The separation that set in between the institutions of the Bahá'í Faith
and the Islamic ecclesiastical organizations that oppose it--a movement that
has originated in Egypt and is now spreading steadily throughout the middle
East and will in time communicate its influence to the West--imposes upon
every loyal upholder of the Cause the obligation of refraining from any word
or action that might prejudice the position which our enemies have in recent
years and of their own accord, proclaimed and established. This historic
development, the beginnings of which could neither be recognized nor even
anticipated in the years immediately preceding `Abdu'l-Bahá's passing, may
be said to have signalized the Formative Period of our Faith and to have
paved the way for the consolidation of its administrative order. As this
movement gains momentum, as it receives added impetus from the attitude
and future action of the civil authorities in Persia, it will inevitably
manifest its repercussions in the West and will rouse the leaders of the Church
and finally the civil authorities to challenge the claims and eventually to
recognize the independent status of the Religion of Bahá'u'lláh. Nothing
whatever in the meantime should be said or done by any of us, whether in the
political field or in our relations with ecclesiastical organizations, that
would tend to confuse the issues with which our struggling Cause will sooner or
later be confronted. We should accept no position, should avoid any
affiliations or commitments that could in any way harm our future position or
provide our potential enemies with weapons with which they can resist that
complete emancipation of our Cause or retard its ultimate recognition and
victory. Though our Cause unreservedly recognizes the Divine origin of
all the religions that preceded it and upholds the spiritual truths which lie
at their very core and are common to them all, its institutions, whether
administrative, religious or humanitarian, must if their distinctive character
is to be maintained and recognized, be increasingly divorced from the outworn
creeds, the meaningless ceremonials and man-made institutions with
which these religions are at present identified. Our adversaries in the East
have initiated the struggle. Our future opponents in the West will, in their
turn, arise and carry it a stage further. Ours is the duty, in anticipation of
this inevitable contest, to uphold unequivocally and with undivided loyalty
the integrity of our Faith and demonstrate the distinguishing features of
its divinely appointed institutions.
June 15, 1935