The Temple Is Already Built

On 1 May 1912, after His talk in the tent on the Temple grounds at Wilmette, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá led the crowd to the nearby ceremonial site where, in the great amphitheater afforded by the panorama of woods, fields and the expanse of water, ground was to be broken. The Master asked where the center of the Temple site was located and prepared to begin the hole for the cornerstone. But all didn't go according to plan.

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Irene Holmes from New York handed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá a golden trowel to dig the hole for the dedication stone. But it wasn't strong enough to break through the ground. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called for stronger tools, and an axe, borrowed from someone across the street, was handed to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who swung it powerfully, again and again, until He broke into the earth below. Finally, a shovel was produced by a young man who had borrowed it from a work crew.

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When the shovel was handed to the Master, Corinne True reportedly suggested to Him to have women participate in the ceremony. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called on Lua Getsinger to come forward. Corinne was the second one to dig up a shovelful of earth. Following her, representatives from different races and nationalities took their turn with the shovel. After placing the stone in the hole, the Master pushed the earth around it and declared that "the Temple is already built."

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