Leonora Stirling Armstrong (1895- 1980) – “HERALD OF THE KINGDOM, BELOVED HANDMAIDEN of ABDU’L-BAHA, SPIRITUAL MOTHER of SOUTH AMERICA”; the first Baha'i pioneer to settle permanently in Latin America; In 1927, the first Baha'i to visit and speak of the Cause in Colombia, Venezuela, Curacao, Trinidad, Barbados, Haiti, British Guiana and Dutch Guiana; In 1930, found the first Baha'i group of Spain; In 1961 helped with translation of ‘God Passes By’ and ‘The Dawn-Breakers’ into Portuguese

Rio de Janeiro: At dawn on 1 February 1921, the S.S. Vasari plowed through sparkling waters into the majestic harbor. Below deck, in second-class accommodation, watching, stood an attractive, cultured young woman, a lone American. In her heart she nourished the vision of an unspeakably glorious mission, the spread of the Light of God in this day to an entire continent. In her purse, all her savings, barely enough for two weeks' modest expenses. No friends in the city, no job. She spoke no Portuguese. Odd circumstances for one who so readily confessed a lack of self-confidence. Clearly her reliance was placed elsewhere.

Panama City: Half a century later at an international conference held in connection with the dedication of the first Baha'i House of Worship in Latin America, this same slight and soft-spoken woman - Leonora Stirling Armstrong - was presented to the thousands of believers gathered there. Spontaneously they rose to pay tribute to her achievements. What emotions must have surged within her weakened frame, now bent with long toil, as she surveyed these children of her dream. For here were fervent followers of Baha’u’llah raised up from every country of Latin America, of every color, clime and custom. Here was her vision made real; like Saint Peter she cast the seeds, and now witnessed a heavenly harvest. Heartbreaks and anxiety; aches, pains and fevers - how they all took on divine meaning.

On 23 June 1895, in a pleasant two-story house, high on a rise overlooking the Hudson River and the Catskill range beyond, a first child was born to Samuel Norris Holsapple and his beautiful wife, Grace Stirling. They named her Leonora. The Holsapples were well-known in the then little town of Hudson, New York, where they had settled after their marriage. The gifted Mrs. Holsapple served actively in civic work, and had taught school. The childhood of Leonora was, however, soon overshadowed with tragedy and sadness, for her mother's health steadily declined. Just after her precious daughter's fifth birthday she died.

Mrs. Holsapple's untimely death had a profound effect on Leonora and her younger sister, Alethe. They never again had what could truly be called a home. 'How we could endure', Leonora herself recounts, 'through those years of our childhood and adolescence , such loneliness, such suffering, even cruelty, I do not know ... I can remember how when still a small child, often at night before going to bed, I knelt down at my sister's bedside and in agony of soul, implored God with all the intensity of my being to let us feel His Presence, His nearness, His protection. Little did I then dream in what way, and how specifically, that prayer was later to be answered!" [1]

Despite her suffering Leonora was a gifted student all through her childhood. In her high school graduating class she received the highest honors and was made valedictorian. She was able to enter Cornell University on a scholarship, and was elected Phi Beta Kappa in her junior year.

Hooper Harris – “one of the leading apostles of Baha'u'llah"; “the example he has set by his single-mindedness, his eloquent presentation of the essentials of God's Faith and his exemplary devotion to its cause”

With the passing of our dearly beloved Baha'i brother, Hooper Harris, from this phenomenal world to the invisible eternal realm, the world-wide Baha'i Community sustained the loss of one more of those faithful and devoted souls who gave the best years of their lives to the promotion and establishment of the Faith of Baha'u'llah in the West and in the East.

William Hooper Harris was born in New York City, December 14, 1866. All his early years, however, were spent in Nashville, Tenn. After finishing High School, financial difficulties at home precluded his intended study of law at college. He therefore worked by day, studied law at night and was admitted to the bar in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1893. In 1887, he married Sarah Gertrude Rawls of Birmingham and in 1894, they came to New York City to live, where he became an expert court reporter, doing work of unusually high quality till the very day of his death.

In New York City, in 1899, his wife, ever persistent in her desire and search for Truth, was told, by Mrs. Archie Fisk, of the Baha'i Faith and Mrs. Harris soon realized it to be the object of her search.

Hooper Harris accompanied her to hear the Baha'i Message and ere long he, too, realized the Light and Bounty of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. Thereupon he became a faithful and devoted student of the Baha'i Revelation and of all the previous Revelations of Truth to mankind, especially those parts of the various Books which prophesied this Great Day of Light.

His continuous study and untiring efforts to know the Truth spiritually as well as mentally proved to be a timely preparation which enabled him to answer the call of 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1906 for an American to go to India to teach the Cause. On November 10, 1906, Mr. Harris, accompanied by Harlan Ober of Beverly, Mass., left New York City for 'Akka to receive the blessing and instructions from 'Abdu'l-Baha. In answer to Mr. Harris' request for specific instructions as to how to teach in India, 'Abdu'l-Baha's only reply was, "Face the people with a smile on your face and the love of God in your heart and rely wholly upon the Holy Spirit."

Edward (Saffa) Kinney (1863-1950) – “dearly loved, highly admired, greatly trusted, staunch, indefatigable, self-sacrificing teacher, pillar (of) Faith”; “leonine spirit, exemplary steadfastness, notable record (of) services”; “Master he loved so dearly, served so nobly, defended so heroically”

"Grieve passing dearly loved, highly admired, greatly trusted, staunch, indefatigable, self-sacrificing teacher, pillar (of) Faith, Saffa Kinney. His leonine spirit, exemplary steadfastness, notable record (of) services enriched annals (of) closing period Heroic Age (and) opening phase Formative Age (of) Baha'i Dispensation. Bountiful reward assured (in) Abba Kingdom beneath shadow (of) Master he loved so dearly, served so nobly, defended so heroically until last breath."

- Shoghi (Cablegram dated December 16, 1950)

Edward B. Kinney (beloved Saffa) was born of an old New York family in the spring of 1863, the spring of Baha'u'llah’s epoch-making Declaration in the Ridvan. As though by coming at such a moment into the world, Saffa was gifted with unusual genius. His genius found two channels of expression - in this material world through the greatest of all arts, music, with its spiritual source; in the region of the soul through that purest evidence of faith which the human spirit can manifest: an immediate recognition of the Messenger of God and a life wholly devoted to Him.

"Saffa was so human," said a friend after he passed from this life into that other where his heart was centered. And perhaps when we think of him now, we think first of that endearing humanness of his - fiery and rash and vigorous and with a rollicking sense of humor. But, above and beyond his temperament and character was bis power of love, caught directly from the heart of 'Abdu'l-Baha, on whom his heart was so passionately fixed.

It was my inestimable privilege to be with the Kinneys in 'Akka in 1909. One day when we were lunching with 'Abdu'l-Baha He turned to Saffa and said that He had answered the questions of all, now Mr. Kinney was left.

Saffa replied, tears in his eyes: "There is only one question in my soul, How can I love you more?" And the Master replied that He would answer later.

Ella M. Bailey - “valiant exemplary pioneer”; elevated “to the rank of the martyrs of the Faith”; first pioneer of the Ten-Year Crusade

On being informed of the death of Miss Ella Bailey, pioneer who accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gulick in their settlement of Tripoli, Libya, the Guardian on August 30 cabled: "Grieve passing valiant exemplary pioneer. Reward (in) Kingdom bountiful."

"'Oh, Ella Bailey, Ella Bailey! Oh, Ella Bailey, Ella Bailey! Oh, Ella Bailey!' ... He kept repeating my name as He looked off into space. But He put into my name every possible emotion. That was the wonder of it." These words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, spoken in Chicago in 1912, conveyed to Miss Bailey this meaning: "My child, you are going to suffer. You are going to have a great deal of sorrow, and you are going to have a great deal of pain. Life is going to be hard." Miss Bailey remarked in an interview forty years later, "In those few words, He gave me all the emotions of a lifetime. He gave suffering but with it He gave me faith and strength. This made me feel His spiritual power and His truth."

Ella Martha Bailey was born in Houston, Texas, on December 18, 1864. While she was an infant, the family moved to San Diego County, California, and settled on a ranch. She was stricken with infantile paralysis at the age of two and one of her limbs remained paralyzed. As a child, she developed a fondness for the outdoors and learned, despite her physical handicap, to ride horseback expertly.

Her desire to serve mankind became apparent in her youth. She chose to enter the teaching profession not because of the rather meager financial reward attached to it but by reason of the manifold opportunities it afforded for child guidance. After graduating from normal school in southern California, Miss Bailey moved to Berkeley and began her career as a teacher. She taught various elementary grades and was deeply loved by her pupils who continued to remember her as the decades passed. When she retired in 1924 because of ill health, the principal of McKinley School wrote her a note of gratitude and appreciation for her services and her example. "I cannot close this letter," he wrote, "without telling you again what a precious thing your friendship has been to me and will continue to be, and how we all have been inspired by your courage and faith."