The greatest need of all peoples is for the Faith itself, so
that they may know the destiny towards which they as individuals and as members
of society must strive, and will learn from the teachings those virtues and
methods which will enable them to work together in harmony, forbearance and
trustworthiness ... The principle remains, however, that the spiritual precedes
the material. First comes the illumination of hearts and minds by the
Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, and then the grass roots stirring of the believers
wishing to apply these teachings to the daily life of their community. Such
stirrings can be fostered, encouraged and assisted by the national and continental
institutions of the Faith, but without them any activities introduced from
above might well prove abortive. - The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 8 May 1984, written on
behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly; The
Compilation of Compilations, vol. 3, Social and Economic Development)
