Based on her recent conversations with the Guardian
1955
She said:
Haifa is becoming very modern. There is no depression there in
fact there is a boom. There are two forces at work there. The English
political situation and the Zionist movement, which are the causes for this
activity. The Irak Petroleum Co. has laid great pipes to Haifa, erected great
storage tanks on the beach and run pipe lines out into the bay, where the tank
steamers may be filled.
That a very fine modern hotel is to be built at Haifa, like the beautiful
King David Hotel in Jerusalem – indeed they claim it is to be even more
beautiful. So that the round the world tourist will stop there instead of
going to Jerusalem. That Haifa is the geographical center, the center of
population as well as the spiritual center of the world. That Haifa is like
the hub of a great wheel, the spokes radiating in all directions. railroad
lines are being surveyed from Haifa to China, from Haifa to the Heart of India,
and discussions are underway for a line from Egypt all the way down to British
South Africa.
That the House of Justice will meet at Haifa. that just as Jerusalem was
the point of prayer for the Christians, and Mecca for the Mohammedans, so Mt.
Carmel will be the Kibla, or point of prayer, for the whole world.
That now as the great world empires are disintegrating a great spiritual
Empire is being erected.
That from time immemorial Acca and Mt. Carmel have been spoken of as the
center of the Kingdom, where the throne of God would be manifest, the
fulfillment of all the Christian prophecies.
That in response to the request of the disciples of Jesus for a prayer He
left them one that dealt no so much with their transient and local needs as
with the consumation of the Christian era in the establishment of the Kingdom
of God in the distant future.
That just as Haifa is to be the spiritual center of the world, so Chicago,
and the area around the Baha’i House of Worship is to be the spiritual center
of the North American continent.
That there is a chain of Baha’i Spiritual Assemblies now extending West
from Haifa through Constantinople and southern Europe almost to Paris.
That the ground for the third Mashriqu’l-Adhkar in the world has been
purchased in Teheran, Persia, and that the Guardian has told them to choose a
design speedily or else use the Bourgeois design.
That Shoghi Effendi desires us to use the term Universal House of Worship
rather than the Baha’i Temple.
That he urges the American believers to do all in their power to help the
N.S.A. to finish the Clerestory Contract. Then they can take a rest and
concentrate their activities on teaching. but not to take to long a rest.
that how desirable it would be, how splendid, if the entire exterior decoration
could be finished by 1944, the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Cause.
That Baha’u’llah wrote of the kinds of peace: the Lesser Peace and the
Most Great Peace. He mentioned this in His Tablet to Queen Victoria but it has
been translated incorrectly. (Zia Bagdadi has now made a more correct
translation)
The Lesser Peace is but a prelude to the Most Great Peace. The former will
be brought about by the rulers and statesmen of the world who will establish
the unity of mankind, stabilize currency, etc. This, however, cannot come
until the dross has been burned out of the gold of humanity by the world wide
catastrophe – a catastrophe which will include the whole of mankind. Shoghi
Effendi said that Baha’u’llah refers to this in the Persian Hidden Words #63.
That just as the American States though called “The United States” did not
really become united until the fires of the Civil War welded them into one, so
the world will not become united until the fires of a great war will have
melted and welded the entire human race. That there is no solution or the
economic problem until the Lesser Peace has been established.
That after the Lesser Peace is established then the world will be prepared
for the Most Great Peace of Baha’u’llah, which means the actual establishment
of the Laws of God in the world. The Kitab el Akdas, (The Most Great Law)
which are the Laws of the Kingdom of God, will then become the basis of human
society. But before either peace can be established the world must pass thru
the great ordeal.
That the Guardian wishes Baha’i teachers to go to other countries and
stay there until the Cause becomes established. He spoke particularly of
Marian Jack’s splendid work in the Balkans.
That the plan of Baha’u’llah is not “Utopian” but intensely practical.
By the Laws of Baha’u’llah the new Spiritual Empire will be built.
That America is in great danger. That just as at the beginning of the
last war England felt that the English Channel was sufficient protection, and
later discovered it “to be dried up” (as Shoghi Effendi phrased it) bombs
falling on London. So America feels that the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans
are their protection, but in the next war those too will prove of no
protection, in the face of the new munition of destruction.
That America has a great mission to bring the nations unto Peace.
That the tremendous progress in the field of discovery and invention in
the recent past (most of which is now used for destructive purposes) will be as
nothing compared to the progress in these field after the Lesser Peace is
established.
That the prophecies in the old testament about each man sitting under his
own vine and fig tree, and other prophecies of the blessedness of that day,
cannot be fulfilled until the dross is burned is burned out of humanity and the
Lesser Peace is established.
That the believers will experience terrible difficulties unless they
perfect their unity and establish the Administration firmly. That the
Administration is our only protection in the coming difficulties.
That the Church of England will ere long be arrayed against us — the
Greek Church on account of Queen Marie of Roumania — and worst of all of them
the Roman Church. That another type of enemy with which we shall have to deal
is the type who comes into the Cause desiring leadership, and that when they
find that leadership is impossible in the face of the Administration, then
they will turn on us and join the violators.
That we must build the Administration and not revolve around individuals but
around Local Spiritual Assemblies.
Shoghi Effendi wants the believers as much as they can to keep the nine
Baha’i Holy Days as the Guardian himself does.
That the House of Justice is a Divine Institution, built on Justice, not
mercy. The individual must show mercy, but the House of Justice only Justice.
Notes on Edna True’s Talks
The Guardian is intensely interested in the Summer Schools and wants the
friends wherever possible to attend them. He seemed to feel that these summer
study periods are very important. he said that the study of Islam should be
included in the program. That one could not have a clear understanding of the
Baha’i without an understanding of the background, which is of course Islam.
That we should strive to find good translation, by authoritative Islamic
writers, or the Koran as well as translations by American authorities. He
suggested the London University and the London Oriental Society.
He wants the friends to concentrate on teaching after the present
emergency of the clerestory has been met. He spoke of it as an emergency.
Edna said that the Guardian was very happy and assured, instead of the
extreme seriousness of his attitude during her visit about four years ago that
there was a deep tranquillity and joyousness and assurance that the Cause of
God was growing as it should grow and that all would develop as Baha’u’llah
had commanded. He was very happy and seemed in excellent health.
That there would be good arising from the the present situation in Persia.
That whereas heretofore the government had ignored the Baha’is as such, that
on account of the communications to them relative to the closing of the
Baha’i school and other things that the government has tacitly acknowledged
them as a body. That the present difficulties will pass.
That we must study the fundamental Laws of Baha’u’llah and live up to
them. That Abdu’l-Baha when coming to the western world had given us then
just the principles as that was all the western world was prepared for at that
time when we must study and live up to the Laws (keeping Holy Days, the non use
of alcohol, opium etc.) That we must be very courageous and prepared for the
persecutions which would come to the American believers. (not physical but
mental — attacks from the churches, etc.)
That Germany will be the spiritual center of Europe. That the German
believers will be and are beset by great difficulties but will show great
courage and steadfastness. Italy, Spain, and France are the main problems now.
That Baha’is must be not only very loving toward each other but must
associate with each other.
That the principle of the Oneness of mankind will uproot many existing
institutions. That the plan of Baha’u’llah is not Utopian but a New World
Order.
That we must study the Ighan even memorizing portions of it.
That we must have absolute freedom in consultation…must rely on the
Administration.
That the International House of Justice will meet in Haifa. that there are
the National Spiritual Assemblies who have charters from their governments.
That Baha’u’llah laid down no economic Plan, but only Economic
Principles. It left for the economists of the world to work them out.
That we must have courage as we are going to be called to stand up for our
principles.
That the extreme spirit of commercialism manifest in Haifa at present,
distressing though it may seem, is all working toward establishing the plan of
Baha’u’llah.
Please understand that the foregoing are only my notes on Edna and her
mother’s notes, therefore not authoritative in any sense. Please do not make
copies of them as they are not sufficiently accurate to be typed and passed
around. In case any should be made please be sure that this qualifying not is
placed at the bottom.
Mabel Rice-Fray Ives.
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