Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada

Chronology home Canada 1860s 1870s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s
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Date 193-, descending — sort earliest first

date event tags firsts refs
1939 Sept Kathrine Moscrop of Vancouver began a series of visits to Regina. She, along with Frances Mennzies and two former members of the Winnipeg Phoenix Club, arranged a fireside for Rowland Estall who was passing through on business. [Bahai News No 131 November 1939 p4] Regina, SK
1939 before Sept Rowland Estall combined his business travel with teaching visits to Calgary and Regina as well as Vancouver and West Vancouver. He had earlier laid the foundation of his business in visits to Toronto and Montreal, in both of which cities he lectured, as well as in St. Lambert. He also made excellent contacts with two University professors who, with a few others, have started an important social and religious reform movement in Canada and have published a popular textbook of the movement. During July Mr. Estall taught regularly in Winnipeg a study group of six to eight inquirers, following an outline of seventeen lessons which he developed on the World Order, using as a basis of each discussion a different free literature pamphlet which was distributed. The first result of his Winnipeg work was the registration of Miss Lillian Tomlinson. Dr. Mariette Bolton also visited and spoke in Winnipeg to the Quota Club. [Bahai News No 131 November 1939 p4] Calgary, AB; Regina, SK; Vancouver, BC; West Vancouver, BC; Toronto, ON; Montreal, QC; St. Lambert, QC
1939 early Sept Kathy Moscrop, Rowland Estall, Miss Mae McKenna of Vancouver, and Miss Doris Skinner met together in Calgary to discuss the progress of the Faith in Canada. They represented four provinces. During this time a meeting of fifteen non-Bahá'ís was arranged by Miss Skinner, from which a study class was developing. A radio talk was given in Calgary by Dr. Mariette Bolton. Many Bahá'í books were being circulated. [Bahai News No 131 November 1939 p4] Radio; Calgary, AB
1939 27 Aug Gerrard Sluter-Schlutius— German-born, former U-boat captain, enrolled in November of 1932 and was a member of the Montreal Bahá'í youth group. He moved to Toronto in March 1935 and to Guatemala in 1939 as the second overseas pioneer. [OBCC97, 104-105]
  • He also pioneered to Honduras and later to Colombia. In the middle of 1940's Gerrard Sluter was removed from the rolls by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Shoghi Effendi later declared him a Covenant-breaker for his persistent political involvement. Later Sluter appealed to the judicial courts of Colombia to demand the cancellation of the legal status of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bogota. He failed in all his lawsuits against the Assembly. [BNVol2p315]
    		•  Gerrard Sluter-Schlutius; Covenant-breakers; Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON; Guatemala; Honduras; Bogota, Columbia
    1939 25 Jun What has been termed the "first international Bahá'í picnic embracing Canada and the United States" was held at Queenstown Heights at the invitation of the Toronto Assembly. It was the brainchild of Howard Ives who was living in Toronto at the time. He and Mabel had "grand-children" on both sides of the border.
  • 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.
    		• International Bahá'í Picnic; Howard Ives; Mabel Rice-Wray Ives; Doris McKay; Willard McKay; John Stearns; Mrs Pettibone; Elizabeth Brooks; Mrs Marguerite Firoozi; Lulu Barr; Mrs Enos Barton; John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; Lloyd Gardner; Queenstown, ON; Toronto, ON; Jamestown, NY first international Bahá'í Picnic
    1939 16 Jun Emeric Sala visited Winnipeg and spoke at a public meeting in the Marlborough Hotel. After that meeting eight attendees determined to form a study group. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p14] Emeric Sala; Winnipeg, MB
    1939 4 Jun In a letter addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles written on behalf of the Guardian he urged them to "appeal to the government for exemption from active military service in a combatant capacity, stressing the fact that in doing so they are not prompted by any selfish considerations but by the sole and supreme motive of upholding the Teachings of their Faith, which make it a moral obligation for them to desist from any act that would involve them in direct warfare with their fellow-humans oi any other race or nation." [UD128; CBN 15 September 1950 p2]
  • See other correspondence on this theme: UD122; UD134; UD259
    		•  Exemption; Armed Forces; Military; Bahá'í World Centre; United Kingdom
    1939 May With the assistance of Mabel Ives who extended her travel teaching plans in Toronto, a Bahá'í booth was set up at the Canadian National Exhibition. Over 15,000 pieces of literature were distributed. [OBCC179, 307]
  • The Canadian National Exhibition, "the Ex", is a Canadian institution first held in 1879. [Wikipedia]
    		•  Mabel Rice-Wray Ives; Canadian National Exhibition; Toronto, ON
    1939 May Lillian Tomlinson became the first known Winnipeg Bahá'í. Tomlinson was at the time a telephone operator. She was a friend of Ernest Marsh (The 6th person to become a Bahá'í in Winnipeg.) and a co-worker of Helen Poissant (The 4th person.) [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p12] Lillian Tomlinson; Ernest Marsh; Helen Poissant; Winnipeg, MB 1st known Bahá'í in Winnipeg Lillian Tomlinson
    1939 Apr Jean Doris Skinner became the first Bahá'í to settle in Calgary, AB. She had become a Bahá'í in Vancouver in 1936. She left Calgary in 1949 to pioneer to NL. [OBCC184] Doris Skinner; Pioneering; Calgary, AB; Vancouver, BC; Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada the first Bahá'í to settle in Calgary, AB.
    1939 25 Mar The incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Vancouver under the Societies Act. [OBCC258] Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Vancouver, BC
    1929 (In the year) Lulu Barr was the first Bahá'í in Hamilton, ON. [OBCC196] Lulu Barr; Hamilton, ON first Bahá'í in Hamilton, ON
    1939 (In the year) Emeric Sala gave a talk in Regina proclaiming the Faith for the first time in Saskatchewan. Regina is one of five cities he visited on this business trip. [TG104] Emeric Sala; Regina, SK first public talk in SK
    1938 29 Jun Sylvia Matteson King, an American Bahá'í who did a lot of travelling in Western Canada, paid a visit to Winnipeg lecturing on "The New World Order" at a public meeting in the Marlborough Hotel. [OBBC179] Sylvia King; Winnipeg, MB
    1938 30 May A visiting Bahá'í, Emeric Sala, gave a talk at "the Phoenix Club".

    On that same day Rowland Estall, a Bahá'í pioneer from Vancouver arrived to settle in Winnipeg. He had left a secure job for the prospect of no job during the depression of unequalled magnitude.He quickly secured a position with Great West Life selling group insurance.

    Just previous to Estall's arrival, Sylvia King agreed to reside in Winnipeg. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p12, 15; OBCC81]

    		 Emeric Sala; Rowland Estall; Sylvia King; Winnipeg, MB; Vancouver, BC
    1938 30 Apr The passing of Grace Robarts Ober (b.19 February, 1869 Ontario, Canada) in Wilmette, IL). She was buried at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery South Eliot, York County, Maine,
  • She was the aunt of John Robarts and was introduced to the Cause by Lua Getzinger in 1906.
  • She met her husband Harlon Ober when she was working at Lanier Camp on River Road in Eliot, Maine. He was at Green Acre during the time of the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Grace went with Lua to prepare a place for 'Abdul-Bahá in Chicago and then, after subletting her cottage at Green Acre she made arrangements for His visit to New York City. It was the wish of 'Abdu'l-Bahá that she marry Harlan Ober. Lua came to her to give her this news. She had only met Harlon a few times and was unprepared to contact Harlan so Lua wrote to Harlan - and Harlan, radiant at the thought that he was obeying a suggestion of his beloved Master, took the next train to New York from Boston where he lived. He came at once to see Grace and together they went walking through Central Park where he proposed and Grace, still. dazed.and uncertain, accepted - because it was the will of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Grace Robarts and Harlan Ober were married by 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the home He was staying in in New York City. Later that same day they were married again by the laws of New York when Howard Colby Ives performed the legal ceremony.
  • In 1938 Grace went on an extensive teaching trip through the Southern states. She had been very ill previous to this. The teaching trip ended in time for her to reach Wilmette and attend the Convention in the spring of 1938. It was a very radiant Convention and the report Grace gave of her teaching trip was one of the high points of it because Grace herself was so radiant and filled with the glory of the great privilege of teaching. She stood there, before the crowded hall in the Bahá'í House of Worship, filled with the great glory that shone from her and, closing her report, she uttered a tremendous clarion call for pioneers and for teachers. Then she walked down to resume her seat amongst the delegates. But on her way she paused beside Harlan, who had just been re-elected to the National Spiritual Assembly. "I want to congratulate you now" she whispered, "I may not have time later", They smiled at each other with the perfect understanding that had always existed between them. Then Grace slipped into her own seat. As she sat down her head drooped slightly and those glancing at her assumed she was lost in prayer. But when she made no movement for many moments someone touched her and realized something was wrong. Edris Rice-Wray and Katherine True both moved forward - and Grace was gone - gone through her Open Door - gone on her beautiful journey to the arms of 'Abdu'l- Bahá.
    		• Grace Robarts Ober; In Memoriam; John Robarts; Lua Getsinger; Howard Colby Ives; South Eliot, Maine, USA
    1938 Ridván The third, fourth and fifth local assemblies formed in Moncton, NB, Lambert, QC and Toronto, ON. The Moncton Assembly did not reform in 1940 nor in 1941. The Lambert Assembly did not re-form in 1941 and 1944. [OBCC177] Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Moncton, NB; Lambert, QC; Toronto, ON
    1937-1938 Because of restrictive travel conditions, Emeric Sala was one of only two pilgrims to visit the Holy Land in 1937. He had unrestricted access to the Guardian for 3 hours for over five evenings.

      One night, Shoghi Effendi asked me a question, which I could not answer, nor did I understand its significance at the time. Shoghi Effendi asked me: "Since after the martyrdom of the Báb the authority of the Faith was passed on to Bahá'u'lláh, and after His passing to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, to whom was it transferred after the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá? I answered, of course, Shoght Effendi. He said no. I then said, the Guardian. He again shook his head. I then ventured the Universal House of Justice. He again said no, and I could see from his expression that he was disappointed with my inability to answer his question. Then he asked, are the friends not reading my letters? The answer he said, is clearly stated in The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh. It is divided into four parts: Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the fourth part is entitled "The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh", which is the answer to his question". [TG72]

    Note: In actual fact, the fourth part of The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh is entitled "The Administrative Order" The explanation is in The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, (BPT-Wilmette 1970) page 55-56.

    		Emeric Sala; Pilgrimage; Tending the Garden; Emeric Sala; Haifa, Israel
    1937 (Fall) Mabel Rice-Wray Ives (1878-1943) was the first Bahá'í to initiate a systematic teaching campaign starting in the Fall of 1937 in Moncton, NB. She was assisted by Rosemary Sala of St. Lambert. [TG102, 108; OBCC153] Mabel Rice-Wray Ives; Teaching; Rosemary Sala; Moncton, NB first use of a systematic teaching campaign
    1937 May The First Seven Year Plan was launched in North America. [BBD180; BBRSM158; BW7:17–18; MA9]
  • For the role of individuals, local spiritual assemblies and the National Spiritual Assembly see MA11–12.
  • The Plan called for:
    • the completion of the exterior of the Wilmette Temple. BW7:17–18; PP385]
    • the establishment of a local spiritual assembly in each state and province of the United States and Canada. [PP385]
    • the establishment of a centre in each of the republics of Latin America. [PP385]
  • At this time there were 2 local spiritual assemblies and eighteen localities. [OBCC307]
    		•  First Seven Year Plan
    1937 May Fred Schopflocher contributed and additional $100,000 (see 16 March, 1929) to the goal of $350,000 to complete the exterior ornamentation of the House of Worship. For his dedication to the construction the Guardian designated him as "Chief Temple Builder". [LoF 388-390, BW12p664] Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Wilmette; Fred Schopflocher; Wilmette, IL
    1937 25 Mar Shoghi Effendi married Mary Maxwell, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum. [PP151; UD115]
  • For a description of the simple wedding see GBF68–9 and PP151–2.
  • Shoghi Effendi stressed that the marriage drew the Occident and the Orient closer together. [GBF69–70; PP153]
  • The American Bahá'í community sent $19 from each of its 71 Assemblies as a wedding gift. [GBF70; PP153]
  • An extension was built onto Shoghi Effendi's apartment on the roof of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's house in Haifa to accommodate the couple. [BBD107; DH152]
  • See also MA89.
    		•  Marriage; Mary Maxwell; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Haifa, Israel
    1937 Apr 1938 The Vancouver community developed a series of 12-minute radio programs broadcast on CJOR radio. The subject was "World Order". Along with an accompanying brochure on the 12 principles and study classes for the public, the program attracted from forty-five to sixty interested persons. The programs were heard in Victoria, Comox, Armstrong and Vernon. [OBCC215] Radio; Vancouver, BC; Victoria, BC; Armstrong, BC; Vernon, BC First use of a series of radio programs in teaching the Faith in Canada.
    1937 (In the year) John and Audrey Robarts became Bahá'ís in Toronto. [OBCC151] John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Hands of the Cause; Toronto, ON
    1937 (In the year) The publication of Sunburst by Lorol Schopflocher. It was published in London by Ryder & Co. (This scanned copy made available courtesy of Kurt Asplund.)
      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]
    		 Lorol Schopflocher; Siegfried Schopflocher
    1936 1 Jul The National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada appointed the first Inter-America Committee, beginning an organized and coordinated effort to establish the Faith in the Republics of Central and South America. [BW10:181] first Inter-America Committee
    1935 3 Dec The federal government issued to the Bahá'í Community a letter of patents for the word "Bahá'í". [OBCC259] Patent; Copyright and trademarks
    1935 25 Mar The Spiritual Assembly of Montreal became incorporated, the first Bahá'í governing body in Canada to do so. [BW6p323-328] Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Montreal, QC first Baha'i institution to be incorporated.
    1934 (In the year) Rosemary Gilles (b. 1902 Scotland) enrolled in the Faith in 1929 in Montreal. In 1934 she married Emeric Sala and they pioneered to St Lambert,

    They remained there until 1939 when the couple pioneered to Venezuela. [OBCC82]

    		 Emeric Sala; Rosemary Sala; St. Lambert, QC
    1934 (Apr or before) The first homefront pioneers in Canada were Rowland and Stella Estall (née Delanti) who moved from Montreal to St Lambert in 1934. Rowland remained until 1935 and Stella Estall until 1938. Pioneers; Rowland Estall; Stella Estall; Stella Delanti; St. Lambert, QC first homefront pioneers in Canada
    1934 (In the year) The first talk on the Bahá'í Faith was given in Calgary. May Maxwell had arrived by train at the Palliser Hotel situated at 9th Avenue and 1st Street West where she spoke to a women's Peace Club meeting. Her husband, William Sutherland Maxwell was the architect of the hotel. [The Distance Traversed a presentation by Bev Knowlton and Joan Young 2022] Calgary, AB first Baha'i talk given in Calgary
    1933 Dec The arrival the first resident Bahá'í to have lived in Newfoundland, Nova Scotian John Redden.

    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.

    		 Pioneering; John Redden; Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; Martock, NS; Cape Breton, NS; Windsor, NS the first Bahá'í to have visited Cap Breton. the first Nova Scotia Bahá'í; the first resident Bahá'í to have lived in Newfoundland
    1932 21 Feb Some time before this date Canadian Bahá'ís were exempted from combative service in the armed forces. [OBCC258] Exemption from combative service First exemption from combative service in the armed forces.
    1932 Jan The first known use of radio to spread knowledge of the Faith was in Montreal by Martha Root. [MR381-382] Radio; Martha Root; Montreal, QC First use of radio in the teaching work in Canada.
    1932 (In the year) Charles Nealy Murray (b.1886 - d.1955), who had enrolled in the Faith in 1911 in Washington, D.C., settled in Crapaud, PE where he worked as a farmhand until 1942. Charles Nealy Murray; Prince Edward Island, Canada
    1932 (in the year) F. St. George Spendlove visited Shanghai after his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He travelled to Nanjing and Beijing before proceeding to Japan. [PH49} George Spendlove; Shanghai, China; Nanjing, China; Beijing, China
    1931 There were still only 30 Bahá'ís in Canada by this date. [BBRSM186] Statistics
    1931 Apr Marion Jack arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, to begin her pioneering service. Marion Jack; Pioneering; Sofia, Bulgaria
    1931 Mar Marion Jack painted a view from the Mansion at Bahjí. The painting was eventually hung in the Mansion. [CT174] Marion Jack; Bahji, Israel
    1930 19 Aug Jean-Baptiste Louis Bourgeois, (b. 19 March 1856, Staint-Célestin de Nicolet, QC. d. Wilmette, IL), the architect of the first Bahá'i Temple of Worship in America, passed away. He was buried in East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento, California.[Find a Grave]

    He, like Sutherland Maxwell and Mason Remey, had studied at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. These three and four others submitted designs for the Wilmette Temple for consideration. Other buildings designed by Louis Bourgeois include the Chicago Tribune Building, Evergreen Cabin in Englewood NJ where 'Abdu'l-Bahá hosted a Unity Feast, the Savoy Hotel in Chicago.

    He became a Bahá'í in New York sometime during the winter of 1906. In April of 1909 the National Spiritual Assembly called for design proposals for the first Bahá'í Hours of Worship in the West and he submitted is design proposal in October. It was finally accepted at the National Convention in 1920. [DP76-100]

    		In Memoriam; Louis Bourgeois; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Wilmette; Saint-Celestin de Nicolet, QC; Wilmette, IL; Sacramento, CA
    1930 Number of Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada: 2

    Members: 2

    [from a pamphlet, The Bahá'í Faith and its World Community published by the NSA of Canada]

    		 Statistics; Canada
    1930 2 Mar First Race Amity meeting held in Montreal. [OBCC90] Race (general): Race amity; Montreal, QC First Race Amity meeting held in Montreal.
    1930 (In the year) Marion Jack departed Canada for pilgrimage in Haifa and then settled in Sofia, Bulgaria. [OBCC307] Marion Jack; General Jack; Pioneering; Sofia, Bulgaria

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