Directives from the Guardian

DIRECTIVES FROM THE GUARDIAN
(India/Hawaii, 1973)
FILENAME: DG
FILEDATE: 08-06-94


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1 &ABDU'L-BAHA (Stories About)

"He would also urge you to attach no importance to the
stories told about &Abdu'l-Baha or to those attributed to Him
by the friends. These should be regarded in the same light as
the notes and impressions of visiting pilgrims. They need not
be suppressed, but they should not also be given prominent or
official recognition."


2 &ABDU'L-BAHA'S MINISTRY (Re: World
Objectives)

"As to the three aims which Shoghi Effendi has stated in
his America and the Most Great Peace to have been the chief
objectives of &Abdu'l-Baha's ministry, it should be pointed out
that the first was: The establishment of the Cause in America;
the erection of the &Baha'i Temple in &Ishqabad, and the building
on Mt. Carmel of a mausoleum marking the resting-place of the
&Bab, were the two remaining ones."


3 ADMINISTRATION--Attitude Towards
(National Assembly's Statement Approved)

"He also wishes me to express his approval of your statement
in the November issue of the &Baha'i News to the effect of
creating within the Assemblies and individual believers a more
positive and active attitude towards the Administration. The
need for positive action seems, indeed, to be one of the most
urgent needs of the Cause at present."


4 ADMINISTRATION, &BAHA'I--(Rules and
Regulations)

"The various rulings and regulations recorded in the `&Baha'i
Administration', and the supplementary statements already issued



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by the National Assembly, he feels, are for the present
sufficiently detailed to guide the friends in their present-day
activities... The American believers, as well as their National
representatives, must henceforth direct their attention to the
greater and vital issues which an already established Administration
is called upon to face and handle, rather than allow their
energies to be expended in the consideration of purely secondary
administrative matters."


5 ADMINISTRATION (Study and Apply)

"Without the study and application of the administration
the teaching of the Cause becomes not only meaningless, but
loses in effectiveness and scope."


6 ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINERY (Related
to America)

"Now that they (the American believers) have erected the administrative
machinery of the Cause they must put it to its real
use--serving only as an instrument to facilitate the flow of the
spirit of the Faith out into the world. Just as the muscles enable
the body to carry out the will of the individual, all Assemblies
and committees must enable the believers to carry forth the
Message of God to the waiting public, the love of &Baha'u'llah,
and the healing laws and principles of the Faith to all men."


7 AFRICAN STUDENTS AND VISITORS

"He hopes that wherever it is possible the believers will
make every effort to contact African students and visitors, and
to show them kindness and hospitality. This may not only
lead to the conversion of some while in America, but will also
make friends for the Faith in Africa."

8 AGES AND EPOCHS (Define)

"The Faith is divided into three Ages: the Heroic, the
Formative, the Golden Age, as has been outlined in His



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Writings. The Heroic Age closed with the Ascension of
&Abdu'l-Baha. The Formative Age is divided into epochs. The
first epoch lasted 25 years. We are now actually in the second
epoch of the Formative Age. How long the Formative Age
will last is not known, and there will probably be a number of
epochs in it.
"The Divine Plan of &Abdu'l-Baha is divided into epochs.
The first Seven-Year Plan constituted the first stage of the first
epoch; the second Seven-Year Plan constitutes the second stage;
while the Ten-Year Crusade will constitute the third stage of the
first epoch of the Divine Plan. The first epoch of the Divine Plan
will conclude with the conclusion of the Ten-Year Crusade."


9 &ALLAH-U-ABHA (&Baha'i Greeting)

"The &Baha'is are free to greet each other with &Allah-u-Abha
when they meet, if they want to, but they should avoid anything
which to outsiders, in a western country, might seem like some
strange Oriental password. We must be very firm on principles
and laws, but very normal and natural in our ways, so as to
attract strangers."


10 ANNUAL CONVENTION

"I am deeply convinced that if the Annual Convention of the
friends in America, as well as the National Spiritual Assembly,
desire to become potent instruments for the speedy realization
of the Beloved's fondest hopes for the future of that country,
they should endeavor, first and foremost, to exemplify, in an
increasing degree, to all &Baha'is and to the world at large the
high ideals of fellowship and service which &Baha'u'llah and the
beloved Master repeatedly set before them."


11 AQDAS (THE)--LAWS OF

"In view of the importance of such a statement, he feels it
is his duty to explain that the Laws revealed by &Baha'u'llah in
the Aqdas are, whenever practical and not in direct conflict


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with the Civil laws of the land, absolutely binding on every
believer or &Baha'i institution whether in the East or in the
West. Certain laws, such as fasting, obligatory prayers, the
consent of the parents before marriage, avoidance of alcoholic
drinks, monogamy, should be regarded by all believers as universally
and vitally applicable at the present time. Others have
been formulated in anticipation of a state of society destined
to emerge from the chaotic conditions that prevail today.
"When the Aqdas is published, this matter will be further
explained and elucidated. What has not been formulated in the
Aqdas, in addition to matters of detail and of secondary importance
arising out of the application of the laws already formulated
by &Baha'u'llah, will have to be enacted by the Universal
House of Justice. This body can supplement but never invalidate
or modify in the least degree what has already been formulated
by &Baha'u'llah. Nor has the Guardian any right whatsoever
to lessen the binding effect much less to abrogate the
provisions of so fundamental and sacred a Book..."


12 ARCHIVES (The Importance Of)

"The importance of the institution of &Baha'i Archives is not
due only to the many teaching facilities it procures, but is
especially to be found in the vast amount of historical data and
information it offers both to the present-day administrators of
the Cause, and to the &Baha'i historians of the future. The
institution of &Baha'i Archives is indeed a most valuable
storehouse of information regarding all the aspects of the Faith,
administrative as well as doctrinal. Future generations of
believers will be surely in a better position than we are to
truly and adequately appreciate the many advantages and
facilities which the institution of the Archives offers to
individual believers and also to the community at large. Now
that the Cause is rapidly passing through so many different
phases of its evolution, is the time for the friends to exert their
utmost in order to preserve as much as they can of the sacred
relics and various other precious objects that are associated
with the lives of the Founders of the Faith, and particularly the


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Tablets They have revealed. Every believer should realize
that he has a definite responsibility to shoulder in this matter,
and to help, to whatever extent he can, in rendering successful
and valuable work which National and local &Baha'i Archives
committees are so devotedly accomplishing for the Faith in
America."


13 ARCHIVES

"The general principle should be that any object used by
Him in person should be preserved for posterity, whether in
the local or National Archives. It is the duty and responsibility
of the &Baha'i Assemblies to ascertain carefully whether
such objects are genuine or not, and to exercise the utmost
caution in the matter."


14 ASSEMBLIES--UNITY OF (&Baha'u'llah's
Promise)

"&Baha'u'llah has given the promise that in every Assembly
where unity and harmony prevail, there His glorious spirit will
not only be present, but will animate, sustain and guide all the
friends in all their deliberations.
"It is to unity that the Guardian has been continually
calling the friends: For where a united will exists, nothing can
effectively oppose and hamper the forces of constructive development."


15 ASSEMBLY MEETINGS

"The Spiritual Assembly must decide how often it should
meet in order to properly handle the affairs of the Cause under
its jurisdiction. Twice a week or twice a month is not the
point, the point is that it should be alert and carry on the work
adequately."


16 ASSEMBLY VACANCY

"...It is establishing a dangerous precedent to allow Assemblies
to put a time limit on non-attendance of their members at


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meetings of the S.A., beyond which that person is automatically
dropped from the Assembly and a vacancy declared ...
there should be no time limit fixed by Assemblies beyond which
a person is dropped. Every case of prolonged absence from the
sessions of the Assembly should be considered separately by that
Assembly, and if the person is seen to not want to attend
meetings or to be held away from them indefinitely because of
illness or travel, then a vacancy could legitimately be declared
and a new member be elected."


17 ASSOCIATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
(Appointing of)

"The Guardian wishes your Assembly to abandon the
practice of appointing associate members to some of the
committees... Such a practice, he feels, tends to create confusion
and misunderstanding."


18 ATTACKS FROM CHURCH
MISSIONARIES

"The Guardian has read very carefully the letters your
Assembly has received from the Spiritual Assemblies of Urbana
and Chicago, reporting the criticisms that have been advanced
by Rev. John Elder, a missionary from Iran. While he is
certain that such attacks from church missionaries are destined
to increase in number and force in the future, he feels that
for the present they do not constitute a challenge so grave and
widespread as to justify any strong action by your Assembly.
Later on, when the very progress of the Cause on the one hand,
and the corresponding decline in ecclesiastical organizations on
the other, will inevitably incite Christian ecclesiastical leaders
to vehemently oppose and undermine the Faith, the believers
will then have a real chance to defend and vindicate the Cause.
Under present conditions it would be inadvisable for the
American community to give such issues too much prominence."


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19 &BAB, DECLARATION OF

"In regard to the question submitted to your Assembly by
the &Baha'i group at Maui, Hawaii, concerning the passage on
page 88 of the book `&Baha'i Administration,'
"...The Guardian wishes me to inform you that the festivals
of the Declaration of the &Bab and the birthday of &Abdu'l-Baha
referred to in that passage as having been celebrated on the
twenty-second of November, 1925, by the &Baha'is of the Orient,
are based on the lunar calendar. For this reason the date of
the celebration is not fixed, but shifts every year. Eventually
as the Master has explicitly stated, a uniform system will have
to be established by the International House of Justice."


20 &BAB'S PHOTOGRAPH

"May I also draw your attention to the fact that the &Bab's
photograph which appeared in Nicolas' book, Siyyid &Ali
Muhammad dit le &Bab, many years ago, is not authentic,
although it presents great similarity to the original drawings of
the &Bab's portrait."


21 &BAHA'I DISPENSATION (Duration of)

"Concerning your question relative to the duration of the
&Baha'i Dispensation. There is no contradiction between
&Baha'u'llah's statement in the &Iqan about the renewal of the
City of God once every thousand years, and that of the
Guardian in the Dispensation to the effect that the &Baha'i
cycle will extend over a period of at least 500,000 years. The
apparent contradiction is due to the confusion of the terms
cycle and dispensation. For while the Dispensation of &Baha'u'llah
will last for at least one thousand years, His Cycle will
extend still farther, to at least 500,000 years.
"The &Baha'i cycle is, indeed, incomparable in its greatness.
It includes not only the Prophets that will appear after &Baha'u'llah,
but all those who have preceded Him ever since Adam.
These should, indeed, be viewed as constituting but preliminary


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stages leading gradually to the appearance of this supreme
Manifestation of God."


22 &BAHA'IS (Destiny of)

"I, for my part, am determined to reinforce the impulse that
impels its members forward to meet their destiny. The Founders
of their Faith survey from the Kingdom on high the range
of their achievements, acclaim their progress, and are ever
ready to speed their eventual triumph."


23 &BAHA'IS--NEW (On Admittance of New
Applicants)

"He has noted with care what you had written him regarding
the question of admittance of applicants into the Cause.
This is certainly a matter which calls for the utmost tact,
wisdom and consideration on the part of &Baha'i Assemblies.
While, as he himself has repeatedly stressed, a uniform procedure
should be adopted and followed whereby every applicant
should be required to express his whole-hearted and unconditional
acceptance of the essential verities of the Cause, great
care should also be taken not to insist on matters of a secondary
importance which the newcomer cannot, for obvious reasons,
fully grasp and apprehend at the beginning. Once the applicant
has been admitted in the Community with a clear understanding
of the duties and responsibilities, and essential implications
which such membership entails, there would be no difficulty for
him in gradually adjusting his whole ideas according to the
requirements set forth in the Teachings. The process of becoming
a &Baha'i is necessarily slow and gradual. The essential is
not that the beginner should have a full and detailed knowledge
of the Cause, a thing which is obviously impossible in the vast
majority of cases, but that he should, by an act of his own will,
be willing to uphold and follow the truth and guidance set
forth in the Teachings, and thus open his heart and mind to the
reality of the Manifestation."


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24 &BAHA'IS--NEW (On Presenting the Master's
Will to New Applicants)

"Concerning the best method of presenting the Master's
Will to the newcomers, Shoghi Effendi is of the opinion that
the N.S.A. should first make some suitable extracts from the
Testament and to send these to all the local Assemblies for their
use, so that there may be full unity in circulating the provisions
of the Will among the new believers. The problem of choosing
such excerpts is left entirely to the discretion of the N.S.A.
The main thing, as it appears to the Guardian, is that the full
station of the &Bab, &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha be clearly
explained and that the origin, nature and working of the
Administrative Order of the Faith be clearly stated. The full
implications of such a recognition are evidently beyond the
comprehension of any new believer. Such a knowledge can be
acquired gradually and only when the essentials of the Faith
have been clearly recognized and adequately understood."


25 &BAHA'IS--NEW (Qualifications of a New
Believer)

"When a person becomes a &Baha'i, he gives up the past only
in the sense that he is a part of this new and living Faith of God,
and must seek to pattern himself, in act and thought, along the
lines laid down by &Baha'u'llah. The fact that he is by origin
a Jew or a Christian, a black man or a white man, is not important
any more, but, as you say, lends color and charm to the
&Baha'i community in that it demonstrates unity in diversity."


26 &BAHA'IS--NEW (The "Two Extremes" in
Bringing in New &Baha'is)

"The believers must discriminate between the two extremes
of bringing people into the Cause before they have fully grasped
its fundamentals and making it too hard for them, expecting
too much of them, before they accept them. This requires
truly keen judgment, as it is unfair to people to allow them to


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embrace a movement the true meaning of which they have not
fully grasped. It is equally unfair to expect them to be perfect
&Baha'is before they can enter the Faith. Many teaching problems
arise out of these two extremes..."


27 &BAHA'IS (Two Kinds of)

"There are two kinds of &Baha'is, one might say: those
whose religion is &Baha'i and those who live for the Faith.
Needless to say if we can belong to the latter category, if we
can be in the vanguard of heroes, martyrs and saints, it is more
praiseworthy in the sight of God."


28 &BAHA'I WAY OF LIFE (The Strength of the
Cause)

"It is good for the &Baha'is to learn that being a &Baha'i is
essentially an inner thing, or way of life, and not dependent on
fixed patterns. Important as our organized Institutions are,
they are not the Faith itself. The strength of the Cause grows
no matter how much disrupted its activities may temporarily be.
This we see over and over again, in lands where the Faith
has been temporarily banned; at times when the believers are
persecuted and even killed; where they are serving all alone or
scattered and isolated. So it has been a stimulating experience
for the American believers to be without their schools for a few
years, rather than a depressing one."


29 &BAHA'U'LLAH (In accepting)

"In accepting &Baha'u'llah you have accepted Christ in His
appearance as the Father, as He Himself so clearly foretold. The
Catholic Church does not believe this; on the contrary, it still
awaits the return of Christ. If you decide, in order to be buried
next to your dear husband, to return to the Church, you
either would have to, in good faith, deny &Baha'u'llah or you
would be just using the church as a means to satisfy a desire of
your own, which would certainly not be an upright and conscientious
thing to do.


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"When you think that your husband's soul is now free of
the limitations of this world, and that he no doubt is beginning
to see religious truth in its true light and to appreciate the
station of &Baha'u'llah, you should ask yourself whether he would
wish you to leave the truth for this day and re-enter the church
just for the sake of your dust being near his dust. Your spirit,
when you pass away, will be near his spirit; of what importance,
then, is the body? He will pray for your guidance in
this matter."


30 BELIEVERS, NEW (Accept Cause Without
Qualifications)

"The believers, and particularly those who have not had sufficient
experience in teaching, should be very careful in the way
they present the teachings of the Cause. Sincerity, devotion and
Faith are not the sole conditions of successful teaching. Tactfulness,
extreme caution and wisdom are equally important. We
should not be in a hurry when we announce the message to the
public and we should be careful to present the teachings in their
entirety and not to alter them for the sake of others. Allegiance
to the Faith cannot be partial and half-hearted. Either we
should accept the Cause without any qualification whatsoever
or cease calling ourselves &Baha'is. The new believers should be
made to realize that it is not sufficient for them to accept some
aspects of the teachings and reject those which cannot suit their
mentality in order to become fully recognized and active followers
of the Faith. In this way all sorts of misunderstandings
will vanish and the organic unity of the Cause will be preserved."


31 BELIEVERS, REMOVAL OF

"Concerning the removal of believers I feel that such a
vitally important matter should be given the most serious consideration
and preferably be referred to the National Assembly for
further consideration and final decision. We should be slow to
accept and reluctant to remove. I fully approve and whole-heartedly
and unreservedly uphold the principle to which you


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refer that personalities should not be made centers around
which the community may revolve but they should be subordinated
under all conditions and however great their merits to
the properly constituted Assemblies. You and your co-workers
can never over-estimate or over-emphasize this cardinal principle
of &Baha'i Administration."


32 BIBLE (Authenticity of the)

"As to the question raised by the Racine Assembly in connection
with &Baha'u'llah's statement in the Gleanings concerning
the sacrifice of &Ishmael; although His statement does not agree
with that made in the Bible, Genesis 12:9, the friends should
unhesitatingly, and for reasons that are only too obvious, give
precedence to the sayings of &Baha'u'llah which, it would be
pointed out, is fully corroborated by the &Qur'an, which book
is more authentic than the Bible, including both the New and
Old Testaments. The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this
respect not to be compared with the &Qur'an, and should be
wholly subordinated to the authentic Sayings of &Baha'u'llah."


33 CALENDAR (&BAHA'I)

"It is advisable to use both the &Baha'i dates, according to
the &Baha'i Calendar, and the usual Gregorian dates as well.
The friends at present are free to do as they please."


34 CALIPHATE AND &IMAMATE

"Both Caliphate and &Imamate mean successorship. Either
term could be used."


35 CATASTROPHE (The Apocalyptic Upheaval)

"We have no indication of exactly what nature the apocalyptic
upheaval will be; it might be another war ... but as students
of our &Baha'i Writings, it is clear that the longer the `Divine
Physician' (i.e. &Baha'u'llah) is withheld from healing the ills of


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the world, the more severe will be the crisis, and the more
terrible the sufferings of the patient."


36 CIVIL COURTS (Disputes)

"The Guardian wishes to emphasize the importance of
avoiding (reference to civil courts) of cases of dispute between
believers, even in &non-Baha'i issues. It is the Assembly's function
to endeavor to settle amicably such disputes, both in order to
safeguard the fair name and prestige of the Cause, and to
acquire the necessary experience for the extension of its functions
in the future."


37 CIVIL ELECTIONS (Voting in)

"...No &Baha'i vote for an officer, no &Baha'i participation in
the affairs of the Republic, shall involve acceptance of a program
or policy that contravenes any vital principle, spiritual or
social, of the Faith.
"...No vote cast, or office undertaken, by a &Baha'i should
necessarily constitute acceptance, by the voter or office holder,
of the entire program of any political party. No &Baha'i can be
regarded as either a Republican or Democrat, as such. He is
above all else, the supporter of the principles enunciated by
&Baha'u'llah, with which, I am firmly convinced, the program
of no political party is completely harmonious."


38 COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS (Assembly
Members)

"Regarding the non-appointment of Assembly members to
membership on National Committees, the Guardian firmly believes
that no such principle should be recognised. Those who
are best fitted for the specific work assigned to the Committees
should be elected irrespective of their membership on either
National or local Assemblies. The greater the pressure on those
who shoulder both Committee and Assembly responsibilities,
the greater the reward and the richer the blessings vouchsafed to
those who willingly and gratefully sustain this double burden."


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39 COMMITTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

"He feels that Committees must assume more responsibility
and exercise freedom of choice and judgment in electing their
officers, and function as a corporate body with a corporate
spirit. More especially so as now that the Cause is growing
in numbers, and its responsibilities are being multiplied,
National committees are acquiring added importance and must
seek, ever increasingly, to follow the pattern of &Baha'u'llah and
assume responsibility for the election of their officers. These committees
must develop, become mature, and forge ahead courageously
relying more on united effort and less on personal leadership,
as is now the case with Local and National Assemblies."


40 CONTRIBUTION

"As to the idea of `giving what one can afford', this does by
no means put a limit or even exclude the possibility of self-sacrifice.
There can be no limit to one's contributions to the
national fund. The more one can give the better it is, especially
when such offerings necessitate the sacrifice of other wants and
desires on the part of the donor. The harder the sacrifice the
more meritorious will it be of course in the eye of God. For
after all it is not so much the quantity of one's offerings that
matters, but rather the measure of deprivation that such offerings
entail."


41 CONTRIBUTIONS (Lifting the Burden of
Misery from Mankind)

"...In the first place every believer is free to follow the dictates
of his own conscience as regards the manner in which to
spend his own money. Secondly, we must always bear in mind
that there are so few &Baha'is in the world, relative to the world's
population, and so many people in need, that even if all of us
gave all we had, it would not alleviate more than an infinitesimal
amount of suffering. This does not mean we must not help


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the needy, we should; but our contributions to the Faith are
the surest way of lifting once and for all time the burden of
hunger and misery from mankind, for it is only through the
System of &Baha'u'llah--Divine in origin--that the world can be
gotten on its feet, and want, fear, hunger, war, etc., be eliminated.
&Non-Baha'is cannot contribute to our work or do it for
us; so really our first obligation is to support our own teaching
work, as this will lead to the healing of the nations."


42 CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VOLUNTARY

"In connection with the Institution of the National Fund
and the budgetary system set forth in the minutes of the
National Spiritual Assembly, I feel urged to remind you of the
necessity of ever bearing in mind the cardinal principle that all
contributions to the Fund are to be purely and strictly voluntary
in character. It should be made clear and evident to every
one that any form of compulsion, however slight and indirect,
strikes at the very root principle underlying the formation of
the Fund ever since its inception. While appeals of a general
character, carefully worded and moving and dignified in tone
are welcome under all circumstances, it should be left entirely
to the discretion of every conscientious believer to decide upon
the nature, the amount, and purpose of his or her contribution
for the propagation of the Cause."


43 COVENANT (Meaning of &Baha'i)

"As regards the meaning of the &Baha'i Covenant: The
Guardian considers the existence of two forms of Covenant both
of which are explicitly mentioned in the literature of the Cause.
First is the Covenant that every Prophet makes with humanity
or, more definitely, with His people that they will accept and
follow the coming Manifestation who will be the reappearance
of His reality. The second form of Covenant is such as the
one &Baha'u'llah made with His people that they should accept
the Master. This is merely to establish and strengthen the


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succession of the series of Lights that appear after every
Manifestation. Under the same category falls the Covenant
the Master made with the &Baha'is that they should accept His
administration after Him."
"The Most Great Covenant is different from the Everlasting
Covenant."


44 COVENANT BREAKERS (Expulsion and
Reinstatement of)

"The Guardian, like the Master before him, has not considered
it advisable to as yet permit any person or Assembly to
put another person out of the Cause of God. There is a sharp
distinction between depriving a believer of his voting rights,
which is a severe disciplinary measure and not a spiritual sanction,
and pronouncing a former believer to be a truly spiritually
diseased soul, a soul in the condition the Master referred to
when, in His last cable to America before His ascension, He
said: `He who sitteth with a leper catcheth leprosy.' The
Guardian has, within the last few years, considered the
National Assemblies strong enough to wield the instrument of
sanction in the sense of depriving a &Baha'i of his voting rights.
But no one but himself can pronounce a person to be in that
diseased condition we call `Covenant Breaking' and no one but
he can reinstate a Covenant Breaker. No National Assembly
has been given this right and cannot therefore review the question
or reinstate anyone..."


45 COVENANT BREAKERS (Shun)

"...&Baha'u'llah and the Master in many places and very emphatically
have told us to shun entirely all Covenant breakers
as they are afflicted with what we might try and define as a
contagious spiritual disease; they have also told us, however,
to pray for them. These souls are not lost forever. In the
Aqdas, &Baha'u'llah says that God will forgive &Mirza &Yahya if
he repents. It follows, therefore, that God will forgive any soul


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if he repents. Most of them don't want to repent, unfortunately.
If the leaders can be forgiven it goes without saying that their
followers can also be forgiven...
"Also, it has nothing to do with unity in the Cause; if a
man cuts a cancer out of his body to preserve his health and
very life, no one would suggest that for the sake of unity it
should be reintroduced into the otherwise healthy organism.
On the contrary, what was once a part of him has so radically
changed as to have become a poison."


46 CRIMSON BOOK (The)

"Unfortunately it would seem that the knowledge `which
could largely eliminate fear' has not been disclosed or identified
by &Baha'u'llah, so we do not know what it is.
"However, what &Baha'u'llah did not elaborate but what He
meant by the `world' recorded in the Crimson Book was the
power of the Covenant.
"The `Crimson Book' refers to the Book of His Covenant,
and the reference above means the power for unity which the
Covenant possesses and radiates. On page 238 of `God Passes
By' you will find the cross-reference to the `Crimson Book' and
the `Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.'"


47 CRITICISM

"When criticism and harsh words arise within a &Baha'i
community, there is no remedy except to put the past behind
one, and persuade all concerned to turn over a new leaf, and
for the sake of God and His Faith refrain from mentioning the
subjects which have led to misunderstanding and inharmony.
The more the friends argue back and forth and maintain, each
side, that their point of view is the right one, the worse the
whole situation becomes.
"When we see the condition the world is in today, we must
surely forget these utterly insignificant internal disturbances,


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and rush, unitedly, to the rescue of humanity. You should urge
your fellow &Baha'is to support you in a strong effort to suppress
every critical thought and every harsh word, in order to let the
spirit of &Baha'u'llah flow into the entire community, and unite
it in His love and in His service."


48 CRITICISM (On)

"...Vicious criticism is indeed a calamity. But its root is
lack of faith in the system of &Baha'u'llah, i.e., the Administrative
Order--and lack of obedience to Him--for He has forbidden
it! If the &Baha'is would follow the &Baha'i laws in voting, in
electing, in serving and in abiding by Assembly decisions, all
this waste of strength through criticizing others could be diverted
into cooperation and achieving the Plan..."


49 DANIEL, THE PROPHECY OF

"Regarding the Prophecy of Daniel: The passage in Esselmont
should be changed to state that this prophecy refers to the
one-hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of &Baha'u'llah,
in the Garden of &Ridvan, &Baghdad--reference to this can be
found in `The Passing of &Abdu'l-Baha' in quotation from two of
His Tablets."


50 DISPENSATION OF &BAHA'U'LLAH

"With reference to ... the Dispensation of &Baha'u'llah, he
wishes me to explain that although &Abdu'l-Baha's station is not
that of a Manifestation of God, nevertheless supplications may
be addressed to Him. It is essential, however, that every
believer should realize that while doing so he is directing his
thoughts toward the Master as an intermediary between him
and the Manifestation, and not as the Source of Divine Revelation
and Spiritual Guidance. Provided this distinction is clearly
established, there can be no harm or objection in addressing
prayers to &Abdu'l-Baha."


+P19
51 DISPUTES, INDIVIDUAL--(Consultation
with Assembly)

"Regarding consultation: Any person can refer a matter to
the Assembly for consultation whether the other person wishes to
or not. In matters which affect the Cause the Assembly should,
if it deems it necessary, intervene even if both sides don't want
it to, because the whole purpose of the Assemblies is to protect
the Faith, the Communities and the individual &Baha'is as
well."


52 DRAMA--MANIFESTATIONS (Dramatic
Works)

"With reference to your question whether the Figures of the
&Bab and &Baha'u'llah should be made to appear as characters in
dramatic works written by the believers, Shoghi Effendi's opinion
is that such an attempt to dramatize the Manifestations
would be highly disrespectful, and hence should be avoided by
the friends, even in the case of the Master. Besides it would be
practically impossible to carry out such a plan faithfully, and in
a dignified and befitting manner."


53 DRAMA OF THE FAITH

"The Faith can certainly be dramatized, but two things
must be remembered: No personal presentation of the &Bab,
&Baha'u'llah or the Master, only their Words can be used, but
no figure must represent Them; great dignity must be the
keynote."


54 ECONOMIC TEACHINGS

"With regard to your wish for reorganizing your business
along &Baha'i lines, Shoghi Effendi deeply appreciates the spirit
that has permitted you to make such a suggestion. But he
feels nevertheless that the time has not yet come for any believer
to bring about such a fundamental change in the economic
structure of our society, however restricted may be the field for


+P20
such an experiment. The economic teachings of the Cause,
though well known in their main outline, have not as yet been
sufficiently elaborated and systematized to allow anyone to
make an exact and thorough application of them even on a
restricted scale."


55 ECONOMICS--&BAHA'I

"As you say, the Writings are not so rich on this subject
and many issues at present baffling the minds of the world are
not even mentioned. The primary consideration is the spirit
that has to permeate our economic life, and this will gradually
crystallize itself into definite institutions and principles that will
help to bring about the ideal condition foretold by &Baha'u'llah."
"No, &Baha'u'llah did not bring a complete system of economics
to the world. Profit sharing is recommended as a solution
to one form of economic problems. There is nothing in the
teachings against some kind of capitalism; its present form,
though, would require adjustments to be made."
"There are practically no technical teachings on economics
in the Cause, such as banking, the price system, and others. The
Cause is not an economic system, nor its Founders be considered
as having been technical economists. The contribution
of the Faith to this subject is essentially indirect, as it consists
of the application of spiritual principles to our present-day
economic system. &Baha'u'llah has given us a few basic principles
which should guide future &Baha'i economists in establishing
such institutions which will adjust the economic relationships of
the world...
"Social inequality is the inevitable outcome of the natural
inequality of man. Human beings are different in ability and
should, therefore, be different in their social and economic
standing. Extremes of wealth and poverty should, however, be
abolished...
"The Master has definitely stated that wages should be unequal,
simply because that men are unequal in their ability and
hence should receive wages that would correspond to their
varying capacities and resources."


+P21
56 ECONOMIC TEACHINGS

"As regards the activities of the economic committee of the
National Assembly; Shoghi Effendi fully sympathizes with the
desire of some of the members to see the Committee find ways
and means to put into practice the economic teachings of the
Cause, as explained in some of the recorded Writings and Sayings
of &Baha'u'llah and the Master. But he believes that the
time is not yet ripe for such activities. First we have to study
the economic teachings in the light of modern problems more
thoroughly so that we may advocate what the Founders of the
Faith say and not what we conjecture from Their Writings.
There is great difference between sounding a great general
principle and finding its application to actual prevailing conditions.
Secondly, the Cause is not financially in a position to
launch itself in such undertakings at present. Such plans need
great financial backing to be worked out in a permanent form.
In time, Shoghi Effendi hopes all these things will come to pass.
For the present we have to consolidate our basic institutions
and spread the teachings and spirit of the Faith among the
public."


57 EDUCATION (On Inability of Modern
Education to Produce a Mature Mind)

"People today indeed do tend to be very superficial in their
thinking, and it would seem as if the educational systems in use
are sorely lacking in ability to produce a mature mind in a
person who has reached supposedly adult life! All the outside
influences that surround the individual seem to have an intensely
distracting effect, and it is a hard job to get the average
person to do any deep thinking or even a little meditation on the
problems facing him and the world at large.
"Over and over again &Baha'u'llah cried out against the heedlessness
of humanity, and warns of the fate such an attitude
must lead to. Did we not know what God plans to, and will
do, with the world in the future, we should certainly be as
hopeless as many of the best thinkers of our generation have
become."


+P22

58 ELDERS (Four and Twenty)

"Regarding the four and twenty elders: The Master, in a
Tablet, stated that they were the &Bab, the eighteen Letters of
the Living, and five others who would be known in the future.
So far we do not know who these five others are."


59 ELECTION (Acceptance of)

"Concerning the question of refusal by certain believers to
accept election to an administrative post: The Guardian strongly
feels that criticism, opposition, or confusion do not provide
sufficient grounds for either refusal or resignation. Only cases
of physical or mental incapacity, which, by their very nature,
are extremely rare, constitute valid reasons for such an act.
The difficulties and tests involved in the acceptance of Administrative
posts, far from inducing the believers to dissociate
themselves from the work of the Cause, should spur them on
to greater exertions and to a more active participation in the
privileged task of resolving the problems that confront the
&Baha'i community.
"Only in cases where individual believers, without any valid
reason, deliberately refuse the repeated exhortations, pleas, and
warnings addressed to them by their Assemblies, should action
be taken in removing them from the voting list. This is a
measure designed to sustain the institutions of the Faith at the
present time, and to insure that the abilities and talents of its,
as yet, limited number of supporters are properly consecrated
to its service.
"The believers, for the sake of the Cause, now in the period
of its infancy, should accept their duties in a spirit a self-sacrifice,
and should be animated by the desire to uphold the
verdict of the electorate, and to lend their share of assistance
however difficult the circumstances, to the effective administration
of the affairs of the Faith.
"The same sanction should apply to those who persistently
refuse to dissociate themselves from political and ecclesiastical
activities. This is a general principle which is being maintained
throughout the &Baha'i world..."


+P23
60 ELECTIONS (&BAHA'I)

"I feel that reference to personalities before the election
would give rise to misunderstanding and differences. What
the friends should do is get thoroughly acquainted with one
another, to exchange views, to mix freely and discuss among
themselves the requirements and qualifications for such a membership
without reference or application, however indirect, to
particular individuals. We should refrain from influencing the
opinion of others, of canvassing for any particular individual,
but should stress the necessity of getting fully acquainted with
the qualifications of membership referred to in our Beloved's
Tablets of learning more about one another through direct,
personal experience rather than through the reports and opinions
of our friends."


61 ELECTIONS (&BAHA'I) (To Administrative
Posts)

"There is no objection in principle to an Assembly being
re-elected whether in toto or in part, provided the members
are considered to be well qualified for that post. It is
individual merit that counts. Novelty, or the mere act of
renewal of elections, are purely secondary considerations.
Changes in Assembly membership would be welcome so
far as they do not prejudice the quality of such membership.
Once Assembly elections are over, the results should be conscientiously
and unquestionably accepted by the entire body of the
believers, not necessarily because they represent the Voice of
Truth, or the Will of &Baha'u'llah, but for the supreme purpose
of maintaining unity and harmony in the community."


62 ELECTIONS (Assembly Voting)

"With these Assemblies, Local as well as National, harmoniously,
vigorously and efficiently functioning throughout the
&Baha'i world, the only means for the establishment of the
Supreme House of Justice will have been assured. And when
this Supreme Body will have been properly established, it will


+P24
have to consider afresh the whole situation, and lay down the
principle which shall direct, as long as it deems advisable, the
affairs of the Cause.
"Pending the establishment, and to insure uniformity
throughout the East and throughout the West, all Local Assemblies
will have to be re-elected once a year, during the first day
of Ridvan, and the result of polling, if possible, be declared on
that day."


63 ELECTIONS (The Character of &Baha'i)

"Let us recall His explicit and often-repeated assurance that
every Assembly elected in that rarified atmosphere of selflessness
and detachment is in truth, appointed of God, that its
verdict is truly inspired, that one and all should submit to its
decision unreservedly and with cheerfulness ... the elector ...
is called upon to vote for none but those whom prayer and
reflection have inspired him to uphold... Hence it is incumbent
upon the chosen delegates to consider without the least trace
of passion and prejudice, and irrespective of any material consideration,
the names of only those who can best combine the
necessary qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion,
of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience...
Nothing short of the all-encompassing, all-pervading
power of His Guidance and Love can enable this newly
enfolded order to gather strength and flourish amid the storm
and stress of a turbulent age, and in the fullness of time vindicate
its high claim to be universally recognized as the one Haven
of abiding felicity and peace."


64 ELECTION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES
(Radical Changes Not Advised)

"Regarding your questions concerning the advisability of
changing the basis of the National Assembly's election and confining
it to the body of delegates or of limiting the term of
office: He feels that as any such changes are of a radical nature
and should therefore apply to the National Spiritual Assemblies


+P25
of other countries, they are inadvisable and premature, both for
this reason and because of their very nature.
"What is needed is to get the administration in its present
form to run more efficiently and at the same time to build up a
higher sense of the responsibility among the body of the believers.
They should be encouraged to think more, not only about
the qualifications of their elected bodies, but also about such
things as you mention, the law of averages, the age and indisposition
of some of the members, etc.
"When we look back and see what the administration has
accomplished in twenty-odd years, indeed what it has
done in the last seven years, we see what strides forward
have been made. Far greater tasks lie ahead, but the Guardian
does not feel that the way to meet them is to change the present
system but rather to perfect it by educating the believers and
training them, holding more conferences, publishing more news
for &Baha'is, getting more people active."


65 ELECTIONS, REGARDING (In the United
States)

"The Guardian has written the National Assembly in
detail and given them the principle upon which he would like
to see them act. He has asked them to advise the friends accordingly
and also to expound the principles so as to apply to the
local conditions in America."
"To facilitate matters and avoid misunderstandings he prefers
to refer you and the individual friends to them (The National
Assembly). He is sure that you will obtain full satisfaction by
putting the question to them. The purpose of the Guardian in
this is not to avoid the issue but only to facilitate matters and
eliminate misunderstandings. In all such matters the friends
should first approach the Local, then the National Assembly
and only in case they can obtain no satisfaction should they
approach the Guardian on these matters. This way many
difficulties will be avoided."


+P26
66 EMMANUEL, HIS HIGHNESS

"In connection with your question regarding the reference
made by &Abdu'l-Baha to `His Highness Emmanuel' in Vol. III
of His Tablets; this obviously refers to the &Bab, as the text
shows it clearly, and is in no way a reference to Swedenborg."


67 ESPERANTO (The Subject of)

"Regarding the subject of Esperanto; it should be made clear
to the believers that while the teaching of that language has been
repeatedly encouraged by &Abdu'l-Baha, there is no reference
either from Him or from &Baha'u'llah that can make us believe that
it will necessarily develop into the international auxiliary language
of the future. &Baha'u'llah has specified in His Writings that
such a language will either have to be chosen from one of the
existing languages, or an entirely new one should be created to
serve as a medium of exchange between the nations and peoples
of the world. Pending this final choice, the &Baha'is are advised
to study Esperanto only in consideration of the fact that
the learning of this language can considerably facilitate intercommunication
between individuals, groups and Assemblies
throughout the &Baha'i world in the present stage of the
evolution of the Faith."


68 EVOLUTION, MAN'S

"You have asked as to what point in man's evolution he
becomes conscious of self. This consciousness of self in man
is a gradual process, and does not start at a definite point. It
grows in him in this world and continues to do so in the future
spiritual world.
"Man can certainly recall past experiences in his evolution,
and even when his soul leaves this world it will still remember
the past."


69 FAMILY TIES, SPIRITUAL TIES (Vs.)

"Deep as are family ties, we must always remember that the
spiritual ties are far deeper; they are everlasting and survive


+P27
death, whereas physical ties, unless supported by spiritual bonds,
are confined to this life. You should do all in your power,
through prayer and example, to open the eyes of your family
to the &Baha'i Faith, but do not grieve too much over their
actions. Turn to your &Baha'i brothers and sisters who are living
with you in the Light of the Kingdom.
"Indeed, the believers have not yet fully learned to draw on
each other's strength and consolation in time of need. The
Cause of God is endowed with tremendous powers, and the
reason the believers do not gain more from it is because they
have not learned to draw fully on these mighty forces of love
and strength and harmony generated by the Faith."


70 FAST (Necessary Permission For)

"With reference to your son's request for advice regarding
the observance of the &Baha'i Fast; much as the Guardian realizes
the difficulty which a believer of his position, attending a
military school, will have to encounter if he wishes to strictly
conform to the regulations of the Fast, he nevertheless would
advise him to make every effort to obtain from the school authorities
the necessary permission. In case his request is refused
the only alternative for him would be to obey his superior."


71 FASTING (The Ordinance of)

"As regards fasting, it constitutes, together with the obligatory
prayers, the two pillars that sustain the revealed Law of
God. They act as stimulants to the soul, strengthen, revive
and purify it, and thus insure its steady development."
"The ordinance of fasting is, as is the case with these
three prayers (obligatory) a spiritual and vital obligation
enjoined by &Baha'u'llah upon every believer who has attained
the age of fifteen. In the Aqdas He thus writes: `We have
commanded you to pray and fast from the beginning of maturity;
this is ordained by God, your Lord and the Lord of your
forefathers. He has exempted from this those who are weak


+P28
from illness or age, as a bounty from His Presence, and He is
the Forgiving, the Generous.'
"And in another passage He says: `We have enjoined upon
you fasting during a brief period, and at its close have designated
for you &Naw-Ruz as a Feast... The traveller, the ailing,
those who are with child or giving suck, are not bound by the
Fast... Abstain from food and drink, from sunrise to sundown,
and beware lest desire deprive you of this grace that is appointed
in the Book.'
"Also in the `Questions and Answers' that form an appendix
to the Aqdas, &Baha'u'llah reveals the following: `Verily, I say
that God has appointed a Great station for fasting and prayer.
But during good health its benefit is evident, and when one is
ill, it is not permissible to fulfill them.' Concerning the age of
maturity, He reveals in the appendix of that same Book: `The
age of maturity is in the fifteenth year; women and men are alike
in this respect.' Regarding the vital character and importance of
the Divine ordinances and laws, and the necessity of complete
obedience to them by the believers, we thus read in the
Gleanings, p. 175:

`Know verily that the essence of justice and the source
thereof are both embodied in the ordinance prescribed by Him
Who is the Manifestation of the Self of God amongst men, if
ye be of them that recognize this truth. He doth verily incarnate
the highest, the infallible standard of justice unto all creation.
Were His law to be such as to strike terror in the
hearts of all that are in heaven and on earth, that law is naught
but manifest justice. The fears and agitation which the revelation
of this law provoke in men's hearts should indeed be
likened to the cries of the suckling babe weaned from his
mother's milk, if ye be of them that perceive...'

"The fasting period, which lasts nineteen days starting as a
rule from the second of March every year and ending on the
twentieth of the same month, involves complete abstention from
food and drink from sunrise till sunset. It is essentially a
period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation,
during which the believer must strive to make the necessary


+P29
readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate
the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and
purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character.
Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish
and carnal desires."


72 FAST (THE)

"Regarding your question concerning the Fast: Travellers
are exempt from fasting, but if they want to fast while they are
travelling, they are free to do so. You are exempt the whole
period of your travel, not just the hours you are in a train or
car, etc. If one eats unconsciously during the fasting hours,
this is not breaking the Fast as it is an accident. The age limit
is 70 years, but if one desires to fast after the age limit is
passed, and is strong enough to, one is free to do so. If during
the Fast period a person falls ill and is unable to fast, but recovers
before the Fast period is over, he can start to fast again
and continue until the end. Of course the Fast, as you know,
can only be kept during the month set aside for that purpose."


73 FEAST DAY (Changing Observance of)

"This is really a matter of secondary importance, and should
be decided by the Assembly. Meetings which have been
publicly advertised for a certain date cannot obviously be
cancelled."


74 FEAST (Nature of)

"Concerning the nature of the Nineteen-Day Feast, in the
Aqdas, &Baha'u'llah clearly revealed the spiritual and social
character of this Institution. Its administrative significance,
however, has been stressed by the Guardian in direct response
to the growing needs of the &Baha'i Community in this formative
period of the &Baha'i era for better training in the principles and
practice of &Baha'i administration."


+P30
75 &NAW-RUZ FEAST (Observance of Feast
Day Calendar)

"The &Naw-Ruz Feast should be held on March 21 before
sunset and has nothing to do with the 19-day Feast. The 19-day
Feast is administrative in function whereas the &Naw-Ruz
is our New Year, a Feast of hospitality and rejoicing."


76 &NAW-RUZ, TIME OF CELEBRATION OF

"Regarding &Naw-Ruz: If the vernal equinox falls on the
21st of March before sunset, it is celebrated on that day. If at
any time after sunset, &Naw-Ruz will then, as stated by &Baha'u'llah,
fall on the 22nd. As to which spot should be regarded as
the standard, this is a matter which the Universal House of
Justice will have to decided. The American NSA need not
therefore take any action in this matter at present."


77 FEAST (Time for Holding)

"Regarding the time for the holding of the Nineteen-Day
Feasts and elections; the Guardian would advise your Assembly
to urge the friends to hold such gatherings on the prescribed
day before sunset. If impossible, then it is permissible to hold
them on the preceding day. In connection with the nine holy
days, however, the friends should consider it obligatory to celebrate
them on the prescribed day before sunset."


78 FEASTS (Attendance at)

"Attendance at 19-Day Feasts is not obligatory but very
important, and every believer should consider it a duty and a
privilege to be present on such occasions."
"He wishes the &Baha'is to press for recognition of their
right to observe their own Holy Days, and to observe them
whenever possible in strict accordance with our teachings."


+P31
79 FEASTS AND ANNIVERSARIES--&Baha'i

"The &Baha'i Day starts and ends at sunset, and consequently
the date of the celebration of &Baha'i Feasts should be adjusted
to conform to the &Baha'i Calendar Time..."


80 FUND (How Every Believer Can Test the
Measure of His Faith)

"He wishes you particularly to impress the believers with
the necessity of maintaining the flow of their contributions to
the Temple, and also to stress the importance of the Institution
of the National &Baha'i Fund which, in these early days of the
administrative development of the Faith, is the indispensable
medium for the growth and expansion of the Movement. Contributions
to this fund constitute, in addition, a practical and
effective way whereby every believer can test the measure and
character of his Faith, and to prove in deeds the intensity of
his devotion and attachment to the Cause."


81 FUND (The Life-blood of these Nascent
Institutions)

"As the activities of the American &Baha'i Community
expand, and its world-wide prestige correspondingly increases,
the Institution of the National Fund, the bedrock on which
all other Institutions must necessarily rest and be established,
acquires added importance, and should be increasingly supported
by the entire body of believers, both in their individual
capacities and through their collective efforts, whether organized
as groups or as Local Assemblies. The supply of funds, in
support of the National Treasury, constitutes, at the present
time, the life-blood of these nascent institutions you are laboring
to erect. Its importance cannot, surely, be overestimated.
Untold blessings shall no doubt crown every effort directed to
that end."


+P32
82 FUND (National Fund, Chief Obligation of)

"Regarding his special contributions to the Teaching Fund;
he feels that this is a matter to be left entirely to the discretion
of the N.S.A. He feels that the continuous expenditure of a
considerable sum to provide for traveling expenses of teachers
who are in need, constitutes in these days the chief obligation
of the National Fund. An effort should be made to facilitate
as much as possible, the extension of the teaching work by
helping those who are financially unable to reach their destination,
and once there to encourage them to settle and earn the
means of their livelihood."


83 FUND (We must be like the Fountain)

"We must be like the fountain or spring that is continually
emptying itself of all that it has and is continually being
refilled from an invisible source. To be continually giving out
for the good of our fellows undeterred by fear of poverty and
reliant on the unfailing bounty of the Source of all wealth and
all good--this is the secret of right living."


84 FUND (The Sacred Obligation)

"And as the progress and extension of spiritual activities is
dependent and conditioned upon material means, it is of
absolute necessity that immediately after the establishment of
Local as well as National Spiritual Assemblies, a &Baha'i Fund
be established, to be placed under the exclusive control of the
Spiritual Assembly. All donations and contributions should be
offered to the Treasurer of the Assembly, for the express purpose
of promoting the interests of the Cause, throughout the locality
or country. It is the sacred obligation of every conscientious
and faithful servant of &Baha'u'llah who desires to see His Cause
advance, to contribute freely and generously for the increase of
that Fund..."


85 FUNERAL (&Baha'i Funeral Service)

"Regarding the &Baha'i funeral service: It is extremely
simple, as it consists only of a congregational prayer to be read


+P33

before burial. This prayer will be made available to the friends
when the Aqdas is translated and published. In the meantime
your N.S.A. should take great care lest any uniform procedure
or ritual in this matter be adopted or imposed upon
the friends. The danger in this, as in some other cases regarding
&Baha'i worship, is that a definite system of rigid rituals and
practices be developed among the believers. The utmost simplicity
and flexibility should be observed, and a selection from the
&Baha'i Sacred Writing should serve the purpose at the present
time, provided this selection is not rigidly and uniformly
adopted on all such occasions."
"There is no objection whatsoever to &non-Baha'is being
present when the long prayer for the dead is read, as long as
they respect our manner of reading it by rising and standing
as the &Baha'is do on this occasion. Nor, indeed, is there any
objection to &non-Baha'is being present during the reading of
any &Baha'i prayer for the departed.
"An official &Baha'i funeral service should only be given for
a believer, but there is no objection to the reading of &Baha'i
prayers, or indeed, to a &Baha'i conducting the funeral service
of a &non-Baha'i if this has been requested."


86 GREATEST NAME (Translation of Symbol of)

"He also wishes me to inform you that the symbol of the
Greatest Name represents an invocation which can be translated
either as `O Glory of Glories' or `O Glory of the All-Glorious'.
The word Glory used in this connection is a translation of the
Arabic term `&Baha', the name of &Baha'u'llah."


87 GROUP, &BAHA'I

"...next to an isolated believer, any number of confirmed
&Baha'is less than nine persons should be considered as automatically
constituting a &Baha'i Group..."


88 GUARDIAN (Infallibility of the)

"The infallibility of the Guardian is confined to matters
which are related strictly to the Cause and interpretation of the


+P34
teachings; he is not an infallible authority on other subjects,
such as economics, science, etc. When he feels that a certain
thing is essential for the protection of the Cause, even if it is
something that affects a person personally, he must be obeyed,
but when he gives advice, such as that he gave you in a previous
letter about your future, it is not binding; you are free
to follow it or not as you please."


89 GUIDANCE, DIVINE (Of Guardian)

"He feels that if ... ponders more deeply about the fundamentals
of Divine Revelation, she will also come to understand
the Guardianship. Once the mind and heart have grasped the
fact that God guides men through a Mouthpiece, a human being,
a Prophet, infallible and unerring, it is only a logical projection
of this acceptance to also accept the station of &Abdu'l-Baha
and the Guardians. The Guardians are the evidence of the
maturity of mankind in the sense that at long last men have
progressed to the point of having one world, and of needing
one world management for human affairs. In the spiritual realm
they have also reached the point where God could leave, in
human hands (i.e. the Guardians) guided directly by the &Bab
and &Baha'u'llah, as the Master states in His Will, the affairs of
His Faith for this Dispensation. This is what is meant by `this
is the day which will not be followed by night.' In this Dispensation,
divine guidance flows on to us in this world after the
Prophet's ascension, through first the Master, and then the
Guardians. If a person can accept &Baha'u'llah's function, it
should not present any difficulty to them to also accept what
He has ordained in a Divinely guided individual in matters
pertaining to the Faith."


90 GUIDANCE (Individual)

"The questions you ask in your letter about individual
guidance have two aspects, one might say. It is good that
people should turn to God and beseech His aid in solving their
problems and guiding their acts, indeed every day of their lives,
if they feel the desire to do so. But they cannot possibly impose


+P35
what they feel to be their guidance on anyone else, let alone on
Assemblies or Committees, as &Baha'u'llah has expressly laid
down the law of consultation and never indicated that anything
else superseded it."
"As to meditation: This also is a field in which the individual
is free. There are no set forms of meditation prescribed
in the teachings, no plan as such, for inner development. The
friends are urged--nay enjoined--to pray, and they also should
meditate, but the manner of doing the latter is left entirely to
the individual."


91 GUIDANCE (Question of)

"The question of Guidance is a very subtle one. We cannot
be positive that an impulse or a dream is guidance. We can
seek, through earnest prayer and longing, sincerely to do God's
will, His guidance. We can try, as you say, to emulate the
Master and at all times live up to the teachings, but we cannot
be sure that doing these things we are still making no mistakes
and are perfectly guided. These things help us not to make so
many mistakes and to receive more directly the guidance God
seeks to give us."


92 HANDS OF THE CAUSE--INSTITUTIONS
(Station and Function--When Mentioned in
Writing)

"The rank and position of the Hands of the Cause are superior
to the position of the National Assemblies. In writing
concerning the Hands, therefore, when there is reference to the
Institutions of the Faith, after the Guardian should be mentioned
the Hands, and then the National Bodies..."


93 &HAZIRATU'L-QUDS (Functions of)

"While the National Office in Wilmette, designated by the
Guardian as &Haziratu'l-Quds, is primarily an administrative


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center, its use should by no means be confined to purely
administrative work, but should include such activities of a
social and intellectual character, both local and national, as
can best establish its character as the foremost teaching and
administrative center of the Faith throughout the States."
"As a teaching center, where &Baha'i lectures, conferences,
meetings, whether local, regional or national, could be held, the
&Haziratu'l-Quds can also prove of invaluable help, and the N.S.A.
should indeed see to it that the necessary facilities are provided
in the building for that purpose. But thus combining these
three features, namely teaching, administrative, and social the
&Haziratu'l-Quds can best fulfill its mission, as the visible symbol
of the steadily-growing National &Baha'i Community in Northern
America, and as the chief rallying center for all its activities
and plans throughout that Continent."


94 HEALING

"The Guardian knows nothing about your kind of healing...
But he can lay down for your guidance certain broad principles:
There is no such thing as &Baha'i healers or a &Baha'i type of
healing. In His Most Holy Book (the Aqdas) &Baha'u'llah says to
consult the best physicians, in other words, doctors who have
studied a scientific system of medicine; He never gave us to
believe, He Himself would heal us through `Healers' but rather
through prayer and the assistance of medicine and approved
treatments. Now, as long as your healing is in no opposition to
these principles, as long as you do not try and take the place
of a regular doctor in trying to heal others, but only give
them your kind of help through constructive suggestion--or
whatever it may be--and do not associate this help with
being a channel of the direct grace of &Baha'u'llah, the Guardian
sees no harm in your continuing your assistance to others.
But you must conscientiously decide whether, in view of the
above, you are really justified in continuing. He will pray
for your guidance and happiness."


95 HEROISM IS NEEDED

"These, indeed, are the days when heroism is needed on the


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part of the believers. Self-sacrifice, courage, indomitable hope
and confidence are characteristics they should show forth,
because these very attributes cannot but fix the attention of
the public and lead them to enquire what, in a world so hopelessly
chaotic and bewildered, leads these people to be so
assured, so confident, so full of devotion? Increasingly, as time
goes by, the characteristics of the &Baha'is will be that which
captures the attention of their fellow-citizens. They must show
their aloofness from the hatreds and recriminations which are
tearing at the hearts of humanity, and demonstrate by deed and
word their profound belief in the future peaceful unification of
the entire human race."


96 HIDDEN WORDS (Arabic)

"As to the passage No. 13 of the Arabic Hidden Words:
That which &Baha'u'llah declares we can find abiding within
us is the power of the Divine Spirit, the reflection of the light
of His Revelation. This reflection of the Divine Spirit, however,
can in no way be compared to the Revelation which God
discloses to His Prophets and Messengers. The similarity in
the terminology should not confuse this distinction which is
most fundamental."


97 HOLY DAYS--&BAHA'I

"He wishes the &Baha'is to press for recognition of their
right to observe their own Holy Days, and to observe them
whenever possible in strict accordance with our teachings."
"He wishes also to stress the fact that, according to the
&Baha'i laws, work is forbidden on our nine Holy Days. Believers
who have independent businesses or shops should refrain from
working on these days. Those who are in government employ
should, on religious grounds, make an effort to be excused from
work; all believers, whoever their employers, should do likewise.
If the government or other employers refuse to grant
them these days off, they are not required to forfeit their employment,
but they should make every effort to have the independent


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status of the Faith recognized and their right to hold
their own religious Holy Days acknowledged."

98 HOLY DAYS OF OTHER RELIGIONS

"As regards the celebration of the Christian Holiday by
the believers; it is surely preferable and even highly advisable
that the friends should in their relation to each other discontinue
observing such holidays as Christmas and New Years,
and to have their festival gatherings of this nature instead during
the Intercalary Days and &Naw-Ruz...."


99 HOLY SHRINE (Believers turn to the)

"He feels the drawing of the hearts together, as the believers
turn towards the Holy Shrine, will produce a greater love and
unity amongst the friends, and attract the blessings of
&Baha'u'llah."


100 HOSTS OF HIS TESTAMENT (The)

"`The Hosts of His Testament' refers to those who are
firm in the Will and Testament of &Baha'u'llah and who defend
and uphold it."


101 CORD (Meaning of)

"The word `cord' so often mentioned in the Teachings means
both the Faith itself and also the power of the Faith which
sustains those who cling to it."


102 ILLNESS

"Such hindrances (i.e., illness and other difficulties) no
matter how severe and insuperable they may at first seem, can
and should be effectively overcome through the combined and
sustained power of prayer and of determined and continued
effort."


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103 ILLNESS (Cancer)

"Cancer is such a terrible scourge in the world today! But
when the believers are called upon to go through such bitter
ordeals they have the Faith to sustain them, the love of their
&Baha'i friends to comfort them, and the glorious words of
&Baha'u'llah regarding immortality to give them confidence
and courage. Blessed are we, indeed, even in the midst of our
greatest trials."


104 INHERITANCE (Division of)

"To divide the inheritance as it is prescribed by &Baha'u'llah
we have to divide it into 2,520 shares. But we can also divide
it into 42 shares. Then every one of the beneficiaries will take
so many of these shares. These numbers form like a highest
denominator for the different fractions which represent the
shares of the different individuals that will benefit in case of
intestacy. In case of the non-existence of one class of inheritors
the Aqdas mentions how it should be divided. As a general
rule a part goes to the House of Justice, a part to the
children."


105 INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE (Whole
question of)

"Regarding the whole question of an International Language
and its relation to the Faith: We, as &Baha'is, are very anxious
to see a universal auxiliary tongue adopted as soon as possible;
we are not the protagonists of any one language to fill this post.
If the governments of the world agree on an existing language,
or a constructed, new tongue, to be used internationally, we
would heartily support it because we desire to see this step in
the unification of the human race take place as soon as
possible.
"Esperanto has been in wide use, more so than any similar
language, all over the world, and the &Baha'is have been encouraged
by both the Master and the Guardian to learn it and to translate


+P40
&Baha'i literature into it. We cannot be sure it will be the
chosen language of the future; but as it is the one which has
spread most, both East and West, we should certainly continue
to cooperate with its members learn to speak it, and translate
&Baha'i literature into it."


106 &ISLAM

"&Islam attained a very high spiritual state, but Western
scholars are prone to judging it by Christian standards. One
cannot call one World Faith superior to another, as they all
come from God; they are progressive, each suited to certain
needs of the time."


107 JESUS (Virgin Birth of)

"With regard to your question concerning the Virgin Birth
of Jesus; on this point, as on several others, the &Baha'i teachings
are in full agreement with the doctrines of the Catholic
Church. In the &Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude) page 56, and
in a few other Tablets still unpublished, &Baha'u'llah confirms,
however indirectly, the Catholic conception of the Virgin Birth.
Also &Abdu'l-Baha in `Some Answered Questions', Chap. 12,
page 73, explicitly states that Christ found existence through the
spirit of God which statement necessarily implies, when
reviewed in the light of the text, that Jesus was not the son of
Joseph."
"We believe that Christ only was conceived immaculately.
His brothers and sisters would have been born in the natural
way and conceived naturally."


108 LIFE AFTER DEATH

"Those who have never had any opportunity of hearing of
the Faith but who lived good lives will no doubt be treated
with the greatest love and mercy in the next world and reap
their full reward."


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109 LOVE (Turn to &Baha'i Brothers and Sisters)

"Turn to your &Baha'i brothers and sisters, who are living
with you in the kingdom. Indeed, the believers have not yet
fully learned to draw on each other's love for strength and
consolation in time of need. The Cause of God is endowed
with tremendous powers, and the reason the believers do not
gain more from it is because they have not learned to duly
draw these mighty forces of love and strength and harmony
generated by the Faith."


110 LOVE, CUSTODIANS OF (World Exceedingly
Dark)

"The friends must, at all times, bear in mind that they are,
in a way, like soldiers under attack. The world is at present
in an exceedingly dark condition spiritually; hatred and prejudice
of every sort are literally tearing it to pieces. We, on the
other hand, are the custodians of the opposite forces, the
forces of love, of unity, of peace and integration, and we must
continually be on our guard, whether as individuals or as an
Assembly or Community, lest through us these destructive,
negative forces enter into our midst. In other words, we
must beware lest the darkness of society become reflected in
our acts and attitudes, perhaps all unconsciously. Love for each
other, the deep sense that we are a new organism, the dawn-breakers
of a new World Order, must constantly animate our
&Baha'i lives, and we must pray to be protected from the contamination
of society which is so diseased with prejudice."


111 LOVE--UNITY (The Greatest Need)

"The greatest need it seems everywhere inside the Cause is
to impress upon the friends the need for love among them.
There is a tendency to mix up the functions of the Administration
and try to apply it in individual relationships, which is
abortive, because the Assembly is a nascent House of Justice
and is supposed to administer, according to the Teachings, the
affairs of the Community. But individuals towards each other


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are governed by love, unity, forgiveness and a sin-covering eye.
Once the friends grasp this they will get along much better, but
they keep playing Spiritual Assembly to each other and expect
the Assembly to behave like an individual."


112 MANIFESTATION--IN 1000 YEARS
(Organic Unity)

"As to the meaning of the quotation, `My fears are for Him
Who will be sent down unto you after Me,' this refers to the
Manifestation who is to come after a thousand or more years,
who like all previous Messengers of God will be subjected to
persecutions, but will eventually triumph over them. For men
of ill-will have been and will always continue to be in this
world, unless mankind reaches a state of complete and absolute
perfection--a condition which is not only improbable but
actually impossible to attain. The fundamental difference,
however, between this Dispensation and all previous ones is
this, that in this Revelation the possibility of permanent schism
between the followers of the Prophet has been prevented through
the direct and explicit instructions providing for the necessary
instruments designed to maintain the organic unity of the body
of the Faithful."


113 MANIFESTATIONS (The Phrase--"His
Holiness")

"In Persian it is impolite not to use the word Hadrat before
the name of the Prophet, so that strictly speaking, a proper
translation should always have `His Holiness Moses' etc.;
however, as this seems peculiar in English, and not in the best
usage of our language, he feels it can be dispensed with.
Pronouns referring to the Manifestation, or the Master, should,
however, invariably be capitalized."


114 MANIFESTATIONS (Return of the Qualities)

"The reflection of the qualities of holy souls can take place
at any time; it is not confined to the period when the Manifestation
is on earth."


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115 MANIFESTATIONS (Significance of the
Remains of the Prophets)

"There is no special physical significance in the remains of
the Prophets or relics of Their Persons. But there is a profound
spiritual significance in the sense that Their dust was the
physical mirror of the greatness of God. In other words we
know God through His Prophets, Who have bodies; these
bodies--Their very dust--are precious through association. It
is natural for people to be touched by a lock of hair or some
token of one they loved; how much more should we treasure
and feel moved by a relic of the Beloved of God?
"The &Bab has told us to bury the dead in silk (if possible)
in coffins of crystal. Why? Because the body, though now dust,
was once exalted by the immortal soul of man! The portrait
of the &Bab should be regarded as an inestimable privilege and
blessing to behold, as past generations were denied a glimpse
of the Face of the Manifestation, once He had passed on."
"The atoms of the Prophets are just atoms, like all others,
but the association of this great spiritual power with them leaves
in the place they are laid to rest a spiritual atmosphere, if one
can use this expression. They are, no doubt, endowed with
a tremendous spiritual influence and far-reaching power. But
the physical character of their atoms are not different from
other people's, any more than their bodies and physical functions
are different."


116 MANIFESTATIONS (Station of)

"The Manifestations no doubt had some consciousness of
their station, but what the nature of that consciousness was we
do not know."


117 MARRIAGE, &BAHA'I

"In regard to your question concerning the nature and
character of &Baha'i marriage. As you have rightly stated,
such a Marriage is conditioned upon the full approval of all


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four parents. Also your statement to the effect that the
principle of the oneness of mankind prevents any true &Baha'i
from regarding race itself as a bar to union is in complete
accord with the Teachings of the Faith on this point. For
both &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha never disapproved of the
idea of interracial marriage, nor discouraged it. The &Baha'i
Teachings, indeed, by their very nature transcend all limitations
imposed by race, and as such can and should never be identified
with any particular school of racial philosophy."


118 MARRIAGE, &BAHA'I (Consent of Parents--
duty of Assembly to ascertain validity)

"With reference to the matter of the consent of the parents
to a &Baha'i marriage: As this is a vital binding obligation, it is
the duty of the Assemblies to ascertain, before giving their
sanction, that the consent obtained has been given freely by the
parents themselves."


119 MARRIAGE--(Consent of Parents--Non-&Baha'i
Participants)

"Regarding the question whether it is necessary to obtain the
consent of the parents of a &non-Baha'i participant in a marriage
with a &Baha'i; as &Baha'u'llah has stated that the consent of the
parents of both parties is required in order to promote unity
and avoid friction, and as the Aqdas does not specify any exceptions
to this rule, the Guardian feels that under all circumstances
the consent of the parents of both parties is required."


120 MARRIAGE TO &NON-BAHA'I

"The general principle in regard to the marriage of a &Baha'i
to a &non-Baha'i is as follows:
"If a &Baha'i marries a &non-Baha'i who wishes to have the
religious ceremony of his own sect carried out, it must be quite
clear that, first, the &Baha'i partner is understood to be a &Baha'i
by religion, and not to accept the religion of the other party to


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the marriage through having his or her religious ceremony; and
second, the ceremony must be of a nature which does not commit
the &Baha'i to any declaration of faith in a religion other
than his own. Under these circumstances the &Baha'i can partake
of the religious ceremony of his &non-Baha'i partner.
"The &Baha'i should insist on having the &Baha'i ceremony
carried out before or after the &non-Baha'i one, on the same
day."


121 MARRIAGES, &BAHA'I--(Reporting to the
NSA)

"In reporting &Baha'i marriages it is much better to mention
that the ceremony was performed by the Assembly, as this is
the proper thing to do, and an individual only acts for the
Assembly on this occasion. As a funeral is not a legal
ceremony more latitude can be allowed, especially as the family
of the deceased may want some particular &Baha'i friend to
officiate."


122 MARRIAGE, &BAHA'I (re: Consent of Natural
Parents)

"Our beloved Guardian made it clear that it was the responsibility
of the &Baha'i body performing the marriage ceremony
to confirm without question the fact that the living natural
parents of the two individuals who are being married have
given their consent to the marriage. It is preferable that this
consent be given in writing, but if this is not possible, or inadvisable
for some reason, verbal consent in the present of witnesses
is sufficient."... "Regarding your question of applying
the sanction of suspension of voting rights to people who marry
without the consent of parents, this should be done from now
on. The laws of the &Kitab-i-Aqdas are explicit and not open to
any ambiguity at all. As long as the parents are alive, the consent
must be obtained; it is not conditioned on their relationship
to their children. If the whereabouts of the parents is not
known legally, in other words, if they are legally dead, then it is


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not necessary for the children to obtain their consent, obviously.
It is not a question of the child not knowing the present whereabouts
of the parents, it is a question of a legal thing--if the
parents are alive, they must be asked."


123 MARRIAGE OF &BAHA'U'LLAH

"It would, however, be very helpful for the friends to know
that the question which the above-mentioned missionary has
raised in connection with the marriage of &Baha'u'llah and
the provisions in the Aqdas regarding the institution of marriage
have been explained by &Abdu'l-Baha in a Tablet
which the Guardian hopes to have translated and published
in conjunction with the Aqdas. Moreover, as regards
&Baha'u'llah's marriage, it should be noted that His three marriages
were all contracted before He revealed His Book of Laws,
and even before His declaration in &Baghdad, at a time when
&Baha'i marriage laws had not yet been made known, and the
Revelation not yet disclosed."


124 MASONRY, FREE (Membership in)

"Disapprove membership (in) Freemasonry."
"Any &Baha'i determined retain membership (in) Freemasonry
loses voting rights."
"The directive regarding membership in Freemasonry should
be carried out by your Assembly in all areas under your Assembly's
jurisdiction."


125 MEDICAL SCIENCE (Leaving bodies to)

"There is nothing in the Teachings against leaving our bodies
to Medical Science. The only thing we should stipulate is
that we do not wish to be cremated, as it is against &Baha'i
Law."
"As many people make arrangements to leave their bodies
to Medical Science for investigation, he suggests that you


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inquire, either through some lawyer friend or through some hospital,
how you could do this and then make the necessary provision
in your will, stipulating that you wish your body to be
of service to mankind in death, and that, being a &Baha'i, you
request that your remains not be cremated and not be taken
more than an hour's journey from the place you die."
"The spirit has no more connection with the body after it
departs, but as the body was once the temple of the spirit, we
&Baha'is are taught that it must be treated with respect."


126 MEDITATION

"Through meditation doors of deeper knowledge and inspiration
may be opened. Naturally, if one meditates as a &Baha'i
he is connected with the Source;... Meditation is very important,
and the Guardian sees no reason why the friends should not be
taught to meditate, but they should guard against superstitions
or foolish ideas creeping into it."


127 MEETINGS, &BAHA'I

"Regarding your question as to the advisability of holding
&Baha'i meetings at a time coinciding with church meetings; the
Guardian would advise the friends to avoid such a coincidence,
as otherwise many church people may feel offended, and this
may lead to unnecessary and even harmful misunderstandings
and developments which may injure the Cause and affect its
prestige in the eyes of the public. The friends should, under
all circumstances, be careful not to arouse unnecessarily any
feelings of religious antagonism."


128 MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES, LSA
(Residential Qualifications)

"...it is only too obvious that unless a member can
attend regularly the meetings of his local Assembly, it would
be impossible for him to discharge the duties incumbent upon
him, and to fulfill his responsibilities, as a representative of the


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community. Membership in a Local Spiritual Assembly carries
with it, indeed, an obligation and capacity to remain in close
touch with local &Baha'i activities, and ability to attend regularly
the sessions of the Assembly."


129 MEMORIAL OFFERINGS

"He feels sure this offering, expended in memory of your
dear ones, will rejoice their spirits, and aid them to progress in
the world beyond."


130 MENTAL ILLNESS

"Regarding persons whose condition has not been defined
by the civil authorities after medical diagnosis, the Assembly on
the spot must investigate every case that arises and, after consultation
with experts, deliver its verdict. Such a verdict, however,
should, in important cases, be preceded by consultation
with the NSA. No doubt, the power of prayer is very great,
yet consultation with experts is enjoined by &Baha'u'llah. Should
these experts believe that an abnormal case exists, the withholding
of voting rights is justified."


131 MILITARY DUTY (Status of &Baha'is in relation
to)

"No change whatsoever (in) status (of) &Baha'is (in) relation
(to) active military duty. No compromise (of) spiritual principles
(of) Faith possible however tense (the) situation, however
aroused public opinion."


132 MILITARY SERVICE

"As there is neither an International Police Force nor any
immediate prospect of one coming into being, the &Baha'is
should continue to apply, under all circumstances, for exemption
from any military duties that necessitate the taking of life.
There is no justification for any change of attitude on our part
at the present time."


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133 MORMONS (Religious sects--Associate with
all--Show tolerance and friendliness)

"The &Baha'is should deal with the members of all religious
sects, however, with the greatest tolerance and friendliness, and
try to point out to them the significance of the Revelation of
&Baha'u'llah to the world in this Great Day. The Guardian
would advise you to teach the Mormons, like everyone else, the
Faith, when you find them receptive. They have many great
principles and their teachings regarding charity, not drinking or
smoking, etc., are quite similar to ours and should form a point
of common interest."


134 &MUNIRIH &KHANUM

"With regard to &Munirih &Khanum's account of her life,
concerning which certain questions have been raised by one of
the believers; what has been written by &Munirih &Khanum herself
in that account, and also the references to the subject made
by &Nabil in his Narrative should be taken as the accurate standard
and not what has been reported in Dr. Esslemont's book."


135 MUSIC

"Music, as one of the arts, is a natural cultural development,
and the Guardian does not feel that there should be any
cultivation of `&Baha'i Music' any more than we are trying to
develop a &Baha'i school of painting or writing. The believers
are free to paint, write or compose as their talents guide them.
If music is written incorporating the Sacred Writings, the
friends are free to make use of it, but it should never be considered
a requirement at &Baha'i meetings to have such music. The
farther away the friends keep from any set forms, the better,
for they must realize that the Cause is absolutely universal, and
what might seem a beautiful addition to their mode of celebrating
a Feast, etc., would perhaps fall on the ears of people of
another country as unpleasant sounds--and vice versa. As long
as they have music for its own sake it is all right, but they
should not consider it `&Baha'i Music'."


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136 NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES (Authority of)

"I wish to reaffirm in clear and categorical language, the
principle already enunciated upholding the supreme authority of
the National Assembly in all matters that affect the interests of
the Faith in that land. There can be no conflict of authority,
no duality under any form or circumstances in any sphere of
&Baha'i jurisdiction whether local, national or international.
The National Assembly, however, although the sole interpreter
of its Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, is directly and morally
responsible if it allows any body or institution within its
jurisdiction to abuse its privileges or to decline in the exercise
of its rights and privileges. It is the trusted guardian and the
mainspring of the manifold activities and interests of every
national community in the &Baha'i world. It constitutes the
sole link that binds these communities to the International
House of Justice, the supreme administrative body in the Dispensation
of &Baha'u'llah."


137 N.S.A. INVOLVEMENT (Appeals Prohibited)

"Anything whatsoever affecting the interests of the Cause
and in which the National Assembly as a body is involved
should, if regarded as unsatisfactory by Local Assemblies and
individual believers, be immediately referred to the National
Assembly itself. Neither the general body of the believers, nor
any Local Assembly, nor even the delegates to the annual Convention,
should be regarded as having any authority to entertain
appeals against the decision of the National Assembly. Should
the matter be referred to the Guardian it will be his duty to
consider it with the utmost care and to decide whether the
issues involved justify him to consider it in person, or to leave
it entirely to the discretion of the National Assembly.
"This administrative principle which the Guardian is now
restating and emphasizing is so clear, so comprehensive and
simple that no misunderstanding as to its application, he
feels, can possibly arise. There are no exceptions whatever to
this rule, and the Guardian would deprecate any attempt to


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elaborate or dwell any further upon this fundamental and clearly
enunciated principle."


138 N.S.A.'s JURISDICTION OVER
COMMITTEES (Authority of)

"The N.S.A.'s final jurisdiction over both the National
Teaching Committee and the Regional Teaching Committees is
certainly indisputable, and is of the same nature and character
as the authority to which it is entitled over all other national
committees."


139 NEW ASSEMBLIES (Formation of)

"Regarding the formation of Local Assemblies, the Guardian
does not advise any departure from the principle that every civil
community should have its own independent Assembly."


140 NEW ASSEMBLIES (Residence Qualifications)

"In connection with the formation of new Assemblies and the
maintenance of their Assembly status, the Guardian wishes to
reaffirm the general principle that only those who reside within
the city limits of any given locality have the right to either vote
or be elected as member of the Assembly, even though this
may involve frequent dissolution of the Assembly owing to
insufficient number of members. It will, on the other hand,
serve as a stimulus to those outside these limits to establish a
group and eventually an Assembly of their own. This principle
should be closely adhered to, otherwise it will lead to confusion
and overlapping."


141 NINE (Number)

"The number nine, which in itself is the number of perfection,
is considered by the &Baha'is as sacred, because it is
symbolic of the perfection of the &Baha'i Revelation which
constitutes the ninth in the line of existing religions, the latest


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and fullest Revelation which mankind has ever known. The
eighth is the religion of the &Bab and the remaining seven are:
Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity,
&Islam, and the religion of the Sabaeans. These religions are not
the only true religions that have appeared in the world but are
the only ones still existing. There have always been Divine
Prophets and Messengers, to many of whom the &Qur'an refers.
But the only ones existing are those mentioned above."
"The Guardian feels that with intellectuals and students of
religion the question of exactly which are the nine existing religions
is controversial, and it would be better to avoid it. He
does not want the friends to be rigid in these matters, but use
their judgment and tact, sometimes one statement is exactly
the right thing for one type of mind and the wrong thing for
another.
"Strictly speaking the 5-pointed star is the symbol of our
Faith, as used by the &Bab and explained by Him. But the
Guardian does not feel it is wise or necessary to complicate our
explanations of the Temple by adding this."
"Nine is the highest digit, hence symbolizes comprehensiveness,
culminations; also, the reason it is used in the Temple's
form is because 9 has exact numerical value of `&Baha' (in the
numerology connected with the Arabic alphabet) and `&Baha' is
the name of the Revealer of our Faith, &Baha'u'llah. The
9-pointed star is not a part of the teachings of our Faith, but
only used as an emblem representing `9'. In telling people of the
9 religions of the world, that is `existing religions, we should not
give this as the reason the Temple has nine sides. This may have
been an idea of the architect, and a very pleasing idea, which
can be mentioned in passing, but the Temple has 9 sides because
of the association of 9 with perfection, unity and `&Baha'."


142 ORIENTALS

"As regards those Persian or Oriental non-believers who
become genuinely interested in the Cause in America, they can


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be admitted to study classes, but every care should be taken by
the Assemblies to fully test their sincerity and the genuineness
of their desire to join the Community before they are given the
necessary facilities that will enable them eventually to be regarded
as voting members of the Faith."


143 ORIENTALS (Association with)

"In this connection, the Guardian wishes to draw once more
your attention to the all-importance of his instructions to the
Western believers regarding association with Orientals. The
friends in the West must be wide awake, and be extremely
cautious when dealing with Easterners, particularly with those
who in the name of the Cause desire to satisfy their own desires
and ambitions. The first step which they should take in protecting
themselves against such mischief-makers is to insist that
they should obtain proper credentials from the Assembly of the
locality in which they live. This measure, he feels, is absolutely
essential and there can be no exception whatever to it."


144 PACIFISM (&Baha'i View of)

"With reference to the absolute pacifists, or conscientious
objectors to war; their attitude, judged from the &Baha'i standpoint
is quite anti-social and due to its exaltation of the individual
conscience leads inevitably to disorder and chaos in society.
Extreme pacifists are thus very close to the anarchists, in the
sense that both of these groups lay an undue emphasis on the
rights and merits of the individual. The &Baha'i conception of
social life is essentially based on the subordination of the individual
will to that of society. It neither suppresses the individual
nor does it exalt him to the point of making him an anti-social
creature, a menace to society. As in everything, it follows the
`golden mean'. The only way that society can function is for the
minority to follow the will of the majority.
"The other main objection to the conscientious objectors is
that their method of establishing peace is too negative. Non-cooperation
is too passive a philosophy to become an effective


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way for social reconstruction. Their refusal to bear arms can
never establish peace. There should first be a spiritual revitalization
which nothing, except the Cause of God, can effectively
bring to every man's heart."


145 PEACE

"...I might add that he does not believe any radiations of
thought or healing, from any group, is going to bring peace.
Prayer, no doubt, will help the world, but what it needs is to
accept &Baha'u'llah's system so as to build up the World Order
on a new foundation, a divine foundation!"


146 PHOTOGRAPHS

"It is quite important that the Greatest Name or a picture
of &Abdu'l-Baha be placed in a dignified position. They should
not be placed on the floor nor, on the other hand, should
they be held above the heads of the people in the photograph.
It would seem that the proper position would be for them to
be held about chest height."


147 PILGRIM'S NOTES

"Regarding the notes taken by pilgrims at Haifa. The
Guardian has stated that he is unwilling to sign the notes of any
pilgrim, in order that the literature consulted by the believers
shall not be unduly extended... This means that the notes of
pilgrims do not carry the authority resident in the Guardian's
letters written over his own signature. On the other hand,
each pilgrim brings back information and suggestions of a most
precious character, and it is the privilege of all the friends to
share in the spiritual results of these visits."


148 PIONEERING

"...Sometimes people strive all their lives to render outstanding
service. Here is the time and opportunity to render


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historic services; in fact the most unique in history, aiding
in the fulfillment of Daniel's Prophecies of the Last Day,
and the 1335 days, when men are to be blessed by the Glory
of the Lord, covering the entire globe--which is the real goal
of the Ten Year Crusade.
"In other words, when we fulfill the Ten Year Crusade we
will have brought into fulfillment Daniel's great prophecy of
'Blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1335 days.' What
could be more wonderful than taking part in the fulfillment
of religious prophecy of over 3,000 years!"
"The pioneers themselves must realize that not only are
they fulfilling the wishes of &Baha'u'llah, and doing that which
the Master Himself said He longed to do; namely, to go, if
necessary on foot, and carry His Father's Message to all the
regions of the earth; but they are enhancing the prestige of the
Faith to a remarkable degree in the eyes of the public, and
specially in the eyes of the officials. There is no doubt that the
rapid forward march of the Faith recently has attracted a far
greater measure of attention on the part of the thoughtful
people, and people of position in society and in educational
fields, than has been the case for almost one hundred years.
"Therefore, each pioneer must feel his responsibility very
heavily, and understand that his calling is far above the average
service; and his duty to remain at his post a very pressing one
indeed."


149 POLITICAL FIGURES (Non-Political
Character of the &Baha'i Faith)

"The Guardian wishes me to draw the attention of the
friends through you that they should be very careful in their
public utterance not to mention any political figures ... either
side with them or denounce them. This is the first thing to bear
in mind. Otherwise they will involve the friends in political
matters, which is definitely dangerous for the Cause."


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150 POLITICS (Loyalty to World Order of
&Baha'u'llah)

"Loyalty (to the) World Order of &Baha'u'llah, security of
its basic institutions, both imperatively demand all its avowed
supporters ... in these days when sinister uncontrollable forces
are deepening (the) cleavage sundering peoples, nations, creeds
(and) classes, (to) resolve, despite (the) pressure (of) fast crystallizing
public opinion, (to) abstain individually and collectively,
in word (and) action, informally as well as in all official
utterances and publications, from assigning blame, taking sides,
however indirectly, in recurring political crises now agitating
(and) ultimately engulfing human society. Grave apprehension
lest cumulative effect (of) such compromises (should) disintegrate
(the) fabric, clog (the) channel of grace that sustains (the)
system of God's essentially supranational, supernatural order
so laboriously evolved, so recently established."


151 POLITICS (Non-Interference in)

"The attitude of the &Baha'is must be two-fold, complete
obedience to the government of the country they reside in, and
no interference whatsoever in political matters or questions.
What the Master's statement really means is obedience to a
duly constituted government, whatever that government may
be in form. We are not the ones, as individual &Baha'is, to judge
our government as just or unjust--for each believer would be
sure to hold a different viewpoint, and within our own &Baha'i
fold a hotbed of dissension would spring up and destroy our
unity. We must build up our own &Baha'i system, and leave the
faulty systems of the world to go their way. We cannot change
them through becoming involved in them; on the contrary, they
will destroy us."


152 POLITICS (Remain Aloof from Political
Affairs)

"We should--every one of us--remain aloof, in heart and
in mind, in words and in deeds, from the political affairs and


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disputes of the Nations and of Governments. We should keep
ourselves away from such thoughts. We should have no political
connection with any of the parties and should join no
faction of these different and warring sects.
"Absolute impartiality in the matter of political parties
should be shown by words and by deeds, and the love of the
whole humanity, whether a Government or a nation, which is
the basic teaching of &Baha'u'llah, should also be shown by
words and by deeds...
"According to the exhortations of the Supreme Pen and the
confirmatory explanations of the Covenant of God &Baha'is are
in no way allowed to enter into political affairs under any
pretense of excuse; since such an action brings about disastrous
results and ends in hurting the Cause of God and its intimate
friends."


153 POLITICS (Shun Politics Like the Plague)

"The cardinal principle which we must follow ... is obedience
to the government prevailing in any land in which we reside....
"We see therefore that we must do two things--Shun
politics like the plague, and be obedient to the Government in
power in the place where we reside... We must obey in all
cases except where a spiritual principle is involved, such as
denying our Faith. For these spiritual principles we must
be willing to die. What we &Baha'is must face is the
fact that society is disintegrating so rapidly that moral
issues which were clear a half century ago are now hopelessly
confused and what is more, thoroughly mixed up with
battling political interests. That is why the &Baha'is must turn
all their forces into the channel of building up the &Baha'i Cause
and its Administration. They can neither change nor help the
world in any other way at present. If they become involved in
the issues the Governments of the world are struggling over,
they will be lost. But if they build up the &Baha'i pattern they
can offer it as a remedy when all else has failed."


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154 PRAYER (Five Steps of)

"Regarding the five steps of prayer outlined by the Guardian,
and recorded by Mrs. Moffett in her booklet, the `Call to
Prayer', these, he wishes me to explain, are merely personal suggestions
and need not, therefore, be adopted strictly and universally
by the believers."


155 PRAYER BEADS

"In the matter of the use and distribution of prayer beads,
in this and other matters of secondary importance he does not
wish that any hard and fast rules be set up. The believers
should not be required to use prayer beads, nor should they be
prevented from doing so, as the Teachings do not contain any
specific instruction on the subject."


156 PRAYER (&Baha'u'llah's in Dispensation)

"The names of those cited in &Baha'u'llah's Prayer in the
Dispensation are quite correct as you gave them, (Abraham,
Moses, Joseph, John the Baptist, Christ, Muhammad, &Imam
Husayn, the &Bab and &Baha'u'llah.)
"The Prophets `regarded as one and the same person' include
the lesser Prophets as well, and not merely those who bring a
`Book'. The station is different, but They are Prophets and
Their nature thus different from that of ours.
"In the prayer mentioned above &Baha'u'llah identifies
Himself with &Imam Husayn. This does not make him a
Prophet, but his position was very unique, and we know
&Baha'u'llah claims to be the `return' of the &Imam Husayn.
He, in other words, identifies His Spirit with these Holy Souls
gone before, that does not, of course, make Him in any way
their re-incarnation. Nor does it mean all of them were
Prophets."


157 PRAYERS

"You have asked whether our prayers go beyond &Baha'u'llah;
It all depends whether we pray to Him directly or through Him


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to God. We may do both, and also can pray directly to God,
but our prayers would certainly be more effective and illuminating
if they are addressed to Him through His Manifestation
&Baha'u'llah.
"Under no circumstances, however, can we, while repeating
the prayers, insert the name &Baha'u'llah where the word `God'
is used. This would be tantamount to blasphemy."
"In quoting prayers any part may be used, but should
be quoted as it is, however short."


158 PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS
(Book of)

"He is indeed pleased to know that the Book of Prayers and
Meditations by &Baha'u'llah has been out in time to enable the
friends to read it during the Fast, and he has every hope that
the perusal of such a precious volume will help to deepen more
than any other publication, the spirit of devotion and faith in the
friends, and thus charge them with all the spiritual power they
require for the accomplishment of their tremendous duties
towards the Cause..."


159 PRAYERS (Daily)

"The daily prayers are to be said each one for himself, aloud
or silent makes no difference. There is no congregational prayer
except that for the dead. We read healing and other prayers
in our meetings, but the daily prayer is a personal obligation,
so someone else reading it is not quite the same thing as saying
it for yourself.
"If you find you need to visualize someone when you pray,
think of the Master. Through Him you can address &Baha'u'llah.
Gradually try to think of the qualities of the Manifestation, and
in that way a mental form will fade out, for after all the body
is not the thing, His Spirit is there and is the essential, everlasting
element."


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160 PRAYERS (Daily Obligatory)

"The daily obligatory prayers are three in number. The
shortest one consists of a single verse which has to be recited
once in every twenty-four hours and at midday. The medium
(prayer) which begins with the words: `The Lord is witness
that there is none other God but He,' has to be recited three
times a day, in the morning, at noon and in the evening. The
long prayer which is the most elaborate of the three has to be
recited once in every twenty-four hours, and at any time one
feels inclined to do so.
"The believer is entirely free to choose any one of those
three prayers but is under the obligation of reciting one of
them, and in accordance with any specific directions with which
they may be accompanied.
"These daily obligatory prayers, together with a few other
specific ones, such as the Healing Prayer, the Tablet of Ahmad,
have been invested by &Baha'u'llah with a special potency and
significance, and should therefore be accepted as such and be
recited by the believers with unquestioned faith and confidence,
that through them they may enter into a much closer communion
with God, and identify themselves more fully with His
Laws and precepts."


161 PRAYERS (Healing)

"The healing prayers revealed by &Baha'u'llah can be
effective even though used by non-believers. But their effectiveness
is of course greater in the case of those who fully accept
the Revelation."


162 PRAYERS (To be Read as Revealed)

"Regarding your question as to the changing of pronouns
in &Baha'i prayers: The Guardian does not approve of such
changes, either in the specific prayers or in any others. They
should be read as printed without changing a single word."


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163 PREJUDICES (Racial)

"Regarding the solution of the racial problem; the believers
should of course realize that the principle of the oneness of
mankind which is the cornerstone of the message of &Baha'u'llah
is wholly incompatible with all forms of racial prejudice. Loyalty
to this foundation principle of the Faith is the paramount
duty of every believer and should be therefore wholehearted
and unqualified. For a &Baha'i, racial prejudice, in all its forms,
is simply a negation of Faith, an attitude wholly incompatible
with the very spirit and actual teachings of the Cause.
"But while the friends should faithfully and courageously
uphold this &Baha'i principle of the essential unity of all human
races, yet in the methods they adopt for its application and
further realization on the social plane they should act with tact,
wisdom and moderation. These two attitudes are by no means
exclusive. &Baha'is do not believe that the spread of the Cause
and its principles and teachings can be effected by means of
radical and violent methods. While they are loyal to all those
teachings, yet they believe in the necessity of resorting to peaceful
and friendly means for the realization of their aims.
"As regards the meaning of the passage on page 188 of the
Gleanings it is an emphasis by &Baha'u'llah on the importance
of maintaining differences of station and classes in society and
does not refer to the question of race."


164 PROPHETS (Many will appear)

"After &Baha'u'llah many Prophets will, no doubt, appear
but they will be under His Shadow. Although they may abrogate
the laws of this Dispensation in accordance with the needs
and requirements of the age in which they appear, they nevertheless
draw their spiritual force from this mighty Revelation.
The Faith of &Baha'u'llah constitutes, indeed, the stage of maturity
in the development of mankind. His appearance has released
such spiritual forces which will continue to animate, for many
long years to come, the world in its development. Whatever progress
may be achieved, in later ages, after the unification of the


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whole human race is achieved, will be but improvement in the
machinery of the world. For the machinery itself has been
already created by &Baha'u'llah. The task of continually improving
and perfecting this machinery is one which later Prophets
will be called upon to achieve. They will thus move and work
within the orbit of the &Baha'i Cycle."


165 PSYCHIATRY

"There is nothing in our teachings about Freud and his
method. Psychiatry treatment in general is no doubt an important
contribution to medicine, but we must believe it is still a
growing rather than a perfected science. As &Baha'u'llah has
urged us to avail ourselves of the help of good physicians &Baha'is
are certainly not only free to turn to psychiatry for assistance
but should, when available, do so. This does not mean psychiatrists
are always wise or always right; it means we are free to
avail ourselves of the best medicine has to offer us."


166 PSYCHIC PHENOMENA

"With reference to psychic phenomena referred to in your
letter; these, in most cases, are an indication of a deep psychological
disturbance. The friends should avoid as much as possible
giving undue consideration to such matters."


167 PURE SOULS

"Those who have never had any opportunity of hearing
of the Faith but who lived good lives will no doubt be treated
with the greatest love and mercy in the next world, and reap
their full rewards."


168 PYRAMID PROPHECIES

"We have nothing in our &Baha'i Writings about the so-called
Prophecies of the Pyramids; so he (the Guardian) does not
think you need attach any importance to them."


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169 PROMINENT FIGURES (Letters to
Government Heads)

"The Guardian feels that any communications addressed
to international figures of this nature, particularly in connection
with political proposals of any one group, should not be written
unless approved by him. He feels matters of this type so important
that he does not wish such communications sent without
his prior consideration and approval. It may lead to quite
difficult and embarrassing situations, especially when the letters
are made public..."


170 &QUR'AN (`Sales' Translation
Recommended)

"As to the question raised by the Spiritual Assembly of Los
Angeles concerning the best English translation of the &Qur'an,
the Guardian would recommend `Sales' translation which is the
most accurate rendering available, and is the most widespread."


171 &QUR'AN--STUDY OF (Concerning School
Program)

"With regard to the school's program (Louhelen) for the
next summer; the Guardian would certainly advise, and even
urge the friends to make a thorough study of the &Qur'an, as the
knowledge of this sacred Scripture is absolutely indispensable
for every believer who wishes to adequately understand and
intelligently read, the writings of &Baha'u'llah. Although there
are very few persons among Western &Baha'is who are capable
of handling such a course in a scholarly way, the mere lack of
such competent teachers should encourage and stimulate the
believers to get better acquainted with the Sacred Scriptures of
&Islam. In this way, there will gradually appear some distinguished
&Baha'is who will be so well versed in the teachings of
&Islam as to be able to guide the believers in their study of that
religion."


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172 QUR'AN, SURIHS OF THE

"It is certainly most difficult to thoroughly grasp all the
&Surihs of the &Qur'an, as it requires a detailed knowledge of the
social, religious and historical background of Arabia at the time
of the appearance of the Prophet. The believers can not possibly
hope, therefore, to understand the &Surihs after the first or
even second or third reading. They have to study them again
and again, ponder over their meaning, with the help of certain
commentaries and explanatory notes as found, for instance, in
the admirable translation made by SALE, endeavor to acquire
as clear and correct understanding of their meaning and import
as possible. This is naturally a slow process, but future generations
of believers will certainly come to grasp it. For the present,
the Guardian agrees, that it would be easier and more helpful
to study the Book according to subjects, and note verse by verse
and also in the light of the &Bab, &Baha'u'llah and &Abdu'l-Baha's
interpretation which throw such floods of light on the whole of
the &Qur'an."


173 RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS,
&NON-BAHA'I

"Concerning membership in &non-Baha'i religious associations,
the Guardian wishes to re-emphasize the general principle
already laid down in his communications to your Assembly and
also to the individual believers that no &Baha'i who wishes to be
a whole hearted and sincere upholder of the distinguishing
principles of the Cause can accept full membership in any &non-Baha'i
ecclesiastical organization. For such an act would necessarily
imply only a partial acceptance of the Teachings and Laws
of the Faith, and an incomplete recognition of its independent
status, and would thus be tantamount to an act of disloyalty to
the verities it enshrines. For it is only too obvious that in most
of its fundamental assumptions the Cause of &Baha'u'llah is
completely at variance with outworn creeds, ceremonies, and
institutions. To be a &Baha'i and at the same time accept membership
in another religious body is simply an act of contradiction
that no sincere and logically-minded person can possibly


+P65
accept. To follow &Baha'u'llah does not mean accepting some
of His teachings and rejecting the rest. Allegiance to His
Cause must be uncompromising and whole-hearted. During
the days of the Master the Cause was still in a stage that made
such an open and sharp disassociation between it and other
religious organizations, and particularly the Muslim Faith
not only inadvisable but practically impossible to establish.
But since His passing, events throughout the &Baha'i World
and particularly in Egypt where the Muslim religious courts
have formally testified to the independent character of the
Faith, have developed to a point that have made such an assertion
of the independence of the Cause not only highly desirable
but absolutely essential."


174 RESURRECTION (Explains the Passage on
page 231 of the Gleanings)

"`From it (the earth) have We created you', etc., this is a
verse from the &Qur'an and the quotation mark has been wrongly
omitted from the text and should be added after `time'.
&Baha'u'llah in quoting this passage seeks to refute the argument
of the Muslims, who attach a purely literal interpretation to this
verse of the &Qur'an, and therefore consider it as implying bodily
resurrection. To these Muslims, He says, that you who literally
believe that the human body will return to dust and will be
raised from it again, and therefore attach so much importance
to this mortal world, how then can you wax so proud, and boast
over things which are but perishable and consequently void
of any true and lasting value."


175 RINGSTONES AND BURIAL STONES

"In regard to the use of ringstones and burial stones, the
Guardian leaves this matter at present entirely to the discretion
of the believers, and has no objection if your Assembly provides
facilities for their purchase by the friends. When the &Kitab-i-Aqdas
is published the necessary instructions will be given regarding
this matter."


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176 SUMMER SCHOOLS, &BAHA'I
(Importance of)

"He fervently hopes that through the earnest and sustained
efforts of your committee these annual gatherings will acquire
increasing importance in the eyes of the public, and will constitute
an effective medium for the dissemination of the Teachings.
He feels that in your next summer meetings continued
emphasis should be laid upon the teaching of the Administration,
especially in its relation to the outside world, so as
to impress the &non-Baha'i attendants at the school with the
nature, character, and world-significance of the World Order of
&Baha'u'llah."


177 SUMMER SCHOOLS, &BAHA'I
(Purpose of)

"The basic purpose of all &Baha'i Summer Schools, whether
in East or West, is to give the believers the opportunity to
acquaint themselves, not only by mere study but through whole-hearted
and active collaboration in various &Baha'i activities
with the essentials of the administration and in this way enable
them to become efficient and able promoters of the Cause.
The teaching of the Administration is therefore, an indispensable
feature of every &Baha'i Summer School and its special significance
can be better understood if we realize the great need of
every believer today for a more adequate understanding of the
social principles and laws of the Faith."
"How wonderful it would be if all the friends could arrange
to spend at least a few days in one of these summer schools and
take an active part in their development. These centers could
attract many souls if properly arranged and made interesting;
those &non-Baha'is who visit them will then have some time to
get into the spirit of the place and make a study of the Cause...
We constantly receive letters from people who became &Baha'i
by visiting one of these centers and obtaining the Message
there."


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178 SERVICE TO HUMANITY

"He feels that, although your desire to partake actively of
the dangers and miseries afflicting so many millions of people
today, is natural, and a noble impulse, there can be no comparison
between the value of &Baha'i work and any other form
of service to humanity.
"If the &Baha'is could evaluate their work properly they
would see that whereas other forms of relief work are superficial
in character, alleviating the sufferings and ills of men for
a short time at best, the work they are doing is to lay the
foundation of a new Spiritual Order in the world founded on
the Word of God, operating according to the Laws He has laid
down for this age. No one else can do this work except those
who have fully realized the meaning of the Message of &Baha'u'llah,
where as almost any courageous, sincere person can engage
in relief work, etc.
"The believers are building a refuge for mankind. This is
their supreme, sacred task and they should devote every moment
they can to this task."


179 SEVEN LIGHTS OF UNITY

"The seven lights of Unity will not necessarily come in the
order given. A product of the second may well be universal
culture."


180 SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE FAITH (A
Single Divine and World-Embracing System)

"Concerning the idea of the &Baha'i World Order and the
proper emphasis which should be laid on the social aspect of
the Faith; the Guardian feels the necessity for all teachers to
stress the fact that the World Order of &Baha'u'llah can, under
no circumstances, be divorced from the spiritual principles and


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teachings of the Cause; that the social laws and institutions of
the Faith are inseparably bound up and closely interwoven with
the moral and spiritual principles enunciated by &Baha'u'llah,
Who, Himself, indeed, has time and again emphasized the
underlying oneness and the identity of purpose of all His
spiritual, doctrinal, and social teachings. The Friends, while
emphasizing both of these aspects, should, in particular, point
out that they constitute parts of one and the same plan, and
elements of a single, divine and world-embracing system."


181 SPIRITUALITY (The Troubles of This
World Pass)

"As we suffer these misfortunes we must remember that the
Prophets of God Themselves were not immune from these
things which men suffer. They knew sorrow, illness and pain too.
They rose above these things through Their spirits, and that is
what we must try and do too, when afflicted. The troubles of
this world pass, and what we have left is what we have made of
our souls; so it is to this we must look--to becoming more
spiritual, drawing nearer to God, no matter what our human
minds and bodies go through."


182 SUMMER SCHOOLS (The &Baha'i)

"Definite courses should be given along the different phases
of the &Baha'i Faith and in a manner that will stimulate the
students to proceed in their studies privately once they return
home, for the period of a few days is not sufficient to learn
everything. They have to be taught the habit of studying the
Cause constantly, for the more we read the Words the more will
the truth they contain be revealed to us."


183 SUMMER SCHOOLS (&Baha'i Atmosphere in)

"He (the Guardian) thinks the less time spent on such topics
as `Current Events in the light of the &Baha'i Faith', and `The


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&Baha'i Faith and Modern Science' the better. There is no harm
in having an evening lecture by a qualified speaker once on each
of these subjects, but he certainly does not feel that much time
should be spent on them, for the very simple reason that there
is so little that can be said on the subject."
"The &Baha'is must realize that they belong to a world-wide
Order, and not an American civilization. They must try and
introduce the &Baha'i atmosphere of life and thought into their
Summer Schools, rather than making the Summer School an
episode and a pleasant vacation period, during which they learn
a little more about the Faith."


184 SUPREME TRIBUNAL

"The Supreme Tribunal is an aspect of a world Superstate;
the exact nature of its relationship to that state we cannot at
present foresee. Supreme Tribunal is the correct translation;
it will be a contributing factor in establishing the Lesser Peace.
There is no statement in the teachings indicating that the Lesser
Peace will definitely be established by 1957 or 1963."


185 TABLETS OF &ABDU'L-BAHA

"The work of collecting and publishing the Tablets is one of
the most important tasks that this generation has to undertake
for upon it depends our true understanding of the Cause
and its principles. Only Tablets with the Master's signature and
in the original tongue should be recognised. Any translation
or copies of them fail having real authority. This shows the
importance of collecting the original Tablets that bear the
Master's signature."


186 TEACHERS (Unqualified Loyalty)

"In connection with the problems facing the friends in their
teaching work; these, the Guardian is well aware, are by no
means easy to overcome, specially in view of the limited number
and resources of the believers. But in the field of &Baha'i


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service, as the history of the Cause abundantly demonstrates,
there is no obstacle that can be said to be unsurmountable.
Every difficulty will, in due time, be solved. But continued and
collective effort is also needed. The &Baha'i teacher should not
get discouraged at the consciousness of the limitations within
or without him. He should rather persevere, and be confident,
that no matter how numerous and perplexing the difficulties that
confront him may appear, he is continually assisted and guided
through Divine Confirmations. He should consider himself
as a mere instrument in the Hands of God, and should, therefore,
cease looking at his own merits.
"The first and most important qualification of a &Baha'i
Teacher is, indeed, unqualified loyalty and attachment to the
Cause. Knowledge is, of course essential; but compared to
devotion it is secondary in importance."


187 TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS
(Can Serve as Both)

"Regarding the statement made by the Guardian ... concerning
the fact that believers can serve both as teachers and administrators.
Shoghi Effendi would approve your Assembly
making this fact known to all the friends. For although it is
essential for the believers to maintain always a clear distinction
between teaching and administrative duties and functions, yet
they should be careful not to be led to think that these two types
of &Baha'i activity are mutually exclusive in their nature and as
such cannot be exercised by one and the same person. As a
matter of fact, the friends should be encouraged to serve in both
the teaching and the administrative fields of &Baha'i service. But
as there are always some who are more specially gifted along
one of these two lines of activity it would seem more desirable
that they should concentrate their efforts in acquiring the full
training for that type of work for which they are best suited by
nature. Such a specialization has the advantage of saving time
and of leading to greater efficiency, particularly at this early
stage of our development. The great danger, however, lies in
that by so doing the friends may tend to develop a sort of class


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consciousness which is fundamentally contrary to both the spirit
and actual teachings of the Faith.
"It is precisely in order to overcome such a danger that the
Guardian thinks it advisable that the friends should be encouraged
to serve from time to time in both the teaching and the
administrative spheres of &Baha'i work, but only whenever they
feel fit to do so."


188 TEACHERS, &BAHA'I (A Principle)

"Regarding the principle that the Cause must not be allowed
to center around any &Baha'i personality, the Guardian wishes to
make it clear that it was never intended that well qualified individual
teachers should not receive from local Assemblies
every encouragement and facilities to address the public. What
the Guardian meant was that the personality and popularity of
such a speaker should never be allowed to eclipse the authority
or detract from the influence of the body of the elected representatives
in every local community. Such an individual should
not only seek the approval, advice and assistance of the body
that represents the Cause in his locality, but should strive to
attribute any credit he may obtain, to the collective wisdom and
capacity of the Assembly under whose jurisdiction he performs
his services. Assemblies and not individuals constitute the bedrock
on which the Administration is built. Everything else
must be subordinated to, and be made to serve and advance the
best interests of these elected custodians and promoters of the
laws of &Baha'u'llah."


189 TEACHING

"The Cause of God is developing rapidly in the virgin areas
of the Crusade; but on the home front we seem to be not so
successful. No doubt this is due to the fact that the friends at
home are not as diligently taking advantage of every teaching
opportunity as the pioneers do in foreign lands. Success will
crown the efforts of the friends on the home front when they
meditate on the teaching, pray fervently for divine confirmations
for their work, study the teachings so they may carry the


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spirit to the seeker, and then act,--and above all persevere in
action. When these steps are followed, and the teaching work
carried on sacrificially and with devoted enthusiasm, the Faith
will spread rapidly."


190 TEACHING (Love for &Baha'u'llah)

"...Without the spirit of real love for &Baha'u'llah, for His
Faith and its Institutions, and the believers for each other, the
Cause can never really bring in large numbers of people. For
it is not preaching any rules the world wants, but love and
action..."


191 TEACHING

"Shoghi Effendi would urge every &Baha'i who feels the urge
to exercise his right of teaching unofficially the Cause, to keep
in close touch with the Local Spiritual Assembly of the locality
in which he is working. The Local Spiritual Assembly, while
reserving for itself the right to control such activities on the
part of individual &Baha'is, should do its utmost to encourage
such teachers and to put at their disposal whatever facilities
they would need in such circumstances. Should any differences
arise, the National Spiritual Assembly would naturally have
to intervene and adjust matters."


192 TEACHING (Advent of Divine Justice)

"In the matter of teaching, as repeatedly and emphatically
stated, particularly in his `Advent of Divine Justice', the Guardian
does not wish the believers to make the slightest discrimination,
even though this may result in provoking opposition or
criticism from any individual, class or institution. The Call of
&Baha'u'llah, being universal, should be addressed with equal
force to all the peoples, classes and nations of the world, irrespective
of any religious, racial, political or class distinction or
difference..."


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193 TEACHING, CONCENTRATE ON (Source
of Joy and Consolation)

"We all have our petty material obstacles in this life. We
cannot totally get rid of them. The best thing to do, after all
our efforts have failed to deliver us, is to concentrate on that
which can alone bring real happiness and peace to our heart.
And you should be thankful to God for having enabled you to
recognize and accept His Faith. For this is, assuredly, the only
source of joy and consolation you can have in your moments of
suffering. Is there anything more worthwhile to work for than
the Teachings of the Message?"


194 TEACHING (The Concourse on High)

"The invisible battalions of the Concourse on High, are
mustered, in serried ranks, ready to rush their reinforcements
to the aid of the vanguard of &Baha'u'llah's crusaders in the
hour of their greatest need, and in anticipation of that Most
Great, that Wondrous Jubilee in the joyfulness of which both
heaven and earth will partake."


195 TEACHING (Direct)

"He approves of your desire to teach the principles of the
Faith through radio. But he urges you to do all you can to
always, however small the reference you are able to make to it
may be, clearly identify or associate what you are giving out
with &Baha'u'llah. The time is too short now for us &Baha'is to
be able to first educate humanity and then tell it that the
source is this new World Faith. For their own spiritual protection
people must hear of the name &Baha'i--then, if they turn
blindly away they cannot excuse themselves by saying they
never even knew it existed! For dark days seem still ahead of
the world, and outside this Divine Refuge the people will not,
we firmly believe, find inner conviction, peace and security.
So they have a right to at least hear of the Cause as such."


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196 TEACHING--Divine World Order--The
Sole Panacea

"In connection with your teaching work: What the Guardian
wishes you to particularly emphasize in all your talks is the
supreme necessity for all individuals and nations in this day to
adopt in its entirety the social program given by &Baha'u'llah for
the reconstruction of the religious, economic and political life
of mankind. He wishes you to explain and analyze the elements
that help in raising this Divine World Order in the light of the
present-day events and conditions in the world. Special stress,
he feels, should be laid on the impending necessity of establishing
a super-national, and sovereign world state, as the one
described by &Baha'u'llah. With the world becoming increasingly
subject to tumults and convulsions never experienced before,
the realization of such a necessity is entering into the consciousness
of not only the wise and learned, but of the common people
as well. The believers should, therefore, seize this opportunity
to make a supreme effort to present, in convincing and eloquent
language, those social and humanitarian teachings of the Faith
which we believe to constitute the sole panacea for the innumerable
ills afflicting our present-day world."


197 TEACHING (Duty of Every Believer)

"Indeed to bring this message to mankind in its darkest
hour of need is the paramount duty of every believer. All the
agony, the suffering, privation and spiritual blindness afflicting
people today everywhere in the world, to a greater or lesser
degree, is because they are unaware of, or indifferent to, the
Remedy God has sent them. Only those who are aware of it
can carry its healing knowledge to others, so that each &Baha'i
has an inescapable and sacred duty to perform."


198 TEACHING (Give the Message)

"The believers ought to give the message even to those who
do not seem ready for it, because they can never judge the real
extent to which the Word of God can influence the hearts and


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minds of the people, even those who appear to lack any power
of receptivity to the teachings."


199 TEACHING (Greater Unity Among the
Friends)

"Regarding your question about the need for greater unity
among the friends, there is no doubt that this is so, and the
Guardian feels that one of the chief instruments for promoting
it is to teach the &Baha'is themselves, in classes and through precepts,
that love of God, and consequently of men, is the essential
foundation of every religion, our own included. A greater
degree of love will produce a greater unity, because it enables
people to bear with each other, to be patient and forgiving."


200 TEACHING (Love and Unity)

"The most important thing for the believers is, of course, to
be united and to really love each other for the sake of God,
(Otherwise it is not possible to love everyone). However, if
communities wait until love and complete harmony are established
before teaching, the teaching work will come to a standstill.
Both sides must be cultivated; whilst actively teaching
the friends must themselves be taught and deepened in the spirit
of the Faith, which brings love and unity."


201 TEACHING--&BAHA'I FAITH (What the
Cause Now Requires)

"What the Cause now requires is not so much a group of
highly cultured and intellectual people who can adequately present
its Teachings, but a number of devoted, sincere and loyal
supporters, who, in utter disregard of their own weaknesses and
limitations, and with hearts afire with the love of God, forsake
their all for the sake of spreading and establishing His
Faith. In other words, what is mostly needed nowadays is a
&Baha'i pioneer and not so much a &Baha'i philosopher or scholar.


+P76
For the Cause is not a system of philosophy; it is essentially a
way of life, a religious faith that seeks to unite all people on a
common basis of mutual understanding and love, and in a
common devotion to God.
"&Baha'i scholars and writers will, no doubt, gradually appear,
and will as promised by &Baha'u'llah lend a unique support to
the Faith. But in the meantime, we should not tarry, or
slacken in our efforts."


202 TEACHING (Study Early History and Principles
of the Faith)

"I wish to urge the necessity of concentrating at your next
summer session, on the systematic study of the early history and
principles of the Faith, on public speaking, and on a thorough
discussion, both formally and informally, of various aspects of
the Cause. These I regard as essential preliminaries to a future
intensive campaign of teaching in which the rising generation
must engage, if the spread of the Cause is to be assured in that
land."


203 TEACHING (The Utmost Effort)

"I cannot refrain from adding a few words to renew and
reaffirm my fervent plea to you, and through you to every
individual member of the American &Baha'i Community, to exert
the utmost effort in order to further the Cause of Teaching
throughout the American Continent. Every possible assistance,
whether moral, financial, or administrative, should be continuously,
generously, and systematically extended to this most
urgent, this sacred and meritorious Cause. My heart yearns to
learn of any speedy and effective action which the valiant members
of that community may determine, whether collectively or
severally, to undertake. The invisible hosts of the &Abha Kingdom
are arrayed and ready to rush forth and ensure the triumph
of every stout-hearted and persevering herald of the Faith
of &Baha'u'llah.


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204 TEACHING (In South)

"Regarding the whole manner of teaching the Faith in the
South; the Guardian feels that, although the greatest consideration
should be shown the feelings of white people in the South
whom we are teaching, under no circumstances should we discriminate
in their favour, consider them more valuable to the
Cause than their Negro fellow-southerners, or single them out
to be taught the Message first. To pursue such a policy, however
necessary and even desirable it may superficially seem,
would be to compromise the true spirit of our Faith, which
permits us to make no such distinctions in offering its tenets to
the world. The Negro and white races should be offered, simultaneously,
on a basis of equality, the Message of &Baha'u'llah.
Rich or poor, known or unknown, should be permitted to hear
of this Holy Faith in this, humanity's greatest hour of need.
"This does not mean that we should go against the laws of
the State, pursue a radical course which will stir up trouble,
and cause misunderstanding... Even in places where the two
races can meet together in the South, he feels it would be, in
certain cases, preferable to teach them separately until they are
fully confirmed and then bring them together..."


205 TEACHING METHODS

"The same thing is true of teaching methods; no system, for
teachers to practice, exists. But obviously the more people
know about the teachings and the Cause, the better they will
be to present the subject. If some people find that prayer
and placing all their trust in God, releases in them a flood of
inspiration, they should be left free to pursue this method if
it is productive of results.
"The inspiration received through meditation is of a nature
that one cannot measure or determine. God can inspire into
our minds things that we had no previous knowledge of, if He
desires to do so.
"We cannot clearly distinguish between personal desire and


+P78
guidance, but if the way opens, when we have sought guidance,
then we may presume God is helping us."


206 TEMPLE, CHANTING IN THE

"As regard the chanting of Tablets in the Temple,
Shoghi Effendi wishes in this connection to urge the friends
to avoid all forms of rigidity and uniformity in matters of
worship. There is no objection to the recital or chanting of
prayers in the Oriental language, but there is also no obligation
whatsoever of adopting such a form of prayer at any devotional
service in the auditorium of the Temple. It should neither be
required nor prohibited. The important thing that should
always be borne in mind is that with the exception of certain
specific obligatory prayers, &Baha'u'llah has given us no strict
or special rulings in matters of worship, whether in the Temple
or elsewhere. Prayer is essentially a communion between man
and God, and as such transcends all ritualistic forms and
formulae."


207 TESTS AND PROBLEMS

"Ultimately all the battle of life is within the individual. No
amount of organization can solve the inner problems or
produce or prevent, as the case may be, victory or failure at a
crucial moment. In such times as these particularly, individuals
are torn by great forces at large in the world and, we see
some weak ones strong, and strong ones fail--we can only try,
through loving advice, as your Committee has done, to bring
about the act on the part of the believer which will be for the
highest good of the Cause. Because obviously something bad
for the Cause cannot be the highest good of the individual
&Baha'i."


208 THEOCRACY

"What the Guardian was referring to was the Theocratic
systems, such as the Catholic Church and the Caliphate, which
are not divinely given as systems, but man-made and yet, having


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partly derived from the teachings of Christ and Muhammad
are, in a sense, theocracies. The &Baha'i theocracy, on the
contrary, is both divinely ordained as a system and, of course,
based on the teachings of the Prophet Himself... Theophany is
used in the sense of Dispensation..."


209 TOMBSTONE, &BAHA'I SYMBOL ON

"In regard to your question regarding the use of the
Greatest Name on tombstones of &Baha'is, the Guardian
considers this too sacred to be placed in such a position in
general use, and the friends should not use it on their tombstones.
They can use quotations from the Teachings, if they
wish to, but not the Greatest Name. Naturally, if anyone has
already used it, it does not matter."

NINE-POINTED STAR FOR HEADSTONE

"Approve star for graves." Cable of October 22, 1954.


210 TRANSLITERATION OF &BAHA'I TERMS

"...the faithful spelling of which by all the Western friends
will avoid confusion in future, and insure in this matter a
uniformity which is greatly needed at present in all &Baha'i
literature... I feel confident that all the friends will from now on
follow this system and adhere scrupulously and at all times to
this code in all their writings.
"The preparation of &Baha'i articles, committee reports, etc.,
should therefore employ the system of transliteration which
the Guardian has supplied."


211 UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE,
MEMBERSHIP

"As regards your question concerning the membership of
the Universal House of Justice, there is a Tablet from &Abdu'l-Baha
in which He definitely states that the membership of the


+P80
Universal House is confined to men and that the wisdom of it
will be fully revealed in the future. In the local, as well as the
National Houses of Justice, however, women have the full right
of membership. It is therefore, only to the International
House that they cannot be elected. The &Baha'is should accept
this statement of the Master in a spirit of deep faith, confident
that there is a divine guidance and wisdom behind it, which
will be gradually unfolded to the eyes of the world."
"Regarding your question, the Master said the wisdom of
having no women on the International House of Justice, would
become manifest in the future. We have no other indication
than this.
"At present there are women on the International Council,
and this will continue as long as it exists, but when the International
House of Justice is elected, there will only be men on
it, as this is the law of the Aqdas."


212 VACCINATION

"Regarding your question about vaccination:
"These are technical matters which have not been specifically
mentioned in the Teachings, and consequently, the
Guardian cannot make any statement about them. No doubt
medical science will progress tremendously as time goes by and
the treatment of disease becomes more perfect."


213 VISIONS

"There is a fundamental difference between Divine Revelation
as vouchsafed by God to His Prophets, and the spiritual
experiences and visions which individuals may have. The latter
should, under no circumstances, be construed as constituting an
infallible source of guidance, even for the person experiencing
them."


+P81
214 VOTING--(Civil)

"The friends may vote, if they can do it, without identifying
themselves with one party or another. To enter the arena of
party politics is surely detrimental to the best interests of the
Faith and will harm the Cause. It remains for the individuals
to so use their right to vote as to keep aloof from party politics,
and always bear in mind that they are voting on the merits of
the individual, rather than because he belongs to one party or
another. The matter must be made perfectly clear to the
individuals, who will be left free to exercise their discretion and
judgment. But if a certain person does enter into party
politics and labors for the ascendency of one party over another,
and continues to do it against the expressed appeals and
warnings of the Assembly, then the Assembly has the right to
refuse him the right to vote in &Baha'i elections."


215 VOTING RIGHT, The

"I feel I must reaffirm the vital importance and necessity of
the right of voting--a sacred responsibility of which no adult
recognized believer should be deprived, unless he is associated
with a community that has not as yet been in a position to
establish a Local Assembly. This distinguishing right which
the believer possesses, however, does not carry with it nor does
it imply an obligation to cast his vote, if he feels that the
circumstances under which he lives do not justify or allow
him to exercise that right intelligently and with understanding.
This is a matter which should be left to the individual to decide
himself according to his own conscience and discretion."


216 VOTING RIGHTS (Status of Individuals
Deprived of)

"Concerning your question as to the status of those individuals
whom the Local Assembly or the N.S.A. have considered
it necessary to deprive of the voting right and to suspend from
local meetings and gatherings; such action which Local and
National Assemblies have been empowered to take against such


+P82
recalcitrant members, however justified and no matter how
severe, should under no circumstances be considered as implying
the complete expulsion of the individuals affected from the
Cause. The suspension of voting and other administrative
rights of an individual, always conditional and therefore temporary,
can never have such far reaching implications, since it
constitutes merely an administrative sanction; whereas his
expulsion or ex-communication from the Faith, which can be
effected by the Guardian alone in his capacity as the supreme
spiritual head of the community, has far-reaching spiritual
implications affecting the very soul of that believer. The
former, as already stated, is an administrative sanction, whereas
the latter is essentially spiritual, involving not only the
particular relationship of a believer to his local or National
Assembly, but his very spiritual existence in the Cause. It
follows, therefore, that a believer can continue calling himself a
&Baha'i even though he may cease to be a voting member of
the community. But in case he is excluded from the body of
the Cause by an act of the Guardian he ceases to be a believer
and cannot possibly identify himself even nominally with the
Faith."


217 WORK, &BAHA'I

"If the believers could properly evaluate the work they are
doing they would be astonished at its importance, but they are
in the position of not being able to see the forest for the trees;
they are too close to it to realize its true import."


218 WORK, DAILY--(&Baha'u'llah's Command
Concerning Daily Work)

"With reference to &Baha'u'llah's command concerning the
engagement of the believers in some sort of profession; the
teachings are most emphatic on this matter, particularly the
statement in the Aqdas to this effect which makes it quite
clear that idle people who lack the desire to work can have no
place in the new World Order. As a corollary of this principle,


+P83
&Baha'u'llah further states that mendicity should not only be
discouraged but entirely wiped out from the face of society. It
is the duty of those who are in charge of the organization of
society to give every individual the opportunity of acquiring
the necessary talent in some kind of profession, and also the
means of utilizing such a talent, both for its own sake and for
the sake of earning the means of his livelihood. Every individual,
no matter how handicapped and limited he may be, is
under the obligation of engaging in some work or profession,
for work, especially when performed in the spirit of service, is
according to &Baha'u'llah, a form of worship. It has not only
a utilitarian purpose, but has a value in itself, because it draws
us nearer to God, and enables to better grasp His purpose
for us in this world. It is obvious, therefore, that the inheritance
of wealth cannot make anyone immune from daily work.
As to the question of retirement from work for individuals who
have reached a certain age, this is a matter on which the International
House of Justice will have to legislate as there are no
provisions in the Aqdas concerning it."


219 WORLD FEDERATION--(On &Baha'i
Participation in International Conferences)

"He feels that the statement which your assembly made in
your letter to him ... regarding &Baha'is cooperating with peace
and world unity conferences, covers the subject adequately.
There is no reason to draw a line of demarcation as to whether
the type of world federation being promoted by a certain
society involves governments or peoples. The point is that
if it is not allied to any particular political faction, and is not
either Eastern or Western in its projects, the &Baha'is may
appear as speakers on its platform and give it moral support."


220 YEAR NINE, The

"The `Year Nine' is an abbreviation of 1269 A.H. The
beginning of the Year Nine occurred about two months after
His (&Baha'u'llah's) imprisonment in that dungeon. We do not
know the exact time He received this first intimation... We


+P84
therefore regard the entire Year Nine as a Holy Year, and the
emphasis should be placed ... on the entire year, which started
in October, 1852. This means our Centenary Year of Celebration
will be from October, 1952 to October, 1953."


221 YOUTH

"He quite agrees that the dangers facing the modern youth
are becoming increasingly grave, and call for immediate solution.
But, as experience clearly shows, the remedy to this truly
sad and perplexing situation is not to be found in traditional and
ecclesiastical religion. The dogmatism of the Church has been
discarded once for all. What can control youth and save
it from the pitfalls of the crass materialism of the age is the
power of a genuine, constructive and living Faith such as the one
revealed to the world by &Baha'u'llah. Religion as in the past,
is still the world's sole hope, but not that form of religion
which our ecclesiastical leaders strive vainly to preach. Divorced
from true religion, morals lose their effectiveness and cease to
guide and control man's individual and social life. But when
true religion is combined with true ethics, then moral progress
becomes a possibility and not a mere ideal.
"The need of our modern youth is for such a type of ethics
founded on pure religious faith. Not until these two are rightly
combined and brought into full action can there be any hope
for the future of the race."
"The world that lies ahead of us after this war is going to
be in a terrible condition, and if the believers are going to
accomplish their duty and present the Divine Solution to mankind,
they must prepare themselves for the great tasks that lie
ahead. This particularly applies to &Baha'i youth. Young men
and women in the Faith must be deep and thoughtful scholars
of its teachings, so that they can teach in a way that will convince
people that all the problems facing them have a remedy.
They must grasp the Administration, so that they can wisely
and efficiently administer the ever-growing affairs of the Cause;
and they must exemplify the &Baha'i way of living. All this is


+P85
not easy--but the Guardian is always greatly encouraged to
see the spirit animating such young believers as yourself. He
has high hopes of what your generation will accomplish."


222 YOUTH (Regarding the Age of Fifteen)

"Regarding the age of fifteen fixed by &Baha'u'llah: This
relates only to purely spiritual functions and obligations and is
not related to the degree of administrative capacity and fitness
which is a totally different thing, and is, for the present, fixed
at twenty-one."
"&Baha'i youth under twenty-one may serve on Committees.
"The question of young &Baha'is being permitted to serve on
committees other than the Youth Committee has been raised in
a number of letters recently, and in considering the matter he
felt that &Baha'i young people under twenty-one should not be
denied the privilege of committee work. Though they cannot
be voting members of &Baha'i communities (or exercise the
electoral vote at all until they reach that age), and though they
cannot, likewise, be elected to Assemblies, there is no reason
why they should not serve the Cause on various committees as
all committees, national or local, are subordinate to Assemblies
and their members not elected but appointed, and appointed by
Assemblies. We have many devoted and talented young believers
who can be of great assistance to the Cause even though not
yet legally of age."
"This Cause, although it embraces with equal esteem people
of all ages, has a special message and mission for the youth
of your generation. It is their charter for their future, their
hope, their guarantee of better days to come. Therefore the
Guardian is especially happy that the young &Baha'is are active
in the pioneer work."
"The importance of young &Baha'is to become thoroughly
steeped in every branch of the teachings can not be over-emphasized,
as they have great teaching tasks ahead of them to
accomplish."


+P86
223 &BAHA'I YOUTH IN SCHOOL

"The problem with which you are faced is one which concerns
and seriously puzzles many of our present-day youth.
How to attain spirituality is indeed a question to which every
young man and woman must sooner or later try to find a
satisfactory answer. It is precisely because no such satisfactory
answer has been given or found, that the modern youth finds
itself bewildered, and is being consequently carried away by
the materialistic forces that are so powerfully undermining the
foundations of man's moral and spiritual life.
"Indeed the chief reason for the evils now rampant in
society is the lack of spirituality. The materialistic civilization
of our age has so much absorbed the energy and interest of
mankind that people in general do no longer feel the necessity
of raising themselves above the forces and conditions of their
daily material existence. There is not sufficient demand for
things that we call spiritual to differentiate them from the
needs and requirements of our physical existence.
"The universal crisis affecting mankind is, therefore, essentially
spiritual in its causes. The spirit of the age, taken on the
whole, is irreligious. Man's outlook on life is too crude and
materialistic to enable him to elevate himself into the higher
realms of the spirit.
"It is this condition, so sadly morbid, into which society
has fallen, that religion seeks to improve and transform. For
the core of religious faith is that mystic feeling which unites
Man with God. This state of spiritual communion can be
brought about and maintained by means of meditation and
prayer. And this is the reason why &Baha'u'llah has so much
stressed the importance of worship. It is not sufficient for a
believer merely to accept and observe the teachings. He should,
in addition, cultivate the sense of spirituality which he can
acquire chiefly by means of prayer. The &Baha'i Faith, like all
other Divine Religions, is thus fundamentally mystic in character.
Its chief goal is the development of the individual and
society, through the acquisition of spiritual virtues and powers.


+P87
It is the soul of man which has first to be fed. And this spiritual
nourishment prayer can best provide.
"Laws and institutions, as viewed by &Baha'u'llah, can become
really effective only when our inner spiritual life has been perfected
and transformed. Otherwise religion will degenerate into
a mere organization, and becomes a dead thing. The believers,
particularly the young ones, should therefore fully realize the
necessity of praying. For prayer is absolutely indispensable to
their inner spiritual development, and this, as already stated, is
the very foundation and purpose of the religion of God."


224 YOUTH, JUNIOR (Do Great Deeds)

"He urges you to make up your minds to do great, great
deeds for the Faith; the condition of the world is steadily
growing worse, and your generation must provide the saints,
heroes, martyrs and administrators of future years. With
dedication and will power you can rise to great heights!"
"He appreciates very much the devoted and determined
spirit with which you are facing the future and all the &Baha'i
responsibility it will bring you increasingly. The part of youth
is very great; you have the opportunity to really determine to
exemplify in word and deed the Teachings of &Baha'u'llah, and
to show your generation that the New World Order He has
brought is a tangible reality in the lives of His followers."