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Bahá'í Administration
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Pages 89-94
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Letter of October 24th, 1925.
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To the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of
the United States and Canada.
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My well-beloved friends:
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The numerous communications which your distinguished Secretary
has lately addressed on your behalf to the Greatest Holy Leaf
and myself, have been eagerly perused and their contents carefully
noted. The news they imparted and the spirit they revealed have
caused us both genuine satisfaction, and have served to intensify
the feelings of joyous confidence, of pride and gratitude with which
we have greeted the inauguration of your term of service.
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The notable advance achieved by this year's memorable Convention
is, I am certain, attributable in no small measure to the
energy, the thoroughness, the insight and the loving-kindness that
have characterized in an unprecedented degree the activities of the
outgoing National Spiritual Assembly. I am confident that the
work of America's newly elected representatives, so splendidly and
auspiciously begun, will further consolidate the labors of the past,
will resolve to a great extent the problems and perplexities of the
present, and open up fresh fields of future achievements and service.
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I rejoice to learn that ways and means have been found to enable
the National Secretary, who discharges in such an exemplary manner
the manifold and exacting duties of a highly responsible position,
to devote all his time to the pursuit of so meritorious a task.
I am fully conscious of the privations and sacrifice which the choice
of this arduous work must involve for him, as well as for his
devoted and selfless companion; I cannot but admire and extol their
heroic efforts; and wish to assure them both of my continued prayers
for the speedy fruition of their earnest endeavors.
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Regarding the very delicate and complex question of ascertaining
the qualifications of a true believer, I cannot in this connection
emphasize too strongly the supreme necessity for the exercise of the
utmost discretion, caution and tact, whether it be in deciding for
ourselves as to who may be regarded a true believer or in disclosing
to the outside world such considerations as may serve as a basis for
such a decision. I would only venture to state very briefly and as
adequately as present circumstances permit the principal factors that
must be taken into consideration before deciding whether a person
may be regarded a true believer or not. Full recognition of the station
of the Forerunner, the Author, and the True Exemplar of the
Bahá'í Cause, as set forth in `Abdu'l-Bahá's Testament; unreserved
acceptance of, and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by
their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of our
Beloved's sacred Will; and close association with the spirit as well
as the form of the present day Bahá'í administration throughout
the world--these I conceive to be the fundamental and primary
considerations that must be fairly, discreetly and thoughtfully ascertained
before reaching such a vital decision. Any attempt at further
analysis and elucidation will, I fear, land us in barren discussions
and even grave controversies that would prove not only futile but
even detrimental to the best interests of a growing Cause. I would
therefore strongly urge those who are called upon to make such a
decision to approach this highly involved and ever-recurring problem
with the spirit of humble prayer, and earnest consultation, and
to refrain from drawing rigidly the line of demarcation except on
such occasions when the interests of the Cause absolutely demand it.
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In connection with the annual holding of the Bahá'í Convention
and Congress, I feel that although such a representative body need
not be convened necessarily every year, yet it is highly desirable, in
view of the unique functions it fulfills in promoting harmony and
good-will, in removing misunderstandings and in enhancing the
prestige of the Cause, that the National Spiritual Assembly should
exert itself to gather together annually the elected representatives
of the American believers. It would in some ways be obviously convenient
and eminently desirable though not absolutely essential, if
the National Spiritual Assembly could arrange that the holding of
such a Congress should synchronize with the time at which the
national elections are renewed, and that both events should take
place, if not on the first of Ridván, at least during the twelve joyous
days of what may be justly regarded as the foremost Bahá'í Festival.
Apart from the local elections, which universally are to be renewed
on the 21st day of April, it is entirely left to the discretion of the
National Spiritual Assembly to decide, after having given due consideration
to the above mentioned observations, on whatever time
and place the Bahá'í Convention as well as the annual elections are
to be held. Were the National Spiritual Assembly to decide, after
mature deliberations, to omit the holding of the Bahá'í Convention
and Congress in a given year, then they could, only in such a case,
devise ways and means to insure that the annual election of the
National Spiritual Assembly should be held by mail, provided it
can be conducted with sufficient thoroughness, efficiency and dispatch.
It would also appear to me unobjectionable to enable and
even to require in the last resort such delegates as cannot possibly
undertake the journey to the seat of the Bahá'í Convention to send
their votes, for the election of the National Spiritual Assembly only,
by mail to the National Secretary, as in my view the advantages of
such a procedure outweigh the considerations referred to in your
letter. It should, however, be made clear to every elected delegate--
who should be continually reminded--that it is a sacred responsibility
and admittedly preferable to attend if possible in person the
sessions of the Convention, to take an active part in all its proceedings,
and to acquaint his fellow-workers on his return with the
accomplishments, the decisions and the aspirations of the assembled
representatives of the American believers.
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I am eagerly looking forward to your sending me in manuscript
form the projected Bahá'í Year Book, that I may be enabled to
contribute my share in rendering it as comprehensive, as attractive,
and as authoritative as possible. I strongly advise you to combine
in a judicious manner the two methods outlined in this connection
in your letter of September 2, 1925. A short, concise and forceful
account of the primary objects, as well as of the principles underlying
the worldwide administration of the Cause, together with a
brief description of various features of the present day administration
of its activities, supplemented with a not-too-detailed survey
of the actual accomplishments and plans evolved in the current year,
would serve to acquaint the outsider with the purpose and the
achievements of the Cause, and provide sufficient material that
would be edifying and helpful to the active believers whether in the
East or in the West....
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The Greatest Holy Leaf desires me to convey in her name to the
esteemed members of the Green Acre Fellowship the expression of
her cordial thanks and sincere appreciation in having been made a
life member of the said Fellowship. She assures them of her prayers
for the success of this noble institution as well as for the spiritual
advancement of its individual members.
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Recent developments in the Holy Land have led various organizations
in the Jewish world to contemplate seriously the early
possibility of transferring to Palestine's sacred soil the mortal remains
of certain prominent founders and leaders of Jewish thought,
and Mount Carmel, which next to Akká's Most Holy Shrine is the
most cherished object of Bahá'í veneration, has been cited on various
occasions as a permanent and most befitting burial ground for their
illustrious dead. Surely the Bahá'ís of the world, ever on the alert
and with an eye to the future, will, no matter how pressed by financial
obligations, arise while there is yet time to contribute each his
share in securing for posterity such land as lies in close proximity
to the Holy Shrine--an area the acquisition of which in time will
prove indispensable if the sublime vision of `Abdu'l-Bahá is to be
realized. I appeal to you, and through you to every earnest and
conscientious believer, to safeguard in particular the land extending
southward from these Shrines which now, alas! is gravely exposed
to the assaults of covetous and speculating interests. I am loth to
press further claims on friends who have displayed so magnificent a
spirit of self-sacrifice on several occasions in the past, but I feel the
urge of a sacred and impelling responsibility to call your attention
to what I conceive to be one of the worldwide issues of the greatest
moment requiring a prompt, generous and collective response. I
may add that whatever land is purchased will be registered in the
name of the contributor, and I would therefore request every contributing
believer to forward together with his donation such power
of attorney as will legally empower me to transact in his name and
on his behalf the purchase of the plot he desires to acquire. It would
be desirable to forward small contributions to the National Spiritual
Assembly, who will then decide upon the manner in which the
transaction should be conducted.
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The compilation of newspaper clippings with regard to recent
persecutions in Persia which has been sent by our dear brother, Mr.
H. Holley, to the Greatest Holy Leaf has been forwarded to the
National Spiritual Assembly of Persia, that they may witness for
themselves and share with the rank and file of the Persian believers
the results of the extensive and vigorous campaign so promptly
undertaken on their behalf by their sympathetic brethren in the
West. It grieves me to inform you that this sad tale of barbarism
and unrestrained aggression on the property, the lives and the honor
of the heroic sufferers in that land is still continuing to reach our
ears, and the campaign of obstruction, of intimidation and plunder
is, but for short periods of comparative lull, being systematically
pursued with unabated vigor. I am certain that the members of the
National Spiritual Assembly, fully alive to the uncertainty, the
confusion and the seriousness of the present situation, will seize the
first opportunity to redress as much as it lies in their power the
interminable grievances that are being inflicted upon harassed yet
law-abiding citizens.
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Wishing you success from all my heart, and assuring you of my
continued prayers for the steady expansion and consolidation of
your work,
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I am, your brother and fellow-worker,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
October 24th, 1925.
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