The Bill to abolish the Atlantic slave trade received Royal Assent in the British Parliament. The Act took effect on 1 May 1807. [UK Parliament]
• The night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. It is against this background that the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is commemorated on 23 August each year. [UNESCO]

The Times of London carried an item on the arrest and torture of Quddús, Mullá Sádiq-i-Khurásání, Mullá `Alí-Akbar-i-Ardistání and Mullá Abú-Tálib in Shíráz in June. This was the first known printed reference to the Revelation in the Western press. A similar article was reprinted on 19 November. [First newspaper story of the events of the Bábí Faith compiled by Steven Kolins; B76–7; BBR4, 69]
• See In was in the news.... In this blog by SMK, he has provided an extensive list of English newspaper articles on the persecution of the Báb and the Bábís in 1845 and 1846.

First public lecture in the West on the Bahá'í Faith was given by E. G. Browne at the Southplace Institute, London.
• He spoke to the Pembroke College Literary Society in England (Martletts), at which the Faith was discussed at length.

Agnes Baldwin Alexander wrote to `Abdu'l-Bahá declaring her belief in Bahá'u'lláh. [BFA2:159; SBR176; PH32]
• She had heard of the Bahá'í Faith from Charlotte Dixon while staying in a pension in Rome. She stayed in Rome for three months studying prophecies then travelled to Paris for further study with May Bolles for another three and one half months. [BFA2:159; SBR176]
• She left Paris in the Spring of 1901 for London, New England, Oakland, Ca and finally Honolulu. On returning to Hawaii in December 1901 she became the first Bahá'í to set foot in Hawaii. [BFA2:159–60; SBR177]

The passing of Queen Victoria.
• Of all the leaders addressed by Bahá'u'lláh only she is reputed to have made a courteous reply. [CBM47; PDC65]
  See Napoleon III and Queen Victoria, Responses to the Tablets of Baha'u'llah written by/on behalf of the Universal House of Ousted 1997-11-06.
• See CBM47–8 for Bahá'u'lláh's prophecy concerning the success of her reign.
• See Baha'u'llah Addresses Queen Victoria by David Langness.
• See Bahá'u'lláh's letter to Queen Victoria: Reform the World by Michael Curtotti.
• See Baha'u'llah's letter to Queen Victoria on the British Library site.

The First Universal Races Congress was held at the University of London. It was the first important conference in which the British Bahá'ís participated. It was an international symposium on the theme of the brotherhood of humankind and attracted leading politicians, theologians and scholars from the whole of the British Empire and from Europe as well as North America. During the Congress itself there were several presentations from Bahá'ís including the reading of a letter from 'Abdu'l-Bahá who was in Egypt at the time. [NBAD45]
• See 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Letter and here.
• See SoW Vol II No 9 for a report by Wellesley Tudor-Pole, an article by Thorton Chase as well as the letter from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the conference. See as well Speech for the Universal Races Congress translation and comments by Senn McGlinn.
• A translation was published in "The Christian Commonwealth" on August 2, 1911.
• A bibliography of the presentations, papers and contributions and secondary literature by Ralph Dumain can be found here.
• A paper by Dr W. E. B. DuBois entitled The Negro Race in the United States of America (pp348-364)was also presented at this conference.
• Alain Locke attended. It may have been where he first heard of the Bahá'í faith. He credits this conference as his inspiration to begin the first of five historic lectures on race relation he delivered at Howard University in 1916. [Alain Locke: Faith & Philosophy p43 by Dr Chrisopher Buck]
• See the website of the National Centre for Race Amity.
  • The long term goal of the National Center for Race Amity is to have a resolution adopted by both the House and the Senate to have the second Sunday in June declared as an annual Day of Observance in the United States, with the President issuing a Proclamation supporting the passage of the Race Amity Day Resolution.

The beginning of `Abdu'l-Bahá's first Western tour [AB139]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá departed from Egypt with a party of four on the S. S. Corsica for Marseilles, Thonon-les-Bains and London. [AB139; GPB280; SBR22, SoW Vol 2 no.10 8 September, 1911 p7]
• Subsequent research has shown that the ship was not the S.S. Corsica as stated in GPB280 but rather the L'Orenoque. See 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris page 6 note 47.
• See BW1:130 for a list of cities He visited between 1911 and 1913.
• It is believed that funds for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's teaching journeys to the West were provided by an oil-rich believer in Baku, Áqa Músá Naqiof (alternate spelling Musa Naghiyev)(yet another alternate spelling Báqirof) (1849-1919). [AY11; ABF295note684]
  • For more on Musa Naghiyev see Wikipedia and The Baha'is of the Caucasus: From Russian Tolerance to Soviet Repression {2/3}.

`Abdu'l-Bahá took up residence at Thonon-les-Bains on Lake Leman (Lake Geneva). [AB140; GPB280; SBR219]
• While there He encountered Zillu's-Sultán, the eldest son of the Sháh of the time, Násirid-Dín Sháh. It was he who had ratified the execution of the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs and at least 100 others. The whole family was in exile in Geneva at this time. 'Abdu'l-Bahá was very courteous to this man who had been such an inveterate enemy of the Cause. [DJT172, AY19, GPB201] .
• The Master sent for Juliet Thompson who had been waiting in London for His permission to join Him.
• During His stay he had a visit from Annie Boylan, a member of the New York community that was experiencing disharmony. Unaware of Bahá'í election procedures, a group that was unhappy with the disunity and ineffectiveness of the Council had organized a vote to be rid of several of its Council members. 'Abdu'l-Bahá had written to the community a short time before recommending that the Council be expanded from 9 to 27 members so that all factions could be represented. He also recommended that women be included on the Council and that the name be changed to "the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New York". This apparently addressed the problem of disunity because the New York community went on to contribute significantly to the progress of the Faith on a national level. [DJT181, BFA2p338]
• Horace Holley, who lived at Quattro Torri, Siena, Italy at the time, along with his wife Bertha Herbert and baby daughter Hertha, visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the 29th and 30th of August. Please see his Religion for Mankind p 232-237 for a pen portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
• He met with Elizabeth Stewart and Lillian Kappes who were on their way to Tehran. [find reference]
• It would appear that He returned to Marseilles and travelled to London by sea. [SCU22-23]

Tammaddun'ul-Mulk and Juliet Thompson arrived in Thonon-les-Bains from London via Geneva. She had landed in Southampton on board the Lusitania from America on the 25th of July.

Juliet Thompson had been in Paris in 1899 and had been part of the nascent Bahá'í community there along with May Maxwell and Lua Getsinger. In addition, she had met 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Akká in 1909.

• She, like many others, was anxious to know when He might come to America. He replied that the unity of the believers would be His invitation. There had been strong differences of opinion among the believers in America and one of those points was in their understanding of the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Some believed Him to be an ordinary man who, through spiritual practice, had attained HIs station, implying that all could do the same. Others insisted that He was the return of Christ. The differences among the believers in New York was such that an election for the New York Bahá'í Board of Council had been influenced to excluded one of the incumbents. 'Abdu'l-Bahá insisted that the Board be increased to 19 members to ensure his re-election. [ABF19]

`Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in London accompanied by His secretary, Mírzá Mahmúd and Khusraw, His servant. This marked His first visit to the country and lasted 29 days. [ABL53, AB140; GBP280; SBR22, 148, BW4p378, In the Footsteps of the Master p.5]
• CH149 says He arrived 8 September and 3 September as per the UK Bahá'í site.
• Those Bahá'ís who assembled to meet him were listed as: Lady Blomfield (in whose home at 97 Cadogan Gardens He stayed), Mrs Thornburg-Cropper, Miss Ethel Rosenberg, Miss Gamble, Miss Herrick, Mrs Scaramucci, Miss Elsie Lee, Mr Catanach, Mr Cuthbert, Mr and Mrs Jenner, Miss Yandell, Miss Julia Culver, Mrs Stannard, Mr and Mrs Eric Hammond, The Rev Harrold Johnston, The Rev Cooper Hunt, Miss Juliet Thompson, Mrs Louise Waite, Mrs Movius, Mrs Claudia Coles, Mr Mountfort Mills, Mr Mason Remey and Miss Drake Wright. Mr and Mrs Dreyfus-Barney provided translation. In addition there were a number of Persians who took the opportunity to meet Him. [BW4p377]
• As described by Lady Blomfield those who came to see him were: "Ministers and missionaries, Oriental scholars and occult students practical men of affairs and mystics, Anglican-Catholics and Nonconformists, Theosophists and Hindus, Christian Scientists and doctors of medicine, Muslims, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians. There also called: politicians, Salvation Army soldiers, and other workers for human good, women suffragists, journalists, writers, poets and healers dress-makers and great ladies, artists and artisans, poor workless people and prosperous merchants, members of the dramatic and musical world, these all came; and none were too lowly nor too great to receive the sympathetic consideration of this holy Messenger, who was ever giving His life for others' good." In addition there was a representation from the Bramo-Somaj Society, a Hindu reform group. [CH150-152]
• See BW4p377 where Lady Blomfield reported that Prince Jalalu'd-Dawlih entreated to be received by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and when in His presence fell prostrate and implored pardon for his crimes. (see 1891 19 May) [BW4p377]
• Among the list of visitors were: Professor Edward Granville Browne, Mr Tudor-Pole, Emmeline Pankhurst, a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. [BW4p377]
• See BW4p381 for the story of a homeless, suicidal man who had seen a picture of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a newspaper in a shop window.
• See BW4p382-383 for the story of the persistent journalist who imposed upon the appointment of two ladies from Scotland who had journeyed all that day and intended to make the return voyage that same evening.
• For details of His stay in England see AB140–58 and GPB283–5.
• It is implied that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was attended by Dr Lutfu-lláh Hakím while in London. [BW4p380]
• During His stay in London 'Abdu'l-Bahá received death threats by anonymous letter and he was advised to give up He planned journey to Egypt. He ignored them. [BW4p 387]
• During His stay in London He had professional photographs of Himself taken by the Irish photographer, James Lafayette (1853-1923). "...to have a picture of oneself is to emphasise the personality, which is merely the lamp, and is quite unimportant. The light burning within the lamp has the only real significance." [SBR25, BW4p383-384, ABF84]

'Abdu'l-Bahá visited the home of Miss Ethel Jenner Rosenberg for a Unity meeting at White Lodge, 8 Sunnyside, Wimbledon (since demolished). [ABL44-45, In the Footsteps of the Master p.9, SYH40]

`Abdu'l-Bahá gave His first public address in the West in the City Temple Church in Holborn, London to an audience of over 2,000 people. He proclaimed that "This is a new cycle of human power…the gift of God in this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and the fundamental oneness of religion." [ABL17-20, AB140; BW2:227; GPB283–4, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p11]
• He spoke at the invitation of The Reverend R J Campbell. Mr. Wellesly Tudor-Pole read the translation. [CH154]
• Dialogue between Rev Campbell and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SoW Vol 2 No 11 27 September 1911 p3, 4-7]
• For the text of His talk see AB140–2.
• For the words He wrote in the pulpit Bible see AB145. The church was bombed in World War II and the pulpit Bible was destroyed. The church was rebuilt in 1958.
• For a photo see BWNS792.
• SoW Vol 2 No 11 27 September 1911 p3, 7-8.
• See A New Cycle of Human Power: Abdu'l-Bahá's Encounters with Modernist Writers and Artists by Robert Weinberg.

Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper gave a reception for 'Abdu'l-Bahá at her home 31 Evelyn Mansions, Carlisle Place, Victoria for about 45 people. [ABL46-47, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p12, SYH40]
• His talk has been entitled, "Persian-English friendship and a brief history". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks]

`Abdu'l-Bahá addressed the congregation of St John's, Westminster, His second address to a Western audience. He also met with members of the Salvation Army who were singing outside. [ABL21-25, AB145; SBR8, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p13, SYH38]
• For text of His talk see AB147–8 and 'Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks.
• He spoke at the invitation of Archdeacon of Westminster, Albert Wilberforce, grandson of famed abolitionist William Wilberforce. The invitation had been extended to Him during a private audience in the home of Lady Blomfield. [CH153-154]
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent an invitation to the Archdeacon asking him to meet with Him. He turned Him down with a message, "We are all one behind the veil." 'Abdu'l-Bahá replied, "...and the veil is thinning quite." When Wilberforce met with 'Abdu'l-Bahá he found that there was no separation between them. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary - The Great Tour p99]
• See also Star of the West Vol. II No. 12, p. 12.

By December the article found its way to Mirzá Abu'l-Fazl in Beirut who wrote a fitting response to the attack on the Faith. Abu'l-Fazl signed it, and mailed it to 'Àbdu'l-Bahá, "so that He can, in his wisdom, decide what to do with it."

Àbdu'l-Bahá received the manuscript in New York on June 19, 1912. He had it translated and printed, and called it The Brilliant Proof. "Each one of you should have a copy," he told the Americans. "Read, memorize and reflect upon it. Then, when accusations and criticisms are advanced . . . you will be well armed." [239 Days Website]

"Each one of you should have a copy. Read, memorize and reflect upon it. Then, when accusations and criticisms are advanced . . . you will be well armed."[The Brilliant Proof]

The Brilliant Proof was first translated by Ali Kuli Khan and published by the Bahá'í News Service in Chicago in 1912 in which it said: "Written in response to published attacks on the Bahá'í Religion by the British clergyman Peter Z Easton" (1846-1915). [Collins7.15 p41]

Peter Easton (1846-1915) was a Presbyterian in the Synod of the Northeast in New York who had been stationed in Tabriz from 1873 to 1880. While Àbdul'Bahá was in England Easton attempted to meet and challenge him. He made those around him uncomfortable and 'Abdu'l-Bahá withdrew him to a private conversation and then after which he left. Later he was able to have printed a polemic attack on the religion, Bahaism — A Warning, in the Evangelical Christendom newspaper of London (Sept.-Oct. 1911 edition.) It was published in the Appendix of The Brilliant Proof (p70-80) [Bahaipedia]

For more on Peter Easton see Àbdu'l-Bahá (p149-152).

Lady Blomfield in her book The Chosen Highway (p183) described such a visit and the affect it had on Àbdu'l-Bahá.

'Abdu'l-Bahá visited the home of Misses Marion Jack and Elizabeth Herrick, at 10 Cheniston Gardens, Wright's Lane (sometimes given as 137a High Street, Kensington. About 80 people were present. [ABL48-49, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p14; SoW Vol 2 No 12 October 16, 1911 p5]
• The talk was stenographically recorded and published as Discourse by 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the Unity Meeting of Misses Jack and Herrick. September 22nd, 1911. For full text see NBAD233-234.

`Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk that has been entitled, "Eleven essentials: the Bahai principles as taught by Abdu'l-Baha in London". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks]

He left London for Paris. [AB154; SBR25, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p22]

• See ABL113 for details of His last day in London. He left from Victoria Station.
• He was accompanied by many Bahá'ís from England who attended many of the public meeting at which He spoke in Paris. This group included Marion Jack, Ethel Rosenberg, Lady Bloomfield and her two daughters. [NBAD47, SYH42]
• He remained in Paris for nine weeks. [AB159; GPB280]
• For details of His visit see AB159–68.
• For `Abdu'l-Bahá's talks given in Paris see PT.

The start of the the First Balkan War when Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia constituting the Balkan League and having large parts of their ethnic populations under Ottoman sovereignty, attacked the Ottoman Empire, terminating its five centuries of rule in the Balkans. The seven-month campaign ended in the Treaty of London (30 May 1913) brokered and mediated by the great powers of Europe, including the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. They sought to prevent further conflicts in the Balkans and to maintain stability in the region.

The main provisions included the following:

• Serbia expanded its territory, gaining control of Kosovo, parts of Macedonia, and northern Albania.
• Greece acquired southern Epirus, southern Macedonia, Crete, and the northern Aegean islands.
• Bulgaria received Thrace up to the outskirts of Constantinople (modern Istanbul) and parts of Macedonia.
• Montenegro also saw territorial gains in northern Albania and Kosovo.
• Albania was created as an independent state, with the great powers of Europe guaranteeing its sovereignty.
• The division of Macedonia: The treaty stipulated that the majority of Macedonia would be under the sovereignty of Serbia and Greece, with Bulgaria gaining a smaller portion. This division sowed the seeds of future conflicts and territorial disputes in the region.
• The deportation of people according to their "ethnical" backgrounds was stipulated in this treaty for the first time in history and was soon to lead to unprecedented atrocities and new forms of racism and racial prejudice committed later in Europe, especially by the Nazis. Unprecedented atrocities were committed by all parties involved and hundreds of thousands of Muslims, mostly Greeks, Bulgarians and Slavs now designated as "Turks", were deported eventually to the Asiatic parts of Turkey, putting an end to Ottoman rule in Southeastern Europe. [Colonialism, Nationalism and Jewish Immigration to Palestine: Abdu´l-Baha's Viewpoints Regarding the Middle East by Kamran Ekbal p16]

  In a talk at the Japenese Independ

A Bahá'í arrived from Ireland to see 'Abdu'l-Bahá, possibly Joan Waring, after travelling all day and all night.
• He made comments on the character of the American people.
• In the afternoon He spoke to a large gathering at Caxton Hall in Westminster. [SoW Vol III no 19 2Mar1913 p3-4, ABTM276-277]

'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at which E. G. Browne was present. He visited `Abdu'l-Bahá several more times while in London. [SoW Vol III no19 2Mar1913 p4, AB346, ABTM277-278]
• Hájí Abu'l-Hasan-i-Ardakání (Hájí Amín) arrived in London from Paris with three young Persian. He spoke neither English nor French and had had some difficulty in getting from Paris to London. He crossed the English Channel and then found himself back in Paris. His second attempt was successful. [SoW Vol III no19 2Mar1913 p4, AB346–7, ABTM278]

'Abdu'l-Bahá interviewed E. S. (Ethel Stefana) Stevens (later Lady Drower) who had come from Southhampton to meet Him. [SoW Vol III no 19 2Mar1913 p6]
• Three years prior she had spent 3 or 4 months (possibly 6 months) in 'Akka and Haifa gathering material for a book. During her stay she had the opportunity to observe both 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Bahá'í community at close quarters. The book, called Mountain of God, was published in 1911. World Order excerpted this book in a two-part serial in 1970. [Collins7.2476}
• She also wrote an article for the magazine Fortnightly Review. Excerpts from the article, impressions of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. can be found at the US Bahá'í site.
• In the evening He was driven to Westminster for a meeting at the Palace Hotel, His first public talk since returning to London. [SoW Vol III no 19 2Mar1913 p6; SoW Vol III no 17 19Jan1913 p510]

'Abdu'l-Bahá witnessed His first dramatic performance. It was a mystery Christmas play entitled Eager Heart written by Miss Alice Buckton and performed at the Church House, Westminster before an audience of 1,200. [SoW Vol III no 19 2March1913 p 7, CH154, AB34]
• He is reported to have said, perhaps on another occasion, "The stage will be the pulpit of the future". [Quoted by Loulie Mathews in The Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom, Vol 4, No. 3 (June 1923, p69]
• Star of the West, Vol. 19 no. 11 Feb1929, p.341 quotes 'Abdu'l-Bahá as saying: "drama is of the utmost importance. It has been a great educational power in the past; it will be so again,". [BW1994-1995p255]
• For a short biography of the life of Alice Buckton see The Early Years of the British Bahá'í Community (1898-1911) p97-103.

`Abdu'l-Bahá received many expensive Christmas gifts; He turned them all away by returning them and asking the donors to sell them and give the money to the poor.
• That evening He visited the Salvation Army Shelter in Westminster. That night there were 1,000 men present. After His talk He departed but not before leaving twenty gold sovereigns and many handfuls of silver with Col Spencer for a similar dinner to be held on New Year's Eve. [ABTM282-283]

In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá received a visit from the Maharajah or Jhalawar. [ABTM283]
• In the afternoon He spoke at the home of Miss Annie Gamble. [SoW Vol. 9 No 2 9Apr1918 p 24]
• In the evening He gave a talk at the King's Weigh House Methodist Church hosted by Rev E W Lewis. [SoW Vol. 4 No 17 19Jan1914 p284-285]
• For a transcript see 'Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks.

The Master spoke at the home of Miss Herrick's to some 150 people. He gave a very "spiritual" lecture about the negligence of the people about God and their submerging in the sea of materialism.
• Elizabeth Herrick lived in London with Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper and authored Unity Triumphant:The Call of the Kingdom. London: The Unity Press, 1925. She owned and operated a hat shop under the name Madame Corelli at 137a High Street in Kensington. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913]

`Abdu'l-Bahá returned to London departing from Waverly Station at 11 AM and arriving at Euston Station at 7 PM. He returned to the home of Lady Blomfield at 97 Cadogan Gardens. She devotedly placed her whole apartment at His disposal, whilst she herself (certainly in 1913) stayed a few moments away with Lady Elcho in 62 Cadogan Square (now likely 58). [AB368, SCU109-113, Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913, David Merrick p8]
• It was the start of His third visit to England and last visit to England and lasted 11 days.

'Abdu'l-Bahá was most anxious that follow-up be done in Scotland. In and interview with Miss Buckton and Miss Schepel He encouraged them to go as soon as possible. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913, David Merrick p17]
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at Caxton Hall in Westminster and after entertained a small crowd of people at His residence where He recounted stories of Bahá'ulláh's suffering. [AB368, ABTM299]

'Abdu'l-Bahá was the guest of Rev Dr R J Campbell for luncheon. A number of divines had also been invited. [AB371]
• Subsequently Rev Campbell made a tour of America and 'Abdu'l-Bahá made a request that the Bahá'í community show him every courtesy. [SoW Vol 2 No 18 February 7, 1912 p10]

Dr Felix Mosscheles held a reception for 'Abdu'l-Bahá in his home that was attended by a number of notable people.
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá was the guest of a Rajput prince who gave a dinner party for Him.
• In the evening He spoke at the Higher Thought Centre, His last engagement in London. [AB371]

`Abdu'l-Bahá left London for Paris. [AB371]
• The visit to Paris lasts several weeks. [AB372; SBR220]

The defection of Dr Amín Faríd, (b. 1882, d. 1953)`Abdu'l-Bahá's translator while in America, became known publicly. His mother was a sister of Munirih Khanum, wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [CB341, AB407]
• For his activities against `Abdu'l-Bahá see AB230, 402, 407–9.
• Dr. Aminu'lláh Faríd travelled to Europe in defiance of the wishes of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. In the absence of Lady Blomfield in London, a meeting at the Kingsway Hall had been arranged for him. Dr Lutfu'lláh prevented Dr Farid from speaking. Mason Remey and George Latimer were in London at the time. 'Abdu'l-Bahá also sent Dr Habibu'lláh Khudákhsh (later called Dr Mu'ayyad) and 'Azíz'lláh Bahádur to go to Europe to counter his activities. They were in Stuttgart when the war broke out. He recalled all four to the Holy Land (Sep-Oct). [AB407-409; Concerning Covenant-breakers: Excerpt by 'Abdu'l-Bahá translated by Ahang Rabbani] iiiii
• Laura and Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney were dispatched to the United States where Mrs. Chevalier had been acting as Dr. Farid's emissary. [AB408]
• See the message from Shoghi Effendi in MBW53-54.
• For a description of his activities as a young man in 'Akká see M9YA108.

  When Aminu'llah Farid (Ameen Ullah Fareed) left the United States in 1913, and settled in Cairo as he had been instructed by 'Abdul'-Bahá. (He had displeased Him during the western journey by appealing to the wealthier American Bahá'ís for money. He had been rebuked and had apologized three times but on the fourth instance he was sent away. 'Abdu'l-Bahá revealed that Fareed had been soliciting funds from visitors to Haifa to build a hospital on Mount Carmel. When built, he lived in it himself and later rented it. While in North America he obtained yet more money claiming that he had to mortgage the hospital.) On the 24th of November 1913 he married a rich American, Gladys Elaine Hoerber of Chicago, whom he had presumably met while he was studying homeopathic medicine in Chicago.

  He travelled from Egypt to Europe and on the 21st of June, 1914 he arrived in London with his wife, his mother Radiyyih Khánum, his sister Farhangíz and her husband, Sydney Sprague and their infant son. The next day a telegram arrived from 'Abdu'l-Bahá expelling Fareed and his family from the Bahá'í community. Mason Ramey and George Latimer were in London at the time en route to Haifa. They assisted the community in understanding the implications. Both families were refused entry to a Unity Feast that had been scheduled. Fareed's father, Mírzá Asadu'lláh and his maternal uncle, Sayyid Yahyá arrived in London with a story that he had consulted with 'Abdu'l-Bahá about Fareed's situation and had come to an agreement, but that he had lost the letters from 'Abdu'l-Bahá that he had brought with him addressed to the Bahá'í community. It was soon evident that Asadu'lláh had sided with his son in the matter. Mírzá Asadu'lláh Isfahaní, his son Fareed, as well as his daughter Farhangíz and her husband, Sydney Spraque, were all prohibited from partaking in the Bahá'í community. They associated with the New Thought and psychic community in London teaching their own version of the Bahá'í faith and spiritual practice. They left Britain for America arriving from Liverpool on the 14th of October, 1915 and finally settled in Los Angeles where Sprague took up a career as writer of musical plays. The Isfahaní began lecturing on religion and Iranian culture. Fareed also had a medical practice.

  [LGHC208; The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles 1844-1963 p288-293]

Shoghi Effendi arrived in England to take up his studies at Oxford. His stated objective was:
"My sole aim is to perfect my English, to acquire the literary ability to write it well, speak it well & translate correctly & eloquently from Persian & Arabic into English. My aim is to concentrate for two years upon this object & to acquire it through the help of a tutor, by attending lectures, by associating with cultured & refined literary circles & by receiving exercises in Phonetics. I would be much obliged if you could help me along that line." [SEO61]
• He spent one week in London. He brought with him Tablets from the Master for Lady Blomfield, Lord Lamington and Major Tudor-Pole.
• 21 July: Shoghi Effendi met Dr. Esslemont at a meeting of the believers Lindsay Hall in Notting Hill Gate. The meeting was also attended by Mr and Mrs Ober visiting from America.
• 22 July: Dr Esslemont called on Shoghi Effendi at his hotel and they went to Miss Grand's home were the Obers were staying.
• 23 July: Dr Esslemont met Shoghi Effendi at Miss Rosenberg's and together they went to the Grand home where some 17 people were introduced to the Faith. [PG141]
• 26 July: Dr Esslemont came to London to meet Shoghi Effendi and they both visited Miss Herrick. [PG142]
• He relocated to Oxford and stayed at the Randolph Hotel. He met with professors and looked for tutors. [PG142]
• Probably in the early days of August Shoghi Effendi met with Lord Lamington. [PG142]
• Although it was still the long vacation Shoghi Effendi started his work with the assistance of a tutor. [PG142]
• 10-15 September: Shoghi Effendi visited Dr Esslemont at the sanitorium where he practiced in Bournemouth. They were joined by Shoghi Effendi's sister Rúhangíz and by a Persian believer Aflátún. [PG142-143]

Shoghi Effendi at Oxford - The Long Vacation 1921
• Those students who wished to continue their studies during the vacation were required to move to an annex situated near Manchester College known as Holywell Annexe.
• His English style was influenced by his reading of the King James Bible as well as British historians Thomas Carlyle and Edward Gibbons, the author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. [SEO106; PP37]
• At some point during this period of his residency in England Shoghi Effendi made the acquaintance of Sir E Denison Ross, the first director of the University of London's School of Oriental Studies. He was the British Empire's leading scholar of the Persian and Arabic languages. His opinion was the gold standard and he had high praise for Shoghi Effendi's translation of The Dawn-Breakers. [PP216]
• Shoghi Effendi met with Edna True at her hotel in London as she was passing through. [PG178]
• He visited Dr. Esslemont in Bournemouth probably around the 20th of July for two weeks. [PG179]
• 26 July: He went to London to meet his sister and went with her to the home of Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper. [PG179]
• At some point during the vacation he visited Crow-borough. [PG179]
• Obedient to the instructions of the Master he spent some time during the break in rest in Torquay in August, at least from the 10th to the 29th of the month. [PG179-180]
• 25 September (approx.) He travelled to London to sent his sister to Scotland to resume her studies. She had been staying with Mrs Thornburg-Cropper (at 20 Bloomsbury Square?). While there he met with Lady Blomfield. [PG181]
• 1 to 6 October: Shoghi Effendi and his friend Díyá'u'lláh Asgharzádih travelled to Manchester, a community of some thirty believers. They stayed at the home of Jacob Joseph where a meeting of the community was held that evening. The group sent a letter to the Master which Shoghi Effendi translated the following day. He also sent a report of the situation in Manchester to the Master. [PG182-190]
• See PG206-207 for a photo of Shoghi Effendi with the Manchester Bahá'ís and with the Joseph brothers.
• See PG193 for a subsequent note from Shoghi Effendi to the friends in Manchester.
• See PG193-194 for the Master's response to their joint supplication dated 18 October, 1921 and excerpts from Tablets to individuals.

A cable was sent to London with news of `Abdu'l-Bahá's passing. Shoghi Effendi was summonsed to the office of Wellesley Tudor Pole, probably at at 61, St. James St. in London, and learned of his grandfather's passing about noon after seeing the cable on Tudor Pole's desk. [GBF13]
• See GBF13, PG199 and PP39-40 for Shoghi Effendi's reaction.

Dr Esslemont made a trip from Bournemouth to London to visit Shoghi Effendi and offer support. He invited him back to Bournemouth where he stayed from the evening of the 2nd of December until the morning of the seventh. [PG199]
• Shoghi Effendi wrote to a Bahá'í student in London describing his reaction to the news of the Master's passing. It would appear he had reconciled himself to the situation. [PG100; PP40-41]
• See PG201 for the observations of others.
• On the 7th of December he received a cable from the Greatest Holy Leaf urging him to return to the Holy Land. He left for London immediately. [PG100]

Shoghi Effendi left England for Haifa in the company of Lady Blomfield and his sister Rouhangeze [Rúhangíz]. Lady Blomfield stayed on in the Holy Land for several months to assist Shoghi Effendi in his new role as the Guardian. [GBF13-14; PP42; SBR66]
• Due to passport difficulties Shoghi Effendi could not leave sooner. [GBF13; PP42; SBR66; PG202]

The communities of London, Manchester and Bournemouth elected a Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly for England. [EJR213; SBR28, 67]
• This was also known as the Spiritual Assembly for London and the All-England Bahá'í Council. [EJR2 13; SBR67]
• See EJR213 and SBR28 for membership.
• The social centre of the London group was Ethel Rosenburg with Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper and later Lady Blomfield also playing significant roles. The group in Manchester came from the working- or lower middle-class background with Edward Hall and other men in leadership positions. The group in Bournemouth developed around Dr. Esslemont. In addition to these centres there were a few scattered isolated believers. [SBBH5p220]

The formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of England. [GPB333]
• The election was by postal ballot. [EJR228]
• For the membership of the first Assembly see EJR228 and SBR71.
• See also EJR223-31 for the election and functioning of the Assembly.
• Prior to becoming the National Spiritual Assembly, the "All-England Bahá'í Council" was formed on the 6th of June, 1922. [Achievements and Victories of the Guardianship:Statistics, chronology, and bibliography compiled by Owen Battrick]
• In 1930 the name was changed tothe National Spiritual assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles. [BCBI423]
• In 1972 when the National Spiritual Assembly of Ireland was formed, the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles was renamed the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom. [BW15:290]

The conference `Some Living Religions within the British Empire' was held in London. [BW2:225; ER233; GPB342]
• For details of the planning of the conference and its outcome see ER231-5.
• For Shoghi Effendi's attitude to the conference see UD17, 19, 21-2, 245.
• Two papers about the Bahá'í Faith were read at the conference, one by Horace Holley read by Mountfort Mills and the other by Rúhí Afnán. [BW2:225; ER232-3; SBR73]
• For texts of the papers see BW2:227-42.
• Note that a paper was delivered by Richard St. Barbe Baker. As a result of attending the conference he met a Bahá'í and dedicated the rest of his life in service to the Cause. [Bahá'í Chronicles]

Ethel Rosenberg, (b.6 August, 1858, Bath) Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 'England's outstanding Bahá'í pioneer worker', passed away in London. She was buried in Gap Road Cemetery, Wimbledon, England. [BW4:118–119, 262-263; EJR274–5; Find a grave]
• She became a Bahá'í around 1899 and went on her first pilgrimage in 1901.
• While 'Abdu'l-Bahá was in London, Ethel Rosenberg was His social secretary, arranging appointments for the Master.
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked Ethel Rosenberg and a number of other people to form a committee to decide what to do about collecting funds and publishing Bahá'í books. Their first published book was 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London.
• She made her third pilgrimage in November 1921, but arrived just after 'Abdu'l-Bahá's passing. Shoghi Effendi sent her home with instructions to call for the election the first National Spiritual Assembly of England. She served on this body for a number of years. Shoghi Effendi named her an 'Apostle of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'. [In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p9]
• For her obituary see BW4:262–3.
• For her biography see Weinberg, Ethel Jenner Rosenberg and SEBW55–64 as well as The Early Years of the British Bahá'í Community 1898-1911 p70-75.

The passing of Mrs Claudia Coles in London. (b. 1863 or 1866 in Charleston, South Carolina). She accepted the Faith in Washington DC and moved to London in 1920. She was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles many times and often served as secretary. [BW4264-265]
• See tribute from Shoghi Effendi.
• See Portraits of Some Bahá'í Women by O.Z. Whitehead, GR, Oxford, 1996 pages 29-48.
• See a brief biography in The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles 1844-1963 p462-464 and for the story of his learning of the Faith, p441.

The publication of the dictionary used by the Guardian.

In a message from the Universal House of Justice to a department at the World Centre, Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum is quoted as saying:

…that the English dictionary to which the beloved Guardian habitually referred was "Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language", second edition, unabridged, 1934, London G. Bell and Sons Ltd., Springfield, Massachusetts, R. and C. Merriam Co. We presume that if there were two versions published, one American and one British, it will have been the British one that the Guardian used. Reference to this specific edition of this dictionary is, obviously, very important when gauging the exact meaning intended by Shoghi Effendi in the use of certain words. [Dictionary Used by the Guardian by/on behalf of Universal House of Justice 1997-12-08]

• See Wikipedia.

The World Congress of Faiths was held in London under the auspices of the World Fellowship of Faiths. [GPB342; GT123]
• Shoghi Effendi was asked in a personal letter from the chairman of the Congress, Sir Francis Younghusband, to contribute a paper, a task Shoghi Effendi delegated to George Townshend. [GT123; UD104]
• George Townshend read the paper Bahá'u'lláh's Ground Plan of World Fellowship, which had been approved by Shoghi Effendi. [BW7:635; GT132–3]
• For text of the paper see BW6:614–19.
• For the conference programme see BW7:634–45.

Mary Virginia Thornburgh-Cropper (Maryam Khánum), the first Bahá'í of the British Isles, passed away in Kensington, London.
• Find a Grave.
• She was known to her friends as Minnie and first heard of the Bahá'í Faith in 1898 when she was 41.
• She was an American living in London and had been married to an Englishman.
• Shortly after reading about the Báb in an encyclopedia, by coincidence, she was invited by her friend Phoebe Hearst to be part of the first group of Western Bahá'í pilgrims to visit 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the Holy Land.
• She is considered to be the first person to become a Bahá'í in the UK and throughout her life was a very active member of the community.
• She was a member of the first elected National Spiritual Assembly of England (later Great Britain).
• She made her motor-car available to 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His visits. [SBR30, BW4p375, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p9]
• For details of her life see BSR17–30.
• For her obituary see BW8:649–51.
• Notes: It is possibly she, rather than her mother, Mrs Thornburgh, who is referred to as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in BW3:84–5. The picture is not that of Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper.
• For biographical information see The Early Years of the British Bahá'í Community 1898-1911 p70-75.

Lady Sara Louisa Blomfield, entitled Sitárih Khánum, (b. 1859) passed away in London. She was buried in Hampstead Cemetery, Borough of Camden, London. [BW8:651; SEBW109]
• For details of her life see SEBW101–110, Daily Note from Bahá'í History and Bahá'í Chronicles.
• For her obituary see BW8:651–6.
• See Wikipedia.
• See First Obligation-Lady Blomfield and the Save the Children Fund by Rob Weinberg on the UK Bahá'í Heritage site.
• Find a grave.

Shoghi Effendi determined to go to England; he and Rúhíyyih Khánum left Haifa for Italy via aquaplane en route to London. [PP 178]
• For the difficulties and dangers of this journey that took them from Haifa to Heraklion on Crete and then on to Reggio and then a further 700km to Rome and another 500km to Genoa see PP178–80.
• After the passing of his wife, Mr. Maxwell had been invited by Shoghi Effendi to come and live in Haifa. On the same day that Shoghi Effendi and Rúhíyyih Khánum left the Holy Land, Sutherland Maxwell left Montreal to meet up with them in Europe. A few days after their arrival in Italy, Rúhíyyih Khánum travelled to Genoa to meet her father who had arrived on the Italian vessel, the S.S. Rex, that had departed New York. [PP178]

The first publication of The Pattern of Bahá'í Life in London by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust. Reprints were subsequently done in 1953, 1963 and 1983. [Collins4.189-4.190]
• It was a selection of passages dealing with Bahá'í moral teaching and personal qualities, arranged under categories of purity, kindliness and radiance.
• It was fully revised in 1990 on behalf of the Universal House of Justice by the National Spiritual Assembly of India. [Details]

Passing of Shoghi Effendi

Shoghi Effendi passed away in London of coronary thrombosis after a bout of Asian influenza. [CB377; PP446 BW13:207-225]

• The 1957 influenza pandemic (the "Asian flu") was a category 2 flu pandemic outbreak of avian influenza that originated in China in early 1956 lasting until 1958. It originated from a mutation in wild ducks combining with a pre-existing human strain. A vaccine for H2N2 was introduced in 1957, and the pandemic slowed down. There was a second wave in 1958, and H2N2 went on to become part of the regular wave of seasonal flu. Estimates of worldwide deaths vary widely depending on the source, ranging from 1 million to 4 million, with WHO settling on "about two million". [Sino Biological website]
• He was in London to purchase some furniture to complete the interior of the International Archives Building at the time of his passing. [PP445]
• For a tribute to Shoghi Effendi written by Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum see BW13:58–226.]
  
  In it she lists four major aspects of his life: (Copied and arranged in point form here.)
  • "his translations of the Words of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, Àbdu'l-Bahá and Nabil's Narrative;
  • his own writings such as the history of a century, published as God Passes By, as well as an uninterrupted stream of instructive communications from his pen which pointed out to the believer the significance, the time and the method of the building up of their administrative institutions;
  • an unremitting programme to expand and consolidate the material assets of a world-wide Faith, which not only involved the completion, erection or beautification of the Bahá'í Holy Places at the World Centre but the construction of Houses of Worship and the acquisition of national and local headquarters and endowments in various countries throughout the East and the West;
  • a masterly orientation of thought towards the concepts enshrined in the teachings of the Faith and the orderly classification of those teachings into what might well be described as a vast panoramic view of the meaning, implications, testing and purpose of the religion of Bahá'u'lláh, indeed of religious truth itself in its portrayal of man as the apogee of God's creation, evolving towards the consummation of his development-the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth." [PP226-227]
• See also Rabbání, The Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith and The Priceless Pearl.

The funeral of Shoghi Effendi took place in the Great Northern Cemetery, London. [BW13:222; PP448]
• See BW13:222 for details of the funeral service.
• See BW13:222–5 and PP449–50 for a description of the funeral.
• For an a account of the funeral see AY314-319.
• The Resting Place is located at 51°37'21.85"N, 0°8'35.41" W.

The Hands of the Cause met in London. [TG157]
• See SDSC191-195 and SDSC430 note 8 for excerpts from the transcript of the talk recorded in shorthand by Rose M Wade and given by Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum to the gathered Hands and other friends.

The monument marking Shoghi Effendi's resting place was completed. [MC117]
• Dust from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh was placed in the foundations. [MC117] li>For a description of the resting place see BBD194–5 and MC135–6.
• The monument was paid for from a Memorial Fund established after Shoghi Effendi's passing. Money in excess of the amount required was spent on the teaching work and on the construction of the Temples. [MC132]
• Marble for the monument came from Chiampo, Italy as for the Archives Building, the Shine of the Báb, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, The Terraces project, the Monument Gardens and the Houses of Worship in India and Samoa. It was cut and chiseled by a firm called Margraf, formerly known as Industria Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223; PP450 ]

The Hands of the Cause issued a message from their fifth Conclave. [MoC313–23]
• They called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at a convention to be held in the Holy Land on the first, second and third days of Ridván 1963. [CB392; MoC321]
• They asked the electors to leave the Hands free to 'discharge their duties'. [MoC321]
• The celebration of the Most Great Jubilee, the Centenary of the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh, was to be held in London rather than Baghdád, owing to the situation in the Middle East. [MoC322]

The Ten Year Crusade was successfully completed. The achievements of the Ten Year Crusade were celebrated at the Most Great Jubilee in April and May 1963, which commemorated the Centenary of the Declaration of Baha'u'llah's Mission. Two historic events transpired during that time: the International Convention, convened in Haifa, Israel, to elect the first Universal House of Justice; and the World Congress held in London, England.
• For a summary of achievements during the Crusade see BW13:459–60.
• For countries, islands and dependencies opened to the Faith during the Crusade see BW13:461–2. (259)
  • During the Ten Year Crusade the Faith had expanded to 93 more countries and major territories. bringing the total to 259. [Patheos website]
• For number of localities in which Bahá'ís reside in different parts of the world see BW13:462. (from 2,000 to more than 11,000)
• For languages into which Bahá'í literature has been translated see BW13:462–4.
• For races represented in the Bahá'í world community see BW13:464.
• For national spiritual assemblies at the end of the plan see BW13:468–9. (from 12 to 56)
• See The Bahá'í Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Bahá'í Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963 compiled by the Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land.
• See also Addenda to Statistical Information Published by the Hands of the Cause of God Residing in the Holy Land in Ridván 1963. This publication shows the countries and territories opened by the Faith as well as "supplementary accomplishments".

The first Bahá'í World Congress, the 'Most Great Jubilee', was held in London to celebrate the centenary of the declaration of Bahá'u'lláh. The beloved Guardian had wanted this long-planned gathering to take place in Baghdad, but the situation did not allow the gathering to take place there. In 1961, the Hands of the Cause of God residing at the Holy Land decided to hold the Congress in London, which would also enable the participants to visit the resting place of the Guardian. [BW14:57]
• For a detailed account and many pictures see BW14:57–80.
• For the programme of speakers see BW14:60–1.
• Some 6,000 Bahá'ís attend.
• The closing talk at the Bahá'í world congress by Hand of the cause Abu'l-Qasim Faizi.

The members of the Universal House of Justice were presented to the World Congress and the first statement of the House of Justice was read by David Hofman. [BW14:68]
• For the text of the statement see BW14:431–2 and WG1–3.

Hasan M. Balyuzi, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in London. (b. 7 September, 1908, Shiraz, Iran). He was buried at the New Southgate Cemetery London. [BW18:635; VV52, Mess63-86p442]
• For his obituary see BW18:635–51 and SBBR5:XI–XX.
• Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
• See Bahá'í Chronicles for a biography.
• For a brief biography see Balyuzi, Hasan M. by Richard Francis and A Bio-bibliographic Sketch by Moojan Momen found in SBBR Vol 5 page XI-XIX.
• See a brief biography in The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles 1844-1963 p462-464 and for the story of his learning of the Faith, p449-451
• For some essays and excerpts from Hasan Balyuzi's work see Bahá'í Library.
• Find a grave.

He studied law and started his legal practice in Iran at the age of 24. The National Spiritual Assembly asked him to defend the oppressed Bahá'ís of Sháhrúd, where, on 8 August 1944, three friends had been martyred and 17 Bahá'í homes had been plundered and set on fire. 'Aziz defended them with great eloquence and undaunted courage, braving the vicious opposition of the clergy. Later he was asked to defend the Bahá'ís of Shiraz and still later those in Yazd. His unceasing endeavours won him the praise of the beloved Guardian who later designated him the "Shield of the Cause of God" and predicted that future historians would study his achievements.

In 1953 he and his wife Shamsi pioneered to Monte Carlo in Monaco to replace Mrs French who had passed away. While at this post he studied international law at the University of Paris-Sorbonne. In 1955 the Guardian appointed him to the Commission that appealed to the United Nations in Geneva and New York about the Iranian attempt to exterminate the Bahá'í community. In 1962 he became involved with the imprisoned Bahá'ís in Algeria and Morocco.

In 1968 Dr. Navidi became a representative of the Iranian Oil Company for its operations in the Indian Ocean and the family made their new home in Mauritius from where he worked to secure legal recognition of several of the new National Assemblies in the Indian Ocean region as he did with various African states. He fearlessly visited countries hostile to the Bahá'ís with no protection except his faith and his credentials as official lawyer to the Universal House of Justice with special status at the United Nations. His missions took him to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Congo, Gabon, the Gambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Zaire, and many, many other countries throughout the world. He was successful time and again in persuading democratic governments and dictators alike to alter their laws and constitutions and to officially recognize the Bahá'í Faith. [BW20p866; Navidi, Dr. Aziz (1913-1987): Intrepid Pioneer, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by Graham Walker; KoB341-344]

A World Forestry Charter Gathering organized by the Offices of Public Information in London and New York took place in London. [AWH75; BINS214:1–2]
• It commemorated the centenary of the birth of Richard St Barbe Baker, the Bahá'í environmentalist who founded the Gatherings in 1945.

The World Forestry Charter Gatherings, established by Richard St. Barbe Baker in 1945, were re-instituted by the Bahá'í International Community's Office of the Environment at a luncheon at St James's Palace, London. [AWH75; BW94–5:112–13, 142–3; OC6,2:1; VV106]
• For pictures see BW94–5:143 and OC6,2:1, 12.

World Faiths and Development Dialogue (WFDD) hosted an event at Lambeth Palace in London that brought together spiritual leaders from nine major religions as well as traditional development experts. This gathering was dedicated to discussing development in the context of how faith and development organizations can cooperate to improve development as a process that encompasses both the spiritual and material aspects of life.The Bahá'í International Community contributed a paper entitled Valuing Spirituality in Development: Initial Considerations Regarding the Creation of Spiritually Based Indicators for Development. [BIC History 1 January 1998]
• Kiser Barnes, Counsellor and member of the International Teaching Centre represented the International Bahá'í Community. Accompanying him was Lawrence Arturo, Director of the Bahá'í International Office of the Environment in New York City and Bahá'í Representative to the United Nations on environmental and development issues. [One Country] .

The passing of Meherangiz Munsiff in London (b. 23 November, 1923 Bombay, India) Born into a Bahá'í family she travelled in India with Martha Root at the age of 14 years. She was appointed Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the French Cameroons. In addition she visited more than 150 countries to teach and assist in the development of Bahá'í communities and was known as a lecturer and an activist among the international humanitarian community. [BW99-00p308-309]
• An autobiography Lifeline:A Life of Prayer and Service as Experienced by Meherangiz Munsiff, Knight of Baha'u'llah, was published by George Ronald Publishers in October of 2022. It was written by Meherangiz Munsiff, Jyoti Munsiff (her daughter), and Pixie MacCallum.

When Shoghi Effendi was interred in November 1957 London's Great Northern Cemetery (since renamed New Southgate Cemetery) was larger than it is now. Over the years parts were sold off for development, and it was in response to this process that a sizeable portion around the Guardian's Resting Place was subsequently bought for the Faith so that it could be preserved and developed suitably. The cemetery opened a new entrance and the one through which the Guardian's funeral cortege passed fell into disuse. The gates and pillars of this entrance were purchased by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom, acting on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, and a long process to have them reinstalled in a more suitable place came to fruition in 1998. [Reference links no longer in existence.]

The main focus of the evening was a theatrical performance entitled A Life So Noble, which had been inspired by Ruhiyyih Khanum's life. Written by Canadian-born actress/writer Beverley Evans and directed by Annabel Knight, the show took four major aspects of Khanum's life and character and personified them in four women actresses, Maria Friedman, Beverley Evans, Sarah Clive and Kerry-Ann Smith, who told her story using words taken from Ruhiyyih Khanum's own lectures and writings.[BWNS124]

A member of the British Bahá'í community, Lois Hainsworth, received the award of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) at Buckingham Palace.
• The announcement of the award for services to three organizations that promote the rights of women was made in the United Kingdom's New Year's Honours List. The citation refers to Mrs. Hainsworth's services to the Women's National Commission, the Bahá'í Office for the Advancement of Women, and UNIFEM UK. [BWNS273]

The publication of Attaining the Dynamics of Growth: Glimpses from Five Continents by International Teaching Centre. The Universal House of Justice asked the International Teaching Centre to choose one example from each continent of an intensive programme of growth and prepare a document to demonstrate at once the diversity of conditions in which the believers everywhere were labouring and the coherent vision that united them as they advanced the process of entry by troops. The document consisted of five case studies and a closing analysis.

The Bahá'í delegation was lead by Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi and also consisted of Patrick O'Mara – Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom, Nasrin O'Kane from Northern Ireland and Liam Stephens from the Isle of Skye. [BWNS889]

An exhibition of Bahá'u'lláh's writings opened at the John Addis Gallery in the British Museum.
• One of the central themes was the power of the Word, which refers to divine revelation, a concept fundamental to the origins of all the world's great faiths. The exhibition showed original handwriting of Bahá'u'lláh, as well as other archival items associated with His life such as His reed pens and examples of "revelation writing" by His scribe as he tried keep up with Bahá'u'lláh's dictation.
• The exhibition, timed to commemorate the period of celebration of the 200th anniversary of His birth, was open to the public until the 22nd of January. [BWNS1220]
• See the British Museum blog entitled Displaying the Bahá'í Faith: the pen is mightier than the sword.

The British Library marked the bicentenary of the birth of the Báb with various initiatives alongside the launch of a new website, Discovering Sacred Texts. With the launch of this website there were companion exhibitions which featured examples of the Faith's original texts.
• The library displayed three rare and exquisite pieces in its Treasures Gallery: an original of the Báb's own handwriting, in the shape of a five-pointed star; calligraphic exercises written by Bahá'u'lláh in His childhood; and an example of "Revelation Writing", the form in which Bahá'u'lláh's words were recorded at speed by His secretaries as they were revealed. These manuscripts were on display at the library for six months.
• Coinciding with the launch of the site and the exhibition was the publication of an article by Moojan Momen, specially commissioned by the library for the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Báb. Dr. Momen wrote about the three original works on display at the exhibition, set in the context of a brief historical account of the life of the Bab.
• To further mark the bicentenary, the library invited actor and comedian Omid Djalili to stage his one-man show A Strange Bit of History written by Annabel Knight. The play recounts events surrounding the appearance of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. This performance ran for four days. It was first performed at the 1993 Edinburgh Festival, where it won the Spirit of the Fringe Award. Over the next four years it was performed 109 times in 10 different countries. [BWNS1358]

The funeral for Shoghi Effendi was attended by Lloyd Gardner, Peggy Ross, Allan Raynor, Rowland Estall, Hartwell Bowsfield and Winnifred Harvey representing the Canadian Bahá'í community. Hand of the Cause John Robarts, living in Africa at the time, attended in his capacity as a Hand of the Cause. Jameson and Gale Bond also attended. [CBN No 95 December, 1957 Insert p4]
• Memorial services were held across Canada both on the day of the funeral and on November 18th as requested by Ruhiyyih Khanum. [CBN No 96 January, 1958 p6]
• Following the directive of the Hands of the Cause resident in the Holy Land, the National Spiritual Assembly asked the Canadian community to refrain from "all manner of religious festivity" for a period of nine months which began on the 4th of November and ended the 4th of August. The "festive anniversaries" that fell during this period were Intercalary Days, Naw-Rúz, the Feast of Ridván and the Declaration of the Báb. In making this request the Hands were following Shoghi Effendi's example on the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf in 1932. [CBN No 97 February, 1958 p1]
• See report by Winnifred Harvey.

The main focus of the evening was a theatrical performance entitled A Life So Noble, which had been inspired by Ruhiyyih Khanum's life. Written by Canadian-born actress/writer Beverley Evans and directed by Annabel Knight, the show took four major aspects of Khanum's life and character and personified them in four women actresses, Maria Friedman, Beverley Evans, Sarah Clive and Kerry-Ann Smith, who told her story using words taken from Ruhiyyih Khanum's own lectures and writings.[BWNS124]