Make a Beginning and All Will Come Right

Corinne True made one of her nine pilgrimages to the Bahá’í Holy Places in Palestine ‘during the time of the Second Commission of Investigation by the Turks, when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had again been confined as a prisoner to ‘Akká by order of the Sulṭán of Turkey [Ottoman Empire]. On this visit Mrs True took a petition to the Master asking permission for the American Bahá’ís to begin planning for the erection of a “House of Worship”. This petition was in the form of a parchment containing the signatures of over a thousand American believers. She tells the story of putting the parchment behind her on the divan and first presenting the little gifts sent by the loving friends. But the Master strode across the room, reached behind her and grasped the parchment, holding it high in the air. “This,” He exclaimed, “this is what gives me great joy.” “Go back,” He told her, “go back and work for the Temple; it is a great work.” How she longed to do this work, but it seemed such a great task. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, looking at her with deep intensity said, “Devote yourself to this project—make a beginning, and all will come right.” He then proceeded to give basic instructions about its design. It was to have nine sides, nine gardens, nine fountains, nine doors, nine walks, etc. And so a vision of the first Bahá’í Temple in the Western Hemisphere was born.’

Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 121–122.

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: temples).

Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/temples