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Bahá’í News

January 1976

Bahá’í Year 132

Mother of the Temple

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Contents

Mother of the Temple	1
The story of the Hand of the Cause of God Corinne Knight True
The spirit of Quechua	11
Report on the Bahá’í International Conference in Peru
International	14
Paris Conference, Counsellor’s journey, European institutions meeting
Around the world	16
Alaska, Argentina, Canada, Hawaiian Islands, Italy, United States

page 19

page 17

page 11

On the cover: the House of Worship at Wilmette, Illinois, and the Hand of the Cause of God Corinne True, left, Mother of the Temple. At right is Mrs. Cecelia Harrison who helped Mrs. True locate the Temple site.

Bahá’í News is published monthly for circulation among Bahá’ís only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to: Bahá’í News Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A.

Change of address should be reported directly to Office of Membership and Records, National Bahá’í Center, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A

Subscription rates: one year, US $8; two years, US $15.

Second class postage paid at Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

Copyright ® 1976, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

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Mother of the Temple

The story of Hand of the Cause of God
Corinne Knight True

by Bruce Whitmore

A gentle breeze caressingly bent a rich carpet of grass toward the peaceful Ohio River while the sun danced between patches of fleecy clouds. From the river’s edge, the land rose slowly toward the crest of a distant hill which was crowned by the plantation’s main house.

Corinne Knight bent forward and lovingly stroked the flowing mane of her horse. They both were anxious to be moving again, but they would wait patiently until her father finished inspecting the cotton. Corinne often accompanied her father on tours of the property; she was the eldest child and he frequently involved her in activities traditionally reserved for a son. Their love and affection for each other were intense.

Moses Green Knight had been a Presbyterian minister, but was forced to retire when quite young due to a throat ailment. He fell in love with Martha Thomas, an only child who had inherited a plantation in Oldham County, just outside Louisville, Kentucky. She also inherited some 30 slaves, but being master of another person’s destiny was morally intolerable to Moses, and he declared that the slaves must be given their liberty. Martha’s family, however, had always treated their slaves well, and the majority did

[Page 2] Corinne True and her youngest child, Nathaniel. This picture was taken a few weeks before Nathaniel was stricken by diphtheria in 1898. He died in 1899, one of four children that Mrs. True lost.

not want to leave the plantation home. Finally, Moses agreed they could remain in his employ as free people. He constructed several new houses, erected a school, and hired a teacher to educate them. He provided for their every need.

Born on her father’s birthday, November 1, 1861, Corinne was reared in an environment which reflected all of the culture and charm associated with the South. Her early education was provided by tutors, and she was an excellent student. She developed extensive knowledge of the Bible, primarily because of her father’s demands that it be studied constantly. Due to his orthodox, ministerial background, Moses Knight was a very strict father, but the lives of his six children were filled with happiness and gaiety.

In the mid-1870s, when Corinne was in her early teens, life on the plantation ended abruptly when the family moved to Chicago, Illinois. A house on the city’s west side was purchased, and the Knight family began a new way of life.

After completing high school, Corinne left the new house on Adams Street to attend a noted Southern finishing school. Thomas, the second oldest child, was enrolled in Williams College in Massachusetts. Two younger sisters (the other two children died) were sent later to Vassar College in New York, an opportunity available to very few women at that time. Both of these girls died of tuberculosis in their early twenties, leaving Corinne and Thomas the only surviving children. Their relationship remained intensely close throughout the years, and, although he never became a Bahá’í, Thomas held immense respect for the Faith.

While Corinne was away at school, new neighbors from Maine moved into the house next door. She returned on holiday and heard nothing but praise for them. When she met the son, Moses Adams True, love blossomed instantly. At first, her father did not object, but when Corinne returned home after graduating and it became apparent the romance was serious, he forbade Moses True to continue seeing his daughter. He remained adamant in his lifelong desire that his daughter marry into a Southern family.

The bond between Corinne and Moses True was very strong and, despite her father’s wishes, they were married on June 24, 1882. Her father was deeply hurt and bewildered. Social standards, which designated the father as the absolute master of the household, made Corinne’s disobedient act intolerable and caused a grievous rift between father and daughter that lasted nearly 10 years, bringing both of them profound sorrow.

The young Trues remained in Chicago until the birth of their first daughter, Harriet Merrill, on August 20, 1883. Then they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, hoping the distance might help ease family tensions. During the several years they remained in Michigan, Laurence Knight, Charles Gilbert Davis, Edna Miriam, and Arna Corinne were born. One day Thomas, who had graduated from law school and opened a practice in Chicago, came to visit and told Corinne of the deep grief both parents felt over the loss of their daughter. They were very eager to make amends and wanted her to return. Corinne and Moses agreed, and her father gave them the house on Adams Street where the True family spent the next several years.

Not long after they returned, tragedy struck a devastating blow, altering Corinne’s life forever. Harriet, a lovely girl who was nearly 10 and who constantly delighted her mother with her warm personality and intense love of life, fell down the basement stairs, dying shortly afterward from the injuries. Corinne was crushed. Her faith in God was shaken severely by an event for which she could find no reason, no purpose. Serious questions about the meaning of life haunted her, and a search for answers was destined to lead her to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

For almost seven years, the search continued. She devoted considerable time to the Unity Movement and then to Christian Science. Her soul still restless, she became involved in an offshoot of Christian Science known as Divine Science. At first, the spiritual chasm that had developed in her life was bridged, but when overwhelming misfortune again invaded the True household, that spiritual support vanished quickly. Nathaniel, her youngest son (who along with a set of twins, Kenneth and Katherine, had been born in the Adams Street house), contracted diphtheria late in 1898. He was near death when given an injection of a newly discovered drug that seemed to miraculously cure him. Suddenly, several weeks later, on May 3, 1899, he died of heart failure.

It was during this overwhelming period of grief when Corinne was trying to regain her perspective on life that a close friend told her of a lecture she had attended the previous evening and how she had been impressed with the knowledge and wisdom of the Persian speakers who described a new religion. Corinne agreed to attend a lecture and recognized almost instantly that Bahá’u’lláh is God’s Messenger for this age.*

It was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s first tablet to Corinne, written after He learned of the suffering this new believer had experienced, that finally brought peace and comfort to her troubled soul:

O thou who art tested with a great calamity!

Be not grieved nor troubled because of the loss which hath befallen thee—a loss that caused the tears to flow, sighs to be produced, sorrow to exist, and hearts to burn in great agony; but know, this hath reference only to the physical body, and if thou considerest this matter with a discerning and intelligent eye, thou wilt find that it hath no power whatsoever, for separation belongeth to the characteristics of the body. But concerning the spirit, know that thy pure son shall be with thee in the Kingdom of God, and thou shalt witness his smiling face, illumined brow, handsome spirit, and real happiness. Accordingly, thou wilt then be comforted and thank God for His favor upon thee.¹

_____
*It must be noted that Corinne True’s declaration occurred in 1899, as verified by her own hand, most probably in the latter part of the year. It has been reported previously that her Persian teachers were the same teachers ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent here after the defection of Dr. Ibrahim Khayr’u’lláh. This, however, cannot be correct since the first of these teachers, Jájí ‘Abdu’l-Karím-i-Ṭihrání, did not arrive in New York until May of 1900 (see The Bahá’í Centenary 1844-1944, page 143). She may have heard Dr. Khayr’u’lláh, although he was out of the country for an extended period of time, not returning until December, 1899 (see God Passes By, page 259). In addition, it has been recorded previously that it was Harriet’s death that led Corinne directly to the Faith. Although she may have found the Faith prior to Nathaniel’s death, at least he would have already been ill since he contracted diphtheris in 1898. If she did enter the Faith before his death, there is a very long, uncharacteristic delay (seventeen months) between his passing and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s first tablet to Corinne in which He consoled her over her loss. This time lapse allows for reasonable speculation that Corinne entered the Faith during the latter months of 1899 and that the Master’s response (received by Corinne in October of 1900) came as soon as He learned of the incident. Hopefully, future historians will uncover documents which will clarify these points. This notation, however, is provided expressly so that further confusion will not arise as a result of this article.—Author

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Death claims another son, but Corinne True’s faith was reinforced by another tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Her attention was diverted effectively to teaching the Cause of God.

Corinne had great services to perform, and the strength of her faith was to be further tested and galvanized. Within weeks of the arrival of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s tablet, Kenneth, one of the twins, also contracted diphtheria. Like his brother before him, he seemed to improve and then suddenly died of heart failure. Only after it was too late for the True family did scientists discover that the new medicine being used so widely had a side effect of weakening the heart and was the real cause of the two boys’ deaths. Again, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá consoled Corinne:

O thou who art patient and resigning thyself to the judgment (of God)!

Be not grieved at the calamity which hath unexpectedly come upon thee and for the misfortune which heavily weigheth upon thee. It behooveth one like thee to endure every trial, to be pleased with the decree and to commit all thy affairs to God, so that thou mayest be a calm, approved and pleasing soul before God. Know thou, that thy beloved son hath soared, with the wing of the soul, up to the loftiest height which is never-ending in the Kingdom of God. Rejoice at this great prosperity which the chosen ones were longingly asking from the Holy and Exalted Threshold (of God). Truly, I say unto thee, wert thou informed of the position in which is thy son, thy face would be illumined by the lights of happiness and thou wouldst long for ascending to that praiseworthy position.²

Corinne was calmed, and peace again filled her soul. Her faith and courage allowed her to divert effectively her attention to many other demands.

At the turn of the century, the Bahá’í community in Chicago was quite large. Although there is no present knowledge of the exact figures, there were at least 500 and most likely 700 to 800 members. Most of these people, attracted by a few of the basic principles, had little real concept of the Faith’s purpose. It was common for Bahá’ís to attend their various churches on Sunday morning and then gather in the afternoon for general conversation and contemplation about such subjects as world peace and unity.

Corinne, however, was constantly teaching, both in and away from her home. Her scholarly knowledge of the Bible was of great assistance. Many of the people she taught were confused by the myriad prophecies, and she could easily unravel numerous mysteries of the Bible, assisting them to gain insight and understanding.

Corinne was instrumental in bringing the Faith to many areas of Wisconsin and in helping the Kenosha (Wisconsin) community to develop strength. She also introduced the Faith to Michigan (where the family continued to reside each summer), establishing communities in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Grand Haven, Fruitport, and elsewhere.

Even with the overpowering sadness of the loss of three children, the True family was one of the happiest imaginable. Corinne and Moses were devoted to the children and spent every spare moment with them. The house was like a magnet, drawing large numbers of neighborhood children and involving them in numerous and diverse activities. Corinne’s attitudes toward the rearing of children were influenced strongly by the Master, who wrote her:

It is incumbent upon thee to nurture them from the breast of the love of God, to urge them towards spiritual matters, to turn unto God and acquire good manners, best characteristics and praiseworthy virtues and qualities in the world of humanity, and to study sciences with the utmost diligence; so that they may become spiritual, heavenly and attracted to the fragrances of sanctity from their childhood and be reared in a religious, spiritual and heavenly training. Verily, I beg God to confirm them therein.³

In addition to teaching and rearing her children (Harlan Ober,

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Master explains the equality of men and women and assigns to Corinne True a great responsibility in the early work toward the construction of that unifying edifice, the Mother Temple of the West.

one of the early Chicago believers, fondly recalled years later that “she and May Maxwell were two of the wisest mothers I have known”⁴), Corinne was continually studying and deepening her understanding of God’s infant Cause. From the time of her acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh until her first pilgrimage in 1907, she was slowly nurtured for the invaluable work she was to accomplish later through 19 tablets sent her by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (this number would rise to more than 50 by the time of His Ascension in 1921). One of His recurrent themes was firmness in the Covenant, and her degree of understanding was later to prove vital to the solidarity of the American community. One ‎beatiful beautiful‎ example He provided is found in a tablet written in 1902 in which He addressed her as, “O thou loving torch, flaming by the fire of the Love of God!”:

How many souls advanced unto God, entered the shadow of the Word of God and became celebrated in the world, as Judas Iscariot. Then, when the tests became severe and trials great, their feet turned from the path; turned from confession to denial; changed from love and affection to severe enmity. Then the power of tests, whereby the foundations shake, were manifested.

Judas Iscariot was one of the greatest disciples, was called unto Jesus; he thought that Jesus increased his kindness to Peter, the disciple, when saying to him: “Thou art Peter; upon thee I shall build my church.” This speech affecting Peter with a special impression whereby envy was created in the heart of Judas and, therefore, he turned after advancing, denied after confessing, hated after loving, until he became the cause of the crucifixion of the Glorious Lord and Manifest Light. This is the end of envy which causes people to turn from the right path. Such has taken place and will occur in this Great Cause; but there is no harm in it, as it is the cause of manifesting the firmness of the rest and the arising of the firm souls who are as solid as the lofty mountains in the love of the Manifest Light.⁵

The infant Bahá’í community in Chicago reflected that period’s social standard of male authority by allowing only men to serve on the “House of Spirituality,” the administrative forerunner of that city’s Local Spiritual Assembly. Whether this standard actually caused dissension and disharmony within the community is unclear. However, increasing attention was being focused on women’s rights and, although little knowledge was available concerning Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings on the subject, there was a growing awareness that the role of women as conceived within the framework of a Bahá’í social order was radically different than the role given women by society at that time.

It was not long before the women in Chicago formed a group known as the Women’s Assembly of Teaching. The purpose of this group was to further the teaching work and the women became extremely active in conducting firesides, deepenings, and public meetings. Corinne was instrumental in forming the group. Carl Scheffler, an early believer who served for many years as treasurer of the House of Spirituality, stated shortly after Corinne’s death that the establishment of the group was her idea. She was the assembly’s first president and was the recipient of several tablets which the Master revealed for the group. In one of these, written in 1902, he declared that men and women were equal in the sight of God and He praised the noble efforts of the women involved with the Assembly of Teaching:

O maid-servant of God! Know thou that in the sight of God, the conduct of women is the same as that of men. All are the creatures of God and He has created them after His form and likeness; that is to say, after the form and likeness of the Manifestations of His names and His attributes. From the spiritual point of view, therefore, there is no difference between women and men. “The nearer we draw to God, the nearer He comes to us” without regard to whether the person be a man or a woman. How many women, thus drawn to God, have surpassed men in the shadow of Bahá in bringing men under it—women famous throughout the world! ... And as to you—you other maid-servants attracted by the perfume of God—establish spiritual gatherings (assemblies) and heavenly meetings. This work is the beginning of the diffusing of the perfume of God and the foundation of the elevating of the Word of God and the making known of the commandments of God. Is there a blessing greater than this? These spiritual gatherings (assemblies) are sustained (reinforced) by the Spirit of God, and their protector is Abdul-Baha, who spreads his wings (over) above them. Is there a blessing greater than this? These spiritual gatherings (assemblies) are glowing lamps and heavenly gardens which cast the light of knowledge upon the contingent world and cause the spirit of life to penetrate every quarter. This, then, is the best means of the progress of the human race in all conditions and circumstances. Is there a greater blessing than this?⁶

In March 1903, the House of Spirituality addressed an appeal to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to allow them to construct a House of Worship. He sent them two tablets, accepting their request. Eight days after the second arrived, Corinne received a tablet. She had not been the least interested when learning of the House of Spirituality’s intentions and was greatly surprised by the tablet’s contents:

[Page 5] Bahá’ís gather at the True home in the latter part of 1908. Some of the persons identified are, from left, Katherine True, Moses True, Corinne True, Cecelia Harrison, Carl Scheffler (young man with glasses), and Thornton Chase, the tall man on the right.

... He wrote me instructions about the Temple to my utter astonishment that placed a great responsibility on my shoulders. So, being the President of our women’s work, I took the matter before them and we raised a small sum of money, appointed a treasurer and held it in the bank ...⁷

That same tablet contained some of the most well-known statements of the Master regarding the Temple:

Now the day has arrived in which the edifice of God, the divine sanctuary, the spiritual temple, shall be erected in America! I entreat God to assist the confirmed believers in accomplishing this great service and with entire zeal to rear this mighty structure which shall be renowned throughout the world. The support of God will be with those believers in that district that they may be successful in their undertaking, for the Cause is great and great; because this is the first Mashrak-el-Azcar in that country and from it the praise of God shall ascend to the Kingdom of Mystery and the tumult of His exaltation and greetings from the whole world shall be heard!

Whosoever arises for the service of this building shall be assisted with a great power from His Supreme Kingdom and upon him spiritual and heavenly blessings shall descend, which shall fill his heart with wonderful consolation and enlighten his eyes by beholding the glorious and eternal God.⁸

Although Corinne, the Women’s Assembly of Teaching and even the House of Spirituality never lost interest in the Temple, relative inactivity marked the first four of the 50-year history of its raising. The Faith in America was still in its infancy, it had been embraced by relatively few adherents and its administrative structure, undefined and generally ineffective, was not prepared to direct such a monumental task. Compounding this situation was confusion regarding several of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statements concerning the building, plus a concentration by the majority of Bahá’ís on other activities.

Toward the end of this period, when the Temple was destined to emerge as the instrument for the unification of the American Bahá’í community, a dying woman came to the Women’s Assembly of Teaching and pleaded with the believers to care for her two small children. The women voted to remove the money from the Temple bank account and to purchase a home for the children and their grandmother in Muskegon, Michigan. Consultation on this matter caused the women to center their interest once more on the Temple. They decided it was their obligation to move the project forward. In a letter written several months later Corinne, commenting on the four years of inactivity, noted how man tends to serve God in the way he thinks best rather than trying to comprehend the manner in which God wants him to arise and be of service. She then declared:

The Messengers bring us God’s way and it is for man to completely sacrifice his will, his judgment, his reason and accept the commands of God’s mouthpiece. The tablets reveal to us that “... the most important matter today is to establish a Mashrak-el-Azkar and to found a Temple ...”⁹

A second event that played a part in the resurgence of interest in the Temple occurred at approximately the same time. Laurence, Corinne’s oldest son and the apple of his mother’s eye, was completing his education at the University of Michigan. A job and the girl he intended to marry were both awaiting his graduation. To hurry that date, he decided to attend the summer session of 1906. Being very athletic, he devoted his weekends to sailing, one of the most popular summer sports.

The year’s most important race, held on Saginaw Bay, was scheduled for August 5. He returned to the summer cottage in Fruitport the day before the race, joining the celebration of both his fiancee’s and his sister Edna’s birthdays. The following morning he regretted he could not remain at home with the family, but knew his obligation was to his teammates.

Saginaw Bay is noted for its treacherous winds. About midway through the race, as Laurence made his way forward along the deck of the sailboat to adjust the jib, a sudden gust whipped the sail across the deck. He was knocked into the water, apparently unconscious, and it was a week before his body was recovered.

It was the Master who again provided comfort for Corinne:

Do not grieve on account of the death of thy son, neither sigh nor lament. That nightingale soared upward to the divine rosegarden; that drop returned to the most great ocean of Truth; that foreigner hastened to his native abode; and that ill one found salvation and life eternal.

Why shouldst thou be sad and heartbroken? This separation is temporal; this remoteness and sorrow are counted only by days. Thou shalt find him in the Kingdom of God and thou wilt attain to the everlasting union. Physical companionship is ephemeral, but heavenly association is eternal. Whenever thou rememberest the eternal and never-ending union, thou wilt be comforted and blissful.¹⁰

Laurence’s sudden death prompted Corinne to request permission to visit ‘Akká. The Women’s Assembly of Teaching decided to distribute a petition throughout the country calling for construction to begin:

[Page 6] The delegates to the first Bahá’í Temple Unity Convention, assembled on the front porch of the True home in Chicago, March 1909.

To our Lord, Abdul-Baha,

We, the undersigned, desire to arise for the erection of the first Mashrak-el-Azkar in America in compliance with the Tablets revealed on behalf of this great Spiritual Edifice.¹¹

It was their intention that Corinne take the document to the Master. The simple sheets of notepaper soon bore hundreds of signatures from Bahá’ís in numerous communities. As they were returned, Moses True glued them together to form a long scroll, which was rolled and placed in a tin cylinder.

The bond between ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the early believers was very intense; they felt a close, personal relationship in which they looked upon Him as they would their own father and, simultaneously, they revered Him as their Lord. It is not surprising that, as the day of departure neared, many of the friends came to visit and asked Corinne to take to the Master small presents, such as pictures of their children, shawls, etc., as well as letters with numerous questions and requests for Him to give Persian names to their children. When Corinne departed from Chicago, her luggage included a huge suitcase filled with gifts and letters.

The years 1905 and 1906 had witnessed a relaxation of the pressures exerted on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá by the enemies of the Faith. Then early in 1907, a Commission of Enquiry, encouraged by those same enemies, arrived in ‘Akká and life once again became difficult. “Spies were once again planted around the house of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and once again people were kept away. Even the poor of ‘Akká dared not come, as was their wont on Fridays, to receive alms.”¹² It was under these conditions that Corinne and her daughter Arna, now a young girl, arrived. They were required to land at Haifa and wait there until it was safe to go to the Master’s house in ‘Akká. Debarking at Haifa was a memorable experience in itself. Thornton Chase, whose party of pilgrims arrived shortly after Corinne departed, wrote of the adventure in his book, In Galilee:

... As the steamer anchored, a fleet of boats came racing toward the ship.... Each was manned by eight to ten swarthy, sturdy, red-fezzed boatmen handling as many long, heavy, square-handled oars.... It was an exciting welcome, the crews rising and sinking, the boats lifting through the waves and almost in collision, the stirring cries keeping time and becoming louder and more intense as they approached.

When entering the boat, the passenger has to submit entirely to the crew. One goes down the slippery steps on the ship’s side to the little hanging platform and as the light boat rises on a wave to meet it, one or two of the Arab sailors seizes him (or her) in his arms, holds him as the boat sinks, and bears him to a seat. The process is repeated at the landing place where each person is lifted by strong arms from the boat as it rises to the dock. So we entered ‎Palestone Palestine‎.¹³

After Corinne and Arna had been deposited safely on the dock, they were escorted to the Hospice of the Little Child, an inn that was part of the German Templar colony, established in Haifa in 1843 in expectation of the return of Christ, an event the group had been convinced would occur on Mt. Carmel. Prior to her departure, Corinne had received instructions to remain at the inn until she was contacted.

It was two days before a Persian appeared with a note from the Master directing Corinne and Arna to accompany him. The roads to ‘Akká were very poor, so they were required to travel along the hard sands of the Mediterranean Sea, riding in a wagon with wooden benches for seats and a roof made of cloth.

Finally, they reached the house of ‘Abdu’llah Páshá, where the Master had resided since 1897 and where Shoghi Effendi had been born. They entered the complex through an archway of red brick, crossed an open courtyard, and ascended a long and weatherbeaten flight of steps, which opened into a smaller court surrounded by whitewashed walls. Their room contained two small beds, a wooden bench, and a table that was always adorned with fresh flowers. Straw matting covered the stone floor. From the window, they could see the old sea wall and the blue waters of the Mediterranean.

They had entered a prison in which every action of ’Abdu’l-Bahá and the members of His household was monitored and controlled. Yet within those walls, they were encircled by such an outpouring of love and a sense of peace and security that the anguish and suffering of a spiritually starved world seemed a universe away. Earlier, the Master had written a tender and loving tablet to Corinne in which He, noting “thy sorrow, the shedding of thy tears and the glowing of thy heart on account of the imprisonment of Abdul Baha,” said:

O maid-servant of God! This prison is indeed more precious and sweet than a garden to me, this fetter is greater than any liberty, and the confinement is broader than the most spacious wilderness. Therefore, grieve not on this account....¹⁴

At last, Corinne understood.

Sometime during the late afternoon or early evening of that first day, they were instructed to gather in the reception room where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá customarily greeted the pilgrims. Since she had transported so many gifts, Corinne decided it would be practical

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During those memorable days under ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s blessed roof, Corinne True is commanded to arise and totally dedicate her energies toward the House of Worship.

to begin delivering them as soon as possible. With arms filled, she and Arna entered the room, placed the packages and envelopes on a table, and sat down on one of the several divans that lined the walls. Corinne then carefully positioned the precious scroll, which contained nearly 1,000 signatures, behind her back to keep it secure until the right moment arrived for its presentation.

When the Master entered the room, He welcomed the pilgrims in a majestic and ringing voice and took a seat across the room from Corinne. After inquiring about each person’s journey, He asked her about the health and happiness of the friends in Chicago. She told Him of the many gifts she had and began to describe those in front of her, but before she could finish, the Master arose and crossed the room. To her astonishment, He reached behind her, took the scroll, and held it high, exclaiming:

“This, ... this is what gives me great joy.” “Go back, ... go back and work for the Temple; it is a great work.”¹⁵

‘Abdu’l-Bahá then picked up a pencil and paper and, while explaining that the structure’s basic design must include a dome, nine sides, and nine entryways, drew a basic outline of the building.

Corinne was overwhelmed. The Master’s reaction was beyond her fondest expectations. His specific command for her to arise and totally dedicate her energies seemed, however, a mighty and impossible task. She found herself filled with doubt as to her capabilities. A further conflict was that she and Moses longed to return to Grand Rapids and had already made plans to move. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laid down the pencil and, raising His head, gazed into her eyes with great intensity. He told her that she must remain in Chicago and concentrate on the erection of the Temple:

“Devote yourself to this project—make a beginning, and all will come right.”¹⁶

Later Corinne would recount her impressions of the Master’s household:

... We had spent six memorable days under His blessed roof as His guests, and each day seemed as if we could not say goodbye and go away from the kind, loving Master, whose very footsteps and tones of voice we had learned to listen for on the stone pavement of the court upon which our room opened. It is a remarkable thing how all these little things weave a golden network of love about the heart, and you forget the world and all its burdens and cares, and think only of the beautiful Master and His Holy Words, every one carrying a marvelous lesson with it which expands and expands in meaning as you apply its heavenly significance to the objects of life. We felt our littleness all the time while there, not because we were made to feel this but because in the Presence of so great a Light our capacity dwindled to a mere atom ....

The life lived and not preached is what creates the wonderful atmosphere of that Home. It is natural and normal and easy. No one ever criticizes or finds fault with anyone—they only see the good in everyone, even those who have made the prison life for them.¹⁷

While Corinne and the other pilgrims were being immersed in a vast outpouring of knowledge from the Master, Arna’s young spirit was quite restless. The journey had been an exhausting experience. On the first morning Arna failed to arise for prayers, greatly displeasing her mother. Two days later she was rested but terribly bored by the confinement. At lunch ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asked her if she was happy, and she candidly replied that she was not. As Corinne paled over the presumptive response of her daughter, a smile spread across ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s face. He leaned forward slightly and asked Arna if she would be happier playing with the Persian children in another part of the house.

Arna was delighted. Her intense love and understanding of children was to evolve into a major aspect of her life. In later years, she devoted herself to rearing a marvelous family of her own and contributed to the training of many other young people.

The children of the Holy Household fell in love with Arna. It was not long before all of them, including 10-year-old Shoghi Effendi, knew every American game she could remember. The Master was enchanted when one afternoon he entered the courtyard and found Arna with an excited group of youngsters playing jump rope.

As was true of many Americans during their stay in ‘Akká, Corinne felt a certain discomfort because of differences in culture and language. This discomfort was most evident when the Master was absent and those present spoke no English. One particularly disquieting experience occurred one afternoon as Corinne sat in her room writing letters. Responding to a knock at the door, she opened it to find a veiled Persian girl. Smiling sweetly, she motioned the girl into the room, and they sat down facing each other. As one minute faded into another and the silence grew more pronounced, Corinne’s uneasiness increased steadily. Suddenly she experienced a series of rapid emotional changes ranging from shock to relief to a fury of which only a mother is capable as the girl, bursting into uncontrollable laughter, threw back her veil to reveal herself as Arna.

Another event that deeply moved Corinne, though in an entirely different way, she later described in a letter:

[Page 8]

Within weeks friends from other parts of the country were sending money, inspired by numerous personal letters from Corinne describing her experiences in ‘Akká. She concentrated on dispelling many of the misunderstandings and misgivings.

As we were preparing to drive out to the Tomb (of Bahá’u’lláh) with the Holy Mother and two of the daughters ..., the Blessed Master came to the door of our room ..., standing there in deepest humility and sincerity. That Holy Man begged a favor of me, and that was to kiss the Threshold of the Holy Tomb for Him as He had not been permitted to go to it for three or four years. Dear Sister, if ever in my life I felt brokenhearted, it was at this.¹⁸

On the last afternoon of the visit, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told Corinne that He wanted her to become a lover of humanity. This statement was very surprising for she already considered herself as one who readily loved and respected people. The Master, however, was talking about a love more vast than anything she had ever experienced; a love that embraced every living person rather than just a few personal friends; a love which would never be tarnished nor lessened by any outward considerations. The Master likened the soul to a letter from one’s beloved upon which was engraved a message of priceless beauty. Although the letter might be in an envelope that was soiled, torn, and nearly destroyed, that message could never be altered or diminished. In like manner, the capacity of an individual’s soul, irrespective of any outward conditions, can never be judged; and only through unbounded love for that individual can we fulfill our responsibility of supporting and encouraging that soul to attain its God-given potential.

Corinne loved being at home. The greatest enjoyment of her travels came when sitting amidst the comfort of familiar surroundings, contemplating her many adventures. Leaving the Master would be incredibly painful, and she dreaded facing it; but once gone, she longed to reach home as quickly as possible. Imagine her surprise when, just prior to her departure, the Master said to proceed to Paris and then London to meet with the friends and convey His love. It was a difficult task, but never once during 62 years as a Bahá’í did she hesitate, even for a moment, to carry out any instruction given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá or Shoghi Effendi.

The time for departure arrived, and Corinne, who was always capable of outwardly controlling her emotions, fought desperately to hold back the tears as she said goodbye to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The incredible impact of that visit can be discerned partly from a letter she wrote a few weeks later:

People come to me almost every day to know if I found in Acca what I expected. I often reply to them, “would to God I had the power to expect what I found in Acca.” No mortal man has the capacity to comprehend the Master of Acca whom the Manifestation declared to be “The Mystery of God.” Truly, truly, truly is that His Station. Every day, since that never to be forgotten visit, do things reveal themselves to me that at the time I saw and heard them they were not realized and this will continue throughout Eternity. Our Lord told me it was utterly impossible for me to realize what my visit meant but that it would bear fruits which would last through Eternity. I found Him so tremendously Powerful that I have not recovered from the astonishment yet. I really was not prepared for such a Manifestation of Power. I expected the Love but pictured Abdul Baha as the Christian does the meek, humble Nazareen. I found Him to be a powerful Dynamo—a Lion—as well as the Most Majestic Personage I ever hope to see....¹⁹

Leaving Haifa, Corinne and Arna journeyed to Naples where a letter from Moses informed them that Arthur Agnew, another early Chicago believer, and his family would be arriving shortly en route to visit ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They decided to wait for the Agnews’ ship, which docked two days later.

We jumped into a cab and went flying to the boat landing and there we had the surprise of our lives. Instead of just the Agnew family, we found also Charlie Scheffler and Mr. Chase. None of them knew we were in town either, so the surprise was equally great to both sides. After a few delays, all secured rooms at our hotel, and we were one happy family. I tell you ... we see each other’s faults tremendously when working closely together; but after a little separation, these faults fade away, and the noble qualities shine brighter and brighter. It was just as if the members of the party were one soul that we met that Easter Sunday.... We fulfilled literally Jesus’ injunction: “Ye must become as little children.” We ate cake and drank lemonade like a lot of boys and girls, some going to the Blessed Master and some returning from the Holy Visit! You can picture the feelings of us all.²⁰

Several years later, Carl Scheffler would write that as their group was preparing to leave ‘Akká, Thornton Chase asked ‘Abdu’l-Bahá what instructions He had concerning the Temple. He replied, “When you return consult with Mrs. True—I have given her complete instructions.”²¹ This is a particularly interesting statement since all three men were members of the House of Spirituality.

Corinne traveled to Paris and London as directed, conveying the Master’s love and initiating a kinship with believers from other lands that would grow at an astonishing rate as, faithful to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s command, she devoted her life to the raising of

[Page 9] In front of the True home on Kenmore Avenue, Chicago. The room at the top of the house is where the first Bahá’í Temple Unity Convention was held on March 21-23, 1909.

God’s mighty edifice. Some months after returning, Corinne wrote another believer who was leaving to visit several European centers. The following brief excerpts strongly reflect the close bonds Corinne had established:

I had a blessed week with the Bahais in London and found them in a perfectly beautiful condition ... present my greetings and tell them I feel so a part of their Assembly that I am never away from them. I think of them night and day....

... If I allow myself to go on I shall write pages and pages for the memories of the beloved of God whom I met in the cities I passed through are the next dearest to my heart to the memories of Acca and Haifa.²²

From the moment of her return, Corinne’s preeminent goal was obvious. Moses lovingly agreed to remain in Chicago and they began looking for a larger house. Within weeks friends from other parts of the country were sending money, inspired by numerous personal letters from Corinne describing her experiences in ‘Akká. Moses deposited each contribution in the Women’s Assembly of Teaching Temple account while Corinne, who was then serving as the Assembly’s secretary and treasurer, immediately communicated the amount to the House of Spirituality.

Corinne concentrated on dispelling many of the misunderstandings and misgivings which had developed since 1903. The following are typical comments from letters written within three months of her return:

It is an American Temple and not a Chicago Temple alone and therefore the responsibility rests at the door of every Bahai in this land to Arise with all the powers of his or her being to further this Work.²³

What an honor the Master has bestowed upon the Bahais of America to encourage us to Arise for the accomplishment of the Greatest Work ever accomplished in any Dispensation namely the building of a House of Worship during the Day of the Manifestation of the Spirit upon the earth.... Will you express to the Beloved of God the deep gratitude of the Chicago Assembly for this great help and encouragement (this refers to a contribution just received).

In some recent notes from Acca it was said that Jesus told His Disciples to build His Church and from that Word has come the outward manifestation of the multitudes of churches erected in His Name. Today Abdul Baha says build a Mashrak-el-Ascar in Chicago and it is coming most beautifully.²⁴

In another letter she expresses an overwhelming belief in the power of the Temple to unify the American Bahá’í community:

In reality, this marks the beginning of our nationality. If Baha-Ollah does not raise up a people, followers of His Book with a national life created by following His Laws and Ordinances, then He is less than even Abraham or Moses. Shall we not push forward with untold energy to prove Baha-Ollah is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings and show to the world the greatness of His Word?²⁵

In addition, her letters and a small booklet published shortly after the trip to ‘Akká shared many lessons learned from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. One favorite subject was the Fast, four days of which she had celebrated with the Master. A letter written the following year reflects an intense love and devotion for the Bahá’í month of Loftiness:

The Bahai Fast began yesterday, and we feel this is a most sacred time for the friends of God to prepare themselves as better fitted instruments for the influx of the Holy Spirit. It is a time of cleansing outwardly and inwardly—polishing both the lamp and the niche it stands in. A spring house cleaning time out and in....

Since Abdul Baha made me understand why at this particular time we are Commanded to keep the Fast, it has become a living, exhilarating ordinance to me, and I long for it. He showed me that it celebrates the time the Great Laws and Revelations were pouring out from God upon Baha’o’llah in such torrents that he was filled with the Heavenly meat and drink and needed not the material. So as we keep the Commemoration of this Mighty Outflow, we come closer into realization, and our spirits are advanced.²⁶

When the House of Spirituality formed teams to look for a possible tract of land, Corinne was in the forefront of the effort. While other groups looked along the southern shoreline, she and Mrs. Cecelia Harrison searched the north. Every Saturday afternoon they donned heavy shoes, rode the trolley to the end of the line and systematically examined every possible location along the lakefront. The search carried them through fields, over fences, and across streams until finally they came to an outcropping of land known as Grosse Point. They returned several times to pray and became convinced it was the place where the Temple should stand.

Corinne’s recounting of events involving the Temple was generally lengthy and detailed, unless a specific event reflected directly upon herself. In one letter written after she and Mrs. Harrison had found that spot, about which they were so thrilled,

[Page 10] two short lines describe the discovery. Even when, several years later, she wrote a history of the early years which was widely distributed, she failed to once mention her association with the project.

Nonetheless, it was not long before everyone considered her the focal point of the project, and she became known lovingly throughout the Bahá’í world as Mother True. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had designated several of the women believers as “mothers” of various communities, but Corinne was the undisputed “mother” of the Temple. Albert Windust, editor of Star of the West magazine and one of Corinne’s closest friends, once received a letter from a reader on the east coast who complained about the seeming dominance of women in so many of the affairs of the Cause, pointing to Corinne as a typical example. His reply defines with marvelous insight the ordained role of women during those early years:

These are the days of test; of transition. Everywhere humankind is in tumult. Look at the social, industrial, political, national, and religious map of the world today, and we behold a scene of strife. Although the Bahais are the party of Peace and forbidden to wage war by sword or tongue; yet it is not to be wondered at if these tender plants of a newer order are swayed and blighted by the chilling blasts of passing events....

The Cause of God needs women—especially spiritually poised women—free from “desire and hope.” Man is the seed sower; woman the seed grower. A glance at the growing institutions of the Cause reveals the especial devotion of some women. It is a sign that the Cause has taken root in America; that it is being “mothered” now.

It seems, therefore, that the Temple project has found a devoted “mother” in Mrs. True.... If this “mothering” is misinterpreted as “having control,” why then it must be admitted they have control.

It was some time before I saw this aspect of things. Manlike, I rebelled against the seeming open-handed kidnapping (pardon the expression) of the various institutions of the Cause by women; but now, I realize (being a father myself) that a man is more or less useless in the presence of an infant, and that a mother’s love and care are divinely appointed agencies to preserve the life of the child ...²⁷

Mr. Windust commented on the self-sacrificing quality of a mother and concluded his analogy by noting that as a child grows, the characteristics and capabilities of both parents are needed for its training; likewise, the same transition would occur as the Cause progressed.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1907, Corinne and eight others journeyed first to the most promising location south of the city and then, after a huge Thanksgiving dinner (“It was at first feared that such a feast of good things had incapacitated the delegates ...”²⁸), they traveled north to Grosse Point which was unanimously selected. It was not until April of the following year, however, that the House of Spirituality acted upon the recommendation of this group, purchased two of the 14 lots comprising the tract, and secured an option on the remaining 12.

Corinne wrote the Master the exciting news. She also expressed a deep concern about the capacity of the Chicago community to administer the project and questioned ‘Abdu’l-Bahá about the feasibility of broadening the administrative base. His answer initiated the laborious establishment of an institutional foundation upon which later would rest the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í world:

Concerning the members of this spiritual meeting, you suggested that they be selected from all the spiritual meetings of the other cities in America. I quite approve and am very much pleased with this plan. This will become the cause of harmony in the Word in all America. Therefore, ask every spiritual meeting in the other cities that they will select one and send him, and from these selected ones and with those who are selected from the Chicago meetings, establish a new meeting for the provision of the needs of the Temple. If this be established with perfect fragrance and joy, it will produce great results.²⁹

The next line of the tablet was to mark a major turning point in the recognition of and adherence to another basic principle of the Faith:

In this new meeting, especially for the establishment of the Temple, ladies are also to be members.³⁰

Concerning the involvement of women, Corinne later commented:

Should not a woman work her fingernails to the quick for the Mashrak-el-Azkar? For through its organization she is to take her stand side by side with man and both work as one soul to accomplish this mighty edifice ...³¹

To Be Continued

REFERENCES

1. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I (Chicago, Ill.: Bahai Publishing Society, 1909), pp. 85-86.
2. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, p. 86.
3. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, p. 87.
4. Letter from Harlan Ober, April 23, 1961, Private Collection of Continental Counsellor Edna M. True, Wilmette, Ill.
5. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, p. 88.
6. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, pp. 90-91.
7. Mrs. Charles Lincoln Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
8. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, pp. 96-97.
9. Mrs. Charles Lincoln Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
10. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, p. 99.
11. Mrs. Charles Lincoln Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
12. H. M. Balyuzi, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (London: George Ronald, 1971), p. 118.
13. Thornton Chase, In Galilee (Chicago, Ill.: Bahai Publishing Society, 1921), pp. 6-7.
14. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, p. 94.
15. Charlotte Linfoot, “In Memoriam: Corinne Knight True,” The Bahá’í World, Volume XIII, 1954-1963 (Haifa: 1970), p. 847.
16. Ibid.
17. Mrs. Helen Goodall Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
18. Mrs. Charles Lincoln Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
19. Ibid.
20. Letter from Carl Scheffler, June 6, 1961, Private Collection of Continental Counsellor Edna M. True, Wilmette, Ill.
21. Mrs. Helen Goodall Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
22. Ibid.
23. Ibid.
24. Mrs. Charles Lincoln Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
25. Mrs. Helen Goodall Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
26. Office Records of Star of the West Magazine, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
27. Corinne True, “Brief History of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in America to 1915,” Bahá’í Year Book, Volume I, 1925-1926 (New York: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1926), p. 67.
28. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Volume I, p. 100.
29. Ibid.
30. Mrs. Charles Lincoln Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.

[Page 11]

The Spirit of
QUECHUA

Segundo Curillo of Ecuador looks out across the ancient city of Machu-Picchu from the heights of Inti-Watana where the Most Holy Name was chanted.

Bahá’ís of Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia gathered in Cusco, Peru, for the Quechua Bahá’í Tandanakuy, the International Quechua Bahá’í Conference, August 20-24.

The entire conference was in the Quechua language, recently declared by the Peruvian government to be, with Spanish, an official language of Peru. The Bahá’ís were the first people in the Andean republics to organize a conference completely in Quechua, which is the ancient tongue of the Inca Empire.

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum was the featured guest at the conference. She was on her Green Light Expedition to the peoples of the Amazon.

Counsellor ‘Azíz Yazdí of the International Teaching Center in Haifa was also a noted guest, along with members of the Continental Board of Counsellors in South America.

The Academia de la Lengua del Cuzco (The Academy of Languages of Cusco) not only supported the event but participated in it. They gave workshops on the phonetics and writing of Quechua for the benefit of noted Quechua Bahá’í speakers from the three countries. And the Academy of Languages of the town of Puno sent authorized observers to all the conference sessions.

The National Spiritual Assemblies of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador cooperated to prepare for the historic Bahá’í Quechua Tandanakuy by printing pamphlets in Quechua. The Incas called Quechua “Runa Shimi,” the Tongue of Man, since it was their universal language. Currently, Quechua is spoken by over half the Andean population. One-third of Peru’s population speaks nothing but Quechua. It is a lyrical language that easily expresses abstract thoughts and is beautifully used in songs and poems.

[Page 12] Top, Rúḥíyyih Khánum and Counsellor Yazdí chat with a German tourist after the Machu-Picchu conference. Center, Ecuadorian indians play and sing on the high holy place of Inti-Watana. Bottom, two Bolivian indians, wearing their headdresses of puffs of colored yarn, view the ruins of Machu-Picchu.

Toward a collection of Bahá’í literature in Quechua, Peru contributed two introductory pamphlets, Bolivia a translation of the English pamphlet Bahá’í Teachings—Light for All Regions, and Ecuador a translation of the book The New Garden and a selection of prayers. The National Assembly of Ecuador also translated Nosotros Aprendamos a Leer (We Learn to Read) into Quechua.

Taking advantage of the unique opportunities offered by the conference to proclaim the Faith, the Bahá’ís of Cusco spoke with people of all levels of society, including the government officials who permitted the use of a dormitory for 250 conference participants and free access to the ancient ruins of Saqsayhuaman and Machu-Picchu, where major conference sessions were held. Announcements of the event were on Cusco radio and television, and the city’s newspapers gave special coverage before, during, and after the conference. Parallel to the conference, meetings were held in cultural centers and teams taught in the streets. The very presence of the diverse Bahá’ís opened avenues for teaching, and a banquet, presided over by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum, in honor of authorities and dignitaries of Cusco, added a note of distinction.

The Ecuadorian delegation traveled to Cusco in a chartered bus. Those from northern Ecuador had attended weekly sessions in their National Institute at Otavalo to prepare for the conference by learning more about the history of the Faith. The Otavalo Indians are known as skilled weavers of ponchos, tweed-like cloth, and blankets, and the men, scrupulously clean in white clothes, with their long black hair hanging in braids down their backs, often travel as far as Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil to sell their wares.

Bahá’ís of Southern Ecuador, in the coastal cities such as Guayaquil and Machala, and inland in Cuenca—where the Indians are known as fine hat-weavers—also made ready for the conference.

These well-prepared friends then traveled for eight days along hundreds of miles of desert coast and over the frigid highlands, or Altiplano. Their bus was not a luxury vehicle. Each row of seats held five passengers and the seats did not recline. They made only two overnight stops where most of them slept on floors, and had only two chances to bathe en route. The 40 travelers ranged from a six-month-old baby, another baby, and three children, to a 78-year-old campesino, and included other campesinos (country people), Indians from the cities, and North American pioneers. Until time became short, gas stoves, pots and pans, and other paraphernalia for cooking and serving were taken down from the roof of the bus three times a day and meals were made and served, once in the chill of dawn. At one point, crossing the Altiplano, the bus driver and others who were awake in the middle of the night were amazed to see ice forming on all the windows, a new experience for some Ecuadorians.

Despite the long and uncomfortable journey, the Ecuadorians arrived in Cusco in good spirits, manifesting the results of Bahá’u’lláh’s assistance. Another proof of His help was the fact that all the travelers obtained the myriad papers required to leave their country, even though some of them were not legally registered and did not have birth certificates.

No doubt another reason for their continued unity was their teaching effort. In two cities in Ecuador, portable expositions were set up and teaching was carried out during rest stops. In Cuenca, they taught on the main square. In Machala, where an isolated Persian pioneer couple lives, they taught in front of a secondary school from 5 p.m. until after midnight. In Chiclayo, Peru, they taught in the main plaza until threats of a political demonstration, and a long line of soldiers awaiting the demonstration with canisters of tear gas, made it seem wise for the Bahá’ís to leave.

A big sign about the Cusco conference, carried on the side of the bus, and the diversity of the travelers, attracted interest.

The Ecuadorians helped with the great proclamation in Cusco, where their three portable expositions were used in public squares and several thousand people received pamphlets. After the conference, an international team of three from Ecuador remained and taught with Cusco believers. They then went to Arequipa and on to spend three days in Lima.

The stalwart travelers from Ecuador joined their fellow Quechua-speaking Bahá’ís at the first session of the Quechua Bahá’í Tandanakuy, which met in Saqsayhuaman, the ruins of an Inca fortress just outside Cusco. Its remnants are reminders of the magnificent Inca stonework. Incas hewed huge building blocks of granite, porphyry, and limestone, and fitted them together so exactly that no cement or mortar was needed. A knife blade cannot penetrate between the perfectly fitted stones.

On a solar calendar made of stone, the

[Page 13] friends came from the four directions and congregated. Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum addressed them, speaking of the natives of the Andes, the descendants of the Incas. At this meeting, the friends saw that communication was possible among speakers of the various Quechua dialects—those of Otavalo, Ecuador; and Cochabamba and Sucre, Bolivia; and the three dialects of Peru. For the first time in the Andean highlands, prayers of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and Abdu’l-Bahá ascended in Runa Shimi, the tongue of man.

The Bahá’ís then returned to Cusco and met in the coliseum, called the Kusi-Kancha, or happy stadium, for the Feast of Asmá. Prayers and readings were shared, and fellowship was crowned with happy music and dancing. Many of the participants wore their traditional colorful dress.

At dawn the next day, the Bahá’ís filled two cars of the train to Machu-Picchu, the ruins of a great Inca city 6,750 feet in the Andes, where remains of aqueducts and irrigation systems, suspension bridges, and ancient roads can be seen along with the remnants of more than 100 acres of buildings—palaces, temples, military barracks, and homes—fountains fed by aqueducts, and agricultural terraces cut into the steep slopes.

Bahá’í voices filled the two cars of the train as the friends found similar words in their Quechua dialects. Many of them had never seen Machu-Picchu. On Inti-Watana, the Clock of the Sun, Quechua representatives of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador spoke of the Covenant of God, urging the friends to teach, to give their lives to the Cause of God.

The Inti-Watana is the highest point of Machu-Picchu. It is a rock which the Incas believed projected from the core of the earth. On that rock, the Most Holy Name was chanted. A poem by The Hand of the Cause of God Rúḥíyyih Khánum, which was dedicated to the men of the Andes and had been translated into Quechua, was recited.

The next day, August 22, the principal part of the conference began in the Kusi-Kancha with the reading of a cable from The Universal House of Justice. All who spoke did so in Quechua, with the exception of Rúḥíyyih Khánum and Counsellor Yazdí. In the afternoon, pamphlets were distributed, and a study was made to see how well the friends understood written Quechua. The participants were divided into groups of from four to six. In the pamphlets, they underlined in blue the words they understood easily, in red the words they understood with difficulty, and in black the words they did not understand. The majority of the friends spoke Quechua, were literate, and were enthusiastic about the work. Peruvians read Bolivian and Ecuadorian literature, Bolivians read that of Ecuador and Peru, and Ecuadorians read that of Peru and Bolivia.

The next day, young and old believers expressed their beliefs and related progress on their goals. The Ecuadorians shared the book on how to learn to read and write, and then gave a successful dramatic presentation.

The Quechua Bahá’í Tandanakuy closed with a reaffirmation of all the conference events and a resolution to carry forward the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, especially among the campesinos. Friends who did not speak Quechua, and friends who were not literate, were inspired by the conference and by the book prepared by the Ecuadorians, to learn.

The new spirit generated by the conference resulted in the suggestion to have two more conferences, one in Cochabamba, Bolivia, August 1976, and one in Otavalo, Ecuador, August 1977. The conference of Otavalo would give definite instructions that would establish norms for Bahá’í Quechua publications in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

The results of the workshop studies of the pamphlets show a percentage of understanding of the various Quechua dialects which exceeded the hopes of the conference planners:

Peruvian Quechua
Understood by Bolivians	95%
Understood by Ecuadorians	75%
Bolivian Quechua
Understood by Peruvians	90%
Understood by Ecuadorians	65%
Ecuadorian Quechua
Understood by Bolivians	65%
Understood by Peruvians	90%

Plans are underway to use the new knowledge gained from the conference study by, for instance, an increase in traveling teachers who could share the various dialects.

Top, Bolivian Bahá’í is at Saqayhuaman, the site of an Inca fortress. Center, Auxiliary Board member Sabino Ortega of Bolivia talks about the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. Below, Segundo Curillo of Ecuador speaks during one of the sessions of the Quechua conference.

[Page 14]

International

The August 3-6 International Teaching Conference will be held at the Centre International de Paris, the low curved building attached to the tower in the foreground.

Paris Conference site is selected

The Centre International de Paris will be the site of the International Bahá’í Teaching Conference in Paris, August 3-6. Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum will represent The Universal House of Justice at the conference, one of eight International Teaching Conferences scheduled by The Universal House of Justice for 1976-1977, the middle part of the Five Year Plan.

The Centre International is the low, curved building attached to the tower in the lower right-hand corner of the photograph. The large white building to the left of the tower is the Hotel Meridien, where Bahá’í activities outside of the official program will take place.

The conference schedule includes a public meeting on the evening of August 6.

Children will participate in classes and activities at the Hotel Meridien during the conference program. Bahá’í books will be sold in the hotel, and information will be available there on the national conferences and teaching activities which will take place all over Europe after the Paris Conference. Evening social activities will be held in the hotel.

Bahá’ís wishing to attend the conference must fill out registration forms, available from their National Spiritual Assembly. To reserve hotel accommodations, a hotel reservation form must be filled out. Needs stated in that form will be met by the conference’s official Paris travel agent.

When registered for the conference, each participant over 15 years of age will receive an identification card from his National Assembly.

Available accommodations range from the Hotel Meridien, a 4-star luxury hotel, to camp sites at Ermenonville, about 45 kilometers northeast of Paris.

The Paris International Bahá’í Conference Committee reports that “The Bahá’ís of France are honored to have such a large international gathering in France. We are sure that the excellent impression which Bahá’ís from many countries make upon the French people will be an important factor in the growth and prestige of our beloved Cause in France.”

The other seven International Teaching Conferences will be held at Helsinki, Finland, July 6-8; Anchorage, Alaska, July 23-25; Nairobi, Kenya, October 15-17; Hong Kong, November 27-30; Auckland, New Zealand, January 19-22, 1977; Bahia, Brazil, January 28-30, 1977; and Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, February 4-6, 1977.

Counsellor completes 60-day journey

“I often recall the sight of the friends—their smiles, their warm welcomes, the shining eyes of the children,” reported Continental Counsellor Firaydun Mithaqiyan after a recent 60-day journey through North America, Central America, and Europe.

On the facing page at the top, Mr. Mithaqiyan talks with some Carib children in the village of Hopkins, Belize (British Honduras), Central America. Standing in the back of the group is Elias Kent, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Mr. Mithaqiyan visited 20 Western countries. He is a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for South-East Asia. In his Western travels, he spoke to Bahá’ís and seekers, often sharing stories until late at night. He said that the Bahá’ís often questioned him about mass teaching, and he answered, “Mass teaching is different from mass enrollment. In the process of mass teaching, we share the Bahá’í Message with a large number of people.

[Page 15] Then the follow-up starts, and the interested people are led to embrace the Faith and be enrolled. In this process, they should believe in Bahá’u’lláh and know the purpose of His coming. They should know of the other Central Figures of the Faith. They should know that there are laws, ‎prinicples principles‎, and teachings that they should gradually learn, and Bahá’í administrative bodies that they should obey.”

“Our past experiences,” Mr. ‎Mithqiyan Mithaqiyan‎ told the friends, “must be regarded as a lesson for our coming victories of leading masses of waiting souls into the Faith.” He expressed his belief that “in the countries where there is freedom to teach the Faith, it is time for mass teaching.

Mr. Mithaqiyan said that mass teaching will be most successful when it becomes a community project. He expressed his deep appreciation of the work of pioneers in Bahá’í communities where he saw that, now, administration is largely in the hands of native believers. He was grateful for the love and encouragement that he received from the pioneers and local believers in Central America and the Caribbean islands. “I felt a light of hope,” he said, “a generating spirit in these areas. I believe that by a more definite concentration and organization of the dedicated efforts of the believers, God willing, once again the flow of masses of people into the Faith will take place in this part of the world.”

Counsellor Firaydun Mithaqiyan chats with children at Hopkins, Belize.

Institution members meet in Germany

A European Institutions Conference was held in the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany, October 31-November 2. The German National Center is near the House of Worship at Frankfurt.

Continental Counsellors Betty Reed, Louis Hénuzet, Anneliese Bopp, Erik Blementhal, and Dorothy Ferraby, all of Europe, attended the conference along with Counsellor Florence Mayberry of the International Teaching Center in Haifa.

The Counsellors met with representatives of 18 National Spiritual Assemblies of Europe and the Auxiliary Board members of Europe. Discussion topics included the strengthening of Local Spiritual Assemblies and the goals of each National Assembly for the Five Year Plan.

Conference participants were impressed with the spirit of love and unity manifest among the national institutions.

Counsellors, members of 18 National Spiritual Assemblies of Europe, and Auxiliary Board members meet in Germany.

[Page 16]

Around the World

Alaska

Unified youth meet for the first conference

The first Bahá’í Youth Conference in Alaska took place August 22-25 at the Matthew Kaszab Institute in Anchorage. About 25 youth attended.

A representative of the National Spiritual Assembly addressed the youth, bringing warm greetings from the Assembly and speaking of the importance of a close bond between parents and children, and the importance of teaching through example.

Auxiliary Board member Ray Hudson gave a talk on the Administrative Order of Bahá’u’lláh, and members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies of Anchorage, Spenard, Eagle River, and Palmer participated in a panel discussion and answered questions about Local Assemblies.

Classes were held on pioneering, outstanding achievements of youth in past teaching Plans, and on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. One youth commented that the presentation of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, which focused on things He did when He was young, “inspired us. I know it made me think about more things I should be doing for the Faith.”

Other topics covered were the Five Year Plan and international travel teaching, the role of Bahá’í youth in schools, and spirituality.

The conference “fun” event was a 1950’s sock hop. The youth dressed for the occasion, with greased-back hair and ponytails, and danced to 50’s tunes.

The conference closed with a summary of the talks and classes, and a unity circle which the youth formed while they sang the Alaskan Bahá’í song, “I Love You.”

One participant remarked that she enjoyed the conference sessions because “everyone was able to participate and speak in the discussions. As the hours went by, I could truly feel everyone becoming more unified.”

Parties score big with children

The Bahá’í children of Petersburg, Alaska, ages 10-13, have a teaching event once a month at the Petersburg Bahá’í Center. Three children host the parties which are attended by an average of 25 non-Bahá’í children each month. The parties are supervised by an adult Bahá’í, but the three children do all the inviting, teaching, and deepening of friendships.

The Bahá’í children and their guests say they have a “super good time” at the parties and have requested more than one party a month.

Argentina

‘Little Bahá’í friend’ joins the Matacos

The National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina recently asked pioneer Ken Roedell to move to a remote area on the Pilcomayo River to establish the Faith among the members of the Mataco Tribe. Mr. Roedell pioneered to Argentina during the Nine Year Plan.

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum visited this remote region on the desolate Northern frontier of Argentina in 1967. She was accompanied by Continental Counsellor Hooper Dunbar (then an Auxiliary Board member) and several of the first Mataco believers who had been enrolled earlier in that year in the city of Embarcacion, Salta. Subsequent attempts to expand the Faith were blocked by strong missionary influences against the Faith, combined with the lack of sustained, loving Bahá’í contact. Now, with the settlement of a pioneer among the Matacos, these drawbacks have been overcome.

Mr. Roedell has built a home of native materials and tries as much as possible to adopt the lifestyle and living habits of the Matacos. By analyzing the needs of the people, he has established a small business that keeps him in constant contact with the community. Selling fishing gear, household

Mataco believers visit pioneer Ken Roedell, right, at his new residence.

Mr. Roedell, left, traveling teacher Francisco Sanchez ford a stream.

[Page 17] wares, toiletries, and sweets; purchasing local handicrafts for resale in city markets; and offering simple herb medicines for minor ailments at no charge all combine to give Mr. Roedell an opportunity to serve and get to know the Matacos.

Every day he receives a constant stream of clients. They buy some small item and stay to chat and drink mate, the national tea of Argentina. Some of the youth like to drop in and play chess. The Matacos call Mr. Roedell “el Baha’cito”—our little Bahá’í friend.

Faith introduced in Toba language

When two Toba Indian Bahá’ís of Chaco Province, Argentina, attended worship services at a church in the town of Comandante Fontana, they attracted favorable attention. Comandante Fontana is near the Toba Indian Reservation, Bartolome de las Casas.

“For so many years,” one church member commented, “Indian and white have accepted Jesus Christ, but not until you Bahá’ís came have we worshipped together.”

The church cordially invited the Bahá’ís to come and worship whenever they wished.

Then, a teaching team of three pioneers and four native believers, sponsored by the Regional Teaching Committee for the Chaco and Formosa provinces in Argentina, was denied permission to teach on the Toba reservation, so they arranged several meetings in Comandante Fontana. One meeting was held in the friendly church; it featured a slide show, The Bahá’ís and the Holy Land.

After the meetings in town, the Bahá’ís were invited onto the reservation and held meetings on three consecutive nights with a total attendance of 300. The Teachings were first introduced in the Toba language. A slide show was then presented in Spanish and translated into Toba. A small choir sang Bahá’í songs.

One youth became a Bahá’í and opened his home for a public meeting. He has offered to go with the Bahá’ís and bring the Message to other nearby Indian colonies.

La Leonesa forms Local Assembly

The first Local Spiritual Assembly of La Leonesa, Chaco, Argentina, was formed in September. The community began preparation for the formation with a weekend deepening institute in May, guided by Continental Counsellor Athos Costas.

Daily sessions at the institute covered the fulfillment of Bible prophecies, the true meaning of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the Local Spiritual Assembly. National Spiritual Assembly member Miguel Paniagua presented a special class on the documentation of the Faith by government agencies. On two evenings, Mr. Costas spoke to a local church group about the brotherhood of man under one God.

The Bahá’í community of La Leonesa was born when Modesto Giminez of La Leonesa met his friend Angel Machado, from a town 50 miles away, when they were both working on the cotton harvest. Mr. Machado, a Bahá’í, shared the Teachings with Mr. Giminez, who returned home and began to teach his neighbors.

Canada

Equality studied at 30 seminars

Believers in Canada studied the implications of Bahá’u’lláh’s Teachings on the equality of men and women at 30 regional seminars across the country last autumn.

Resource materials for the seminars included compilations of references, tapes, and slides. A special newspaper, published by the National Spiritual Assembly in honor of International Women’s Year, was distributed at the seminars.

The Newspaper, called The Bugle, included information on such Bahá’í heroines as the Greatest Holy Leaf; Ṭáhirih; the Hands of the Cause of God Martha Root, Dorothy Baker, Agnes Alexander. Essays in the paper dealt with the role of women in this age.

Persian pioneer Tahiriah Sabeti, left, is among Bahá’í teaching team which visited a Toba Indian reservation in Formosa province, Argentina.

Counsellor Athos Costas, second from left in back row, visits with Bahá’ís of La Leonesa in May. Their first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in September.

[Page 18] Around the World

Hawaiian Islands

Scholar on Buddha proclaims Faith

The National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii, in an effort toward establishing a close relationship with Hawaii’s Buddhists, invited Jamshed Fozdar for an intensive three days of speaking engagements and press interviews November 11-13.

Mr. Fozdar is a scholar of ancient Buddhist scripture. His book, The God of Buddha, was published in 1973 and he recently completed a new book, Buddha Maitreye-Amitabha Has Appeared. He is a member of the Bahá’í community of El Cerrito, California, U.S.A.

The Honolulu Lion’s Club invited Mr. Fozdar to speak on November 11. The topic of his address was “The Need for World Religion.” The club gave him the Lion’s Club Certificate of Appreciation.

On the same day, Mr. Fozdar was the featured speaker at a public meeting at the Honolulu Bahá’í Center. On the Anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, November 12, he addressed an audience of 200 at the Honolulu International Center.

Mr. Fozdar also spoke to high school and college classes and was interviewed by the religion editor of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. The resulting article, published on November 15, gave Mr. Fozdar’s view that it was the purpose of the Buddha to restore the pristine purity of the original Hindu Teachings, as Christ added to, but did not diminish, the original Jewish Teachings. Mr. Fozdar refutes the contemporary Buddhist theory that the Buddha did not believe in God, saying that “The founding of a major Faith would have been impossible had He preached any kind of atheism and thus negated any reason at all for humanity to strive on the path of righteousness and renunciation.”

National Assembly holds Mid-Year Conference

Bahá’ís from the Hawaiian Islands gathered at the Mid-Year Bahá’í Conference at the National Bahá’í Center in Honolulu November 28-30.

Continental Counsellor Elena Marsella addressed the opening session, which began with a welcome from Tracey Hamilton, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly. Auxiliary Board member Healani Hamilton was also a featured speaker.

The conference was called by the National Spiritual Assembly and its sessions covered the goals and status of the Five Year Plan, pioneering and travel teaching, proclaiming through media, college teaching, progress on a Bahá’í school for Hawaii, and success stories on teaching.

The children enjoyed special classes.

Italy

Faith is discussed on TV talk program

An entire television talk program called “Ore Venti” was devoted to the Faith at peak viewing time on November 25 in Cagliari, Italy.

The interviewer opened the program with a reading from Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. He then asked one of his Bahá’í guests, Alessandro Bausani, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, to speak about the history of the Faith and to explain the Administrative Order. He asked another guest, Manuela Fanti, to explain how and why she became a Bahá’í.

Many aspects of the Faith were discussed during the 25-minute interview. Mr. Bausani stressed the universality of the Faith by describing a Bahá’í school which he had recently attended in Bolivia. The interviewer concluded the program by reading from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

This reverent television presentation of the Faith resulted from a conference in Rimini, Italy, October 23, sponsored by the Bahá’ís in observance of International Women’s Year. The program for the conference opened with a piano solo by Alfredo Speranza, a well-known concert pianist who is a Bahá’í, and continued with talks by a panel of three Bahá’ís: a university student, a gynecologist, and a housewife.

Jamshed Fozdar addresses a public meet in Honolulu.

Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands gather for a Mid-Year Conference held in November.

[Page 19] Two days later, the Italian national lunch-time television news showed a general view of the auditorium and the speakers, together with a few words of explanation about the Faith and a resume of the talks. The national news is viewed by millions all over Italy. The local television station also showed the event.

The Faith had not been mentioned on Italian television since the Palermo Conference in 1968.

United States

New York, New Haven

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum spoke to over 500 Bahá’ís in New York City December 13, and to over 500 Bahá’ís in New Haven, Connecticut, November 9. The Hand of the Cause of God is in the United States to oversee the preparation of a film and slide shows of her recent Green Light Expedition to the people of the Amazon.

In New York, she spoke at a public school at a special meeting honoring the imminent opening of the new New York Bahá’í Center. The Bahá’ís of New York City will receive the title of ownership for their new center this month, thus fulfilling a goal of the special Five Year Plan for New York State. The new center is in a residential area of the city near New York University.

Other guests at the New York meeting were Auxiliary Board members Peter Khan, Adrienne Reeves, and Albert James. Dr. Khan introduced Rúḥíyyih Khánum, who told the friends that she was honored to be with them on such a special occasion, as an adequate Bahá’í Center for New York City is the fulfillment of long-cherished dreams of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, and The Universal House of Justice. She mentioned that she is a New Yorker, having been born on 5th Avenue.

Speaking of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to the United States, she emphasized His activities in New York, which He called the City of the Covenant. She pointed out that the Bahá’ís must try to emulate the unique attitude of love manifested by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá toward the leaders and prominent members of the community, as well as toward the poorer souls, such as those He met in the Bowery Mission.

She expressed her belief that the new Bahá’í Center for New York City can be a wonderful instrument for love and attraction,

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum addresses more than 500 Bahá’ís in New York City at a special meeting in honor of the imminent opening of the new New York Bahá’í Center. The Hand of the Cause of God said the new center can be a wonderful instrument for love and attraction.

[Page 20] Around the World

concluding her address, “Unbelievable things are now possible for you, but you will have to take advantage of them joyously, courageously, and lovingly.”

A children’s choir added beautiful music to the New York City meeting.

In New Haven, the Hand of the Cause of God spoke in the auditorium of the Yale University Law School. She enthusiastically recounted her impressions of her Green Light Expedition, and encouraged the Bahá’ís to arise and pioneer. Most of the members of the expedition were present, including the cameramen who tirelessly recorded the journey.

Interviewed in Connecticut, Rúḥíyyih Khánum expressed her reasons for making the long, arduous, but thrilling river voyage through the green jungles of the Amazon, and her reasons for having it filmed: “I’ve had such wonderful experiences with tribal people and villagers in the last 10 years, and so many times I’ve said, ‘Oh! if only the Bahá’ís could see this. If they could know what it is like to be in these places, if they could meet these people, see how wonderful they are, they would feel a more personal response to The Tablets of the Divine Plan, and to the appeals so repeatedly made by the Master, by Shoghi Effendi, and now by The Universal House of Justice,’ And so I conceived of the idea of getting together a professional crew of young Bahá’ís to make a moving picture of a journey through the Amazon.”

The expedition traveled through Venezuela, Surinam, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia, meeting people of myriad tribes: Piaroas, Guajibos, Macos, and many others. Rúḥíyyih Khánum stressed the importance of reaching these people, the rural village people who make up two-thirds of the world’s population. She emphasized her pleasure at meeting the diverse peoples of the jungle villages because they are so friendly and dignified, and so receptive to the Faith.

“We took over 32,000 feet of film,” said Amatu’l-Bahá, “and, between us, we must have taken about 4,000 slides. Our purpose, now that our journey is finished, is to let the Bahá’ís who see it make the trip with us.”

The widow of the beloved Guardian explained that she always felt that Bahá’ís, like all people, cannot imagine something without experiencing it. She and her expedition did not know what to expect when they began their journey on the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

Rúḥíyyih Khánum discusses teaching the tribal people and villagers of the Amazon in an interview in Connecticut.

They found, she explained, that “far from coming in contact with savage tribes, not being able to buy things, and not being able to meet people, the whole river was like a vast village. Along the whole length of the river, we could talk to the people in Spanish and somebody could translate that into the native dialect. There were towns where we could buy things. There were government outposts; there were people constantly going up and down the river, either in boats as large as ours or in tiny canoes. How easy the whole thing was, compared to what we had expected, was a revelation to us.”

Rúḥíyyih Khánum calls her trip the Green Light Expedition because of the ease with which the way cleared for her to go. She was especially thankful for the approval, encouragement, and prayers of The Universal House of Justice. She stressed that the trip was not financed from the World Center, for she felt that money should go to goals of the Five Year Plan. It is her hope, and the hope of The Universal House of Justice, expressed to her in a recent letter, that the film of her voyage be ready by National Convention time, so that friends can see it and be inspired to arise and bring the Message to rural areas, whether of South America, Africa, or other parts of the world.

Amatu’l-Bahá said that many of the people whom she met on her trip asked her if they would ever see the film and she answered, “As soon as it comes back to this country, the Bahá’ís will let you know and invite you to a showing of it.”

“Why shouldn’t everybody see it?” she added. “It is a fascinating and beautiful film because the subject matter is so fascinating and beautiful.”

Modern recording studio is opened

Proclamation and deepening materials for radio and television will be produced in a recording studio which was recently installed in the basement of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. This new facility will help meet the goal of the Five Year Plan which calls for increased use of the media by Bahá’ís.

The Bahá’í National Properties Office designed and constructed the studio, following intensive research and planning. The studio is considered one of the best of its kind in the Chicago area, yet many ingenious shortcuts were used in building it.

[Page 21] These shortcuts permitted costs to be reduced without sacrificing quality. For example, the doors to a recording studio must be specially designed and insulated to ensure that no outside sounds leak into the studio. Contractors usually buy specially designed, insulated doors for about $600. However, the properties office designed a two-door system for $150 which blocks sound more efficiently than commercially manufactured doors.

The studio is about 24-feet square, and is completely sound-proofed and air-conditioned. Its corners are rounded, giving an illusion of spaciousness and depth to materials recorded for television.

Two control booths adjoin the studio, one for television and one for radio. Operators of both booths share the studio space, scheduling time according to their needs. While taping, they view the studio through wide windows.

The audio, or radio, facility uses a Tascam model 10 mixing console and two Crown 800 tape recorders in its production. The video, or television, facility uses two Sony 2850 recording and editing decks and two Sony DXC 1600 color cameras. The studio is lighted by 13 1,000-watt quartz lamps mounted on ceiling racks.

As long ago as 1937, a believer suggested to the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, that a radio station be built in the Temple, and he answered through his secretary that “there is no reason why the believers should not start now considering seriously the possibility of such a plan which, when carried out and perfected, can lend an unprecedented impetus to the expansion of the teaching work throughout America.”

Another letter, written on the Guardian’s behalf in 1945, and addressed to an individual believer, said, “He feels it would be excellent if the Cause could be introduced to more people through the medium of radio, as it reaches the masses, especially those who do not take an interest in lectures or attend any type of meeting.”

A recording studio for radio and television productions is in operation at the Bahá’í National Center. The studio includes two control booths and modern equipment.