Thomas Breakwell
British Baha'i / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Thomas Breakwell (1872–1902) was the first Englishman to enter the Baháʼí Faith and the first to make the pilgrimage to Acre, Israel (a.k.a. ʻAkká). He was also the first western Baháʼí to give the Huqúqu'lláh "Right of God", a voluntary contribution to the head of the religion and considered a way to purify one's possessions. He was taught the Baháʼí Faith by May Bolles (later to become May Maxwell) while on vacation in the summer of 1901 in Paris, then immediately went on a pilgrimage to meet ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Faith and His appointed successor) in ʻAkká that same summer. At ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's request, Breakwell took up permanent residence in Paris, where he worked enthusiastically to teach the religion and help develop the Paris Baháʼí community. Thomas Breakwell died of tuberculosis on 13 June 1902, less than one year after joining the religion.
From the Baháʼí perspective, the significance of Thomas Breakwell's life lies not in his material or professional accomplishments, but rather in his spiritual capacity. His purity, detachment and intense devotion were noted by a number of those who met him, most significantly and most keenly by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. In 1955 Shoghi Effendi, then head of the religion, lauded Breakwell as one of the United Kingdom's three luminaries of the Baháʼí Faith.