Baha'i Administration / second International Baha'i Council / **Letters** # **Letter to Believers** #### **second International Baha'i Council** ##### January 9, 2001 *** >I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the name of Him round Whom circleth in adoration the kingdom of Thy names, that Thou wilt graciously assist them that are dear to Thee to glorify Thy word among Thy servants, and to shed abroad Thy praise amidst Thy creatures, so that the ecstasies of Thy revelation may fill the souls of all the dwellers of Thine earth. > > (Baha'u'llah, *Prayers and Meditations*, pp. 117–118) ‎ **To the Baha’is Under the Provision of the Covenant,** We would like to thank all of the friends for their hard work at putting together plans for storehouses in their communities, and working to complete a progress report by the beginning of the New Year. There has been great progress and we give our sincere appreciation to everyone involved. In previous letters we spoke of the importance of preparing for the catastrophes so that when they happen we can be occupied with the most important work of teaching the Faith. We want to make it clear that the Baha’i faith is not about the catastrophes. It is about carrying out Baha’u’llah’s peace plan in the world. The catastrophes are the result of the nations rejecting this message. Before the catastrophes, we will be teaching the masses of people the firesides. We send this letter to guide the believers in the preparation of the mass teaching effort that we, as communities, will be carrying out.  Baha'u'llah explains how this message will revolutionize the world if the future: ‎ >Once Varqa asked Baha’u’llah: “How will the Cause of God be universally adopted by mankind?” Baha’u’llah responded that: “First the nations of the world would arm themselves with infernal engines of war, and when fully armed would attack each other \[without mercy] like bloodthirsty beasts. As a result, there would be enormous bloodshed throughout the world. Then the wise from all nations would gather together to investigate the cause of such bloodshed. They would come to the conclusion that prejudices were the cause, a major form being religious prejudice. They would therefore try to eliminate religion so as to eliminate prejudice. Later \[about this time now] they would realize that man cannot live without religion. Then they would study the teachings of all religions to see which of the religions conformed to the prevailing conditions of the time. It is then that the Cause of God would become universal.” > >(Varqa: cf. Revelation of Baha’u’llah IV, p. 56) ‎ Abdu'l-Baha prophesied that the catastrophes "will suddenly revolutionize the fortunes of the Faith, derange the equilibrium of the world, and reinforce a thousandfold the numerical strength as well as the material power and the spiritual authority of the Faith of Baha'u'llah." The spiritual authority of the faith is the sIBC that derives its authority from the power of the Covenant as the legal successor to Baha'u'llah. Thus it is the government (kingdom) "of our father David that is coming.” One of our sacred obligations is to warn the people through infallible guidance so that they should be rightly guided away from danger. Most of the people have not recognized this spiritual authority of the sIBC, even though it is written in the Covenant. Therefore the catastrophes will serve as a "bump on the head" to get the people to see the spiritual authority of the Faith as the BUPC have been right in our warnings to the people. The sIBC is the administrative authority the world is to turn to.  In fact, as people wake up to the reality of the Covenant, they will find that these catastrophes are a direct result of failing to turn to the appointed successor for guidance. They failed to turn to the first successor named in the Kitab’i Ahd, Abdu'l-Baha, and we had WWI. They failed to accept the second successor named in the Will & Testament, Shoghi Effendi, and we had WW II, and now they have failed and are failing to turn to the third successor, the SIBC with the descendant of King David, and we are headed into WWIII.  The spiritual authority of the faith is that the BUPC have been right in our warnings to the people. The sIBC is the administrative authority the world is to turn to. A percentage of the mainstream Covenant-breaking Baha'is in the world (the 144,000) will recognize the sIBC as the true Universal House of Justice in its first stage. They will go through the firesides and will come under the provisions of the Covenant by the interview process through the local communities.  Therefore, we recommend all the friends hone up on the firesides through holding fireside deepening classes. We are the authority people of the world will turn to, and we need to be "johnny on the spot," as Doc used to put it. Doc would also refer to a particular parable told by Jesus on his first coming. ‎ >The kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then the maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also , saying, 'Lord, lord open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' > >(*Matthew* 25:1–12) ‎ The “maidens” represent the people who have gone through the firesides and evolved through the teachings. ‘Abdu'l-Baha, in the Will & Testament says, "teaching the Cause is the head cornerstone of the foundation itself." It is of utmost importance that we teach. As we teach these firesides, we become educated and thus fill our lamps with "oil." A lamp without oil is a lamp without light. The oil is the education of the believers. Without oil, your lamp cannot light the way for the people of the world in their darkness of ignorance. We are to check our oil levels and make sure they are in the safe zone. In the parable it says "As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept." This refers to the people of the world who will see these catastrophes, and will awake to the truth of the Baha'i Revelation. The “bridegroom” represents the physical world and the bride of heaven is the Revelation.  It says that the bridegroom was "delayed." It also says in Revelation that the four winds of destruction are being "held back" at the river Euphrates in Iraq. During this time of delay some of the believers have fallen asleep to the reality of this message. It is now time for the people to wake up and prepare, for the day is fast approaching. As a result of the catastrophes, the trumpet call will be sounded. ‎ >And the angel whom I saw standing on sea and land lifted up his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there should be no more delay but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God, as he announced to his servants the prophets, should be fulfilled. > >(*Revelation* 10:5–7) ‎ The trumpet call of the seventh angel is about to blow! With the prophecies fulfilled one after the other, we are nearing the day when the mystic nightingale will sing the New Song to the world. ‎ >The world is in travail, and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then, and only then, will the Divine Standard be unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody. > >(Baha'u'llah, *Gleanings*, pp. 118–119) ‎ As Baha'u'llah says, it is only after a catastrophic event that this message will go out, and the people of the world will judge for themselves its authenticity. This is about to take place. The world wide media is how the world will see and hear about things happening, as it says in Rev. 1:4: “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him…”  Doc always said that it would go out on an international "hook-up.”  As the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast and the mouth of the false prophet, that is, the Muslims, the United Nations and the Christians assemble the nations of the world through their doctrines into this war that is starting in the Mideast, this message will go out.  ‎ >For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God the Almighty. And they assembled them at the place which in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air… > >(*Revelation* 16:14–17) ‎ At this time, Arafat wants the United States to see that a U.N. peacekeeping force is assembled in Israel to track the mounting violence against the Palestinians. At the same time, the investigation continues in the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole. This will be another factor involved in assembling the nations in this war.  ‎ >… a fire will issue from the Yemen and drive mankind to the place of assembly. A version says that a fire will issue from the lowest part of Aden and drive mankind to the place of assembly. > >(*Mishkat Al-Masabih*, Vol. 3, p. 1143) ‎ The Baha'is Under the Provisions of the Covenant are the only people who are able to see these things for what they really are, and thus guide the world through education. We are the angels descending from heaven with trumpets and harps, blasting the message to everyone who will listen, harping on the fact that the catastrophes are here and the kingdom has come!  Again, as local communities, we need to coordinate efforts to organize national and international teaching plans. In the Baha’i administration, there is a vehicle for coordinating these efforts. The 19 day feast is the vehicle for bringing the communities together on a regular basis, as well as providing a line of communication between the local councils and the sIBC.  All of us need to stay as closely connected with each other as possible, and the 19 day feast is the way of accomplishing this. This is our “gathering” every 19 days in preparation for that time when we will really need to gather for our utter safety, security and salvation. That is, we are preparing for these physical catastrophes and when we come together at our 19 day feasts we are regularly gathering together to organize and plan and communicate and share the vital teachings which are the spirit of the Baha’i Faith. At the 19 day feasts in Missoula, the Friends are making it a practice for every member to bring two cans of food for the local Storehouse. On Holy Day Feasts, the members are encouraged to bring a bulk item, like a 50lb. bag of flour or beans or rice, etc. This is how we will survive, this is how we will live, and this is how we will carry the spirit of Baha‘u’llah to the world.  As the Baha’i Faith is like unto the human body, another vital and very important aspect of the individual communities is the life-blood of the faith. As in the body, the blood pumps throughout the body at regular, sustained intervals. If the body does not receive the life giving blood in consistent and regular portions, it becomes anemic and weak. This life giving blood is the contributions of the members to the councils as Shoghi Effendi states, and constitutes the vitality by which the councils are able to function. As the heart of the human body does not store up the blood until it feels it has enough to supply the entire body, in like manner the Friends should not feel as if they need to wait and save for a substantial contribution. On the contrary, it is much more important for the members to contribute small donations, but on a regular and consistent basis. For example, as previously mentioned as to how the 19 day feasts are the vehicle for the individual members consistent communication with the other members and the councils, it also can be viewed as the channel through which this life blood can flow. If the members were to regularly attend the feasts and at the same time use this channel as a means for the local fund, however small the contribution it doesn’t matter, the body of the faith would be invigorated by a regular flow of this life-giving blood.  Do not be concerned with the amount, we all are scraping by.  It is the regularity that is what is important. ‎ **Making Your Contribution** To make your contribution to the Fund, you must find out who is your local Treasurer. If you are the only believer in your locality you should send direct to the National Treasurer. The amount you give is entirely your own affair, and is confidential. Some believers give every week, some every nineteen days, some every calendar month. It is obviously a help to the Spiritual Assembly, or Group, if it can estimate its income. Therefore you will be helping the Cause if you make your contribution regularly. This contribution to the Fund is an essential part of Baha'i life. Not the amount you give, but the very act of doing your part to ensure an ample supply of "life-blood" to the body of the Cause, is the important thing. No individual is functioning as a full member of the World Order of Bahau'llah who does not support the Fund, however modestly. Collective action is ensured by everyone contributing; the spiritual reality of "one soul in many bodies" is expressed through the Fund when it is supported by every believer. ‎ >The individual Baha'i shares in his or her community life by contributing to the Fund, and the community shares in the life of the national community by sending regular contributions to the National Fund. In like manner, the National Spiritual Assemblies contribute to the International Fund, and thus every believer who supports the Fund is sharing in the world-wide activities of the Faith. > >(Shoghi Effendi, *Principles of Baha'i Administration*, pp. 93–94) ‎ We also suggest the local communities hold Saturday night forums in tandem with the Missoula forums. The Missoula forum starts at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time. The goal is to hook the communities up on the internet via Firetalk so everyone can participate. If they are not able to hook up on Firetalk, we recommend they still hold forums on Saturday night, similar to the forum Doc established here in Missoula. We organize our forum agenda in four parts: 1. Jokes and stories; 2. Announcements; 3. Current Events; 4. Presentations. Also, local communities are to start taking inventory of their fireside teaching materials to make sure that all the necessary materials are available. Every community needs to have enough hard copies of all the fireside outlines for every member of the community. Materials include: supporting material for the fireside outlines, bibles, SAQ's, Will & Testaments, Kitab'i-Ahd's, etc. If any material is lacking, a copying effort of material that is on hand will be needed.  The coordinating of the local communities and their efforts will be conducted by the National Teaching Committee, including the schedules and updates of weekly fireside deepenings, and the production of teaching materials. Please address any questions you may have about teaching materials needed to the National Teaching Committee, which will be handling all correspondence. The mailing address is: National Teaching Committee c/o BUPC P.O. Box —, Missoula, MT.  You can e-mail the NTC at — \[Editor's note: Outdated contact information removed. See [[Contact the Second International Baha'i Council]].] Included with this letter is the only writing Doc wanted the sIBC to approve as a Tablet. This is the Tablet “[[Tablet of the Dichotomy|Understanding the Dichotomy]]: ‘There is no associate for the Dawning Place of Command (The Manifestation of God) in the Supreme Sinlessness.’” This Tablet by Dr. Leland Jensen is the core of his mission as the Establisher of Baha’u’llah. This is the key to understanding what the message of Dr. Jensen is to the Covenant-breaking Baha’is of the world as the Establisher of Baha’u’llah. It is essential that all the BUPC commit this Tablet to memory. The 144,000 will come out of the ranks of the Covenant-breaking Baha’is and we are the angels who will gather them and seal them (teach) on their foreheads. It is important for the BUPC to recognize the timeliness of this announcement.   As the Faith is taking on a new phase of development, the communities are becoming more organized in their efforts as well as in their purpose. We all have a great responsibility to fulfill our missions as the ones God has chosen to conquer the ignorance and vain imaginings of mankind, and to deliver the living waters of safety, security and salvation to the world. The members of each community have a tremendous responsibility to guide the people to these living waters. As we become more prepared, the events in the world will surely escalate.  Our efforts will not fail. Everything will grow exponentially according to our preparedness. As we prepare, so the world will be prepared for us.  ‎ >Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God!  I entreat Thee by Thy Name through which the Hour hath struck, and the Resurrection came to pass, and fear and trembling seized all that are in heaven and all that are on earth, to rain down, out of the heaven of Thy mercy and the clouds of Thy tender compassion, what will gladden the hearts of Thy servants, who have turned towards Thee and helped Thy Cause. Keep safe Thy servants and Thy handmaidens, O my Lord, from the darts of idle fancy and vain imaginings, and give them from the hands of Thy grace a draught of the soft-flowing waters of Thy knowledge. Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. > >(Baha'u'llah, *Prayers and Meditations,* p. 72) ‎ Allah’u’Abha, **second International Baha'i Council** ‎ *** **See Also:** - [[Tablet of the Dichotomy|Understanding the Dichotomy]] — Dr. Leland Jensen *** [Site Guide](site%20guide.md)  |   [Sitemap](sitemap.md)  |   [Downloads](downloads.md)  |  [Contact Us](contact%20us.md) **Dr. Leland Jensen**: Teachings and Commentaries Archive © 2026 Baha'i Council of Dane County, all rights reserved.  [Copyright & Usage Policy](copyright.md) ***