things unto them, that they may watch over Thy Faith, guard
Thy Straight Path and protect Thy Resplendent Law. Thou art,
verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

With 'Abdu'l-Baha's passing, the time had come to establish the
administrative order which has been termed the pattern and nucleus of the
world order which it is the special mission of the religion of Baha'u'llah
to establish. The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha consequently marks a
turning point in Baha'i history, dividing the era of immaturity and
irresponsibility from that era in which the Baha'is themselves are
destined to fulfill their spirituality by enlarging its scope from the
realm of personal experience to that of social unity and cooperation. The
three principal elements in the administrative plan left by 'Abdu'l-Baha
are:--

1. "The Guardian of the Cause of God," 2. "The Hands of the Cause of God,"
and 3. "The Houses of Justice, Local, National and International."(44)

The Guardian of the Cause of God

'Abdu'l-Baha appointed His eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to the
responsible position of "Guardian of the Cause" (Valiyy-i-Amru'llah).
Shoghi Effendi is the eldest son of Diya'iyyih _Kh_anum, the eldest
daughter of 'Abdu'l-Baha. His father, Mirza Hadi, is a relative of the Bab
(although not a direct descendant, as the Bab's only child died in
infancy). Shoghi Effendi was twenty-five years of age, and was studying at
Balliol College, Oxford, at the time of his grandfather's passing. The
announcement of his appointment is made in 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will as
follows:--

O my loving friends! After the passing away of this wronged one,
it is incumbent upon the A_gh_san (Branches), the Afnan (Twigs) of
the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God and
the loved ones of the Abha Beauty to turn unto Shoghi Effendi--the
youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and sacred
Lote-Trees and the fruit grown from the union of the two offshoots
of the Tree of Holiness,--as he is the sign of God, the chosen
branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom all the
A_gh_san, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved
ones must turn. He is the expounder of the words of God and after
him will succeed the first-born of his lineal descendants.

The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God
as well as the Universal House of Justice, to be