David M. Earl
David M. Earl | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | October 23, 1911 Missouri, USA |
| Died | August 23, 1996 Scottville, Michigan, USA |
| NSA member | Northeast Asia 1958 - 1964 Korea 1964 - 1965 Caroline Islands 1978 - 1979 Mariana Islands 1980 - 1982 |
| ABM | Australasia 1982 - 1986 |
Dr. David M. Earl (October 23, 1911 - August 23, 1996) was an American Bahá’í who pioneered to Asia and the Pacific serving on several National Spiritual Assemblies and as an Auxiliary Board member.
Biography[edit]
Earl was born in Missouri in 1911 but he was raised in Punjab, India, due to his fathers career. He returned to the United States to complete higher education and graduated with a college degree. He married Joy Hill in 1933.[1]
Earl became a Bahá’í in 1938 and was an active member of the community serving on several Local Spiritual Assemblies and regional committees and teaching at summer schools. His wife also became a Bahá’í around the same time.[1] In 1952 the Earl's pioneered to Japan where Earl secured employment on the faculties of two universities and he also began a PhD in Far Eastern studies which he completed in 1957. In his spare time he helped prepare translations of the Bahá’í writings into Japanese and in 1958 he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Northeast Asia.[1]
In 1963 the Earl's pioneered to Korea and he was elected to the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly of Korea when it was established in 1964. He worked for the University of Maryland's international program in Korea and he was also able to travel extensively on behalf of the University allowing him to visit Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Greenland, Germany and France. He used his professional trips to teach the Faith and also visited Japan and Taiwan to teach at summer schools.[1]
In 1965 the Earl's returned to the United States as Joy was in ill health and she passed away there in 1972. Earl volunteered to pioneer again while attending a teaching conference in Alaska in August, 1976, and he moved to Palau in 1977 and was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Caroline Islands in 1978. He pioneered to Guam in 1979 and was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Mariana Islands in 1980 serving until being appointed as an Auxiliary Board member for Protection in 1982.[1]
In 1986 Earl returned to the United States due to his age limiting his ability to serve and he settled in southern Michigan where he wrote articles on the Faith in his retirement.[1] He passed away in 1996 and the Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his passing:
"Our hearts are deeply saddened by the passing of David M. Earl, steadfast, valiant promoter of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. His many years of devoted service, distinguished by his extensive pioneering efforts in the Far East and the Pacific region, have left indelible traces in the annals of the Faith. Be assured of our ardent prayers in the Holy Shrines for the progress of his noble soul."[2]
