- 1919-11-00 —
William Harry Randall, an American, asked `Abdu'l-Bahá if he might contribute to the building of the Western Pilgrim House. [DH179]
- Plans were drawn up and work began but the funds available were insufficient to continue the work until 1923, when money was contributed by Amelia Collins and seven others. [BBD178; DH180; GPB307]
- 1922-04-09 — Work commenced on the Western Pilgrim House. [PP69]
- 1925-12-02 — The Guardian expressed his "heartfelt and abiding gratitude" to Milly Collins and seven others who had donated the necessary funds to complete the Western Pilgrim House construction project. It had been started in 1919 with a donation from Ruth and Harry Randal but had come to a halt when the funds ran out. [Millyp7; DH180; PSBW76]
- 1929-00-00 — Shoghi Effendi completed the construction of the building at 10 Haparsim Street, which was designed as a hostel for western pilgrims, and adopted the custom of taking the evening meal with them in the dining room on the lower level. He usually met with the eastern pilgrims in the pilgrim house next to the Shrine of the Báb. [Bahá'í Pilgrimage]
- 1951-01-09 —
Shoghi Effendi announced the formation of the International Bahá'í Council. [BBD118; BBRSM127; GBF109; MBW7–8; PP252; UD261]
Proclaim National Assemblies of East and West weighty epoch-making decision of formation of first International Bahá'í Council, forerunner of supreme administrative institution destined to emerge in fullness of time within precincts beneath shadow of World Spiritual Center of Faith already established in twin cities of 'Akká and Haifa....
- The members were: Rúhíyyih Khanum (1951–61) Liaison with Shoghi Effendi; Hand of the Cause of God Charles Mason Remey (1951–61) President; Hand of the Cause Amelia Collins (1951–61) Vice President; Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas (1952–61) Secretary General; Hand of the Cause Jessie Revell (1951–61) Treasurer Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím (1951–61) Eastern Assistant Secretary Ethel Revell (1951–61) Western Assistant Secretary
Ugo Giachery (1952–61) Member-at-large; Hand of the Cause Ben Weeden (1951–52); Gladys Weeden (1951–52); Sylvia Ioas (1955–61).
- See UD261 for the significance of the establishment of the International Bahá'í Council.
Between 1951 and 1957 Shoghi Effendi directed the members and used the Council to create an image of an international body handling the Bahá'í affairs in Haifa. According to Shoghi Effendi, the Council's responsibilities were to:
- establish links with the Israeli authorities, and
- negotiate with them concerning and establishing of a Bahá'í court to deal with personal matters,
- Shoghi Effendi to complete the superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb
- as an international Bahá'í secretariat.
This body functioned until the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
- It was a forerunner to the Universal House of Justice. [BBD118]
- For its functions see MBW7–8.
- Its seat is the Western Pilgrim House. [BBD178]
- For the stages of its evolution see CB324.
- 1963-06-16 — The Universal House of Justice announced that it will for the present time, use the Western Pilgrim House at 10 Haparsim Street, Haifa, as its seat and that both the Eastern and Western pilgrims will be housed in the Haifa Pilgrim House. [WG9]
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