Edith McLaren
Edith McLaren | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 28, 1901 Buffalo, New York, USA |
| Died | May 26, 1991 Venezuela |
| ABM | Americas 1966 - 1984 |
Edith McLaren (July 28, 1901 - May 26, 1991) was an American Bahá’í who pioneered to Guatemala and Nicaragua where she served as an Auxiliary Board member. In later life she settled in Venezuela.
Biography[edit]
McLaren was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1901 and was the eldest child in her family having three younger sisters. Her family moved to Hamburg, New York, in her childhood where she was raised. After completing her education she became a teacher, initially teaching at a music school in New York City, then completing studies in primary education and securing work for a kindergarten moving back to Hamburg. She also married at some point and had a son, Peter.[1]
In the early 1930's McLaren became disillusioned in organized Christianity due to disunity in her Church congregation and her marriage ending in a separation. She began studying the Bible and other religions, discovered the Bahá’í Faith, and declared. After becoming a Bahá’í she hosted firesides, children's classes, and study meetings in her home in Hamburg. She also organized talks by visiting Bahá’í's including Dorothy Baker, Louis Gregory, Horace Holley, and John Robarts. Her efforts resulted in several declarations including two of her sisters and a Local Spiritual Assembly of Hamburg being established.[2]
In 1954 McLaren went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land where she met with Shoghi Effendi and she maintained a correspondence with him after returning to America. In 1958 she retired from work and pioneered to Guatemala where she helped establish the countries Bahá’í community. She was appointed to the Auxiliary Board for the Americas in 1966 and primarily served the community of Guatemala but also travelled internationally across Central America to support Bahá’í communities.[2]
In 1973 the Continental Board of Counsellors for Central America requested that McLaren pioneer to Nicaragua and she did so. During a civil war she briefly left the country for several weeks but returned to the country when it was safe to do so. She continued to travel internationally in her capacity as Auxiliary Board member however in 1984 she suffered a fall while in Costa Rica fracturing her hip which triggered a general decline in her health and she retired from the Auxiliary Board and returned to the United States where she stayed with two of her sisters in Binghamton, New York.[3]
In 1986 McLaren pioneered to Venezuela settling in Maracaibo with her son, Peter. She served in her local community up until her passing in 1991.[3] The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after her passing:
GREATLY SADDENED LEARN PASSING DEARLYLOVED DEVOTED PIONEER PROMOTER CAUSE GOD EDITH MCLAREN. RECALL WITH PRIDE HER MANY YEARS OUTSTANDING COURAGEOUS SERVICES FAITH ESPECIALLY CENTRAL AMERICA. ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES FOR PROGRESS HER LUMINOUS SOUL WORLDS GOD. KINDLY CONVEY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES HER DISTINGUISHED SON DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS HOUR BEREAVEMENT.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 1011. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 1012. View as PDF.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 1013. View as PDF.
