October 30, 1951.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada.
Your letters ... have been received, with enclosures, and the beloved
Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
The Administrative Order is not a governmental or civic body, it is to
regulate and guide the internal affairs of the Baha'i community;
consequently it works, according to its own procedure, best suited to its
needs. A Baha'i who does more than visit temporarily a community is
considered for our administrative purposes as a resident and can vote and
serve accordingly. Students in foreign lands, most obviously not
residents, are registered as local Baha'is, and therefore entitled to do
their share of work and play their part in the local community life. This
should be pointed out to ... who seem to be confusing our internal
administration with external practices which have no relation to it. As
regards their personal attitudes the Guardian, remembering what a devoted
worker ... has been in the past, is very sorry to see she is no longer
active. He does not feel this will lead to either her happiness or that of
...; for, whenever we compromise with what is noblest and best in
ourselves, we are the losers invariably.
The Guardian was delighted to hear the friends are at last responding to
the urgent needs of the Plan and going forth as pioneers. Plans are
concrete things, and not mere honors, and victories--like all other
achievements in life--must be purchased at the cost of persistent efforts!
He feels sure the Canadian Baha'is, perhaps slow to get under way, will
display the counterpart of this British characteristic, and cling like
bull dogs to their tasks, once they do get under way.