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Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada

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Date 1983-0, descending — sort earliest first

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1983 1 Sep In a message addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of Norway the Universal House of Justice included a six-point summary of 'the essential requisites for our spiritual growth'. Written on behalf of the House of Justice, this significant letter expressed its confidence that if the believers practised the suggested disciplines they would penetrate the 'miasma of materialism' impeding the growth of the Faith in Europe. The suggestions have been gleaned from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and were stressed again and again in the talks and Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The points were:
  1. The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure-hearted devotion.
  2. The regular reading of the Sacred Scriptures, specifically at least each morning and evening, with reverence, attention and thought.
  3. Prayerful meditation on the Teachings, so that we may understand them more deeply, fulfill them more faithfully, and convey them more accurately to others.
  4. Striving every day to bring our behavior more into accordance with the high standards that are set forth in the Teachings.
  5. Teaching the Cause of God.
  6. Selfless service in the work of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or profession.

They also suggested that in their private meditation the believers use the repetition of the Greatest Name, Alláh-u-Abhá, ninety-five times a day which, although at that time it was not yet applied in the West, it was among the Laws, Ordinances and Exhortations of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

  • See Personal Pathway for Spiritual Growth : A Personal Commentary on the Universal House of Justice's Six Requisites for Spiritual Growth by David and Carol Bowie.
    		• Meditation; Spiritual Growth; Materialism; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1983 May  Seyed Mahmoud arrived in Lethbridge, Alberta — his original assigned city – and where he has resided every since. (Alberta Baha'i Council 2015 "Mohsen and Donna Seyed Mahmoud biography"). Mohsen Seyed Mahmoud; Donna Seyed Mahmoud; Lethbridge, AB
    1983 Ridván In 1983 the institution of the National Convention went through another of its periodic bouts of growing pains. Attendance again was limited to the delegates and the members of the two participating Institutions, the Board of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assembly, although members of the Auxiliary Board were also welcome as guests and observers. Prior to the Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly had sent to all delegates a list of questions on which it felt the incoming membership of the Assembly would most urgently need the delegates' advice. In the same mailing, the delegates received the Annual Report from the National Assembly and reports from each one of the national committees.

    Those elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly were: Douglas Martin (sec'y), Hossain Danesh [chair), Jane Faily, Ed Muttart (treasurer and ass't sec'y), Ruth Eyford, Michael Rochester (vice), Glen Eyford, Husayn Banani, and William Hatcher. [CBN Vol5 Issue3 July/Aug 1983 p23; CBN Vol5 Issue 2 May/Jun 1983 p20]

    		 National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Douglas Martin; Hossain Danesh; Jane Faily; Ed Muttart; Ruth Eyford; Michael Rochester; Glen Eyford; Husayn Banani; William Hatcher; Guelph, ON
    1983 (In the year) The film Heritage of the Martyrs, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the fate of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [HNWE45] - Film; Elizabeth Martin; Heritage of the Martyrs (film); Elizabeth Martin; Toronto, ON

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