Bahá’í World/Volume 20/H. Collis Featherstone

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[Page 809]

H. COLLIS FEATHERSTONE

19134990

Collis Featherstone and his wife, Madge, accepted the Bahá’í Faith in December 1944. This came about in an unusual way.

Somewhat earlier, two intrepid and stalwart Bahá’ís, Bertha Dobbins and Katherine Harcus, had set out from Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, to teach the Faith in the Port Adelaide area, about 14 kilometres away. Walking back in the direction from whence they had come and, footsore and very weary, they leaned against a post at a railway and road intersection at Albert Park in the Woodville area, and called on the Greatest Name for a home to be opened up to the Faith.

Sometime later, a Mrs. Almond, who lived near to the Featherstones, invited Madge to a gathering at her home to meet her past school teacher who had something very important to share with her and any of her friends.

The teacher was Bertha Dobbins, and the important message she had to share with everybody was the Bahá’í Faith. She began her introduction to the Faith by reading the Tablet of Ahmad. Madge attended several afternoon meetings with her small children, sharing all the proceedings, pamphlets and newsletters with Collis, who was instantly attracted. Bertha saying that the Faith “was for everyone on cart ” prompted Collis, through Madge, to ask for a “decent book” to read.

Madge brought home for him the large American illustrated copy of The Dawn Breakers. He was so hungry to learn more that he began reading it the same night, and when he got to page 92 and started reading

[Page 810]810 THE Bahá’í WORLD

the Báb’s address to the Letters of the Living, he realized that this Message was from God. He had found what he was looking for.

Both Madge and Collis continued to study and even responded affirmatively to Bertha’s call for a home to be opened up for evening meetings. On one occasion a very interesting talk on the Bahá’í Administrative Order was given, and afterwards Collis stood and said: “This is all very interesting, but aren’t there some books on the Writings of Baha’u’llah?” The very next day, he received several. These “firesides” continued for several months before the couple announced in December 1944 that they wished to become Bahá’ís. When the two teachers had stopped at the railway crossing and called on the Greatest Name, Collis and Madge’s home had been the nearest one facing them!

Harold Collis Featherstone was born in the historic town of Quorn, South Australia, on 5 May 1913. As his father worked for the South Australian Railways, the family moved to several different country areas over the years. The most significant period of his early life was spent in Smithfield, some twenty—eight kilometres north of Adelaide, when his father was promoted to Station Master.

During his high school years, from 1925 to 1928, he travelled daily to the Adelaide High School on West Terrace. His report described him as “diligent, well-behaved and polite, thoroughly reliable and straightforward” and said “He is neat and careful in his script work.” Indeed his handwriting throughout his whole life remained neat and controlled and always attracted comment. He became a very avid reader with all the train travelling. He was a keen cyclist, played cricket and always kept a keen inter est in the Test Cricket Matches. He played

tennis and actively participated in the local tennis club until he injured his shoulder When he was fifty—seven years old.

During his days in Smithfield, Collis staited thinking about deeper matters. There

were three main things which set this process in motion.

At fifteen, Collis was confirmed in the Church of England. The fact that he had not been baptised in the Church earlier was not realized until after his Confirmation; that should never have been allowed to happen! Church authorities at the time were determined he would not forget the error, and he was continually reminded of it. This rather unforgiving attitude was upsetting to him.

Furthermore, he could not reconcile himself to the Church’s teachings on the resurrection of the body. Following the death and burial of his dog near a fencing post which was later damaged in a storm and had to be replaced, the decomposing remains of his pet were exposed, only to confirm his misgivings about the logic of such a belief.

Another striking incident occurred when he was travelling home by train and was so deeply involved in his reading he didn’t notice the train had stopped at his station. As it was pulling out, he ran to jump off onto the sand Which he knew lay beyond the platform between another set of rail lines. He was ready to jump when something told him to get off the other side. It was a split second decision and as he landed he heard an express train roar through, travelling in the opposite direction and on the side he had decided not to jump from only a few seconds before. Had he made the slightest misjudgement in jumping from that side, it was quite apparent what his fate would have been! Ever afterwards, he wondered What it was that made him change his mind. There had been no time for rational thinking; it all happened too quickly.

These three incidents fueled his search into spiritual matters.

During the 19303, Collis moved to live and work in Adelaide. Almost every Sunday he would attend up to three church services —all different denominations. The Reverend G.E. Hale of the Unitarian Church, however, was a man Collis never forgot. What impressed him most was the fact that he took

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parallel quotes from the scriptures of other great religions, which Collis found so interesting and appealing that he went off to the public library to read more.

Although initially Collis worked in an office and studied accounting at night school, he had the opportunity in 1934 to learn dye making, ultimately leading him into a precision engineering business partnership in 1938, which he eventually bought out, and carried on for more than thirty-five years. He was widely recognised in the industry for his excellent workmanship and the fairness with which he conducted business.

He met Madge Green, and after a long courtship they were married in March 1938. They had five children: four daughters and a son.

During the war years, money was short, the children small and their needs time consuming, and the business was hard work, all of which slowed down the spiritual search until Bertha and J oe Dobbins and the Bahá’í Faith came into the Featherstones life.

Although there were few young Bahá’ís at that time, the Featherstones were keen and enthusiastic, participating fully in the affairs of the greater Adelaide community of thirty to forty Bahá’ís. Their firesides continued, usually commencing with a speaker giving a short address on some aspect of the Faith. With the enthusiasm that was generated by their zeal, the Bahá’í community grew.

Whenever Collis reflected on those early days as a Bahá’í, he recalled the joy and excitement that prevailed. News travelled much more slowly in those days, and whenever a letter or news was received from the Guardian, the friends were very jubilant. Collis was very eager to meet Clara Dunn, affectionately known as Mother, fwho together with her late husband J ohn Henry Hyde Dunn, had brought the Bahá’í Faith to Australia in 1920. That meeting was realized after Bertha Dobbins had arranged for Mother to come to Adelaide in 1945, when she also stayed in their home for a couple of

nights. Much to Collis’ regret he never met John Henry Hyde Dunn, who had passed away in 1941.

At the time Collis became a Bahá’í, the beloved Guardian was guiding the whole Bahá’í world singlehandedly, the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand had been in existence for only about ten years, and there were only three Local Assemblies. The Bahá’í community might have been small, but it was so Vibrant that Madge and Collis had the impression that there were many more Bahá’ís throughout Australia than there actually were!

The friends were encouraged in those days to keep in touch with the Guardian, and as early as 1945 Collis wrote a long letter to him, the first of many, with a string of questions he had been unable to get answers for elsewhere. In his own hand the Guardian wrote: “May the Spirit of Baha’u’llah bless and reinforce your efforts, and may He aid you to obtain a clearer understanding of the essentials of His Faith, and to advance its best interests, and contribute to the consolidation of its God—given institutions”.

Many of the early Bahá’ís were strong and forceful personalities, independent and strong willed, often with very divergent Views which clashed from time to time. However, in spite of the personality problems that existed, the believers were fierce defenders of the Cause and were loyal and steadfast. Collis would often say that the Faith in those early days needed strongwilled and independent people. Nevertheless, there was a tendency for the believers to “take sides”, and from the very beginning Collis and Madge made it clear that they were not going to be a part of that, choosing instead to follow the guidelines given to Collis from Mother Dunn and then the Guardian through his secretary:

THE GUARDIAN HOPES YOU, YOUR WIFE, AND THE OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SO ACTIVE IN THE CAUSE IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD WILL RENDER IT MANY SERVICES, PROMOTE UNITY AND LOVE IN THE COMMUNITY,

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812 THE BAHA’I WORLD

STRENGTHEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE FOUNDATIONS OF THE FAITH, AND ATTRACT MANY NEW SOULS TO IT.

(from a letter dated 26 October 1945)

Bertha and Joe Dobbins were Visionaries too, and they encouraged Collis and Madge to set their sights high~——to establish an Assembly in their area, to teach, to travel, to attend the Bahá’í summer schools... The F eatherstones rose to all those challenges.

In 1946, Collis and Harold Fitzner started their monthly teaching trips to Kingston, south of Adelaide, a bus journey of several 'hours’ duration (very few Bahá’ís had cars in those early post-war days). Teaching activities continued there for more than six years until the culmination of the Six Year Plan in 1953. In the latter years Collis purchased a car and was able to take many Bahá’ís, including Mother Dunn, and overseas Visitors such as Shirin Fozdar, on teaching trips to Kingston. Merle Mueller, whose family became Bahá’ís in Kingston, wrote at the time of Collis’ passing: “Many times in my life I have given silent praise and thanks that you were both instrumental in giving the precious gift of the knowledge of Baha’u’llah to our family.”

Collis and Madge attended their first summer school at Yerrinbool in January 1947, and Collis went again on his own in January 1949. On several subsequent occasions Collis and Madge travelled by car and caravan to attend and participate with the whole family. It was a long and tiring j oumey of about 1,500 kilometres each way, but it was the only way they could all afford to attend. During all those years Madge made almost all her own clothes as well as those of the children so they could afford to be involved in Bahá’í activities. But in all cases where

there is sacrifice there is also gain, and in

this particular situation it was the great fun and joy of being at the summer school, as well as all the sight~seeing and Visits to places of interest on the way that made up for it.

The Woodville Local Spiritual Assembly, the first outside the City of Adelaide, was established in 1948 with Collis and Madge as founding members. The community invited all the National Assembly members and Mother Dunn to attend a public meeting in May announcing the Assembly’s formation. Eight of the nine National Assembly members, as well as dear Mother, were able to come. The function was also attended by about 100 other people and attracted publicity in the press. Woodville was the sixth Local Spiritual Assembly in Australia and New Zealand at the time.

Collis attended the National Convention as an observer in 1946 and 1948. In 1949, he went as a delegate and was elected to the National Assembly. Each year he was re- elected and served, often as chairman, until 1962.

In addition to serving the Faith as a member of various institutions and a participant in Bahá’í activities, the choices Collis made in his private life demonstrated his constant striving to live up to Bahá’í principles. As a result of wanting to observe the Nineteen Day Fast, Collis gave up smoking cigarettes. So that he could better present the teachings of Baha’u’llah, he undertook a course in public speaking.

His service also extended beyond the Bahá’í community. In his pre-marriage days, Collis had actively served with the St. John Ambulance, and whilst it was not practical for him to continue when the family was very young, he was able to serve on the committee of the District and Bush Nursing Society (DBNS) until they moved to Port Adelaide in April 1953. During this period both Collis and Madge assisted the settlement of European immigrants to Australia and helped them to reunite with their loved ones. After World War II they were also able to assist Bahá’ís in the Philippines by sending parcels of books and clothing.

The Six Year Plan for the Australian and New Zealand Bahá’ís began in 1947, providing the impetus for sustained teaching activities which led to the expansion of the

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IN MEMORIAM 813

Faith. As well as continuing with the trips to Kingston and other towns on the way, Collis and Madge concentrated their efforts on consolidating the Woodville community and on raising the Port Adelaide Group to Assembly status, relocating in April 1953 to raise the numbers and thus to fulfil the original goal of Bertha and Joe Dobbins.

A look at their diaries of that time gives some indication of the constant Bahá’í activity: deepenings, firesides of their own, supporting the firesides in other areas, public meetings, committee meetings... All of the goals of the Plan nation—wide were not only achieved, but exceeded, and the believers were understandably excited.

Without a doubt, the Holy Year from October 1952 to October 1953 was a milestone in the lives of both Collis and Madge. Indeed, it was a year of immense significance for the entire Bahá’í world. As one Plan concluded, the Ten Year Crusade commenced in April 1953. The Australian Bahá’ís responded magnificently, and six of the National Assembly members went out as pioneers. There were four intercontinental conferences held, and the Australian Bahá’í community was invited to the one in New Delhi, India, held in October 1953, to consult about ways to open the Asiatic and South Pacific areas to the Faith.

By se11ing their house and homefront pioneering to Port Adelaide, Collis and Madge were able to reorganise their finances so that they could go to the conference in New Delhi, on the Indian continent. In addition, they had cabled the Guardian for permission to go on pilgrimage.

It was a11 an unforgettab1e experience. The conference gave them their first real experience of unity in diversity, with so many Bahá’ís of different racial, religious and cultural backgrounds attending. And to follow this with pilgrimage! They were overwhelmed. As Madge has written: “If we needed any further confirmation of the power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Words to transform and bring about peace on earth, we saw it

demonstrated by the Guardian, who inspired the Bahá’ís the world over and guided the establishment of Bahá’í institutions around the world. We were unbelievably happy and uplifted.”

Whilst they were With the Guardian, he received news of the arrival of Bertha Dobbins in the New Hebrides, and a few days later, of Gladys Parke and Gretta Lamprill in Tahiti, both Ten Year Crusade goals for Australia. The Guardian was elated with the news.

Because of their family and business commitments, Collis and Madge were unable to pioneer overseas, offering instead to provide financial support to a pioneer for many years.

Collis had a very deep affection and respect for Mother Dunn, and When she was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God early in 1952, he shared With a11be1ievers the great excitement at having a Hand on the continent of Australia. He set out to understand more about the role and work of the Hands, and talked openly about their exalted station. When C011is and Madge were in Haifa in October 1953, the Guardian elaborated on the Institution of the Hands of the Cause and its work for the protection and teaching of the Faith. Little did Collis know then that he was to find out more in a very personal way in the not too—distant future.

It is evident from reading the pilgrim notes prepared by Collis and Madge that the subjects elucidated by the Guardian formed the bedrock of C011is’ action and talks for the rest of his 1ife. Topics included: The role of the Hands and their Auxiliary Boards; God’s Plan and the Divine Plan; the relationship between individual Bahá’ís and government; the need for Assemblies to be frank, wise, and uncompromising in their relationship with the authorities, and to demonstrate to governments that we are patriotic but have nothing to do With politics; the role and responsibilities of the pioneers; and Australia and Japan—the two magnetic poles of the Pacific.

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In 1954, at the National Convention when Collis was chairman, Mother Dunn announced the appointment of her first two Auxiliary Board members, Collis Featherstone and Thelma Perks. Collis reacted by saying he would have been quite relieved if the floor had opened up and swallowed him.

In addition to this appointment, and serving on the National Assembly, he became secretary of the Asian Teaching Committee which had been set up to assist the settlement of the pioneers, mostly in the Pacific area. It was not long before the committee realized the pioneers were not only very lonely at times, but were starved for news, so Koala News, a regular newsletter, was bom. For the pioneers it became their lifeline of support and news. Collis spared nothing to keep the pioneers up to date, often working late into the night.

Collis knew from his own experience early in his Bahá’í life how uplifting it was to have news, and for the rest of his life he made a point of joyfully and enthusiastically sharing news.

A temporary vacuum was created When so many active Bahá’ís went pioneering at the beginning of the T en Year Crusade, and it took time for the community to recover and rebuild. With the Guardian’s Vision for the future so clear in his mind, Collis was constantly pushing for further development. At the end of 1954, he Visited New Zealand and Fiji, the first of his overseas Visits as an Auxiliary Board member. This was followed by a more extensive trip a year later which included Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands; and in August 1956, a Visit to Indonesia.

During this early part of the Crusade, there were many legal matters that Collis, as a National Assembly member, was involved

With concerning Assembly by-laws, incor-“

poration, and Bahá’í marriage. Collis was the first Bahá’í to be a marriage celebrant in the State of South Australia. The Guardian’s secretary wrote to him on 7 April 1955, advising that the Guardian “attached the

THE Bahá’í WORLD

utmost importance to the Incorporation of the Local Assemblies...”. In consequence, Collis was unrelenting in pushing for the incorporation of Assemblies.

Meanwhile, Mother Dunn was becoming very frail, being well over 80 years old, and Collis and Thelma Perks would write all the reports to the Guardian as though Mother were writing them, then seek her approval and signature. Gradually, they began to feel a bit guilty that the reports were really theirs and not Mother’s, so they decided to “confess” to the Guardian. His reply through his secretary put their minds at rest: “He approves of and appreciates what you are doing and the way you are doing it, in View of Mother Dunn’s condition. You should continue to carry forward this work as you have been doing.” (August 30, 1957)

At the same time, Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih K__hanurn, in a brief reply to a letter from Madge, added a postscript which read: “Our Guardian has new plans brewing—-thrilling ones!” Collis was very excited, as he always was, with news from the Guardian, and he spoke openly of the thrilling plans to come.

When the National Assembly secretary telephoned him at work on Monday morning, 7 October 1957, to tell him of the cable received from Shoghi Effendi, he referred to the thrilling news, carrying on until Collis asked him what it was all about. It read as follows:

ANNOUNCE YOUR ELEVATION RANK HAND CAUSE CONFIDENT NEW HONOUR WILL ENABLE YOU RISE GREATER HEIGHTS SERVICE BELOVED FAITH SHOGHI

Collis was shocked. He immediately left his office and went out to sit in his car to recover. After about half an hour his composure had returned sufficiently for him to phone Madge and then tell his business partner he’d had some disturbing news and was taking the rest of the day off.

Following the two great traumatic events of his life—his appointment as a Hand, and a month later the passing of the beloved

[Page 815]IN MEMORIAM

Guardian—Collis’ life entered a new phase. As one of the “Chief Stewards”, who had the responsibility for the Bahá’í world on his shoulders, the scene had suddenly changed dramatically.

It became necessary for him to change the management of his business to enable him to travel extensively. How he continued to run his engineering business, carry on an evergrowing correspondence with his Auxiliary Board members, individuals, and institutions, look after his family, and travel throughout the Australasian region and beyond, not only to Visit Bahá’í communities, but also to present the Faith to dignitaries and government officials wherever he went, is difficult to imagine.

During this period of five and a half years from October 1957 to April 1963, which made up the latter half of the Guardian’s world encircling Ten Year Crusade and cu1minated in the first Bahá’í World Congress in London, Collis made 29 visits to 14 countries in Australasia and Asia; Visited nine countries in Europe and five in Central America; and travelled six times to the Holy Land, the first five of which were to the Conclaves of the Hands to consult on the Plan and direct the Bahá’í world until the formation of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.

Whenever there was an unexpected need, Collis would rise to the occasion without hesitation. For example, after fellow Hand Enoch Olinga had Visited New Zealand, the National Spiritual Assembly there specifically requested the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land to send someone else of the same rank to Visit the Maoris. Collis used his annual Christmas vacation period in 195859 to go. Again in 1961, when ill health prevented Hand of the Cause John Robarts i‘rom travelling, Collis went in his stead to Central America. Unfortunately, he too became very ill, but apart from a few days of forced rest, he carried on with his gruelling itinerary. He was so run down at the end of the journey that it took him six months to recover.

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Collis F eatherstone

From the very early days Collis kept historical records of Bahá’ís and events. He collected and subsequently had bound copies of the early Bahá’í magazines, such as Star of the West, the Australian Bahá’í' Quarterly (now the Australian Bahd ’z' Bulletin), the American Bahá’í News, and Herald of the South. He also collected photographs, and became a keen photographer. When he travelled to India and the Holy Land he made two 16mm silent colour movies, the first of which he titled “East Meets West” and the second, as suggested by the Guardian, “Bahá’í Holy Places in Israel”. He used both extensively for teaching upon his return. This was all in pre~television times in Australia, so the impact was significant.

In November 1954, Collis made an audiotape recording of Mother Dunn relating her experience of meeting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in San Francisco in 1912. One 16mm colour film he made at the Conclave of the Hands at Bahjí in November 1958 is the only such record of this period of the Hands, and shows the 25 Hands who were present, Corinne True and Clara Dunn being too frail to attend.

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Collis would tell the friends everywhere he went: “You are making history now”. He was very conscious of this, and kept detailed records, including correspondence, programmes, itineraries, and reports of all his travels which he put to gether in volumes and bound himself.

Many of the friends have expressed their joy in being with him, of feeling the love and radiance he gave out constantly, and being instilled with a new confidence and Vision. He was the essence of detachment, as if floating above the material world, and always in tune with the spiritual side of life. The first full blood aborigine to embrace the Faith said he decided to become a Bahá’í after meeting Collis.

In October 1961, on his way to the fifth Conclave of the Hands in the Holy Land, Collis had the very great bounty, as he expressed it, of passing by the Most Great House of Baha’u’llah in Baghdad, and Visiting the most Hallowed Spot where Baha’u’llah declared His Mission in the Garden of Riḍván. The Guardian had announced that the convocation of the Bahá’í World Congress would be held in the vicinity of this Garden, at Riḍván 1963, to celebrate “The Most Great Jubilee, commemorating the centenary of the Ascension of Baha’u’llah to the Throne of His Sovereignty”. This was not to be, due to the situation in Iráq, and the Congress was transferred to London.

London for Collis, as for all the Hands, was an event of great joy and relief. They had strictly followed their beloved Guardian’s guidelines to bring his Ten Year Plan to a Victorious conclusion, to arrange for the election of the Universal House of Justice by 56 National Spiritual Assemblies, and to organise, with the British Bahá’í commu nity, the Congress to be held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Collis especially recalled the meetings of the House of Justice with the Hands at Rutland Gate and the final handover to the members of the Universal House of Justice.

THE Bahá’í WORLD

The five years from 1963—1968 saw Collis’ travels expand considerably, with him making a total of 66 Visits to 42 countries on all continents of the globe. During this period, his correspondence, already huge, expanded even further with the enlargement of his Auxiliary Board from four to nine in late 1964. The area of Australasia is massive on its own, but the House of Justice frequently requested him to travel to Asia, as well. The amazing thing was that he really knew all the friends in this vast area, their strengths, problems and needs; he was completely in touch and had his finger on the pulse of this vast region of the world.

All of his travelling and the time he spent on paperwork were at the cost of time with his family, and many times over the years Collis would lament over his inability to spend as much time as he wished with his children: Kaye, Margaret, Joan, Mariette, and Geoffrey. This of course did not diminish his deep love for each one of them. When they had grown up, left home, married and in many instances gone overseas in pursuit of Bahá’í service, he would endeavor to arrange the routes of his long journeys so he could Visit them.

In June 1968, following prolonged consultation with the Hands of the Cause, the Universal House of Justice established the Continental Boards of Counsellors to carry out the functions of the Hands into the future. The Counsellors took over the supervision of the Auxiliary Boards, leaving the Hands free to travel to “diffuse the Divine Fragrances” and inspire the friends. This was a major change, and brought a certain sadness for Collis as he no longer had the direct and close contact with the Board members, but this was overridden by the joy of seeing the development of the Faith into the future.

As the years passed, and the children grew up, his dear wife and devoted partner in all their services to the Cause travelled with Collis more and more frequently. During the eight years from 1968 to 1976, culminating with the International Teaching Conferences

[Page 817]1N MEMORIAM

in Anchorage, Alaska, in July, and Paris, France, in August of 1976, Collis made 126 Visits to 49 countries. Of the eight Oceanic and Continental Conferences held in 1971, Collis attended three-—in Singapore, Suva and Sapporowthe trips taking a total of six months and covering 28 countries.

As the number of Hands diminished, it was the wish of the Universal House of Justice that Collis be totally free to travel, so in 1976, he sold his engineering firm in Adelaide. In 1977, he and Madge moved from Adelaide to Rockharnpton, Central Queensland. During the last 14 years of his life he made a total of 243 Visits to 95 countries on all continents.

In 1982, Collis and Madge attended the International Conference in Dublin, Ireland in June, one of five conferences dedicated to the memory of the Greatest Holy Leaf, and then continued to travel for nearly five months, covering 19 countries.

The pace of his activities was slowed down by two heait attacks in 1986. But a less severe heart attack in June 1988 did not stop him travelling from September onwards to Laos and China! Nothing would stop Collis Visiting the friends, even if they were in remote Villages or islands where access was possible only by foot, maybe bicycle, or dugout canoe. The extent of his travels in some areas of the Pacific is unparalleled.

As one of the Counsellors to travel in the island areas of Australasia, Howard Harwood, wrote: “One thing I soon discovered was that wherever I went, no matter how remote, Collis had been there ahead of me. He was well known and respected everywhere.”

Collis had a sense of fun and liked to relax his audience by telling jokes. He had quite a collection which he used to illustrate his points on spiritual matters in his talks. He was also quite adept at teasing. However, he was also very sensitive: sensitive to good music, and sensitive above all to the spirit of the Faith and the power of the Words of Baha’u’llah which often visibly moved him—and consequently, others.

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Graham Hassall summed up Collis’ qualities when he wrote on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia: “Who can adequately portray the qualities of such a man? He exemplified spirit in action. He was holy, active and practical, pure and radiant. He possessed authority, he inspired confidence, he showed love. He had the power of attraction.”

One of his exhortations to the friends was to delve constantly into the Holy Writings, as well as the writings and letters of the Guardian and the messages of the House of Justice. He most certainly practised this himself; the Writings were his mine and he shared the gems he found with all the friends. His “book” of quotations that was with him always is well known to those who met him, along with his well worn and highlighted copies of the Will and Testaments of both Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, from which he invariably quoted.

In September 1990, Collis and Madge set out on a Visit to Asia, with a high point scheduled in Lahore, Pakistan, for the International Youth Conference. This was not to be, for he left this world on Saturday, 29 September following a heat attack while on top of the world in Kathmandu, Nepal. Collis had been involved in a number of firsts over the years, and his passing achieved yet another: the first ever publicity for the Faith in Nepal in both the Nepalese and English newspapers. Truly, he “died with his boots on”, doing what he loved best—serving the Cause.

Four of their five children and two of their sons-in—law were able to go to Kathmandu to be with Madge. Collis was laid to rest in the Bahá’í cemetery overlooking the beautiful valley of Kathmandu, with the snow—capped peaks of the Himalayas in View.

On 30 September 1990, the Universal Honse of Justice sent the following message to all National Assemblies:

DEEPLY GRIEVED ANNOUNCE PASSING VALIANT HAND CAUSE GOD COLLIS FEATHERSTONE WHILE VISITING KATHMANDU, NEPAL, COURSE

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EXTENSIVE JOURNEY ASIA. HIS NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS STAUNCH, FEARLESS DEFENDER COVENANT, HIS UNCEASING COMMITMENT PROPAGATION CAUSE ALL PARTS WORLD, ESPECIALLY PACIFIC REGION, HIS UNREMITTING PERSEVERANCE FOSTERING ESTABLISHMENT LOCAL, NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER, HIS EXEMPLARY DEVOTION TO WRITINGS FAITH, HIS OUTSTANDING PERSONAL QUALITHES UNSWERVING LOYALTY, ENTHUSIASM, ZEAL AND DEDICATION, DISTINGUISH HIS MANIFOLD SERVICES THROUGHOUT MANY DECADES. OFFERING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES BOUNTIFUL REWARD HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. ADVISE FRIENDS EVERYWHERE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS, PARTICULARLY IN MASHRIQU’L—ADHKARS, RECOGNITION HIS MAGNIFICENT ACHIEVEMENTS.

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia organised a memorial service at the House of Worship, Sydney, at noon on Sunday, 4 November 1990, Which was attended by all the immediate members of Collis’ family, except three of his grandchildren who were unable to travel from overseas. The service was very moving and beautiful and was followed by a public tribute in a venue especially organised for the occasion and completed with the gentle lamentations in the fomq of rain from the celestial heavens.

GRAHAM AND KAYE WATERMAN, WITH MADGE FEATHERSTONE