Sydney Sprague arrived in Bombay, India. [BFA2:XVI]
• He was the first American Bahá'í travelling teacher in Asia. [BFA2:XVI; 258-270; facing p335]
• See Reflections on the Bahá'í Writings for the story of Kaykhusraw Isfandyár who sacrificed his life by travelling from his home in Bombay to Lahore to assist Sidney Sprague when he was mortally ill with typhoid fever. He was too ill to be taken back to Bombay as planned so Kaykhusraw prayed that he, a humble shop-keeper, might be accepted as a sacrifice for the life of Sydney, an international travel teacher. His request was accepted and he became the first Eastern Bahá'í to have sacrificed his life for his Western brother. When the news of this sacrifice reached `Abdu'l-Bahá, He immortalised Kaykhusraw by conferring upon him the rank of a martyr and He revealed a Tablet to Kaykhusraw's family.
  This story is also available in Andalib magazine, year 7, no 25 and can be found in YBIB55-60.

Harlan Ober and Hooper Harris sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey for Naples and 'Akká on their teaching trip to India at the behest of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. (Tablet 12 March, 1906) Dr. William Moore, brother of Lua Getsinger, had been chosen to accompany Hooper Harris but he died unexpectedly. Harlan did not have the means for such a trip but Lua Getsinger loaned him the necessary funds. [BW13p868]
• During their three days stopover in 'Akká 'Abdu'l-Bahá provided no instructions but promised them that "Whenever difficult questions or problems come to you, turn your hearts to the heart of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and you will receive help." They found that they were astonished with some of their own answers to questions put to them during the trip. [BW13p869]
• Later 'Abdu'l-Bahá told Harlan, "Serve the people, speak in the meetings, love them in reality not through politeness, embrace them as I have embraced you. Even if you should never speak great good will be accomplished." This was to become Harlan's creed for teaching the Faith. [BW13p869]
• They traveled across India, teaching the Faith, with Persian Bahá'ís Ibn-i-Abhar and Mírzá Mahmúd. See BFA266–71 for details of the trip. [Bahaipedia]
• "Hooper Harris and Harlan Ober traveled, during no less than seven months, in India and Burma, visiting Bombay, Poona, Lahore, Calcutta, Rangoon and Mandalay." [GPB261]
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent the "Tablet of Purity" to America with Hooper Harris on his return from Haifa and India. [Highlights of the First 40 Years of the Bahá'í Faith in New York, City of the Covenant, 1892-1932 by Hussein Ahdieh p10]

Charles Mason Remey and Howard Struven left the United States on the first Bahá'í teaching trip to circle the globe. [BFA2:348, GPB261]
• They went to Hawaii, Japan, Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong and to Burma, India and `Akká. [BFA2:348–50; Video Early history of the Bahá'í Faith in China 2min56sec]

'Abdu'l-Bahá sent Lua Getsinger and Dr Ameen Farid to California where they spoke to some 5,000 people delivering lectures on "Bahá'í Reformation" or referring to it in the course of lectures on other subjects. She spent two weeks visiting friends in Chicago and then departed for California on the 10th of March. [LGHC123]
• Among the groups contacted were the Scottish Rite Masons, the Knights Templar, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, some literary clubs, a Unitarian congregation in Almeda, a large group of Japanese, the "World's Spiritual Congress", the Church of the Golden Rule, the Auxiliary of the Juvenile Court, with Persian, Turkish, Egyptian and Jewish ladies, the Federation of Women's club, the faculty members of the University of California and of Stanford University, the crew of the battleship S.S. California, and prisoners in San Quentin. They also went to Tijuana, Mexico, where a civil war was in progress, and where she served as a volunteer nurse for the Red Cross while Dr Fareed served as surgeon to the wounded. [LDNW25; SBBH1p126; SoW Vol 2 No 13 p6-7; SoW Vol 2 No 14 p13-14; SoW Vol 2 No 16 p12-13]
• Dr Fareed met President Taft at a luncheon of the Union League Club, and also at the dedication of the ground for the 1915 Panama Exposition. He had an opportunity for a few minutes to speak privately to the President when, as a Bahá'í, he congratulated him upon his efforts for Arbitration Treaties and promotion of Peace between nations. Thus the President was informed of the goal of the Bahá'í Movement, and its sympathy with all efforts far the Unity and Peace of the world. [SoW Vol 2 No 14 p13]
• Some time before the end of 1911 Dr. Fareed returned to Egypt. See the same reference for a report from Ella Goodall Cooper on the progress of the teaching work in California. [SoW Vol 2 No 16 p12-13]
• Some of Lua's talks were:
  • December 17th, 1911 at the California Club Hall in San Francisco. [LGHC358]
  • January 6th, 1912 at the Bellevue Hotel in San Francisco. [LGHC373]
  • January 16th, 1912 at the Bellevue Hotel in San Francisco. [LGHC375]
• Lua Getsinger travelled to Chicago to meet Him and to attend the dedication of the land for the Temple. 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked her to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony by turning over a shovelful of earth. [LDNW26-27] iiiii

'Abdu'l-Bahá sent Lua and Dr. Getsinger on a teaching tour in India. The duration of the tour and the places visited have yet to be confirmed. She lectured at Theosophical Society Hall in Surat on "Purity and Divinity" (22 Jan); in Bombay, she spoke in Pratana Mandir Hall for an hour on "The Bahá'í Movement—Its Rise and Progress." (24Jan) She addressed the students of the Theistic Society on "Individual Spiritual Progress" (4 Feb); and in the Ideal Seminary she spoke on "Service as an Act of Worship." (8 Feb) In addition to the public lectures, to large and enthusiastic audiences, Dr. and Mrs. Getsinger were kept busy meeting people of various creeds. Lua's most important interview, and the one which 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of as a "certain definite result", was with the Maharajah of Jalowar (Jhalawar) whom He had met in London. He wished to acquaint this receptive enlightened person with the Bahá'í teachings, and chose Lua to seek him out. The Maharajah received her most graciously, and afterwards corresponded with her, remaining a staunch friend of the Faith. [SoW vol. V, No. 2, p. 21-22; "Lua Getsinger -Herald of the Covenant" by Amine DeMille; BFA2:353]
• In her autobiography, Sunburst pg 236 Loral Schopflocher wrote:
  The Maharaiah of Ghalawar was the first ruler to accept the Baha'i teachings and attempted to put them into practice in his domain.
• For more information on him see The Indian Biographical Dictionary (1915) by C. Hayavadana Rao.

'Abdu'l-Bahá's exhortation on China was published in the Star of the West on the 28th of April, 1917. "China, China, China, China-ward the Cause of Baha'o'llah must march! Where is that holy, sanctified Bahai to become the teacher of China! China has most great capability. The Chinese people are most simple-hearted and truth-seeking." and "China is the country of the future." [SotW_Vol-01 (Mar 1910)-Vol-10 (Mar 1919) p2127/2922]
• See as well PG99-100 for His Tablet to Chen Ting Mo.

Between the years of 1920 to 1922 they stayed in many cities in China including Chengdu.

Hólmfríôur facilitated Martha's teaching efforts with her knowledge of the language and local contacts. During her stay in Iceland she gave lectures and did radio interviews. In one of her radio appearances she did a review of Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era and left copies of this book in the libraries. The first ever article on the Bahá'í Faith in the Icelandic language was published in a newspaper. An editor interviewed her for an article and wrote another explaining the basics of the Faith. As she usually did, Martha made contact with the Theosophists and the Esperanto Society and presented a lecture in Esperanto. [The Soul of Iceland-A Bahá'í Saga by Martha Root; BW6p684]

The passing of Sydney Sprague (b. Oshkosh WI in 1875) in Los Angeles. He was buried in Inglewood Cemetery. His grave is beside that of Tom Collins, husband of Amelia Collins, and lies just across the road from the grave of Thornton Chase, "First Bahá'í of America." [BW9p633-635]
• During a pilgrimage in late 1904 'Abdu'l-Bahá suggested he visit the Bahá'ís of the East. He toured India and Burma from December 1904 until the summer of 1905 becoming the first Western Bahá'í of go to the far Orient fulfilling Bahá'u'lláh's prophecy the "The East and West shall embrace as lovers". [YBIB6] iiiii
• See YBIB55-60 For the story of Kai Khosroe, the Zoroastrian Bahá'í from Bombay who gave his life while nursing Sprague in Lahore when he was deathly ill with typhoid fever.
• In 1908 he became a resident of Tehran, first teaching in the Bahá'í school and, when he returned the following year, he became principal.
• He married a niece of 'Abdul'-Bahá and became a brother-in-law of Ameen Fareed. When Fareed was expelled from the Faith in 1914 Sprague and his wife as well as his father-in-law followed. Fareed's father was Mírzá Asadu'lláh-i-Isfahání, the emissary who had taken the remains of the Báb from Iran to the Holy Land [Efforts to preserve the remains of the Bab]. Sprague applied to be reinstated in 1931 (or 1937) and was finally accepted in 1941, two years before his passing. [BW9p633-635]
  • He married Farahangiz Khanum on the 20th of July, 1910, a day selected by 'Abdu'l-Bahá so that Stanwood Cobb could attend. The Bahá'í wedding was performed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the legal ceremony was conducted by a mullá four days later. [BN Vol 1 No 12 October 1910 p 7]
• He made a teaching trip to South America and died soon after his return to the United States. [AB409]
• He was the author of The Story of the Bahai Movement published in London in 1907 and A Year with the Bahá'ís of India and Burma in May of 1908. [YBIBxi] iiiii

The Nine Year Plan was successfully completed. [BW16:131]
• For the growth of the Bahá'í Faith in this period see BW16:130.
• Also see The Nine Year Plan, 1964-1973: Statistical Report, Ridván 1973 by the Universal House of Justice.
• See as well the document entitled Analysis of the Nine Year International Teaching Plan of the Bahá'í Faith published by the Universal House of Justice in April, 1964.
• "Tribute must be paid to the host of Bahá'í youth from many countries whose travels in Africa hastened and ensured the success of the Nine Year Plan in that continent, and in particular to the international "rescue squad" of youth from Persia, India, the Philippines, Malaysia and other countries who in the closing hours of the Plan sealed its triumphant conclusion in Africa." [BW15p184]
• "The friends in several countries of Africa are also indebted to the outstanding services of Dr. 'Aziz Navidi, an international lawyer and Baha'i International Community Representative for Africa, who assisted the Bahá'í communities in these countries in obtaining official recognition and performed other valuable services." [BW15p185-186]

The passing of Beatrice Owen Ashton (b. 17 May, 1890, Cleveland). She was buried in the Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. [BW20p896-899]
• She graduated from Vassar College in 1911 and in 1918 she learned of the Faith in Urbana, IL from Dr Jacob and Anna Kunz after meeting some Bahá'ís who had been picnicking. (See BW16p520 for In Memoriam for Anna Kunz)
• In August of 1918 she married Frank Ashton at Green Acre. In post-war 1945, the National Spiritual Assembly appointed her as the international relief representative for Germany and the Philippines. During the summers from 1947 to 1953 she undertook teaching trips to Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In April of 1952 she went on pilgrimage and met the Guardian for the first time. [BN no262, December, 1952 p5-7]
• In addition to administrative tasks she worked on the production of Bahá'í World XIII and taught summer school classes at Green Acre, Louhelen and Geyserville as well as Beaulac, Banff and Toronto in Canada.
• She pioneered to Lethbridge, Alberta from 1958 to 1966 and taught the Faith on the Peigan Reserve (now Piikini First Nation). When the Bahá'ís of Lethbridge elected their first Local Spiritual Assembly she went back to European teaching and made four trips to Norway by 1970.
• From 1970 she served in Haifa in the Research Department, cataloging and indexing the Guardian's letters and correspondence but in 1972 she had to return to the US due to failing health.
• In her latter years she made an index for Citadel of Faith as well as for Messages to America and indexed the Writings of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh that Shoghi Effendi had translated.
• Find a grave.

Willard and Doris McKay , then living in Geneva, NY, arrived in Montreal, the last stop on their first major teaching trip. They had visited Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Boston, Portsmouth, NH before arriving in Montreal by train.
• 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]

The passing of Howard Colby Ives (b. 11 Oct 1867, Brooklyn, New York, d. Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA). He was buried in Pinecrest Memorial Park and Garden Mausoleum, Alexander, Saline County, Arkansas. [BW9p608-613; Find a grave]
• He and his wife Mabel spent nearly the last twenty years of his life as itinerant teachers. (Often teamed up with the Obers and the McKays) For example they came to Toronto in November of 1938 and stayed for about 10 months. During that time Mabel gave more than 150 lectures in Toronto and about 70 in Hamilton, Toronto's expansion goal. Howard, who was had had heart problems and who was rapidly losing for sight and hearing at the time, complemented her abilities by doing personal deepening with receptive souls. [TMLF62-67, SEBW139-154]

  Some of his works were:

  • The Ocean of His Utterances Unpublished study course in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh using the books of Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l‑Baha, and Shoghi Effendi, compiled and with commentary by Ives. Not yet formatted.
  • Portals to Freedom (1937) A collection of anecdotes and history of Abdu'l-Baha's travels to the United States, as told by one observer. [BEL7.1313 to 7.1320]
  • The Song Celestial (1938) A mystical book about Mr. Ives' search for God, in which a seeker asks God various questions, and God responds. [BEL7.1321-1322]
• Also see Mother's Stories: Recollections of Abdu'l-Baha by Muriel Ives Barrow Newhall (Daughter of Howard and Mabel Ives)

About twenty-five different itineraries were arranged for Canadian Bahá'í teachers who served on the Intra-Regional circuits and, in addition, teaching programmes were arranged and organized for several visiting teachers from outside the Dominion, including Mr. Alan Pringle from Honduras and Mrs. Meherangiz Munsiff of the United States. Our Canadian teachers have included the following: Mrs. Laura Davis, Mr. Albert Rakovsky, Mr. Hartwell Bowsfield, Mr. Rowland Estall, Mr; Alan Raynor, Mre. !Peggy Ross, Mrs. Lily Ann Irwin, Mrs. Katherine Moscrop, Mr. Fred Graham, Miss Nancy Campbell, Miss Amy Putnam and Miss Winnifred Harvey. [CBN No88 May 1957 p1]
• Seven weekend seminars conducted by Allan Raynor on "The Covenant and the Individual" were organized throughout Canada for the deepening, strengthening and confirming of believers and close contacts. [CBN No88 May 1957 p2]

The passing of Beatrice Owen Ashton (b. 17 May, 1890, Cleveland). She was buried in the Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. [BW20p896-899]
• She graduated from Vassar College in 1911 and in 1918 she learned of the Faith in Urbana, IL from Dr Jacob and Anna Kunz after meeting some Bahá'ís who had been picnicking. (See BW16p520 for In Memoriam for Anna Kunz)
• In August of 1918 she married Frank Ashton at Green Acre. In post-war 1945, the National Spiritual Assembly appointed her as the international relief representative for Germany and the Philippines. During the summers from 1947 to 1953 she undertook teaching trips to Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In April of 1952 she went on pilgrimage and met the Guardian for the first time. [BN no262, December, 1952 p5-7]
• In addition to administrative tasks she worked on the production of Bahá'í World XIII and taught summer school classes at Green Acre, Louhelen and Geyserville as well as Beaulac, Banff and Toronto in Canada.
• She pioneered to Lethbridge, Alberta from 1958 to 1966 and taught the Faith on the Peigan Reserve (now Piikini First Nation). When the Bahá'ís of Lethbridge elected their first Local Spiritual Assembly she went back to European teaching and made four trips to Norway by 1970.
• From 1970 she served in Haifa in the Research Department, cataloging and indexing the Guardian's letters and correspondence but in 1972 she had to return to the US due to failing health.
• In her latter years she made an index for Citadel of Faith as well as for Messages to America and indexed the Writings of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh that Shoghi Effendi had translated.
• Find a grave.