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The Nineteen Day Feast
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Pages 186-188
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The Nineteen Day Feast
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With the development of the Bahá'í administrative order
since the ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá, the Nineteen Day Feast,
observed on the first day of each Bahá'í month, has assumed a
very special importance, providing as it does not only for community
prayer and reading from the Holy Books, but also for
general consultation on all current Bahá'í affairs and for the
association of the friends together. This Feast is the occasion
when the Spiritual Assembly makes its reports to the community
and invites both discussion of plans and suggestions for new
and better methods of service.
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
[1]
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Bahá'u'lláh left instructions that temples of worship should
be built by His followers in every country and city. To these
temples He gave the name of "Mashriqu'l-Adhkár," which
means "Dawning Place of God's Praise." The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
is to be a nine-sided building surmounted by a dome,
and as beautiful as possible in design and workmanship. It is
to stand in a large garden adorned with fountains, trees and
flowers, surrounded by a number of accessory buildings devoted
to educational, charitable and social purposes, so that
the worship of God in the temple may always be closely associated
with reverent delight in the beauties of nature and of
art, and with practical work for the amelioration of social
conditions.
[2]
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In Persia, up till the present, Bahá'ís have been debarred
from building temples for public worship, and so the first great
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár was built in shqabad,
[3]
Russia. `Abdu'l-Bahá
dedicated the site of the second Bahá'í House of Worship,
to stand on the shore of Lake Michigan a few miles north
of Chicago, during His visit to America in 1912.
[4]
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In tablets referring to this "Mother Temple" of the West,
`Abdu'l-Bahá writes as follows: --
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Praise be to God, that, at this moment, from every
country in the world, according to their various means,
contributions are continually being sent toward the fund
of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in America. ... From the day
of Adam until now, such a thing has never been witnessed
by man, that from the furthermost country of Asia contributions
were forwarded to America. This is through
the power of the Covenant of God. Verily this is a cause
of astonishment for the people of perception. It is hoped
that the believers of God may show magnanimity and
raise a great sum for the building. ... I want everyone
left free to act as he wills. If anyone wishes to put money
into other things, let him do so. Do not interfere with him
in any way, but be assured that the most important thing at
this time is the building of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár.
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... The mystery of the edifice is great, and cannot be unveiled
yet, but its erection is the most important undertaking
of this day. The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár has important
accessories, which are accounted of the basic foundations.
These are: school for orphan children, hospital and dispensary
for the poor, home for the incapable, college for
the higher scientific education, and hospice. In every city
a great Mashriqu'l-Adhkár must be founded after this order.
In the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár services will be held every
morning. There will be no organ in the Temple. In buildings
nearby, festivals, services, conventions, public meetings
and spiritual gatherings will be held, but in the Temple
the chanting and singing will be unaccompanied.
Open ye the gates of the Temple to all mankind.
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When these institutions, college, hospital, hospice and
establishment for the incurables, university for the study
of higher sciences, giving post-graduate courses, and
other philanthropic buildings are built, the doors will be
opened to all the nations and religions. There will be absolutely
no line of demarcation drawn. Its charities will
be dispense irrespective of color or race. Its gates will be
flung wide open to mankind; prejudice towards none, love
for all. The central building will be devoted to the purpose
of prayer and worship. Thus ... religion will become
harmonized with science, and science will be the
handmaid of religion, both showering their material and
spiritual gifts on all humanity.
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Notes
1. [(Pronounced Azkar).]
2. [In connection with the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár it is interesting to recall Tennyson's lines: -- I dreamed That stone by stone I reared a sacred fane, A temple, neither Pagod, Mosque nor Church, But loftier, simpler, always open-doored To every breath from heaven, and Truth and Peace And Love and Justice came and dwelt therein." Akbar's Dream, 1892 ]
3. [This first House of Worship was seriously damaged in an earthquake in 1948 and had to be demolished some years later.]
4. [This Temple was completed in 1953. Since then other Bahá'í Temples have been constructed in Kampala, Uganda; Sydney, Australia; Frankfurt, Germany; Panama City, Panama; and two more are being built in India and Samoa. At the present time, 1979, sites for 123 others have been purchased. (See Epilogue)]
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