My Life After Graduation

 

After graduating in May 1965 and working a low paying summer job, I purchased a $5.00 footlocker, packed it with all of my earthly possessions and left Memphis along with Eric Daley, Champton (Champ) Walker, Raymond Jones and Lonnie Lowe for Alabama State College in Montgomery, Alabama. John Wiley and Ralph Patterson were already students there. Ralph was a starting linebacker for the Alabama State Hornets during his freshman year. However, Fuzz Wiley sustained a career-ending injury that year but was able to complete his degree with all academic fees and room and board paid by the college.

 

Our task, upon our arrival, was to be one of forty individuals selected from among 135 to make the team. The regimen to which we were subjected three times per day, six days a week, for two and a half weeks was brutal. Prospective players began leaving the first day and virtually every day after that for the next two and a half weeks. Since these were the days before Gatorade was created we simply drank ice cold salted water. Within a week and a half, my weight went from 198 pounds to 174.

 

Eric Daley, Champ and I were among those who made the team. We were three of four freshmen who earned starting positions. I became starting fullback during the second game of the season and held that position for the rest of my college career. My brother Melvin came to Alabama State in the spring semester of 1967. The following season he became the starting center for the team. During our first two years, we were conference champions in the SIAC Conference, winning all of our Conference games. We lost one game each year during the following two seasons (my junior and senior years). We were ranked number eight in the nation among small colleges my junior year.

 

For two summers, my brother Melvin and I worked at Morrel Packing, Co. in Memphis. We both worked on the loading dock, but on different shifts. Finally, we were able to make enough money to sustain us for the entire year. This was made possible by working ten to twelve hours a day and occasionally six days a week lugging beef and loading and unloading forty-foot refrigerated trailers.

 

At the end of my junior year, we were clearing out of the dormitory and I was about to take a taxi to the Greyhound Bus station to go home and start my summer job at Morrel Packing, Co. when my roommate, Bruce, from Montclair, New Jersey, coaxed me into spending the summer as his guest. It was a decision that I did not regret.

 

During that summer of '68, I had experiences that made the reduction in earnings worth it. Montclair is located in the shadow of New York City and is in the same county as Newark, NJ. I worked two different jobs that summer – one at North American Van Lines and one in construction. With North American Van Lines, I got a chance to see a lot of New England - as far north as Maine. During that summer I was able to attend several free concerts in Central Park – these included Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Stevie Wonder.

 

I also attended a party in Newark that included some of Bruce's high school classmates. Among those attending from Harvard University were Al and Tipper Gore. We spoke for while owing to the fact that we were both from Tennessee where his father had been Governor and U.S. Senator. Al Gore was roommates with one of Bruce's high school friends and the actor, Tommy Lee Jones.

 

The summer of 1967 was also a time of social unrest. It was during my stay in Montclair, NJ that year that a race riot broke out in Newark. Bruce and some of his friends drove into Newark one evening to see what was going on, but as they sat in their car, they were soon surprised as they looked down the barrels of weapons pointed at them by members of the National Guard. However, they were not detained. I did not go with them because I had to go to work early the following day.

 

The 1967 Newark riot was one of 159 race riots that took place in the country during what was termed, "The Long Hot Summer of 1967". During a four-day period of rioting, looting, and property destruction, 26 people died, and hundreds were injured.

 

Perhaps one of the most life-altering experiences for me occurred in the spring of 1969. During late spring, a member of SCLC began to enkindle a sense of resentment and dissatisfaction related to the lack of resources afforded Alabama State as a Historical Black College. As he moved around on campus, he continued his challenge to students that we should take "direct action" to remedy that situation. I didn't feel at that time that the issues were relevant to me because I was to graduate within a couple of months, and besides, I was not convinced that the majority of students on campus would actively support and sustain such an effort.

 

Later that week, Leon Hall of SCLC came into the dining hall, stood on a table and encouraged students to prepare a list of demands for better and more substantial resources for the school. As I listened to the fiery rhetoric streaming from his lips, it became evident that students were beginning to exhibit approval and acceptance of what he was saying. He then declared, "I don't need to be up here. You should have one of your own up here and you should write down your grievances and submit them to the president of the college and his administration." As soon as he finished that statement, one of my fellow football players stood up and said, "I recommend Sylvester Scott"! Immediately a cheer arose from the crowd affirming his recommendation.

 

It's possible that I was mentioned because I had run for Student Government president the previous semester, but had lost by 35 votes to a student from Mobile, AL. At that point, I reasoned that chairing a meeting would not be that involved, and it was something that I could do and then be on my way. However, as grievances and complaints began to stream from the students assembled in the dining hall and recorded, we failed to leave the dining hall at its 6:00 p.m. closing time. By the time we were finished, it was after 8:30 p.m. By that time law enforcement had encircled the campus but had not come onto campus to disperse those assembled there.

 

Soon, someone from the ABC television affiliate came to the door of the dining hall to interview someone to find out what was going on. I went out to speak to the reporter. Following the interview, his report on his television broadcast identified me as the leader. At that moment, I realized that I had to be the leader, or I would have been the sacrificial lamb.

 

We didn't leave the dining hall for eleven days. During the protest, we boycotted classes and marched on the Capital of Alabama which is about a mile from the campus. I was allowed to go into the capital building to see Governor Brewer, but his aide said that he was in a meeting with the legislature. However, she agreed to take our Manifesto and to give it to him. Because we refused to disperse and end our march, over 300 of us were arrested and confined for two days in a non-operational jail facility.

 

During one weekend evening of our protest/demonstration, we were entertained by the Commodores who were still students. Four members of the Commodores were from Tuskegee Institute, including Lionel Richey. Walter Orange (lead singer on Brick House) was a drummer in Alabama State's Marching Band.

 

Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, who became the president of SCLC following the assassination of Dr. King the previous year (1968) was in Montgomery to begin work on establishing Dr. King's birthday as a national holiday. Several students and I met with Dr. Abernathy and his staff regarding our cause and he agreed to meet jointly with the college president and us. The meeting included Rev. Abernathy, Hosea Williams, Bernard Lee and Leon Hall of SCLC several other students and me. Though the president agreed that he would give every consideration to our grievances, the following day he cut the power in the building that we had occupied for eleven days. That effectively ended our boycott and demonstrations.

 

After classes had reconvened, a hearing was held resulting in the suspension of 83 students, including me. I should note that we received anonymous support from some of the most prominent faculty members and administrators of the college. Several members of the faculty and the student leadership had regular clandestine meetings off campus to review our tactics and to join us in the writing of our Manifesto setting forth our demands, goals, and objectives.

 

It is noteworthy that in the previous year of 1968, during a non-violent student protest on the campus of South Carolina State College, police shot and killed three students and injured 27 others. The event became known as the Orangeburg Massacre. Also, in 1969, a protest was held at Morehouse College in Atlanta demanding reform in the college's curriculum and governance. Among the students leading the protest was Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson and several other students held hostage, on the campus, members of the Morehouse College board of trustees. Jackson was suspended for two years. He later returned to Morehouse and earned his BA degree in Drama.

 

It was following the close of the 1968-69 school year that I went to Los Angeles because of my interest in a young woman from Demopolis, AL. We did not have a relationship during our time at Alabama State. I did take enough of an interest in her that I sold my share in the 1965 red Ford Mustang that was jointly owned by my brother Melvin and me.  I arrived in Los Angeles just after July 4, 1969. We were later married in September of that same year. She is the mother of my only son, Sean who was born two years later and who is now 46 years old. We were married for sixteen years. She later re-married in the late eighties and has a daughter and a grandson from that marriage. I am still close to her family. In fact, Barbara and I have spent the night several times during a couple of our cross-country excursions with her oldest brother and his wife who now live in Moundville, Alabama.

 

She and her sister currently live only minutes from Barbara and me in Murrieta, CA (which shares borders with Temecula). We both later worked for Pacific Bell Directory – her employment preceded mine by more than a decade. Our relationship has been and is still very cordial.

 

I returned to Alabama State after a one-year suspension and completed my degree in Physical Education with a minor in Biology. Alabama State College had now become Alabama State University. It was during the immediate intervening years (in fact the following year) that many of the Historical Black Colleges (HBCs) became universities. I returned to Los Angeles in the spring of 1971. The first job I landed was in sales for the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA). The training I received was excellent and gave me an appreciation for a career in sales. Virtually all my career was spent in sales and sales management. I worked for several Fortune 500 companies including Xerox Corp, AT&T and Pacific Bell Directory with locations in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

 

During my employment with AT&T, I enrolled at Pepperdine University, Malibu in 1982 where I received a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) in 1984.

 

In 1972, I worked as a newscaster for KAGB - 103.9 FM, in Inglewood, CA. The building from which we broadcast was located just across the street from the Holiday Inn Airport where the Class of ‘65 stayed during its visit in April 2017. In addition to the news, I did the voiceover intro for the one-hour evening program called Rap Time. Each night featured a different subject and a different guest. Monday was sports night; Tuesday was law and business; Wednesday was entertainment; Thursday was health, education and welfare and Friday was politics.

 

In 1981 following the break-up of AT&T and the Bell System, I chose to go to the AT&T spinoff of American Bell (later AT&T Information Systems). Soon after moving to AT&T Information Systems, I met Barbara. She had worked for Pacific Bell as an account executive and I had worked for AT&T Long Lines as an account executive assigned to the airline industry. As it turned out, we were both Southerners and we both liked grits. Following a company social function, we kindled a relationship, after having had dinner together on a couple of occasions and with her accompanying me to several Bahá'í Faith meetings where I was the scheduled speaker.

 

In 1986 or 1987, Barbara left AT&T and joined Amdahl Corp, a mainframe computer manufacturer located in Marina Del Rey, CA. Shortly after she joined the company, the company relocated to Richardson, TX in the Dallas – Fort Worth area. Within two years, the company went out of business and Barbara subsequently returned to the Los Angeles area.

 

In 1990, Barbara and I were married in Newport Beach, CA. Our honeymoon was spent on the Caribbean Island of St. Martin. Immediately following our honeymoon, we went directly to Memphis where we attended, over two consecutive weekends, my Family Reunion and our Carver Class of '65, 25th Class Reunion.

 

After leaving Pacific Bell Directory in 1994, Barbara and I opened a Sir Speedy printing, copying and graphic design franchise which we had for five years. While still operating Sir Speedy, I began teaching business classes at Mt. San Jacinto College. I taught Small Business Entrepreneurship, Introduction to Business, Introduction to Marketing and Introduction to Management. I also later decided to substitute teach here in Temecula which I did for ten or eleven years. This meant no more sixty plus miles commuting to work into Anaheim near Angel's Stadium and Disneyland.

 

One of my most exciting times here in Temecula was when the Carver Class of '65 visited Barbara and me in April 2017. My neighbors were unbelievably fascinated by that visit and were extremely helpful in making sure we had the additional coolers we needed for our beverages. As happy as I was to see everyone who had made the trip, I found that the visit was much too short. I'm always left with a feeling of not being able to visit and spend time with each of my classmates. While it is obvious that all of us spent more time with certain members of the class while in school and maybe in our adult years, I'm always left with a feeling that I have not given each of you the time I would like to have given.

 

Finally, I understand that there may be some confusion about my religion. I understand that some of my dear classmates believe that I am a Muslim. Not quite! I am a member of the Bahá'í Faith, the most recent of the major systems of world religion. The Bahá'í Faith, according to the World Christian Encyclopedia, is the second most widespread religion on the planet. Central to the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith is the oneness of God, the oneness of religion and the oneness of mankind. I have been a member of the Bahá'í Faith for forty-two years. My wife, Barbara became a Bahá'í fourteen years after I did – in 1990, five years after learning about it.

 

I have had a number of very lengthy discussions with several of our classmates including Juanita Vann and Rev. Eugene Johnson. I also spoke to Ralph Patterson, Class of '64, at length about the Faith (8 hrs. – 9:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m.). These discussions often ranged from four to seven hours. Among the individuals with whom I have talked are ministers of the Gospel including my brother-in-law to whom I gave several books which he promised to read. The point is that no "non-sensical" discussions can take place that long.

 

And now – here's something about my religious background and history. Some of us (Class of '65) attended Oak Grove Church Sunday School and Vacation Bible School as kids. Betty Lou, Larry Herrod, Richard Vernon and I were members of Grace Baptist Church located on Rile St. and Joubert Ave. It was a very small church and as youth, we were all very active in the church.  Charlotte Hendricks, at times, played piano for our youth choir. Larry, Richard and I were junior deacons. At sixteen, I was Assistant Superintendent of our Sunday school appointed by Sister Stella Baker. My parents mortgaged their furniture to purchase the house that became the new home of Grace Baptist Church. The point is that I have not carelessly bartered away my salvation by mindlessly and recklessly abandoning Christ and following some false religion or cult.

 

If any of my dear classmates would like to investigate the Bahá'í Faith and its teachings, a lot of material is online and on YouTube. I would also be pleased to send introductory literature for you to read, but only if you are interested. Please be assured that I am not sensitive or uncomfortable with any questions, challenges or doubts anyone may have regarding the Bahá'í Faith. My love for each of you is unalterable. I encourage you to ask any questions or to set forth any challenges you may have. Not only do I encourage you to do so, but I also welcome any questions or comments you may have. I can do no more than to encourage each of you to investigate the Bahá'í Faith. You may have some sense of the Global nature of this religion by looking at the video, Light to the World on YouTube.

 

When I talk about the Bahá'í Faith, I do it within the context of references from the Bible – both the Old and New Testaments. In any case, it would not be helpful if the interaction evolved into a contest to see who knows the most. God knows I am willing to speak to any of my esteemed classmates and to answer any questions you may have.

 

This does not mean that sincere questions should not be asked. This does not mean that you may not marshal your arguments based on biblical scriptures and reason. Baha'u'llah (The Glory of God) is the Promised One of all ages and of all religions, or He is not. He is able to advance irrefutable proofs of this claim or He is a fraud. Jesus Himself provides the guidance necessary for every sincere believer among His followers to find the truth. It must be actively sought. Consider the following verses out of the Book of Matthew.

 

7:7    Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 

7:8    For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  (King James Bible, Matthew)

 

The verses cited above indicate that truth must be actively sought by each soul – "seek and you shall find".

 

Prophecies regarding Baha'u'llah and the time of His coming are contained in both the Old and New Testaments.

 

At the heart of its mission is God's Plan for the unification of the entire human race and the establishment of universal peace as promised in the book of Isaiah.

 

2:2    And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. (see Bahá'í World Centre on Google) (Centre is the English spelling of the word)

 

2:3    And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

 

2:4    And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

 

Baha'u'llah (The Glory of God) has written:

 

The time fore-ordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth has now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled. Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and land thereof, are filled with the glory of His Revelation. Happy is the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. – Baha'u'llah

 

The World Order of Baha'u'llah (the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth as it is in heaven) has been and is materializing presently. Mankind's expectation of how prophecies will be fulfilled varies significantly from what we have come to expect. We look at the hatred, turmoil, and division present in the world today and we are inclined to believe that the fulfillment of prophecy is not taking place. However, if one is willing to read and review the evidence, one can be assured that prophecies are being and have been fulfilled.

 

In the Book of Isaiah, it is written:

 

9:6    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (King James Bible, Isaiah)

 

Why does this verse not refer to Jesus? When asked a question relating to government and politics Jesus would have nothing to do with it). In the Book of Matthew, it is written:

 

22:17  Tell us, therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute (i.e. to pay taxes) unto Caesar, or not?

 

22:18  But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

 

22:19  Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

 

22:20  And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

 

22:21  They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

 

However, Baha'u'llah's system of Global governance has been established around the world since 1963. This didn't happen overnight, and it is still growing and maturing. Ultimately and voluntarily the whole of mankind will adhere to this system.

 

I'm sure that each person has a vision and a certain understanding of what is prophesied in the Bible. There is also no common understanding among all Christians of what to expect regarding the fulfillment of Biblical prophesies. All that is required is a willingness to investigate the claims of Baha'u'llah and study the explanations given in His Writings regarding the interpretation and fulfillment of Bible scripture and prophecies. As a prisoner and an exile, Baha'u'llah addressed the most powerful kings and rulers on earth around the 1870s. Tablets were even addressed to Pope Pius IX, Napoleon III, the Sultan of Turkey, the Shah of Persia, Queen Victoria of England and others. Of all the kings and rulers receiving Tablets, only Queen Victoria responded positively. In fact, one of the Queen's relatives, Queen Marie of Rumania became a Bahá'í.

 

Prophecies regarding the Bahá'í Faith are numerous and cannot be contained in a single volume – prophecies that are contained in both the Old and New Testaments. The Bahá'í Faith fulfills prophecies of all the major systems of world religions - Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Baha'u'llah claims to be the Promised One of all ages and of all religions. Baha'u'llah has revealed the following: "Were we to make mention of all that hath been revealed in these heavenly Books and Holy Scriptures concerning this Revelation, this Tablet would assume impossible dimensions". (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 13)

 

Here's an interesting note relating to the Zoroastrian Faith - connecting it to Christianity. The three wise men (Magi) mentioned in the nativity story (Matthew: 2:1-12) were Zoroastrians. The Zoroastrian Faith was founded by Zoroaster (also Zarathustra in the Avesta, His holy book) in ancient Persia in the 6th century BC. According to Zoroastrian tradition, Zoroaster was also immaculately conceived (virgin birth). 

 

Pilgrimage to Israel 1985 and 2000

 

According to Bahá'í law, one is to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Bahá'í Shrines if one can afford to do so. I've been on pilgrimage twice – once in 1985 with my son Sean and in 2000 with my wife Barbara. On both occasions, we included a three-day tour of Israel prior to the start of pilgrimage. Being in Israel, you find yourself immersed in history. We visited the Old City of Jerusalem surrounded by its great wall and 12 gates. We visited the Western Wall (the Wailing Wall) the holiest place of the Jews, the Dome of the Rock, the very large Mosque with the rounded, gold dome. We toured the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which is regarded as the place of the crucifixion and the burial place of Christ and the Garden Tomb which is also regarded as the place where Jesus was buried after His crucifixion; the Church of the Nativity, regarded as the place where Jesus was born; we took the aerial tram to Masada, where Jews held off the Roman army for nine months before committing suicide instead of submitting to capture. We visited the Black Sea which is one of the few places on earth where I can float on the water because of its high salt and mineral content. Sean and I were able to stop in the very ancient city of Jericho. When our tour took us through the new city of Jerusalem, we could see at a distance, in a large open field the tombs of Zachariah and Absalom, son of David. It was amazing to me that such historic sites didn't seem to be protected by fences or other security arrangements.

 

When in Israel the influence and presence of religion are pervasive. There are three consecutive days of observances of Sabbaths – one each for Jews, Christians, and Moslems. In the Old City, the Muslim call to Prayer is heard five times a day and there is a steady flow of the faithful among the Jews to pray at the Western Wall, the remaining remnants of the Temple of Solomon which the Jews hope to rebuild someday.

 

Sean and I happened to be in Israel during Passover. This meant that in most of the country, only unleavened bread and matzo was available. Ultimately, we were able to find regular bread in the Arab and Armenian section of the Old City. Also, kosher laws are strictly observed – especially no mixing of meat and dairy. You cannot find cheeseburgers or a cheese and sausage or cheese and pepperoni pizza.  Virtually all restaurants that sell meat and dairy have completely separated sections to their restaurants. On a budget, one can truly enjoy fabulous falafel and shawarma pocket sandwiches.

 

As we rode through the countryside, we could see the tents of the Bedouins who still herd sheep and refuse to live in regular dwellings. Interestingly, on some of their tents, one was able to make out the red and white Coca-Cola logo, although it was written in Arabic. Ironically, during our pilgrimage in 2000, we noticed that many of the tents had satellite dishes attached to them.

 

We also went to the Jordon River where many Christians from around the world go to be baptized.

 

It was very interesting to visit the Shrine of the Book which is the repository of the first seven scrolls (the Dead Sea Scrolls) of the Old Testament discovered in Qumran in 1947. These scrolls are regarded as the original manuscripts of the Bible (the Old Testament). Also, Yad Vashem, the official memorial to victims of the Holocaust was very entrancing. During the visit with my son in 1985, we lost track of some of the children as we were about to leave that venue on the tour because of how completely intrigued and transfixed they were on the displays in that museum.

 

Bahá'í Pilgrimage lasts for nine days. During the pilgrimage, Baha'is visit the Bahá'í shrines and Holy places on Mt. Carmel (see Bahá'í World Centre on YouTube or Google). Located near the base of Mt. Carmel is the Cave of Elijah. The Shrine of Baha'u'llah is located across the Bay of Haifa on the Mediterranean Sea just outside of Akka (contemporaneously spelled Akko). The Bahá'í Shrines and Gardens are the most beautiful and some of the most visited attractions in all of Israel. Approximately one million people visit the Bahá'í Shrines, Terraces, and gardens on Mt. Carmel each year. There is no charge for those who wish to visit. (You can Google Bahá'í World Centre to view). One of the most beautiful books relating to the Bahá'í Shrines has been published by the City of Haifa.

 

The avenue extending from the base of the mountain to the sea goes through the center of the German Templar community that came to Haifa in 1844 expecting to see the return of Christ. In the United States, William Miller had made an identical prediction regarding the Second Coming of Christ during the same time period. There were over 50 Christian millennial scholars who also made similar predictions and published their findings regarding the Second Coming. Most of their predictions ranged from 1843 to 1844.

 

It was during this period that Baha'u'llah, as a prisoner and an exile was confined to the prison city of Akka where He and his family and a small band of His followers were expected to die. At that time, Akka was a Turkish penal colony. Its reputation was such that it was legend that the city was so foul and polluted that if a bird flew over Akka, it would die from the stench. Aside from lore relating to this penal colony, those sent there as prisoners usually died within a year. This series of exiles to which Baha'u'llah and His family were subjected was the fulfillment of a prophecy from the Book of Micah.

 

7:12  In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain. (King James Bible, Micah)

 

The verse cited above describes Baha'u'llah's exile from Assyria (from Tehran to Bagdad which was part of the ancient Assyrian empire; currently present-day Iraq). The fortified cities were Constantinople (currently Istanbul, Turkey) and Akka. The seas were the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The mountains were the mountains of Kurdistan in Iraq and Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. An entire book has been written explaining this verse out of Micah by William Sears entitled The Half-Inch Prophesy.

 

As a final point in this brief argument, it is interesting to see what Baha'u'llah has said about Christ. To provide the necessary context for Baha'u'llah's reference to Christ, I refer you to the words of Christ in the 16th Chapter of Matthew.

 

16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

 

16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

 

16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you. (King James Bible, John)

 

Following is a selection from the Writings of Baha'u'llah in praise of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

"Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit.

 

We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him, the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 85)

 

The verses cited above are just a very small sampling of Baha'u'llah's references to His Holiness the Christ.

 

Out of consideration and respect for each of my esteemed classmates, I will abruptly end references to my Faith. There is no easy place to stop. I am sure that despite references made above to the Bahá'í Faith there are those who feel secure in their Faith in Christ and I certainly respect that. Notwithstanding, I am willing to answer any questions and to address any concerns you may have. Because of your absolute steadfastness and zeal for your belief in Christ many, if not most of you, may believe that I have abandoned Christ and have gone astray. But, if anyone, individually, or in a group with fellow believers and/or your ministers would like to have me to respond to your questions and concerns, I would be happy to do so.

 

I hope that this hasn't been burdensome. My original intent was to do a two-page summary of my life since graduation. That obviously didn't work out. Considerably more time was allocated to the Bahá'í Faith and my pilgrimages because these were the experiences of my life that are most important. I simply want to assure anyone who's concerned, that I have not been misled by some strange, cultish religion. In my experience, there are many Christian ministers who have become Bahá'ís; individuals have left the priesthood; though I don't expect this to be the standard by which you judge the truth of this Revelation. The World Christian Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia Britannica have listed Bahá'í membership at over 7 million. The Bahá'í Faith is also recognized as the second most widespread religion in the world after Christianity. But please note, the Bahá'í Faith is only 174 years old.

 

The Bahá'ís Magazine is a publication about the Bahá'í Faith which was just republished late last year. I will mail one to anyone who will actually read it or agree to pass it along to someone else if you do not.

 

I now look forward to hearing more regarding your lives after graduation.

 

With warmest greetings and love,

 

Sylvester Scott