Corinne True - 'Mother of the Temple'

Corinne True's life is a story of quiet courage, steadfast faith, and tireless service. Born in 1861, she lived through personal tragedies and social upheaval yet emerged as one of the pivotal early figures of the Bah??Faith in North America, known affectionately as the "Mother of the Temple." Through decades of letter-writing, organising and travelling, she helped knit together a young, diverse Bah??community at a time when the Faith was still almost unknown in the West.

Her most celebrated achievement was her central role in bringing into being the Bah??House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois - the first of its kind in the Western world. When the project seemed impossible, Corinne persisted: advocating for the vision, raising funds penny by penny, and corresponding with 'Abdu'l-Bah?and, later, Shoghi Effendi for guidance and encouragement. Long before the temple's completion, she had already inspired generations by her unwavering belief that a place of worship open to all humanity could become a beacon of unity and peace.

Exploring Corinne True's story opens a window onto the early Bah??community, the struggle for women's fuller participation in religious life, and the birth of one of the world's most striking houses of worship. Her letters, recollections and the tributes paid to her reveal not only a key architect of Bah??history, but also a remarkable woman whose example speaks powerfully to anyone seeking to combine spiritual conviction with practical action for a better world.

Mr Rutstein, who has served the Bah??community in the United States at both local and national levels, has made his professional life in all branches of the media - newspapers, radio, television, films and video - with particular emphasis on their uses in education. He has been Director of the Communication Media Centre at the University of Massachusetts's School of Education, has written two books on the effects of television on children, and has lectured at numerous universities.