| Paul Haney | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Paul Edmond Haney |
| Died | Haifa, Israel |
| Education | Northwestern University |
| NSA member | U.S. & Canada 1946 - 1948 USA 1948 - 1957 |
| Hand of the Cause | Americas 1954 - 1957 Holy Land 1957 - 1982 |
| Custodian | 1957 - 1963 |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Margery Wheeler |
| Parents | Charles Haney, Mariam Haney |
| Signature |  |
Paul Edmond Haney (August 20, 1909 - December 3, 1982) was a Custodian and Hand of the Cause of God in the Bahá’í Faith. He was appointed by Shoghi Effendi as a Hand on March 19, 1954 while serving as chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States.
Early Life[edit]
Paul was in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá three months before he was born, when his mother was in Akka [1]. He was born on August, 20, 1909. In letters between Paul's mother and Rúḥíyyih Khánum it is indicated that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá bestowed His own name upon Paul, as well as the name Paul, and this was confirmed by Corinne True in 1919.
Paul's father passed when he was ten years old, and he was raised by his mother. He attended many Bahá'í summer schools as a child and he met Mary Maxwell and his future wife Helen Margery Wheeler at Green Acre Bahá’í School.
In 1921 he and his mother helped organise the first 'Convention for Amity Between the Colored and White Races' in Washington D.C. on the instructions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They lived in Washington D.C. for some time, and he attended night school while working at a government office and acting as a member of the first National Youth Committee in the United States.
He attended Northwestern University and received a Master of Business Administration and began to work as an economist, and in January, 1934 he published an article in Star of the West, titled The Economic Organization of Society in the New World Order.
In 1931 he was appointed to the National Teaching Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada.
Serving on the National Spiritual Assembly[edit]
In 1946 he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada. He represented the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States at the formation of Canada's independent National Spiritual Assembly in 1948.
He was named chairman of the NSA of the United States in 1950 and continued to serve in that capacity until 1957. During his time as chairman he was named a Hand of the Cause of God by Shoghi Effendi, on March 19, 1954 and he represented the Guardian at the first Alaskan Convention in April 1957.
After the Guardian’s Passing[edit]
After the passing of Shoghi Effendi on November 4, 1957 Paul Haney was elected to be a Custodian of the Holy Land, and he gave up his job in the United States to serve the Faith in this capacity. He lived in the Holy Land, but he also traveled to represent the Hands of the Cause at various national conventions, including the First World Bahá’í Congress in London’s Albert Hall in 1963.
When the Universal House of Justice was elected, Paul was one of five Hands of the Cause chosen to reside in Haifa to act as an adviser. He also represented the Bahá’í World Center at diplomatic functions in Jerusalem.
He participated in the founding of the Continental Board of Counselors and the International Teaching Center in 1973, attending the first meeting and playing an integral role in its administration along with the other Hands of the Cause living in Haifa and the three Counselor members.
He attended the four International Conventions that took place during his life, and chaired the opening session of the 1968 Convention.
He passed away in Haifa on December 3, 1982 after sustaining injuries in a car accident.
Family[edit]
His mother was born Mary Ida Haney, and given the name Mariam by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. She wrote the book A Heavenly Feast with her husband, and selected quotes from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Bahá’u’lláh on racial unity for the compilation The Oneness of Mankind with Louis Gregory. She also served as editor of Star of the West and The Baha'i World.
His father was Charles Freeborn Haney. Both of his parents were active Bahá’ís from 1900, and had been married for seventeen years before Paul was born.
Paul married Helen Margery Wheeler on July 15, 1942 and lived with her in Washington D.C. until 1958, when they both moved to the Holy Land.
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Agnes Parson’s Diary, April 25, 1912
