7 June 1972: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

JOYFULLY INFORM BAHA'I WORLD RANGE AND ACCELERATION GROWTH CAUSE BAHA'U'LLAH LOCAL NATIONAL LEVELS AND RESULTANT EXPANSION ACTIVITIES WORLD CENTRE IMPEL US NOW ANNOUNCE ERE COMPLETION NINE YEAR PLAN DECISION INITIATE PROCEDURE SELECT ARCHITECT DESIGN BUILDING FOR SEAT UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE ENVISAGED BELOVED GUARDIAN ON FAR FLUNG ARC HEART MOUNT CARMEL CENTRING SPOT CONSECRATED RESTING PLACES SISTER BROTHER MOTHER BELOVED MASTER. CONSTRUCTION THIS CENTRE LEGISLATION GOD'S WORLD-REDEEMING ORDER WILL CONSTITUTE FIRST MAJOR STEP DEVELOPMENT AREA SURROUNDING HOLY SHRINE SINCE COMPLETION INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES BUILDING. MOVED PAY TRIBUTE EXPRESS HEARTFELT GRATITUDE OUTSTANDING SERVICES ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN IN PREPARATION FOR THIS HISTORIC UNDERTAKING. FERVENTLY PRAYING PROJECT NOW INITIATED MAY DURING YEARS IMMEDIATELY AHEAD PROGRESS UNINTERRUPTEDLY SPEEDILY ATTAIN MAJESTIC CONSUMMATION.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

4 June 1972: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

We have just made a compilation of extracts from letters written by Shoghi Effendi or by his secretaries on his behalf about the institution of the National Spiritual Assembly. We have not attempted a complete compilation of all the available texts on the subject, but it is hoped that the enclosed material will be of assistance to members of National Spiritual Assemblies and the friends generally in their appreciation of this vital institution of the Faith.

We leave it to your discretion to determine in what manner you may wish to share the material with the friends under your jurisdiction.

With loving Baha'i greetings,

The Universal House of Justice

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

28 May 1972: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

In order to stimulate the teaching work in every land and encourage the friends during this last year of the Nine Year Plan we have decided that as soon as the number of adult believers in any locality reaches or exceeds nine they are permitted to form their Local Spiritual Assembly immediately, rather than wait until 21 April 1973.

We hope moreover that, especially in the areas where the people are entering the Cause in troops, the implementation of this decision will increase the number of those communities which will, without the need for outside assistance, re-elect their Assemblies on the first day of Ridvan in 1973 and in succeeding years.

It is our prayer at the Sacred Threshold that during the months ahead the steadily mounting number of these divine institutions will tremendously reinforce the labours of the valiant servants of the Blessed Beauty in every clime.

With loving Baha'i greetings,

The Universal House of Justice

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

24 April 1972: To the Continental Boards of Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies

Beloved friends,

Recently we have received queries from several sources about the nature of the Institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and its relationship to the Institution of the Hands of the Cause, and we feel it is timely for us to give further elucidation.

As with so many aspects of the Administrative Order, understanding of this subject will develop and clarify with the passage of time as that Order grows organically in response to the power and guidance of Almighty God and in accordance with the needs of a rapidly developing world-wide community. However, certain aspects are already so clear as to require a proper understanding by the friends.

In the Kitab-i-Aqdas (the Book of His Covenant) Baha'u'llah wrote "Blessed are the rulers and the learned among the people of Baha," and referring to this very passage the beloved Guardian wrote on 4 November 1931:

In this holy cycle the "learned" are, on the one hand, the Hands of the Cause of God, and, on the other, the teachers and diffusers of His teachings who do not rank as Hands, but who have attained an eminent position in the teaching work. As to the "rulers" they refer to the members of the Local, National and International Houses of Justice.  The duties of each of these souls will be determined in the future.

(Translated from the Persian)