Haifa Notes
Of

Marjorie J. Stee

Pilgrim age made from 15 to 25 Jan. 1956.

Extracts of comments of the Guardian:

Latin America: Shoghi Effendi said that in L a tin America the foundation on (of the Faith) is small but firm - the administrative foundation is good, the friends are united and that is good. The Guardian said on another occasion that Latin ‘America is being affected by the materialism of the U.S.A. On yet another occasion the Guardian said that the big problem of North America is that it is corrupt, and of Latin America is that it is immoral.

On the occasion of last dinner with our beloved Guardian, he spoke much about Latin America. He said the Latin Americans are a very warm and sensitive people so we must be very warm and affectionate with them. We must make no distinction in our conduct toward them. Do not le t them imagine that we prefer Americans or Europeans. They will respond to genuine affection. He said a great deal of patience is required and care not to offend them. He said: You must love them. He said that Latin America had a great future. He also said that the North Americans and the Latin Americans could learn much from each other. The Americans can demonstrate their initiative and administrative ability and imbibe the warmth and affection of the Latin; .

...The Guardian left the dinner at nine o‘clock and Ruhiyyih Khanum stayed and talked with us until 10. She spoke about the great importance of making friends for the Faith — all friends who are influential in the countries. She said we cannot afford to ignore the non-Baha’is. We make friend s by showing kindnesses and hospitality. She spoke much about the importance of action. She said that Shoghi Effendi works like a machine, and the whole Cause goes forward — action, action, action. She said we cannot afford to be introspective and worrying about whether we are doing our ‘best but rather to remember that Abdu’l Baha said that the road to self-mastery is self-forgetfulness. She said that Shoghi Effendi is always stressing the golden mean — balance, balance, balance. The Guardian is organizing the forces of the Baha’is to spread the Cause. The need of the hour is for action. She said it is a duty to teach everybody to give them the opportunity to hear about the Faith. They are culpable for not having sought. She said that we depend to much on ourselves in doing our teaching and not enough on prayer. She told about a woman who Confirmed contacts by offering the Tablet of Ahmad every morning at dawn 9 times. These contacts had the experience of awakening at that time according to their own later testimony and experiencing thoughts along the lines of the Baha’i teachings, and wonderful inspirations. These contacts became Baha ‘is.

Regarding prayer, Ruhiyyih Khanum stressed the importance of the quality of the prayer. She said she felt that another important use of prayer was for changing the character. We can pray for the great qualities and those can be received. And then of Course we must exercise them. She said that our prayers are always answered, but not always in the way we expect. Prayer can remove the “worms” from the heart. Abdu’l-Baha said that prayer removes the dust from the mirror of the heart...

That night at dinner, the Guardian...spoke eloquently on world development according to the Plan of Baha ‘u ‘llah. He said that the World Order of Baha ‘u ‘llah is the Kingdom — the promised establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth! He said that the great world civilization which would follow would be the consequence of the establishment of the World Order.

The Revelation of Baha ‘u ‘llah he said, like the seed — the fertilized germ. The Administrative Order which we are establish in g today, is the embryo! The Birth of the Child would mark the beginning of the World Order of Baha ‘u ‘llah; and this would also mark the beginning of the Golden Age of Baha ‘u ‘llah‘s Revelation. When th is allegorical child reaches maturity, we will then be launched upon the stage of the World Civilization!

The fertilized germ was bestowed in the Heroic Age and nourished by the blood of the martyrs. The embryonic is also termed the Formative Age — the World Order will usher in the Golden Age!

The Guardian proceeded to restate this in another allegory — that of the plant. The Revelation is the seed, — the Administrative Order is the growing plant; the World Order is the flowering of that plant, and the World Civilization is the fruit o f that plant! We were told that the world civilization will come under succeeding Manifestations, Who, although They will bemunder the shadow of Baha ‘u ‘llah , will bring new laws and new ordinances for the new world!

The Guardian — assured us that the World Order of Baha ‘u ‘llah will never decline: It will have difficulties and some regressions (or set-backs) but it will continue to advance into the fulfillment of the World Civilization — the first World Civilization of this planet!

Shoghi Effendi said on the occasion of my last night in Haifa, that the World Civilization will witness the realization of the development of the great capacities inherent within man, of which we at the present time have absolutely no conception! He said that the evolution in t o each of these stages creates new unities, both within and among men and releases great potentials for further development.

This great vision of the future is what we in the Formative Age are working for!

He said that the immediate future of mankind is very dark — the distant future unimaginably glorious! He said that the world must suffer greatly first — especially America – especially her great cities.