January 18. On this date in 1953, a letter written by Leroy Ioas on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, later referenced in a "Bahai News" article in March 1953, defined the terms "Age" and "Epoch."

January 18. On this date in 1953, a letter written by Leroy Ioas on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, later referenced in a Bahai News article in March 1953, defined the terms "Age" and "Epoch."

LETTER FROM HAIFA
DEFINES "AGES"
AND "EPOCHS"
In a letter dated January 18, 1953,
written on behalf of the Guardian by
Leroy Ioas, Assistant Secretary, the
terms "age" and "epoch" as used
by the Guardian are defined.
"The Faith is divided into three
Ages, the Heroic. the Formative, the
Golden Age, as has been outlined in
his writings. The Heroic Age closed
with the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
The Formative Age is divided into
epochs. The first epoch lasted 25
years. We are now actually in the
second epoch of the Formative Age.
How long the Formative Age will
last is not known - and there will
probably be a number of epochs in
it.
"The Divine Plan of 'Abdu'l-Baha
is divided into epochs. The first Seven
Year Plan constituted the first
stage of the first epoch; the second
Seven Year Plan constitutes the second
stage; while the ten year Crusade
will constitute the third stage
of the first epoch of the Divine Plan.
The first epoch of the Divine Plan
will conclude with the conclusion of
the ten year Crusade."
-NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY