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USBN #257 July 1952 p1-2
DIRECTIVES CONCERNING THE TEMPLE
Questions Submitted to the Guardian and His Replies
1. Question:- On what schedule are meetings of public worship to be held in the auditorium:-daily, weekly, or at other intervals , or at stated periods during the day?
Reply: Weekly, or more often, if your Assembly deems advisable.
2. Question:-Are such meetings, if weekly, to be held on Sunday and if so at the morning hour customary with churches, or in the afternoon?
Reply: Left to your discretion.
3. Question: - Should the auditorium be open daily from dawn for individual prayer and meditation?
Reply: Yes.
5. Question: - Can photographs be taken, for historic record or publicity, of any meeting of worship held for Baha'is only, and of any meeting open to the public?
Reply: Yes.
6. Question:-The present plan is to hold a meeting of dedication for Baha'is only, followed by a public dedication on the same day. Is this plan approved ?
Reply: Yes.
7. Question: - Should an order of service or program be printed with the list of readings selected for each service?
Reply: Left to your discretion .
8. Question :-Are the present weekly public lectures to be continued in Foundation Hall?
Reply: There is no objection to this until such time as we have a suitable meeting place at our disposal.
9. Question:- As there is no trained Baha'i choir or chorus for singing , shall we begin to train a choir? Can non-Baha' is is be included among the singers? Are soloists permitted, Baha'i or non-Baha'i?
Reply: By all means prepare a choir. There is no objection to non-Baha'i singers or to soloists, Baha'i, or non-Baha'i.
10 . Question:-Is the auditorium to be open for special prayer by Baha'i Committees meeting in the vicinity, or by visiting groups who may arrive at times when no general meeting is scheduled?
Reply: The auditorium may be used for such purposes.
11. Question: - In preparing the readings , shall we use only Holy Books extant and available in English for religions listed by you in the series of recognized Revelations?
Reply: Yes . But if occasionalLy a reading is in another language there can be no objection, as · long as the text is from a Holy Scripture. Persian, Arabic and Hebrew are all very beautiful when chanted.
12. Question:-At the opening of a meeting of worship is any reader to explain the nature of Baha'i worship or are the readings to proceed without any announcement?
Reply: This is not permissible: there must be no speeches in the auditorium.
13. Question:-Can meetings of worship be broadcast over the radio or television? Can special meetings be recorded for reproduction by believers locally?
Reply: There is no objection to this.
[this is in an unusual format, but I am assuming the questions were asked in early 1952 in preparation for the Temple dedication]
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