Some Questions and Answers. Written shortly after the interviews with ‘Abdu'l-Baha, from notes taken at the time, by Charles Mason Remey, while in Haifa, Syria, May, 1910.
Question: Many of the American believers desire to worship daily in accordance with the Teachings. What prayers should they use daily? No instruction has yet been revealed for them regarding daily worship.
Answer: Later on I will give instructions.
Q. Was Baha’u’llah of the seed of Jesse?
A. Yes. He was the ninth generation in succession from Jesse, but this was not the Jesse of the Bible.
Q. What is the Command regarding the giving of tithes: Is it 19% of the increase of one's capital, or is it the one nineteenth part of one's income?
A. It should be the one nineteenth part of one's income. This tithe giving is a blessed privilege. Among mankind money is the greatest thing. This giving will confirm the people. With this money many great works will be done. In Hamadan in Persia, the Jewish believers raised much money in this way. At first I did not accept this money, but later on I directed that it should be used in their own town for the Baha’i school. This giving was a great spiritual blessing to those believers..
Q. Is the calendar as revealed by the Bab to be used in this Dispensation?
A. Yes; but later on modifications will be made.
Q. From what year does tine era of the New Dispensation date -- from the Declaration of the Bab or from that of Baha’u’llah?
A. From the Declaration of the Bab, 1260 A.H. or 1844 A.D.
Q. Which day of the week will the Baha’is eventually observe as a day of rest?
A. Friday.
Q. We have been taught that Baha’u’llah was the Seventh of a series of great World (Universal) Manifestations of this present cycle, Christ being the sixth, Melchesidec the fifth, while the first four were before the compilation of our present world history, and of them we have no records; that their teachings were applicable to all mankind under all conditions; while upon the other hand the Manifestations, such as Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Mohammed and the Bab were sent each to a certain people, bringing teachings which were applicable to those certain conditions and people only, while the teachings of the World Manifestations were not limited in their application to peoples. Is this teaching correct?
A. Yes, it is correct.
In a subsequent conversation, during which questions were being asked and answered, ‘Abdu’l-Baha said:
• That Baha’u’llah was not a descendant from the Prophet Zoroaster.
• That the Anniversary of the martyrdom of the Bab should be observed with solemnity by the friends.
• That the Anniversary of the Departure of Baha’u’llah should be observed in like manner, and that in the night time a meeting of prayer should be held.
• That it would be well for the Western friends to interest themselves in commercial and industrial matters with the people of Persia, for Persia and the West both need connection one with the other.
• That in serving together the believers should always avoid those matters upon which they cannot agree.
• The believers should serve together, the men and women working together in harmony.
• In meetings of consultation the majority should rule, but it is far preferable that there should be such unity that mere be no minority -- that all should be of one mind.
(Star of the West, Vol. 1, no. 12, Oct. 16, 1910)
