Powerful Spirit: Ruth Moffett by Diane Findlay

While I was seriously investigating the Faith in Cedar Rapids but had not yet declared my faith, I was invited to a talk in Iowa City, sponsored by the LSA there. It was sometime in late 1975 or early ’76. The speaker was a woman named Ruth Moffett, whose biography from BAHA’IPEDIA is linked elsewhere on this page. Though I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, she was a lifelong, tireless, totally devoted servant of the Faith who received specific guidance in her work from the Guardian. (NOTE: The bio says she wasn’t giving talks at this time. Perhaps they were rare, but I know she gave this one!) At any rate, she had developed a chart detailing the rise and fall of human civilizations in relation to the appearance of the Divine Manifestations, which was the subject of her presentation that evening. I listened to the talk with rapt attention. By this time Mrs. Moffett was quite elderly and certainly not in her prime as a speaker. But there was something about her that strongly attracted me. When she finished her talk, LSA chairman Michael Cavitt invited everyone to the refreshment table and announced that Mrs. Moffett would be happy to answer questions. As several people approached and surrounded, I had only one thought in my mind—She would not be able to get to the refreshment table! I felt a great desire to be the one to serve her in this way. Understand, that was not typical for the person I was at the time. I would more characteristically have been among the questioners. But I found myself moving through the crowd to ask Ruth if I could bring her something to eat and drink. She said yes. I did and I felt so honored! I can’t explain it, but there was something about this small, frail old woman that touched something in me far beyond my level of spiritual development at the time. Truly a powerful spirit!