Bahá’í World/Volume 6/By-Laws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of New York
THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH
BY-LAWS OF THE SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK1
ARTICLE I
THE Bahá’ís of the City of New York adopt this Corporation in order to supply proper legal status to the conduct of the affairs of a religious community which has had continuous existence for more than thirty years, being one of the first two local Bahá’í communities established in North America. During this period the community has been recognized, encouraged and instructed in letters and communications addressed to it by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who in one communication designated New York “The City of the Covenant.” It was in this city that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá devoted the larger portion of His American visit in 1912. The Assembly has been recognized since the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. in letters addressed to it by the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. The New York Bahá’í community has been continuously and uninterruptedly represented by delegates in the Annual Meetings held by the recognized national Bahá’í body of North America since the formation of that body in 1909. The Spiritual Assembly is at present enrolled in the list of Local Spiritual Assemblies recognized by the National Spiritual Assembly.
The Trustees, i.e., the Spiritual Assembly, recognize that this action has been taken in full unanimity and agreement. They acknowledge for themselves and on behalf of their successors the sacred meaning and universal purpose of the Bahá’í Faith, the teachings and principles of which fulfil the divine promise of all former revealed religions.
ARTICLE II
In administering the affairs of the Bahá’í Religion under this Corporation for the benefit of the Bahá’ís of the City of New York in accordance with the religious teachings and administrative principles of this Faith, the Spiritual Assembly shall act in conformity with the functions of a Local
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1The pattern for all local Bahá’í constitutions.
Spiritual Assembly as defined in the ByLaws adopted by the National Spiritual Assembly and published by that body for the information and guidance of Bahá’ís throughout the United States and Canada.
ARTICLE III
The Spiritual Assembly, in the fulfillment of its obligations and responsibilities under this Corporation, shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over all the local activities and affairs of the Bahá’í community of the City of New York, including paramount authority in the administration of this Corporation. It shall be responsible for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of all Bahá’í teaching, whether written or oral, undertaken throughout the local community. It shall make available the published literature of the Faith. It shall represent the community in its relations to the National Spiritual Assembly, in its relation to the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, to other local Bahá’í communities, and to the general public in the City of New York. It shall be charged with the recognition of all applicants requesting membership in the local Bahá’í community. It shall pass upon the right of any and all members of the community whose membership is in question to retain their status as voting members of the community. It shall call the meetings of the community, including the Bahá’í Anniversaries and Feasts, the meetings of consultation, the Annual Meeting and the meeting for the election of delegates to the Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly. It shall appoint and supervise all committees of the Bahá’í community. It shall collect and disburse all funds intended for the maintenance of this Corporation. It shall have full and complete custody of the headquarters or meeting place of the Bahá’í community. It shall report to the National Spiritual Assembly annually, or when re up
quested, the membership roll of the Bahá’í
community, for the information and approval of the national Bahá’í body. The Spiritual Assembly, however, shall recognize the authority and right of the National Spiritual Assembly to declare at any time what activities and affairs of the Bahá’í community of the City of New York are national in scope and hence subject to the jurisdiction of the national Bahá’í body. It shall likewise recognize the right of any member of the community to appeal to the National Spiritual Assembly for review and decision of any matter in which the previous decision of the local Spiritual Assembly is felt by the member to be contrary to the explicit teachings of the Bahá’í Faith or opposed to its best interests. It shall, on the other hand, have the authority and right to appeal from the decision of the National Assembly to the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith for review and final decision of any matter related to the Faith in the City of New York.
ARTICLE IV
The Spiritual Assembly, in administering this Corporation, shall ever bear in mind the ideals upheld in the Sacred Writings of the Bahá’í Faith respecting the relationships of a Spiritual Assembly to its Bahá’í community, respecting the relations of Bahá’ís to one another in the community, and the relationships of Bahá’ís to all non-Bahá’ís, without prejudice of race, creed, class or nationality. The Assembly shall therefore above all recognize its sacred duty to maintain full and complete unity throughout the Bahá’í community, to relieve and comfort the sick and distressed, to assist the poor and destitute, to protect the orphans, the crippled and the aged, to educate the children of Bahá’ís according to the highest religious and intellectual standards, to compose differences and disagreements among members of the community, to promulgate the principles of Divine Civilization revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, and to promote in every way possible the Bahá’í aim of the oneness of mankind. It shall faithfully and devotedly uphold the general Bahá’í activities and affairs initiated and sustained by the National Spiritual Assembly. It shall co-operate wholeheartedly with other
local Spiritual Assemblies throughout North America in all matters declared by the National Spiritual Assembly to be of general Bahá’í importance and concern. It shall rigorously abstain from any action or influence, direct or indirect, that savors of intervention on the part of a Bahá’í body in matters of public politics and civil jurisdiction. It shall encourage intercourse between the Bahá’í community of the City of New York and other recognized Bahá’í communities, issuing letters of introduction to Bahá’ís traveling from New York and passing upon letters of introduction issued by other Bahá’í Assemblies. It shall regard its authority as a means of rendering service to Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís and not as a source of arbitrary power. While retaining the sacred right of final decision in all matters pertaining to the Bahá’í community, the Spiritual Assembly shall ever seek the advice and consultation of all members of the community, keep the community informed of all its affairs, and invite full and free discussion on the part of the'community of all matters affecting the Faith.
ARTICLE V
The Bahá’ís of the City of New York, for whose benefit this Corporation has been established, shall consist of all persons resident in the City of New York who are recognized by the Spiritual Assembly as having fulfilled the requirements of voting membership in this local Bahá’í community. To become a voting member of this Bahá’í community a person shall:
a. Be a resident of the City of New York as defined by the area of jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly, as provided hereinafter in this instrument.
b. Have attained the age of 21 years.
L‘. Have established to the satisfaction of the Spiritual Assembly, subject to the approval of the National Spiritual Assembly, that he (or she) possesses the qualifications of Bahá’í Faith and practice required under the following standard: Full recognition of the Station of the Fore-runner (the Bab), the Author (Bahá’u’lláh), and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Exemplar of the Bahá’í religion; unreserved acceptance of, and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by Them; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s sacred Will and Testament; and close association with
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the spirit as well as the form of Bahai administration throughout the world.
ARTICLE VI
The Spiritual Assembly shall consist 0: nine Trustees chosen from among thBahá’ís of the City of New York, who shal be elected by these Bahá’ís in a manne: hereinafter provided and who shall continue in office for the period of one year, or until their successors shall be elected.
ARTICLE VII
Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as may be found necessary for the proper conduct of its affairs. The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Assembly taken by secret ballot.
ARTICLE VIII
The first meeting of a newly-elected Assembly shall be called by the member elected to membership by the highest number of votes, or, in case two or more members have received the same said highest number of votes, then by the member selected by lot from among those members; and this member shall preside until the permanent Chairman shall be chosen. All subsequent meetings shall be called by the Secretary of the Assembly at the request of the Chairman, or, in his absence or incapacity, of the Vice-Chairman, or of any three members of the Assembly; provided however that the Annual Meeting of the Assembly shall be held on April 21st, in accordance with the administrative principles recognized by all Bahá’í Assemblies.
Section 1. Five members of the Assembly present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of those present and constituting a quorum shall be sufficient for the conduct of business, except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, and with due regard to the principles of unity and cordial fellowship involved in the institution of a Spiritual Assembly. The transactions and decisions of the Assembly shall be recorded at each meeting by the Secretary, who shall have the minutes adopted and approved by the Assembly, and preserve them in the official records of the Assembly.
Section 2. Vacancies in the membership of the Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by election at a special meeting of the local Bahá’í community duly called for that purpose by the Assembly. In the event that the number of vacancies exceeds four, making a quorum of the Spiritual Assembly impossible, the election shall be under the supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly.
ARTICLE IX
The sphere of jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly, with respect to residential qualification of membership, and voting rights of a believer in the Bahá’í community, shall be the locality included within the civil limits of the City of New York, but Bahá’ís, who reside in adjacent, outlying or
suburban districts and can regularly attend
the meetings of the local Bahá’í community,
may be enrolled on the membership
list of the Spiritual Assembly and enjoy full
voting rights pending the establishment of
a local Spiritual Assembly in their home
community.
ARTICLE X
Section 1. In the event that any decision of the Assembly is unacceptable to any member or members of the community, the Assembly shall after endeavoring to compose the differences of opinion invite the said member or members to make appeal to the national Bahá’í body and notify that body of the condition of the matter and the readiness of the Assembly to become party to the appeal.
Section 2. In the same manner, if any difference arises between the Assembly and another local Assembly, or Assemblies, in North America, the Assembly shall report the matter to the national Bahá’í body and inform that body of its readiness to make joint appeal together with the other Assembly or Assemblies.
Section 3. If, however, the result of such appeal is unsatisfactory to the Spiritual Assembly or the Assembly at any time has reason to believe that actions of the National Spiritual Assembly are affecting adversely the welfare and unity of the Bahá’í community of the City of New York, it shall, after seeking to compose its difierence of opinion with the national body in direct consultation, have the right to make appeal to the Guardian of the Faith.
Section 4. The Assembly shall likewise have the right to make complaint to the National Spiritual Assembly in the event that matters of local Bahá’í concern and influence are referred to the national body by a member or members of the local community without previous opportunity for action by the local Assembly.
ARTICLE XI
The Annual Meeting of the Corporation
at which its Trustees shall be elected shall
be held on April 21st at an hour and place
to be fixed by the Assembly, which shall
give not less than fifteen days’ notice of the
meeting to all members of the local Bahá’í community.
Section 1. The Assembly shall accept those votes transmitted to the Assembly before the election by members who by reason of sickness or other unavoidable reason are unable to be present at the election in person.
Section 2. The election of members to the Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote.
Section 3. All voting members of the local Bahá’í community are eligible for election as members of the Spiritual Assembly.
Section 4. The Assembly shall prepare an agenda for the Annual Meeting in which shall be included reports of the activities of the Assembly since its election, a financial statement showing all income and expenditure of its fund, reports of its committees and presentation of any other matters pertaining to the affairs of the Bahá’í community. The Assembly, both preceding and following the annual election, shall invite discussion and welcome suggestions from the community, in order that its plans may reflect the community mind and heart.
Section 5. The result of the election shall be reported by the Spiritual Assembly to the National Assembly.
ARTICLE XII
In addition to the Annual Meeting, the
Assembly shall arrange for regular meetings
of the Bahá’í community throughout the
year at intervals of nineteen days, in
accordance with the calendar incorporated in
the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith.
ARTICLE XIII
The Spiritual Assembly, on notice from
the National Spiritual Assembly, shall
report the number of voting members in the
local community, that the national Bahá’í
body may be duly informed of the number
of delegates to be assigned to the Bahá’í community of the City of New York in accordance with the principle of proportionate representation controlling the annual election of members to the National Spiritual Assembly.
Section 1. When informed of the number of delegates assigned to the local community, the Spiritual Assembly shall call a special meeting of the community for the purpose of electing said number of delegates to represent the community at the Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Section 2. The election of delegates to the Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote.
Section 3. All voting members of the local Bahá’í community are eligible for election as delegates to the Annual Meeting of the National Assembly.
Section 4. The result of the election shall be reported by the Spiritual Assembly to the National Spiritual Assembly, and the Spiritual Assembly shall meet all the conditions laid down by the national Bahá’í body for the recognition of local Spiritual Assemblies and the participation of local Bahá’í communities in the annual election of the national Bahá’í body.
ARTICLE XIV
The seal of this Corporation shall be circular
in form, bearing the following description:
The Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá’ís of the City of New York, Corporate Seal.
ARTICLE XV
These By-Laws may be amended by majority vote
of the Spiritual Assembly at any
of its regular or special meetings, provided
that at least fourteen days prior to the date
fixed for the said meeting a copy of the
proposed amendment or amendments is
mailed to each member of the Assembly
by the Secretary.