Charlotte Moffitt
Charlotte Moffitt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Mary Charlotte O'Dowd August 19, 1867 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | November 22, 1950 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| NSA member | Australia & N.Z., 1934 - 1948 |
| Spouse(s) | William Taylor Moffitt (1892-1901) |
| Children | Douglas Gordon Moffitt & Francis Granville Moffitt (twins), Florence Elaine Moffitt Hutcheson |
| Parent(s) | Patrick O'Dowd and Mary Barry |
Charlotte Moffitt (August 19, 1867 - November 22, 1950) was an early Sydney Bahá'í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand when it was established in 1934.
She also served the Faith through teaching, both to the Bahá'í and wider community. In January, 1938 she taught at the first Australian Bahá'í Summer School in Yerrinbool,[1] and in April, 1939 she accompanied Martha Root on her trip from Australia to New Zealand. Martha wrote about Charlotte in her report of the trip:
… dear Mrs. Charlotte Moffitt of Sydney (I had known her in London) came with me for two weeks, so it was like a 'group' coming to Auckland. The friends were so happy to meet her, and she is so radiant and happy, it was indeed 'spiritual skylarking' for us all during the heavenly days working together.
In 1940 Charlotte's friend Effie Baker gave her a pen that had belonged to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Moffitt later donated this pen to the National Archives of Australia.
In 1941 the Australian National Spiritual Assembly noted that the Bahá'í community of Brisbane was stagnant and planned a teaching campaign. Moffitt and Hilda Brooks travelled to Brisbane in May, 1941, taking a box of Bahá'í books with them, Jane Routh joined them after a short time.[2] When they arrived they received a phone call and advice from local non-Bahá'í poet, O’Bryen Hoare, who had heard of their arrival and wanted to assist them.
Hilda Brooks gave lectures so successful that they sold out of Bahá'í literature and had to send for three additional crates of books. While Brooks lectured, Routh and Moffitt maintained contact with interested people, and established a Bahá'í study group.[3] Other Bahá'ís including Oswald Whitaker visited Brisbane after the three women left to support the fledgling community and a Local Spiritual Assembly was established in the late 1940's. By 1943 Moffitt had moved to the rural town Broken Hill, where she was visited by Hilda Brooks and Rose Hawthorne.[4]
In 1944 Moffitt, Routh and Silver Jackman purchased a building in Sydney near Centennial Park for use as a Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds by the Australian Bahá'ís. They used funds donated by the Australian and New Zealand Bahá'í community, the global Bahá'í community and Shoghi Effendi himself.[5]
Effie Baker moved into Charlotte's home in Sydney in 1949 and lived with her until her passing in 1950. Effie wrote the following obituary commemorating Charlotte after her passing:
November 21st 1950 marked the peaceful passing of one of the early, and best beloved Bahá'ís of Australia, Charlotte Moffitt. The Sydney Community with which she was associated for some years, has lost one of its most loyal, staunch, and generous adherents. Always ready to render any service which would promote the spreading of the Bahá'í Faith; she gave freely of her time and energy, meeting, welcoming, and entertaining Bahá'í visitors, helping those in need, visiting and caring for the sick, and locating rooms for meetings. It was mainly due to her untiring efforts the premises for the establishment of the National Headquarters were located and purchased. Her personal charm, unbounded generosity, her bright and cheery nature endeared her to all hearts. She will ever linger in our memory, as one who exemplified that this is "the day of deeds, not words". Her life was so full of love and selflessness, that her power of attraction was felt by all who came in contact with her. She was a sincere and devoted Bahá'í, and we are told that "the rays of those spirits the sincere, are the cause of the development of the people". From this beautiful soul "will appear the traces of God".[6]
References[edit]
External Links[edit]
- Charlotte O'Dowd Moffitt on WikiTree - family tree
