He feels that your Assembly must keep before its eyes the
balance specified by Bahá'u'lláh, Himself, in other words, justice, reward and
retribution. Although the Cause is still young and tender, and many of the
believers inexperienced, and therefore loving forbearance is often called for
in the place of harsh measures, this does not mean that a National Spiritual
Assembly can under any circumstances tolerate disgraceful conduct, flagrantly
contrary to our Teachings, on the part of any of its members, whoever they may
be and from wherever they may come. You should vigilantly watch over and
protect the interests of the Bahá'í Community, and the moment you see that any
of the Persian residents in Germany, or, for that matter, German Bahá'ís
themselves, are acting in a way to bring disgrace upon the name of the Faith,
warn them, and, if necessary, deprive them immediately of their voting rights
if they refuse to change their ways. Only in this way can the purity of the
Faith be preserved. Compromise and weak measures will obscure the vision of its
followers, sap its strength, lower it in the eyes of the public and prevent it
from making any progress.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 14 August 1957 written on behalf
of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria;
The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, National Spiritual Assembly)
