Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: unknown, In Memoriam, Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 1970, bahai-library.com.
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AN INTERNATIONAL RECORD

Prepared under the supervision of
The Universal House of Justice

V O L U M E XI14

111, 112, 113, 1$4, 125, 116, 117, 118 AND 119
OF THE BAHA'I ERA
1954-1 963

THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
Haifzi, Israel
1970
VAL~YU'LLAH VAP.QA were both staunch believers of the Cause,
1884-1955 which they most earnestly served. 1 had three
brothers. (i'v1~7 mother gave birth to four
children.) n he eldest was named Mirzh
Profoundly grieved loss outstanding Hand GAziz,ul!a KhBn, second was named
Cause God, exemplay @ustee Buyc% dis- Rf&ul&&, who was nlartyred, the third was
tinguishd representative most venerable myseif, md the was called ~ ~ d ~ ~
community Bahk'i world, aorthy son brothel \vho died in childhood. As a we
twin irnmortal martyrs Faith, dearly beloved in Tabriz in the household our
disciple Center Covenant. Shining record matcrnai grmdnzo&er in love and
services extending over half century emiched hazmony and in ease and honor,
annals heroic formative ages Bahii'i Dispensa- happiness was, however, upset and
tion. His reward Abha Kingdom inestimable. sllattercd in consequeilce of- some false
Advise erect my be'a1E reports submitted by certain enenlies of the
his graxJe. His mantle as trustee funds uuq6g Cause the Prince Regent, Mu?afFai'd-Dia
now faIls on 'Aii Mubarnmad, his son. In- Sha, eR3ct that Mirza GAbdu9ilhb
struct Row$ani Tihran arrange befittmg
memorial. gatherings capital provinces honor
memory mighty pillar cradle Faith Bah6'u'-
membez.
k B n , my granaatlIer., who was then a
was acting the
Government and had put house at
N e w l ~ a ~ ~ O h ttrustee
ed Ptrqliq disposd of Baha'is gz.thesing tbcre to con&uc-
elevated rank Hand Cause. anti-government activities. My gxandhther
SraoGal was obliged, therefore, to escape to Tihrh,
November 15, 1955. and in his absence, my grandn~other,who wes
a fanatical Muslim, found t k opportunity to
exert her enmity by opposing my father SO
Auto b iogruplzy sirongly and relentlessly as to compel lrim to
"Some time ago the Spiritual Assembly of leave h i s home and native to~vn,acco~npanied
the Bahit'is of TihrBn asked mc to write my by his two cldest sons. My junior brother,
autobiography for them. 111 reply, X explained Badj'uiUh, and nayself, being too small, were
that during my youth I had had the privilege left behind with our mother in tke s m I~ouse
and honor to be in the blessed presence of where m y gsandmother lived. This did nat,
His Holiness "bdu'l-Baha and to be one of however, appease my grand~nother.She had
His attendants during ETis visit to America. such a deep hatred of the Cause that she
I had Jways seen aud witnessed Exis utter began to make evil suggestions to me against
self-abrlegatio~lin words and deeds. When X my father and ro sow the seeds of hatred and
stop to ponder. the resplendent servies enmity in ~ n soul y against him. She &as able
rendered by the early believers of the Faith to impress m y tender soul to sucl~an extent
and tllcir heroic sacrifices, I do not see how that in my Islaillic prayers, which I was
T can give any account about myself. obliged to say, I wept in bittcr grief for nxy
"I was born in Tabriz, 1263 Persian solar father's deviation which had earned him SO
calendar (1884). My father, 'Ali Muhammad ~ m c hhaired frain the public.
Vmq& a martyr of the Cause, was the thifiild "Up to the age of sixteen, I lived with my
son of E;Tkji Mull& Mihcii Yazdi, known as grandmother ia an at~xosplierecharged with
Atxi, and my mother, Fittin~ih, iivzs the such fanaticisn~and hatred towards the Cause.
daughter of Bhji MirG 'Abdu'llLih Khan Then my ur~cle,HAji Mlr &sap, a sincere
Nbri of Mazindarhn. These two grandparents bdiever and teacher of thc Cause, took steps
53 I
THE BAHA" WORLD

to transfer me from Tabriz to Miyanduhb, Bahfyyih RhBnum, daughter of the late
where I lived under his care and lave for some Sani-us-Sulj6n, surnamed Sani IlIkhi, of
years until I b e m e a believer. whom I had ten children. Seven d these
"During my stay in Miyanduhb, the late children, three sans and four daughters, are
Siyyid Assadu'lkh Qumi visited. there and now Iiving and they are: 'Ali Maammad;
was a guest of my uncle. Feeling that I was Mihdi; Malihih (Mrs. Qubad); Munirih
extremely anxious to visit the Holy Shrines (Mrs. Fdrzar) ; Parvin (Mrs. Muvafiq);
and the Center oS the Covenant, he promised Mafymnud; Lami (Mrs. Nikanpirrf. I thank
me, when leaving MiyanduBb, ihst whenever God that they are all Bahs'is and are firm
he intended to leave for the Holy Itand he in the Cause.
would inform me that I might join him at '? must express my great appreciation to
Tabriz. ShartIy afterwards 1 received his my wife, who has sincerely collaborated with
message telling mne that he was ready to leave. we since our marriage and who had, in fact,
Filled with great enthusiasm for this auspicious a greater share than myself in rsaining the
jo~uncyX did not even inform my uncle of my children in the BahB'i spirit.
intended departure, since I thought he urould "After my marriage 1 took enlployment in
definitely not allow me to make the journey the Russian Embassy as a secretary, but when
because of his great affection for me. I forth- 'Abdu'l-BakA was about to leave for America
with left for M~arh&ihin company with one I lefi for 'Akk&with His permission and had
of the aged beliomrs, and thence X proceeded the great hanor of attending Him o s His
to Tabriz. At Tabriz I was summoned by the historic journey. After my return to T i f i n ,
Local. Spiritual Assembly, who, after holding I was enlplayed as First Secretary Translator
consuItation regarding nnly dm, informed nle by the Turkish Embassy, My dayrime was
that they had decided I should go to Tihrh spent working at the office and at night I was
to stay with my brother Mirz5 'Adzu'IlAIn happy to serve on the Spiritual Assembly
K b h . To persuade them to revise their
- and on various Baha'i committees. At both
decision was out of the question and I was the Embassies 1 had ma& it a condition with
therehre obliged to leave for Tihrh, where them not to require me to do anything
1stayed with my dear brother and meanwhile co~ceriledwith poiitics. After Inany years of
took up nly studies ill the Tarbiyat School. service, however, 1 was asked to do a service
At the same time I began to study EngIlsh which slightly touched on politics, whereupon
outside the school and took up a course in I tendered my ~esigrzation.
Arabic with Bahh9f scholars. X spent a few "For the last twelve years I have had the
years a180 in the American High School in incsiiinable honor to serve as Trustee of
Tihrkn to advance my gem~eraleducation. ~uqiiqu'llhh,having been appointed by the
"The lorwcherished time now came wheil beloved Guardian, and it is my utmost wish
with the consent af my dear brother I left for that 1 may be able during these last days of
'Akka, where 1 had the great privilege of my life to render befitting service to our Holy
visiring 'Abdu'i-Baha, the Center of the Cause and give satisfaction to our ireIoved
Covenant. Following this auspicious occasion Guardian."
I proceeded to Beirut where Z took up my The spiritual services of the Hand of the
studics with the aim of finishing the college Cause Mr. Valiyu'llkh Varqa, which began
wurse and continuing them in a university at the early age of twenty and ended with his
in England. During my stay in Beirut I was death at the age of seventy-one, were charac-
summoned by 'AbdrUfi-BAA to 'Akkri every terized by weer-increasing zeal and enthusiasm
summer and there I had the opportrmity to throughout his Iife. His efforts in the Cause
study the Cause and take teaching courses with were redoubled particulasly aftcr the passing
other students under the Late Frf6jC MirzA away of Mr. , h i n Amfa in 1938, when Mr.
Baydar-'ALi. Varqa was entrusted by the beloved Guardian
"Xn the summer of the year 1309, whiIe I with the duty of taking care of Ehe Quq&qu'llBh.
was in 'Akkit, I was instructed by 'Abdu'l-BahB His elevation later to the rank of Hand of the
to return to T i h r h to fulfill a mission which Cause inspired in him a new spirit and stirred
He so kindly entrusted to me. In Tihr&n,after him to a still higher degree of service to the
having carried out His mission, I married Cause or BahB'u'llkh. Tn 1953 he prepared
fN M E M O R I A M

when the New Dclhi Conference, in which
Mr. VarqA was to participate, should have
bcen concluded. He therefore left soon for
New Delhi, not waiting to complete the
convalescence period, and consequently had
a very hard cime during the days of the
Conference. He then received the Guardian's
instructions to proceed to 'Iraq, Egypt and
Syria on a teaching mission. He forthwith
Ieft New Deihi for 'Iraq. I n that country his
illness took a serious turn and Ize suffered
extreme pain. He was therefore obliged to
stay in the eziratu'l-Quds in Ba&d&d, After
a while, when he felt himself ssiiglztly better,
he Ieft for Cairo, Ismailia, Suez, Port Said.
and Alexandria, where he visited the friends
and gladdened their hearts by giving them an
account of the magnificent results of the
Conferences and of the lapid progress of the
Cause in the world.
He khen left for Turkey, where he visited
the towns d Qazi Antap, Iskanderun, Adana
and Istanbul, and met the friends. The
unexpected cold weather in Turkey that
year and Mr. Varq2s ill health caused him
a great deal of suffering. I-ie now reported to
the beloved Guardian an account of his
journeys and was then kindly instructed to
return to f r h . After his asrival in Tihrin
the Guardian appointed a time when he codd
himsdf, under instructions fxoln the Guardiaa, visit the Holy Land. This visit to the Holy
for participation in the Intercontinental Shrines and to the beloved Guardian, which
Conferences. He fvst attended the Kampala lasted about two weeks, inspired him with
Conference and then the Conference in a uew life and revitalized him for still further
CKicago. During the interval between the activities. He was then instructed by Shoghi
latter and the Conference in Stockholm he Effendi to proceed to Gerinany so as to join
was directed by the Guardian to proceed to the Hands or the Cause and at the same time
South America, where Iie visited the axea to comptete the course of his medical treat-
betu~eenBrazil and Santiago in Chile within ment. From there, on the Guardian's i n s t r u ~
forty-six days. His mission was to meet the tlons, he departed for tlusiria and stayed in
friends and to give the Message to the people. Vienna for some time, where he started
On July 10, 1953, he left for Europe and, teaching the Cause and gi\<ngpr~blicaddresses
after participating in the Stockholm Con- tc? large crowds of searchers for truth. He
ference, he visited a Iwge number of cities in then returned to fr8n.
Germany by the order of the Guardian. 111.1 In March 1955 he felt very severe pain
Hsmbtxrg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich and which made him extremely uneasy. He there-
Esslingen he met many BahA'i friends and fore left for Europe again for medical treat-
ofhers. 1x1Stuttgart the preliminary signs of ment, visiting first Paris and then Italy. While
his iilness beg~tnto appear. Hz stayed in a receiving trealment he did not forget his
hospital for a week in Sluttgarr and then for teacching ~ntssion whenever IE found an
a further month in UIm, where he underwent opportunity. He then proceeded to Germany
an operation. and went to a hospital in Tubingen where
Mr. VarqB's reqizest to Slzoghi Effendi for for forty-one days hc passed the last part of
a visit to Haifk had been granted for the time his brilliant life. Even during these last days
834 T H E BAHA'I WORLD

he did not neglect his teaching duty. Whencver German believers. He assures you all of his
he fell a mitigation of pain and suffering he prayers for your success.
called to his bedside both friends and seekers With Bahri'i greetings,
of truth and spoke to thein of the Teachings. R. RABBANI
But the light of his life was steadily fading, and
I
it was on Saturday, November 12, 1955, that Assuring you of n-ty deep and abiding appre-
he passed m7ayand joined the concoarse on ciation of the sympathy you have expressed
high, Hc was a drop that fell in the Great for the great loss sustained by our beloved
Ocean, a beam of light that attained to #e Fsith, and of my fervent prayers for the
luminous Sun. success of cvery eEort you exert for its
Afta Mr. Varqa's death the beloved promotion.
Guardian ordered that a memorial be erected I

tit his oq7nexpense, at the grave of Mr. Varqk Your true bxothm,
in Stuttgart. The design was inadc by Mr. Smcm
Seyhun, architectural engineer, and w11iZe
this account is being written the construction
of the roof i s nearing completion, under the
supervision of Mr. Bauer, a beloved Geman AMELIA E. COLLINS
friend. After it is completed the monument 1873-1962
will bear evidence of the grace of God to His
devoted servants.
"0 tizou lady of the Kingdom!" With
these words 'Abdu'L-Wd addressed Amelia
A h the passing of Jinkbi Varqk the Engelder Collins in His Tablet to her, dated
following letter was received in Germany: December 6, 1919. It was an answer to the
Haifa, Israel longing of Lhis newly awakeiled heart to serve
December 3, 1955 the Kingdom of Cod. The "hope" of 'Abdu'l-
W i i as expressed in the Tablet becane
fulfilled in fullest measure in the life OF this
To the B W i s who wcre gathefed at the devoted fiahk'i:
funeral of the Wand of the Cause, Valiyn'ilBh ''In brieL JbDm tile bounties o j His Aoli~less
Varqii, in Stuttgart, November 17, 1955: BuhCi'~'tIcih,My hope is that tiiou mayest
duily ndvmce ia the Kingdaplr, that thort
nlayest brconze a heave~lysoul, confirmed by
Dear Bahi'i Friends: the brruths of the HaIy Spirit, and r~myerect
Your message touched our beloved Guard- a ~tructurethat shall eternally remain ,firmand
ian very much, and he was happy to see that uns?~ccknbie."
so many of the believers, both eastern and 'Abdu'l-Baha passed away in 1921. Amelia
western, had been able to gather for his used to say that, "After the provisions of His
funeral, m d honor this greatly-loved and Will becanm known, my whole h e a t a u
dl soul I

staunch pillar of the Faith. turned to that youthful Branch, appointed
bTeare assured that, dter so much suffering by Him to watch over and guide the Faith
during the Iast years of his life, he has gone af BahB'u'li21. How Z prayed t h t God I

to receive a great reward in the Abh6 King- would help me to make him happy !"
dom. This became her guiding light, to scrve
The Baha'is could not have a better the beloved Gziardim and make him happy.
example before then1 of nobility and faith- She often said that to see the Guardian smile
fulness than this distinguished Hand of the just once was worth a lifetime of suffering.
Cause; mid it is a blesskg h r the German To this end, then, she poured forth unstintingly
friends that their country should have received her love, her strength, her means, throu&hout
h i s dust. The Guudian urges you all to follow the remaining ycars of her life, ofxctcn and
in the footsteps of this beloved Hand, and increasingly, at the cost of great physical
to redouble your. effol-is to achieve the goals sacrifice. Her personal possessions, art treas-
of the World Crusade apportioned to the ures, life itself, had meaning only as t h y
could be used to serve the Cause of BahB'uSllAh outstanding benefactress Faith Amelia Coliit~s.
and the one on whom had fallen the re- Unfailing support, love, devotion beioved
sponsibility of carrying forward "tbe great Guaxdian darkest period his life b~oughther
work entrusted to his care," unique bounty his deep affection, esteem,
coniide~ceand honor direct association work
WorId Center. Signal services every field
Bah2i activity unforgettable. Purchase site
Ma&riqu71-A&k&rMozmt Camel, genexous
gifts hastening construction Mother Temples
four continents and acq~iisiiion ndictnal
IJaziratu'l-Quds endowne~~ts, constanr: sup-
port home front world-wide teaching eater-
prises among her magnificent donations,
Urge national assemblies bold memorial
gaihcrings, l?articularly Temples colnnnern-
orate her shining e x a ~ p l eceaseless
r services
inailltained until last breatli."

Amelia Engefder Collins was born on June
7, 1873 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her
rnot&e~,Catherine Groff, was born in the
United States; her father, Conrad Engelder,
emigrated from Gerfuai~yat an early age aad
became a Lutheran ciergyfnm. Amelia wzs
b~angh:htup in a strict Lutherran atlilaspliere.
She was the seventh child in a family of nine
sons and five daughfers, Her early married
life was spent in Calumet, Michigan, and
Bi.sbee, Arizona, in mining areas where her
husband, Thomas H. Collins, had interests.
After her husbmif"s death she sold their h o r n
in California, and devoted ail her time and
means to tIic Faith.
During h e last ttvelve yea s of her life the
As the years passed, in numerous leiiers effects of arthritis became iiicreasiagly painful
and messages to her, the Guarclim referred and crippling, hut she did not alIow them to
to her "indomitable spirit of faith and Love", interfere with her services; her life becalm
her "indefatigable services", her "single- eor~pletely dedicated and the qualities of
minded and \vholeheaated devotion" to the spirit \kith which she was endowed blossomed
Cause of God, her "self-sacrificing effortsw- and bore fruit, Depth and clarity of spiritual
examples which "will live and insuenee many insight, wise and Ioving counsel, chiiiilike
a soul," These services were crowned by faith in prayer and ia the working out of
Shogili Effe~ldiin Januasy 1951 with her Gats Will, wholehearted sacrifi~% of earthly
appointment as member and vice-president comforts, a real love for her f e I l o ~hrinun
of the 11ew1y-appointed International Baha'i beings, integrity in holding herseIf, and others,
Councii, "Eoreruimer" of the Universal. House to the highest standards, wei-equalities which
of Justicc, m d in December 1951, with her I-eachedthe h w l acC! illumined the way for
agpoiniinent as one of the first contingent many.
of living Hands of the Cause. Early in 1923 Miily-, as she was aEectionatety
At the time of lier passing in Haifaa,the known, made her first pilgrimzge to Flaifa,
Ha-ids of ihe Cause cabled: acconlpanied by her husband, who was not
"With deepest regret shsue news Bah8'i a Bah2i. She oftea spoke of the great kinbess
world passing dearly loved Wmd Cause shown by Shoghi Effendi to Mr. Collins. At
836 T H E B A W A ' ~W O R L D

the time of her husband's death in 1937 lFEt5lmfridur Arnadbttir, who became a good
Shoghi Effendi comforted her: friend and made the first translation of
"Greatly distressed sudden passing beloved BahB'i literature into Icelandic. Publicatian
husbarrd. Heart overflowing tenderest sym- of Miss Anladottir's translation of Essle-
pathy. Offering special prayers. Advising mont's BulaLi'u'lijJz nnd rlze New Era in
Geyserviile summer school hold begtting Icelandic, in Reykjavik in 1939, was made
memorial galhering recognition generous possible through Milly's generosity.
support their institution. May Beloved aid Milly was elected to the National Spiritual
h i n ~attain goal he was steadily approachiry Assembly of the B&g'is oF the United States
closing years of his life." and Canada in 1924. Except for the years
That same year she made her second 1933-1838 she was a member of this body
pilgrimage to the Holy Land. A cIoser tie until she was called by Shoglli ERendi to serve
%?asforged wilh the beloved Guardian and at the World Center of the Faith, She was
the beginning of a deep aand significant also an active member of the National
relationship to his wife, Amatu31-BahB Teaching, Assembly Development, and Inter-
Rhbiyyih manurn, a relatianship which drew America Comittecs. She visited most of the
her closer to the Guardian hiznself. After Baha'i centers in the United States and
this pilgrimage he wrote to her: Canada to assist their consolidation, and mast
"The days you spent under the shadow of those in Central and South America to
of the Holy Shrines ill long be remembered promote tbe teaching work, during the First
with joy and gratitude. I have during these and Second Seven-Year Plans, 1937-1953.
days increasingly appreciated and admired The Guardian's appreciation of this work
the profound sense of devotion, the passionate was expressed through his secretary:
fervor, the intense love and attachment that "It comforts him greatly to know that you
animates you in the service of this Holy Cause. are in a position to help watch over and
For such noble qualities 1 feel t h d f ~ ~and l, safeguard the interests of the Cause and the
T an1 certain that the fruits they will yield will believers. Your calm sanity, your great faith
be equally outstanding and memorabb. Rest and devotion are assets of outstanding vaIue
assured and be happy." to the Faith, especially at present."
Three years Iater he wote: The Guardian in 1437 sent through Milly
"Row pleased the Beloved 111ust be! Wow a sacred gift to the American Bahk'i Com-
proud He must feel of your truly great munity. The cablegram announcing this gift
achievements! The soul. of dear Mr. Collins to the Annual Convention of 1838 said:
113ust exult and rejoice in the AbhA Kingdom. "As token my gratitude to such a coinmu-
Persevere and be happy." nity entrusted beloved co-worker Mrs. Collins
And again that same year: locks BahA'u'llaFs nmst precious hair ar-
"Dearly beloved co-worker: ranged preserved by loving hands Greates.t
1am deeply touched by your repeated and Holy Leaf to rest beneath dame of Temple
most generous contributions to the institutions nobly raised by dearly beloved believers in
of our beloved Faith established both in the American continent."
..
United States and the Holy Land. Z shall She presented to the Convention the
gladly and gratefully expend your two most Cruardlan's gift, which she had had beautifully
recent donations for the alleviation of framed and placed in a special silver case.
distress as we11 as for the initiation of fresh This was the first sacred relic sent by the
activities, institutions and enterprises in the beloved Guardian to be retailledin the Alwr-
Holy Land as well as ilr the adjoining coun- icm National Baha'i Archives.
tries. May the Beloved bless w u a thusaad- After the second. World War Milly was
fold for the powerful assistance you are invited by Miss Arnad6tt3r to come to
extending the Faith in so many tields of Bah8'i Iceland. Mi@ asked the Guardian's advice
activity and aid you to fulfill your highest and received this reply, through his secretary;
hopes in iLs service." "As he cabled you, he ffeds your presence
O d y brief ineation can be made here of in Arnzrica more important tkan Iceland at
Milly's many senices. In 1924, while on a this time. . . The small assemblies in America
cruise to Icelaild with her husband, she met are badly in need of BaWi education. Feaple
TN M E M O R I A M 837

like you, who are loving, tactfa1 and wise, to Also ccbortt this time, he wrote:
help them see their problen~sand the solution "Though you yourself are in America, yet
far them, should be in continual ckdation, the range of the services which y o u contribu-
so to speak. Again he would remind you not tions render possible i s far-reaching. You
to overtax your strength or wear yourself out should feel greatly encouraged, thankful and
in your desire to do all yori can for the work. happy for being able to lend such an impetus,
Your services are too much needed for you to in these days of stress and peril, to the world-
jeopardize your health. , ." wide activities of so precious a Faith."
Milly was one of the first to do something man^ nlany of Milly's services are known
about te~chingthe Indians in Anlerica, as only to God, the belotied Guardian and
urged by 'Abdu'l-BahA in His Divine Plan herself. Indeed, she herself could not remein-
Tablets. Over a period of many years she ber t l m all. In most instances her out-
deputized Eahk'is to teach the Omaha Indians standing gifts were acknowledged by Shoghi
in Macy, Nebraska, often visiting the group Effendi in his general letters or cablegrams.
herseIf. In 1848 the first Indian Baha'i Among those were:
Assen~blyon the American continent was Purchase of property on Mt. Carmel(l926);
formed there, development and exteasion of smmier school
Milly lived simply, allowing herseIf 1x0 properties at Gcyserville, California (1936)
luxuries, denying hersdf what many would and at Davisun, Miclrigan; publication of
consider necessities. She rarely spoke af h e BahPi literature for the first time in An-haric
many generous coi~tributions she made: (1934); first contribution to the Bahiyyiix
the Guardian himself learned of some of then1 - JLhburn Fund toward the ercction of the
only tIxough the National Spiritual Assembly Mother Temple of America (1939); cantribu-
minutes or reports of the National Treasurer. tion to the Teinple Fund in Persia (1939);
Many of her donations were in response to defraying cost of publication of four recent
the Guardian's mere mention of a needed volumes of The Bahd'i Y?o~'ln'; repeated
development in the Faith. F equently MiEly's contributions to teaching work arid to the
was the first response to reach him. Of one Mother Temple of America; gifts of p operties
of these he wrote in 1914, through his secretary: near this Temple, as well as donations to the
'T am enclosing a receipt, at the iliscruction first Teinpic Dependency donations toward
of our beloved Guardian, for the sum you so purchase of nineteen supplementary Temple
spontaneously and generously sent to him to sites in Latin-America, Europe and Asia;
be used $01-the construction of tlze Superstruc- contributions to aid eniX~elbshmentof the
ture of the RSb's Holy Tomb on Mt. Carmel. area s u r r o u n d i ~the Tomb of Bal~ri'u'llhl~
"lie wants you to know that this is the at Rahji and erection and furnishing of the
first contribution he has received for this International Archives building on h4t.
glorious undertaking, and he is not surprised Camel. In 1356 Shoghi Effendi wrote to
that it should mme from you! You lead the Milly: "Dear and prized co-worker:
way, in devotion, loyalty and self-sac~ifice, I will devotc a part of your very generous
in many Eelds of Bahi'i service, and your contribution to the pu~ehaseof a few Chinese
spirit of dedication to our beloved Faith and and Japanese cabinets, pands and ornaments
its interests greatly endears you to him." for the International Archives now naring
On one occasion when the Guardian's and completion, the exterior and interior of which
Milly's contributions coincided in being wiI1, to a very n~afkedextent, be associated,
first, he cabled her: for alI time, with your nlunificent support
"Our recent contributions teaching cam- of the rising institutions of the Faith at i t s
paign synchronized evidence our hearts tVorid Center. I am sure you will bc highly
attuned noble Cause." pleased, and the spirit of dear Mr. Collins
In 1939 hc wrote: will rejoice in the Abki Kingdom.''
"Your very generous offeriags enable me, fie-emiaent anong the gifts of one called
in these days of stress and trial, to extend the by Shaghi Effendi "outstanding benefactress
range of the work of the Cause at its World of the Faith" was the donation of the entire
Center, to reinforce the activities initjated sun1 for the purchase of the Temple siie on
at the various national centers.. ." Mt. Camel, acknowledged by Shoghi Egendi
538 T H E B A W A ' ~W O R L D

in his October 1953 cable and in his message nlemorid are indeed outstanding and never-
to the twelve Annual Conve~~tions in 1955. to-be-forgotten achievexnents that enrich still I

In the latter he also acknourledged Milly's further the magnificent record of your services,
assistance in the purchase of many national local, national, as v7ell as international, so
Ijaziratu'l-QuAs and endowments on five nobly rendered to the Cause of Bah2uYULftb
continents. Shoghi Effendi's last Convention and its rising institutions. The Baha'is, East
message of 1957 referred to this devoted and West, North and South, admire and axe
thankful for such signal services. . . Be happy,

I
believer's "munificent donation" toward the
building of the Mother Temples on three and persevere in your exempiasy and llistoric
continents (Europe, Australia and Africa). services. Affectionately, Shoghi."
The beautiful "CoUins Gate", the main Milly anadc two subsquent trips to tatin-
gate leading to the Shrine of BahB'u'llkl~,was America. In January 1946 she attended the
named in her honor by Shoghi Effendi first Latin-American BahA'i Teaching Con- ,
hirr'self. ference in Panama City, as rep~esentative I

Milly's travels for the Faith werc far more of thc National Spisilual Assenlbly of the I
extensive than can be recorded here; many Baha'is of the United States and Canada and 1
were mdertaken at the request of thc Guard- of the Inter-America Teaching Cornlittee.
im, To her he entrusted delicate t;tsks which In January 1949 she attended the third South
11e knew would be carried out with the American Teaching Congress in which seven
greatest discretion and devotion. South Amsrican countries pmtiticipated. This
In 1942 she represented the National was held in SBo Paulo and resulted in the first
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahsis of the United Bahgi summer school in Brazil.
States and Canada in connection with the The Guardian's letters expressed con-
erection of the memorial to May Maxwell, tinuany l ~ i sdeep appreciation and gratitude I

Rirwyyih &Anm's mother, in Buenos Aires, to this devoted "co-worker". l
Argentina. The nlonument, designed by Such an outpouring of love, of self-sacrifice
Sutherland Maxwell, was erected by Shoghi and heroic effort as was Maly's stemmed from
Wen&. It was Milly's first trip to South her great Iove for the Cause of God and an
America; it was war time, and she was alone, inner deep spiritual relationship and devotion
embarking on a mission for which she felt to the one on whose shoulders rested the
unfitted. When at last she arrived at her hotel burdens and responsibilities of the Faith. In
she was handed a telegram which read: January 1947,Milly received a letter from the
"Prayers accompany you always, every- beloved Guardian, thecontents of which were
where. Deepest loving appreciation. Shoghi." cherished for inany ycars, unspoken of, in
Milly remained in Bumos Aires until the the secret recesses of her heart. The firstpart,
model was made and approved and arrange- through his secretary, read:
ments completed for its execution and erec- "He wants to make clear to you that when
tion in QuiImes Cenletery, She had selected he said, in his recent cable, rhat your example
the sculptor and located a block of Carrara might well be emulated by the nine Hands of
nmrble of suficient purity and size. She then the Cause, who will in the future be especially
flew to Rio de Janeiro, her mission accom- chosen to serve the Guar&an. he meant that
plished. In Rio, faced again with was-time the very services you have been recently
difficulties of civilian travel and inability t o rendering the Cause, because of their nature
obtain plane reservations, while praying she and their intimate association with him, are
saw "blazoned in light" before her eyes the of the kind which one of these nine might well
words: "Put your whale trust and confidence in be called upon to render. So you see you are
Cad." In two days she was flying to Miami. not only \worthy to be a Hand of the Cause,
but have rendered a service which ordinarily
Of this mission the beloved Guardim would be performed by this select body of
wrote to her: nine, You must realize that his conferring
"Dear and prized co-worker: this rank upon you is not as im inducemeat to
Your voyage to South America at this you to perform future tasks, but as a well-
critical hour, the efforts you have exerted for deserved recognition of those already per-
the initiation of the construction of May's fornled!"
IN MEMORIAM 839

The Guardian's postscript: After the second World War Milly's
travels look her several times to Europe. In
"Dm m d prized co-worker: October 1949 Shoghi Effendi wrote to her:
With a heart overflowing with profound "I greatly rvelcame the splendid oppor-
gratitude, I an1 now writiizg you these few tunity you now have of csntrributing yovr
lines to reaffirm the sentiments, expressed share--substantial and abiding I am confident
lately on severai occasions and in a numba it will be-ta the progress of the Faith and
of telegranls, of heartfelt and unqualiged tlte edification of the believers in Great
admiration for your magnificent services, Britain, Poland, Switzerland and Germmy.
rendcred in circumstances so exceptional and I have already informed the German and
difficult as to make then1 doubly meritorious 13ritish. National Assemblies, and 1 am sure
in the sight of God. You have acquitted your- the friends will be delighted to meet you, a ~ d
self of the task I felt prompted to impose upon will be greatly stimulated by the news you
you in a manner that deserves the praise of the will impart to them, as a rest& o f your wide
Concourse on high. The high rank you now experience, and parfieularly by the spirit
occupy and which no Bahri'i has ever held in which so poweifu11y anhates you in the
his own lifetime has been conferred solely service of our beloved Faith. This lidtest
in recogaitioa of tho manifold services you journey you w d e r w e for the spread and
have already rendered, and is, by no means, consolidation of the Faith at such important
intended to be a stimulus or encouragement European centers constitutes another chapter
in the path of service, Indeed the chasacter of the truly remarkable and outstanding
of this latest and highly significant service r e o r d of your eminent international services
you have rendered places you in the category ..
to thc Cause of God. Your true and grateful
of the Chosen Nine who, unlike the other brothcr, Shoghi."
Hands of the Cause, are to be associated Milly was invited to Turkey and Egypt in
directly and intimately with the cares and December, 1951, to carry out special requests
responsibilities of the Guardian of the Faith. of the beloved Guardian. When it was titime
I feel tmly proud af you, am d r a m closer to for her to haye for Turkey she was ill, but
you, and admire more deeply than ever before this did not keep her from setting out on the
the spirit that animates you. RIay the Beloved long and arduous journey in mid-winter. In
reward you, both in this world and the next Cairo, when she could hardly stand, she
for your truly exemplary achievemonts.Grate- addressed a large public meeting in the
fulIy and affectionately, Shoghi." Qa&atu1l-Quds. T t seemed as if this was to
be Milly's role from this time on-to ignore
In 2947 Milly Collins was made a Hand illness and her increasingly crippling arthritis,
of the Cause; this, he wrote to her, he would and to go forward, usually in pain, putting
himself announce at the right time in the her whole trust in God.
future. This distinction alone singles her out
With her appointment by Shoghi Effendi
as one uniquely 'loved and privileged. This in January 1951, as vice-president of the
explains the allusions ia the above letter. International. Bah2i CounciI hiilly was called
to Haifa to live. Haifa was now her "home",
Later that year he wrote: the Guardian told her. She received his
pern~ission,however, to return to the United
"Dear and prized co-worker: States in s m e r for treatment of her arthritis
The memory of the services, assistance and and for attending to her business affairs.
support you extended to me In my hour of
anxiety and stress a year ago at this time, is m e n Shoghi Effendi launched the Ten-
still vivid, and evokes my deepest admiration Year World Crusade, with four Xntercon-
and gratitude. YOLI~ serk5ces in other fields, tinental Conferences, in 1953, he appointed a
and in the course of many years have, more- Hand of the Cause as his representatiye to
over, served to deepen my feelillgs of &ection each Conference, For the All-America Con-
and gratitude for so distinguished a handmaid ference in Chicago he chose Amatu'l-Bahi
of Bahti'u'llhh and Hand of His Cause. . , Rhhiyyih f(hhum, accompanied by Mifly
Gratefully and aEectionately, She*." Collins.
840 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

For the midway point of the Crusade, of his sudden passing which shocked the entire
Shophi Effendi again called for Intercanti- BahL'i world. Milly, who had arrived the night
nental Conferences, this time five ia number. bcbre in Naifa, left at oilce for L o n b n lo I

To the European Conference, in Frankfurt, join R6~iyyihKJs&iluin in her hour of greatest 1
Germany, he appointed Amelia Collins as need. This w7as perhcps one of the greatest
his representative. When the time came for zcis of her life, that ill, old, prostrated herself
holding the Confence, in July 1958, the with grief, she shouId think only OC the woman
beloved Guardian had ascended to the who had becomc Iike a daughter to her and
Abhk Kingdom. rush to her comfort and support. Though the
At the close of Milly5s tribute to Shoghi dark hours of London, at Bahji where the
EEendi, givcn at this Conference, she said: Harids of tl-ie Cause gathered immediately
"We are all, in a way, Shoghi Effendi's. after the Guardian's passing, for the four
heirs. We have inherited his work. His plan years following his death, Milly was RCbiyyih
is completely laid out. Ours is the task to KJAnurn's greatest comfort, - and indeed,
fulfill it. We must, each of us, conlplete our the greatest comfort to all her fellow-
share af the World Crusade. This is the Hands.
~nemvrlal we inust build to our beloved Increasingly In constant. pain, her lo>e of
Shoglli EfFendi. the Faith and her inflexible deten~inationto I
"Let us love him more now thm ever serve it, kept hex going; she attendcd the
before, and through the poaer of our love
attract his love to us, and bring his bbssing
ineetings of the Hands in the Holy Land. mct
with and inspired the pilgrims, forced her
i
I

on our labols. failing body to keep going w h e ~every ~ move-
"Let us not fail him, for he never failed us. ment hurt.
Let us never forget him, for he never foigot How well she had lived up to the words
us.'' written to her in 1924 by Shoghi Effendi:
On November 20, 1960, at the laying of the ".. . It is our duty and privilege to trans-
cornerstone of the European Temple, this late tile love and devotion we have for our
heroic representative of the Guardian was beloved Cause into deec's and actions &at
ablk, to complete the sacred task entrusted will be condr~civcto the highest good of
by him to her of'placing some earth from mankind. . ."
Bahi'u'ilBhYsHoly Shine in the foundations Tn October, 1961, Miliy returned to Haifa
of the Mother Temple of Europe, In rain and for the last time. Her sense of duty was so
sleet, Milly stood throughout the ceremony, slrong that in spite of the fact that she had re-
completing her mission for the beloved cently fractured her alm in a serious fali and
Guardian. k e n in hospital, shc managed to get home,
Throughout the sad and overpowering accompanied by a close friend. Her intention
days folIowiag the passing of Shoghi Effendi %as to attend the meting of the Hands in
from this world, Miliy was sustained by words Bahji, where important decisions Rere to be
he had spakcn to her when he left Hsifa in made regaxding the election of the Universal
.Tune, 1457.He had taken her hand andlooking House of Justice. Illness kept her from d l
deep into h a eyes had said: "Don't be sad, bur one of the sessions - the most important.
Milly.'' His ringing words and his radiant It was pitiful to see indomitable Milk carried
smile would be with h a axzd sustain her on a chair to the meeting and then back to her
always. However n~uchshe had been enabled car. On her last full day in this world she had
to do, she felt it was neser enough; nothing a cable sent lo her old, and always dear,
could ever be enough to do for one who National Assembly of the United States
himself had sacrificed his life in loving concerning assistance she wished to give to
service. a pioneer.
Xt was in November, 1957, that heroic MilIy, On the afternoon of January I, 1352, Milly
determined to be in her "true home" when passed away, held in the a n l s of RCQiyyib
the Guardian returned to Ha~falatex in the -
Khhnum. She is h i e d ill the Bahb'k ccmctefy
month, had hastened tc the Holy Land. at the foot of Mt. Camel. She outlived her
Instead of standing at the door of his home beloved Guardian, who had written to her
io receive him, she heard the calaniitous news rnany years before:
"Your constancy in service and your single- Na other words are worthy to describe, or
minded and wholehearted devotion to the indeed can convey an image of, the all-
inanifold interests of our beloved Cause are consuming, ever-burning fire of devotion
truly an example and an inspiration that will that dominated, gaverned and so ren~arkably
live and iduence many a soul. Your endeav- sustained my father's life. Driven always Isg
ass will eventually be crowned with success a restless urge to seek, to study and later to
and I trust you will live to witness the fruit proclaim the Day of God, he seems not to
of your indefatigable services to the Sacred have known real contentment nor, despite the
Threshold." tributes paid to him, to have reallsed what
Surely she had fdfJlled the hope of 'Abdu'l- he had done or been aware that his prayer
Bah6, was granted. His great hhwnity blinded bin1
"thaf tlrou rnnyest daily advance in the to his achievements. We saw only unattainable
Kingdon?, that thou nuyest became a fieave?t/y goals ahead.
angel, con$rmed by the breaths qf the Hu/y Born in Dublin, where his father:was a well-
Spirit, and may erect a structure rhar shall known figure and had a large family, he won
eternaiiy remain Jivm and unshakeablc." a scholarship to Uppingham School and avo
exhibitions to I-Eertford College, Oxford,
where he was awarded his half-Blue for long
distancerunning and was graduated in Classics
in 1899. In 1903 he was calIed to the Irish Bar,
having served far SQlXetime as leader writer
on the staff of the Irish Tinzes.
GEORGE TOWNSHEMI He was troubled, hawever, by a feeling of
restlessness and dissatisfaction, and his father
To Bax~i'u't~A~t having offered to send him to any country of
his choice, he arrived in Provo, Utah, in the
Only beioved! With a heart on fire Rocky Mom~taiasin 1904. Here he worked
And all my longings set in one desire as a missionary znlong the Mormons,
To make my soul a many-stringed lyre initiating a movemc~llfox the building of a
Iibr Thy dear hand to play, church, and was ordained a priest in 1905.
1 bend beneath Thy mercy-seat and pray Fcur years later he joined the staff of the
That in ihe strength of perfect love I may Uniuersity of &e South, Sewanee, Tennessee,
Tread with firm feet the red aud mystic way as Asslstani-Direclor oT the University
Whereto my hopes aspire. Extension Departmeni, and in 1912 was
appointed ~ssjstant-~rofessor of Ei~glisb.
I have forgotten all for love of Thee l a the summer of 1916, after he had
And ask no other joy from destiny experienced a strange conviaion that he was
T h to be rzpt withia Thy unity going to leave Ainerica, rll his holiday plans
And-whatso'er befall- fell sudde~zlythrougl~and he decided to come
To hear no voice on earth but Thy s7ueetcall, home.
To walk among Thy pe~pleas Thy thrall My father stood on deck on the early July
And see Thy beauty breathing throughout all morning to take in the scene as the boat,
Eternal ecstasy. driving westward, approached the I-iarbour in
Dublin Bay. Before he reached hoine he had
Lead nle forth, Lord, amid the wide world's decided that America, vvl~osenationality Ize
ways, had embraced and where his possessions
To bear to Thee my witness and to raise remained, would claim him no more. In the
The dawn song of the breaking day of days. autumn he undertook the duties of a curate
Make my whole life one flame at Boote~stown,County Dublin.
Of sacrificial deeds that shall prodaim The Hill of Howth, with its seagulls, the
The new-born glory of Thy ancient name; scene of earlier holidays, had symbolized
And let my death lift higher yet the same Ireland in mny father's mind while he had been
Triumplxil chant of praise! awav.. and it was Howth lie chose for his first
*

George Ton~nshend,circn 1924 holiday after his return. On one of his first
842 THE B A H A * W
~ ORLD
days there - it was July %gab - there
reached hiin, from a friend in Azncrica, one
or t\xzo pamphlets containing some words of
'Abdu'l-Bstha, and a he himself expressed
it, "WZ*en I looked at those, that was the
beginning and the end with nnle5

"'To his honour Mr. George To?vmhend,Gatway,
Lrelnnd; Upon him be greeting and praise.

'athou who art thirsty for the foui~takof
Truth !
"'Thy letter was received and the account of
thy life has bee11 known. Praise be to God
that thou hast evex, like unto the nightingale,
sought the divine rose garden and like unto
the verdure d the madow yearned for the
outpourings of the cloud of guidance. That
is svfiy thou hast been transferred from one
condition to another until ultimately tl~ouhast
attained unto the fountain of Truth, h s t
illuminated thy sight, hast revived and George Townshend
animated thy heart, hast chanted verses of
guidance and hast turned thy face toward the
enkindled fire on the Mount of Sinai.

"At present, I pray on thy behalf . . . Zl$aa
thee be Bahci'u'jr-Abhii,
(SignedvAs~u't-BAH 'ABBAs"
~
July 24, 1919. "0Thou ilXufniried soul and revered personage
in the kingdom!
Translated by Shoghi Rabbani "Your letter has been received. Every word
indicated the progress and upliftmeat of thy
spirit and conscience. These heavenly sus-
ceptibilities of yours form a magnet which
attracts the confirmation of the Kingdom
of God; and so the doors of the realities and
Bail to Thee, Scion of Glory. . . nleanings wiil be open unto you, and the
Thy words are to me as fragrance born confirmations of the Kingdom of God will
from the garden of heaven, ewelop you.. .
Beams of a lamp that is hid in the height "It is my hope that your church will come
of a holier world .'.. Lo, Thou hast breathed under the Heavenly Jerusalem. . . .
on my sorrows the sweemess of faith, and " Emto thee be the glirry oj' AbM!
of hope, (signed)-'A~ou'~-B~~L 'ABBLs."
Thou hast chanted high paeans of joy that Dec. 19, 1920.
my heart's echoes ever repeat,
And the path to the knowledge of God Translated by LtitfuXlAh S . W I m
begins to glimmer and ope before my falter-
ing feat, * me entire poem appears in The Mls8iorr of Ballri'a'lliih,
GEORGETOWNSHE%D plioiished by George Ronald. 1952.
I N MEMORXAM

In January, 1919, within a p a r of his under a pseudonym in 1934, and would speak
marriage, my father had taken up residence of it in enthusiastic terms in reply to m y
as Rector of Ahascragh (ford of tile said- inquiries on my retun1 fron~school.
hills), Coanty Galway, a country parish in. While Germany over-ran Europe in 1940
the \vest of Xrclaild where a large Georgian- he conclrtded a sermon on world perplexities
built rectory looked out over a lawn snr- by saying that he personally had found no
rounded by beech trees. Soon after the passing answer to the problems of the modern world
of "bdu'i-Bah& he wrote: "While X see in except that given by Bahk'u'llkh, the sound
bold outline the forces and nlethods at work of Whose Name I can still hcar as it was
and constaatly forecast how the attack- uttesed by my father's voice that day anid
onrush - and victory of the upwelling and the echoes of the great cathedral of the
descending powers will be achieved, I am pioneer of C1,iristianity in Ireland.
drawn to wonder how in particular these The foIlowing is recorded in his own hand:
legions of the Unsee~lwill make their activity "Tuesday eveg. Nov. 3rd. 1942 at 8.30 [in
manifest in Ireland and also in this Church a room at the Rectory] Nancy, Una u ~ 1d
(as ill others). I consider what may be my conjointly presented the Message to.. ., a
part, as foretold by 'Abdu'l-Bah&.. ." At total party of nine. The Message was well
present, it seemed to him, the preparation lay received and all went away taking BahB'i
in working among the people entrusted to literature and proadsing to cotm next week
hi~n? and he continued to be a loyal servant and bring friends."
of the Church. When it is ranembered that my father, who
He was elected, one of eight of all Ireland, for years wrote for the Church of Ireland
a Canon of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Gazette, had also formed a Clerical Union in
by his fellow clergy, by some of whom he which the local clergy would meet informally
came to be regarded as the best preacher in each month in a hotel in Ballinasloe and each
the Chuxch of Ireland. After he became in turn pxepare and read a paper on a topic
Archdeacoll of CIonfert (also in 1933) the of interest, it is clear that while he remained
honour of a bishopric was twice suggested to in it he did all he could do to bring his church
him, but he dedined to let his name go ""under the heavenly Jerusalem."
forward.
Meantime, after nine years' study of the
Faith of Bah2i'u'Ekh, he published in I926 Haifa? July 7, 1947,
a book of prayers and meditations entitled "Dear and valued co-worker:
The Altar on the Ifeaiatlz and sent a copy to I am thrilled by the news of your resigna-
the Guardian who wrote: "The erlclosures tion - a truly remarkable and historic step.
you have sent me I will treasure, particularly Your past and notable sesvices, ... your bold
the little book which P conceive as an exquisite and challenging act at present in dissociating
expression of Ioiiy thoughts impregnated yourself from the Church and its creed, to
throughout with the BaWi Spirit." Some 04' accomplish better the purpose of that Church,
the contents reappeared in The Mission of and your subsequent resolve to pioneer in
Bnhli'lc'ilBIz, a miscellany of his writings Dublin and hekp in establishing the adminis-
published in 1952. trative basis of the BahB'i New World Order
Ten years later, after publicly. identifying in Ireland are deeds that history will record
himself with the Faith - a decision inadvert- and for which future generations will be
ently thrust on h i n ~at short notice - at the deeply grateful and will extol and admire. . .
World Congress of Faiths in London, he Yow true ~rndgratefulhrother,
declared to the Guardian his eagerness to Sno~m."
leave the Church and devote his energies to
the service of BahC'u'll&. Eleven restless
years, however, were to pass before this wish My father's first experience of taking part
was fulfrlIed. in Wa'iteaching and admi~istrativeactivities
&lore Io~lg~ n father
y became absorbed in came after thirty years of purely academic
his next book The Heart of ffie Gospel (1939), study and contributed greatly, as he said, to
i'%e Promise of A[[ Ages having llppcarcd the development of fils thought.
844 T H E B A H A. ' I W O R L D

A statement which, under the title "The wish and came to see him, greatly treasuring
Old Churches and the New World F a i ~ , "he the inelllory of their visit. "There radiated
uow addressed to all Christian people on the from him such a penetrating love," says a
relationship of the B W i Faith to Christianity, letter that has come from Ber~nuda,"that
was circulated to 10,000 leaders of thought one was imlnediately at ease. He seemed to
in the British Isles. A copy was sent to the understand so much so quickly. His love
Bishop of Utah, where he was ordained, with seemed to see into one's inmost spirit. He was
a letter relinquishing his American Orders: unforgettable in the extreme." Fresh signs
",.. My motive is to be loyal to Christ as of the believers' regard for him were conti~luai-
T know Him and to give to His Clrurch the ly appearing, and it became clear that in the
best se~.ieewhich in the special circumsta~~ces hearts of more than a few he was already
I have to offer. It is my settled conviction numbered among those -how many? - who
that the Gizd Tidings brought by the Prophet can truly say, and by &eir lives proclaim, "I
of Persia, BahA'i'u'UAh, represent the promised have forgotten all for love of Thee."
return of Christ; that Christ is and has ever He suifexed more and more from a sense I

been tl~roughall our difficulties in our inidst of loneliness, and as this feeling f m d nu
though we have secognised Him not; that the adequate solace, inhibitions and kifirmities
Christian Cl~urches in recent years have began to grow upon him, though when it was
missed their way, and have lost their hold on possible to make him happy they could allnost
human hearts because they are out of touch disappear.
with their Lord; and that the path back to He was one of the Gist to be appointed a
~~
Him and to His Fatlux lies wide open before Hand of the Cause during his lifetime, in I

them though hey have not chosen to walk December, 1951, and his presence at national
in it. I feel I must make any sacrifice in order gatherings, which included five summer
lo be free to help in transmitting to my schools, came to be greatly valued. Be would
fellow-Christians a Message which presents lioid a &Eattended study class and help with
the one and only hope of resyisitualising thc program of rnornjng lectures, as well as
mankind and rebuilding the social order. . ." take a full part in the life of the school. His
last attendance was the Znre*.continentd
Conference at Stockholm in July, 1953.
Arehdeacoi~Euikley replied: Thereafter, wZ~ilehe always lroped for re-
covery, he continued to inspire the ii-ier~ds,
"Dear Townshend, as he had dways done in individual letters,
Bishop Moulton hzs just turned over to by messages addressed to the various con-
me as Secretary of the Coilswcation of Upah ferences and schools.
two of your letters asking for deposition. . . He was past his se\?enty-eighth birthday
As an old fellow-worker with you in Utah w11en he began a version of his la5t great work,
I wish to slate my confidence in you and yaur Christ and Bnhd'u'!luih, which his continually
conscientious withdrawal from our Church developing illness did not later compel him
to accomplish better the purpose of that to abandon. By this tiale, however, he could
Chwch. God be with you and bring you speak and write on:y mth difficulty, and this
happiness in success." difficulty increased as the months went by.
At the same time he produced a conlpilation Near the end he seemed to be retaining and
for the Wisdom of the East Series, The Glad working out in his head whole portions of
Tidings of Brihu"rt711dh.Booklets, articles and the book, or even the whole book, and the11
contributions n~ade over many years to condensing it in his head into lengths he would
Baha'i publications remain to be collected be able to dictate, which hc then, it was clear,
and e~~umerated. His witness to Bah&'u'll&h inemmrised, fighting all the time a battle
seemed indeed to have travelled through the against his steadiIy failing strength. Without
wide world, where inmy had never lmt t h i s great determination of my father's to i
Mm, and even whom he did not know, felt give it to mankind, this highly vdued work
a sense of pcrsonai gratitude towards him would not be ours to-day.
and would speak of him with the greatest And yet in many ways the most lingering,
tenderness and affection. Some fulfilled a the most remarkable, the most worthy of his
MORIAM

achievenlents, to me at least, was his reaction nlunities. His fearless chanxpionship Cause
to his own infirnlities and, particularly during he loved so dearly, served so valiautIy,
his last years, the influence one fcIt from his constitutes significanr landmark British
presence on entering his room. While he sat BahB'i history. So enviable position calls
Iheze, he was corascious, from his deeper for national rribuie his memory by as-
waderstanding, that he had much of unique sembled delegates, visitors, foforthcoming
value and real urgency to proclaim, for which British BahB'i Convention. Assure relatives
eager hearts were waiting; and, though burning deepest loving sympathy grievous loss.
with desire to serve mankind, he was denied, Confident his reward inestim'bli: Abh5
without hope expressed of his recovery, all Kingdom."
means of adequate con~n~unicationof his His fellow Hands of the Cause have paid
thoughts. Yet he shed arour,d him a gentle, their tributes:
benign radiallee which conveyed comfort and "The passing of our dear revered great
cheer and affected all about him. Surely his friend has deeply ginovzd nly heart. Let us
sou4 was now a lyre on vhich the hand of the endeavor to feel znd see merely his radianr.
Almighty played. A Persian studeat, the last sod, his lofty station, his splcndid example,
stranger to visit him, has said he wit1 never his everlasting love."
forget how nty father, from his bed, waved, "I shall never forget him and he will
and waved again, as the younger nzax with- always rank among lay most illtimate dear
drew, reluctantly, through the door. And ones."
while his presence made this unforgettable "Dear George Totmshend's sweet smiles
impression, elsewhere, in the words of the and kindness will remain in ~zlyheart for aI1
Bermuda correspondent, "His name men- my life."
tioned at a convention immediateIy caused a These words testify, along wit11 the others,
cathedral stillr~ess." to an in~perishablequaiity of his pure, kindly
As I look back on t h i s time now and ponder and radiallt heart.
his obvious, though not physical, sufferings, Close to Xi-eland's capital a gently rising
Z am made to tilink of some of the words hill dominates the city and the lalxdlocked
'Bah$i'u'IlBh has written: bay. Across the water Iies the Hill of How&.
"0 Son oJ being! Tkotc art -My lamp and On its northeast side a tree-lined avenue.
J W ~light is in flzee. . ." where my father heId his first appointment in
" 0 Son of ~VIaiz!For everytizing fitere iis n the Church of Ireland, runs in a straight line
sign. TIE sign of b v e is jovtitude under M y to the sea. Near the sumunit, to the northsvest,
decree and patience zrnder My trials." stands the bungalow ivliere he spent his years
"0 So?a o j Man! Write all rlzat We Izave of unfettered service to thc Causz; where, on
r~realedunfo thee wifh rlze ink of i'ight upon his desk, the assembled friends ~ignedthe
rhe tablet qf f h , ~~ p i ~ .i ."
f. dedaration of the first Spiritual Asseinbly
On hearing of the passing, an March 25, in the laid. Away to t l ~ esouth rises the
1047, of George Townsl~end, Hand of the dignified outlim of Sliese Cualin, the most
Czuse of God, Uli: Guadian of the Baha'i disting~~ishaabie
peak alike from sea and Land,
Faith tdegraphcct: standing over t!x viISage (Enniskerry - the
"Deeply mourn passing dearly loved, mrich iugg~Aford): v:here my father was welcomed
a h i r e d , greatly gifted, outstanding Hand on his miurn from across the Atlantic. Now,
Cause Georgz Townshend. His death illorrow beneath this mountain, my father lies buried,
pubIication his crowning achievzment robs while in the churchyard arouild him contintie
British foliowets Bd~ihVu'liiihtheir most dis- sounds of nature which he kuew while he
tinguishcd collaborator and Faith itself one lived in the West.
of its stoutest defenders. His sterling qualities, The burial serfice, attended, at short notice,
his scholarship, his challengii~gwritings, his by seventeen persons, was cond~xctedthrough
high ecciesiasticaX position unrivalled any church prcciacis, zccardjng to the require-
BaWi Western world, entitie hiin rank with ments of the Bahh'i Faith, blending the
Thomas Breakwell, Dr, Esslemont, one of custoins of the followexs, not yet united, of
three luminaries sl~edding brilliant lustre Chist and BahA'u'UAltil. Menloria1 nlcetings
annals Irish, English, Scottish Bahh'i coin- were held in local communities and in the
London P@ratu'l-Quds, and his former The successive dcatbs of four soas and her
parishio~sersin County Galway gathercd to husband betwen 1899 and 1909 caused her
hold a memorial service in the Church where to turn more and more to, and to beconze
he had ministered, when a worthy tribute to further and further immersed in the Faith.
him was paid. Among her more than f&ty Tablets from the
His body proved, unexpectedly for him, Master, some of the most beautiful and
unabje to ret& a little longer a sou1 eager for cerhin1.y the most tellder are .those sent by
further sefvice on earth to Bahk'u'llkh - a Hkn at the iinle of these continuous bereave-
disquieting event of this strange and not easily ments,
fargotteo springtime, when the dafodils Her childhood upbringing was strictly
bloomed in the garden along with the last orthodox, with a. father who was a Presbyterian
of the earlier season's roses and the may came minister. She would laughingly explain tbat
out in March. her unusual knowledge of the Bible was
because she was disciplined by having to
read it - "so, I must have beell a naughty
little girl." She was always know1 for her
independe~ceItn thinking, and often reniarked
as a child, "How wonderful it must have been
to have lived in the days when Christ was on
CORXNNE KNIGHT TRUE earth."
It was in 1899 that 'Abdu'l-BahA sent
successive teachers - H5ji Xbdu'l-Karim,
"0 ye who are set aglo~:with the ,fire qf' God's Mirza Asadu'Hrih, Mimi Abb'l-Fadl - and
Love! Blessed are ye far having been chosen by others, to the United States because of the
God for His lave, i12 this new age, and joy be tu defection of Dr. Khayru'llkh. MIS. True was
yoit JOT Ravikg been guided to the @eat told of these teachers, who were then in
Xi~gdom! Verily, yonr Luvd hath chosen you Chicago. After accepting the Faith she turned
to slaow the pa& to the K i n g d m of God, at once to 'Abdu'l-&ah&, aslring Him for a
among the geopie. . ." set of guiding principies to live by. She
rece~vedthe folloa7ing TabIet from Erm:
"0thou dear servant of God!
It was thus that: 'Abdu'l-Bahi in one of His Thy letter was recei\~edand i t s contents
Tablets addressed that luminous soul, Corinne noted, As to instructions which thou
Knight True. desirest, they are as follows:
Mrs. True was born in Oldham County, Believe in God; turn unto the Supreme
Kentucky, on November 1, 1861, and moved Khgdonz; be attracted unto the Beauty of
to Chicago with her fanlily as a y o ~ ~ ngirl.
g Abhzi; remain &-rn in the Covena~t;yearn
On June 22nd, 1882, she married Moses for ascending into the heaven of the sun
Adanls True. She passed to the Abh8 Kingdon1 of the univexse; be disinterested in the
April 3, 1961 - having been spared to work world; be alive with the f~agrancesof
for the Killgdoni of God on earth untiI her holiness UI the Kingdons of the Highest;
one hundredth year. be a caller to love; king to the human race;
During her life she gave birth to eight gentle with humanity ; interested in all the
children - four boys and four girls. The people of tlie world; wish far harmony and
oldest daughter (Harriet Merrill) died in seek friendship and llonesty. Be a healing
1892, when nine yeais old, as the i.esuIt of an for every wound, a remzdy fo~-every sick,
accident. In Mrs. Tmds deep sorrow over a source of i~ainionyamong the people;
this, she started her search for Txuth and her chant the ~ersesof guidance; pray to God;
investigations of "Uni$yjr," "Diviile Science," wise for the guidance of the peopb; let
and 'Chistian Science." In 1899 she first thy tongue explain and thy face illumine
heard of the Message of 135th&h'Ufih which ~ 4 t hthe glowing love of G o d Rest not
was being given by a group d Pcxsim teachers a nsoment and breathe not a breath of
in Chicago. She immediately became interested repose until thou becomest a sign of God's
and conimenced to study the BaWi Teachings. love and a banner of God's favor."
IN MEMORIAM 847

As Financial. Secretary of the Bahti'l Temple
Unity she acknowledged every donation with
a loving personal note, shzring with the
friends the progress of the Temple Project,
and news of some special event of develop-
ment - letters which have bee11 preserved by
ihe recipients throughout the years.
She was held in sucli love and affection
by the friends arortnd the world that quite
spontaneously came that precious, endearing
title, "Moiher True.'"
H;er home in later years ia Willnette became
a "mecca" for searching souls, 2nd ail who
went there were revived, encomaaged and
inspired by the love, the kindness and the
wisdom she bestowed upon them.
Early in 1907 (February 27 to M a c h 24)
Mother True realized her heart's desire and
made her first pilgrimags to visit 'Abdu'l-Baha.
This was during the time of the Seca~id
Comnlission of Investigation by the Turks,
when 'Abdu'l-Bahri had again been confined
as a prisoner to 'Alckri hy order of the SuIta~i
of Turkey. On this visit Mrs. True took a
petition to the Master asking perlnission for
the American Bahii'l'is to begin plaming for
the erection of a "'House of Worship." This
Corinite Knight Trlre petition was in the form of a par-H L lnerit

containing the signatures of over a tkausa~d
American beIievess. She tells the story of
She at once broke away from the traditions putting the parchlent behind her on ~e
B I I ~orthodox teachings of her early life and divan and first presenting the little gifts sent
from then on lived in co~npleiededication to by the loving ftiends. But t31e Master strode
the service of the Bald'i Faith, following, for across the room, reached behind her and
the rest of her life, those guiding principles grasped the parchment, holding it high in tile
given her by the Master. air. "This," He exclaimed, "this is what gives
Successive Tabbts sl~owthat she turned to me great joy." "Go back," He told her, "go
'Abdu'l-BaG in every phase of her life, and back and work for the Temple: it is a great
followed implicitly His loving counsel and work." How she longed to do t h i s work, but
advice. Her complete acceptance of and it seemed snch a great task. 'Abdu'l-Baha,
obedience to the Master's guidance, and hex looking at her with deep intensity said,
steadfastness in the Covenant, helped her to "Devote yourself to this project - make a
make the transition after the indescribable beginning, and all will come right." He then
loss of the Master in 1921, and to understand ploceeded to give basic instructions about its
and accept fully the station of the Grrardian. design, It was to have nine sidos, nine gardens,
She met the irreparable loss af the Guardian niile fountains, nine doors, nine walks, etc.
in turn with the same strength, courage and And so a vision of the first B&Yi Temple
faith, saying, when told d his passing, "But in the Western Hemisphere was born.
we ~ m s know
t it is the will of God." Mrs. True made nine pilgrimages in all, of
Although outstanding in her spiritual wbjch the followlag seemed to have special
greatness, she possessed i n t i t e love and significance. Her first, in 1907, for reasons
tenderness for eveiyone, continuously dokg already stated. Her pilgrimage in 1919 at the
little things at a telling moment which made close of the first wodd war was the last time
the act live forever in the heart of the recipient, she was to see her beloved Master. Early in
848 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

1922 she again made a pilgrimage, This was rience to have heard Mother True's words as
soon after Shoghi Effendi had become tlie she spoke at the Unity Banquet at Elsinore.
Guardian 01the Cause of God, at which time The friends listened, spellbound. The atmos-
he instructed her, together with Roy Wilhelm, phere was charged with light and spirit.
Mountfort Mills, and others then in Haifafa, Mother True was transfigured and the words
to return to the United States, as the first fell from her lips like jewels. Asked aftmswds
Coiwention for tho election of the first where she gleaned such ivisdom, she replied:
American National Spiritual Asselnbly was "It was 'Abdu'l-Baha speaking, not I. We told
to be called during Ridvan. Corinne True was me when I said 1 could not speak, 'Get
the fislrst to be elected to this body. yourself out of the way and I will come
On February 29, 1952, the G~rzrdian through,' so I did just that."
bestowed upon Mrs. True the supreme honor In later years, under encouragement from I
of appointing her as a H a ~ dof the Cause of the Guardian, she concentrated her efforts
fod, so she made lier last pilgrimage in this more on teaching potential teachers, and
year, as the invited guest of the Guardian, carried out regular fireside study classes in !
and as a Hand of the Crruse of God. The her home where the basic and most profound
beloved Guardian was especially endearing Teachings were enthusiasticd1y and thorough-
to her during that laqt visit, losing no oppor- ly studied.
tunity ta show his love and high regard for When returning from her vasious pilgrim-
her, presenting her with a precious gift - the ages to Haifa the Guardian always asked her
Master's purse which He carried while in the to speak to the friends about the Covenant.
United States (1912) and which contained a This she faitl~fuIly did, and it becane a
golderi English coin bearing the same date subject which she conveyed to others with
(1907) of her fisst visit to the Master. Tt was remarkable wisdom and clarity.
at this time that the Guasdhl paid her a During the years 1948-1932 Mrs. True I

nobie tribute, saying, "Mrs. True is to be visited many new centers in Western Europe.
regarded as the most venerable figure among In April 1957, when oinety-five years old,
the pioileers of the Faith of Bah&'ul'&h in shc was requested by tha Guardian to act
the West." as his representative to the historic Convention
Although Mrs. True was peihaps best of Greater Antilles, to be held in Port-au-
h o v n thro~~ghout the Bahti'i worid for her Prince, Haiti. (Because of political reasons
unparalleled service in the development of the the Convention was a c i d l y held in Kingston,
filst Temple of the Western World, her Jamaica.)
record in the field of teaching is equally Mother True's entire Bahii'i life was
glorious. In her early and middk years in the closely bound to the buiIding of the Mash-
Cause, while arduously working for the riqu'l-Aakkr of the West. From the t h e of
Temple Project, she also devoted time lo her first pilgrimage when she presented to the
teaching the Faith in Chicago, and in the Master the appeal of the American bbeevers
towns between Chicago and Milwaukee- to begin this enterprise, through the selection I
I
Kenasha, Racine and Waukegan, She intro- and purchase of tho site and the various stages
duced the: Faith in the State of Michigaa. In of canstrirction, to the completion, she was
addition, she did a great deal of public ail ardent and steadfast participant in the
speaking far the Faith, a difficult task for many triumphs and dificulties encountered.
her. When asked by the Master to do this, Certain events connected with this life-
she explained that she was without special time servic3 proved to be of speciai signifi-
tsaining and was shy Wore the public. Then cance.
the Masta told her to speak freely, never to From the outset Mrs. True fell that the
be concerned, but to turn her heart and mind Temple Project could not be carried entirely
to Him, and He would never fail her. This by the local believers in Chicago, so she wrote
she did with complete confidence and faith, to the Master suggesting that the work of the
and became an outstanding and effective administration be shared with bdevess fro111
speaker. For those who were prcsenl at the other parts of the United States.
European Teaching Conference in 1950, in The Master replied as follows:
Copenhagen, it was an udorgettable expe- ".. .. Concerning the members of this
IN MEMORIAM

spiritual meeting, you suggested that they supreme joy of receiving the beloved Master
be selected from all the spiritual meetings as guest in her own home at 5338 Kenmore
OF the other cities of An~erica.I quite Avenue.
approve and am very much pleased with Wtzr crowning jay was to see t h i s House o f
tgis plan. This will become the cause of Worship, the Mother Temple of the \Vest,
harmony in the ?Vord in all America. completed in 1953 a n d to be present at its
TIierefore, ask every spiritual meoting in dedication on May 211d of that year.
the other cities that they will each select A few weeks after her passing, and at the
one and send him,and from these sdected request of the Hands of the Cause in Haifa,
ones and with those who are select& from a memorial service was l ~ d dfor this revered
the Chicago meetings, establish a new and venerable ~naidsorvant,Corinne Knight
meeting for the provision of the needs True, in the Ma&riqu'i-A&k;ir dm-iag the
of the Temple. If this be established with 53rd National Convention of the Bahi'is
perfect fragrance and joy, it will produce of the United States.
great results. Zn this new meeting, especial- One remembers the words of the beloved
ly fur the establishment of tfie Temple, Master aclclressed to this pure and selfless soul:
ladies a e also to be members." "Verily, your Lord hath chosen you to
In November of t h e same y e a , represent- show the path to the Kingdom of God,
atives from various parts of the country met among the people."
in Chicago and appointed a "Temple Site CHARLOTTE LMFOQT
Committee" to locate a suitable piece of land
on which to build the Temple. Corinne True,
with Cecilia Harrison, found the present site,
submitted ir to the Committee, and it was
accepted by unanimous vote. The Baha'is of HORACE HOTCHKTSS HQLLEY
Chicago immediately responded and in the April 7, 1887-July 12, 1960
.
words of the Guardian, ". ,arose, despite the
smdhless of their numbers and their limited Horace Holley was a tail, spare man with
resources to initiate an enterprise which must a pleasant, intellecttlal face and singuIarly
rank as the greatest single contribution which luminous light blue-green eyes which regarded
the BaM'is of America, and indeed of the the world and his Mlotv man shrewdly and
West, have yet made to the Cause of Bah2- openly. Anjrone who is unfamiliar: with t l ~ e
u'il8.ll.'" people of New England cannot expect to fully
In 1909 representatives from a11 centers grasp his nature for he was a typical example
of the Waited States of America, following of that race of hardheaded, independent,
instructions from the Master (39 delegates 1i~anorous and yet taciturn people, de-
from 36 cities) assernblcd in Ciiicago on the scendents of the fist colonizers of America,
very day the remains or the Bltb were placed who are renowned for their rugged i d i -
in His Tomb on Mount Carmel, and "estab- vidualism, who were largely responsible for
lished a permanent organizion known -as winning the Uuited States its polirid
the Baha'i Temple Unity which was incor- independence anct who later pla~7edno small
porated as a religious corporation fmctioning part in abolishing slavery from their nation,
under the laws of the State o f Illinois, and Of S L I C ~a largely Puritan stock was Horace,
imested with full authority to hold title to the whose a~lcestorsincluded many educators and
property of the Temple and to provide ways Congregational ministers. Born in the town
and means for its constrtrction." Corinnc of Torril~gton,Connecticut, he atttnded the
True was elected Financial Secretasy of this LawrznceviZlc School in New Jersey, going
Baha'i Temple Unity and served as such until back to New England for his higher education,
the elecdoxl of the first National Spiritual where he studied at Williams College, in
Assembly in 1922. Wlliamstown, Massachusetts, from 1906-
IE had been in May, 1912, that the chosen 1909, majoring in Iiterature and becoming
site was bIessed by a visit from 'Abduq-Bahh a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
Who dedicated the Temple grrrui~ds.During He was also s member of the Gasgoyb
this visit to Chicago, Mrs. True had the Society.
850 THE BAHA

There were two strongly de5ned sides to
Horace Holley's personality, and part of the
spiritual triumph that was his before he
passed away, at the age of 73, was that these
two sides of his nature flowered into a third
creation, more bea~~tiful and powerful than
either of the others had ever been. To under-
stand this process one must go bbac to the
forces that shaped his life. Not only did he
possess a briliiant, analytical mind, but at the
sametimehewas a dreamer, ideatist and mystic.
His strong personal bent was literature and
those of the BahB'is familiar tvith his books,
his letters, articles md speeches as a Brth$i,
are pabaps unaware of the fact that he was
a poet and had published between the ages
of twenty-one and thirty three volumes of
verse. His capacities and interests led him
amongst a circle of artists and svriws,
progressive, independent, often Bohemian,
but also astir with the new social concepts,
the exploring and questing ideas so character-
istic d the generation to which he belonged.
When he left college iin 1309 be went to
Horace Hotchkiss HoUey I
Europe where he travelled, studied and
worked until war broke out in 1914. On that
voyage two major changes in his Efe were to
take place. 'ffe met a young artist, Bertha life but also the arena in which be was to
Herbert, who lent him a book to read; and express himself, to labour, to be tested, to
shortly afterwards he married her in Paris. suffer and win his victories for over half-a-
Tlne book was Abbas Efendi, His Life and century. His own attitude to the metamor- I
Teachings by Myron H. T>helps. Compared phosis which took plaee in him over the
with the literature now available in English it years, he expressed in 1956: "At first it
was inaccurate and inadequate, but it opened seemed possible to encompass the Reyelation
a new world to the mind of the twenty-two- of Baha'u'llhh by reducing it to a formula
year-old young man who read it. or confining it within a well-turned phrase.
Years later, writing of this event in his Gradually my ventures p r o ~ e dto me that I
Ue, Horace said: myself was to be encompassed, re-oriented,
"That was my first encounter with the re-moulded in all the r e a h s of my being.
Faith of BahSu'llAh. The wisdom, the For religion in its purity reveals God, and
universality of spirit and the profound love only God can reveal man to himself."
expressed in 'Abdu'l-Baha, perseated leader It was while Horace and his wife were
of a new religion, captivated me. He stood living in Siena, Italy, in 1911, #at he heard
apart from the epic heroes and thinkers of of the arrival of %bduTl-Bah6and his party
history and brought a new dimension to my in Thonon-les-Bains, France, As they had
inexperienced, naive liberal culture. Without been hoping to make the pilgrimage to the
knowing what it meant I had become a Holy Land in order to meet the Master they
k h t f . The pattern of life since then has lost no time in seizing this goldm opport~~nity
been a series of eEorts to fiad out what the to attain His presence and Ieft immediately
BahB'i World Faith is, what it means, and for the smaU watering place on Lake Geaeva,
how it functions." where they arrived on the afternoon of
From that day he never turned back. X-fis August 29ih. Horace, ia his account of this
seeking mind and strong spirit had not only meeting with 'Abdu'L-Bahft, wrote that he
found personal answers to the problems of had felt that if he could only look upon the
I N MEMORIAM 851

Master from a distance, this would satisfy to take it in His h*x~dsas hc wanted to give
his pilgrim's heart. He then goes on to it to his child "a Messing", as he wrote, "for
describe what this privilege of spending a my baby gi~l.who thus, as it were, %corn-
few days near "Mu'l-'GBahiha meant to him: panied us on our pilgrimage and shares its
"I saw among them a stately old man, benet2ts". When 'Abdu'I-BahB was in Paris,
robed in a cream-colaured gown, his white Horace again had the privilege of meeting
hair and beard shining in the sun. He dis- Him and hearing many of His intimate daily
played a beauty oE stature, an inevitable talks. Doris Pascal, later t o become Doris
harmony of attitude and dress 1 had never Holley, remembers being present on one of
seen nor thought of in men. Without having these occasions and seeing 'Abdu'l-Bahd
ever visualized the Waster, I h e w that this holding on his knee Horace's daughter
was He. My whole body underwent a shock. Hertha. This contact with 'Abdu'l-BahA in the
My heart leaped, my knees weakened, a early days of Hotace's BahB'i life left a deep
thrill of acute, receptive feeling flowed from inark on him. The Master had entered the
head to foot. I seemed to have tumcd into door of his heart m d never left it again.
some nmst sensitive sense-orgm, as If eyes Through many of the trials and bitter experi-
and cars were sot enough for this sublime ences of life this core of swectlxess left by that
impression. In every part o l me f stood aware great privilege sustai~~cd and nourished him.
of 'Abdu'I-BahB's presence. From sheer It was during the yeas in Paris, before the
happiness I wanted to cry-it seemed the outbreak of the war, that Borate's first two
most suitable form of self-expression at my books of poems, The irzner Gardm and The
conlmand. While my own personality was Stricken King were published. He had become
flowing away, a new being, not my own ~e founder and director of the &ur Gallery
assumed its place. .A glory, as it were from of Modern Art, situated at 211 Boulevard
the summits of htunan nature poured into me, Raspail in Pasis. It is clear that in spite of a
and I was conscious of a most intense impulse mind preocc~zpiedwith the s o e x and econom-
to admire, In 'Abdu'l-BahB I felt the awful ic problems a£ the world, the arts were the
presence of BabB'u'lI~,and, as my thoughts predominating infltlence during these early
returned to activity, I realized that I had &us years. Paris has always been h o r n for its
drawn as near as man now may to pure spirit small but klite American colony and the
.
and pure being . . I yielded to a feeling of days of the saIon had not yet been swallowed
reverence which contained more than the up in the bedIam of the post-war years;
solution of intellectual or moral problems. Horace and his wife must have enjoyed the
To look upon so wonderful a human being, entrk to many interesting circles of artists
to respond utterly to the charm af His and intellectuals, a11 environment eminently
presence-this brought me continual happi- co~igenialand natural to them bath in every
ness. I had no fern that its effects would pass way.
away and leave me unchanged. X was content In 1913 Horace's f i s t book on the subject
.
to remain in the backgt-ound . .'Abdu31-BahB of his new-found Faith was published in New
answered questions and made frequent York under the title Bahd'ismn-The Modern
observations on religion in the West. He Social Religion. A copy of this u7asforwarded
laughed heartily from time to time-indeed, to 'Abdu'I-Bah& and on the twenty-second
the idea of asceticism or useless misery of any d September, 1913, 'Abdu'l-BahSt sent to
kind cannot attach itself to this fully-developed him from Ramleh, Egypt, the first of the two
personality. The divine element in Him does Tablets He wrote to him, praising his book
not feed at the expense of the humm element, highly and stating that the friends were busy
but appears rather to vitalize and enrich the reading it and that He Himself hoped it
human element by its own abundance, as would be translated so He, too, could rcad it.
if He had attained His spiritual development He addresses Horace as "0Son of Ihe King-
by fulfiIlinp His social relations with the dom!" and goes on to say, "Thtil~kGod . ..
utmost =dour . . ." thou art confirmed and assisted, thy aim is to
When the time drew near for them to leave, render sexvice to the Kingdom of Abhk and
Horace, (like others), having received a gift to promote the teachings of BahA'u'llrih.
of a Bah2b ringstone, requested 'Abdu'l-Bah& Although the glory and greatness of this
852 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

service is not known at prcscnt, in luture bnpulses, inherits a farm, needs a means of
agcs it will asswne the greatest importmice support, goes and farms and in the endlcss
and will attract the aucnlion of learned men. round of pressing chores all his practical,
Therefore strive thou ever increasinglq in such iliherited farmer-ancestry comes out in him.
servlce in order that it may become the cause Every now and then the dreamer inside turns
of thy everlasting glory . . . and thou mayest over restlessly in his sleep. Such to me is I
shine like a star on the Mhri horizo~." what happened to Horace. But at the end
Rett~rningwith his family to the United of his life the dreaming Horace awoke again
States in 1914, Horace moved in New York and the t ~ meno became one, a much greater
City in very much the same circles as he person than either could have been alone.
had in Europe; he was engaged in writing a From 1918 to 1920 Ilorace went to work
sccond book on the Bahi'i standpoint which for the Iron Age Publishing Company in
appeared in 1916 undcr the titIe The Social New York in its sales promotion department.
Priizciple. It was during this year that he These were the years when his marriage to
received his s a n d letter from the Master, Bertha came to an end and he married Doris
written from Hifa and dated March 20th, Pascal, with whom he lived for forty-one
1916, in which 'Abdu'l-Bahb addresses him years, serving the Cause constantly together.
as "0tree of the AbhA Paradise Laden with In 1921 he left the publishing fum a*ld became
fruit." From the tone of this Tablet it is cfear chief of the copy department at the Redfield
that Horace ha& been passing thsough deep Advertisir~g Agency, where he remained
waters in his own personal life. Unfortunatdy until $925,
Horace's letter to the Master is not available, His preoccupation with serving the Bahs'i
but 'Abdu'l-Bah&'s letter says: "All that Cause was steadily wowing. In 1922 the hst
thou hast written was a cry from the depths American National Spiritual Assembly was
of a sincere heart." He goes on to say, ill elected, In 1923 Horace became a member of
sum, that although Horace bas been silent, that body, on which he remained until 1959,
once again his voice is raised in new melodies serving as its secretary for thirty-four of hose
and that every wayfarer must expect to be thirty-six history-making years. It was in
tossed on the rough seas of life; tests are 1921 that he wrote Bnhd'i-The Spirit of the
stimulating and a sea with IW storms brings Age. His own spirit is revealed by the words
stagnation and complacency. in which he dedicated a volume of this work
In 1917 Horace's pen was again active and to Xbdu'l-BahXs much-loved sister: "Will
he published two books, one of p o r n , the Greatest Holy Leaf lay this book in the
entitled Divination and Creation and a prose dust of the Supreme Threshold as an offering
work Read-Alotld Plays. They m7ere his last of humility, of love, of evanescence from the
flights in poetry and prose to go to pl'ess. The servant of BahB'u'llLih, Horace Halley, New
presei~tworld is not too hospitable to poets York City, December 20, 1921 ." Dusing that
or dreamers and the struggle to eaxn a living, same year he edited the fist comprehensive
to s~lpporta wife and now two daughters, compilation of the BahB'i Teachings in the
Hertha and Marcia, as welt as a growing English language, entitled Bahd'f Scripfares,
unhappiness in his donlestic life, aB combined a thick volume that for many yews served
to clip Horace's wings. as a sort of BahB'i bible a d was of inestim-
X remember Horace from this period. My able assistance in educating the Bahk'is
mother and he and his wife were old friends, themselves in a better tmderstanding of their
joined in their common devotion to the Faith, Faith. This book was later revised by him
the very essence of which had been poured into and published as Bah&'i World Faith.
them through their meetings with 'Abdu'l- At the very outset of Skoghi Effendi's
Bahli. Our association lasted until his death ministry Horace's relationship to h e young
in 1966, so one can only take this as a personal Guardian of his Faiib was estabIished, a
impressio~x. relationship the importance of .which to the
These were the years, I believe, when development of BaWu'likh's Administrative
Woracc changed. It is hard to define in words. Order cannot be overestimated. As early as
A race-horse has to give up racing and lellril 1923 Shoghi EEendi wrote to the American
to pull a load; an artist, full of creative Assembly in connection with the Star of the
I N MEMORIAM

West: "I have been impressed by the beauty having 2 collaborator like you working by my
and force of the various articles contributed side here in Haifa. The loss of Dr. Esslemont
to the Journal by Mr. Horace Ilolley and is keenly felt by me and my hope is that the
Mr. Stanwood Cobb and would indeed conditions here and abroad will enable me to
weIcome with genuine satisfaction an wen establish the work in Haifa upon a mare
more active participation on their part in the systematic basis. I am waiting for a favorable
editoriai section of the BahB'i Magazine." time."
And in 1924 11e wrote to Horace: "My most But t l ~ eGuaxdian realized that to bnnp
precious brother: The recent activities of the Horace to Haifa was a solution to his own
Publishing Committee with you as its central personal problem which thi: work in America
figure and moving and directing force, are could not aKord. A month later he wrote to
indeed ivorthy of the highest praise. Words two of Horace%old B&Zl friends: "Horace
arc inadequate to express my admiratiolz, of cowse is tlze ideal man, but he ni~~stn't
gratitude and appreciation." leave his podtion at the present the."
Shoghi Effendi highly valued the qualities Shoghi Effei~di'sattitude to what Horace
of Horace's mind and throughout the years was accomplishing in America and its relation
encouraged him to write. '11 am gatifred", to his own needs is fully clarified in his letter
he wrote during those early years, "to peruse to Horace written in September of that same
the able and masterly work of my dear fellow- year: "&Xy dexe8t co-worker: T haw lately
worker, Mr. Horace Holley, a work which I followed your activities and efforts, as refieckd
have no doubt will by virtue of its subject in tthe n~inutesof the meetings you sent me,
matter, its comprehensivemss and unique- ..
with true satisfaction and pleasure . I bsve
ness, arouse widespread and gcnuinc intexest read with deep interest the article you wrote
in the Movement." on Green Acre and published in the Star.
The relationship between Horace and the Your personal contribution to so =any
Guardian was an extremely interesting one. aspects and phases of the Movement, per-
Shoglri ERendi desperately needed capable, formed so diligently, so effectively and so
loyal workers to assist him in his tasks. Such thoroughly are truly a source of joy and
people, from East ox West, were for the most inspiration to me. Wow much I feel the need
part lacking, and of the few, relatively of a similar worker by my side in Xfaifa, as
speaking, giants in the Cause, many instru- competent, as thorough, as methodical, as
ments he seized upon crumbled in his hands, alert as yourself. You cannot atlrd should not
proving themselves sick of the disease of self leave y o u post for the present. Haifa will
and becoming Covenant-breakers and even have to take care of itself for some time.
bitter enemies. Other capable lieutenants, Your grateful brother, Shoghi."
like Dr. Esselmont, died. Slioghi Effendi's It irevor materialized. In 1925 Horace gave
work was staggeri~g and the workers possessed up earning his living in various companies
of any real eapacity were tragically few. to devote his entire life to Bah8'i activity. I t
Horace was therefore doubly precious. Ln must never be thought that this was an easy
1925 Shoghi Effendi refers to him, in writing step for a man of his character to take. It is
to the American National Assembly, as always difficult for devoted Baha'is to accept
"Yoru distinguished secretary", and calls support from Bahai Funds. It was o111y
him "that indefatigable servant of BahB'u'll&h, Horace's passionate conviction of the rightness
ilw esteemed brother, Mr. Solley . . .''. The of BaZ~Zu'llah's Teachings that pawaded
Guardiaa at this time was hilaself in desperate him to give zip all thought of a pexsonal,
need of secretarial assistance and his thoughts independent career and become the full-time
naturally turned to this man of such marked servant of an administration in which all too
ability. He writes to him, in May, 1926, very often his fellow believers criticized him for
revealingly on this subject: doing so. Shoghi Effendi was well aware oi'
"*Mydear and valuable friend: I wish to all this; his sympatI~y, understanding and
massure you of my keen appreciation of approval were reflected in the letter he wrote
your conth~uousefforts $01 the consolidation to the National A s m b l y s.t that h e : "1
of the work of the Cause throughout America, rejoice to lea11 that ways and m e m have
1 have often felt t l e extreme desirability of been found to ena51e the National Secretary,
854 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

who discharges in such an exemplary manner world-wide activities of the Faith. Shoghi
the manifoId and exacting duties of a highly Effendi reacted enthusiastically to this idea
responsible position, to devote all his time and the series of Bahd'i World came into
to the pursuit of so meritorious a task. 1 am being. The Guardian was in reality the
fully conscious of the privations and sacrifice Editor-in-Chief, Horace the executor. At the
which the choice of this arduous work must Guardian's request, Horace, until he passed
involve for him, ns well as Ms devoted and away, wrote every International Survey of
selfless conlpanion; I cannot but admire and Current Bahli'i Activities. The materid was
extol their heroic efforts and wish to assure largely forwarded to him by Shoghi Effendi,
them both of my continued prayers for the together with pages and pages of instructions
speedy fruition of their ewnest endeavors." and not infrequent cables similslr to this one
With this instrument, the most powerful sent jn 1932: "Detailed letter mailed for
national body throughorrt the B;rbB'I World, International Survey confident your masterEy
a national body responsible for the exe- treatment coIlected data". As this added
cution of the Divine Plan of 'Abdu'l-Bahit periodically a tremendous amount of extra
given to the American 'believers as their work for Horace, he was often behind
unique distinction and sacred tsust, with schedule in writing these surveys and it was
a man of Horace's calibre devoting his suggested to Shoghi Effendi that someone
entire time and energy to its work, Shogl~i else should do the survey, a suggastion he
Effendi found that he could set the forces of would not hear of, as he considered no one
Baha'i Administration in motion. Halfway else as qualified to produce such a key article
across the world there was a collaborator .for the Bahci'i World. In 1932 in a letter of the
who grasped the import of his instructions Guardian to Horace, Shoghi Effendi's sec-
and interpretations of the Teachings and who, retary writes: "Were it not for your com-
as the "indefatigable and distinguished" petence and his reliance on your eEciency
secretary of that Assembly, as Shoghi Effendi and judgment he would have to do the work
characterized him, in conjmction with its of the Bahd'i World done and thereby neglect
other eight members, and backred up by a many of his other duties, He is stilI more
devoted and enthusiastic BahB'i community, thankful to God when he sees you hunger
not only saw they were implemented, but for service and enjoy being over-burdened."
expounded and classified them. And in 1933, in his own hand, Shoghi Effendi
This partnership was of an importance wrote: "Dear and precious co-worker: I
impossible to overestimate. That it worked aun deeply conscious of the complexity and
so well, bore such fruit and survived the acid strenuous character of the work you have
test of t h e , is a great compliment to the two underiakea for the Bahd'i Wurid. I trust and
people i~vokved.For Shorn Effendi was not pray that the forthcoming volume will be
dealing with a sycophant but a man of strong such as to fully repay your painstaking and
personality, views and capacity, and Horace valuable efforts, f am eager to receive a few
was not dealing with a mere leader but a copies of your survey as soon as con~pleted~"
divinely inspired, infallibly guided spiritual "Your contributions to the Biennial'',
ruler. The execution of the tasks set by the Shoghi Effendi wrote in 1933, "are out-
Guardian for Horace was therefore not standing, ~uliqueand exemplary. The more
without its hazards, But the loyalty of Horace you contribute the greater my eagerness to
on the one hand and Shoghi Effendi's patience have you add to the outpui of your already
and tact on the other, avoided situations remarkable contributions."
which in other circumstances might have led It was Horace who so brilliantly titled the
to dEculties. wonderful general letters of the Guardian
In Shoghi mendi's life there was a tragic to America and to the BahB'is of the West,
lack of stimulating, creati~ie individuals. picking out from the text such key, eye-
Horace drew out of the Guardian many catching phrases, as "The Promised Day 1s
things that would have otherwise remained Come", "The Goal of a New World Order",
hidden or pursued some other course, It was "The Dispensation of Bahi'u'llW', and so
Horace who reany conceived the idea of some on, and put subtitles throughout the texts
form of publication that would reflect the to facilitate ale study d s u c l weighty,
~ thought-
IN MEMORIAM 855

provoking material. Shoghi Effmidi approved Effendi wrote to Horace: "Be assured and
of this and it was a major service to the persevere in your historic services." And in
BahB'is everywhere. 1943 SfiogfiiEffendi reiterates these sentiments
Qne of the bonds that liiked'the Guardian in even warn= terms: "I greatly value, as
and Horace was their common overwork, you already h o w , your presentation of the
In one of Shoghi Effendi's letters to Horace various aspects of the Cause, for whose
his secretary writes: "He is always happy to expansion, consolidation and defense you
hear from you, as he has a great deal of have, during so many years, laboured so
sympathy for what he fnily realizes must be indefatigably and served with s ~ ~ distinction.
ch
your continuaily overworked state. Hard- I will, I assure you, continue to pray $01 you
pressed for time as he himself constantly and your dear collaborator MIS. Holley,
is, he weE knows what it means!" And "he that you may both enrich still furher the
hopes you yourself are keeping in very good record of your past services."
health m d not overdoing?--Though he hilows Needless to say Horace" soad was a
from Ioilg experience that it is almost im- thorny one. Periodical$ he had battles to
possible aot to ovexdo when the work of t l ~ e win \vi& Izimself, like most of us, and he
Cause keeps on piling up?" usually had a lot of battles to win for the
The Guwdian bad the habit of addressing Cause. A time came when Slioghi Effendi
his letters to National Assemblies to their wished the Nadonal Secretariat to move to
secretaries; usually this meant that they the vicinity of the Temple in Wilmctte, so
stated "Dear BahSt'i brothw", but there are that in the heart of the American continent
dozens and dozens of letters to the American the spiritual and administrative centre could
Assembly that just start "Dear Horace". It be fused into one. It was not an easy thing
was a very personal relatioilship. for Horace to pull up stakes and leaye Newr
The evokution of the Administrative Order York, the biggest city in the world, where
and the part Horace played in its unfoldment he had long lived in a congenial atmosphere-
is too vast a subject to be dealt with here, but and with some degree of privacy-and take
the messages sent to him by Shoghi EiTendi up residence in the middie west, in a small
adequately testify how great a r6le he town, where his home would be constantly
played in the early hihistory of the Formative invaded by visiting Bah2f.s and the public
Age ofour Faith and how deeply the Guardian who came to see the Temple. Shoghi ERendi
valued liis services mil constantly encouraged appreciated a13 .this and cabled him in 1939:
him: "Your ready pen, your brilliant mind, "Awue, profoundly appreciate sacrifice per-
your marvellous vlgour and organizing sonal convenience involved trmsfexence
ability, above dl yoar unwavering loyalty Temple vicinity deepest love.'" Having accept-
arc assets that I greatly value and For which ed to do it he put his h e a t into it; in a letter
I am deeply grateful . . ." he wrote in 1931. In dated 1940 from Shoghi Effendi his secretary
.
1932 Shoghi Effendi wrote to him: ". . your wrote: "The Guardian was pax-titularly
active share in the administrative activities gratified to kno\+ of the mi-angements you
of the Cause, your splendid letters of appeal lravemadeinconnection with the eseablishment
in connection with the Plan of U~~ified Action, of the National Office in Wilmette." Kis
your wise leadership of the Neiv York qualities were soon appreciated by a new
Assembly-all testify t o yeur marvellous circle of friends and fie was n-radea Rotarian
efficiency and your high spiritual attain- and founded the Wilmette Historical Com-
ments." That same year he cabled him : "&fay mission, acting as its chairman for many
the Almighty sustaiu you in your stupendous years.
efforts . . ." Another cable, in 1933, testifies Horace was a clevcr, witty artd distinguished
to the esteem of the Guardian which Horace lecturer. He had a rather high voice with a
was winning for himself: '%%l.$re you my slight Yankee twang, wllich added spice to
ever deepenling admixation your unrivaled his clear, dry, gripping de13vexy of his subject.
services", and the same thought was echoed Throughout the years he was one of the h e s t
five yews later; "qssure you my ever deepen- speakers the Bah&"ishad in North America
lag admiration your unrivaled services love and, in addition to a great many public
abiding gratitude."' In this s m e year Shoghi lectnres to Bah6'i and non-BahUi auiuilienw,
'f W O R L D
a ~ dparticipation in various symposiums, wrote to him in August of 1344: "I am so
he frequently gave c o w m at Bahk'i Sum- glac! and iehevcd to learn you are OII the
mer Schools, particu'larly Green Acre road to recovery. I tsust, howeyer, you will
where he and his wife had a cottage of their not overtax your newly-found strength, and
own. 1 feel confide~~ltthat you will render our
On Horace" initiative the American Bahd'i beloved Faith services as outstanding and
News was tread and met with the Guardicm's unique as those that wiIl remain associated
enthusiastic approval. "The first prhted with your name during the Formative Age
issne of the National Assembly's News of the Faith of BahB'u'llWh".His continued
Letter", he wrote in 1925, "prepaxed and soIicitude for Horace's health and services is
signed on behalf of the AssenlbZy by its reflected iil a letter to him written in 1945:
capahle secretary, stands as a bright alld ''.. . my prayer to the Almighty is to give
eloquent testimony to his thoroughness, you all the strength you need lo enabie you
his industry, his conspicuous ability, his to win stilI greater victories in the caursc of
undoubted sclf-sacrsce," Horace contributed your historic labours for the establishlneint
many articles to Wovid Ordev Magazine, of Ris Faith m d Wlc consolidation of its
and to various volumes of BaIzd'r' Wori~i nascei~tInstitutions. Be happy? rest assu~ed,
(in addition to his Surveys). m d pa-severe. Your iruc and grateful
To many people Ire was many tl~ings. brother".
Mrrch loved by his personal Friends who In spite of weakened health Horace u s
understood and enjoyed his often caustic present as represeiihtive d the old, outgoing
wit, his intense independence and individ- National Spiritual Assembly of the BahB'is
uality, he was not always understood by of the United States and Canada, at the
others. Nevertheless his comprehensive knowi- convention held in Montreal to elect the
edge of the Teachings, his mastery of correct h s t inciependeet Canadian National Assern-
Bahli'f procedure, and the lucidity of his mind bly in 1948, In 1951 he and Dorothy Baker,
were invaluable assets to the Cause. Jt was acting as representatives of the United States
Horace who was largely responsibte for &aft- National body, zttended the convention held
k g , in conjunction with a BahB'i lawyer, the ill Panama City to elect the first Central
America11 Declaration of Trust of the Na- American National Assembly, and in 1957
tionat Assembly and the By-laws of a Local Horace, in his capacity as Wand of the Cause,
Assembly which have been made by Shoghi and acting as Shoghi Mendi's own special
Effendi the pattern for a11 such legal instru- representative, attended the convention in
ments of the Faith i a other countries. Lima, Peru at whicl~the northern countries
This great servant of the Faith, with just of SoutIz America elected their new National
that kind of mind, ground a lot of edges off Assembly.
the administrative machinery of the Cause In a cable to Horace, dated December
in A~ilerica and in this proms, lasting 24, 1951, Shoghi Effendi announced to him
thirty-six years, had a lot of the sharp edges his appointmei~tas one of the three Hands
grouild off his own nature and mixid. Un- in America, chosen by the G~zardian:
doubtedly the %reatestfactor in his Iife, next "Moved convey glad tidings your election
to his having accepted so wi~oieheartedly rank Hand Cause stop Appointment officially
iJse Faith of Bah$'u'Hah, was Shoghi EEei~di. announced public message addxessed a11
Horace loved Shoghi Effendi's ideas. We IVational Assemblies stop May sacred function
grasped, perhaps better than anyone dse, ertablc you enrich record services already
just what the Guardian was collstrrrcting rendered for Bal12u'llki1", It was received
through the erectiorr of the Administra- a l the National Office during his absence aild
tive Order. He assisted in this througl~ when Mrs. HolIey imet him at the airport
all the powers of Iiis mind, giving, year with this momentous news his i i r s ~reaction
after year, a11 unstinting service to its ~eaii- was to push &om him thjs station, so utterey
zation, unexpected and overwhelming. The dreamer
ID 1944 he saEered a heart atlack and was m d mystic, csscirtidly humble beiore his
in hospital for some time. The Gnnrdian God, shied away from the glokous rank so
wss disrsessed by the news of this illness and suddenly thrust upon him. But or course
IN MEMORIAM 857

there was really no g~iestion,for any of the n sand fortress when the tide comes in, and
Rands, of accepting or rejecting the Ilonour I: suspect this must haie been a great inner
t h e i ~Guardian had seen fit to confer upaa release for this essentially sensitise, deeply
them; whether they felt fliemsdues worthy spirituaI n3ar1.
or not they howed their heads in submission. \hen Sboghi Effendi passed away in
Like yeast the new oflice fermented in the November, 1957, Horace was again iii in
character of Horace, bringirig cut the depths hospital and unable to attend the fune~alin
of his spirikuality, raising him to new heights, London. Inc~easingIyfor some years he had
releasing, after so many years of grinding been suffcrillg from some implngeme~~t oon the
routine and adnli~istrativework, that other nerves of his legs and towards a12 2nd of
side of his nature which had prevailed in his his life he almost constantly in pdn.
youth. Uuder the influeme of this new form This condition, combined wzth his weakened
of service Horacz meIlowed and snf'tened. healt, now left him near to being an invalid,
Now he had another function to fulfil. For yet in spite of his frailty he attended the
years he had Instructed, admonished, fought hagic a ~ historic
d fist gathering of the Hands
for adherence to laws m d priaciples, blcnded of tllc Ca~~se hdd in Sahji in December, 1957
himself into the col~sultativeprocess of Il-re after the passing of their Guardian. To me,
National Assembly as a body. Now be was it was here that Horace crowned his lifetime
called upon as an individual, one man, a of service to the Cause of BahB'u"ilih by
high-ranking oflicer of the Faith, to work in psoducing the ftaest fruit of his knowledge
a different way; to protect, to teach, to heal and understanding of its teachings-the
the hearts of the believers, ro lead and help Proclamation issued by the Hmds, the first
as Horace Holley, the Hand of the Cause, draft of which and major portion, we owe
operating under the direction of the Guardian to his pen alone.
himself as part of his own Institutioil. His fellow-Hands desired that he should
In 1953, during the Holy Year ceiebxarions, come and serve as one of the nine Hands in
and pursuant with the request of the Guardian the Holy Land, and after returning to America
that the Hands of the Cause attend as many to get his affairs in order and resign from the
of the Intercontinental Conferences as pos- Ameiican National AsszmbIy, he and lris
sible, Horace was present in Kainpda, wife airived In Israel on December 31, 1959.
StscklloXm, Chicago and New Delhi. In As his wife later wrote, "When he was in
December, 2953, at long last, and for the &st flaifa he was $0 21 and so depleted by pain
time, he #me to Efaifa as a pilgxhn m d met that he was hardly a shadow of his red
hce to face the man he had served for the self." Indeed, little time was given him to
best years of both their lives. My own in~pms- serve in fais new cspacity, fox six months
sion of the significance of that meeting is, Iattta he died. suclda~lyand peacerully, and
of course, personal, but it seemed to me that is burkd at the foot of Mount Camel, not
Horace, wlio had a i ~ a y been1
s a man simding very far froin the resting place of 'Abdu'l-
alone in his own wilderness, bowing only to Bah&Ilimself.
his God, and vigorously protecting his inner I t was very touching to see how Horace, so
indepe~~deilce,had been. a little aii-aid, &ail that one felt a breeze would blow him
probably sub-consciously, of meeting this away, ivould cross the street and struggle
Shoghi ERendi. 1 think he suspected his soul up the s h o ~ tflight of steps to rhe Hands'
would be seduced by that meeting, and to nle meeting room. He listei~edattentiveiy to the
that is what happened. Ilorace surrendered discussions, signifying agreement th~ough
completely to love. As to the Grrardisn, he a ncd of ltis head or raising his hand, saving
too had heen aware of the iintense iindepefid- the very little strength he had left to express
cnce of this rare Bal~B'igiant and wocdered his opinion in words should the nced xise.
what their meetmg would be like. T remember Ia spite of his extremely frdgiie condition Be
the first night somsthing prevented Shoghi \+as shll tlw old FIorace, and his clear mind
Effendi from going over to tXle Pilgrim House and wisdom were of hrestmable lleIp r t l our
and so hc did not nxet Elorace until tile second decisions and his persoxlaiity a joy to mc.
night of his pilgrimage; but then thc last No zaount of this gat Bahli'i tiveuld be
barricades of Horace's heart weiit down I l k complete if it did not cite at Ieast a Pcvl of
855 T H E BARA" WORLD

his delightful b u ~mots, gathered from the tinguished l3md Cause l3orace HolIey out-
recollections of one of his fellow-ffands and standing champion Faith since days Master
long-time fellow-member of the American praised by beloved Guardian for uniqae
National Assembly: one midnight, when the coneribution development Administrative
members of that Assenlbly were stiil consult- Order. His indelktigable se~vicesprotection
ing at the end of a tong week-end of constant teaching administrative fields culminating
meetings, this friend, trying from a tired-out service Holy Land inspiring example present
mind to express himself, apologized in future generations Baha'is." Great as this
advance if he did not succeed in conveying tribute is, one cannot help wondering what
his thought lucidly; Horace remarked, "I the goEden pen of Shoghi Effendi would have
assure you, my dear boy, you have marc written, on such an cccasion, of such a man
capacity to give than we have to receive." as Horace X-Polley. But let Horace's own
Being called upon late at night by a Bal12i words reveal him as he was during the end
woman, who volubly expressed, at great of hits Iife: "Now what we bave here is,
length> what she thought should be done; indeed, a Divine creation. It Is humanity
about a certain admitkistralive problem that being raised toward God and the Divine
had arisen in her community, Horace inform- grace of God descendii~gto bumanity . . .
ed her, "You are very sincere, dear-but you therefore in our d d y lives, when we bave
are sincerely wrong;!'W~n the occasion when, troubles and difficulties of an administrative
after months and months of patience, durh~g natnre, Iet us not be too impatient or too
which the man concerned had insisted on easily discouraged because we are in the
his own rightness and the National Assembly's pmcess of making possible the formation of
wrongness and had been an ever-inweasingly that spiritual body of the Universal House of
disturbhg element to the American Com- Justice. There is the basis of the world's peace.
munity, this individual had at last been There is the order and security of the world.
deprived of his voting rights. Horace pro- There is the nobility and enlightenment of
nounced the following obituary: "Mr. So the human race . . . if by t31e purity of our
and So has been unable to adapt the BahB'i motives, by the depths of our self-sacrifice,
comnlunity to himself." we codd hasten by one year or one month
Ijis felbw-Eands, deprived of his counsel the estabiblishmmt of that body, the whob
and support, paid a last tribute to his memory l'iuman race would bless us for that great
and services in the message they sent to the gift.'"
BaMi world at the time of his death: "Ckieved
announce pasing Haifa much loved dis-
CLARA DUiW The strcngth of this conviction was weli
1869-1960 andtruly put to the test in Seattle. Washington,
where Mother spent the next five y e m
teaching tirelessly on behalf of the Faith with
absolutely no sccn result. Such was her
mental anguish during this time that she
As with several distinguished Bahri pio- sraffered a nervous breakdown and had to
neers gone belore her, Clara Dunn arose to enter a hospital. Some friends eventually took
undertake her life's main work at an age when her from the hospital and cared for Im.
many women are thinking of "some time for Unfortunately, not ill1 Mother's "friends" at
themselves" after years of devotion to their that time were sincere. Her landlady "loved
families. The decision she made at the age of n-ie as much as she could love her own
fifty, to leave American shores for Australia daughter" and provided her with an attic in
with this mightiest of all Revelations, the which to sleep when Mother bad no money,
Baha'i Faith, was, and stilL is, the great- having had to give up the good job she had
est thing that has ever happened to that con- with the doctors. This same landlady, however,
tinent; further, it constituted a major dccl- carefully warned all who came in contact with
sion in the history of the world. Mother that she was mad and belonged to a
Little did the London policeman, Thomas crazy refigionabout which she wanted to tell
Holder, arid his Irish wife, Maria, guess that everyone.
whw they gave birth to their sixth chiid, It was at this unhappy time that Mother
Clara, in London, Endand, on May 12,1869, learned that 'Abdu'l-Bahi was coming to San
they had braught into the world a girl Francisco and she determined, in response to a
destined to become the "mother" of a telegram from a San Francisco believer, to
continent! For that is what she did become, travel there to meet Him. That she was
in spirit and in word. To BahZis the world penniless did not deter Mother one instant
over, and to Australians in particular, Clara and she eventually arrived in San Francisco,
Dunn was our nlost loved and revered hungry and in low spirits, She had no idea
"Mother". It was not until some time after where to go beyond the name of the street
coming to Australia that Mother received a where 'Abdu'i-Bah& was staying, so she
letter from an early believer which began, asked a tram conductor if he knew where
"Dear Mother, (May I)." It svas then that there were Persians staying in Market Street,
Mother recalled a dream that she would be San Francisco. The tram took her right to
widely called mother some day, and from that the door of the very house in which 'Abdu'l-
time she and her husband, John Henry Hyde Bahh was staying, and feeling her journey
D u n , became known affectionately among accompIished, Mother knocked thankfully
Baha'is, not onIy in Australia but throughout at the front door, only to receive no answer.
the world, as "Mother" and "Father'maunn. Time and again she knocked and rang but
It was when she was in her late thirties lhat to no avail. "So I began to cry and then T got
she first met John Henry Hyde Dunn and mad," Mother recalled with a chuckle. She
upan joining in conversation with her he pushed the door, found it unlatched and
asked hcr if she were interested in spiritual entered.
things. With delicate humor she replied, 'Abdu'l-Bahfi had just completed a press
"'I would be if T knew of any spiritual conference when hl[other arrived and He was
thkgs." exhausted. Mother left His presence and only
He then told her of the Bah8'i Faith and twenty minutes later was recalled by 'Abdu'l-
invited her to attend a lecture that evening. Bahii, now complctcly refreshed. to join the
Before ever heaxing of the message, Mother's conlpany at His dinner tabIe. Mother's
outlook was a universal one: she bas said memory of that meeting was one of such
that she was ioterested only in a refigion that laughter and joyousness as she could never
was "for everybody in the suorld, of every kind before remember. "Oh, His smile was so
and colour." After hearing Father Durn's beautiful!" Mother said, and it was also at
message, Mother said, "I'm sure it's from that meeting that 'Abd~r'l-Bahri, "radiazlt
God." and glorious looking", told a story with
Bahh lefL San Fxa~ckico.As it happened,
Mother not o31y achie~edher prsonai wish
to hear the Master, - she was the last person
horn anywhere in the world to arrive in Sail
Francisco for 'Abdu'l-BahB's last night there
--bat she also received at that meeting t11c
spiritual stimirlus that was to send her to
Australia, together with Hyde Dunn w1101-i1
she masried on July 9, 1917, as pioneers to
tlmt continent.
On His return tir the Holy Land after Fllis
visit to America, 'Abdu'l-BahB revealed the
Tablets of the Divine Plan in which He calkd
upon the believers in Anmica to arise acd
spread the Message of BahB'u'llAh throughout
file world. He expressed the longing to travel
"if necessary on foot and with the utmost
poverty" m d raise the cry "YA BahB'uYl-
~ is r o t
Abhk" and regretted that c ' i ~ othis
feasible for me. . ."
In 1919 Mother and Father Duan were
holidaying at Santa Cruz when Dr. D'Ewlyn
returned from the 1919 Canvention where the
Tablets of the Divine Plan had been uilveiled;
and when Mother read the penetrating call
profound happiness and ringing laughter, to open the Australian continent to the Faith,
looking at Mother all the while, It was not she said to Father, "Shall we go ?" and Fatbey
until Mother and Father had brought the replied, "Yes."
light of His Message to the Austrstlian COD- True to 'Abdu'l-Bah5's call to action,
tineiit, that she sealized that 'Abdu'l-Bahi's Mother and Father began making prepara-
story was, in fact, telling of their most gXorious hons to leave for Australia inunediateEy after
destiny. No wonder He was happy! ('Abdu'l- returning from their holiday. For a moment
BaM had said, "Unless your love attracts Mother was uncertain whether 'Abdu'l-BahB
me, f will not come to the West." Father and would wish for both Father and herself to go
two other believers bad stayed up all night but she prepared nevertheless and was, in
and prayed that "Abdu'l-BahA would come.) fact, "waiting in the wee garden" whcn "a
To hdve met souls of the calibre of Mother telegraph boy appeared with a cable from
and Father Dunn and to have known their 'Abdu'l-BahA contabling these words -
sincerity and courage must indeed have 'Highly cornendable'." They were delighted,
gladdened 'Abdu'l-BaWs he&; for here was for, as Father wrote, "This made our future
not only the Iove which He sought to bring an open door for service m this (Australian)
Him to the West but also a devotion and continent." They finally set sail aboard t l ~ e
servitude that would cwry the Message of His S. S, Sunanza early in 2920, arriving in
Father to a distant land where Be Himself Sydney on April 18, 1920 after spending two
could not go, monihs in Ho~~olulu.
How often we can look back and see in a The first two yeas on Australian soil were
train of seemingly unconnected events a very trying ones for these pioneers. So011 aftcr
orderly plan. Consider the: events whicl~ their arrival they established their honle in
immediately preceded Mother's visit to Sydney, New South Rides, but Father took
'Abdu'l-B&6. Had she, for ally reason, been ill and Mother was obliged to take a job tlntii
unable to reach Sarr Francisco that light, Father's health was restored. This amom-
the present history of the BabB'I Faith in plished, Fatiler joined the Nestl@'s Milk
Australia rnight never have been written. For Company as a traveUing salesnun and in this
at nine osc!ock the followingmorning "Abdu'l- role he was able to cover the w l ~ o kof Aits-
XN M E M O R I A M 561

traiia, Tasmania and New Zealand, with Dunn passed away an E'ebruasy 17, 1941,
Mother accornpaayi~him from place to leaving Mother ia casi-y on alone. This she
place. Arriving in a city she would set up did with, if possible, even more vigor than
kousekeepimg and while Father \+as away 511c -Lzd done before. \lTherl.eFather had m m y
durii~gthe week on his business throughout times shouldered the public meeting re-
Ihe surrounding towns shc ~vould make sponsibiiity, Mother was now left to hold the
frieads, entertain and tear21 the Faith. She plalibrrn hei-self. This she did with the vigor
ivould then have meetings arranged for Father and forthrightness that charackrised her
to address during week-ends, and in this way basic personality. She was now Australia's
the Teachings spread throughout the breadth last rernainii~gdirect link with 'Abdu'l-Balia
of the Cornonwealth. Nevertl~eless,it was and, until rhe time of her death, she continued
two years before the first believer accepted the to impart to the believers of that continent
Faith - in Sydney. The loneliness, determi- the same spiritual iinpetus thar she had
nation and courage of that first ''breaking- receiired from t31e Master Himself. How else
through" period was matched only by the could the n~iraculous dcvclopment of the
unflinching Faith that Mother and Father Faith in that land in just over a quarter of a
held, that they would be assisted and victory century have bee11 accomplished?
ivouId most certainly come. The consummate honor bestowed on
And how truly it did come! Leaving Mother in recognition of her sterling service
Australian shores for a brief period. MoUaer to the Faith came on February 29, 1952 when
and F a t k crossed to neighboring New she was elevated to the station of Haad of the
Zealand in 1923, not knowing that there was Cause of Cod by the Guardian. Father Dunn
already a believer in that country. That was subsequently elevated to the same rank,
believer was Miss Margarct Stevenson, who posthumously, when the National Spiritual
had spoken of the Faith to many people, Assembly af Australia received the following
but it was, as she said herself, "not until Mr. cable, "Hyde Dunn regarded Hand. Shoghi".
and Mrs. Dunn's visit that the Cause in At the age of eighty-four, Mother was frailer
A4~ckland grew." In late 1923 Mother and in body but her remarkable memory a i ~ d
Father went to Melbourne where they vibrant personatity had never heen more
established the Faith, leaving behind them alert. In 1953, she attended the first Intercon-
Australia's fist Spiritual Assembly when they tinental Conference held in Dellli, India.
went to Adelaide a ycar later. In Adelaide, How her heart must have filled with
where they stayed for some time, the Farth happiness to have witnessed that tmly
was firmly established before Mother and universal gathering under the banner of
Father returned to Sydney where, except for BahB"u'llrih! Here was the first materid
brief periods, they spent the remainder of evidence of the gradual fulfi112nent of 'Abdu'l-
theis lives. Tllus ia three years two major BshXs Divine Plan :an assemblage of BahB'is
countries had been ope~xdto the Cause of represeritaiive of world-wide communities -
B&A"uyZlah by these gallant souls. In 1932 the fruits of ploneers such as herself -
Mot!xr interrupted hel- teaching activities for gathered together to stimulate even further
a time to go, alone, on a pilgrimage to the the teaching efforts which would eventually
Holy Land. Wlzile there she sigt~ed the fulfill the goal of the Divine Plan.
visitors' book at the Mansioii d Bahjf on The foliowing year 1954 saw Mother as a
January 15th of that saim year. Hand of the Cause of God, oncemore in New
Returning to Austxalia she renewed her Zealand. This time it was to attend the New
teaching activities and in 1334 wrtnessed the Zealand Swlmtr School at Henderson VafIey.
fruits of this work in the establishment of the The visit was commemorated by the planting
National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and of a Kauri tree on the Hyde Dunn School
New Zealand, and by this time Spiritual property thsre.
Assemblies had been established in several Towards the latter part of the same year,
states in Australia and in Auckland, New a11d despite Ker advanced years, Mother
Zealand. visited all the i;tates of Australia. Three years
Then, for the second time in her Life, Mother later, in 1957, Mother xettlrned to New Zealaad
became a widow when John I-Penry Hyde for a third time; on this occasion as the rep-
THE B A H A * W
~ ORLD
resentative of the Guardian at the formation yeas in the quest that she started at the age of
of the National Spiritual Assenlbly of that wty.
country. Upon the passing of the Guardian, The Guadian said of the Dufzns that they
Mother, as Hand of the Cause went to Haifa were the true conquerors because they stayed
where she attended the .first Conclave of the where they pioneered.
Hands of the Faith in the Mansion of Bahjl', On November 28, 1960 after a befitting
Israel. Although physically now very weary, ceremony at the National *a?iratu9l-Quds,
Mother's desire and determination to serve Hand of the Cause of God Gara Dunn7s
was as strung as ever. cortdge left for the Worunora Cemetery,
The closing years of Clara Ilunn's life Sydney, where she was laid to rest beside her
witnessed many wonderful things. Not only husband. Unique in the annals of the BaWi
did she behold the groua and development Faith is the fact that two souls, both Lhnds
of her own spiritual children around her, but of the Cause of God and pioneers of a con-
she also saw the fruits of her smice reflected tinent, should lie together.
irx th islands of the Pacific, as pioneers from
the Australian continent arose with equal National Spiritual Assembly
h o t i o n to open the territories virgin to the of the BahPis of Australia.
Message of BahA'u'llah. These teaching efforts
mlnlinated in the establishment of the Region-
al Spiritual Assembly of the South Pacific
Islands. Further, from the days of teaching
the Faith without books or any material
assistance for guidance, Mother witnessed the
rearing of two National Spiritr~alAssemblies, JULIET THOMPSON
Australia and New Zealand, as well as a
National &ziratua1-@ds. She was Iurther "Deplore loss much-loved, greatly admired
to see the crowning glory of Australia - the Juliet Thompson, outstanding, exemplary
erection of the first Mother Temple of the handmaid 'Abdu'X-BAA. Over half-century
Antipodes, set within these shores. It was, in record maniPold meritorious services, embsttc-
fact, ia March 1958 and at the request of the ing concluding years Heroic opening decades
Gua~dim,that Mother placed "plastex. from Formative Age BA6'i Dispensation, won her
the Castle of Mih-KV' in the foundation enviable position glorious company trjuun-
of the Australian B a W i House of Worship phant disciples beloved MasterAbhh Kingdom.
during the Australian Intercoll2inentd Con- Advise hold memorial gathering Mashriqu'l-
ference. A & ~ Ppay befitting tribute imperishabIe
The remaining years of Mother's life were memory one so wholly consecrated Faith
spent in a fiat at the National .@qisatu'l-Quds Bahk'u'lIAh ihed such consuming devotion
in Sydney. Until the time of her passing on Center His Covenant.
November 18, 1960, at the age of 31 years,
Mother never lost her scintillating Irish wit
which seized upon anyone and everyone,
sometimes with fiery pointedness, sometimes
with most delightful and delicate subtlety,
but always with twinkling enjoyment. Fresh At a memoxial service, held on Febiuary
to the end, too, was her remembrance of 9, 1957, two months afta her death, Mbutes
many of tile beautiful BahB'i prayers, her were oflered by several people who had known
favorite among them seeming to ha\re been. . . her well.
" 0 Lord, my haven in my disfiess!My shield At an early age Juliet became interested iil
imdshelrei. in my woe,. ." for she was reciting painting. She studied at the Coscaran Art
It up to her Iast breath. How inany occasions School in Washington and at seventeen was
must Mother's l~earthave been heavy for doing porisaits in pastels professionally, By
that to have been her favorite prayer; but the middie 1890'~~ when in her early twenties,
how faithfully was her prayer answered to she had already made a name for herself.
have enabled her to persevere for farty-one Around the turn of the century the mother
IN MEMORIAM 853

accepted the Cause. She aIso made it a practice
to hold a weekly mee~ngfor the believers.
"Never," wrote one of her close friends,
"will these meetings be forgotten. Those who
were fortunate enough to assenzble there in
those pioneer days w e tasiing the spiritual
happiness @leyhad atways read about, which
sings on in the l~eart
regardless ofthe turbulent
waters of the outer world.. .. Every evidence
of a worldly atmosphere was absent. . ."
The year after the Master's reIease from the
prison city of 'AkkB, in 1908, Juliet was one
of rJ.1e Kianey party who made the piigrimage
to Raifa. It is not difficult to imagine her
exalt'ation on attaining this longed-for
goal.
On her return to New York, hw meetings
were resumecl. Pages of a new ~oIumewere
being written in the Lives of many devoted
American believers; a11 were looking forward
to a possible visit s f 'Abdu'l-E&B to the
Juliet Thompson United States. But in Juliet's case the interval
of waiting seemed to be too iong; in the
s m n e r of 1911, when the Master was in
Europe, she again sought His presence, first
of Laura Clifford Barney invited the young at Thoaon-ies-Bains, France, and the^ in
artist to come to Paris for further study. Juliet Veveyr on Lake Geneva in Swit~erland.
went zccompanied by her inoiher and Eagerly she listcned to Ris vivifying words,
brother. and faithfully she recorded in her diary the
It was there that she nlet May Bolles - the priceless impressions of those days.
first BaM'i on the European continent - and On April 11, 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahri arrived
through her, accepted this xlew Faith. Mrs. in New York, and when fie s%pped off the
B m e y wrote of Juliet that she had accepted steamship Cedric one of those who met Him
it "as naturally as a swallow lakes to the air.'' was Juliet Thompso~i.She fotlowed the Master
Juliet became one of that frrsi group of everywhere, attending all meeikigs in New
Paxis Bah$'ls, which inciuded Mrs. Barney. York, Brooklyn and New Jersey* and the
Enthusiasm and acti~~ity were at a high point, Master graciously addressed a gathering in
partIy because of the presence of Mirzk her studio. Seyeral times He called her to
Abir'l-FadI, whom 'Abdu'i-Bahli had sent to walk with Him on Riverside Drive, accorn-
France. His lessons: tagether with May BolXes- panied by Vaiiyu'IIBh Vaq& as interpreter.
irduence, were very confirming to Juliet, and It was through her eEorts that the rector of
the process was mn~pletedwhen Thomas the Church of the Ascension in New Y o ~ k
Breakwell, the first English believer, gave her received 'Abdu'l-BahB at a Sunday evening
Count de Gobineau's stirring description of service, seating the Master in the bishop's
the Martyrdom of the B a h chair beside the &tax. Here 'Abdu'l-BahL
From the beginning of her acceptance of answered many questions about the Teachings
the Faith, juliet served it. Following her Paris that were asked by the congregation.
sojourn she spent most of the rest of Xler life Juliet reached the pinnacle of success and
in New York, and her studio there became happiness when the Master granted her
a center fax Bah&'imeetings. Juliet's great love request to paint His portrait. This she executed
for and devotion to the Master made her a in pastels, unfortunately a somewhat perish-
natural channel for the spseadi~g of the Faith. able medium. Photographic reproductions of
Her ~:cnthuusiasmwas so soul-warming and the portrait axe to be found in many BahB'i
contagious that, through her, many people homes, but the original has been lost.
I
Miss Thompson was by now z, i d - k x o n n In the later years of her life, she was
I
portrait painter, exeating many commissions incapacitated physically; nevertheless, mher- I
in Xew Yark and Washington. Among these ever sl-ie was, there was a center around which
was a portrait of Mrs. Calvin Coolidge. B&B'i thought and activity revolved. D~ubi-
Juliet kept a compkte diary sf the trs- less nany of her friends did not realize the
mendous events that transpired dur.ing'Abdu31- seriousness of the heart ailment that affiicted
Baka's visit in and around New York. Her her becax~sehex spirit was so alive and vibrant.
article, " "bdu'i-Bahk, the Ccz~terof the Althaugh she was then in her early eighties,
Covenant," gives examples of the I-espoiise those closestto her never thought of age i;n
of people froin all walks of life to the ctyi~amic connection with Juliet; she seemed ageless.
personality of the Master - responses which Her earthly lift? can= to an end on Deccmber
in most cases she herself witnessed. 9th, 1456.
Then came World War 1 - which the
Master had prophesied would occur - when
all commnunication was severed between
'Abdu'l-Bahi in the Holy Land and the
friends in the United States. Throughout
this time of trial and testing, Juliet did not
lose the vision of the BahB'I pronlise of peace.
In collaboration with her spiritual mother,
May Maxwell, she collected the utterances of Mrs. Carrie Kinney, whose maiden name
BahZu'llAh and 'Abdu'l-Baha on this subject. was Hebne Morrette, was born in New York
T h e were p~~blished in 1918 under the title, City in 1878, After more than two years of
"'Peace Compilation.'" serious illness she passed from this life to the
Because of her ardent advocacy of peace, heavenly realm an August 16, 1959, there,
JuIiet attracted the attention of federal agents, as she often expressed it, to meet her Lord,
some of whom were present aat Bahi'i meetings She was affectionately krrotr?n to the be-
in her home. She was nevcr afraid; she knew lievers from all parts of the Bah&i' world as
she spoke the Teachings of God for this day, "Vafi", a name bestowed upon fier by the
Thrflugl-iout her entire Bahri'i career she was beloved 'Abdu'l-BaM. Her many years of
courageous, staunch, and firm as a rock in constant, loyal, devoted and loving service
her faith. to the Carise extended to many channels. Her
T h a Juliet was a semitiye writer was feelings of universal love and &Teetion
demonstrated in her book, "I, Mary Magda- enwmpasscd ail those who were privileged to
len," published in 1940, Here she paints with enter her home, a home truly dedicated to the
words a portrait of the woman whose life was service of BahA'u'ilBh, 'Abdu'l-Bahti and the
deeply inffuenced by the teachings o f Jesus beloved Guardian.
the Christ, just as Juliet's own life had been Vafi'a and Edward Beadle Kinney met in
galvanized by the radiant loving-kindnessand 1893 and two years later tvere married. That
wisdom of 'Abdu'l-Baha. This book has been same year Mr. Kinney attended a Baha'i
characterized as 'bne of the most graphic and meeting at the home of Howard MacNutt
lofty delineations of Christ ever made in where for the first time he heard the Message
literature." of BahA'u'llah. He accepted what he heard
Juliet was for many years a member of the i~mediatelyand rushed back hon~eto tell
Splriiual Assembly of New York and a VaEa about it, saying excitedly, "1 have just
delegate to the annual convention. In 1926 heard a .rvonderfulstory. Om Lord is on earth.
she made, with Mary Max~vell,the da~~ghter 1 must write to b4im at once and plan to go to
of her beloved friend and teacher, a second see llim." Coming from a strong Cathoiic
pilgrimage to the ltfoiy Land. Aftep years backgound, Vaffa was a little afraid of this
of service in New York, and not long announcement and ran and hid in the closet.
aftex Shoghi Eifendi had sent the first Hoivever, several days later hlr. Kinney took
Bah8'i pioneer teackrs to Latin American Vaffa with him to the next BahB'i meeting
countries, Juliet spent over a year leaching in and immediately she, too, accepted the Faith
Mexico. and toether they wrote a Iettcr to 'Abdu'l-
IN MEMORIAM 865

The Kinnoys' Iast place of residence, after
living for some time in Boston, was the
Woodward Hotel Annex in New York City
and here they continued to caxy on the weekly
metings. Shortly after her husband's death,
Vaffa responded to the call of the beloved
Guardian ta pioneer, and in 1952 moved to
River Edge, New Sersey, where she established
her home. There, with a devoted friend and
believer, MIX. Maud Gaudreaux, weekly
iiresldes were again held and thraugh this
teaching effort several friends were attracted
to, and accepted, the Faith.
In 1956 Valfa became seriously ill, but after
a serious operation she appcazed to be re-
covering very \veil and was loi~gingto return
to active teaching. At this time the liews of the
passing of the beloved Guardian reached her
and it was such a shock to her that her phys-
ical health and vitality never f~ullyreturned,
and she was taken to her son's liome where
she spent the last two years of her life,
When the friends would call to see her
thev would talk about the Cause and this
Canie Kinney would always brighten her spirits, but on the
morning of August 16,1959 her sou, entering
Iier room, found that she had quietIy ascended
Bahh who was still held a prisoner in 'AkkB, into the Abh& Kingdom.
Palestine. Vaffa was not an eloquent speaker but no
After 13 years their cherished longing came one who met her failed to hear about the
true and they, with their chiidren, found glorious Message and to be brought dose
tl~emselveson the way to visit 'Abdu'i-B&&. to its spirit. She followed the instruction of
.
Their visit was an extmded one, a period of the Master explicitly to ". . consider her
some eight months, and during their stay audience like beautiful birds waiting to hear a
they expressed the wish that when 'Abdu'l- wonderful melody, and herself like an organ
Baha came to America He should make their played on by invisible bands, and be sure ta
home His place of stay. take this attitude because you are alive by
When 'Abdu'l-Bahh paid a visit to America the breath of the Holy Spirit." Both. Vaffa
in AprB of I912 there were many friends at and her husband were designated as "PiIlars
the dock to greet Him. 'Abdu'l-Bahk however, of the Cause of God", by the Guardian, who
sent word for the friends to leave the dock bad written to them a ie~teterin which he
and that He would meet with them at the stated, "The Cause of God in North
Rinney home in the aftexnoon. He theil called America ~ 4 l remainl seang in the hands of
for Mr. Kini~eyto come onto the ship to see such lion-hearted and staunch believers as
Him, and later that after110011the first meeting yourselves."
with the Master in ArneriwLtook place in the
Kinney home, During His stay the Master CURTIS D. KELSEY
told Mrs. Iunney, "I am returning your visit,
but nhile I am in your home I will be the host
and you will be the guests." For many days
and nights people came to meet with 'Abdu'l-
Bahk, a i d the Kinneys spared neithcr time,
effort nor money to have everything as well
arranged for 'Abdu'l-Baht as possible.
.'i
WORLD I
I

HARLAN FOSTER OBER this promulgation of &vine teachings attracts
1881-1962
heavenly confirmation. Soon ye shall consider
what a profound effect it shaLl exert and what
a manifest sign it shall display,"
On May I, 1312 Barlan was present at the
Harlan Foster Ober came into the Faith a laying of the foundation stone by 'Abdu'l-
young man just out of college. At that time B&& of the Ma&iqu't-A&kks in Wilmette;
there were no Spiritual Assemblies, local or on May 1, 1953, just forty-one years later, he
national, and all teaching was on an mljrely took part in the program o f dedication 01
individual basis, guided by Tablets froin this "Mother Tenlplc oE the West." And in
'Abdu'l-Bahfr. The fire of the love of God San~rary,1958, hc was present at the h y i n g
reached the hearts that were open; Ifarhn's of the cornerstone for the B&$i House of
was one of these. He lived to take an active Worship in Kampala, Uganda the "Mother
part as a pioncer iin Shoghi ERendi's Ten Temple a£ Africa."
Year plan, to see the growth of the Ad- ffmlan was born on October 6, 1881 in
ministrative Order from its beginnings to Beverly, Massachusetts, in a wdl-known and
a stsucturc of fifty-six National and Regional highly-respected New England family. His
Spiritual Assen~biiesat the time of his death, mother, Macena Harmon. Ober, was a school
and to see the Faith established all over the teacher before her marriage. His father,
world. Harlan ivas always actively engaged in George Oliver Qber, was in the shoe business
B W i service. The period of this service which Auctuated considerably in these yeazs.
covered .fifty-seven years, a unique and out- Hxlan wried his way tlvough college and
standing record as B a w l teacher and devoted, graduated from Harvard University, receiving
steadfast, inspired and inspiring worker in the his B. A, degree in 1905. In his biography for
Faith of Bahk'u'liah. the Harvasd Class of 1905 Fiftieth Axmiuer-
'Abdu'l-Baha wrote to Harlaa on June 24, s a ~ yReport he wrote:
1919: "'Although lectures bad been given on this
"Today the stirring power that exhibits subject [the Baha'i Faith] at Phillips Brooks
itself throughout aU regions is .the power of House, I had not heard of it while at college.
the Covenant which, like unto the artery, After about nine months of investigation, I
beats md pulsates in the body of the world. recognized the truths unfolded in its mow-
H e who Is firmer ia the Coveaant is more ment. Dui-kg the following year T travelled t o
assisted, just as ye are manifestly witnessing the Holy Land, Egypt, Ti~ldia,and Burma
how firm souls are enkindled, attracted and which gave me an opportunity to discover
confirmed. at first hartd the application of the Bahii'i
"Stri~e, therefore, day and night &at ye Faith. I also lectured on the BakB'i Faith
may cause the hearts to become fium and ill colleges, in Young Men's Christian As-
resolute. The journey of teachers to different sociations, forums and other public meet-
parts is like unto the rays of the sun which i n g ~ . ' ~
radiate from a cenlhal point to the surrou~iding Harlan was not only a graduate of Harvard
regions and undoubtedIy gieat illumination University but held a Iaw degree from
will be obtained.-' Northeastern University in Boston, Mass-
Thus Harlan Ober's path was early chafted achusetts.
by 'Abdu'l-BaM. On July 17, 1422 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself
In a Tablet sent at the same lime "To the united in marriage Grace Robarts of Cznada
members of the Executive Board of the and Harlan Foster Uber. 'Abdz~'l-Bah&sug-
Ma&riquYl-A&k&rW, of which Rarlstxl was gested this marriage and these two dwoted
then president, 'Abilu'l-BW wrote: believers were immediately and joyously
"Pxaiso be to God, tkat ye have been obedient to His wish. The simple Sah&'i
confirmed with such a supreme bounty and service took place at 309 West 78th Street,
have arisen with all your power in the service New York City, and was followed later that
of the X(ingdom, which is no other than service same day by a legal ceremony performed by
to the oneness of Ihe world of humanity. the Reverend Howard Colby Ives (not yet a
The magnet attracts unto itself the iron, while BahB'i), in the presence of friends from East
IN MEMORIAM

2nd West. Description of this event stated National Spiritual Assembly of the B a i s
in part (Star o j flze West, Vol. 3, No. 12, of the United States and Canada for three
p* 14): years (1838-41) m d on several national
"Never before in Plmerica had such a committees.
wedding a s this been eitnessed. All seemed The BahB'i Ten'emple Unity Board's consritu-
to feel the power of the Holy Spirit," tion states that it was drawn up by "the
The prayer, chanted by 'Abdu'i-Bahh, was BahB'i Assembiies of North America, inanity
revealed for Harlan and Grace: convened at the CiLy of Chicago, to tke end
'"lory be unto Thee, 0 nly God! Verily, that we may advance the Cause of God in this
this Thy scrvant and this Thy maid-servant western hemisphere by the founding and
have gathered under the shadow of Thy mercy erection of a TempIe with service accessories
and they are united through Thy favor and dedicated to Ria Holy Name, arid devoted to
generosity. 0 Loxd! Assist .them in this Thy His love i11 the service of mankind." Its oi-iject
world and Thy Khgdom and destine for them was "to acquire a site for and erect a?ld
every good through Thy bounty and grace. xnai31tain thereon st Sah8'i Tel~lplcor I~la&-
0 Lord! Confirm them in Thy servitude and riqu'l-A&k&f, service accessory build-
assist them in T I I ~service. S u k them to ings, at Chicago, Ill., in accordance with the
become tfie signs of Thy Name in Thy world declared wish of 'Abh'l-Bahd."' The Execu-
and protect then1 through Thy bestowals tive Board consisted of nine members, elected
which are inexhaustible in this world stnd the at the c2nnual Convention. This work was
world to come. 0 Lord! They are supplicating taken over by the National Spicitud Assembly
toward the Kingiiom of Thy mercifuIltess and of the Bahi'is of the United States and Canada
inwking toward the reaim of Thy singbness. when it was estabiished in 1922.
Veriiy tiley are married in obedience to 191y It was fronz Harlan and Grace's home, at
command. Cause them to become the signs 37 nowbridge Street, Canibridge, Mass-
of harmony and unity until the end of time. achusetts, a room of which was given over to
Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the Omni- the office of the National Teaching Conlmitke,
present and the i41n1ighty !" that the first Teaching Bulletin, dated Noefem-
The marriage certificate was signed by ber 19, 1919 was issued. This bulietin evolved
'Abdu'i-Bahk, M, Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney into the U.S. Bahd'i niervs.
and the Reverend Howard Colby Tves. Several Harlan was chairman of the Local Spiritual
years after their marriage R a h md Grace Assembly in several cities as he moved about.
adopted three children, of English, German As such he was inslrumentai in obtaining the
and Russian back-grounds. There are aow incornoration of the Spiritual Assemblies of
seven grandcl-rilhn and a great-grand- the BahB'is of Boston, Mass, and o f Bevalji,
chiid. Mass. He also assisted in obtaining the
During 'Abifu'l-BahB's stay in America He marriage lice~~se issued by the Common-
visited Green Acre, in August, 1912, the wealth of Massachusetts in 1946, ar~thor-
nineteenth year of its existence. Of this visit izing the Spiritual Assenlbiies of the 4361rb'is
Harlan wrote: of Massachusetts to solemnize BahZi mar-
" 'Abdu'l-Baha rescued the Green Acre riages.
Conferences from oblivion . . . His talks dealt Numerous teaching trips were made by
with reality and gave a anew direction to Green Harlan over a period of many years tlxough-
Acre." out the United States and Canada. Ezrly in his
With this new direction Harlan and Grace Bahb'i life he planned to spend half his time
and Harlan's close friend and classmate, in teaching and in tfte affairs of the Faith and
Alfred Lunt, had an increasing m o u n t to the other half in earning a living. He -was
do, as they were for many years active in the confumed in this endeavor at every step
BahB'i conferences and schools cal~ledon tbxoughout his life.
there. frtis close friendship with Louis Gregory,
Harlan's early services to the Faith included, outstanding BahB'i tcachcr, who was appoint-
besides diose as president (1919-20) aad ed postliumously first Negro Hai~dof the
secretary (1918-19) of t l ~ eBaha'i Temple Cause of God by Shoghi Effendi, took him on
Unity Executive Board, membership on the many teaching trips to the southera states.
THE B A W A ' W
~ ORLD
Harlan was constantly in demand as a
speaker at Rttce Unity Conferences, at BahPl
Summer and Winter Schools and Conferences
held in the United States and Canada. Of one
of these John Robarts, formerly of Toronto,
nephew of Grace Robarts Ober and now a
Hand of the Cause in Africa, writes:
".. . With a little persuasion Harlan would
begin to tell a story about 'Ahdu'l-B&&, a
hush would settle on the gathering and all
eyes and eaps would bc turned to him. Thea
I knew the conference had begua. Tbe Holy
Spirit, with all its glory and joy, had descended
upon us, Sometimes we wouldn't let him stop
m d be would go on m d on telling us those
beautiful stories, bringing 'Abdu'u'i-B&& right
to us. What til~xesh e were! L am sure I uq7a
my love for 'Abd11'1-BahihP to dear Harlan."
In 1906, Wa1.1an was oneof the rvst Amer-
ican Bahh'is to visit 'Abdu'I-Bahi, who was
still confined in the Turkish prison city of
"Akkh. After returning, Harlan gave a talk
from the notes oi' which tlie following facts
emerge:
When the need arose to send American Harlan Foster Ober
Bai~B'isto India to spread the teachings m d
show that the BahP'i Faith was accepted ia
the West, 'Abdu'l-B&b inquired of Mirza newly-arrived pilgrims to tbe Feast, Harlan
Abir'l-Fadl M ~ I O should be sent. The latter co~tinues :
recomn~endedMr. Hooper Harris, whom he "It was a b o ~ ~ten-thirty
t in the eveniag.
had taught in N e w Yosk City. In due time It iiilpi-essed mc because it was I l k the Lost
a Tablet came to America from 'Abdu'l-Bah& Sapper by konardo da Vincl. 'Abdu'l-BahB
asking that two teachers be sent to India, went around tha long table, heaping high
Mr. Wooper Harris to be one and a companion each plate. Then when ali were served He
to be chosen to go with him. Dr. Wtliarn wdked hack and forth, the Ughts showing
Moore, brother of Mrs. Lua Moore Getsinger, on His face aatd flowing robe, and gave a t a k
was chosen. When Dr. Moore sudden$ died, which He repeated for us fie next morning
Mrs. Getsinger suggested to Hadail Ober at breakfast. While Re was sealing us at the
that Re should go in her brother's place. Harlan Feast, two young Persia inen chanted poem
was delighted at the prospect, and 'Abdu'l- and Tablets. The large room., the long table,
Baila approved the p b . Harlan's family, the varied Oriental costumes, the wonderful
however, had not accepted the Baha'i Faith faces of the believers, the spirit that was
and opposed his trip to h & a , with its dangers present as everyone turned to 'Abd11'1-Baha
f m plague, cholera and cobras, and Harlan etched an uilforgettable picture on our
did not have the means for financing such hearts."
a journey. But money was borrowed by Mrs. It was at this table that Harlan was intro-
Getsinger and on November 110,1906 Hooper duced to, and seated next to, MirzL gaydar-
Harris and Harlan Ober sailed ffom Hoboken, 'Ali.
New Jersey, for Naples and 'Akka. As time passed the two pilgrims faom
They arrived in 'Akkri after dark. When Anlerica grew anxious because nuthing had
'Abdu'l-Btihb came to welcome them that been told them about their trip to India arid
evening>He told &em He was giving a Feasr what they were supposed to do. Twice they
for forty pljgrims from Persia who were spoke to the interpreter (Miss Laura Barney)
leaving the next day, and He invited the two and asked her to speak to 'Abdu'l-BahB about
IN MEMORIAM 869

it. He replied that He would send for them at the Theosophical Society, two listeners
later. Oa the third day He asked then1 to became coa~incedof the truih of Bahh'u'llrih's
come to His room. We then said: Message: one was Dr. Hermann Grossmann,
"1 will now speak lo you about lndia. In now a Hand of the Cause; the other was Frau
Iaclia people believe that God is like the sea Lina Benke, who told her husband, (absent
and man is Like a drop in the sea, or that God from the city whe11 the meeting was held), of
is like the wasp and man is like the woof of what she had learned, He Iater becalnc the
this coat. But the BahB'is belie-ie that God first European BahL'i martyr.
is like the sun and man is Iike a fiirrror fixing Harlan's third pilgrimage to the Holy Land
the sun." was made in 1956, to visit Shoghi Effendi. On
After this was translated to thein, 'Abdu'l- this pilgrimage Harlan was accompanied by
Bah6 began to repeat the statement. Miss his second wife, Dr. Elizabeth Kidder Dber,
Barncy said: " 'Abdu'l-Bah&,1 have already She and HarIan had been married in BeverZy,
told them." Then He said: "Tell them Mass. on .Tune 21, 1941. (Harlan had been
again." Which she did. The11 He e ~ d e dby widowed in 1938). After their pilgrimage they
saying : went to South Africa as planned, and were
"Wheaever di&cult questions or problems able to carry out the wish of the beloved
come to you, turn your hearts to the heart Guardian to help form the first all-African.
of 'Abdu'i-BahA and you wilI receive Local Spiritual Assembly in Pretoria. They
help." returned to the United States to settle their
This was all. that 'Abdu'l-Baha told thein affairs and, in December 1956, settled in
about teaching in India but it was adequate. Pretoria as pioneers. At that time the Guard-
By foilowing His inshilctions, evsry qucstion ian spoke of Harlan as a champion of the
was answered, and oi'ien the answerer was Cause af God.
as astonished as the questioner. The Indian I-larJan was appointed a m e d e r of the
BahB'is were deIighted, and on one occasion Auxiliary Board for Protection in Mica in
when Ms. Harris was speaking to members October, 1957. He served on the National
of rite Arya-Sonlaj they were astonished at Teaching Committee of South and West
the answers. These few words of 'Abdu'l-Bahi Africa for two years. Xn November, 1957 he
were like seeds coming into fruition whenever flew from South Africa to attend the funeral
the hearts were turned to Him. service of the beloved Guardian in London.
Later 'Abdu'l-Bahli told Harlan: "Sexve On his way back he visited the friends in
the people, speak in the meetings, love them Douala, Cameroon, and Luanda, Angola.
in reality not through politeness, e~ilbrace John Robarts' letters teIl of the spirit that
then%as 1 have embraced you. Even if you anbnated Harlan's services:
should never speak, great good wilI be "Harlan wrote inspiring and most loving
accomplished." letters to the friends in his territory. EEe
Concerning this visit to India, "bdu'l-BahB brought 'Abdu'l-BahB close to us with his
wrote in a Tablet to Harlan and Grace Obcar wonderful stories about Him. He had great
dated July I I, 1316: "Truly I say Mr. Qber knowldge, wisdom, life-long experience in
rendered a great service to the Kingdom of the Faith. He bved to answer questions and
God and undertook a long and arduous trip to help others to a better understanding of
to India." The beloved Guardian wrote in the Faith, its signiEcance in the world, its
Gad Passes By that this trip lasted "no less history, its teachings, its believers, its ad-
than seven montl1~". ministration. He was dedicated, devoted,
Harlan's second pilgrimage was in July living a iifc of service. His perception of the
2920, when, with Grace, he visited 'Abdu'l- inner meanings of the tcachiilgs was keen
Bah&in Haifa. They returned via Germany and he could clarify them, often very vividly,
and England, where they had the privilege of so that others could perceive them. I-le always
meeting ShogM EiTendi, then a student at had a ready, merry laugh. He visited the
Oxford University. friends whenever possible. He read and
In Germany, at the suggestioll of 'Abdu'l- studied the teachings constantly and could
Bahti, Harlan and Grace went to Lcipzig to relate them to whatever was the problem at
speak on the BahB'i Faith. At a public meeting hand. His approach in helping othexs to sect
their problems in perspective was heart- The Beloved, whose Cause you are serving
warming. We left one free, aflcr looking with distinction and exemplary fidelity, wilI no
squarely at various aspects, to think out a doubt co~~tinue to bless your high endeavors."
solution and make one's awn decision." In October, 1937 after the passing of Alfred
Another friend writes: "Harlan never tired Lunt, Dr. Zia Ba&da& and Mrs. Mary
of trying to find comrion ground between Hrznford Ford, "outstanding figures in the
.
the believers on which he could build mity. , Cause in America," the Guardian, writing
Harlan would be aglow hv$th joy when he through his secretary, advised Harlan to
spoke about his association with the Master; "remain in the United States and assist in the
so alert was his ~nilldthat he would speak of teaching work there. Your presence i n h e r -
those experiences or nearly fifty years ago ica, he feels, is now absolutely necessary, as
as if they were matters of just .five years the Giends can ill afford to lose the varied
ea-lies." aab rich experiences which they draw
At the end of a few days spent by Elizabeth througir their close association with an old
and Earlan in Lourenco Marques, Mozam- and outstanding teachex like yourself."
bique, a young African friend said: "Tears Shaghi Effendi wrote to Harlan on June 30,
wing their way across my heart at your going." 1938 :
When Harlan passed away, on July 20, ""Dear and prized co-worker:
1965 the Rmds of the Cause in the Holy The vigor, the zest and fidelity with which
Land sent the FolIowing cable, befittingly you are discharging your duties, in spite oE
summing up almost half-a-century of service the severe and crushing blow you have
to this Faith: recently sustained, heighten my admiration
'Tkepest sympathy passing &car Harlan for you and reinforce the ties of brotherly
Ober, devoted, distinguished American bcliev- affectioll that h i t our hearts together. I
er buth Heroic Formative Ages Faith. Early greatly value yottr observations, your ac-
global travels, membership Temple Unity complishments, your motives, your example
Board and later National Assemhiy, historic and the hopes you cherish. . ."
services Africa pioneer Board member unfor- And on June 30, 1939:
gettable. Assure loving prayers Shrine. Hands- "Your letters are so ilIuinating and so
reassuring in thc spirit of selfless devotion,
He is buried in Zandfontein Cemetery, and of exemplaryloyalty which they invariably
Pretoria, next to an African Location in a breathe. Your activities, strivings, vigilance,
valley surrounded by lovely Ithills. patience and accompl:,shments arc invalu-
During a period of over thirty years Harlan able assets for which 1feel genuinely grateful.
received lettexs from Shoghi Effendi which May tlze beloved, whuse Cause you are fur-
guided not only his o m services but aIso thering in so mdny ways and with sucla a
illumined the path of newly-formed adminis- noble spirit, cheer sustain you always,
trative bodies, of committees and of individual and reward you a thousmclfold."
Bah5'is. The first of these, dated February And on Noveaiber 18, 1939:
14, 15124 read: "You are often in my thoughts, in these
". . . Just a word to assure you in person of days of anxiety, stress and turmoil, and your
nzy nffection and esteem and constant prayers work, as a devoted, capable and zealous
for your weifme and success in the service member of the National Spkitual Assembly
of our beloved Cause! May yow bea~~tiful I profoundly and increasingly value. I will
spirit kindle many a receptive heart and may continue to pray for you from all my heart,
the radiance of such lives illumine all the and trust that your highest aspirations in His
coatinent of America. I have great hopes in service will be fully realized. Your true and
both of you and you may rest assured that grateful brather, Shoghi."
our beloved Master is with you always." In October, 1941, after Hulm was not
"I am adding a few words in person in re-elected ta the National Spiritual Assembly,
order to assure you of my great love for you, the beloved Guardian wrote in his postscript:
my deep-felt appreciation of your past and "Now that you are relieved of national
present services, and of my constant prayers administrative responsibilities, 1look forward
for your spiilual advancement and success. to an intensification of your devoted and
IN M E M O R I A M 871

highly appreciated efforts in the teaching
PieEd -a field jn which the American believers
can achieve, in these concluding years of the
First BahP"i Century, their most brilliant
and memorable victories."
In this same letter the Guardian stated, At the time of the passing of Qusayn
through his secretary: Uskuli to the Abhii Kingdom two messages
"Shoghi Effendi entirely approves of the were received from the beloved Guardian:
manner in which you conducted your marriage "Deplore loss ardent steadfast servaat
and feels you did entirely right. . . not having Faith. Fervently supplicating progress soul
m y church ceremony or minister to unite you. Kiagdom. His services unforgettable."
The more we associate wjtl~churches and "Grieve passing dear steadfast promoter
other religious bodies the better, but we Faith Uskbli. Reward great Kingdom. Praying
should not in any way identify oorxselves with progress soul."
their doctrines and usages." E;Tusayn Uskm, a faithful and dedicated
In his Ietter of December 30, 1945 Shoghi Bahb'i and pioneer, was w d 1 - h o r n for his
E h d l said: steadfastness, simple We, and his hospitality
'T was very happy to hear from you and lo friends and non-BahVis, whether in Tabriz,
to learn of your continued and highly 'I&qAbiid or China. He was born in Usku -
vaIued activities in the service of our beloved a township in ~ & i r b 6 ~ j a nnot
, far from
Faith. You are, I assure you, often in my Tabriz - in 1875, and passed away in
thoughts and prayers, and I will continue to Shanghai, China, on February 25, 1956. His
pray from the depths of my heart for the mortal reinains were laid to rest in the
extension of your labors to which I attach Shanghai Kimgwan cemetery.
the utmost iillporlance. Persevere in your He heard of and accepted the Faith through
valued activities, and rest assured that the a noble soul, Mkza EJaydar-'Mi, of the same
Beloved is well pleased wiFh the long recorn town of Uskli, at the age of eighteen. He was
of your distinguished and meritorious ser- born to a nloderately well-to-do family, but
vices." in accepting the Faith had io pay the price
Aftex ths launching of the World Crusade of severe trials at their hands. They opposed
the Guardian wrote to Harlan, though his him bitterly and persecuted him to the extent
secretary: that, after giving up a11 his inherited posses-
" I f by any chance it should seem economi- sions, he left his native place for good. He
cally sound and feasible for you to go to stayed for a while in Tabriz, enjoying his
Pretoria, and assist in the establishment of an new1y-born life anlidst the friends. Soon after,
Assembly there, he feels this would be highly he attained the presence of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and
meritorious." returned from this pilgrimage with fresh zeal;
Accordingly Harlan and his wife Elizabeth wl~ereverhe settled he soon distinguished
weut to Pretoria the followiug year. In the himself by his active service and devotion.
Guardian's last letter to them dated January After marrying he moved with his family
4, 1957 he said: to 'TshqAbkd, renlaining there many years,
"Nay the Bdoved bless your meritorious and serving as a member of the Spiritual.
smices, aid you to overcome all obstacles, Assembly, the BahA'i School committee, the
and enrich the ~ecordof your past achieve- Ma&riquSl-Aakrir and Welfare committees.
illents for the promotion of His Faith and One of the joyous experiences of those days
thc consolidation of its institutions." in Turkistan, our father orten used to relate,
was tile visit of a groixp of American Bahli'is
in 1908 to the h.la&riqu'l-A&k&r and the
friends in 'Iaqkbkd, when father with some
other friends went to Krasnovodsk, a Caspian
seaport, to welcome them.
In 1914 Uusayn UskulitraveIcd to Shanghai,
China, first with two Bah&'i friends and later
with I-iis family. I-Fe settled permanently in
IN MEMORIAM 873

dl the clmnges the years have brought. He
also greatly admires your devoted daughter
and son-in-law. He hopes you will keep in
good health, and that you will meet with
success in your work, and assures you of his
prayers, . . .
"May the Almighty bless your highly
meritorious eTorts, guide and sustain you
in your historic task, and enable you to
enrich the record of your splendid services.

Your true brother,
SHOGHI."

With. what joy and radiant spirit f;Xusaycl
Us@U must have ascended to the Kingdom
Beyond on his release from the mortal cage
in his eighty-Grst year, with such a blessed
record of services to the Holy Threshold!

Albert R. Windust

ALBERT R. WINDUST
the fourth grade level. He ended his fornlai
1874-1956 education in the sixth grade. Despite this,
Albert Windust during his life attained a
"Deeply grieved passing much loved greatIy depth of knowtedge anand spirimal wisdom
admired staunch ardent promoter Faith, reached by very few.
Albert Windust, Herald Covenant, whose At the age of fourteen Albert becane ail
notable services Heroic Formative Ages apprentice in the printing firm where his
Faith unforgettable. Assure friends relatives father worlced. The following Noveinher his
fervently supplicating progress s o d King- mother died.
dom. His interest in nature awakened a desire
SHOGHI" to draw, and he became a pupil at Chicago's
Art Institute. Through associations made in
Albert Robert Windust was horn oil the printing business, he illiustrated storks of
Chicago's west side a& Hull House on many authors, including Opie Read and H.
March 28, 1874. His parents were Thorns Rider Haggard.
and Sarah SheEeid Windust. His father was Albert had an iiiquisitive and questioilil~g
a printer, who, shortly a f t a Albert was born, nature. He learned of aad became interested
moved with his family to a section of Chicago in the BahB'i Faith. Word of this came to the
known as WoodIawn. They were members ears of the minister of the Methodist Cl~wch
of the EpiscopaI Church. Mrs. Windust, a of which he was a member. The sermon the
school teacher and a very actlvc church follov~ingSunday dealt with following false
worker, was the founder of the First Christ gods. While the sermon thundered around his
Church of Woodlawn (Episcopalianl. ears, Albert Windust heard xhe words of the
In his early years, Albert Windust was not Lord that had been said to Abraham: "Get
physically strong and this may have accounted thee olit of thy country, and from thy kindred,
for the fact that he had very little formal and from fhy father's house, unto a land that
schooling. He was tutored in his early y e a s I will shew the." He left the church.
by his mother and entered a public schooI at Thorntou Chase, the first American believer,
874 T H E B A M A ' ~W O R L D

became instrumental in attracting a small tbia of U~riversaEP e ~ c eAlbest
. also helped in
group, among them iylbert who, in 1897, the compilation a d publication of the first
became a Bahai and gave undeviating devo- five volumes of The Bnhd'i World for tl~e
tion to the Faith, until the day of his death. years 1925 to 1933,
He was unqmtionabIy oile of its stxongest In 1431 he made a pilgrimage to the Holy
and most competent servants. No activity Land to visit the Shrines of BaWu'll&~and
that concerned the Cause in America but the Bkb and to see the Guasdian of the Faith,
was sirongly ii~Auencedby his devoted efforts. Shoghi Effendi. He deemed it a privilege he
In 1900 he married Lucy Roberts and they was cllosen by Shoghi Effendi to carry to the
had three daughters, Sarah, IsabeUc and Ethel, Moly Land the twenty original Tablets of the
The list of Albert Windust's achievements Bkb reproduced in ShoghiEfYendi's translation
for the BahB'i Faith is a long one. He was a of The Dawra-Breakers,published in 192.
member of the iirst Spirirual Assembly Albert, fmm the nioment be beard of the
(Chicago). This body enjoyed the distinction BahB'i Faith, was active in spreading it in
of bearing the m m e of BapuZ'Adl (House Anier-ica. He was a deep student of the
of Justice) and was so addressed by 'Abdu'l- Writings, an able speaker, a psofouad teacher
BaM in a series of Tablets, the fist of which, of the Laws and Ordinances. His classes on
before it was dispatched froni the prison of the Covenant m d B W i Admir~istrationwere
'Akka, had been engrossed by Mishkin-Qalam, most helpful both to newcomers and B d ~ i ' i s
the celebrated Pexsian penman, in $1 the of long association with the Faith. There was
knnwr~forms of Persian writing. a freshness and vigor in his teaching; he
As a member of that itsfirst ,4ssembly, Albert radiated a love that reached the Izearts. Xn his
was active in carrying on correspondence with every-day life he demonstrated the power of
the BahB"l'sof the Orient which led to building the revealed Word o f BahB'uYZl5h,
the BahB'i House of Warship in the United Albert Robert Windust will long be
States. Through letters between the B&B'is of remembered. The inspiration of his faith and
'I&qabad, Russia, and the "House of devotion bas without doubt moved a great
Spirituality" in Chicago, news was received many souls into the orbit: of the Faith of
concerning the erection of the House of BWu'llAh. Here was a m n who was truly
Worship in 'X&qabBd. This activity had been a channel of a grcat spirituat force - it
initiated by 'Abdu'I-BaMand was is awelous shoaile in his countenance. Its rabrance was
means of stimulating the work OF the Cause felt by all who knew him and its influence
in America. Albert Windust was a member spread to all with wlmm he came in contact.
of the committee 'tvllicfi drafted the supplica-
tion to 'Abdu'l-BahB asking per~nissionto
exect a BakXi Rouse dWorship in the United
States.
AIbert became the first publisher of the
Writings of' the Faith in America. He printed
booklets, early editions of prayers, and the PRITAM SINGH
Hid& Words of BahihC'u711&; in 1910 he 1881-1959
founded ruld started printing the fist Baha'i
montl~lypublication, Star of the West. In its Professor Pritarn Singh will always occupy
early years this pahlication carried a Persia~ a unique position in the history of the BahB'i
section. The Star of the Wesr was circulated Faith in the Indian subcontine~~tas the
in the Orient m d thus served to bring the first member of the Sikkr commzu~ityof India
oriental and occidet~tal B W i s into close to accept B&ri'uYllAh as the Pronlised One.
conlcl. Be gathered and publir;h& the well- After accepting the Faith he devoted his
known t h m volumes of Tablets of 'Abdu'd- entire Ijfe to the promotion of the Cause of
Bahti from Tablets written to the Bahgis in Bahk'u'll6h. A very great number of people
North America. He also ass~stedHoward of this country who have heard about the
MacNutt in publishing the addresses of Faith did so though Professor Pritarn Singh,
'Abdu'l-Bat& delivered in the United States for he Qavelcd Far and wide to tile remotcst
and Canada, in 1912, under the title Prumuka- corners of this country in is service.
IN M E M O R I A M 875

Professor Ritam Singh was born on Novern-
ber X 6,1881, in the family of a judge in Sidkot
City, now in West Pakisthn. We studied in
Amcitsar, the holy city of Sikhs, and later on
in Lahore he rcceived his higher education
in the University of Punjab. From 1905 to
1908 he was a teacher in the Achison College,
Lahore. It was during this period that
he came in contact with Mkrza h?&mlld
Zarqani, a distinguished Bahfi'l teacher and
the compiler of the famous diary of 'Abdu'l-
Bahi's travels to Europe and America.
Later on in Bombay he met MirzB Mebram,
md through the blessings of BWu311~h was
wan over to the Faith. Meanwhile, in 1908
for his postgraduate studies, he went to
Cdcutta to receive his Master's Degree in
Economics from that fa~nousUniversity. He
became Reader of Econoinics in the Univer-
sity of Allahabad from 1917 to 1920. Up to
1927he continued to be a professor in various
universities, but his m a h interest was to
teach the Faith of Bah;i'u'll&h to his colleagues
and students and to spend most of his time in
promoting its interests. Therefore, he gave
up 11;s profession and served BahA'u'llah,
Professor P r i t m Singh belonged to a
wertltily family. His family was embarassed
that he, with all his brilliant career and bright
future, should leave not only his colnfo&db12 National Assembly for a number of years.
way of life, but also his hereditary religion. His contribution to thc Administrative Order
Therefore, ihey started to place Professor of B&iA'u'Ilah in this land is as outstanding
Pritam Singh under economic and other as his teaching work.
pressures. However, when their persuasions, Professor Pritam Singh has left a iastillg
Aavored with the promise of a large fortulle impression in the pages of the history of the
to be bequeathed to him by his father, failed, Formative Age of the Bah5'i Cause in the
they even begged Professor Pritam Singh to Indian subcontinent. He, almost single-
remain a Bahsi if he wanted to, but at least handed, established a BahB'i weekly, to be
far t l ~ esake of the reputation of the fam~ly, numbered among the fist BahB'i period-
to give up his ptzblic Icctlxres and tmching icals of the world. The namc of this
tours. But the love of God was more precious periodical was "The Bah$'i." Be was a
to him than all the fortunes of the world. His disting.iisbehed writer. Some of his articles
firmness in the Faith did. not waver with dl have been printed separately after their
these thrcats and persuasions. I-Ie asked his publication in various BahA'il magazines,
brothers to take care of all the wealth belong- such as "The World Order," "Kaukab-e-
ing to him and he, with freedom from all Hind," "Payambar," etc. Being well-versed
worldly attachments, engaged himself iio t l e in Persian, he acted as a unique interpreter
service of BahB'u'lEh to his very last breath. to famous BahB'i teachers of frkn, visiting
On August 25, 1959 he died as a pioneer in India. He was also a companion of Mrs. Keith
Amritsar in the vicinity of the famous Golden Ransom-Kelder, Miss Martha Root, Mr.
Temple of Sikhs. He was buried as a BahB'i. Siegfried SchopRocher and others in their
He was one of the earliest secretaries of the Indian tours. Perhaps nobady else in this
National Spiritual Assembly of the B~ahiiis subcontinent has visited so many universities,
of Tndia and continued to be a n~en~ber of the colleges, clubs, societies, regional and national
I
876 T H E B A R A ' . ~W O R L D I

conferences throughout the length and breadth following which she spent several years in
af India, Bmma, and P&kisth, as Professor sacid work,
Pritam Singh did. Possessing a beautiful lyric soprano voice,
As a token of the appreciation of the Bahgis she left England to pursue her musical studies
of the country for his memorable services to in Paris. It was here she learned of the BaM'i
the Cause of God, the National Spiritual Faith. In a short time, after she had become
Assembly has made plans to erect a tomb for a deeply wnfirn~edbeliever in the Teachings
Professor Pritam Singh in Amritsar. of RahB'u'litih, she was inflamed with a desire
On hearing the news of his passing to the to visit 'Abdu'bBahB, who was at that time
Abl.16 Kingdom, the Bahgis of the subcon- in Egypt. She wrote to Rim, expressing her
tinent held memorial meetings and prayed for longing to see Him, and her happiness knew
the progress of this precious soul, itho \+as no bounds when she received permission to
lovingly called by them ' W i t a m Kaka'" make the pilgrimage.
(Uncle). The Wands of the Faith in the Holy Time and again her carefully laid plans to
Land communicated to the BahB'is of India travel to Egypt met with delays, but at last
the following cable expressing their sorrow she set out Lo realize her fondest desire. From
over the loss of such a distinguished servant this moment her will was gently laid at the
of Bahri7u"lEh: feet of 'Abdu'l-Babd. Henceforth He m7i?s her
"Grieve Ioss outstanding Indian believer guide and her Master.
Pritaln Singh, distinguished teacher adminis- From America there came to Egypt n tail,
trator Faith much loved praised by bebved dark, Negro Baha'i, his h e a ~burning
t with love
Guardian. His devoted, untiring services so and an all-consuming desire to serve the Faith.
long period so many fields unforgettable. He too had met with many delays in his
Praying shrines rich reward Kingdom." attempt to reach the goal of his heart's desire,
'Abdu'l-Baha. Thus Louis Gregory and
Louisa Mathew's pilgrimages coincided,
Louisa llad to return to Paris before sailing
to America. Thus it was that she met 'Abdu'i-
Bahi again in France, and came to America
in 1312.
It was in h e r i c a that one day 'Abdu'l-Bahh
LOUISA MATHEW GREGORY summoned Louisa and Louis Gregory to His
1866-1956 presence. He asked Louisa if she liked Louis.
She stammered, "Yes." He further questioned
"Grieved news passing faitlIfu1, consecrated her, "Do you love Louis?" She replied, "Yes,
handmaid 'Abdu'l-BahP. Confident rjcl~re- as a E M i friend." To Louis, 'Abdu'l-Ball5
ward Kingdom. Pioneer services highly put the s m c questions aild received similar
meritorious. answers, Then 'Abdu'l-B&& piaced t b i r I
SHOGN~" hands together and married them in New I
York, on September 27,1912. This became a
This cablegram attests the value of the tangible evidence of the power of the BaWi
teaching services performed by Louisa Mathew Faith to wipe out the barrier of color in
Gregory in the pioneering M d of the Bahk'i marriage, a symbol of the Will of God as
Faith. expressed by Xbdu'l-BahA, and a living
Born Louisa Mathew, on F e b ~ u a ~1,1866
y demonstration of the keynote of the unity
in southernEngland, she was raised in a Iarge, of the races as sa-unded by Babii'u'likh*
comfortably wealthy family. Her paents were Many were the cruel strictures which an
very advanced and liberal in their attitude unthinking and blindly prejudiced generation
toward education. Louisa not only received inflicted upon thcm. 'Abdu'l-BahB was once
the conventional education of a girl. of that infom~edby a visitor in Haifa that, "It is not
time, but was permitted to attend Cambridge easy for them to travel together, and some-
University. There she studied economics and times they cannot go to the same hotel." The
languages, as well as voice c u l t u ~ ' ~She
, Master rcplied ernyhatica& that at Haifa
received her Certificate of Education in 1895, they would bc received with open arms.
IN MEMORIAM 877

Thxoughout the many years of their marriage,
whether together in the northern states or in
Haiti, or separated as they followed their
individual paths of service in the southern
states a ~ in d Europe, these two radiant sods
kept the underlying significance of their union
forever in their hearts. In a letter of July I ,
1416, Louis wrote:
"My darling Wife:
". . , Recdved a long, interesting and
beautifd letter fron~ Mrs. Brittingbam. . .
Reading this, I was most happy, as well as
thankful to recall what was once told me by
Mrs. True. She says that 'Abdu'i-Bahi was
asked by sonleone about our marriage and
repltierl: 'Those two souls fowd each other.'
"How gratefd we should be to God for
His great bomty and protection! This also
explains some dificulties we have h a 4 and
how by divine Kaavor, oar lives grow more and
1110re halmn~oaious.. ." ln 1920, 'Abdu'l-BahB
wrote to Louisa:
"0thou revered wife of his honor, Gregory!
Do thou consider what a bounty God hath Louisa Malhew Gregory
bessowed upon thee in giving thee a husband
like Mr. Gregory who is the essence of the
love of God and IS a symbol of guidance. . ," to the united States; she indicated in her lettes
In addition to the i115~11ybounties bestowed that she would remain at her teaching post
upon her by 'Abdu'l-BahB and Shoghi Effendi if he so desired. So confident was she that the
d~iringihe Iifetime OF her dear husband, she Guardian would grant her permission xhgt
was iiestined to survive him and witness that she booked her passage. But sa the day
the Guardian of the Faith had conferred upoa before she mas to leave, a letter came from
hrm the highest rank possible: after his death Hitifa saying tkrit he wished her to remain in
he became the first Negro Hand of the Cause. Sofia, and that lie hoped there might be a
f ~ b1927, %vfUhenLouis was devoting every strongly coilffrmcd group of beIie\rexs before
momcnt of his tinle to extmsive teaching she left. He wrote that he hoped Bulgaria
trips rhrougbout the United States, Louisa would beconie illumined and illuminate all.
turned her steps toward Central Europe and the Balkans. Altllough Louisa had believed
joined Marion Sack in Sofia, B~rlgaria. In that the group could carry on without her,
April, 1928 with Martha Root, she attended she cancelled her passage a ~ i dn~tzdeplans to
the Esperanto Congress at Prague. It was in be away only for the sumnler months. Shc
Sofia that Louisa used a tccbnique of finding wrote to a friend, "1 could not leave after
belzevers which has subsequently been used by srlch a message !"
Baha7s throughout the world. She gathered Again she joined Martha Root, this time
about her you;ng students and business men, in Belgrade, Yugoslsvzvia. From Belgrade she
who wexe interested in learniilg French, journeyed to Vienna to render much-appre-
English or Espc~aato.After her classes were ciated assistance, later returning ta Sofia,
firrnIy esl-ablished, shc selected hose who where she remained until sure the foundations
were receptive to the Faith, and from these nf the Faith were secure.
she formed a new cIass to study the Teachifigs the German BahFi
In 1932, after atfei~din~g
of Baha'u'li&h. Convention at Essliyen, Louisa returned co
Summer, 1928 when thc heat of the city the States, She and Louis then spent their
became almost unbearable, Loulsa wrote to summer-s at Eliot, Maine, near the Grxrr.
Shoghi Effendi asking permissioii to return Acre Bah2i Sumia~erSchool. and eventualiy
T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

this becanle their permanent home. Here they EDITH DE BONS & JOSEPH DE BONS
welcomed people of d I races and religious 1878-1959 1871-1959
backgrounds, and fwnished a unique iaspira-
tion to all who came in contact with i
them. Dr. Joseph de Bons was bora in Switzerknd
Louisa Gregory was shy and modest. She on July 31, 1871 where he later became very
felt that her contribution to the Bahk'I Faith successful in his profession. Edith McKay de
was to be made through "living the life*" Bons had lived most of hex youthfui yeas in
Whether in Europe or America, her teaching Paris with her wldowcd mother, Madame I
work was always with individuals or smaLl Mark-Louise McKay. Edith had studied at
groups. She wrote: the Conservatory in Paris for several years
"I fsel that our uninlportant selves can and took singing Icssons. She began her
somehow achieve more than we &earn of. singing career with Maclanit! Marie Rsge of
even by rhe fact of trying o w little best td the Opexa of Paris, and was also instructed
lead a Bah&'i life snd our feeble efforts t o give by Massenet m d Cavallo.
the Message, even without being speakers I will quote from Edith de Boas' o m diafy
in large gatherings. . . . We must alI do our to describe her life as a Baha'i:
best to prodaim the Cause to the extent of "It was in 1900 that 1 became rt B&&'i:
our capacity, and feel the importance or this T was 21 years old, One e~~ening (it was
time when the urgency i s so great." Christmas) I was invited to my godfatheres
There existed for Louisa two great shining home and on entering the salon 1 saw an
loves which dominated her life - h a love angelic creatuxe. It was May Bolies, who later
for the Faith and her love for hex husband. became May Maxwell, the 111other of RGbiyyih
One codd aimost say that they were synony- Khanun~,A nlysterious foi-ce drew me to her
mous. and I said: 'I believe that you have something
The life of Louisa Gregory is one which to tell me'. 'Yes,' she said, 'I have a message
wilI continue for generations to inspire othexs. for you,' She then disclosed to me this secret,
She walked the thorny pathway of life, serene which was the Eah5i'i Faith.
in the knowledge that God had o r d ~ n e dfor "I saw her maay titnes, and she taught me
her that path and no other. Never did her the marvelous story of the Faith: the advent
feet deviate. She walked unhesita.tingly of the Bab, of BabL'uY~h,of 'Abd~l'i-$ah&
through the bigotry md prejudice which were whom she had gone to see in Efaifa. I accepted
freely strewn in her way. With consummate the Faith and became the first beJiever in
dignity she became an example of sdf- Paris. l always considered Mrs. Maxwell
sacrifice and radiant yielding to the decree as my spiritual mother.
of God, living out the years of her long life "Later, my m o k , Madame Marie-Louise
far from the comfort and security she h e w McKay, also became a BahB'i, as did my
as a girl in her English countryside home, fxiends H. Dreyfus and his wife, Madame
to stand hand in hand with the husband she L. Dreyfus-Barney, Edith Srurde~son,and
felt was her "gift from God." others. Thus was formed the small ~ O L I P ,
The end of this earthly life for Louisa fervent and full of zeal, to whom one day
Mathew Gregory came on May 20, 1956. 'Abdu'l-Bahii sent this message:
She was laid to rest beside her husband 'To the servallts and Handmaids of God
Louis, (see Tha Baizd'i Warid, Volume MI, in Paris: He is God. O my dear Friends, all
page 666) inMount Pleasant Cemetery, Eliot, the peoples of the world seek the shade og the
Maine. fig tree which Jesus condemned, bat you are
under the shade of the Tree of Life, in the
Center of tine Paradise of Guidance. R o w
great is your favor in the Kingdom of God
that such grace and such blessing have beea
vouchsafed to you! Know ye to appl-eciate
them a ~ axise
d to accomplish that which
beseenls such a condition. Ail 1nc11stre asleep;
you are awake. All eyes are blind; yours are
seeing. All ears are deaf; your hearing is cleat..
A11 tongues are mute; you are eloquent.
All humanity is dead, and you are full of life,
vigor and force ilxough the benefits of the
Holy Spirit. Render thanks unto God, and,
according to His divine teacl~ings,be merciful
and benevolent to all. With all your soul and
with all your heart, be kind to your fellow-
men. My blessings and praise be upon each
one of you.'
"Next year, 1901, 1 pessuaded my mother
to make a pilgrimage to Kaifa, and dter
a short stop in Cairo, where we met other
believers, we arrived in the Holy Land.
"Several BahB'is were waiting for us at
the port, and brought us to the house of Dr.
and Mrs. Getsinger. It was evening, and we Ioseph and Edith de Boris
were to meet the Master at noon next
day.
"After a restless night, we gathered in the
dining room, when suddenly we heard a many questions asked and answered, kt%
sonorous voice ~7hichwe were never to forget, were children in the Cause and needed to
saying: 'Welcome, welcome!' All an our l e a n very much. It was in Haifa that I made
knees, we wept with joy and 'Abdu'l-Bahg the acquaintance of those adn~irablewonlen-
received us with infinite kindness. We then the sister of 'Abdu'l-BahB, the Greatest Holy
took place at the table a ~ He,
d having broken Leaf, and His wife, the Holy Mother, Our
the bread, servcd us with His heavenly Guardian was then aa adorable little baby,
smile. so charming and intelligent. Tlse Master was
"Those were two wonderful weeks. We always ready to give us an audience; some-
would go each morning very early to the times He asked to be alone with us, and
Master's house and He would teach us. although we could not converse, they were
answering our nuinerous questions, explaining heavenly moments.
the scripturesand many things we had ignored. "Then came the time to leave. . . to leave
There were always two or three ii~teqreters this Paradise. But we took in o w hearts so
for different languages. After that, the Master nzdny precious things that our anguish was
would dictate His Tablets, often two or three appeased. f came back to Paris and we
at the same time, answering hundreds of started again our meetings with the friends.
letters which He xeeeived; then all of a sudden A year latcs, my mother being very tired, we
He would rise and go towards tire door where decided to go to Switzerland. We chose Sion
a crowd was waiting for Him, He would the11 in the Canton of T'alais, where the friends
go to town, visiting the poor and the sick had a little pension. It was there that I met
and healing them. I witnessed some of these him who later became my husband, Dr. Joseph
miraculous healings. de Bons.
"One day He invited us to come to Bahji; "My husband belonged to a very Cathalic
another day on Mount Carmel to IElija11's family; his father was a jtrdge. 13e was a great
cave. He walked ahead of us, with a light mountaineer and made twice the ascent of
brisk step, turning round once in a while, to hiatterhorn with Whymper. tTery capable in
address some work to us. his profession, he had the opportunity to
"Sonletimes the Master would ask me to treat at Zermatt the &ah of Persia, \vho
sing ia the evening on the terrace of the house, decorated him. It was a Persian BilZlA'f friend,
so that He could hear my voice from His o m member of the party of the Persian Embassy
house. I sang 'Holy City' which He liked in Cairo, who soIe~nnlyhanded to him the
very much. decoration.
"How many lessons were learned! How "He was very fond of nature, especially of
880 THE BAHA

flowers. He bad a deep faith, though detached prove the bdievers in such a way that those I
from the Church. As soon as I gave him the who ase not entirely sincere will not be able

~
I
BahB'i message, he accepted it with enthu- to stand the tests. A believer is like gold which
siasm. Two years after the birth of our
daughter Mona, tve both made a pilgrimage
is tested by fire; the more he is burnt, the more
beautiful and pure he will become; but copper,
i
to the Holy Land to see the Master. passed through fire, becomes black and decom-
This time it was in ' A k k A that we found poses. The Cause is now like a tmy seed
Him." planted in the ground. It is invisible, but soon
In a letter from Hotel Carmel, Haifa, the seed will become a tree and its branches
Palestine, on February 5, 1906 my mother will ovesslladow the earth. A believer is like a
wrote: "Here I am again waiting impatiently
for the blessed hour!. . .
soldier who goes into ths combat: the brave
one will resist ail day, but the fearful one will
1!
".. . A believer came to tell us that the rrin away at the firsr shot.' !
Master was miring for ns and we at once "Today the Master distributed alms to a
took a carriage for 'Akkii. The carriage number of poor at His doon. Unfortunately,
bomced on the cobblestones and stopped at we.were not permitted to see this moving sight,
a kind of fortress. We got off and were met for, because of the govzrnment, we must not
at the door by a believer who showed us into be see11 in the street with Zlim.
a large room placed at oru disposal. We "February 9th. Alas, today is the last day!-
rested a little while, and then 1 went to greet the end of this wonderful dream, for here, it
the family. Presently I heard the voice! Oh seeins that life ends and it is drcady tke peace
that voice, so well knonn, the memory of of heaven that begins.
which had never left me! My feelings were "This morning T was permitted to come to
stifling me. . . At last He was before me, the Master's room very early; the hmily and
speaking words of welcome. T threw myself the servants gathered there for morning
at His feet and hssed His hai~clswhich he prayers. The Master was sitting on the divan
stretched out to nle in His loving kindness. in the comer of the room, showing fifth kind-
We passcd to our room, where my husbal~d ness their place to each new arrival. Being
was waiting. Thc Master came rorward, while phced almost directly opposite Rim, I dared
my husband prostrated himself and the Master surreptitiously lo lift my eyes to His counte-
embraced him with ineffable kindness; the nance. No words are able to render the
emotioa of the believers was indescribable. beauty, the holy r~adianceof that unique
We gassed to the table placed on a slnaIl Being, The eyes especially were extraordinary:
balcony overhanging a kind of oriental now penetrating and as piercing as steel, now
verandah. At the table were the Master, a of ineffable sweetness. A lofty brow, deeply
believer, an Italian governess who taught the fui-rowed- a brow of a thinker and a sage;
believers' children, and u e two. The Master
the waving hair, almost entirely white, de-
introduced us to this lady who was a Catholic, scending to the shoulders; a white b m d , a
saying that her heart was very pure and though thin ascetic face, a mobile and extremely
she was a f another religion, Ile coilsidered sensitive mouth. Qf medium height, the
her as one of us, Far, szid We, only forms Master's departnzent had an e~Qaor&mary,
change, but the basis of d l religions is axe superhuman majesty which sstikes all those
same. We must love all religions and live in who see Him for the fist time. He usually
harmony and love with one another. The passes suddenly from absolute immobility to
difference between the Bah2i Faith and other rhe higI~estpoint of activity. His voice is
Faiths is that thest: last detest one another strong and deep and carries a penetrating
while thc Bah&'i Faith must love the Ruth authority. Five ycars ago I had never heard
which is contained in all other beliefs. the Master laugh, though He always smiled
After these words the Master rose and when His eyes met mine. But this year He
retired. laughed frequently, erjpeeially when talkillg
"February 8th. This morning after break- to my husband and Mr. Woodcock. ETe was
fast, the Master came for a moment into our inade very happy, it was said, by the news
room. He spoke of the tests which we would received: the Cause was making great
have to face in the Cause, saying: 'God will progress,
IN MEMORIAM 88 t

"These unforgettable days over, we retunled Bahii once stayed, will remain as a witness of
to Switzerland, but the Orient drew us the fidelity of these two servants of God in
irresistibly, and presently isc decided to settle the Cause of BaliB'u'lli~h.
in Cairo. hly husband established there his
practice as dental surgeon, and I opened a
schooI of singing. Those itere happy years.
My little daughter was with us and we
associated a great deal with BahB'ls. In Cairo
we were surrounded by friends, and attended
Bahii'i meetings every Friday. Among others
tilere were Abir'l-Fa& Ahn~adYazcll, Mrs.
Staiinard, Miss Riscox.
"The Master, 'Abdu'l-B&A, passed tl~rougl~
AIexandria in 1911 aud we visited Him.. . .
"When the war of 1914 broke oat, we had Dia'u'llAh A~&asz&dihwas born in M i h ,
to leave Cairo w11ere there was no more work Persian Ac&irbAyJ&nin 1880, His father was
for us and the climate too tl-ying for iny al that time already a bdiever, as were other
daughter. Wc returned to Switzeriand in m e m b e r s of his family. His rnacher's family
1916. . . 1 wrote to the Master, telling Hiin were believeis in rhe timz of the Bhb. In about
of my discouragement at nzy falure. He 1845 t l ~ cbvllole family migrated to 'I&qAbbd
aoswred among other things: '. . . Thoa hast iil wbar was then Russian TurkisrBn, and
y~rittenconcerning the errors and negligence there IpiB'u"Il& was vsry active in the BahL'i
of the Swiss people. Before long. thou wilt see community, playing an important role on the
that the Light of atlraction will beco~nc committee responsible for the BahB'i schools.
efficacious in that region and finally that Mr. Asbarztdih made his first piIgrimags
country will be illumined. . . .' to the Holy Land in 1903, where he spent
"And finally, here we are at the end of our several months in the presence of the Master,
lives. My husband, bedridden and very sick, and in 15120 he was a pilgrim far the secoxd
but more Bahri'i than ever. Myself, unable to time. It was on this occasioii that he brought
do the work I should like to do for the Faith. to ffaifa the beautiful silk carpet which the
Nevertheless, we both cherish in our hearts Master personally laid in t l ~ aInner Shrine
the memory of the happy days when the of Bahk'u'llAh. This carpet had been specially
Master wrote to us: woven for the Emir of Bokhara bur on
'0ye two lainps enIightened b y the radiance account of the Russian Revolution it could
of the love of God? Your iettcr has arrived ~ i o lbe &liveled. 5)iB'u'IZAh As&ariadih.
and the conlcnts understood. 'Abdu'l-BahP bought it and b~oughtit with gi-eat difffdty
has deep fove for you and prays in your behaif out of f i ~ ~ s sand
i a throi;,oh lndia to the Holy
that you be assisted in this life and in the Lmd. Sane yeus later Shoghi E%en.dl, rtith
Kingdom. . .' " Bias approval presented it to the Mother
i n November, 1959 in the presence of TeinpIo of the West at Wilmette, where it now
several Bahh'i friends, a monument was hangs m Fuundatio~~ Hall,
inaugurated in memory of Joseph and Edith After his second pilgrimage Piri went to
de Bons. The monument is a great block of live in London where he carried on business
s i l v e ~granite surinounted by a bronze eagle, as a cax-pet me~chmtuntil he pioneered in the
and the eagle was given by tile American Ten-Year Crusade. He knew the beloved
Government to Edith the Bons' father, Colonel Guardian well, wllo loved and trusted him
McKay, for scsvices rendered during the W a greatly.
of Secession. Under the bronze eagle is a In 1921 at the time of the passing of 'Abclu'l-
parchment roll on which ase engraved the Bahi, Mr. As&arzB&h had just rsceived
words of Babiiyu'll&h : pssmission for a further pilgrilnage ar.d when
"Verib we are Exom God and to Him we Ile arrived in Haifa he was given by the
shall return." Guardian the privileged task o l making
This beautiful monument, situated 011 the copies of the Master's Will aiid Testame~t,
sbo1.e~of llie Lake of Geneva where 'Abdu"l- Born the orlginaI document, l o b: sent to
!
'f WORLD
1956 in San Diego, Caiifomia, she departed
from this world. She was born July 16, 1877
in the Hinrdayan mountains in the family of
a British national of Irish descent. The
granddaughter of a distinguished surgeon,
Sir John 1-Pall, K.C.B., she was educated at
Cheltenham College and at Oxford. Shc was
a me~nloerof the Illuminating Engineering
Societies of EngIand and of America, a
foundermember of the Electrical Assodation
for Women, an inventor of color filter
iUunlination which she installed at thc
Barcelona Inkrnadonal Exposition and in
such wosld-famous buildings as the Palais
de Glace, Paris; Sheghestrd's Hotel, Cairo;
the Berkeley IloteI, London; the Fairrnont
Hotel, San Francisco; and in hotels and
expositions of many other countries.
She became a BaWi in P a i s in 191 1, when
'Abdu'i-Bahk was there.
Persia, Turkist5n and other eastern com- "Beatrice Irwin, a blond. young intellec-
munities. tual," Mme. Laura Dreyfus-Barney khas
,4 feiv years later he rnarried an English lady written, "had come to Paris to study her
and they had t h e e daughters. Pi& was an profession.. . She had an unusual gift for
active supporter of the London comunily color and for the use of light and shadow. . .
and was a menlber of the British National To her, beauty was an expression of spiritual-
Spiritual Assembly for various psriods f ~ o m jty. When 'Abdu'l-BahA came to stay in Paris
I925 until 1941. When the Ten-Year Crusade he held small gatberings. . . Beatrice Irwin
commenced in 1952, he was eager to play was often present." Many years later she
his part and before the end of t h P year, recaIied how she had beeil "pi-ivileged to
though well over seventy years of age, he had meet Him daily. . . and to marvel at the
left Pngland and settled in Jersey, one of the universality of His knowledge. . . and the
Channel Islands. Therc he worked actively breadth and depth of Plis sympathy with the
to make the Faith known and made many realities of existence."
friends for the Cause in the island. In 1914 'Abdu'l-Baha revealed for her one
He passed on, still at his past, after an of His nmst important messages on war and
illness of some length, in April 1956. His peace. A closing paragraph contains the
tombstone records that he was a BaWi thenle which, above all others, was the guiding
pioneer and a Knight of Bah2uYW. star of her Life:
"0 people! . . . Hasten ye, hasten ye,
perchance ye may become able to extinguish
with the water of the new-born ideals of
spiritual democracy a d celestial freedom,
this many-flamed, world-consuming fire, and
BEATRICE ZRWIN
through your heaven-inspired resolution you
1877-1 956 may usher in thc golden era of international
solidarity and world confederation,"
"Grieved passing steadfast devoted in- Miss Irwin had endowment and training
defatigablc promoter Faith. Reward assured for a bright and versatile career. A t one time
Kingdom, haying progress soul. she was an actress and played with Sir Henry
Irving and Sir Charles Wyndham. She was
the author of two professional books, The
Sucll was the passport of Beatrice Irwin to New Science of Color and The Gates of Liglit;
the Abhii Kingdom, when, on March 20, of a book of p o r n , The Pagan Trinity;an:!
MORIAM 883

of a collection of BahihB'i poenls and essays
dedicated to 'Abdu'l-BahA entitled He~aEds
ofPeace. Of her, Richard Le Gallienne wrote
that she had the "right to a high place among
living poets." A31 her life she was nmved by
the Master's wish "that you will contime to
pow the pearls of your thought into poetry."
Through her attainments six had access to
Inmy important piatibrrns and leading
personalities. She spoke of the Faith to
H.R.W. Feisal of Saudi Arab:a, President
Cardenas of Mexico, Rodin, Tagore, Satojiz~i
Naidu, Luther Bwba-~k,Jan Masaryk, Mme.
Chiang Kai-shek, and illany others. In twelve
countries of Europe, North Africa, the Middle
East, and North and South An~erica she
spoke on the radio, gave public Iectures, and
arranged important book ediibiis and exhibits
a£ the model of the American Bahk'l Tmlplc.
She played an active part in the BahB'i
campaign during the first United Nations
Conference in San Francisco in 1945. "Inde-
fatigable promoter" of the Faith she truly
was!
About 1930 she visited the Guardian in
Haifa. Here lies talents were galvanized and Beatrice Trwin
foa~sed,fbr the rest of Iles life, on one supreme
end. Her best and nmst fruitful years came
after sixty. Xn four pioneer missions, at least
two of which (Mexico and Tunis) were returned to Spain in her mid-seventies, to the
undertaken at the suggestion of ifie Guardian, Island of Mailorca, in 1954. Despite i w a
she achieved historic services. accidents, and her health being far froin what
The first was her residence in Mexico, in she dcmanded of it, she visited mmy parts
1937, when she broke the ground for the of the Island. The most happy outcome af her
collective teaching under the fist Seven-Year journey was that Dona Carmen Nieto de
Nan, and wideIy scattered the seed for future Miguel, first Spanish believer of the Balearic
harvests. In 1941-42, Miss Irwin spent six Islands aad wife of a famous Spanish paintel-.
months in Brazil under the auspices of the in whose home Miss Irtvin lived, became a
Pan-Pacific Press Association, She utilized Bahsi.
every inonlent and every opportunity Bold advocate, intrepid herald, brave sol-
adsance the knowledge of the Faith. dier of Baha'uYllcih, her thoughts were
In 1943 shc again preceded a teaching centered on the unfoldment of the New Day.
plan; this time the Five-Year Plan of the She was a woman eznancipated from the
Egyptian NSA. When she arrived in Tunis Victorian society of her childhood. Ailve11-
there were only seven Bahj'is. She became turous and fearless, she traveled the wide
very active: weekly conferences in the Public world, was known in professional and artistic
Library were we11 attended by professional circles, might indeed have gone far had she
people, a broadcast was made, Feasts were bent hex will and intellect to personal success.
re-established, the Spiritual Asselx~blyorgan- But she chose the way of sacrifice, to walk
ized, and a shost circuit of southesn cities ahead of her time, to expend hex personal
of Tunisia was made during her five-months' powers in the service of BahB'u'llAh. Her life
stay. was not easy. She knew loneliness, insecurity,
Miss Irwin was blessed to continue her frustration. But this was not her true image.
pioneer services nearly to her life's end. Slie In the divinely inspired utterances of 'Abdu'l-
BahB we may best seek and h d the reality
of Beatrice Irwin:
". . . For the sake of the love of God thou
art a wanderer and traveler over mountain
and desert and art the wooer of the Heavenly
Beloved. Today thou livest in the city and
at night thou passest on the plain and beyond
the hills. Thou lmst no other aim save the
diffusion of the fragrances of God and
entertainest no other object except the
.
enkindlcment of the fire af the love of God. .
Becar~sethine intention is sincere and thy a h
high it is mtain that thou wilt become con-
firmed in the service d the Kingdom of God."

VICTORIA BEDIKIAN
1879-1955

MES. Victoria Bedikian was one of seven
sisters of the SchnabeI fa~niiym d was born Victoria Bedikian
in Boise, Idaho, Februay 9, 1879. All seven
sisters were educated in art and music, both
in the United States and in Germany. who first called Mrs. Bedikian "Buntic Victo-
While still young, she became deaf. This ria"-the nasne which she cherished and was
affliction caused her to abandon her musical lovingiy known by for the rest of her life.
career and to devote herself entirely to apt, Having had no children af her oivn, she
Her husband, Madris Bcdikian, a native of adopted one ~01%.
Armenia, was aa ardcnt admirer of Abrjhan~ Auntie Victoria never missed aopportunity
Lincoln and, in accordance with h a husba~d's to give the Message. She had a very keen sense
wishes, Mrs. Bedikian painted mmy portraits of humor. She detached herself from every-
of Lincoln which were given as gifts to the thing save Cod. Her only material possessians
mayors of various cities in New Jersey for were a tiny typewriter and her art nzalnials
the city halls. and the little black books containing natnes
In 1912 when 'Abdu'l-Bahii was in the and addresses of BahCis all over the world
United States He sometimes visited thc which she guarded w i ~ hher life.
oriental art shop of Mr. Bedikian in Mont- After the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahk in
ciair, New Jersey. There Mrs. Bedikian had 1921, Shoghi EfTendi directed her continuous-
a memorable meeting with Him. 'Abdu'l-Rah&, ly in her work, guiding hex as had "Abdu'l-
with Whoin she later corresponded, asked her BahB. In 1926 he wrote to the National
to d e v o her
~ art to tho Faith, anand this serkice Spiritual Asse~nbly of the BahS'is of the
was rendered gloriously and uniiiterrt~ptedly United States and Canada: "I have specially
to the very last day of hex life. requested that indeCati@bb pioneer of the
,4t one time Mrs. Bedikian cared for as Cause of God, our well-beloved Bd1B"i sister,
many as forty orphans in her own home. Mrs. Victoria Bedikian, to concentrate for
'Abdu'l-Bahb at that time wrote to her :"None the present all the resources of her mind and
is nmre in the Abhri Kingdom than heart upoil this vast and vital undertaking.
thee far the work thou hast done for the I have urged her to direct her encrgies to this
childven. . ." I t was this group of clzildren lofty purpose, and by the aid of her most
IN MEMORIAM 8 85

valuabie letters wouse both the East a ~ the d remains were Idd to rest in Greenwood
West to a El-esh consciousness of the signifi- Cemetery near where she had lived. The grave
m c e and urgency of the object you iuve set is an the side o f a hill, facing the east as she
yourselves to achieve." (The erectiotl of the had requested.
BabB'i Temple.) Memorial services were held for Auntie
In the early days of her B~ah&i' activities Victoria 011 August 14, 1955 in many BahCi
Auntie Victoria wrote to 'the cl~ildrenof laally cornmi&@ of India, Piikistin, Burma,
lands, orgaz~izing chiIdren's Gardens of Ceylon, South East Asia, Indonesia and
Fellowship, giving each "garden" the name Islands of the Indian Ocean, flyhere the loving
of a flomr. The Guardian at that time told influence of her letters had awakened many
her that these gardens of felIowship would hearts.
serve as seeds for futurs BahA'i communities.
Auntie Victoria also inspired the editing and Doms EBBERT
publishing oP a little magazine at this time O LGA F ~ X E

called "Children of the Kingdom," in tvhicIi
the various children's gardens all over the
world were pictured aed written about.
In 1927 Auntic Victoria spent thrce months
in Raifa with the family of 'Abdu'l-Daha zs
guest of the Guardian, having traveled thele
with Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehler, Her meeting ABBASALLY BUTT
with 'Abdu'l-Bah&in the United States, and 18%-1959
the Guardian and tlae Greatest Holy Leaf
(sister of 'Abd~i'i-Bafii) in Haifa, were the Mr. Abbasaliy Butt, member of the
highlights of her life. Many were the ti~nes Auxiliary Board of the Hands of the Cause
that these experiences were told with great in Asia aid one of the stalwarts of the Cause
fervor to file friends wherever she traveled. in India, passed to the Abha Kingdom on
After Mr. Bedikian's passing, Auntie April 21, 1959 at Rangoon, Burma, where he
Victoria made an extended trip, in 1445, from had gone to hclp the Baha'i friends in es-
the cast coast to the west coast and the sonth tablishing h e National Spiritual Assembly
to the north of ths United States, by Grey- of the Bahsi'is of Burma. The account of his
hound bus. She traveled four tirncs around ulforgettabIe, untiring services and sacriiices
the entire country after she had reached the will always adorn the pages at' the history of
age of seventy yeass, visiting valous groups the Faith from the closing phase of the
and comnlunities and encouragirag them in Apostolic Age and the beginning of the
their Bahk'i activities. hl August 1952, she Formative Age of BahB'i history.
suffered a severe heart attack. She was obliged When a youth, Mr. Butt felI seriously ill in
to settle down and spent the last three years Calcutca and was taken care of by a BahB'i
of her life in Atlanta, Georgia. friend in that city who served him till he
Awltie Victoria's inspirational letters with regained his health, Po order to repay his debt
Eahgi quotations and h a owia artistically to this friend Mr. Butt asked what he could do
spiritual drawings contillued to go out to a11 for him. The friend requested him to heIp
parts of the world, to the very end of her translate The Ki~db-i-j.~a'n (Book of Certitude)
earthIy life which came on the evening of into Urdu. 'Ibis was hzs first introduction to
July 3, 1355. the B N i Faith and the beginning of his
On heaing of her passing, Shoghi Effendi, careex as an zble translator of the BahB'i
Guardian of the Bahg'i Faith, sent rhis Writings into Urdu. The BahA'is of India will
cablegram to the secretary of the Spiritr~al always feel grateful towaids Mr. Ahbasally
Assembly of the Bahglfs of Atlanta: "Praying Butt who cither directly enlightened them, or
progress soul indefatigable, wholly conse- through his outstanding transiatioas of Bahri
crated promoter of the Faith. Wcr services literature, such as The .Kitrib-i-fq&., Bol3ci"d-
unforgettable. Love." 11~37~lrzclthe lYPw Em, Some Anslvered Qlres-
A beautiful funeral service vias held in tioas and a score of other books and booklets,
Atlanta for her on July 6, 1955 and her earthly increased their knowlcdgz of their Faith.
886 THE; B A H A ' 1 W O R L D

at the instruclions af ihc belayed Master, to
enshrine the precious remains of" the Bfib on
Mouat Carn~el.
In 1913 he was again called by the beloved
Master, 'Abdu'l-BahB, to the Holy Land.
There he q7as ewaged in emslating Tablets
of 'Abdu'l-Bahd to the wtstern friends and
also translating their letters to the Master.
However, when the first World Was begal,
he was forced to leave Haifa and return to
India to continue his ~ficritorious services
in various fields of activity.
His contribution to the BahB'i adminis-
trative activities is no less outstanding than
his teaching and translation work. For years
hi: was h e chairman or the secretary of ale
National Spiritud Assembly of the BahB'is
of India, PiMstAn and Bulma. He will bc
remembered as the first member of the Asian
Auxiliary Board to be appointed in India.
This gave him still another opportunity to
incsease his wonderful services in spite of his
iU health and weak physical constitution.
The Bahk'is will always remember Mr.
Abbasally Butt as an example of devotion
Abbasally Butt and sincerity to the Faith of BMu'lLah and
for his manifold services in this subcontinent.
Mr. Abbasally Butt was born a i Ludl~iana, As a token of appreciation for his long
h n j a h , India, in 1894, in the family of a service, the Hands of the Faith in the Holy
Kashmiri Muslim shawl merchant. He was Land cabled their decision to erect a befitting
a graduate in arts and also a bachelor of mnemorial on his grave in Rangoon, Burma:
education. Later oil he qualified himself in "Deeply regret passiy distiiished member
the Persia language in the University of Indian community, b n g standing, faithful,
Plmjab. His fist job &;as.that of headmaster- devoted servant Bahit'u'llih Abbasally Butt,
ship of the Muslim High School at Rangoon Services NationaL Assembly, Auxiliary Board,
from which he was expdled by the school teacking fieid unforgettable. Passing Rangoon
authorities for his being an active Bah2i. crowns selfless labors Faith. Praying Shriaes
Then he joined the St. Gabriel Mission progress soul joyful reunion beloved Guardian
High School, Rangoon, as a teacher of Per- AbM Kingdom Advise hold memorial
sian. From those early days his attachment meetings. Hands Cause will build gave,"
to and love for the BaM'is of Burma took H. M, ILMI
deep root in his h a r t and he always longed S.H. KORESHX
to breathe his last when he was in B u r m
with BahA'i friends there.
Mr. Butt was fortmate in having received ANTHONY YtTEN SET0
close and constant companionship of early 1890-1957
believers in Burma who achieved historic
accon~plishmentsin that country. Along with -'Grieved sudden loss dear husband, valued
the friends of fanlous Siyyid MugfapM consecrated, high-minded promokr BahCi
Rlimi who, after his death, was nuinbered Faith. Rewrd his deeply appreciated services,
by our beloved Guardian among the f-Iands both America Asia unforgettable. Reward
of t l ~ cCause, Ms. Butt was fortunate to be great Kingdom. Assure loving, fervent prayers
among those few who had the privilege of progress SOU^."
carrying the marble box, prepared in Burma Cablegram from SHOGHIEFFENDI
Anthony Yuen Seto was born in Hanapepe,
Kauai, Territory of Hawaii, November 18,
1890, He was descended from a long-lived
Family, stsong morally, pI.~ysicallyand mental-
ly. In chiidhood he attended a . epublic scl~crois
in Wanapepe a d HanoIulu, Hawaii, and
later in San Rafael, California. In the year
1906, Ere went with his father to Detroit,
Michigan, and there he entered Cass Technical
High School. After graduation, he decided
to study engineering and entered the Universi-
ty of Michigan. After. two years' study of
engineering he changed to law and was
graduated from the Detroit College of Law.
He first practiced his profession in Honolulu,
Hawaii, and later in the State of California.
In 1950 fie retired from his professioli owing
to a heart ailment. In his profession he was well
versed in immigration law, and many o f his
countrymen will mmembs him for his able
handling of their cases.
Anthony Yuen Seto
He was kind, generous, patient, with capac-
ity for sacrifice. He possessed quiet courage,
a characteristic of the Chinese, as I came to
know them in their land. Besides being an 1917, the United States entered the first
attorney, Anthony was a business man and World W~trand Anthony" time and a t b t i o n
m d e wise investments in real estate and were taken up with his work at Schofield
advised his peopIe along business lines. Barracks, Honolulu, where he was in training
Anthony's way of life w a s that of the at the Reserve Officers Training Camp.
pioneer. He was one of the f st yourig men A group of devoted believers resided in
of Chinese ancestry to enter the legal profes- Honalulu for a number of years, at whose
sion and one of the first to practice law in fm homes the friends gathered for BahB'i affairs.
Territory of Hawaii. He was also one of the After we established a home our place was
Grst Chinese atto~.aeysto be admitted to open for classes to study the BahB'i teachings,
practiee law in the Supreme Court of the and fm meetings of various kinds, including
United Slates. He was the first and only the holding d Feast Days, Anniversaries and
Chinese believer in the BahB'i Faith in the Holy Days. From then on, Anthony served
Hawaiian Islands, and until a few yeas ago in many ways; He was elected chairman of the
the on$ Chinese B&$i in America. first Spiritual Assembly of the Bah2is of
In the autumn af the year 1916, Charles E-IanoluZu and served for several years there-
Mason Remey, distinguished architect, and after in that capacity, He spoke at meetings
one of the first Bakh'is in America, went to for the believers and at public ones. He also
Honoltdn together with the Iate George aided with the work for the children.
Latimer, and remained for six months for the Xn HEionnlq where Anthony was well
purpose of teaching tlm Bahg'i Faith. Meetings known, he boldly proclaimed the Faith.
were held weekly at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Through him his business and professional
George J. -4ugur who were then residing in associates, friends and others learned of this
Japan and teaching the Faith in that land. world religion. The degree to which he was
These meethgs were well attended. Here were recognized not only as a latvyer but also as a
gathered the humble, the well-known, artists, devout foHower ofthe BahA'i Faith.is recorded
husiness and professional peapb. In addition in the following tribute paid to him in a
t o the townspeople, many tourists came to ~esolutionby the members of the Bar of the
learn of this new Faith. In I916 Anthony and Supreme Court, Territory of Hawaii, on
I accepted the Revelation of BaWu511&. In October 15, 1957:
THE BAHA'L WORLD

.
",. He was adndtted to practice before Prince Ednpad Island; Moncton, New Bxutuns-
this Court in 1916, and excepting for a period wick; and Halifax, Nova Scotia. On this trip,
of two years when he served our Country in Anthony's value as a pionecr became apparent.
World War I, he carried on the legal profes- His g i ~ i a Zmanner made friends for hiin
sion in Hoilolulu very commendably until instaiztly. He could wit11ease become acquaint-
1932, when he moved on to San Francisco, ed with people. Xn approaching editors. his
California, where he continued his Iegal friendliness won for us their hdp. Tl~ese
career, retiring seven years before his decease lrindly Scotch editors printed every artieie
on May 5, 1957, in Tokyo, Jzpan. A sincere presented to then1 without any change what-
disciple of the BahFi Faith, he taught, soever.
lectured, aad practiced the ideals, precepts, With the launching of the Ten-Year
and tenets thereof. in the last few years of Crusade in 1953, a plan designed to hring
his life he devoted his full time to disseminat- the B a h t i teachings to ail parts of the globe,
ing the teachings of &at Faith in the Orient, there czme the call for the follo~versof BahB'-
particularly in Hong Kong . . . A man of u'll81 to go to near and distant parts of the
strong religious convictions, he was honest, world to teach the Faith. We planlled to
forthright, and scrupuZuus to a fault. For his a ~ s w e our
r beloved Guardian's aish. A yeax
hard work and conscientious efforts, he later, one of the places not yet open was tile
prospered in his business, and as a lawyer he Crown Colony of Hong Koi~g.On a c!ear,
was a credit to the profession. bright autumn day in I954 we ai-rived there.
"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED bp the Again Anthony's value as a pioneer bwama
members of the Bar of this Court, that out evident. h Wong Kong he met former dass-
d respect to the memory of A s T a o N Y YUEN mates, clientsand friends;to each one Antilany
SETO, this meill~rial be spread upon the gave the teachings and told of his reason for
minutes d this Court, and h a t a copy thereof being in Hong Kong.
be forwarded to his widow and family." Early in 1956, Anthony became ill rqith
In Sa11 Francisco, where we resided from a return of Izeart trouble and steadiiy grew
1432 through 1954, Anihony practiced law worse, until in September it becam-: nemsary
and engaged in real estate tra~sactions.At for us to return to California. After five
the same time, hs served faithfully the Cause months' time, he improved in health and we
he loved, Here was a wider field for his returned to Hong Kong. On our return lie
activities. He served from time to time as expressed a strong desire to attend the Canven-
c h a i m n of the Spiritual Assembly, spoke tion to be held in Tokyo for thi: purpose of
at meetings a l ~ dgave talks at the Geyse~vilie electing the first Regional National Sgiritual
Summer School. He also assisted severat Assembly of North Fast Asia.
Bahri'i communities with their incorporatioil He was the only Chinese believer present
papers. at the convention, which lact he meutioned
We returned to Honolulu for t l ~ esurmner many times and deeply regrettzd. All went well
and autumn of 1941. At that time the Hono- and he thoroughly cnjoyed all aspects of the
lalu Baha'i Community had set the date for trip and the interesting sessions of the Convea-
the dedication of its newly constructed center. tion, particularly the uplifting message of our
Anthony was one of the speakers on this beloved Guardiail covering the progress of
important occasion. He prepared a very the Ten-Year Crusade.
scholarly paper on tlie Faith, with an interest- His last day on earth was a happy one. A
ing background telling of the contributions trip to the ancient and historic town of
and sacrifices of the eariy missionacies in Kamdkura where we beheld the colossal
bringing lfie Chsistian Faith to the Hawaiian statue of the Buddha, built in the twelfth
Islands. cmtury, and a happy dinner hour with fellow
In the SLIIIIIII~:. of 1843, the work of the bdievei-s ciosed the day and we were ready
Fkst Sewn-Year Man, launched in 1937, was to depast for Bong Kong, our home.
nearing its close. There wefe piaces in Canada li?len the airline limousine that {ailed to
where BahB'i teachers were needed. We arrive a ~ adtaxicab that came fifteen minutes
volunteered and went '10 the Maritime late causad a delay of forty miiiutes in starting
ProvU~ccs. We taught in Charlottetown, for the airport. This delay shorrteried grsatly
IN MEMORIAM

our time for clearing customs. The haste,
anxiety and strain were roo much for An-
thony's weakened heart. On reaching the I~~mediately upon hearing of the death of
plane, he collapsed and died withill a few min- Edith Sanderson. Shoghi EEendi, the Guzrd-
utes, So ended, an May 6, 1957, his sexvice ian of the BaWi Faith, sent this telegram to
l o the Faith that he had embraced as a young the Spiritual Assenib'iy of Paris:
man and had served faithf~~ily for lbrty "Deeply grieved. Deplore loss stauxch,
years of his life. courageous, tireless promoter Faith, Edith
Interment took place in Yokohama at no011 Sanderson, greatly beloved 'Abdu'l-BahB.
on May 8. Ninc believers representing Iran Long record historic services covering heroic,
and the United States were present and they formative age Faith imperishable, reward
chanted and read prayers and verses froun the Abhk Kingdon1 great, assured. Urge believers
Roly Utterances. In the evening of tbe same centers France hold memorial gathering,
day in an atmosphere of reverence, an extol exemplary spirit, emulate noble example.
in~przssivemenlorial. service was heid at the Exert utmost burial Paris execution BahB'i
Bahrf Haq'ratu'l-Quds in Tokyo. Twenty- laws."
three believers representing Japan, frh and Edith Sanderson, one of the firsr pioneers
the United States gathered to bear the revered of the Bahi'i Faith in France, taught by that
Guardian" Iovixx cablegram of sympathy distinguished BahB'i, May Bolles Maxwell,
and appreciation, and to listen to messages has finished her life on earth: but the G-umdian
from reiativcs and from believers in different assures us of her entrance into the AbhA
parts of the world. After selections from the Kingdom. Even in the sadness of separation,
Writings on life eternal were read, a r&stm& of we imst rejoice ill her attainment to a higher
Anthony's life-work for tine Faith was given. state of b&g.
Laid to rest in the beautiful cemetery of Her life aamoni: us was long and beneficent.
Yamatemachi on the bluff in the city of An American, she passed her earliest years
Yokohama, he sleeps in a country fie admired with her Faniiy iil Sacranlento, capital of
m d loved-Japan, Land of the Rising Snn. California, where her father was Chief Justice
Today believers and friends from Yoko- of the Supren~eCourt of that State. After his
hama, Tokyo and nearby places a>i.ileto his death, Mrs. Sanderson took her four daughters
grave and keep his memory alive by their to Ewope to fiiiish thzir education. They
frequent visits, floral gifts and loving prayers. settled in Paris, where the ddest, Sybil
A letter frola the Guardian, through his Saide~son,became one of the great opera
secretary, to the newly-elected National singers OF the end of the nineteenth century.
Spiritual Assernbiy of the Bahzis of North The composer Massenet dedicated to her
East Asia, gives a final tribute to the services several operas, in which she created the roles
of Anthony Seto: w~.nposedfor her.
"The work so faithfully carried on by the In 1901, the youngest sister, Edith, became
American and Persian pioneers, has born its a Baha'i and went several times to the Holy
first fruit. The long and Ioyd services of dear Land, where she lived with the family of
Agncs Alexander, who so faithfully casried 'Abdu'l-Baha. These visits were the happiest
out the beloved Master's wishes and served periods of her life. When 'Abdu'l-23aM came
the spiritual interests of japan for decades, to P a i s in 1912. she had the joy and honor of
has been ricllly crowned. Even the death of receiving Rim in the home of her mather on
the devoted pioneer, Mr. Anthony Seto, has Avenue MalakoT.
added a blessing to t l work ~ in that region, D ing the two world wars, Edith Sander-
for he scz-ved in spite of failing health and son d ~ deverything in her power to preserve
remained at his post to be iaid to rest in a in France the Arne of the BahiriB'iFaith. Her
distant land, his very dust testifying to the study of tilt teachjngs of the Bgb, of BahB'u5-
greatness of the love and nature of tlxe ideals Ii& and of 'Abda'l-Bal-18 was continuous a ~ i d
BahB'u'llah has inspired in His servailts." profound, and with her growing knowledge
of Pa-sian she achieved an evar Inore direct
coi~gicl~cnsion of Tlteir Writings. Although
fragile in appearance, she bad rare will-power
890 T H E B A . H A ' ~W O R L D

ANNEMARIE SCHWEIZER

One of the earliest Bahk'fs in Germany,
Annemarie Schuleizer was affectionately
known as "Tank hfariele" to many Bahk'is
throughout the world, as weil as hGermany.
She and her husband, Friedrich Schxveizer
had ihe great privifegz of beconling BahA'is
before World War I. She followed the path
of BahB'u'lEh with great enrhusiasm, md
taught indefatigably in womc~'s clubs and
associations and itherever there was an
oppartunity lo do so.
In the years 1911 and 1913, in Park,
Stuttgart and Esslingen, Frau Schweizer
several times met 'Abdu'l-Bahh, who honored
her by staying in her hone in Stuttgart-
Zuffenhausen, Friesensisasse 26. Since that
time this home has been a center of activity
m n g the BahB'ls in Germany. From here
Edith Sanderson communications went out to the whole world.
To this home came letters from BahKis of d1
countries. Friends visiting Stuttgart found
and fidelity, and she displayed a coufage their way to this home. One could almost say,
almost heroic in spreading the BahB'i Faith "Who did not know Annemarie Schweizer?
in a country where it found little response. Who has not already heard of her?"
F r o n ~the time of her conversion to the end Frau Schweizer taught the BahB'i Faith in
of hcr life, she gathexed in her home seekers its eady years in Germany; 'Abdu'l-BahB
of the tmth. She kept well-informed of the greatly appreciated her efforts. AEkr His
current writers of our epoch, such as Lecomte passing she held fast to His Will and Testa-
du Now, Father Teilhard du Chardin, and melt; all doubts which arose in those years
S h o n e Weill, and consequently had. contact rebounded f m her as from sted She became
with writers or groups who were interested in one of the mothers of the German BahTi
social and spiritual questions. co~nrnunity and a light in the European
She was a force in these uncertain tima, mother-conmunity- of Stuttgart.
a hope hours of desolatio~~; she gave to the In the spring of 1934 she was privileged to
point of exhaustion of her time and her visit the Guardian of the 13aG'I Faith in
means. Haila. She returned with new impetus to
Like 'Abdu'l-Baha, she loved nature: activate the teaching cffarts, During the
flowers, trees, thc sea, the beauty of clouds. prohibition of the Faith under Hitler she was
She lived in a rarified atmosphere. Her many taken by the Gestapo, was tried before a
ordeals could not efface the charm of fier court and sentenced. After 1945 she was
countenance. again teaching the Faith, and undertook trips
Let us give hornzge by our deeds to her t o visit old friends and to contact and win
whom we loved, who knew how to live as a new ones. Whenever there was a meeting in
true Christian and a "true BahVi. the G e r m n BahB'i cornmnaity-teaching
L. D. ffmm conferences, summer schools, regional, na-
tional and intercontinental confexeacesshe
was present. She was vivacious, generous and
friendly to the last I'iour of her earthly Life.
As she had always wishcd, death came to
her a m n g the Mends at the Swnmes School
in EssIingen, on August 23, 1957 in her
IN MEMORIAM 891

of Shoghi EKeendi"s telegram concerning the
departed soul of hgrs. Zarrintaj AErhk&ih.
She passed away ia Dar-es-Salaam, Tan-
ganyika, where she left a brilliant name and
set a high example in the fuifilmeot of the
wishes of the beloved Guardian. She was
given the gift of being one of the pioneel-s
of the early stage of our spiritual Tes-Year
Cmsade to Af~ica.With a weak body attacked
by grave illness (caacer o f the throat) and aa
exalted spirit inspired and blessed by the
Blessed Beauty she rase m d won. the victory
in the service o f our bebved Faith.
She &as a grandclliughter of Razai-Rooh
who was one of the reliowned souis who
served the Faith. Her father was Cobnel
Ha& &&in, a high-ranking chemist in the
Persian army. She married Dr. Youness
Afr6atih who was the personal secretaxy
and interpreter of Ihe Beloved Master £as
nine years in Haifa. She was well educated and
received her diploma in midwifery from the
American Hospital in Tihiin. She took an
active Dart indiEerent BahL'i committee work
in ~ i & &andn aceompanicd her husband in
some of his teaching can2paigas, She left two
seventy-third year, A sudden heart attack took &aughtas wllo, with their families, are
her from our midst. Although in the spring pioneering in f i s t Africa.
she had for days hovered between life and
death, she still spared no effort to help the
frjeads and strengthen them in the teachings,
Annemarie Schxeizes is immortal in German
Bahb'l histoiy. Her home she gave in her will
to the* National Spiritual Asse~nbIyof the
Bahli'is of Geriilany.
Wfien the Guardian was informed of her
passi~ig,he sent thc foliowing cablegram:
"Grieve passing distinguished handmaid
Center Covenant much loved deeply admired
Annemarie Scfiweizer.Record notable services
closing yeus Heroic, three decades Formative
Ages BahB'i Dispensation inperishable. Re-
ward gEeat Kingdom. Fervently praying
progress soul."

"Grieve passing distin,oished handmaid
Center Covenant reward great Kingdom
praykg progress soul example she set worthy
emulation spiritual sisters Persia," is the text Zarrintaj Afrhbtih
892 T H E B A R A ' ~W O R L D

In spite of being in bed a11 the h e , Mrs.
Afrhutih wascrownedwith an historic service
in Dar-es-Salaam, FOE example, on her
request and encouragement the Spiritual
Assembly applied to the government for a
plot of laad for a Bahgi ceinetery and thus
could receive the precious appreciation of
the beloved Guardian for being the first
comiunity in the Ten-Year Crusade to secure
a BahB'i cemetery in Central and East Africa.
Her f i e r a l set for the first tlme bei-o~e
non-Bah9'I onlookers was an exai11p1eof racial
and religious unity of people of different
backgrounds.
A few months later one o f the Bahi'i
pilgrims returning from Haifa brought a
bottle of attar-of-rose which Shoghi EEendi
had specially sent for the grave of this dear
pioneer. In accordance with his wish its
precious contents were sprinkled on her tomb
as a symbol to ail the friends of how much the
beloved Guardian had appreciated her spirit
and services.

DR. K. M. Fozdar I
DR. K. M. FOZDAR them by logicat replies and tried to preach the
1898-1955 C a ~ ~ samong
e his Pmsi friends. His first
spiritual child was Mr, Ormsby Molliei-, son
On the night of Apl-il 26, 1958, Dr. K. M. of a high priest of the Parsis, and his schoal-
Fozdar, a b i g h t of B&8'u'li;ih, and the mate. Later m o h e r Indian Parsi who came
first India1 Parcsi to accept the BaWf Faith into the Cause at Dr. Foziiar's hand was MI..
passcd away In Singapore suddenly, while Mani Mehta, the son of millionaire S i i Homi
talking with his wife Shirin. Mehta. Dr. Fozdw studied other religions
Dr. Fozdar had accepted the Faith to and preached the Cause among Bindus,
which his wife belonged, soon after his MusEms, Christians and Buddhists.
marriage in 1925. Ever since theta he had been In 1935 on his return from Europe Dr.
devoted to it, and served it conscientiousIy. Fozdar visited. the Holy Land. 'IYkile on zhe
M3ithin three years of his marriage he was boat, he taught the Cause to some German
employed as Medical Oificer in the State Jetvs who were visiting Palestine. They were so
Railways, which entitled him a d his family impressed that they also visited the beloved
to certain concessions in railway travel in Guardian. T11e Guardian was very happy
different parts of the country. This oppo~tuni- with him and assured Mrs, Fozdar that Dr.
t y he availed of for his wife, and sent her Fozdar was protected by God. This pilgrimage
&eely to all parts of India to teach the Cause. strengthened him fnrther in the Faith, and
B e staycd bchind to look after his work and on his 1Y:inrn he advised friends to go and
his children. The Ca~xsein India has been meet the beloved Guardian as "he gives new
iinked in many cities with the name Fozdar. spiritud sustenance."
His acceptame of the Faith ax~tagonized When the National Spiritual Assenlbly of
his mother and athcr relations, and he was Illdirt started its seven-yem pian, Dr. Fozdar
persecuted by them for soinc yeas; but he valrmttered to settie in virgia territories and
remained undisturbed. When the Parsi priests succeeded in establishing groups and assen-
attacked the Cause in the press he countered bIies.
XN M E M O R I A M

In obedience to the ca13 of the beloved to Singapore as the authorities on that island
Guardian far pioneers to southeast Asia, Ds, would not prolong his stay.
Fozdar resigaed his government post in the On his rcttlrn to Malaya, Dr. Fozdar
railway, four years before the period of set%leddown in a virgin territory and within
retirement,and went to Singapore. A complete a yeas succeeded in forming t h e e new Assern-
strmger to that city he established himself as blies. His spiritual children settled in visgin
a medical practitioner. Re gave the Message territories and the Cause spread rapidly.
to the klite, to his patients who came from a71 At a time when he was actively preparing
walks of life, and to humble folk. We kept his to receive the guests to the Convention which
home open for all who wished to know about was to be held in Singapore two days later,
the Cause and would discuss with inquirers he was suddenly, but peacefully, called away
until midnight. To wide souls to the Faith to be the guest of God.
had become sccond nature and he was very The name of F o ~ d uin Singapore and
often misunderstood and called a fanatic. The Malaya is a household word and 4s linked
beloved Guardian at that time wrote to him with the BahB'i Faith, which in Malaya
through his secretary, "Your departure for represents a progressive movement for Ilu-
Singapore and safe arrival there brought him ~nanitytowads spirituality, morality, amity
great joy and he has high hopes for the success and unity.
of your teaching work, particularly since Dr. Fozdar was sixty years old when he
receiving the atice, published in the press died in active service of BahB'u'llhh.
there, w h i l you recently sent him. The
devotion with which you, your dear wife,
and now your son and daughter-in-law serve
the Cause of God i s truly exemplary and
cannot but attract the blessings of Bah2-
u'liah and His confirmations. Your heart
must rejoiee that God has so blessed you and
favored you."
Dr. Fozdas was blessed with five children:
three sons and two daughters, d l B M i s . Mu115 &mad AI-Mailkb was a steadfast
He trained his children to be devoted to the believer "ki~~dkd with the low of God" who
Cause and encouraged them to play great had raised the banner of Bail~$u'llih for
r6Zes in the fidd of teaching and pioneering; almost half a century in Mosul, the largest
and he gave them all a very good education. city of northern 'Iraq. He was aware of the
In order to prove to the people &at Baha'is nlysteries of the Bible, the Qur'an and the
practise service to Ilumanity, Dr. and Mrs. Baha'i Scriptures. He had taught tlle Faith to
Pozdar started a free schooI in Singapore most of the BahB'is residing ill Mosul; his
\*re 300 underpsiv2eged women were taught explmations of the divine Scriptures had
to read and write. The people of Singapore attracted the hearts of the peaple.
were inlpressed by this spirit of sacrifice, and He accepted the Fairh about 1845 through
other organbations and individuals later MirzB 'Ali Zayn'l-'Abidin Klishaui, who had
-Eollo\vedsuit and many nwse such free classes been banished from t3agbdAd to Mosul ~ ~ i t h
for poor wonlen were started. The Cause many Persian believers soon after Baha'u'-
became better known and in 1952, two years 118h's bailishmcnt to Istanbul.
after his pioneering to Singapore, the first Mirz&'AH was living in a room in the same
Spiritual Asselllbly was formed. inn known as man El Mufti in Sarai market,
In 1953, Dr. Pozdar attended ths Inter- where Mulla Aljmad used to work as an
continental Conference in New Delbi. When ophrhahlogist. When Mulla AWad em-
the appeal for pioneers was made for virgin braced the Cause his family tusned hiin out
territories, he voluilteesed to go to Andaman of his house and he %assumn~onedbefore the
tsIm~ds;this pleased the beloved Guardian, h f u f ~ i(ie., Head Priest of Islam) to answer
zed he received the title of Knight of B&i'uT- qi~estiotasrs,wding the accusation of e~nbrac-
Ilih. After four nloilths' stay he succeeded ing 2 new religion. Muilk &mad defended
in confirming four Bahi'is, I?ul hltd to retxun the uew Revelation with such power and
T H E B A N A ' ~W O R L D

he quoted from the Qur'kn. The two young
men testified that it was Mull5 Ahnlad wha
converted them to the Bahii'i Faith, which
they wholeheal-tediy embraced now. At last
the court found the111 innocent and not guilty
of any crime, and released them, dedaring
that there was not a single reason that BahB'is
in Mos~lZand in another town, Ba'qubah,
should be regarded as conmunists.
In a special messagc from the beloved
Guardian to 'Ehc 'PrBq National Assembly Rc
glorified the courage the believers of Mosul
and Ba'qubah displayed dul-iag the trid and
persecutions they suKexed. In 1939 Mull&
AIpnad received a cablegram f ~ o m the
Guardian expressing appreciation of his
merits and. beseeching for him heavenly
blessings. Iri March, 1940 the Guardian
mentioned the name of Mull&*ad before
some 'Mqi pilgrims as being kindled with
the love of God and corresponding to the
believers of Amexica.
Mull5 Ahmad saved every penny be gained
to suppati the Bahgi funds at home and
abroad. He was a salt-seller by profession and
ability that the clergyme11 were astoandd, remained healthy and sound until the kist
as was the entire audience, moment of his iife.
Mull& Abmad dedicated his whoIe life to Two months before his death lle suffered
the sacred task of teaching the Faith, Com- pleurisy. He did not wish to die In Mosui
pletely dedicating his time to it, he led a long
where the enemies would stone his funeral.
life of celibacy and detachment. He expressedhis desire to spend the remaininmg
In 1925 Mull&Allmad, in collaboration with few days of his life among the BahSis of
tho new bdievers, established the Erst B M 1 Kirkuk, a neigl~bo~ing city. He actualilly spent
Center in Mosul, to the bitter dissatisfactioii
ten days among the friends in Kirkuk and
of its fanatical population; armcd with passed away peacefully an Qctober 15, 1957.
different weapons and tools of butchers, On October 31 the following telegram was
carpenters and blacksmiths, they marched on received, which was really the last fragrance
the BaWi Center and attacked and beat the Bal~i'is of 'Ir5q had the privilege to
down Mull& Af?mad mercilessly. receive from Shoghi EfTendi:
Mull6 A h a d dofended the Faith through "Deep sorrow passing distinguished pro-
writing excellent articles which he sent % moter Faith Mull&Abmad his services richly
MusIim periodicals in Mosul and Ba&&d rewarded praying progress soul Kingdom."
which had continually attacked the Faith.
Qn June 22, I939 the police mided MuilA
,!&mad's house, gathered the BaIlB'i books
they found there, put the lot into a sack and
obliged the aged Mull5 Algaad to carry this
heavy load on, his back to the carriage which
took them to the custody of the Court hlartial.
He was detained fox a fortaight with two Among the distinguished members of the
young Bahgi'is, RB&i;?imRu&di and &%if BahB'i Faith in its early days in America
'Aziz.During the long processof the trial Mull5 appears the name of Dr. AIain LeRoy Locke,
Alyc~adcourageously defended the Faith and noted American Negro author and educator.
proved the Lordship of Bd~&'u'Ilith by verses Aiain Locke was born in September, 1886
IN MEMORIAM 595

in Phiiadelphia, where he received his eleinen-
tary and high school'education. At the age
o f eighteen he entered the Philadelpl~ia
School of Pedagogy, and on graduation three
years later he enrolled at Efailiard College
he graduated in 1907 with honors
from ~ h i c h
in Philosophy and English. i n recognition
of his outstanding ability and achjeverneilt,
this same college, in 191S, honored Dr. Locke
with a Doctor of Philosophy dcgree.
In 1918 Dr. Locke was awardcd a Rhodes
Scholarship which entitled him to three yzars
at Oxford. This was followed by a year of
specializstiorxin pIxiZosophy at the University
of Berlin.
Folbwing his return home to hme~ica,Dr.
L o c h spent six xnollths in the Southern
States where, for the first time in Ixis life, he
came actually f x c to face with the race
problem. From then unkil his death on h u e
3, 1954, d l the while teaching philosophy at
Howzrd University, Dr. Loeke devoted his
literary and avocational interests to the anal-
ysis, interpretation and recognitio~l of the
culturaf achievenlents of the Negro and his
relations with orlw races.
In the e d y 1920's Dr. Locke came into Negro and His Music, and The Negro in Art.
contact with tile BahA'i Faith in Mi8shington, From 1948, in spite of failing health, until his
D.C. He immediiiateEy recognized and accepted death, he was a valued and active member
its teachings as %heonly tm solution to the of the Book Committee of The Key Rqorter,
problems arising from prejudice among men. the official quan-terly of Phi Beta Kappa of
This belief was reeected in his pubXic ap- which he was a member. At his death he held
pemances atad in his writings wherein Ile the title of Professor of Philosophy-Emeritus
contiaually pointed out that the rapid advance at: Howard Unive~sity,Washington, D.C,
of the Negro was not a social and economic
encroachment, which the prejudice of the
whites fougkt to hold in check, but &at it
was part of the comnon advancement of ail
mankind, lifting the IeveI of civiIization as
a whob.
During one of his travels abroad, Dr. L o c h
had the rare p~iviiege of visiting Shoghi
Effendi, the Guardian of the BafiQ'f Faith, F. ST.GEORGE SPENDLOVE
and the Sacred Shrines of the Brib, Bah2u51i&h 1897-1962
and 'Abdu'i-Bafia. His experiences at this-
spiritual cellter are recorded in his article, George SpenilIove combined in his life and
"Impressions of Haifa," which was published work the deeply spiritual and the brilliantly
in Volume III of The BahLi'i tt/brid. A further intellectual, and became dis~inguishedand
~iiatementof his conviction of the truth and much beloved not only among the BahB'is but
power of the f3ahB'i Faith appears in Volume among h i s professional colleagues, as wel2.
V, under the title, "The Orientation of f-fope." His chosen profession was the world of art
Dr. Locke's books and poems on racial and archeology, In which he made a name
prabbms are nullzerous, perhaps the best for himself ill America, Canada, Europe and
hxown being The Negro in America, Tlze Asia. The Forcword to his first book, Tht7
T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

Face o f k r i ' y Canada, contains the following whexe I last saw him. He introduced me to
tribute, mitten by Lorne I?ierce, editor of The Inany books and many thoughts and influ-
Ryerson Press, publisher of thc book: enced my mind. T am not speaking of him as a
"Both in what Mr. Spendlove wiites and in BahB'i, but as a h i m being.. . the inan
the things he eollects can be discerned the whose heart was healed, dter the terrible
qualities of hischaracter-his restless ctxiosity, experiences of war, by the teachj~rgs of
his integrity, his dislike of afl, pretence. His Baha'u'ila, and who became His devoted
thinking is warmed by deep emotional and follower.. ."
spiritual attitudes. Aided by a phenomenal Many will serneniber George's telling that
and photogcaphic memory, by a vast capacity when he first bcgan studying the BahB'i Faith
for patient and psolonged concentration, his he got himself a large notebook in which to
uncanny instinct enables him to tell the good jot down, as a good scientifjc researcher, any
froin the bad and the real from the shoddy. question he felt could not be answered satis-
A specialist orspecialists,with an almost fana t- factorily in the Teachings. After thirty years
ical love of the minutiae of evide~~ce in his he rreferrzd again to this book, at Green Acre,
highly specialized xvol-ld, he reinains delight- and told that there was not a single entry
fully hwllan because of his interest in people, in it ! Again, several years later, he was asked
and also bccause of his saving grace of humox. about the notebook. We admitted there was
This rich vein of humor is perhaps the best still no entry.
clue to his OWXI personality. Certainly it is a Gem-ge became a vital part of the Green
clue to his vast interest in everything hunzan Acre BahA'i Summer School, in Eliot, Maine.
in aur history, in everything that in any way Duriilg his sumner vacations he taught
touches man.. ." courses which opened to many tine depth and
George Spendlove was born in Montreal, beauty of the Bah2i Teachings. It was at
Canada, April 23, 1897; his family was well Green Acre that he met Dorothy G. Spurr of
known in lhat city. He was educated privately Sparkill, New York, and they were married
by tutors; he showed particular interest in in 1929. Their son David was born in 1933,
art histmy, and early acquired tastes which and their daughtcr Dorothy Grace in 1936.
were to influence his future carecr, At 19 After being in business as a dealer in fine
he enlisted far the war and served in a r t s for several years hz sold out and spent
Europe, suffering seve16 concussion which the year 1932-1933 travelling in Palestine,
injured the nerves of his ears. The deafness India and the Far East.
which resulted was to plague him all his life. It was during this year that George made
He returned to Montreal in 1919 but was his first of two pilgrimnagzs to Haifa. Iie
unable to work for two tcxs. It was during visited not only museums and art collections,
the latter part of this period that he became but many BahZi groups and communities.
interested 4a rhe Teachings of Bah2u'llrih Shoghi Effendi \)rote to him May 8, 1933;
through readi~lg a book oil conlparative ".. . 1 carnot refrain from acknowledging
religion. receipt of your welcome letter and from
hatu.1-Bah& RS$yyih MhBnum, wife of adding a few words in person as a token of my
the Guardian of the BahB'i Faith and the lively appreciationof your des7otcdandnotabIe
former Mary Maxwell of Montreal, has services to the Cause. 1cherish happy recollec-
written concerning this period of George*slife: tions of your sl~ooxtpilgrimage, and trust the
"1 remember George coming ta the meetings day may not be distant when you can make
in our home when X was a child. It was after a longer visit to the holy &shrines. May the
tZze first World War. . . He gradually accepted ALmighty keep and bless you, sustain and
the Cause and was a devoted friend of niy protect you, and assist you to achieve your
mother and of nle as I grew up. . . George heart's desire.'"
Spendlove was always a fascinating person. The year following his return from this
He had a most charming and individual trip George went to London to take a two-year
mind; he was also a thinker and a man of course in Chinese archeoaogy at the Courtauld
great culture. ?b talk to M m was always a Institute of the University of London. On
treat for me, whzthcr as a child, oi. here when completion of 'this cowse hc was given thc
he came on his pilgrimage, or in Toronto Academic Post-Graduate Dipbmlz in Arche
IN MEMORIAM 897

of your historic services to the Faith. You have
upheld the principles of our Faith, spil-i1ua1
as well as administrative, and with eexeiupiary
loyalty, courage and wisdom. I will, from the
depths of my heart, supplicate for you the
Master's richest blessings. Persevere in your
high endeavors."
After George's death, David Hofilian wrote
from London corxcerning these services:
"He was one of the first BahB'is, in the
Maxwell home in 1933, vAom I met and I
was always running into him after that. He
introduced me to the British community when
1 came borne. . . He played a very great part
in. establishing the British N.S.A. 011 a firm
foundsltio~~ and beginning the Ahinistrative
Order here."
liz November, 2936, George returned to
Caaada to join the staff of the Royal Ontario
iWuseu:um in Toronto, in charge o f the Japanese
and East Indhn Collections. After several
years he became carator of the Modem
European Collections and was appointed
speciai lectures in the depastmnent of art
and archeology of the Uraiversity of To-
F. St. George Spendlove ronto, corresponding to the rafk of associate
professor.
The wide extent of his knowledge and of
oIcgy. 13e was, moreover, raommended to his interests is shown in the varied subjects
assist the Royal Academy in preparing a of his lectures, givsn at art galiel-ies, art
catalogue of the great International Exhibition museums and schools, m Chicago, Boston,
of C1inese Art s h o w at B~rriingtonHouse Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Williamsburg
io 3935. George had prepared himseIf for (Virginia) in the United States, besides
working with Chinese art by teaching himself Montreal and Toronto. When asked for a
to read the printed language. He was appoint- copy of one of his lectures by a friend unable
ed official lecturer for the Efiibition, as well to attend it, his q i y was, "I have it all in m
y
as its assistant secretaiy and the editor of hcad." This was true, whether the subject was
its catalogue. Chinese art, lils first iove, or European furni-
Shoghi Effe~~di w o k to him, July 26,1936 ture; Indian art, Japanese cerninics and
througl~his secretary: lacquer, rime pieces, @ass, silver, or, hter.
"Wllile he feeIs tndy rejoiced over the news Canadiana: it was all in his head. Nor were
of thc successful con~pletionor your academic these dry lectures. They were leavened with
work at London, he cannot but deplore the humor and r~ndastanding. He had a vast
fact that you have left Eizgland, as your fund of information at his mental and spritual
presence in that coun&y was of an immense fingertips, coupled with a phenomenal laern-
benefit to the English BahB'i Conununity, ory. His impact on peeple evegwhere was
particularly rlaw that the Adnlinistratition is great.
making a steady headway. . .'" In 1952 cane h i s final appointn~entat the
Royal Ontario Museum as curator of the
In his postscript Shoghi Effendi wrote: Canadiaria Caliections. He resigned his other
curatosships, though continuing to give
"Dearly beloved co-worker : lectures. In his new post h was in charge of
I wish to asswe you in persoil of the deep the Sig~nund Ssinuel Canadiana Gallery,
debt of gratitude that 1 feel I owe you in view housed in a new building. He lsad assisted
898 T H E B A E A ' ~W O R L D

Dr. Samuel for nuny years in the colleetio1.1 circumspection, finesse, and eve11 with a
of these historical treasures. George's first certain amount of dry good humor. What
book, The Face of Early Canada, pablished better wrty to dispose of dragons?
in 1958, is illustrated by examples from this "He knew no compromise with the Faith
collection. A second book, CoEEec~om'Lrrrlc, of BahB'-u'Ilkh. He was intolerant of second
followed in 1360. best. Having reached the City of Certitude
Among the professional honors received by himself, he was able to show the path and
George Spendlove were Fellowships in the help smooth the way for others. It was aln~osi;
Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Geographical uncanny how he could hold your gazs: for a
Society, the Royal Asiatic Society, the long, searching moment, then unerringly- fcm~s
Museums Association of London. He was oil the precise cause of yow pa~fimlaxspirlez-ral
charter member of rlre Far Eastern Ceramic dilemma. It isn't always easy to face up acd
Group, and was elected to meiribership in the look into the exactiag mirror of truth. But
Michigan Academy of Sciences, the Royal son~ehowyou were able to accept what you
Asiatic Society of Be:lgal, the Royal Societies saw with better grace and firmer resolve to do
Club of London, and was moderator of the sorraetMw constructive about it because you
First Xntern~ationalWedgwood Seminar. Post- knew he expected it of you."
humoasIy l ~ ewas awarded a certificate of George's fkesides in Toronto literally
conmendation by tfie American Association sparked that community into activity and
for State and Local I-Iistoxy. growth. O m of those who for fourteen years
During all these years of intense application regularly aktended has written: I
in his chosen profession, George lectured at ". . . As the ex-ening started one was aware
Oreen Acre, nearly every year, and for over of George's alnmst unbearable fatigue from
twenty years had a Tuesday night Bahk'i the efforts of his strenuous day at the Muse~m,
fireside in Toronto. and the struggle he would undergo within
EEs courses on BahSu'llBh's Book of himself to draw on the opening prayer and his
Certitude (~itab-i-iqgn)and on G1eani.g~ own inner supplication for spiritual strength.
f i m the Writings of Bdtdlu'lfdf~will long be Soon, it would come pouring out, and he
remembered, He was also generous with his would gain a mysterious momentum which
time for individual consuItation. His keen carried us all into his raeEed atmosphere. ..
perception was active primarily in his under- We were dI spetlbonnd. . . The pristine ~vords
s h ~ d i n gof the spiritual reality in man. The roIfed out, and you plucked from a surfeit
shoddy or superficial was stxipped away what y o u lesser mind could gasp. He
within a few words. If you could not stand repeated himself often, so that you could go
this searchlight of the spirit, it was your loss. back stild tie the pieces together, but it was
If you came to him with a problem, he set never boring to hear the same phrases ovcr
you again on the path of love, service and again; it only made ).ou more aware of their
obedience; the paticular was gently but simple truth. 'It i s always possible to do
firmly put in its true proportion with thewhole. what God mwts you to do,' he would say.
His humor was ever present, whoIesome and And this was somehow annoying because
clarifying, you knew that it %as. George put you on a
Many will remember his oft-qeated close, intimate connection with God as a
admonition, "Be very careful what you pray 'dear friend, who loves you more than your
for; you may get it." Re was an ardent own mother or father could possibly love
advocate of prayer, of the daiIy obligatory you.' And George had a sense of hmmc that
prayer, and of d l the laws of Bah$u'llBh. He 1-ouxded out everything he said-the true
was sure all prayers are rinswered, although mark of greatness. 'Honm sap,' he would say,
the answer 1my son~etinlesbe "no." and thea look around at us mischievonsly.
One Grcen Acre friend lias writte13, recalling B e meant this in the sense &at without God
George" services: directing oar lives we were nothing. With
"1 often thougbt how aptly he was named, God in our lives, he would go on, wc could
St. George. We semzed to me to have con- become the most fulfkd, the most mature,
quered his personal dragons with quiet the most happy people that it was possible to
dignity m d to havc dispatched the111 with become, Ife stressed that there was no such
I N MEMORIAM 899

thing as accident or coincidence, that God having been in excellent spirits, tl'iough
hnew every line that our eyes would follow complaiuifigof tiring easily.
in thene\~papes,that He was deeply interested Raiyyih m i n u m , afhr being informed
in us, and waited only for us to want His love, of George's death, wrote:
and that when we did, He was ready to show~er "So long the bird beat its \v<iings on the cage,
and e1icompass us and enfold us in His perfect and in the end it was not the freedom he
love. All we had to do was to ask. And the thought he was going to have, but the uliimate
saddest thiilg in the worid, George would frecdom which he recei~ed.George wrote me
often say, was that people did not want to quite often; there was always this straining
turn to God. 'They don't wnnf to,' he would to be up and away, to go back to the East he
say, over and over, in the saddest voice. loved and understood and there teach the
"George did not paint pretty pictures, Faith so supremely dear to his heat. The
either of world conditions or 'what religion gentle dreamer, the charming critic and con-
could do for you,' He h e w this, and o h n noisseur. . .wiI1 be much missed and hard to
he mrouid txy to temper his harsh statemmts, replace in every way."
but he stressed that the age of the atonlic
bomb could never be complacent. He con-
tinually reiterated the Guardian's adrnonish-
ment to act. 'Let deeds, not words be your
adorning,' he would often quote, JOS~PHMESCOTT
"One of the last times we met, I asked
George bow he was. Le 3 d k m b r e 1955, Joskphine Scott, veuve
" 'Well,' he said, 'about six months ago du peintte Edwin Scott, a quitte cette vie
I looked over nly shoulder and 1 could see apr&savoir consacrB de Ioagues annees 2i la
Old Age conling towards me from a long way Foi Bahsie.
off. Ywterday, I looked around, and he was LC Gardien a fait parvenir B Paris, le 5
standing right behind me.' He smiled at me, dkcembre 1955, le rstdiogramme suivant :
and his eyes twinkled." "rittrist6 nouvelks dkpart J o s k p h e Scott,
In em-1y February, 1196 George made a longs, fi&ies services inoubiiables, grande
second pilgrimage to Haifa. His devotion and rkompense Royaume Abh&."
close bond with the beloved Guardian were Depuis 1907 environ er jusqu'en 7 948, Mme.
ever present, although, as George said, in E. Scott a accueillj avec cordialit6 et bien-
later years he had too great respect for the veillance les croyants, ainsl que ceux qui
preciousness of the Gwdrdirtn's tiim to burden dbirajent se renseigner sur la. Poi BahQie.
him with correspondence. EUe bs a regus, d'abord 8 17 ' rue Bolssonade
After George's return from this pilgrimage, ou elk v&ut jusqu'h la mort d'Edwin Scott
he was looking fonvard to his retirenlo~~t. He en 1929, puis ti 12 rue Victor Considgrant 00
wrote to an old friend in February, 1962: elle s'installa aprb, dans un autre atelier,
"I am leaving the Museum for good on toujaurs entourkc des belles oeuvres de son
June 1st (what a relief!) and we are going to rnari et dam un quartier qui h i etait familier.
the farm for a couple d months. Some rime Dans Zeur prem3re demeure, M. et Mme.
in August we start on a 'crawl' to the West Scott eure~ltle grand priviltge de recevoir
coast, and take our ship for Sydney at deux ou trois fois 'Abdu'l-BahA quand il vint
Vancouver on September Eth, Our final port en France. I1 s'adressa dans leur grand atelier
of call will probably be Seoul, and I am going 5 un auditoire de cent & deurr cents perso~~nes,
to see (if God permits) if I can be of any use 11s eurent aussi Ia joie de bien cannaitre
to the Koreans. They have had such a hard Shoghi Effendi; il venait bs voir quand il
history!. . . I am going to various places in traversait Paris pour se rendre B l'universiti:
the Far East, and if1 lind a place where 1can d'Oxford.
be of use to the Faitl~,even at my advanced Dmsla secoade demeure de Josephine Scott
age, it is my intention to stay there. However, fut instalike la bibliothkque BahB'ie et cette
inan proposes and God disposes. . ." demeure devint un centre de reunions.
On May 10, 1962 George passed away Mentionno~is specialement les confkrences
peacefully in his sleep in Toronto, seemingly organisCes par les gtudiants persans en
THE BAHA'I WORLD

"The soul that harh reinaiued faithfill to
the Cause of God, and stood unwaveringly
firin in His Path shall, after his ascension, be
possessed of such povcr that all the worlds
which rhe Almighty hath created, can benefit
through him."

Mihat proof we have already had OF the
truth of this statement! A power is stirring
within Finland. People arc defmltely aaqakcn-
ing, searching for the Light af Truth.
The passing oC ELsa VEII~Qin =lo, Finland,
on August 31, 1355 has left a great gap in the
B;tbB'I ranks in Finland. We did not realize
how dear she was and how we ail leaned on
her- and loved her ur;iil she was taken from
our midst,
Joskphihine Scott Elsa radiatcd a superb spiritual vigor that
charged the atnlosphere of our meetings. Her
bright eyes danced and sparkled from sheer
Europe qui, de 1932 a 1938, enrent lie~tune joy. Her weakening pllyysical strength put
ou deux fois par an. Des questions impor- into greater relief her sublime spiritual powers.
tantes y ktaient kturiikes par des jeunes Bah;i'is All those who came into contact with lzer
iraniens. Des exposCs btaient faits par &verses during her brief stay in a nursiug home
personnalit8s, notamment par I'bistorien ddu remarked about the great power of her
BBb, Nicolas, par Emile Schraiber, auteur beautiful eyes and luminous face. This some-
d'un reportage sur la religion BahB'ie dans thing intangible, dificult to explain, th~sbreath
l'hebdomadaire L'lllustmrion. of heawn, wils felt also on wading her letters,
En 1948, pour des saisons de sant6 ducs en a trttc source of inspiration. The writer
partie aux privations de la gumre, Mmc. corresponded with her in Espcrmto for twelve
Scott fut obligke de s'installer dans une years before meeting her for the first time
maison de pas. Les Bahi'ds qui allhent la in May 1950 in Helsinki,
voir furent profundkment touches par la Elsa Vento was born in Tampere, Finiand,
ferveur de sa I'oi et son intkret croissant dans on Rilarch 14,1886 as Elsa Matilda HeIIstrom.
le d6veloppernent de la Cause a travers Ze Being of an original bent d mind, an early
moilde. searcher of Truth, she always blessed the
Ce couple Baha'i, si profondi.nlent uni day God led her faoi8teps to the glorious
repose maintenant dans le cimetikre de Teachings of BahB'u'liiih. She first heard and
Scezux, aux environs immbdiats de Paris. accepted the Faith in Toronto, Canada. in
Des tabjea~ur d'Edwin Scott se ti-ouvent 1938. By 1944 she was pioneering in Prince
dans pltisieurs Mus6es d'Eusope eF dans des Edward Island. She always longed to return
ktablissements officieis, B Washington meme. to hex- native Finland to share her inestimable
jewels. After trventy-six years in Canada,
vlith her scant earnings, her dream was
realized in the early spring of 1950. Financial
pressure, however, made a retwn to Toronto
imperative, but after putting aside penny
upon penny, April, 1953 found her again in
three weeks of beer passing. She was a pure,
humble, self-sacrificing, noble s ~ u lwho
, nwer
wished credit nor the limelight. She was
dearly beloved by dl the Finnish Ba'hlB'is.
From 1938 on, EIsa traildated many of tlse
Baha'i writings and talks, which were pub-
lished in Finnish newspapers in the United
States and Canada. Many of her poems zlso
appeared in newspapers, magzGnes and in
pan~phletform. She was the means of con-
firming two of her sisters besides many
others. Truly a great pioneer!

DR. JOHN GEORGE MlTCHELL
1907-1957

"Greatly deplore loss nluch loved 3oh11
Elsa Matiida Vento Mitchell staunch, consecrated promoter Faith.
Fervently supplicating progress his soul."
Thus read the cable received from the
her beloved Finland-this time to remain. Guardian by the National Spiritual Assembly
The foIlowing is the appreciative cablegram of the British Isles. John Mitchell was a
from tbe beloved Guardian: "Grieve loss much loved man, loved by the Guardian and
precious pioneer Elsa Vento. Her historic all those who came into contact with him. He
services unforgettable. Praying progress soul was known for his kindness. generosity and
in Kingdom. Love." skill as a doctor. The most me~xorabieevent
From Gerd Strand of the Northern Coan- of his life came in 1953 when he made the
tries Regional Committee: "We feel with you pilgrimage to the Holy Shrines in Haifa and
all in this terrible loss of our dear Elsa, a soul Bahji, and had the privilege of meeting
so devoted, so pure, so detached, so cleansed Shoghi Effendi. The Guarrlian thought very
of all the worldly things. Her visit with us in highly of him and entrusted him with his
the Regional Comnmittee in Stockholm will be original nlap of the goals o f the Ten-Year
one of the most outstallding memories eon- Crlisade to take to Rome for printing.
nected with the work an that committee. Her Tle was born in Biddenham, Bedfordshire,
mind remained clear to the end because her England, on November 19,1907. On the death
light came from above, and in that direction of his father, when John was thirteen, his
her vision was never blurred. . .I was the one mother contin~~ed to run the farm on which
to get the greatest benefit from her burning they lived. John went to college and took his
Torch. . . she filled me with awe every moment B.A. at Jesus College, Cambridge, in 1932.
of the time we spent togethex, and now that He then entered St. Bartholamew's Hospital,
she is relieved of all pain, her help in the London, and qualified from there in 1937
Cause she so dearly loved, will be indispu- with the diploma M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. From
table." May to November of that year he held the
Elsa's activities spread throughout Finland, posts of non-resident anasthetist and junior
even ta L a p h d . She wrote IeEters about the resident anaesthetist at this hospital, and
Faith and sent Bahd'i literature to clubs of all gained his diploma in anaesthetics in June
kinds: youth, scientific, labor, ed~rcationaland 1938.
women's organizations. She worked quietly He subsequently went to Worcester Infir-
and unobtrusively, actively and persistently mary and during the war years served in the
under the most trying conditions to within Moggerhanger Paark Sanitorium near Bedford.
902 THE BAHA" WORLD

where he was m charge. The Matron there MAUDE ELIZABETH TQDD FISHER
said of him "be always thinks of his patients,
never of himself". Many workers in the nearby Mstude Fisher was the first pioneer to give
brickworks rcrneil~beredhim with gratitude her life for the Faith of SahB"u'Hfi damidst
as he it was who helped tgiem recover Rorn the sweet green hills of Swaziland, and one
tuberculosis. of the first to die at her post during the Ten-
John heard of the Faith in the latter 1940's Year Crusade.
and became a Bahzi'i in 1950. He soon took She was also anlong the first to arise and
an active part and from 1951 to 1953 served answer the call of the beloved Guardian,
on the Consolidation Committee. I-le was Shoghi Effendi, for pio~leersto leave their
a member of the National Spiritual Assembly homeland. Forgetful of age, indifferent to
from 1952 to 1954 and during that period weakening health, Maude Elizabeth Fisher
became national treasurer. He said that he was determined to reach her African pioneer-
felt he was then a part of history. During ing post. Swaziland became her goal in life;
these ycars he toured the country, took the then it became her home, the land that she
friends from one town to another in his car, e d of all; then finally it bccame her
1 0 ~ ~ most
opening up new territory to the Faith. As last resting-place arnong the people to whom
treasurer he worked hard, starting early in the she had brought the light of BahVu'Ukh.
morning and often missing his meals, trying Maude Fisher was born to the pioneering
to cope ryitli the books and letters. spirit. She drove her own covered wagon
Upon his return to England from Haifa across the great western plains and into the
John pioneered in Blackpool for several mountain country of the United States. Her
months and then pioneered to Malta, becom- heart was restless, always moving on, always
ing a Knight of BaWu'lljh. It was in Malta seeking that finer lan4 that freer life, trying
that his illness became apparent and he was to satisfy a longing thirst which was never to
flown home early in 1956 for treatment in be quenched until she embraced the Faith
London. He seemed better for a while, but of Baha'u'ilAh many years later.
an operation on his brain became necessary, She was descencled from English, Scotch
which left him partialiy paralyzed. and French ancestry, and it was said that the
Having hardly any relatives left in England tall, dark, handsome md silent Frenchman
he then came to live with friends in kicester who had married her maternal grandmother
and thus the Leicester Bahsis, few in number was part American Indian.
then, were privileged to get to know lzim and Her mother, Lydia Ann Slay, was a woman
were helped by his presence amongst them. of masual industry, vision and deep religious
Hc died on February 19, 1957 md is buried conviction, She understood the restless longing
in a Leicestea: cemetery, kis body lying in her danghter's heart and told her, "'Don't
beneath a beautiful tree in just such surround- worry, Maude; as you work your blessings
ings as he would have wished. will come."
His headstone aptly records: "A life for Maude Elizabeth grew up on her father's
others spent," eighty-acre Kansas farm.
All his efforts went toward the education
of his five sons. His four daughters, he felt,
needed only a good home and a husband who
would love and protect them. He had at least
some rebels among his daughters. One was
Maude Elizabeth. She had the same pioneering
spirit which had led her grandmother to cast
aside a useless life and sail for America. Her
father always said Iaughingly that she was
n a n d for two queens. Maude Elizabeth's
regal manner and diplomacy won him over
until he agreed that she could have a limited
education. By sheer determination and
encouragement from her understanding
IN MEMORIAM 903

motl~er,Maude Elizabeth worked until she
secured ari elementary teacher's certificate.
This proved to be a wise investment, for one
Mrier winter -.hen the crops aL1 failed$it was
the meager salary of Maude Elizabeth which
helped support the family.
She also persuaded her father to let her
take lessons in art. Maude was very gifted in
this field and was soon illitking more money
from her painting than she could make
teaching school.
Maude Elizabeth married a young farmer
from rearb by whose name was Elmer Fisher.
After the birth of two sons, they decided to
"go west." They purchased tvo fully equipped
covered wagons and started westtvards.
The journey was exciting and thrilling but
it was aIso tong md dangerous. Maude drove
one of the wagons herself. At one time her
wagon burst into h n e s ; at another the child-
ren were desperately ill, and at still another
her wagon was swept downstream whib she Maude Elizabeth Todd Fisher
was fording a fast-ru~mingriver.
Maude and EInler decided that Idaho was
not the place they wished to bring up their
children. They moved down to California longer be content to return to a darkened
where there were bet& schools. Here, at last, room. To help her friends, she began holding
Maude's longed-for dream of truly beiag classes in Bible prophecy wlrich she knew
able to work for the rights of women was and loved. Pn this she was enabled to lead
realized. gradually and wisely those with pure hearts
She joined several political c l ~ ~ b sshe
; to the fulfrlIment of the promises recorded
became bi-county president of the Women3s in that book.
Christian Temperance Union. In 1945 when her husband passed away,
She was in the midst of this work when she she went to live with her daughter and son-
first heard of the Message of BahB'u'll&h,in in-law, Valera m a John Allen, and their t h r ~
1927. Maude felt here was ejther the greatest sons. Her da~rghterhas stated: Her good
tlvth or the greatest hoax that had ever been l ~ w ~ oher
r , understanding nature, her deep,
offered to mankind. steadfast belief in God and His Plan far rhis
Soon Maude knew that this was the pure day had a profound influence upon the boys.
fountain of truth for which she had been She was an untiring worker for the Faith,
seeking alI these years. This Faith not onIy serving on the Local Spiritual Assenzbiy,
elevated women to their true station ia teaching wherever and whenever she was
life, but it exalted a11 humanity to a new needed, never missing a conmiunity function.
dignity and stature by bringing them close to Her greatest days of service to humanity
God. were yet to come. At the age of eighty-two.
Maude Fisher embraced the Faith of a grandmcrther and great-grandmother several
Bahsl'u'llkh and began teaching it. She spoke times over, she was about to embark on her
out with the same courage and conviction most exciting journey of all, a 12,000 mile
which had carried her across plains, rivers, journey into the heart of Africa to bring the
mounrzlins and valleys, unafraid of my light of BahB'u'llAh to a land where it was yet
obstacle that stood in her way. She withdrew unknown. Maude Fisher was going to pioneer
from the church. Her friends came to her in in the greatest religious Cmsade the world
consternation. But Maude Fisher had found had ever known, and shc would allow riotking
the lamp that was alight and she could no to stand in her way.
She made her pians to pioneex in Afiica They promised, and again, in the United
following the great Baha'i Intercontinental Slates, she became ill. In great pain she made
Conference in Chicago in 1953. She was going the long trip back to Swaziland to begin the
to Swaziland with her daughter Vaiera and last and most fruitful years of service. With
her son-in-law, John Allen. T h e rest of her a remarkable return to good health, she m d e
l'amily, who wepe then not followers of teaching trips to Mozambique, Southern and
BaMu'ilAh, urged her to stay at home. They Northern Rhodesia, and South Africa. She
tried in every way to dissuade her. They spoke to the friends nherever she went. She
pointed to her advanced age, her health, her won their hearts by her courage, indifference
home, her friends, her Gamily; she would have to fatigue, and dedication to the work of the
nothing but suffering and hardship in a Faith. It was her life. She helped to establish,
strange land, a people whose language she and she served an the first Local Spiritual
could not even speak, a backward and Assembly in Swaziland.
primitive country where even the strong and Even in her last illness, when her pain and
hardy would find it difficult to survive. sfiering were s e a t , her thoughts were on
Maude smiled, thanked them for their con- the progress of the teaching work. One
cern, and went on packiag. Her health d ~ d evening at the:hospital, she said to her daugh-
fail her. John and Valera went on to Swazilaad ter Valera:
in order to reach their pioneer posts, but "We must keep the fire burning, so that
Grandma Fisher had to be left behind. She the light can be seen everywhere. Not only in
was determined to follow them. She finally Swaziland, not only in Africa, but it must be
reached the midwest, and was stricken with a such a big fire that it can be seen all over the
complete breakdown. %e doctors gave up world,"
all hope of her life. She rallied, borne along She sooke of the bcloved Guardian and
by her will to reach the goal set for her by her of her deep love for him, then peacefuliy
bdoved Guardian. began another pioneer journey, this one to
Once again the family entreated her to the Abh5 Kingdom. She had fallen at h a
turn back and remain at home where she post. She had been the spiritual soldier sso
would be safe and taken care of. The doctors loved by the Master, the one who puts on his
pointed out that it would be impossible for armor, goes into the field, never turning back,
her to survive the trip. C a h l y indifFerent to leaving a11 behind, and presses on to victory,
their lack of faith, Maude went resoluteIy on or lays down his life upon the path which will
with her plans. By sheer will power, she forced point the way to those who will win the
an unco-operative body to press on, until at victory after her.
last after flying for over forty consecutive On her passing the following cablegram
hours, she arrived at Jaharu~esburg,South from the beloved Guardian was received by
Africa, with her grandsons. There, joined by her daughter:
her daughter and son-in-law John, she made "Grieve news assure you loving fervent
the final journey overland to Swaziland. Her prayers progress soul dear mother memory
heart was home at last. her pioneer service imperishable reward great
She began teaching at once and because Kingdom."
of her good humor, her simpIe, practical way Amatu'l-Bah& Riihiyyih Uii.num wrote:
of speaking, she soon won over the hearts of "The beloved Guardian has a list of the
the African people she met. In no time at all pioneers who pass away at their posts; I was
she was plain "Grandma" or "Granny" to touched to see him add your mother's name
them all. after he cabled you. We cannot understand
When John and Val were forced to return yet the nature of these blessings because we
to the United States on business, they waated are too dose to it all. But in the future others
Grandma Fisher to accompany them. will understand."
"I wiiI," she said, "but only on one condi- By the African people whom she loved at~d
tion: that you pron~iseto bring me back here by whom she was loved in return, Maude
to my pioneering post m d my horns, even Fisher was called in their o m words, "a
if I ain unable to come by myself. Otherwise builder OF the Bahgi Faith."
I won't go.'" An African friend paid her this tribute:
"What a wonderful pioneer she was! How
devoted to thc Faith she was! How we miss
her!"
Maude Elizabeth Todd Fisher was buried
high up on a hillside looking down ouer a
great green valley toward the Lobornbo
Mountains and the people she loved. The
African people call this vaIley Ezulweni, which,
Iike the word Ridvgn, means "paradise."
A srnaIl vial of attar-of-rose, a gift to her
from her beloved Guardian, was placed in
her hands.
Words were spoken in both the English and
African languages on that sunny July day
when the earthly remains of Maude Fisher
were laid to rest; words that told of the
happiness she had brought to the African
peoplc.
The ceremony was closed with a prayer of
Bahii'u'llah and these words spoken on behalf
of ail the African friends who loved her:
"Tsama2a hantle, 'M'a rona kdofeela. Re
fl rata hahob." ("Go well, nlother of 11s all.
We love you very much.")

Until the death of the older one, on Novem-
ber 7, 1954 and the younger one, on August
8, 1957 these two devoted men co~ltinued
to serve theEgyptian Bahri'i con~rnunityand
to stimulate and inspire the believers in their
country to ever greater efforts in the path
of God.
After the passing of 'Abdu'l-Baht, in 1921,
The history of the BaWi Faith was enriched a goup of mischief-~ilakersarose to oppose
through the lives and the devotion to the the Guardian of axe B&&'i Faith; the two
Cause of God of two Egyptian BahB'is, brothers, ever Zoyd and devoted, were insku-
brothers, the oldest, 'Abdu'r-Rahnlgn Ruddi, mental in protecting the believers from these
the younger, 'Abdu'l-Fattrih Sabri. When Covenant-breakers and in helping to create,
the Cause was still in its infancy in Egypt under the guidance of Shoghi Effendi, the
'Abduyr-Rahdn accepted it during the first present day administration of the Faith in
World War.In a small Musiim community Egypt.
such as that he lived in, in Tehel-Barroud, Both brothers served at differrent tiines an
this was a sign of great independence of the Natioilal Spiritual AsscmbIy of t l ~ e
thought and spirit; he hastened to convey BahB'ls of Egypt and Si~d&n; both assisted In
the good news to his brother, 'Abdu'l-FattZih contacts with the authorities and winning a
Sabri, who likewise embraced the Faith with degree of recognition of the infant institutions
equaI devotion and enthusiasm. of this Cause,
906 THE BAHA. > fW O R L D

WILLIAM KENNETH CHRISTIAN
1913-1959

One does not expect death. at 46 years of
w e ; Kenneth had never had what might be
called great material success or any degree
of ease. His life was a torture of stress and
strain in his profession. As a teacher in col-
leges, he found it imperative to earn a doc-
toral degree and this meant eight long years
of carrying a full teaching load, doing his
research and writing in his "spare" time.
These, too, were the years during which he
senred as a member of the National Spiritual
Assenlbly of the BaliB'is of the United States
and it would have been understandable if he
had died then from sheer fatiale.
In 1953, thle beginning of the Ten-Yew
World Crusade, Kenneth became iaBaaned
wifh tbr? desire to pioneer in a goal area.
Kenneth wrote to ale beloved Guardian of
his hopes in this matter and when the answer
was received, plans were made and finally he
and his family set sail for Africa on December
10, 1953. For nineteen days at sea he talked,
prayed and planned. Then there were six
months of failure, six months of eternity in
At the Ijine when hlr. Ruadi andMr. Sabri efforts to find a job, any job, and personal
accepted the Bah2i Faith there were very pride and faith was s h a h to the roots. Here
few believers of pure Egyptian background. was Kenneth's own Gethsemane, with agonies
The fact that they were, and that they had of mind, body m d spirit to be continudtlly
accepted this new religion, nat only attracted wrestled, In retrospect he was probably truly
many other Egyptians to the Faith but brought barn during those days and nights of despair.
upon thein r n ~ ~ ccriticism
h and even pesse- He was unable to find work and thus repay
cution. Heedless of everything except their his debt to the National Spiritual Assembly;
love far Bahii'u'llfih they served until the the lai-gestbarrier was that he couldwnot teach
horn of their death with steadfast devation the Faith in the only way he kne ; circum-
and enthusiasm. Such was the quality of this stances in Southern Rhodesia at the time
devotion that their children arose to follow in made it inlpossible to boldly proclaim the
their footsteps; many of then1 have pioneered Faith or to even openly try to ftnd native
outside of Egypt and are spreading the Africans to whom the message might be
Messzge of God for this day in distznt places. taught. Until this time, "to teach" had meant
Upon the death of 'Abdu-I-Fattall SSabri, "to talk'', and such restraint was almost
in 1957, tile beloved Guardian sent the overwhelmingly difficult to accept,
following cable: After a period of trying to get settled in
"Grieve, deplore loss distinguished pro- Africa, unsatisfactorily as it turned out,
moter Faith. Long record services unfosgt- Kenneth asked, and received, pern~ission
table. Rewad groat Kingdom. Praying from the Guardian to go or1 to Athens,
progress soul." Greece, where through the help of another
Atthough the words of the Guardian on pioneer i3e found a job 'teaching in a sinall
the octlasion of the death of the older brother Anlericansponsored college. Since Greece
are not available at this we feel sure was a goal country he was happy to again be
the same bcantiful tribute applies to both oil the way toward accoxnpiishing what he
of these devoted servants of the Faith. had sot out to do, With hopes soaring thus
IN MEMORIAM 907

began anoti~erperiod. Bur again there was
frustration, fear, financial need and a govern-
nxnt which made it unlawful for anyone to
ha\re people come to a home for the purpose
of promulgating any religion other than the
religion of the country. Again Kenneth's
lips were sealed to teach the Faith without
restraints. During three years he began to
look inward; he went to his beloved books;
he established pdtwns of prayer-campaigns;
he sought understmding. His eloquence, his
intellectual cleverness, his lightning-Iike
thought processes and his trenlendous knowl-
edge of the teachings-all seemed useless.
Tn short, during these times he began to
become a growing spirit. It was also during
this period that a pilgrimage was inade to
the World Center at Haifa, and to meet the
bejoved Guardian---a never-to-be-forgotten
event. Also during these years Kenneth was
accepted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of
Arts and the Royal Geographic Society.
At the expiration of his contract to teach
in Athens Kenneth became acquainted with
a man who pmsuaded him to apply for a
position as a culturd affairs officer with the William Kenneth Christian
United States Informtion Agency, He was
accepted and returned to Vl'ashington in 1957
for a five-months training and waiting period, was truly happy and his relationships with.
at the end of which he was assigned to the Indonesian people were thriiling to watch;
Djakarta, Indonesia. they adored him, although he never was able
While Djakarta was a goal area there was to lear11 their language. The Americans with
already an established Spiritual Assm~bly whom hc associated at the Embassy, and at
there and this disappointed Kennetll to some the USIS, loved him too and cailed hiin "the
extent. However, by this time his attitude little Doc," an affectionate term for a man
was very l~umbleand his gratitude great; who had become a humble, sweet andoutgoing
he was radiantly happy. At the peak of person.
excitement and happiness, and a new begin- This is Kenneth's story. The story of bow
ning, came the news of the passing of the God burned him and pressed him and sent
beloved Guardian. On the day of the funeral him the thousand boils of Job; and how, in the
in London, Kenneth Christian, and his end he became, truiy, a Bahgi.
fanGIy, \vex again on the way to yet an- There were many noble thoughts in his
other pioneer post. hemt and mind as the 'esult of his special
Kenneth found great difficulty functioning hour af meditation in the dawn of each. day
as one of the two western people on the which was his lifetime habit. On the early
aII-Persia Spiritaal Assenlbly in Djakarta. morning of May 4,1959, I heard him choking,
Those who knew him could imagine the inner Going to him I quickly gathered him into a
effort it took for him to understand and live sitting position, trying to help him to breathe,
among this loving, enthusiastic, but to hirn but his spirit flew from its pain-racked body
incon~prehensiblegroup of eastern peoples. in a matter of fifteen minutes. His death was
But Kenneth learned well and he came to due to coronary occlusion. How merciful
dearIy love each and every one of them. a death it was for him \\rho Izad, most of kis
His American friends never knew the life, suffered physical pain or distress of one
entirely different person Kenneth became. He sort or another. To have been ill or to have
908 T H E B A H A ~ LW O R L D

suffered for any length of time would, I think, some sort are essential to growth. . .Bordefis
have been difficult for him. may be great, but God is greater. He not only
I3is funeral was attended by people of creates the burdens, but He has crated the
every conceivable color and rank-from strength to bear them."
Embassy oRleiaX to native servant. The dear April 1959: "We should personalIy think
Persian Bahgi men, who had once been such in terms of 'hopes,' not 'musts.' IF we think
a somce of n~ystificationand irritation to him in terms of 'I must have,' we cut off the srrbtle
just eighteen months earlier, washed his body connection with God. The easiest thing in the
and anointed it with the attar-of-rose which world is to fink that our wills are sacred.
Shoghi EEendi had placed in his hands The greatest delusion is to think that we
during the pilgrimage, and read prayers at absolutely know otrr own needs,"
the house and at the save. Kenneth Cl~ristian, April 24, 19551: "Marks of Maturity: 1-
Knight of Bah&'u'lI&h, was the 5rst Bah6.Y to Ihr: assi~mptionof moral responsibiljly, 2-
be placed in the Bah2i burial g o w ~ dat Dja- the acceptance of the conditions of life, 3-the
karta. Many people made efforts to learn just eKort to grow &n understanding, 4-the
what the religion was that made so Fine a man. practice of socid responsibility."
Thus Kenneth learned that to teach is not April 25, 1959: "Any set of conditions in
ai:vays to talk and perhaps in having grown life can be a straight-jacket m d a priso~~.
and Ieafned so much, so fast, he was ready This idea is expressed in the folk-saying: 'The
to enter into the next phase of life's jomney. grass is always greener on the other side of
His writings are a heritage that ail can cherish the fence.' A person may be free, no matter
and he also left in this world a legacy of love w h t his circun~stancesif he (1) has really
which he could never h w e dreamed of- accepted life itself and (2) has understanding
because he threw himself so freely upon the of life as a goaZ."
altar of full sacrifice-and this recails the
recurring dream of his adoIescence of the
Phoenix who is wnsu~nedonly to rise and
soar heavenward again.
Someone has said tl~atwisdom is "to see
much, to study much, to suffer much.''
Kenneth Christian became wise, indeed, in all
of these ways-from theoretical knowledge SALVADOR TORMO
to true reality,
K a ~ m t his best known through his mmy The sudden passing of Seiior Salvador
articles, poems, and essays. I submit here the Tormo in an airplane accident on Septe~ilber
last flowers of his brilliant and ever-developing 7, 1960 was a grievous loss of a noble and
mind in the form of jottings in a little blue tireless servant of the Faith of Bah5'u3llhh
book of thoughts which he kept sporadically who died after carrying oat a teaching
all the years I knew him. mission in the Republic of Paraguay so
On March 31, 1959, he wrote: "Life must triumphmtly that his last i~issionmay well
have the principle of growth, not just action.'* have changed the coarse of B&thb'i history in
And-"We need to know how to call to om that country.
assistance #e reinforcements of God." And- Selior Tornlo's long record of services to
"A man must be 'saved' many times. This is the Faith in Latin-America are too numerous
tn*e because change and growth are essential to recount here in full. However, he and his
to life. Each time a m m consciously recog- dear wife, Adela, established the Spiritual
nizes and accepts a significant truth, he Is Assembly on the Island of Juan Fernandez
saved from error and misunderstanding. (Robinson CJlusoe Island) in 1953 and the
Indeed, a nlan nausf be saved many times. If annual International BahB'i Sumrner SchooI
not, his whok view of life becornes frozen. has been held on their property in Ezeiza,
Efe becomes st spiritual midget when he could Argentina, for many years. Saivador Tarrno,
be a giant." who was a Knight of BahB'u'Bkh, s p e d as
April 4, 1959: "The life of faith involves chairman of the first Spiritual Assembly
rnonients of agony. Pain a i ~ ddificultics oC of Buenos Aires and was manager of the
Bahri'i Publishing Trust in Buenos Aires from
1957 to the time of his death. He was a
constant ~ ~ a i ~ s l aoft oEnglish
r teaching materi-
al and Bahri'i books into the Spanish Iangnage
a i d included among these translations wci-e
the Kitdb-i-fqdn arid the Gieaiziigs from the
Wririrzgs of'_strhd'u'ildh. Wc was also a member
of the Regioi~aiNational Spiritual Assembly
ol' Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and
Uruguay froin the time of its formation iu
1957, ancl at thc time of his death he was the
elected sxretary of that body. In his capacity
as international teacher, translator and ad-
ministrator, Salvador Tormo contributed
inestimably to the establishment of the Faith
of Bzhh'u'lIhh in South h11cnca.
That Salvador Torcno was guided and
blessed in his work for the Faith is very clear
from the many letters received from the
Guardian. Oiie letter written to him, dated
July 1, 1941, reads:
"I was truly delighted to receive your letter
and I am lruty proud of the work which you
and yoirr collaborators have thus far achieved.
For the success of your efforts of y o u historic
assexnbIy (Buenos Aires) i will specially and
fervently p a y . Be assured and n e w relax Salvador Tormo
in your n~eritoriousefforts, wllich the Beloved,
whom you serve so splendidly, will assuredly
bless. May He enable you to follow the foot- greates glory t h a n that, that he served the
steps of that valiant soul, May Maxwell, Cause with great devotion and love in h e
whose dust reposes in your city and whose lifotirne QE fie beloved of all hearts, Shoghi
associatioil with your C e ~ ~ i ethroughr her Effendi, and arose to serve, after the passing
selCsacrificeand death is an eternal iiisaIrsbion of om beloved Guardian, with greater
to ail who Labor in your promising country." medsure in pioneering, adrniuistration and
Saivador's many friends will not forget his all other fields, gladdened the heart of the
s p d a l qualities and characteristics, his bzloved Shoghi Effendi and now is alive in the
unfiagging enthusiasm atid cheerfuliless, his Abhi realni, ill his presence,"
defightful sense of l~uumorand his eloquence
and decp knowledge of tile Teachings, m7ith
that power of conviction which co~tldstir all
who heard him speak.
Possibly these words which were received
fi.orn the Hands of the Cause in the Western MAX EREEVEN
Hemisphere best exemplify this wo~~derful 1369-1981
nlan: "According to the sacred writings, death
is but an aswilt from this material world to Throughout a long life Max Greeveli
the spiritual one and an obvious progress, exenlplified the Bahb'i standard of conduct
especially as in the ease of our dear Tomo, ill his personal and business affairs, although
who rendered such woilderful services which hz had never heard of the Faith until he was
sl~allalways make him immoxtal. Indeed he fifty years old. This might serve as an illustra-
was a shilling-example to the B&$is. Hc left tion of what 'Abdu'l-BahB meant when He
the friends heart-broken, bur look refuge said we cannot make Bahh'is, but rather go
with his Beloved in Ihe Abhk Kingdom. What out and find them.
THE BAHA'I WORLD

His first knowledge of the Bah%'i Faith The Guardian wrote r e g ~ d i n gthese Brst
came through Mrs. Grrzce Krug of New York, publications in Dutch: "You should rest
in March, 1920 when she was en route to Raifa assured that your painstaking efforts will in
with her party of twelve piIglims. She gave tine bear fruit. . .the harvest which the future
a number of public talks during the fourteen- shall reap will be incalculably ~ i c hand
, great
day voyage tto Naples, at mhich Mr. Greeven wig d s o be your reward for having so tin-
was present. It was for Mrs. Kl-ug's ability remittingiy toiied in bringing it about."
to organize #is trip in those early postwar In March 1434, Mr. Greeveix visited Haifa
years of diEcult travel that she earned the where some of the members of the Germail
name " 'Abdu'l-Bah&'s General," given her National Spiritual Assembly were already
by the Master upon her arrival at Kaifa. gathered. This was his first meeting wiih ;he
After XIr. Greeven returned to lxis hon~ein Guardian, a Iong anticipated event. He was
New Yo&, be had no further contact &irfi deeply touched by the heavy responsibilities
h e BWEs until a ysar later and o ~ l became
y carried by Shoglg Effendi, the enormous
a declared bdiever in 1927. Shortly tl~ereafter, correspondence and the burden of family
he was instnrmentd in putting into effect the affairs, and his seat desire was fson~then
desire of the Local Spiritual Assenibly of New on to be of some service to him, The Guardian
York to presei~ta specially bound. set of tlze reco&ed certain qualities in Mr. Greeven
B&$i Teachings to the Emperor of Japan. and told the German friends he would bc
The prorocoI attendant upon the seixding of "'pleased" if they should elect him ro the
a gift of this sort to the Imperial Household National Spiritual Assembly. On March 27,
called for permissioil from the State Depart- he wrote a believer: "Mr. Greeven &illgreatly
ment in Washington, and only after nearly reinforce your effortsfor the effective prosecu-
a yeas's correspondence with the proper tion of your task. His attachment to the Cause
authorities a a s MT. Ereeven notifred by and his realism combined with his remarkabIe
Dr. R. Masujima that the books were at last capacity for appreciating spiritual values, all
on the shelves of the En~peror'slibrary. these are undoubtedly qualities if
Mr. Greeven moved from New York to properly translated into action, can be of
Bremen, Germany, in 1930, to become a treinendous help to the general welfare and
partner in the firm of Clason 6c Burger, the progress of the Faith," The Guardian was
European branch of the cotton iism of Ander- not disappobted in his expectations, because
son, Clayton & Co.,Houston, Texas. He was a year later he wrote on March 6,1935 ;"Dear
authorized to reorganize rhe business, which and prized Co-worker; The letters I have
had not recently been shaming the profits of received from Germany beat witness to the
fonner years, and he adopted with great remarkable in~petuswhich your efforts In
success the pro5it-sharing policy advocated recent months have lent to the consolidaiisn
in the BrthtiY Teachings. of the Faith." Shoghi Effendi was eager to
During the next few years he was responsible have the S w m e r School at Esslingen become
for the publication in Bollvld of the following firmly established, and urged Mr. Greeven
BaM'i books, which had been translated into to work towards that goal. He hoped that
Dutcl~by Captain 5. A. Liebau, a believer increasing numbers of BahZi travelers in
from Rotterdam: "Bahau'llAh and the New Europe would fiud it "a center of proibund
E~E,"by Dr. E s s l m ~ n t ;"Hidden WorW'; attraction." In referring to this School again,
"The Kitkb-i-fqh." The translation of "Some as well as the conference held in Northern
Answered Questions," which had been com- Germzny, he wrote on Juiy 6, 1936, "My
pleted, wouid have foilowed if the war had well-beloved Co-worker: 1 am delighted to
not prevented. The Custrdian was deepIy leal-n of the spXendid progress that is bcing
interested in seeing this work accomplisl~eed achieved both in Northern arrd Southe~zt
an&, as each book was released, requested Germany. To both movements you arelending
tiyo hundred or l o r e copies be sent to him. powerful and unique lis~petus.I feel profound
Urifortunately, inany of thc remaining books ly thankful for your increasing achieveme~~ts.
were stored itt the warehouse of tkle publishing la return I cannot but pray that He who is the
firm and dwing tile bcnlbing of Rotterdam, Giver of every good and perfect gift m y rain
in the war of 1940, this building was butned. down His blessings upon you, cheer your
heart and reinforce your high endeavors.
With my best wishes for you. . . affectionately,
Shoghi."
By 2937 conditions in Germany had
worsened and were pasticulaxiy ominous for
the Baha'is. Their books and funds had been
seized by the Government, and their nleetings
dissoIved, The Guaxdian's cailcern for the
friends during this period was constant; one
never knew from day to day what new tcst
nligld befall them. Ile wrote that his only
fear was "r-ather for those Gicnds who, due
lo their insufficient reaiization of the divine
power that inysteriousIy operates in the Faith,
are prone to Iook at such deve'loyments as
coilstituting the death knell of the Cause,"
whereas, in reality, he continued, "Trials and
tribulations, as BalzB'u'IlAh says, are the
oil that feeds the lamp of the Came and are
indeed blessings in disguise." During this
time the Guardian was directiag Mr. Greevea's
contact with t l ~ eMinistry of Church Affairs,
in an effort to have rescinded the edict
curtailing all Baha'i activities. Promises were
made by the Government. but never keut.
However, the Guardian nevel relinquished Max Greeven
his purpose of pressing this nlattes, and
meanwhile wrote to the National S~kitual
Assembly of America to intercede with its
Govern~mentfor assistance to the German reward hiin in the fo!Io%ing words: "Dearest
friends, as by this thne one of them had been Co-worker: Zust a word to assure you of my
interned. It was, as the Guardian wrote, a ever-deepening gratitude and adairation for
"delicate and difficult mission" and that he the eforts you are ceaselessIy exerting on
felt Mr. Greeven was "indeed the man of the behalf of our oppressed brethren. Babk'u'ilib
situation, as his matured experience, wisdonl is no doubt watching over you, and the
and above ail his unwavering loyalty stlid Beloved is we11 pleased with your historic
attachment to the Cause, en~inentlyqualify endeavors. Whatever the autcoie, you have
him to undertake so delicate and diffict~lta won for yourseif an abiding piace in the
mission." affections of tile believers. Affectionately and
Although Mr. Gs-eeven was forced to move gratefully, Shogbi.'"
to ~ o l l a &in the autunm of 1937 due to
~ N E LGREEVEN
business restrictions, he conti~luedta travel to
Germany to make repeated pleas to the
Government, but always received promises
without results. Finally, the Guardian wsote - .

that further appeals might only have the
effect of displeasing the artthorities, and
shortly thercafkr the war closed all doors of
hope. JEhWIE OTTTLIA ANDERSON
Mr. Greevsn never wished for any recogni- 1884-I960
tion for Izimself, finding his reward in bcing
able to carry out the Guardian's instructions Jennie Cttliia Anderson was bo:-n in 1854
and always hoping to be able t o send him in Ganznlalkil.;, Ostergbtlands, Sweden and
encouraging news. But the Guardian did came to the United States in 1901. S ~ Ywas ,
912 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

introduced to the Faith by her brother, Peter, "011Sunday morning our guide took us
\vbo had settled in Seattle, Washington. Tliis to a Cangcegatianal Church on Cottage Grove
brother also introduced her to August Avenue where 'Abdu'l-Ball9 was to speak.
Anderson, (not a relative), and also a BahKi, 'Abdu'Z-Bahk had not yet arrived, when we
who became her husband in 1906. They had got there. The church was eon~pletelyfilled
Yow children. witli people and the atn~osphere was in-
Jennie had always been active in BaWi describable, such a stillness as I have never
activities andher greatest source of inspiration experienced. I shaIl never forget the experience
in the easly days of the Fzith in America was we had there seeing 'Abdu'l-BahB for the
Isabella Brittingharn. While her family was first time. Whib the organ played 'Holy,
growing up she nevcr missed a local meeting, Holy, Lord, God AImighty', 'Abh'l-Baha,
feast or other activity and was always on the with His secretrtpies following, came walking
''watch" for hungry souls, as she said, who down the center aide. With the congregation
might be in search of this great Message. standing the minister approached 'Abdu'l-
'kbdu'l-Baha, in September of 1929 wrote BahA with open arms, cmbraced Iiim and
to her: introduced Him, saying how very happy he
". . . O thou leaf of ffe Tree of Life!. . . was to have this man come from the Orient
Happy is thy condition for the thickly to speak in his church. In the afternoon our
condensed clouds did not prevent thee from Persian gaide took us to anothm church
seeing the Sun of Reality. With thine own ear \\here 'Abdu'l-Bahj spoke agaiii. 'Abdu'l-
thou hast heavd the cail of the Kingdom of Bahk had been invited to this minister's home
God and with thine eye thou hast witnessed the for dinnsr but at 5 o'clock our guide, who
lights of guidance. Rest thou assrued that is a rug dealer iiz Chicago, brought us back
thou art under the protection of the Lord of to the hotel where 'Abdu'l-Bahk was staying
Hosts aand art considered one of tile dar~ghters while in Cliicago and here hundreds of
of the Kingdom. . ." friends had gathered in the lobby waiting for
Jennie wrote of her and her husband's 'Abdu'l-Baha's arrival. Shortly after our
experiencein meeting 'PLbctu'l-bhiiin Chicago arrival Re came in and was escorted to His
during his visit in 1912 as follows: room, where He was to interview the Bah8'is.
"Whal we. . . received the news of 'Abdul- Dr. Z. Ba&dkdicii served as His interpreter at
Bahri's intended visit to the United States that particular time. It seemed as though
joy and excitenient filled us all. I can remein- 'Abdu'l-Ballti knew that sve had a long way to
ber the meeting in Kenosha, Wisconsin where go back home since sirangcly enough He called
everyone was making some plans to go to on my l~usbsuidand myself to be the first ones
Chicago so as to be sure not to miss 'Abdu"1- to come up to His room. Later I was told I h ~ t
BahB. However, we lived in the mulltry seven He had asked for the Inan who had the Oreat-
miles from Kenosl~aat that time, and had est Name tattooed on his l~and,which was my
two small children, so X redly didn't sce how Inusband, and his wife. Wc had never seen
we could go. . . When the time came my 'Abdu'l-BahA closely, nor had He ever seen
husba~dsaid, 'Let us get ready and go,' - us closely, yet Hc had called for the man with
so ive left early on a Sunday morning, about the Gxatest Name on his haiid. 'Abdu'l-Baha
five or six a.m., as we had two miles to walk warmly embraced us both, gave us His
to the North Shore train-and arrived in blessing, and said to my husband that his
Chicago about 8 a.m. My husband then said, hand was the only hand in the world which
'Let us go into a restaurant and have a cup had the Greatest Name written on it and
of coffee.' The restaurant that we entered was that it was greatly blessed.
empty except for a Persian gentleman who was "Sotne time later 'Abdu'l-BahA came to
seated in a corner, enjoying his coffee, and we Kenosha. . . 'Abdu'l-BahA went arou13d the
decided to speak to him thinking that perhaps hall and shook hands with every one of the
he might h o w something about where friends who were there. Before the friends
'Abdu'I-BahB was staying. I asked Mm and seated themselves at the banquet table
he said that he knew where 'Abdu'l-Bahh 'Abdu'l-Bahk first seated Himself at the head
was and that he would be our guide through- of the table and beckoned the children to him,
out the day. taking them one by one in His lap and giving
IN MEMORIAM 913

each one a piece oE fruit,. . On Sunday
morning He spoke at the Congregational
Church in Kenosha on the subject of the
equality of the sexes, and stayed at the home
af one of the older believers in Kenasha."
Having always in mind the love and
burning desire to aid the people of her native
land to gain their rightful place in the arena
of BahB'u'll21's glory, Jennie pioneered
alone in Stockholm for two years, 1947 to
1949, a i d then returned to ihc United States
to be with her family. In 1955 her husband,
who had also sesved the Faith so well, passed
into the Abh8 Kingdom and Jennie returned
to Swede11 again, all on her own this time and
not sponsored by the European Teaching
Committee as her previous trip had been,
She settled in Goteborg and while there
Shoglli EEendi s e ~her
i &c followingmessage
in January of 1957: Jennie Ottilia Anderson
"Your letter of January 14th has been
received by the beloved Guardian and he over to the couch and then very quickly
has instructed me to answer you on his death overtook her; her w d deserved rest
behalf. had come and her soul found release. The
"He is very happy to see with what devo- BahiYl funeral service for her served as a
tion and tenacity you are persevering in the teaching medium, which was her heart's
service of the Faith in Sweden, and fie desire, and shall never be forgotten in the
wants you to know that he attaches great hearts of those who were present, for the
importance to this work, particularly inview spirit was heavenly.
of the Fact that the Scandinavian and Quoting a letter received from the Hands
Finland National Assembly will be formed of the Cause residing in the Holy Land, in
this conling April. He feels s u e that this part, is fitting:
will mark a new period of unfoIdment for "The soil where the remains of a pioneer
the Faith there, and you wiII have had your are laid to rest is indeed blessed. Not only
share in this wonderful work. He will pray does the Bahk'i world today know and
for you and your success in the holy cherish the memory of pioneers gathered
Shrines, and assures you that you are near to the Abhir Kingdom, but future genera-
to him in spirit. tions will recognize what they owe to the
With Ioving greetings, courage and the sacrifice of these valiant
souk, .."
"May the Almighty bless continualIy your
meritorious endeavors for the spread of
His Faith, guide every step you take,
remove every obstacle from your path, and LOUISE M. EIUCKSON
enable you to enrich the reeord of your
deeply appreciated accomplishnlents. Louise M. Erickson was 'barn in Sweden
and with a healthy curiosity and interest
Your tnre brother, SI-IOGRI"in other Iands travelled to the United Stares
at the early age of thirteen. She heard of the
O n October 2, 1960, while at her home Bahk'l Faith through same of the earliest
Jennie remarked that she had some pains in believers, and had the privilege of knowing
her chest and needed to lie down. She hurried soim of these wonderful BahB'i teachers
914 THE BAHA'IWQRLD

this." He then telephoned the Royal Palace I
and an interview was arranged limited to
twenty minutes-the outcome was that the I
I
Crown Prince gave her two hours. I

Louise Erickson attended ma& Bahii'f !
functions, including Convention in the United !
States, Stockholm and Denmark, as w d l as
sunmer schools in Green Acre, Maine, and
Denmark. She loved the Faith and did ali
she could to support its activities and func-
tions.
She passed away Oct, 12,1960, in Goteborg.
BahA'i services were held for her, and she rests
in the same cemetery with only a single grave
between her and that of Jennie Anderson,
another wonderful Swedish pioneer, whom
she had known and loved. For Louise
Esickson, too, the words of the Bands of the
Cause can be quoted:
"The soil where the selnains of a pioceer
are laid to rest is indeed blessed. Not only
does the Bahj'i world today know and
cherish the memory of pioneers gathered
to the Abh& Kingdom, but future genera-
tions will recognize what they owe to the
Louise M. Erickson courage and the sacrifice of these valiant
SOU~S.''
while living in New York City before her .TEAS A. B ONN
return to Sweden. In 1912 she visited 'Abdu'I-
in Chicago, New York City and Pazis;
He showed her great kindness.
Mrs. Erickson visited Shoghi Effendi in ELISABETH ROPE CHENEY
1955 at which time tl-ie Guardian encouraged 18$5-1959
her to sponsor the translation and publishing
of Bahri'u'iiuh and the New Em in Swedish; Severence is the quality that distinguished
this she did in co-operation with Mrs. Rudd- Elisabeth; single-minded devotion to her
Palmgren. She traveled extensiveIy th-ou&out Lord. She expressed a shining courage in her
Sweden, presenting the Faith an& giving the domination of ller weak physical body, and
Message to everyone she coul& At one time faced and solved incredible problems witl~out
she gave the Message to the Crown Prince fear, in her work for the Faith in Latin-
of Sweden, and also the Swedish Minister America. Prayor and a deep abiding Faith
Carl Lindl~agen.She had slso informed the were the standards proudly borne by this
Mayor of the City of New York, when she dainty little woman with her curly red hair.
h ~ resided
d there of this Faith. A flower, fresh as springtime placed upon ha1
The steadfastness of Louise Erickson and left shoulder, was her insignia.
her great wish to spread the Message were Elisabeth became a BahVi April 19, 1937.
proniinent qualities. Nothing could prove She left her home in Lima, Ohio on November
a hindrance to hez desire to do this and she 28, 1940 to go to Asuncion, Paraguay, there
never missed an opportunity to bring fonvud to open a new country to the Faith and to
and spread the knowledge of the Faith to help establish an Assembly. However, in 1941
which she was so deeply devoted. Carl she had to return to the United States because
Lindhage~~, Minister of the Statale of Sweden, of illness.
having heard the Message from her said: Ebabeth regained her health to some
"Louise, the Crown Prince must know about degree, but during this time the death of her
IN M E M O R I A M 915

mother occurred and so after this loss she On August 29, 1355 she eame to live with
left, for a second voyage, on Noven~ber28, me and continued to teach in the same school.
1944. During this trip she rebuilt the Assem- Her work with the fourth grade for a period
blies in Caracas, Bogota, Lima, Santiago, of three years was such. that Elisabeth Hope
Montevideo and .fillally returned to her Cheney will never be forgotten there. She
beloved Paraguay, although some delay bywas gently but kmly guided the children to self-
encountered because o i a shipvrech, arriving understandiug and the right path.
Sune 27,1945. After rebuilding this conm~mity Eiisabeth made many teaching trips in the
she left in October to aid Central America, Dominican Republic and during 1957 when
facing revolutions, and incredibly difficult the National Spiritual Assembly of the
problems within the BahB'i communities. Greater Antilles was elected, Elisabeth became
On July 9, 1946 Elisabeth was recalled ro a member, and the follo\ving year she was
Chicago, Illinois to serve as the Secretary of elected to serve as its San-eia~y.However, ill
the Inter-America Commitlee and to help health was to prove too much of a barxier
guide, inspire and encourage its n~embers, and she was soon unable to serve in the
for new pioi~mrswere now arising to fdfiil capacity of Secretary, although she continued
the second Seven-Year Plan. She organized to serve everyone through prayer and as
and co-ordinated the Committee work which much sewice as she was able to give.
she was so enlinently well prepared to do. On December 31, 1958, at the req~~est of
Her ability as a writer and her brilliant mind Horace HoIley, the Secretary of the National
were invaluable in preparing the South and Spiritual Assembly of the United States, 1
Centrdl American friends to form their brought Eiisabeth to a hospital in Miami,
Nationd Spirit~ralAssemblies in 1951. Florida where, nluch to the amazement of
In October, 1949 Elisabeth made her third the physicians there, she survived two major
trip lo Latin America, holding teaching operations for cancer and then went to her
co~lferencesin Havana, Mexico City, Gua- home in Linla, Ohio. Her letters to me were
temala, San SaIvadoi-, Honduras, Managua always filled with the constaat hope and
(Nicaragua) and Costa Kica, and arrived in desire to be able to continue to serve the
Panama on Febnrary 13, 7950. Having fought Faith but this was not to be for her frail body
illness all the way she finally took to her bed was tu~ableto withstand a third operation
for five weeks and was very, very ill. But her and on October 8, 1959 Elisabeth passed on
conrage and devotion helped her to publish to the Abhg Kingdom to join her Lord, and
Cornzmidad Bahli'i, and she helped prepare her adored Dorothy Baker.
and publish ElPlan Divim. She had formerly
prepared t l ~ epamphlet, Propi~eeyFu@ibled for
the National Spiritual Assembly d the United
States. In December 19-50, she was again
recalled to Chicago, Illinois to guide the
formation of the two Latin American National
Spiritual Assemblies, serving as Secretary of
tho Inter-America Com~ittee. With the
Natioilal Spiritual Assemblies of South and "In His service" is the simple but all-
Central America elected in April of 1951 the encompassing inscription on the tomb of
Inter-America Committee ceased to exist. Bawkat 'AIi Faraju'lEhh,erected in Tripoli
As a memorial to her beloved spiritual in North Africa. Service characterized the
mother Dorothy Baker, Hand of the Cause, thoughts and actions of this noble lady who
Elisabeth set out on her fourth trip an August was born in the cradle of the BahA'i Faith,
27, 1954, having obtained a ten-month &frAz. In this soutl~ernPersian city aawkat
-
teaching contract in Monterrey, Mexico K h i n m first saw the Iight of day in the lasb
which was a goal city, The pupils of her decade of the nineteenth century. She lived
s&ool, ranging from tweIve through eighteen there until aromd the age of Ulree years and
yezrs of age, offered Elisabeth a new field of then was taken by her family to Egypt, first
service, and her knowledge and love helped t o Cairo and then to Mallawi.
to guide and orient these children. At an early age she married the distinguished
916 THE BAHA'I WORLD I

pionmrs. Her knowledge of both Persian and
Arabic, her unswerving steadfastness and
loyalty to the Cause of God and to His Sign
on earth, her open-handed hospitality, her
sympathy and understanding, were out-
standing. It was fitting a memorial service for
her should have been heId under the auspices
of the Nation& Sp?ritual Assembly of the
Baha'is of 'IrAq, in Ba&d&d.
Severe illnesses did not diminish her ardor
for serving the Faith and the friends. In 1950
she jour~seyedto the United States, a nation
whose customs and language itere almost
wholly new to her. She qnkuicMy attracted a
throng of admirers and well-stishers, 6rst in
New York and then in California.
Sawkat 'k;hdnum was eager to extend the
range of her activities and it was with a happy
heart that she hailed the prospect of settling
in Africa. She accompanied Ella Barley, Bahia,
her grandson, and the writer to Tripoli in
July 1953. The following Rigvkn she became
a member of the first Spiritual Assembly aE
Triooli. Xnde~endent in outlook. wise in
judgment, humble and gentle in manner, her
virtues as an ad~ninistratorwere not incon-
siderable. The one drawback was Iack o f
BaWi publisher, g a y & Farajn'llkh Zaki freedom to teach, to use those wonderful
al-Kusdi, who had been attracted to the Faith talents that had attracted many people of
by MirzA Abgl-Fadl, greaiest of BahFi capacity ta the Faith in Egypt and 'XrBq. Her
scholars. &ayU Faraju911&h aas a youilg boy humiIity and love for the Faith*her unfailing
had left his native MarivBn in Persian Kw- loyalty to the Guardian, and her daily life
disttin and traveled to Cairo where he becanle of sacrifice for His loved ones merited the
a student at aI-Aiihar, the thousand-year-old praise and endation accorded her by the
Islamic university. h-iends in Egypt, 'Irdq, America, and Libya.
&aym Faraju'll&h was deeply loved by They olten remarked that she did not have
'Abdu'l-Bah5, and received many Tablets a selfish bone in her body.
from Him; Shoghi Effendi mentions his name Het h a 1 illness in mid-February 1956 was
in his Bahd'i Administ~ationletters. &ay& short and her last words were of thanksgiving
Faraju'llih edited with imticulous care and gratitude, She kept repeating, "Thank
and published many Bahk'i books in Persian you# thank you," ta the attendants at the
and Arabic. Associated with him at every step United States Air Force Hospital at Wheelus
was Bawkat a 8 n u m . She proohad manu- Field. Her sweet Persian words to me wilt
scripts and assisted in the multitude of tasks ever be graven upon my mind and soul. As
connected with the painstaking and arduous oxygen was administered to her she said in
business of publishing. Her patience, per- Persian, "This is the door of Paradise." LittIe
severance, and serenity were vaiued assets in did we realize that her earthly end would
these activities. come in a brief hour or two.
The passing of Bay& Fafaju711-;1htoward The beloved Guardian cabled assurances
the close of 1937, marked the beginning of of his prayers and tZle Secretary-Genera1 of
a new chapter of serviccfor aawkat t(hhum. the Tnternakioilal B&i"i Council wrote oa
In the spring of Z 938, she joined her daughter, March 10,1956:
Bahia, in Ba&did, wbere she was of constant "The Guardian was very distressed. He
comfort and aid to Bahb'f travelers and asks that you assure her daughter and reIatives
IN MEMORIAM 917

&at he i s praying ferventIy for the progress
of her soul in the realms beyond. She will
surely be richly rewarded by Baha'u'llBh for
the sewices which she has rendered so
sacrificially and unseIfishly all the years of
her ljfe. Her sexvices reached their cIimax in
her becoming a member of the Spiritual
Assembly of Tripoli, one of the beacon lights
of the Faith in that country."

RQQWE CENTURION MIRANDA

Roque Centurion Miranda, the first person
to accept the Faith of Bahs'u'llab in Paraguay,
died very suddenly of a heart attack on
January 31, 1960. The history of the Faith in
Paraguay wit1 forever 'oe associated with his
name for he hekl the small band of believers
together through the example of love and
devotion for a period of nineteen years. He
served on the Local Spiritual Assembly from Roque Centurion Miranda
the time of its formation, was their delegate to
the latatin-American Congresses and was flit: greeted him with big Latin embraces and to
Paraguayan representative to the Bcthri'i visiting Baha'is his name was aij open szsanle
Jubileein f 944 in Wilmette, Illinois. He served toward a warn1 wetconxe in Paraguay.
on the Regio~lalNational Spiritual Assembly Although renowned his life \was characterized
of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and as one Living almost In poverty and in the
Uruguay from the tin~eof its formation in most hunlble of neigl~borhoods.
1957 to the date of his passing. A Minister of the Government of Paraguay
Re was a man greatly loved in his country said of Rogue that he was the true Guarani
and all radio programs devoted hours to Paraguayan who represented the soul of his
eulogizing both his life and his theatrical country. An Anibassador said chat he was a
achievements at the time of his death, He was personage who sepresentecl the new spirit
the head of the National School of Theater of Paraguay and generations r?.f Paraguayans
in Pafaguay and was known as an artist, will gratefully ren~enzbei.that such a man
playwright, poet and teacher. During his lived among thenl.
last year of life he was paid homage for some He gave numerous talks about the Faith
thirty yeass of devotio~lgiven to the culture on various radio stations and he spoko of the
of Paraguay. His body was laid out in state Faith constantly to the many daily visitors
in the Municipal Theater, with thegovernment to his office. The Hand of the Cause Dr,
of Paraguay taking charge of his funeral, in Aemann Grossnian said, "Does his cou1ltl.y
co-operation with the Baha'is, with BahthB'i realIy recognize its grcit loss? IZe was truly
manorial services held in the theater and at the a great sou!." An Auxiliary Board member,
cemete~y.A gsief-stricken country joined In who knew him well, wrote that Roque's
a shared sol-row. sacrifices and sufferings for the Faith had
Roque was known for his great humility, been intense and that it mighc &ell be that
colnpassion and sympathy toward the suger- his death would prove a rallsom for &is
ings of his people. As he would walk down the country and bring a hai-vest 07 the masses
streets of the city oT Asuncion everyone into the Faith in the future.
918 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D 1

Roque Centurion Miranda was like a
father to the Paraguayans, and even during
his last hours, ever mindful of the Faith, he
kept repeating again and again, "What more
can I do for my people? What more can I do
for my Faith? What more can I do to serve
BahB'u'Zl&h?"
ELLENSIMS

FMTZX SHAVER
1895-1958

Mrs. Fritzi Shaver, ardent follower oP
Bnh2u'li&h, left her home in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, in 1943 to pioneer with her sistes
in Sioux Palls, South Dakota.
A nature sparkling with beauty, laughter
and love, Mrs. Shaves attracted h a r t s and
enkindledMendshjps.Her chosen professional.
fields were nzusic and dramatics, and dter
becoming a Bahti'i, she augmented these
with her greatest of all deiightsnan~ely,
teaching the Faith. Hers was the gift of
sensing deeply the spiritual needs and aptitudes Fritzi Shaver
of her listeners.
In 1946, when the beloved Guardian ncss and patience, teaching from her bed to
launched his Second Seven-Year Pian and the very last. Her faith was indomitable and
called for pioneers ta establish the Faith in shed its radiance jn her angelic submission
the capital cities of ten Western European to the Will of God. Deeply touched by the
cou~ttsics,the two inseparable sisters offered specid prayers of the kIoved Guardian, and
their services. Tho European Teaching Com- by the love, helpl'zdness and generosity which
1nittee of America chose Bern, Switzerland, streamed in to her from all directioi-is, she
far them, and an April 7, 1947, they arriwd would frequently remark: "It has been worth
at their post, overjoyed to be met by four of all of the suffering to experience this divine
the Geneva friends who had so tfiougl~tfully love!"
travelled to Bern to welcome them. On thd Two thousand friends from all parts of the
same day-Easter Monday-the Erst BabZ'I world attending the Frankfurt Intercontinetl-
Feast in Born was held by this little group of t d Confere~lcewere witness to another rare
six, in the sisters' room at the Krwz Hotel. privilege which God in His great bounty
The story of the development of the Cause in accorded our beloved "Fritz?'. On July 27,
Bern in those early days wili be written by 1458, when the message of her passing was
other hands. read from ihe podivxn in FrmHurt, this
After six years in Bern, Mxs. Shaver uncler- glorious assemblage rose to its feet and
took pioneering in other cities, inciuding centered its thoughts upon her while prayers
Basel, where she again joined her sister, and were being read. How unfarl~omable tYie
from whence she left Swiizerhd in 1956 to spiritual forces which were reiezsed rim those
pioneer in Luxeldourg. Before many months moments! Ia the words of returning fiends,
Mrs. Shaver became seriously ill and was Fritzi was carried to the A5hB Kii~gdonaon
forced to return to her sister's home in Basel. the wings of boundless love and devotion.
Intense suffering lay before her, during which On August EirstSu~itzerland'sIndcpend-
she b i z her affliction with undirmned sweet- ence Day-under blue skies and a smiling
IN MEMORIAM 919

sun, Mrs. Shaver was carried to her resting Bahri'is. It seemed to me that it wasn't an
place in the beautiful Hornli Cenaetery of achievement--it was an endowment from
Basel. The accomnpanyingfriends, heartbrokm God. She did not believe-she kt~ew."
by the loss, yet gave silent thanks that God To a close friend Farrrtu confided that her
had released this faithful one from earthly earljest and happiest BahB'i mne~norieswere
limitations for activity in the timeless freedom her simnnsrs at Geyserville BahB'i School in
of loftier spheres. California. She was preseal in 1927 at the
ELSA STEINMETZofficial opening of the school and attended
each summer thereafter for twenty years until
her family moved to Wiln~ette,Illinois. She
served on the school committee, taughi ciasses,
I d many youth activities. Ail iniimate friend
of those days writes:
"She lored to sit and listen as a child for
endless hours to deep and profound discus-
F a ~ r u aIoas was gifted with a superior sions of thc meaning of l i f e and the thrilling
intelIect, a warm and vibrant nature, with w y the Faith knits all the aspects of life
great personal charm and, above dl, with togethex. She was passionate about discus-
spiritual capacity that was tra~~smnukd into sions, m d remained so. She found it essential
service to the Faith which was the beacon to fallow a thing to its ultimate conclusion
of her life. Farruws many friends felt the which made her a superb teacher."
void that is left in the world v~heiisuch a Sheonce said that in her early years she was
radiant personality passes on; yet the thought engrossed mostly in the spiritual and social
was expresszd sepeatcdly, in the hundreds of teachings but that her fatheres classes on
tributes that poured in to her family, that admillistration had awakened a keen interest
now she could fully and joyously use all of the in her in this aspect aad it became of deep and
innate talent which she possessed to such an vital interest lo her. She was an articulate
outstanding degree. exponent of the administrative order, its
F a r r u b was born Mary Lorraine Ioas but uniqueness, and of its eventual fruition into
was known from early childhood as Farrukh, the World Order of BahQ'u'llrih. She was
a name meaning "Joyous One, - bestowed deepiy consciorrs of the historic period of the
upon her by 'Abdu'i-Bahk-a name which Faith in which she lived, spanned by the
she loved. She g e w up in a family who were leadership of the beloved Guardian, Sl~oghi
completely devoted to the Faith of BahB'u'- Effendi. At the time of his passing, while
1lBh, her paternal grandparents having been flying to London to attend his funeral, she
among the earliest believers in America. Her wrote her thoughts of him: '? . .one ~vhorn
fatha's life had been indelibly stamped, as a mast of us had never seen, but who was
young bay, by his meeting the Master in identified as an integral part of the very
America in 1912. He was to be calkd many fabric of this our Faith, one who had been
yearslater by Shoghi Efffendi to serre at the the very pulse of the word Bah/i'i for those
World Center, in Hoifa, where he became of us who were born and grew up under hiin
secretary-general of the first fnternationd alone."
Bahri'i Comcii. Earlier he had been appointed F a r r u a was seventeen, ready to graduate
a Wand of the Cause. In 1955, her mother, from high school in 1937 when the first
Sylvia, was also appointed to the International Seven Year Plan was mi~ounced.In Jalluary
BahB'i Council. Frtrruu u7as aware of d l of 1937 Shoghi EEenili stated h t to establish
these bounties; but she had, as well as a the Faith in xhirty-four new states and
superior mind, an independent spirit and her provinces of the United States and Canada
conviction as a BahB'i was not based upon was the obligation of each individual as well
acceptance but upon certitude. One who as Assembly. Her thoughts and feelings had
learned of the Faith from her and v,~ho been galvanized by the Guarclian's Plan and
her-self became an orrtstmding teacher and she put aside her education in 1942 and went
pioneer has stated: "The quality of Farruws to Boise, Idaho to pioneer in a state that did
faith was unique in my experience among not yet have a Bahk'r' Asse~bZy.In April
!
THE BAHA'I WORLD

severd Texas co1nn1ttnities; and in Apfil of
1948 both DaXias and San Antonio formed
their Assemblies.
During her y w s in Wjlmette, Farxx~U
served in multitudinous ways: as a public
speaker on many platforms and in Bai-tzi'i
Temple meetings held in Foundation Hall;
on the Public Relations ComGitee; the
BeJzd'i World Editorial Committee; as an
editor of &riiciYiNetvs. She worked in the
office of the Bah8'f Publishing T ~ u s t i i n
Wilmette for over a year in an editorid
capacity. She compiIed The i)ra~g?aof Salva-
tion used in insritutes throughout the United
States and other countries.
It was during her work at the publishing
oEce that the nlessage from Shoghi Effendi
I~unchingthe World Crusade o l 1953- L963
arrived. Her resuonse was electric. Her lnhd
leaped ahead, contenlplating how this awe-
some PIal would affect the world, he Bah&'is,
her own life. She eodd not know then that
5943, Boise elected its frst Local Spiritual she woxdd pioneer once again on the home
Assembly. front, in two countries abroad, and finally
Throughout her lifetime, Farruu was to be reEeased t o the Abh.6 Kingdom, before its
respond in this way to the messages of Shoghi final. coinpletion.She went to Texas again and
Effendi. A BaWi recalls vividly hex enthu- helped to establish the first Assembly in Fr.
siasm when Shoghi EfFendi announced the Worth in April, 1955. The11 late in 1956, she
second Seven Year Plan: "Fasruj&'s joy ad \\ent to France at the request of the European
enthusiasm were all that our Guardian could Teaching Committee. Here she served on
.
possibly Xlave desired. .all of iny Bahgi &e Local Assembly of Paris. She became
life I have had a special feeling about pioneer- chairman of the National Teaching Conlmittee
ing because of the way F x r a spoke of it. m d worked without cessation in developing
She made it seela that pioneering was Iife m excellent teaching program that included
itsea'.'" a13 details of e i r d teaching, worksljops, and
Leaving Boise, Farrul& returned to univer- regional confexences with that rase quality
sity life and graduated with distinction, a Phi of o~ganizationand folIovr7-through that she
Beta Kappa, from Stanford University in had. four Local AssernbIies *ere formed in
1945. A fellow student at Stanford recalls the provi~sces.She heEped to locate the Bahk'l'i
this of hex: "She had a wonderfully dear, TeipIe site for France west of Paris on the
incisive mind, capable of absorbing an almost Seine and the endowment property located
unlimited number of facts, anstIy7ing them, in the southwest, central part of the country,
evaluating them and using them in sew both goals of the World Crusade, One of her
contexts. She was a joy to her teachers who &st, magniiicent services to a community
on more than one occasion in my presence which she loved was her indefatigable work
praised her attitude and abifity." As a BahPi h the preparation for the convention that
she also felt that her ~lniversitywork was a elected dm first National Spiritual Assembly
reflection upon her Fairh and hw self-imposed of Fcauce in 1958. Throughout all of these
standards were very high. yeass of service, imde diEmlt aft21 the loss
Her participatioxl in the second Seven of Shoghi Effendi, Farm& was outstanding
Year Piad began in the south est, particularIy for her ribsolute firmness in the Covenant, for
in Texas. She fbXIou.ed a series of public her elucidation of and courageous adherence
meetings given by her father with a regular, to the ai%mU~istrative principles of the Faith.
weekly drcuit or te'tchixy: that included There were times when krer efforts in these
MORIAM 921

directions, coupled with her Iess than robust was elected to the Rqiaaal National Spidtr~al
health, brought deep suffering. Assemnbly of the Bah2is of Central America,
Early in 1959 she returned to America for Mexico and Panama, which at that time also
medical tieatnlent. Though aware of the encomnpassed the Greater Antilles and a
seriousness d her illness, she showed her major part of the Islands of tile Pacific. In
moral courage at this time in insisting that 1954 she was re-elected and served as Record-
her beloved parents should not know or be ing Secrel;ll.y.
distressed at a time when they were over- Amy llow decided she would pionezr to
whelmed with work at the World Center. Escash, Costa Rica, and cffer what services
Regaining some vigor, she once nlore re- she could in the consdidattion of the Assembly
sponded to the call for pioneers and in the and the comni~mitythere. 1x1 1560, however,
autumn went to Florence, Italy-her Iast she was again elected as a meinber of the
post. Ifer health failed and finally she was Regional National Assembly and al&o-ugl~
prevailed upon to return to America early still in poor health she voIuntarily offzred
in 1960 for treatment, though adamant in her services as Assisrant Cori-esponding
her desires and plans ta return to Europe. A Secretary, After a year of very intensive
few months later, on April 14, she passed B&2i activity in Costa Rica, Amy had to
away and was buried in Washington on a rcturn to Panatla for further niedical treat-
beautiful spring day that reflected in its nlwt and because of' physical coa~glrcations
bright sunshine, bird song, blossolniug shrubs it was not possible fox her to return to Costa
and flowers not oiily the radiance of her own Riea. She knew for her heaIth she should
spirit, but the promise of the world to come. return to Col6n but she did not wish to leave
the pioneer field, and her last requcst prlor
di to leaving the National I;la7iratuyl-Quds in
Panamiia to return to ColBn was ta be placed
aboard a ship destined for BIuefidds, Nic-
aragua which she hoped would fulfiI1 her
past assignment as a traveling teacher to
a goal city which was so deas to her heart.
On December 17, 1960 Amy passed away
AMY ISABEL bIcALLISTER during the time khe RegianaI National
1907-1960 Assembly was in session in Guatemala City;
all the members present knew how much she
Miss Amy Isabel. McAllister was born on had wanted to attend this meeting. T i was
May 6, 1907 in Col~n,Republic o f Panama, decided that during t i e seven National
the daughter of Emma Louise and George Teaching Congresses to be held at the end
Alexander McAlIister. She attended an of December, in each of the seven countries
English-language elementary school, the comprising the regional area, memorial
E. A. Kerr School, and afterwards completed services would be held in her honor.
her stu es at the Uruguay School in the city Amy McAllister was a vital part of Shoghi
of C o l h . Then she further continued her Effendi's World Clusade and she was dedicat-
education by taking up accounting at the ed to the beIoved Guardian azd gladly gave
Professional School in Panama City, graduat- her life to the service of the Faith of I3ahA'u'-
ing in 1927. Ilih, A most bcfirting tribute to Amy Mc-
To her family and the business world Amy Allister would be found imi the words of
was thought of as a self-discipljnwian and the Master:
was always methodical in her pt~rsaits "The disciples of Christ forgot tl'ieinselves
throughout her life. Her ntotto was, "There and all earthly things, forsook ail tiieir
is only one way to do anything, and that is, cares m d belongings. purged thenlselves
the right way." of self and pgssion and with absolute
In 1953, scarcely three years after entering detacluilenl scattered far and wide and
the Faith-yeas .n,hicli bad been spent in engaged in cdling the peoples of the world
stalwart and constant service to the Local to the Divine Guidance, until at Iast they
Assembly and community of Coi6n-Amy iliade the ~ o r l danotiler world, illumined
the surface of the earth and even to the last
hour proved sdf-sacrificing in the pathway
of that Beloved Oue o f God."

ELLA W. DUEFIELD
1373-1962

Ells Warden Dxfield was born in Pitts-
burgh, Pennsjilvanra in IS73 of Scottish-X~ish
descent. the family name bekg SenlpXe. Both
of her parents were from the region of New-
townards and Belfast, Irehld, but they had
come to the United States wlior~they were
very smaU chi!dren. Ella's parents were
merubers of the I'resbyterian church and
she was reared ill a family whose life was
deeply influenced by the essential teachings
of Christianity and a strong bdief in God.
Ella had a great love for nlusic and her
ability to play the piano Iron1 an euly age
found her attracted more and moss to the
wor!d of music. She also had a h e coiltcalto
voice and during a period of ten years was
well! known on the concert stage, and she it in eveiy wq7that it was possible for her
sang in several of the largest churches in to do so. She was an avid reader anit her
ber native city. constant study of the creative Word gave her
She married Dr. Thomas hlcCann, a a great reserve of potvex which served her
surgeon, and from this union a daughter particuhrly in her later years.
was born. Her happiiless in this n~arriagewas Mihen the Guardian, Shoghi EEendi, called
shortlived for within four years her husband upoil the American believers to leave their
died. Three years later she re-married, this country and to pioneer in foreign lands she
time to Dr. William Duffield, M. D., and asked to accompany her daughter m answer
they established their home In Los Angela, to this call. They arrived an the islaid of
California, Zt was during this time that Ella Madeira on September 30, 1953. Ten months
DuEeid identified herself with the imsical after their arrival there they were asked to
world of California and she co~nposedmany go to France by the European Teaching
song which gained her irltei.~~ational recogni- Committee of the United States, where the
tion, one in particidatr being a book of songs work of consolidatiag the Faith toward the
called Songs jirr Cl~iEdren. formation of a National Spiritual Assembly
In 1933 Ella, ;iceomp2nied by bsr dax~gl~ter, had been inaugurated by the ieuardiatl in I
first h e a ~ dof tile B&?I Faith at the home his message to the United States of 5uIy 28, I

of Mrs. Martin Carter, and the speaker at the 1954. There w r e already two pioneers of
time. was Beulah Stosrs Lewis. EiIa often the Faith on Madeira so Ella and her daughter
said that she clid not know the moment when accepted the iequest of the Teaching Com-
she accepted Dahfi'u'iljh, but that it happe~ed mittee and arrived in rhe city desigaated to
very soon after she began reading tile Teach- them, wl~ich was Nice (Alpes-Maritimes),
ings, evely word eal~vincicg her of the Franrx in June o f 1954.
station of Banxi'u'llBh. Ella Duffield was in vmy delicate health
From the time slzc accepted the Faith when she left her home. but in spite of this
her life was spcnt in dedication to serving she was able to serve for nine years of the
IN MEMORIAM 923

Ten-Year Crusade iastigated by thc Guardian.
It was during- the last four years of her life,
at a time when she was prucdcaIiy bed-ridden,
that her great spiritual capacity was most
strongly felt by everyone who came in eontact
witb her, and although many of the people
who visited her at this time &idaot speak her
language. nor she theirs, they felt the great
assurance in the Faith that she had and Ella,
tvho knew that a new and happier world was
being born, gave forth a quality of humor
that was a delight to those around her.
In her 89th year, this Knight of Bahfi'I1ali
passed into the Abha Kingdom and she is
buried in the CimitiCre de I'Est, high in the
hills overlooking the Mediterranean.

FRANCES WELLS Frances 'CYells
1906-1960

Frances WeIls, West, was a pioneer Guardian was pxticulari)7 pleased w i h her
whose labors for the spread of the Faith of achieven~entof being abie to take the Faith to
Bah2utll&htook her far north to Alaska I>oiatBarrow above the Arctic Circle, where,
and then, much later, ta Luxembourg in the under most difiicuir coilditior*~she worked
heart of Europe, where, on December 22, ar11ong the Eskimos Tor three years, which
1960, she passed away and she was burled led to the acceptance by the first Eskimo in
in her goal city of Yifferdange. Her deter- that region of the Faith of Bahk'u'ilah.
mined and dedicated services recall these ln 1955 Frances made thz Pilgriiilage to
words of Bah2aali$a: "They who i ~ for- e the World Center in Waifa. Stopping in the
saken their courttry Joi. flie pulpuse of te~iclti~g Benehix couatries on I~ei-way back to Alaska,
O w Ceiae-these shdi tile F~ithfirlSpirit she decided to ans~ver the urgent cdil t~
st re fig the^ t h m u ~ hits powa-. No act, ho~vever pioneer in a Eiiropzai~ goal city and on
great can coltzparc wiflz it. . .Szich u scrvic~.is i-Iugusr 3, 1959 she arrked in Luxembourg
indeed the prime of nil goody deeds." and settled in the town of Differdaage.
Frances was a chiId of six when 'Abdu'l- Although ignorx~t of the languases and
Ball6 visited Los Ai~geles.As m s His custcm, customs, she followed in the steps of other
He called the children around Him and Mrs. pioneers and was abie to gather a ggroup of
Hattie Cline brought her nieces to Him. Little sincere friends around her. France3 was
Frances, with her flaming red hair and green faced with many tests in her new post and
eyes received her gift of roses from the handled them with the same courage and
Master, bui secxetIy, she told us, she wished pet-selierance that she had shown in other
they had been candy. adverse circumstances.
All her life Frances scrved the Faith, first After attending the cercnzany of the laying
in Los Angeies and in Big Bear and tben in of the cornerstom of the Mother Tc~nple
1943 in Alaska where she pioneered for of Europe at Frankfurt, Germany. on Novem-
seventeen years. In. Anchorage she worked ber 20, the conditioa of great fatigue which
with Honor Kenlptoiz helping with her Frances had b e a feeling s~rddenlybecame
famous "Book Cache", giving radio talks, very acuie. On Decernber 7 she eaterexi the
teaching, visiting many eities, m d engaging hospital at Esch where 11er ailmcilt = m s
in many other Bah$i activtties, The beloved cliagnosed as leukemia; she lived only three
924 T R E B A H A ' ~W O R L D I
I

more uze&s. During that tinle she was lovingly
attended and n r ~ e dby h e BahB'i friends
until on the night of December 27 she quietly
slipped away.
Decenlber 31, some seventy BahB'is and
townspeople assembled to pay Frances homage
at the service held in the open air before the
casket. The Mayor of Differdange was repre-
sented and Mi.. Donald Cruz, the sccretaxy
of the American Embassy, represented the
United States Government. Mr. Ben Levy,
of the Bene11~xNational Spiritual Asse~nbly
had been chosen as the spokesman of that
group as it was though hearing Frances
teach the Faith in Alaska that he had become
a Bahsi, and Hanor Kempton, whom
Frances had followed to Alaska, and who
had introduced the Faith in Luxembourg in
1946, read the last prayer.
Frames Wells, pioneer, Lies on the slope
facing the Holy Lmd wit11 the Gelds of
Bowers that she so loved spreading out in
a bright carpet around the area, and the great Harry Edwin Ford
iron mines toward the rear, symbols, perhaps,
of her iron determination servi~gthe softer
flowers or spirit. in the woods with his father; the wodd of
VIRGINIA ORBISON nature was his home.
Be received his education in Upper New
York, graduating with a B.S. degree in educa-
tion from Syracuse University. In 1910 he
HARRY EDWIN FORD accepted his first official teaching position
1892-1954 and from then until he retired in 1948, in
order to devote aU of his life to the Bahai
The little white signal flag went up in the Faith, he was a teacher and principal of
window. schools,
There was a shout, "Uncle Hany is well When Earl-y first heard of the Faith about I

enough to hwe us come.'" 1936, 'fiesaid at once, "But 1 have thought
Small ;Feet hw-ried along the apartment out my own religion; it does not need a
corridors. church and does not harm any living thing."
Tile children's hour had mine! In truth he had been waiting for the BahB'i
Up to the last day of his life on earth, Faith! He became active at once. He taught
Harry was with children. at Green &re. wrote short stories for chitd-
How well he understood thein, and how ren, served on national conlmittees.
they in twil, loved him. Upon the suggestion of Shoghi Effendi,
This understanding of children, and for the Harry and Bahiyyib Ford moved from New
world of nature, were Harry's dominant York State to Colorado Springs in 1948.
characteristics. Mr. and Mrs. Mathews had asked them to
help manage the Iixternationd BahA'i School.
f h r y Edwin Ford was l ~ o min Rushford, For five years Harry was active at the school
New York, August 7, 1892. His fathe1 was in the summer months. then traveled ex-
a lumberman and their home was a cabin on tensively during the winters teaching the Faith.
the edge of the forest. Harry was the eldest of In 1952, in response to a question from me,
six children; the first liitle ones he lox~edand Shoghi Effendi again conferred a m a t
cared for. Much of his early youth was spent blessing upon Harry by asking us to go i o
IN MEMORIAM 925

Jol-mnesburg, South Africa, to pioneer. The XfaWis of the Antipodcs have cause
Although. Harry was ill he knew this was the to be grateful for her many sexvices; her name
cXow.aiugevent of his life and with a11 his will be forever remembered as one of the
t ~ r he t prepared for the trip. &st pioneers of the Faith from this area.
XI? July 1953, Jobannesbwg became his
final hotne. In a small one-room apartment,
he prayed to be aiIowed to 5nd receptive
heal-8s in this city of no friends.
His strength was rapidly failing but he CYRUS SAMANDAR~
could just manage a short walk each d a y .
011 tlicse waIh he iner the chiidren! Like a
pied piper he found them. Soon they were This radiant young believer received the
ovc~unniiigthe tiny flat urxtil his only way approval of the beloved Guardian for his
to have quiet was to put up the little white pioneer project to Son~aliain 1955. Assured b y
flag in the window when he was abIe to see the promise of success which Shnghi Effendi
them. He told then stories of all the growing had given him, he arrived in Mogadiscio
things around thein, and of the new Messenger ou Bahb'u'llAh's birthday, and by his warm-
for his Day. The chiidren told their parents; heartedness and beauiiful chanting cndeared
the parents cruile to see the much loved himself to us all. His style of chanting was,
"Uncle Harry." Thus the first class on the indeed, unique and he became a nightingale.
Faith was established. He studied hard and learned to speak not
On January 31, 1954, Hmry quietly passed only Arabic but sufficient Somali (which has,
from this world into the next. He is buried in as yet, no script) to be able to teach Ehe Faith.
Johannesburg. EFe taught with such Iove, patience and
The tributes he would have wanted most, sincerity that he was able to attract many
followed his passing. A cable from the beloved souls. He not only taught the Faith, but
Guardian reading: "Profoundly grieved pass- mathematics, Arabic and English to the many
ing devoted exemplary pioneer-reward Abhri young men who were uuabie to study at school.
Kingdonl-praying progress soul. . ." The &st lRf$vBn after his arrival in Mo-
A loveiy bunch of _4fricanflowers on his gadiscio, he ms elected to the Local Spiritual
grave was marked: "From The Children." Assembly, and he was also an active member
of the local teaching conmiittee. He continued
to serve on these two bodies mtil he fell ili.
He taught early morning, mid-day, evening
arid night, and even during work, fearlessly
DULCIE BURNS DIVE and with as much wisdom as his ardent nature
permitted. He showered love upon his conracts
On Tuesday rxarning, 18th September 1962, and in less than two years brought six souls
valiant pioneer, Knight of Bahri'u'llkh, Mrs. to the Faith, in a country where fanaticism
Dulcie Burns Dive, passed to the Abhk and opposition made many difficulties.
Kingdom in Auckland, New Zedmd. The Most young inen \vould have been bored
Faith has surely lost one of its most devoted and complained of the dullness of their life
servants in the Pacific area. here, but although he lived such a simple,
Mrs. Dive, after working with her own restricted life, he was always radiantly happy,
community in Auckland, moved to Australia, which, combined with his kindly, synlpathetic
where she was active in the teaching work and nature, nude him not onIy magnetic but a
served for some years on the National very successful. teacher. Even the fanatical
Assembly of Australia and New Zealand. psople who came to the shop to threaten M m
When the Guardian callcd for pioneers to during his life, were shocked to hear of his
settle virgin areas Mrs. Dive left for the death and declared that he was a very good
Pacific islands, where her services were young m a .
invaluable. She served on the Regional One of his spiritual children transferred
SpiritnaI Assembly of the South Pacific fi-om to Afgoi; together they started extension
the time it was formed in 1959 until her death. teaching, Cyms waveling in the crowded
975 T H E B A F I A ' ~W O R L D

he was w~complai~~ing and unclen~anding.
When his condition suddenly becane serious,
he was hurried to a hospital. This was during
the Kampala Conference, which he had so
hopeit to attend. A cable wzs sent, asking
for prayers, and beloved Amatu'l-Baha
R6l~iyyih~ h n 1 1 1herself called upon the
friends to join in praying for his recovery.
The cable informing us of her solicitude for
him came to lighten a very dark day of
suffering. After the conference, his unclc, the
Hand of the Cause. Mr. Samandari. visited
Mogadiscio and gave Q r u s great happiness;
some sf his old radiance rstupaed to his face.
It was discovered a serious operation wodd
be necessary, and he was sent by air to Nairobi
an March 19; with broken hearts his relatives
in Mogadiscio helped the now frail and
pathetic figure to board the plane-a shadoav
of the former Baely built, handso~~le young
man. The operation proved to be useless, as
he was suffering from advanced cancer.
Doctors and nurses were all dee~lvimpressed
A - +

with his gentle and courageous character.
He dipped from this life to the next on the
Somali bus or an oppe~~ lorry. One of the evening of April 5, 1958, with the Nairobi
contacts that he made in Afgoi moved to the pioneers watching over him. Altho~xghit had
bush; Cyrus fomd a yoxmg man who can% been hoped that he could regain sufficient
from the s a l e bush village and was returning strwgth to pass his last days with his beloved
on foot that evening; he insisted on accom- inother, he was destined by God to serve the
panying him, although he was told that the Faith in death as In life. The Nairobi friends
way was rough and long. They arrived at were able to acquire a BahZi burid ground
nightfall and Cyrus went to the hut of his and obtain special permission to bury both
friend, shared lnis strange h o d and slept bhck and white in the same area. Tilus he
beside him on a mat. The other villagers were helped to win another god.
astonished to see a white rn strajlii~gwit11 The Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land
them. Next day, very early in the morning, cabled: "Confident spirit devoted enkindled
they made their jo~~rney back to Afgoi, #c pioneer receiving r e w d presence beloved
sun beating down 011 them, and the dust Guardian Abha Kingdom. haying Shrines."
choking them. Cyrus returned l~oxlle,bumt by
the sun, tired with the long walks but happy
that he had obeyed 'Abdu'l-Bah&'s wish
literally.
When Cyrus heard of the passing of the
beloved Gua~dian, the radiant light was
extinguished, and he said in a broken voice:
"Therc is nothing to Iive for now. Life wiIhout
the beloved Guardian has no meaning." The high point in the lives of our parents
Not many days later he became unwell. was In the summer of 1921, when we all
At tjrst he ans nursed at home, all this time visited 'Abdu'l-Bafi in &fa, Palestine,
receiving a diow of studei~tsand contacts, la* a farewell talk, on July 23, 1921, He sdd:
who came lor lessons in Arabic or mathemat- "You have journeyed from that long distant
ics, or for "bedside firesides." He continually region m d =rived in this H o b L.and and
apologized far giving trouble, though, in fact, you have visited the two Holy Shrines. You
IN MEMORIAM 927

must appreciate this gift. Not everybody has
such a gift. You became conErllled in it with
utmost sinceiity and with your attention
turned toward the Kingdom of God complete-
ly. While you were here, we were pleased with
you and you wiih us. Visiting is good like
this £01- it is of worship, This visit of yours is
well accepted in the Kingdom of Abha. Its
results will remain with you fosever. There-
fore, you should thank God that you attained
to such great Bounty.
"Now that you return, your going should
be like the breeze that comes out of a rose-
gaden-the breeze that has a very sweet
fragrance. You who return should be in
ut~nostjoy and mirth, and with great glad
tidings be the cause of the happiness of the
friends, that whoever meets you may be fiIled
with joy.
"Convey to every one of the friends the
message of kindness from me. You. yous-
selves, must be like letters, letters that speak.
I wish to write to every one of the friends, but Edtvin Whitaker Mattoon
you know that I have no time. I am always
with you. My heart is with you. I urili never
forget you." When leaving this i~ieeiing,they received an
It seems to us this was true; our parents imitation to a forum at which various
spent their lives in showing kindliness and religious subjects were to be discussed. At
thoughtfulness to peopie everywhere. these meetings, they met some of the BahFis
Dad was born on a ranch nem Galatea, who lived in Urbana. Tlley desreloped a kecn
Coiorado. His parents, Edwi~iCharbs Mat- interest in the BahA'i Faith. Whenever one
toon and Mae Whiiaker Mattoon, were of the friends received a letter fi-0111'Abdu'l-
pioneers to the W&. With then1 he lived in a Bahri, it was a treasure for all and evzryone
sod hut for a few years. Very early in life, rushed to read it.
Dad learned to recite and sing. One of his Dad's interest in the Faith contimed to
great pleasures throughout his life was taking glow, as was shown by his correspondence
part in and directing amateur dramatics with mother during the world war (he %as a
and talent sliows. 13s parents returned to First Lieutena~itin the United States Army).
Illinois when he was twelve years old. Dad Many of his letters centered wound his
received both his Bachelor of Science and thoughts about the Faith and the Bahk'is he
his Master's degrees from the University of met in other lands.
Illinois, In the years after the war, the desire to
He married Annie Ellen Crathorne in 1912. visit 'Abdu'l-BahB became strongcr and
They had a full and rewarding life together stronger; finally, he wrote and asked for
and shared he great experience of discovering permission for him and his family to ixake the
the Faith. They Grst heard of it while attending pilgrimagz. A few months before 'Abdu'l-Bahj
a Sunday School class in tile Methodist died, their wish was granted; we rerminsd in
Church in Urbana, Illii~ois.Prof. Jacob Kuaz Baifa for niiieteen days.
was the teacher and he told them of a great From 1920 to 1929, oar father was the
prophet, Bahit'u'llgh, who had appeared in principal of the High School in St. Joseph,
the East. Shortly after this, Dad read an Illinois. He was iiistr~menta! in buiiding a
announcement in the paper about a lecture at fine new school with beautiful gt.ounds which
the Unitarian Church entitled "The Life of is now the pride of the countryside. He was
Muhammad." Motl-ier and Dad decided to go. very interested in helping deseiving students.
928 THE BAHh'f WORLD

In 1331, Dad accepted a position with the highly meritorious. Assure fervent prayers
Cl~icagoPublic High Schools. In 1435, w progress his s o d AbhA Kingdom."
bought a home in Wilmerte, Illinois. From His body lies in the mn~cteryin Key West.
then on, Dad's activity centered m t m d the On the marble stone that covers the grave
BahA'i House of Worship where he can- a-e engraved the words of Bah5'u'll&h, "1
tinuallyserved as a guide. He was the cllairnlan have made death a messenger of joy to thee.
of the Natio-nal BahA'i Archives Committee Wherefore dost thou grieve?"
from 1834 to 1947. We served on the I~~tes-
America Teaching Committee for many
years. He visited most of the countries in
Central and South America in the summer
of 1949 assisting the Bahi'i activities. This
meai~tnmch to him; he always wished to
retwn. He also visited and worked with the
Omaha Endians in Macy, Nebraska. CARL SIGURB H~GBERC
During all this time he was a loving husband, 1902-1962
father and grandfather. He had a capacity
for giving freely of his time and devotion On J m ~ e27, 1962, seated on a bus coming
and love. Nothing was ever asked for in home at noon, Carl Sigurd Hiigberg suffered
return. a heart attack and died.
Dad had long desired to pioneer, and after Boxn in Giiteborg, Sweden, in 1902, Sigurd
the Guardian launched the Ten-Year Crusade had gone to Amexica at the age of 24. Having
this desire gtew into a reality when he and conlpleted his school. education and served in
nlother arrived in Key West, Florida, in the Swedish Navy, he sought a wider field
A u y s t 1954. There he devoted his energies of opportunity.
to teaching, He had realized Ms dream and Was it a foreordained plan which fed him
felt very grateful. He made many friends and to the B W l Faith, through his wife, Alethe
gave the Message to everyone he could. He Holsapple, and then back to his native land
became wdi known to the Negroes in Key as a BahB'i pioneer? At the time he became
West and was asked on several occasions a BaWi in southern California in 1948
to speak to the students attending the Negro Sigurd's work as a salesman took him through
High School. eleven western states. Earnestly he en&avored
Pa Febmary, 1955, he suddenly became ill to apply the principles to business relation-
but codnued active in the £?ah&"icomnlunity ships and to put into action those Words of
and to his great joy Assembly was formed Bahii'u'llkh: "Should any one of you enter
in April, 1956, The loving spirit of the Bahii'is a city, he should becoixlr: a center of attractioa
was a grcat solace to him. His spirit never by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and
faltered, love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness
Mothes has written: "During his last and loving-kindness towards dl the peoples
months, he was so unbelievably brave and. . . of the world, so that the people of that city
never complained. He never lost his desire may cry out and say: 'This man is unques-
to go to South America and when the Con- tionably a Bahri'i."' Over this widespread
ference was in session in Havana, Cuba, he area he said many prayers and sowed many
said he felt able to go. .. he surprised the seeds. Ia order to attend Feasts he often
friends there, He came back very happy about traveIed long distances to reach the neaest
meeting them. Just a shori time before he died Bahgi community.
he gave an inspiring talk to a group of Ba- What a joy It was to Sigurd when the first
G ' i s and guests ia Key West. . ." Spiritual AssembIy in Ms home community,
On Decernbe~.24, 195f& Dad passed into Culver Township, was farmed! He felt his
the next world. Mother asked us to notify home richly blessed through BahB'i firesides
the Guxdian. The Guxdian's reply, which and by &elcoming groups of Bah2i youth
was a geat source of comfort, is as fvlio.nis: and their friends,
"Grieved news dear Father's death. Pioneer 511954 Slgurd sugared a serious illness and
teaching administrative services unfmgettable, a period of discouragement followed, One
930 T E E B A P - ~ AW' ~O R L D

Dwight Lamb, and later by Fae passing of a 1954 and, acco~npaniedby Mr. and Mrs.
cherished daughter. Perhaps these were the Edward Bode, went to Ciiex~~avaca, Mkxica.
incidents which drew Mother away frona tke 111 1855 Mother t3ansferxed to Costa Rica. For
social world to which she belonged, t o search two ycars she assisted the work in Costa R i a ,
for the things of the spirit. first in the City of Alajuela, a ~ i dlater in the
The friends she selected were sincere, village of Esca~u,Costa Kica. At this time,
d thein as a resdt of her advanced age, her health
forthright persons like herself, a ~ with
she explored many avenues of leligious began to fag. She was not one to complain
thou&t. She I~adno use for sanctinlonious but she deplored the check-rein it put on her
piety and ncver considered that she had any being active. In 1957 she returned to MBxico,
special virtues, her sense of hul~lorwas too the country of her first choice, and there in
great for that. January of 1859, she passed away.
She first received the BahB'i Message in -4t her me~noriaiservice, in the National
California in 131e early 1930'5, Frit ~t was not Eja&-atu'l-Quds of MExlco, Dr. Edxis Rice-
kmt~Z1938 that she turned with all her heart Wxay said o f her: ". . .She seemed to love
to B&2ufil&. She was seventy-onc y m s of everyone and certaizly evsrtryono loved her.
age at this time, a reserved, direct ~ ~ v m a Her~ . failing health even befole leturniag to
Her lovc for BahB'ra'll&h 1109~'occsmne such Mexico, made it i~nposs~bie for her to serve
a force in her 11fe that any fo'ar~xerbarriers h e Faith very actively. Howevei-, she came,
af reserve were dissolved. She extezded her determined to do what she could. Even when
love m d friendtiness to God's chilrirelz of ail she coeddn't leave her bed at the last, she Bras
races 2nd nationalities. Her cvcry thought coasrantty assistifig in every way possible. . .
seemed ta be doniinzted by the exampie of "1 think one of the inost striking things one
'AAbdu'L-Bahk. EIer home in Scverly Kills, notices about the Sah6'i Faith is the old
California was given over Lo innumerable peapie. They nevcr appear se~~ilile, but are
Bab5'i activities as well as to r g d a Stmdag dynanic and alive until the last. Pi. i s their
evening "fireside" ~neelings.These meetings faith which makes a difezence. It is ozle of the
averaged fron~twenty to thirty pezsons, Inany greatest proofs of the Faith, And Mrs. Young
of cvhoia became Baha'is and zxe now scrvl~lg had it to a very great degree."
throughout xhe world, Her grave staads high on the mountain
When attending the Inter-Aii~ericai~ Con- slopes that 0oyerX00k the Valley of Ni6xico.
rere~~ce in Chicago in 1953, she was quickened On the simple headstone the beautiful Words
by the spirit cf the world-embracing Crusade o f BahB'u'llah are witte11 in Spanish:
and cspecialiy with one of its most iinportaa~t "0SON OF THE SOI'KEMB!
objectives, of carrying the Message to evefy "Ihave made death a messenger of joy to
corner of the earth by 11963, the Centenary thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made
of the Declaration a f Bal~a'u'll&h.She never the iigl~tto shed on thee its splendor. Why
thought of heisdf as a EahSi teacller- dost thou veil tkjself therefrom?"
coupled with hm strong will &re 5was always
h~~mility.When she heard Amatu'l-EaM
Rdbiyyih mhn~rn,the beloved wife of the
Guardian, w30 had come to the Confei-eiice
as his special represeritztive, she determined
to leave her native l a d z11d do what sbe
could to serve Shoghi Effe11d1 in helping to
ftiIFilI rhe goals of the Crusade. She was
eighty-six ycars of age at this tinle. The Lutfu3ll8h"AlizBdii and his wife came :a
statenlent which had impressed hcr was the Africa from Persia zt tbe begin~liago f the
fact that 211 could scrvc regardless of age. Crusade and despite perpetual ill hedth "Eu"
Thr,se who were too old cculd jio to foreign stayed in his pioneer post. I-Ie was born on
countries, there by exam_n!e, they could leach March 9, 1893 in TaSriz, Persia. One day he
others and they could "lay down their banes" stood with a g o u p of yomg friends watching
in these foreign lands. a carpenter at work and this man began to
She womd up her aRairs, by the fall of spezk to t l ~ cgroup about the Baha'i Fai'h.
I N MEMORIAM 93 7

carried him along, enabling him to continrze
his sersice to the Cause.
The Bahii'i Cemetery, Nairobi, has been
blessed to receive this second pioneer to give
his life faat the light of God mighr be ignited
in Kenya. His funcrd was truly internatianai,
attended by Africans of several tribes, Ames-
iwns, Persians, Scottish, Irish and English
frjends who carlze to pay their last respects;
the service w;.s in Aral>ic, Persian, English
and Swahili,
W. 'Atf z h n r ~

MU,I;TAFA EFFENDI S ~ L ~ M
1899-1962

MusCaFA EEe~idiSBlinl passed to the Abhk
Kingdom on 23rd Noveabe:: 2962 in Tripoli,
Libya. Born in Egypt on Oct. 17&, 1899,
Muqtac& Effendi enlbraced the Fzith at aa
early age and rendered memorable services
to t l AIexandria
~ to the Natiailal
Conili~lunity,
Spiritnal Assembly of Egypt and the Shdhn,
Although Luffull6h and the athers were all and to the pioneering e h r t in Libya. His
Muslims, what was said by this man interested vas rhe privilege to be in the presence of
hi111 and he kept going back again and again Shoghi Effendi in 'the Holy Land at a Lime
the day caiile wlxea he totally ivherz pilgrimage was pern'itted only in
to hear morc ui-~iil
embraced it. This choice caused a great deal exceptional cases. Eis loysity a d devotion
of unpleasantness in the family and finnlly he were shown at tke s t x t of the WosM Crusade
decided he would have to leave Irome. Hc when, alone and wiihout ernploylent, he
first went to Russia where lie arinessed rhc pinneexed to Bengkazi and late1 b e c m a
beginning of the great rcvoIution there. HE: znenzber of its Local Assenlbly, the first one
managed to escape and made his way tto to be fornied in Libya. In 1953 he went to
Rilland, Austria and limally, London. Tripoli and becam a nxmber of that tie's
W1ie11 he arrived in London, he kncrv no first Assenfly, wl-ricls was foraxed at RiQvhn
English but regadless of this handicap he 1954, We was Vicc-Ckail-manof the Assensbly
was soon giving his services to the B&Wi at the time af his passing.
Cause there 2nd he was one of the handful of
young people who started the first youth
grmp cf h~f2i1d.He worked and tzught
with the English Brrhi'is for fourteen years
and then, with the Guardian's blessing,
returned Fo his n&e counkry of Persia in
1936 wberc he renxkii~~ed for twcnty years,
carrynlig on fils work for the Cause. By 1902, ten years r?ftcrthe ascension of
When he heard thc Guardian wanted Bah5'u111&h, Thornton Chase, an American,
pioneers for Africa, he joyfiilliy accepted this had becoine the frrst from the t-vestesrl world
opport~lnityand arra:?ged to go to Nairobi, to believe in Him; Robert Tu:.r?er, the first
Kenya. He becanli: a member of the Spiritual hn~esican Negro; Thomas Breakwell, the
Assembly and also of the Keiiya Teaching first Englishnlan; I-lippolyte Dreyfus, d c
Conunittee. Although for many years his first Freilchillan and Kanichi Yamamoto,
health was poor, the strezgtlz of his spirit twenty-three years old, the first Japmesc.
THE BAHA'I WORLD

sure the Master ivould understand. He wrote
then in his awn language, humbly confessing
his belief in the Manifestation of Gad and
asking for ability to teach the people of his
native land. When he received a Tablet from
'Abdu'l-Baha in repiy, Yamanoto felt he had
been fully answered.
In February 1903 Moto received a second
Tablet. stating, ". . . there hath come a soul
from the remotest horizon wilo hath entered
the Kingdom of God."
In the early days of the Bah&i' Faith in
Honolulu there was no home where the group
of four could meet. Agnes Alexander,
Clarence Smith, Elizabeth Muthes and
Kanichi Yamamolu would go by trolley
to Pacific Heights and there on the hilltop
read the prayers m d Tablets.
Moto stayed six nionths in the Islands to
l e a n more of theTcachings, axid left in 1903 to
become not only the butler but "a member
of the family" of Mrs. Helen S. Goodall in I
Kanichi had left his parents in the province Oakland, California. Mrs. Goodall wrote I
I
of Yamaguchi, Japan and set out for a new soon after Moto's arrival that, "It seems
world. He was an inciependexlt thinker, self- wonderful to me how the Spirit bas taught
reiia~t,earnest and adventureson~e.Brought Moto as he does not understand English very
up a Buddhist, he liad becoille a devoizt well. . . . We is very happy and goes about the
Chistian. In Hawaii on his way to America house as if he were walking on air, especially
he worked for a B&ii'i f d l y , Also living if a believer comes to see us or we have a
with this famiLy was Miss Elizabeth Muther meeting."
who helped '-Mato" with his English. When On August 4, 1904 'Abdu'l-BahB revealed
Elizabeth became a Bahai, her first thought a third Tablet to Yamamoto, addressing him,
was to speak to Yamamoto. "0 thou who art the single one of Japan and
Miss Agilcs Alexander, Amd of the Cause, the unique one of the extreme Orient!"
records the story: The familiar words of 'Abdu't-Bahk on
". . , the power of 'Abdr~'l-BahSs Tablet marriage were revealed in a Tablet to Yanla-
to her and her own earnest prayer, brought moto, who was married in 1908in accordance I
about a great event in the spirit~~alworld, and with American customs. An elaborate wedding
God used her as His instrument to conftrm the was plamed by Mrs. Goodail whicli, was
first Japanese BahA'i. . .When she asked him attmided by all the R&&is and the Japanese
how he knew it was the Truth, he answered friends of the couple. After the ceremony,
by putting his hand to his heart, and said he Moto said to his wife, "I don't want you to
knew there." be like a Japanese wife, always bowing. I
Miss Muther wrote on September 8, 1902, want you to be like an An-iedcan wife and
"Now he has reczived the Message, and I boss me!"
thought this evening, for the joy expressed in f n 1909 Mrs. Goodail nloved to San
his face as well as his words of gratitude for Francisco but kept her Oakland home open
the Truth of God, that he must have forgotten for BahB'i meetings with Moto in charge.
everything but to rejoice in God." Then came the historic visit of 'Abdu'l-
At once Moto wanted to write to 'Ahdu'l- Bahk, He arrived on October 3, 1912, m d
B&$. He rewrote the lette~four tintes but His first talk was in the OaMand home that
stin thought Ixe had not adequately expressed evening; this was followed by othcr memo-
his thoughts in Erglish. Finally, Miss Miztl~er rable occasions at which Moto served with
told him to write in Japanese, for she felt joy and radiance.
"The meeting arranged by Yaman~otofor
'Abdrt'l-BahB to speak to the Japanese
Y ,M.C.A. at the QaMand Japanese Indepen-
dent Church on October 7 gave Him special
happiness, and He showed great Fayor to ali
the Japanese fi-iends."
During His northern California visit,
'Abdu'l-Bahk stayed in the home prepared
for Him by Mrs. Goodall and Mrs. Cooper;
it was Moto who had the privilege of iivii~g
in this home aud serving his beloved Master
during those glorious days. 'Abdu'l-BahB
Ioved the three Iitllc Yanlamoto boys, gave
them Persian names and held them on His lap.
On May 1, 1961 Kanichi Yamanlato
passed away. His BahB'i cklidren, now in
busi~iessand the professions, came from
different parts of the country to attend a
special service arranged by the Berkeley
Baha'is.
MARIOWYAZDI

Jahangir Ta'yidi

the hemor~bage.About twelve hours from the
This devoted BahB'i was a pioneer youth time of the accident his pure and courageous
to Knwail on the Persian Gdf. He arrived sou1 ascended to the Abh5 Kingdom.
in Kuwait in 1953 and participated in the All the beIievers of the Persian Gulf prayed
establishment of its first Spiritual Assembly, throughout that &y for the recovery o f this
which was elected in Eahahil; and in the gallant pioneer, but it was the Will of God
second, in Hawalli. to have this ransom for tho Cause in this part
The services of Jahangk Ta'yidi will be of the world. The Muslim magistral of
remembered forever. He courageously suffcsed Kuwait wrote with his own hand a special
afl kinds of difficulties for the sake of pioneer- permission fur "the burial according to die
ing, and settled in unfavorable and uncasy Bahri'i rites in the Fslarnic cemetery."
areas, simply in obedience l o the hopes and A memorial mceti~~g for him was attended
wishes o f the beloved Guardian. by eighty- Baha'is and noa-Bah8'i friends who
On the diiy of Maw-Riiz, March 21, 1953, listened to the Bah2i teachings on the
as kc was leaving his house in the marfling, immortality of the soul. Such a meeting had
he had gone only a short distance when he never been held in Kuwait before.
was k~lockedd o m by a heavy wooden vase
fnft of dry earth which fell on bis head from
the window of a nearby house. We got up,
with blood pouring from his nose and fore- PAUL GOLLMER
head, arid managed to reach the h o ~ ~ sTwo e. 1886-1961
pasers-by witnessed the event and one of
them harried to stop a taxi and took the The friends called bin1 ibe "faithful St.
youth to the government hospital. A few George" of the Stuttgar Bah2i community.
~ncrmenrslater he lost consciousl~essand the His life bad been devoted to the Cause of
sight of his eyes, so that he was unable to Bah&'ti'u'llah. He died an September 9, 1961
give his rmme and address. It was later a few days before his 75th birthday. He
announced that a fractured skuli had caused longed for those everlasting realms into
THE BAHA'I W O R L D

which his dear wife Martha had preceded
him the year before.
Paul GoIlmer was born on September 21.,
1886 in Stuttgart-Bad Clannstadt. [When he
was six his father died and his mother, a very
pious Cilristian, brought him up in finn
discipline and loving stxictness. At the age
o f f~urteenhe went to work as a journey ma^-
joiner in Kanigsfeld; an accident caused the
loss of several fingers and hc could no Ioriger
continue in this field of work so he returned
to Stuttgart and found a post with the
"Aliiaraz," a Stuttgart insurance con~pany-.
Because of his willingness, industry, reliability
and general ability he rose in fie company.
From his early youth he had been a true
see-ker ax] dl in 1910 he hzd the great privilege
to hear of the Faith. Kt?accepted it inl~nediate-
ly with zeal and entbt~siasmand all his life
he was a loyal, devotcd and vely acljve
follower of Bah2n'lihh.h; and to spread the
Cause amongst his fellowmen was his rnost Paul Gollmer I
ardent desire. He was anlelnbes of the German I

BahA'1 community which was founded in I
I
1912 and at a later d a b became a member of meeting place in the bolabed town, and at
I
the publishing house of the German BabB'is, that t h e he tried to have public meetings I
bemining its head in 1928. a ranged. When he met with success these
In 1913 he was blessed by a visit with meetings were visited by many contacts.
'Abdu'l-Bahk in Stutzgart. In f 919 the beloved After his ~etireinenthc +kited a number of
Master hoaored 11im with a Tablet, and in Bah2.i coinn~unities,groups 2 s well as isolated
1936 he went to visit the Guardia~~ in Haifa, friends, all over Wiirttemberg whenever they
~etusningdeeply imnpressed with all that he were in need of persolla1 or spiritual help.
had see11 and M t there. When this ardent, enthusiastic, devoted m d
For maay years he was a member of the faithfa1 foJ3ower of the Cause died it was a
National Spiritual Assembly o f Oernmy great loss for the friends of Stuttg~~strt, and
and Austria, and of the Stuttgmt Locdl niavy others in that area, and he will always
Assembly on which he served as chairinan be remembered by the Sawis grarcful for
numerous times, E c rendered miqhie services the services he rendered the Cause of Uah&'uY- I
I
to the Faith in Stuttgart during the tiiiie of IlBh.
Adolf Hitler. PJthou& always loyal to the
government, he was jlever willing to compro-
nlise in any cluestisnu or matters concerning
the eternal truths of the Faith* He alsa did
a great deal in securing aiuch of the BahB'i
literature and saving it from the Gesiapo; he FRANK ASHTON
was indefatigabtblc in contintlally strengthening
the bonds between the friends at a tiine when Frvlk Ashton was born in Froasham,
they were not permitted to gather togelher in England, July 3, 1879. He attendcd school
meetings. at Durham where he trained to be a macllinist-
After the war he tried his best to have the engineer. He came to the United States while
prohibition of mzetiags cancelied and with still a yonng man and worked far many y e a s
thc help of John Cichenauer this request was in I3a11arnafos the United States Government.
finally s u ~ s f u l .lTrom 1945 the frie~lds Later he was employed by the Pei~nsylvania
gathered a t his home far there was no other Railroad and the11 by the General Electric
EN M E M O R I A M 93 5

Company. Duin:: World War I X he was ia
the employ of the Navy Department in the
Navy Yards at Kittery, Maine, and toward the
end of the w a at Mars Island. Califo nia.
In everything he did he had a high sense of
perfection and of duty.
Frank bras an expert: cricket player and
member of chanlpionshitip teams in the United
States. Wheii over fifty yeais of age he was
s member of a teal11 which t o r ~ ~ eCanada
d
and the eastern United States. He was an
agreeable coinpanion, a good sport, and he
was huumble; Illroughout his life be was a
lover of the o~~t-of-doors.
He heard of the Farth white living in Detroit,
Michigan, from the well-known BahB'i
teacher, Mabel 2ice-Wray Tves and b e m e
a sincere, dcvozed and faithful believer, ever
busy in the Cause. For many ycars Frank
was a member of the Spiritual Asse~nbiyof
the BahB'is d Phiiadelphia and, later, of
Eliot, Maine, whme he also shared in the
activities of Green Acre. His servicrs, though
unobtrusive, \ m e always constructive and serve liie beloved G~saxdianand to carry out
wherel~erhe went he was a stabilizing factor. his wishes.
Ee was fLnn in the Covenant. These qualities One of Prank's chief ~F~aracteristics was
were a great asset when the call for pioneers his instant, unhesitating response to the calls
came from the Cruardian. It can be truly said of the Guardiac. In thc First Seven-Year
of Frank that ivherever he went, people were Plan hc came from Ftorida sild pioneered in
glad to have him arrive, and when he Mt. Portsmouth, New Hampshire, v~L1ere he
they were sorry to have l~ilizIezve; his was becanletisenlainstayoFtheSpiritua1Assembly.
a rare spijt. f i e had the most great faith in Later, when he was transferred LO &S ?Vest
BahB"u'llAh, demonsbated this faith chtsst m1d v~zsa inember of the 53x1 Francisco
through many trials and ~icissitudes. The BahB'i community, he xespon6cd tc the need
soul of honor, he was dependabibie, generous, for a pioneer in karmic, 'CV:iomi.ng, and
sacrificial in his attitizde. He was g:eaily hsIlsed establish and maintain a Spiritual
respected, not only by his feilow bdieves, Assembly them. 111 the Second S c v e n - " ~ ~ ~ ~
but also by the people with zvho~nhe worked. Plan he illso \vent as a pioneer to Red Bank,
They trusted him, and throug;~the bounty New Jmsey.
and protection of Baha'u'llhh their trust was When his Lzealth became poor, the doctor
always justified, Frank was a iiving iliustration advised him to go tu a warmer at-ea, so he
of the phrase "His word was as good as his went to Florida arid settled in St. Petersburg
bond." where he was as a c t i ~ ein the teaching work
Z30ssessed of an excelle~ltmemory and a as his hedth would ailow, giving the Message
clear, distinct v~ice,it was his joy to recite and arranging mecti~ngs.
the B&b9sAddrcss to the Letters of the Living, Agait:, in the Ten-Year World Crusade,
the Tablet of &mad, arid other gems from Frank could not resist the call for pioileels
the Writings of BahA'u'llah, thi: B5b, 'Abclu'l- m d he vc)iurrteered for the foreigo field.
BahSi an6 Shogbi Effendi. The many hundreds ii1 and ?rail, hs moved to Miinterrey,
who have heard hill1 will never forget the Mexico, in July 1955, and thsse joined in
spirit o f love and devotion with which he fornzing a group which was destined to
spoke and the spiritual atniosphere that was achieve Asselnbiy status within a month
created. His whole life revolved around dter his death on March 23, 1956. His life
lSahB'uytl& m d his greatest desire was to on this earth ended cvhile he was serving in
936 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

the forefront of the pioneer ranks of .the
Cause to which he Ezrzd dedicated his life.
After his death ize following message was
received from the beloved Guardian:
"Praying progress soul Kingdom. His
services meritorious."
HARLANE. OBER

In November 1923 a public meeting %as
held by a religious body-New Thought
Society-in Adelaide, South Australia, The
gucst speakers wsre Mr. and Mrs. EIyde
TItunn, recent arrivals from America and their
subject was the BabQ'i Faith.
Seated in the audience were Mr. and Mrs.
Percy kleade Aln~ond, perplexed, seeking
a faith, aware of something they one day
hoped to h d ; and now they were waiting to
hear yet another speaker. As they listened
their thoughts rapidly turned to awe, and
turning to one another they whispered, "This
is it," Their seaxch had ended, their road to
eternity had begun-they had found the Mrs. Almond carved a niche for herself in
BaM'f Faith. the early Baha'i history o i Aust~z-alia:
A Rose
Just two days after this meeting Mrs. Garden School was established by hei- for
Ahnond and her husband entertained Mr. children in and mound Adelaide, her gin
and Mrs. Dunn in their home and accepted of music helping her vely much in this work.
t h e Faith of BahB'u'UAh, and as a result Eve~rtuallyshe added sonlething of wider
there was formed the first Bahii Group ia value which was a Correspondence Rose
SOU&A u s % T & ~ ~ ~ . Gafden School and the lessons from this
In 1927 Mrs. Almond was to see the result school were sent to all the states in Australia
of her teaching work in her own honle town. and as far as thc island State of Tasmania
That year the first Local Assen~blyu3asformed where children svere eager to get thesewonder-
in Adelaide. This d e ~ a u tsoul then went ful lessons, so well ~houghtout and well done.
farther afield to the State of Victoria, as a They were appreciated by adults, too, vvho
pioneer. The Faith became very precious to kept learning about the Faith along with
her as the years passed; the Continent was their children, and in this way Nrs, Almond
Lrge, the laborers few and she realized there literally sent the meaning of the Greatat
was much work to be done. When she Nanie to the Bah8'i children all owr this vast
returned to Adelaide she accomplished nlucl~ continent. Today in Australia these same
useful work in goal areas of the Seven- chiIdren have formed wonderhl Youth.
Year Plan. I n 1955 she and her husband Groups while others have become adult
tisited the Pacific Islands, NewZealand, and BaWis.
other places where they encouraged the At the time of her passing Mrs. Almond
pioneers in their work with the nztive popula- was a member of the Asian Teaching Coin-
tion. Mrs. Almond's letters were known fax mittee, on which she had served since its
and wide for the encourageinmi =ad inspira- incepti~nin 1953, and she had devoted 37
tion they contained to new believers, pionees years of her life to the Guse of Baha'u'liiih.
and those serving in isolated places both She had kept her wonderful sense of humor
at home and abroad. and every visitor to ker home was assured a
I N MEMORIAM 937

happy time and always came away with a
more intimate knowledge of the Faith.
On December 23,1960 she died. One of her
fron~Holy Scx-iptul-ewas :
favorite '~~erses

"Waft, then, u~rtome, G nzy God r i d
Beloved, ffidomthe rigfit hand uf Tizzy mercy
and Thy loving kindness, the holy breatlzs
of Thy jhvorar+s,that they may draw me away
from myxev end from tile world rmfo the
COL!PISof Thy nearness nad TIT>)presence."

Surely ~ v i t bthese words in her beast Mrs.
Almond passed to the Abha Kingdom.

'Azizu'ilAh San~avrdariwas born in tile city 'Azizuu'llah Samandari
of Qasvfn, Persia, Marc11 21, 1910. After
finishing his primary education he went to
the Bdik'l secondary school io Tih~Ln.As a positions, and with his wife, Bahiyyiil,
student he showed such zeal and enthusiasn~ readered wanderiiil services in the honxknd
in teaching the Faith that ever since he was of BahB'u'llih.
known as a very firm Bah8'i. When they heard of the beioved Guardian's
When the Persian governnaent decided to sail fop pioneers the Sama~idarifanlily left
send students to Europe for further studies their home in Persia for Turkey and went to
11e was one of those chosen. After years o f reside in the beautiful city of Izinir wi-iel-e
study he returned to Persia a welI-qualified they rendered wonderful service. Unfortunate-
engineer. Although he was well knoivn as a Iy Mr. Samndari was to be wiW1 his family
BahB'i he was i~nnieaiatelyappointed as the for only one year-and-a-ltalf i s that pioneer
head of all the sugar factories in different post; at the agc of forty-six years he x7as
parts of Persia and he mailaged to conduct suddenly summoned to the AbM Kingdom.
these factories, in different stages of develop-
ment, and in spite of many djtficulties, success-
fully. The gos7ernmnentlater appointed him as ROBERT S. BROWN
the gencral manager of the Industrial Bank 1891-1962
and commissioned him to go to Europe and
purchase factories for the couniry. One of the very early believers of Australia,
Wherever he went Mr. Samandari demon- Mr. Robcrt S. Brown of Adelaide, Sout.11
strated the teachings of his beloved Faith by Australia, passed to the AbhB Kingdom July
his honesty, upright conduct and pure 8, 1962 after thirty-two years of faithful
character. Due to such excellent qualities and service to the Bah25 Faith. He abandoned
his being known as a Bah&'i-(for four years the physical garment happy in the k~~owledge
secretmy of ths T i h r h Local Spiritual As- that he had been spared long enough to enable
sembly)-he was the subject of many severe him to donate all his worldly wealth to the
attacks by the people. In order to spend all BahB'i Faith. He had made it his life's work
his time and energy for the C'ause of God he to support the Bahi'i Fund and this hc did
retired from all gavernmenfA ranks and with mfaiIing regularity and great generosity.
936 THE B A H A

R1usay-n R6ki was born in Cairo, Egypt,
in 1878, the son of $&j MaUB 'Ali Tabrizi, who
was a BahA'i teacher and pioneer sent to
Egypt by Bahtu'llkh. Rir~was a young boy
whei~his father was killed during a teachiog
journey ~ Z I Diar-Bekr, Turkey.
After the martyrdom of his father Ritbi
stayed with hjs mother and thsn joined the
household of B&j IMlfzk Ijsasa-~S#tklir&sani
who aided in his education at school, taught
him eke Persian l m g ~ ~ a gtaught
e~ hiin the
Faith, thus preparing hiill for iitture service
to the Faith of Bahi'u'liih.
In 1899 4fAj Mir& F3asan and others were
sent by 'Aiidu'l-Bah8as special meshcngcrs
to the Uaired States mrl Epusa31 was choseil
to be the intespreter for the group, They n?zde
&eir headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, and
stayed irr the United States until 1982, ~ind
Ri&i seized the opportunity during this time
to colntinue his college education.
After his rcturn to Egypt, Rirbi worked as
Robert S . Brown a teacher of the E~rglishImguage at vafio~rs
schools and later published two bi-weekly
magazines. Although these magazines w e ~ e
published to i~elpteach EngElish, evcry issue
Mr. Brown was a meinber of h e first conlt;ked sn article which mentioned the
Spiritual Assembly of Adelaide. Always Cause or its principles.
practical and just in administrative iuatters he During tIie year of 1906 the greclt B&&'i
was, at the same time, kind znd tolerant. His teacher MirzA Ab2l-Fad1 stayed in C ~ i r o
acts of kindness and generosity to those in and R6b.i was one of his constaai companions,
need were too numcroizs to bc counted. aticnding nost of thc meerings at which
He was a ddegate to the 6rsl Convc~~tion Mirz$ Ab6'1-Fadl hught.
of Australia which nas held in Sydriey in 1934 In 1910 RShi estabIiskcd Abbassia Schools,
and elected Chai~l~ian of this Co~~veniioa as na~ncdafter 'Abddl-BahB 'Abbbs, in Cairo.
we12 as Chairman o f the first Nation21 Spiritual These were two schools, one for boys and one
Assembly o f Australia and Nen Zealand which for girls in which both BahVi aiid nun-Bakjli
was fornzed at that Convention. He served youngsters were enrolled. The schools con-
in this capacity with grcat distinction for timed to sene the czuse of ducation anti1
several years. 1919 when by form of cirtxmstmces they
Although rile last twelve years of his life had to be closed.
were ones of painful illness which made him In 1920 Ruw was offered the past of
unable to move a bout freely he never hiled, to hspector of Education in [he ~zcgilyliberated
deliver the message oE the Fzith to all with Palestine, an oRer whicli he gladly accepted,
whom he callle in contact and his enthusiasm because it meant being near his beloved
never wancd. Master, 'Abdu'I-&ihA.. His p0s.t was loc~ted
The devoted service of &is staunch early in Jerusaienl and Born there he paid frequent
believer of the Faith shines lilce a bright jewel visits to tile Master in Ha3fa.
in the early history of the Faith in Australia. After the pasing of .Abdu'l-B&A, R&&
remained f i m and fai~Vulin the Faith a d
on the fortieth day of the ascension U b i was
IN MEMORIAM 939

Cemetery in Cairo, aad may the Mercy of
God yest upon his soul in the Abhd Kingdom.

CARL SCHEPFLBR
April 8,1583 May 17,1962

The passing of Carl ScheBXer lmrics the
departure o f yet ogle nlorc from Ihe rapidly
thinning ranks of those who enxbracetl the
Faith of BahB'u'll6h in its very eajy days in
hnerica.
About the year 1897 news of a "teacher"
was brought to the Scheffler Iamily by a
cousin who mged investigation so persistently
that several membe's of the family, includiilg
Carl and his mother, went to hear %hat the
teacher had t s say. This t e a c h was TbcAhh
&&aym'li&h x7ho had coim from Egypt on
business associated wlth the Cllicago World's
Fair of 1893. The fanlily attended his lect~rres
and decided 'chat what Dr. IQaym'llAh was
present to take an active part in the mcrnorable telling about ths Message of BahB'u41C14?^was
meeting when the Wilt and Testament of logical, and as one of them said, "made
'Abdu'l-Balla was read a ~ ~Slioghi
cl Ei?'endi was sense," They attended Dr. Khayru'lI&'s
prociainled Gumdian of the Bal-iB'i Faith. classes and eventnaily became $ism believers
Ri&i ranaimd in Palcstinc, holding many and remained so despite Dr. Khayxu'liah's
Imnport2.11t goser~l%neilt positions, until 1435 o ~ i subsequent
n vioiation.
when he was retired with a pension. D~rring There was of course no administrative
all this time he was in constant touch with pl-ocedr~reas prese~t-dayBaha'is know it,
the beloved Cruadhn and was always glad to but one of the devoted believers, Ivlrs. Fannie
Be t h e contact with authorities in the area on Lescl~,lilore farsighted than the rest, perhaps,
matters pertaining to the Cazse when the kept a record in a laxge ledgel. of ths mum,
Guardian requested biin to do so. date and ,~umericalsequence 01 aU emoI1ees.
Upon ~ e t i r e ~ nRi~bi
e ~ ~ follotved
t the Gnard- Carl Schefller, zt tire zge ~f $6, was enrolled
ian's instructions a ~ dreturned to Egypt in 1899, tfte 665th lo haye declared his hit11
wlzere he devoted dl his time and abiiity to iii Chicago.
the ses\~iceof the Cause there, as a member Qne of the great bounties shoivered upoil
s f the Local t l ~ dNztitional Spiritual Assem- Carl SchcEler by BahB'u711&h wss that
Hies, serving on various co~~imitkcs and aiding Thornton Chase, Aibert Windust, Albsi-t
in the translation of the Writings fro111 Persian Grecided and others, staunch pillars of the
into Arsbic. He was always one ofthe teachers Faith, d l considerably older than he, took a
in the Bah&i' Summer Schools. In his last days gi-eat intexest in his boy and exerted the most
he was quite happy because he had beea abie profound inflizence on his spiritual deveiop-
to complete extensive work oT translation melit. He had little formal education, but
he had srarted and many of these translations inspired by asseciation witti these great souls
are in manuscript forms. to study the Sacred Writings of Bah&'u'llSih,
On Novcmber 10, 1960 Yrisayn Kithi he becaine a truly educated 1n21-iand a dedi-
passed away at the age of 82 after a long life cated servant of Bahfi'u'llkh, the Mastsr,
totally dedicated to the service of BahB'u'll&h. and later, the bdoved Guardian, Sl~oghi
His body was laid to rest in thc BahL'i EfTerxdi.
940 T H E B A N A ' ~W O R L D

Wilmette, Ill~nois,he had great opportunity
to exercisc his rare gifts as a teacher-one
whose teaching was always dirmly based on
the BahB'i principles.
Characteristically, when Mr. Scheffler was
no longer able to teach. publicly, be began to
write, with the purpose of elucidating the
application of the Baha'i Teachirrgs to daily
living. These essays preseai the philosophy
developed during a lifeiin~eof close association
w~ihthe Teachings of Baha'u'll&hW
The g r i d occasioned by his loss is tempersd
by &the knowledge that his service did not
end wizh his departare from this world.
Following is the tributo of the Hatzds of
the Cause in the Holy J ~ n d :
"Grieved passing much loved Carl Scheffler
steadfast devoted tireless servant Master
eaaly days Faith h e r i c stop
~ Outstanding
services Teinple Teaclrii~g adnlinistrative
fields period beloved Guardian's ministry
unforgettable stop Convey deepest synlpa-
thy family assure ardent prayers HoIy
Shrines." (signed) Handsfaith May 20, 1962.

Carl Scheffler

Iu 1907 Mr. Schefler, in company with
Mr. Chase and Mr. Arthur Agnew and his 'ETHEL DAWE
family had the great bounty of being permitted 1902-1954
to visit 'Abdu'l-BahB in His prison home In
'Akka, an experience which deepened still Miss Ethel Dawe ascended to the Abhd
more his spiritual perception, Kingdom on September 18, 1954. Her
At an early age Carl Sch&er became a passing was deeply felt by all who knew and
member of the first "House of Justice" in loved her. Miss Dawe entered a hospital
Chicago, autl~orizedand named by 'Abdu'l- in Sydney in January, 1954, and during her
Bahk. Later he also served as a member of the prolonged illness demonstrated such sweet-
Bahli'i Teinple Unity, and in 1925 was elected ness, Iove and radiant acquiescence that she
to the National SpiritrraI Assembly of the charmed all with whonz she came into contact.
BahPfs of the United States and Canada, Her remaills wefe laid to rest in the Northern
on which body he served as a nlenlber con- Suburbs Cemetery, Sydney.
tinuously until 1938, part of the tinle as its The National Spiritual Assembly of the
National Treasurer, Bahgr'r'sof Australia and New Zedand cabled
He was an effective speaker and rendered the beloved Guardian the sad news of her
valuable service in this field. As a teacher for passing and he replied:
groups and individuals he wds m~surpassed, "Grieve loss devoted capabIe pronloter
particdarly with youth. Faith Ethel Dawe notable sexvices unforget-
In his chosen frdd of secuIar activity, first table reward assured Kingdom."
as a commercial artist and the11 as owner and Miss Dawe was born at Burnside, South
director of the Evanston Academy of Fine Australia, October 17, 1902. Of her early
Arts and Dirsctor of Art in the North experiences as a RahB'i she mote:
Evanston F'ublic Scl~ools,as well as some of "'heard
I of the Faith in 1931 through my
the parochial schools in both Evanston and mother's cousin, Maysie Almond. She and
IN MEMORIAM 911

her husband were the lint two people to
accept the Cause in South Australia on
l~earingMr. and Mrs. Duim speak in Adclaxde
in 1924.
"Aftel rearling Tile Hiddetr Words, The
S e v e ~Valteys, and the Kildh-i-f&in, I recog-
nized in my h a t the tnzth of the Revelation
of Bd~k'u'liBh. My active pa~ticipationin
the life of the BahB'i Faith began at a meeting
held as a me111orla1 to the Greatest Holy Lea[
in July, 1932, a serious illness of many months
prior to t h i s having caused me to miss the
meeting held for Keith Ransom-Kehler who,
however, had graciously visited me although
I was not thcn a declared BahB'i.'"
In 1934 Miss Dawe was elected a nien~ber
of the Spinkual Assembly of Adelslide and
attcnded the Errst Australian BaliZi'i Coilven-
tiou t~cldIn Sydney.
Miss Dave in 1937 was appointed tem-
porary collaboraiar for Austrlia to the
League of Nations and visited Geireva,
S\~itzelrland.While working at the League of
Nations, she met ~ a d a n l e~ r e ~ i u s - B a r n e ~
whose name had long been known to her
through. Madame Barney's intimate associa-
tion with the Holy Family at HaiFa, a d also Scott, and a week at Edith Sanderson's
as the doyen of women in the intellectual apartment.
Co-operation Section of the League of "From there 1 journeyed lo London in
Nations. Afte~visiting Budapest, V ~ e m a.ad December 1937, and met. with great pleasure
Gelmany, MISSDawe was inwted by Madame the Dah2is of London. The greatest joy was
Barney to visit her in Paris, at the time of the an afternoon spent with dear Lady Blornfield,
Paris Exposition of 1937 which was Irejd in whose Loving radiance still illumines my
Ule Gardens of the Trocadero. It was in these thoughts.
gardens that 'Abdu'l-B&a used to walk, "Then I set sail in the Stintheden for IXajfa
where he would sit and over3ook the playing at the invitatioil of the Guardian, arriving on
fountains. The Exposition had raised the January 6, 1938, for approximately ten days.
Pavilion of Peace--with its high colarnn in How cajl I describe the Gmsdian? His power
which tvas placed the golden Star of Peace- and his love surroz~ndall on this easlh.
overshadowing the whole of the Exposition. "The meeting with Ri~biyyihKhkn~zmwill
At the gate 'Abdxi'l-Baha used to enter, the remaill as an inspiration with ine all my life.
Exposition had erected the Pavilion af Pales- The meeting with the Holy Mothei-Mush
Zlne. In a letter Miss Dawe wrote: F&tnum-was an inestimable privilege. I
"Madame would take me to walk in the shall always hear her say as she folded me in
garde~rs,foIlorving the path she had trod with her arllrs, 'Read the Words of Bahb'u'llSl,
Rim. Precious indeed were the words she dear, read the Words of BahB'u'll&h. They
spoke, telling what the Master had said. are creative Words. Blcssed are the hours
Scarce could we teas ourse3ves away fro111 speizt u7ith the Word of God.'
the sparkling, playing fountains which He had 'The visits to the Shrines, to Bahjl and to
loved so much. h e Most Great Prisoix at 'Akkii, made so
"Joyous indeed was the visit to Paris and great an impression that life is forever
also the association with the BaM'i com- changed.
munity .there; a Feast at the home of Madame "On leaving, the bdovcd Guarclian entrust-
Dreyfus-13araey, a week at the studio of Mrs. ed m e to carry to Australia a Lock of the hair
942 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D

of BahB'u'lllah, The Greatest Holy Led AMY DEWING
herself had arranged this lock. The Guardian
was sending it to Australia, to the beiievers, On Septenlber 11, 1959, New Zealand lost I

because of their distance from the Holy Laad. one of its earliest BahB'is with the passing
He especially wished Father and Mother Dun11 of Mrs. Amy Dewing, at the age of 83. From
to touch the sacred lock of hair. the time whm she &st heard of and accepted
"The precious lack journeyed wi.th me llze Faith from Father and Mother Dunn she
to the fxiends in Port Said and Cairo where the ivas active in spreading its Message and in
Guardian had sent word that 1wsls co~ning. assisting in the establishment of the Ad-
Four nlcmorable days were spent wilh the ministrative Order of B&&"u'llLh iin the
woadcrful BaWis there before joiiling the A~atipodes.Her name will forever be reinem-
iWh!oja for Australia. bered as one of the sn~all;u'ld persevering band
"'RILIS I was home in time for dear Martha of New Zealand believers who remained firm
Root's last visit to Australia in 1938, which and ~tea~lfast in the face of many obstacles
was of suclx beneiit to us dl." and who lived to witness the emergence or the
Aftex Miss Daiie's rcturn fconz abrcad she New Zedand c ~ n z m n i t yinto an indepenclent
was apyoi~tedTalks Officer for the ,kastralian exisleace, separate from tirat of Austraiia,
Broadcasiing Convlzissionfor South AustraZia. aild wit11 its ow2 Natioaal Spkiiraal Asscn1b3y.
AltI~oughher home was ill Adelaide, she was
able to visit and assist the friends inTasmania,
Melbourne, Sydney, and also to attend the
Yeri-inbooIBah;i'iSumnler Scbod. Several vis- JEAN SILVER
its weremade to Canbol-ra. In 1947, 1948 arid
1949 she made three visits to Perth in Western Miss Jean Silver, who passed aw-eyin kyan,
Australia, a11din 1949 vent to England for one Massachusetts, 01% August 14, 1959, was one
year where she assistcd in the British Six-Yeax of those ardent early pioneers who have lent
Plan. Her services on the National and Local distinction to the annds of tke American
Assemblies and on committees, as well as in BA9'i Comirtuzity. I I was chiling the first
the teaching field, are, as the Guardian says, great Seven Year i>im of Shoghi Effendi,
"unforgettable." when the objective was tke spresd of the Faith,
Miss Dawe's charming personality and wide according to 'Abdu'l-BabZs Tablets of the
range of knowledge and experience made her D i v i ~ ~Plan,
e fnrosghout Latin America,
services very valuable in Bahgi activities. As that Jean Silver w c ~ to t Caba to teach the
a n executive olflicer of Ihe Australian Broad- Cause of God. Year after year she remained
casting Com~llissio~~ hex position as Talks at her post illness and advanced years
Supervisor enabIed her to meet many per- nsacle it impossiblefur h6r to go on pioneering.
sonages of high standing both nationally and Together with Miss Jasephiile Kruka, Jean
intc~nationally,to many of whom she gave succeeded irt esiabiishing a flourishing corn-
the Baha'i Message, mnanity in Habaila. She tatigl-it the yoz;th and
Z i i 1953 Miss Daliie accompanied Mrs. children as well as the adults and her merry
Clara Dunn, Hand of the Cause, to the Fourth personality, deep conviction of the iruth of
Xntercontiilentai Conference in Delhi, India, BahB'u'llih's Message, and shrewd mind,
m d frola tilere she again visited the beloved atti-acted to her many Erieilds and admirers.
Guardian at the World Center of the Faith Indeeed,frfim the many bttcrs she received
in Haifa, Israel. f~om the bcloved Guardiuz, it is clear he too
a?-mired her indonlitable spirit.
Mter the F a ~ t hwas firmly established in
Rabana Jean moved to Cie-nfuegos-"a
hundred firesw- a d there lighted the fire:
of " k love of Gcd in many hears. Her name
will forever be honoured by the Cuban
believers as one of the trail-blazers in the
history of the development of t i ~ Faith
k in
their native land.
EM M E M O R I A M

-4th the assunnee of the New Day dawning
upon hrmanity, a d Iceland in centuries to
come will look back to her as ro the morning
star.
Hiilmfridur hrnadtittir has been accorded MARIONMor MAN
by the beloved Guiu-6ian the station of
Iceland's first Baha'i. From her fifst contact
wit11 the Faith in 1924 ui~tilher passiag in
1955, she was alom in her xcdization o f the
inissian of Bakitl'llSih, the only Ycaiandcr to
hail the glzd tidi~lgsof &c New Day. Far thrs
acd far two ~nemoxableservices she will ever FREDERIXCk AGNES CAREY
be honorecl in lcela~~dic history. She was the 1879-1958
translator o i Ur, EssIe~aorat'sBaJil4'u'llhh and
ii?e iVew Era into the Icelandic izraguzge, an Fzederika Awes Carey was born in Cape
endwing work of the gredest significsmce Town, South Afaicr;, on Deczmber 1, 1579.
at this time when the Cm;e is beginr>inpto Eler lifo \+as one of struggle and great deter-
prow in iceiaizd under the mome~:irm of the minatior, to hold Fast to the principles of the
Ten-Ymr Cxusade. And she serve5 tireiessiy BahB'i Faith d d n g the time ~ 3 1 2 ~it1tkaf first
and with great devotion our greaccst Bahsl being iutioduced into Africa. Zer early years
teachex- Martha Rout, &winsher nriforgei- werc lrted in Cape Town. and laiex Pretsria,
table visit to IceIauri for one month in 1935, where she trained as a lmrse. She was keenly
bringing her into contact with many leaders ii~teresteclm helping wornen who were serving.
of thoaght end paving t h e way for Matila's yrlso~lsentences; slie mas a rne~llberaf ii~c
pab!ic work through iectuses, newspapa Pretoria Prisons Zjoard and was respmsible
art~rlesand radro talks. for &ding sriirable occupalioils for sziieral
Ttie !vlesszge of BahB'u'llt ccamc to Miss women rc!ciiscd from prism and seckirag
Ainadiiiiir thrcmgh Mrs. Amelia Collins, reI~abSitatiun.
who with her 111~sSandvisited Reykjavik for I ~ she met an a d e n i Bah&'i,
A ~ O F1920,
two days ir, 1924. "Tcdand made sr liolic",ay Fanny KnoblocfL fzon? the United States,
of t-k*elm&ng of o.acr~xlscr," Mrs. Collins who proved to be a groar i d x c ~ l c in e her life.
Fa; rrxdrlcd, as it was thc largest to haye Miss Knoblock vlsitcd 51fx Zlo111s in A:ca&~s,
eatcred the harbor to that date. Martha bas Pretoria, a:;d also nnct her I~usbandHaxry
written of this historic meeting i;i these uicrrdf: Carey. 'Fhc ibilctvirtg quotation is Fra3 Miss
"'One shouiii begin any saga, any article about Knobloch's account of her experience? in
Imland with tke llarne of Einar 56nsson; he Soutli Africa: '-In this city Mr. and Mrs.
is I h e greatest soul in Icdaird today . . . It Cmey gexe~ausly sttpported the Cause by
may have been only a coincidence3 but it is opening t h i s home as the center of 1[3ahBYi
like a confixmation from God t h a t i t was in activities, The first South African Bsli5'i
this lofty Einar 46mson Mnsemn that the Assen~blywas orgailizcd there ir? 1925."
MiIZj-Hcildridrit- f i o ~ e ror" friendship was The mei~~iile;-s
of the comn~unityestablished
first plmtcd in Iceland." It was the planting by Fanny Rr,obluch, gia&uaXly dv$<ndlad
of the divine seed in Iceland, beautifuliy and ~ m t i ionly Agnes Caey remained, a d for
loyally tteaded by MiUy for over tliirty years; tweniy yerrzs she saw no BakB'i fcie~lel;but she
a ~ d the association of tI.isse two spiritual kept in t o ~ d with
i BahB'i world through
sours warmed aud crrltivaied this vital corrsspondecce wit11 our belcved G ~ a d i a n ,
Nufihe~aland for the rich harvest v~lnich Shoghfii ESenifi, who proved to be her great
eve11 todzy %naybe glimpsed axld con.Sd~,atly source of spisiitt~aicomfort aad Inspilatian.
antieipszted. When sbr: received ths nlessage from Shoghl
After a long rich life dwoied to ku- EEendi calliilgth? Inrcrcontid~ntalCoofexence
manitsrim and spil-ihal endeml-, Hblmfrid~~r ira Karapaia, W ~ m d ain 1543, dihough she
passed to the AbhB kingdom at the age of was the^ seventy-three years old, she deter-
eighty-two, ia Reylcjavik, oni Novernber 25, inined to malce tks joix-ney. This great journey
1955. SXne was imly a ilziversal s ~ t i l ,gifted by air was tIie hi& point of her life.
944 THE B A H A * ~
\VORLI3

Followir~gis the cabb sent from Haifa,
Juiy 12, 1958, by itbe Hands of the Cause at
the time of he*. passing:-'"eel deep sorrow
passing staunch devoted uphoider Faith,
Agnes Carey, Services greatly appreciated
Bclaved. Praying RoIy Shrirjnes."

Nlme. Bertha Pappiloud was a French-
tvornm who heard of the BahA'i Faith in
Asmsu-a, Eritrea, accepted it with enthusiasm,
and, when the need for service came, arose to
respond to that need heedless of personal
comfort and convenience. The need was ia
Djibouti, Somalia, one of 'Ehe worst climates
on the East Coast o f Africa. hifnle. Pap-
Fredesika. Agnes Carey pilond moved there, accanwanied by her
dsughter and grandson, despite her yeafs and
the diEculties she might have to face, and
S c m after she ~etupnedfrom the Con- helped estabiish the first Spiritual Assembly
ference, her eyesight and health suddenly irr that city in 1961. She served as a member
failed. After a long illness, Agnes slipped away of that Asseinbly until her death on December
pezcefuily in Durban on July 10, 1958. On 15, 1362 in Djibouti. She was also elected a
the day of her funeral, her dear friend, delegate to the con~entionof the Regiond
Professor Bishop Brown, who was now Spiritual Assen~bIyof the B&thB'is of North
pioneering in Durban, placed beside he3. in the &st Africa, held in Addis Ababa in 1962.
cof^nm a green sprig from &f: grave of her Upon being infoi-med of her death the
beloved Guardian. Hands of the Cause in the Xoly Land cabled:
Agxs was a truly wonderful soul with an "Grieved news passing valiant pioneer
indomitable spirit. Alone, facing apposition Bertha Pappilaud. Assure ardent prayers
horn-ever unspoken, ivith no one to succor her shrines convey loving synlpathy bereaved
ar bring her fresh news fiom the outside iBmiIy,"
Balrti'i world, she kept the flame of Bzh2u'- When the history of the Faith in this area
11ah burning in that dark lai~d;those of us is written, and future generations of Bahk'is
cvho came afwher were merely to take a ligl~t look back on their spiritual antecedents,
from tile flame she had protected and to Mme. Pappiloud's name and example will be
ipnitz the s~~rrounding countryside. revered and enlulated,

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