1902-1911

‘Abdu’l-Bahá
‘Abdu’l-Bahá ‘Abbás was the eldest surviving son of Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. Named ‘Abbás Effendi at birth, He later took the name ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, or “Servant of Bahá.” He shared in the successive exiles and hardships endured by His Father, Who was banished from Iran when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was a child. As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá grew into adulthood, He made every effort to assist Bahá’u’lláh and His companions. He was twenty-four when He was imprisoned with Bahá’u’lláh in the penal colony of ‘Akká, Israel. Forty years would pass before ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was free.

As restrictions in ‘Akká gradually relaxed, the Bahá'ís gained the respect of the people of ‘Akká. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was renowned for His kindness, generosity, and wisdom. He often represented Bahá’u’lláh in meetings with the public and government officials. In His Will, Bahá’u’lláh designated ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as Head of the Bahá'í Faith and the authorized Interpreter of the Bahá'í Writings.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained Bahá’u’lláh’s Teachings in numerous books and Tablets. He lovingly guided and encouraged the American Bahá’ís in their efforts to build the House of Worship in Wilmette. In one of His early letters to the Bahá'ís, He wrote:

Now the day has arrived in which the edifice of God, the divine sanctuary, the spiritual temple, shall be erected in America! I entreat God to assist the confirmed believers in accomplishing this great service and with entire zeal to rear this mighty structure which shall be renowned throughout the world. . . .

Whosoever arises for the service of this building shall be assisted with a great power from His Supreme Kingdom and upon him spiritual and heavenly blessings shall descent, which shall fill his heart with wonderful consolation and enlighten his eyes by beholding the glorious and eternal God!

After forty years of confinement in ‘Akká and its vicinity, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá finally gained His freedom in 1908. In 1912, at the age of 67, He traveled to the United States for an historic eight-month journey from coast to coast. In spite of His age and uncertain health, He maintained a demanding schedule of public talks and private interviews with Bahá'ís and other visitors. His public addresses are collected in the volume The Promulgation of Universal Peace.

Corinne True
Corinne True became a Bahá'í in 1899, the same year that she lost her youngest son due to complications following the use of a new drug for diphtheria. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote to Mrs. True, comforting her in her grief. He sent her more than fifty letters before His death in 1921, consoling her in loss (in case He corresponded with her about the loss of more children; she lost 5 in all), encouraging her devotion to her remaining children, educating her about the importance of the Temple, and encouraging her to work diligently for its completion.

Mrs. True unceasingly urged her fellow-Bahá'ís to support the Temple project. She wrote numerous letters to Bahá'ís around the country. For weeks she searched for an appropriate site for the Temple, traveling by horsecar to the undeveloped areas north of Chicago until she found the land that would eventually be purchased for that purpose. She served on the early organizations formed by the Bahá'í community. She often spoke at Bahá'í conventions and other events. In one of her reports to the Bahá'í community, she shared her vision of the future Temple:

Stop and meditate, friends, upon the necessary part a Mashrak-el-Azkar, dedicated by his holy presence, will play in the future history and development of the world. Will it not become a visiting point for all nations and people throughout centuries and cycles? The inflow thus produced will return an outflow of vitalizing spiritual influence and its accessories will shed the light of the highest sciences, arts and crafts and the most magnanimous works of charity and hospitality.

Nettie Tobin
Esther Tobin, known to her friends as Nettie, was a widow who supported herself and her two sons as a seamstress in Chicago. She was distressed by her inability to contribute financially to the Temple. A letter written to the Bahá'ís in June 1908 by Mírzá Asadu’lláh, a Persian Bahá'í, may have inspired her to make the contribution for which she would long be remembered. He wrote:

Now is the time for expending energy and power in the erection of the edifice, be it a mere stone, laid in the name of the Bahai Mashrak-el-Azkar. For the glory and honor of the first stone is equivalent to all the stones and implements which will later be used there.

Nettie Tobin visited a construction site near her home, told the foreman about the Temple, and asked him for an inexpensive building stone. He invited her to take one of the damaged limestone rocks that were unsuitable for use. Later that day, she and a neighbor wrapped the stone in a piece of carpet, tied clothesline around it, and dragged it to her home. Two days later, with the help of two other friends, she transported the stone via horesecar to Evanston, six blocks from the Temple site. They struggled to carry it a few more blocks, then left the stone in the yard of an abandoned farmhouse. The next morning, Mrs. Tobin returned alone with a homemade cart and a shovel. With great difficulty, and with the help of two strangers who came to her aid at different points, she managed to get the cart to the Temple site, where it broke into pieces. She left the stone amidst the debris, said some prayers, and headed home.

Although ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Bahá'ís from around the world had sent stone markers for the Temple site, none of them ever reached the grounds. Only Nettie Tobin’s gift was available to serve as the cornerstone when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá dedicated the site during His visit to the United States in 1912.