1932-1943


John Earley
John Earley inherited the Earley Studio from his father. In 1919, when commissioned to work on the masonry in Meridian Hill Park in Washington, D.C., he developed an innovative method of beautifying the concrete. Before the concrete had dried, he used wire brushes to scrape away some of the sand and cement, revealing the stones underneath. This technique was later used on the Bahá'í House of Worship, with quartz stones creating the sparkling white surface. In the 1920s and 30s, the Earley Studio brought high standards of beauty and excellence to many other projects, including the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C., and the mosaic ceilings in the U.S. Department of Justice building.

Mr. Earley had met Louis Bourgeois, the Temple architect, in 1920. They became friends, working together on details of the Temple long before the Earley Studio was officially involved in the project. In 1933, Mr. Earley described his company’s attraction to the House of Worship at the annual convention of the American Concrete Institute:

We studied this temple with all its ramifications of form, of treatment and of meaning as a preparation for the time when work on it would be begun. It was strange, in a way, that we of the studio should have given so much thought to it. We had no authority to do so and as a matter of fact we were not commissioned to do the work until this summer just past. But somehow it always seemed to be our work. We understood it, we had the material and were equipped to do it. The architect was interesting to us and we to him. And then there was the job itself, a thing to fascinate the imagination. A temple of light with a great pierced dome through which by day the sunlight would stream to enlighten all within and through which by night the Temple light shone out into a darkened world. When at night we look into the sky we see only the stars but could we see the orbits of the stars how wonderful it would be. Great curves intertwining in weird perspective. Ovals, circles, and vesicas of endless variety twisted and woven into some great cosmic fabric. This is the theme of the dome, the courses of the stars woven into a fabric. But this is not all, interwoven with the courses of the stars . . . are the tendrils of living things, leaves, and flowers, because no symbol of creation would be complete without a symbol of life. Lifted above the dome are nine great ribs, nine aspirations that mount higher than the courses of the stars. I wonder after all if it was strange that we of the studio should have given so much thought to this project?

It was not until 1932, nearly two years after Mr. Bourgeois’s death, that the Earley Studio began work on the Temple exterior. Although Mr. Bourgeois had created full-scale drawings of the exterior ornamentation, no engineering plans had been created and no technique devised for fixing the ornamentation to the steel superstructure. It was up to John Earley and his staff to transform Mr. Bourgeois’s vision into reality.

The architect’s huge, ornate drawings of the Temple ornamentation were redrawn on large pieces of modeling clay, and clay models were carved for each section of the Temple dome. The models were used to create plaster molds from which the concrete sections were cast. A mixture of two types of quartz stones, sand, and portland cement was molded into the Temple’s intricate designs. It was exacting, meticulous work. When each panel was completed, it was packed in a wooden frame and transported to Wilmette by railroad.

Ornamentation of the Temple exterior engaged the Earley Studio over the course of a decade, although a shortage of funds necessitated a two-year break in the work from 1935–1937. Mr. Earley’s dedication to the project was evident in the fact that at one point prior to 1935, when funds were lacking to proceed with ornamenting the clerestory, he carried the expense himself and continued the work.

In November 1945, John Earley suffered a massive stroke, and he died several days later. Just weeks before his death, he had sold the Earley Studio to his partner, Basil Taylor, for one dollar. When the time came to ornament the Temple interior in 1949, the studio bearing John Earley’s name carried out the work in the tradition of excellence that he had so passionately established.

Religious Symbols on the Temple
A significant feature of the Temple’s exterior ornamentation is the spiritual symbolism that the architect, Louis Bourgeois, wove into its lace-like patterns. A series of symbols representing several religious traditions is featured on the tall pillars flanking each of the nine entrances. These symbols may represent the Bahá'í belief in progressive revelation, the concept that all major religions are successive stages in God’s plan to educate humanity through Divine Messengers.

The first symbol is the sauvastika, a Buddhist symbol also found in ancient Greek art. Its arms point counter-clockwise, distinguishing it from the swastika, which has arms pointing clockwise. It is interesting to note that the swastika also has ancient spiritual meanings for Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and American Indians.

Above the sauvastika stands the Star of David. While it was used by both Jews and Christians in medieval times, it has come to represent the Jewish Faith. The third symbol on the pillar is the cross, representing Christianity, and, according to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a symbol of sacrifice. The crescent moon and star, representing Islam, also appear on the pillars.

Universal symbols not associated with specific religious traditions are also incorporated into the Temple design. The wheel, which appears on either side of the great columns, can be said to represent eternal Divine energy. The ankh, or looped cross, is an ancient Egyptian symbol of life. It can be found in the ornamentation above the tall windows on either side of the Temple entrances.
Symbols and words unique to the Bahá'í Faith are also prominent. The nine-pointed star is found in several places, representing unity. The Greatest Name, a form of the name “Bahá” (Glory), is also found. This Arabic calligraphy can be translated as “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá,” or “O Glory of the All-Glorious.” The word “Abhá,” which is Arabic for “Most Glorious,” is elaborately carved above each Temple entrance. In addition, these quotations from the Words of Bahá’u’lláh appear above the nine Temple entrances:

- The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.
- The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice—turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me.
- My love is My stronghold—he that entereth therein is safe and secure.
- Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner.
- Thy heart is My home—sanctify it for My descent.
- I have made death a messenger of joy to thee—wherefore dost thou grieve?
- Make mention of Me on My earth that in My heaven I may remember thee.
- O rich ones on earth—The poor in your midst are My trust—guard ye My trust.
- The source of all learning is the knowledge of God—exalted be His Glory.

Handmade Models
Kenosha, Wisconsin, was home to one of the earliest Bahá'í communities in the United States. One of the Kenosha Bahá'ís, Mr. Louis Voelz, was enthralled with the Temple. He had attended the 1912 dedication of the Temple grounds by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and his family had the honor of hosting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in their home when He visited Kenosha in September of that year.

Mr. Voelz worked as a machine designer, and when the Depression caused his professional work to be scaled back, he used his free time to create unique cardboard models of the Temple. Determined to create a model to scale, he visited Wilmette to view the original drawings created by Louis Bourgeois. He used cardboard donated by a friend in the cardboard industry. Mr. Voelz soaked the cardboard and molded it to the shape of the Temple dome and walls. He then drew the ornamental details using India ink. He even created tiny people of different ethnic backgrounds and placed them on the steps and inside the Temple.

One of these painstakingly handcrafted models was displayed in the Hall of Religions at Chicago’s Century of Progress Exhibition in 1933–1934. An estimated ten thousand people passed the model each day.

Two of Mr. Voelz’s children, now in their senior years, remember their father’s efforts. They reported that after the model was created for the Century of Progress Exhibition, Shoghi Effendi contacted the National Spiritual Assembly and specifically requested a model of the House of Worship created by Mr. Voelz. Their father was thrilled to take on the project. He carefully repeated the method he had used before, then created a special crate to ship the model by boat to Haifa. It was on display at Bahá’u’lláh’s home, the Mansion of Bahjí, until the early 1960s, when it had to be removed due to deterioration of the materials.

National Air Mail Week
In 1938, the twentieth anniversary of air mail service was celebrated throughout the United States during the week of May 1521. In honor of the event, Wilmette was one of an estimated 10,000 communities that developed a special cachet, or cancellation stamp, to be used on air mail sent during the week. Wilmette Postmaster Herbert O’Connell chose an image created by a local artist that included the Bahá'í Temple.

During the week, over four thousand letters were sent from Wilmette—more items per capita than anywhere else in Illinois. Bahá'ís from across the United States and Canada, eager to make use of the special stamp, sent more than two thousand packages and letters to be mailed by friends in Wilmette. The Wilmette Bahá'ís sent Shoghi Effendi a message signed by each member of the community and stating their intention “to strive as never before” toward the Temple’s completion. In addition, the National Spiritual Assembly sent a mailing to all Local Spiritual Assemblies.

In a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly, Mr. O’Connell commented on the choice of the Temple for the cachet design:

. . . We felt that in choosing this for our design, we were taking the outstanding building not only of Wilmette, but of the World, seeing that there is no other to compare with it in architecture.

Temple’s Fame
The fame of the House of Worship grew as the work progressed. Inspired by the handmade Temple model created by Louis Voelz and displayed at Chicago’s Century of Progress Exhibition, the National Spiritual Assembly asked John Earley to create several plaster models. These were displayed throughout the United States and Canada, as well as at the Bahá'í World Center. One model was displayed at the 1939–1940 New York World’s Fair, where it was reportedly viewed by millions. Another model appeared at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco and was viewed by more than six hundred thousand people.

In addition to these efforts, the Bahá'ís used radio and newspaper advertisements to attract visitors to the Temple. They provided free literature for travel agencies, transportation companies, and hotels to distribute to their clients. Representatives of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce provided information about the Temple to companies considering Chicago as a convention site.

Between 1932 and 1943, more than 166,000 people visited the Temple. Additional visitors participated in the public meetings held each Sunday. Often 200 to 300 people attended these lectures, with a significant number returning on a regular basis. One meeting in 1941 drew more than 650 attendees. Corinne True was among the many Bahá'ís who spoke at these events. A library was created in the Temple and study classes established to assist visitors who wished to study the Bahá'í Teachings in greater depth.

As tours of the Temple increased in popularity, volunteer guides were required. Shoghi Effendi provided guidelines for Bahá'ís serving in this manner. Gertrude Struven, a Wilmette Bahá'í, wrote about her experiences as a Temple guide:

Because of radio announcements, groups ranging from twenty to six hundred often come, usually by appointment. They are assigned special speakers who give the Message to the group as a whole; afterwards the visitors are divided into smaller groups and shown the Temple. . . .

Guides should be prepared for almost any kind of surprise visits. While large groups are supposed to make appointments, they often come in hordes, quite unexpectedly. Recently our caretaker was occupied with an expected group of 108 employees of the Public Service Company of Northern Illinois, when an unannounced crowd of 320 women of the National Credit Association, arrived in several huge buses. . . .

Occasionally groups have come saying, “We have only a few minutes to stay, so we must hurry,” but they have become so interested that they have stayed for hours.