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The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís
of the United States and Canada
General Office: Evergreen Cabin, West Englewood, New Jersey
O SON OF SPIRIT!
There is no peace for thee save by renouncing thyself and turning unto Me; for it behoveth thee to glory in My name, not in thine own; to put thy trust in Me and not in thyself, since I desire to be loved alone and above all that is.
THE ASCENSION OF BAHIYYIH KHANUM[edit]
On July 15 the National Assembly received from the Guardian the following cablegram:—
Shoghi Effendi’s Message
“Greatest Holy Leaf’s immortal spirit winged its flight Great Beyond. Countless lovers her saintly life in East and West seized with pangs of anguish. Plunged in utterable sorrow humanity shall erelong recognize its irreparable loss. Our beloved Faith, well nigh crushed by devastating blow of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s unexpected Ascension, now laments passing (of) last remnant of Bahá’u’lláh, its most exalted member. Holy Family cruelly divested (of) its most precious great Adorning. I for my part bewail sudden removal (of) my sole earthly sustainer, the joy and solace of my life. Remains will repose (in the) vicinity (of the) Holy Shrines. So grievous a bereavement necessitates suspension for nine months throughout Bahá’í world every manner religious festivity. Inform Local Assemblies and groups hold (in) befitting manner memorial gatherings (to) extol a life so laden (with) sacred experiences, so rich (in) imperishable memories. Advise holding additional Commemoration Service of strictly devotional character (in the) Auditorium (of the) Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.” (Signed) SHOGHI.
On that same day the Assembly dispatched cablegrams as follows:—
Messages to Haifa and National Assemblies Abroad
To Shoghi Effendi. “Throughout America the followers of Bahá’u’lláh will share your extreme sorrow in loss of one whose life exemplified the perfect believer. May we faithfully walk upon path lighted by her glorious Faith and attain the goal she steadfastly upheld to East and West since earliest days of divine Cause.” (Signed) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
To Munirih Khanum. “Our profoundest grief and sorrow unites us with each and every member of the Holy Family in the hour of withdrawal of that supreme embodiment of love.” (Signed) AMERICAN BAHA’IS.
To the National Spiritual Assemblies in other lands. “American believers draw nearer brothers and sisters other lands in mutual grief ascension Greatest Holy Leaf.” (Signed) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. These replies have since been received: “Loving sympathy great mutual loss.” (Signed) NSA, LONDON, ENGLAND. “Egyptian believers lament grievously great loss and reciprocate boundless condolence, sincere devotion.” (Signed) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT, “Mournful hearts believers ascension Greatest Holy Leaf implore blessings ‘Abhá Kingdom.” (Signed) ROUHANI, TEHERAN, PERSIA.
On July 18 a letter was sent to Local Assemblies and groups, quoting the Guardian’s message and requesting that Memorial Gatherings be held on Sunday, July 24. With that letter was sent a copy of the communication addressed to the Friends of the Lord and the Hand-Maids of the Merciful throughout the West by Bahiyyih Khanum on March 30, 1924.
The Temple Program Committee has been requested to prepare the Commemoration Service in the Mashriqu’l–Adhkár. Notice of this Service will be sent to Local Assemblies and groups.
Up to the date of this writing, the National Assembly has had no opportunity to consult upon the exact meaning, for the American believers, of the Guardian’s statement that every manner of religious festivity is to be suspended for nine months. The letters of inquiry already received will be answered as soon as possible.
It is not within the capacity of the National Assembly to add any comment to our Guardian’s message concerning the ascension of the Greatest Holy Leaf. May each believer ponder this occurrence within his or her own heart.
Bahiyyih Khanum’s Appeal[edit]
That the friends may draw near the spirit of that exalted Bahá’í soul who has rejoined her Father Bahá’u’lláh, let us consider anew some of the words written us in 1924.
“Let us then, affectionate brothers
and sisters, ponder for awhile upon
the underlying reason that had made
God’s divine Messengers prefer a life
of torture to one of ease, and those
blessed martyrs, so many of them cut
off in the springtime and promise of
their youth, choose death with faces
radiant with joy. What did the Báb
sacrifice His promising youth for except
out of a burning desire to have
mankind live in unity and peace; and
what was the spirit that animated those
bold and heroic martyrs but love and
adoration to a Cause they wished to
triumph? What made Bahá’u’lláh,
born and brought up in opulence, fling
away all earthly possessions and
choose upon Himself unspeakable
hardships and deprivation, save for an
earnest appeal to the world at large
to turn their hatred for one another
into genuine love and to make a world
seething with blood a peaceful home
for God’s children; and why did
‘Abdu’l-Bahá who could have chosen
a life of ease and comfort, prefer to
lead a crusade against the strongholds
of human hearts and make a direct
appeal to individuals as well as groups
that unless we love one another with
all our might and with all our heart
[Page 2]
we are absolutely doomed. He carried
a crusade not with a sword of steel
but with a sword of love and affection.
And if we dare call ourselves Bahá’ís
it simply means that we have to follow
in their wake. It means that we
must always have the public weal in
mind and not give up ourselves wholly
to our inclinations and desires, and it
means that we must picture before us
the perseverance and self-sacrifice of
those early volunteers and make a
whole-hearted effort to be like unto
one of them; and it shall be only in
this way that we can safeguard this
great Cause of God.
“This in brief, is what our beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, is patiently and eagerly expecting from every single one of us. This, he says, should mark us from all other men and this should differentiate us from those to whom religion is something to believe in and not to inspire to action . . . .
“Finding that the individual letters were too many to answer in person and not wishing the progress of the Cause to be hampered by the slightest thing he sacrificed sending his personal messages of love and encouragement to the individual friends and he expressed his heart-felt sentiments in general letters to Assemblies and countries. The organization of the Assemblies was thus moving rapidly forward, the Cause was being spread in every country and Shoghi Effendi’s heart the happiest for it all. Such were the conditions when he received to his utter astonishment letters that he noted showed lack of love and unity among the loved ones of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It grieved him very much to see some of those whom the Master so dearly loved, bear ill feeling towards one another and through their lack of love and unity and through denial to follow the advice of their Spiritual assemblies, relegate the whole standard of the Cause to a mere philosophy of life. Such news had great effect upon his tender heart and it reflected upon his physical health. Whereupon the wish and desire of the friends then present in Haifa, and through mine and the family’s insistent appeal, he consented to take a rest during the hot summer season.
“All the happy news that we had received from abroad and that we had forwarded to him so filled his blessed heart again with encouragement and joy that upon his return from his summer rest he resumed his work with an astonishing zeal and activity. His heart was joyful and in his evening meetings with the friends he always shared the news he had received from abroad and through his encouraging words he instilled such a fervor in every single one present that they all felt they would fly away and share in this noble task. Indeed his love for those earnest workers had grown so great that he had decided to make an effort and append to the answer of each letter a short personal message in his own handwriting.
“Again the unexpected took place and the news reached from some centers that the spirit which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. said should characterize every Bahá’í community does not prevail and that many have belittled the guidance of the different spiritual assemblies. His heart was thus sore and depressed and he again decided to seek seclusion until the friends realized their great responsibilities and make an effort toward real unity. I and the members of the holy family did all in our power to give him the happy news we had received from some countries and we begged him to change his decision but he said: ‘My heart is very sensitive to such things. Inasmuch as I am rejoiced when I hear of true love and fellowship among my brothers and sisters, in an equal measure if not more I am grieved when I hear that such is not the case. It is quite true that every Bahá’í heart swells with love and adoration at the mention of the Báb. Bahá’u’lláh or the Master’s name, and stands firm and true to the last Will of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and for that I am very thankful to them, but you agree with me that this alone cannot be the emblem of this world Cause. There should be love and sympathy among the individuals of every group and true affection for one another should be the stamp for their hearts. Suppose a non-Bahá’í should ask us as to what should denote a Bahá’í and to differentiate him from everybody else, and were we to answer a hero-worship and adoration to the Center of the Cause that makes a Bahá’í willing to give up his life and property, he would be sure to answer you that that alone will not bring about the regeneration of the world. That alone will not wipe out international hatred fostered for ages past, and will not solve the economic plight before which the world stands aghast today. And were we to tell him that our religion proclaims certain principles that no one can challenge or deny, we would be told that principles alone are no proof of its effect either, and not until the Bahá’ís first translate these principles into their own everyday life and live according to the standard of the Cause they proclaim, will they be qualified to invite the whole world to come and follow their teachings. It is when the Bahá’ís prove their religion by no greater argument but actions and deeds that we are sure to be promulgating the Cause and that men will come and willingly join our ranks.’ And when he said, ‘Many are carefully watching today the life and behaviour of the Bahá’ís and many are trying to estimate the true value of the Bahá’í Movement and the effect that it shall have in future through the ideas and self-sacrifice of its followers. The friends must therefore be very careful to wipe out of their ranks all feeling of hatred or misunderstanding and to replace it by genuine love. Just as discord among the friends has deeply grieved me, in every manner will their unity and harmony fill my heart with joy and win over my life and strength to themselves. I shall now leave and when I see that the conditions have changed and that sincere affection is the reigning force in every Bahá’í community, I shall at once return and cooperate with them with my heart and soul. Send this message to all my friends abroad.’ After these touching remarks, two weeks ago* he again left us to ourselves.
“Now brothers and sisters remember what our Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us in His last Will. Let us recollect the passage where He asks us not to do anything that will depress and grieve Shoghi Effendi or mar the shining brightness and radiance of his heart, but always to try to help him in raising this lofty edifice of world-brotherhood. May we not keep that always in our memory and strive forward toward a unity that shall not only win the heart of every non-Bahá’í, but shall to a larger and larger measure gladden our own and dear Guardian. My days are numbered and my life is flying to a close and yet I feel certain that those dear ones abroad will accept this eager and humble appeal, and will make me cherish the hope that before I am called away and ready to separate in body from you, I can see genuine love and unity prevail among those my Master so dearly loved and I can witness with human eyes my Guardian’s heart overflow with joy. This is what I beseech you and may it be fully realized.”
The Guardian’s Renewed Appeal
The unfailing guidance of the Guardian now once again points the path of true service in this cablegram _______
- March, 1924.
received July 21:—
“Entreat sorrow-stricken American believers never allow consciousness their agonizing loss (to) paralyze (their) determination (to) prosecute an enterprise on which (the) adored Object (of) our mourning centered her brightest hopes.”
As the friends know, this refers to the completion of the Temple.
LETTER FROM THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY[edit]
The Bahá’ís of the
United States and Canada.
Beloved friends:
More than ten years ago, on January 21, 1922, the era of Justice dawned in the Cause with the Guardian’s first message to his “dearly beloved brethren and sisters in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.”
During this period of time, the believers in all parts of the world have received loving instruction, tender exhortation and heart-felt warning concerning the vital importance of a Bahá’í government which combines the two essentials of spirit and form, the two factors of free initiative and discipline, the two divine principles of love and justice, and the threefold elements of local, National and International jurisdiction.
The heart-felt warning, oft repeated, indicated to us that adherence to this government was, first, a test of the purity of each individual soul, and second, a matter of establishing the only perfect Bahá’í unity capable of surviving the public calamities and social upheavals plainly foretold for this great Day of God.
Your associates and servants, the members of the National Spiritual Assembly, believe that the time has come when all American believers, without exception, should appreciate the infinite value of the Guardian’s loving instruction and understand; the import of the note of exhortation and warning that sounds so clearly in his messages to the Bahá’í world.
Surely, a period of ten years is sufficient for us to learn and apply the fundamental principle of the Cause in this new era—the principle of consultation which brings together all ideas and suggestions in a Local or National Bahá’í Community, and then establishes a definite source for final decision in the Spiritual Assembly.
It has become apparent to the National Assembly that in many Local communities the principle of full and frank consultation has not yet become thoroughly developed. The National Assembly has no power nor resources that will enable it to perform the obligations laid upon Local communities by the world order of Bahá’u’lláh. The National Assembly longs to see many and impressive evidences that Local Assemblies are arising to fulfil more of their wonderful opportunities for Bahá’í service. Amid the threatening perils that surround humanity today, there is dire need for Local Bahá’í communities fully conscious of their high mission and endeavoring to realize it with, every available resource of prayer, consultation, study and action.
- Faithfully your co-workers,
THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY,
- HORACE HOLLEY, Secretary.
“The day whereon I found Thy beloved One, O my God, and recognized in Him the Manifestation of Thy eternal Spirit, I foresaw the woes that I should suffer for Thee. Great as have been until now my sorrows, they can never compare with the agonies that I would willingly suffer in Thy name. How can this miserable life of mine, the loss of my wife and of my child, compare with the blessings which the recognition of Thy Manifestation has bestowed on me! Would that a myriad lives were mine, would that I possessed the riches of the whole earth and its glory, that I might resign them all freely and joyously in Thy path.”—Hujjat. (The Dawn-Breakers, page 572.)
QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP IN A BAHA’I COMMUNITY[edit]
On October 24, 1925, in response to a request for information on how Local Spiritual Assemblies should determine the qualifications of those to be enrolled as voting members of a Bahá’í community, the Guardian (Bahá’í Administration, page 81) gave the following explanation: “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 as 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 as 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.”
With the adoption of the Declaration of Trust, which required some clear definition whereby the National Assembly might establish the status of voting members of the local communities, the problem of applying the Guardian’s standard became one of the most important duties of a Spiritual Assembly. That this problem is being considered very seriously is evident from the number of inquiries which have come to the National Assembly for specific instructions on method and procedure.
It is evident that if the Guardian’s standard is too rigidly applied, a community will be choked and stifled, while if it is too loosely applied, the result will be to make a Bahá’í community lose its distinctive character, its spiritual integrity, its very reason for existence.
For some months the members of the National Assembly have given special thought to this subject, in the hope that it might be found possible to lay before all Local Assemblies some statement in the form of suggestions and recommendations that will prove useful to their members in meeting what the Guardian has termed a “very delicate and complex question.”
First of all, we feel, should be emphasized
the fact that the enrollment
of new voting members is the function
of a Spiritual Assembly as a
whole. Such a matter cannot be left
to one or more members, or be met by
[Page 4]
passively accepting the endorsement
of a teacher, no matter how well-informed
and loyal the teacher may be.
The act of passing upon the qualifications of one who seeks enrollment surely involves consultation, the distinctive attribute of a Spiritual Assembly, followed by decision representing unanimous or at least majority vote. The members of an Assembly assume no higher responsibility than in determining the character of their community by controlling its new growth. In admitting a new voting member, they recognize and affirm his or her right to be eligible to every office in the Cause. Since those elected delegates to the Convention elect the members of the National Assembly, and since later on the National Assembly will be one of the electoral bodies constituting the International House of justice (see Article I, By-Laws of the National Spiritual Assembly), the degree of this responsibility is manifest.
The question has been raised as to whether a Spiritual Assembly may not most effectively meet this responsibility by having the applicant sign an application blank which sets forth the exact qualifications of membership.
The question has also been raised as to whether it would not be well to lay down a definite period of time—for example, a year—before an Assembly can act upon an application after it is received.
Both these suggestions are admirable; but the National Assembly is not yet prepared to adopt any standardized system. The Cause is too new and inexperienced to justify such an important step at this time. The chief requisite is that each Local Assembly shall possess sufficient insight to discriminate between those who are qualified to serve in the Cause and those not qualified to serve. The Master has warned us that the time will come when hypocrites will seek to enter the Cause in order to work destruction, consequently it is the capacity of the Spiritual Assembly in each case, and not the operation of any standardized system of enrollment, which stands as the safeguard against such invasion.
One requirement, however, the National Assembly does lay down at this time: that Local Assemblies shall read to applicants the qualifications of voting membership as defined in the By-Laws, and record in their minutes the full and complete acceptance by each applicant. This appears to be the irreducible minimum of procedure in the admission of new voting members. In reporting new members to the National Assembly, Local Assembly Secretaries are requested to submit, in each case, an extract from the minutes proving that this procedure has been followed.
The essence of the matter seems to be that each Assembly is called upon faithfully to stand as witness that the spirit of the person seeking membership has turned to Bahá’u’lláh and become quickened for life in His Cause. Quality, and not numerical quantity, must ever determine the power of a Bahá’í community.
Therefore we are not a board of examiners on the one hand nor a mere committee of welcome on the other. The qualifications do not imply that the applicant must please us personally, nor satisfy our human ideas as to whom we would like to associate with in Bahá’í service. The qualifications have come from the Manifestation Himself: to the degree that we are ourselves true Bahá’ís, we can determine who else is likewise a true Bahá’í.
The National Assembly has been vested with the responsibility of passing upon local membership rolls, and thus in cases where a Local Assembly has clearly been in error in enrolling a member, the mistake can be corrected and the matter transferred to a Bahá’í body not affected by exclusively local conditions.
Being charged with this ultimate responsibility, the National Assembly feels great concern that all the Local Assemblies function as wisely as possible in carrying out their share of the Guardian’s instructions. The members of the National Assembly see no way to establish definite procedures and uniform methods for the performance of a spiritual task. It is for each Local Spiritual Assembly to take whatever stops it deems necessary and advisable in conferring with each applicant, ascertaining his or her acceptance of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l'Bahá, the provisions of the Master’s Testament, and association with the world-wide Bahá’í community. Before the application can be made, there exists the prior and vitally important problem of how inquirers are taught. Thus, attempting to follow the sequence of all the steps leading to enrollment of new members, we realize how urgent it is for Assemblies to assure themselves that those serving as Bahá’í teachers make the focal point of all their efforts the preparation of souls for service in the Bahá’í community. It is not enough to promulgate the “principles” of the Cause, most of which have already been adopted by the liberal public unconscious of their Source—a teaching program must include classes in which inquirers are brought into full acceptance of the Faith.
We are dealing with matters of deep mystery, as one perceives on reading the following words which Bahá’u’lláh uttered in the presence of Nabil (The Dawn-Breakers, page 586)—
“Be thankful to God for having enabled you to recognize His Cause. Whoever has received this blessing must, prior to his acceptance, have performed some dead which, though he himself was unaware of its character, was ordained by God as a means whereby he has been guided to find and embrace the Truth. As to those who have remained deprived of such a blessing, their acts alone have hindered them from recognizing the truth of this Revelation. We cherish the hope that you, who have attained to this light, will exert your utmost to banish the darkness of superstition and unbelief from the midst of the people. May your deeds proclaim your faith and enable you to lead the erring into the paths of eternal salvation.”
ANNOUNCEMENT BY SALES COMMITTEE[edit]
In view of the present urgent need of money for the completion of the Temple, the Sales Committee wish to appeal to all the believers for contributions of jewelry, diamonds, old gold or silver, ringstones, antiques, and anything else having a realizable value to be sold for the benefit of the National Bahá’í Fund. Any member of the Sales Committee is authorized to receive such contributions, to give receipts for them and to arrange for their disposition. They should be sent directly to the addresses given below. The Sales Committee also have available ringstones, photographs and records of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and other articles of Bahá’í interest. Price list on request.
