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Bahá'í Administration
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Pages 83-86
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Letter of May 12, 1925.
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To the members of the American National Assembly.
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Dearly-beloved fellow-workers:
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I have read with deep interest your two recent communications
dated April 4th and 18th, and am gratified to learn of the steady
expansion of your manifold activities.
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Regarding the method to be adopted for the election of the National
Spiritual Assemblies, it is clear that the text of the Beloved's
Testament gives us no indication as to the manner in which these
Assemblies are to be elected. In one of His earliest Tablets, however,
addressed to a friend in Persia, the following is expressly
recorded:--
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"At whatever time all the beloved of God in each country appoint
their delegates, and these in turn elect their representatives, and
these representatives elect a body, that body shall be regarded as the
Supreme Baytu'l-'Adl (Universal House of Justice)."
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These words clearly indicate that a three-stage election has been
provided by `Abdu'l-Bahá for the formation of the International
House of Justice, and as it is explicitly provided in His Will and
Testament that the "Secondary House of Justice (i.e., National
Assemblies) must elect the members of the Universal One," it is
obvious that the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies will
have to be indirectly elected by the body of the believers in their
respective provinces. In view of these complementary instructions
the principle, set forth in my letter of March 12th, 1923, has been
established requiring the believers (the beloved of God) in every
country to elect a certain number of delegates who, in turn, will
elect their national representatives (Secondary House of Justice or
National Spiritual Assembly) whose sacred obligation and privilege
will be to elect in time God's Universal House of Justice.
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Should the appointing of the delegates be made a part of the
functions of local Spiritual Assemblies, who are already elected
bodies, the principle of a four-stage election would be introduced
which would be at variance with the provisions explicitly laid down
in the Master's Tablet. On the other hand, were the local Spiritual
Assemblies, the number of whose members is strictly confined to
nine, to elect directly the members of the National Spiritual Assembly--
thus maintaining the principle of a three-stage election--
all Bahá'í localities, which must necessarily differ in numerical
strength, would then have to share equally in the election of the
National Spiritual Assembly--a practice which would be contrary
to fairness and justice. Moreover, the central principle guiding for
the present the administration of the Cause has been to make the
Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies as independent as possible in
the conduct of such affairs as fall within their province, and to
lessen the hampering influence of any institution within their jurisdiction
that might, whether directly or indirectly, impair their authority
and prestige.
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I would also strongly urge the members of every incoming
National Spiritual Assembly to take all necessary steps to insure that
every local Assembly throughout America, without any exception
whatsoever, should immediately after its election send the complete
list of its members together with the full address of its secretary
to the National Secretary, who in turn will forward them to me
directly, enclosing his own address as well as the list of the members
of the National Spiritual Assembly. It would also be extremely
helpful, should actual circumstances permit, to devise with the
wholehearted assistance of every local Assembly ways and means
for the compilation of an authoritative, up-to-date, and exhaustive
list of recognized believers in America, supplemented by the full
address of each believer's permanent residence--this list to be continually
revised according to every change affecting the residence
and number of such believers. This would be particularly advisable
in view of the permanent residence of isolated believers in various
parts of the country, as well as of those who form parts of groups
as yet numerically too small for the formation of a local Spiritual
Assembly.
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However desirable these steps may be, it is evident that they are
secondary in their importance and urgency to the pressing and
ever-increasing issues that vitally affect the spread and the consolidation
of the work which you are called upon to perform, and
which it is my privilege to assist in and serve. I am enclosing a
preliminary list of Bahá'í centers throughout the world, exclusive of
Persia, which, though inadequate, may still, I trust, be of some help
to you. I would welcome any additions or corrections you might be
able to make and hope it will evolve into a valuable section of the
contemplated Bahá'í Year Book.
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I wish to assure you, in conclusion, of my heartfelt appreciation
of your devoted labors in the Divine Vineyard.
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Your brother and fellow-worker,
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SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
May 12, 1925.
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