# In Memoriam *Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-21 — 1 clipping.* --- > 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, 1978, bahai-library.com. > ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── > > THE B A H A ' ~W O R L D > AN INTERNATIONAL RECORD > > Prepared under the supervision of > The Universal House of Justice > > VOLUME XVI > > 130,131,132 and 133 > OF THE B A H A ' ~E R A > 1973-1976 > > B A H A ' ~W O R L D C E N T R E > HAIFA > 1978 > CONTENTS ix > VI. T H E N O N - P O L I T I C A L C H A R A C T E R O F T H E BAHA'I F A I T H Page > 1. The Non-Political Character of the BahB'i Faith-Excerpts from the Writings > of Shoghi Effendi . 490 > > VII. R E L A T I O N S H I P T O G O V E R N M E N T > 1. Loyalty to Government-Statement Prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly > of the Baha'is of the United States of America . > 2. The Bahi'i View of Pacifism . > 3. The Bahi'i Position on Military Service . > 4. Summary of the Guardian's Instructions on the Obligation of Bahi'is in Con- > nection with Military Service , > > VIII. BAHA'I C A L E N D A R , FESTIVALS A N D DATES O F H I S T O R I C A L > SIGNIFICANCE > 1. Foreword, by Dr. J. E. Esslemont . > 2. Baha'i Feasts, Anniversaries and Days of Fasting . . > 3. Baha'i Holy Days on Which Work Should be Suspended . > 4. Additional material gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (vol. 11), regarding the > Bahi'i Calendar . > 5. Historical Data Gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (vol. 11), regarding Bahi'u'llah > 6. Dates of Historical Significance in the Rise of the Baha'i Faith . > > PART FIVE > IN MEMORIAM > Page Page > Ahmadpur, 'Inayatu'llih . . 529 Krishnan, G. S. Santhanam . 563 > ArbBb, Ruhi . . 547 Kuhlase, Christopher V. . 546 > Ashen, Elizabeth Ann (Anna) . 553 Kunz, Anna . 520 > ~ z a m i b a hQudratu'llhh > , . . 519 Loft, Alfred James . 514 > Baghdadi, 'Abbas Ihsin . . 543 Malkin, Seymour . 542 > ~ a & t i ~ i rIsfandiyar > i, . . 554 Marangella, Philip A. . 525 > Bare, Karen . . 524 McKinley, Violet . 512 > Becker, Matilda (Betty) . . 538 Mejia, Blanca Victoria 550 > Beeton, James Henry Isaac . . 551 Mills, Mary Olga Katherine . 53 1 > Bode, Edward L. . . 566 Mujahid, Siyyid Amir-@ah . 552 > Dhabih, Ihraqiyyih . > - . . 517 Na'imi, Mahbubih . 540 > Dreyfus-Barney, Laura Clifford . 535 Patterson, Robert Henry . 549 > Elston, Mary Ashley . . . 530 Toeg, Daoud . 527 > Eziukwu, Isaac . . . 522 'Ubbadi, Ghulim-'Ali . 561 > Facey, James Vassal . . 556 Vakil, Munir . 565 > Ferraby, John . . . 511 Venturini, Verena . 560 > George, Prudence . . 534 zaynu'l-Abidin, Fawzi . 544 > Graham, Fred . . 558 > > Errata > Estrada, Salom6n Pacora . . 568 Vieira, Eduardo Duarte > IN MEMORIAM > > JOHN FERRABY > 19141973 > John Ferraby was born in Southsea, England, > on 9 January 1914 and grew up there. He was > educated at Malvern and at King's College, > Cambridge, to which he won a major scholar- > ship. > It was in 1941that he was told about the Faith > by a non-BahB'i. Wanting to know more, he > found Dr. Esslemont's book in a public library. > He was by then living in London, so he started > to look for the BahB'is there, but he had > difficulty in finding them because during the > blitz the Bahi'i Centre was empty most of the > time. However, finally he found someone and > after a couple of visits he wanted to be accepted > as a member of the community. Almost im- > mediately he began to work for the Faith, > becoming in less than a year a member of the > London Spiritual Asseinbly and of the National > Spiritual Assembly. In 1943 he married a fellow > member of the National Assembly, Dorothy > Cansdale. .7ohn Ferraby > In 1946 he became secretary of the National > Spiritual Assembly, working at first in his spare Guardian, which deepened his already great > time and from 1950 as full-time secretary. This devotion to Shoghi Effendi. This of course made > work he continued, living in the National a tremendous impression on him and it was in > Haqiratu'l-Quds in London from December consequence of advice from Shoghi Effendi to > 1954, until he went to serve in the Holy Land at write for the Faith that he produced his book A11 > the end of 1959. During a good deal of the time Things Made New. He seemed to have received > he was also manager of the British BahB'i some special stimulation and wrote at fever heat > Publishing Trust, as well as being an active in every moment of his spare time until it was > teacher and committee member. From 1951 to completed, as if he had been inspired and could > 1956 he was busily involved in the work of the not stop. The book has been widely used, > Africa Committee and during the opening of the running to one edition in the British Isles and > various territories in Africa, at that time mostly three in the United States. > colonies or protectorates, he attended to most In 1957, in the last group of Hands of the > of the government relationship, acting in his Cause appointed by the Guardian, John Fer- > capacity of national secretary. He attended the raby was included, and consequently he carried > first Intercontinental Conference, held in Kam- a big share of the work and responsibility for the > pala, Uganda, in 1953, as well as the successive arrangements when Shoghi Effendi died and > Intercontinental Conferences which were held was buried in London. After that he took part in > in Europe. the first sorrowful gathering of the Hands of the > In January 1955, he made the pilgrimage to Cause in Haifa and stayed on there for over > the Holy Land and was in the presence of the three months to help. In December 1959, John > T H E B A H A.'f W O R L D > > went to live in Haifa as one of the Hands of the beliefs of the world, coming into contact with > Cause resident in the Holy Land and remained the Theosophical Society which commended > there until Ridvan 1963.1Afterthat he returned itself to her as being rather broadminded > to England and lived in Cambridge for the last with regard to doctrine. It was while going to > ten years of his life, working for the first few meetings at the Theosophical Lodge in Exeter, > years as one of the Hands of the Cause in the where she was living after the war, that she met > continent of Europe, dealing with their secre- Dr. McKinley, an Irish surgeon, who had aban- > tariat and travelling a good deal. Later it doned operative medicine for osteopathy and > became no longer possible for him to serve in dietetics. Like her, he was dissatisfied with > this way. orthodoxy, yet sure that there must be some > John's whole life as a Baha'i was one of master theme of life to put right the tortured > activity and intense devotion. From the world that had succeeded the armistice. They > moment of his declaration the Faith came were married in 1922,and went to live in Oxford > absolutely first with him and nothing else mat- where their cl.iild, Hugh, was born two years > tered, and this was true until the end of his life, later. > whatever his circumstances and condition. At a meeting of Theosophists in that city, > DOROTHY FERRABY soon after their arrival, they heard a Mr. H. > Wooller give a talk on the Baha'i Faith. They > were deeply impressed and he lent them Dr. > Esslemont's book Baha'u'llah and the New Era. > They read this through together and on coming > VIOLET McKINLEY to the end they looked at each other and > simultaneously said, 'This is it! This is what > 1882-1959 > we've been looking for.' Although Baha'is were > Knight of BahB'u'llah > not formally registered in those days a number > Born on 25 May 1882 at Enfield, north of of people left the Theosophical Lodge at the > London, into the prosperous trading environ- same time as the McKinleys and thought of > ment of the late Victorian epoch, Violet Jessie themselves as believing in the 'BahSl'i Move- > McKinley (nbe Watson) was blessed with two ment'. (Subsequent enquiry has ascertained that > great spiritual advantages: an extremely del- Mr. Wooller himself did not become a declared > icate constitution, which kept the thought of believer in later years, though he spoke at > the other world very close, and a persistently Oxford as 'a member'.) > enquiring mind-she always wanted to know Almost immediately after hearing of and > 'Why?' This condition was stimulated by an wholeheartedly accepting the Faith of > orthodox but solid education at home. Too frail BahSl'u'llih, Dr. McKinley was taken seriously > to go to school, she had a Continental governess ill. The family moved to Cornwall for his health > for eight years, with hard study of the nine- but he passed away there in 1927, leaving Violet > teenth century romantics: Schiller, Goethe, with a very young child to bring up and with > Victor Hugo, Heine, Lamartine, etc. Her study extremely restricted means; naturally she had > was conducted all in German one week, all in no commercial qualifications. She lived very > French the other, and this, coupled with a deep quietly in that part of the world until 1932 when > religious sense that had been instilled in her by a she and Hugh went for a holiday to London. > very narrow but thoroughly sincere and right- While there she found out the address of the > minded nurse during her early childhood, de- London BahB'i Centre and wrote asking for an > veloped a viewpoint totally unsympathetic to appointment to talk of the Faith with some of > the shallow and materialistic background of her the friends. This was a wonderful meeting and > class and daily life. she went back to Cornwall radiant and inspired, > Just before the first World War she left her but still deprived of any but written contact with > family and went to live with friends where she the believers. Lifelong friendships with Mrs. > could have freedom to act as she thought right. Isobel Slade, Miss Evelyn Baxter (who was to > Always interested in ideas and intolerant of the become the Knight of BahSl'u'llah for the Chan- > narrow dogmatism offered to her as 'religion', nel Islands) and Mrs. Routh date from that > she now studied what she could find of the other meeting. > the believers, at the onset of the Ten Year > Crusade, to arise for the purpose of establishing > the Cause of BahB'u'llah throughout the world > they cabled the National Spiritual Assembly of > the British Isles offering to go anywhere. A > project was worked out in consultation, and > confirmed at the subsequent intercontinental > conference held in Stockholm, routing them to > Cyprus, Hugh departing first, and Violet fol- > lowing in November 1953. Cyprus has a unique > reputation in Baha'i history as the place of exile > of Mirza Yahya, the treacherous half-brother of > Bahi'u'llah, stigmatized by Shoghi Effendi in > God Passes By as 'Arch-breaker of the Cov- > enant of the Bab . . .' Tests and difficulties fell > thick and fast for the pioneers who were labour- > ing under conditions already made arduous > because of a heated and militant political > situation. They were sustained by their recol- > lection of their pilgrimage to the Holy Land and > the assurances given them on that occasion by > Shoghi Effendi that whatever pool of negative > force might have been left by Mirza Yahya, and > Violet McKinley however great the tests that would assuredly > confront those who arose to offset this baleful > influence, the ultimate victory would be, in > proportion, overwhelming. > Three years later Violet moved to Devonshire An influx of pioneers from America, the > for Hugh's education. In 1936 she met Mark Netherlands and fran, as well as the con- > Tobey at Dartington Hall, Bernard Leach, Ar- firmation of local believers, resulted in the > nold van Ogtrop and also Charles and Helen formation of a Local Spiritual Assembly in the > Bishop who were then visiting Torquay from capital, Nicosia, in 1956. Two years later the > the Baha'i International Bureau in Geneva. McKinleys were encouraged to move to Fam- > When the first Local Spiritual Assembly was agusta, the very place where Mirzk Yahya had > established in Torquay, a little later on, she was lived and died. > one of the members, although living several By this time Violet's health was entirely > miles out in the country; civic limits were not broken; too weak to stand, she could only lie in > applied in those days. bed, occasionally getting up in her room. > On leaving school Hugh went to work on the Amidst rabid communal strife and terrorism no > land, and from the beginning of the second organized teaching work could be initiated, but > World War was 'frozen' in this occupation until individually two or three people were attracted > 1946 when a providential road accident enabled and their interest aroused. During the ten-day > him to be classified as a disabled person for the period of her final illness, books were placed in > purposes of the Act. Forthwith Violet and he the library of the Army Educational Centre > moved into Torquay town to assist in the work serving Eastern Cyprus. > of the Cause there. The next year, after con- Violet McKinley passed away shortly after > sultation, they made a pioneer move to Cardiff, dawn on 16 August 1959. Inforined of her > and assisted in the formation of the first Local passing, the Hands of the Cause residing in the > Spiritual Assembly there. Further pioneer Holy Land, who were then serving as the cus- > moves to London and to Brighton took place in todians of the Faith in the interregnum before . > 1950 and 1952. the election of the Universal House of Justice, > As soon as Violet and Hugh read the com- cabled in terms that can only constitute'her > munication from Shoghi Effendi calling upon crowning epitaph: > 514 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > GRIEVED PASSING DEVOTED SELFSACRIFICING gan where their daughter, Evelyn Irene, was > KNIGHT BAHAULLAH VIOLET MCKINLEY born in 1938. It was at this time that Melba, who > HIGHLY ESTEEMED BY BELOVED GUARDIAN was seeking explanations to the mysteries of life > EXAMPLE PERSEVERANCE UNFORGETTABLE through religion, encountered and accepted the > PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS SOUL Baha'i Faith. Although there were a few Ameri- > REALMS BEYOND STOP FEEL IMPELLED BUILD can Indian believers in the Southern United > HER GRAVE TRIBUTE HISTORIC SERVICES. States by that date, Melba was the first Cana- > Violet's grave in the English Cemetery at dian Indian believer. > Famagusta, is marked by a plain slab of Carrara Jim was active in community life. He was a > marble bearing the nine-pointed star and a foreman at Chrysler Corporation. He acquired > quotation from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, a comfortable home and became the first Indian > secured from Italy and put into place during the in Michigan to be accepted into the Masonic > early 1960s. It has been visited by some of the Lodge. He enjoyed having a good time and > Hands of the Cause and other distinguished appeared to have succeeded in putting to rest > BahB'is. the spiritual questions which had troubled him > HUGHMCKINLEY in his youth. Melba quietly began a life of active > Baha'i service and Jim went his own way con- > tent in the knowledge that he provided well for > his family and feeling that to live a good life was > sufficient. He was not to become a BahB'i for ten > years. Eventually he grew curious about his > wife's commitment to Baha'i activities and > ALFRED JAMES LOFT began to call for her at meetings. He was > 13 July 1908-22 May 1973 impressed by the friendliness and sincerity of the > Baha'is and in May 1948 he declared his belief in > James (Jim) Loft, a Mohawk Indian, was born BahB'u'llah at the home of Mrs. Kettle in > in Hiawatha, Ontario and spent his early years Marysville. > in Belleville and Oshawa. His parents were poor > and at the age of twelve or thirteen Jim went to > work. He did not like school because he felt > discriminated against > - and, as a result, achieved > little formal education; but he had a keen mind > and was quick to learn and he read avidly. > Although it did not show on the surface, he > sought, from early childhood, for something > that would enable him to feel equal to the rest of > humanity. He was puzzled by, but took comfort > in, his very earliest recollection: Jim was sitting > on a fence as a small boy watchinga train crossing > the landscape. A man clothed in flowing white > robes was on the train smiling and waving at the > child who, in confusion and delight, toppled > backwards. This childhood memory lingered > vividly. When he found the Faith of Baha'u'llah, > Jimrecognized the figure on the train as 'Abdu'l- > Bahi. > In 1930 Jim married Melba Whetung, a > beautiful Chippewa Indian from Curve Lake, > near Peterborough, Ontario. They established a > home in Detroit, Michigan where their two sons > were born, James Gordon in 1933 and Arthur > Edwin in 1934. Jim worked for Chrysler Corpo- . . . > ration and was transferred to Marysville, Michi- A b e d James Loft > IN MEMORIAM 515 > 'I was overjoyed that Jim had accepted the added-their fellow Indians did not accept > Faith and that we could now work together as a them. They were treated with suspicion and > Baha'i family', wrote Melba. 'But I knew that hostility and it was made clear to them that only > my life of ease and comfort was over, for I church members could be buried in the con- > realized that Jim would not rest until he had secrated ground of the reservation. It was an > found some way to serve the Faith that would inauspicious beginning. The nearest BahB'is > bring happiness to the beloved Guardian for lived 120 miles distant and there was no one on > whom he had already conceived an overwhelm- whom they could call for help. The Lofts settled > ing love.' in to teach the Faith and continue the education > In September 1948 he wrote to Shoghi Effendi of their children. The first fireside meetings held > asking what service he could best render the in their new home were conducted against the > Cause. The reply dated 14 October 1948 written background of the sound of water dripping > on behalf of the Guardian by his secretary through the holes in the roof into pails on the > stated, in part: 'He would greatly welcome your floor. > returning to your own tribe, and giving them Jim found work as a mechanic in Belleville, a > this great message you and your dear wife have few miles from the reservation, and in De- > accepted.' The acceptance of the Faith by the cember 1949 one of his fellow workers, Bert > Indians of North America, the letter continued, Curtis, became a Baha'i, together with his wife, > represents the fulfillment of the hopes Elizabeth. It was the beginning of a lifelong > 'Abdu'l-Baha held for them and 'marks an friendship. Not long after, Mr. and Mrs. Russell > important step forward not only in the evolu- Hill and their seven children found themselves > tion of our Faith itself, but also in the history homeless. Jim offered them the use of some of > of the Indian peoples, for, through the universal his land on the reservation for the construction > teachings of our Faith, they will come to not of a small dwelling. In September 1950 the > only be loved as brothers by their compatriots of Russell Hill family became Bahi'is. They were > European origin, but also develop the poten- the first Indian believers. Slowly the teaching > tialities God has endowed them with, and thus work developed. Jim and Melba frequently > contribute their share to world progress and drove long distances to Toronto, Ottawa and > world unity.' The Lofts, in consultation with the Kingston to support the teaching efforts and > National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, took their humble home was a centre of activity, filled > immediate steps to return to their home reser- with laughter. Jim had a marvellous sense of > vation in Canada, Tyendinaga, in Ontario. It humour and his love for all was felt. 'I feel that > is perhaps significant that Tyendinaga is the they inspired many of the pioneers who fol- > birthplace of Deganawidah, the fifteenth cen- lowed them', one friend writes. 'Some of their > tury figure whom tradition regards as the found- firesides were almost electrifying in intensity. > er of the Iroquois Confederacy. Regarded as a One summer weekend there were approximately > prophet by the Indian people, Deganawidah, 25 believers at their home; some slept on the > who was Huron by birth and Mohawk by floor, and some outside under the stars. Simple > adoption, united various tribes under one law but nourishing meals were provided and coffee > and devoted his life to establishing peace, right- was made in an open pan; everyone claimed > eousness and civil law. that Melba's coffee was the best they ever tasted. > Leaving their beautiful home the Loft family Looking back, I realize that they were conduct- > came to Canada in January 1949 in sub-zero ing a BahB'i institute, long before the concept > temperature. The only accommodation avail- became generally accepted in BahB'i com- > able to them on the reservation was a small' munities.' > three-room house without doors, windows or 'The Lofts were partly instrumental in my > plumbing. A small cookstove provided meagre becoming a Baha'i,' Roger White, the first > heat and required to be refueled throughout the believer of Belleville contributes, 'and I attend- > night. For some period they slept huddled in ed my first Nineteen Day Feast in their home. I > sleeping bags, the parents waking frequently to remember the bus ride to Tyendinaga, the long > check on the children. Drinking water was hike from the highway across the unlighted > carried from a school. To the physical and reservation, the warm welcome, the meal of > economic difficulties another burden was potato gruel, the laughter, Melba moving with > T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > Gravestone of A p e d Jnnzes Loft > > the dignity of a queen in the rude surroundings, Although arrangements had been made for > and the great reverence with which the de- his burial off the reserve in order not to offend > votions were recited. I was a new Bahi'i and the people of Tyendinaga, the clergy and Indian > although enchanted with the prayers, I had not Band Council requested that .he be buried in a > yet discovered the writings of Shoghi Effendi. church cemetery on the reservation. His funeral > Jim read aloud, and we discussed a recent was attended by hundreds of Indians and non- > communication from the Guardian. The love Indians from all walks of life. Baha'i friends > the Lofts felt for the Guardian was like a attended from as far away as Marysville, Michi- > palpable force in the room and I suddenly gan. The clergy from the churches of Tyen- > yearned, too, to become his servant. Their love dinaga reservation came and paid their respect > for him had the quality of that usually seen in and church bells tolled the passing of this > those who had met Shoghi Effendi, though they servant of the Lord. His grave marker-within > never did.' the shadow of the monument erected to the > Tragedy touched the Lofts when, in 1954, revered Deganawidah-bears the simple > their eldest son was killed in a motor accident legend 'Alfred (Jim) Loft-BahB'i Pioneer' and > leaving a young widow and three small daugh- is engraved with the Indian thunderbird symbol > ters. Due to family circumstances which arose and a nine-pointed star. > after the young man's death and his wife's On 13 June 1973 the Universal House of > remarriage, Jim and Melba adopted one of the Justice wrote to Mrs. Loft: 'Through a fellow > children and raised, loved and educated her. BahB'i we have learned of the passing to the > Indeed, throughout the years many homeless Abhi Kingdom of your dear husband James > children were brought into their home and who, with you and your children, has pioneered > became part of the Loft family. Jim and Melba these long years in the Mohawk Indian Reserve. > loved children and many of those whom they The work among the spiritually gifted in- > helped to raise and educate became Baha'is, and digenous groups of the American continent was > all show great respect for the BahB'i Faith. As dear to the heart of the beloved Guardian, > the years passed the Lofts won increasing love whose summons to pioneering you both heeded > and respect from the residents of Tyendinaga. more than a quarter of a century ago. We shall > On 21 May 1973 after attending a happy offer prayers at the Holy Shrines of our Faith > gathering of friends and relatives held at the that your husband's immortal soul will progress > home of their daughter in Cobourg, the Lofts in the worlds of God, and that you may be > returned to Tyendinaga. Shortly after midnight enabled with high heart and unflagging de- > Jim suffered a heart attack and passed into the votion to continue your services in the vital > Abha kingdom. His wife was by his side. teaching of the Indian peoples.' > 'Promise me,' he asked as the end drew near, > 'to remain in Tyendinaga. That is what the > Guardian wanted.' > IN MEMORIAM 517 > > GRIEVED PASSING DEVOTED MAIDSERVANT > ISHRAQIYYIH DHABIH STOP HER LONG SUS- > TAINED SERVICES CAUSE GOD FIELDS TEACHING > PIONEERING EDUCATION DISTINGUISHED HER > AMONG WOMEN BAHAI COMMUNITY PERSIA > STOP SUPPLICATING DIVINE THRESHOLD > PROGRESS HER SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. > Universal House of Justice > This remarkable tribute from the Universal > House of Justice is a striking testimony to the > indomitable spirit that animated the soul of > IAraqiyyih Dhabih whose passing plunged the > entire BahB'i community of Iran into profound > sorrow and deprived it of an outstanding > worker and faithful exemplar of the teachings > of Bahi'u'llah. Her life was a reflection to an > eminent degree of His exhortation that knowl- > edge and action must be wedded to each other. > The admiration expressed for her conduct by > both 'Abdu'l-Bahk and Shoghi Effendi attests > this truth. > I&raqiyyih a a n u m ' s radiant countenance > and charming smile will long remain in the > memory of those who knew her and her count- the constant coming and going of Bahi'is > less services and selfless care for her fellow- through its portals. The sacred remains of the > beings will not be soon forgotten. Throughout Bab had rested in that house and this invested it > her long life she was mindful never to cause grief witha halo of sanctityandendearedit to the hearts > or lay a burden on any soul. Her life was of the friends. The m a b i h s were not immune > devoted to teaching the Cause and educating from the persecution to which Baha'is at that > children in the capital and other towns and time were subject at the hands of their enemies. > villages in fran. The members of the family were the objects of > Miss Dhabih was born in 1891 in Tihrkn. Her vile remarks and molestation on the streets and > grandfather, Hiji Mirza Isma'il m a b i h , sur- on retiring at night were never sure whether > named Anis (Companion) by BahB'u'llah, had they would live to see the morning. Even their > the priceless privilege of acting as host to the moving to another sector of the city with a large > Bab when He visited Kahan. Her father, proportion of BahL'i residents did not secure for > aulam-'Ali, was a devoted believer who twice them the immunity desired and in their new > attained his cherished desire of entering the quarters they were often the target of attacks by > presence of BahB'u'llBh. Ihraqiyyih was only rough characters. On one occasion a group of > an infant when her father died. Her mother, ruffians broke down their door and entered > Nargis Khatcn, a member of a distinguished threatening to kill I&riqiyyih's brother, Mirza > BahB'i family, was left destitute with three Jalal. Her interposition saved his life but the > children to raise, a son and two daughters. violence of this incident profoundly affected the > IArhqiyyih was the youngest child. She received family. In Ihraqiyyih it produced a strange > her elementary education at home from her reaction and revealed the beauty of her charac- > mother and subsequently attended the Ameri- ter which the early period of her life, replete with > can missionary school. afflictions, had forged. As a result of a com- > The family lived in a home situated in the plaint lodged by her brother, backed by the > southern sector of Tihrhn, a home known in the support of a Baha'i in high position, against the > neighbourhood as 'the Bhbi house' because of recent assailants, their ringleader was arrested > 518 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > and sentenced to be flogged but Iaraqiyyih's ten classes in a non-Baha'i school until the death > intervention procured his release. Such was the of her mother who had been in her care left her > generosity of her nature; such the kindness of free to devote all her time to teaching the Cause. > her soul. At the outset, she undertook the su~ervision > American missionaries at this time estab- and organization of the newly established > lished a high school in Tihran where I&raqiyyih 'Abbis-Abad Baha'i School situated near Tih- > studied until her graduation in 1913. Not only ran. She would travel on a donkey or even on > did she resist attempts to convert her to the foot to the surrounding villages to teach the > Christian faith but continued regularly attend- children as well as their illiterate mothers. Con- > ing BahA'i teacher training courses. She qual- currently she established fireside meetings too > ified as a teacher of BahB'i classes and was fired but after a couple of years hostility by non- > with new zeal and conviction. BahB'is put a stop to these. > At the American school prize-giving cere- Iaraqiyyih returned to Tihrkn and sub- > mony in her last year she was expected to sequently went on teaching and training trips to > appear unveiled. She asked 'Abdu'l-Bahi what Arak, K a a a n , ~ajaf- bad, Sarvistkn, s i r a z > she should do. His Tablet written in reply did and Isfahan. In some places, the enemies of the > not touch upon the subject at all! Instead He Faith inflicted upon her shameful indignities of > wrote that she should be thankful for having the kind suffered by the early believers. Once, > gained her objective, for having remained firm during disturbances directed against the friends > and steadfast in the Covenant and bade her 'rise in Sarvistkn, she was taken into custody and > then, now, to serve and teach the Cause.' With a conveyed to =raz in a shameful and cruel > heart brimming over with happiness she showed manner. The humiliations heaped upon her did > the friends this Tablet. She possessed two certifi- not crush her spirit nor curtail her activities in > cates now, she affirmed. One attested her Shiraz, Isfahiin and the adjacent areas. > - > secular knowledge (a creditable enough achieve- She subsequently applied for a visa to India > ment for a woman of her circumstances in those where she hoped to pioneer, but was unsuccess- > days) and the other, the Tablet, much more ful, whereupon she donated to the Baha'i Fund > highly prized, testifying to her faith and stead- the entire sum she had reserved for this purpose. > fastness. Then, at the direction of the Spiritual Assembly, > Not for a moment after this did she seek rest. she went to Babul. Here, and in a a h i and > She obeyed the Master's behest. From her surrounding areas, she rendered noteworthy > spiritual guide, Dr. Susan I. Moody,l she services, greatly appreciated by the National > learned the way to contact and teach people Spiritual Assembly. After some years she re- > and spread the Faith. The illustrious Dr. turned to Tihrin to tend her sick nephew, > Moody showed her how to go about this with a 'Izzatu'llah Dhabih.z After his death, she lived > smile on her lips and love in her heart. with another nephew for the last decade of her > I&raqiyyih gave private tuition at home and life in comparative seclusion due to her increas- > took classes in the Tarbiyat Girls' School and all ing weakness. > the while was mindful of imparting the Baha'i Even to the last her greatest joy lay in the > principles in an indirect manner to all her visits of the friends. She died in June 1973 at the > students. On Fridays, the weekly holiday, she age of eighty-two. The large number of friends > conducted character training classes for Baha'i at her burial in the Tihran Baha'i Cemetery was > youth. At the suggestion of the friends she was a tangible indication of the esteem in which she > appointed headmistress of the Ta'yid Baha'i was held. > School at Hamadan when she was only twenty- It is appropriate to close this memorial with a > seven. Three years later she returned to the reference to a letter written on behalf of Shoghi > capital and was put in charge of the kindergar- Effendi in which, in effect, the Guardian assured > ten section of the Tarbiyat School, newly in- Iaraqiyyih m a b i h that her steadfastness and > troduced on Dr. Moody's recommendation. faithfulness were remembered and that he > She supervised it until the school was closed by would pray that she might attain the good of > the Government. She later organized kindergar- this world and of the next. > > See 'In Memoriam', The Baha'i World, vol. VI, p. 483 See 'In Memoriam', The Bahb'i World, vol. XIV, p. 390. > IN MEMORIAM 519 > there arose an urgent need for BahB'i pioneers in > Chad. Abandoning the financial security he had > just been offered he moved to Chad but unfor- > Qudratu'llah Azamiuah was born.in 1911 in tunately he was unable to secure a residence visa > 'IAqabad where his father spent his last years in and in October 1961 he went to the neighbour- > service at the Ma&riqu'l-Aakar. When ing Central African Republic, where he sup- > Qudratu'llah was sixteen his mother and her ported himself by repairing primus stoves and > children settled in Persia where Qudratu'llah engaged in the great task of teaching and > actively participated in Baha'i community life consolidating the Faith in that newly-opened > and quickly distinguished himself as a result of country. He saw his efforts rewarded in the > his steadfast and devoted service. following year by the formation of the first > In 1952 he pioneered to a number of difficult Spiritual Assembly of Bangui. The National > areas in Saudi Arabia where he assisted in the Spiritual Assembly of the Central African Re- > establishment of the first Local Spiritual As- public has paid tribute in these words: 'Al- > sembly of Medina and the first Baha'i group in though there had been a few Baha'is in Bangui > Mecca, the chief spiritual centre of Islam. He since 1956, Mr. Azami&Ah was a catalyst to > was imprisoned for his beliefs and expelled from this young community. He actively taught the > Saudi Arabia. The hardships he endured in so Faith and held evening meetings in his home. He > many difficult pioneering posts only increased quickly became known and respected for his > his ardour and he constantly sought new areas knowledge of the Bible and the Qur'an. Al- > of service. He was a member of the first Spiritual though he was compelled to leave Bangui in > Assembly of Khartoum and when this com- May 1962, thanks to his efforts the first believers > munity was securely established he pioneered to in the Central African Republic were well deep- > Port Sudan to build a Spiritual Assembly there. ened in their knowledge of the Faith. He can > He was unable to find employment during the really be called the instigator of the teaching > year and one-half he spent in the Sudan but work in the Central African Republic. His > he cheerfully accepted every vicissitude which consecration, sacrifices and dynamism have > befell him. Just as he found employment that been and will always be an inspiration graven > would enable him to maintain himself in Sudan upon our spirits.' > Unable to remain in Bangui, Qudratu'llah > chose Brazzaville, in the Congo, as his next post. > Here he gathered together the first few early > believers and began teaching the Cause. Due in > part to his efforts the first Local Spiritual As- > sembly of Brazzaville was formed at Ridvan > 1964. Again he supported himself by repairing > petroleum lamps, by which means he was > brought into contact with many people. Soon > the northern part of this country was also opened > to the Faith. > During the eleven years he spent in the > Congo, Mr. Azamiuah's home was a meeting > place for the BahB'is and their friends. Despite > his limited means he was generous to everyone > and was able to provide for the education of a > few African youth. He had no desire in the > world but to further the Faith of BahB'u'llah. It > may be said that to a great extent the establish- > ment of the National Spiritual Assembly of > Congo (Brazzaville) and Gabon in 1971 (the > following year to become the National Spiritual > Assembly of the Congo Republic) was the fruit > Qudratu'lldh ~zarni@dlz of his tireless services. > 520 T H E BAHA'I W O R L D > > In 1971 he was appointed a member of the showered upon her as a bride in the midwestern > Auxiliary Board. This appointment increased university town of Urbana which became her > his opportunities to travel and teach in neigh- home for thirty-five years. The hospitality, > bouring countries. Despite an ailing heart and openness and magnanimity of the Americans > diabetes his pace was not slowed until the end overwhelmed her. With her conservative, tradi- > came on 25 July 1973. His passing was a deeply- tional Swiss background, she gradually learned > felt loss to the friends in the Congo and many a new life style. Her two daughters, Annamarie > Baha'is and other friends participated in his Kunz Honnold and Margaret Kunz Ruhe, were > funeral service. He is survived by his wife and born and raised in Urbana. Dr. Kunz gained > three children. His unforgettable services were recognition for his invention of the Kunz cell > acknowledged by the Universal House of Jus- and, among other things, collaborated on the > tice in its cable of 26 July 1973: first sound-on-film developments. > DEEPLY GRIEVED SUDDEN PASSING OUTSTAND- Dr. and Mrs. Kunz, active members of the > ING SERVANT FAITH QUDRATULLAH AZAM- Methodist Church, were serious and religious in > IKHAH HIS SERVICES VARIOUS TERRITORIES their bent. Dr. Kunz, who was endowed with a > AFRICA UNFORGETTABLE ASSURE RELATIVES deeply searching mind, was prompted in 1914 or > FRIENDS FERVENT PRAYERS SHRINES PROGRESS 1915 to attend a lecture about the Baha'i Faith, > HIS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM STOP ADVISE HOLD accompanied by his wife and their good friends, > MEMORIAL GATHERINGS BAHAI CENTRES Edwin and Annie Mattoon. They soon found > CONGO. themselves regular students in a class on the > 'IZZATU'LLAHTA?D tenets of the Bahi'i Faith given by Unitarian > minister, Albert Vail, an eloquent and inspired > teacher of comparative religions. Mrs. Kunz > almost at once recognized BahB'u'llah as the > Manifestation of God for this day and became > ANNA KUNZ one of the founders of the Urbana Baha'i > 1889-1973 community which served as the seed-bed for > many teachers of the Faith. > Anna Kunz, the eldest of ten children of the Despite ill health, timidity, the burdens of > Reverend Adolph Bolliger, a prominent cler- tending small children and the emotional con- > gyman of the Reformed Church, was born in the flicts resulting from life in a new culture, Anna > parsonage in Ober Entfelden, Aargau, Switzer- Kunz quickly showed signs of leadership, ad- > land on 13 July 1889. Soon thereafter the ministrative ability, firmness and steadfastness > Reverend ~ o l l i ~ ewas > r ' named Professor of in the Faith. She studied the BahB'i Writings > Theology at the University of Base1 and in time assiduously and resolved to live her Life accord- > became its president; thus it was in Base1 that ing to those teachings. Beauty of spirit radiated > Anna spent her school years. Under the guid- froin her and was felt by those around her. > ance of her conscientious and serious parents In 1921 Dr. and Mrs. Kunz made their > she received excellent spiritual and moral train- pilgrimage to the Holy Shrines in Haifa and > ing which served as the foundation of her 'Akka and attained the presence of 'Abdu'l- > character throughout her life. After graduation Baha; this was the pinnacle of Mrs. Kunz's life. > from high school, she longed to enter the uni- She adored 'Abdu'l-Baha; He became her > versity, but her father insisted that she study in Exemplar and her Master. In an article pub- > a home economics seminary in Berne, on whose lished in Star of the West, vol. 13, No. 6, > faculty she later became a teacher. September 1922, she wrote about her pilgrim- > At twenty-four years of age she married Dr. age. Of her first meeting with 'Abdu'l-Baha > Jakob Kunz, a distinguished Swiss physicist on 27 March 1921 in a hotel at Tiberias on the > who was a research professor at the University Sea of Galilee where 'Abdu'l-Baha used to go > of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois. Thus she moved for rest and change of air she stated: 'It was a > far away from her homeland, across the Atlantic bright and luminous Easter morning when the > Ocean, to the new world. Instantly she fell in Master called us into His room . . . Though I > love with America and throughout her life she feared to approach Him, after His loving words > loved to relate stories of the great kindness of welcome this fear vanished. Here we sat > IN MEMORIAM 52 1 > safely and we met one another on the shore of > this same lake! You will receive great results > from this visit afterwards. You will become the > cause of the illumination of the world of hu- > manity. You will release the hearts of the people > from the intense darkness of different preju- > dices, so that each soul may love all the people > of the world, without distinction. Just like a > shepherd who is affectionate to all his sheep, > without preference or distinction, you should be > affectionate to all. You should not look at their > shortcomings. Consider that they are all created > by God who loves them all.' > Returning to Urbana with renewed zeal, Mrs. > Kunz served for long years on the Local Spiri- > tual Assembly of that city. Much of the time she > served as chairman. She also worked diligently > on many committees, and for years she was > elected delegate to the National Convention. At > the age of fifty she studied typing in order to > increase her ability to serve her beloved Faith. > The Kunz home was a haven of peace, rest, > beauty and hospitality for all who came there. > Anna Kunz Dr. Kunz entertained Rabindranath Tagore > and other philosophers and scientists. Not only > before our Master, in a little room, with only the were BahL'i classes and meetings held in the > most necessary furnishings, on top of the hotel, home but also a steady stream of BahB'i > with a view of that blessed lake. His look seems teachers spent the night there. > to go into one's very heart. Yes, he knows His Mrs. Kunz was thoughtful of people in small > children and their need. As I think of Him now, and large ways; she took time to listen to them > I always love to think, first of His great sim- and was perceptive of their inner needs and > plicity, His marvellous humility which knows of aspirations. She liked to remember others with > no self-existence, and last . . . of His boundless flowers, home-baked cookies, small gifts. At the > love. To us His outward appearance seemed age of forty-three she learned to drive a car, and > similar to that of the old Hebrew prophets; His one of her services was to drive about Urbana > humility, His simplicity and love were like the gathering the Baha'is and their friends for the > Christ. This boundless love conquered the meetings. In the personal and intimate details of > hearts at once. 'Abdu'l-Baha talked to us with a her life she was a complete BahL'i: cleanliness, > ringing, piercing voice which will forever sound neatness, frugality and meticulousness were her > in my ears.' hallmark. Her person was immaculate, and > On Monday, 28 March, 'Abdu'l-Baha looked her house was shiningly clean. Her spirit, > at the picture of their two daughters for a long humble and pure, knew the power of prayer. > while and He said: 'They have bright faces. Her prayer book was always at her side. She > They will be real BahB'is because they will have prayed many times each day and loved to share > a Baha'i education. They will become good the prayers with her family and friends. 'May we > Baha'is.' Later, He revealed a wonderful prayer have a prayer together?' she would say. > for them which is recorded in Star of the West. After the death of her husband Mrs. Kunz > In the afternoon of that day He spoke these was free to pioneer and, having offered her > words: 'This lake is very blessed. His Holiness services to the beloved Guardian, she sailed > Christ and the other prophets walked along its from New York in July 1947 at the age of fifty- > shore and were in communion with God all the eight, returning as a pioneer to her native > time and spreading the divine teachings. Now, Switzerland, thus beginning a whole new phase > praise be to God that you reached this land of her life. She settled in Berne, one of the goal > 522 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > cities of the second Seven Year Plan, where to be relieved as she was approaching her > Shoghi Effendi wrote to her as follows : eightieth birthday and her health was not the > 'I welcome your arrival in Europe and partic- best. > ularly in Switzerlandwhere, I feel, your work will In 1957 she flew to London-her first flight- > be of the utmost value. You will surely be for the funeral of Shoghi Effendi. Like many > blessed and sustainedin your historic task, and I others she had always harboured the wish to be > look forward to the day when through your in his presence, but alas, she had waited too > exertion and those of your devoted col- long; now his sudden passing was a terrible > laborators the first Spiritual Assembly will be blow. > established in that land. Persevere in your mag- In 1963, forty-two years after attaining the > nificent mission.' She worked tirelessly towards presence of 'Abdu'l-Baha, she returned to the > the establishment of the Berne Local Spiritual Holy Land, this time to fulfill the historic > Assembly. After this goal was accomplished, mission of being an elector of the first Universal > she returned to Urbana in 1949, feeling that she House of Justice. How Haifa and 'Akka had > was needed there. Shoghi Effendi wrote to her as changed! But the same spirit of power and love > follows : emanated from the Holy Shrines as she knelt > 'The services you have rendered the Faith are in prayers of gratitude and adoration at the > truly remarkable and deserve the highest praise. Holy Thresholds. > I feel truly proud of your achievements, and am Her later years were plagued with a series of > grateful for the spirit that so powerfully ani- illnesses, but her spirit was ever radiant and > mates you in the service of our glorious Faith. I bright. She gave up her loved apartment and > will pray ardently on your behalf, that the later moved to a nursing home in the suburbs of > Beloved may abundantly reward you for your Berne where she died peacefully in her sleep on > accomplishments, and enable you, in the years 10 August 1973. The Universal House of Justice > to come, to enrich the splendid record of your cabled, in part: > services to His Faith and its institutions.' DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING ANNA KUNZ STEAD- > The pioneering spirit had taken hold, and FAST DISTINGUISHED HANDMAID BAHAULLAH > when news reached her in Urbana of the urgent HER ASSOCIATIONS BELOVED MASTER DEVOTED > needs in Switzerland, Mrs. Kunz felt restless PIONEERING SERVICES EUROPE OVER EXTENDED > and torn. To be near her children and grandchil- PERIOD UNFORGETTABLE . . . > dren was her personal longing and wish. She ' MARGARET KUNZRUHE > again wrote to Shoghi Effendi seeking his ad- > vice. For a long time there was no answer. She > was relieved. Then came the stunning reply- > proceed as quickly as possible to Switzerland. > She was crushed, but in October 1952 she > valiantly set forth once again, this time locating > in Zurich, a goal city. In the spring of 1953 she ISAAC EZIUKWU > was elected a member of the newly-formed > 1934-1973 > National Spiritual Assembly of Italy and Swit- > zerland and to her consternation was elected Isaac Eziukwu was one of the first believers to > secretary of this historic twelfth National Spiri- accept the Faith of Bahi'u'llah in Bangui, > tual Assembly, which post she held for nine Central African Republic. He was a Nigerian, > years. Now she understood why in mid-life she born at Umuokehi village near Umuahia, and > had been prompted to take up typing! At the had come as a trader to Bangui several years > request of Shoghi Effendi she moved back to before encountering the Faith. He was active in > Berne, though by personal wish she would have his own church as a lay preacher. One evening > chosen to remain in her splendid apartment in in 1956, on the threshold of the home of a friend, > Zurich. At Ridvan 1962 the National Spiritual he chanced to hear a Baha'i prayer being read in > Assembly of Switzerland was formed and she English. The prayer so moved and attracted him > was again elected secretary for one year. She that he asked to borrow the prayer book. After > continued to serve on the National Assembly only a few days he returned it to the Bahi'i to > until 1969 when, once again elected, she asked whom it belonged saying, 'I am convinced that I > IN MEMORIAM 523 > repairer of kerosene lamps, a skill taught to him > by Mr. ~ z a m i b i h and > , gradually was able to > ,, teach the Faith and gather together the first > believers. In April 1966 the first Local Spiritual > Assembly was formed in Libreville. > Greatly encouraged by visiting BahB'is, Isaac > began to teach the Faith in localities near > Libreville and later visited areas far inland. > With the help of another pioneer the Local > Spiritual Assembly of Mounana was estab- > lished, and so the Faith began to spread to > various parts of Gabon. > , ' Beginning in 1971, Isaac devoted himself to > ?; the task of gaining recognition of the BahB'i > Faith in Gabon. The by-laws of the Local > Spiritual Assembly of Libreville were prepared > and submitted to the proper authorities and > Isaac was hopeful of success. However, to his > deep disappointment, months and finally years > went by withoutresult. In July 1973 he heard of > the passing of his dear friend and fellow pioneer > Mr. h a m i b a h who had settled in Brazzaville. > He was heard to say, after reading some prayers, > Isaac Eziukwu 'If it please BahB'u'llah to take my own life and > let the Faith be recognized here in Gabon, I will > am wasting my time with other religions. As be grateful.' > from today I must be a BahB'i.' He spent much Shortly after this it became evident that Isaac > time with his new friend, an English-speaking was not well. His condition worsened rapidly > Cameroonian who was the first BahB'i to come and in October 1973, with his wife and infant > to Bangui. Isaac eagerly accepted the new Rev- son, he returned to Nigeria where he died on 23 > elation and immediately arose in its service October. He is buried near his father's house in > with a devotion and enthusiasm that never his home village. > failed. After his friend returned to Cameroon in It may be truly said of Isaac that he was a > 1960, it was Isaac who held aloft the standard of lover of Baha'u'llah. From the time he was first > the Faith in Bangui until the arrival of attracted to the Faith until his passing, he lived > Qudratu'llah hami&ahl who came there as a for the Cause and the task he set himself, to raise > pioneer in October 1961. Isaac, athirst for the call of the Kingdom. > greater knowledge and understanding of the On learning of Isaac's death the Universal > Cause, welcomed the new pioneer and eagerly House of Justice wrote in a letter dated 6 > worked to establish the first Local Spiritual December 1973 to the Local Spiritual Assembly > Assembly of Bangui which was formed at Rid- of Libreville: > van 1962. When Mr. hamilcJiih was compelled ' . . . the sad news of the passing of Mr. Isaac > to leave shortly thereafter, Isaac was again the Eziukwu was received and it brought deep > mainspring of the small community, continually sorrow to our hearts. This devoted and steadfast > offering encouragement to the other believer was a sincere promoter of the Cause, > believers. and a true lover of the Blessed Beauty. He > When the Universal House of Justice called spent his days in detachment and service, and > for pioneers at the beginning of the Nine Year set an example of dedication to his fellow- > Plan, Isaac left as soon as possible for Gabon believers wherever he was. We assure you of our > and arrived in Libreville in June 1964. Behind fervent prayers at the Holy Shrines for the > the market-place in Libreville he worked as a continued progress of his noble soul in the Abha > Kingdom. . .' > 'See 'In Memoriam', p. 519. J A V J.~ M U ~ R A B ~ > 524 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > KAREN BARE A friend has written: 'Karen had a deep love > 1942-1 974 for the Faith, a sound knowledge of Baha'i > administration and a strong sense ofjustice. Her > Karen (Stamper) Bare was born on 5 May 1942 loyalty to the Universal House of Justice was > in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She was in Hawaii in truly ardent. Her life held many tragedies and > 1968 waiting for news of her husband, William disappointments, but her devotion to the Faith > Bare, an officer of the United States Air Force was the source of her strength.' > who had been reported missing in action, when A fellow pioneer to Africa, Mr. Jean- > she became attracted to the Bahi'i Faith. She Christophe Casu, paid tribute to the memory of > immediately identified herself with the Cause Karen Bare in a poem from which the following > and became a member of the Bahi'i community excerpt is taken: > of Hawaii where she was supremely happy. A > year later, in response to a call for pioneers to 'Angel is dead, she is in the Kingdom now! > Africa, she volunteered to serve in the United Oh joie spirituelle tu distribuais la force > Republic of Cameroon. Within a few weeks she aimante pour la Cause primordiale, > arrived at her post, serving first in Douala and > later in Victoria. Her activities as a pioneer were > varied. She served as a member of the National > Spiritual Assembly and on a number of national > committees, was elected to the Local Spiritual > Assembly of Victoria, devoted considerable > time to travelling as a teacher of the Faith and > offered friendship and hospitality to believers > and visitors. > Mrs. Bare was killed in an automobile ac- > cident on 4 January 1974 while visiting her > family in the United States. The National Spiri- > tual Assembly of the Cameroon Republic > wrote, in part: > 'The tragic news of the death of our dearly- > loved young BahB'i sister, . . . (an) ardent pro- > moter and protector of the BahL'i Faith, came > as a great blow to our BahB'i community. The > friends in Cameroon are grief-stricken and . . . > memorial meetings have been held in a number > of places. > 'Karen Bare was especially loved by the > Cameroonian women and children, on whom > Karen Bare > she poured her love. She forgot ease and com- > fort and even during the Fast in the heat of the > day would walk several miles to visit villages l'accomplissement divin. Source tu pro- > around Victoria for teaching and deepening. diguais l'Bnergie, > 'Her home was the home of all visitors and l'eau merveilleuse rBgBnBratrice de lYhumanitB > pioneers who came to Victoria. The Persians are entikre, > famous for their hospitality but several re- toi frele femme jusqu'a Bpuisement, jusqu'au > marked that they had seen none to equal hers. bout! > 'When the BahB'is of Cameroon read the Angel is dead, she is in the Kingdom now! > cabled message from the Universal House of Tu vis parmi nous semence prodigieuse, > Justice, they will feel some comfort for their , toujours en symbiose avec > sorrowing hearts. We hope that the youth both nos imes qui prient et nos oreilles palpitantes > here and in her motherland will be inspired by entendent, > her devoted service (in the) pioneer field (and) entendront Bternellement ton 'A11ah-u- > splendid example.' Abha' ! > I N M E M[ O R I A M 525 > Aimable, fraternelle, genereuse pour tout le an employee, but Dad did not know of Mr. > peuple de Baha. rand all'.^ connection with the Faith at that > Angel is dead, she is in the Kingdom now!' time. Following their visit to Green Acre, my > Karen's BahB'i books were presented to the parents became Baha'is. > National Spiritual Assembly of the United Re- A few years later we moved to Portsmouth, > public of Cameroon by her mother, Mrs. Stam- New Hampshire in order to be near Green > per, and they will form the nucleus of the Karen Acre. Each summer many wonderful BahB'i > Bare Memorial Library. teachers came to share their knowledge with > On 10 January 1974 the Universal House of others. It was at Green Acre that my father > Justice cabled : derived the inspiration and the desire to devote > DEEPLY GRIEVED UNTIMELY DEATH VALIANT > his life to teaching and spreading the Faith. He > DEDICATED MUCH LOVED MAIDSERVANT > became a deep student of the Writings and > BAHAULLAH KAREN BARE STOP HER DEVOTED > developed capacities as a public speaker. Being > SERVICE PIONEER FIELD SPLENDID EXAMPLE > blessed with a beautiful speaking voice and a > OTHER YOUTHFUL BELIEVERS STOP ADVISE > deep reservoir of enthusiasm, the result was a > HOLD MEMORIAL SERVICES STOP PRAYING > dynamic presentation. However, most of his > SACRED THRESHOLD RICH REWARDS BLESSINGS > desire to teach and pioneer came as a result of > ABHA KINGDOM. > his love for and devotion to Shoghi Effendi, > the beloved Guardian of the Faith. Although > my father did not have the bounty of meeting > the Guardian, he frequently wrote to Shoghi > Effendi and, in turn, received many letters from > him encouraging my father in his efforts to teach > PHILIP A. MARANGELLA the Cause. > My father's travels on behalf of the Faith are > 1895-1974 > too numerous to mention but some stand out as > 'A native returns . . .' These words were written being of special interest at the time because he > in the summer of 1973 on the occasion of the wrote to Shoghi Effendi about them and re- > visit to Potenza, Italy by my father, Philip ceived replies. In 1932 my father sent to Shoghi > Antonio (Arnalfi) Marangella, who was present Effendi an account of his teaching trip through > there for the Italian Baha'i Youth Conference, the southern United States and the Guardian > held for the first time in the province of Italy replied through his secretary, adding the follow- > where he was born on 18 October 1895. Al- ing note in his own hand: > though my father was a naturalized American 'Dear and valued co-worker :I have read your > citizen and loved America deeply, he always splendid report and I am thrilled by the news it > retained a special love for the land of his birth conveyed. You have certainly rendered a service > and it was a particular pleasure for him to make which deserves to be ranked as one of the most > one last trip to Italy during the last summer of outstanding achievements in recent years in the > his life. In the summer of 1973 he had been a teaching field. May the Beloved bless, sustain > Baha'i for fifty-two years and it seemed very and guide your efforts and enable you to render > significant to him to be visiting his birthplace. still greater services in the days to come. Per- > My parents first went to Green Acre, Eliot, severe, and rest assured that my prayers will > Maine in July 1921 and attended their first continue to be offered in your behalf. Your true > BahB'i meeting at Fellowship House. The speak- and grateful brother, Shoghi.' > er was the renowned Baha'i teacher Jinab-i- In 1933 my father was still very active with > Fadil who spoke on the subject, 'The Liberators inter-racial work and in response to a report the > of Mankind'. This was Professor Fadil's last Guardian's secretary wrote on his behalf: 'The > lecture in America and he left the following day news of your ~plendid~activities in connection > for New York'to take the ship back to Haifa to with inter-racial work greatly cheered his heart > report to 'Abdu'l-Baha on his one year trip. The and confirmed his hopes for the future of your > chairman of the meeting was Mr. William H. efforts for the promotion of racial unity and > Randall of Boston, a member of the United peace in America. May your selfless endeavors > States Shipping Board of which my father was along this line be increasingly blessed and > 526 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > become a means whereby many eager and > sincere souls can be led to accept the Teachings.' > Another way in which my father spread the > Teachings was through his original poetry, > some of which he sent to the Holy Land. In a > postscript to a letter dated 6 August 1933 the > Guardian wrote: 'Your poem dedicated to > Nabil deeply touched me. I urge you to revise it > and put it into final form and send to me a copy > of it for inclusion in the next issue of The > Bahb'i World . . . I would also welcome any > other poems from your gifted pen on any > phase or episode recounted in Nabil's immortal > narrative. You are rendering the Cause unique > and notable services. Be happy and persevere > in your high endeavours.' The poem entitled > 'Nabil' appeared in The Bahb'i World,vol. V , on > page 673. His poem entitled 'Zanjan' appeared > on page 674 of the same volume. Two poems > he composed in memory of Keith Ransom- > Kehler were acknowledged by the secretary of > Shoghi Effendi who wrote on 27 February 1934 Philip A. Marangella > stating that the Guardian hoped that the poems > would enable both BahB'is and non-BahB'is to of my heart, the Master's richest blessings. You > 'better appreciate the magnificent services which are often in my thoughts and prayers, and I feel > that devoted servant of the Cause has rendered confident that the Beloved is well pleased with > it during her long and active career of service you, and will reinforce your meritorious and > to the Faith'. high endeavors.' > For a long time my father had a great desire to Father remained as a pioneer in Italy for a > go to a Spanish-speaking country or island to year and in 1948 he returned to the United > teach the Faith. He wrote of this desire to the States where he spent the years until 1953, > Guardian whose secretary responded in a letter broken briefly by an extended trip to Jamaica > of 30 September 1937 stating on the Guardian's where he visited BahB'i communities. He left the > behalf that it would be preferable for my father United States in October 1953 and settled as a > to 'travel to Cuba and to endeavor while there to pioneer in Japan where he spent the next twenty > establish a group of believers who could be able years. The last two years of his life were spent > to carry on the work after your departure'. pioneering in Hong Kong where he passed away > My father made a trip to Cuba, remaining on 31 January 1974. > there nine days. He sent a report of this to In this last period of his life my father devoted > Shoghi Effendi which was acknowledged by his his teaching efforts to the East, travelling > secretary on 24 March 1939.In his own hand the throughout Japan from its northernmost island > Guardian penned: 'Your letter and enclosures of Hokkaido to the southernmost island of > rejoiced my heart. I feel proud of the spirit that Kyushu. He also visited Korea, Taiwan, the > so powerfully animates you . . .' Later in 1939 Pescadores Islands, Okinawa, Macao, Vietnam > my father was situated as a pioneer in Cuba and India. He was elected as a member of the > where he remained for a year. National Spiritual Assembly of Northeast Asia > By the year 1947, however, my father was for ten successive years, serving in various > pioneering in Italy and he wrote, as always, capacities. > reporting his activities to Shoghi Effendi. To a In addition to his teaching work in Japan, > letter dated 23 August 1947 Shoghi Effendi Hong Kong and adjacent areas, father had the > appended the following postscript: 'I deeply experience of making several very outstanding > appreciate your magnificent and historic ser- journeys of a wider nature. He attended the > vices. I will supplicate for you, from the depths Jubilee celebration in London in 1963 and had > IN MEMORIAM 527 > the bounty of being a delegate to the second RECORD DEVOTED SERVICES FAITH IRAQ UN- > International Conventiom in Haifa in 1968. He FORGETTABLE ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL > obtained permission to make a pilgrimage at the GATHERING NATIONAL HAZIRATULQUDS STOP > end of 1970 while on a round-the-world teach- CONVEY FAMILY LOVING CONDOLENCESASSUR- > ing trip. This tour was of more than six months' . > ANCE PRAYERS SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL. . > duration and took him to numerous countries Universal House of Justice > of Europe and Asia as well as to the United > On 1 February 1974Mr. Daoud Toeg, a staunch > States. In 1971 the Universal House of Justice > and faithful servant of Baha'u'llah, passed away > asked him to visit the seats of twenty established > and four newly-formed National Spiritual As-in Hull, Quebec where he had been a pioneer > for almost three years. > semblies. This was a travel teaching programme. > Mr. Toeg was born in Baghdad, 'Iraq, of a > but it utilized his many years of experience as an > accountant and auditor and he was asked to wealthy, well-educated and devout Jewish > prepare a handbook for National Assembly family. He received an excellent education and > mastered seven languages but grew dissatisfied > treasurers. In 1973 he attended the third In- > ternational Convention to which he was a with the Jewish Faith and became an atheist. > delegate. Eventually he met Mr. Ezra Sofer, a Baha'i of > Jewish background, and became attracted to his > During the more than thirty years since my > marriage, I kept in close contact with Dad ideas and the solutions he proposed to the > through correspondence, and we met for briefproblems of individuals and nations. Knowing > that Mr. Sofer was not highly educated, he > visits in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, > Venice, Vienna and other places. The most always wondered what might be the source of > his ideas. The night Mr. Sofer told him of the > memorable, however, were his lengthy stays at > our home in Zweibriicken, Germany during theteachings of Baha'u'llah they talked in a coffee > shop until morning came and when they sep- > last three summers before his passing. Although > arated Mr. Toeg rushed to a library and ob- > he felt an urge to retire finally and be with us for > tained all the available BahB'i books. He studied > his remaining years, he felt the even greater call > the Baha'i Writings for the next three years and > to fulfill the ever-burning desire to spread the > in 1927 declared his belief in Baha'u'llah. In this > BahB'i teachings and help consolidate the vic- > period it was customary for those who accepted > tories won, so he remained at his pioneer post in > Hong Kong to the very end. the Faith to send a written declaration of > acceptance directly to the beloved Guardian, > The most appreciated tribute to his long years > but Mr. Toeg waited until he had enrolled eight > of devotion to the Faith was accorded him in a > other believers before he sent his and the other > cablegram from the Universal House of Justice > to the National Spiritual Assembly of North-letters of declaration to the Guardian. All these > east Asia on the occasion of his passing: believers remained steadfast and served faith- > DEEPLY GRIEVED LEARN PASSING PHILIP > fully on local and national administrative > MARANGELLA DEVOTED SERVANT BAHAULLAH > bodies in 'Irkq and elsewhere. They also raised > STEADFAST SUPPORTER COVENANT HIS PIONEER > children who became dedicated servants of the > SERVICES TIRELESS WORLDWIDE TRAVELS > Cause. > BEHALF FAITH MOST PRAISEWORTHY PRAYING > In the early 1930s Mr. Toeg pioneered to Italy > SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM > for about a year and a half. On his return to > ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL SERVICE. > 'Iraq he served on the first National Spiritual > AYNEDLOUISEMCCOMB Assembly of that country. He was elected to > that body for twenty-five years and was many > times its chairman. > Mr. Toeg was a hardworking merchant of > substantial means and an adviser to the branch > DAOUD TOEG director of a well-known British trading com- > pany established in London. Mr. Toeg and his > 1897-1974 > wife, Latifa, were married in 1942 and had three > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING FAITHFUL OUT- sons, Jamal, Kamal and Jalil, who assisted him > STANDING PROMOTER FAITH DAOUD TOEG HIS in the teaching work and other BahB'i activities. > 528 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > Mr. Toeg had the bounty of making his from 1854 to 1856. Mr. Toeg took a number of > pilgrimage to the Holy Land twice. On his photographs and was able to interview several > first pilgrimage, the Guardian was temporarily local inhabitants who had seen Bahi'u'llah. He > absent from Haifa, but he met the Greatest Holy sent an album of photographs to the Guardian > Leaf on this occasion. On his second pilgrimage, with his report, documentation which the Guard- > in 1935, Mr. Toeg spent twenty days in the ian declared would be invaluable to future > Holy Land and attained the presence of Shoghi historians of the Faith. On one of his three visits > Effendi on many occasions. Four years earlier, to Turkey, Mr. Toeg was able, with the assis- > at the behest of the Guardian, Mr. Toeg had tance of local friends, to determine the exact > learned the Persian language which aided him location of the house which BahB'u'llah had > greatly in deepening his understanding of the occupied in Constantinople, and on another > Faith and further increased his capacity and visit was able to locate the houses or the sites of > effectiveness as a Baha'i teacher. the dwellings where Bahk'u'llah was kept > In 1954Mr. Toeg was appointed an Auxiliary prisoner. > Board member for 'fraq on the first Auxiliary During the Ten Year Crusade, the Toeg > Board of Asia. He served the Faith in this family pioneered to Kirkuk in north-eastern > capacity for sixteen years. 'hiq where they spent seven years until they > One of Mr. Toeg's outstanding services to the were requested by the National Spiritual As- > Faith in his homeland was the supervision of the sembly to return to Baghdad in order to give > construction of the National Ha~iratu'l-Qudsin support and encouragement to the Baha'i com- > Baghdad, for which purpose he abandoned his munity. > job for six months. The Guardian was very In 1970 circumstances forced the Toeg family > satisfied with the design of the building and the to leave 'friq, and in the early part of 1971 > way in which the work was carried out. Mr. they settled in Canada. At the request of the > Toeg was also helpful in securing land for the Canadian National Spiritual Assembly they > Temple in 'Iraq, a goal of the Ten Year Crusade. pioneered to Hull, Quebec, where they helped > For twenty years of his life in 'fraq, besides to re-establish the Spiritual Assembly which had > serving the national community, Mr. Toeg fallen below strength. Mr. Toeg was a member > rendered valuable services to the Guardian in of that Spiritual Assembly until the time of his > channelling communications between the Holy > Land and the Persian community at a time when > there was no direct means of communication. > Correspondence, Tablets revealed by the BBb > and Bah6'u711ah,relics associated with the Holy > Family and the heroes and martyrs of the Faith, > contributions to Baha'i funds, Huququ'llah > payments-all these passed through Mr. Toeg's > hands on their journey from Persia to the Holy > Land. He also received from the Guardian his > messages for transmittal to Persia. The Guard- > ian, in appreciation of this vital service, sent > Mr. Toeg approximately fifty letters of en- > couragement, assuring him of his continued > prayers and blessings. Mr. Toeg also served as > representative of the Huququ'llah fund for the > believers in 'fraq. > Mr. Toeg was involved in other spheres of > BahB'i activity, some of which are of great > historical importance. He was in the vanguard > of those who located and visited the caves of > Sar-Galu in Sulayminiyyih, Kurdistan, which > are associated with Bahii'u'llih's two-year soli- > tary retreat and meditation in the wilderness, Daoud Toeg > I N MEMI O R I A M 529 > passing. The home of the Toeg family in Hull leaving the child fainting. When his brothers > became well known throughout the Ottawa established a commercial centre in Tabriz, > Valley for its weekly fireside meetings. These 'Inayatu'llah went to work for them. He became > were regularly conducted by Mr. Toeg and a very studious believer and participated in all > Baha'is and their friends were always assured of the BahB'i activities. > a most warm welcome. As a young man he made the pilgrimage twice > The stresses and strains which Mr. Toeg during the lifetime of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and twice > endured in his latter years sapped his strength. again during the lifetime of Shoghi Effendi. One > The evening before his passing, he stayed up of his treasured memories of the time spent in > until after midnight, talking and joking with his the presence of the Master was the procession of > family. The following day his heart failed and he believers who in spiritual exultation transported > passed away in the early evening. He had the to Bahji the beautiful carpet which one of the > distinction of being the first BahB'i to be buried friends had presented as a gift for use in the > in Hull. At the commemoration service held on Shrine of BahB'u'llah. He often spoke of the joy > 3 February 1974 and the funeral service the of that day when the friends sang songs in the > following day, BahB'is from the Ottawa Valley, presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahi. Throughout his life > Montreal and Quebec City were present. he strove to follow the example of the Master, > and his loving nature, his thoughtfulness and > generosity, won him the appellation 'Uncle', a > title of affection and respect by which he was > known throughout his life not only by the > BahB'is but by some Government officials. > 'Inayatu'llah left a touching written account > 'Inayatu'llah Ahmadpur was born in the Per- of his pilgrimages in the time of the Guardian, > sian province of Milan, the home of many recording that Shoghi Effendi asked him vari- > outstanding Baha'i scholars, calligraphers, ous questions about what 'Abdu'l-Bahi had > teachers and pioneers. His father, Hiji Ahmad said when 'Inayatu'llah was in His presence. > Milini, was a prominent silk merchant who was The Guardian treated him with much love and > among the first to support and promulgate the kindness, enquired after his family and com- > teachings of S_hay&-Ahmad-i-AhsB'i and mented that 'Inayatu'llih should be grateful > Siyyid Kizim-i-Rashti, the 'twin resplendent that the members of his family were devout, > lights' who heralded the Bab and BahB'u'llah, steadfast and veteran believers. He said that > and the family became followers of the Bib 'Inayatu'llah had been twice confirmed in his > when His Revelation was brought to Milan by service to the Cause; that he had been confirmed > the Letter of the Living, Mulla Yusif-i-Ardibili. in the days of 'Abdu'l-Baha and had continued > On 11 July 1850, two days after the Bab was to render outstanding services after His passing. > martyred in Tabriz, His remains were wrapped The Guardian requested that 'Inayatu'llah > in a cloak and secretly removed to the silk chant the verses of the Bab on his behalf when > factory of Haji Ahmad Milani where they were he visited Bihriq. > deposited in a small wooden casket.l This was After being elected a member of the first > the first of a long succession of places of con- National Spiritual Assembly of fran, > cealment before the remains of the Bab were 'Inayatu'llah transferred his residence from > befittingly interred on Mt. Carmel. Tabriz to Tihrin. His house in TihrBn gradually > 'Inziyatu'llah's father died while the boy was became a centre for the gatherings of the friends > quite young and he was cared for by his mother and a haven for the believers who poured into > and older brothers who surrounded him with the capital from the provinces. > such love that in later life he often remarked that At a time when the believers in a village in the > he did not feel that he had lost his father. Once mountains of A&irbayjan were about to be > as a small child he was attacked and throttled on engulfed by tribulations instigated by a fanati- > the street by a cruel and antagonistic butcher cal element, the Guardian asked him to go to the > who fled at the approach of one of the believers, village immediately and make plans to protect > ' Shoghi Effendi, Information Statistical and Comparative the BahB'is. 'Iniyatu'llih obeyed and upon his > 18441952, p. 20. arrival approached the chief instigator of the > 530 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > LONG RECORD SERVICE LOVINGLY REMEM- > BERED PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL > CONVEY WARMEST SYMPATHY RELATIVES AD- > VISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS > THROUGHOUT COUNTRY > > A. Q. FAIZ~ > > MARY ASHLEY ELSTON > > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING DEVOTED HANDMAID > BAHAULLAH STEADFAST PIONEER HIS CAUSE > VARIOUS LANDS MARY ELSTON ASSURE DEAR > ALLEN RELATIVES PROFOUND SYMPATHY LOV- > ING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HER > SOUL. Universal House of Justice > > Mary Ashley Elston was born in Albion, Michi- > gan on 23 November 1898 of an English father > and an American mother. Her father, John P. > Ashley, was President of Albion College in > Michigan. Mary attended Albion College and > revolt against the Baha'is. As a result of the then Grove Schools in California. > sincerity, bravery and purity of love displayed I first met Mary and her four children in 1951 > by 'In~yatu'llahthe man softened and not only when she was married to Raymond Farwell who > pievented an uprising but opened his heart to became a BahB'i in that year. Mary had em- > listen to the fundamental verities of the Cause. braced the Faith a year or so earlier. It was in > In a later period, again at the request of their home that I accepted the Faith. > Shoghi Effendi, 'Inayatu'llih settled in a i h r i q Shortly after becoming a BahB'i, when I was > where he built a house and lived alone for a very in Alaska, I learned of Raymond Farwell's > long time, developing friendships with the death. Future events led to my marriage to > Kurds, the townspeople and the government Mary and our decision to pioneer. Mary told me > officers which no doubt contributed to the safe- that it had always been in her heart to perform > guarding of the Bahh'i historic sites in that area. some mission for God and asked me to consider > Eventually he had a heart attack which re- pioneering some place with her. Little did she > sulted in partial paralysis but did not prevent know that this was my intention when I became > him from continuing his services to the Faith a BahB'i. We wrote to the Guardian for in- > he defended so valiantly, loved so abundantly structions in response to which his secretary > and supported so generously. He drew much wrote on his behalf drawing attention to the > happiness from the knowledge that his own great need for pioneers in Africa and Europe. > children were dispersed as pioneers throughout We left Seattle, Washington in November > the world in Asia, Europe and Africa. 1952 and attended the Intercontinental Con- > The physical temple gradually gave way. ference held in Kampala, Uganda, in February > With his passing in Tihran in February 1974,the > 1953, the first of the four Baha'i In- > Persian friends lost a kind and loving 'Uncle' > tercontinental Conferences held in observance > whose services were extolled by the Universal of the centenary of the birth of Bahi'u'llih's > House of Justice in a cable dated 21 February: mission. We decided to remain in Kampala as > HEARTS GRIEVED PASSING DEDICATED pioneers. > STAUNCH PROMOTER CAUSE INAYATULLAH Mary was always in the thick of things and > AHMADPUR STOP HIS PERSEVERANCE LOYALTY was very much loved by the African believers > Assembly of Fort Myers for the first part of > 1966 until we moved to Marco Island where a > Bahs'i group was formed. My work at Marco > Island ended in May 1967. > We promptly made the last move in our > BahB'i activities to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Mary > was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of > Kailua-Kona and again took on the re- > sponsibilities of secretary. She had to relinquish > her duties after the first year and over the next > five years she slowly deteriorated and eventually > became completely immobile. She passed away > on 3 March 1974. > I was with her when she died and saw her > buried in the very beautiful Bahi'i plot at the > Hawaiian Memorial Park. The green rolling > hills surrounded by the cathedral-like cliffs bor- > dering Nuuanu and Kalihi Valleys, a small pond > close by populated with swimming mallard that > Mary loved so well-this is my earthly idea of > what Mary would be very happy with. > Mary and I made our pilgrimage to the Holy > Mary Ashley Elston Land in 1954. During the ten days which were > spent in the presence of the beloved Guardian he > and other BahB'i friends everywhere. During infused us with a spirit that caused us both never > her fourteen years in East Africa, Mary made to fear again. > five major moves to places in that territory ALLENELSTON > within the countries of Uganda, Kenya and > Tanzania. During this time she helped to estab- > lish many Local Spiritual Assemblies and for > twelve years served as secretary of various Local MARY OLGA KATHERINE MILLS > Assemblies. Mary enjoyed reasonably good > 1882-1974 > health for the first ten years even though she > Knight of Bahs'u'llkh > contracted the dreaded tick-typhus the first > year. In 1954 her doctors recommended that she Olga Mills was born on 24 October 1882 in > move to a lower altitude, preferably the sea- Grimma, in what was then the German State of > coast, but she laboured on undeterred. Only the Saxony. Her mother was Katherine Swinburne > last eight years of her pioneering efforts were Bieymann of Northumberland, England and > spent by the sea in Tanga, Tanzania. In that her father was Ferdinand Bieymann, a German > period she served on the Tanga Local Spiritual lawyer. Olga married Halford Percival Mills, an > Assembly as secretary and, in 1964 when the Englishman, while she was working in the > National Spiritual Assembly of Tanzania came United States. Possessed of an enquiring mind > into being, she served as secretary. In 1965 she and an adventurous spirit, Olga began to travel > again was elected to the same office. widely at the age of twenty-two. She visited > During the last eight years of our pioneering many European countries and through the as- > efforts in Africa I noticed a decline in her ability sistance of her brother, an officer in the German > to perform her secretarial duties, a burden she Navy, she visited China, Manchuria, Japan and > had carried cheerfully, without criticism or Russia. Until the end of her life she was able to > complaint. Parkinson's disease had been slowly tell fascinating stories of her travels and partic- > taking its toll and in the winter of 1965 I insisted ularly of her visit to the grave of Confucius in > that we return to the United States. Mary finally China, an experience which thrilled her. > agreed and we left for Florida where we lived for Olga's broad experience with the people of > a year. Mary served on the Local Spiritual other religions led her along the path of search > 532 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > until she found the Bahh'i Faith. Although the > exact date she visited the Holy Land is not > known, it occurred some time before 1930; she > remained there for a month at the request of the > beloved Guardian to be companion to Effie > Baker who was preparing to leave for Persia to > photograph the Bahi'i holy sites. Olga would > vividly describe her first meeting with the Great- > est Holy Leaf; she ran to her and flung herself > on the ground at the feet of Baha'iyyih Khanurn > 'sobbing her heart out'. > The only record we have from those days is a > letter written on behalf of the beloved Guard- > ian, dated 12 July 1931, which refers to one she > had written to him exactly a month earlier. The > letter refers to Olga's 'last visit to the Holy > Shrines' and her subsequent visit to the BahB'is > in Leipzig and Berlin and the talks she gave > there. An interesting reference is made in this > letter to 'our zealous and competent BahB'i > teacher, Mr. Benke,l who had gone to Sofia in > order to help Miss J a ~ k ' .Apparently > ~ Olga had > befriended George Adam Benke and, during > World War I1 when she found herself stranded Mary Olga Katherine Mills > in Leipzig with her brother, she maintained > close contact with Lina Benke, the widow of and the consolidation of its divinely appointed > Mr. Benke. During the 'time of prohibition' in institutions' and 'one of the most significant > Germany, these two devoted ladies met several undertakings embarked upon by members of > times a week for study and prayer and even the Bahi'i National Assemblies during the > when Mrs. Benke went to Neckargemiind opening years of the second BahB'i c e n t ~ r y 'In > .~ > (about May 1944) they kept in touch by corre- the service of this teaching plan Olga began to > spondence which continued after Mrs. Mills stand out as a spiritual giant. She was of small > left Germany. build, was apparently affected by the privations > On 4 July 1947, Olga wrote again to Shoghi she had suffered in Germany and was quiet by > Effendi and mentioned the possibility of her nature; but she was widely read, possessed a > moving to England. Through his secretary, the great sense of humour and was immediately > Guardian expressed happiness that she had welcome in any society. She served as a travel- > 'survived the terrible ordeal of the war' and in ling teacher in England and in early 1948, even > his letter to her of 2 August 1947 he encouraged though she had reached her sixty-sixth year, she > her to seek the advice of the British National pioneered to Nottingham. In March of that year > Spiritual Assembly. she wrote to the Guardian about her ex- > Olga arrived in England during the period periences as a pioneer and her efforts to teach > when the believers in the British Isles were and become self-supporting. He graciously re- > engaged in the Six Year Plan which extended plied on 11 April assuring her of his 'loving and > from 1944 to 1950 and which was described by fervent prayers'. In October 1948 she again > Shoghi Effendi as 'the first collective enterprise pioneered, this time to Belfast. Within the next > undertaken by them for the spread of the Faith year she pioneered to Edinburgh and St. Ives. > By February ,1950 we read of her moving to > George Adam Benke, 'first European martyr for the Faith'; > letter dated 21 June 1956, written on behalf of Shoghi > Brighton and, in the concluding months of the > Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany. 'In Six Year Plan, she moved into Bournemouth. > Memoriam', The Bahd'i World, vol. V, p. 416. Six pioneer moves to three countries in just over > Marion Jack, 'immortal heroine', 'shining example to pio- > neers'; Shoghi Effendi, cablegram dated 29 March 1954. > 'In Memoriam', The Bahh'i World, vol. XIS, p. 674. The Bahh'i World, vol. X , p. 53 > IN MEMORIAM 533 > two years on the part of a gentle lady in her late was minimal. In 1956 the Guardian's secretary > sixties who always sought to be self-supporting, wrote on his behalf: '. . . He advises you, if the > is service of the highest order! Yet on 4 August situation should become worse, to try your > 1950she again wrote to the Guardian offering to utmost to remain at your post, which he knows > pioneer overseas. The Guardian's secretary is the deep desire of your heart, also. He greatly > replied on his behalf 'It does not seem to him appreciates your constancy and your spirit.' In a > you could very well undertake service outside letter written in March 1957 she again received > the British Isles. . .' but Shoghi Effendi added in encouragement which gave her renewed > his own handwriting, 'May the Almighty bless, strength: 'He is happy to see that, although your > guide and protect you, aid you to extend the local resources have been depleted . . . you > range of your activities, remove all obstacles --neverthelessare remaining to "hold the fort", a > from your path, and enable you to win great service to which he attaches the greatest impor- > victories for His Faith and its institutions . . .' tance . . .' The letter invited her to take comfort > That was sufficient for Olga. When the Ten in the knowledge that eventually receptivity to > Year Crusade was launched in 1953 she begged the Faith would increase and the Cause would > him to allow her to move to another country. In become firmly established in Malta. This was > July of that year he responded urging her to the last letter she received from the beloved > 'leave as promptly as possible for either Malta Guardian and she was to sustain many vicissi- > or Cyprus, preferably Malta, and there engage tudes before witnessing her greatest triumph. > yourself with all your powers in teaching the At the end of the Ten Year Plan she spent > Faith'. In a postscript in his own hand Shoghi some time in hospital because of a fractured > Effendi expressed the hope that she would be wrist but even during her convalescence she > rewarded 'for your valour' and enabled 'to win wrote regular reports to the Teaching Com- > innumerable victories in the service of His mittee. A letter written in June 1963 and which > glorious Faith'. took three days to write qescribes the deformity > Within three months this indomitable, inde- of her right wrist and fingers : '. . . It is suggested > fatigable stalwart of the Faith wrote to the I should have my wrist broken again and re-set, > Guardian stating that she hadjoined the Knight which is risky at my age. I do not feel the > of Baha'u'llah for Malta, Miss Una Town- courage to go through another four months like > shend, at her post. The Guardian added Olga's the last . . .' But a month later one of the > name to the Roll of Honour and his secretary pioneers wrote that Olga had visited her to > wrote on his behalf, 'He is praying for you both commemorate a BahB'i Holy Day and that > and urges you to persevere and never lose heart.' '. . . she seems much her old self again, though > By July 1954 Olga was able to write to the her wrist tires easily'. > Guardian that she had been joined by Dr. John Ten years were to pass before the exciting, > Mitchell who had resigned as treasurer of the long-awaited day arrived and this dear soul was > National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles able to witness the establishment of the first > to pioneer to Malta and for whom she was Local Spiritual Assembly of the BahB'is of > acting as 'housekeeper. In one of her many Malta, in the spring of 1973. In the photographs > reports to the European and Asian Teaching taken of this first Spiritual Assembly and of the > Committee, this faithful soul, as zealous as ever subsequent visit to Malta of the Hand of the > in her seventy-second year, wrote that she had Cause Ugo Giachery we have our last glimpses > met '. . . an old lady who knew Professor of Olga Mills; ninety-one years of age, happy > Browne4and his family in Oxford, and seemed and triumphant, her constancy rewarded. Gil- > alert . . .'! lian Adamson who pioneered to Malta shortly > Malta proved to be a difficult pioneer post to before Olga's death has written: 'Everyone was > maintain. Miss Townshend had to leave; Mr. filled with love for her . . . Those few days we > Mitchell returned home due to an illness from had the honour of visiting her in hospital had a > which he never recovered; pioneers tried to powerful and lasting effect on us. Her very being > settle but were unable to stay for long; con- seemed to sing, "Teach for Bahh'u'llah!!" One of > ditions for teaching were difficult and progress the friends said that the beloved Guardian had > told her to remain in Malta "until the wind > 'Edward Granville Browne. blows you away': For twenty-one years she has > lived in Malta . . . we will always be grateful for moved to fill a pioneer goal in one of the islands. > her devotion and her smile which inspires us to In 1969 she returned to the United Kingdom > proclaim His Cause.' to pioneer in Hereford, and then St. Austell in > On 2 May 1974, in her ninety-second year, Cornwall. Due to health problems it became > after twenty-seven years of dedicated pioneer- necessary for her to move into the Birmingham > ing in four territories, Olga passed away. The community to be with her family, which she did > Universal House of Justice cabled: in early 1971. Her health improved and as soon > as she began to feel better she insisted on > PASSING NOBLE SOUL OLGA MILLS GRIEVOUS > responding to the call from the Universal House > LOSS BRITISH BAHAI COMMUNITY STOP HER > of Justice for pioneers to the Canary Islands. > LONG STEADFAST DEVOTION BAHAULLAH > She returned there in 1972 and at Ridvin 1974 > SHEDS LUSTRE ANNALS FAITH THAT COM- > she helped to form the first Local Spiritual > MUNITY STOP ISLAND MALTA HISTORICALLY > Assembly of Arucas, Canary Islands. However, > FAMOUS CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ISLAMIC ERAS > her physical condition had worsened and in > RECIPIENT NEW SPIRITUAL POTENTIALITIES > May 1974 she was forced to return to the United > THROUGH HEROIC SERVICE KNIGHT > Kingdom. Although mentally and spiritually > BAHAULLAH DEDICATED BAND PIONEERS STOP > still active, her health continued to deteriorate > EXPRESS FRIENDS RELATIVES LOVING SYMPATHY > and she passed peacefully to the Abha Kingdom > ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS PROGRESS SOUL. > on 12 July 1974, in her seventy-eighth year. Her > resting place is at the Brandwood End Ceme- > tery, Birmingham. Thus ended a pioneer ser- > vice that spanned thirty years and covered three > continents. At all times Prudence George was > truly dedicated to the teaching of the Cause and > PRUDENCE GEORGE would seldom let a day pass when she did not > 18961974 find an opportunity to mention the Faith to > someone, an acquaintance made in a music > Prudence George became a Baha'i in St. Lam- appreciation group or a stranger in a bus queue. > bert, Quebec, Canada in 1941. Her first pioneer In order to support herself during her many > move was from St. Lambert to Moncton, New pioneer moves she had a wide variety of employ- > Brunswick in answer to a call for pioneers ment, often as a saleswoman. She particularly > during the first Seven Year Plan of the Baha'is enjoyed her venture in Scotland selling pressure > of the United States and Canada, which ended cookers from door to door. It was later discov- > in 1944. In response to the Guardian's appeal ered that she had spent more time teaching the > for pioneers to Europe, in 1946 Prudence Faith than extolling the virtues of the merchan- > moved, with her daughter, Patricia, to Black- dise; 'The soul is more important than the > burn, England, thus returning to the country body,' she said. > she had left in 1928 to live in Canada. She Her utter faith in the power of the Greatest > pioneered to many places during the Six Year Name was illustrated during her stay in the > Plan in response to requests from the National Canary Islands. On one occasion a youth > Spiritual Assembly of the BahB'is of the British attempted to snatch her handbag and her > Isles, including Norwich and Bournemouth immediate reaction was to call out in a loud > and, in the years that followed 1950, Edinburgh voice, 'Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!' whereupon the lad > and Portsmouth. In 1959 she settled in Luxem- > bourg, filling a number of pioneer posts during > her four-year stay. At the beginning of the Nine > i > stopped in his tracks, dropped t e handbag and > ran. Prudence was left calling .m back with > open arms in order to give him the benefits of the > Year Plan she reopened to the Faith Guernsey Message of Baha'u'llah. Prudence felt that no > in the Channel Islands. During her stay there one was too high or too low to receive this great > her health began to deteriorate and she moved teaching. On becoming a BahB'i in Canada, > once more to fill a pioneer post in opening having been a very devout Christian, her iirst > Chelmsford in Essex. Pioneers were needed to desire was to pass on this precious gift to the > help open virgin territory in the Canary Islands Anglican Bishop of Montreal and she was > and, once more, Prudence responded and utterly amazed when he rejected it. > IN MEMORIAM 535 > STOP MEMBER FIRST HISTORIC GROUP PARIS > TAUGHT BY MAY MAXWELL SHE ACHIEVED > IMMORTAL FAME THROUGH COMPILATION SOME > ANSWERED QUESTIONS UNIQUE ENTIRE FIELD > RELIGIOUS HISTORY STOP OFFERING ARDENT > PRAYERS SACRED THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER > SOUL ABHA KINGDOM URGE ALL COMMUNITIES > FRANCE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERINGS GRATI- > TUDE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.Universal > House of Justice > > Laura Barney was born into a family of scholars > and artists in the United States of America. She > completed her education in France during the > last decade of the nineteenth century. With her > keen intelligence,logical mind and investigating > nature, she devoted her whole life, from adoles- > cence, to improving human relations, bringing > together peoples of different races, classes and > nations. She was a brilliant speaker and made > several trips around the world lecturing on the > impelling necessity of a united world. She was a > true pioneer in this field of activity at a time > Prudence George when the world was still geographically and > politically dixided and quite insensible to the > call of spiritual unity. Her enthusiasm for this > There must be many Baha'is in all parts of the ideal never lessened. Those who had the rare > world who have their own particular memories privilege of knowing her over a period of many > of Prudence George but common to all must be decades can testify that her undaunted zeal for > a recognition of her exemplary dedication to the the objective of the brotherhood of man re- > service of the Bahi'i Cause and her deep love of mained alive and glowing to the very last day of > BahB'u'llah. her life on earth. > Informed of the passing of Prudence George She became acquainted with the BahB'i > the Universal House of Justice wrote to the Revelation through May Ellis Bolles (Maxwell) > National Spiritual Assembly of the United in Paris circa 1900. Laura Barney's encounter > Kingdom on 25 July 1974: with the Faith of Baha'u'llgh proved to be the > 'This ardent servant of BahB'u'llih rendered spark that ignited a fire never to be quenched. > devoted service to His Cause in the pioneering Her ideals and aspirations found fulfilment in > field and we are confident that she now has her her activities in the service of the Baha'i Faith, > reward. Please convey to her daughter and services that were joyfully rendered, with stead- > relatives the expression of our loving sympathy; fastness and perseverance, for nearly four > they may derive great comfort from the memory score years. Of the early pilgrims from the > of her constant services and the fact that she West who visited 'Abdu'l-Baha in the Holy > passed away in her daughter's home and not in Land toward the end of the last century and in > some remote and lonely outpost.' the opening years of the present one, she emerges > as one of the most dedicatedand active followers > of Baha'u'llah. The writer recalls her vivid > LAURA CLIFFORD DREYFUS-BARNEY description of her first meeting with 'Abdu'l- > Baha and the expression of rapture and > 1879-1974 > wonderment with which, from time to time, > ASCENSION DISTINGUISHED MAIDSERVANT she related many details of her various visits > LAURA DREYFUS BARNEY FURTHER DEPLETES to His household and the devoted services she > SMALL BAND PROMOTERS FAITH HEROIC AGE was able to render. > THE BAH L ' f WORLD > > As her visits to the Holy Land became more > frequent, she was privileged to spend long > periods of time with the Master and His im- > mediate family. She met Shoghi Effendi when he > was a small boy and wrote of that first meeting: > 'Shoghi Effendi! How well I remember the first > time I saw him in the Holy Land. He was then a > little boy of five or six years of age, clothed in a > brown Persian garment, chanting a prayer in > 'Abdu'l-BahB's presence; his earnest eyes, his > firm mouth looked prede~tined.'~Her recol- > lections of that extraordinary child were vivid > and authentic. She became aware of 'Abdu'l- > Bahi's plan to provide for His grandson an > education in English literature. At the time of > one of her visits, Shoghi Effendi had an Italian > governess. Laura Barney was able to secure the > services of a refined and cultured English lady > who proved to be a great asset in the education > of that gifted child in the study of the English > language, a study which he joyfully pursued and Laura Clifford Dreyfus-Barney > which led him to master that idiom to perfection > in the years that followed. Laura Barney's prisoner of the Turkish government and per- > affection for the child grew into an ever deepen- mitted to receive only a few visitors. 'It was at > ing sense of admiration and respect. this juncture,' states Shoghi Effendi in God > Visits to 'Abdu'l-Baha became the centre of Passes By, 'that that celebrated compilation of > Laura Barney's life and inspiration. On a His table talks, published under the title Some > month-long visit in 1905 she was accompanied Answered Questions, was made, talks given > by her mother, Mrs Alice B a r n e ~ who , ~ had during the brief time He was able to spare, in,the > become a BahB'i. Mrs. Alice Barney was a poet, course of which certain fundamental aspects of > a painter, a musician and an architect. Her His Father's Faith were elucidated, traditional > paintings even now can be seen in the National and rational proofs of its validity adduced, and > Museum of Washington, D.C. In 1903 she had a great variety of subjects regarding the Chris- > painted a portrait of the celebrated Bahi'i tian Dispensation, the Prophets of God, Biblical > teacher, Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, during his visit to prophecies, the origin and condition of man and > Washington. other kindred themes authoritatively ex- > Among Laura Barney's many achievements plained.' The work was first published in Lon- > and services in the Faith the most outstanding is don in 1908. > the one that has immortalized her name the The existence of such a remarkable manu- > world over-the compilation of the renowned script prompted the distinguished French > volume Some Answered Questions. Unique in all scholar, Hippolyte Dreyfus? the first French > religious literature, the book consists of 'table believer, whose acceptance of the Faith dated > talks' given by the Master in response to the from 1901, to offer to translate the document > questions of Laura Barney. I have given you my into French. M. Dreyfus and Laura Barney > tired moments, Laura Barney records the Master collaborated on the translation and, -as she > as saying as He arose from the table after later related, it was during this undertaking that > answering one of her questions. These informal they discovered how well they could work > discussions took place in the period from 1904 together. They were married in 1911, but the > to 1906 described by Shoghi Effendi as the most intervening years were filled with many activities > troublous and dramatic of 'Abdu'l-BahB's min- undertaken jointly, including travels, at the > istry when He was still confined to 'Akki as a 'See Shoghi Effendi's tribute to Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, > letter of 21 .December 1928, published in Baha'i Adminis- > 'Only a Word', The Baha'i World, vol. V , p. 667. tration, pp. 157-159, and in The Bahb'i World, vol. 111, p. > See 'In Memoriam', The Bahb'i World, vol. V , p. 419. 210. > request of 'Abdu'l-Baha, to Mah-Ku and other faith in the League of Nations and represented > parts of Persia, to Ishqibad, Russian Turkistan, the International Council of .Women in that > where the construction of the first Bahb'i body, playing an important role in cultural > House of Worship was being completed, and exchange. She was the only woman named by > to Indo-China and other regions of eastern Asia. the League Council to sit on the Sub-committee > After the passing of 'Abdu'l-Baha, but for- of Experts on Education, a post which she held > tunately before the beginning of the second for many years, beginning in 1926. On 23 July > World War, the original Persian text of Some 1925 she was appointed Chevalier de la Ligion > Answered Questions as well as some important dlHonneur. In that same year she formed under > and precious Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahi addressed the aegis of the League of Nations the 'Liaison > to Laura Barney and to a close friend, Mrs. Committee of Major International Organi- > Tewksbury Jackson, were transmitted to the zations to promote through Education better > Guardian through a trusted person. Understanding between Peoples and Classes' > Laura's abiding devotion to the Master, the and became a permanent member of the com- > Greatest Holy Leaf and Munirih a a n u m , the mittee as well as its liaison officer. In 1934 she > wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahi, was repaid with trust, became a member of the Advisory Committee of > love and gratitude. 'Abdu'l-Baha extolled the the League of Nations on Teaching; she was > variety of her services in many Tablets, and the also a member of the French Committee on > ladies of the household presented her with many Intellectual Co-operation. > gifts, mostly pieces of jewellery, which were Her services with international organizations > entrusted to this writer and delivered by him to were indeed extensive. She became the convenor > the Universal House of Justice a few years ago. of the Cinematographic and Broadcasting > At the request of Mrs. Tewksbury Jackson Committee of the International Council of > who on one occasion accompanied her to the Women, and in 1931 she organized, under the > Holy Land, Laura Barney helped in the project auspices of the International Institute of Edu- > of purchasing the land and of constructing a cational Cinematography of the League of > suitable home for 'Abdu'l-Baha and His family Nations, the first congress for women, held in > at No. 7 Haparsim (Persian) Street, Haifa.l In Rome in 1934, specializing in the dissemination > relating this episode to the writer later, Mme of educational material for peace by means of > Dreyfus-Barney said: 'For some time, there- motion pictures. At this Congress she was elected > fore, and meeting with many obstacles, I was one of the six vice-presidents, the only woman > occupied with purchasing the land, having a chosen. In 1937 she was appointed, by the > design for the house made-of course with the French Minister of Commerce, a member of the > approval of the Master-and seeing that its cinema section of the International Exposition. > construction was carried out efficiently and In the same year she was elevated to the rank of > promptly. All this kept me occupied for some Oficier de la Ligion d'Honneur by a decree > time.' dated 3 1 January, having been elected president > To recount in chronological order the Bahb'i of the Peace and Arbitration Commission of the > services of Laura Dreyfus-Barney in America, International Council of Women. > Europe and other parts of the world is beyond After the death of her husband in December > the scope of these few pages but mention should 1928, she t ~ i e dto overcome her loneliness by > be made of some of her humanitarian and social intensifying her efforts for the Faith of > activities in her work for world peace.2 During Baha'u'llah and the cause of peace. In 1941 she > World War I she served in Paris in the American was a member of the American delegation to the > Ambulance Corps, took part in the establish- Conference on Cultural Co-operation held in > ment of the first children's hospital in Avignon, Havana, Cuba. In May 1944, at the request of > and worked in a hospital with war refugees. At the Guardian, she attended the celebration in > the end of that global conflict she placed her Wilmette of the first centenary of the birth of the > Bahb'i Faith, although the second World War > was raging in almost every continent of the > See 'The House of the Master', Baha'i Holy Places at the globe. She gave, on that special occasion, a > World Centre, The Universal House of Justice, 1968; pp. moving address that recalled her early days in > 54-57. > For a full account see Who's Who in America, vol. 29. 'Akka, and a review of forty years of > 538 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > developmentsin the Faithinwhich she mentioned PIONEER ALASKA PUNTA ARENAS CHILE MADE > the names of many BahB'is who, like her, had VITAL CONTRTBUTION ROOTS CAUSE NORTH > laboured to spread the fragrances of SOUTH AMERICA STOP SUGGEST MEMORIAL > BahB'u'llah's Revelation in many parts of the mETmG YOUR COMMUNITY. > Universal House > world. of Justice > During the period of the second World War, > Laura Dreyfus-Barney was the delegate of the Betty Becker was born into a German Men- > French National Committee of Women to the nonite family and was raised on a farm in > Commission on Racial Affairs. At the end of the Kansas, U.S.A. where she learned to love the > war, with the birth of the United Nations, she good and simple things of life. Her quest for > became an officer of the Commission of the spiritual truth was triggered by a childhood > Council of Women for the Control and Re- experience of which she later wrote: 'I re- > duction of Armaments, located in Geneva. Dur- member when my brother, who was a few years > ing the years that followed she was very active in older than I, was baptized. The first thing I did > the work of the Economic and Social Council of was rush him to my room and ask him whether > United Nations in that city. As this writer had he felt changed and had received the Holy Spirit. > been appointed Observer for the International He replied in no uncertain terms: "No, I did > Baha'i Community, we frequently met at not. And don't you ever go up there in front of > United Nations gatherings. When the Food and everyone and make a fool of yourself." This > Agriculture Organization moved from Washing- confused me very profoundly and marked the > ton to Rome, early in 1950, she often visited start of my search for truth.' > Rome and was a welcome guest in our home. The search for a religion to which she could > Those were unique opportunities to listen to the commit herself continued even after Betty com- > reminiscences of her dedicated BahB'i life and to pleted her university education and business > hear at first hand many episodes and facts from training and began to work for an insurance > her personal experiences with 'Abdu'l-Baha, company in Kansas City, Missouri. She main- > His family, Shoghi Effendi, and her much loved tained an open outlook towards all religions, > husband, Hippolyte. After my wife and I re- seeking one that would answer her needs. She > turned to Europe from America in 1969, we attended many churches, sang in their choirs > called on Mme Dreyfus-Barney whenever we and listened to the clergy but still was left > were in Paris and there spoke joyfully of all that unsatisfied. In 1933 she attended a lecture by > was dear to our hearts. Mrs. Orcella Rexfordl (Louise Cutts-Powell) > For the last few years of her life she remained and through her learned about the Baha'i Faith > at her home, seeing some friends occasionally which she accepted in November of that year. > and living with the memories of her active and Betty's love of life and people, coupled with her > fruitful life. Although her body was handi- serious study of the teachings, qualified her as a > capped by rheumatism, her mind was as alert radiant and attractive teacher. She welcomed a > and brilliant as ever. Her beautiful earthly life constant flow of guests to her home to hear the > came to an end on 18 August 1974, five years message of BahB'u'llah. When a Local Spiritual > before the centenary of her birth. She is buried Assembly was formed in Kansas City in 1935 > in the Passy Cemetery of Paris. she was elected its chairman. > (Excerpts from an English translation of Betty said that all her life she had felt a desire > 'Laura Clifford Dreyfus-Barney-An Appreci- to go to Alaska or to South America, or both. > ation' by Ugo R. Giachery, published in La When the Guardian mentioned Alaska in his > PensBe Bahri'ie, No. 56, June 1976.) cablegram of 26 January 1939 encouraging > pioneers to settle in nine specific unsettled goal > areas in North America under the first United > States Seven Year Teaching Plan (1937-1944), > MATILDA (BETTY) BECKER Betty responded. She left Kansas City on 11 > July 1939, attended the Baha'i Summer School > 1887-1974 > in Geyserville, California, sailed from Seattle, > ASSURE PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS > SOUL BETTY BECKER VALIANT SERVANT FAITH ' See 'In Memoriam', The Bahri'i World, vol. XI, p. 495 > Washington a few days later and arrived in > Juneau, Alaska on 1 August. Her efforts to > settle in Juneau and Sitka proving fruitless, she > joined Honor Kempton in Anchorage where she > became permanently established in March 1941 > and was a stable member of an ever-changing > BahB'i community for the next eighteen and a > half years. In 1943when the first Local Spiritual > Assembly in Alaska was formed in Anchorage, > Betty was elected recording secretary and served > on that body for many years. > Betty was active in the U.S.O. (United Ser- > vices Organization) in Anchorage from its in- > ception and throughout World War I1 was a > senior social hostess. She also sponsored rec- > reational activities for civil servants and mili- > tary personnel and contributed the money she > earned in this way to support the construction > of the BahB'i House of Worship in Wilmette. > She also helped to establish the Anchorage > United Nations Association and was one of its > officers. As a Welcome Wagon hostess she > helped newcomers become acquainted with An- > chorage and assisted them in finding housing Matilda (Betty) Beckev > accommodation during the scarcity of the war > years. Her Sunday morning waffle breakfasts one of the first in South America. Betty tirelessly > held on a regular basis she described as her most served as a member of this assembly for four- > fertile teaching activity. These were always well teen years. > attended and many enquirers became Baha'is as Des~itethe difficult clime of this austral > a result of these informal and friendly gather- region and the apathy and indifference she > ings. encountered, Betty's radiant nature overcame > At the age of seventy-two, after spending these obstacles and she served the Faith with a > twenty years in Alaska, Betty sought a new field vitality and vibrancy of spirit which belied her > of service, confident that she was leaving behind years. She displayed great generosity and kind- > in her adopted and much loved land a firm ness and during the course of her never-ceasing > foundation for the Faith of BahB'u'llah. She activities she greatly widened her social con- > offered her services to the International Teach- tacts. Impatient with her weakening physical > ing Committee of the United States and was condition she continued-in her own words- > assigned to Chile. On 8 October 1959 she to recharge daily her spiritual and mental bat- > arrived in Santiago and within three weeks took teries, to keep on going and not despair. Al- > up residence in Valdivia, a city with a large though her eyesight began to fail she was able to > German-speaking population. Betty's fluency attend the great BahB'i World Congress held in > in German enabled her to begin immediately London in 1963 and to make a pilgrimage to the > teaching the Faith even as she began a study of Holy Land in 1970. She also travelled to various > Spanish. centres in Chile to attend conferences and con- > On 12 May 1960-only nine days before a ventions. > devastating earthquake hit Valdivia-Betty For fourteen years Betty sowed the seeds of > opened the final chapter in her physical life by the Faith in Punta Arenas. Perhaps it was > pioneering to Punta Arenas, Chile, the southern- during this constant struggle that a dream was > most outpost of the Faith in the world, a city born in her soul, the establishment of a per- > greatly praised and often mentioned by our manent Baha'i Centre in Punta Arenas, a goal > beloved Guardian. The Local Spiritual As- toward which she contributed sacrificially until > sembly of Punta Arenas was formed in 1945, her death. > 540 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > In April 1973 Betty suffered a stroke which ture and she became an eloquent speaker and > kept her bedridden. One year and five months fluent writer. She later studied in the American > later she contracted pneumonia which proved School for Girls where she learned English. She > fatal to an already thin and frail body. On this married Jinib-i-SJaykh Muhsin who, im- > same day the deed to the Punta Arenas Baha'i mediately after declaring himself a BahB'i as a > Centre, the first local Haziratu'l-Quds in Chile, result of the teaching efforts of Jinab-i-Fadil > was placed in her hands. Seven days later, in her Mazandirani, sold all his possessions including > eighty-seventh year, she passed to the Abha his collection of precious and rare old books and > realm, on 27 September 1974. made his way to the Holy Land to enter the > From Anchorage to Punta Arenas this val- presence of 'Abdu'l-Baha. The Master called > iant handmaiden truly lived these Words of him 'Dabir Mu'ayyad', meaning 'confirmed > Bahsu'llah, forever inscribed above her resting writer'; he became an erudite and dedicated > place : exponent of the Faith. > Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his Mrs. Na'imi and her husband were asked > country; let Izim vati'zer glory in this, that he by the Spiritual Assembly of Hamadan to go to > loves his kind. that thriving BahB'i community and assume re- > sponsibility for the management and the teach- > ing of classes of the Ta'id and Mahabbat BahB'i > schools. Mahbubih a a n u m became seriously > ill when in Hamadan and everyone despaired of > her life. At this time she dreamed of the Master > Who ordered her to arise. She humbly replied in > GRIEVED NEWS PASSING DEVOTED HANDMAID > that vision that she was unable to doso because > BAHAULLAH MAHBUBIH NAIMI HER LONG REC- > of illness. Again the Master repeated His com- > ORD SERVICES TEACHING PIONEERING FIELDS > mand and concluded by exclaiming that this is > UNFORGETTABLESUPPLICATING HOLY SHRINES > the day of arising. The memory of this ex- > perience stayed vividly with Mahbubih through- > RICHEST REWARDS PROGRESS HER SOUL ABHA > out her life and the Master's words everlast- > KINGDOM CONVEY MEMBERS FAMILY LOVING > ingly inspired her responses to the needs of the > SYMPATHY. Universal House of Justice > Cause. When, after many years, she reached the > Any survey of outstanding Baha'i women in the shores of Africa as a pioneer, she told the friends > Formative Age of our beloved Faith should of her dream and emphasized the signiiicanceof > prominently include the dear name of Mah- arising to pioneer, teach and dedicate one's life > bubih Na'imi. Generations yet unborn will to the service of the Cause of God in this day. > derive encouragement and inspiration from For many years Mahbubih a i n u m actively > contemplation of her feats, her self-sacrificial served on local and national teaching com- > efforts, her dedication and heroism. She was a dis- mittees including teaching committees for youth > tinguished promoter of the Cause and achieved and women, the Nineteen Day Feast Committee > signal victories in the teaching and pioneering of Tihran, and taught BahB'i children's classes. > fields. At a time when their share in Baha'i She was instrumental in winning many people > community activities was minimal, Mahbubih to the Faith and in deepening their knowledge > . Na'imi was a source of in.spiration and provided of the teachings. She lovingly attended to the > much-needed spiritual leadership to the BahB'i needs of her family and the education of her > women of Persia. The predominant passion of children but always gave unstintingly of her > her life was teaching the Baha'i Faith, a love she time and energy to the promotion of the Cause > must have learned from her immortal, devoted of Baha'u'llih. > and radiant father, the late Jinab-i-Na'im, one After the death of her husband when her > of the greatest teachers and poets of the early children were scattered in many different parts > days of the Cause in Persia. of the world, Mahbfibih KhLnum left her home > Mahbubih a a n u m was born in 1899 in and possessions and began her service as an > Tihran, in a district where Baha'is lived, and international pioneer. She first settled in Zan- > studied at a small BahB'i school. Her learned zibar and helped in the formation of its first > father tutored her in Persian and Arabic litera- Baha'i community. Later she moved to Tan- > I N MEP > > zania and opened the town of Morogoro to the to new centres or to visit her spiritual children in > Faith. When the Local Spiritual Assembly of their homes. Her hospitable home in Morogoro > Dar-es-Salaam requested her to go to Mwanza was open to the BahB'is and their friends; all > for the formation of the first Local Spiritual were received with kindness and love. Although > Assembly she immediately moved there, arriv- she was sometimes ill and weak she continued to > ing on the eve of the first day of Ridvan, and was conduct deepening classes for new BahB'is and > met at the railway station by many BahB'is and enquirers and persisted in her efforts to carry the > their guests. The large and joyous reception Faith to the villages of the Uluguru mountains. > accorded the arrival of this seemingly in- After years of service in Tanzania she re- > significant and unassuming Persian woman turned to Persia to attend to some personal > created some suspicion on the part of the Police matters and shortly after was asked by the > Department. Becoming aware of this, Mah- National Spiritual Assembly of Persia to move > bubih Khanum visited the Chief of Police, to Holland where pioneers were much needed. > introduced herself, and explained the situation; She settled in Haarlem for the formation of its > in this way the Cause became well known to the first Local Spiritual Assembly and after approx- > officials, the BahB'is continued to teach the imately a year, in response to a message that > Faith without obstruction and the Local Spiri- her spiritual children in Africa missed her > tual Assembly of Mwanza was formed. 'When keenly, she returned to Morogoro where, after > we arise to serve,' she wrote at this time, 'we considerable effort, she was successful in having > receive the promised confirmations and we ac- the education authorities accede to her request > tually behold the angels who help us. We also to have included in the curriculum of an African > will be privileged to discover the hidden trea- agricultural school an hour of BahB'i religious > sures of God . . . individuals who are soon study. Twice weekly she walked to this class > ignited by the love of God and ignite others.' which bore considerable fruit. From early > Instructed to settle in Morogoro again, she morning until late at night students and en- > launched this time a full-scale teaching pro- quirers would call at her home for further > gramme. Alone and unaided, she travelled to discussion of the BahB'i Faith. Her house was a > the neighbouring villages, walking many miles port of call for all Bahb'is travelling in the area > in sun or rain to bring the Faith of Bahb'u'llah and her hospitality was limitless. > She served for many years on the National > Spiritual Assembly of Tanzania and various > national and local committees and remained at > her post until her health broke down and she > sought a more moderate climate. She returned > to Haarlem and later pioneered to Liibeck, > Germany to assist in the formation of the first > Local Spiritual Assembly. Her last years were > spent in Hamburg where she served on the > Spiritual Assembly, instituted classes for chil- > dren, conducted deepening classes for youth and > devoted her rapidly diminishing strength to the > teaching work. > Mahbubih Na'imi had the privilege of mak- > ing a pilgrimage to the Holy Land three times > and attained the presence of the beloved Guard- > ian twice. To the last breath she remembered > her African children and continued to pray for > them. Two days before her sudden passing on 2 > October 1974 a letter came from Africa: 'Come > back to us, dear mother, we need you so much.' > Alas, this time she could not respond. > > Mahbzibih Na'imi > TI-IE B A H A ' I W O R L D > > SEYMOUR MALKIN > > Seymour was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 19 > June 1923. His mother, Leona Luber, was of > Romanian descent. His father, Jacob Malkin, > was born in Russia and came to the United > States while still in his teens, shortly before > World War I, to escape the religious per- > secutions of that time. Seymour was raised by > his father and paternal grandmother. His > grandmother was a devoted and saintly follower > of the Jewish Faith and to her Seymour attrib- > uted all his spiritual guidance during his child- > hood. > At the age of nineteen, Seymour enlisted in > the United States Air Force and served for three > years in the Philippines and Australia. His duties > were in radio and special services to uplift the > morale of the servicemen through entertainment > and radio programmes. Upon his discharge in > 1945, he settled in California and studied the- > atre arts and drama. He did some acting- andlater > opened his own school of drama in Hollywood Seymour Malkin > where he coached aspiring theatre, cinema and > television actors. Shortly before hearing about where Margot had been pioneering for four > the BahB'i Faith, Seymour abruptly closed his years and on 12 November 1958 they were > school, informing his students that he was going married there. Their honeymoon was spent > to search for God. He felt that life was the true teaching in the Juan Fernindez Islands off the > theatre and his specific goal was to find the real coast of Chile where they remained for about > purpose of existence. Although he had explored four months. They then went to Campinas, > many avenues of religious thought, he had never Brazil to help form the first Local Spiritual > found the spiritual satisfaction he sought. Assembly of that city. Here, Jesma Layli, their > Soon after closing his school in 1954, Sey- daughter, was born in 1959. A year later he > mour heard the word 'Baha'i' from one of his took his family back to the United States and > former students. In the home of Sando Berger he settled in Kokomo, Indiana to help establish its > saw a copy of The Hidden Words by Baha'u'llah first Local Spiritual Assembly in 1961. Their > and knew at once that it was an inspired book. son, Edmund Jacob was born there. In 1962 > He attended firesides and within a few weeks, they settled in Muncie, Indiana to assist the > after an intense study of the BahB'i Writings, struggling BahB'i group there. Within a few > Seymour wholeheartedly accepted BahB'u91lih months he received a call from the Hand of the > and decided to dedicate his life to Him. Jesma Cause Dhikru'llah a i d e m asking if he were > Herbert was one of his most beloved spiritual willing to go to Chile immediately. Seymour's > teachers and he named his daughter for her. response was always immediate and wholeheart- > Seymour began his BahB'i life as a pioneer, ed. He arrived in Chile within three weeks and > first settling in various goal cities near Los was met and assisted by the Hand of the Cause > Angeles and then, in 1958, in Guadalajara, Abu'l-Qasim Faizi. Seymour's family joined > Mexico. At Ridvan of that year he attended the him shortly after and they settled in Temuco. > national convention of the National Spiritual During this period Seymour was named an > Assembly of Central America in Guatemala City Auxiliary Board member and collaborated with > where he met Margot Miessler. They decided on the Hand of the Cause Jalal Khkzeh in the work > their future together at that convention. Sey- of the protection of the Faith. Although he was > mour soon moved to Tegucigalpa, Honduras unable to fulfil his longstanding desire to attend > I N MEM ORIAM 543 > the London Congress in 1963, Seymour felt Bern where, in 1951, he obtained his doctorate > spiritually compensated by being able to wit- in geology. > ness the beginning of mass teaching in Chile and In 1947, while in Switzerland, 'Abbas was > the acceptance of the Faith by the first Mapuche directed and encouraged by Shoghi Effendi to > Indians. work closely for the spread of the Cause with > The Malkins returned to the United States the members of the European Teaching > and served in various centres between 1964 and Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly > 1970. A third child, Vali, was born in 1964. They of the United States. > returned to South America in 1970 in response Commencing in the 1960s, 'Abbas taught > to an appeal from the International Goals geology at the University of Baghdad. In the > Committee of the United States and settled in autumn of 1971 he was invited by the Govern- > Santo Amaro, Brazil where they helped form ment of Morocco to serve on the faculty of the > the first Local Spiritual Assembly the following University of Rabat. Arriving in Rabat he > year. learned to his surprise and disappointment that > From the day Seymour accepted it, the Faith he was expected to teach in French rather than > became the dominating passion of his life. English. He communicated with the University > Wherever he lived there was a weekly fireside of Baghdad about this unexpected situation and, > held in his home. At the last Nineteen Day Feast meanwhile, complied with the wishes of the > he attended before his death he had the happy National Spiritual Assembly of North West > experience of welcoming his daughter, Jesma Africa by visiting a number of Baha'i centres > Layli, as a declared Baha'i. under its jurisdiction, imparting spiritual joy to > During the last month of his life he often all those with whom he came in contact. In this > referred to his readiness to enter the next world, period he also visited BahB'i communities in > when called. The family attended a beautiful France and Spain and had the oppo'rtunity > gathering commemorating the birth of the B9b of visiting the resting place of the beloved > on 20 October. At this meeting one beautiful Guardian. > spiritual quality was attributed to each of the 'Abbas had been requested by a number of > BahB'is to demonstrate the beauty and power of believers in Morocco to consider settling there. > the BahB'i human flower garden of the SLo He referred the question to the Universal House > Paulo/Campinas areas. Seymour was called of Justice and received a reply stating that it > 'Elegance' and Margot 'Courage'. He brought would be highly meritorious if he were to remain > home the love felt by all at the gathering and at his post in Baghdad in the vicinity of the > bestowed it on his wife and children all evening. House of BahB'u'llah however great a sacrifice > His heart became overwhelmed in its task of this might represent. He wrote again offering to > keeping him here any longer; at about 2.00 a.m., lay down his life as a spiritual ransom for the > with the words 'I'm going', his soul was freed. sublime purpose of hastening the redemption > The Universal House of Justice cabled on 24 and restoration of the House of BahB'u'llah. In > October 1974: reply the Universal House of Justice expressed > appreciation of this indication of his dedication > GRIEVED LEARN PASSING PIONEER SEYMOUR > to the Cause and assured him of its prayers for > MALKIN DEVOTED FAITHFUL SERVANT > the attainment of all his aspirations in service to > BAHAULLAH STOP ASSURE MARGOT OTHER > the Faith. > MEMBERS FAMILY ARDENT LOVING PRAYERS > 'Abbis resumed his work as professor of > PROGRESS HIS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. > geology at the University of B a h d a d for a year > or two. The decree of the 'Iraqi Government > disbanding all BahB'i institutions and banning > all Baha'i activities was by then in force and > resulted in considerable hardship for the > believers in that country. Whenever it was > necessary, 'Abbhs called upon the authorities > 'Abbas received his primary and secondary concerned, stating the BahB'i position with > education in 'Iraq and pursued his higher courage and dignity, especially during the few > studies in Europe, first in Berlin and then in months preceding his own imprisonment. > 544 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > GRESS HIS BLESSED SOUL REALM ON HIGH STOP > CONVEY RELATIVES FRIENDS DEEPEST SYM- > PATHY. > > F A W Z ~ZAYNU'L-'ABIDIN > 1911-1975 > Knight of Bahh'u'llih > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING KNIGHT BAHAULLAH > FAWZI ZAYNUL ABIDIN HIS SELFLESS SERVICES > TEACHING PIONEERING FIELDS LOVINGLY RE- > MEMBERED CONVEY MEMBERS FAMILY WARM- > EST SYMPATHY FERVENTLY PRAYING SHRINES > PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL. Universal House > of Justice > Two words from the message of sympathy of the > Universal House of Justice capture the essence > of a life consecrated to the Faith of God, for Mr. > -dadi > 'Abbas Ihshn Bagh Fawzi Zaynu'l-'Abidin was truly a 'radiant > soul'. He and his wife and children were hon- > On 27 December 1973 'AbbLs was arrested oured by the beloved Guardian by being named > and badly treated by securitymen on the ground Knights of Baha'u'llah for service in the > that he was an active Baha'i. He was sentenced pioneering field in the virgin area of Spanish > to life imprisonment. When he displayed symp- Morocco. > toms of a lung condition he was transferred to a Fawzi Zaynu'l-'Abidin, also known as 'Zayn', > jail hospital. After giving him thirty injections was born in Cairo, Egypt on 28 January 1911. > for his condition which was diagnosed as His fatherZaynu'l-'Abidin Ismh'il, surnamed by > tuberculosis his doctors discovered that he the Master 'Zaynu'l-MuBlisin' (the adorning > was suffering from cancer. of the sincere ones), was a native of Hamadan, > Writing from the hospital in October 1974 Iran, who became illuminated by his belief in > 'Abbas told of his fast deteriorating health and Baha'u'llah; while in Egypt, 'Abdu'l-Baha > of his total resignation to the will of God. He felt spoke in his home. His mother, Hamidih > that the end was quickly approaching and a a n u m - A q a , was a native of a i r i z who > expressed the hope that his humble services to embraced the Faith in her youth. > the Faith of BahB'u'llah and his prolonged In a childhood blessed with an aura of spiri- > suffering would be acceptable in the sight of the tuality stood an unforgettable memory: for a > Universal House of Justice. He was released very brief moment in Port Said, Fawzi Zaynu'l- > from this world on the morning of 20 January 'Abidin saw 'Abdu'l-Baha walking in the dis- > 1975. tance. > On 24 January 1975 the Universal House of The young man was a solace to his parents, > Justice cabled: and a loving and generous soul towards his > brothers and sisters, all faithful Bahi'is. At the > SADDENED NEWS PASSING DEVOTED STEADFAST early age of twenty he embarked on an artistic > SELFLESS SERVANT BAHAULLAH DOCTOR ABBAS career, first as a highly respected teacher and > BAGHDAD1 WHOSE OUTSTANDING SERVICES then as Inspector of Technical Art Schools in > SHED LUSTRE ANNALS HISTORY FAITH MIDDLE Egypt. In an international competition he > EAST STOP HIS SACRIFICES WILL NOT BE IN VAIN ranked first for his unsurpassed watercolour > STOP SUPPLICATING DIVINE THRESHOLD PRO- rendition of a celebrated mosque. > IN MEMORIAM 545 > A humble and devoted Baha'i, he exemplified > high standards of hospitality and courtesy and > served on the Local Spiritual Assemblies of > Cairo, Port Said and Tanta. His design for a > monument1 in the BahB'i cemetery of Cairo, > honouring Lua Getsinger and MirzL Abu'l- > Fadl, was approved by the Guardian. > In 1946he married Bahiyyih 'Ali Sa'd'id-Din, > daughter of a devoted Lebanese believer who, in > obedience to 'Abdu'l-Baha's wishes, came to > Egypt where he married 'Ismat 'Ali Effendi, > the daughter of the first Egyptian Baha'i. > Following an inspiring appeal for pioneers, > voiced by the Hand of the Cause 'Ali-Akbar > Furutan, Mrs. Zayn challenged the family to > arise as pioneers. From that moment, Fawzi > Zayn and his wife became an inseparable, spiri- > tually unified couple, dedicated to the Faith of > BahB'u'llkh. With their two sons, Kamil and > Sharif, they arrived in Tetuan, Morocco at the > - > onset of the World Crusade, on 11 October > 1953. The seemingly insurmountable difficulties > of language, material resources and permission > to remain in their adopted home beyond the Fawzi zaynull-'kbidin > fifteen days for which their visa was originally > issued, simply vanished; they had received as- tual Assembly was thus elected and came to be > surances through' the Guardian's secretary of exclusively formed by Moroccan BahB'is. For > Shoghi Effendi's appreciation and prayers. nine years the Zayn home was the focal point of > The years that followed were years of mir- an expanding community that gave birth to > acles and victories. Mr. Zayn's reputation as an Baha'i groups in northern Morocco. > artist and his impeccable character inspired the In 1961 some of the believers were imprisoned > respect of students and high officials, Moroccan for their beliefs, yet the staunch faith of these > and Spanish. He became a member of the youth, some of whom were under sentence of > faculty of the Fine Arts School of Tetuan and death, became the mark of distinction of that > was asked to exhibit his work locally, then in community. At the beginning of this turmoil, > Rabat, and won resounding praise from digni- which was to end miraculously a year later, Mr. > taries and the press. From the beginning, friend- Zayn who in the eyes of the authorities was > ships were established that were instrumental responsible for introducing the Faith, was asked > in enabling the family to acquire permanent not to associate with fellow Baha'is and was > residence and in facilitating discreet yet success- dismissed from his job. Great was the sadness of > ful Baha'i teaching. A family photograph with separation felt by the believers and unspeakable > the first two believers 'deeply impressed' the the sorrow of this sensitive soul who, by the > Guardian who extended 'a hearty welcome into force of events, had to leave a country where the > the Faith to the new BahB'is'. Mr. Zayn's best of his spiritual life in this world had taken > profound knowledge of the Writings, his deep place. > spiritual insights, his very sensitive approach to In Morocco, Mr. Zayn was the secretary of > the needs of his hearers and his warm eloquence the National Teaching Committee and in Tunis, > in his native Arabic attracted the hearts of many Tunisia, from 1962 to 1966, he served on the > youth who joyously accepted the Faith and Local Spiritual Assembly with undiminished > shouldered in turn the responsibility of spread- enthusiasm. From 1966 to 1975 he served on > ing the message of BahB'u'llih. A Local Spiri- the Local Spiritual Assemblies of Glendale, > Arizona; West Hollywood; and Glendale, > See The Baha'i World, vol. X, p. 2 3 ; vol. XI, p. 196. California. > 546 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > His contribution to Tunisian art is attested by oldest in a family of four brothers and one sister. > the high esteem in which he was held by his His brother, Samuel, was high in his praise of > superiors in the Arts and Crafts section of the Christopher who, he said, had to make a tre- > Government. Of his several exhibits in the mendous effort to obtain an education. In an > United States, the most noteworthy was pre- environment that discouraged children from > sented in the Brand Library of Glendale, Cali- attending school, and with no money to pay > fornia. His delicate masterpieces, from Iranian school fees, a child really had to display great > miniatures and landscapes to ceramic com- determination to persist in his schooling. It was > positions and Arabic calligraphy, convey a necessary for a sincere student to persuade the > peacefulness that speaks of his Faith. An artist Department of Education to give him a bursary > of the soul who painted to glorify the beauty of and then to measure up to a high standard of > God's creation, such was the life of this true achievement; no second chance was given if a > believer, enamoured with the Cause of child failed a course. > BahB'u'llah, and detached from worldly desires When Christopher was attending Matsapa > and ambitions. High School the acting Principal learned that > He passed away in Glendale, California on 23 Chris had become a member of a strange re- > March 1975. His last words were a plea to the ligion called 'BahB'i' and was spreading its > friends to deepen their knowledge of teachings among his fellow students. The acting > Baha'u'llah's Writings, 'because,' he said, 'this Principal threatened him with expulsion if he > is the only thing that remains in the heart.' continued to spread what were considered false > Many will thank this gentle father for having led ideas. Chris pointed out that Matsapa was, a > their steps towards the majestic shores of the Government school and that the Government > ocean of Baha'u'llih's utterance. stood for freedom of religion. The acting Prin- > cipal still tried to intimidate him but did n i t take > I ask of Thee by the splendour of the orb of > the step to expel the youth, as Chris asked for a > Thy revelation, mercifully to accept from him > written reason for his dismissal. It took great > that which he hath achieved in Thy days. > courage on his part not to recant his belief in the > Grant then that he may be invested with the > BahB'i Faith, although refusing to do so could > glory of Thy goodpleasure and adorned with > have resulted in Christopher's being deprived of > Thy acceptance. > a higher education after working so hard to > K A ~ (ZAYN) > L ZEIN > gain entry into the only school that could qualify > him for this. > After graduating from Matsapa High School > he entered Pope Pius I1 College at Roma, > Basutoland (now Lesotho) and qualified for a > CHRISTOPHER V. KUHLASE > junior secondary teacher's diploma in 1963. > 1937-1975 From college, he entered the teaching pro- > 0 Son of Spirit! MyJirst counsel is this: fession and quickly rose to the rank of Head- > Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart that master of the Bhunya Primary School which has > thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperish- a student body of 1,000 pupils. His success in > able and everlasting. Baha'u'llah raising the standard of education there resulted > in his appointment to the position of Headmas- > These words of Baha'u'llah were the lodestar of ter at the Secondary School of Lobamba in the > the life of Christopher Vikelizizwe Kuhlase. His heart and administrative centre of the Swazi > 'pure, kindly and radiant heart' won for him nation. > friends of all ages and from all walks of life. Just During these years Christopher was exceed- > seeing his beaming smile, one would say 'he is ingly active in his service to the Baha'i Faith. He > unquestionably a Baha'i.' was on various national and local committees > Christopher was one of the early Baha'is of and was a member of the first National Spiritual > Swaziland who, as a youth, accepted the Faith Assembly of Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozam- > when he was a student at the Swazi National bique which was elected in 1967. He served as > High School at Matsapa. He was born in the assistant secretary to this body until he was > rural area of Nhlangano, Swaziland in 1937, the assigned overseas duties by the Swazi nation. > IN MEMORIAM 547 > Faith and an appreciation of its capacity to > solve the complex problems of the world, and he > was able to impart that knowledge to many > outstanding people whom he met from divers > nations of the world. > His death, even as his life, was given in service > to his beloved Bahi'u'llah. Shortly before the > untimely automobile accident which took his > life on 29 March 1975, Christopher had in- > structed his wife that he must be given a Bahi'i > burial, little knowing how soon the occasion > would arise. His funeral was conducted from the > Leroy Ioas National Baha'i Centre in Mbabane, > Swaziland and was attended by between 400 > and 500 mourners. The procession of cars which > slowly made its way to the immaculate and > beautiful gardens of the Bahi'i Centre was over > a mile in length. Many of his friends from > Government service attended the funeral and > spoke most lovingly of his services to the > Government and to the people of Swaziland; > they expressed the hope that another of his > calibre of integrity, honesty and brilliance > Christopher V. Kuhlase would arise in the service of the nation. No event > the Bahi'i community could have arranged > He was a brilliant and convincing speaker and could have afforded an opportunity for a more > travelled to many parts of Swaziland giving the eloquent proclamation of the teachings of > message of Bahi'u'llah. Bahi'u'llah. > Swaziland gained its independence in 1968 BENJAMIN N. DLAMINI > and those of talent and recognized capacity VALERA F. ALLEN > were called upon to assist the developing nation. - > Christopher was selected by His Majesty King > Sobhuza I1 to serve on the staff of the Embassy > of Swaziland in Washington, D.C. He also > served as an alternate member of the delegation > representing Swaziland at the United Nations > headquarters in New York. > When he returned from the United States in Ruhi Arbab was born into a distinguished > 1969, Christopher joined the Department of Bahi'i family in 'Ishqabad, Russian Turkistan > Establishment and Training as Assistant Sec- where his forebears had emigrated from frin. > retary and later was appointed Secretary of the He was a bright and capable child and had an > Public Service Commission. He then became exceptionally good memory. He studied in the > Under-Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Bahi'i primary school in 'Ihqibad and then > Power and Communications. In 1972 he was entered the State intermediate school. He ac- > transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as quired an extensive knowledge of the Faith > Under-Secretary, the position he held until the from notable Baha'i scholars including > time of his fatal accident. Muhammad-'Ali Qa'ini, Siyyid Mihdi > During his travels in his capacity as an em- Gulpaygani and 'Ali-Akbar Furutan. He en- > ployee of the Swaziland Government, both in joyed literature and was encouraged to write > the United States and in various countries articles and stories about the Faith. > which he visited as a representative of the Ruhi was among those youth who were expel- > Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he met many led from the University of Leningrad and exiled > Baha'is and gained a deep knowledge of the to Persia because of their affiliation with the > 548 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > Faith. The young > - - men submitted the details of > their case to Shoghi Effendi from whom they , , > > received a loving reply exhorting them not to be > saddened or grieved by the event and stating .:,, , ,., ',: > > that if it were the will of God their exile and ;,!;': ,,*, > banishment might be the source of attracting :, ,,, : . , > divine confirmations in large measure. If love of ',:, , > God and turning to Him be accounted a crime, > the Guardian wrote in effect, what can be better > ,~ ",' > than that; and were steadfastness and firmness, > servitude and selflessness to rank as a sin, what > can excel it? > Ru!$s father, Na~ru'llah,had nothing to offer > him for the expenses of his journey but a gold > watch he had saved. This he gave to his seven- > teen year old son as a parting gift with his > blessing when Ruhi left for Persia. His mother 1 > could add only a scarf and her tear-laden kisses. > For a time, Ruhi lived in Ma&had. Then he I > sold his watch to obtain funds with which to > travel to Tihran. The sensitive young man, > already gravely affected by the enforced in- I > > terruption of his schooling, now suffered further > Rzihi Avbdb > ordeals. Illness, privation, discomfort and soli- > tude contributed their share to making his lot spent three years studying under such eminent > almost unbearable. Other misfortunes now teachers as Fadil-i-Mazandarini and Jinab-i- > befell him: the imprisonment of his father in Sulaymani. He also devoted some time to a > 'Ihqabad, followed by his death; the exile of his study of Islim acquiring as much knowledge of > brother and his disappearance; and the banish- the subject as he considered requisite for teach- > ment of his mother and his brother's family to ing the Cause. He then broadened the,scope of > irkn. When informed of the death of Rhhi's his service by conducting teacher-training and > father, the beloved Guardian whose gracious character-forming classes for BahB'i youth and > kindness sustained Rul?i throughout this dark children. After an unsuccessful attempt to serve > period, in a letter written on his behalf by his as a home-front pioneer in 1943, Rhhi returned > secretary, consoled the young man with the to Tihran and played a conspicuous part in > thought that whatever had befallen the sore- teaching Baha'i youth and motivating them to > tried and faithful Arbab family had been in the arise and serve the Faith. In 1955 he was elected > path of service to the Beloved. to membership of the Local Spiritual Assembly > R u g secured a job in a newspaper office and and served as its secretary until the outburst of > later worked in the Finance Ministry. His youth turbulence in that year which resulted in the > in Tihrin was spent in service to the Cause and demolition of the dome of the National > the sterling qualities of his character endeared Haziratu'l-Quds and the curtailment of all > him to his friends, Baha'i and non-BahB'i. He Bahi'i administrative a~tivities.~ > married in 1941 and continued his services to During this upheaval, Ruhi was like a rock > the Faith in such a manner as to evoke the for the persecuted friends who repaired to his > appreciation of Shoghi Effendi. home for advice and help. To discharge the > Laying great stress upon the education of his duties devolving upon him in increasing meas- > children, Ruhi and his wife Furu& agreed that ure under such circumstances proved to be a > she would reduce her BahB'i activities and he burden that taxed his health. After spending a > would increase his in like ratio. Accordingly, he brief period in the United States, R u F returned > devoted only one-half the day to earning a to Tihran and was again elected secretary of the > livelihood and the other half to Baha'i work. In 1 see6 ~ h~e ~ h~ k ~ i ~~~~~~~i~~ ~and the united > ~ > order to increase his knowledge of the Faith he Nations', The Bahd'i World, vol. XIII, p. 789. > I N MEMORIAM 549 > Local Spiritual Assembly. Later he served as a ROBERT HENRY PATTERSON > member of the National Spiritual Assembly of 1925-1975 > Iran and on various committees. In 1968 he was > elected secretary of the National Spiritual As- Robert Henry Patterson was born in Greenock > sembly and served in that capacity until his on the west coast of Scotland on 19 September > death. 1925. He worked as an accountant until his > When he was himself a father of two children, departure for Australia in 1949.After travelling > he decided to study law. He obtained a law around Australia for several years he eventually > degree in 1950 and then studied Russian in the settled in Brisbane, Queensland and it was here, > university. He served in the Ministry of Agricul- in 1956, that he learned of the BahL'i Faith and > ture and the Veterinary College. He was next embraced it. > transferred to the secretariat of the university From the beginning, Bob played an active > and thence to the Ministry of Water and Power. role in the BahB'i community and his selfless > His services attracted the favourable attention devotion was greatly admired by all with whom > of the authorities, chiefly because of the honesty he came in contact. He pioneered to Ipswich to > and integrity which characterized all his work. assist in the formation of the Local Spiritual > When his services at one of. the national Assembly and he was also a founding member > colleges in Tihran were terminated because he of the Queensland University Baha'i Society. > was a Baha'i, he devoted his time to translating During the Nine Year Plan he responded to > valuable books into Persian; here he met with the call of the Universal House of Justice for > the same success as in the BahL'i sphere. He also pioneers to the Pacific islands, and in April 1968 > produced a general book for children consisting arrived in Apia, Western Samoa, where he > of stories from different sources from various worked as chief accountant for one of the > countries translated into Persian and offered to largest firms of general merchants in the Pacific. > his countrymen. He translated for the benefit of His home was always open to both BahB'is and > youth biographies of some of the world's great their friends, and weekly firesides were held. > men. Some of his translations were put to use by Regular teaching trips were made to villages > members of the teaching profession. He made a outside Apia and on many occasions he was > significant contribution to the BahB'i com- > munity of Persia by producing a work in five > volumes for Baha'i children under the title of > Stories of the Faith. > With the close of the National Convention at > Ridvan 1975 it seemed that Ruhi Arbab's work > on earth had terminated. His body could no > longer bear the strain it had endured over the > years. He was taken to hospital where he died on > 5 May. Though his passing was tragic, it seemed > a fitting climax to a life devoted to serving the > Cause of God with no thought of self, rest or > comfort. > Informed of his passing, the Universal House > of Justice cabled: > PROFOUNDLY SADDENED GRIEVOUS LOSS > STEADFAST DEVOTED SERVANT PROMOTER > FAITH RUHI ARBAB STOP HIS TREMENDOUS > EFFORTS TEACHING ADMINISTRATIVE FIELDS > CULMINATING IN HIS OUTSTANDING SERVICES > AS SECRETARY NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY > UNFORGETTABLE HIGHLY MERITORIOUS ... > FURIT= ARBAB > (Translated from Persian by Rustom Sabit) Robert Henry Patterson > 550 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > joined by Mr. Sam Ale Ale, a devoted Samoan loved husband, Peleiupu (Pele) Patterson > believer, who acted as his translator. informed her family that she wished to be a > Bob was elected to the National Spiritual Baha'i and carry on his work. Since then she > Assembly of Samoa when it was formed in 1970 has become active in the Baha'i community > and served as national treasurer. He also served following in the footsteps of her husband. > on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Apia until > the last months of his life when his severe illness Centre your energies in the propagation of the > precluded active participation. In the same year Faith of God. Whoso is worthy of so high a > he had the bounty of making his pilgrimage to calling, let him arise andpromote it. > the Holy Land and on the journey visited his BahB'u'llah > family in Scotland for the first time since 1949. > Early in 1971 Bob married Miss Peleiupu > Less, a non-BahB'i, of a well-known family in > Apia and became integrated into the social BLANCA VICTORIA MEJIA > fabric of the island. The birth of their daughter, 1911-1975 > Mary Elizabeth, brought them much joy. > During 1974 Bob was stricken by a severe Blanca Victoria Mejia was the first Baha'i of > illness which terminated in his death on 19 May Nicaragua. She learned of the Faith through > 1975. He was the first Baha'i pioneer of Samoa Mathew Kaszab,l one of the first pioneers to > to give up his life at his post. Central America, who settled in Nicaragua in > At Bob's request, the National Spiritual As- 1939. Blanca enrolled in the Faith on 21 April > sembly of Samoa consulted with his wife and 1941 and was unceasingly firm and devoted to > her family regarding his funeral and in the Cause of BahB'u'llah. Her deareSt wish was > deference to their Christian background and be- to leave this world on the anniversary of the > cause of the love and devotion which they had declaration of the Bab or BahB'u'llBh. She died > always showered upon him, it was agreed that on 23 May 1975. > prior to the BahB'i service a few prayers and Blanca was born on 3 December 1911 in > words of eulogy would be spoken in the family Leon, Nicaragua of very educated and cultured > church. On the day of his burial, as a sign of parents. At the age of three she was struck by > respect, the firm for which he had worked flew poliomyelitis which left her with a crippled left > its flag at half mast. The many non-BahB'is foot and paralyzed her right hand. Although her > who attended the funeral at the National Centre speech was also affected and she stammered and > and the burial in the Baha'i cemetery were slurred her words, this did not hinder her from > deeply moved by the BahB'i readings and studying and teaching the BahB'i Faith. She > prayers and many lingered to ask questions completed high school and an advanced course > about the Faith. in the university, then taught school for thirty > On learning of the passing of Robert Pat- years. Never married, she was retired and re- > terson the Universal House of Justice cabled on ceiving a pension at the time of her death. She > 21 May 1975: wrote many stories and poems which were > published in newspapers and magazines. > DEEPLY GRIEVED LEARN UNTIMELY PASSING > The growth of the Faith in Nicaragua is due > DEVOTED PIONEER SAMOA ROBERT PATTERSON > largely to the labours of Blanca. She taught > PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL > many prominent people about the Cause of > ABHA KINGDOM PLEASE CONVEY LOVING SYM- > BahB'u'llBh and some have become active in the > PATHY MEMBERS FAMILY. > Faith. In spite of her delicate health her free time > Robert Henry Patterson lies with his fellow was spent in visiting the BahB'is and their > believers in Magiagi Cemetery. The melodies friends. People from many different back- > and words of many BahB'i songs waft over their grounds sought her friendship because she was > graves when the friends gather at the National loving, amiable, kind and sincere to everyone? > Centre a short distance away. Bob will always When Mathew Kaszab was imprisoned by the > be remembered in the hearts of many for his > loving spirit with its kind and gentle qualities. 'See 'In Memoriam', TIze Balzd'i World, vol. IX, p. 614; The > A few months after the passing of her be- Balzri'i Centenary 1844-1944, p. 196. > I N MEM[ O R I A M 55 1 > declaration of one of the Founders of the Faith. > She was a member of the first Local Spiritual > Assembly of Leon, andis buried there. Her place > in the history of the Cause in Central America is > assured, for the Universal House of Justice > cabled : > SADDENED LEARN PASSING BLANCA MEJIA > FIRST RECORDED BELIEVER NICARAGUA HER > DEVOTED SERVICE CAUSE FOR OVER THREE > DECADES LENDS LUSTRE ANNALS FAITH CEN- > TRAL AMERICA PRAYING HOLY THRESHOLD > PROGRESS HER SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. > ROSET. MANGAPIS > > JAMES HENRY ISAAC BEETON > > James Beeton, the first Cape Barren Islander to > become a follower of Baha'u'llah, was born on > 15 April 1907 on Cape Barren Island, the > Blanca Victoria Mejia second largest island in the Furneaux group, > north-east of Tasmania. Jim, as he was known > Nicaraguan government for his Baha'i activ- to his family and friends, spent his early years on > itiesl she never failed to visit him and bring him the island and when he grew up he raised sheep. > food and persisted in her fruitless attempts to Later he moved to the Tasmanian mainland to > obtain his release. When one of the Baha'is met manage a farm in partnership with his two > with an accident and was in hospital, Blanca brothers. > recited many times daily the Tablet of Ahmad In April 1970 Jim retired to live in Glenorchy, > until the believer recovered and returned to his near Hobart, Tasmania's capital city. Here Jim > home. This man is now a member of the and his wife, Eliza,, came into contact with the > National Spiritual Assembly of Nicaragua. Baha'i Faith through Mr. and Mrs. Harry > These incidents serve to show how highly spiri- Penrith. Harry is a full-blood Australian Ab- > tual she was, and how loving to the Bahi'is. original and his wife, Leone, a white Australian. > Through the generosity of some Baha'i It was a rare and beautiful experience for the > friends, Blanca attended the centenary celebra- Cape Barren Island people in the Hobart area to > tion of the BahB'is of the United States held in meet an interracial couple and they listened with > Wilmette, Illinois in 1944. She was always very respect to the BahB'i teachings on the unity of > proud to show the photograph taken during the human race. At that time the Cape ~ a r r e n > that centenary convention. She can be seen Islanders regarded themselves as a separate race > standing in the right-hand corner of the picture and tended to associate only with other Cape > which appears in vol. X of The Baha'i World. Barren Islanders, holding themselves aloof from > Unfortunately her copy of the photograph was the white and Aboriginal population. > buried during the earthquake which struck The fiftieth anniversary of the Ascension of > Managua in 1972. Blanca escaped uninjured 'Abdu'l-Baha was marked by a public service > and moved to Leon to live with one of her held on 27 November 1971 at Hobart Town > nieces. One day she fell, breaking her right Hall with approximately forty people in atten- > thigh, and died two days later, fulfilling her wish dance, three-quarters of them Cape Barren > to leave this earth on the anniversary of the Islanders, friends of Mr. and Mrs. Penrith. Jim > Beeton who had never before attended a Baha'i > The Bah6'i World, vol. IX, p. 616. meeting was in the audience. A brief intro- > two Knights of Bahs'u'llah, Miss Gretta Lamp- > rill,' the first BahC'i in Tasmania, and Miss > Gladys Parke,2 the first BahC'i in Northern > Tasmania. > > SIYYID AM~R-SHAH MUJAHID > 1936-1975 > Siyyid Amir-&ah Mujahid was born in a village > in the Province of Maydan, Afhanisthn in > 1936. His father being a religious man en- > couraged him from childhood to study theol- > ogy. Arnir-Shah from an early age displayed a > great talent for acquiring knowledge. He soon > excelled in Persian and Arabic and showed a > keen interest in religious subjects. He went to > Kabul, the capital of the country, to complete > his studies with a famous 'ulama and while still a > young man became a mu119 entitled to teach > classes in theology. Although Mr. Mujahid was > a member of the Shi'ih sect of Islam he was > James Henry Isaac Beeton open-minded. He studied Sunni literature and > without any hesitation had contact with Sunni > priests. Such was his integrity and character that > duction to the Faith was presented and he had the confidence and respect of the 'ulamas > excerpts were read from a compilation of the of both sects. He won great popularity and > words of 'Abdu'l-Baha. The service was fol- respect by denouncing from the pulpit those > lowed by a dinner and informal BahB'i gather- who, in the guise of priests, sought material gain > ing. The Cape Barren guests who have scant and worldly acclaim. He was a pious and highly- > social life expressed their delight at being in a principled man. When a friend presented him > gathering of people of many races and listened with funds to enable him to make a pilgrimage > with interest to the remarks of Miss Thelma to Mecca he refused the gift explaining to his > Perks of the Continental Board of Counsellors friend that if his intention were sincere the > in Australasia who described her travels in money should be distributed among the poor. > various regions of the Pacific and spoke of the He lived modestly in a very humble dwelling. > uniting influence of the teachings of How Mr. Mujahid became interested in the > Bahs'u'llah. During the evening Jim Beeton BahB'i Faith is an interesting story. Two BahB'is > expressed his desire to be a BahB'i. A humble independently dreamed that 'Abdu'l-Baha told > and loving soul, he at first hesitantly said that he them to give the message of God to Siyyid Amir- > felt he was 'too old and uneducated to become a -Shah Mujkhid, and they did so. After a very > Baha'i,' but his shining eyes betrayed that he brief investigation of the teachings and a perusal > had already accepted the Faith in his heart. of the Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Mr. Mujahid was > Shortly after declaring his acceptance of the confirmed in the Bahs'i .Faith, exclaiming that > Cause, Mr. Beeton became seriously ill with what he had read could only have been the > diabetes. Despite the restrictions this imposed revealed Word of God. Although he was ad- > upon him he participated in Bahs'i community vised that a man in his position might not > activities to the extent he could and served on relinquish his duties as a mulli too soon, he did > the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Glenorchy. not agree, and he refused immediately to con- > On the evening of 24 May 1975 he passed into a > coma and left this world. He was laid to rest in ' S e e 'In Memoriam', The Baha'i World, vol. XV, p. 534. > Launceston, only yards from the resting place of See 'In Memoriam', The Baha'i World, vol. XV, p. 457. > IN MEMORIAM 553 > dedication for thirty-five years. She died at her > pioneering post in the Canary Islands on 10 > June 1975. > One knows a great deal about the spirit of > Ann Ashen after reading the pioneer appli- > cation which she filled out in January 1961 at the > age of sixty-six. In the area reserved for pre- > ferred pioneering location, Mrs. Ashen checked > Europe, Central America, South America, Asia > and Africa. At that time she was not in good > health and her resources were limited to a small > Social Security cheque. In spite of this she began > a period of renewed service as an overseas > pioneer, completing fifteen years in European > goals before her passing. She represented her > beloved Faith in Finland, in Luxembourg and, > at the very end of her life, in the Canary Islands. > The Baha'i friends in Las Palmas, calling for > her to take her to a prayer meeting, found her > lying on the floor, her hip broken as a result of a > fall. She was operated on in the local hospital > * 9.BL > the following day, 10 June. When a number of > BahL'is, including Virginia Orbison, called to > Siyyid Amir Bcih Mujcihid see her after the surgery, they were told that she > had died just as they arrived. One later reported, > tinue giving lessons in Islamic theology, stating 'She looked as if she were seeing something > that it was dishonest to waste the time of his wonderful!' Burial took place in the BahB'i > students on subjects which he now knew were of cemetery the following day and a memorial > no importance to the advancement of their gathering was held that evening. > souls. However, because of popular demand, he Miss Orbison, recalling the passing of Mrs. > continued for some time to preach from the Ashen, has written: 'Her stay, and her passing in > pulpit. the hospital, provided opportunities for speak- > As a Baha'i, Mr. Mujahid travelled to various ing about the Faith. She did the best she could > Provinces and was instrumental in bringing a without knowledge of the language. The super- > number of people into the Faith. He wrote two visor, who was with her at the end, had been > little booklets, one being an outline of the proofs extremely kind and attentive; she spoke English > of the Baha'i Faith and the other a dissertation well and received the Message of BahB'u'llah > on the laws of BahB'u'llah. with great interest . . . I am thankful for having > Unfortunately, his life as a Baha'i was very had the bounty of seeing Ann on . . . my first > short and he died on 19 June 1975 after a brief visit to the Canary Islands. It was a very moving > illness. A number of famous 'ulamis attended experience. All the believers were deeply > his funeral and praised him publicly as one who touched, as they loved and admired Ann . . . > loved the truth and who was courageous in Just two weeks before her fall, she had spoken to > following the right path at all times. the friends in a meeting and all mentioned her > radiance and the wisdom of her talk. Surely her > soul is soaring into the heights of the Abha > kingdom.' > Mrs. Ashen spoke very little about her early > ELIZABETH ANN (ANNA) ASHEN years, but she did mention that her parents had > 1895-1975 emigrated from Holland to the United States, > and that she had had the opportunity to study > Elizabeth Anna Jessuren Ashen was born on 19 German in school. After graduating from high > October 1895 and served the BahB'i Faith with school in 1915 she worked first as a bookkeeper > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > bourg. In its farewell letter the National Spiri- > tual Assembly of Finland wrote: 'We are very > grateful for your devoted services always in > helping our country to reach her Crusade goals > . . . May our Beloved Bahi'u'llah richly bless > your efforts wherever you toil in the work of > establishing His Kingdom on this earth of ours.' > After serving for some time in Esch-sur- > Alzette, Mrs. Ashen settled in Lamadelaine; > here, her dreams of assisting the youth were > realized, with many attending her numerous > fireside and social gatherings. Mrs. Ashen was > elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of > Luxembourg at the 1964 convention and served > on that body for one year. By the time her failing > health prompted her to leave the unfavourable > climate of Luxembourg and pioneer to the > Canary Islands, a Local Spiritual Assembly had > been established in Lamadelaine. > Informed by the National Spiritual Assembly > of Spain of the passing of this devoted servant of > Baha'u'llah, the Universal House of Justice > wrote on 8 July 1975: 'We were profoundly > Elizabeth Ann (Anna)Ashen sorry to learn of the passing of Ann Ashen > whose devoted services in the pioneering field > will long be remembered. That she has laid her > and later became a licensed practical nurse. She mortal dust to rest in the soil of the Canary > embraced the Baha'i Faith in 1940 and from Islands is a crown to her pioneering achieve- > that time onward her efforts were directed ments which will assuredly be abundantly > towards the goals of the BahB'i teaching plans. blessed in the Abha kingdom. It is our prayer at > As early as 1945 she wrote to Shoghi Effendi the Sacred Threshold that the believers in the > about her desire to pioneer to Mexico. Even- Canary Islands will be inspired by her example > tually her homefront pioneering led her to to win great victories for the Cause of > Alaska, where she served in Ketchikan. At the BahB'u'llah.' > time that she applied for overseas pioneering, BETHMCKENTY > the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska re- > ferred to her as a 'diligent and ceaseless worker'. > Exactly two months after she volunteered to > pioneer abroad, she arrived at her post in Lahti, ISFAND~YARBAKHT~YAF~ > Finland and wrote to the European Teaching > 1895-1975 > Committee : 'The friends here are very delightful > and I am sure that we will be able to do great Isfandiyar U u d a d a d Bahram Baatiyiri was > things . . . I spent Thursday and Friday in born in Nirsi-abad, Yazd, Iran in 1895. He > Stockholm at the Haziratu'l-Quds and then received little education and after completing > went to Turku where I had a long visit with elementary school he took up the family occu- > Mildred Clark and Loyce Lawrence and the pation of farming. Hardworking and quick to > Turku friends . . . There is such a wonderful learn, he became adept at his work. Isfandiyar's > Baha'i spirit here and such love that the Faith family were zealous Zoroastrians and as a > cannot help but grow.' young man he clung to his beliefs fanatically > At the end of the Ten Year Crusade, Mrs. and held a deep-rooted prejudice towards the > Ashen offered to remain in Europe and, after teachings of other Faiths. He loathed to hear the > making pilgrimage to the Holy Land early in Mu'aadhin raise the call to prayer and he > 1964, she relocated in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxem- hated Isfandiyar Ardi&ir, a Baha'i teacher of > wrote a letter to 'Abdu'l-Bahk which he signed > 'Isfandiyar a u d a d k d ' and was favoured by a > Tablet in reply in which the Master addressed > him as 'Isfandiyar Khudidkd, known as > Babtiyari' (literally, befriended by good for- > tune or destiny). From that day forward he > adopted the name BaQtiyari and even applied > for his identity card under this name. > In 1920 he attained the presence of 'Abdu'l- > Baha in the Holy Land. The pilgrimage brought > him contentment, joy and a firmer belief in the > Cause of God. A brighter future dawned for him > and he acquired increased devotion and some > measure of economic security. In 1921 he and > his wife pioneered to Karachi, then a small > developing city. He served successively on the > National Spiritual Assembly of India and > Burma which came into being in 1923 and on > the National Spiritual Assembly of India, Paki- > stan and ~ u m which > a was formed in 1947, and > in 1957 when an independent National Spiritual > Assembly was established in Pakistan he was its > first chairman. In the half century during which > he served on these bodies he often held the office > of chairman or treasurer. He did not relish being > called treasurer and would style himself the > Yazd, joining with other youths in harassing trustee of the Baha'i funds. Although he pro- > him. In 1914 he married Sarvar u a n u m , the fessed himself ignorant of accounting pro- > daughter of Rustam Jam&id of Maryamabad. cedures, he was of the highest integrity and was > The turning point came for Isfandiyar well suited to his service. He continued to be > Bakhtiyiri a year or so later when he met elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of > Burzu Isfandiyar, a nephew of a noted BahB'i, Pakistan until he was appointed to serve as a > at a memorial gathering held at the home of a member of the Auxiliary Board. > relative. The Bahi'i refrained from drinking Baatiyari radiated love and affection, a > wine which is a part of the Zoroastrian cere- capacity which attracted hundreds to him and > monial for the departed, and read extracts from won many friends for the Faith. He established > Tablets of Bahi'u711ah which so impressed the friendly and enduring relationships with munici- > young Bakhtiyiri that he began to investigate pal officials, Government officers and leaders of > the Bahi'i Faith. As soon as he became the business community. The elite of the city > attracted he turned to Isfandiyar Ardihir whom considered it their privilege to serve the BahB'i > he had so vehemently opposed, was lovingly for- community. > given and, under his tutelage, began a serious During the half century of his BahB'i service > study of the Baha'i Cause which he soon whole- Bakhtiyari travelled extensively in the subcon- > heartedly espoused. This declaration on the part tinent and in Burma, Ceylon and Bangladesh. > of one so orthodox gave rise to a battalion of The teaching tour on which he accompanied the > sorrows for Babtiyari. Relatives and friends Hand of the Cause Martha Root1 in 1938 was a > deserted him and it became impossible for him landmark in the history of the Faith in southern > to continue farming. Disgusted by the blindly Asia. They visited many centres and had audi- > dogmatic activity surrounding him he disposed ences with several outstanding figures including > of his land and in 1917-19 18 with his young wife the Maharaja of Travancore and Dr. Rabin- > he sailed for Bombay where he became a part of dranath Tagore. On another occasion he also > the active community of BahB'is and eventually See 'International Survey of Current BahL'i Activities', The > established himself as a partner in a hotel. He Baha'i World, vol. VII, pp. 95-98. > 556 T H E BAHA'I W O R L D > > accompanied the renowned BahB'i scholar, the duties as an Auxiliary Board member, he began > Hand of the Cause Tarazu'llah Samandari, in a tour of Frontier Province, an area inhabited > his travels in India. His own teaching excursions mostly by the Pathans. Here the laity tend to be > took him from Kashmir to Cape Comorin and orthodox and the mullas prejudiced. He based > from Karachi to Rangoon. The second World himself at the BahB'i Centre in Rawalpindi and > War had ravaged Burma. He undertook long began his work but his extensive travels and age > and tiring visits to the BahB'i communities there took their toll at last and he fell ill. During his > to encourage the friends who had suffered and illness his indomitable spirit prevailed and in an > to revisit the resting-place of the Hand of the attitude of prayerfulness he breathed his last on > Cause Mustafa Rumi at Daidanaw. Travelling 24 June. He was buried in the Karachi BahB'i > and teaching became for him a way of life. For cemetery, in land which he had struggled to > months on end and sometimes for intervals of acquire from the municipality. > up to six months he would be away from home On 24 June 1975 the Universal House of > teaching the Cause here, consolidating a centre Justice cabled : > there and encouraging the friends wherever he > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING VALIANT SELFLESS > went. His travels were facilitated by the full co- > STEADFAST PROMOTER FAITH ISFANDIYAR > operation of his understanding wife whose > BAKHTIYARI STOP HIS LIFELONG SERVICES SHED > loneliness can only be imagined, for the couple > LUSTRE ANNALS FAITH ENTIRE SUBCONTINENT > had no issue. She passed her days in prayer, > STOP ADVISE HOLD BEmTTING MEMORIAL MEET- > content that her husband was engaged in the > INGS STOP SUPPLICATING DIVINE THRESHOLD > service of God. BaBtiyari's business partners, > RICH REWARD HIS LONG DEVOTED SERVICES > too, consented to his travels so he was able to > CAUSE GOD. > move about with a light heart in serving his > beloved Cause. > Mr. and Mrs. Baatiyari were twice able to > visit the Holy Land and attain the presence of > Shoghi Effendi. In 1963, Isfandiyar again went > to the Holy Land to participate in the first > election of the Universal House of Justice. JAMES VASSAL FACEY > Baatiyari's devotion to the Guardian may > be measured by his dedicated implementation of > Shoghi Effendi's advice to shift the national James Vassal Facey passed to the Abha king- > headquarters of the BahB'i community of India dom on 9 July 1975. He lived an exemplary > from Poona to New Delhi. As treasurer of the BahB'i life, one that was completely dedicated to > National Spiritual Assembly he spearheaded a Baha'u'llah's service. His goal was total com- > drive for funds during the course of which he mitment to the Cause he loved so dearly and to > travelled thousands of miles, and successfully which he contributed his utmost for thirty years. > negotiated the purchase of the present National Jim and his wife Gladys-called Maisie by > Haziratu'l-Quds of India. He was also re- her friends-accepted the BahB'i Faith in June > sponsible, with the help of various friends, for the 1945 and were among the first harvest of souls > purchase of a site on which was constructed the who responded to the teaching efforts of Cora > first Bahi'i endowment in the Indian subcon- Oliver and Louise Caswell who opened Panama > tinent, a structure which became the present to the Faith in 1939. Mr. and Mrs. Facey shared > National Haziratu'l-Quds of Pakistan. He also the distinction of appearing on the membership > acquired two adjacent lots which he donated to roll of Panama's earliest believers and were > the Faith and on one of which a building was among the first five privileged to promote the > placed which he named 'The Happy Home' and Cause of God in Panama. > for which he settled a trust for a future Baha'i Born in Jamaica on 8 August 1896, James > kindergarten. Facey came as a boy to Colbn, the ancient > The last two decades of his life were spent in Atlantic seaport of Panama, with his widowed > pioneering to difficult areas in northern Paki- mother. While she worked to support herself > stan, first to Sargodha and then to Murree, a hill and her son, Jim lived in the home of an > station. In the spring of 1975, in relation to his Anglican priest, Father Edward Cooper, and > IN MEM > > went to school. As a youth, he served as acolyte > in the church of which Father Cooper was > pastor. As Jim grew to manhood, both Father > Cooper and his mother encouraged him to > study for the ministry. At first Jim accepted > training for this vocation but he became increas- > ingly dissatisfied with doctrinal teachings and > finally was convinced that the ministry was not > for him. He stopped attending school and feel- > ing that under the circumstances he could no > longer accept the hospitality of Father Cooper > he left the parsonage and found employment in > the Colon Import and Export Company where > he remained as accountant for over fifty years. > In 1924 he met and married a young Colon > secretary, Gladys Abrahams, who was also a > free thinker in matters of religion. They agreed > that they would not affiliate with any church > and, for the next twenty years, they practised no > formal religion, though a high moral standard > of conduct was practised in the home and their > four children, Cedric, Kathleen, Alicia and > Betty, were exhorted to achieve an education. > In the early 1940s, Maisie met the two pio- .Tames Vassal Facey > neers who were then living in Colon, Cora and > Louise, and became attracted to the Baha'i > teachings. After a course of serious study it did Panama was assigned the groundwork re- > not take the Faceys long to realize that they sponsibility, under the guidance of the Uni- > were Baha'is and they applied for membership. versal House of Justice, for the acquisition of a > One other student who was attending the class, site and the subsequent construction of the > Iola Edwards, was accepted formally as a mem- Mother Temple of Latin America. His ded- > ber with the Faceys, and thus was formed the ication to the work relating to the construction > first Baha'i group in Colon, the second largest of the first BahB'i House of Worship on the soil > city in Panama. of Panama knew no bounds. When he was > When the first Local Spiritual Assembly was appointed as one of the readers at the dedication > formed in Colon, circa 1950, both Jim and of the Temple in April 1972, his gratitude for > Maisie were members. Jim was elected as trea- this bounty was immeasurable. > surer, a service he rendered all the rest of his life. Jim's total commitment to the Cause of > Their daughter, Kathleen, declared her faith in Baha'u'llah was readily apparent to all those > 1953 and their daughter, Alicia, the following who came into contact with him. To him, the > year. The girls were in their early twenties and Cause was like an ocean, and he was a fish > both served on the Local Assembly. swimming in this ocean. He taught the Faith for > Jim was a member of the regional National thirty years with a steadfastness which was as > Spiritual Assembly of Central America and the natural as breathing. The stranger sitting beside > Antilles which came into being in 1951 and him on a public park bench, his fellow passenger > served as treasurer of that body until 1957 when on a bus, train or plane, within seconds would > the regional National Spiritual Assembly of hear, however briefly, of the BahB'i Faith. His > Central America was formed. When an inde- ever-burning zeal to present to others the veri- > pendent National Spiritual Assembly was es- ties of Baha'u'llah's teachings was perhaps his > tablished in Panama in 1961 he was again greatest weakness in that his patience with > elected as treasurer and in this office continued anyone reluctant to recognize or accept was > to render faithful and dedicated service until often thin. Being so totally convinced himself, > 1968. The National Spiritual Assembly of he could not understand how anyone could fail > 558 THE BAHA'I WORLD > > to see the truth. He avidly supported extension Assembly duties and private teaching and mak- > teaching projects on the national and local levels ing an occasional trip. > and he placed into circulation countless Baha'i He was ill for only three months before his > books and pamphlets. He would never write a death and passed away quietly with Maisie > letter to a non-BahQ'i which did not contain sitting beside him. We know that when the > some reference to the Faith. history of the BahB'i Faith in Panama is written, > Jim had a keen grasp of the administrative and 'Abdu'l-Bahi's prophecy about Panama's > principles of the Faith. He studied this aspect of role in the development of the Faith shall have > the Faith avidly and applied the principles in his been fulfilled, James Facey's contributions to its > relationship to his fellow BahQ'isas members of earliest stages will merit singular recognition. > institutions or on a personal plane. Always an . . . ye must give great attention to the Re- > outstanding example of loyalty to these divinely public of Panama . . . That place will become > inspired guidelines,he expected the same loyalty very important in the future. The teachings, > from others. As his service to the Colon once established there, will unite the East and > Import and Export Company lengthened, he West, the North and South. > was increasingly able to arrange his vacations to 'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan > coincide with BahB'i conferences and institutes, > both in Panama and abroad, and made an effort > to attend as many as possible, it giving him > much satisfaction that he was able to finance his > own travelling expenses thereby saving the FRED GRAHAM > struggling national fund thousands of dollars. In > 1913-1975 > 1952 he was privileged to witness the dedication > of the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette, Two weeks before his passing, Fred Graham > Illinois and he was also present at the All- attended the conference at Wilmette in 1975 > America Intercontinental Teaching Con- that brought together the two great branches of > ference in Chicago in 1953 when the Ten Year the Administrative Order, on both of which he > Crusade was launched. He attended the Inter- had served for many years. The Universal > national Convention in Haifa in 1963 for the House of Justice had called together all the 'high > first election of the Universal House of Justice ranking officers' and 'senior administrative > and served as a teller during that epoch-making bodies' of the Faith in North America for > event. special consultation on the future protection of > When the Faceys embraced the Baha'i Faith the Cause. It was in many respects the culmi- > they became targets for taunts and ridicule from nation of his life, for his intensely enquiring > friends and members of the clergy who pro- mind had had a unique opportunity to explore > phesied that their allegiance to this 'strange cult' through consultation some of the most impor- > was destined to be short lived, that they would tant themes in the Writings of the BahB'i Faith, > soon abandon it in disillusion. Jim's faith was and the genius for loving which Fred possessed > exposed to yet another test when the beloved was fully utilized in this gathering whose prin- > Guardian announced that BahB'is should resign cipal achievement was to bind more closely than > their membership in secret organizations in- ever before the institutions of the Faith. Step- > cluding Freemasonry. A prominent member of ping out of the Temple shortly before the > the Masonic Lodge for years, Jim unhesitat- closing session of the conference, Fred was seen > ingly dissociated himself from this fraternal tie. taking a stroll in the gardens. His face was > For him, there could be no other course; the literally radiant, his hat cocked on the side of his > BahB'i Faith was the most important thing in his head in a fashion that was characteristic of him > life. when he was especially happy, and his step was > Five years before his final illness, Jim retired so jaunty that the phrase 'walking on air' > from business and built a new home at Puerto seemed not at all inappropriate. But what most > Pilon, a suburb of Colon, where he laid out and struck those who saw him was his smile: he > planted an extensive garden. He remained smiled as if he had discovered some marvellous > interested, active and in good health until his secret. > late seventies, continuing to carry on his Local His discovery of that secret began in 1949 > He saw in every experience further con- > firmations of the Providence that guided his > entire life. > His ability to see the good in everything was > applied not only to his own life but to the lives of > all who came in contact with him. To his family > and friends he was a constant inspiration, a > source of wit and a dear companion. He would > frequently ask 'Are you happy?' with such a > pure reflection of 'Abdu'l-BahL's spirit of love > that he imparted happiness in the asking. He > was both a serious student and a spontaneous > optimist. He approached young people with the > same open humility as he did leaders of thought. > This humility, coupled with his humour, invited > others to share in his delight with everything > around him, and made him able to evoke in > others a quality of response which they were > unaware that they possessed. While remaining > remarkably unaware of his own noble qualities, > his audacious mind seemed to put him in touch > with ideas that were at the very forefront of the > unfoldment of the Cause, for he always strove to > Fred Graham unravel their implications, and derived new joy > from doing so in his teaching and administrative > service. > when his former piano teacher, Miss Gertrude In 1954 he was elected to the National Spiri- > Barr, was moved to reacquaint herself with him tual Assembly of Canada on which body he > for the express purpose of teaching him the served for nine years, participating in the first > Faith, after his name had come to her repeatedly election of the Universal House of Justice. In > during prayer. Aware of her interest in an 1964, following a heart attack, he was appointed > unfamiliar religion, Fred at first tried to avoid to the Auxiliary Board and, as his health im- > her, but she was determined and finally suc- proved, devoted increasing time to extensive > ceeded in telling him about BahB'u'llah. It was travelling teaching throughout his area of re- > not long before he responded to the wonderful sponsibility. Fred's service to the Cause was > nature of her message. He embraced the Cause marked by a profound awareness of the impor- > in 1951 and immediately began a course of tance of its institutions and a deep love for them. > teaching which lasted until his death on 21 July During his years as an Auxiliary Board member > 1975. the National Assembly derived great strength > Fred was born in Rose Valley, Prince Edward and assurance from his efforts to communicate > Island, Canada on 18 August 1913 and spent his to the friends the ardent appeals so often made > childhood in both Canada and the eastern by the Guardian that they should 'rally round' > United States. As his father's work involved a their local, and in particular their national, > great deal of travelling, Fred's early education centres of activity. This special service was > took place in many different towns and cities, a paralleled by Fred's love and appreciation of > circumstance which may have contributed to the institution of the Hands of the Cause. His > the impression he gave throughout his life of life became an occasion for the institutions of > being at home in whatever situation he was in. the Covenant of Baha'u'llah to meet, to ap- > His work also reflected this flexibility for not preciate the gifts with which each had been > only did he at one time manage a large chain of endowed, and to serve the common purpose for > restaurants and establish his own successful which they had been created. > business in Hamilton, Ontario, but he later On 22 July 1975 the Universal House of > became equally adept in the automotive field. Justice cabled : > 560 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES geline, by giving German lessons. She managed > PROGRESS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM AUXILIARY to book passage for herself and the child on the > BOARD MEMBER FRED GRAHAM DEVOTED last steamer leaving Italy for New York. Had > SERVANT BAHAULLAH INSPIRING TEACHER she waited one more day she could not have left. > CAUSE STOP EXTEND SYMPATHY WIFE FAMILY Some time after reaching America she mar- > FRIENDS THROUGHOUT CANADA LOSS WARM- ried a Mr. Kropf and went to live in Michigan. > HEARTED EXEMPLARY BELIEVER. Her interest in religion continued and deepened. > On one occasion in 1915 she attended a Nine- > teen-Day Feast in a private home and on > hearing the beautiful prayers read recognized > VERENA VENTURINI that this was the Faith of God for this day, the > Cause of which her sister had been speaking and > 1878-1975 > writing to her for so many years. Once when she > On 13 August 1975 the noble soul of our was invited by a literary society in Lowell, > unforgettable Baha'i sister, Mrs. Verena Ven- Michigan to conduct one of their meetings, she > turini, took its flight to the Abha kingdom. My felt it was her chance to offer the message of > hand is stilled and unable to pen the loving Bahi'u'llih; a BahB'i friend, Mrs. Perry of > remembrance and the sorrow that her departure Grand Rapids, read the principles of the Faith > evokes in innumerable friends. Her life in the and Verena spoke of Tahirih. > BahB'i Faith, lasting well over half a century, Mrs. Agnes Parsons who had given up her > sets an example, arouses admiration, inspires worldly life and become a dedicated believer > and infuses courage. made her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1918. > In 1909, in the city of New York, at the home Verena was prevented by family obligations > of her sister, Mrs Maria Schober, Mrs. Ven- from joining her, so she contented herself with > turini for the first time heard the names sending 'Abdu'l-Baha a pair of tan silk gloves. > BahB'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Bahi. It was the eve of When her sister's family moved to San Fran- > her departure for Italy, as her husband Guido cisco, she was asked to join them there. Among > Venturini, a distinguished musician, wished her new friends she counted John and Louise > their child to be born in Rome. That evening Bosch. > Grace Ober and Ella Robarts visited Mrs. Two hard blows came in rapid succession > Schober and spoke of a Personage Whose de- through the deaths of her second husband and > scription made a deep impression upon Verena. her physical and spiritual sister, Maria Schober. > Religion had been very important to her since Mrs. Schober's BahB'i burial was conducted by > childhood; therefore she was attentive and Mrs. Ella Cooper in Brentwood, California. > anxious to know Who He was. She was told : He The desire of her daughter, Evangeline, to > is the Son of BahB'u'llah; His name is 'Abdu'l- start her university studies in the fine arts and > Bahi. The next day Mrs. Venturini departed for music in Italy brought Verena back to Rome in > Rome. 1928.During the long period she spent in Rome, > Mrs. Schober later became a BahB'i through from the date of her return to the end of World > May Maxwell and accompanied her on one War 11, she remained steadfast in the Covenant > occasion in 1912 to the hotel where 'Abdu'l- and was delighted to receive from time to time > BahB was staying. Having attained His presence Baha'i travellers who visited Rome. In 1947, > and, overcome with awe, having forgotten when Dr. and Mrs. Ugo Giachery arrived in > everything she had wanted to ask the Master, Rome as pioneers, she was the first one to join > Mrs. Schober remembered only her sister of them in their efforts to form the first Local > whose difficulties she spoke to Him, and re- Spiritual Assembly of Italy in that city in 1948. > ceived 'Abdu'l-BahB's assurance that He would On page 145 of his Recollections of Shoghi > pray for Mrs. Venturini. Effendi, Dr. Giachery has written: '. . . on the > The death of Mr. Venturini initiated for wall by the head of his bed, Shoghi Effendi had > Verena a period of anxiety and difficulties. She placed the photograph of the first Italian Local > was in a desperate situation at the outbreak of Assembly, that of Rome . . . nothing had > World War I in 1914 and was attempting to pleased him more than the establishment of a > support herself and her little daughter, Evan- BahB'i administrative institutionin the Christian > AORIAM 561 > She never missed a Nineteen-Day Feast, al- > though her home was at least fifteen kilometres > from Rome ;and even when she was eighty years > old, if there was no one to accompany her, she > would take a bus or tram in order to be present. > Unfailingly she brought bouquets of flowers > which the younger believers recognized as the > fragrant and gentle signs of her presence. Un- > forgettable are the memories of the Nineteen- > Day Feasts she hosted yearly, usually in the > spring, at her beautiful home. This setting was a > perfect fusion of the beauty of her soul with the > scent and colour of the flowers and plants in the > surrounding gardens. > In a letter dated 16 July 1931 written on > behalf of Shoghi Effendi it was stated: '. . . He > expects from you splendid achievements and > these you can certainly accomplish as you have > been endowed with a deep and unwavering faith > in the principles and the teachings of the Cause.' > Appended in the handwriting of the beloved > Guardian were the significant words : 'With the > assurance of my loving prayers for your happi- > Verena Venturini ness and spiritual advancement . . .' What per- > fect consonance came with time to exist between > capital of the world,' and the Guardian said, the contents of the Guardian's letter and the life > '"There are three religious centres in the world of our dear friend and spiritual sister! > with distinct functions: Rome, Mecca, and For many years in succession she was elected > Cairo, where the Cause will register its greatest to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Rome. Her > victories for the Faith in the future." ' wisdom and love of the Cause of God were a > Upon learning that a Local Spiritual As- source of inspiration to her colleagues on that > sembly was to be formed in Rome, Verena body. Her faithful service will never be for- > became aflame. She immediately purchased gotten, and it was with much regret that she was > many Bahi'i books and memorized many of the allowed to withdraw from active administrative > beautiful prayers. One day an American writer, service because of her advanced age. > Mrs. Frances Toor, came to her with a letter of We pray that she may intercede for us, and > introduction from mutual friends in the United help to accelerate the progress in this world of > States. She was invited by Mrs. Venturini to a those ideals whose universal acceptance, > meeting at the Giachery's home and later ac- throughout her whole life, was her heart's most > cepted the Faith. Mrs. Isabella Argenide Papa, ardent longing. > her daughter's mother-in-law, also met Dr. and MARIOPIARULLI > Mrs. Giachery and subsequently accepted the > Faith. How great was her joy! Having one > member of her family embrace the Faith was the > source of one of her greatest spiritual comforts > during the years she lived in Rome. > Mrs. Venturini attended the Intercontinental > Teaching Conference held in Stockholm in > 1953, one of the four conferences signalizing the Ghulam-'Ali 'Ubbadi was born in Tihran in > launching of the unique Ten Year Crusade of 1899. His father was a highly placed govern- > Shoghi Effendi, and during the years that fol- ment employee and a devout Muslim, as were all > lowed she attended some of the Italo-Swiss the members of the family. When Mr. 'Ubbadi > Baha'i Summer Schools held at Bex-les-Bains. was in his early childhood his father died and he > 562 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > was cared for by his only brother until he had extreme difficulty in challenging the logic of > reached fifteen years of age at which time he left the teaching presented by the BahB'i and he and > his brother's house where he was unhappy and his associates left the house in a state of anger > began to work in the business world. He applied and perplexity. Mr. 'Ubbadi resolved to have > himself diligently, working far into the night, nothing further to do with the BahB'is. The clerk > and soon became successful and prosperous. He did not change his behaviour towards Mr. > was highly respected by his colleagues and 'Ubbadi but continued to visit him and on one > tradesmen. He was a leading citizen in his occasion presented him with a BahB'i book. In > neighbourhood and won the respect of the local time Mr. 'Ubbadi's heart was changed by what > residents. One day the representative of the road he read. He sought out the BahB'is and became a > sweepers' organization, a clerk, came to him devoted and active member of the BahB'i com- > requesting a certificate approving the manner in munity. He was at this time about twenty years > which the sweepers had performed their duties. of age. He eventually married Ridviniyyih > Mr. 'Ubbadi who was punctilious in all affairs Raw&an-Damir, a member of a distinguished > personally inspected the streets of the district BahB'i family, and she was in all circumstances a > and then signed the certificate. The clerk, who constant source of encouragement and help to > was a BahB'i, was impressed by Mr. 'Ubbadi's him and a sincere and loving collaborator. > character and invited him to his home for tea. A In 1943, Mr. and Mrs. 'Ubbadi pioneered to > friendship developed between the two men and Shah 'Abdu'l-'Azim, on the outskirts of Tihrin, > - > eventually the clerk arranged a meeting between where they were successful in establishing the > Mr. 'Ubbadi and an outstanding BahB'i first Local Spiritual Assembly. Mr. 'Ubbadi > teacher. All that Mr. 'Ubbidi heard during that served as a member of the BahB'i Training > first meeting disturbed him, but his heart was Institute in Tihran. A boarding school had been > attracted to this new message. After a period of established for orphaned and needy children. > uneasiness he requested another meeting be- Mr. 'Ubbadi helped the institute both finan- > tween the Baha'i teacher and some of his Muslim cially and spiritually. In his new home he > friends who were well versed in Islamic theol- continued to suvervise the education of children > ogy. Mr. 'Ubbadi was distressed that his friends and engaged a teacher from Tihran for their > instruction. Unfortunately, after two years, he > became seriously ill and suffered extreme pain > and had to return to Tihrin, but he continued to > send children to the institute and to pay their > expenses. When his condition worsened and his > physicians despaired of his life, Mr. 'Ubbbdi > wrote to the beloved Guardian requesting > prayers for the restoration of his health. > Receiving an assurance of Shoghi Effendi's > prayers thr0ugh.a letter written by his secretary > on his behalf on 14 November 1945, Mr. > 'Ubbadi gradually regained his strengthandcon- > tinued his service in the cradle of the Faith. In > 1955 Mr. and Mrs. 'Ubbadi made a pilgrimage > to the Holy Land and entered the presence of > ShoghiEffendiwho told them he was well pleased > with their services. The visit to the holy Shrines > and the moments spent with the Guardian were > Mr. 'Ubbadi's most cherished memories. > The most fruitful period of Mr. 'Ubbadi's life > was the last twenty years which he spent as a > pioneer in Morocco. He and his wife came to > Rabat on 23 August 1955, two years after the > launching- of the Ten Year Crusade. Mr. > Ghulam-'Alt ' Ubbadi 'Ubbadi was elected to the Local Spiritual > I N MEM[ O R I A M 563 > Assembly of Rabat and served on this body for WAYS REMEMBERED ASSURE PRAYERS HOLY > nineteen years, often in the capacity of chair- SHRINES PROGRESS HIS NOBLE SOUL. > man or treasurer. His broken health prevented > his continuing this service during the last year of > his life. During the period from 1965 to 1967 he > was also a member of the National Spiritual > Assembly of North West Africa. Despite the > distance, his advanced age and his uncertain G. S. SANTHANAM KRISHNAN > health he travelled to the meetings, some of > which were held in Algeria and Tunisia. He had > a profound affection for the friends in Morocco. In the Heroic Age of the Faith thousands of > He had a warm and generous nature and was God-intoxicated men, women and children joy- > always the first to offer assistance to those in fully sacrificed everything, including their very > distress. His help was always extended in a most lives, for their Beloved. In the Formative Age > discreet manner. such souls are rare. G. S. Krishnan was one of > Although his most signal services were ren- them. > dered in Morocco, Mr. 'Ubbadi served the Krishnan was born in Singapore on 1 Oc- > entire Baha'i world through his unstinting gen- tober 1945. A quiet boy by nature, he would > erosity. He was indeed like a fathomless spring, never quarrel and he went his own way without > constantly pouring out his resources to advance troubling anyone. A very devout Hindu, he > the work of the Faith throughout the world, would frequently be found meditating or in > through contributing to the purchase or con- prayer. He became a BahB'i followingthe Ocean- > struction of Ha~iratu'l-Quds,Temples, Teach- ic Conference of the South China Seas, held in > ing Institutes and the publication of BahB'i Singapore in January 1971. Thenceforward he > literature. He received from Shoghi Effendi never looked back, but gave his who1.e heart and > many expressions of gratitude including a cable soul to the Cause of Baha'u'llah. > acknowledgingwith 'deep appreciation' his 'his- He immediately began to serve the Faith by > toric service' in purchasing the National teaching and by working on committees, and he > Ha~iratu'l-Quds of Morocco. Among his even changed his residence in order that he > papers were found more than 80 letters from the could provide a place for meetings. He was the > Universal House of Justice, many of them chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly of > containing expressions of appreciation of his Katong and was one of the nine delegates at the > unfailing generosity in contributing to a wide national convention for the election of the first > variety of Baha'i projects in every continent. National Spiritual Assembly of Singapore in > On 19 August 1975, while in London for 1972. He served as secretary of the regional > medical treatment, Mr. 'Ubbadi passed on to Bahi'i Youth Council of Singapore and was its > the Abha kingdom in his seventy-sixth year, press officer. His relations with the local press > mourned by a wide circle of BahB'i friends. A were good and Krishnan would personally en- > floral tribute was received from the broken- sure that the Baha'i Holy Days and other Baha'i > hearted believers in Morocco who had loved observances were announced. He would deprive > and highly valued him. He is buried near his himself to give whatever he had to the Baha'i > heart's beloved, Shoghi Effendi, in the Great Fund. While attending the BahB'i Summer > Northern London Cemetery, New Southgate. School in Johor Baru before he left Singapore, > The following cable from the Universal he gave away his camera although he knew he > House of Justice summarizes in a few words the would be lost without one. > qualities we loved in Mr. 'Ubbadi: Although Krishnan was slim and of slight > stature, his heart was large. His purity of heart, > REQUEST NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY IN- selflessness and good humour endeared him to > FORM RIDVANIYYIH UBBADI DEEPLY GRIEVED the friends. When he visited Malaysia in con- > PASSING GHULAM UBBADI HIS STEADFAST DED- nection with his employment he would contact > ICATION HIS GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT the Baha'is and offer his services, and he was > VAST NUMBER VITAL PROJECTS HIS DEVOTED very much loved by the believers there. He > SERVICES PIONEERING TEACHING FIELDS AL- was always punctual and never broke a promise. > T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > drunkenness he witnessed. The only way to lay > a foundation for the Faith, he concluded, was to > educate the unspoiled children. He vigorously > pursued this plan and started children's classes > in seven villages, one for each day of the week. > He conducted a children's class at Karaikal each > Sunday morning and in the evening he offered > classes for adults, but no one came and he was in > great despair. > Karaikal was opened to the Faith in 1953 > through the pioneering efforts of Mrs. S. M. > Noorani and Mrs. Salisa Kermani and after > years of struggle a BahB'i Centre was con- > structed through the generosity of Mr. and > Mrs. Kermani. During her historic tour of India > in 1964 the Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Baha > Ruhiyyih a a n u m had called for BahB'i > teachers to visit Karaikal where she found a > receptivity to the Faith, but she cautioned that > they needed to be physically strong and capable > of visiting the villages on foot over the rice- > paddy walks. Krishnan visited the villages on > foot but as time went on his health declined. The > G. S. Santhanam Krishnan spicy local food did not agree with him and he > existed mainly on bananas and rice. He became > dispirited and wanted to leave Karaikal. In June > Krishnan arrived in India in January 1974 1975 he obtained an appointment in a school in > and proceeded to his parents' home in Kumba- Lucknow and there, too, he taught the Faith > konam. He served the Cause in India just as incessantly although he spoke no Hindi. > eagerly as in Singapore, systematically making At a regional teaching conference in Hyder- > appointments with local dignitaries and pre- abad he volunteered with some other Baha'is > senting literature to them. Soon a BahB'i group for a teaching project in an interior tribal area in > formed and he enthusiastically assumed the Warangal. When the call for funds was made at > responsibility of deepening the friends. A pro- the conference he gave his watch, then all his > lific writer, he directed a steady flow of letters money and finally his sandals. He proceeded > and reports to the National Spiritual Assembly with the team to Warangal where they had some > of India and the State Teaching Committee. success but Krishnan soon fell ill. He was > After a period of six months the National admitted to the University Hospital there and > Assembly appointed him as a travelling teacher. succumbed to an internal haemorrhage which > He later became an assistant to Auxiliary Board took his life on 6 December 1975. In his small > member B. Afan. battered suitcase were found only BahB'i books > He was sent to Karaikal to assist with the and notebooks containing quotations from the > work in a number of villages in the Thirunallar Baha'i Writings and carefully transcribed > area where he visited government offices, schools prayers. > and colleges and spoke to members of service The National Spiritual Assembly of India > organizations including the Lions Club and the wrote at the time of his passing: 'Mr. Krishnan > Rotary Club. As he did not find any friends of served the Faith most diligently and sincerely > his calibre there, he felt lonely. He attended all . . . He was a young man . . . full of enthusiasm, > Baha'i conferences, near and far, to revive his devotion and love for Baha'u'llah and had > spirits through the joy of BahC'i fellowship. In dedicated his life to the service of the Faith. In > the villages of Thirunallar he was handicapped spite of the offer of a good job in Singapore he > in teaching because he could not speak Tamil preferred to continue his full-time services in > and he was distressed by the widespread India and had informed the National Assembly > that till the end of the Five Year Plan he would > not leave his post.' > In reply, the Universal House of Justice wrote > on 22 December 1975:'We were grieved to learn > of the passing of the devoted, brave and stead- > fast pioneer, Mr. S. Krishnan. His passing in the > field of service to the Cause of God no doubt > will confer upon him a special bounty which will > be a cause of the progress of his soul in the > eternal Kingdom of God. > 'In his lifetime he has established a link > between the BahB'i communities in India and > Singapore. This bond of love and co-operation > between your two countries will be further > strengthened by his passing. > 'Please convey our deepest sympathy to his > relatives and friends in Singapore and in India. > We shall offer prayers at the holy Shrines that > the mercy of Bahi'u'llih may rest upon his > soul.' > > Muni'r Vakil > 1900-1976 > Knight of Bahs'u'llah addition to caring for his family and pursuing > his studies. Under difficult circumstances, and > It is very difficult in a brief memoir to cover all with perseverance, he obtained a degree in law, > aspects of the life and services of this coura- and was subsequently enrolled in the army as > geous and devoted servant of Bahi'u'llah part of the reserve force. > whose passing to the Abhi kingdom on 14 The 1920s witnessed a stream of very sig- > February 1976 ended a brilliant page in the nificant events in 'Iraq. King Faisal I of 'Iraq > annals of the history of the Faith in 'Iraq and handed the House of Baha'u'llih to the Muslim > deprived the Baha'i world of an outstanding authorities. The entire Baha'i world community > and firm believer. was mustered, by the beloved Guardian, to rise > He was born in Baghdad in a house adjacent and protest against that shattering decision > to the blessed House of BahB'u'llah. His grand- which, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, deprived > father and father accepted the Faith during the the Baha'is 'of yet another BahB'i Shrine, the > days when Bahi'u'llah was in Baghdad and they House occupied by Baha'u'llah for well nigh the > served the Cause devotedly and looked after the whole period of His exile in 'Iraq, which had > blessed House during their lifetimes. This close been acquired by Him, and later had been > association with the House was a privilege ordained as a centre of pilgrimage, and had > which Mr. Vakil and his family treasured. He continued in the unbroken and undisputed > was also privileged, as a young boy, to be in the possession of His followers ever since His depar- > presence of the beloved Master in the Holy ture from Baghdad.'l Munir Vakil, acting as the > Land. His mother and elder sister served caretaker of that blessed Spot, carried out the > 'Abdu'l-BahB's household for a short period instructions of the beloved Guardian with zeal, > during which Munir befriended the young hope and selfless devotion. > Shoghi Effendi. Mr. Vakil served on the first National Spiri- > With the passing of his father, Munir Vakil, tual Assembly of 'Iraq and was enthusiastically > who was then still a young man, inherited the > responsibility of tending the blessed House in 'See God Passes By, Shoghi Effendi, pp. 356-357. > 566 T H E B A H A ' ~W O R L D > > involved in the progress of the Faith there. His to leave 'Iraq within five months of his arrival > position in the Ministry of Defence reached a and to proceed to the Seychelles which was a > peak when he was promoted to legal counsellor goal area assigned to the National Spiritual > to the Ministry with the rank of Brigadier. His Assembly of 'Iraq. He stayed there arranging > colleagues and superiors came to know Mr. for his entire family to join him, but was recalled > Vakil and witnessed his uprightness, fidelity and to Baghdad in 1954 following the death of his > devotion in the discharge of his duties. He mother. In April 1955, Mr. Vakil and his family > conveyed the Baha'i spirit in every aspect of his moved from 'Iriq to settle in the Seychelles. His > life and work, especially in looking after the activities in increasing the number of believers, > interests of minorities and upholding the rights particularly among the native population, were > of individuals regardless of class, rank or creed. untiring. The Vakil family stayed in the > His outstanding record and integrity won the Seychelles until 1962, by which time the first > respect and admiration of many military Local Spiritual Assembly on these islands was > officers. established and the number of believers had > At the onset of the Ten Year Global Crusade been increased considerably. Mr. Vakil pur- > of the beloved Guardian Mr. Vakil attended the chased for the Faith the Haziratu'l-Quds in > Asian Intercontinental Teaching Conference Victoria, Mahi: and maintained it until he left > held in New Delhi in October 1953. Im- the islands. > mediately after the conference he arose to an- After his return to 'Iraq he continued unceas- > swer the call of the Guardian for pioneers to ingly his vigorous service to the Faith and later > virgin territories. He left directly from India to served on the National spirituai Assembly. > settle in the Kuria Muria Islands, a group of five Following a heart attack, he became bed-ridden > rocky islets in the Arabian Sea off the south-west for a long time. During the period prior to his > coast of Oman, an action for which he was passing, he was a tower of strength to the > named by Shoghi Effendi a Knight of faithful believers in 'Iraq and his steadfastness > Baha'u'llah. The conditions on the islands were and obedience to the orders of the Government > extremely difficult, poor and perilous. He spent were exemplary. > a hazardous period of nine *months during The meritorious life of this valiant servant of > which he shared his primitive hut with the few the Blessed Beauty is summarized in the follow- > domestic animals of the island. The natives who ing cable of the Universal House of Justice > lived entirely on the proceeds of fishing were which bestowed loving praises for his rich > initially very sceptical of the presence of Mr. record of service : > Vakil in their midst. The presence of a foreigner > DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING DEVOTED KNIGHT > who sought to live as they did was without > BAHAULLAH MUNIR VAKIL HIS SELFSACRIFIC- > precedent. He ate and dressed like the natives > ING SERVICES TEACHING ADMINISTRATIVE > and shared their subsistence-level existence. He > PIONEER FIELDS LOVINGLY REMEMBERED SHED > was visited only once by the British military > LUSTRE ACHIEVEMENTS HEROIC COMMUNITY OF > representative of the Hadhramaut and Masqat > WHICH HE WAS SUCH DISTINGUISHED MEMBER > area. This man and his wife were intrigued by > PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADIANT > the presence, in such a remote and non-civilized > SOUL ASSURE FAMILY FRZENDS HEARTFELT > island, of an 'Iraqi of high military rank. It was > SYMPATHY. > through this contact that Mr. Vakil's family > received the sole report that reached them about F ~ Q V ~MUQBIL > N > the conditions under which he lived; it was > coupled with the admiration expressed by the > British Governor for his selfless devotion and > perseverance. > Following a period of illness Mr. Vakil was EDWARD L. BODE > forced to return to Baghdad where increasing 25 August 1906-13 March 1976 > pressure was placed upon him by the Ministry > of Defence to resume his job and accept pro- Edward and Mary Bode-these names are en- > motion. However, the flame of pioneering ser- twined in the history of the BahB'i Faith as were > vice continued to blaze in his heart. This led him their services in life. From the time of their > IN MEMORIAM 567 > marriage in 1936, 'they together had but one > goal . . . They were like migratory birds, going > where the divine wind of Baha'u'llih blew them : > the world was their nest; their food: the goals of > the Divine Plan; their only security: God will > assist all those who arise to serve Him.' (G. S.) > This unity in service-so tenacious and > touching-was often remarked by the Guardian > of the Faith, who launched their marriage with > the hope that 'this union may serve to impart to > your heart and to the heart of your dear hus- > band a renewed and powerful stimulus to assist > in spreading far and wide the Divine Word.'l > Ten years later he urged them 'to persevere in > your task, however great the sacrifice involved > . . .', and, a year after, expressed his admiration > of their 'passionate spirit of devotion to the > service of our Faith. . .'2 Fulfilling to the utmost > of their powers the Guardian's trust, they at- > tained that height of 'living sacrifice' to which > Shoghi Effendi had called the 'spiritual de- > scendants of the dawn-breakers' of the Heroic > Age. > Edward's father had come from Germany to Edward L. Bode > the United States as a child, and at the time of > Edward's birth his family lived in a small arrived in Rio de Janeiro on 16 January 1946.At > Missouri town, moving to St. Louis when he long last they were 'enabled to . . . serve in those > was only three or four. Here, in vacations and foreign fields' that had for 'so long been luring > after graduation, he gained experience in a [them] from afar!'4 The formation of the first > hardware store which qualified him for his Local Spiritual Assembly of Rio de Janeiro the > duties, during World War 11, as a civilian following April, its incorporation, and the de- > attached to the United States Air Force for the velopment of a BahB'i Publishing Trust for the > supply of flying training fields in Arizona and Portuguese language were notable achieve- > California. Before this, after his family's move ments in which they shared during their three > to California when Edward was seventeen, he years in Brazil. There followed short periods of > had made his way in Hollywood, as actor and teaching in Holland and Portugal in 1949-1 950. > assistant director in silent films, and as theatri- In 1952 Edward required major surgery in the > cal agent; to him came Mary, who had appeared United States; convalescence was long, but the > in a number of plays in New York. Their Guardian's 'loving fervent prayers' and their > marriage and Edward's acceptance of the own strong determination brought complete > Baha'i Faith, into which he was welcomed by healing and return to the pioneer field, this time > Shoghi Effendi 'as a dear fellow-worker in the in Mexico, where from October 1954 to January > Divine Vineyard', set these two on the path of 1956 they worked in Cuernavaca, Puebla and > their 'pioneer labours, so faithfully and selflessly Mexico City, then briefly in the Canal Zone, > rendered'3 in North and South America, Europe Panama. The next two years found them active > and the island of Madeira. in teaching in Mississippi and Florida, but > Their desire to pioneer had been awakened longing 'to win still more brilliant victories, in > through membership, in 1941-1942, of the distant fields . . .' (Shoghi Effendi) > Inter-America Committee during the first Seven In October 1959 they began their remarkable > Year Plan. Even before war's end, they had services to the Dutch BahB'i community, lasting > turned their thoughts to South America, and for nine and a half years, in Arnhem, The Hague > Nuinbered quotatioils are from letters written on behalf and Rotterdam, during which time Edward > of Shoghi Effendi. served for five years as a member of the > 568 T H E BAHA'I W O R L D > > National Spiritual Assembly. The years 'we spent Edward's last service was to find the BahB'i > in Holland,' he wrote, 'were a mixture of delight, Centre, a 'lovely house' where enquirers happily > frustration, hard work and gratification. The gathered. > Dutch people furnished the delight. . . . But But Madeira's climate was unsuitable for > their interest in the Faith was a thing of slow and Edward. In January 1976 he developed an > laborious growth. . . . So the years in Holland agonizing bronchial asthma after influenza, re- > were filled with work . . . for the Faith . . . for covered slowly, but suffered it again in March, > BahB'u'llBh. And what is more glorious than followed by a stroke; a day later, on 13 March, > that? he rejoined his dear partner in the Abhi realms, > In the spring of 1969, Edward aged sixty- whose presence, Muriel wrote, 'was so strong > three and Mary ten years older, both seriously and real' as 'his breathing became fainter and > disabled in health, bravely took up their pioneer fainter, lighter and lighter, till it was like the beat > post in Funchal, Madeira, recommended to of butterfly wings. . . .' Edward's burial was in > them by the Universal House of Justice. Within the British Cemetery. He was known in Madeira > six months, Mary's death occurred in Lisbon. as ' 0 homen de Deus' (man of God), for 'he was > Edward had received from his parents, Wil- more of a saint and hero than anyone will ever > imina and William Bode, whom he greatly know . . .' (V. 0.)He had held to Madeira until > cherished, an example of love in marriage, and the end, and was extolled by the Universal > for forty years Edward, by his 'patience, love House of Justice in its cablegram dated 15 > and care' for Mary, had enriched his own March 1976: > marriage; 'their togetherness was endless and of > HIS FIRM DETERMINATION REMAIN POST > classic beauty'. (G. S.) 'Words cannot express > MADEIRA EXEMPLIFIED SPIRIT DEVOTION CAUSE > my feelings of despair as we were like one unit,' > HE SERVED FOR MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AS > Edward himself commented. > For nearly three years Edward soldiered on, > PIONEER AMERICAS EUROPE ... > ceaselessly, cautiously teaching; reinforced in > 1972 by others, but again alone in 1973 when > Muriel Ives Newhall arrived in April to find him Note: The author is indebted to Gini Sijsling, Virginia > Orbison and Muriel Ives Newhall for their letters about > with 'the look of another Lincoln-solitary and Edward Bode's life and service; their initials are given after > bowed'. She set herself to be, in Mary's stead, quotations from them. The National Spiritual Assembly of > 'the hands and feet' to see to his physical care the United States kindly sent Mr. Bode's report, 6 May 1975, > describing his and his wife's pioneering in Brazil and Holland. > and to share with him the continuous demands The 'In Memoriam' article about Mary Hotchkiss Bode > of pioneering in restricted circumstances. appears in Tlze Bahd'i World, vol. XV, pp. 460-461. > > Errata > > Ednardo Dnarte Vieira, 1921-1966, the first African Bahb'i Salomon Pacora Estrada, known as Pacora Blue Mountain, > martyr, whose 'In Memoriam' appears in The Bahd'i World, 1889-1969, one of the first of Inca descent to embrace the > vol. XIV, pp. 389-390, where his name is incorrectly given. Faith of BahB'u'llih. His 'In Memoriam' which appears on > Illforlnation subsequently received at the World Centre con- p. 467 of The Baha'i World, vol. XV, is illustrated by the > firmed the spelling of his name as set out above. photograph of another believer. > > — *In Memoriam (Used by permission of the curator)*