Artemus Lamb, 1905-1998
Exported from Holy-Writings.com on 2026-07-05 - 1 clipping

Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Quentin Farrand, Artemus Lamb, 1905-1998, bahai-library.com.
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To All National Spiritual Assemblies of the Americas
To Members of the Continental Board of Counselors
And to Friends of Artemus Lamb

Dear Friends:

I am sending the enclosed article on Artemus Lamb.       in
Spanish and English. to your institutions and to friends who
fondly remember him. I am doing this directly at the request of
Counselor Rodrigo Tomas. You may, of course. use this as you
deem best and make as many copies as you wish or use in national
or local buletins.
With loving greetings,

Quentin Farrand ABM, El Salvador

A Todas las Asambleas Espirituales de las Americas
A Miembros del Cuerpo Continental de Consejeros
Y a Amigos de Artemus Lamb
Estimados Amigos:

Estoy enviando el articulo adjunto sobre Artemus Lamb, en
espanol e  ingles~ a  sus inatituciones y a amigos quienes 10
recuerden con car1no.     Hago esto directamente al pedido del
Consejero Rodrigo Tomas.     Pueden, por supuesto, uaarlo como
consideren mejor y hacer tantas copias como desean 0 usar en
boletines nacionales 0 locales.

Con Amorosos saludos,

~*~~
9 Febrero 1998
Calle Colima 26
Quentin Farrand, MeA El Salvador

Colonia Miramonte
San Salvador, El Salvador
tel. (503) 260 1671

ARTEMUS LAMB. 1905-1998
Artemus Lamb was a tireless. focused, utterly devoted
servant of the Cause of Baha1u1llah, who during almost six
decades profoundly contributed to the development of the Faith in
r~tin America.  What many of the friends do not k~ow is that his
life prior to his becomming a baha~i indicated precious little to
suppose or anticipate his .sterling and selfless service.

He was born on January 20, 1905 into a prosperous and
influential family in Clinton, Iowa, but his father drowned in
the Mississippi River when Artemus was three months old. At the
age of one year he was almost given up for dead from milk
poisoning and this left his nervious system damaged through most
of his childhood.     The only lasting effect was a life-long
stammer. These early years were spent on a large property which
included woods, meadows, lawns and several buildings and he spent
much of his time roaming the land with his dogs.         He loved
fishin~. riding, swimming, went to  dancing school and took piano
lessons. He and his sister Valeria, were attended by maids and
educated by tutors. He was sent off to . boarding school in
Connecticut (Hotchkiss) at age 12 as hisá mother had married a~ain
to one who could hide a weakness for alcohol, and she did not
want her children to be exposed to that.        After prep school
Artemus then went to Yale University where he graduated with a
B.S. degree in 1927. These early years were very comfortable
economically and he was active in upper social echelons.    During
vacations at Yale he would go by boat to watch the French Tennis
Open in Paris. He wore a racoon skin coat when it was the rage.
He missed some morning classes in New Haven because he had spent
the night with friends~n Manhattan nightclubs.        He was very
attracted to the New York social and night life.

He and his family were nominal Episcopalians. but not
regular church-goers. and on occasions he accompanied friends to
various other places of worship. His mother was. very spiritual
and hi~hly moral, but not a very churchy person. As a child his
maid had him say prayers before going to bed and his tutor made
him and his sister Valeria learn parts of the            Bible as
literature. He did admire the Psalms and some parables for their
messages.  In Boarding school chapel was obligatory, so to enjoy
it he sang in the choir. He believed in God and called himself a
Chriatian~ but religion simply did not play an important   role in
his life.    And like most college students~ especially those
majoring in science, he lost what little faith he had as he could
not reconcile the common knowledge of religion with what he was
learning in the classes, and he became a sceptic.
After Yale his sister and her husband persuaded him to go to
California with them instead of Oxford or Cambridge as he had
planned and he enrolled in law school in USC. Later he went into

business and in 1929, married the daughter of a wealthy and
prominent family.    He was active in the social lifo of Los
Angeles and even played golf with douglas Fairbanks Jr. at the
Beverly Hills Country Club. He had inherited from hiD father.
his great aunt and his grandmother and at age 21 h~d considerable
wealth.

Then in the great depression he lost his job and a great
deal of money. He, like so many, was brought b~ck hard to earth
after the roarin~ twenties.    Eventually he went into the oil
production business, but that also failed.   His whole life went
into. as he wrote:
stage of confusion, difficul ties and finally
". _ . a
cr~s~s.  It was as i f a m.vsteriol1s hand took hold of my
life and turned it completely upside down. includin/t
separation fz"om m,v wife and son "_

Valeria had meanwhile become a Baha~i and mentioned it to
him.      Though he had no interest in religion of any kind. in this
crisis of his life he was in ever closer contact with his sister
and mother~ who had also become a believer.           He attended his
first "fireside" and did not understand much of what was said but
found the atmosphere very sincere      9     wholesome. friendly and
jntelli~ent.      He began to read Baha"'i literature and found it. to
his surprise, "moat interesting, educa tional, forward looking and
insp.l.r.l.ng, very different from the usual religious literature".
He then began a serious and careful investigation. and in 1939
entered the Faith in Los Angeles. He writes:

"I áfe1t with all my heart and mind that this was what I had
been born for and entered intoá complete service ".

With his sister and mother he transferred to Beverly Hills
to form the first local Spiritual Assembly there. Later he went
to Salt Lake City, Utah, and then in 1942, to Denver at the
request of the National Teaching Committee,á to restore the
Spiritual Assembly which had been lost.
He had always been interested in new places, people and
first-hand learning, and as a youth had t~avelled extensively in
the U.S. and Canada.    After Yale he spent the following three
summers in Europe. and then in 1938-9~ made a seven month tour
around the world, but he knew nothing about Central and South
America. Now as a Baha~i he sensed that he had a destiny in
Latin America~ and began to study the culture and learn Spanish.
His first teacher was the official translator of the Hormon
Church in Salt Lake City.     He offered to pioneer anywhere in
Latin America but the National Spiritual Assembly asked him to
stay in the Western States until the .end of the First Seven Year
Pla~ as there were still few Baha'is in that area.

The Guardian began to urge the NSA~f the U.S. to send a
male pioneer to establish the Faith in Punta Arenas, Chile, on
the Straits of Magellan, ,the southernmost city of the world. He
was in touch with Marcia Stewart (Atwater), the first pioneer to
Chile, who had written to the Guardian that Punta Arenas was more
suitable for a man. Marcia also encouraged Artemus to go there,
so at the National Convention of 1944, he offered to fill this
~oal and this time his offer was gratefully accepted.

While preparing to leave, another letter from the NSA
explained that there were urgent problems in Ecuador and they
wished him to go there first, and then, perhaps, to Punta Arenas.
Artemus was overcome. He had promised to go to Punta Arenas to
fulfill a special request of the Guardian, and felt that he was
destined to ~o there. For several days he prayed for guidance
and finally decided that for confirmation he should obey the
National Assembly and leave everything in the hands of God.   The
war was still on and air travel from the U.S. was impossible. By
chance (1)    he saw in the Salt       Lake City newspaper the
announcement of the last trip' of the Argentinian steamship "Mal"
de Plata" up the Pacific cáoast, to Los Angeles and then back to
Buenos Aires. He rushed to Los Angeles, got passage and in a few
weeks embarked - ostensibly for Ecuador.

On the second or third day the boat stopped in Acapulco,
Mexico~  and all the passengers went ashore.      Some time later
walking back along the beach toward the ship. he noticed that the
shore was lined with people and there was lots of smoke. He then
saw the steamship was immersed in flames and had to be towed out
and sunk. Everything he áhad was on that boat: passport. money,
clothes, everything but what.he had on .and in his pocket.

He found himself in'astrange l~nd, with 'no possesoions but
a   few traveler~s    cheques.     His first' reaction  was that
Baha~uJllah   did not consider him worthy of the mission and that
he should return home. He then realized that this was a test of
his determination and that by whateváer means he should continue
the journey.    The steamship company finally got them to Mexico
City, returned the passage money and left them on their own. The
U.S. Embassy replaced his passport and offered him travel to any
point in South America. He cabled the Interamerican Committee in
Wilmette recommending that he take advantage of the offer and fl,'
to Santiago. Chile. by-passing Ecuador. They approved and aitá
flights lasting five days and four niQhts he arrived in Santiago,
and     later   went    to   Punta    Arenas.       He  comments:

"How to explain these m,vsterious events? I had taken
the corz"ect spiz"i tual action. put all my affairs i17 the
Hands of God.     been guided to take the Mar de Plata
which later burned and sank.       thus bringing about mv
arrival at my cherished goal.        In any event; I got

wlJich later burned and sank.       thus bringing about: D1.V
ar.rival at m~v cherished goal.       In an.v event: 1 got
the.re. which is wllat is important. , Incidentally.    the
Guardian. after the original letter regarding m~v offer.
did not communicate with me again until I got to Punta
Arenas. Then lJe Wl"ote through his secretar,v and added
-in his own lJandwl"iting: JOI am delighted that at last
VOll
L     lJave reached .vour goal (..~nd are wholeheartedl.v
engaged in YOUl" noble pioneer work in that far distant
land" _ Did l1e know what was taking place and what the
final outconJe wound be?       Did his prayers bring these
things to pass'?      Questions we never will be able to
Clnswel.... at least not in this world".

After helping to form the first LSA in Punta Arenas and
other services in Chile, he returned to the u.s. in 1949 to look
for a higher income with an international agency in Washington
D.C.    He was recommended for an important post but learned
through his cousin that two employees of the State Department had
"black-balled"  his name because of his Baha"i activities en
Chile.   He later realized that this job would not have been
suitable for pioneer service.

So again he put all his affairs in the hands of God and in
January of 1951 went to Costa Rica where he immediately obtained
n good position with the Costa Rican-Northamerican Cultural
Center.

In 1953 when he made his pilgrammage~ he had some family
problems and committments in the the U.S. and he did not know if
these would tie him there for an indefinite period against his
will.    At the end of the Pilgrammage, The Guardian asked him:
"What ,are_ .your plans? He answered unconsciously til am going to
return" to Costa Rica". The Guardian rubbed his hands together
with    evident pleasure    and said:   "Magnificent! Splendid!,
Magnificent! Splendid!"
Since he did not have any certainty of being able t~ return
to Costa Rica, this question of the Guardian surprised him, and
his own answer surprised him even more.    When he arrived in theá
U_S. he   found. to his amaizement, that the problem had resolved
itself by a strange turn of events, and that the way was clear to
return to, Costa Rica.
Since that time he has remained in Central America and
Yucatan. Mexico. living in different countries according to the
needs of the Faith.    From 1951 to 1961 he served on the National
Spiritual Assembly for Panama, Central America. Mexico and the
Greater Antilles and from 1963 to 1968 as Executive Auxiliary

Board member for the same area; then from 1968 to 1985 as member
of" the Continental Board of Counselors for the Americas.  In 1958
he married another pioneer he had known, then serving in the
Dominican Republic, Dora (Dee) Worth.    Their wedding took place
in Santa Ana. El Salvador, where he had established an English
language academy and was active in the teaching work.       These
included a successful radio program and aroused significant
interest both among the prominent and in the towns and among the
small indigenous communities in the area.        After a dramatic
incident with the authorities caused by false reports from some
religious officials, Artemus and Dee moved to Guatemala City and
later lived in Caban, helping to establish a community in that
Mayan area. Meanwhile the government changed in El Salvador. the
President who ordered Artemus out. was himself exiled, Artemus~
name was cleared and he was able, even invited by the new
government, to return there. This he eventually did. and here he
served for several years as Secretary of the Continental Board of
Counselors. Later he and Dee moved to Merida. Yucatan where for
many years he was active in the promotion of the Faith amon~ his
beloved Mayans.     In the late 1980s they moved to La Ceiba,
Honduras, where Dee died in 1988. After that he again lived for
a time in Costa Rica and finally returned to EI Salvador in
September of 1992.

There are a hundreds of episodes, hundreds of friends whose
lives he touched and influenced toward a heightened and more
focused service in all these places (far too many episodes and
names to even begin mentioning here).   There are so many stories
of his relentless drive to fulfill the wishes of the Guardian,
and later of the Universal House of Justice. One remembers his
" sense of ur~ency, his impatience with obstacles and his always
pushing   the    activities   forward,  which made    him   known
affectionately among some co-workers as "Sargent Lamb". But also
one remembers" the blessing of his marriage with Dee and his
subsequent mellowing; his humour and the wry and perspicacious
observations of Dee; his profound emotion upon discovering new
insights and meanings in the Writings; his afection for countless
children and youth who considered him as a spiritual grandfather,
and   in many cases      he had brought    their' parents and/or
grandparents "into the Faith.

He mentioned that after becoming a believer he had a deep
inner feelin~ that his destiny was to serve in Latin America.
While in Washington he received the following cable from the
Guardian: "Fervently praying renewal invaluable sel"vice in Latin
America.    Loving appreciatioll. SlJoglJi Rabbani".    Then came a
letter through his secretary with the following sentence:         "He
feels tl1at b.v all means you s110uld make every effort to get a ,job
in Latin America. as your service there is not only very
valuable. but infinitel.v more valuable than elsewhere".

He writes of    his inspiration:   "The picture cannot" be
complete  without   special  mention of the    constant loving
encouragement. guidance and influence of our beloved Guardian.

both ill tlJt;l. w110le pl"ocess of the establishment of the Fai th in
Lati11 America as well as on me personallY7 greatly more so on
lookingá back thalJ I had realized at the time.

In October 1953, as      mentioned, he had the priceless
prive1ege of making a pilgramrnage to the Holy Land and knowing
the Guardian.   He had been elected to attend the Inter Oceanic
Conference in New Delhi, India, as representative of the NSA of
Central America, and wrote the Guardian requesting permission to
stop in Haifa on his return.    Previously he had asked for this
permission. but the Guardian had answered that it was premature.
This time he received the cable "Welcome. Shoghl Rabbanl".    He
recalls:

"fVL1!'ds are il1ddecud te to descr i be the exper i ence .
e.xce pt to   sta te    tha t i t e.;'(ceeded m.v hi ghe.~ t
expectations.    I had expected to ask the Guardian many
questions. but all I could do was bask in the ,10.v of
his presence and wai t for him to speak".
He often mentioned that his pi1gramrnage group was only
three. and that they had meals with The Guardian and Ruhiyyih
Khanum. The first time he sat at the table across from Shoghi
Effendi. and lifted his face he could only see radiant light, not
the semblance of the Guardian. Then the Guardian turned jovial
and he could then see his wondrous face.

This writer remembers hearing a returning pilgrim talk of
his impresions of the Guardian in a meeting in Denver in 1954.
The pilgrim interrupted his main themeáto mention how great was
the Guardian~s love and appreciation of Artemus Lamb.

In these last years and after Dee's passing in 1988, Artemus
was becomming quite . deaf, and even with a hearing aid had
difficulty in communicating.    This limited his ~ervices and the
usefulness of his presence in the activities so he decided to do
what his always filled agenda did not permit earlier; to write a
book on the journey of the soul. He began this in Costa Rica
where he learned, at age 87, a word-processing system, and
finished the book in El Salvador. It has gone through several
printings in Spanish and the version in English, "The Odessy of
the Soul". has also been a brisk seller.        It has since been
published in at least three other European languages.
Expecting that this would be his swan song, he was surprised
to still have time in this world, and even in his waining years
he could not just sit and do nothing.    So his work now centered
upon his writin~ on diverse themes, not only long latent in his
teeming mind b~t very pertinent for the teaching work in Latin
America.    Booklets and pamphlets in Spanish such as:         (in
translated titles)    "The [Infolding of the     Wor lei Order of
•

Baha"u -"11ah".   "Miracles and the S,vmbolis/11 of the Hol,v Books",
"Dreams. Visions and Psycic Fenomena      II 9"Medi ta tions of a Balui" i".
"The Tl"l1e New World Ol"del''':o "Fol"ging the ,Model of a New Society".
"Weal th and Poverty",      "The Grea test Gift of God to Man", and
finally. "Life Beyond Death". Previously he had published his
"RemembraJ1CeS" and theá "Development of the Baha" i Fai th in Latin
Amel'ica" and other pamphlets.         These are certainly a vital part
of his legacy and they are written in a clear. simple, very
accessable style.

One remarkable aspect of Artemus is that although he was
raised in great comfort and financial security, hiB services as a
pioneer led him through times of very scant income and sacrifice.
This had no effect on his spirit, though the periods he was
obliged to receive income from the International Fund, chafed on
him. He somehow always found some other productive activity and
an adecuate but always modest living. He learned to live on very
little . but always made contributions to the Funds. To observe
Artemus over time one is astonished by his selflessness, his
simplicity of life. his disinterest in things most people deem
necessary, his love and concern for humble people.       One must
marvel then remembering that this man, during the first three and
a half decades of his life had lived close to the top of the
economic and social pyramid, and had thoroughly enjoyed the
privileges and comforts of that life.

About six months ago he awoke at the usual six AM - he was
. very methodical by the way - and at breakfast said that he had
heard the most unearthly and celestial music in a dream. more
real than if he were in a concert hall, though he was then
totallyá deaf.  In the last weeks he said that he had been
thinking so much about Dee, and then could not go on for the
emotion. He wanted so much to leave this world, but also wanted
to share some deeper experiences and thoughts with the friends
before leaving.

Artemus Lamb in his younger years was quite handsome, and
many said he looked like the actor Jimmy Stewart.   (He joked that
maybe Jimmy Stewart looked like him). Yet he was really quite
shy and modest and was never able to cure his stammer when he
apoke. He was not self-conscious about it, as he just focused on
getting the message out. He was not the most carismatic of nor
the most ~ifted of personalities. But he was surely one of the
most devoted lovers and servants of this Cause.          Tireless.
purposeful and selfless are the atributes that come most to mind.
He consecrated his life to serve the advancement of the Faith in
so many areas: in personal teaching and deepening, proclamation
and public talks.. in the representation of the Cause before the
prominent and the authorities, in the Administration of the Cause
at all levels when that was not at all easy, in the example of
his conduct and the transparency of his dealings~ in the work and

love he had for the indigenous believers. He could also be very
pleasant and enjoyable - he loved good music. a good joke or
humorous banter~ and could enjoy watchi~g a good movie on TV~ a
game of football, baseball and tennis especially. to have a good
conversation and enjoy good food           he knew the value of
moderation.    He tried sincerely not .to be a bother to others and
even in his deafness and weakness enjoyed being present with the
friends.    He always arrived on time in the activities.    Instead
of preaching he always tried to be a good example~ even if,
toward the end~ it was to be an example of punctuality.
His last days were quite difficult and uncomfortable.
Three youth of the Lemus family in El Salvador~ after watching
him during the final Feast he attended wrote a beautiful letter
which touched him deeply. One paragraph reads:

"Dearest F!randfather. we didn Jt realize how F!reat is
our love for .vou until we saw you s1 tting in the last
Feast. wi th your eyes fixed on the Abha Paradise, then
our hearts witnessed the truth of our most profound
.love for our dearest grandfather.     Truly we say that
our love as your grandchildren does not really express
itself in this letter,       but lives and beats in our
hearts.     Every day we pray that God gives you the
patience to bear the last days of this efimeral life
until .vou lift your wings to the Divine Presence.    We
also thank you for having given us such a precious
treasure, .vourself, with your. guidance. explanations
and all the beauty you have given in your books,á for
the oportunity to be able to communicate with Buell a
gallant servant of Baha"u"llah, and to have the fortune
to llear your counsels ... "

His last day was quite serene as he had to be given pain
supressors and sedation. The National Spiritual Assembly of El
Salvador was invited to lunch at the Farrand home where he lived.
Before eating the members ~athered around his bed and said
prayers.   After lunch two of the members then went to check on
him and found he had left us. It was so fitting that the 'NSA was
present and the arraingements all flowed as if on win~s. All
were moved but happy for him, for the end of his sufferings, and
tryin~ to ima~ine the unimaginable welcome in that paradise he so
lon~ed for and deserved.

The funeral the next day, January 18, two days before his
93d birthday~ was serene~ poignant, and . spiritually as well as
visually beautiful.   It took place in the hi~hest level of a
cemetery with a georgous panorama. After the words and prayers
no one wanted to leave for a long time.
Rodrigo Tomas had flown up from Costa Rica representing the
Counselors and stated that he did not come to commiserate with
"'-
the BahaJia of El Salvador for the passing of Artemua Lamb, but
to rejoice with them for the blessing of having the earthly
remains of such a beloved, wonderful, devoted servant of the
Cause laid to rest their country. Then he read those lines from
the last selection in Prayers and Meditations (CLXXXIV.- p 326-7)
where Baha1u1llah asks God to create "for those of Thy people who
are "wholly devoted to Thee and for such of Thy loved ones as
love Thee .... Thy - paradise of transcendent holiness and to exal t
it above everything except Thee. and to sanctify it from aught
else save Thyself ... "

The day after the funeral the NSA received this E-mail from
Haifa which was read at the prayer service attended by believers
and friends alike:

Deep1,V deplore 1055 outstanding longtime servant
BaluiJ u J11cfh. dearly-loved Artemus Lamb. We11-niph six
decades his noble--hearted,      se1f--effacing devotion to
needs Faith unforpettab1e. Recall with keen admiration
sterling achievements pioneering and administrc1tive
fields Latin America, culminating seventeen .velll'S as
Conti11el1tal Counselor.    Confident his life of service
will parner immense reward Abha Kingdom.          Urge hold
befitting memorial gatherings in Houses of WOl'ship
Wilmette and Panama and other countries where he
labored so long.         Praying fervently progress his
luminous spirit.      Kindl.v extend our condolences his
many friends and        admirers.     With loving    Baha""j
greetil1{:!s.
Universal House of Justice.

Quentin Farrand, Jan 31, 1998
(With the help of Artemus Lamb~s notes).
-- Artemus Lamb, 1905-1998 (Used by permission of the curator)