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it- the lribune thursday september 8 1ki the bahai spiritual assemblies in the area welcome the formatiouof the the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof toronto the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof north york the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof east york the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof york the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof etobigoke the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof scarborough the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof mississauga the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof ajax thespiritual assembly ofjhebahaisof markham the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof richmond hill the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof newmarket v the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof east gwillumbury the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof vaughan the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof pickering the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof king township v the spiritual assembly ofthebahaisof aurora assembly ofwhitchurch stouffville standing left to right carolyn spratt bahiyyih nakhjavani terry spratt seated left to right bonnie heidema jim heidema and paul stan phillips karen mills lorraine pritchard allan chousky nine members of whitchurchstouffvilles first bahai spiritual assembly to the newly formed spiritual assembly of the bahais of whitchurchstouffville our feelings of pleasure thankfulness and fulfill- ment can hardly be described those of us in the surrounding bahai communities- who have joined together to announce the birth of your assembly look back with wonder to that mo ment when we formed onlyas time went on could we begin to understand the significance of that occa sion or appreciate its implications the concept in the bahai faith for instance that authority exists only in the institution of the spir itual assembly itself and not in its individual mem bers that outside the assembly meeting each of us individually stood no higher than any othermember of the community taught us to approackourwork with humility it is with deep affection for your newborn institu tion that we wish to share with you a you begin your work some of the resources we have discovered on which you will be able to draw spiritual springtime as it is within nature and as it is within religion all things go through four stages spring summer fall and winter then after winter the cycle is repeated with a new springtime in only its 134 th year of exis tence the bahai faith is still in the very early part of its springtime and you along with it as a part of a divinelyordained administrative order which in time as we know will become the foundation on which a world civilization will be built you are still little more than a shoot from that shoot though will come the trunk the branches then the blossoms and finally the fruit which we must never forget will fulfill mans ageolddream of peace on earth your- spiritual assembly like- the 17000 others around the world has been called into being to has- ten that day you have been given special powers to do this v historical climax s you have the knowledge first- of all that the changes which have overtaken the world have a cause and will ultimately have a positive result as it has been with the appearance of the founders of each of the worlds religions mankind has been once again thrust forward in its collective evolution the process that has previously united the family tribe city- state and nation will in this day reach its climax with the unity of the entire human race the upheaval violence apathy immorality of todays society are in a sense the last excesses of mankinds adolescence enroute to its maturity oneness of religion secondly you can tap the most powerful force there has ever been to join people together namely faith superstitions conflict with science and anta gonistic creeds each claiming exclusive rights to the truth those regrettable aspects of religion that we see today are but signs that religion had passed into the winter of its life with the coming of the bahai faith and another springtime we have made a re markable discovery ah religions we now know are essentially one drawing their inspiration from the same divine source each represents an unfolding revelation of gods purpose for man as did moses jesus and muhammad in the past bahaullah foun der of the bahai faith has revealed gods will and purpose for today peace of mind thirdly you can gain strength from the certainty that as signs of disintegration around you daily in crease you are involved in i mighty process of inte gration which must finally emerge triumphant over the confusion of this age of transition this convic tion you will be able to shave with those aiound you with it you- will be able to encourage your friends and offer assurance in the face of doubts- and appre hension not that you will lie immune from these things they will strike you with as much force as they would anyone else but you and all those who through you come to understand the implications of the bahai faith will he well armed gods plan with an understanding of gods plan for today you will ward off the anxiety and tension of an un certain and troubled world oneness of mankind with theknowledge of the oneness of religion and the oneness of mankind you will he able lo dissolve the prejudices that set one kind of people against an other prejudices that are at the very root of man kinds collective problems bahaullah with an acceptance of bahaullah through whom god hasrevealed his will and purpose for today we can acquire a vision and a purpose for our lives that no force on earth can shake these are the powers of assurance and faith that you have latent within your assembly we pray they may flourish and render valuable service to every one in whitchurchstouffville our deepest regards bahai spiritual assemblies in the area sf -v- the bahai faith a promise kepi