In these days when the forces of inharmony and disunity are rampant
throughout the world, the Baha'is must cling to their Faith and to each
other, and, in spite of every difficulty and suffering, protect the unity
of the Cause. Often the first efforts at getting the administration of the
Faith to mark harmoniously, are painful because the individual must learn
to subject his will to the whole--but these are all minor details, and the
friends must all concentrate on constructive work for the Cause.
Of course no one is debarred from becoming a Baha'i; rich or poor, learned
or ignorant, all have a sacred and equal right to accept the Supreme
Manifestation for this age.
The question of residence and taking part in administrative affairs hangs
together: wherever a Baha'i has his legal residence, he belongs to the
community that is established in that same civil area as his residence,
and he cannot vote or be elected to any Baha'i body outside of that area
except, of course, National Assembly and Committees. This, of course, does
not prevent his teaching in nearby towns or anywhere else. But he cannot
live in one city and be a voting Baha'i in another.