May 10, 2017
Charles Dunning & Ted Cardell, 1965 - two Knights of Baha'u'llah
Charles Dunning, the Englishman who became the Knight of
Bahá'u'lláh for the Orkney Islands at the age of seventy. (Violette Nakhjavani,
‘The Great African Safari’)
One of Rúhíyyih Khánum's favourite stories was about the
Guardian and Charles Dunning. Charlie Dunning was a wonderful Bahá'í, a little
man, and he looked like Popeye. And at the table, the Guardian would sit here
and Charlie would sit there at the end of the table because he was a Knight of
Bahá'u'lláh, and they would lean towards each other and talk, and he would wave
his finger at the Shoghi Effendi's nose and say "Guardian. they tell me so
and so", and the Guardian would lean towards him and answer, and they
would talk in this way. The Guardian loved Charles Dunning. He saw the beauty
and the spirit in Charlie although most people would think he was a funny
little man. And the thing that struck me after Charlie had been on pilgrimage,
and it's made me think a lot about the way one's appearance mirrors one's soul,
you might say, because Charlie spoke at the National Convention about his
pilgrimage, and the thing that struck me was that superficially Charlie was an
ugly little man, but when he was talking he was beautiful. Really beautiful.
And he hadn't changed, his features were the same, but this was a beautiful
person talking, and I think his soul was as it were reflecting what the
Guardian had seen in him. (Ian Semple, from a talk: ‘The Guardianship and the
Universal House of Justice’)
Edmund (Ted) Cardell became a Bahá'í in Canada in 1948 and
returned to his father's farm in England some time later. He pioneered to Kenya
in October 1951 where he was a founder member of the first local Assembly in
Nairobi. He became Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for South West Africa in 1953 and
returned to England in 1963. He was elected to the National Assembly in 1973.
(Biographical Notes; 'Unfolding Destiny’)
April 7, 2017
George Townshend – “dearly loved, much admired, greatly gifted, outstanding Hand of Cause”
circa 1920
Deeply mourn the passing of dearly loved, much admired, greatly
gifted, outstanding Hand of Cause George Townshend. His death on morrow [1957]
of publication of his crowning achievement [Christ and Baha'u'llah] robs the
British followers of Baha'u'llah of their most distinguished collaborator and
Faith itself of one of its stoutest defenders. His sterling qualities, his
scholarship, his challenging writings, his high ecclesiastical position
unrivalled by any Baha'i in western world, entitle him to rank with Thomas
Breakwell and Dr. Esslemont, one of three luminaries shedding brilliant luster
on annals of Irish, English and Scottish Baha'i communities. His fearless
championship of the Cause he loved so dearly, served so valiantly, constitutes
significant landmark in British Baha'i history. So enviable a position calls
for national tribute to his memory by assembled delegates and visitors at
forthcoming British Baha'i Convention. Assure relatives of deepest loving
sympathy in grievous loss. Confident his reward is inestimable in Abha Kingdom.
- Shoghi
Effendi (‘Messages to the Baha'i World’)
March 12, 2017
February 10, 2017
Siegfried Schopflocher (1877-1953) - Hand of the Cause of God
Mr. Schopflocher is… truly one of the most distinguished
believers in the West. He has a deep knowledge of the Cause, and specially of
the Administration, and has contributed a unique share towards its
establishment and consolidation in the States. For many years a member of the
American N.S.A., he revealed such great qualities of heart and mind as very few
of his fellow-members were able to manifest. He supported valiantly and
generously, and through both moral and financial means, the various institutions
of the Cause, and in particular the institution of the Bahá’í Fund which, as
you can well realize, is the foundation stone of every phase of Bahá’í
activity.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 25 September
1936 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of
Australia and New Zealand)
January 29, 2017
Fred Schechter (1927-2017) - Knight of Baha'u'llah; Former Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre
The Universal House of Justice sent the following message to
all National Spiritual Assemblies on 29 January:
We feel great sorrow as we mourn the passing of humble,
loving, steadfast servant of the Cause of God, Fred Schechter. His wide-ranging
achievements, spread over many decades, are the fruits of a life lived with
selfless devotion to the Faith. Not long after enrolling as a Baha'i, he
answered the call of the beloved Guardian for believers to go to Africa, and
there he was named a Knight of Baha'u'llah for French Somaliland. He also
travelled as a pioneer to several countries in Latin America. His efforts to
encourage Baha'i youth were a notable feature of his thirteen years as a
Continental Counsellor in the Americas, years which culminated in his
appointment to the International Teaching Centre. His wisdom, kindness, and
good humour, combined with a practical approach and friendly demeanour, enabled
him in so many settings to advance the Cause and to help others develop a
capacity for service.
In the Holy Shrines we will supplicate for the progress of
his illumined soul, now reunited in the realms above with his dear wife Julia.
To his three children, as well as other family members, we offer our
condolences. We call for memorial gatherings to be held in his honour in all
Houses of Worship and in Baha'i communities throughout the world.
The Universal House of Justice
(Baha’i World News Service)
March 15, 2016
circa 1932: Adelaide Sharp with some Baha'is in Tehran
March 8, 2016
February 27, 2016
Emogene Hoagg: "exemplary pioneer (of the) Faith”; first confirmed believer in California
She typed the voluminous manuscript of 'The Dawn-Breakers' at Shoghi Effedi’s request.
February 10, 2016
Mishkin-Qalam - 'the leading calligrapher of Persia"
Mishkin-Qalam ("musk-scented pen"), described by 'Abdu'l-Baha
as "the leading calligrapher of Persia" who
"enjoyed a special position among the court ministers of Tihran" and
who served both Baha’u’llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha in 'Akka. (The Baha’i World
1968-1973)
February 1, 2016
January 19, 2016
Ruhiyyih Khanum with her father, 1948
Ruhiyyih Khanum with her father William Sutherland Maxwell in England, 1948
January 9, 2016
Bahiyyih Khanum - the Greatest Holy Leaf
A colorized picture of Bahiyyih Khanum, the Greatest Holy Leaf
December 13, 2015
November 8, 2015
October 11, 2015
Elisabeth Charlotte (Lottie) Tobias
Lottie Tobias became a Baha'i in 1950 when there were only a
few dozen believers in Netherlands. She was elected to the first Local
Spiritual Assembly of Den Haag in 1952, and in 1957 was elected a member of the
first Spiritual Assembly of the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands,
Luxembourg), serving as secretary for the Netherlands. In 1962 she was elected
to the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Netherlands, and
served on that body until 1986. For 24 years she was the secretary.
September 27, 2015
Sears Family: on their way to South Africa
Bill, Marguerite and Michael Sears - absent from photo is Billy
(Baha'i International Community's Media Bank)
September 15, 2015
September 5, 2015
August 22, 2015
August 16, 2015
July 5, 2015
John David Bosch - "saintly life, pioneer services, historic contribution of institution of summer school"
June 14, 2015
May 24, 2015
April 4, 2015
Dr. Youness Afroukhteh -- 'Abdu'l-Baha's secretary, translator, envoy and physician
March 22, 2015
March 14, 2015
Emogene Hoagg – “exemplary pioneer (of the) Faith”; typed the voluminous manuscript of 'The Dawn-Breakers' at Shoghi Effedi’s request; first confirmed believer in California
Henrietta Emogene Martin Hoagg - known to the Bahá'ís as
Emogene - learned of the Bahá'í Faith in California in 1898 from Mrs. Phoebe
Hearst, and after studying with Lua Getsinger became "the first confirmed
believer in California."
In 1899, in Milan, she received her first Tablet from
'Abdu'l-Bahá, in acknowledgment of her acceptance of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
In 1900, she visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa, and afterwards, at His suggestion,
studied for a month with the outstanding Bahá'í scholar Mirza Abdu'l-Fadl in
Port Sá'íd.
February 8, 2015
Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney – “…the first Frenchman to accept the Faith”
Hippolyte Dreyfus Barney
To me, and particularly amid the storm and stress that have
agitated my life after 'Abdu'l-Bahá's passing, he was a sustaining and
comforting companion, a most valued counsellor, an intimate and trusted friend.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a message dated 21 December 1928; ‘Baha'i Administration’)
“…the first Frenchman to accept the Faith”
- The Universal House
of Justice (from a message dated August 1976 addressed to the ‘Friends
assembled at the International Teaching Conference in Paris’; ‘Messages from
the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)
January 11, 2015
Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper - the first Baha'i in England
Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper was the first Baha'i in England and
one of the first Western people to recognize the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. She
received the name "Maryam Khanum" from 'Abdu'l-Baha. She put her car
at the Master's disposal during His visits to London. Her tall, graceful figure
with her serene angel face shining beneath a crown of silver hair, her blue
eyes, and the soft blend of blues and purples in her dress, gracious to all,
and ready to be of constant service to her exalted Guest.
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