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Bohci'i Year 131-32 Morch 1975 Baha'i News Vol. 52 No. 3 For Baho'i's only Contents The House of 1'bdu'lloh Pasho: Pri son home of the Master ...... 2 Around the world ....................................... · .5 World Center, International Baha'{Community, International Audio-Visual Center, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Haiti, Honduras, Korea, Norway, Portugal, Un ited States, Uruguay, Vietnam India: an historical overview .................. ............. 16 Poge 14 Effective May 1 the subscription prices for BohO'i' News, World Order, ond Child's Woy will be increased to cover higher production costs for poper stock, printing, ond other services. " We regret that it hos been necessary to raise the subscription prices of the periodicals," soid William Geissler, Secretary of the National Information Committee, "but the costs of all materials ond production services have increased significantly over the past two years and there is no sign that the trend is abating." For example a new increase in the price of postage is soon to go into effect. "The Baha'i periodicals have attempted to keep the subscription prices down," Mr. Geissler said. "The last price odjustment was approximately four years ego. During that time the National Assembly has heavily subsidized the publication of periodicals. The increases will help to make the publications more self-sufficient," he said. After May 1 o one-year subscription to Saha'( News will cost US $8; two years US S 15. A one-year subscription to World Order, a quarterly magazine, will costUS $6; two years US $11 . A one-year subscription to Child's Woy. o Boha'i magazine for children, will cost US $5; two years US $9.50. Page 21 BohO 'i News is published monthly for circulation omong Bahci'is only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahci'is of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Boho'i 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: Boho'i News Ed itorial Office, 112 linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 , U.S.A. Change of address should be reported directly to Office of Membership ond Records, National Baho'i Center, 112 linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Subscription rates: one year, US $6.00; two years, US $12.00 Second d oss postage poid at Wilmette, Illinois 60091 . Copyright c 1975, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahci'ls of the United States. World Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. The House of Abdu'llah Pasha: Prison home of the Master, The House of 'Abdu' l-Bah<i, which was His official residence from 1897 to J 908, and in which Shoghi Effendi was birthplace of the Guardian born, is shown in this aerial photo­ graph of the north-western quarter of the city of 14kkti. The borders of rhe extensive property are outlined in white. Ir is krwwn locally as the House of 'Abdu' llah Ptishci and ir was here that :4bdu' /-Baha received the pilgrims. in­ cluding that first group from rhe West (December JO, 1898). Seen nearby are rhe prison citadel with the windows of :4bdu' l-Balui' s cell clearly visible, rhe barracks square, and the mosque of Baha'i International News Service Jau.ar. Some of the most poignant, dramatic boundary of the propert) is a row of houses admirers refrained, during the most tur­ and historically significant events of the giving directly. on ics western aspect, 10 bulent days of this period. from calling Heroic Age of our Faith are associated the courtyard and offering many additional upon Him. for fear of being implicated with this house. which derives its name vantage points for observing the Master. A and of incurring the suspicion of the from the Governor of 'Akka wbo built it similar row of houses ex1ends from the authorities. On certain days and nights. and used it as his official residence during north-eastern comer along the northern when the outlook was at its darkest, the his term of office. from 1820 to 1832. 1t boundary until they terminate at the lon­ house in which He was living, and stands just inside the north-western comer gitudinal wing of the main building which, which had for many years been a focus of the sea wall of'Akka, in the close neigh­ at this point, projects northwards into sev­ of activity, was completely deserted. borhood of the citadel where Baha' u'llah eral conjoined buildings, making a large Spies. secretly and openly, kept watch was confined. The main building is irregular outcrop on the northern bound­ around it. observing His every move­ L-shaped. facing south and east on it outer ary. The western end of the northern ment and restricting the freedom of His prospects. The srructure, though chiefly boundary is a short stretch of waJI complet­ family ... on two storeys, is irregular and on the ing the enclosure at the north-western Yet during these troublous times, and from inside angle has balconies. uncovered comer of the west wall. Large stables, 1his house He directed the construction of stairways, a bath house and a well. The coach houses and store rooms line 1he 1he Bab·s sepulchre on Mount Carmel. entire property comprises large courtyards southern boundary. erected under its shadow His own house in and is bounded on the west, or seaward In this house. fifty lunar years after the Haifa, and later the Pilgrim House, issued side by a wall, which rums due east at its Bab's martyrdom, in January. 1899, the instructions for the restoration of the Bab's southern angle and continues towards the casket containing His sacred and precious holy House in Shiraz and for the erection heart of 'Akka. forming after a few yards. remains was received by ·Abdu'l-BaM, of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkarofthe world the wall of a narrow street at the eastern Who successfully concealed it until it was in the city of 'Ishqabad. Again the Guar­ terminus of this wall, and within the prop­ possible to inter it, with all honors, in its dian is our reference for the Master's erty, is an imposing house which was oc­ permanent resting-place in the bosom of ceaseless activity at that time: cupied by that Governor of 'Akka whose Carmel. In this house Abdu'l-Baha was incumbency coincided with 'Abdu'lBaha,s confined during the period of His renewed . Eye witnesses have testified residence in the main building. and whose incarceration. Shoghi Effendi, in God that, during that agitated and perilous northern windows permitted him co main­ Passes By. testifies to the conditjons ofHis period of His life, they had known Him tain a constant surveillance of life at chat time: to pen, with His own Hand. no less than 'Abdu'l-Baha' s activities. Beyond this ninety Tablets in a single day, and to house is a small mosque. The eastern . Even His numerous friends and pass many a night, from dusk to dawn, 2 BAHA'i NEWS I March, 1975 alone in His bed-chamber engaged in a ing language, the ascendancy which the tempestuous days could shake His con­ correspondence which the pressure of torch-bearer of the Covenant would ulti­ fidence, nothing would be allowed to His manifold responsiblilities had pre­ mately achieve over them." interfere with His ministrations to the vented Him from attending to in the During the twelve years of His residence destiture. the orphan. the sick. and the day-time. in this house, 'Abdu'l-Baha demonstrated downtrodden, nctbing cound prevent the true nobility ofHis divine nature, over­ Him from calling in person upon those It was in this house that His celebrated came hatred with love, pursued without who were either incapacitated, or table talks were given and compiled. to be rest against ever-mounting opposition, the ashamed to solicit His aid ... published later under the title Some An­ direction of His Father's Cause, main­ So imperturbable was sered Questions. In this house and in the tained in the face of fanaticism. jealousy 'Abdu'lBaha's equanimity that. while darkest hours of a period which the be­ and bitterness His unceasing care of the rumors were being bruited about that He loved Guardian describes as ·'the most poor and sick and overcame, with unruf­ might be cast into the sea. or exiled to dramatic period of His ministry", "in the fled equanimity, the severest crisis of His Fizan in Tripolitania, or hanged on the hey-day of His life and in the full tide of life. The Guardian's words testify to these gallows. He. t-0 the amazement of His His power" He penned the first part of His things: friends and the amusement of His Will and Testament. which delineates the ememies, was to be seen planting trees features and lays the foundations of the ... At His table, in those days, and vines in the garden of His house. Administrative Order to arise after His whenever there was a lull in the storm whose fruits when the storm bad blown passing. In this house He revealed the raging about Him, there would gather over. He would bid His faithful gar­ highly significant Tablet addressed to the pilgrims, friends and inquirers from dener, lsma·n Aqa. pluck and present ro Bab's cousin and chief builder of the most of the afore-mentioned countries. those same friends and enemies on rhe 'lshqabad Temple, a Tablet whose import representative of the Christian.
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