Re: What Convinced Me (was: Questions about Omniscience and related matters)
Yes, hello , Elaine, I am very familiar with your account of your conversion, from your web site. It is the most moving Baha'i conversion account I have ever read. By all means, I recommend that anyone who has not read your account, do so at your web site http://elainna.org/Spirit/Journey.html It rings of authenticity and is probably the most miraculous account of an experience that I have ever been able to believe in, in Baha'i literature. In addition, I have greatly enjoyed other written works on your web site. Peace and love, Ron Stephens On Dec 30, 2004, at 9:04 PM, Elaine Crowell wrote: Dear Ron, I was 35 when I embraced the Faith. I was a seeker after transcendence since I was 12 or maybe 15. I tell the story of my conversion on my web-site.http://elainna.org/Spirit/Journey.html Unlike most of the Baha'is I know, I came to the faith through a series of visionary experiences. My first Baha'i book was The Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys, my second, Proclamation to the Nations by Shoghi Effendi, and my third was Gleanings. Each of these books made a deep impression on me However it was the second which set up an internal conflict that finally brought me to the point of declaring. I was nearly torn apart by a combination of these books and my visions. Perhaps one of the things which helped me was my awareness of how ignorant I really was and a set of guide lines I created to guide my search for a true religion. The following is taken from my narrative. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRUE RELIGION? By true, I meant something, which was understandable and would facilitate spiritual development on a personal and social level. I came up with the following: A true religion would be universal. It would offer something for everyone irrespective of his or her age, education, and cultural or social background. It would not be for the elite, neither would it succumb to populist views or special interest groups. A True religion would focus on spiritual education rather than on sin and the need for redemption. It would not set itself up as the arbiter between the value and worth of certain souls and the wickedness of others. A true religion would be as concerned with the welfare of the whole human race as it was with individuals. It would be part of the world, not some isolated, insulated, naval gazing cult. Finally, and possibly most important, A True religion would not necessarily agree with my preferences and expectations. It would not conform to my limited and biased point of view. I added this last stipulation because I knew I had outgrown nearly every belief I had previously held. Therefore, if I found something that was in complete accord with my beliefs and feelings, I would eventually cease to grow. You asked about doubts. Yes I have them but my chief doubts are about myself, my understanding and the Baha'i Community. Not being an intellectual or an academic, I prefer to focus on action rather than theory. For example the Tragedy in South-East Asia has claimed at least 100,000 souls and the people there desperately need help. I am praying along with another group of women on line. I wonder why no one has mentioned this tragedy on this list and if there are Baha'i Communities there? I would like it if the Faith was perfectly logical rational and if my fellow Baha'is were more supportive and could instantly translate the Writings into action. However, it is very difficult for me to be critical of others when I know how far short of the standard I fall. Warm Wishes, Elainna The Doors are open at Elainna's New Place http://elainna.org The Wild Side http://elainnas-wild-side.net __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: What Convinced Me (was: Questions about Omniscience and related matters)
In a message dated 12/31/2004 2:12:25 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I wonder why no one has mentioned this tragedy on this list and if there are Baha'i Communities there? I'm sure there are. What I'm wondering is if there are any SEDs in those areas which might be helping to provide relief and if so, where could we send $$? __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: Perennial Bab?
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 21:44:36 -0600, Mark A. Foster [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, Gilberto, At 03:54 PM 12/30/2004, you wrote: Ok. I guess I would emphasize that such groups are not saying that God is silent. And so it is not clear exactly how Bahais are saying that they are different. Mark: One of the things which appealed to me about the Baha'i Faith, Eckankar, the Meher Baba movement, etc. is the belief in a (conceivably) timeless succession future persons who would have the same authority as Christ, Muhammad, etc. Gilberto: Do you have any insight as to why that might be appealing? Personally, I don't think the religion is so much about authority or that individual anyway. I like religions more based on principles, like Taoism and Buddhism, and I think it probably shows up in how I see the prophetic religions as well. That's probably why Perennialism appeals to me. The message is more important than the messenger. There are timeless principles which are more fundamental than a timeless sequence of persons. Gilberto:: The mainstream orthodox (at least not uncommon) view in Islam AND Christianity is that God still speaks to mankind in various ways. That doesn't mean that every Tom Dick and Harry should be aknowledged as the next prophet. Mark: No, but we believe that there *will * be future Prophets. I understand that. Bahais say there will be future prophets. Muslims say there won't be future prophets. Christians seem really open to the idea that there will be future prophets (Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.) But maybe not figures of the magnitude or importance of Jesus. So in principle perhaps the Bahai faith most clearly states that future prophets will be coming. But I suspect that Muslims and Christians are probably more open to the continuing presence of lesser charismatic individuals who can serve as guides. People in the church office of prophet, sufi shaykhs, etc. What is your understanding of khatam? It seems to mean last. And even though there are a few example in Arabic literature of where it doesn't mean last. The hadith on the subject of the finality of prophethood are pretty clear. [Hebrew Isralities/Hebrew Christians] It seems to me that there are alot of groups which are Black, Bible Based, which really center on Follow the commandments of God [in the Torah]. They seem to be following a basically conservative impulse. Saying the other churches and organizations have lost their way, let themselves be influenced by paganism, western culture, etc. while they want to go back to an older way of life, following the Torah, adopting Hebrew names, identifying themselves with God's people, or the Israelites, etc. Mark: Some of these groups accept Elijah Muhammad's Yakub mythology. Gilberto: Now I've totally lost track of which groups we are talking about. I think out of the varied and distinct African-American religious movements I have the impression that there is one constellation of them which naturally hangs together. The Bible-based groups, who try to follow the commandments of the Torah. When you said Hebrew Christian: I thought that's what you were refering to (although perhaps without implying any particular racial component). Many of these groups will say that the original Jews were Black and they identify the children of Israel with African-Americans (or Blacks in the Americas). Many of these groups call themselves Hebrew Israelites Now, although there are some similarities between the above groups and the followers of Elijah Muhammad (the various incarnations of the Nation of Islam, along with the Five Percenters) and also the followers of Malachi Z. York, I see them as still being distinct. Especially since these later groups aren't claiming to follow the Torah and generally aren't claiming to be the children of Israel. And they bring in the Quran and other elements into their ideology. Mark: In my Social Problems classes, I refer to this mythology as a kind of counter-racism. I see it as an ideology designed to attack the view, held by some factions of the KKK movement, that Blacks were the progeny of Jews and apes or the Mormon teaching that Blacks are descendents of the cursed Hamites (forgiven in 1967, I believe). Gilberto: That could be true. But I hope you see that there is more to the Nation than that. I've known of people who were card-carrying members of the nation but who weren't necessarily literalists when it came to the doctrine or mythology. There are positive aspects of it as well. Gilberto: As far as I can tell Malachi Z. York doesn't really focus on those things, incorporating Islamic elements, Pharonic elements, UFOs and plenty of other non-Biblical material. Apart from the similarity of names, I'm not convinced that the
RE: What Convinced Me (was: Questions about Omniscience and related matters)
In a message dated 12/31/2004 2:12:25 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I wonder why no one has mentioned this tragedy on this list and if there are Baha'i Communities there? I went to Feast last night, and we read letters from the NSAs of Thailand and Malaysia; in both those countries, the Friends were spared any loss of life, and suffered only minimal property damage. I dont know about other areas. There are Bah organizations that are assisting with the relief efforts. I will try to have some addresses this afternoon. Dave Lambert www.vintagerr.com __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: Rank of the Trustees of the Right of God
I remember reading a statement from the Universal House of Justice in which it said that the rank of the Trustees of the Huquq is higher than that of the Counsellors. I can't locate it, and wonder if any of you know where it is. Thanks Brent Dear Brent, I could not find a direct reference to your question. However, the letter of January 22, 1999 regarding the rank of Counsellors as to the rank of an NSA suggests that the specific deliniation of ranking which you remember may not be as specific as you remember. The following quotation makes it questionable in my mind. However, the essence of the relationships between Bah' institutions is loving consultation and a common desire to serve the Cause of God rather than a matter of rank or station. (The Universal House of Justice, 1999 Feb 22, Rank of Counsellors, p. 2) Also the discussion by the UHJ regarding the ranking between the Counsellors and the NSA's refers to the need of sufficient rank to perform functions; which does not involve being ranked above an institution. Richard. __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: Rank of the Trustees of the Right of God
Thank you for looking that up, Richard. The House wrote a letter dated March 22, 1978, Elucidation of Bah' Teachings on Ranks and Stations (Messages from The Universal House of Justice 1963-1986, pp. 375 ff.) Among the statements in that letter: the Boards of Counsellors outrank the National Institutions of the Faith (p. 376) the proper functioning of human society requires the preservation of ranks and classes within its membership. The friends should recognize this without envy or jealousy, and those who occupy ranks should never exploit their position or regard themselves as being superior to others. (p. 376) And amongst the realms of unity is the unity of rank and station. It redoundeth to the exaltation of the Cause, glorifying it among all peoples. Ever since the seeking of preference and distinction came into play, the world hath been laid waste. It hath become desolate. Those who have quaffed from the ocean of divine utterance and fixed their gaze upon the Realm of Glory should regard themselves as being on the same level as the others and in the same station. (Baha'u'llah, quoted on p. 376 of Messages) I would also add that the Guardian wrote that Bahiyyih Khanum's great humility exalted her rank: a quiet and unassuming disposition that served to enhance a thousandfold the prestige of her exalted rank. (Shoghi Effendi, Baha'i Administration, p. 194) So this shows that when the possessor of rank is humble, the rank increases. I understand this to mean that the institution, not the individual, possesses the rank, and that the institution is held in higher esteem, and actually radiates more nobility and exaltation, when the inhabitant of that institution is humble. The rank does not attach to the person, after all. All of that said, the House also says that ranks must be preserved for the well-being of society. I think that deference to rank is shown, for example, in the attention given to statements made by the possessor of rank. O people of God! Righteous men of learning who dedicate themselves to the guidance of others and are freed and well guarded from the promptings of a base and covetous nature are, in the sight of Him Who is the Desire of the world, stars of the heaven of true knowledge. It is essential to treat them with deference. (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 96) Likewise, I think that recognition of rank is shown by standing up when the possessor of rank enters the room. Not that the person needs it; as Baha'u'llah says, society needs it. Rank within the Baha'i community betters the community. My personal view is that standing should be reserved for House members, Hands and Counsellors. If the friends stand when National Assembly members or even Regional Council members enter the room, then there is no means left to show proper respect to the most senior institutions. Brent __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: Perennial Bab?
Hi, Gilberto, At 07:47 AM 12/31/2004, you wrote: Do you have any insight as to why that might be appealing? Subjectively, that is a difficult question for me to answer. I have a hard time understanding why it would *not* be appealing. However, I think that the appeal of continuity is similar to the rationale behind the current campaign of the United Church, God is Still Speaking: http://stillspeaking.com/ There are, I think, several possible responses to the continuing recognition of the global village. (I would never say *only* two possible responses.) One is fundamentalism or sectarianism - the desire to go back to the supposed roots of one's own religious tradition, an imagined *simpler* time when, so the myth does, no quite as many spiritual alternatives were present, and truth did not seem so relative. Another is, of course, relativism - a belief in the contextuality of truths, cross-culturally and historically, and a desire to embrace all of them. I suppose that many, perhaps most, of those who are attracted to the Baha'i Faith, to Eckankar, to the Meher Baba movement, etc. are in this second category. Personally, I don't think the religion is so much about authority or that individual anyway. I like religions more based on principles, like Taoism and Buddhism, and I think it probably shows up in how I see the prophetic religions as well. For many people, religion *is* about whom (and what) one accepts. Fundamentalists are, by definition, separatists, and they are probably furthest to the right on a separatism scale. Inclusivists, in which category I would place myself, and universalists are perhaps furthest to the left on that same scale. That's probably why Perennialism appeals to me. The message is more important than the messenger. There are timeless principles which are more fundamental than a timeless sequence of persons. I suggested above that the left of this scale consisted of both inclusivists and universalists. IMO, the Baha'i model of progressive Revelation is inclusivist. Baha'is include the succession of divine Revelations in our understanding of God's Covenant. However, the Baha'i model is not universal (in the sense I am using the term here). I would place perennialism under the universalism (rather than inclusivism) category. I understand that. Bahais say there will be future prophets. Muslims say there won't be future prophets. Christians seem really open to the idea that there will be future prophets Some do, but most believe that biblical references to prophets referred only to the earliest period of the church - sometimes regarded as having ended with the canonization of the Bible. No, or almost no, Christian denominations or sects believe that contemporary prophets can add to the biblical canon. (Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.) Pentecostals generally argue that this period began in the upper room (Acts 2). Many other Christians believe it ended with the canonization of the Bible. So in principle perhaps the Bahai faith most clearly states that future prophets will be coming. But I suspect that Muslims and Christians are probably more open to the continuing presence of lesser charismatic individuals who can serve as guides. People in the church office of prophet, sufi shaykhs, etc. I know that is not sufficient for many people. Now I've totally lost track of which groups we are talking about. For instance, the Nubian Islamic Hebrews I chatted with accepted the Yakub mythology. I think out of the varied and distinct African-American religious movements I have the impression that there is one constellation of them which naturally hangs together. The Bible-based groups, who try to follow the commandments of the Torah. When you said Hebrew Christian: I thought that's what you were refering to (although perhaps without implying any particular racial component). There are many different groups which call themselves Hebrew Christian. Not all of them are evangelical (Trinitarian, etc.). Many of these groups will say that the original Jews were Black and they identify the children of Israel with African-Americans (or Blacks in the Americas). Many of these groups call themselves Hebrew Israelites Yes, however, my experience is that there is considerable overlap between certain Hebrew Israelite and Black Muslim groups. That could be true. But I hope you see that there is more to the Nation than that. I've known of people who were card-carrying members of the nation but who weren't necessarily literalists when it came to the doctrine or mythology. There are positive aspects of it as well. Yes, I have known some members of Louis Farrakhan's organization who take the Yakub story as a metaphor. (I also have a tough time believing that Farrakhan
Re: Rank of the Trustees of the Right of God
As to reserving a hotel, the Office of Pilgrimage sends out a list, about a year ahead of time, giving the hotels recommended by the House of Justice. You can make arrangements directly with the hotel. We instead opted, at the suggestion of one of the friends, to use the services of Palex Tours in Haifa. (The House later used this organization for the logistics related to the thousands of believers who came for the dedication of the terraces). They were a reliable outfit not only for the hotel, but for all other logistics within the Holy Land including airport transportation. Their website is: http://www.palex-tours.co.il/ As far as the prophecy I believe refers to Shoghi Effendi in Daniel: We know from The Priceless Pearl (p. 5) and from its successor book The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith (p. 3) by Khanum, that the name Shoghi, literally the one who longs, or he who longs was conferred on him by God. The Research Department of the Universal House of Justice has prepared a memorandum including the interpretations by the Master and Shoghi Effendi of the years 1260, 1290 and 1335 found in the twelfth chapter of the Book of Daniel. This memorandum is at www.bahai-library.org and I think is at: http://bahai-library.org/uhj/beckwith.daniel.prophecy.html We know from Some Answered Questions that the Book of Daniel prophecies the date of the crucifixion of Christ, of the Declaration of the Bb, and of the Declaration of Bahaullah. I would like to offer a personal view about the last promise in the Book of Daniel (New King James translation), in its closing verse. Shoghi Effendi has related this prophecy to events within the Cause, i.e. the spread of the Faith. The House of Justice has confirmed that even with authorized interpretations of a verse, the friends are free to have additional personal interpretations. The last promise in Daniel is, Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. One of the Tablets from the Master quoted in this memorandum which interprets this verse states: O servant of God! The afore mentioned a thousand three hundred and thirty-five years must be reckoned from the day of the flight of His Holiness Muhammad, the Apostle of God, (Hegira) salutations and blessings rest upon Him, at the close of which time the signs of the rise, the glory, the exaltation, the spread of the Word of God throughout the East and the West shall appear. (p. 31) In another Tablet the Master states these should be taken as solar years. If you add 1335 solar years to the date of the Hegira (622) this comes to 1957. In letters written on his behalf, Shoghi Effendi confirms this calculation: It is far too early to make any predictions about peace of any sort, judging by the ebullitions of the world's affairs these days! `Abdu'l-Baha, in His Tablets, connects the prophecy of Daniel -- 1957 -- with the proclamation and spread of the Cause. (Letter dated 31 July 1946 to an individual believer) Another Tablet and separate letters from the Guardian reach the year 1963. But I wish to focus on the Tablet and calculation which come to 1957. I always wondered, how could this sad date figure in a Bible prophecy? Especially a prophecy that sometimes is translated, Happy is he who comes to 1335 days. The verse would, using the Master's calculation of 1335 solar years from the Hegira, thus be rendered, Blessed is he who waits and comes to 1957. I learned from a Canadian believer that he who waits in this prophecy in Daniel was, in the view of Hand of the Cause Samandari, not a reference to everyone living at that time who waited. It was a prophecy of Shoghi Effendi. I decided to see what the original words used by Daniel are. I looked in the Hebrew Dictionary at the back of Strong's Exhaustive Bible concordance and found that the Hebrew word here translated as waits is chakah, pronounced khaw-kaw. Its meanings according to this Dictionary are long, tarry, wait. The verse can thus be rendered, Blessed is he who longs and comes to 1957. which, taking the translation of his name, reads Blessed is Shoghi who comes to 1957. Brent __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: Rank of the Trustees of the Right of God
We instead opted, at the suggestion of one of the friends, to use the services of Palex Tours in Haifa. (The House later used this organization for the logistics related to the thousands of believers who came for the dedication of the terraces). They were a reliable outfit not only for the hotel, but for all other logistics within the Holy Land including airport transportation. Their website is: http://www.palex-tours.co.il/ Wonderful! Many thanks! As far as the prophecy I believe refers to Shoghi Effendi in Daniel: Marvellous scholarship. Thank you again. Richard. __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
that after 'Abdu'l-Bahá a little child shall lead them (Isaiah II:6) (Priceless Pearl)
More light is thrown on this subject by the diary of Dr Yunis Khan, who spent three months in 'Akká with 'Abdu'l-Bahá during 1897, and returned in 1900 for a stay of many years. From his words we infer that, perhaps due to news having reached the West that a grandson had been born to the Master, a believer in America (Miss F. DRAYTON) had written to Him that in the Bible is mentioned that after 'Abdu'l-Bahá a little child shall lead them (Isaiah II: 6) and does this mean a real, live child who exists? Dr Yunis Khan was not aware, in 1897, that this question had been put and that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had revealed the following Tablet in answer to it: *** O Maidservant of God! Verily, that child is born and is alive and from him will appear wondrous things that thou wilt hear of in the future. Thou shalt behold him endowed with the most perfect appearance, supreme capacity, absolute perfection, consummate power and unsurpassed might. His face will shine with a radiance that illumines all the horizons of the world; therefore forget this not as long as thou dost live inasmuch as ages and centuries will bear traces of him. Upon thee be greetings and praise 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (Ruhiyyih Khanum, The Priceless Pearl, p. 1) Even when Shoghi Effendi was very small his future greatness was known to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. A Miss Drayton of New York City wrote Him at the turn of the century and asked about the successorship. She received an answer, published at the end of Volume II of His Tablets, and badly translated, but striking. It says, 'Verily that Infant is born ... and there will appear from his Cause a wonder...' The child would be endowed with perfection, 'Abdu'l-Bahá continued, and his face would shine so brightly it would illumine the horizons, and He told Miss Drayton to remember this, all through her life. Robert Gulick referred the Tablet to the American National Spiritual Assembly and they asked the Holy Land and verified that the infant referred to was Shoghi Effendi. (Marzieh Gail, Arches of the Years, p. 284) Although the Guardianship -to-be was a well-kept secret, it was, strangely enough, not a total one. A Tablet of 'Abdul-Baha's to Miss F. Drayton of New York City contains a strong clue; it states: '...Verily that Infant is born and exists and there will appear from His Cause a wonder which thou wilt hear in future ... there are signs for it in the passing centuries and ages.' When the National Bahá'í Assembly of the United States referred this Tablet to the Guardian, he verified that he was the infant mentioned here. These lines close the second volume of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's published English Tablets. (Marzieh Gail, Dawn Over Mount Hira, p. 215) O maid-servant of God! Verily that Infant is born and exists and there will appear from His Cause a wonder which thou wilt hear in future. Thou shalt see Him with the most perfect form, most great gift, most complete perfection, most great power and strongest might! His Face glisteneth a glistening whereby the horizons are illumined! Therefore, forget not this account as long as thou art living, for as much as there are signs for it in the passing centuries and ages. Upon ye be greeting and praise! ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.. (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v2, p. 483) __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
