Three Bahá'is were present at a reception for local organisations to meet the Equality Commissioners and their staff in Londonderry on June 20. Joan Catterson and Elizabeth Palin represented the Assembly, while Anne Munro was there for the Association of Bahá'í Women (Foyle) which had received its own invitation. The reception, which took place in Derry City Council offices, was attended by representatives of a number of local community groups and the Bahá'ís were able to chat with them as well as with the Commissioners, some of whom already knew Bahá'ís from other parts of the Province. All in all it was felt to be a useful event, and a further indication of the extent of the recognition of the Bahá'í community locally.
How many of our ancestors read about the Báb?
Some time ago, in the attic of my childhood home, I came across an old leather-bound book entitled "Sunday at home 1873". This is a collection of family magazines for Sabbath reading published by the London Religious Tract Society. It consists of stories for adults and children, sermons and accounts by missionaries of life in the mid- 9th century in their adoptive countries. Some of the stories have delightful pen and ink illustrations.
On browsing down the index, I saw a section entitled "Persia and her Kings" and to my delight and surprise one of these proved to be a fairly accurate account of the history of the Bábí Faith in Iran written by Major-General Lake. As a child, I can remember my aunt sitting in front of the kitchen range in a rocking chair reading this book. It would originally have come from my grandmother's family home. It is exciting to think that my ancestors may may have heard of the Báb many years before I accepted His Faith.
Yvonne Jamshidi