To National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'í World
Dear Bahá'í friends,
The gathering in the Holy Land of the Hands of the Cause of
God has been an occasion of vital significance to the Faith. Please share the enclosed
general message, as soon as possible, with all believers under your
jurisdiction.
We now wish to elaborate the recent decisions as they affect
the relationship between the Institution of the Hands of the Cause and
yourselves, the National Spiritual Assemblies of the world.
It is of the utmost importance that the Hands of the Cause
and National Spiritual Assemblies be fully informed of the situation of the
Cause in the areas for which they are responsible. We ask you therefore to work
out with the Hands in your continent more efficient and easier methods of
communication. The sharing of National Assembly minutes with the Hands of the
Cause is entirely a matter for each National Spiritual Assembly to decide, but
it is vitally important for you to regularly provide the Hands of the Cause
with all information which is necessary to their work, including copies of
pertinent committee reports.
The Hands of the Cause are preparing a schedule of proposed
meetings with National Assemblies and will also be inviting members of National
Assemblies to meet them in conferences with their Board members from time to
time, a form of consultation which has been found most effective wherever it
has been practised.
Members of Auxiliary Boards should be freed from administrative responsibilities including serving on Committees and as delegates to conventions. In the event of any member of a National Assembly accepting appointment to a Board, the National Assembly should accept this as valid reason for that member's resignation from the Assembly; should a Board member be elected to a National Assembly, he must choose on which body he will serve.
We ask each National Assembly to extend a warm and cordial
invitation to the Hands of its continent to attend its national convention. All
Hands of the Cause present should be given the freedom of the convention. If no
continental Hands can attend a convention they may appoint one or two Board
members to act as special deputies for that convention, who will, of course, be
warmly welcomed and given the courtesy of taking part in convention as deputies
of the Hands.
The increase in the numbers of Board members will inevitably
be reflected in an increase in the needs of the Continental Funds. This is a
matter for discussion with the Hands in your continent, and we feel sure that you
will do your utmost to meet the new requirements, bearing in mind the
importance which the beloved Guardian attached to direct contributions to these
Funds by National and Local Spiritual Assemblies, as well as by individual
believers.
The fostering of this important relationship between the
exalted body of the Hands of the Cause and the National Spiritual Assemblies of
the Bahá'í world will inevitably strengthen the foundation and functioning of
the Cause of God and enable its embryonic world order to grow as a healthy tree
under whose shade all mankind will eventually find security and peace.
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
The Universal House of Justice
(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986)
