Mariette G. Roy was born into a Catholic French Canadian family of farmers. In 1923 she married Stanley Bolton and the couple emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1924. She first heard of the Bahá'í Faith from the Dunns in 1925 and she and Stanley declared after meeting Keith Ransome-Kehler in 1931.

The Bolton's moved to Detroit in the United States in 1931. Their son Stanley Jr. fell ill and was treated by a chiropractor prompting the Boltons to move to Iowa and study chiropractic at Palmer College in Davenport. They established a chiropractic practice when they returned to Sydney in 1934.

In 1936 the Bolton's purchased land in Yerrinbool and built the first Australian Bahá'í Summer School on the property. Siegfried Schopflocher visited shortly after the first building was completed and suggested it be named 'Bolton Place'.

The Boltons moved to Yerrinbool in 1943 and both Stanley and Mariette served on the first Yerrinbool Local Spiritual Assembly. Mariette and Stanley managed the Yerrinbool School themselves before turning over administration to the National Spiritual Assembly in 1945. They continued to serve as caretakers of the Summer School property until moving to Orange, NSW in 1963.

Mariette and Stanley undertook a teaching trip to New Caledonia in February 1952. Her knowledge of French allowed her to teach the Faith effectively, and at least one local became a Bahá'í during her visit. They were among the first teachers to the Pacific Islands, a process which culminated in the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the South West Pacific Ocean, with its seat in Noumea, at Riḍván, 1971. [BN No 255 May 1952 p10; BN No 257 July 1952 p5]

In 1953 she travelled extensively with Stanley, attending Intercontinental Teaching Conferences in Stockholm and Delhi, attending the dedication of the American House of Worship as representatives of the Australian National Spiritual Assembly, and making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She is believed to be the only French Canadian believer to have met the Guardian.

She was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand serving as secretary from 1948 until 1951.

She made teaching trips to the United States and Canada in 1957 and 1963 when she attended the Most Great Jubilee in London in that year. Her last teaching trip abroad was in 1968 when she visited Noumea, New Caledonia a few months prior to her death on July 10. She must surely be recognized as one of the most succesful Bahá'í teachers in Australia. [OBCC100n34; Find a grave; BW15p435-437]

There was mention make in BN #139 January 1940 p10 that she contributed an article on the Faith to the Edmonton Journal.

• Note: Canadian Bahá'í News August 1961 p10 reported that this took place in 1960.
• "Arthur Irwin became a Bahá'í in 1947 and was a very active Bahá'í teacher to the native peoples of Canada, Alaska, and the Caribbean. He and his wife, Lily Ann, established the first Native Indian Friendship Centre in Calgary, Alberta… He was honoured by the Blackfoot, Peigan, Blood, and Morely tribes in Alberta for his honesty and integrity. A geologist with a doctorate in the field, Irwin worked on Indian reserves in Canada ensuring that fair market value was paid for leases on natural resources (Bahá'í World. 1994. "Arthur Bonshaw Irwin." Bahá'í World. 1994. Volume XXIII)."

An address entitled "Consultation - An Adventure in Mature Discussion" was delivered by Elsie Austin. [CBN No 18 March 1951 p6]

In nine years Winnipeg had gone from a Bahá'í goal to the host of the Bahá'í Community of Canada for its National Convention. At that time it had the highest rate of annual growth in the Bahá'í Community of Canada, suggesting a vitality not found in but few other communities. About one quarter of the new converts between 1937 and 1947 went pioneering. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p20; OBCC207-210]

• For text see BW2:90–8.
• The Guardian described it as the Bahá'í 'national constitution' heralding 'the formation of the constitution of the future Bahá'í World Community'. [GPB335; PP302–3]
• The drafting was largely the work of Horace Holley with assistance from the lawyer Mountfort Mills. [SBR234]
• In subsequent years the National Assemblies of India and Burma, of Egypt, Iraq, Persian and the British Isles all adopted this example almost verbatim. [UD101, BA134-5, SETPE1p145-6]

Rosemary Sala gave the lessons and presided over the discussions.

Study subjects were: “This Earth One Country”, “The Oneness of Mankind and the Abolition of Race Prejudice”, and “The Oneness of Religion”.

Recreational activities included swimming in the Bureau River, horseback riding, helping resident Bill Suter putting up hay, and a campfire picnic. [BW11 p 404]

John was born in Martock, NS and is credited with being the first resident Bahá'í. After he attended university he worked at the Sydney steel plant in Cape Breton. His life at the plant was gruesome for his arm was caught in machine and cut off. He moved to the United States where he found the Faith some time between 1917 and 1922. He returned to Canada in poor health and settled in Windsor, NS. John left the province to take a job in Newfoundland as a representative of the Penn Oil and Steel in Newfoundland and died of a heart attack three months later. His body was returned to Windsor. [OBCC109-110]

He is also credited with being the first Bahá'í to have visited Cap Breton.

• The first Bahá'í in Niagara Falls was Charlie Grindlay.
• The first native Niagara Falls resident to become a Bahá'í was Carol Bowie.

• National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada was elected for the first time. [GPB333, SETPE1p107]
• Like the previous attempts at electing a National Assembly in 1922, 1923 and 1924, the delegates didn't fully understand the Bahá'í election procedure. Nine members were elected as well as nine alternates whose purpose was to replace absent members at meetings. [SETPE1p108]
• The members were: Alfred Lunt, Harry Randall, May Maxwell, George Latimer, Louis Gregory, Elizabeth Greenleaf, Mariam Haney and Keith Ransom-Kehler with Horace Holley becomes its first full-time secretary. [BW13:852; SBR233, SETPE1p108]

• Elected were: Fletcher Bennett, Robert Lee, Lynn Whitehouse, Elinor Bennett, Joan Kauth, Justine Stenset, Elsie Dryer and Irene Harris. [CBN257April1972p12]
• 92 year old Irene Harris liked to be called "Grandma" because she is" a grandmother to all people, Chinese, Japanese, white people, to everyone". She was the first believer from the Kitwancool Nation. [CBN253Aug-Sep1971p6]

• They were guests of the Maxwells for a week and spoke seven times during their visit.
• During their time there they were dinner guest of Ernest Harrison and his family. Years later Ernest, then separated from his wife, would be a pioneer to Prince Edward Island.
• They met Mary's "Youth Group", the second formed in North America and the first to be dedicated to a deeper understanding of the Writings. Many were students at McGill where Mary was taking special classes and others were Eddie Elliot, an electrician who had been raised in the Maxwell house (son of the maid), Emeric Sala, Roland Estall, Rosemary Gillis (later Rosemary Sala).
• During their time there they slept in the bed of 'Abdu'l-Bahá that May covered with "the Robe of Bounty". It was a gown that had belonged to the Greatest Holy Leaf and had been given to Lua Getsinger and Lua had given it to May. [FMH97-102]

• Percy Woodcock resided briefly in and occasionally visited Brockville, ON
• Dr James Oakshette resided in Toronto [BFA2p157.

• The grave of Edward William Harris (b.19 March 1871, London, England, d. 22 March, 1922) is marked with a tombstone bearing The Greatest Name. [OBCC128]
• Find a grave for his wife Annie.
• And for their son, Edward William Harris, the Younger.

• From 1939 to 1940 she worked for the Dominion Bureau of Statistics and subsequently for the Department of Munitions and Supply until 1941 when she left for Toronto. Subject to racism in Canada she settled in Czechslovakia in the late 1940's after living in England and Germany. [OBCC152, 224]
• For a photo see OBCC144.

Originally she had been attracted to the Faith by publicity from the New History society but rejected the mixture of "truth and superstition".

• It can be found at [Plan] The goals were (1) to unify the American Bahá'í community's efforts, (2) to increase the number of Bahá'ís, (3) to "penetrate the consciousness of the public with the spirit of Bahá'u'lláh", and (4) to raise $400,000 so that the construction of the first unit of the Temple's superstructure could begin. [SBBR14p160, BFA1p110]
• This was the first of two Plans developed by the North American National Assembly in the years from 1926 to 1934 the second being "A New Plan of Unified Action To complete the Bahá'í Temple and promote the Cause in America (1931-1934)". [SBBR14p155-197]
• The above two plans were the first to have the expansion and development of the Bahá'í community as a primary goal and it is likely that they provided the model for other plans organized by Shoghi Effendi and other National Assemblies. [SBBR14p155]
• The first Plan of Unified Action indicates the ascendancy of those Bahá'ís who supported a centralizing authority over those who wanted a more amorphous system or no organization at all.[BiW177-8]
• For an essay on this subject see "Some Aspects of the Establishment of the Guardianship" by Dr Loni Bramson-Lerche in SBBR5p253-293
• During the years of these two plans the National Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada developed practices commonly used in subsequent plans, organized propagation, a central budget and the modern form of the Nineteen Day Feast. [SBBR14p160]

The varied program provided daily talks and discussions based on the outline 'Deepening the Spiritual Life'; study of the first part of 'The Promised Day Is Come' (led by Miss Winnifred Harvey); separate talks on 'Bahá'í Administration' (Siegfried Schopflocher, Ragnar Mattson, and Lou Boudler); 'Bahá'í Attitude towards Christianity' (Mrs. Agnes King); and 'Post-War Reconstruction' (John De Mille). Lorol Schopflocher contributed an account of her journeys to Central America and the British West Indies, and Emeric and Rosemary Sala gave us stories of their experiences in Venezuela and Columbia. [OBCC268; BW9:28; TG84; BN No 149 December 1941 p5; OBCC189]

• The assembly area is now known as Chelsea. Chelsea was named after the Vermont town of its first settler, Thomas Brigham, who was a partner and son-in-law of Philemon Wright and arrived there in 1819. The name has been in use since the early 19th century: Old Chelsea (1819), Parish Saint-Stephen-of-Chelsea (1835), Chelsea (circa 1870). In 1875, the municipality was established as Hull-Partie-Ouest, or commonly referred to as West Hull. The municipality was renamed to its current name in 1990. [Wikipedia]

Because she was not able to find employment she departed on the 22nd of December and was replaced by Kay Zinky in February 1954. She was an American from Colorado Spring, Colorado, whose husband, a non-Bahá'í, supported her during her stay of one year, until February 1954. Margaret and Larry Rowdon with their daughter Ayn arrived in the summer of 1954. They stayed until 1969. During this time the rest of their children, Leslie, Ruth, Devin, Karen and Bret were born. [CBN No 49 Feb 1954 p2; CBN No 54Jul 1954 p2] [CBN Vol 18 No 1 May 2005 p24-26; HB25; BW13:453; KoB278-280]

The first person to declare on the Magdalens was Carole Bates, originally from Nova Scotia. [HB116]

• It was attended by 112 Bahá'ís, 19 of them delegates. The country-wide membership was less than 500. [BC Vol 9 No 8 October 1987 p17]
• Those elected were: John Robarts (chair), Emeric Sala (vice), Laura Davis (sec'y), Siegfried Schopflocher (tres), Rowland Estall, Lloyd Gardner, Ross Woodman, Rosemary Sala, and Doris Richardson. [BN No 207 May 1948 105BE p3]
• See BW11:160, 184, Bahá'í Historical Facts for pictures.
• The first National Convention was held in the Maxwell home (in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's home as will be the election of the Universal House of Justice some 15 years hence.) with 13/19 delegates from all the provinces attending. (Six were unable to attend due to a flood.) Those elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly were: Laura Davis, Rowland Estall, Lloyd Gardner, Doris Richardson, John Robarts, Emeric Sala, Rosemary Sala, Siegfried Schopflocher, and Ross Woodman. [TG110, OBCC269-272]
• For a picture of the first Canadian National Spiritual Assembly see OBCC148.
• For Ruhiyyíh Khanum's Message to the first Canadian Convention see BN212 October 1948 pg2-t and Part II of the same address can be found at BN213 Novembe3r 1948 pg10-11.

• It was held in the home of Corinne True. [CT82–3]
• It was attended by 39 delegates from 36 cities. [GPB262; SBBH1:146]
• The Convention established the 'Bahá'í Temple Unity', which was incorporated to hold title to the Temple property and to provide for its construction. A constitution was framed and an Executive Board of the Bahá'í Temple Unity elected. [BBD39; BBRSM:106; BW10:179; GPB349; PP397; SBBH1:146]"

• For a photo see CBN No 117 October 1959 p1. Those elected were: Lorne Murphy, Mrs Georgie Hughes, Jerry Brda, Joan Anderson, Erna Henckel, Margaret Brda, Ted Anderson, Ruth Cunliffe, and Glen Hughes.
• At the Jackson Lake Summer School it was resolved to double their numbers by the 3rd annual summer school to be held in September 1960. New Tlingit Bahá'í Sally Jackson proposed that every Bahá'í in the Yukon recite three special prayers each day, the The Tablet of Ahmad the Long Obligatory Prayer and the prayer for Canada. By the time of the summer school they had enrolled eleven new believers and four days later, the twelfth new member, Joseph Smith, the first Tutchone Bahá'í also enrolled. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p91-92]
• In January 1961 a travel teacher from Alaska, newly declared believer Tlingit Jim Walton, himself a fluent Tlingit speaker was able to introduce a number of First Nations people to the Faith. By the 21st of the month there were 36 new believers for a total of 55 in at least eight localities, Whitehorse, Camp Takhini, Carcross, Marsh Lake, Teslin, Aishihik, Carmacks and Whitehorse Flats, a Native village near Whitehorse. [ibid p94]

• Willard McKay chaired the event with talks provided by Doris McKay, John Stearns, Mrs. Pettibone, Elizabeth Brooks, Mrs, Marguerite Firoozi. Lulu Barr, Mrs. Enos Barton, Mr, and Mrs. John Robarts and, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ives.
• It was attended by 74 persons, 4 of which applied for enrollment in the Faith that day. It was an occasion for Bahá'í youth on both sides of the border to meet each other.
• Plans were made to widen the New York-Pennsylvania Bahá'í speaker circuit to include Canada and the first youth conference was planned for Jamestown, NY. [FMH277; BN No 128 August 1939 p7; OBCC179]
• Bahá'ís will note the significant fact that a decisive battle was fought on this site during the Revolutionary War. General Isaac Brock was killed but thanks to a regiment of "coloured" soldiers and Native allies, the Canadian forces were able to dispel the invading forces and take almost 1,000 prisoners.

• Mention in CBN No38 Feb 1953 p6, "Gerda and Noel Wuttunee are at present residing in this community at 10958 - 84th Avenue and will remain in Edmonton for the winter."
• In 1950 he served on the "Prairies Indian Committee". [CBN No 15 September 1950]
• He may have been a resident of Winnipeg originally. [OBCC209-210, 227]
• See OBCC144 for a photo.
• See BW12p793 for a photo of Noel and his wife.

• The farmhouse was improved and enlarged, two additional cottages were built, two more wells were dug, part of the barn was rebuilt into a lecture hall. The property was offered for use by the Canadian Youth Hostel Association and was used by the Bahá'ís for winter and summer schools for more than twenty-five years. [TG109]
• When the National Spiritual Assembly was formed two years later this property became its first endowment. [CBN No 15 September, 1950 p5]

The photo in this reference shows Indigenous believers of the Peigan Indian Reserve (Piikani First Nation), Blackfoot Confederacy, Alberta, Maggie Prairie Chicken, Rose Knowlton, Louise White Cow, Agnes Yellow Face, Councillor Samson Knowlton, Ben White Cow, Sam Yellow Face, and Allan (Otakkoyiisaapo'p) Prairie Chicken. Allan and Maggie Prairie Chicken were the first declarants of the Blackfoot nation in March 1958. [BN No 342 August 1959 p10]

• Another source, says the date of her declaration was August 5, 19

• It was reported in the Canadian Bahá'í News that Amy Putnam from Hamilton had moved on to the Reserve by April, 1958. [CBN No 99 April 1958 p8]

• She (23yrs) and her husband Gustav (39yrs) and two children immigrated to Canada in 1871. He passed away in 1929. They were buried in the Kilworthy Lutheran Cemetery.

• Some of the members were: Mary Maxwell, George Spendlove, Rowland Estall, Emeric Sala, Mary Gillis, (later Rosemary Sala), Teddy Edwards Alizade, Norman McGregor, Judie Russell Blakely, Dorothy and Glen Wade, Edward Dewing, Gerrard Sluter, David Hofman, Rena Gordon and Eddie Elliot.
• The Bahá'í youth group was a social club organized by Ruhiyyih Khanum called the "Fratority Club." By this word, Ruhiyyih Khanum meant to put together the words "fraternity" and "sorority" and had invited to belong to it people, mostly young students at McGill, who would otherwise not have been able to find membership in the exclusive fraternities and sororities around the campus. [Black Roses in Canada's Mosaic: Four Decades of Black History by Will C. van den Hoonaard and Lynn Echevarria-Howe]
• When advised of the formation of this group Shoghi Effendi replied, in part
  ...I urge them to study profoundly the revealed utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and the discourses of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and not to rely unduly on the representations and interpretation of the Teaching given by the Bahá'í speakers and teachers. [MtC30-31]
• A Bahá'í youth group had been started in California in 1912, but the Montreal group was the first in North America to systematically study the Teachings—an exercise that had a long—lasting influence on the development and growth of the Bahá'í community in Canada and elsewhere. Members of the group would later distinguish themselves as some of the best-known teachers, administrators, pioneers, and writers of the Bahá'í Faith. [BWM46]

The couple, Frank Bloodworth and Marlene Glenham, both of Winnipeg. will be residing in the St. Boniface Assembly area due to the fact that the assembly had been depleted and required two pioneers to fill its ranks. [CBN No 167 December 1963 p1]

In that same issue of the Canadian Bahá'í News it was announced that the St. Boniface Spiritual Assembly had a new Secretary.
          Mrs. Marlene Bloodworth, Secty.,
          Apt. 14, Grandview Apts.,
          77 Eugenie St., St. Boniface 6, Man

• Shoghi Effendi called her "the spiritual mother of Canada" Montreal "the mother city of Canada. [OBCC35]
• Shoghi Effendi awarded her the honour of a 'martyr's death' and designated her as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [BW8:631; MA38]
• She was the first Bahá'í on European soil and the "mother" of both the French and the Canadian Bahá'í communities. [PP149]
• For her "In Memoriam" and tribute written by Marion Holley see BW8p631-642.
• Hooper Dunbar quoted Shoghi Effendi in his cable to the friends in Iran announcing her passing:
  
  May Maxwell, the severed teacher firebrand of the love of God and spreader of the fragrances of God Mrs Maxwell, forsook her native land and hastened to the most distant countries out of love for her Master and yearning to sound the call to the Cause of her Lord and her inspiration, until she ascended to the highest summit attaining the rank of martyrdom in the capital of the Argentine. The furthermost boundary the countenances of paradise invoke blessings upon her in the glorious apex saying, may she enjoy with healthy relish the cup that is full and brimming over with the wine of the love of God for the like of this should the travaillers travail. Inform all the friends of the announcement of this mighty victory. [A talk] given by Mr Dunbar 28:08]
• Shoghi Effendi asked her husband, Sutherland Maxwell, to design her tomb, which was to be a 'historic centre' for 'pioneer Bahá'í activity'. [BW8:642]
• For an account of the erection of the monument to her see PSBW83–6.

• In the months and years that followed their relatives enrolled in the Faith. It can be said that the Graham family established the first dynasty in Canada.
• 1952 November 2: Fred's mother Florence as well as Fred's sister Jeanie and her husband Orv Seddon enrolled. [UC35]

Seven speakers presented papers in a wide range of academic disciplines. The speakers were:
'Abdu'l Misagh Ghadirian-"August Forel: His Life and Enlightenment".
Douglas Martin-"The Bahá'í Faith and Its Critics".
Luc Dion, a student of Physics at the Université du Québec in Chicoutimi-"La realité du monde e l'existence de Dieu". He had the distinction of being the first Bahá'í student to present a formal paper and also presented the first paper in French.
Hossain Danesh-"Violence and Apathy".
William Hatcher-on the relationship between science and religion.
Don Rogers-"The Function of Revelation in Artistic Expression".
Glen Eyford-"Spiritual Education".

A decision was taken to begin the publication of Bahá'í Studies.

In addition, the "Ballet Shayda" presented a group of three dances on Saturday evening. [BC Issue 291 February 1976 p6]

See photo at Worldwide Community of Bahá'u'lláh

The conference began with a presentation by Dr. Victor de Araujo entitled, "Health: A Global Perspective". Dr. Hossain Danesh then presented a review of the historical relationship between religion and science in general and the science of medicine in particular. These two talks set the tone and direction of the conference.

For the remaining two and a half days, the participants were treated to an array of challenging, informative and well-researched presentations such as: "Mind, Body and Soul" by Dr. Faraneh Khadem; "The Baha'i Revelation and Lifestyle Alternation" by Dr. David Smith; "Adolescent Quest for Tranquility: the Dilemma of Drug Abuse" by Dr. A. M. Ghadirian; ''Scientific Method of Search for Truth" by Dr. Peter Morgan; "Total Stimulation for Children Recovering from Malnutrition" by Linda Gershuny; "Nutrition: Key Factor in High-Level Wellness" by Dr. S. Raman; "Music Therapy" by Jocelyn Boor; "Healing Relationship in Marriage" by Ruth Eyford and Helgi Eyford; and "The Importance for a Physician to turn to God" by Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi.

There were four very successful workshops: "Smoking and Exercise"; ''Alcoholism, Drug Abuse, and Youth"; "Baha'i Life" and ''Baha'i Approach to Sexuality". The participants also had the pleasure of attending the performance of Ballet Shayda on the theme of "Women in Motion''.

. The closing addresses were given by Hand of the Cause John Robarts and by Florence Altass, a 96 year old Bahá'í from England, who due to a recent and severe illness, was not able to attend the conference but sent a paper and taped message. Throughout the conference, Mr. Robarts greatly encouraged the friends, showered them with his love and guided them with his remarks. He reminded Bahá'í health professionals of the importance of prayer and turning to God for assistance at the time of dispensing treatment. It was through his closing remarks, quoting from the Writings of the Faith, that the audience caught a glimpse of the unity of religion and science which will no doubt characterize the medical sciences of the future. [BC Vol 2 Issue 12 September/October 1980 p30]

"We feel that it is of particular interest because the majority of the members are French speaking. Following 'Abdu'l-Bahá's exhortation to teach the French-speaking people of Canada our great hope has been to arrive at a more equitable representation from the two main language groups of this country."

• The members were: Marjorie Merrick, Paul Hanbury, Winnifred Harvey, Lucille Leboeuf, Daniel Caillaud, Danielle Coinon, Paule Médori, Michel Larin and Janet Braithwaite. [CBN Issue 242? July 1970 p 9; [from an email 4 November 2022 from National Archivist Ailsa Hedly Leftwich]

• As a gift to the National Assembly she brought an illuminated Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh in Arabic. It was written in a circle in the centre of which was a lock of Bahá'u'lláh's hair. [CBN No 126 July 1960 p7]. iiiii

• The Canadian National Exhibition, "the Ex", is a Canadian institution first held in 1879. [Wikipedia]

• Beatrice Magee moved to a neighbouring farm in 1951 when she married. The Harris home was still there with its linens, furniture, books, photos and even a coffee pot on the stove. She said she would often go there and speculate why someone would walk out on a lifetime of work and memories. She admitted to "spiriting out" a large apple box full of early Bahá'í literature that she had recovered from the dirt and the bird droppings. Although she had never met this mysterious man, she would often think of him, wondering what he had been like, why he left so suddenly and what happened to him. She resolved to someday search through the box of literature and when she did, in 1978, she became a Bahá'í.
• Another curious thing is that the gravestone of the elder Harris, (Edward William Harris (b.19 March 1871, London, England, d. 22 March, 1922, Carmichael, SK) is marked with a tombstone bearing "The Greatest Name", a Bahá'í symbol often found on the headstones of those who have followed the Faith. Where had this man learned of the Faith and how did he managed to maintain his convictions in isolation for all those years?
• Find a grave Edward and Annie Harris.
• Find a grave Edward Harris Jr in the Fairview Cemetery in Prince Rupert, BC.

• Prior to 1944 delegates to the National Convention were chosen from local communities by proportional representation. [BN No 16 March 1927 p1 refers] After this point delegates no longer represented Local Assemblies but were chosen on a provincial (or state) basis. [MA70-71; OBCC157, 174n2]
• In 1944 there were 35 delegates to the National Convention. iiiii

O God! We pray that from now on, Thou, the Beloved
will bestow upon Shoghi Effendi all the strength and
vigor that will enable him to pursue over a long unbroken
period of strenuous labor, the supreme task of achieving,
in collaboration with the friends in every land, the
speedy triumph of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.

This was adapted from his letter dated the 14th of November 1923

I cherish the hope that, from now on, the Beloved may bestow upon me all the strength and vigor that will enable me to pursue over a long and unbroken period of strenuous labor the supreme task of achieving, in collaboration with the friends in every land, the speedy triumph of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. This is the prayer I earnestly request all my fellow-brethren and sisters in the Faith to offer on my behalf.

He also had a prayer for the believers:

"Let us pray to God that in these days of world-encircling gloom, when the dark forces of nature, of hate, rebellion, anarchy and reaction are threatening the very stability of human society, when the most precious fruits of civilization are undergoing severe and unparalleled tests, we may all realize, more profoundly than ever, that though but a mere handful amidst the seething masses of the world, we are in this day the chosen instruments of God's grace, that our mission is most urgent and vital to the fate of humanity, and, fortified by these sentiments, arise to achieve God's holy purpose for mankind."

Members at the time of incorporation were: Singe Saxton, Stella Pollexfen, Claire Atwood, Margaret Saxton, Angus Cowan, Bobbie Cowan, Ethel Martens, Moliie Macpherson, and Miron Thom.

This film was made during American filmmaker George Stoney's two-year assignment with the National Film Board of Canada, serving as Executive Producer of the "Challenge for Change" project.

Some other films from this project were Cree Hunters of Mistassini and You Are on Indian Land.

• Lyrics for The Ballad of Crowfoot.
• To learn more listen to the podcast Why You Should Know the Indian Film Crew. (You can start at 20min40sec.)

Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Douglas Martin (Secretary), Ronald Parsons; Michael Rochester (Vice-chairman), Suheil Bushrui, Rowland Estall, Donald Glen (Treasurer), Lloyd Gardner; Jameson Bond (Chairman), and, Angus Cowan. [CBN No 208 June 1967 p8]

Also among the Conference participants were Dr. Farzam Arbáb, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Americas; three members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, Dr. Hossain Danesh, Glen Eyford and Douglas Martin; and three members of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly, Dr. Wilma Brady, Judge Dorothy W. Nelson and Judge James F. Nelson. Also attending were Counsellor Raul Pavón; Dr. Victor de Araujo, the representative of the Bahá'í International Community at the United Nations; and Dr. Betty J. Fisher, general editor of the U.S. Bahá'í Publishing Trust.

This year's Hasan Balyúzi Lectureship was delivered by Gayle Morrison, a Bahá'í historian and educator from Hawaii who is the author of To Move the World, a biography of the Hand of the Cause of God Louis G. Gregory. Mrs. Morrison's topic was "A New Creation: The Power of the Covenant in the Life of Louis Gregory." [BC Vol 3 No 8 February 1982 p17-17]

• This marked the beginning of the second epoch of the Formative Age. [CB316; CF5–6]
• For details of the plan see BW16:81–2.

• Those elected were: George Monroe (chair), Stanley Kemp (tres.), Evelyn Kemp (sec'y), Rhoda Harvey, Thursa Murwood-Clark, Christina Monroe, Isobel Seifert, Florence Sherborne, and Katherine Warnicker. [OBCC130]

Three original papers this year were presented by Dr. William Hatcher, Mr. Douglas Martin and Dr. John Hatcher. Two students, Heida Lakshman and John Taylor also presented papers.

The Ottawa company, based in Ottawa, Le Ballet Shayda presented their original piece entitled Journey. [BC Issue 300 February 1977 p6]

Doris McKay was born in New York state in 1894. She married Willard McKay in 1923 and took up residence on a successful fruit farm. The greatest adventure of Doris and Willard's lives began two years later, when they embraced the Bahá'í Faith through the teaching efforts of Howard and Mable Ives. This book tells the story of that adventure — of Doris and Willard's work and warm friendships with people such as the Ives, Grace and Harlan Ober, Louis Gregory, May Maxwell, Martha Root, Dorothy Baker, and other early American Bahá'ís. It tells the story of the McKay's work in the racial amity field and their eventual pioneering move to Eastern Canada in the 1940's. Doris tells her story with clear-sightedness, zest, and love. This book provides an intimate glimpse into the spiritual life of a dedicated Bahá'í teacher and the development of the Bahá'í Faith in America.

The book was republish in 2021 under a new title, Fires in Many Hearts; Memoirs of an early American believer by George Ronald Publishers.

The true story, told by his mother, of a courageous boy and his family who believed that where there is love, hope can grow. Tristan Schuurman did get better. His brain and liver were damaged but he walked and talked, laughed and loved and believed with a devotion that inspired all who knew him. His seventeen years were crammed with life of the highest order. [Bahaipedia]

Larry Rowdon was born in St Catharines, ON in 1923. He was educated in Canada and abroad, serving with the Canadian Armed Forces and gravely wounded in the Normandy landings in 1944. He became a Bahá'í in 1951 while living in Kingston, ON, then later with his wife Margaret and their year-old daughter Ayn, pioneered (1954-1969 to the Magdalen Islands. This is the story of the early part of their lives, living and raising a family on this archipelago. [CBN No 24 December 1951 p3; CBN No 68 Sep 1955 p3]
• See a book review by Will C. van den Hoonaard.

The book is biographical and recounts some of the memories of Margaret and Larry Rowdon during their 6 years of pioneering (1986-1992) on the island.

Outlines the history, teachings, structure and community life of the international Baha'i community, in an updated edition that includes coverage of the Baha'i Faith's views about world peace and the equal roles of women.

The author, prominent socialite and wife of the Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher, recounts her own life story and her many travels on behalf of the Bahá'í Faith. [BEL 7.2349 p139]

• See [MtC198-199] for a photo.

1. Enhancement of the vitality of the faith of individual believers.
2. Development of the human resources of the Cause.
3. Fostering the proper functioning of local and national institutions.

• He is believed to be the third French-Canadian to become a Bahá'í outside of Canada. [OCBB94]
• He gave an address to the National Convention at the Hotel McAlpine on the 28th of April, 1919 entitled The Oneness of the World of Humanity. [SoW Vol 10 May 17, 1919 No 4 p58] "This talk 'sounded so French-Canadian' that later francophone believers could still be moved to tears in reading its text." [OCBB94]
• He received widespread publicity for his opening of bread lines in New York (The Stepping Stone) and for "auctions" of the jobless to employers in New York and Boston during the Depression of 1921. He was received by President Warren Harding shortly after arriving in Washington, D.C. in September 1921. Ledoux spent a little over three months in Washington, D.C. 1921-22 campaigning for a public works program funded by a tax on companies that made excessive war profits during World War I. His tactics included setting up a hotel housing the unemployed on Pennsylvania Avenue, an auction of the jobless, speaking before the unemployment conference, calling for the arrest of international arms conference delegates. He walked around the city carrying a white umbrella, a lighted lantern and a Bible or a copy of the Sermon on the Mount saying he was like Diogenes searching for an honest man.
• Urbain Ledoux is shown in Boston in 1921 auctioning off an unemployed man. He conducted these auctions in New York and Boston in order to garner publicity for the plight of the unemployed and to find work for the jobless. He called himself "Mr. Zero" because he said he didn't want any publicity for himself.
• "Mr. Zero" returned to Washington in 1932 with the Bonus Expeditionary Force, leading an unauthorized march on the White House July 16, 1932 that resulted in his arrest along with two others. The march frightened President Herbert Hoover who set in motion the eviction of the bonus marchers from the city—a move that backfired on Hoover and helped to cement his reputation as someone uncaring about the plight of the nation's unemployed. Photos.
• Find a grave.
• His obituary in the New York Times April 10th 1941.
• He is reported to have "rescued" 85 year-old Sarah Farmer in Portsmouth where she was being held in a sanatorium against her will. [Boston Post 4 August 1916]
• See a story from Ephemeral New York.
• There is a short description of Urbain LeDoux in He Loved and Served: The Story of Curtis Kelsey p 33-34.

Following his enrollment, he travelled to Southeast Alaska to teach the Faith. Later, he travelled with Don MacLaren throughout the Yukon to present a Bahá'í brief on Human Rights to all the Chiefs of the Yukon. During his travels, which included a trip to the Philippines along with his daughter Hazel and niece Clara Shinkel, he was able to present the Faith on the radio.

He attended the first native council held in Haines, Alaska and was instrumental in the decision made by the Elders at Carcross to pursue the building of a native teaching institute. Hand of the Cause John Robarts and Uncle Johnnie turned the sod for the construction of the Yukon Bahá'í Institute in 1983. Uncle Johnnie participated at the Dedication of the Institute and the naming ceremony for Hand of the Cause John Robarts which was held during the potlatch. His leadership and counsel will be dearly missed by all his Bahá'í family. "The circle is completed". [BC Vol 1 No 1 March 1988 p15]

See "Remembering Uncle Johnnie". [BC Vol 1 No 1 March 1988 p24]

• Samson was also a member of the Band Council, and was instrumental in the passing of a resolution to permit Bahá'ís to visit and teach the Faith on the Peigan Reserve. He made many teaching trips throughout North America, fostering a spirit of harmony between native and non—native communities.
• In 1960, Samson accompanied Canada's first native Senator, James Gladstone, a Blood Indian, to Ottawa to present to the federal Government a proposal urging it to extend to native people the right to vote in federal elections. (Note: On 31 March 1960, portions of Section 14(2) of the Canada Elections Act were repealed in order to grant the federal vote to status Indians. First Nations people could now vote without losing their Indian status.) He was also instrumental in having eliminated the 'permit system' which prevented First Nations people from leaving the reserve. [BW19p668-669] iiiii
• Rosie's Guest Book from 1960 to 1965 included the following names: Hasan Balyuzi, Agnes Harrison, Doug Crawford, Angus Cowan, Reg Wilson, Dorothy Francis, Harvey Iron Eagle, Henry Keg, Douglas Martin, Peggy Ross & many more. Other visitors were Ruhiyyih Khanum (21 May 1961) and Hooper Dunbar 24 July 1962). [The Distance Traversed a presentation by Bev Knowlton and Joan Young 2022. Please note that the link has been suspended pending permission from the authors.]
• See In Memoriam: Rosie Knowlton.