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1933-04-11 various
USBN #73 - May 1933 - page 5
To the National Spiritual Assembly.
The Guardian is fully familiar with the difficult circumstances facing the
Assembly, especially in providing for the financial needs of the Cause and
completing the construction of the dome. Yet he is confident in God's blessings
and assistance and the persistence and sacrifice of the friends in fulfilling
their sacred pledges. In his moments of prayer at the Blessed Shrines the Guardian
will think of you all and ask God to assist you and reinforce your efforts.
As regards the admittance of new members into the different groups as
declared Baha'is, and the expulsion of any from the community, Shoghi Effendi
believes that the Assemblies should not act hurriedly. They should be wise and
most considerate, otherwise they can do much harm to the body of the Cause. They
should see to it that the new-comer is truly conversant with the teachings, and
when he expresses his belief in the revelation of Baha'u'llah, knows what he is
saying and what are the duties he undertakes.
On the other hand when any person is expelled, the Assembly should not act
hurriedly. There is a great spiritual responsibility attached to the act. The
Assemblies do not have only rights against the individuals, they have great duties
also. They should act like the good shepherd whom Christ mentions in His well-
known parable. We also have the example of the Master before us. The individual
Baha'is were organic parts of His spiritual being. What befell the least one of
the friends brought deep affliction and sorrow to him also. If by chance one of
them erred he counselled him and increased His love and affection, if the Master
saw that that friend is still stubbornly refusing to reform his ways, and that his
living among the other Baha'is endangered the spiritual life of the rest, then He
would expell him from the group. This should be the attitude of the Assemblies
toward the individuals. The best criterion whereby you can measure the spiritual
attainment of an Assembly, is the extent its members feel themselves responsible
for the welfare of the group. And perchance they feel forced to deprive a person
from his vote it should be only to safeguard the rest and not merely to inflict
punishment.
The Guardian was very glad to learn that the work of the fourth volume of
"The Baha'i World is progressing rapidly. He hopes that it will be soon out for
circulation for undoubtedly the public is waiting for it.
Please convey the Guardian's loving greetings and best wishes to the members
of the Assembly. He hopes that throught their endeavors the spirit of the Faith
will permeate that land and solve the pressing problems of its suffering people.
Yours ever sincerely,
Ruhi Afnan.
P.S. As regards the Tablet of the Master to Mr. James Morton, Shoghi Effendi
would prefer to see the original Persian to decide as to its authenticity.
Ruhi.
(In the Guardian's hand-writing.)
"Dear and precious co-workers: I greatly value the Tablets addressed to
Sarah Farmer and I thank you for having sent them to me. Will you kindly send me a
few more copies of the Study Guide to Nabil's Narrative and the reprint of the
Declaration of Trust, copies of both of which I wish to distribute among those who
are deeply interested. Your letters of March 31 and 30th, written on behalf of the
Assembly, have just reached me. 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
refer that personalities should not be made centres around which the community may
revolve but that they should be subordinated under all conditions and however
great their merits to the properly constituted Assemblies. You and your co-workers
can never overestimate or overemphasize this cardinal principle of Baha'i
Administration.
Your true brother,
SHOGHI.
Haifa, Palestine,
April 11, 1933.
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