Saichiro Fujita
Saichiro Fujita | |
|---|---|
 Fujita at the House of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Haifa, 1968. | |
| Native name | 藤田佐弌郎 |
| Born | April 15, 1886 Yanai, Yamaguchi, Japan |
| Died | May 7, 1976 |
Saichiro Fujita (藤田佐弌郎, April 15, 1886 - May 7, 1976) was the second Japanese Bahá’í. He notably accompanied ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His visit to America and was later summoned to the Holy Land where he served in various capacities, serving as an electrician and a cook, designing and beautifying the gardens, and caring for visiting pilgrims up until his passing.[1]
Biography[edit]
Fujita was born in Yanai (Yamaguchi Prefecture), Japan, in 1886 but moved to America in 1903 to further his education and studied to become an electrician. He settled in Oakland, California, where he was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith by Kathryn Frankland who conducted a Bahá’í study group for Japanese students and he became a Bahá’í in 1905. He also learnt about the Faith from Corinne True before declaring.[2] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá conveyed His greetings to Fujita in a Tablet to Isabella D. Brittingham in 1907.[3]
As of 1912 Fujita had moved to Cleveland, Ohio, however he was unable to meet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá when He visited the city that year during His tour of America. Instead Fujita traveled to Chicago arriving in time to greet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá when He arrived in the city at a train station and he climbed a lamp post to be able to see Him through the crowd.[3] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá noticed him and personally invited him to attend a reception at the home of Corinne True the same evening He had arrived and Fujita accompanied ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Kenosha, Wisconsin, from Chicago. While traveling with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Fujita volunteered to serve in Haifa and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told him he would be summoned to Haifa at a later date.[4]
In May, 1913, Fujita received a Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which contained advice on how to prepare for service in the Holy Land encouraging him to become efficient in his profession,[5] however the First World War prevented him from making any travel arrangements.[4] In 1919 after the end of the war Fujita received an invitation to proceed to the Holy Land and he traveled to Italy, staying in Naples, but found himself unable to secure permission to travel through Egypt. Corinne and Edna True visited Italy around the same time while traveling to the Holy Land and attempted to assist Fujita however they were unable to make any progress in Italy and traveled to Cairo where they successfully negotiated with the Egyptian authorities who granted Fujita permission to travel. Fujita arrived in the Holy Land in 1919 along with fellow pilgrims George Latimer and W. H. Randall and his wife who he had met before leaving Naples.[4]
After arriving in the Holy Land Fujita helped install electricity in various Bahá’í properties, assisted in designing and developing the surrounding gardens, drove ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's automobile and cooked meals for Him, and served as a translator for Japanese communications received in the Holy Land. After the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Fujita remained in the Holy Land and served Shoghi Effendi in the same manner he had served ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.[5]
In 1938 Shoghi Effendi directed Fujita to return to Japan for his safety as he was concerned about the onset of the Second World War and general prejudice against Japanese people in the Holy Land.[5] He settled in Yanai after returning to Japan and actively taught the Faith particularly to visiting soldiers from Australia, Britain, and the United States after the end of World War II in 1945.[2]
In 1953 Shoghi Effendi asked the Bahá’í community of Tokyo to locate Fujita, who was living in the Kansai region, to invite him back to the Holy Land and it took him two years to make arrangements to return to Haifa.[6] While making preparations such as securing a visa Fujita lived with John S. McHenry II and his wife in Tachikawa (Tokyo).[7] During this time he also attended the first Asian Teaching Conference in Nikko[8]. After settling in the Holy Land he began undertaking the same services he had previously and he remained in the Holy Land for the rest of his life.[5]
In 1971 Fujita visited the Bahá’í community of Switzerland and attended a youth conference joking that he was twenty-five. He then visited the United States in September and gave a talk in Wilmette on his experiences with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.[6]
After his passing in 1976 the Universal House of Justice cabled the following:
DEARLY LOVED TIRELESS STEADFAST SAICHIRO FUJITA PASSED TO ABHA KINGDOM AFTER LONG YEARS SERVICE SACRED THRESHOLD STOP HIS RANK IN VANGUARD FIRST JAPANESE BELIEVERS HIS LABOURS WORLD CENTRE HIS DEDICATION HUMILITY SINCERITY LOVE WILL FOR EVER BE REMEMBERED AND PROVIDE SHINING EXAMPLE TO RISING GENERATIONS JAPANESE BAHAIS WHO WILL VIEW WITH PRIDE DISTINCTION CONFERRED UPON HIM STOP PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL UNDER LOVING GRACE HIS MASTER AND GUARDIAN BOTH OF WHOM HE SERVED SO WELL ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS JAPAN.[5]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Ioas, Sylvia (1965-11-24). "Interview of Sachiro Fujita". Pilgrim Notes. Bahá'í Academics Online. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Baha'i News (1947). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. No 192, Pg(s) 3. View as PDF.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1981). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 17 (1976-1979), Pg(s) 406. View as PDF.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1981). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 17 (1976-1979), Pg(s) 407. View as PDF.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1981). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 17 (1976-1979), Pg(s) 408. View as PDF.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Baha'i News (1971). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 488, Pg(s) 10. View as PDF.
- ↑ Baha'i World: In Memoriam 1992-1997, p 172
- ↑ Sims, Barbara R. (1994). Taiwan Bahá'í Chronicle: An Historical Record of the Early Days of the Bahá'í Faith in Taiwan. Bahá'í Publishing Trust of Taiwan. p. 10.
References[edit]
- Alexander, Agnes Baldwin (1977). History of the Bahá'í Faith in Japan 1914-1938. editing and end notes by Barbara Sims. Osaka, Japan: Japan Bahá'í Publishing Trust.
- R. Sims, Barbara (1989). Traces That Remain: A Pictorial History of the Early Days of the Bahá'í Faith Among the Japanese. Osaka, Japan: Japan Bahá'í Publishing Trust.
