor below, where our Mashrak-El-Azkar drawings v/ere still hanging, being used that night, and at the same hour as our meeting, by an organization of Russellites who were preaching of the second coming of Christ. -13- Practically all of the people with whom v/e had met and talked while in Jackson ville came to our meeting, and there were others besides attracted by the publicity kindly accorded us by the newspapers. I should say there were between thirty- five and forty people there, and there was a very good spirit present which increased in fervor as the various principles and constructive doctrines of the cause were explained with emphasis on the necessity for man to investigate these various truths and prove their verity. This led up to The Message of The Covenant and to dwelling at some length upon the mission of Abdul Eaha and the gospel of his daily life of service to humanity. We left Jacksonville feeling that a spiritual touch had been made with certain people, and trusting that others of the Bahais and perhaps we, ourselves, "sight again be privileged to visit there in order to keep in Bahai touch with those who received the Glad Tidings with such sympathy. ooOoo From Jacksonville we made a visit of one night and parts of two days in Fernandina, a small town on the Florida coast near the Georgia line. For some years I had been in correspondence with our people there, most of whom had first heard of the message through the teaching of Mrs. Laura Fitzhugh Preston, a Bahai and a resident of Fernandina, who had been untiring in her efforts to spread the Glad Tidings among the people until she was called to enter into the life of the world beyond about a year prior to our visit. We were quite impressed by the love and devotion of the friends in Fer nandina to the memory of Mrs. Preston. They arranged for us to meet her daughter, Mrs. Jeffries, showed us the ruins of her former home overgrown with vines and brambles, which was burned some years before, and the small house in which she lived, in the time of trouble following her material losses during which epoch she became a confirmed servant of the cause. They all spoke most affectionately and appreciatively of her service in telling them of the Glad Tidings. It is indeed on appreciated blessing v/hen Bahai travellers find them selves amid warm and loving friends in a strange part of the country. This was particularly true in our case during these travels, because, with the exception of but a few towns and cities, in the majority of places we arrived as strangers, our first problem being to make friends with the people, therefore when we found friends awaiting us, we were appreciative of this ABHA blessing. As our train pulled into the station at Fernandina the first person we saw upon the platform was a Bahai brother, Jim Stone. Though we had corresponded for some years, this was my first meeting with him, and I was happy to be able to recognize him from the Bahai look in his face, this spirit of his I had become quite familiar with through his letters. Also at the station there were several other Bahais awaiting us, and we soon found ourselves in a motor, on the way to the home of Prof, and Mrs. Grunwald, where it was arranged that we should lunch. In the afternoon, in company with Mr. Stone, we made a round of the town, calling upon numerous men, whom he had interested in the teachings, and with whom he was desirous that we should speak regarding the cause and its philosophy. Late in the afternoon the group of about a dozen believers assembled in the home of the Nagle family where a spiritual feast was served. We all sat around a tea table partaking of various refreshments both before and after which tablets, teachings and prayers were read, and v/e talked of Abdul Baha. The real spirit of the Cove nant so reigned in that meeting that our hearts were vibrant with the ABHA love, -14- which was reflected in the countenances of all, noticeably in the faces of several of Mrs. Nagle's little grandchildren, who v/ere present with us. To my delight, I found that Mrs. Nagle was a native of Wurttemburg, though she had lived many years in this country. Se was very familiar- v/ith Stutt gart and the vicinity, which through the Bahais there and my experiences among them in the summer of 1914, brought many spiritual associations to my mind. Tne extreme firmness in the Covenant of the Bahais in those parts cf Germany is as a refreshing fragrance to my soul, and I long for the time when tranquillity will again reign in Europe and correspondence may be re-established betv/een the Bahai friends upon both sides of the recent lines of battle, so that we may again be united in friendly intercourse as we have never ceased to be united in the love of Abdul Baha during these years of war and bloodshed. Before arriving in Fernandina, through Mr. Stone, Mrs. M. H. Smith had offered to us the hospitality of her establishment, a lodging house and restaurant near the railroad station. It was suggested by some others, however, that we might prefer to go to the hotel of the town where we might be more centrally located. Upon thinking it over, however, we decided that we would rather be with our own people, so Mrs. Smith and her son made us very comfortable and happy at their place. In writing to us of the various Bahai people in Fernandina, Mr. Stone had remarked of Mrs. Smith's son "You v/ill like Gus? Everybody likes Gus'." all of which came about and we witnessed as foretold and more than that - we found out why everybody liked him! It was because he liked everybody himself and had such a cheery, happy spirit that people simply had to like him! A large public meeting had been arranged by Mr. Stone. It was held in the evening in the Opera House, and had been well written up in the local paper of the town, so we had a good audience, representative of the Bahai group and their friends and the people whom they had interested. The general discourse was upon the Bahai Principles, for the reconstruction of the world of humanity, and the teaching of Baha'o'llah regarding Universal Peace and the Bahai means for its accomplishment, the great foundation of which is The Covenant of The Holy Word of GOD. Every moment of our stay in Fernandina was a pleasure, and I find myself constantly reverting in my mind to our short but memorable visit with the Bahais there. I feel that one reason why their confirmation is so real is because they have been doing a good deal of teaching and spreading the knowledge of the Covenant., and in this way have the blessed fragrances of El ABHA been wafted their way. ooOoo Going south from Jacksonville, v/e stopped for a few hours in St. Augus tine, where we had one address or two. One of these persons we found at home, but she was not really as much interested as the friend who sent us to her, had imagined her to be, so we did not seem to accomplish much in that town. From St. Augustine our route took us to Miami by way of Palm Beach. One of our Bahai friends in the Middle West had been in correspondence with a leading clergyman of West Palm Beach and she had written us hoping that we might meet him. This we did, and had a very pleasant call explaining to him our mission in those parts. He' seemed to have a certain fear of mentioning the Bahai religion and of hearing that which we might be able to tell him of the faith, so we chatted about other things - principally about church architecture in which he seemed particu larly interested, since he anticipated building a new church in his parish, some -15- designs for which he showed us, e« after a pleasant call, we left him absorbed in his own affairs. — - ooOoo— - For several years there have been a few Bahais in Miami# The Atwater family have lived there and have done what they could to interest others in the work, until this year they were reinforced by Mrs. E. R. Boyle of the Assembly in Washington, D. C-, who with her children wintered in Miami and joined forces with the Atwater s in the Bahai work. Mr. Atv/ater very kindly met us at the station with his car and helped us to locate ourselves in a hotel and the same evening we all went down to see Mrs. Boyle and to plan out a short series of meetings to cover the three days whicf; we expected to stay in Miami. The afternoon following our arrival, Mrs. Boyle arranged a reception and gathering of about forty thinking and progressive people of various walks of life - army and navy from the nearby military posts - and pro fessional persons - and with these some northerners who had winter homes in Miami. As usual the talk in the meeting revolved about The Message and The New Day, and as there were several scientific men present, the harmony between science and the true religion was featured and emphasis was given to the fact that as Divine Reve lation has always been the foundation of civilization in times past, it is correct to infer that the great universal world civilization toward which we are now look ing will be the product of the universal world religion which is given in the Bahai Revelation and is the universal cause of the day. This meeting was followed up by several talks with people who were there. One afternoon we went out to Co- coanut Grove, a suburb of Miami, to the home of an eminent astronomer from a New England University whose wife was interested in the movement. We also spent an interesting hour at tea with Mrs. Beckwith (who had received us and arranged our meeting in Greenville, North Carolina) who was then in Miami on a visit to her daughter who was also much attracted to the cause. One evening Mr. and Mrs. Atv/ater had us to dinner with several others, and in the evening quite a number of their friends came in to hear of the Message, amongst whom were several spiritualists, who seemed much attracted by all they heard of the Bahai Teaching. Our last evening in Miami was spent at the home of Miss Julia D. Harris' where we dined and later met a number of after dinner guests. Miss Harris con ducts an open air school for children and is doing a constructive educational work, much appreciated by the people. She was assisted by quite a corps of young women teachers and assistants who all seemed to be interested in all we told them about the Bahai ideals. The discourse of the evening began upon the influence of the true spirit of religion upon education, art and architecture, with a description of the Mashrak-ElOAzkar and its various educational accessories, after which the thought and attention of the audience was turned toward the more fundamental and spiritual aspects of The Glad Tidings and The Bahai Revelation was presented as the fulfillment of all the highest ideals of the religions of the past. — ooOoo— We were very pleased indeed with our experiences while in Florida. Thi$ state has been settled by people from all parts ?>f this country and the world and consequently Florida is a place of cosmopolitan interests and spirit all of v/hich tends to free people from their mental and religious limitations of the past and -16- open their hearts to The Call of GOD. In fact it seemed to us that the field of the hearts v/as particularly ready in Florida for the Message of El .ABHA. It was quite a long journey from Miami, which is in the southern part of Florida, up to Savannah, Georgia, which v/as our next stopping place; but we v/ere fortunate in finding ourselves in company with a physician and his wife and daughter who had attended Mrs. Boyle's meeting and v/ho through her had become interested in Abdul Baha. Our visit with them was temporarily interrupted when we left the train at Savannah, for we were to see them again in Charleston, South Carolina, a few days later. ooOoo— We had in our possession the names of three gentlemen in Savannah v/hich had been given us by our physician friend in Augusta - men who had long been asso ciated together in the mystical study of the Masonic orders and rites. One of these gentlemen was leaving town so we could not meet him, but with the other two we had a most unusual conversation which lasted the better part of a Sunday after noon and well on into the evening. These students of religion had penetrated below the surface into the realities of things, so we found we could begin with them v/ith the most vital principles of the Bahai Revelation. They seemed quite &wake to the fact that the world was now in the early days of the Kingdom upon earth and that the time v/as for the New Revelation, so we were able to tell them of the Revelation of Baha'o1- llah and of the presence now upon earth of the Living Branch - Branched from the Pre-existant Root - The Word. Our interview was one of those experiences when one feels virtue to be going out of himself to be absorbed by the listeners who are thirstily drinking it in. These men seemed to realize the significance of the message we brough to them, and we parted with them, each feeling that our paths would again meet in this Great Cause. — -00O00-. — We would gladly have remained longer in the South but the time for the Annual Convention and Congress of Bahais to be held in New York was approaching so we were obliged to leave Savannah after having but the one visit with our new friends there. Charleston was the next place where we stopped. With the excep tion of our acquaintances from Miami, to whom I have referred, we met no one in Charleston with. whom we could speak regarding the cause. We had two good con versational visits with, the physician and his wife and daughter and then left Charleston for New York, remaining over in Washington for a few hours on the way North. I trust some day to be able to visit Charleston again, remaining for a sufficient length of time to be able to meet people and to tell them something about the Bahai Revelation. 00Q00 — The Convention, as many will testify, was a time of great rejoicing and unity among the friends. The wonderful tablets revealed by The Center of the Covenant, conveyed to this country by Mirya Ahmid SOhrab, calling the Bahais to arise and proclaim this great cause to the whole world of humanity, brough great responsibilities upon the friends and at the same time, with this call came the -17- spiritual power necessary with which to arise and to accomplish this work, so the friends one and all returned to their respective homes, filled with the vision of the great program of teaching unfolded to the believers by Abdul Baha. Returning to Washington after the close of the Convention for some six weeks in order to arrange my affairs for a long absence from home, I have found quite a little Bahai work to be done in this vicinity and in the country around about here. Mrs. Nourse and her family live on the Potomac River seventeen miles below Washington, their place having formerly been a part of the original George Washington Estate of Mount Vernon. Bui a short time ago, Mrs. Nourse began a series of Bahai meetings to which she invited her neighbors and the people of the countryside in hfer vicinity* At the first meeting she had between forty and fifty people - men and women and children; including several soldiers from an army encamp ment in the enighborhood; Mr. Allen McDaniel, Mr. Bassett and I conducted the presentation of the Holy Cause. While the subject was entirely new to the majority of those present* the response was verjr good and a number of the people asked that they be invited to the next meeting* Mrs. Nourse intends holding these meetings regularly in the hope that the Washington friends will help her in this work. Miss Margaret Green, originally of Washington, who was for some time in Juneau, Alaska, is now again here in our Assembly and has been organizing a Bahai center in the hamlet of Woodford in Virginia about eighteen miles west of Washing ton. The meetings there are being held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hampton Williams. Several times a group of us from Washington have gone up there to present the message, and on the last occasion we addressed between twenty and twenty- five people, all of whom were impressed to listen most attentively and thoughtfully to The Glad Tidings, and afterwards asking questions the nature of which showed that they were considering deeply all which they had heard. Mrs. Ledyard has rendered much service in this matter of teaching in these rural districts by transporting to and from the places of meeting in her automobile, the groups of Bahais from Washington who are conducting the teaching. Through this service of Hers it has been possible for us repeatedly to go down to Annapolis, the seat of the Capitol of the State of Maryland, where we have met regularly with certain friends. During the past winter a group of people have been assembled in Annapolis, through the efforts of Stanwood Cobb, originally of Boston, who for some time has been an instructor in English at the United States Naval Academy situated in Annapolis. Through Mr. Cobb's efforts, a series of regular weekly meetings were held in his rooms - these began with five or six people and gradually increased. I have been able to follow this work for the past year, going down to Annapolis frequently. The last meeting which I attended there before going South was held in one of the lecture halls of St. John's College, (which is the State College of Maryland) and over forty persons were present to hear a talk upon the cause with particular reference to the Mashrak-El-Azkar.. -An exhibition of some of the preliminary de signs for the Mashrak-El-Azkar was held in connection with this meeting. During our travels Mr. Bassett kept a very careful list of the names and addresses of those who attended our meetings and who seemed really attracted to the cause. Already Bahai literature has been sent to those on this list and I trust to be able to keep in touch with them through correspondence in the hope of -18- watering with the Holy Words and Bahai thoughts the spiritual teachings which have been planted in the hearts of these people - then later when other teachers go over this same ground again, this list will be of great assistance to them. While on this recent tour, I have been quite impressed by the state of receptivity of the people for the Bahai Teachings. Not only for the general spiritual principles of the religion but for the Message of The Covenant, for in each place v/e visited, we were able with the greatest facility and harmony of spirit to tell the people of the coming of the Promised One of all religions, of the establishment of His Covenant upon earth, and of the Center of that Covenant in Abdul Baha who is here with us now upon earth. Only a few years ago the people whom the Bahais were then meeting did not seem to be nearly so ready for this great fundamental teaching of the cause as they now are, for now they seem to be prepared to receive it in its entirety. This readiness to listen to the Divine Call by the people in this coun try seems to be coexistant with the general upset state of society v/hich is caus ing the people to seek reality. This war and all of the conditions attending the coming of the new age is causing great unrest and upheavals everywhere, until one feels as if he were standing over a volcano which might burst forth at any moment. Only a few nights ago as I sat late writing upon this report the whole neighbor hood was startled by a terrible explosion shaking the houses and causing alarm. It proved to be an assassin's bomb exploding before the home of a high government official in the near vicinity - one whom anarchists wished to kill- fortunately the official himself v/as not injured, though his house and the homes of his neighbors were sadly demolished and marred. Such actions indicate the unreast of the people and make one feel like exerting a greater effort than ever made before toward sending forth the Bahai Spiritual leaven of the Kingdom in order to save humanity from causing its own annihilation and destruction. ooOoo — - Mr. Bassett is now in New York City so we are no longer associated in this work of teaching together. For many reasons, this is a matter of deep regret to me. It is a great help in going out to teach to have a spiritual companion and fellow-missioner to share with one the joys and blessings of the Bahai work, as well as to sustain one another in the difficult moments when one may be tired and inclined to be a bit discouraged. In a few days I am starting forth to continue work in the field of the sixteen southern states mentioned in the Tablet to Washington. I trust to visit various towns, and be able to raise the call of the Kingdom in those parts, trust ing in Abdul Baha for knowledge and looking 'to him always for guidance. ooOoo— -19- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * P. 0. Box 1319, Washington, D. C, 9 June 1919. To the Members of the Bahai Board of Teaching in America. Dear Friends: A* the first meeting of our Board held at the McAlpin Hotel in New York City on the night of May first last, several of the friends requested me to make a few written suggestions which might be of value to the committee and to teachers now going forth to teach the Bahai Revelation in various parts at home and abroad. Therefore I will embody in this letter some suggestions as to ways of approach and the means which I have found successful in attempting to reach those people who would respond to the Glad Tidings and are ready for the ABHA Message. One of the most difficult problems which confronts the Eahai teachers is the locating of those souls v/ho are spiritually prepared and seeking for the Message of GOD. In the Holy Words we are told that like attracts like and that every one seeks affinity with his own kind. According to this principle many of us have observed that truth seeking souls usually band more or less tor gether. When a Bahai teacher enters a strange town or land and there, through the bounty of GOD, meets with one seeking soul it is usually the case that through that one person other similarly attracted and waiting souls may be reached. I v/ell recall the young men and women to whom Mrs. Maxwell gave the message and brought into the cause nineteen years ago in Paris. There w^re several small groups of seekers who came into the knowledge of the revelation at about the same time, each circle or group being led to the cause through the at traction, effort, and interest of one of its members. For instance, among my personal friends of the students of the Latin Quarter were several young men and young women who for some time prior to hearing of The Bahai Message were associated as friends. We often talked to gether of the spiritual realities of life and were seeking truth. The first of the group to hear the Glad Tidings of The Coming told the others and it was not long before this small circle of seeking friends were united in tfee cause, having found their Lord. Mr. and Mrs. Hopper v/ere of this number, and in a similar manner, through certain ones, Mrs. Maxwell was enabled to reach other groups of people ready and ripe for the revelation. At the present time, in this country, there is a great variety of diverse sects and cults of a religious nature both old and new. Those v/hich are dominated by the spirit of sectarianism seem to offer but little opportunity and field for Bahai work, because revolving about a sectarian ideal they attract their like and kind, so the Bahais do not find a very broad field of work among these sectarianists. However, the spirit of GOD is working among them and as they -20- the^iSVh!ir sectarian ideals and respond to the divine call of this New Age, ir "earts become opened to the universal Truths of GOD. sori=,+ - * VP°n the °ther hand' there are certain religious movements and as- Ba^^«15nS/°Unded UP°n a broad reliSi°^ outlook and in these societies the of SL \Sr field f0r their labors, for here are gathered together groups °i progressive souls freed from religious and sectarian prejudices. ma„v n. , ^or example, let us consider the Theosophists who have centers in any of our leading towns and cities. It has invariably been my experience to receive a warm welcome among these people and opportunities to speak in their mixings and to give them in a simple and a direct way, The Message of The ABHA coming. For the most part, the Theosophists are expecting and looking for the coming of "The Great Master", and, as this is one of the most striking tenets of their religious thought, it is to be anticipated that in their midst we will find persons who are ready and seeking for The Lord in His Latter Day Coming. In addition to the people grouped in the acknowledged religious organizations, ^here is an ever increasing and already a vast multitude of souls also ready for The Message, who. because of the admixture of so much superstition. and imagination with the truth,, in the religious formulae of the past, have ceased to hold their former religious cornecticns and are now engaged in philanthropic and humanitarian service. Man]- of these people are open to receive the Bahai Teaching, and though oft times they will tell you they are not "Religious" one finds that they are speaking in the authodox parlance of the old idea of religion whereas, according to the Bahai standard of reality, they are religious in that they are seeking to express their highest spiritual ideals in service to the human race* It has been the experience of our Bahai teachers that when a per son is found to be alive to and working to establish one of the principles of Baha'o'llah, that he or she is usually found to be in sympathy with the other principles of the cause when these are presented to them with regard to their own special labors and service. These progressive people are found throughout the country banded together in many clubs, associations and societies. I have found the woman's clubs in various towns to be a good ground for Baha! teaching, In the work of their clubs, the women of this country are keenly interested in the general wel fare and progress of the sister women in all parts of the world, so by taking as his theme the Bahai Movement and its influence for the upliftment of women, touch ing upon the work of the cause among the women in the Orient, the Bahai teacher is quite sure to attract and to hold the attention of an audience of progressive women. So far as club organizations are concerned the men's clubs in the past, I have found to be spiritually unprogressive compared with the "women's clubs through out the country. It has been v/ith comparative difficulty that openings for Bahai speakers have been arranged before men's clubs. I imagine that this has been caused largely by the fact that for the most part men's clubs are either for social diversion or for business purposes, and religious and philosophic subjects are rarely presented in a public way. However, I understand that this condition is now changing and that latterly some of our Bahai speakers have found attentive and receptive audiences before commercial, business and social clubs of men, an experience which I hope may some day be mine. There are many organizations of men, apart from the social and -21- ESS! TonTthJ -the-fni ^ ** M*i thou*hta »d ™iCe 0fte» fi»d a the Bahai principle s°cne f?S !v "^ and WQmen most °?en t0 the application of Educational Associations (lar.'lt ™±a°B Feaoe Soci°««* the EsPeranii,ts, groups of people who are%tudvf^7 °0iap0Bed of teachers;, chartauqufte and other Problems of the present ill Y g *** consider^g the social and economic clash between the interests of e?°D8 arS trying to adjust the friction and and hatred, and ooras^onallv . ra°!S &nd the d0ing away with racial Prejudices the Psychology of rell^S 7 ? S U? ?f sclenti^ minds studying ethic, and mony and accSd Ltlljt S Wn° h°ld fast to the ^^ Principle of the har- spiritual princi^erS I SC\entific truths of the material world an A the welcome a Ba^ai speaker arTt^0^ "^ gr°UpS °f pe°*le are °«" ^'ad t0 of the teaching. 7 Usually resP°*d to the progressive principles or^n^rf *« +?°me 7earS ag° °ne heard of classes in various jparts of the country !S f f°r the comparative study of religion. Of late, I have not run across xnese groups as often as formerly. I presume this is due to the fact that people in general are better informed now than they were a decade ago, about the. reli gious doctrines of the foreign peoples. Now the general thinking public knows and accepts much true philosophy due to the pioneer work of students of compara tive religion, added to which is the .present spiritual condition of the world which now has created a demand in the heart of humanity to seek vital dynamic truth rather than to delve in the study of the doctrines and customs of" the an cient religions. I well remember, just before entering college, when I was beginning my first study of the oriental religions by reading the books of 0ame3 Freeman Clarke, the effect upon orthodox Christian America caused by the Congress of Re ligions held in connection with the World's Fair in Chicago. Preachers throughout the land denounced this invasion of Christendom by the then so-called "Heathendom" of the Orient. However, their protests were of but short duration. Before long there was so much demand in many places for knowledge of the systems and practices of the religions other than Christian, that some clergymen inaugurated classes for the comparative study of religion to meet this new demand of the public thought. I sometimes regret that there is not more of this work going on now about us, for these groups of people were, in many cases, peculiarly ready and prepared for the Bahai thought. My first public exposition of the Bahai Mes sage was before such an audience. It was in the home of Mrs. Richard Fitz-Hugh Ledyard, in Cazenovia, New York, where under the instruction of the Presbyterian clergyman of the town, a man of unusually broad vision and interests, a class of sixty or more people were just finishing a series of lectures by him upon the various religious systems ancient and modern, which formed a good preparation and introduction to the Bahai Religion. In addition to the platforms provided by religious and philanthrop ic gatherings of people, there are a number of clubs and organizations for general improvement and study which offer good opportunities for Bahai speakers, such as "current event'1 classes, literary, histciical, dramatic art, archaeological and architectural clubs, besides organizations, schools, travel clubs and the like, before which a speaker can through giving a talk upon the subject of particular interest to the audience make certain connections with the Bahai Thought. For example, it is a rare opportunity for a "current event class" to be able to hear explained to them the history and the object of the Eahai -22- inte^ste!^ ^aiwhose hea^ and *«Win the cause. Before other classes unon civ^wL in special studio 'the creative influence of religious thought art ill +i! ?'¦ ?-ncluding literature, history, the drama and all branches of elL L \ v P^^ents many possibilities, while people of all ages are SSr£L * 2? experiences of the Bahais in foreign lands and their Pilgrimages to The Holy Land. , M.oe. ,, Throughout all these many ways of approaching people with the Bahai message the more we can tell the people of Abdul-Baha and of the gospel of his thp 7 -lit Sreater seems to be the impression made upon them and the more ney win te attracted to the cause. Even though they may not be very much awake xo the religious teaching of the cause, if their interest and sympathy of thought e tocused upon Abdul-Baha, between him and them a spiiitual connection is estab lished, and this relation will in time be productive' of illumination and divine results. After all, the most that the Bahai teacher can do in the way of service is to direct the souls of the people toward the Center of the ABKA Covenant from which Center emanates to humanity the power and the confirmations of the ABBA Kingdom, and in this service of giving The Message of The Covenant lies the power of The Kingdom and the hope of humanity! ooOoo — Most people need appreciation and encouragement to develop their best possibilities. Should we not do all in our power to encourage the individual Bahai to arise in service to the cause, rather than to await tranquilly until others arise, or a "committee" be formed to do the work? The mere fact that the spirit of The Covenant working in the heart of some one individual inspires and prompts that soul to arise to do a certain constructive service should be proof sufficient that by acting upon this prompting with wisdom and according to the Bahai instructions that person will be blessed and confirmed! In the growth of the Holy Cause collective works grow out of and develop from the labors of individuals. For example, in each city where there now is an assembly of Bahais, there was once but one person who believed and under took to establish a center. Through the tireless efforts of that first person to realize the need for establishing a center, we now find as a result an assembly supported unitedly by a number ;of souls. The formation of assemblies is but one example of the principles which I am trying to enunciate. For example, our Bahai Publishing work started when the first Bahai undertook to reproduce the Holy Words for the enlightment of others. The work of the Mashrak-El-Azkar in America was first given impetus by one Bahai who having conceived the idea, from the study of the Holy Word, began to agitate the matter with the result that now all the Bahais in the world are united in this vast undertaking, and so it is with all phases of the holy work. It is the one who arises to act upon whom the divine confirmations descend and spreading to others who follow in the path of El Abha bring about a unity of the friends in service. It seems as if this unity was invariably the result of serving together in conformity v/ith the divine commands. Should we not dwell upon this matter in order to encourage, as much as possible all individuals v/ho have the desire to serve, those who, perhaps are reticent and retiring and shrink from inaugurating works, those who often, rather than seem to wish to take the initiative themselves, retire with the thought tate IS6?^*?:?^17 m°re "P™*"**" and "experienced" than themselves should inexperienced to wJ^t0*118 a11 0f the frie«