Bahai Library Online

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada

World Canada
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Date 1958, descending — sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
1958 16 Dec
195-		 The government of British Columbia issued the first certificate of Registration under the Marriage Act which certified that the Chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly was legally authorized to solemnize marriage. [CBN No 109 February 1959 p4] Weddings; Recognition (legal); Victoria, BC
1958 9 Nov
195-		 A Promulgation follow-up conference was held in Dundas with approximately 40 Bahá'ís in attendance. A campaign was planned to keep the promulgation issue alive in the area. [CBN No 108 January 1959 p5; UC84] Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Dundas, ON
1958 Oct
195-		 The first Spiritual Assembly was formed in Dundas, Ontario. [UC83] Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Dundas, ON
1958 Oct
195-		 Based on previous experience of a proclamation to Christian clergy in Hamilton and consultation with Winston Evans at the Summer School, the Promulgation Committee launched a proclamation directed to both clerics and the layman. Packages were sent to Christians in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Saltfleet, Burlington, Dundas, Campbellville, Ancaster, Georgetown, London, St. Thomas, Ingersoll and Forest. The pamphlet "The Reality of the Return of Christ" was included in all packages with the Catholic priests receiving a copy of the tablet that Bahá'u'lláh addressed to Pope Pius IX and the Protestant clergy were sent the pamphlet "The Lord of the New Age". About 1,400 to 1,500 were sent. Advertisements were placed in the local newspapers announcing that the clergy had received this material and that a speaker would be coming soon to speak about the theme, "Christ and Bahá'u'lláh". The only negative reaction reported was from the town of Forest where the Faith was denounced from the pulpit. [CBN No 107 December 1958 p2; UC80-81]
  • Note that Shoghi Effendi had encouraged such a proclamation in the British community. UD379 refers.
    		• Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Niagara Falls, ON; St. Catharines, ON; Saltfleet, ON; Burlington, ON; Dundas, ON; Campbellville, ON; Ancaster, ON; Georgetown, ON; London, ON; St. Thomas, ON; Ingersoll, ON; Forest, ON
    1958 Sep
    195-    		 The first Yukon Bahá'í Summer School was held at Jackson Lake, YT and was attended by a "handful" of people. The property had only one small cabin. In 1961 the conference attracted over 70 people from the Yukon, Alaska, British Columbia and Washington State. By 1964 the number of participants had increase to 100 and in 1967 to 135 with an average class attendance of 25 for the adult classes. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p95] Summer schools; Jackson Lake, YT
    1958 (In the year)
    195-    		 Ken and Mary (Zabolotny) McCulloch (married Aug 1958) moved to Baker Lake where they lived for over 20 years with their daughter Laura. While there they established Bahá'í House, promoted translation of Bahá'í materials into Inuktitut, and, above all, conveyed the spirit and principles of the Faith to their neighbours with tireless devotion. (CBN No109 Feb 1959 p4)
  • Mary died 1996 and Ken in Dec 2020. [Contributed by Leslie Cole]
    		• Pioneers; Mary McCulloch; Ken McCulloch; Bahá'í House; Inuit language; Baker Lake, NU
    1958 Sep
    195-    		 Promulgation Conferences were held in St. Catharines and London to initiate the programs being carried out by the Promulgation Committee in Niagara and Western Ontario. [CBN No 106 November 1958 p3] Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; St. Catharines, ON; London, ON; Niagara Falls, ON
    1958 2 - 9 Aug
    195-    		 The Ontario Summer School Committee presented three courses at the YMCA Camp Kitchikewana at Geneva Park on Lake Couchiching. Audrey Westheuser presented "Sources of Hidden Power", Beatrice Ashton, "The World Crusade" and Winston Evans, a Bahá'í from Nashville, Tennessee, contributed, "Bahá'í Faith in a Christian World". He suggested that in teaching Christians that they not be considered as a homogeneous group but rather they should be approached with an appreciation of the tenants of eacch particular group. [CBN No 105 October 1958 p5, UC79]
  • Winston Evans extended his teaching trip throughout Western Ontario to consult with the Promulgation Committee. Two new pamphlets were designed, "The Reality of the Return of Christ" and "Letters to Christians". He spoke at public meetings in Toronto , London, Ajax, Georgetown, Dundas, Forest and other communities. [CBN No 105 October 1958 p3; UC80]
    		• Proclamation I; Summer schools; Audrey Westheuser; Beatrice Ashton; Winston Evans; Promulgation Campaign; Geneva Park, ON
    1958 29 Apr - 1 May
    195-    		 The National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel, 475 Yonge Street in Toronto. Those elected to the National Assembly were: Hart Bowesfield, Peggy Ross, (sec'y), Winnifred Harvey, Audrey Westheuser, Allan Raynor, Lloyd Gardner, Rowland Estall, Fred Graham, and Harold Moscrop (tres). [CBN No 99 115 April, 1958 p1; CBN No 101 June 1958 p3]
  • See [CBN No 101 June 1958, Special Insert] for the Message from the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land to the National Convention.
    		• National Convention; Hart Bowsfield; Peggy Ross; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Allan Raynor; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Fred Graham; Harold Moscrop; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Toronto, ON
    1958 26 Apr
    195-    		 Hand of the Cause John Robarts dedicated the site of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Canada. In doing so he paid tribute to Hand of the Cause Siegfried Schopflocher. Among his many services to the Cause he left funds to purchase this property. He had been named "The Chief Temple Builder" by the Guardian because of his devotion to the completing of the Mother Temple of the West. [CBN No 101 June, 1958 p1-2]
  • The site was located in North York Township on Cummer Avenue, east of Bayview. This property was later sold for nine times the purchase price in order to buy the large property on Leslie Street in Thornhill in 1968. [UC78]
  • For a photo of those attending this event see [CBN No 107 December 1958 p3]
    		•  * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); John Robarts; Siegfried Schopflocher; North York, ON
    1958 Apr
    195-    		 The Canadian Bahá'í News reported that as of this date 10 Local Assemblies had been incorporated in Canada. They were: Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Scarborough, Toronto, North York Vancouver Vernon, and Winnipeg. [CBN No 99 April 1958 p3] Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Edmonton, AB; Hamilton, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; Scarborough, ON; Toronto, ON; North York, ON; Vancouver, BC; Vernon, BC; Winnipeg, MB
    1958 Mar
    195-    		 Allan Prairie Chicken (Otakkoyiisaapo'p) was the first Backfoot to declare his faith on the Pikuni First Nations (Peigan Reserve) in March, 1958. [IndigenousBahais.com] Allan Prairie Chicken; Otakkoyiisaapop; Piikani First Nation, AB the first Backfoot to declare his faith on the Pikuni First Nations
    1958 Mar
    195-    		 The Indian Teaching Committee (Indigenous Teaching Committee) reported that there were several studying the Faith in the Piikani First Nation. This committee had received permission from the Indian (First Nation) Council to teach on the Reserve. [BN No 341 July 1959 p10]

    The photo in this reference shows Indigenous believers of the Peigan Indian Reserve (Piikani First Nation), Blackfoot Confederacy, Alberta, Maggie Prairie Chicken, Rose Knowlton, Louise White Cow, Agnes Yellow Face, Councillor Samson Knowlton, Ben White Cow, Sam Yellow Face, and Allan (Otakkoyiisaapo'p) Prairie Chicken. Allan and Maggie Prairie Chicken were the first declarants of the Blackfoot nation in March 1958. [BN No 342 August 1959 p10]

  • Allan and his wife Maggie Prairie Chicken were the first Blackfoot (Peigan -Pikani) to declare as Baha'is. They declared in March 1958.
  • Sampson and Rosie Knowlton declared as Bahá'ís in 1958.
  • Louise and Ben White Cow declared around 1958-59.
  • Agnes and Sam Yellow Face Blackfoot Piikani Bahá'ís who declared around 1958-59. [IndigenousBahais.com]
    		•  Maggie Prairie Chicken; Rose Knowlton; Louise Whitecow; Agnes Yellow Face; Samson Knowlton; Ben White Cow; Sam Yellow Face; Allan Prairie Chicken; Piikani First Nation, AB first declarants of the Blackfoot Allan and Maggie Prairie Chicken.
    1958 24 Feb
    195-    		 Judgement was rendered by the Honourable Associate Chief Justice W. B. Scott of the Superior Court in Montreal in favour of the National Spiritual Assembly against the City of Montreal. This achievement was the result of an action commenced on the 5th of October, 1955, to require the City of Montreal to recognize the Bahá'í Faith as an independent religious body and grant exemption to it from Municipal Taxes for the Bahá'í Shrine as a place primarily devoted to religious worship, and eligible for tax exemption under the city's own chart and by-laws.
  • The National Spiritual Assembly received a refund of taxes paid since the acquisition of the property. [CBN No 99 April, 1958 p2-3]
    		•  Montreal Shrine; Montreal, QC
    1958 6 Feb
    195-    		 Hand of the Cause John Robarts arrived in Canada to begin his extensive tour of Canada. He had been sent to Canada by the Hands in the Holy Land because the Guardian had been concerned about the slow progress in the objectives of the 10-year plan in Canada The first stop was in Moncton where a three-day conference was held with Mr. Robarts. [CBN No 98 March, 1958 p2]
  • He had made a stop in Iceland en route to Gander where he met with Bruce Matthew and Bill Howell. [CBN No 99 April 1958 p7]
  • He shared with the friends his pioneering experience in Africa, the meeting of the Hands in London and in the Holy Land after the passing of the Guardian as well of the dedication of the Temple in Kampala that he attended just prior to his departure for Canada.
  • Mr. Robarts focused on the revitalization of the believers and constantly emphasized the power of prayer in beseeching assistance in winning the goals with special emphasis on the Prayer for Canada, the Tablet of Ahmad and the Long Obligatory Prayer. [CBN No 126 July 1960 p4]
  • He spent several weeks visiting communities in Quebec and Ontario, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Ottawa and others. [CBN No99 April, 1958 p7]
  • In Saskatoon he performed the marriage of Ericka Janzen and Tom Gossen. [CBN No 100 May, 1958 p3]
    		•  John Robarts; Ericka Janzen; Tom Gossen; Moncton, NB; Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON; London, ON; Ottawa, ON
    1958 Feb
    195-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly published a policy statement for the Canadian Bahá'í News. [CBN No 97 February 1958 p4] Canadian Bahá'í News; Policy
    1958 Feb
    195-    		 In an article in the Canadian Bahá'í News the National Spiritual Assembly asked those in the community who formerly were members in a church or a synagogue, to formally withdrew their membership by means of a letter to the minister, priest, rabbi or church board. This will serve two purposes, first to clarify our position as follows of Bahá'u'lláh and secondly, to clarify our legal status with respect to religious and civil authorities. This will ensure protection in any dispute that might occur concerning children, the disposal of property, funeral rites etc. In the eyes of the law, children are deemed to be of the same religious affiliation as their father unless an agreement has been entered into in writing by both parents that the child should be brought up in the faith of the mother or unless the father's will makes provisions for how the child should be educated. [CBN No 97 February 1958 p3] Membership of other organizations
    1958 Jan
    195-    		 Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá' Rúhíyyih Khánum met the Bahá'ís of Winnipeg during her visit to Canada. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p20] Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Winnipeg, MB
    1958 (In the year)
    195-    		 The Bahá'í marriage ceremony was first legally recognized in Ontario. [MoC208 note 9] Weddings; Recognition (legal); Ontario, Canada first legally recognized in Ontario
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