National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada.
I have been instructed on behalf of our beloved Guardian to answer the
questions raised in your recent letter.
There are two things which he wishes to impress upon you. The first is
that depriving people of their voting rights is the heaviest sanction
which can be imposed at the present time (with the exception of
excommunication, which is a right the Guardian has never permitted anyone
else to exercise). Therefore, the greatest care should be exerted to try
and remedy a situation before depriving anybody of their voting rights,
and the action itself should only be taken if absolutely necessary.
The other point is that the Guardian is very anxious that no more rules
and regulations should be introduced by any National Spiritual Assemblies.
He has continually impressed this upon the American, the British and other
National Bodies. The spirit of the Cause will be stifled, the initiative
of the friends killed, and the teaching work come to a stand-still if the
friends are continually hemmed in by instructions. In view of this, he has
instructed the National Bodies to deal with each case as it arises.
The understanding conveyed in the quotation from "Principles of Baha'i
Administration" is correct; also people who are deprived of their voting
rights should not receive Baha'i News or Bulletins, as they are no longer
active in the administrative affairs of the Faith.
He is very happy at present to have a member(55) of your Assembly visiting
Haifa, and hopes that Miss Harvey will carry back to you a fresh impetus
from the Holy Land, which will assist the Canadian Assembly members in
carrying on their many heavy burdens in the service of the Faith.
With warm Baha'i greetings,
R. RABBANI.
December 27, 1956.