The Bahá’í House of Worship (Coy)/Text
THE BAHÁ’Í HOUSE OF WORSHIP
[edit]AN INSTITUTION OF THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH
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THE BAHÁ’Í HOUSE OF WORSHIP
[edit]AN INSTITUTION OF THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH BY GENEVIEVE L. COY
AT WILMETTE, Illinois on the shore of Lake Michigan, the superstructure of the Bahá’í House of Worship has recently been completed. At the present time the ornamental surface decoration of perforated artificial stone is being applied to the exterior of the building.
This Bahá’í Temple has aroused the enthusiastic interest of architects because of the new principles of design and decoration which Mr. Louis Bourgeois incorporated in his unique model of the completed structure. It has drawn the attention of engineers because of the unusual problems of construction which had to be solved in order to bring the architect's plans into actual existence. But the problems presented and solved in the Bahá’í House of Worship and the accessory institutions which will later be added include those of an even more fundamental significance than the ones presented to the architect and engineer.
Humanity today is entering into the dawn of a new age. Customs and institutions of an outworn civilization are disintegrating. When the world has been cleared of their debris, the foundation of a new world order will rise, and on it the new civilization of universal brotherhood and peace will be established. "This is a new cycle of human power....It is the hour of the unity of the sons of men and of the drawing together of all races and classes. . . . War will cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers." (‘Abdu’l-Bahá.) The Bahá’í Temple is the expression in material form of the spiritual power which will establish the age of peace and co-operation throughout the world. It is a symbol of the Divine Will which in this new day will weld all mankind into a great spiritual brotherhood, in which differences of race, nationality, class and creed will cease to separate men into suspicious, warring groups.
The Bahá’í House of Worship on Lake Michigan is only the first of many such edifices which will later be built in America. But because it is the initial structure of this type on this continent it has a special importance at this time. It is also of particular interest because of the beauty and uniqueness of its architecture.
The late Louis Bourgeois, architect of the Temple, wrote the following concerning his work on the designs, plans and model. "The history of this Temple, as step by step it unfolds, is so unique that already the story will fill a book. Its inception was not from man for, as musicians, artists, poets receive their inspiration from another realm, feel themselves to be a receiver by whose means a heavenly melody, a new idea, is given to the world, so the Temple's architect through all his years of labor was ever conscious that Bahá’u’lláh was the creator of this building to be erected to His glory. . . . When the man-made creeds are stripped away from all the religions we find nothing left but harmony. Today, however, religion is so entangled in the superstitions and hypotheses of men that it must needs be stated in a new form to be once again pure and undefiled. Likewise in architecture those fundamental structural lines which originated in the faith of all religions are the same, but so covered over are they with the decorations picturing creed upon creed and superstition upon superstition that we must needs lay them aside and create a new form of ornamentation. Into this new design, then, of the Temple is woven, in symbolic form, the great Bahá’í teaching of unity—the unity of all religions and of all mankind. There are combinations of mathematical lines, sym-
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bolizing those of the universe, and in their intricate merging of circle into circle, of circle within circle, we visualize the merging of all the religions into one."
A brief description of the plan and dimensions of the Temple are quoted from an article in TECHNOLOGY REVIEW, written by Allan McDaniel, director of The Research Service, Inc., engineers who supervised the construction of the Bahá’í House of Worship.
"Structurally, the Temple is remarkable in that it will comprise a steel, reinforced concrete and glass framework, on which will be placed the highly ornamental surface material. It is a nonagon, or nine-sided structure; each side having the form of a circular arc, with a large doorway in the center; and the whole edifice giving the appearance of extending welcoming arms to the people approaching from every direction. Pylons forty-five feet in height stand like sentinels at the corners of the first story. Above the gallery, the clerestory and the dome are also nine-sided but with the ribs rising from midway of the first story sides.
"To get a mental picture of the Temple, imagine a lofty cylindrical room topped with a hemispherical dome of 75 feet interior diameter and extending to a height of 135 feet in the center, formed of glass supported in a metal framework. The glass roof and sides protect the interior of the building from the weather. When completed, the glass will be concealed within the exterior and interior surface ornamental material, which will act as perforated screens through which the light will pass.
"The weight of the structure and the dome is carried principally at nine points equally distant from the center, and the superstructure is supported on a circular platform or foundation, 202 feet in diameter at the ground surface, and rising by 18 concentric steps to the main floor of the Temple, which is 153 feet in diameter.
"Entering any one of the nine doors, one will pass through a hallway into the central circular room or auditorium. Out of this main hall open radially (and separated by the hallways) nine smaller rooms, comparable to chapels in a cathedral. Looking upward toward the dome, will be seen a gallery 36 feet above the main floor, and above this a second (or singers') gallery 61 feet above the floor level. Above the second gallery is a 19 foot clerestory from which springs the dome. The galleries project 10 feet into the central hall, giving the latter a clear interior diameter of 75 feet. The dome will be in three parts; the outer dome of perforated concrete or metal, the concealed wire glass weather-proof dome, and the inner dome of perforated material, decorative in character. The central domed hall will have an area of about 4,000 square feet and seat about 700 people. The nine small rooms opening out of the main hall are about 20 feet wide, 24 feet deep and with ceilings 33 feet high. These auxiliary rooms will seat about 100 persons each.
"The construction of the ornamental surface structure involves new materials and a new technique of construction. The completed external ornamentation of the dome unit, carried out by the John J. Earley Studios, reveals an entirely new quality of textural surface, made possible by the plastic medium employed. Hand-carved models were made of all the different sections, and from the resulting molds each completed section has been individually cast and then gone over by expert craftsmen. The material selected was quartz, with a medium of white cement. The result is a surface harder and more enduring than rock, and at the same time carrying an intricate design as delicate as lace. The color scheme shades from pure white on the dome to light buff at the base. An unusual plan of illumination will later be installed.
"The architect, Louis Bourgeois, 'has conceived a Temple of Light in which structure, as usually understood, is to be concealed, visible support eliminated as far as possible, and the whole fabric to take on the airy substance of a dream; it is a lacy envelope enshrining an idea, the idea of Light, a shelter of cobweb interposed between earth and sky, struck through and through with
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light-light which shall partly consume the forms and make of it a thing of faery." (Statement of Mr. H. Van Buren Magonigle, architect.)
The building of this structure has been financed by the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada, assisted by contributions from those in all parts of the world. Regarding these latter gifts ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, "These contributions are most important. Notwithstanding the miserable condition of Persia, money has poured in and is still coming for this purpose; although many families are extremely poor, so they have scarcely enough to keep themselves, nevertheless, they give towards it. For many years the West has contributed to the East, and now through the mercies and bounties of God a miracle has been performed and, for the first time in the history of the world, the East is contributing to the West."
Some concrete facts concerning the cost of the Temple, erected through the self-sacrifice of Eastern and Western Bahá’ís, will now be presented.
The land on which the House of Worship stands was acquired at intervals from 1909 to 1914, at a total cost of about $125,000. The structure rests upon nine caissons of steel and concrete, which are sunk 120 feet in the ground in order to reach bedrock. These caissons and the foundation structure cost some $200,000.
The superstructure was built by the Fuller Construction Company at a cost of $400,000. It was completed and dedicated on May 1, 1931, nineteen years to a day from the date on which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá consecrated the Temple site. The external decoration of the dome unit was completed March 1, 1934, at a cost of approximately $170,000. In March, 1934, a contract was made with John J. Earley for the external decoration of the clerestory section, for $35,000.
"Of the total amount of $895,000 thus far expended, the sum of $570,000 was paid out for materials and labor during a period of unemployment unparalleled in our history. Hundreds of hours of work were thus provided for workmen, many of whom might otherwise have been idle. Of the attitude of the men who worked for the twenty-four sub-contractors who built the superstructure, the following has been written: "It is gratifying to note that in all the various operations where men of different trades and training must of necessity work together and at times get in each other's way, there was the utmost harmony with no visible labor disputes or strikes. In fact, a spirit of devotion to the work and enthusiasm in its outcome was shown throughout the entire operations. There were no delays due to misunderstanding, but each and every man connected with the work seemed to regard it as an opportunity to take part in a worthwhile undertaking." (From an article by Frederick H. Newell, in THE BAHÁ’Í WORLD, Vol. IV, p. 199.)
Comments in newspapers and magazines on the unique beauty of this House of Worship have been many. We have space to quote only two of these. Sherwin Cody, in the Magazine section of the NEW YORK TIMES, wrote of the model of the Temple when it was on view in the Kevorkian Gallery in New York City, "Americans will have to pause long enough to find that an artist has wrought into this building the conception of a Religious League of Nations." A writer in the CHRISTIAN REGISTER said, "Wonderful as the architectural design of the Temple is, those most concerned in its erection see in the universal service it will render to mankind its supreme importance."
Let us now turn from the description of the physical structure and building of the Bahá’í House of Worship to a more detailed consideration of its social and spiritual significance.
The thinking man who is concerned with the problems of modern society—the direction in which the social order should move, the means by which this progress may be hastened—will find in the purposes of the Bahá’í Temple and its accessories concrete and definite solutions to many of his questions. The Bahá’í Faith presents a comprehensive plan for a new world order, and the
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The Bahá’í House of Worship with Completed Dome Unit.
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basic principles of this plan are exemplified in the institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár—that is, in the House of Worship and its related buildings. Since the Bahá’í answer to the question of what constitutes an ideal social order is accepted by many thousands of people in the five continents of the world, the intelligent modern man will do well to inform himself of the details of a faith and a practice which are motivating the lives of Bahá’ís throughout the world.
What constitutes the "Good Society," and how may the peoples of the world move to attain the goals of that society? These questions are answered by Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, and His solutions have been interpreted and amplified by His son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and by Shoghi Effendi, the present Guardian of the Faith. The following discussion contains a brief summary of their most important teachings, and a statement of the way in which these principles are incorporated in the institution of the Bahá’í House of Worship.
As a basic element of faith, the Bahá’í accepts the statement of Bahá’u’lláh, "The root of all knowledge is the knowledge of God, and this knowledge is impossible save through His Manifestation," that is, save through the Prophet, the Divine Educator. That this does not imply an other-worldly, impractical mysticism will be evident as this discussion continues. It does clearly make the life of man dependent upon a divine plan and a divine Teacher. The Bahá’í Faith is therefore based firmly on the unswerving conviction that a purely materialistic concept of society is untenable. The first duty of man and of society is to try to understand the goals of the divine plan, as spoken and written by the great religious Prophets—Zoroaster, Buddha, Moses, Christ, Muḥammad and, in this age, by Bahá’u’lláh. Prayer is also an important means of coming into contact with the divine purposes.
For these reasons, prayer, meditation and the reading and study of the words of the Divine Educators are the necessary means with which the Bahá’í prepares himself to evolve spiritually and to take part in the life of society. The Bahá’í Temple is the place in which men and women will meet each morning for worship, before undertaking the practice of life in a society which they are striving to mold nearer to the divine plan. In this house of worship there will be no sermons; the reading or chanting of prayers and meditational writings of the Prophets, and a reverent silence are the best preparation for a day of active service—that service itself being accounted another form of worship.
The question may be asked, "Why need there be a group worship; why should not each individual pray and meditate alone in his own home?" The answer is contained in another of the basic Bahá’í principles—the oneness of mankind. Shoghi Effendi has described this principle as "the pivot around which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve." To the Bahá’í the oneness of mankind is "no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope." It necessitates so close a sense of unity with all men that prejudices of class, race, nationality and creed must be absolutely destroyed. The more intimately man understands and serves all people the nearer he comes to the knowledge of God. The Bahá’í seeks to attain "transparent fellowship" with every human being he meets, in order that a truly divine unity may be spread through the world.
Worship in the Bahá’í Temple is a privilege freely offered to all men and women who, forsaking the limitations of prejudices and creeds, seek to enter into a true spiritual communion with God, and into a loving unity with their fellows. From such group prayer and meditation man may receive an inspiration, a strengthening of his own aspirations by those of his neighbors, which cannot come from solitary worship, however sincere it may be.
In Chicago, in 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, "The purpose of places of worship and edifices for adoration is simply that of unity, in order that various nations, divergent races, varying souls may gather there, and among them amity, love and accord may be realized."
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Ornamental design to cover one of the windows of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.
“The original purpose is this. That is why Bahá’u’lláh has commanded that a place be built for all the religionists of the world; that all religions and races and sects may gather together; that the Oneness of the human world may be proclaimed; that all the human race is the servant of God, and that all are submerged in the Ocean of God’s Mercy.”
This, then, is the purpose of worship in the Bahá’í Temple—that man may grow into a fuller sense of unity with the divine purposes, and into a closer fellowship with other men of all classes, races, creeds and nations.
The accessory institutions of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár indicate some of the ways in which the Bahá’í turns into channels of practical service the inspiration he has obtained through worship. Prayer and meditation are only one part of man’s responsibility to God. The principle of the importance of activity lies at the very heart of the Bahá’í teachings. “The principle of faith is to lessen words and to increase deeds. He whose words exceed his acts, know verily that his non-being is better than his being and death better than life. . . . Deeds reveal the station of the man. . . . The effect of deeds is in truth more powerful than that of words.” (From Words of Wisdom, Bahá’u’lláh.) “All effort and exertion put forth by man from the fulness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of people. A physician ministering to the sick, gently, tenderly, free from prejudice and believing in the solidarity of the human race, he is giving praise.” (Wisdom of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 165.)
When the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár at Wilmette is completed it will include a hospital and dispensary, a school for orphan children, a hospice, and a college for higher scientific education. In these institutions the principle of the oneness of mankind will be put into concrete practice. Their services will be
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dispensed irrespective of color, race or nationality.
The inclusion of a college for scientific education in this group of institutions draws attention to another basic Bahá’í principle, that religion must be in accord with science and reason. “Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst, on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism. . . . The religion which does not walk hand in hand with science is itself in the darkness of superstition and ignorance.... When religion, shorn of its superstitions, traditions, and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world, which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles—and then will mankind be united in the power of the love of God.” (Wisdom of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 132-135.)
Other fundamental principles which are exemplified in the founding of a college on the Temple grounds are (1) the independent investigation of truth—“no man should follow blindly his ancestors and forefathers. Each must see with his own eyes, hear with his own ears, and investigate truth.” (2) Universal education,—“All mankind should partake of both knowledge and education. . . . The education of each child is obligatory.” “To acquire knowledge is incumbent upon all, but of those sciences which may profit the people of the earth, and not such sciences as begin in mere words, and end in mere words.” (Bahá’u’lláh, Tajalliyát.)
Bahá’u’lláh recognized man’s need for beauty in his surroundings, and the buildings on the Temple grounds will be encircled by gardens and trees. On May 1, 1912, at the dedication of the land on which the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette is built, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke of the first Bahá’í Temple in the world, built in ‘Ishqábád, Russia. He said, “Just imagine an edifice of that beauty in the center, very lofty, surrounded centrally by gardens, variegated flowers, with nine avenues interlacing nine gardens, nine pools and nine fountains, and see how delightful it will be! That is the way it should be! It is matchless, most beautiful! Such is the design. . . . There will be no greater geometry than this, and I hope that in Chicago (Wilmette) it will be like this.”
The fundamental principle of the oneness of mankind, fostered by worship in the Bahá’í Temple, must, of course, express itself through many channels other than the institutions of service on the adjacent grounds. Bahá’ís carry their ideal of unity into all the activities of daily living, whether they function as worker, as citizen, or as creative artist.
The aims of a Bahá’í as a world citizen may best be stated in the words of Shoghi Effendi. “Some form of a world Super-State must needs be evolved, in whose favor all the nations of the world will have willingly ceded every claim to make war, certain rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain armaments, except for purposes of maintaining internal order within their respective dominions. Such a state will have to include within its orbit an International Executive adequate to enforce supreme and unchallengeable authority on every recalcitrant member of the commonwealth; a World Parliament whose members shall be elected by the people in their respective countries and whose election shall be confirmed by their respective governments; and a Supreme Tribunal whose judgment will have a binding effect even in such cases where the parties concerned did not voluntarily agree to submit their case to its consideration. A world community in which all economic barriers will have been permanently demolished and the interdependence of Capital and Labor definitely recognized; in which the clamor of religious fanaticism and strife will have been forever stilled; in which the flame of racial animosity will have been finally extinguished; in which a single
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code of international law—the product of the considered judgment of the world's federated representatives—shall have as its sanction the instant and coercive intervention of the combined forces of the federated units; and finally a world community in which the fury of a capricious and militant nationalism will have been transmuted into an abiding consciousness of world citizenship—such, indeed, appears, in its broadest outline, the Order anticipated by Bahá’u’lláh." (The Goal of a New World Order, pp. 20-21.)
It is evident that the followers of the Bahá’í Faith must find in their worship an inspiration which will give them power to work at a stupendous task. But they find no cause for discouragement, for they are convinced of the truth of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement, "Thanks to the unfailing grace of God... nothing whatever can be regarded as unattainable... Endeavor, ceaseless endeavor is required." Meditation and prayer in the Bahá’í Temple is one of the means through which Bahá’ís acquire the strength to persevere in this "ceaseless endeavor."
The significance to the social order of the Bahá’í ideal which is taking concrete form in the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette can best be summarized in the words of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. "Nothing short of direct and constant interaction between the spiritual forces emanating from this House of Worship centering in the heart of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, and the energies consciously displayed by those who administer its affairs in their service to humanity can possibly provide the necessary agency capable of removing the evils that have so long and so grievously afflicted humanity. For it is assuredly upon the consciousness of the efficacy of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, reinforced on the one hand by spiritual communion with His Spirit, and on the other by the intelligent application and the faithful execution of the principles and laws He revealed, that the salvation of a world in travail must ultimately depend. And of all the institutions that stand associated with His Holy Name, surely none save the institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár can most adequately provide the essentials of Bahá’í worship and service, both so vital to the regeneration of the world."
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