Lighting the Western Sky: The Hearst Pilgrimage & Establishment of the Baha'i Faith in the West

by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson

Never before told in its entirety here is the story of the first pilgrimage of Western Bahá ís to the Holy Land.

That journey of fifteen souls during the winter of 1898 1899 has come to be recognized as a pivotal event in the history of the Bahá í Faith; more than a pilgrimage a turning point that would have far-reaching implications many centuries into the future for millions of people.

Based on all available sources, including handwritten journals and letters never previously published, this story is not a mere recounting of history, it is a tale that inspires and instructs. Those privileged to take part in the first Western pilgrimage were, in the main, ordinary people with extraordinary spiritual insight. With almost no resources available to them, they took what they gained from their time in the Holy Land, established the Faith in Europe and reestablished the American Bahá í community on a rock-solid foundation.

Above all, the Hearst pilgrimage provides a brief glimpse of Abdu l-Bahá Himself and how patiently and lovingly He nurtured those from America and Europe whose religious background and ethnic culture were so different from the main body of Eastern believers at the time. The lessons he taught during that winter, the messages he conveyed, still resonate today, for he saw the end in the beginning. These were not simply fifteen pilgrims; they were the vanguard of waves of the whole of humanity. Their achievements will remain an inspiration to all future generations.

Genres: Baha I, Nonfiction

402 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 2011

Reviews

[Peggy]

Kathryn Hogenson is an excellent storyteller.

After I heard her talk in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, I was eager to read the book. I could hear her voice in my head as I read. She made the figures of the early days of the Baha'i Faith come alive for me. She connected dots, and helped me see their lives as people who were normal; who faced enormous tests and difficulties. Each made choices to overcome challenges by serving, or to cave in to the "insistent self".

I have a better understanding of why some become heroes of the Faith, and why some are not recognized, inspite of many contributions. I understand better what a Covenant Breaker is, and why some who were so devoted to the Cause seemed less influential than others. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of the Baha'i Faith in North America. Well done, and thank you, Ms. Hogenson!

[Rachel]

Fascinating, inspiring and bittersweet - as history often is. Hogenson attempts to weave the humanness back into the telling of these historical events, using research to illumine the lives of these early western Baha'is through narrative and journal excerpts.

[Esther Bradley-detally]

this is beyond outstanding in tone, in eloquence, and is full of knowledge of the earlier Baha'is, whose strength and love help carry us forward today. I was electrified by this book, and I also met the author. There's a spirit to this book, and it sustains one.

[Maeve]

This is the best book I have read this year. It is incredibly well-researched but reads like a page-turner novel. Absolutely fantastic.

[Cindy]

Well researched and written account of the earliest Baha'is of the United States and their first pilgrimage. A lot of fascinating information is presented, especially about Lua and Edward Getsinger, and Phoebe Hearst. I knew very little about these earliest believers and it is difficult to read about the numerous tests and difficulties they all suffered throughout their lives.

I have always enjoyed Baha'i history and this certainly makes me want to read more.

My favorite parts involve the things the Master said while he served his guests at mealtime. Ann liked the section about visiting the Sacred Shrines, and I have to agree that is wonderful indeed.

[Phyllis Ring]

Utterly engaging. I'd heard the author speak some years back, and have been beguiled by this book, as I was by the sessions she offered on the book's time period and topic over several days at Green Acre Baha'i School. My deep thanks, Kathryn Jewett Hogenson, for providing us with this wonderful resource, and very entertaining read.

[Robert]

Wonder look inside the early growth of the Faith in the US

The relationships and inter-twined series of events that this book should of as are fascinating. Phone Hearst impact on all of this was remarkable!

[Gwen Chavarria]

I've read several books about the early Baha'is in America, but this one, due to its excellent research and presentation, gave me the clearest sense of what motivated, discouraged, and sustained those early believers. I can't recommend it enough!

[Soroush Kevin Arjomandi]

Excellent resource for gaining a knowledge of the early believers of the Bahá'í Faith in the West.

[Sima modir]

I really enjoyed reading this book. Ms. Hogenson is a great storyteller.