To all National Spiritual Assemblies
Dear friends,
The relationship of the Continental Hands and their
respective National Assemblies was clearly delineated in the Message of the
beloved Guardian dated 4 June 1957:
CALL UPON HANDS NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES EACH CONTINENT
SEPARATELY ESTABLISH HENCEFORTH DIRECT CONTACT DELIBERATE WHENEVER FEASIBLE AS
FREQUENTLY POSSIBLE EXCHANGE REPORTS TO BE SUBMITTED THEIR RESPECTIVE AUXILIARY
BOARDS NATIONAL COMMITTEES EXERCISE UNRELAXING VIGILANCE CARRY OUT
UNFLINCHINGLY SACRED INESCAPABLE DUTIES. SECURITY PRECIOUS FAITH PRESERVATION
SPIRITUAL HEALTH BAHÁ'Í COMMUNITIES VITALITY FAITH ITS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
PROPER FUNCTIONING ITS LABORIOUSLY ERECTED INSTITUTIONS FRUITION ITS WORLD-WIDE
ENTERPRISES FULFILMENT ITS ULTIMATE DESTINY ALL DIRECTLY DEPENDENT BEFITTING
DISCHARGE WEIGHTY RESPONSIBILITIES NOW RESTING MEMBERS THESE TWO INSTITUTIONS
OCCUPYING WITH UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE NEXT INSTITUTION GUARDIANSHIP FOREMOST
RANK, DIVINELY ORDAINED ADMINISTRATIVE HIERARCHY WORLD ORDER BAHÁ'U'LLÁH.
These highly significant words of the beloved Guardian
clearly foreshadow the tremendous importance of the joint responsibility which
he placed upon the Hands and the National Assemblies in protecting the
believers and fostering the world-wide development of the Faith.
We stress the necessity of doing everything possible to
expedite and facilitate this free play of consultation between the Hands and
the National Assemblies within the spirit and framework of these instructions
of Shoghi Effendi. The two institutions have joint and complementary functions
which can be discharged successfully only if the greatest degree of
understanding and co-operation exists between them.
We are confident that this relationship will be further
strengthened and developed in the manner envisioned by the Guardian, and that
it will contribute in large measure to the successful achievement of the goals
of the Nine Year Plan which is to be inaugurated this coming Ridvan.
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
The Universal House of Justice
(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986)
