Agnes Baldwin Alexander

George Ronald, Publisher Oxford www.grbooks.com

© Earl Redman and Duane Troxel 2022 All Rights Reserved

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978-0-85398-647-8

Cover photograph taken by John Schwerin, May 1965, in Agnes Alexander’s apartment in Kyoto, Japan Cover design: Steiner Graphics

CONTENTS Acknowledgements

x

1 Who is Agnes Alexander?

1

2 Christianity, Politics and Conquest

6

3 Agnes Baldwin Alexander: The Early Years

11

4 A Life-Changing Adventure: 1900–1901

25

5 Spreading the Bahá’í Faith in Hawaii: 1902–1913

40

6 Beginning the Great Adventure: 1913

71

7 The Japanese Adventure: 1914–1917

83

The episode of the cake – The University of California, Berkeley – Camp Azalea – Berkeley, California and Oberlin University, Ohio – Back in Hawaii Across America and Europe to Rome – An encounter with destiny – Back to Hawaii Helen, Edwin and Ella Goodall’s visit, and Elizabeth Muther’s declaration – Kanichi Yamamoto – Slow growth of the Bahá’í community – Agnes goes to Alaska – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Ada Whitney – A love interest for Agnes, and teaching work – George and Ruth Augur – Abby Frances Johnson – Ella Louise Rowland – Mason Remey and Howard Struven – Organizing the Hawaiian Bahá’ís – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in North America – Mason Remey’s second visit An interest in Japan – The journey to Italy – War breaks out in Europe Arrival in Japan – Beginning the life of a pioneer in Tokyo – Vasily Eroshenko – Teaching contacts – Kikutaro Fukuta: The first Japanese Bahá’í – Martha Root in Japan – George and Ruth Augur arrive – The coronation and a Hiroshima visit – Back in Tokyo – The importance of Esperanto – A Japanese contribution

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for the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Chicago – Daiun Inouye, a Buddhist priest – Vasily leaves Japan – Tokujiro Torii – Back in Tokyo – Ichi Kamichika: A woman imprisoned – Two Tablets from the Master – Yuri Mochizuki: The first Japanese woman to accept the Faith

8 Two Years in America: 1917–1919

116

9 Return to Japan: 1919–1921

127

California – The National Bahá’í Convention – The travels of Agnes The power of prayer – Where to live? – A devastating fire – Recovery – Three schoolgirls – Karuizawa – Connecting with China – Star of the East –‘In short, it has a long description, but I mention it briefly’

10 Korea, China and Japan’s Great Earthquake: 1921–1923

153

11 Back in Hawaii: 1924–1927

190

12 Japan and China: 1928–1933

203

13 Hawaii and America: 1933–1935

242

14 Back to Japan: 1935–1936

251

Back in Tokyo – The Passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá – The Guardian’s first letter to Japan – The doll project – China to the forefront – New Bahá’ís and visitors – Martha Root returns – The Great Earthquake – China Maui, Hawaii and Kauai – Orcella Rexford, Orol Platt and Valera Allen – Planning another return to Japan – Hawaiian activities – Return to Japan

A problem with Communism – Opportunities and the Guardian’s encouragement – The ascent of Mt. Fuji – Continuing efforts – Martha Root returns – California connections – Keith RansomKehler visits Japan – Home visits – The first Local Spiritual Assembly in Japan – Visiting Hokkaido – Translation of Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era into Japanese – A call to Hawaii Maui – North American National Bahá’í Convention – Looking toward Japan, again Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era in Japanese Braille – Problems and possibilities – An army mutiny and the seeds of war – Visiting Fujita’s mother – The Guardian encourages steadfastness

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15 Pilgrimage: 1937

261

16 Hawaii and America: 1939–1949

285

17 Back in Japan, Again: 1950–1957

312

18 Hand of the Cause of God: 1957–1965

337

19 The Last Years: 1965–1971

366

Appendix: May Maxwell – A Tribute, by Agnes Alexander

380

Bibliography

389

Notes and References

393

Index

419

Preparations for pilgrimage – Departure for the Holy Land – Agnes’s pilgrimage – Travels through Europe – America 1939 National Convention – The passing of Martha Root – The passing of May Maxwell – Writing the history of the Cause in Japan and Hawaii – Back in Hawaii – Full drafts of the histories are completed – New directions – Travelling across America in the Second Seven Year Plan – Hawaii and America

Rebuilding the Japanese Bahá’í community – Agnes returns to Japan – Activities of Ahmad Sohrab’s Caravan of the East – Where to live? – The Holy Year and Ten Year Crusade – Michitoshi Zenimoto – Two Intercontinental Teaching Conferences – Auxiliary Board member – A trip to Taiwan The passing of Shoghi Effendi – Moving forward without the Guardian – The travels of a Hand – Hawaii elects First National Spiritual Assembly Confined to a bed in Japan – The last years – The passing of Agnes Alexander – A life well lived

About the Authors

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1

Who is Agnes Alexander?

Agnes Alexander was born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands, the daughter and granddaughter of some of the first Christian missionaries to the islands. She became the first Hawaiian Bahá’í and one of the first to teach the Faith in Hawaii, Japan, Korea and China. She also wrote the first histories of the Bahá’í Faith for both Hawaii and Japan at the Guardian’s request. She was educated in the Faith by one of its foremost scholars, Mírzá Abu’l-Faḍl, as well as some of its most enlightened followers, such as May Bolles (Maxwell), Emogene Hoagg, Laura DreyfusBarney, Lua and Edward Getsinger, William Hoar, Ethel Rosenberg and Ali-Kuli Khan. Her close friends included Ella Cooper and Louise Bosch, and she travelled through China and Japan with Martha Root.

Despite all her amazing achievements, Agnes remained a very humble person. Her philosophy was summed up in a statement she made at the first Hawaiian National Convention in 1964: ‘God uses those who are nothing; and if you are something He cannot use you.’

Her humility was further illustrated in a letter sent to Duane Troxel from a Bahá’í friend in 1981: Last night Mr Dale Allen came to visit me. I showed him a letter from dear Agnes Alexander. He read it and praised her, then told me that in 1925 his mother (Mrs Valera Fisher Allen) sat next to Agnes at a Bahá’í conference in Hawaii. Years afterwards she told Dale, ‘Agnes gave a talk and then read the Master’s Tablet addressed to herself. But she did not read it all and I saw that there were words of praise from the Beloved Master to Agnes. I said to her, “You did not read all the words of the Master, May I read them aloud to the friends?” She replied, “It is not necessary or important.” Then I asked, “May I then see the Tablet just for myself?” Agnes said, “I think there is no need.”’ This was Agnes Alexander’s nature. She 1

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was very humble. She was never one to push herself forward. It was for this reason that she never said, ‘I am appointed a Hand of the Cause,’ until sick in Tokyo in 1965, she dictated her last letter to all the friends in the Pacific area and quoted the Guardian’s cable of 1957 concerning her elevation to the station of a Hand of the Cause.1

Agnes is best known for her prolonged efforts to establish the Bahá’í Faith in Japan as well as her unstinting work as a Hand of the Cause.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá had first mentioned the need to take the Faith to Japan as early as 1903.2 Five years later, in a letter to Howard MacNutt, ‘Abdu’lBahá wrote, ‘A trip of the believers of God to the Orient is of the utmost importance and it will become the cause of great connection between the two regions.’ Mason Remey and Howard Struven were the first Bahá’ís to go to Japan, doing so in 1909 on their around-the-world teaching trip. When they met ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land, He told them: Blessed results will appear from the Holy Cause established in that land. I have sent your letter regarding the work in Japan to Mr. McNutt in New York, that he may spread the word for some of the American Bahá’ís to go to Japan, and there serve and teach in the Cause. It is very good for teachers to travel, and, through the love of God, give life to the people. American Bahá’ís should go to Oriental countries as teachers.3

Mason and Howard were followed by travel-teachers Mme Aurelia Bethlen in 1911 and Hippolyte and Laura Dreyfus-Barney in 1914.

Hawaiian Bahá’í George Augur pioneered to Japan in late 1914 and was followed by Agnes and his wife, Ruth, the same year. Ultimately, Agnes lived for a total of 30 years in Japan between 1914 and 1967.

Agnes lived a life of complete servitude to the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.

A suggestion from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá or Shoghi Effendi she considered to be a divine order. She lived by her inspirations, which she felt to be whisperings of the divine spirit and, in everything, her guideline was, ‘if God wills’. She received 13 Tablets from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and at least 94 letters from Shoghi Effendi, not counting cablegrams. Age did not slow her down. At the age of 83, she served on the Local Spiritual Assembly 2

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of Kyoto, the Regional Spiritual Assembly of North East Asia and as a Hand of the Cause of God. Hands of the Cause of God occupy a high station in Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. They are special people, devoted to the Cause and possessing deep knowledge of it, who could only be appointed by the Centre of the Bahá’í Faith: Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá or Shoghi Effendi.

In Bahá’u’lláh’s Book of Laws, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, they are called the ‘learned ones in Bahá’ and ‘charged with various duties, especially those of protecting and propagating His Faith’.4 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá defined them as those ‘(pillars) of the Cause of God that have diffused widely the Divine Fragrances, declared His Proofs, proclaimed His Faith, published abroad His Law, detached themselves from all things but Him, stood for righteousness in this world, and kindled the Fire of the Love of God in the very hearts and souls of His servants’.5 The work of the Hands of the Cause was apparently not just for this physical world because many were appointed after they ascended into the spiritual worlds.

Shoghi Effendi called the Hands of the Cause the ‘Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth, who have been invested by the unerring Pen of the Center of His Covenant with the dual function of guarding over the security, and of insuring the propagation, of His Father’s Faith’.6 Between 1951 and 1957, Shoghi Effendi appointed 32 outstanding living Bahá’ís to this position. The 81-yearold Agnes Alexander, who replaced the Irish Hand George Townshend upon his passing, was one of them. Six months after her appointment, the Guardian ascended to the Abhá Kingdom and Agnes found herself one of those Shoghi Effendi had named as the ‘Chief Stewards’ of the Bahá’í Faith and in charge of guiding the Bahá’í world to the completion of the world-embracing Ten Year Crusade and the election of the Universal House of Justice.

I was in the middle of working on a book about Howard Colby and Mabel Rice-Wray Ives when Duane Troxel, who was of great assistance for my two volumes about Shoghi Effendi and the book on the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, asked if I would be interested in writing a book on Hand of the Cause of God Agnes Baldwin Alexander. Writing about a Hand of the Cause was daunting and I was initially quite reluctant to tackle the task of writing about such a significant person. Duane, however, was very persuasive – this book is the proof – and the more I explored the materials he had collected, the more fascinating Agnes became.

3

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Raised in privilege as part of a ruling class, she dedicated her life to uplifting the spiritual lives of the Japanese, and particularly the blind Japanese. It became a challenge to see if I could write a book about a Hand of the Cause.

It was a paragraph from one of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in April 1916, that actually resulted in my writing this book. Up to April 1916, Agnes had brought a handful of people into the Faith in Hawaii and they had brought in a few others so that there was a community of about a dozen Bahá’ís. She had been in Japan for almost a year and a half and her teaching efforts had raised up a single Japanese Bahá’í. But ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote of her having an amazing station: At this time, in the Hawaiian Islands, through the efforts of Miss Alexander, a number of souls have reached the shore of the sea of faith! Consider ye, what happiness, what joy is this! I declare by the Lord of Hosts that had this respected daughter founded an empire, that empire would not have been so great! For this sovereignty is eternal sovereignty and this glory is everlasting glory. 7

He also mentioned May Maxwell and Alma Knobloch in those same Tablets. And He mentioned Agnes Alexander twice.

Duane initially met Hand of the Cause Agnes Alexander at the first Hawaiian National Bahá’í Convention in 1964 when she represented the Universal House of Justice, and then visited her in 1968 after she had returned to Hawaii following her long years in Japan. Six years later, Agnes’s book about the history of the Bahá’í Faith in Hawaii was published and Duane wrote his first short biography about her. He became the Archivist for the Hawaiian Bahá’í community in 1980 and wrote about her life in a booklet titled Eighty Golden Years: 1901–1981, a history of the Faith in Hawaii to that time.8 In 1984, the University of Hawaii published a book about Hawaii’s famous women and Duane contributed her biography for that. He was then asked to write a threepart biography about her for the Bahá’í News that was published in 1983. He had been collecting information about her for 40 years and decided that it was time to try to get a book out of it, so in August 2016, Duane sent me over 12,000 files – letters, files, photographs, audio and video interviews and a host of other materials – about Agnes.

Trying to understand who Agnes Baldwin Alexander was becomes 4

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much clearer when reading the Guardian’s first letters to the Bahá’ís of Japan on 26 January 1922. Quoting the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi wrote: ‘Japan will turn ablaze! Japan is endowed with a most remarkable capacity for the spread of the Cause of God! Japan, with (another country whose name He stated but bade us conceal it for the present) will take the lead in the spiritual reawakening of peoples and nations that the world shall soon witness!’ On another occasion, – how vividly I recall it! – as He reclined on His chair, with eyes closed with bodily fatigue, He waved His hand and uttered vigorously and cheerfully these words in the presence of His friends: – ‘Here we are seated calm, quiet and inactive, but the Hand of the Unseen is ever active and triumphant in lands, even as distant as Japan!’9

Agnes Alexander was moved by the Hand of the Unseen, willingly and with her full cooperation.

5

2

Christianity, Politics and Conquest Agnes Baldwin Alexander was born on 21 July 1875 in a house named ‘Maluhia’, which is Hawaiian for tranquillity, quiet or harmony, in Makiki Heights not far above Waikiki Beach. She was the granddaughter of Protestant missionaries whose descendants became some of the most important, powerful and wealthy people in the islands.

The first Europeans to encounter the Hawaiian Islands were Captain James Cook and his crew in 1778. Cook decided to name the cluster of isolated volcanic landmasses the Sandwich Islands in honour of another Englishman, and he was killed by the Hawaiians the following year. By the time the missionaries first arrived in 1820, Hawaii was in a state of change. King Kamehameha had united all the islands into a single kingdom, but that unification, along with the increasing presence of foreigners, initiated great changes. The old idols the people had worshipped had been destroyed, thus diminishing the power of the priests.

Into this partial vacuum came Christianity. Kamehameha had died a year before the first missionaries arrived and his successors were more and more influenced by the white newcomers.1 Agnes’s story begins in June 1831 with the arrival of Rev. Dr Dwight and Charlotte Baldwin, after a sea voyage of 161 days from Boston, in the fourth company of missionaries sent out to Hawaii by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. This great project began in 1820, when the first missionaries arrived in the islands. The Baldwins spent a short while on the Big Island (Hawaii) and eventually settled at Lahaina on the island of Maui and began their life’s work of bringing Christianity to the Hawaiian people. Dr Baldwin was also a physician and the only doctor for the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. The Baldwins had eight children: David, Abigail (Abby), Mary, Charles, Douglas, Henry, Emily and Harriet. Abigail married William De Witt Alexander and became Agnes’s mother.2 6

christianity, politics and conquest

William De Witt Alexander’s parents had been in the fifth company of missionaries who arrived in Honolulu in May 1832. His father, William Patterson Alexander, had been appointed as a missionary in November 1830, and his immediate reaction was: It produces very solemn reflections. Now unless God prevent by his providence, I am going to the heathen to spend my life in telling them of Jesus (a thing for which I have often prayed). It will be a trial to leave my friends and country; but ‘if any man love father or mother more than me, he is not worthy of me.’ I do love them, but I feel in my heart I can gladly bid them farewell. I may meet with sore trials on pagan ground; the rude barbarian may imbrue his hands in my blood . . .3

William’s paternalistic attitude and ignorance of Hawaiian culture was fairly typical of those who went forth to save the Hawaiians from their un-Christian existence.

Before leaving the United States, William was told that to be a missionary, he had to be married. Some behind the scenes matchmaking resulted in William meeting Mary Ann McKinney and marrying her on 25 October.4 One month after their marriage, the new couple boarded their ship. Agnes told of her grandparents’ journey to Hawaii: With God’s light upon their foreheads, with earth’s hoards beneath their feet, and earth’s self-denials thronging on their pathway indiscreet – so they sailed to bear the message of good-will forevermore to the tribes that dwelt in darkness on a distant island shore . . .

In the fifth company of missionaries sent to the Hawaiian Islands were my father’s parents, Rev. and Mrs. William Patterson Alexander. They were in a party of nine bridal couples, all young people in their twenties . . . On November 26, 1831, they set sail from New Bedford, Massachusetts, on a small whaling ship of three hundred and fifty tons.

Equipped for whaling, the passenger accommodations were very meager. The cabin, which was used as an eating, sleeping and sitting room, was so small that only one half the company could be seated at a time. The furniture consisted of two chairs and boxes and trunks. Their sleeping accommodations are thus described: ‘Half 7

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the missionaries had to take berth in the cabin where four berths, each suitable for one person, and separated only by a curtain, had to do services for two each. Some had to be stowed away in temporary berths on the side of the dismal after-cabin, which was crowded with a confusion of boxes, casks and kegs . . .’

After a voyage of one hundred and eighty-six days, Honolulu was reached in May, 1832.5

The Alexanders had nine children: William De Witt (Agnes’s father), James, Samuel, Henry, Mary Jane, Ann, Emily, Charles Hodge and Ellen.

The missionaries set up the first printing press in the islands, created an alphabet for the Hawaiian language and opened schools. During their first decade in the islands, they established 900 schools, staffed with native teachers, who were educating almost 45,000 pupils.6 Within a quarter century, 80% of the Hawaiians could read. But the diseases brought in by the foreign visitors and settlers decimated the Hawaiian population, reducing it from about 300,000, when Captain Cook had first landed on the islands in 1778, to 57,000 by 1866.7 Though the missionaries were initially spiritually oriented, other white arrivals were not, and soon making money became a strong motive throughout the islands for both the white newcomers and the Hawaiians. This money motive also affected some of the missionaries.

As early as 1836, the focus of some of the missionaries had changed, bringing about the accusation that ‘some of the number who went forth to those heathen islands to save souls by their teaching and preaching, remained there to put away their missionary character and assume the part of amateur statesmen, much occupied thereafter in secular matters, and not altogether foregoing such secular honours as their connection with that small state could bestow’.8 All land in the islands belonged to the King when the foreign invasion began, but that began to change in 1846 when some land was offered for sale. The white settlers wanted to own land and they had pushed the King to allow the private ownership of land. They achieved their goal in 1850 and by 1886, the whites owned most of the available land. 9 The first generation of missionaries were not immune from this passion to own land, and many of their sons fully embraced it, some acquiring huge land holdings and becoming more businessmen than missionaries. 10 With public land becoming available for purchase, sugar companies 8

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