June 28, 2012
1938: First Baha'i Community and Spiritual Assembly in Latin America
June 15, 2012
First Baha'i Spiritual Assembly having representatives of the black, yellow and white races in its membership
June 13, 2012
April 1990: The Spiritual Assembly of Ishqabad is reformed after 50 years
Pictured are members of the Spiritual Assembly of Ishqabad, Turkmen S.S.R., which has reformed after 50 years. Seated (left to right) Mihrangiz Muhandis Ali-Aqa, A'zamiyyih Nizami, Malikih Naji; standing (left to right) Suhayl Qadimi, Muzaffar Qadimi,Fu'ad Qadim, Mirza 'Ali-Akbar Naji, Hasan Pishraw, Muhandis 'Ali-Aqa. (Baha'i News April 1990)
June 10, 2012
March 1910: The first Bahá’i magazine is published in English
In March, 1910, the first Bahá’i magazine was published in English. This was a small 20-page booklet bearing the name Baha’i News. It was edited by Albert R. Windust and Gertrude Buikema. The editorial page read, in part: “The need for a Baha’i News Service is apparent throughout the Occident. To meet this need this humble publication has stepped forth from nonexistence into the court of existence . . .“ This magazine was published nineteen times a year. During the course of the first year a Persian section was added, in order to make more useful the circulation of the magazine among believers.
The magazine prospered, for the second year it increased in size and was named Star of the West. During this year, the contents included not only news of Baha’i activities, photographs, the Persian section, and translations of Tablets from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, but also occasional articles on various aspects of the teachings appeared. Volume three is of special historical interest because it chronicles so much of the talks and incidents of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to America. Slowly the Star of the West changed from a magazine designed primarily for Bahá’is to a magazine for the general public as well.
When the National Spiritual Assembly began to publish Baha’i News Letters for all the believers in December, 1924, it was no longer necessary to publish news in the magazine. The name was changed to Baha’i Magazine, with Star of the West as a sub-title. After a few years, however, the sub-title was dropped entirely.
In 1935 the Baha’i Magazine was combined with World Unity magazine to make the present World Order magazine. And in this we find discussions of the relation of the Baha’i Faith to all aspects of modern life and world problems.
(The Baha’i World 1938-1940)
The magazine prospered, for the second year it increased in size and was named Star of the West. During this year, the contents included not only news of Baha’i activities, photographs, the Persian section, and translations of Tablets from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, but also occasional articles on various aspects of the teachings appeared. Volume three is of special historical interest because it chronicles so much of the talks and incidents of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to America. Slowly the Star of the West changed from a magazine designed primarily for Bahá’is to a magazine for the general public as well.
When the National Spiritual Assembly began to publish Baha’i News Letters for all the believers in December, 1924, it was no longer necessary to publish news in the magazine. The name was changed to Baha’i Magazine, with Star of the West as a sub-title. After a few years, however, the sub-title was dropped entirely.
In 1935 the Baha’i Magazine was combined with World Unity magazine to make the present World Order magazine. And in this we find discussions of the relation of the Baha’i Faith to all aspects of modern life and world problems.
(The Baha’i World 1938-1940)
June 3, 2012
Baha’u’llah visited Haifa four times
The Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith states that Bahá'u'lláh visited Haifa four times. The first visit was of short duration, when He disembarked in 1868 from the Lloyd-Triestino steamer. The second visit was for just a few days, and He stayed in Bayt-i-Fanduq, a house in the German colony, part of which still stands today. There is a dated Tablet, in the handwriting of Mirza Aqa Jan, which indicates that Bahá'u'lláh was in Haifa in August 1883, probably the date of this second visit. The third visit was in 1890, and when Edward Granville Browne reached 'Akká, Bahá'u'lláh was in Haifa. In the course of this visit, He stayed, at first, near Bayt-i-Zahlan, near the town, and then He moved to a house in the German colony which was known as the Oliphant house. His tent was pitched on a piece of land opposite that house. His fourth and last visit was in the year 1891. This sojourn was the longest, and it was here in Haifa that members of the Afnan family met him when they came in July, as described in a later chapter. Bahá'u'lláh was then in Haifa for three months, staying in the house of Ilyas Abyad near the German colony, and His tent stood nearby.
(Balyuzi, ‘Baha'u'llah - The King of Glory’, pp. 373-374)
(Balyuzi, ‘Baha'u'llah - The King of Glory’, pp. 373-374)