ugh correspondence, or preferably by gathering together, and first
deliberating upon the affairs of the Cause throughout their country (as
the delegates to the Convention), elect from among all the friends in that
country nine who will be the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.

This National Spiritual Assembly, which, pending the establishment of the
Universal House of Justice, will have to be re-elected once a year,
obviously assumes grave responsibilities, for it has to exercise full
authority over all the local Assemblies in its province, and will have to
direct the activities of the friends, guard vigilantly the Cause of God,
and control and supervise the affairs of the Movement in general.

Vital issues, affecting the interests of the Cause in that country such as
the matter of translation and publication, the Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar, the
Teaching Work, and other similar matters that stand distinct from strictly
local affairs, must be under the full jurisdiction of the National
Assembly.

It will have to refer each of these questions, even as the local
Assemblies, to a special Committee, to be elected by the members of the
National Spiritual Assembly, from among all the friends in that country,
which will bear to it the same relation as the local committees bear to
their respective local Assemblies.

With it, too, rests the decision whether a certain point at issue is
strictly local in its nature, and should be reserved for the consideration
and decision of the local Assembly, or whether it should fall under its
own province and be regarded as a matter which ought to receive its
special attention. The National Spiritual Assembly will also decide upon
such matters which in its opinion should be referred to the Holy Land for
consultation and decision.

With these Assemblies, local as well as national, harmoniously,
vigorously, and efficiently functioning throughout the Baha'i world, the
only means for the establishment of the Supreme House of Justice will have
been secured. And when this Supreme Body will have been properly
established, it will have to consider afresh the whole situation, and lay
down the principle which shall direct, so long as it deems advisable, the
affairs of the Cause.

Annual Election of Assemblies

Pending its establishment, and to insure uniformity throughout the East
and throughout the West, all local Assemblies will have to be re-elected
once a year, during the first d