The illegitimate organization calling itself the Universal House of Justice, which has cut off itself from Divine guidance and lacks its “sacred head” as stipulated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will and Testament, considers that it has endowed a magic power to a term used by Shoghi Effendi in referring to the Hands of the Cause. By their conferring upon this term an incorrect meaning and through repeating it, at least 46 times, in the book titled: “The Ministry of the Custodians” written by Rúhíyyih Khanum, and as a result of its further duplication by some of the cliques who have supported her, they have been able to justify their unjust violation of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.
They consider that conferring such weight and magic power to this term that it will, in effect, give legitimacy to the meaning they have conferred upon it. Additionally,
they consider that by repeating this term often enough they will be able to actually scrap and nullify the immutable provisions of the sacred Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as well as all the writings of Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Cause of God, and particularly his Proclamation of 9 January 1951 and those messages in which he repeatedly provided for and safeguarded the continuation of the Guardianship in his faithful fidelity to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.
This magic term, in their view, is “chief stewards” as used by Shoghi Effendi in his last cablegram to the Bahá’í World, dated 8 October 1957, in which he referred to the Hands of the Cause as the “Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth”.
You have seen that every now and then one of their pawns will post statements in this newsgroup and will assert such a ridiculous definition to the term as the following:
news:[email protected]
“Chief Steward is a naval term. The Chief Steward on the ship has the duty of taking the ship safely to shore in the absence of the captain.”
This same person, despite the fact that some of the participants exposed his/her error in the above definition and provided the true definition of chief steward, wrote the following:
“BUT the Hands of the Cause were CHIEF stewards. Chief Steward is a naval term. When the captain is, absent for whatever reason, the chief steward has the authority to take the ship safely to shore.”
Of course, this is not an isolated example of their ignorance, for among the brainwashed followers of the bogus UHJ such ignorance is quite widespread.
Since it is evident that the bogus organization has tried to manipulate the meanings, as defined in Wikipedia, it is necessary that the current correct definition of “chief steward”, as found in Wikipedia, be recorded before their further manipulation of the term:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief Steward:
“Chief Steward”, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, main article, Seafarer’s professions and ranks: ” A Chief Steward is the senior unlicensed crewmember working in the Steward’s Department of a ship. Since there is no purser on most ships in the United States Merchant Marine, the steward is the senior person in the department, from whence its name. In the British Merchant Navy, a steward is a junior member of the department (referred to as a Steward’s Assistant in the United States), and so the term “Chief Steward” is always used for the senior member. The chief steward directs, instructs, and assigns personnel performing such functions as preparing and serving meals. Moreover, the steward overseas cleaning and maintaining officers’ quarters and steward department areas; and receiving, issuing, and inventorying stores. The chief steward also plans menus, compiles supply, overtime, and cost control records. The steward may also requisition or purchase stores and equipment. Other duties may include baking bread, rolls, cakes, pies, and pastries. A chief steward’s duties may overlap with those of the Steward’s Assistant, the Chief Cook, and other Steward’s Department crew members.”
In the following passage Joel B. Marangella, the third Guardian of the Cause of God, brings to light why Shoghi Effendi called the Hands “chief stewards”:
“As Shoghi Effendi labored to erect, “at long last the machinery of its highest institutions” and the “supreme organs of its unfolding Order,” he followed up his appointment of the International Bahá’í Council–this “Central Body” of the Faith–with the appointment of the first contingent of twelve living Hands of the Cause in his cablegram of 24 December 1952. He made additional appointments during the concluding years of his ministry, raising the number to twenty-seven at the time of his passing. On 8 October 1957, one month before his passing, Shoghi Effendi dispatched his last cablegram to the Bahá’í World in which he referred to the Hands of the Cause as the “Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth” with the clear implication that unfortunately was never perceived by the Hands, that while they were the current Chief Stewards–these Hands of the Cause–appointed by the Guardian of the Faith would, as they died, be no more, but the institution of the Hands itself as an integral and immortal organ of the embryonic Commonwealth of Bahá’u’lláh would continue to exist as long as the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh endured, and that future Hands would continue to be appointed by future Guardians during the course of the development of this embryonic Commonwealth and as it achieved ultimate maturity in the Golden Age of Bahá’u’lláh, similarly to the other institutions of the Bahá’í Administrative Order, delineated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in his sacred, divinely-conceived and immortal Will and Testament.”
Dear Nosrat,
I googled “Chief Steward.” In addition to the encyclopedia entry you refer to, below is what I came up with. It is clear to me that Shoghi Effendi always carefully chose his words. I think the designation “Chief Stewards” was a warning to the Hands that they should consider themselves subservient to the Captain of the Ship, the Guardian of the Cause. There is nothing in this phrase to imply taking over the ship.
Jeffrey
The British Columbia Amateur Winemakers Association (BCAWA) http://www.bcawa.ca/bcawa/comphb/chb03.htm It appears the “Chief Steward” presides over the wine and beer tasting. Mmmm… I think I joined the wrong club!
Frank Baum’s “The Emerald City of Oz” http://www.halcyon.com/piglet/ozites/oz0037.htm In this classic children’s story, Quox appoints Kaliko as Chief Steward of the Nome King
The U.S. Coast Guard http://www.marinejobs1.com/chief-steward.html The Chief Steward functions under the direction of the ship’s Supply Officer on large vessels or independently on smaller vessels without Supply Officers. The chief Steward oversees general stateroom and passageway cleanliness and all food service operations on board all classes of MSC civil service crewed ships.
The New England Dog Training Club http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/9337/chf-stwd.html Dog shows! The chief steward is a member of the match/trial committee and in charge of recruiting and assigning stewards. Depending on how the committee is organized, the chief steward may have some other logistical duties, such as setting up the rings, preparing the ring signs, organizing or coordinating a cleanup crew, and so on. (For example, at large shows, the chief steward usually has a walkie-talkie for paging the cleanup crew and show photographer.)
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees http://www.mape.org/locals_stewards/stewards/chiefstewarduties032406.pdf A position in the union that coordinates grievances in the local/ region, and assists stewards with grievance handling.
Ancient Egyptian royalty http://terraflex.co.il/ad/egypt/texts/ibe.htm The Chief Steward attended to the Queen.
“There should be appointed the king’s-confidant, Ibe, as chief steward of the Divine Consort, and that there should be collected for him all his things which should go [for the payment (?)] of the works, 15 [an]d that they should be delivered to all the scribes and inspectors sent with the business of the house of the Divine Votress, as many as they were. The list of everyday utensils of silver, gold, copper, of the White House. I [filled (?)] her granaries with [wheat (?)], spelt, and all fruits, I multiplied her cattle yards with bullocks, [obliged (?)] her officials to pay dues all of them.”
A Hotel Job http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:iM6OfYBbWhIJ:www.occupationalinfo.org/31/310137018.html+chief+steward&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us STEWARD/STEWARDESS (hotel & rest.) alternate titles: chief steward/ stewardess; executive. steward/stewardess; house steward/stewardess Supervises and coordinates activities of pantry, storeroom, and noncooking kitchen workers, and purchases or requisitions foodstuffs, kitchen supplies, and equipment: Inspects kitchens and storerooms to ensure that premises and equipment are clean and in order, and that sufficient foodstuffs and supplies are on hand to ensure efficient service.