The Covenant = The LAW of God

Bahá’u’lláh

“Gather them, then, together around this Divine Law, the covenant of which Thou hast established with all Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, and Whose ordinances Thou hast written down in Thy Tablets and Thy Scriptures.” Bahá’u’lláh. Prayers and Meditations, p. 106.

“Expect not that they who violate the ordinances of God will be trustworthy or sincere in the faith they profess. Avoid them.” Bahá’u’lláh. Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 233.

“Thou shouldst, moreover, arise to enforce the law of God amongst them, that thou mayest be of those who are firmly established in His law.” Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 234.

“No place is there for any one to flee to when once Thy laws have been sent down, and no refuge can be found by any soul after the revelation of Thy commandments.” Bahá’u’lláh. Prayers and Meditations, p. 197.

“Blessed the one who hath remained faithful to the Covenant of God, and woe betide him who hath broken it…” Bahá’u’lláh. Suriy-i-Haykal, stanza 125.

“Out of Zion hath come forth the Law.” Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings, p. 12-13. (“City of David, which is Zion.” 1 Kings 8:1.)

“Throne of Justice…” Baha’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 79.

“Whosoever interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that have perverted the sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid Book.” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 130.

“…none do I find faithful unto the covenant. Of a certainty pride and rebellion have effaced it from the hearts, in such wise that no trace thereof remaineth.” Bahá’u’lláh. The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, Persian, #71.

“My work is perfect and My command is binding. Question it not, nor have a doubt thereof.” Bahá’u’lláh. The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, Arabic, #12.

“Follow not, therefore, your earthly desires, and violate not the Covenant of God, nor break your pledge to Him. With firm determination, with the whole affection of your heart, and with the full force of your words, turn ye unto Him, and walk not in the ways of the foolish.” Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings, p. 328.

“Do Thou, then preserve them within the stronghold of Thy guardianship…lest through them may appear what will divide Thy servants.” Bahá’u’lláh (1938). Prayers and Meditations, p. 46.

“He who denies the Covenant and Testament is rejected by God, and he who remains firm and steadfast therein is favored at the Threshold of Oneness.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoting Bahá’u’lláh. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 266.

“Woe, great woe, betide him that opposeth and injureth Thee. Well is it with him that sweareth fealty to Thee; the fire of hell torment him who is Thy enemy.” Bahá’u’lláh regarding ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Guidance for Today and Tomorrow, p. 43.

“No one has a right to depart from the ordinances of God and His precepts, and whosoever departs therefrom is verily of the transgressors, in the Book of God, the Lord of the Great Throne…it is incumbent upon all to hold to His right Path.” Bahá’u’lláh. Star of the West, Vol. 14, No. 2, p. 55.

“Follow not, therefore, your earthly desires, and violate not the Covenant of God, nor break your pledge to Him.” Bahá’u’lláh. Bahá’í World Faith, p. 68.

Bahá’u’lláh prophesies those who “dispute His sovereignty” and “betray His Cause.” God Passes By, p. 250.

“Forget not His covenant with you, and be not of them that are shut out as by a veil from Him.” Bahá’u’lláh. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 8, p. 225.

“Whoso, while reading the sacred scriptures, is tempted to choose therefrom whatever may suit him with which to challenge the authority of the Representative of God among men, is indeed, as one dead though to outward seeming he may walk and converse with his neighbors, and share with them their food and their drink.” Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, LXXXIX, p. 175.

“Traitors shall not usurp the place of trustworthy men, or spoilers occupy the seat of guardians.” Bahá’u’lláh. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 11, p. 70.

"Some heedless souls roam the lands in the name of God, actively engaging in ruining His Cause, and call it promoting the Word of God." –Bahá'u'lláh. Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, Kalimát-i-Firdawsíyyh (Words of Paradise), p. 59.

"O ye peoples of the world! Know, verily, that an unforeseen calamity followeth you, and grievous retribution awaiteth you. Think not that which ye have committed hath been effaced in My sight.

"We have a fixed time for you, O peoples. If ye fail, at the appointed hour, to turn towards God, He, verily, will lay violent hold on you, and will cause grievous afflictions to assail you from every direction. How severe, indeed, is the chastisement with which your Lord will then chastise you!" Bahá'u'lláh. The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 201.

"Blessed the soul that hath been raised to life through My quickening breath and hath gained admittance into My heavenly Kingdom...Blessed the ear that hath heard and the tongue that hath borne witness and the eye that hath seen and recognized the Lord Himself, in His great glory and majesty, invested with grandeur and dominion...Blessed is he who hath remained faithful to My Covenant, and whom the things of the world have not kept back from attaining My Court of holiness...hath gained admittance into My Kingdom." Bahá'u'lláh. Lawh-i-Aqdas, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 16-17.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

“The first condition is firmness in the Covenant of God...it is evident that the axis of the oneness of the world of humanity is the power of the Covenant and nothing else.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Bahá’í World Faith, p. 425.

“It is a basic principle of the Law of God that in every Prophetic Mission, He entereth into a Covenant with all believers.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 207.

“The Law must reign and not the individual.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Paris Talks, p. 132.

“The laws of God are not impositions of will, or of power, or pleasure, but the resolution of truth, reason and justice…all men are equal before the law, which must reign absolutely…a judge must be no ‘respecter of persons’, but administer the law with strict impartiality in every case brought before him…if a person commit a crime against you, you have not the right to forgive him; but the law must punish him in order to prevent a repetition of that same crime by others, as the pain of the individual is unimportant beside the general welfare of the people.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Paris Talks, p. 154.

“The tests of every dispensation are in direct proportion to the greatness of the Cause, and as heretofore such a manifest Covenant, written by the Supreme Pen, hath not been entered upon, the tests are proportionately more severe. These trials cause the feeble souls to waver while those who are firm are not affected.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 210.

“We have no other aim save the protection of the Fortified Fortress of the Cause of God…We must guard this Fortified Fortress from the attack of the thoughtless ones.” Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to CMR, Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46, p.115

“My purpose is to convey to you that it is your duty to guard the religion of God so that none shall be able to assail it, either outwardly or inwardly…Be greatly on your guard so that no one may infringe upon the oneness of Bahá’u’lláh’s Cause.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“Be a vigilant guard for the impregnable fort of God, and protect it against the intrusion of the ignorant.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“Let them (the Bahá’ís) be awake! Let them be mindful! As soon as they see a trace of violation of the Covenant, they must hold aloof from the violators…such souls are nothing but pure harm to the Cause of God, and it is very well that they go out.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“Baha’o’llah has even called down the vengeance of God upon any one who violates the Center of the Covenant…Beware, beware lest ye be shaken! Remain firm and steadfast even though the people of heaven try to shake you the command is explicit.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“This Divine Covenant is an institution of the Lord….According to the clear texts of the Kitab-el-Akdas and other Tablets, the Center of the Covenant is the remover of all difficulties, for He is the Interpreter of the Book…He entered into a Covenant with all the people of the world, indicating the person for the Interpretation of His Teachings.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

"Any soul who violates the Covenant and Testament in the least degree is immediately cut off. Even in this material world he will become afflicted with remorse and regret." 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Report of the Bahá'í Committee of Investigation 1917-1918

“The brothers of His Holiness Christ came to Him and it was said, “These are your brothers.” He answered that His brothers were those who believed in God, and refused to associate with His own brothers… His Holiness Christ did not exercise despotism in the case of Judas Iscariot and His own brothers, but they separated themselves. In short, the point is this: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is extremely kind, but when the disease is leprosy, what am I to do? …One must protect and safeguard the blessed souls from the breaths and fatal spiritual diseases, otherwise violation, like the plague, will become a contagion and all will perish.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West XIII. pp. 24-25.

"Be a vigilant guard for the impregnable fort of God, and protect it against the intrusion of the ignorant." – 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Report of The Baha'i Committee of Investigation 1917-1918 "The Kirchner Affair"

“He Who sits with Leper catches Leprosy He who is with Christ shuns Pharisees and Abhors Judas Escariots* certainly shun violators.” (Spelling in original). ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Cablegram, November 14, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“If ever any person secretly desires to shake their faith in the Covenant and testament, they must remain firm and know for a certainty that that person has evil intentions.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 52.

“Show ye the utmost kindness toward enemies, that is, ignorant enemies, but not toward traitorous and treacherous enemies. I hope that through the Divine Bounty and Favor you may be guarded and protected.

“Yes we ought to have the utmost friendship for all the nations of the world, but it is not possible to associate with and be companions of hypocrites, because it will bring danger upon the Cause of God. Hypocrites make a hole in the Cause of God. Friendship with hypocrites is as a man were to nourish a serpent in his bosom (lit. shirt), or as if he gave place to a scorpion within his sleeve. All of the disciples of Christ shunned Judas Iscariot. Likewise peruse the Epistles of Paul (and see now how much he prohibited association with hypocrites). Also consider after His Holiness Moses – upon Him be peace – had taught the people the hypocrites of Israel worshipped a calf.

“Now, if a like event happens, shall we associate with extreme love with these people and follow them? What a mistaken idea! What iniquity was wrought by the hypocrite Jeroboam in the time of Rehoboam amongst in the children of Israel. What a course of corruption and of Bloodshed he became! Until at last he made most of the tribes of Israel worship Baal. Should we mix with and show the utmost love and kindness to such a person? Or should we protect the people from such men? Indeed we ought to show the utmost love and kindness to all the nations of the world, that is, to those who are ignorant, but not to the hypocrites. A hypocrite becomes the cause of great disturbance amongst (the friends). We have no dispute with any one.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 52.

“The Covenant of God and His Testament is a bounty to the righteous and a curse to the wicked.” Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. 2, p. 439.

“The Star of the Covenant shall shine intensely upon all horizons and regions, and the violators will be as bats hiding themselves in dark holes! It is enough humiliation and abasement to them that they have violated the Covenant of God and contradicted the Appointed Center, and desired to demolish this solid edifice, did not shake but their own foundations, and did not scatter but their own union, and to them shall come the news of what they have done!” Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. 2, p. 350-351.

“1921 NOV 14

MRS. CORINNE TRUE

5338 KENMORE AVE CHICAGO ILL

HAIFA WILHELMITE HE WHO SITS WITH LEPER CATCHES LEPROCY* HE WHO IS WITH CHRIST SHUNS PHARISEES AND ABHORS JUDAS ESCARIOTS* CERTAINLY SHUN VIOLATORS INFORM GOODALL TRUE PARSONS TELEGRAPHICALLY SIGNED ABBAS ABHA GREETINGS

ROY"

*Original spelling of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s final Cablegram to America.

“The souls may rejoice through the psalms of the descendant of David.” Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. 1, p. 58.

“Any soul who violates the Covenant and Testament the least degree, immediately he is cut off, even in this material world he will become afflicted with remorse and regret.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West, Vol. 4, No. 5, p. 88; Vol. 6, No. 12, p. 94.

“Wolves are coming from Persia…it is not allowable to receive a thief into his house, nor a traitor into his home, nor a wolf into the flock…Show ye the utmost kindness toward enemies, that is ignorant enemies, but not toward traitorous and treacherous enemies.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, September 30, 1913. Star of the West, Vol. 6, No. 12, p. 95.

“Never be depressed. The more ye are stirred by violation, the more deepen ye in firmness and steadfastness, and be assured that the divine hosts shall conquer for they are assured of the victory of the Abha Kingdom.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 266.

“…the flattery and specious arguments of the violators who are outwardly with the greatest care exhibiting firmness but inwardly are engaged in stirring souls…through subtle means deceive the souls, for outwardly they assert their firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant but when they come across responsive ears they secretly sow the seeds of suspicion.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 266.

“…That the violators who may be found at thy meetings may not even draw a breath. The magnet of the confirmations of the divine Kingdom is firmness in the Covenant and the Testament and all else save that is useless talk for by what can Bahá’í unity be preserved? Can it be preserved through the absurd and useless words of some people? God forbid!” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 268.

“If by the diffusion of the offensive odor of violation, health is converted into sickness, of what use is existence? Death and life are alike in that respect.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, July 20, 1919. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 268.”

“Today the stirring power in the body of the world is the Covenant, and if this Covenant is made ineffective, what power will be able to stir it?” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, July 22, 1919. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 269.”

“A hundred times it has been foretold that the violators are lying in ambush and by a certain means desire to cause dissension among the friends so that this dissension may end in violation of the Covenant. Notwithstanding this warning, how is it that the friends have neglected this explicit declaration?” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, July 18, 1919. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 271.

“A person deprived of the spirit of the Covenant is sentenced as dead.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West, Vol. 11, No. 19, p. 379.

“There is no doubt that in a thousand passages in the sacred writings of Bahá’u’lláh the breakers of the Covenant have been execrated.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. God Passes By, p. 251.

“Therefore if a soul, by himself, interpret the Books of God contrary to the clear text emanating from the Pen of The Covenant, it is Not acceptable, and this will become the cause of differences amongst the believers of God.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoted by CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“Whom no earthly calling, glory and power can turn aside from the Covenant of God and His Testament, established firmly by His clear and manifest words, write and revealed by His All-Glorious Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament Paragraph One.

“What deviation can be greater than breaking the Covenant of God! What deviation can be more wicked than joining hands with strangers and with the enemies of God!” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament, part one.

“The necessity and the particularity of the assured and believing ones is to be firm in the Cause of God and withstand the hidden and evident tests.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. 2, p. 263.

“It came to the imagination of some children that they are able to abolish this Covenant, the like of which was not known in the early centuries and the heavenly ages of the past; and they shall see themselves in evident loss!” The Will and Covenant of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Bahá’í World, Vol. 8, p. 660.

“Beware! Beware! Lest anyone should speak from the authority of his own thoughts or create a new thing our of himself…His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh shuns such souls.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 317.

“This Covenant is the Covenant of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh. Now its importance is not known befittingly, but in the future it shall attain to such a degree of importance that if a king violates to the extent of one atom, he shall be cut off immediately.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh (A Compilation), p. 82.

Re: Covenant-breakers: “They will utterly destroy the Cause of God, exterminate His Law and render of no account all efforts exerted in the past.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

“ALL-PRAISE TO HIM Who, by the Shield of His Covenant, hath guarded the Temple of His Cause from the darts of doubtfulness, Who by the Hosts of His Testament hath preserved the Sanctuary of His most Beneficent Law and protected His Straight and Luminous Path, staying thereby the onslaught of the company of Covenant-breakers, that have threatened to subvert His Divine Edifice; Who hath watched over His Mighty Stronghold and All-Glorious Faith, through the aid of men whom the slander of the slanderer affect not, whom no earthly calling, glory and power can turn aside from the Covenant of God and His Testament, established firmly by His clear and manifest words, writ and revealed by His All-Glorious Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament. (First paragraph).

“Lord! Shield Thou from these Covenant-breakers the mighty Stronghold of Thy Faith and protect Thy secret Sanctuary from the onslaught of the ungodly.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

“with divine unity for his excuse deprived himself and poisoned others.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

“In short, according to the explicit Divine Text the least transgression shall make of this man a fallen creature, and what transgression is more grievous than attempting to destroy the Divine Edifice, breaking the Covenant, erring from the Testament, falsifying the Holy Text, sowing the seeds of doubt, calumniating ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, advancing claims for which God hath sent down no warrant, kindling mischief and striving to shed the very blood of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and many other things whereof ye are all aware! It is thus evident that should this man succeed in bringing disruption into the Cause of God, he will utterly destroy and exterminate it. Beware lest ye approach this man, for to approach him is worse than approaching fire!” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

“My purpose is, however, to show that it is incumbent upon the friends that are fast and firm in the Covenant and Testament to be ever wakeful lest after this wronged one is gone this alert and active worker of mischief may cause disruption, privily sow the seeds of doubt and sedition and utterly root out the Cause of God. A thousand times shun his company. Take heed and be on your guard. Watch and examine; should anyone, openly or privily, have the least connection with him, cast him out from your midst, for he will surely cause disruption and mischief.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

“O ye beloved of the Lord! Strive with all your heart to shield the Cause of God from the onslaught of the insincere, for the souls such as these cause the straight to become crooked and all benevolent efforts to produce contrary results.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

“watch over Thy Faith, guard Thy Straight Path and protect Thy Resplendent Law.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

“Perchance ‘Abdu’l-Bahá may be put to death and his name be made to perish whereby an arena may be opened unto the enemies of the Covenant wherein they may advance and spur on their charger, inflict a grievous loss upon everyone and subvert the very foundations of the edifice of the Cause of God. For so grievous is the conduct and behavior of this false people that they are become even as an axe striking at the very root of the Blessed Tree. Should they be suffered to continue they would, in but a few days’ time, exterminate the Cause of God, His Word, and themselves.

“Hence, the beloved of the Lord must entirely shun them, avoid them, foil their machinations and evil whisperings, guard the Law of God and His religion,

“For he is, after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Guardian of the Cause of God, the Afnán, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause and the beloved of the Lord must obey him and turn unto him. He that obeyeth him not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, hath turned away from God and he that denieth him, hath denied the True One. Beware lest anyone falsely interpret these words, and like unto them that have broken the Covenant after the Day of Ascension (of Bahá’u’lláh) advance a pretext, raise the standard of revolt, wax stubborn and open wide the door of false interpretation. To none is given the right to put forth his own opinion or express his particular conviction. All must seek guidance and turn unto the Center of the Cause and the House of Justice. And he that turneth unto whatsoever else is indeed in grievous error.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

[Note: When taken in its entirety, the Will and Testament is a cautionary tale about the harm of Covenant-breaking and how faithful Baha’is, who support and are in alignment with the appointed Interpreter, must avoid association with Covenant-breakers. We also learn in the Will and Testament that we are to be constantly vigilant so that we are able to recognize Covenant-breaking.]

“In the Hidden Words, He says: “Esteem the friendship of the just, but withhold both mind and hand from the company of the wicked.”" –'Abdu'l-Bahá. The Master's Last Tablet to America

“..The brothers of His Holiness Christ came to Him and it was said, “These are your brothers.” He answered that His brothers were those who believed in God, and refused to associate with His own brothers… His Holiness Christ did not exercise despotism in the case of Judas Iscariot and His own brothers, but they separated themselves. In short, the point is this: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is extremely kind, but when the disease is leprosy, what am I to do? …One must protect and safeguard the blessed souls from the breaths and fatal spiritual diseases, otherwise violation, like the plague, will become a contagion and all will perish.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West XIII. pp. 24-25.

"Be a vigilant guard for the impregnable fort of God, and protect it against the intrusion of the ignorant." – 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Report of The Baha'i Committee of Investigation 1917-1918 "The Kirchner Affair"

“Therefore whosoever obeys the Center of the Covenant appointed by Bahá'u'lláh has obeyed Bahá'u'lláh, and whosoever disobeys Him has disobeyed Bahá'u'lláh. Beware! beware! lest any one should speak from the authority of his own thoughts or create a new thing out of himself. . . . His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh shuns such souls.” Selected Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

“Firmness in the Covenant is not mere words. If a soul shall utter a word without the sanctions of the Covenant, he is not firm. Baha'o'llah appointed a Covenant in order to ward off discussions, so that no one should give his own opinion, but that the Center should be referred to. This is the reality of the question. Whatever the Center of the Covenant says is correct. No one should utter a word of himself. Baha'o'llah has even called down the vengeance of God upon any one who violates the Center of the Covenant. Beware, beware, lest ye be shaken! Remain firm and steadfast even though the people of heaven try to shake you. The command is explicit!” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Extract from Tablet, April 19, 1914.

“…some deceivers (hypocrites), in order to create discord in the Cause of God and attain the seductions of the world, have denied after they had believed, boasted after they had submitted, disavowed after they had confessed, and doubted after they had praised; accordingly they are destroyed in the waterless desert of loss, and gone astray in the wilderness of contempt and shame. Alas! For them on account of the future. Ah, men, I say unto ye that their loss, indeed, is the same as the loss of the Pharisees, and their contempt is that of the soothsayers of Baal in the time of Elijah the Israelite.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas (1900). Tablets Revealed by the Blessed Perfection and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas Brought to This Country by Haji Mirza Hassan, Mirza Assad’ullah, and Mirza Hussien*. New York: Board of Counsel, pp.7-8. *Spelling in original

“…the least deviation from the Covenant and the Testament entails deprivation from the bounties of the Luminary of the world.

… 0 ye who possess intelligence! If at all thou art firm and steadfast in the Covenant, strengthen and fortify thy relationships with the Convention, and from whomsoever thou inhalest the odor of violation, avoid his company and keep aloof, that thou mayest remain safe and protected under the protection of the Covenant,” Abdu’l-Baha Abbas. Translated by Shoghi Rabbani, Acca, Palestine, July 22, 1919. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, pp. 268-270.

“…whatever emanates from the Center of the Covenant is right and is under His protection and favor, while everything else is error.” ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS. (Translated by Shoghi Rabbani, Haifa. Palestine; July 18th, 1919) Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 272)

“A hundred times it has been foretold that the violators are lying in ambush and by a certain means desire to cause dissension among the friends so that this dissension may end in violation of the Covenant. Notwithstanding this warning, how is it that the friends have neglected this explicit declaration?” ‘Abdu’l-Baha, July 18, 1919. Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 14, p. 277.

“The confirmation of the Kingdom of Abhá shall descend uninterruptedly upon those souls who are firm in the Covenant. Thou hast well observed that every firm one is assisted and aided, and every violator is degraded, humiliated and lost. It is very astonishing that people are not admonished. They have observed how Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí, on account of violation of the Covenant, descended to the lowest degree of humiliation, and yet they do not become mindful. They have seen how others, through disobedience to the Testament, have fallen into a well of degradation, and yet they are not awakened.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West IV. p. 241.

“For this divine Covenant is the Institution of the Lord. The Blessed Perfection in all the Tablets, Books, Epistles and supplications has begged confirmation for and has praised and commended those who are firm in this Covenant and the Testament, and woe and desolation unto the violators. For firmness in this Covenant will preserve the unity of the religion of God and the foundation of the religion of God will not be shaken.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. European Teaching Conference Manual 1948 p. 48.

“Misunderstanding cannot be eliminated by any power save that of the Covenant…All previous Books are subordinate to the Book of the Covenant. Consider…if the friends remain firm in the Covenant will there be any misunderstanding among them? No, by God! Except those souls who have an evil intention and are thinking of leadership and of forming a party…These souls are themselves at present among the pioneers of violation. This is because of their personal motives, for they thought of securing leadership and wealth…”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West X. p. 235-236.

“…Why (do) the blessed and spiritual souls who are firm and steadfast, shun the company of degenerate persons. This is because that just as the bodily diseases, like consumption and cancer, are contagious, likewise, the spiritual diseases are also infectious. If a consumptive should associate with a thousand safe and healthy persons, the safety and health of these thousand persons would not affect the consumptive and would not cure him of his consumption. But when the consumptive associates with those thousand souls, in a short time the disease of consumption will infect a number of those healthy persons. This is a clear and self-evident question. Likewise, if a thousand magnanimous persons associate with a degraded one, the perfection of those souls will not affect this debased person. On the contrary, this mean person will be the cause of their going astray. Therefore, His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh says in the Tablets: “Soon will a foul odour be spread; shun it, so commandeth the Omniscient and the Wise. That is, in that city a stinking odour will soon be spread. You should avoid it. So are ye commanded by His Holiness, the Knower and the Wise.” That foul odour is that of violation. Also in the Tablet of Advice He says: “Now, do not neglect your Sower, Protector and Educator; and do not choose and prefer others to Him, lest foul and poisonous winds should pass over you.” His Holiness Christ says that the owner of the garden does not leave the dried tree, but certainly cuts it and throws it into the fire, because the dried wood is worthy and deserving of fire. Again, His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh says: “Then, O ye trees of the blessed garden of My bestowal, protect ye yourselves from the poison of the treacherous souls and stinking winds, which are the association of the polytheist and the negligent ones, so that the trees of existence, through the bounty of the Worshipped (One) be not deprived of the blessed breaths and breezes of love.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Star of the West II. pp. 233-234.

“And now, one of the greatest and most fundamental principles of the Cause of God is to shun and avoid entirely the Covenant-breakers, for they will utterly destroy the Cause of God, exterminate His Law and render of no account all efforts exerted in the past. O friends! It behooveth you to call to mind with tenderness the trials of his Holiness, the Exalted One, and show your fidelity to the Ever-Blest Beauty. The utmost endeavor must be exerted lest all these woes, trials and afflictions, all this pure and sacred blood that hath been shed so profusely in the Path of God, may prove to be in vain.

“O God, my God! I call Thee, Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, Thy Saints and Thy Holy Ones, to witness that I have declared conclusively Thy Proofs unto Thy loved ones and set forth clearly all 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!” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Will and Testament.

Shoghi Effendi

“That Christ-promised Kingdom…whose animating power is the force of Justice.” Shoghi Effendi, July 28, 1939. Messages to America 1932-1946, p. 28.

“American believers, heirs of Bahá’u’lláh’s covenant, prosecutors of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Plan.” Shoghi Effendi, August 30, 1939. Messages to America 1932-1946, p. 29.

“The insidious opposition of avowed enemies without and the Covenant-breakers within.” Shoghi Effendi, May 12, 1945. Messages to America 1932-1946, p. 82.

“If anyone misinterprets one part of the Will he misinterprets all the Will.” Shoghi Effendi, 1930. The Priceless Pearl, p. 76.

“Malicious attacks of enemies from both within and without.” Shoghi Effendi. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 6, p. 80.

“True believers must have loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of our Beloved’s sacred Will.” Shoghi Effendi. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 6, p. 187; Vol. 11, p. 216.

“The new believers must be deepened in the covenant. This is really the only source of the fire of the love of God.” Shoghi Effendi. The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh (A Compilation), p. viii.

“The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, His greatest legacy to posterity.” Shoghi Effendi. The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh (A Compilation), p. 91.

“The enemies of the Faith who, for various reasons and with ever-increasing subtlety and malice, have persistently striven to disrupt the administrative machinery of an Order, foreshadowed by the Bab, enunciated by Bahá’u’lláh, and established by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.” Shoghi Effendi. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 9, p. 322.

“The unity and integrity of an incorruptible world community was consistently safeguarded in the face of the insidious opposition of avowed enemies without and the covenant-breakers within.” Shoghi Effendi. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 10, p. 294.

“Strict and unchanging adherence to the spiritual laws and administrative principles, which are the foundation of the Faith, steadfast and thorough knowledge of the nature, sanctity, and importance of the successive Covenants of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.” Shoghi Effendi. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 11, p. 31.

“Ruhi’s increasing rebelliousness.” “My own treacherous, despicable brother Riaz.” Shoghi Effendi, December 13, 1951. Messages to the Bahá’í World 1950-1957, p. 16. (Also mentions Covenant-breaking Dec. 16, 1953)

“Schemes which envious, fanatical and embittered adversaries, tottering to their fall.” Shoghi Effendi, May 26, 1955. Messages to the Bahá’í World 1950-1957, p. 87.

“Old and new Covenant-breakers…Army of Light against forces of darkness…Persistent machinations within” Shoghi Effendi. Messages to the Bahá’í World 1950-1957, p. 123.

“That Christ-promised Kingdom, that World Order whose generative impulse is the spirit of none other than Bahá'u'lláh Himself, whose dominion is the entire planet, whose watchword is unity, whose animating power is the force of Justice, whose directive purpose is the reign of righteousness and truth, and whose supreme glory is the complete, the undisturbed and everlasting felicity of the whole of human kind...a world polluted with its incurable corruptions, paralyzed by its haunting fears, torn by its devastating hatreds, and languishing under the weight of its appalling miseries." Shoghi Effendi. Messages to America 1932-1946, July 28,1939.

"Treacherous Ruhi Afnan, not content with previous disobedience, correspondence with Ahmad Sohrab, contact with old Covenant-breakers, sale, in conjunction with other members of family, of sacred property purchased by Founder of Faith, and allowing his sister to marry son of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's enemy, is now openly lecturing on Bahá'í movement, claiming to be its exponent and is misrepresenting the teachings and deliberately causing confusion in minds of authorities and the local population. Inform National Assemblies." ––SHOGHI

[Cablegram, May 17, 1953]

[Note: Why does the current, apostate Bahá'í Faith endorse the 'Ruhi Institute'? Poor Shoghi Effendi's work is destroyed through the rampant violation of the Faith for which he sacrificed 36 years of his life. In His final cable to the United States, 'Abdu'l-Bahá explicitly states, "HE WHO SITS WITH LEPER CATCHES LEPROCY*" *Spelling in original. The entire false 'Bahá'í' Administration is diseased with a fatal disease which has spread to each and every member of their illegitimate, 'community'.]

“He is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of Bahá'u'llah's peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Bahá'í ideal, the incarnation of every Bahá'í virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb of the Law of God, the Being "round Whom all names revolve," the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation -styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name 'Abdu'l-Bahá.” Shoghi Effendi. Selected Writings of Shoghi Effendi

“As regards the meaning of the Bahá’í Covenant: The Guardian considers the existence of two forms of Covenant both of which are explicitly mentioned in the literature of the Cause. First is the Covenant that every prophet makes with humanity or, more definitely, with His people that they will accept and follow the coming Manifestation who will be the reappearance of His reality. The second form of Covenant is such as the one Bahá’u’lláh made with His people that they should accept the Master. This is merely to establish and strengthen the succession of the series of Lights that appear after every Manifestation . Under the same category falls the Covenant the Master made with the Bahá’ís that they should accept His administration after Him.” Shoghi Effendi through his secretary. Bahá’í News, Vol. 80, p. 5.

Charles Mason Remey

“As we study the Bahá’í Teachings, do we not find in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s own words that the Holy Spirit and the Teachings of the Covenant have no effect upon the minds and souls of the violators? Are we not taught that the only thing to do is to warn others and to sever all connection from those who are associated with these people.” (Emphasis added). Charles Mason Remey. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“The one thing to be avoided is the spirit of denial of The Testament of Bahá’u’lláh. If that spirit of violation, which is the spirit of the nakazeen, enters the soul of a Bahá’í it is as poison and death to his spirit, for it cuts him off from the source of divine lights, and he becomes as a diseased or a dead member of the Kingdom, and perforce caste himself down from the high station to which he was called…’Abdu’l-Bahá tells us to avoid all association with them, but if ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s word is not obeyed, and those people are allowed to associate with the friends, spiritual death and destruction will inevitably follow.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Firmness in the Cause of God, Vol. 46.

“It is of the greatest importance that each and every Bahá’í Assembly be protected from those contrary or dark or destructive forces which are attacking the firmness of the friends of the Cause, seeking to separate and cut them off from the Center from which is radiating the spirit of the Covenant.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“Remaining silent ourselves we in reality become the accomplices of those who are doing evil, for our silence facilitates the operation of their plots and schemes…when we study carefully the teachings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá we find that the Cause must be protected from the destructing influence of such people without regard to their personal pleasure or displeasure…Often one who is in reality going against a command of the Covenant is sincere in intention though ignorant of violation…” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“’Abdu’l-Bahá exhorts us to be always on the alert to protect and keep pure from contamination the Holy Teachings of the Covenant.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“The time is now at hand for all the believers to arise unitedly to protect the friends from all false teachings, disobedience to the ordinances of the Cause, and the dissemination of the spirit of delusion, hypocrisy, and disloyalty to the Cause which bring in their wake spiritual disaster, sickness, and death.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“We have no other aim save the protection of the Fortified Fortress of the Cause of God…We must guard this Fortified Fortress from the attack of the thoughtless ones.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“Disobedience division are termed “violation” by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá…firmness in the Covenant means obedience…disobedience constitutes violation.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters. Vol. 46.

“The believers and the maid-servants of the Merciful must put forth an effort and be self-sacrificing, so that they may constitute themselves the protecting lamps of the Light of the Covenant, and guard it from the blowing of the contrary winds.

“Today it is through the power of the Covenant that the world is being stirred into motion, that there are some heedless souls whose aim is to extinguish this Light.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“This is the division created by God, a separation of the wolves from the sheep, as a protection to His flocks and to His Cause, a division that cuts away in-harmony, and permits the pure spirit of the Covenant of God to cement the hearts of the sincere…The “division” caused by his creatures is not one created by following His words, but by disobedience to those words.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“There is no subject upon which the Center of the Covenant has given more explicit and detailed instructions than upon the Nakazeen (violators), and upon the treatment of these people by the people of the Cause of Firmness.” CMR, Committee of Investigation. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“If in word or spirit we deviate from that of The Center of The Covenant we become a danger to the Cause.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

"The time is now at hand for all the believers to arise unitedly to protect the friends from all false teachings, disobedience to the ordinances of the Cause, and the dissemination of the spirit of delusion, hypocrisy, and disloyalty to the Cause, which bring in their wake spiritual disaster, sickness, and death." –Charles Mason Remey. The Protection of the Cause, Reminiscences and Letters, Volume 46, pp. 65-66.

“In this volume is a copy of a telegram that Mrs. True received from the Master regarding the violation. The last efforts of the Master in His mission here on earth were concerned with the violation. As I recall the last cablegram He sent to America was sent to Roy Wilhelm. It was regarding the violation… There is a time in one’s life when he no longer cares to fight, particularly when things that are very clear to him are more or less muddled in the mind of the Bahá’í Group.” CMR (1934). The Violation in Chicago.

“The institution of The Covenant will alleviate the sufferings of the world.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 52.

“According to the Holy Words those who associate and sympathize with the violators and their cause are quite as dangerous to the well-being and solidarity of the Covenant as those who are openly known as Nakazeen, and that through association and sympathy with the violators a soul breaks the spiritual law of the Kingdom and become a violator.” CMR, March 21, 1918. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“When an enemy comes and chops with an axe to sever the branch of the tree from its root, then everyone must arise to protect the tree, otherwise there will be no guiding beacon for the people, and the souls will become confused and lose their way to God…Mercy and kindness, and even honor, is bestowed upon the fighting enemy taken in battle, but no such consideration is bestowed upon spies and traitors…If in our own ranks we harbor those who themselves are centers of infection inoculating ourselves with the very diseases which we are seeking to cure in others, we can never accomplish that whereunto we are called, and instead of bringing relief to the world we shall bring greater trouble and confusion on humanity. It is for this reason that we should cling to the true and pure souls and separate from our ranks those who show taints of violation of the Cause so holy and dear to us.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“We can not allow hyphenated Baha’is of any type to come into our midst, making division and disruption.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46. [Note: a hyphenated Bahá’í is a ‘Christian-Bahá’í’, ‘Sufi-Bahá’í, sans-guardian-guardian Bahá’í etc.]

“Whenever the flow of the pure water of the knowledge and the spirit of truth in religion is contaminated by imaginary theories and superstitions the souls suffer, become confused in thought, and the body spiritual of the Cause as a whole becomes ill and is in danger of disintegration; and until this source of contamination is removed and the body spiritual is purified of such false doctrines the whole Cause is in danger of death or extinction.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 46.

“When in a spiritual assembly of friends, teachings other than those of the New Covenant are taught, a spiritual sickness falls upon that assemblage, and the people fail to attain to divine confirmation and cease to attract people to the Kingdom.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 50.

“The Center of the Covenant is the Divine physician to the world besides whom there is none other. That which proceeds from him is the word of God, and is to be obeyed. If it is not obeyed souls suffer; they deprive themselves of the bounty and blessings of God.

“Every command of the Center of the Covenant is to be obeyed implicitly. If anyone fails to follow, he deprives himself and is in manifest spiritual loss.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 50.

“The people of the Cause have nothing to fear from those who openly oppose and attack but not so from those who subtly and surreptitiously come among the faithful but in the guise of friends sowing the seeds of discord and inharmony, doubt and denial, spiritual disease and death. From such opposers the people of the cause are warned by Abdu’l- Baha to hold aloof from them and to protect others from their influence.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 52.

“They are actually believing that love is the foundation of peace and harmony amongst us while we should know that law and order and justice applied is the only possible source of a lasting peace upon earth.” Charles Mason Remey. Daily Observations, Vol. 2, p. 68.

“There was a violation in Chicago, which threatened to extinguish the light of the covenant in all America, but now that has all been eliminated through the action of the friends, who guided by the word and the spirit of the Cause, unitedly arose to carry out the revealed instructions of the Covenant regarding violation…The solution of this present difficulty is that each and every one of us should become so familiar with the Revealed words upon the matter that thereby we become informed of God’s spirit and His Word and be enabled to distinguish between that and the human fancies and imaginings which surround.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 31.

“In this day of the Center of the Covenant the important thing is for the Bahá’ís to be firm in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and the one thing to be avoided is the spirit of violation which is the spirit of the Nakazeen enter into the soul of a Bahá’í it is as poison and death for his spirit, for it cuts him off from the source of Divine light, and he becomes as a dead member of the Kingdom and perforce casts himself down from the high station to which he was called.

“In the spiritual teachings we are taught that spiritual enemies are of two kinds – – open enemies who oppose frankly face to face, and those enemies who come in the guise of friends seeking by seditious means to destroy the faith of the believers. As for the first who openly combat the Cause ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us to love them and to treat them with the utmost consideration and kindness as friends and thus soften their hearts and win them to the cause; but as for the second, those who would deceive us into believing them to be friends in order that they might secretly attack the Cause and thus accomplish its destruction – – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us to avoid all association with them so long as the friends obey this injunction the Cause is protected and safe and no harm can come from them but if ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s word is not obeyed and those people be allowed to associate with the friends spiritual death and destruction will inevitably follow.” ––– CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 5.

“The Covenant which Bahá’u’lláh established in the world is the spiritual Kingdom referred to by Christ and all of the Prophets. This Covenant is the foundation of that happiness and peace, justice and equity on earth.” CMR, 7 September, 1914. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 5.

“The friends here in London have been in great difficulty because of the activities of the violators of the Covenant, Dr. Fareed and his relations…from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the London Bahá’ís: “Dr. Fareed with his mother and his relations are violators of the Covenant and enemies of the Cause. Avoid meeting them most scrupulously. Any association with them is totally forbidden.” Cablegram June 19, 1914. CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“We pray that in America everyone may follow implicitly the Holy Commands from the very start, and avoid those who may associate with the violators, for this experience here in London has shown us that those who associate with the violators are themselves quite as dangerous as the original violators.” CMR to Mrs. Brittingham, July 17, 1914. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“If we do not separate ourselves from the waverers it may even be that the Cause of God will practically disappear from this continent, for the time being, until a movement of purity in the Covenant be established in America.” CMR, October 25, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“Our Master depicts to us the signs of a violator and instructs us to be awake and upon our guard and to hold aloof from the one in whom we find a trace of violation. These instructions are well known among those who are familiar with the Revealed Word of the Covenant. Either the intentional or the thoughtless repeating of any words to the contrary weakens the Holy Cause and gives power to the Nakazeen.” CMR, October 25, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“Bahá’ís who contact with the infection of violation ignorantly or otherwise become poisoned, disabled, spiritually crippled, confused, and blinded by this disease.” CMR, October 25, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“The slightest contact with their infection destroys months and years of constructive work.” CMR. October 25, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“Better to have three firm and pure Bahá’ís than a million waverers.” CMR, October 25, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“Do we not believe the Beloved when he says that violation is a dangerous and contagious disease, that many well persons cannot cure one patient so inflicted, but that the ill one can infect many? Why do we not give heed when the Beloved says that we should avoid association with those from whom we detect the “least” violation? He has never said that this disease of violation has an antidote or a remedy that we as believers can prescribe…”Obedience” to the will of the Center of the Covenant must be the standard.” CMR, October 31, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“Our Master himself has said that violation was the Cause of all our difficulties in America…unless this poison is rooted out of the Bahá’í Cause, all which we are doing will fail.” CMR, November 15, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“So few have any conception at all of what the Bahá’í Cause is and of the necessity of keeping the teachings pure and un-contaminating from the thought of the world.” CMR. March 31, 1932. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 18.

CMR was instructed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to write a book on the subject of the Covenant. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 83.

“Commonplace and vulgar people prefer commonplace and vulgar things and one can’t make them want anything else…eventually the Bahá’í ideals that I am fighting for will win out, so my hope is firm. One can well afford to suffer for his ideals when he knows that he is right.” CMR, March 16, 1930. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 10.

“I believe the Master foretold the time when there would be a great dropping away from the Cause, a sifting as it were, after which people would understand the teachings better. I can see that that time must come for much that is being told and “put over” and given forth as Bahá’í must die and cease to be before we can be united in the pure teaching and pure spirit of our Faith.” CMR, April 22, 1932. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 18.

"Baha’u’llah, in all the Tablets and Epistles, forbade the true and firm friends from associating and meeting the violators of the Covenant of His Holiness, the Bab, saying that no one should go near them because their breath is like the poison of the snake that kills instantly.

“Unity, Unity, has ever been the cry of the violators, when this unity that they cry out for is the very worst thing for the Faith for under these conditions separating the faithful from the violators provides the only safety for the Faith.

“Unity, Unity has been the cry of the violators to deceive the faithful believers! The Baha'is at this present time should understand this principle of the violation. Let them read the tablets and the telegramme that the Beloved Master Abdu’l-Baha hurled at the believers in America on the eve of his departure from this world in his last effort to protect the Faith from violation that has ever been then as now the greatest of all dangers to the cause." – Charles Mason Remey, Another Appeal to the Hands of the Faith.

“At this present time Ruhiyyih Khanum is traveling throughout the Baha'i centers in America upholding, preaching and teaching this violation of the Faith – the Administration of the Faith as established by the Beloved Guardian and the ending of the Guardianship!

“She is the arch-violator of the violators of this present testing time of the believers. The people of the Faith should not give audience to her, for her determination is to destroy the administration and the Guardianship. The Master Abdu’l-Baha told us that the very breath of a violator is infectious and as a spiritual poison to the Faith! Every believer should study his words.

“What more is it possible for me your Guardian to say to you in order to arouse all to protect the Faith?” Charles Mason Remey, First Encyclical Letter

“It is only recently that the real gravity of these various forms of violation have been dawning upon me. At one time the actual spoken denial of Abdul Baha as The Center of the Covenant of Baha’o’llah was the only violation which my mind could grasp, but latterly, through studying the Holy Words and through intimate association with those who have had a very clear understanding of these principles, I have been led to see that many of these internal ills in the Cause, such as the spread of superstition and false teachings, the circulation of falsehoods and calumnies, causing division and enmity between the friends, and the disregard for the laws of the Holy Book, are all forms of violation. I have been one of the least awake to these traces of violation, and it has only been through the mercy of the Protecting Providence that I have not been more misled at times when I actually was. Ignorance of the spiritual law on our part does not excuse us from the consequences of association with violation any more than ignorance of physical laws will prevent us from suffering the effects of taking a dose of poison. Therefore, it behooves each one of us to study more diligently the laws and principles of The Covenant, so that we may become more efficient laborers in The Lord’s Vineyard.

… This present condition, so diffused among our assemblies, has made it imperative that every one calling himself a “Baha’i” should take a definite stand on the side of firmness in The Covenant through obedience to its principles.

… When we consider the present condition in the world of spiritual darkness, hatred, strife, war, and bloodshed, with all of the attending economic, social, national, racial, and philosophic and religious unrest, it is not surprising that the faith of the people of The Covenant of God is now being tried and put to the test. We are living in the day of the Great Armageddon. The ideals and institutions of God’s Kingdom have been born into the world of humanity; therefore, this great struggle, now in progress, is essentially and fundamentally one of the spiritual forces - - a struggle between the powers of Light and of Darkness - - the heavenly powers arrayed against the satanic powers, and this great war between peoples and nations is but one of the manifestations of this great conflict.

…Many of the early Bahais in America will recall that about fifteen or twenty years ago our beloved Abdul Baha spoke and wrote of this time of struggle, when the faith of all would be tested, and when only those firm in The Covenant would stand. He said that even the firm ones would then be in great danger. In speaking of this time the Saviour, Jesus The Christ, said: “For there shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now; no, nor ever shall be, and except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but for the elects’ sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew, XXIV:21-22.

…The forces of both planes, divine and human, cannot each simultaneously be in supreme control. A soul must become the vehicle of expression for the forces of one, not both, of these planes, human or divine, and this has been proven by experience. During the struggle for supremacy between the human and the divine aspirations of the individuals the divine ideal either takes the place of the human ideal and dominates the life of the person, or the spiritual ideal is lost to realization, for in clinging to the human point of view, and in attaining this ideal, the divine station is sacrificed. Man cannot serve two masters - - God and Mammon.

… In each day of divine revelation we see that the people have been subject to the storm of trials and tests of faith, so that it is not surprising to the Bahai that now, in this day of The Center of the Covenant, when the beloved Abdul Baha is holding aloft the banner of firmness and pouring forth upon his followers the divine spiritual blessings of assurance, steadfastness, and truthfulness, the spirit of faithlessness, wavering, and hypocrisy should attack the believers, as has been the case in each age of past revelations. A brief study of the teachings of Abdul Baha regarding the necessity for the protection of the Cause from the spirit of violation will be quite sufficient to convince the average student of the seriousness and importance of this matter. The channel of the vital spirit of Baha’o’llah, coming to us through Abdul Baha, must be preserved pure and holy from violation; otherwise, should we become cut off from that outflow, or should its purity become polluted, then for us there would be no revivifying spirit and no real or pure Bahai Cause.

…From the Tablets it is clearly seen that Abdul Baha wishes the Bahais to be able to distinguish between one who merely opposes the Cause in an open and understood way from one who is apparently friendly, but who in reality subtly seeks to implant superstition and false doctrines in place of the basic pure truths of religion. Toward those who frankly oppose us we should show forth love and kindness, but we are told to have no relations of any nature whatsoever with those who are hypocrites and subtle back-biters. This is for the protection of the Cause and the well-being and firmness of the religions, and is of essential necessity for the spiritual salvation and well-being of the believers.

... we should cling to the true and pure souls and separate from our ranks those who show taints of the violation of the Cause so holy and so dear to us.

…the great danger to humanity through the violation of The Cause of God, a danger not only to the individual souls whose spirit may thus be destroyed, but the great danger to the Abha Cause in general when the contamination of the nakazeen exists within our own ranks.

…obey the Bahai injunction to avoid hypocrites.

…I began to see how unmindful I had been of the principle to hold aloof from those tainted with the least trace of “violation.” Since then I have severed all connections with that man, and also with those who associate or are friendly with him. In this way only am I able now to protect myself and be safe from the secret venomous attacks of this individual, who seeks to destroy the confidence of one friend in another, causing dissention and inharmony.

“This experience has awakened me to the necessity of being mindful of hidden enemies, all of which I now see set forth in the Bahai “Teaching.” When one studies with care these Holy Instructions, one finds that trouble-makers, back-biters, and people who associate with us in the guise of friends in order to sow seeds of sedition, inharmony, and lack of trust among the friends, are violators of the Cause, and their companionship should be avoided and eschewed by the friends.

…had we, in the beginning of this violation, unitedly and with one accord held aloof from this woman she would have been helpless in her attack, and our assembly would have been safe through obeying the command of The Covenant to hold aloof from such souls.

... When all those who stand forth as teachers in the Bahai Movement have attained to a fundamental knowledge of the Cause the danger of violation will not then be as great as formerly, for they will guard most carefully against it, protecting the pure instructions from any and all foreign ideas.

…Violation of the Bahai Cause has at times been perpetrated by those who have something that they wish to “get over”, to express it colloquially. Surely nothing can be more directly against the spirit of the Cause, and more deadening to the ideals we are striving to realize, than that anybody should make use of the Cause for any personal ends whatsoever, for this is a direct violation of the principles of Baha’o’llah.

…Whether the upholders of these doctrines were ignorantly or knowingly violating the Bahai Teachings in no way changes the effect of their doctrines upon the Cause, which was, that the Bahai ideals were being destroyed.

…We welcome Bahais in our midst, and we welcome in our midst Harmonites and all other religionists who sail under their own colors, but for the good of the Cause, and its pure ideals so dear to us, we can not allow hyphenated Bahais of any type to come into our midst, making division and disruption.

…True religion comprises a knowledge and an application in the lives of its followers of those moral and divine principles or laws which govern the spiritual advancement of people. These facts prove that it is of vital importance what we believe.

… The reason why I am going so at length into this psychological discussion is to point out certain forms of violation of the Bahai Cause, ignorantly perpetrated, but none-the-less dangerous to the growth and well-being of the Cause, by people who have not distinguished the difference between spiritual reality, and supposition or imagination, in their efforts to teach and to carry on the work of the Cause. Wherever the flow of the pure water of the knowledge and the spirit of truth in religion is contaminated by imaginary theories and superstitions the souls suffer, become confused in thought, and the body spiritual of the Cause as a whole becomes ill and is in danger of disintegration; and until this source of contamination is removed and the body spiritual is purified of such false doctrines the whole Cause is in danger of death or extinction.

“In order to further illustrate, I will cite an example of some people who had certain imaginary and romantic hopes and ideas which they tried to realize by endeavoring to make them appeal to some of the Bahais as desirable, and to enlist their sympathies and help in order to carry out certain work, founded upon imagination, thus diverting into fruitless channels Bahai substance and energy which should have been used for the carrying out and the realization of the pure ideals of The Covenant.

…the necessity for keeping the revealed teachings pure from all other teachings.

…Often one who is in reality going against a command of the Covenant is sincere in intention though ignorant of violation.

… My reason for mentioning this episode is two-fold: First, to illustrate that like begets like. A teacher who is firm in The Covenant will bring souls into the Cause who are firm in The Covenant, and if there are traces of violation in one who is promulgating the Cause, be it willful or ignorant violation, those traces will be spread to others who may be inherently free from it, but who, through this contact, will become contaminated,

…In the past some of the people have not always realized the necessity for holding aloof from those who associate and sympathize with the violators, they being unaware that through association one becomes a violator, be it so consciously or unconsciously. Also, in the past I have known some of the old believers who, thinking their firmness in the Cause to be beyond question, have ventured into such association ill-advisedly, and have had to suffer the consequences, which in some cases have proved spiritually fatal to them.

…One of the attacking party, Mr. Sprague, had violated through association with and espousing the cause of the chief nakaz of the group. For a number of years Mr. Sprague had resided in London, where he had been known far and wide as a Bahai teacher, and where he had formed many friendships with the Bahais and those interested in the Cause. Some of these people, because of their personal friendship and devotion, in their faulty wisdom reasoned that they could receive Sprague into their homes and meetings.

“Thus the spirit of violation entered into that assembly. This caused the downfall of several of the most prominent figures in the Bahai work in London, who forthwith became the enemies of Abdul Baha, while some others were spiritually depleted and upset by this contact, but were able to sever it just in time to save themselves.

“An instance of the poisoning effect of violation was very clearly seen in the case of one of the prominent Bahai leaders in London, who was for several years secretary of the assembly, and who clung to his friendship for Sprague rather than follow the teaching regarding avoiding the violators.

…The fight and struggle between the firm ones and the violators was most intense. There was no middle ground upon which anyone could stand

…During the recent work of the investigators of the affair of violation centered in Chicago, there were some of our friends who thought that the Committee ought to seek to unify all the people instead of trying to separate the violators from the firm ones, and that we should through spiritual kindness and by treating them with “love” and “consideration” seek to let the “light of The Covenant” work in their hearts, and thus change their evil ways. These friends were then not altogether clear in their minds as to the teachings of Thy Covenant upon this matter, for we are taught that no amount of kindness of spiritual teaching will avail with souls infected with violation, for until the source of this trouble is eliminated the fate and doom of the souls are sealed.

…As we study the Bahai Teaching, do we not find in Abdul Baha’s own words that the Holy Spirit and the teachings of The Covenant have no effect upon the minds and souls of the violators? Are we not taught that the only thing to do is to warn others and to sever all connections from those who are associated with these people?

…(a London Bahá’í) during a period of two months had been closely and intimately associated with the leaders there of the violation movement. Some weeks prior to our meeting in Montreal he had gone there, and with an activity unusual for him had entered the meetings, and gone about mingling with the friends of the assembly. He talked continually about “unity” and about “loving everyone”, and of the abolition of all prejudices of whatsoever nature we might encounter, but everywhere he went he disturbed the faith of the friends in The Center of The Covenant, while seemingly he was preaching the doctrine of Abdul Baha. By appointment one day, George Latimer and I went to talk with this man, hoping to get him to make a definite statement of his real attitude, thus far hidden, but which was suspected by several persons, and which was causing so much trouble. He received us very graciously, and as a prelude to the interview told us that he hoped that we would “understand and appreciate” his attitude in this “controversy” between Abdul Baha and these nakazeen in London, mentioning their names, and begging us to realize that his attitude was quite “neutral”. In other words, as he expressed it, he was “on the fence”.

“As he evinced no desire to come down off “the fence” onto the firm ground of The Covenant, and as he opposed all our arguments, after a brief interview we left him, and I have not heard of him since. The friends of the Montreal Assembly forthwith separated themselves from this man and immediately there was a change for the better in the spirit of their meetings, and now the spiritual fragrances emanating from that group are recognized and their influence is felt by the friends in the most distant assemblies of the Cause.

…This spiritual love which unites us is the love of The Covenant

…When we, his followers, undertake to minister to conditions about us our only firm ground is to follow minutely the words and the spirit of his teaching. Though we, in our human desire may be sincere and well-intentioned, if in word or spirit we deviate from that of The Center of The Covenant we become a danger to the Cause.

…The light attracts, but we also find that souls only become confirmed in the Cause when they recognize the “Point of Revelation” from which this spiritual power, peculiar to the Cause, is being radiated to all who attach themselves firmly to The Center of The Covenant.

…As long as our people within themselves are strong in the Lord and in His Manifestation as their point of guidance, they will conquer through His strength, but if they open the doors of our assemblies to ideas and teachings which are contrary to this reality, the work of our assemblies will end in the chaotic frustration of our ideals, therefore, when we discover the traces of this spirit in one who professes to be a Bahai, we should protect the Cause from contamination from that source.

Assemblies are not all the same. Some are more fragrant and more spiritual than others, and this condition is directly proportionate to the purity and strength of the faith of the believers in The Center of the Covenant.

…the necessity of friends avoiding the association of all wavering souls whose influence would tend to destroy the faith of the people in the station of The Center of the Covenant.

…the necessity for the many revealed admonitions to the people of God urging them to protect themselves and others from evil working forces.

…Without doubt in some cases this violation has been practiced ignorantly, without evil intentions, or malice a forethought, but this is not any less “violation of the Cause.” As far as the Cause is concerned, the harm will be done just the same, and Abdul Baha exhorts us to be always on the alert to protect and keep pure from contamination the Holy Teachings of The Covenant.

…the circulation of false teachings, the going against the letter of the instructions, and the disregard of the spirit of the Cause by people in our midst who are working for self-interest. Consequently now the most important thing to be accomplished is the clearing and the purging of the work of all these foreign elements so inimical to the growth of the Cause.

…We can trace the working out of these wrong principles in past dispensations. For instance, the early Christians made compromises with the people whom they converted, hoping thus by introducing certain foreign ideas and ceremonies to attract the people, while the result was that the pure teaching of The Christ became contaminated, and inharmony and terrible wars ensued, all of which would not have happened had the people clung only to the pure and unadulterated “Word of God.” Let us be admonished by this experience of the early Christians!

…it is only through profiting by the mistakes of the past that we can avoid continuing to make the same mistakes in the future.

…unless we profit by past experiences we will always be in danger of the same old evils.

…the time is now at hand for all the believers to arise unitedly to protect the friends from all false teachings, disobedience to the ordinances of the Cause, and the dissemination of the spirit of delusion, hypocrisy, and disloyalty to the Cause which bring in their wake spiritual disaster, sickness, and death.

…the guiding spirit and the revealed instructions of The Center of the Covenant, to accomplish His will in the world.” Charles Mason Remey, 21 March, 1918. The Protection of the Cause of God (Separate From the 1914 Article of the same name).

“Therefore, in this day of The Center of The Covenant, the all important thing is for the Bahais to be firm in Abdul Baha, and the one thing to be avoided is the spirit of denial of The Testament of Baha’o’llah. If that spirit of violation, which is the spirit of the nakazeen, enters the soul of a Bahai it is as poison and death to his spirit, for it cuts him off from the source of divine light, and he becomes as a diseased or a dead member of the kingdom, and perforce castes himself down from the high station to which he was called.

“In the sacred teaching we are taught that spiritual enemies are of two kinds; open enemies who oppose frankly face to face, and those enemies who come in the guise of friends seeking by seditious means to destroy the faith of the believers. As for the first, who openly combat the Cause, Abdul Baha tells us to love them, and to treat them with the utmost consideration and kindness, as friends, and thus soften their hearts and win them to the Cause; but, as for the second, those who would deceive us into believing that they are friends in order that they may secretly attack the Cause and thus accomplish its destruction, Abdul Baha tells us to avoid all association with them. As long as the friends obey this injunction, the Cause is protected and safe and no harm can come from them, but if Abdul Baha’s word is not obeyed, and those people are allowed to associate with the friends, spiritual death and destruction will inevitably follow.

“…The Center of the Covenant is the heart of the body of Bahais in the world, and from that center each member of the body (each believer) is receiving spiritual life and force. In the physical body, when the blood circulation is in good order, each organ and member of the body is sustained and nourished, and the whole body is active and in health, but if poison is injected and the circulation is stopped, the organs will cease to be sustained, and illness and death will ensue.

“In like manner so it is with the Bahais. When the spirit of denial enters into their midst, the souls become severed from Abdul Baha, their source of light is cut off, and spiritual degeneration and destruction and death come quickly.

“When a member of the physical body becomes gangrenous, it is necessary to amputate that member and cast it away, otherwise the whole body will become infected and die.

“If perchance a believer has doubts, or is suffering spiritually the love and attention of the friends is poured upon him in order that he may be healed and again made strong in the Cause, but if a Bahai falls into the condition of the nakazeen he immediately becomes a danger to all Bahais with whom he contacts, and for the safety of the Cause he must be eliminated. When people associate with one who is in contact with a person who is ill with a loathsome disease, it is as if they were contacting directly with the sick person, so far as the contagion is concerned, for disease germs may be carried by one to many.

“… So it is also with one who associated with the nakazeen upon one side and with true Bahais upon the other side, for in this way the poisonous doubts and spirit of the violation may be conveyed to many believers without their contacting directly with the first cause of the trouble. The reality of the matter is, that as soon as one allows oneself to imbibe this insidious poison one places oneself in the condition of the nakazeen, and then the people should also avoid that one along with the other violators.

“This avoidance of the nakazeen (violators) applies to all the Bahais, whether they are old and firm in the Cause, or whether they are young in the Covenant. No individual or assemblage of Bahais can, under any conditions, violate this order of the Divine Physician without suffering the inevitable consequence.

“In order to illustrate this point, Abdul Baha once said that an army of one thousand men in perfect health and vigor could not heal one man ill with an infectious disease, but that association with one ill man would cause the infection of the whole army.

“We all know how necessary it is to quarantine certain diseases, notwithstanding our love for the ill person and our sorrow at being separated from that one. However, at such a time personal sentiments must be sacrificed for the good of the community, and the infected must be separated from those whom they might infect. In like manner must all personal desires and attachments be sacrificed for the welfare of The Cause of God, and particularly at a time when the Cause is being assailed by the disease of violation. It was reported the other day in a certain city in Europe an enemy was caught with a bottle of cholera germs, with which he was about to pollute the city water supply. He was arrested and imprisoned. Although hard upon the aggressor, it was indeed a mercy for the people of that city that the police lost no time in placing this man where he could attempt no more harm.

“…As soon as we know of anyone attempting to poison or pollute the source of our spiritual light by secretly spreading false teachings and doubts as to the validity of The Covenant and The Testament of Baha’o’llah, which is Abdul Baha, let us immediately separate ourselves from that person so that we may be safe and that person be in a position where he cannot harm the Cause, for such a one can do no harm to the Cause without mingling with the believers. As long as the poison is kept from the body all is safe and well.

“…Like the military commander’s thought for his soldiers, Abdul Baha’s concern is ever for the protection and spiritual welfare of those who are teaching the Cause of Baha’o’llah in the various countries – that His spiritual soldiers may be nourished and fed upon the pure food of the Word of God and kept in good condition, free from all spiritual disease and weakness. Therefore, Abdul Baha is protecting His people from the poison of violation by the many explicit instructions and exhortations in Tablets and by the spoken word, through the study of which we know how to recognize those who violate The Covenant, and by non-association with these souls protect The Cause of God which is so dear to all of us.

“During the past two years, it has been my privilege to travel extensively in America and Europe, visiting all of the larger and many of the smaller Bahai Assemblies. It has been remarked by the experienced Bahais that in the Assemblies where the people are entirely free from the influence of the spirit of the nakazeen and are strong in The Covenant and Testament, that there is activity, movement, growth, harmony and Bahai spirit very manifest; whereas in those Centers where wavering souls are mingling with the Bahais (those who secretly deny The Covenant and Testament of Baha’o’llah) there is always the spirit of quiescence, no movement or growth, inharmony, and all of those characteristics which indicate stagnation, disintegration, and spiritual disease and death. Such signs are demonstrations of the spiritual wisdom of Abdul Baha, and the necessity for all to follow minutely the commands of our Spiritual Commander, even though we ourselves may not comprehend his wisdom.

“Sheep have been used to symbolize the believers of God. Of all animals sheep are the most gentle, unsuspecting of danger, and the most helpless in the presence of the wolf. Their only safety lies in obeying the voice of the shepherd and remaining safe within the fold. If the wolf is let into the fold, nothing can save the sheep, but as long as he is kept out from amongst the sheep all are perfectly safe from harm. In a parallel manner are true Bahais sheep-like in their gentleness and love and in following their Spiritual Shepherd, Abdul Baha. Like the sheep who meekly follow their shepherd, the Bahais who unquestioningly obey The Center of The Covenant are protected and safe in the Testament of Baha’o’llah.”

CHARLES MASON REMEY. Firmness in the Covenant, September 2, 1914

“Thus poison infected into the Cause will run sometimes for generations before it is eliminated.

…The last efforts of the Master in His mission here on earth were concerned with the violation.

… For a number of years now I have been quite outside of this struggle. While the stand that I took against the violation in 1917 brought me many firm friends among the Bahá’ís it also created a feeling of great enmity against me in the hearts of others. Traces of this still exist, and for that and other reasons I prefer now not to be in any position of prominence in the Bahá’í Cause. There is a time in one’s life when he no longer cares to fight, particularly when things that are very clear to him are more or less muddled in the mind of the Bahá’í Group.” Charles Mason Remey, July 11, 1935. The Violation in Chicago

“AN OPEN LETTER

THE BAHAIS IN AMERICA

“Written to refute certain erroneous statements which are being made with reference to the activities of the Bahai Committee on investigation in its endeavor to free the Cause of Baha’o’llah from the spirit of violation through the application of the explicit commands of the Center of the Covenant regarding the treatment of violators.

C.M.R.

March 21, 1918

“…As long as this criticism was merely against the personnel of the committee, its members did not think it necessary to try to protect themselves; but now matters have taken a turn from the criticism of the members of the committee to attacking the principles of firmness against violation, which are laid down in the Bahai sacred writings, and upon the principles of which the committee has conducted its work.

….the stand of the Bahai Committee of Investigation in its endeavor to protect the Cause from the subtle and disintegrating effects of the violation.

…The Bahais are told that dealing according to “justice” means the giving to everyone according to his right—to give what is due to everyone. Therefore, in its work of investigation the committee and the people who stand with it, see that certain

persons are violating the Covenant, and this they have been enabled to do in accordance with the clear and explicit commands and standards set forth by the Center of the Covenant.

…this command of the teachings to hold aloof from the violators,

…As soon as the committee was assured beyond a shadow of a doubt that violation of the Covenant existed in Chicago, every care was taken to protect the firm friends from the influence of the violators, and to segregate the firm souls from the wavering ones.

…Had the committee chosen a “neutral” place for the meeting of December 9^th and allowed any violator to enter that gathering, we, ourselves, would have been guilty of violation, for one of the explicit commands is that when one finds “the least trace of violation” that person should immediately warn others and protect them from the poison.

…It is said that there is no proof that there has been any “conscious or premeditated” violation upon the part of anyone.

As far as we have been able to find in the Holy Writings, violation is violation and there is no distinction made between willful or ignorant, conscious or unconscious, violation. When the violators in Chicago were confronted by the committee and accused of their violation, and the proofs of the same presented to them, they showed no signs of reconsidering their stand.

It is said by some that undoubtedly violation exists in Chicago and elsewhere too, but that we should hush over the matter and continue with the work of giving the message, trusting that the “spirit of love and unity” will open the eyes of the violators.

Such observations are made from the point of view of those not thoroughly conversant with the divine teachings of the Covenant, wherein we are told to awaken the people of the Cause to the condition of violation whenever we discover the “least trace” thereof.

... according to the Holy Words those who associate and sympathize with the violators and their cause are quite as dangerous to the well-being and solidarity of the Covenant as those who are openly known as Nakazeen, and that through association and sympathy with the violators a soul breaks the spiritual law of the Kingdom and becomes a violator.

…So far as we have had access to the Holy Writings we find no direct instructions to pray for the Nakazeen, nor does there seem to be any mention made of kindness nor unkindness in this connection. In justice to all concerned we are taught to hold aloof from all those who would violate the Cause.

…God’s Kingdom is established under the law of the Creator, and we human beings have nothing at all to do with the making of those laws. We should keep them, and if we break them we must suffer the consequences.

Our beloved Abdul Baha is protecting us from harming ourselves through our ignorance of the divine law; therefore let us all hasten to conform our lives to his exhortations and teachings, for therein lies our safety and strength.

…the spiritual poison of the violation.

…there is nothing more to be done save for every Bahai to arise to firmness in carrying out the explicit instructions by holding aloof from those who are violating the Covenant.” Charles Mason Remey. Open Letter, March 21, 1918

“Those who are firm in the Covenant and in the Administration under the Guardianship will stand. Those who oppose the Guardianship will fall, and they and their works will come to naught. Let all ponder and think well and deeply with study and prayer. Let each make his or her stand in the Faith.

“…the Cause now finds itself under this present cloud of violation and dominated by these erring Hands of the Faith

“…there is no greater iniquity that that of the violation of the divine holy law and writ.

“…Every individual Baha'i in the entire world is now compelled to make his or her stand either with and for the Guardianship, or against the Guardianship and for the violation of the Faith. Thus will the Cause be cleansed of this present violation.

“…The Guardian of the Faith expels from the Faith all who stand with and give support to these former Hands of the Faith, who are leading this movement in violation of the Guardianship. The Guardian enjoins all believers and supporters of the Administration of the Guardianship to have naught to do with these enemies of the Faith. There must be a clean-cut and a strict line drawn dividing these peoples. This is a very definite and clear-cut issue before the Baha'i world, and it bears no compromise.

“…During these last two years and more they have been converting people to their “Sans Guardianship” doctrine, thus assembling and organizing, in all parts of the world, cohorts who now follow and support them in their violation and who in reality, are the enemies of the only true Baha'is – those who are following and supporting the Guardianship of the Faith.

“…There is no doubt in the mind of your Guardian but that the vast majority of the avowed Baha'is, who are now supporting the violations of the former Hands of the Faith, are sincere in their faith in these violators. But while sincerity is a virtue when following in the true path, sincerity in following the wrong path can lead only to destruction. Therefore, let every avowed Baha'i study and restudy the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and the words and works of our late Beloved Guardian so that each can understand for himself or for herself the path prescribed for Baha'is to follow. The believer will find that there is but one path to follow – the path directed by the Guardian of the Faith. Any and all other paths will lead the followers astray.

“…This is the day of division, when the sheep and the goats are being sorted out, one from the other, and when the wheat and the tares are being separated. We are told in Baha'i holy writ and the day would come when only pure virtue would pass the test and be accepted. The Master ‘Abdu’l-Baha told us of this time when only a few might stand, but following which those who stood firm would arise and carry the Cause to victory after victory

“… Every individual is compelled by force of the circumstances of this situation to take his or her stand either for or against the Guardianship. The division must be clean-cut and decisive beyond a doubt. Therefore, for the safety of the Faith, the Second Guardian now commands all faithful followers to have nothing at all to do with the works and activities of any and all of those who oppose the Guardian of the Faith, the Faith that has been firmly established by the First Guardian of the Faith in the manner directed by the Will and Testament of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

“…Let every firm believer, to whom this Encyclical Letter is addressed, do what he or she can to bring back into the fold of the Faith those who are now following and supporting the violation of the Guardianship. Let him or her make every effort to turn them from their erring way, but if they refuse, leave them to themselves and, with radiant heart, go forth to the people of the world who are awaiting and ready for the Baha'i message of the World Crusade, a message that only the Baha'is, led and protected by the Guardian of the Faith, have to give them.

“…But should any refuse and decide to stand with the violators against the Guardian of the Faith, then let the Baha'is separate themselves entirely from these enemies of the Faith.

“…You Baha'is under the Guardianship should pay no attention to the declarations of any of the “Sans Guardian” followers, for you are occupied in serving under the infallibly appointed Second Guardian of the Faith and in proclaiming this message to the people of the world. You should ignore all these opposing people.” Charles Mason Remey. Third Encyclical Letter.

“But now before this triumphant end comes to pass, we find our Faith to be torn and wounded by the claws ad talons of the powers of violation, and so for the moment our attention must be focused upon this enemy that must be overcome in order that the Faith live.

“… the disrupting forces of VIOLATION that poison the hearts and blind the eyes of the people of the Cause.

“… Let all Baha'is turn to the teachings and explanations of The Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá regarding violation, and therein they will find clearly explained the dangers and the pitfalls that attack those who violate and seek to change the Holy Revealed Texts to suit their own ends.

“…Are the Baha'is going to accept this fallacious plan and reject the Administration founded upon the Will and Testament and created by our Beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi? If so, it would be better had you never heard of the Baha'i Faith and well for you to so avow our intention that those believers standing firmly with the Guardian of the Faith should know who you are, that they can avoid you, and thereby not allow you to empoison others with this spiritual virus of violation that is so deadly to the Faith.

“…All Baha'is should read and study the Will and Testament of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the teachings that he gave about violation and its ruinous ability to spread corruption and destructiveness in the Cause of God; for unless they read and study these Baha'i teachings and get a basic knowledge of these realities, they will not be able to protect themselves against the forces that, at this time, are so obsessing the Baha'i Faith as to threaten its very existence.

“…What matters most is that within the Baha'i Fold there be those who understand the Faith, for in knowledge there is safety and spiritual power. Knowledge of the teachings shows the believers how to teach and spread the Faith. Without this knowledge, and the accompanying wisdom that goes with it, one is at the mercy of every violator of the Faith, who one may chance to meet, and he will be unable to protect himself from this violation. “…When there is a cancerous growth in the human body the only way to save that person is for the surgeon to cut out completely all of the infection. Such is the way that we of the Baha'i Faith are taught to treat violation of our teaching – to cut it out and cut it off absolutely and entirely lest all the members of the entire body be destroyed. Those who are the source of this infection should be separated from the others lest all become infected.

“…The rule of the majority applies in all Baha'i administrative matters with the exception of the violation of the teachings and of the principles of the Faith. Where and when the traces of violation become apparent there should be no uniting whatsoever with the violators. Such is the Baha'i teaching. If there are Baha'is who do not understand this, let them turn to the Will and Testament and to the other teachings of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and they will find this principle of the cutting off from all association with the violators clearly taught and explained. Therefore, in order to maintain the purity and the spiritual strength of the Cause, I, your Guardian, insist that the Faithful followers of the Baha'i Faith comply with this order to maintain a most firm stand against any violation of our Faith and to sever all connections with and support of those who violate the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. Second Encyclical Letter.

“In the Master’s last message to the Baha'is in this country – a cablegram sent through Roy Wilhelm in New York to me and to another believer (Mrs. Parsons) in Washington – were the words, “He who sits with leper contracts leprosy.” In many of the Master’s other teachings he pronounces “Violation” to be a spiritually infectious plague – a disease destructive to the spiritual life of the soul of man. … In order to protect our Faith I, the Guardian of the Cause, order the believers to have nothing whatsoever to do with those who are violating the Administration of the Baha'i Faith. The faithful believers should do what they can to explain this to those who waveringly follow these violators thus to bring them back into the Faith that they are violating, but if people persist in their violation the faithful believers should leave them to themselves – not associate nor fraternize with them. Nor should they in any way give cooperation or support of any description to these violators – this means no cooperation at all with them – the faithful friends should not contribute any money to the activities of these violators nor in any other way countenance any of the activities of this violation.” Charles Mason Remey. First Encyclical Letter.

“THEREFORE it is of the greatest importance that each and every Baha'i be protected from all those evil forces which are attacking the friends of the Cause seeking to separate and cut them off from the Center of the Covenant.

…Therefore in this day of the Center of the Covenant the all important thing is for the Baha’is to be firm in Abdu’l-Baha, and the one thing to be avoided is the spirit of denial of the Testament of Baha’o’llah. If that spirit of violation which is the spirit of the Nakazeen enter into the soul of the Baha'i it is as poison and death for his spirit, for it cuts him off from the source of Divine light, and he becomes as a dead member of the kingdom and perforce casts himself down from the high station to which he was called.

…In the sacred teachings we are taught that spiritual enemies are of two kinds - - open enemies who oppose frankly face to face, and those enemies who come in the guise of friends seeking by seditious means to destroy the faith of the believers. As for the first who openly combat the cause Abdu’l-Baha tells us to love them and to treat them with the utmost consideration and kindness as friends and thus soften their hearts and win them to the cause; but as for the second, those who would deceive us into believing them to be friends in order that they might secretly attack the Cause and thus accomplish its destruction - - Abdu’l-Baha tells us to avoid all association with them. So long as the friends obey this injunction the Cause is protected and safe and no harm can come from them, but if Abdu’l-Baha’s word is not obeyed and those people be allowed to associate with the friends spiritual death and destruction will inevitably follow.

…This avoidance of the Nakazeen (violators) applies to all the Baha’is whether they be old and firm in the Cause or they be young in the Covenant; no individual nor assemblage of Baha’is can under any condition violate this order of the Divine Physician without suffering the inevitable consequences.

… It is reported that in order to illustrate this point Abdu’l-Baha once said that an army of one thousand men in perfect health and vigor could not heal one man ill with infectious disease, but that association with that one man would cause the infection of the whole army.

… Now with equal alacrity let us Baha’is all arise to carry out the command of the Center of the Covenant. As soon as we know anyone to be poisoning or polluting the source of our spiritual light by secretly spreading false teachings and doubts as to the validity of the Covenant and Testament of Baha’o’llah, which is Abdu’l-Baha, let us immediately separate ourselves from that person so that we may be safe and that person be in a position where he cannot harm the cause, for such a one can do no harm to the cause without mingling with the believers. So long as the poison is kept out from the body all is safe and well.” Charles Mason Remey, 1914. The Protection of the Cause. Quotes by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá included in the essay: “A person deprived of the spirit of the Covenant is sentenced as dead: the dead surely disintegrate.”

“…it is not allowable to receive a thief into his house nor a traitor into his home, nor a wolf into the flock. This would be injustice. Although the heart of the wolf be displeased at this yet the sheep of God must be protected.”

“If we are Baha’is, we do not wish to be half-way Baha’is, but rather as nearly as possible thoroughly consistent ones, according to the standard established by our beloved Abdu’l-Baha when he wrote: “Firmness in the Covenant means obedience.”

…Though we, in our human desire may be sincere and well intentioned, if in word or spirit we deviate from that of the Center of the Covenant we become a danger to the Cause.

… In this day of world cataclysms the faith of the Baha’is is constantly being assailed by the imaginations and false conceptions of humanity; therefore we must conserve the purity of the Revealed and Living Image of God, which the Center of the Covenant portrays to the world, for if this, the living Word, become violated through contamination with ideas foreign to the Cause, the religion of God will be in manifest loss.” Charles Mason Remey. Letter to Baha'i Convention April 19,1918

“This is a principle that the faithful friends must impress upon their souls, for in the days ahead they will be harassed by the Covenant-breakers far more, perhaps, than they realize. These violators will strive to hinder the teaching work and to lead astray the believers who are new to the Faith. It will be, then, our primary duty to strengthen new believers against the forces of violation. When one considers the extent of the present Great Violation it becomes evident that even after they are scattered and crushed by the Covenant and Will of God, there will be a residue of violators yet awhile. These souls will be filled with bitterness, and will seek to cause as much harm as possible. For this reason we must understand the principle of isolation.

“In all the teachings of Baha’u’llah we find His warning that association with people of evil intent is destructive to our own spirit, for to develop in the path of God we must always seek pure and spiritual companions. Just as in physical disease we do not cure by placing healthy persons next to the diseased, for this is the cause of contaminating the healthy persons; so also in spiritual disease, these lepers are not cured by our companionship, we become infected through them! “In short, from these Holy Utterances and those of His Holiness Christ, it becomes clear, evident and proved, that man should associate with people who are firm in the Covenant and Testament, and befriend the pure ones; because bad associates bring about infection of bad qualities. It is like leprosy; it is impossible for a man to associate and befriend a leper and not be infected. This command is for the sake of protection and to safeguard.” (BAHA'I WORLD FAITH, page 437)

“In conformance with this principle, the Guardian cut off the violators from those faithful to the Covenant and the Center of the Cause: “Therefore, it is necessary now, at this time, that I, Guardian of the Faith call all believers to separate and to cut themselves off completely from the direction of the Hands of the Faith and from participation in any way or form or manner with them in their plans for 1963…” “…in order to maintain the purity and spiritual strength of the Cause, I, your Guardian, insists that the Faithful followers of the Baha'i Faith comply with this order to maintain a most firm stand against any violation of our Faith and to sever all connections with and support of those who violate the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. SECOND ENCYCLICAL LETTER TO THE BAHA'I WORLD.

“This act, which has been necessary in the time of Baha’u’llah, Abdu’l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi, and now Mason Remey, may appear harsh to some, but in reality it is the greatest mercy and kindness. (“Now the Nakazene say that Abdu’l-Baha is despotic, drives some people out and excommunicates like the Pope. This is not so at all! Any person who has left (the Cause) did so because of his own actions, intrigues and evil plots.” (BAHA'I WORLD FAITH, page 432) This Cause is from God, and is not intended for this generation alone, therefore it is of utmost importance to preserve it in its purity and integrity. Moreover, for the sake of the faithful believers, they must be guarded against spiritual disease, for those who violate the Covenant have of their own will turned away from the Cause of God. These violators have not been put out of the Cause, they have left the Cause on their own volition, and the act of cutting them off is in reality a preventative measure to keep them from infecting the friends. “The way of the Baha'i Faith is difficult. At all times one must be awake to its perils, and particularly so in times of crisis such as the one in which the Faith now finds itself; for, at this present time the very existence and the future of the Faith upon earth hangs in the balance…Even though we be but a mere handful - - a very small number of followers faithful to the Covenant and Administration of the Guardianship - - we, with all the world in violation against us, must stand together and support the Guardianship…Not only must we do this for our own sakes and for the present existence of our Faith; but it must be done for the Faith in ages to come…” Charles Mason Remey. SECOND ENCYCLICAL LETTER TO THE BAHA'I WORLD

“It is especially important that we be firm in the face of the Great violation of this time, for if we fail now and allow the Guardianship to pass out of existence and this spiritual line of heritage to become extinct, future generations will have no Cause. All infallible divine guidance will be at an end.” Charles Mason Remey. SECOND ENCYCLICAL LETTER TO THE BAHA'I WORLD.,

“We who stand firm against the violating masses have nothing to fear, for: “even though all the rest of the world be against us, nothing can destroy this Cause so long as even a small few believers stand in support of the Guardian and the continued Guardianship of the Baha'i Faith.”” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Thus has the plague or pestilence of violation of the Revealed Word swept through the Baha'i world.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“How can you look at this plan of the Hands for 1963 as anything other than flagrant violation of the Will and Testament and the Administration that the Beloved Shoghi Effendi built up upon and about the Guardianship? A believer with your clear concept of the Guardianship and its relation to the Administration of the Faith should come out frankly and warn others not to follow this violation of the Hands of the Cause.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. [Please note: the plan is a flagrant violation…since the plan endures, so does the violation.]

“Flagrant violation of the Administration as is now being perpetrated by the Hands of the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“This question of violation brings to my mind all that the Master Abdu’l-Baha taught us about violation of the teachings of the Faith, which during his ministry of thirty years as “The Center of the Covenant” was the outstanding problem of the Cause, but which during the ministry of the Beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi while always a major import was not so wrecking to the Faith as it had been in the days of the Master. The Sohrab violation and other minor violations were handled by Shoghi Effendi without any great disturbance to the Baha'i world.

“But now this present great violation of the united Hands of the Faith has encompassed the Cause throughout the entire world so now it is necessary that the believers everywhere study the teaching upon the subject of violation and its evil effects of confusion and destruction to the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“The Master compared violation of the teachings to a poisonous disease oft working quietly and secretly to undermine and to destroy the Faith. The Master’s last message to me and to another believer in Washington, cabled but a few hours before his death read “He who sits with leper, contracts leprosy”.

“Such is this insidious power like a malignant cancerous growth that disrupts the Faith of God. For this reason the Master and later Shoghi Effendi forbade all contact or communication of the faithful with those who violated the Revealed Word of God…. the evil virus of violation.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“For unless this belief and faith be safeguarded from this now almost prevailing violation of the Hands of the Faith it threatens in the end to kill the Baha'i Faith. Thus it is most important that the believers should know how to protect themselves and the Faith from violation. The power to give this protection lies only in the knowledge of the teaching about violation, its ways and its subtleties. This knowledge, the friends should understand for such is their only protection and that of the Cause.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“The Faith indeed faces a time of disruption and this time of trial and bewilderment will continue until this matter is settled and this settlement can only be achieved when all who violate are cast out from the Faith and from all association and all connection with the Faith. This is why I urge you and all other believers to study the teaching of The Center of the Covenant upon this subject of violation that each believer see for himself that “He who sits with leper, contracts leprosy”. Let all beware, take this urgency to heart and stand firmly for the Guardianship of the Faith, now dedicating their efforts to serve under my guidance, the Second Guardian of the Faith. There is no half way about this matter – one must be wholly all upon the one side for there is no compromise to be made.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Thus for over two years I stood alone doing all I could to save them but with no success until for the sake of the Cause the world around I was thus at length forced to tell the Baha'i world that I was their Second Guardian and that I had been their Second Guardian since the death of Shoghi Effendi. I had to tell them this in order to save the Faith from this violation forced upon the Baha'i world by the Hands of the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Shoghi Effendi himself has complied with that which the Will and Testament told him to do and that in his infallibility, he took this way of perpetuating the living Guardianship of the Faith by appointing me as his successor in Guardianship.

“If there be those who don’t approve of this action of Shoghi Effendi, the faithful friends of the Faith should shun them, separate from them and if they persist in their violation leave them in the outer darkness of the world – thus let them have no relations with these violators remembering always the last warning sent to me in America that was intended for all the believers – “HE WHO SITS WITH LEPER, CONTRACTS LEPROSY”.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“That the Hands of the Faith at this present time have arisen unitedly to take control is a clear case of violation of the Will and Testament for they are attempting to usurp the power that belongs only to the Guardian of the Faith. This rule of the Hands of the Faith not only has no sanction in the Baha'i procedure but is a most flagrant violation of Baha'i principle, law and order.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“But now this present well organized violation so far endorsed by all of the Hands of the Faith in their last message to the Baha'i world of November 1959, signed by twenty two of the Hands of the Faith (all that were present) with the exception of myself who refused to sign, threatens the existence of the Faith throughout the entire world.

“Therefore, for the protection of the Faith it is necessary that the believers review and re-study the teachings of the Master Abdu’l-Baha about “Violation” and the manner in which this should be met by the people of the Faith.

“I urge all believers to read and to study the Master’s teaching upon “Violation” that they will thus be able to reinforce and protect themselves and the cause against this menace.

“Knowledge of the revealed teachings of the Faith will guide the people of the cause to protect the Faith from all such spiritually disintegrating diseases. The believers should study these teachings and thus prepare themselves to avoid these destructive forces of “Violation”.

“In order to protect our Faith I, the Guardian of the Cause, order the believers to have nothing whatsoever to do with those who are violating the Administration of the Baha'i Faith. The faithful believers should do what they can to explain this to those who waveringly follow these violators thus to bring them back into the Faith that they are violating, but if people persist in their violation the faithful believers should leave them to themselves – not associate nor fraternize with them. Nor should they in any way give cooperation or support of any description to these violators – this means no cooperation at all with them – the faithful friends should not contribute any money to the activities of these violators nor in any other way countenance any of the activities of this violation.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“We find our Faith to be torn and wounded by the claws ad talons of the powers of violation, and so for the moment our attention must be focused upon this enemy that must be overcome in order that the Faith live.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“It is most important now, at this time, that the people of the Faith study the Master’s teachings and tablets upon violation. It is most important that they can see and understand how this spirit of violation now, at this moment, dominates the Hands of the Faith and all their actions. The people should read and study the Will and Testament and note the manner in which the Beloved Guardian built up the Administration of the Cause, founding it upon the plan revealed in the Will and Testament.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Thus, like Ahmad Sohrab and his followers, are the present Hands of the Faith violating the Administrative Guardianship of the Faith.

“How does it come that this is not clear to the minds of the overwhelming number of believers of today who are blindly following these Hands of the Faith? Why can they not see, and see clearly, that they are all wrong? I will answer this question “Why?”. It is because of the disrupting forces of VIOLATION that poison the hearts and blind the eyes of the people of the Cause.

“Let all Baha'is turn to the teachings and explanations of The Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá regarding violation, and therein they will find clearly explained the dangers and the pitfalls that attack those who violate and seek to change the Holy Revealed Texts to suit their own ends.

“Such is the abyss into which these erring Hands of the Faith are now plunging the Cause the world around. Such should be clearly evident to anyone who reads The Will and Testament upon which is founded the Administration of the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Are the Baha'is going to accept this fallacious plan and reject the Administration founded upon the Will and Testament and created by our Beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi? If so, it would be better had you never heard of the Baha'i Faith and well for you to so avow our intention that those believers standing firmly with the Guardian of the Faith should know who you are, that they can avoid you, and thereby not allow you to empoison others with this spiritual virus of violation that is so deadly to the Faith.

“All Baha'is should read and study the Will and Testament of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the teachings that he gave about violation and its ruinous ability to spread corruption and destructiveness in the Cause of God; for unless they read and study these Baha'i teachings and get a basic knowledge of these realities, they will not be able to protect themselves against the forces that, at this time, are so obsessing the Baha'i Faith as to threaten its very existence.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“When there is a cancerous growth in the human body the only way to save that person is for the surgeon to cut out completely all of the infection. Such is the way that we of the Baha'i Faith are taught to treat violation of our teaching – to cut it out and cut it off absolutely and entirely lest all the members of the entire body be destroyed. Those who are the source of this infection should be separated from the others lest all become infected.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Therefore, it is necessary now, at this time, that I, Guardian of the Faith, call all believers to separate and to cut themselves off completely from the direction of the Hands of the Faith and from participation in any way or form or manner with them in their plans for 1963, because these plans are all in violation of the Administration of the Faith as taught by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“These Hands of the Faith I expel from the Faith, and I forbid all association with them and any support of their plan by the believers.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“…the false concept that the minority should always follow the majority in Baha'i Administrative matters. The rule of the majority applies in all Baha'i administrative matters with the exception of the violation of the teachings and of the principles of the Faith. Where and when the traces of violation become apparent there should be no uniting whatsoever with the violators. Such is the Baha'i teaching. If there are Baha'is who do not understand this, let them turn to the Will and Testament and to the other teachings of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and they will find this principle of the cutting off from all association with the violators clearly taught and explained.”

Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Therefore, in order to maintain the purity and the spiritual strength of the Cause, I, your Guardian, insist that the Faithful followers of the Baha'i Faith comply with this order to maintain a most firm stand against any violation of our Faith and to sever all connections with and support of those who violate the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“According to the Baha'i standard of sin, there is no greater iniquity that that of the violation of the divine holy law and writ.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“Those who follow the erring Hands of the Faith and reject the Guardianship will inevitably fall into confusion and division amongst themselves, and they will leave naught behind them in this world save a page in the history of the Cause that will be known to future generations as “The Epoch of the Great Violation of the Baha'i Faith”.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“The fallacy of their stand against the Will and Testament of the Blessed Master ‘Abdu’l-Baha.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. [Note: The Will and Testament is Bahá’í Law. To go against the Will and Testament is to go against Bahá’í Law. The violation of the law requires the application of justice.]

“Every individual Baha'i in the entire world is now compelled to make his or her stand either with and for the Guardianship, or against the Guardianship and for the violation of the Faith. Thus will the Cause be cleansed of this present violation.

“The Guardian of the Faith expels from the Faith all who stand with and give support to these former Hands of the Faith, who are leading this movement in violation of the Guardianship. The Guardian enjoins all believers and supporters of the Administration of the Guardianship to have naught to do with these enemies of the Faith. There must be a clean-cut and a strict line drawn dividing these peoples. This is a very definite and clear-cut issue before the Baha'i world, and it bears no compromise.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“The division must be clean-cut and decisive beyond a doubt. Therefore, for the safety of the Faith, the Second Guardian now commands all faithful followers to have nothing at all to do with the works and activities of any and all of those who oppose the Guardian of the Faith, the Faith that has been firmly established by the First Guardian of the Faith in the manner directed by the Will and Testament of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Baha.” Charles Mason Remey. The Question of the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

“The Hands…their stand for the obliteration of the Guardianship, the Administration, and the cause itself; rushing along hellwards themselves and spreading violation everywhere they went, leading the people astray and destroying their hopes in the Guardianship that is the very heart and soul of the cause.” Charles Mason Remey. The Hands of the Faith.

“But in the case of the violation of the teachings by enemies, within the cause, those who violated the teachings and made division amongst the believers here the Master used an entirely different method for in such cases he cut these people off root and branch, and cast them out from the Faith. This principle, the Beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi acted upon also. We in America witnessed this in the case of Ahmad Sohrab where the Beloved Guardian broke into any unity that may have existed between Ahmad and those of the Faith for He, the Guardian, forbade all association of the believers with this covenant breaker. Just as later on he forbade all association with other covenant breakers who were even members of the Master’s own family in Israel.” Charles Mason Remey. The Hands of the Faith.

“That an International Assembly chosen by the believers has infallibility is pure violation of the accepted teachings of the Baha'i Faith and like other forms of violation should be cut out and cast out from the Faith.” Charles Mason Remey. The Hands of the Faith.

“But all the time the damage is being done, the disease of violation is slowly eating away like a cancer destroying the vitality of the cause.” Charles Mason Remey. The Hands of the Faith.

“Unity can only be attained through the protection of the Cause from contact, direct or indirect, with violation.” CMR. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

Bible

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

“The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left.” Isaiah 24:5-6.

“In the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers*, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it**. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5. [Notes:*The false uhj and their followers slander the name of Charles Mason Remey and the institution of the Guardianship. **The power of the Bahá’í Faith is it’s charter: The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá along with the Kitab-i-Aqdas by Bahá’u’lláh.]

^“14But if you will not hearken to me, and will not do all these commandments, ¹⁵if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, ¹⁶I will do this to you: I will appoint over you sudden terror, consumption and fever that waste the eyes and cause life to pine away. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it; ¹⁷I will set my face against you, and you shall be smitten before your enemies; those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. ¹⁸And if in spite of this you will not hearken to me, then I will chastise you again sevenfold for your sins, ¹⁹and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like brass; ²⁰and your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.” Leviticus 26:14-20.

“The tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the Lord made with you,” Deuteronomy 9:9.

“He has commanded his covenant for ever.” Psalms 111:9.

“The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched and few men are left.”

Isaiah 24:5&6.

³¹“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, ³²not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. ³³But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 31:31-33.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalms 1:1&2.

“Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness.” Acts 4:24

“the tabernacle of the covenant law” Numbers 1:53.

“Cursed be the man who does not heed the words of this covenant.” Jeremiah 11:3.

“For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying obey my voice. Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but ever one walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.” Jeremiah 11:7&8.

Koran/Quran

“Lo! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah’s covenant and their oaths, they have no portion in the Hereafter. Allah will neither speak to them nor look upon them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He make them grow. Theirs will be a painful doom.” Koran 3:77

“Those who break the covenant of Allah after ratifying it, and sever that which Allah ordered to be joined, and (who) make mischief in the earth: Those are they who are the losers.” Koran 2:27

“And (remember, O children of Israel) when We made a covenant with you and caused the Mount to tower above you, (saying): Hold fast that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein, that ye may ward off (evil). Koran 2:63

“And they say: The fire (of punishment) will not touch us save for a certain number of days. Say: Have ye received a covenant from Allah –– truly Allah will not break His covenant –– or tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not?” Koran 2:80

“And when We made with you a covenant and caused the Mount to tower above you, (saying): Hold fast by that which We have given you, and hear (Our Word), they said: We hear and we rebel. And (worship of) the calf was made to sink into their hearts because of their rejection (of the Covenant). Say (unto them): Evil is that which your belief enjoineth on you, if ye are believers. Koran 2:93

“Is it ever so that when ye make a covenant a party of you set it aside? The truth is, most of them believe not. And when there cometh unto them a messenger from Allah, confirming that which they possess, a party of those who have received the Scripture fling the Scripture of Allah behind their backs as if they knew not.” Koran 2:100-101.

“Those unto whom We have given the Scripture, who read it with the right reading, those believe in it. And whoso disbelieveth in it, those are they who are the losers. Koran 2:121

“And (remember) when Allah laid a charge on those who had received the Scripture (He said)” Ye are to expound it to mankind and not to hide it. But they flung it behind their backs and bought thereby a little gain. Verily evil is that which they have gained thereby.” Koran 3: 187

“Remember Allah’s grace upon you and His covenant by which He bound you when ye said: We hear and we obey; and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).” Koran 5:7

“We found no (loyalty to any) covenant in most of them. Nay, most of them We found wrong-doers.” Koran 7:102

“And those who break the covenant of Allah after ratifying it, and sever that which Allah hath commanded should be joined, and make mischief in the earth: theirs is the curse and theirs the ill abode.” Koran 13:25

“Fulfill the covenant of Allah when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after the asseveration of them, and after ye have made Allah surety over you. Lo! Allah knoweth what ye do.” Koran 16:91

“And purchase not a small gain at the price of Allah’s covenant. Lo! That which Allah hath is better for you, if ye did but know.” Koran 16:95

Various Authors

“If civil governments have found it necessary to adopt the doctrine that “ignorance of the law is no excuse,” how much more essential it is for Bahá’ís, individually and collectively, to base their responsible actions upon thorough comprehension of the fundamental principles which underlie that Administrative Order which in its maturity is destined to become the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.” National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 7, p. 242.

"I am astonished to find that even here the administration has not been studied at all." Emogene Hoagg letter to Charles Mason Remey, 21 December, 1936.

“The ‘Lesser Covenant,’ of obedience to the appointed head of the divinely established Faith.” George Townshend. The Covenant of Baha’u’llah (A Compilation) (1950), p. xix.

“The immense joy of Mason Remey’s visit…His close association with the Master made him the bearer of a spirit which I do not exaggerate when I say consisted of spiritual healing…We sensed a subtle, undefinable but potent assurance which those who knew ‘Abdu’l-Bahá possess.” Marcia Steward. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 10, p. 728.

“One of the duties and functions of the House of Spirituality – to preserve the unity of the believers and to shun violations.” Zia Bagdadi, October 19, 1921. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 6.

“Loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s sacred Will and Testament.” By-Laws of Local Spiritual Assembly. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 11, p. 248.

“The meeting of God’s Covenant, The Branch of that Pre-Existent Root…A few weeks later I again had that wonderful privilege to be near the Covenant.” (Re: the meeting of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá). Fred Mortensen. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 12, p. 19.

“Not sufficient heed was given to the Master’s instructions, not to mention to the dictates of ordinary judgment.” May Maxwell to CMR, March 19, 1925. Reminiscences and Letters, Vol. 8.

“I became aware that there were in the world some misguided persons, who were announcing the Bahá’í Cause, but for selfish purposes of their own, were denying the need of Guardianship. This great error has caused confusion in certain places, and I began to look about me…that I might find any who had been misled by so crippling an omission.” Louise Drake Wright. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 8, p. 880.

“The Will and Testament itself is a victory over those who violated the Covenant in the Master’s lifetime, and the Will and Testament invokes divine wrath upon all who seek to destroy what He sacrificed His entire life and being to build.” NSA/USA. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 8, p. 141.

“Turn not away even to a hair’s breadth from obeying Him (‘Abdu’l-Bahá)” The Power of the Covenant.

“The ‘Lesser Covenant,’ of obedience to the appointed head of the divinely established faith.” The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh (A Compilation), p. xiv.

“Blinded by their selfish ambition, they are malignant cancers that feed on the body of the Faith of God.” The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh (A Compilation), p. xvi.

“Today, no soul has any station or enjoys any title except the soul who is firm in the Covenant and steadfast in the Testament.” NSA/USA. The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh (A Compilation), p. 87.

“The Covenant is like the sea and the believers are as the fishes in the sea. If a fish leaves the water it cannot live.” European Teaching Conference Manual 1948 p. 48.

“Despite repeated explanations given by the Guardian…there seems to exist…misunderstanding…ignorance of the law is no excuse…A procedure or principle of action once authorized by the Guardian is not subject to alteration by any Bahá’í body or individual believer to whom the procedure definitely applies.” NSA/USA. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 9, p. 237.

“As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained, some of the people are children and must be trained…educated…healed. Where, however, the problem is not of this order but represents flagrant disobedience and disloyalty to the Cause itself…necessity for disciplinary action.” NSA/USA. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 10, p. 256.

“How many souls have sown in the Cause of God the seeds of sedition and intrigue but eventually their efforts were doomed to disappointment and failure and Truth hoisted its banner. This breaking of the Covenant is likewise doomed to failure. Like unto a mirage, soon it shall vanish and disappear.” Mirzá Abu’l-Fadl. Bahá’í Proofs, p. 243.

“…loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of our Beloved’s sacred will.” Bahá’í World, Vol. 3, p. 86.

“Loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s sacred Will and Testament.” Article V – c, By-laws of New York Local Spiritual Assembly. The Bahá’í World, Vol. 5, p. 233.

“As regards the meaning of the Bahá’í Covenant: The Guardian considers both of which are explicitly mentioned in the literature of the Cause. First is the Covenant that every prophet makes with humanity or, more definitely, with His people that they will accept and follow the coming Manifestation who will be the reappearance of His reality. The second form of Covenant is such as the one Bahá’u’lláh made with His people that they should accept the Master. This is merely to establish and strengthen the succession of the series of Lights that appear after every Manifestation. Under the same category falls the Covenant the Master made with the Bahá’ís that they should accept His administration after Him. Bahá’í News, Vol. 80, p. 5.

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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH