Regarding the method to be adopted for the election of the National
Spiritual Assemblies, it is clear that the text of the Beloved's Testament
gives us no indication as to the manner in which these Assemblies are to
be elected. In one of His earliest Tablets, however, addressed to a friend
in Persia, the following is expressly recorded:--
"At whatever time all the beloved of God in each country appoint their
delegates, and these in turn elect their representatives, and these
representatives elect a body, that body shall be regarded as the Supreme
Baytu'l-'Adl (Universal House of Justice)."
These words clearly indicate that a three-stage election has been provided
by 'Abdu'l-Baha for the formation of the International House of Justice,
and as it is explicitly provided in His Will and Testament that the
"Secondary House of Justice (i.e., National Assemblies) must elect the
members of the Universal One," it is obvious that the members of the
National Spiritual Assemblies will have to be indirectly elected by the
body of the believers in their respective provinces. In view of these
complementary instructions the principle, set forth in my letter of March
12th, 1923, has been established requiring the believers (the beloved of
God) in every country to elect a certain number of delegates who, in turn,
will elect their national representatives (Secondary House of Justice or
National Spiritual Assembly) whose sacred obligation and privilege will be
to elect in time God's Universal House of Justice.
Should the appointing of the delegates be made a part of the functions of
local Spiritual Assemblies, who are already elected bodies, the principle
of a four-stage election would be introduced which would be at variance
with the provisions explicitly laid down in the Master's Tablet. On the
other hand, were the local Spiritual Assemblies, the number of whose
members is strictly confined to nine, to elect directly the members of the
National Spiritual Assembly--thus maintaining the principle of a
three-stage election--all Baha'i localities, which must necessarily differ
in numerical strength, would then have to share equally in the election of
the National Spiritual Assembly--a practice which would be contrary to
fairness and justice. Moreover, the central principle guiding for the
present the administration of the Cause has been to make the Baha'i
National Spiritual Assemblies as independent as possible in the conduct of
such affairs as fall within their province, and to lessen the hampering
influence of any institution within their jurisdiction that might, whether
directly or indirectly, impair their authority and prestige.