Canadian Bahá’í News/March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue/Text

[Page 0]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdf

[Page 1]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdfCABLE FROM

THE

GUARDIAN !

Haifa, Israel, March 26th, 1952.

f

With sorrowful heart announce through National Assemblies’

Hand of Cause of Baha’u’llah highly esteemed dearly beloved

Sutherland Maxwell gathered into the glory of the Abha King-

dom. His saintly life extending well-nigh four-score years, entiched during the course of Abdu’l Baha’s ministry by services

‘in the Dominion of Canada, ennobled during Formative days of

the Faith by decade of services in Holy Land during darkest days of my life doubly honoured through association with the crown of martyrdom won by May Maxwell and incomparable honor bestowed upon his daughter, attained consummation through his appointment as architect of the Arcade and Superstructure of the Bab’s Sepulchre as well as his elevation to the front ranks of the Hands of the Cause of God. Advise all National Assemblies hold befitting memorial gatherings particularly in the Mashriqu’l Adhkar in Wilmette, and in the Haziratu’] Quds in Tehran.

~ Have instructed Hands of the Cause in United States and Canada,

Horace Holley and Fred Schopflocher, to attend as my repre-

sentatives the funeral in Montreal. Moved to name after him

the southern door of Bab’s Tomb as tribute to his services to second holiest Shrine of Baha’i World. The mantle of Hand of

Cause now falls upon the shoulders of his distinguished daugh- |

ter, Amatu’l baha Ruhiyyih, who has already rendered and is still rendering no less meritorious self-sacrificing services at World

Center of Faith of Baha’u llah.

[Page 2]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdf

rl ad pL) an & =) ” = x pol = 5

AND MAXWE

LL

[Page 3]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdfWILLIAM ‘SUTHER 1874,

In each of us lies two destinies: our human one, fixed

to some extent by parents, country and point in history of

our birth; the second, our God—chosen destiny which, disregarding all limitations, causes souls to arise to serve some unique purpose in the Cause of God.

William Sutherland Maxwell was born in Montreal of Scottish-Canadian parents in 1874. Though most of his - education was received in Montreal, in 1899 he went to Paris to complete his architectural studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. His work is represented in Canada in the Regina Parliament Buildings; Palliser Hotel, Calgary; Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City; and many public build- ings and private residences in and around Montreal. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects ; a Fellow and past president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada; an Academician of the Royal Canadian Academy and its vice-president; a member and past presi- dent of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects. The honors, medals and distinctions which he received testify not only to his ability as an architect and artist,

but were also a recognition of those inner qualities of

character.

Among } his fellow students in Paris were Charles Mason Remy (now President of the International Baha’i Council)

and Randolph Bolles, later to become his brother-in-law. —

In meeting May Ellis Maxwell, his God-chosen destiny began, for she had returned a radiantly confirmed Baha’i

from a pilgrimage to Akka, a tember of the first party

of westerners to visit Abdu’l Baha in the prison city. The marriage of May Bolles to Sutherland Maxwell took

place on May 8th, 1902, in London, England, They ar-

rived in Montreal later that year to establish the first Baha’i home, a center of tremendous activity, in Canada. Through the white doorway of 1548 Pine Avenue have passed people of all races, classes and nations, all captive to the spirit of

the host and hostess. The days when Mr. and Mrs. Max-

well lived there with their daughter have been called “golden days’, for each visit, however frequent, had the glow of an occasion. One always seemed to leave that home uplifted; only the best in one was recognized, so only the best in one became real. _

In 1937, Mr. Maxwell joined his wife and daughter in Haifa where the marriage of Ruhiyyih Khanum to the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith took place.

After the passing of his wife in Argentina, in the spring

of 1940, Mr. Maxwell was invited to make his home in

[Page 4]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdfLi!

1952 :

~ comment was,

Haifa with the Guardian and Ruhiyyih Khanum. There

he spent the war years, developing blueprints of his ex-

quisite design for the superstructure of the Bab’s shrine. In 1950, he suffered a severe illness from which he never

fully recovered. His great longing to visit Montreal was fulfilled in early June, 1951, when, with his devoted nurse and companion, Mlle. Helene Bovay, he arrived in Canada.

~ It was in his own home, every corner filled with treasures which he had collected over the years, he died on March

25th, in the very room in which the Master had slept during His visit to Canada.

Future times, and perhaps only the greater perceptions - of the Abha Kingdom, can reveal to the Canadian com-

munity the bounty of Sutherland Maxwell’s last visit to Canada. His God-chosen destiny had become very clear. The significance of medals and honors disappeared before the essence of the soul in all its sweetness, long years of devoted service now crystallized into the reality of a great man. The highest point of his spiritual life was reached in his elevation to the front ranks of the Hand of the Cause of God. When he teceived the message, his only ‘“T did not do it all alone, there were so many others who helped me.’

As we dwell on the blessing of that life, we think with

N} MAXWELL

awe of the bounty which God has poured upon the Max- well family whose capacity for service reaped so many distinctions: the wife a martyr, the beloved handmaid and. disciple of Abdu’! Baha, to Baha’is, the spiritual mother not only of Canada but of the Latin race: the husband, whose saintly life and service made hitn a foremost Hand of the Cause, whose magnificent structure on the slopes of — Mount Carmel, God’s holiest mountain, will proclaim him one of the foremost architects, not only of Canada but of the world; the daughter, the wife of the first Guardian of the Faith, distinguished for her many and varied services at the World Center, and recently appointed a Hand of the Cause. The Maxwell home, blessed by the Master’s visit in 1912, has been declared a Shrine, to become to Baha'is, the most holy spot in Canada, surpassing even the future temple.

The world-wide community of Baha’is all share in the potent effect of such lives. If we will but tap the same reservoirs of divine power, what other bounties, latent as yet, may not be revealed? “No capacity is limited when led by the power of God,” said Abdu’l Baha. Every human quality reaches new dimensions when God chooses a soul, prepared to dedicate itself to His Cause, to fulfill the pur- pose of His Creation. [Page 5]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdfFUNERAL

SERVICE

SUTHERLAND

MAXWELL

MONTREAL, MARCH 29, 1952

Mr. John Robarts, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada, began the first part of the service by reading the first three selections, then said:

‘We are gathered here to honor our dear friend and

associate, Mr. William Sutherland Maxwell, and also to

re-affirm our conviction in the glory and immortality of the human. spirit as a divine creation.

“Baha'u'llah referred to death as the tender messenger of

joy that opens the door of eternal life in a the worlds

of God.

“All the readings and prayers in this service are from the

pen of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i World raith, of which Mr. Maxwell was a distinguished mem- ber for over forty years.”

Mr. Robarts concluded by reading from the Hidden Words, then introduced a member of the Montreal Spir- itual Assembly, for many years a close and devoted friend of the Maxwell family, with these words:

“By spectal request of Mr. Maxwell's daughter, Mr.

Edward Elliot will sing a spiritual—'Steal Away’.”’

The singer stood, with hands folded in front of him, at the foot of the coffin on which lay two floral tributes, one _ from the Guardian, the other from Ruhbiyyih Khanum. The rich, warm voice, singing with such love, opened all hearts. It was a familiar touch to the many non-Baha’is present and integrated themmore closely with us..

Mr. Rowland Estall, vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, read the next four readings. Then he delivered the following eulogy: __

“We have many times demonstrated and established that man 1s the noblest of beings, the sum of all perfections,

[Page 6]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdfand that all beings and existences are the centers from

| which the glory of God is reflected, that is to say the signs of the Divinity of God are apparent m the realities of |

things and of creatures... Man then 1s the perfect mirror

facing the Sun of Truth, and is the center of radiation:

the Sun of Truth shines in this mirror. The reflection of

the divine perfections appears in the reality of man, so he is the representative of God, the messenger of God. If

man did not exist, the universe would be without result,

for the object of existence is the appearance of the per-—

fections of God.’ (The above quotation from the words

of Abdu’'l Baha, pages 310, 311 of Baha'i World Faith,

were read in full.) “When we recall the perfections of which man is capable, we think of them in many aspects—the human,

the intellectual, the spiritual. I would like to reflect, for a

few moments on some of these perfections as we knew

them, and shall remember them, in Sutherland Maxwell.

“First, we think of the human qualities, of husband, father, and friend. We remember Mr. Maxwell on so many occasions, at his home, with his wife and daughter, or

entertaining bis friends. His was a home of unusual har-—

mony and love, of devotion and dedication, experienced by all who came to it. It was a hospitable home. People

from all walks of life were entertained there, from all

countries and racial groups, of all religious persuasions.

They were made royally welcome through Mr. Maxwell’s

unfailing charm as a host, his natural courtesy, sincerity and relaxing good humor, Mr. Maxwell made an exem- plary contribution to the enrichment of home and family life to all who knew him.”

“Then we think of his intellectual and artistic gifts as a distinguished architect. Mr. Maxwell was, perhaps, best

known in Canada as the architect of many important

buildingss churches, hotels, commercial buildings and houses. For these achievements he was honoured by his professional associates in art and architecture and held

important posts in their societies.

"But, most of all, we should recall his accomplishments in the most enduring of all fields, the s pirttual and religious. Mr. Maxwell was known to the Baha’is in Montreal for many long years as chairman of their local governing body, the Spiritual Assembly. After the death of his beloved wife, he was invited to visit his daughter Ruhiyyth Khanum, and her husband, Shoghi Effendi, Guardian and international head of the Bahdi Faith, in Haifa, Israel. This was the beginning of his greatest work.

“The Guardian asked him to design the superstructure intended to embellish the Tomb of the Bab on Mount Carmel, the second holiest shrine of the Baha’i world. He labored at this task continuously for ten years and had the

pleasure of seeing his work on this magnificent structure

brought near to completion. It is for this work, by far the greatest of his career, that he will be immortalized mn history and for which the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith bestowed upon him the title, Hand of the Cause of God. “A cable has just arrived from the Guardian, which I will read in part. "With sorrowful heart announce... Hand of Cause of Baha'u'llah, highly esteemed, dearly beloved, Sutherland Maxwell has been gathered into the glory of the Abha Kingdom. His saintly life extending well-nigh four score years enriched during the course of

Abd’l Baha’s ministry by service in the Dominion of

Canada, ennobled during formative age of faith by decade of services in Holy Land, ... through his appointment as architect of the arcade and superstructure of the Bab’s [Page 7]File:March 29, 1952 Memorial Issue.pdfsepulchre as well as elevation to the front ranks of the Hands of the Cause of God... Moved to name after

Him the southern door of Bab’s ‘tomb as tribute to his re Services to second holiest shrine of the. Bahai World’. eo ea

~The responsiveness. of the: deeply | attentive audie

wee the eulogy was a tribute to its truth, Mr. Estall. closed. the Os In the —

- Glory be to Thee, O King of Btetnity.. ceeeeees LP. & M.

service by reading the Prayer for the Departed. reading of this last great triumphant prayer, the silence at

its close was so profound, it was as if. each soul present ae

had gone to the very rim of our known world to witness the soul of Sutherland Maxwell become the guest of God. It was as if our hearts accompanied him a little way on that last great journey to the Abha Kingdom which became for a moment “nearer to us than breathing, closer than hands or feet”.

dian soil, is to have him remain forever for. us a symbol

Ss _of the reality and nearness of that: Kingdom.

“Mr. Horace ‘Holley, secretary. of the: National al Spiritual’ | ‘Assembly. of the Baha’is of the United States, and Mr. ~

Fred Schopflocher, member of the National Spiritual As-

sembly of the Baha’is of Canada, both distinguished Hands

of the Cause, had the honour to represent the Guardian at the service. Each of them read a prayer at the interment on Mount Royal cemetery. It was at this time that an attendant of the chapel where the service had been held, commented on it as the most impressive he had ever witnessed.

Surely, we pray, Sutherland Maxwell, and his beloved

wife, May, may find in the Canadian Baha’i community, . a leaven through which their spirits may rise continuously

to serve the Cause of God.

And to have his body lie buried in Cana-_

BAHA'I READINGS AT (

47 |

14

. Lauded be Thy Name, O My God... a P. & M. 59 . From the sweet scented streams ..-P.& M. 258 | . O Son of Man! Veiled in My | immemorial being weenecginwagenns Hidden Wort 3 . ~ os Son of Beiog! Thy Paradise Se oo ence hes Soni of Man! Thou art My | ° : dominion oe o (Negro Spiritual) . Just as the conception of faith has existed --s-+-+----Gleanings 141 . Know thou that the soul of man.............. Gleanings 153 . Know thou of the truth that the soul......Gleanings..155 . We have many times demonstrated......B.W. Faith 310 ). Glory be unto Thee, O My God......Baha’i Prayers 116 — �