o the Kingdom on High and
ask aid from the Realm of Glory.... Discussions must all be
confined to spiritual matters that pertain to the training of
souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the
help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness
to all peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the
exaltation of His Holy Word. Should they endeavor to fulfill these
conditions the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto
them, and that assembly shall become the center of the Divine
blessings, the hosts of Divine confirmation shall come to their
aid, and they shall day by day receive a new effusion of Spirit.

Expounding this subject, Shoghi Effendi writes:--

... nothing whatever should be given to the public by any
individual among the friends, unless fully considered and approved
by the Spiritual Assembly in his locality; and if this (as is
undoubtedly the case) is a matter that pertains to the general
interest of the Cause in that land, then it is incumbent upon the
Spiritual Assembly to submit it to the consideration and approval
of the national body representing all the various local
assemblies. Not only with regard to publication, but all matters
without any exception whatsoever, regarding the interests of the
Cause in that locality, individually or collectively, should be
referred exclusively to the Spiritual Assembly in that locality,
which shall decide upon it, unless it be a matter of national
interest, in which case it shall be referred to the national
[Baha'i] body. With this national body also will rest the decision
whether a given question is of local or national interest. (By
national affairs is not meant matters that are political in their
character, for the friends of God the world over are strictly
forbidden to meddle with political affairs in any way whatsoever,
but rather things that affect the spiritual activities of the body
of the friends in that land.)

Full harmony, however, as well as cooperation among the various
local assemblies and the members themselves, and particularly
between each assembly and the national body, is of the utmost
importance, for upon it depends the unity of the Cause of God, the
solidarity of the friends, the full, speedy and efficient working
of the spiritual activities of H