The passing of Mountfort Mills on April 24, 1949, deprived the American Baha'i
community of the influence and experience of a very distinguished believer. He
had been a follower of Baha'u'llah since 1906.
Before the end of 1909, Mountfort Mills had made two pilgrimages to 'Akka.
His third pilgrimage to visit the Master was made early in 1921. In 1922, with
Mr. Roy C. Wilhelm, he was invited by Shoghi Effendi to go to Haifa for
conference with the Guardian on matters related to the new conditions created
for the Faith by the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
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Mountfort Mills and
Fujita San in Haifa
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During the Master's visits in New York during 1912, Mr. Mills served on the
Baha'i reception committee which arranged public addresses for 'Abdu'lBaha in
that city. First chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of
the United States and Canada when formed in 1922 in accordance with the
provisions of the Will and Testament left by the Master, Mountfort Mills was
elected a member of that body for seven terms between 1922 and 1937. As trustee
of Baha'i Temple Unity he had served annually from its inception in 1909.
The final draft of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws adopted by the
National Assembly in 1927 was prepared by Mills.
It would be impossible in brief space to report his activities for the
New York Baha'i community throughout the years of his residence there, for the
national Baha'i community, or in Europe. He was a winning public speaker and
his personality gained many influential friends for the Faith in some of its
most difficult days in the West. His devotion to the Master was impressive.
A few outstanding events will serve to indicate the unusual scope of his Baha'i
activities.
