'Stories of 'Abdu'l-Bahá' a talk by Curtis Kelsey.
Curtis DeMude Kelsey (March 6, 1894 - February 20, 1970) was an American Bahá’í who served ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land and as an Auxiliary Board member for the Americas.
Kelsey's mother discovered the Bahá’í Faith in Portland in 1909 and introduced him to it; however, Kelsey did not investigate the religion at the time, likely due to his father's negative view of all organized religions. The family moved to New York at some point, and Kelsey began working for his father on the construction of a wood pipeline. He contracted typhoid fever and had what he felt to be a spiritual experience, which prompted him to begin studying the Faith through his mother. He was introduced to the New York Bahá’í community and learned more about the religion from Hooper Harris, Mary Hanford Ford, Howard Colby Ives, Florian Krug, and others. He declared in 1917 and was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of New York City a short time later.
Kelsey was drafted into the military during the First World War, and he was unable to avoid being assigned a combat role. He was deployed to France as an infantryman, but shortly before being deployed in battle for the first time, there was an opening in the military for an electrician, and he was able to transfer to the Signal Corps.
After the war, Kelsey served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of New York City again alongside Roy Wilhelm, who recommended to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that Kelsey be invited to the Holy Land to install some lighting equipment he had sent as Kelsey was an electrician. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá cabled approval for Kelsey to come, and he arrived in the Holy Land in September 1921 and installed lighting equipment in several Bahá’í properties and also repaired an automobile that had been gifted to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He was present in the Holy Land when the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá took place in November 1921 and remained until completing his work in April 1922. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed the following in a Tablet to Roy Wilhelm shortly after Kelsey's arrival in the Holy Land:
Kelsey in the Holy Land, 1921.
". . . Mr. Kelsey, the electrical technician, has arrived. He is a true gentleman. Indeed, this loving friend is engaged in the service of the Cause of God with the utmost endeavor, and this is but a token of heavenly grace."
After returning to the United States in 1922, Kelsey settled in Teaneck, New Jersey, and he established a professional career by inheriting his father's business. He served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Teaneck, the National Teaching Committee for the Northeastern States, the Maintenance Committee for the Wilhelm Trustees, the Green Acre Development Committee, and the Audio-Visual Education Committee.[3] He was often elected the delegate of Teaneck to the National Convention of the United States, hosted a weekly fireside in his home, and traveled across America, Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada to teach at summer schools. In the 1920s, he married fellow Bahá’í Harriet Morgan, and they had four children together.
In the 1940's and early 1950's, Kelsey assisted Shoghi Effendi with the construction of the superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb by sourcing and purchasing materials on his behalf, and in 1953, he was invited on pilgrimage with his wife by Shoghi Effendi and stayed for twenty-six days and installed a water pump system at Bahjí. He moved to New York City at some point, where he advanced his professional career, serving as secretary-treasurer of the Continental Pipe Manufacturing Company, later purchasing the company and serving as its President. In 1957, he was appointed as an Auxiliary Board member for Protection for the Americas when the Institution was established, and in 1959, he retired from his position in New York and moved to Bradenton, Florida, although in 1961 he came out of retirement to manage a Florida brokerage firm.
In 1960, Hand of the Cause Zikrullah Khadem relocated to the United States from Iran and Kelsey collaborated extensively with him. He continued to serve into old age throughout the 1960's until his passing in February 1970.
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4 окт 2024
