Regarding your question of applying the sanction of suspension of voting
rights to people who marry without the consent of parents, this should be
done from now on. The law of the Aqdas is explicit and not open to any
ambiguity at all. As long as the parents are alive, the consent must be
obtained; it is not conditioned on their relationship to their children.
If the whereabouts of the parents is not known legally, in other words, if
they are legally dead, then it is not necessary for the children to obtain
their consent, obviously. It is not a question of the child not knowing
the present whereabouts of its parents, it is a question of a legal
thing--if the parents are alive, they must be asked.
As regards the question of alcohol, the Guardian explained this to Mr.
Raynor(54), and he feels that his understanding of it is quite correct.
The Assemblies must be wise and gentle in dealing with such cases, but at
the same time must not tolerate a prolonged and flagrant disregard of the
Baha'i Teachings as regards alcohol.
Dear and Valued Co-workers:
The Canadian Baha'i Community, whose members are so valiantly
participating in the furtherance of the World Spiritual Crusade, now
claiming the attention of the entire body of followers of the Faith of
Baha'u'llah in all continents of the globe, has ever since the inception
of this world-embracing enterprise, proved itself capable of carrying its
share of responsibility in the accomplishment of this collective, colossal
task, and has rendered services that have enriched the annals of the
Faith, not only in a land so dear to the heart of 'Abdu'l-Baha, but in
far-off islands and territories which it is the mission of this community
to illuminate and conquer.
Ever since the emergence of this progressive, youthful and dynamic
community, as an independent entity, and particularly since the inception
of the Ten Year Plan, it has demonstrated, on several occasions, those
qualities which alone can provide the guarantee of success in carrying
out, as a worthy ally of her sister community in the great Republic of the
West, the sacred and historic mission assigned to it by the Author of the
Tablets of the Divine Plan. The staunchness of the faith of its members,
their unyielding resolve, their ceaseless efforts, their willingness to
sacrifice, their exemplary loyalty, their steadfast courage, have, time
and again, been strikingly displayed, and served to fortify the hopes
which I have always cherished for their future destiny.