DOCSLIB.ORG

Servants of the Glory a Chronicle of Forty Years of Pioneering

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Servants of the Glory a Chronicle of Forty Years of Pioneering SERVANTS OF THE GLORY A CHRONICLE OF FORTY YEARS OF PIONEERING Dempsey and Adrienne Morgan © Adrienne and Dempsey Morgan 2017 ii © Adrienne and Dempsey Morgan 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS Early Years ................................................................................................................................. 1 Military Service ..................................................................................................................... 1 Post-War Endeavors ............................................................................................................... 2 New Horizons in Southeast Asia ............................................................................................... 4 Vietnam .................................................................................................................................. 5 Teaching Progress .................................................................................................................................... 5 Indigenous Elections ............................................................................................................................... 7 A Sample of Corruption .......................................................................................................................... 7 Politics and Narratives ........................................................................................................................... 7 On To Thailand ...................................................................................................................... 9 Thai Culture and Traditions ................................................................................................................. 9 Dealing with Thieves ............................................................................................................................ 12 Some Eastern Beliefs And Customs ................................................................................................ 12 Translations and Deepening ............................................................................................................. 14 Reviving The Faith In Cambodia ......................................................................................... 17 Jubilee - Interlude in Israel ................................................................................................................ 18 Changes and Progress .......................................................................................................................... 19 Last Days of Phnom Penh ................................................................................................................... 22 Pure Souls .................................................................................................................................................. 24 Point of No Return ................................................................................................................................. 24 Frustration in Laos ............................................................................................................... 24 Growth of the Faith in Indonesia ......................................................................................... 25 Changing Places ....................................................................................................................... 27 Impressions of India ............................................................................................................................. 27 Making Ends Meet ................................................................................................................................. 28 A New Challenge – Africa ....................................................................................................... 29 A Fortuitous Arrival .............................................................................................................................. 29 Teaching and More Teaching ............................................................................................................ 31 Side Trip to Rwanda ................................................................................................................ 33 The Chadian Venture ............................................................................................................... 34 First Encounter ....................................................................................................................................... 35 Getting Settled ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Building the Faith ................................................................................................................................... 36 A Plea for Help ......................................................................................................................................... 37 Visitors ........................................................................................................................................................ 39 Convention in the Central African Republic ............................................................................... 40 The Chadian Convention ..................................................................................................................... 41 Attempts to Incorporate ..................................................................................................................... 42 The Dispersion ......................................................................................................................... 43 Back to Cambodia .................................................................................................................... 44 The Ban is Lifted ................................................................................................................. 44 Return to the Americas ............................................................................................................ 46 A Month in Martinique ........................................................................................................ 46 iii © Adrienne and Dempsey Morgan 2017 South Carolina ..................................................................................................................... 47 No Mass Teaching? ................................................................................................................................ 48 Renewing Declarations ........................................................................................................................ 48 Madagascar .............................................................................................................................. 50 Entree to Antanarivo ............................................................................................................ 50 Meeting with the NSA ......................................................................................................... 51 Local Impressions and Practices .......................................................................................... 51 A Brief Respite .................................................................................................................... 52 Memorable Bahá’ís .................................................................................................................. 52 Mírzá Ali Kuli Khan ............................................................................................................ 52 Enoch Olinga ....................................................................................................................... 52 Collis Featherstone ............................................................................................................... 53 Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum ........................................................................................ 53 ‘Alí Akbar Furútan ............................................................................................................... 53 ‘Alí Muhammad Varqá ........................................................................................................ 53 Back To Africa – Zaire ............................................................................................................ 54 Mbuji Mayi .......................................................................................................................... 54 North to Butembo ................................................................................................................ 55 Wool Clothes for the Equator? ............................................................................................ 56 A Change of Plan ................................................................................................................. 60 Asia Revisited ...................................................................................................................... 62 Central America ....................................................................................................................... 63 South to Belize ..................................................................................................................... 63 Strange Happenings ............................................................................................................. 63 Looking Back ..........................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Pupil of the Eye: African Americans in the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh by the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, and Universal House of Justice
    Bahá'í Library Online The Pupil of the Eye: African Americans in the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh by The Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, and Universal House of Justice Compiled by Bonnie J. Taylor. Rivera Beach, Florida: Palabra Publications, 1998 Selections from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice Copyright by Bonnie Taylor ISBN 1-890101-00-1 First published September 1995 Second edition published 1998 Compiled by Bonnie J. Taylor Palabra Publications 3735 B Shares Place Rivera Beach, Florida 33404 USA 561-845-1919 561-845-0126 (fax) [email protected] CONTENTS Notes and Acknolwledgements v The Pupil vii One: People of African Descent 3 I. Qualities and Characteristics 3 II. Individual Bahá'ís of African Descent 9 Two: Race 21 I. Origins of Racial Characteristics 21 II. Measurement of Human Intelligence, Capacity and Worth 24 III. The Intellect and Race 28 Three: Bahá'u'lláh's Principle of the Oneness of Mankind 33 I. The Fundamental Principle of the Bahá'í Faith 33 II. Eliminating Prejudices: Prerequisite to Unity and Peace 43 III. The Danger of Prejudice and Disunity 50 Four: Unity in Diversity 61 I. The Purpose and Value of Diversity 61 II. The Principle of Unity in Diversity 67 III. Maintaining Diversity 71 Five: Applying Solutions to Racism 75 I. The Most Vital and Challenging Issue: Goal and the Responsibilities 75 II. Responsibilities of the Bahá'ís of European Descent 97 III. Responsibilities of the Bahá'ís of African Descent 103 IV.
    [Show full text]
  • The Universal House of Justice Riḍván 1990 to the Bahá'ís of The
    The Universal House of Justice Riḍván 1990 To the Bahá’ís of the World Dearly loved Friends, Having ended a year of momentous achievements, we stand at the threshold of the last decade of this radiant twentieth century facing an immediate future of immense challenges and dazzling prospects. The swiftness of events during the past year is indicative of the acceleration, as the hundredth anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s Ascension approaches, of the spiritual forces released with the advent of His revolutionizing mission. It is an acceleration which, in its suddenness and wide transformational impact on social thought and on political entities, has aroused feelings of delight as to its immediate effects and of bewilderment as to its real meaning and destined outcome, prompting the astonished editors of an outstanding newspaper, finding themselves bereft of explanations, to attribute it to the workings of an “Invisible Hand.” For the followers of Bahá’u’lláh throughout the world there can be no doubt as to the Divine Source and clear intention of these extraordinary happenings. Let us rejoice, therefore, in the wondrous signs of the beneficence of God’s abounding grace. The high level of teaching and enrollments reported last Riḍván has been sustained, and new fields of teaching have been opened from Eastern Europe to the China Sea. With the settlement in recent weeks of two Knights of Bahá’u’lláh in Sakhalin Island, the last remaining territory named by Shoghi Effendi in his Ten Year Global Plan entered the Bahá’í fold. The recreation last Riḍván of the Local Spiritual Assembly of ‘Ishqábád, the recent election of that of Cluj in Romania, the first new Assembly in the “East Bloc,” the reestablishment and formation this Riḍván of Local Spiritual Assemblies in other parts of the Soviet Union and in other countries of Eastern Europe—all these achievements and immediate prospects affirm our arrival at a significant milestone in the fourth epoch of the Formative Age.
    [Show full text]
  • YERRINBOOL BAHA'i SCHOOL 1938-1988 .An Account of the First Fifty Years Graham Hassall YERRINBOOL BAHA'i SCHOOL
    YERRINBOOL BAHA'I SCHOOL 1938-1988 .An Account of the First Fifty Years Graham Hassall YERRINBOOL BAHA'I SCHOOL 1938 - 1988 An Account of the First Fifty Years Graham Hassan Printed by CPN Publications Ply Ltd, Canberra ACT, Australia January 1988 I LLUSTRATIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Page I wish to record my thanks to several committees and individuals, whose goodwill and assistance have made this account a pleasure to compile. Firstly, I thank the Yerrinbool School Committee, Mariette and Stanley W. Bolton 4 for suggesting the project. I also take the opportunity to thank 4 archivist Colin Brest, and the members of the National Archives 1st Yerrinbool Local Spiritual Assembly, 1948 Committee for their most effective conservation and ordering of Hand of the Cause Clara Dunn and Stanley W. Bolton Baha'i records. I thank the National Spiritual Assembly for its 5 most efficient review of the manuscript, and the Baha'i opening Hyde Dunn Memorial Hall, January 1943 Publications Committee is to be thanked for its efficiency and 5 co-operation in overseeing printing of the booklet. View of Hyde Dunn Memorial Hall and Tennis Court, 1944 I thank for their significant contributions to the project Hand Hand of the Cause Clara Dunn with Baha'is, including of the Cause Collis Featherstone, Madge Featherstone, Stanley P. the Khan family, 1950's 12 Bolton, Jim Heggie, John Stevenson, Aubrey Lake, Elizabeth Barwick and John Burdett. Those familiar with the Yerrinbool Hands of the Cause Faizi and Furutan and Mariette School will know how many significant people, and important Bolton, January 1954. 12 events, have had to be omitted from this account due to lack of space.
    [Show full text]
  • Baha'i News Baha'i Year 139 October 1982
    Baha'i News Baha'i Year 139 October 1982 The Mountain Brown experience: Teaching in Papua New Guinea WITH SORROWFUL HEARTS ANNOUNCE EXECUTION ON 11 AUGUST IN URUMIYYIH ACTIVE BAHA'[ ALI NA'IMIYAN AFTER BEING IMPRISONED ONE YEAR. PRESSURES INTENSIFYING AGAINST BELIEVERS IRAN. CALL UPON FRIENDS CONTINUE EFFORTS BEHALF OPPRESSED BRETHREN CRADLE FAITH. UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE AUGUST 30, 1982 Baha'i News Baha'i Year 139 No. 619 ISS N 0195-9212 USPS 040-140 The first of five International Conferences is held in Dublin, Ireland . ..... 1 Quito, Ecuador, is the site of the second International Conference . ...... 3 The Faith is represented at a United Nations seminar in Sri Lanka . ...... 6 A memorial service honors conservationist Richard St. Barbe Baker . .... 7 The Senate of Fiji passes a resolution condemning Iran persecutions . ... 8 In Papua New Guinea, an ongoing teaching effort is highly successful .. 10 Around the world: News from Baha'i communities all over the globe . ... 12 Baha'i News is publ ished monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the BaM'is of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Baha'i world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appea r at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Baha'i National Center, Wi lmette, IL 60091 , U.S.A. Ch anges of ad­ dress should be reported to the Office of Membership and Records, Baha'i National Cen ter. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rat es: one year, U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • AMATU'l-BAHÁ VISITS INDIA by VIOLETTE NAKHJAVANI BAHÁ'í
    AMATU’L-BAHÁ VISITS INDIA by VIOLETTE NAKHJAVANI BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST New Delhi, India Publishing Trust of India F-3/6, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-I New Delhi — 110 020, India © Violette Nakhjavani First published 1966 Second edition 1984 Reprinted 2000 ISBN 81-86953-94-9 Printed at Thomson Press CONTENTS Dedication xiii Preface to Second Edition xv Introduction xix Chapter I — NEW DELHI, RAJASTHAN, UTTAR PRADESH 1 Departure from Haifa; New Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur, Agra, Nayala village II — MADHYA PRADESH 22 Gwalior, Baghchini village, Lachura Kapura, Nat Kapura, Ghatigam, “untouchables” village, Utila III — MADHYA PRADESH 34 Ujjain, Khajuraho, Sanchi, Kwetiapani, Shajapur, Harsodan, Jahangipur, Hingoria, Indore IV — MAHARASHTRA, ANDHRA PRADESH 43 Ajanta and Ellora caves, Aurangabad, Bombay, Dang, Devlali, Sholapur, Mohal village, Poona, Hyderabad, Secunderabad V — MYSORE, TAMIL NADU, KERALA 62 Bangalore, Karampaylo, Dodda Gobbi, Kadagra- hara (“Jungle Village” see p. 136), Mysore, Mercara, Coorg, Maligere, Lakshmisagar, Matakere, Kammay- akhalli, Tibetan colony, Ootacamund, Nilgiri Hills, Toda village, Coimbatore, Cochin, Ernakulam, Nayar Ambalam Island, Trivandrum, Madras VI — SRI LANKA (CEYLON), MALAYSIA, THAILAND, NEPAL, SIKKIM 79 Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Gangtok, Pakyong VII — ORISSA, MADHYA PRADESH, ANDHRA PRADESH, GERMANY, INDIA 87 Puri, Taraboi, Naraindapur, Niyali, Barhana, Bhubaneswar, Bastar, Narainpur, Dodhai, Solenga, Nagpur, New Delhi, Germany, New Delhi VIII — SRI LANKA (CEYLON) 98 Colombo, Pandura,
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 7 American Bahai LB 2.Pages
    LB Updatd: February 2018 CHAPTER 7 - THE AMERICAN BAHÁ'Í MAGAZINE January 1970: 1) NABOHR: Past, Present, and Future. The North American Bahá'í Office for Human Rights was established in January 1986. It is reported here that this office sponsored con- ferences for action on Human Rights in 20 leading cities and on a Canadian Reserve. There is a Photo here of presenter giving the address at the "American Indian and Human Rights" conference in Gallup, New Mexico. p. 3. 2) A program illustration entitled; "A World View" and it includes an Indian image. p. 7. February 1970: checked March 1970: 1) Bahá'í Education Conference Draws Overflow Attendance. More than 500 Bahá'ís from all over the U.S. come to this event. The only non Bahá'í speaker at the conference, Mrs. De Lee has a long record of civil rights activity in South Carolina. Her current project was to help 300 Indian school children in Dorchester County get into the public school. They were considered to be white until they tried to get their children in the public schools there. They were told they couldn't go to the public schools. A Freedom school was set up in an Indian community to teach Indian children and Mrs. Lee is still working towards getting them into the public school. pp. 1, 5. 2) News Briefs: The Minorities Teaching Committee of Albuquerque, NM held a unity Feast recently concurrent with the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is significant to the Mex- ican and American Indian populations of the area.
    [Show full text]
  • Centenary of Thebahá'í Faith in Australia 1920 - 2020 the ORIGINS of the AUSTRALIAN
    A VISION OF UNITY Centenary of theBahá'í Faith in Australia 1920 - 2020 THE ORIGINS OF THE AUSTRALIAN BAHÁ'Í COMMUNITY The Australian Bahá'í Community is celebrating its centenary. Since the first Bahá'ís arrived in Australia in 1920, our community has embraced people from all backgrounds and walks of life in cities, towns and rural areas across the country. Bahá’ís are inspired by the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, to build unity between all the people of the world, believing that all human beings are created noble and equal, and are guided The Australian Bahá'í community was established by John Henry Hyde by one God who has revealed Dunn (1855-1941) and Clara Dunn (1869-1960), who arrived in Sydney on His religion to humanity on the steamship S.S. Sonoma from the United States on 10 April 1920. over time through successive Hyde Dunn was an Englishman who had emigrated to the United States. divine messengers known as Clara Dunn was born in London to Irish parents and raised in Canada. They Manifestations of God. married in 1917, late in life, after their first partners had passed away. Both Hyde and Clara Dunn had embraced the Bahá'í Faith in the United States in the early years of the twentieth century. They both met ‘Abdu’l- Bahá, then head of the Bahá'í Faith, in San Francisco during His historic visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. He made an impact on them that lasted for the rest of their lives.
    [Show full text]
  • In Memoriam: Hand of the Cause Zikrullah Khadem
    Baha'i News Baha'i Year 143 No. 669 ISSN 0195·9212 USPS 040·140 'Fearless, deeply loved' Hand of Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem dies. 2 Mr. Khadem's address to Baha'i Peace Conference in San Francisco. 4 The Association for Baha'i Studies holds its 11th annual Conference. 8 Communications quarterly profiles the Amoz Gibson Training Centre. 9 House of Justice comments on betterment of life, path to world unity. 12 Around the world: News from Baha'i communities all over the globe. 14 S.bi'f News is published monthly by the National Sp: ritual Assembly of the Bah3'is of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bah3. 'i world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typcwrit~cn and doublc·spaccd throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbou copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Baha'i National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of addressshould be reported to the Offlct of Mtmbusblp and Records, Bah3. ' i National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates within the U.S.: one year, SI 2; two years, S20. Outside t he U.S.: one yea r, Sl4; two years, S24. Foreign air mail: one year, S20; two years, S40. Payment must accompany the order and must be in U.S. dollars. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright oJ986, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Fariburz Sahba (right), chief architect of the Bah<i'{ House world.
    [Show full text]
  • The Baha'i Faith in Africa
    The Baha’i Faith in Africa Establishing a New Religious Movement, 1952–1962 By Anthony A. Lee LEIDEN • BOSTON 2011 Studies of Religion in Africa Edited by Benjamin Soares, Africa Studies Center, Leiden, The Netherlands Frans Wijsen, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands VOLUME 39 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lee, Anthony A., 1947– The Baha’i faith in Africa : establishing a new religious movement, 1952–1962 / by Anthony A. Lee. p. cm. — (Studies of religion in Africa ; v. 39) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-90-04-20684-7 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Bahai Faith—Africa—History. I. Title. II. Series. BP355.A35L44 2011 297.9’309609045—dc23 2011030296 ISSN 0169-9814 ISBN 978 90 04 20684 7 Copyright 2011 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Global Oriental, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Brill has made all reasonable efforts to trace all rights holders to any copyrighted material used in this work. In cases where these efforts have not been successful the publisher welcomes communications from copyright holders, so that the appropriate acknowledgements can be made in future editions, and to settle other permission matters. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA.
    [Show full text]
  • Books with Messages from the Universal House of Justice
    LB: November 2019 Books with Messages from the Universal House of Justice: Wellspring of Guidance: Messages 1963-1968. Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Wilmette, IL. 1970. None* Messages from The Universal House of Justice: 1968-1973. Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Wilmette, IL. 1976. Messages From The Universal House of Justice. 1963-1986. The Third Epoch of The Formative Age. Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Wilmette, IL. 1996. A Wider Horizon-Selected Messages of the Universal House of Justice 1983-1992 Palabra Publications. Riviera Beach (now West Palm Beach), Florida. 1992 Messages From The Universal House of Justice. 1986-2001. The Fourth Epoch of The Formative Age. Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Wilmette, IL. 2009. Turning Point: Selected Messages of the Universal House of Justice and Supplementary Material 1996-2006. Palabra Publications. West Palm Beach, Florida. 2006. Framework for Action: Selected Messages of the Universal House of Justice and Supplementary Material 2006-2016. Palabra Publications. West Palm Beach, Florida. 2017. None *’None’ means no mention of American Indians in the particular book. However some messages from more recent years may be available on-line at some point. Many of the quotations here come from the Universal House of Justice found on the web- site: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/ Some may even be listed on the official website of the Universal House of Justice. 1 LB: November 2019 Riḑván 1965 — To the Bahá’ís of the World … Bahá’í literature has been published in the following eleven new languages: Ibibio-Efik in the continent of Africa, Aguacateca, Athabascan, Cariña and Motilon-Yukpa in the continent of America, … https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/ 19650421_001/1#646789330.
    [Show full text]
  • National 1 the Fund in Crisis
    PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL 1 FOR BAHA'IS ONLY 112 Linden Av., Wilmette, 111. 60091 Application to mail at Second Class Postage Rate is wndine No. 11 BAHA'I YEAR 125 NOVEMBER 1968 THE FUND IN CRISIS Dear Friends : As a means of reversing this trend, the National Spiritual Assembly has again set November 12, the The appeal from the Universal House of Justice for Birthday of Bahi'u'llbh, as the deadline for achieving increased contributions to the International Deputiza- one-half of the total budget: tion Fund (see November BAHA'~NEWS p. 1) comes at a time when our National Fund is in a most critical Our budget for one-half year ..................$609,000 state. The National Spiritual Assembly in full aware- Less our total income prior to October 1 ...... 407,749 ness of the growing needs of the International Funds and the mounting demands being made on our National Gives amount needed to meet our goal by Fund from other quarters, set a budget of $1,218,000 for November 12 ................................$201,251 the current Bahh'i year. Of that amount, $365,000 - $78,000 more than last year - has been pledged to the Beloved friends, we can achieve this goal by applying a International Funds, including the Deputization Fund. principle established by Shoghi Effendi: namely, con- tributions to the .Fund should involve some element of A careful assessment of the growing size and earning sacrifice. The combination of this principle with that capacity of our membership indicates that we are cap- of universal participation given us by the Universal able of meeting the budget.
    [Show full text]
  • Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
    Mashriqu’l-Adhkár (Arabic: "Dawning Place of the Praise of God") Term used primarily to refer to a Bahá’í House of Worship, also known as a Temple, and its surrounding dependencies. ARTICLE OUTLINE: THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR The Institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár Concept Purpose Concept Form The term Mashriqu’l-Adhkár is used in the writings Symbolism of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi to Houses of Worship around the World refer to a gathering of Bahá’ís worshiping and Ashgabat (Ashkhabad, ‘Ishqábád) praising God through use of sacred scripture, Chicago especially at dawn; to a building dedicated to such Kampala worship; to the complex of buildings surrounding a Sydney Frankfurt am Main central House of Worship that Bahá’u’lláh ordained Panama City to be at the heart of every Bahá’í community and Apia that is to include educational and humanitarian New Delhi service institutions open to people of all religions; Santiago and to the central House of Worship, or Temple, Future Plans itself. Only Bahá’ís may contribute funds to the ARTICLE RESOURCES: building and operation of a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár. As is generally the case with Bahá’í institutions, the Notes development of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár as an Other Sources and Related Reading institution is both gradual and evolutionary. In His book of laws, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book), Bahá’u’lláh describes the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár as a building erected in a city or village for the worship of God.1 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, whose ministry spanned the period 1892–1921, encouraged the Bahá’ís to establish Mashriqu’l-Adhkárs in every "hamlet and city";2 if this were not possible due to severe persecution, He advised, the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár could even be "underground."3 Many Bahá’í communities in Iran and in the Transcaspian Territory in Russia designated ordinary houses in their localities as Mashriqu’l-Adhkárs (See: ‘Alavíyyih Khánum, and ‘Alí Ján, Mullá).
    [Show full text]