Civil War Letter for a Baha’i

Hannah Jane, who never ceases to surprise me with her insights and questions, started asking about slavery after talking about Abraham Lincoln (with whom she has been a bit obsessed since she was 2). She was concerned about men leaving their families to go to war, and why would they risk dying and never seeing their kids over anything? I pulled out the Sullivan Ballou letter on the PBS Civil War series soundtrack which I had used in the past for my 7th graders in Murfreesboro. She thoughtfully listened to it about 5 times, closing her eyes as she listened.

When finally she opened her eyes she asked, “Is that how we’re supposed to feel about being Baha’i?” This took me off guard, but we got to talking. I won’t go any further into her sweet little insights and connections, which were many, but I will say that they got me thinking.

If you haven’t heard the letter, now’s the time…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aj7Qh1Uu3w

Now that you’re all caught up, I’ll go on.

I started thinking about being Baha’i and these powerful words of Sullivan Ballou. As new Baha’i in Ruhi book 4, I often wondered if God really ever wants people to be away from their children. Isn’t being there to guide and comfort your children the greatest task? Would God really ever want these early seekers like the Letters of the Living to abandon their families for this mission? Truthfully, my first response was always, “Of course not! What is worth leaving your family for?”

But when I hear this letter I easily tell Hannah Jane of how there are causes greater than any one person or family that are worth so much more. Why, I wonder, was it so easy for me to see the end of slavery as a mission so worthy, but so hard to view the end of spiritual slavery as such a worthy cause? I suppose the answer is that it took a while for true belief and willingness to take root in my heart.

The result? Well, when next that question is asked (which it often is in our home) of whether God would really want a man to leave his family for such a thing, I have an answer. Or really more of a question. Is anything worthy of that sacrifice? Like the end of slavery, perhaps? Yes? Well, then wouldn’t bringing God’s divine prescription to ailing souls rank right up there?

Just a thought. Hannah Jane always pushes me to think outside my own little perspective. It’s not easy having a 5 year old who is more insightful than myself.

How would that letter read for us? Here’s what we came up with (if we may plagiarize slightly)…

We have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which we are engaged, and our courage does not halt or falter. We know how strongly World Civilization now leans on the triumph of God’s love, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of this spiritual revolution. And we are willing – perfectly willing – to lay down all our joys in this life, to help maintain this cause, and to pay that debt.

Joe, our love for you is deathless, it seems to bind us to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet our love of God comes over us like a strong wind and bears us irresistibly on, with all these chains, to teach the words of God…

There’s more, but you get the point.

What a wonderful, accidental teaching moment for my kiddos (and my self). Hannah Jane took to the words of this letter and what her letter would read like in a way I’ve never seen her take to any planned lesson. I didn’t really teach her anything, but just answered her questions and let her guide us through. 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches later and she was still talking about what causes are worth this. We came up with a very short list and went on to talk about putting ourselves in other people’s positions and how their lists might be different from ours.

What a great way to spend a snowy morning!