December 15, 2017
November 19, 2017
October 16, 2017
September 13, 2017
August 8, 2017
Keith-Ransom-Keher – Hand of the Cause, first American Baha’i martyr; “the symbol of the unity of the East and West”
Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehler's passing is, indeed, an
irretrievable loss which the Bahá'í world has come to suffer at a time when her
presence in their midst was so greatly needed, not only because of her
inspiring personality, but due to her intelligent, wise and energetic handling
of the many and varied problems confronting the followers of the Faith in
Persia. For more than one year she toiled and suffered, undismayed by the
forces of darkness which so increasingly challenge the devotion and loyalty,
and hamper the progress of the work, of our Persian brethren. Nothing was
strong enough to sap the vitality of her faith and neither the opposition of
the Government, nor the slackness and inefficiency of those with whom she had
to work, could possibly discourage and dishearten her. Her faith was deep, her
energy inexhaustible. And she was, indeed, fully repaid for all that she did,
whether in connection with the teaching of the Message, or in regard to the
consolidation of the nascent administrative institutions of the Cause in the
very land of its birth.
July 17, 2017
July 2, 2017
Mirzá Muhammad-Báir - the first in Mashhad, Persia, to embrace the Cause of the Báb; - builder of Bábíyyih, the first Baha’i center; designer of structural reinforcement of Fort Tabarsi; lieutenant and trusted counsellor of Quddús
Mírzá Muhammad-Báqir, known as Haratí, though originally a
resident of Qayin. He was a close relative of the father of Nabíl-i-Akbar, and
was the first in Mashhad to embrace the Cause. It was he who built the
Bábíyyih, and who devotedly served Quddús during his sojourn in that city. When
Mullá Husayn hoisted the Black Standard, he, together with his child, Mírzá
Muhammad-Kázim, eagerly enrolled under his banner and went forth with him to
Mázindarán… It was Mírzá Muḥammad-Báqir who acted as the standard-bearer of the
company, who designed the plan of the fort, its walls and turrets and the moat
which surrounded it, who succeeded Mullá Husayn in organising the forces of his
companions and in leading the charge against the enemy, and who acted as the
intimate companion, the lieutenant and trusted counsellor of Quddús until the
hour when he fell a martyr in the path of the Cause.
- Nabil (‘The
Dawn-Breakers’; translated and edited by Shoghi Effendi)
June 26, 2017
June 15, 2017
June 1, 2017
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)