Summary of Julie Chanler'sFrom Gaslight to Dawn Chapters 10-19
New History Foundation, NY 1956

Chapter 10

In the Open (1930 - 1933)

The New History Society continues its lectures to full audiences at the Park Lane Hotel given by guest speakers from the peace movements and religions of the world, including Halidé Edib of Turkey, Syud Hossein of India, Fenner Brockway of England, Dr. Parkes Cadman of Brooklyn and Margaret Sanger.

Of their Baha’i friends Julie notes that Juliet Thompson "retired immediately after the break."

"May Maxwell used to come occasionally as her position in the Cause was so redoubtable that she was able to take liberties. It wrenched her heart to see this impressive Bahai activity conducted without link to the organization. She remained our good friend even after the marriage of her daughter to Shoghi Effendi. We were always able to speak openly, except that for consideration of politeness I somewhat toned down my opinion of Shoghi Effendi as her son-in-law although in the past I had been quite frank about my opinion of him as the Guardian. Nevertheless May knew that I considered him weak and lacking in sense of humor. More serious failings were not apparent to me at that time." [p. 200]

Associating with peace movements of the day, the New History Society sets pace with them and begins publishing the "Green International" bulletin. They begin to sell green peace shirts both in America and Europe. Eventually the green shirts and New History literature was banned and burned in Germany. In New York, agents of the Justice Department visited occasionally. Julie begins to wear her green shirt all the time.

In February 1932 a major debate sponsored by the New History Society is chaired by John Dewey. Rabbi Stephen Wise and John Haynes Holmes speak on behalf of peace. General Amos Fries and Admiral Bradlee Fisk speak for preparing for war. Lewis Chanler and Ahmad Sohrab give short talks on the Baha’i Cause.

The following spring, a great anti-war parade is held in New York at which the New History Society is present with several hundred in green shirts, a band, and a float decorated with Einstein’s photo and his statements for peace.

At this time the New History Society began to sponsor essay competitions whereby college students world-wide were asked to write about world peace for which awards were given. One such competition held for college students in Europe on the topic of world government had its awards ceremony on July 3, 1933 at the Amphi-theatre of the Sorbonne which conservative Paris newspapers critiqued with hostility. Leading figures and leaders of thought acted as jury of the competition, including Albert Einstein.

Sohrab began, at that time to spend the summers in Paris nearby where the Chanler’s lived. Julie reports they saw a few of the Paris Baha’is, Miss Edith Sanderson and Mrs. Jeanne Stannard, the former finally dropping the friendship as "...strained relations with the organization began to tell even in Paris". [p.212]

Julie then describes meeting Mr. Hossein Afnan in Paris, whom Julie describes as the eldest grandson of Baha-O-Llah, and a relative of the family of the Bab who was serving as Aide-de-camp to King Feisal of Iraq. Her opportunity to dine with the king was accepted.

Julie writes:

"Mr. Afnan approved greatly of our work and hoped that it would go on without interruption. Later at our flat, I showed him my correspondence with Shoghi Effendi, and he noticed the terms of devotion which I had used.

"Do you feel that way now? he looked at me narrowly.

"Not quite" I answered, "yet I really do not know how I feel about him."

Julie describes one of two dreams she had of Shoghi Effendi in 1933:

"I found myself in Haifa and was led to a great dark room where the family of the Master was sleeping. I laid myself on a couch and, for a while, looked at the darkness which was velvet. Then, very quietly, I swung my legs over the side of the couch, crept to the door and passed to the outside. Here the atmosphere was that of early morning and I walked up the hill, rejoicing in the fresh air. I passed the Master’s house and noticed a cupola at the top, and I said to myself: "He used to look from there over the countryside," and then I thought again: "Everything is so real. Truly, if I stood for awhile I believe that I would see him at the window", but I went on.

Presently, from a distance ahead, I saw a group of men driving a young couple down the hill. They passed me, and I saw the couple at the foot of the hill, near the wharf, falling to earth under cruel blows. I wondered what these young people had done, and then I saw the scene that had taken place before they were driven down the hill.

It was in the court-yard before Shoghi Effendi’s house. Shoghi Effendi was there and his followers were having a discussion with the young people. They, the girl especially, were putting up a spirited opposition. All were in Gothic costumes; the girl’s costume was brown; she was very lovely.

Now the followers began to strike the girl with policemen’s clubs, and suddenly I couldn’t bear it. I caught up a club from one of them and lifted it — aiming at Shoghi Effendi. The followers were ranged in two lines between myself and him, and they raised their clubs, forming a long avenue of clubs, and I thought: "He is too far away for me to reach", but I struck anyway, and all the clubs went down before my club — and I touched him.

When I touched him, a shock of amazement and horror went through me, but I struck again and again and again, and every time the followers protected him with their clubs, and every time mine crashed through and touched him. Then I turned and ran down the hill to the wharf and jumped into a newly-painted boat, and the boat started off. A strange little figure in a terra cotta colored Gothic costume, with straight hair cut like a page’s swam after the boat and caught on the stern. We sailed around a point of land and then the little figure let go of the boat and swam back to shore.

On awakening I had a strong feeling, although it was not justified by anything in the dream, that the lovely girl driven down the hill was Mariam, daughter of Ruha Khanoum. At the time I described this dream in a letter to Ruha Khanoum and mentioned my sentiments regarding the identity of the girl." [pp. 214-216]

Julie mentions the famed photographic studio of Monsieur Tapponier on Rue de la Paix in Paris, where it was the custom for the famous to be photographed and then have their photo placed in the window during the day before being removed in exchange for another one soon thereafter. The studio was a sure place to find out what famed person was in Paris. But when ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s photo was taken during a visit to Paris, it was to remain in the window for years thereafter, replaced by no other.

Julie remembers:

"One day I was in the shop ordering photographs of Abdul Baha, and Monsieur Tapponier spoke to me of these things. Almost twenty years had come and gone since the Master had entered his studio, and now the photographer was asking about the progress of the Cause. He himself knew nothing about it.

"You see," he explained, "I am a Catholic," and then he shook his head and added "but he was different." [p. 222]

Chapter 11

Feverish Activities (1933 1939)

Julie describes several misplaced projects and advice the New History Society reviewed and rejected, and, without mentioning a name, wrote:

Chiefly we were advised to drop the Bahai name — then our success would be assured. This suggestion always made me fill a little sick. There were so many movements minus the Bahai Cause which might be promoted. Why try to mutilate ours? It would have been like removing the heart from an individual and then urging him on to great exploits." [ p 223]

Baha’is continued to associate with the New History Society including Berthalin Osgood (later Mrs. Frederick Allien), John Peterson, Mr O. J. Hanko, Janet Osterman and her sister Clair. Those non- Baha'is whom are mentioned are: Spiritualist Mrs. Oliver, Grace Kopman, an artist, Anne Gemerd, Eugenie Slaydon, Mr and Mrs Charles Boyd, Sofia Froberg, Ellen Chater, Taylor Graves, an actor and charter member and his wife Rachel, Mr and Mrs Graves, Portia Willis Berg, Mr. Baer Salov. Also with the group was Dr. Haridas T. Muzumdar who had been with Ghandi on the March to the Sea, Erna Straus of Jerusalem, Dr. Elfride Hesse, Mr. Louise Meisler, and Robert Schneider whose poverty left a mark on the hearts of the Chanlers upon his passing

Indicative of the lack of money funding the New History Society during the hardest years of the Depression, Julie notes:

"For our activities we rented studios, office rooms at shabby hotels, finding ourselves alternately out of pocket and out of place, until at last, the third floor of a building numbered 110 East 59th Street was brought to our attention." [p. 232]

The new hall they rented at this location was the former studio of the renowned artist, Isadora Duncan. It was opened on April 6, 1935, known as "Caravan Hall". The Chanlers liberally gave much money to renovating it, at one time encountering a swindler who over several months time had been taking money from the group and its member’s purses almost unnoticed . The authorities finally caught up with him for other similar offenses.

Julie describes the essay competitions growing to the point of costing over one-hundred thousand dollars to operate with over three thousand essays to judge each year. She wrote: "Through this means, knowledge of the Bahai Cause was disseminated..." and ".... literature, now in several languages, had reached numberless institutions and homes..."; "....without any conscious effort on our part, the ideal of friendship contained in the leaflet of the Caravan was adopted by thousands of boys and girls in both hemispheres.

"We were now an institution for correspondence. Chapters of the Caravan were springing up..."; "... we had our own paper The Children’s Caravan in which the names of would-be correspondents would be listed." [p. 238]

Julie describes becoming leading members of a society known as The Friends of the Duke of Windsor in America to honor the abdicated King Edward VIII, and petition him indirectly to act as "the first representative of the people of the world to plead the cause of reconciliation and unity before existing governments." [p. 240] The group received quite a bit of press.

Selling their apartment in Paris, the Chanlers now spend all their time in New York, Sohrab living nearby on Lexington Avenue in a small apartment.

Chapter 12

Light, Storm and Shadow (1939 - 1942)

Julie Chanler renounces pacifism in light of Hitler’s Germany, but it causes no disaffection between her and Sohrab who remains liberal and a pacifist according to her description.

At the New York World’s Fair, "The World of Tomorrow", the New History Society/Caravan booth is placed in a corner of the Science and Education Building at which is displayed Sohrab’s compilation, "The Bible of Mankind" quoting the holy writings of the world’s religions. Also displayed was the same book in simpler format as an "electrical book" or "Great Bible", perhaps implying it was shown on a monitor, though this is not clear. Berthalin Allien, Julie and Lewis Chanler, and Ahmad Sohrab manned he booth and handed out much literature. [p.251 - 252]

The Baha’i Faith had its booth in another part of the World’s Fair, and was manned in the mornings by Gita Orlova. Julie writes:

".... at the stroke of one o’clock, she would race over to us where we would be picnicking in the shelter of the Great Bible. This was supposed to be under cover and I never heard that her digressions were noticed. However, she did break with the organization [Baha’i Faith] a while later and was free to spend all her time with us, which change was very much to her taste and to ours too. [p. 252]

Shortly after the Fair closed in Autumn, the New History Society opened its "Bahai Bookshop" at 828 Lexington Avenue in New York at the suggestion of Berthalin Allien.

The "great Maeterlinck," the Belgian, visited the Chanler’s but he refused to have anything to do with their organization.

When war began to rage, the New History Society raised a collection for air-raid cots for English shelters by holding a protest meeting of the jailing of Nehru in India. There was a meager showing for the meeting, and the small collection was refused by the standard relief agencies. The Quakers did accept the donation for its original purpose. Julie noted:

"...we were slowly waking up... that we really were up against public opinion." [p. 258]

Then the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i of the United States and Canada sent a legal representative to hand the New History Society a demand they cease using the word "Baha’i" on its bookshop window and in its literature or be taken to court as the name had been registered in the U.S. Patent Office, No. 245,271.

Julie recounts their reaction:

"We laughed aloud. Could such a thing really be! Was the Bahai organization so obtuse as to appropriate for its little hide-bound group a name for which twenty-thousand Persians had died!

"What would have happened to Christianity" Ahmad exclaimed, "if the early believers had had to contend with property rights on the name and teachings of their Lord? It is certain that such a liability would have stifled the movement in its infancy and that, before the passing of a hundred years, the word of Jesus would have been heard of no more. The Cause of Baha-O-Llah is no different."

They decide not to fight the case, but do consult attorneys Gordon Kleeberg and Jacob Greenwald who as a result of the case to follow would remain friends for life.

Julie continues her story:

"Shoghi Effendi was intent on defeating the "puny adversaries of the Faith" as he called us. Two of his cables to the Assembly, sent in January, 1940, follow:

"Sleep vigilance — ward of subtle attacks — enemies — first prerequisite — sound unfoldment — process — enterprise already operating."

"Praying victory similar — one recently won — covenant-breakers — Holy Land be achieved by American believers over insidious adversaries."

"The National Assembly was confident of the outcome. In Bahai News, February, 1940 is stated:

"Under authority of the Guardian, the time has now come to act against these ‘insidious adversaries’.... The matter is therefore being taken to the courts, and as soon as possible their excuses will be made a matter of public record. It will be seen whether the present enemies of the Faith can succeed any better than those enemies who have preceded them." [p. 260 - 261]

Sixteen months later, on March 31, 1941, Justice Valente of the Supreme Court of New York State handed down his decision:

"The plaintiffs have no right to a monopoly of the name of a religion. The defendants, who purport to be members of the same religion, have an equal right to use the name of the religion in connection with their own meetings, lectures, classes and other activities.

Defendants have the absolute right to practice Bahaism, to conduct meetings, to collect funds, to sell literature in connection therewith, and to conduct a bookshop under the title ‘Bahai Bookshop’." [p. 261 - 262]

The case went on appeal. On June 20, 1941,ten days after the appeals hearing refused the case, the New York Tribune headlined an article with:

"Appellate Court Rejects Bahai Petition on Name.

The New York World-Telegram of the same date stated in their headline:

"Bahai is Placed in Public Domain"

Messages of congratulation were received from prominent people. A few members of the Baha'i Faith sent congratulations. according to Julie.

Julie continues:

"Although Sohrab and I had not initiated the lawsuit but were defendants pure and simple, the National Spiritual Assembly put out a pamphlet which stated that:

"...Mrs. Chanler, needing a weapon for attacking and wounding the sacred unity of the Faith of Baha’u’llah, seeks her sharpened blade in the realm of a legality developed for dealing with questions of property and neither intended nor adapted to realize and apply the spiritual truths of a revealed religion. As the persecutors of the Babis and the early Baha’is in Iran seized torch, sword, rope and gun to inflict injury upon the innocent bodies of their victims, so now we have a similar motive and instinct expressed however, in conformity with very different social conditions."

She sums up:

"Did we just drift into renting Bahai Bookshop at Berthalin’s suggestion, or did a High Power lay the scene and actuate all of us for the legal liberation of the Bahai Cause? Who can tell." [p. 263 - 264]

Then Lewis Chanler, age 72, became ill and died in late February, 1942. Condolences were received from President Roosevelt, whose own political aspirations were helped in 1910 when Lewis stepped aside as a potential candidate for state senator to allow Roosevelt the democratic ticket.

Chapter 13

I Enter the Kitchen (1942 - 1943)

Widowed, Julie finds she will have to "attend carefully" to her financial affairs . This adversely affects the image and financial stability of the New History Society in her mind. Dinners Julie prepare complete with martinis, held to attract old friends, fizzle. Yet there are many contacts and communications that are made.

As a result of the lawsuit brought against the New History Society, Sohrab writes his book, "Broken Silence—The National Assembly is labeled a python, Horace Holley is likened to Stalin.

"Sohrab recalled the fact that Mr. Horace Holley had been and still was the editor of various Bahai publications and as such charted and canalized the mental and spiritual life of the Baha’i community. An influential member of the Bahai Reviewing Committee, he censored the writings of the Bahais and saw to it that no liberal or anti-organizational ideas penetrated the minds of the followers.." [p. 277]

Sohrab also wrote "Abdul Baha’s Grandson", a book about the accomplishments of Ruhi Effendi.

It is written after Ruhi and members of the holy family are excommunicated. Julie reports:

"Then in the December 1941 and January 1942 issues of Bahai News, announcement was made of a calamity of such proportions that all former injustices were dwarfed before this new horror.

"In cablegrams from the Guardian it was stated that Ruhi Effendi Afnan, together with his wife, his sister and his brother (all grandchildren of Abdul Baha) were excommunicated. The given reasons were that Ruhi Effendi had paid a second visit to America and his brother had visited England, both trips being effected without the consent of the Guardian. Touba Khanoum and Ruha Khanoum, second and third daughters of Abdul Baha, were implicated and in time excommunicated, and later news revealed the fact that Shoghi Effendi’s two sisters and two brothers had likewise fallen under the ban. It was a wholesale wiping off of Abdul Baha’s family from the scene of the Cause."

"What mania had possessed the Guardian, none might say. One could only realize, if it were possible, the stark facts. The family of Abdul Baha on which he had showered so much love and care, struck and struck again with a weapon so sharp and wounding that recovery was out of the question. These people had no life outside the Cause, and the gates of the Cause had been slammed behind them. They would not, as we had, start afresh. Their loyalty to Shoghi Effendi remained. Mistakenly, to my mind, most of them believed that the Guardian was one with the Cause, for the simple reason that Abdul Baha had set him in his exalted place. So they allowed themselves to become incapacitated. In other words, they accepted the curse." [p. 279 - 280]

"....the ecclesiastical scythe continued to cut down the innocent. Monavvar Khanoum, youngest daughter of Abdul Baha, fell next, then Mirza Hadi, the Guardian’s father, and finally Zia Khanoum, Abdul Baha’s eldest daughter - mother to the Guardian." [ p. 282]

She continues her discourse:

"This holocaust of excommunication had been ignited by the expulsion from the Cause Ruhi Effendi and his wife Zahra, daughter of Rouha Khanoum. On their ruined lives, the bodies of the others had been heaped. They were the focal point of the whole tragedy. My mind drifted back eight years, and I saw myself again in a dream in the courtyard of Shoghi Effendi’s house. His followers were beating a young couple, driving them down hill. On reaching the wharf, the young couple fell to earth under the avenging blows. At the time, 1933, I had written to Ruha Khanoum and recounted the dream. I had said I believed the girl to be her eldest daughter Mariam. Shortly afterwards Mariam died and, when the excommunications set in, I came to firmly believe that the girl in the dream was Rouha Khanoum’s second daughter, the wife of Ruhi Effendi." [p. 282]

Ruhi Effendi received a copy of Sohrab’s biography of him. Julie describes his reply:

"... under ordinary circumstances he would have been very much elated, and therefore thankful to see someone make such records of his services to the Cause, but that the references to the Guardian and the Administration changed his attitude completely. He did not wish to be defended; he felt that he must suffer in silence and be true to the Master’s last will and testament. Then Ruhi Effendi referred to Ahmad as being in the same plight as himself, but reacting differently. He thought this very regrettable." [p. 281]

Julie concludes:

"Here were two devoted Bahais with utterly opposed viewpoints. The one held to a document, the Master’s last will and testament, and, in a wish to maintain the unity of the Cause, was resigned to disappear from the scene of life; the other remembered the Master’s life-giving words for the unity of mankind, and thus remained in the thick of the fight." [ p. 282 - 282]

Sohrab wrote other books, "The Will and Testament of Abdul Baha - an Analysis" and "The story of the Divine Plan" which are historical and analytical books. He also helps Julie write "Living Pictures" and "Silver Sun", books for young people.

Chapter 14

The Gate (1943 - 1944)

Austrian composer Max Brand is contacted to help prepare a Scenic-Oratorio, "The Gate" of 19 scenes to commemorate the Centennial of the Baha'i Faith in 1944. Jean Morel, conductor of the Opera Comique in Paris, Jack Fishberg of the New York Philharmonic Symphony and set director Leo Kertz are also employed for six months in the production. With 72 members of the New York Philharmonic Symphony and a chorus of 200 at their command the performance is played before a full house in the Metropolitan Opera House on May 23, 1944. This chapter is devoted to explaining much of the what the production consisted of. Julie recalls Sohrab's prediction made to May Maxwell years earlier that "The name of Baha-O-Llah will sound from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House." [p. 305]

Friend, Dr. John Haynes Holmes, Minister of the Community Church in New York delivers a sermon extolling the Bab, Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha during the week of the Centennial.

Chapter 15

They Pass By (1944 - 1949)

Julie Chanler comments about the purpose of the "Caravan", and then the politics of the day, lamenting Wendell Wilkie’s passing in 1944 as too, Roosevelt’s death in 1945 whom she had tea with during the early war years and corresponded with.

After the war ended, the Caravan began to grow again in membership to nearly 250,000. Germany had about 600 chapters, Japan roughly 100. Africa was the most promising with 5,000 chapters established in schools, though many died out right away and the number was reduced to 2,000 active chapters, many in the Gold Coast, Nigeria, Kenya and Togoland, and even a few in South Africa. Julie notes of one African pioneer of Caravan chapters:

"...I was especially impressed by John Bedjezo Blay of Gold Coast...." "In a letter he gave us a description of his travels beginning with: "I have made it my faithful aim to carry the Bahai Cause on my shoulders".[p. 317]

Greater numbers of chapters of the Caravan were formed in England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, a few in Latin America (though the language barrier was a problem), and in 35 states of the United States.

The Caravan adopted a flag and a pledge and its business soon overshadowed the New History Society. The Caravan contributed food aid to India and European nations after the war, raising money, buying food, packaging it ... about 400 boxes in the first year.

Julie laments the assassination of Gandhi in 1948 whom she deeply admired. She also eulogizes the passing in February 1949 of one of the Board of Directors of the Caravan, charter member Syud Hossein, ambassador from India to Egypt and Minister to Trans-Jordan. His empty seat was not filled after his passing. And then in June 1949, another Director’s seat was vacated by the passing of lecturer and educator Basant Koomer of India who lived in New York.

A Foundation Fund directed by a Board of Directors of the Caravan of East and West with attorney Greenwald as Chairman was set up to continue he work of the New History Society and Caravan planning for the day when Sohrab and Julie Chanler were no long around. Contributors gave "a few thousand dollars" [p. 328] Meanwhile the office work pilled up. Julie reports books and pamphlets were given freely; "Pen Friends Guide", a bi-monthly was mimeographed; the "Children’s Caravan" merged with the monthly "New History" which became a quarterly. So busy had things gotten internationally taking all the time at the New York headquarters that local Caravan events "had to be overlooked...." "....there was no money for public lectures." "... membership in New York dwindled low." [p. 329]

Chapter 16

The House and the Fall (1949 - 1951)

Insufficiently solvent to pay taxes and the remaining mortgage on the her house at 132 East 65th in what was simply known as Caravan Hall, Julie gives up her rights to the building while renting an apartment in it.. Use of the building was granted for the Caravan with an option to buy from the new landlord, the Columbia Broadcasting Co. A couple years later, the Caravan was able to pay the mortgage in full and it became theirs. Mr. Greenwald achieved tax exempt status for the building, being that the Caravan was an "educational and religious institution". [p. 336]

Dances are held often at the Caravan Hall, sometimes being rented out to others.

Sohrab sets off for a journey to visit Caravan chapters in Europe. In England, he helps John Snow and Ronald Bayford form a national body of the Caravan, the "Caravan of England". In Frankfurt, Caravan leader Maria Moldenhauer greets Sohrab. He gives a speech on radio that is recorded on tape. He visits hundreds of Caravan members in 21 cities in Germany, though Julie reflects there were to be many defections in the years to come in that country.

Chapter 17

Art and Treasure (1951 – 1954)

In Japan, the Caravan operated mainly through schools. Leading member, Hideo Kouchi conceives of the idea to have the Caravan sponsor a display of abstract art by Japanese women at Caravan headquarters in New York which receives some press. Famed Japanese wood-block print artist, Kiyoshi Saito, is given a one man show. Many other artists associated with the Caravan "Gallery" have showings on a monthly basis in the non-commercial shows. New York Caravan associates and other artists participated: Marjorie Benke, Helen Gerardia, Therese Kahn, Julia Schulman, Minna Harkavy, Sylvia Bernstein, Peter Taykal, Fanny Logan, Ruth Reisher, Elizabeth Erlanger, Sally Duval, Cesar Algen from Turkey, Ann Mittleman, Anthony Buzzelli, Gwen Smith, Samuel Springer, Leiton Haring, Tom Guastelle and Grace Kopman join in the shows. Julie reports two Baha’is participated, Romany Marie Marchand and Isabelle Meisels who had won First Prize in a Baha’i competition. Photographers also participated: Katherine Young and Berenice Abbott. Another show was devoted to German artists.

Then Julie describes a photograph of Baha’u’llah sent to the Caravan House by Mr. Ezzedin Wadood Irani, whose father is said to have followed Baha’u’llah in His exiles to Akka. The photograph, according to Julie was an original print, one of about eight that Baha’u’llah had given to devotees and family members.

Julie reports they had already received valuable artifacts:

"We received a Tablet in the handwriting of Baha-O-Llah, a flowing lock of his beautiful hair, the imprint of his Seal — these from Shua Ullah, grandson of the Prophet. We had numerous Tablets in the handwriting of Abdul Baha, a lock of his snow-white hair, his exquisite finely woven shoes, his robe (gift of Edma Belmont), also some embroidered panels of the tarboush of Baha-O-Llah. We were given many Photostats of the Holy Writings, including some of the Tablets of the Bab. These last were sent from Cyprus by Jelal Bay Ezal." [p. 360 –361]

She continues:

"During the years that Sohrab was in service of Abdul Baha, sending out his Master’s Tablets to the world, he always kept copies. These and countless other manuscripts and documents of all sorts constituted a record library of inestimable worth, and all this historical material was plied in most disorderly fashion on the shelves and in the files of the offices, and tucked away in different corners of the house. We realized that these treasures should be put in order and made accessible, but we did not know how to go about it on account of lack of space. So time went by while no adequate provision was being made to meet our grave responsibility. Then — !

We received from Jalal Irani, great grandson of Baha-O-Llah, a gift so rare and of such emotional value that we were startled into yet more acute realization of our trusteeship. The gift was a lock of the hair of the Bab, cut in Mecca and sent by hand to Mirza Mousa Kalim, brother of Baha-O-Llah. When this treasure was added to those which we already possessed, I knew no composure until the answer to our problem suddenly dawned on me." [p. 361]

Julie then describes hiring architect John J. McNamera to design a library within the garden space of the Caravan House. The library and "treasure room" at one end, opened its doors on Tuesday, April 21, 1953. Distinguished guests from the U.N. Secretariat and Press, and others were present. As part of the construction was a block of white marble that ‘Abdu’l-Baha had sent to become the corner-stone of the Temple in Wilmette which Sohrab had come to possess. The actual corner stone used in the Temple was another stone donated by a Baha’i. Baha’u’llah’s photograph was part of the displays. The librarian was Vera Russell.

Julie then briefly reminds how Caravan founder in England, John Snow along with Ron Bayford "advanced alongside of the parent-group in full intimacy and cooperation." [p. 368]

Chapter 18

After Twenty Five Years (1954 – 1955)

Julie begins the chapter with this statement:"The years had led us to 1954, totaling twenty-five winters and summers of service. In a sense we had been moving in the dark because we had no fixed plan. We just kept active, taking our beloved Cause with us in whatever we did and wherever we went. Often it seemed that we accomplished little, then looking backward we realized that much good had been loosed over the earth because of the Caravan…" [p. 371]

Caravan board members Moses Blank, William D. Allen, Dr. R. S. Modak are briefly mentioned.

The 25th Silver Jubilee of the celebration takes place on April 5, 1954. Julie Chanler is presented as president of the group. She stands to make a speech and writes of it:

"Right off, I disclaimed the title, saying that for twenty-five years I had served as Sohrab’s assistant. This was my privilege, for I believed in him, I believed in his mission and I believed that he had a destiny." [p. 376]

A toast is offered at the Persian dinner at the Jubilee:

"Twenty five years old! A baby still, that is if the Caravan turns out as we expect, so let our toast be in the nature of a baptism, a blessing and a God-speed.

We salute you who are here tonight and the unseen members gathered in all parts of the world, as well as the new members who will come in with the months and years. Especially we salute the Caravan itself, first born child of the Bahai Cause, the inspired link between East and West." [p. 378]

Then, without Julie explaining why ,Sohrab decides to travel to the Holy Land.

Just prior to the journey she encourages Sohrab to find someone younger than he who could take his place, as he was ailing. She writes:

"I worried about the coming voyage because the last one had brought a serious illness in its wake from which he had not yet fully recovered, yet we both thought it right to take the chance. Before his departure I spoke of a matter that had been on our minds for a long time.

"Couldn’t you" I suggested, "look around while in England and Israel and perhaps find a young man fitted for our kind of work? We need help so badly, but of course it must be the right person."

"That’s a difficult proposition" Ahmad said. "So many qualifications are needed."

"Certainly" I agreed. "First of all he must love the Cause. We cannot let the movement develop into just an Art Gallery."

Ahmad promised to survey the scene and went off in a big airplane." [p. 378 –379]

Julie first briefly mentions his meetings in England with Caravan members John Snow and Ron Bayford and others to plan a Caravan House in London with small donations to begin with.

She reports at length:

"Ahmad flew to Israel via Cyprus, in which island he met a descendent of Sobh Ezel, brother to Baha-O-Llah. In Haifa and Acca he visited the Shrines of the Bab, Baha-O-Llah and Abdul Baha which he had not seen in so many years.

"He was half impressed, half appalled at the changes that had been effected around the Holy Places. The once simple Shrine on Mount Carmel was converted into a great temple topped with a golden dome which dominated the bay of Haifa. The luxuriant gardens had been excessively formalized, making the general effect very imposing.

‘Around the bay and beyond Acca, he found similar conditions at Bahjee. The beautiful house of Baha-O-Llah had happily not been touched except on the inside, but the simple garden and the wide green stretches surrounding it were no more. In their stead were vast lawns, thickly dotted with stone pedestals bearing carved urns and peacocks. Broad, gravel walks stretched in different directions. Iron gates brought from England stood closed where no gates had been.

"These changes had been made with American funds under the direction of the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, and the result was that the Bahai property was much noticed and discussed in Israel. The Bahai Shrines had become show places for tourists.

"This attempt to add to the value of holy spots with mere money made me think of the tiny Garden of Gethsemane which had been practically covered with a modern church (before the modern was beautiful). I had grieved over this when I visited Jerusalem long before. The present case was yet harder to bear. In both instances the money had come from America and the outcome had been the same — the obliteration of the scene as it had been looked upon by the Prophets, a loss that never can be repaired.

"In Haifa and Acca, Sohrab met many Bahais who were under the ban of the Guardian and felt happy and privileged to spend hours conversing with them. Wherever he went, spies of the Administration followed him and, although he could scarcely believe his senses, he had to admit in his Diary that all his actions and words were duly observed and recorded.

"It was a whirlwind trip lasting exactly a month. Ahmad returned in a very exhausted state. Then three days after his arrival, I received a document from Mr. Leroy Ioas, representative of Shoghi Effendi in Israel, which made me feel that we all must have shifted back to the middle Ages. The letter, which was based on the report of the spies, gave a day to day account of Sohrab’s activities while in the Holy Land and continued with an appeal to me to free myself from "the sinister influence and the entangling webs of this evil genius." Mr Ioas went on:

"No doubt you will be shocked as I have been and thus knowing to what state of spiritual degradation he has fallen, you will wish to retrieve your own relationship to the Cause of God and seek divine solace under the canopy of Abdul Baha’s Divine Grace."

"I always found it easy to answer such letters. The last paragraph in my reply to Mr. Ioas read:

"Ahmad Sohrab has never deceived me on his attitude. He loves Baha-O-Llah and Abdul Baha with everything that is in him, and he would gladly have served the Guardian, if the Guardian would have allowed him to do so in honesty and self-respect. When people question him, reporters or anybody, he says what he thinks. He is not trying to undermine the Guardian, because he considers that the Bahai organization is not of much account. He is not impressed by structures, flower-beds and statuary, but only by the deeds of the people. He is aware of the misery wrought by the Guardian in Abdul Baha’s once happy family, now cleft, scattered and hopeless, and he knows that no golden dome and no far-flung gardens can counterbalance the waste of talents and the breaking of the hearts.

"You speak of Ahmad’s ‘spiritual degradation’ and here I will let Ahmad answer for himself. In reading your letter he exclaimed: ‘Why not have Mr. Ioas have the courage to say this to me, and discuss these things with me, instead of sending his spies to report? I was right there. He could have heard whatever I actually said from my own lips. No statements which I made would have been altered because of his presence. I knew that the Guardian’s spies were everywhere.’

"To establish the cause of love and unity on the earth s very difficult. I can only say that we are trying to bring a little happiness, a little tolerance, a little reason here and there."

"Of course Ahmad could not refrain from replying to Mr. Ioas on his own part and, after doing so, a pamphlet entitled Three Letters (Mr. Ioas’, mine and Ahmad’s) was printed and lavishly mailed throughout Israel. We are not looking to attack the Bahai organization, but when it attacks us we are quite ready to express ourselves.

Although the first week after Ahmad’s return was fully occupied with the above mentioned incident together with his account of the trip and his examination of my stewardship at home, I yet had time to wonder if in his travels he had found anyone to assist us. He didn’t bring up the matter, nor did I although his silence disappointed me greatly. Finally one night I thought it time to venture:

"Did you possibly come across some person to help us in our work?"

"I’m sorry" Ahmad answered, "there wasn’t anybody."

My heart sank, but I went on:

"Not in England, not in Palestine?"

"I didn’t find one who might give up his connections and throw himself into the activities of the Caravan."

"But" I persisted "you spoke so highly of Ron [Bayford]. I thought you were just letting me know, without saying it exactly, that he was the one."

"Ron" Ahmad repeated vaguely. Then, "You couldn’t find a better man."

"Well, why didn’t you say so?"

"I never thought of it."

Ahmad wrote to Ron in one of his characteristically voluminous letters and Ron answered on a post card, in a manner that is probably characteristic of him. The card read:"Proposal excepted.

Ron". [p. 380 – 385]

Ron Bayford eventually comes to New York, though there is no word on how long he stayed.

Julie then recounts briefly the banning of the Faith in Iran in 1955. She quotes from Caravan associates and also Mr. Roy Wilkins of the NAACP among others who condemned the atrocities in Iran.

In June 1955 a public meeting to protest the banning of the Baha'i Faith was held at Caravan Hall, inviting "world-famed champion" of human rights Roger Baldwin to speak . Julie notes he headed the International League for the Rights of Man and was a consultant at the U.N. on human rights. [p. 387]

As a result of the meeting, the Caravan (New History Society is not mentioned) delivers letters to Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary-General of the United Nations and to Professor René Cassin, President of the U.N. Commission on human Rights. Other letters go out to the U.S. State Department, President Eisenhower, Senator Herbert Lehman and unnamed others in "key positions".

Julie and Caravan board member Greenwald take a trip to Washington, D. C. and meet with unnamed members of the "office in charge of Iranian affairs of the State Department" [p. 387]

She reports on the results:

"In September of the same year, Mr. Dag Hammarskjold….took a hand in the matter, thus to a certain extent bringing to bear the influence of the United Nations on Iran. It was what we hoped for although not enough.

"The Bahai Assembly together with ourselves had been stating the case both to the U.N. and to Washington and , although appeals were made separately, both carried weight." [ p. 387]

Julie reports Sohrab would like to hold a Bahai Convention in Jerusalem in a year and a half, [that would have been in April 1957, when Sohrab died in New York].

She admits Sohrab returned from Israel gravely ill, requiring hospitalization for weeks.

She finally returns her thoughts to her family, mentioning ever so briefly for the first time her grandchildren, Chris and Lili. There is no mention of her daughter or any other family members.

Chapter 19

The Age of Transition

Julie recounts the technological changes in her lifetime and waxes poetic, convinced she has been tending the garden of God’s kingdom in her own important way. She states:

"I knew that we were to be allowed complete freedom in our task." [p. 396]

The last pages of the book [p. 412 –413] advertise the publications distributed by The Caravan of East and West, including books by Ahmad Sohrab.