Does not 'Abdu'l-Bahá wish us, as He looks down upon us with
loving expectation from His glorious Station, to obliterate as much as possible
all traces of censure, of conflicting discussions, of cooling remarks, of petty
unnecessary observations that impede the onward march of the Cause, that damp
the zeal of the firm believer and detract from the sublimity of the Bahá'í
Cause in the eyes of the inquirer? In order, however, to insure fair and quick
and vigorous action whenever such an evil activity is revealed and has been
carefully ascertained, the best and only means would appear to be, for the
careful observer, once he is assured of such an evil action, and has grown hopeless
of the attitude of kindness and forbearance, to report it quietly to the
Spiritual Assembly representative of the friends in that locality and submit
the case to their earnest and full consideration. Should the majority of the
members of that Assembly be conscientiously convinced of the case -- and this
being a national issue affecting the body of the friends in America -- it
should, only through the intermediary of that Assembly, be cautiously
communicated to that greater body representing all the Assemblies in America,
which will in its turn obtain all the available data from the local Assembly in
question, study carefully the situation and reserve for itself the ultimate
decision. It may, if it decides so, refer to the Holy Land for further consideration
and consultation. (Extract from a letter by Shoghi Effendi, dated March 5,
1922; ‘Baha'i Administration’) (To read the entire message please visit Messages to the Baha'i World)
