The Bahá’í Centenary 1844-1944/Teaching at the House of Worship
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TEACHING AT THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP
IN THE Bahá’í House of Worship at Wilmette, the American believers have raised up their most potent and significant center of spiritual influence, produced their greatest instrument for public teaching of the Faith.
Between 1919 and 1931, when the superstructure was finished, the Bahá’í Temple constituted a unique subject for publicity. The selection of the Bourgeois design by Convention delegates authorized by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to make the final choice, and the exhibit of Mr. Bourgeois’ model in New York and Chicago, produced immediate response. Newspaper and magazine articles appeared not only in North America but in Europe and_the Orient. The world became familiar with the nine-sided, domed structure and recognized in it an expression of principles needed to give direction and purpose to the vast chaos of modern civilization.
Later, when the superstructure gave actual substance to the Temple design, a mighty tide began to impel individuals and groups to visit this new type of institution
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and see and learn about it for themselves. Records of daily visitors kept since July 1, 1932 show that the total number who went through the building with Bahá’í guides up to October I, 1943, was 164,360. To deal with this throng of inquirers a body of Temple guides has been rendering service, its members prepared by a special course of instruction based upon long experience with the types of question asked and the information desired.
In addition, the score of scaled models exhibited in cities throughout North America in recent years, and especially at the three World Fairs in Chicago. New York and San Francisco, the Canadian National Exposition and many State Fairs, have developed an even larger range of general interest. The registry at the House of Worship itself lists visitors from countries in all parts of the world. Many come in parties and groups of members representing organizations located in the Temple area or convening in Chicago and visiting the Bahá’í Temple as one of the points of interest.
210 THE B/\Hz'\’l' CENTENARY
Fellowship House, Green Acre School. Eliot, Maine.
Interior of Green Acre Fellowship House.
