To Whom It May Concern:
Subject: Brent Mathieu 1975 journal entries regarding Leland Jensen,
Joseph Pepe-Remey and Donald Harvey and the succession from Mason Remey.
I, Brent Mathieu, solemnly affirm and testify that these are accurate
excerpts from my personal journals handwritten by myself on the dates
specified. The original journal is in my possession and available for
authentication. At the time of these entries, I was supporter and
believer in Leland Jensen in his claims as a "Promised One".
It is my recollection that I wrote Donald Harvey in the spring of 1975
and recognized him as the successor of Mason Remey with the approval
and encouragement of Leland Jensen.
March 22, 1975
"This evening a letter was began. It was a task too great. It was
meant to be sent to Donald Harvey, Mason Remey's last appointee to the
guardianship."
[Brent M comment: Later I did write Donald Harvey as the next excerpt
indicates.]
April 18, 1975
"Today I received my first communication from the third guardian,
Donald Harvey."
[Donald Harvey's April 10, 1975 letter is transcribed by hand into my
journal. It begins:]
"To Brent Mathieu. My dear friend in Baha'u'llah. I acknowledge with
thanks your kind letter sent 2 weeks ago, and thank you for the news
it contains…."
[Donald Harvey's April 10, 1975 letter ends:]
"I am thinking of you in my prayers. The Guardianship, owing to
present conditions, remains a potential position and is prevented from
outwardly functioning until the Spirit of Baha'u'llah pervades this
world, through men and women of good will."
"As ever, yours faithfully in El-Baha" "Donald"
August 11, 1975 [Excerpt written after the Sheridan, Wyoming and Big
Horn mountain gathering of August 9-10, 1975]
"At this time Dr. Jensen is presently engaged in convincing Joseph
Pepe that Mason had appointed him to be his successor as Guardian of
the Cause of God. The affair centers upon the significance which the
gold medallion having the Baha'I insignia carries. Dr. Jensen recalls
Mason's words about its appearance as the sign of Mason's successor.
He states that Maason fulfilled his statement when he left Joseph Pepe
his medallions, thus appointing Pepe to succeed him and nullifying his
previous appointment of Donald Harvey."
"There was present at our weekend affair, the spectre or shadow of
this newly raised question. It's been highly confusing and disturbing
to many believers, myself included, to hear that Pepe is guardian,
after everyone rushed to accept and proclaim Donald. Dr Jensen's
arguments are cogent and persuasive, and Pepe though hesitant and
balking at the idea of his being guardian, has made numerous
statements confirming that Mason desired him to be the third guardian.
Yet the matter is far from crystal clear, at least for me. I do
cautiously confess that I accept Pepe as guardian, still doubt and
perplexity remains. My most fervent prayer is that the three of them,
Donald Harvey, Joseph Pepe and Dr Jensen will be united in agreement
as to who Mason intended to be his successor. May God insure that we
all discover the true one, the chosen branch, the sign of God." (End
of August 11, 1974 journal entry)
Brent Mathieu commentary:
Donald Harvey wrote Leland Jensen 2 letters dated April 14, 1975 and
June 20, 1975 of which I have copies, and these have been scanned for
electronic distribution. Donald Harvey's letters were written to
Leland Jensen in apparent reply to letters Leland Jensen had written
Donald Harvey to announce to him, Leland's station as a "promised
one" with the various titles of "Joshua, the High Priest" and "the
Seventh Angel".
I, Brent Mathieu, solemnly affirm and testify, that it is my distinct
memory that Leland Jensen after he learned of Mason Remey's passing in
1974, and prior to the summer of 1975 taught others and me in his
firesides that he, Leland, recognized Donald Harvey to be the
successor of Mason Remey. Leland Jensen, himself, gave me a copy of
Mason Remey's May 1967 hand written appointment of Donald Harvey, and
for a time acknowledged this appointment to be valid.
Leland Jensen wrote Pepe on July 19, 1975 with his new belief that
Pepe was Mason Remey's successor. This letter is available at
www.lelandjensen.net
Sincerely and truly yours,
Brent B Mathieu
Boise, Idaho
April 7, 2004
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartoftheBahaiFaith/message/2424