Bahai Library Online

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada

World Canada
   

Date 1948, sorted by date, descending

see also the tag for 1948

date event tags firsts
1948 Oct - Jan
194-		 When Ottawa was a goal with only five believers, week after week, John Robarts took the Friday night train from Toronto to Ottawa and returned in time for work Monday morning. He rarely addressed public meetings and did not always lead the local fireside but he was there. His intensive effort was directed to this one need, his absorbing and sincerely loving interest in the enquirers, his enthusiasm for the Faith bore fruit and the Ottawa Spiritual Assembly was formed four months after his visits began. He had followed the same personal teaching plan that had be so successful in Hamilton. In neither place did he accomplish the task single-handedly. He was supported by the friends, and he supported them. [CBN No 72 Jan 1956 p4] John Robarts; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Ottawa, ON; Teaching
1948 7 - 14 Aug
194-		 First Baha'i conference held at Franklin Camp. Georgian Bay, Ontario. See photo. [Worldwide Community of Bahá'u'lláh Georgian Bay, ON; Summer schools
1948 May
194-		 James Loft, a Mohawk from near Belleville became a Bahá'í, according to OBCC62, the first Native to enroll.
  • See OBCC62 or RT14 for the story of how he saw 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the window of His passing train in 1912 as He travelled from Montreal to Buffalo.
 Belleville, ON; Jim Loft
1948 Ridvan
194-		 The newly formed National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada launched a Five Year Plan (1948-1953). [Ruhi 8.2 p46]
  • The objective was to expand the Faith into Newfoundland and Greenland. [BBRSM158] Note: Newfoundland (then called Newfoundland and Labradour) did not join Confederation until the 31st of March 1949.

Should the fire of the love of God be kindled in Greenland, all the ice of that country will be melted, and its cold weather become temperate—that is, if the hearts be touched with the heat of the love of God, that territory will become a divine rose garden and a heavenly paradise, and the souls, even as fruitful trees, will acquire the utmost freshness and beauty. Effort, the utmost effort, is required. Should you display an effort, so that the fragrances of God may be diffused among the Eskimos, its effect will be very great and far-reaching. [TDP28]

See Excerpts from a letter from Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum to the delegates and friends attending Canada's first National Convention, 1948, originally published in "Canadian Baha'i News," May 1948: Ruhiyyih Khanum's letter to Canada's first National Convention. [BC Vol 10 No 12 Apr 1998 p14]

* Teaching Plans; Greenland; Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
1948 24 - 25 Apr
194-		 The National Spiritual Assembly of the Dominion of Canada was established. [BBRSM:186; BW13:856; MBW143; PP397; BW11p20]
  • 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.
Doris Richardson; Emeric Sala; John Robarts; Laura Davis; Lloyd Gardner; Montreal, QC; National Convention; National Spiritual Assemblies; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Rosemary Sala; Ross Woodman; Rowland Estall; Siegfried Schopflocher first National Convention
1948 Ridván
194-		 The following were elected to the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Montréal: Siegfried Schopflocher, Gwen Inwood, Arthur Irwin, Milli Tina Gordon, Eddie Elliot, Adline Lohse, Bert Rakovsky; Amine De Mille; and René Roy. [OBCC146, 153] Adline Lohse; Albert Rakovsky; Amine De Mille; Arthur Irwin; Eddie Elliot; Gwen Inwood; Local Spiritual Assembly, election; Milli Tina Gordon; Montreal, QC; René Roy; Siegfried Schopflocher
1948 Apr
194-		 When Victoria formed the 16th Spiritual Assembly in April 1948, it would only do so by attracting pioneers, who included the world-renowned painter Mark Tobey, and, finally, three new Bahá'ís from Victoria itself; a Mr Ramsay (whose wife, Mina, was a Bahá'í and a chiropractor), Violet Bausfield, and Oscar Scogland, a janitor of Swedish ancestry.. [OBCC224-225] Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Mark Tobey; Victoria, BC
1948 Apr
194-		 West Vancouver became the 16th city in Canada to form a Spiritual Assembly. [OBCC223] Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Vancouver, BC
1948 1 Feb
194-		 The first Regional Conventions were held to elect delegates to the upcoming first National Convention. [OBCC308] Conventions; Conventions, District first Regional Conventions
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