August 22. On this date in 1912, the Pittsburg Pennsylvania Post featured a review of Charles Mason Remey's book titled "The Bahá’í Movement."

 

August 22. On this date in 1912, the Pittsburg Pennsylvania Post featured a review of Charles Mason Remey's book titled "The Bahá’í Movement."

August 9. On this date in 1960, the Custodians wrote the Hands of the Cause of God about Mason Remey, noting "a persistent and well-thought-out campaign" by "these henchmen (who) are circularizing the Bahá'í world widely with violent attacks on the Hands."

 

August 9. On this date in 1960, the Custodians wrote the Hands of the Cause of God about Mason Remey, noting "a persistent and well-thought-out campaign" by "these henchmen (who) are circularizing the Bahá'í world widely with violent attacks on the Hands."

To the Hands of the Cause of God

CONFIDENTIAL

We know that you are anxious to receive news of the situation which has developed as a result of the tragic defection of Mason Remey and his preposterous claim to be the one chosen to fill the place of our beloved Guardian who was the divinely appointed scion of God on earth.

It seems that his agitation, far from ceasing and far from being-as we at first hoped and believed-the evidence of great emotional disturbance and unbalance-is a persistent and well-thought-out campaign. Not only does he personally continue to send out communications asserting his claim and adding ridiculous arguments to support it, but his attacks on the Hands and all who support them are becoming more violent and insidious all the time, and his chief supporters in France, Joel Marangella, Don Harvey and others, have now been joined by Mary Magdalene Wilkin in the United States. These henchmen are circularizing the Bahá'í world widely with violent attacks on the Hands, their decisions and their right to carry on the beloved Guardian's Crusade while at the same time deducing so-called "proofs" of the authenticity of Mason's claims and position.

In view of this critical situation and the urgent need to close this door through which spiritual pollution was pouring unhindered into the Bahá'í world, following receipt of your replies to our July 7th, letter we expelled both him and his supporters from the Faith. We felt we could not take the risk of deferring this drastic action until the time when we all meet together-even if the date of the meeting had been advanced to early September (we could not have gotten the Annual Meeting ready before then). We thank you for the prompt expressions of opinion we received here from all of you in response to our letter which enabled us to take this action for the protection of the Faith on behalf of the entire body of the Hands. We therefore sent the two following cables to all National Spiritual Assemblies:

JULY 26, 1960

ENTIRE BODY HANDS OBEDIENT PROVISIONS WILL TESTAMENT CENTRE COVENANT COMMUNICATIONS BELOVED GUARDIAN ENJOINING THEM PROTECT HOLY CAUSE ATTACKS ENEMIES WITHIN WITHOUT ANNOUNCE BAHA'I WORLD MASON REMEY COVENANT BREAKER EXPELLED FAITH STOP ACTION FOLLOWS LONG PERIOD PATIENCE FORBEARANCE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN HIM WITHDRAW SHAMEFUL PRETENSION SACRED STATION GUARDIANSHIP CONSTITUTING HERETICAL CLAIM CONTRARY EXPLICIT PROVISIONS WILL MASTER STOP DESPITE UNIVERSAL REPUDIATION DENUNCIATION BY ALL HANDS INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES REMEY CONTINUING AGITATE UNFOUNDED CLAIM ACTIVELY SEEKING CREATE DIVISION RANKS FAITHFUL SOW SEEDS DOUBT HEARTS BELIEVERS UNDERMINE ACTIVITIES INSTITUTION HANDS CHIEF STEWARDS DEDICATED FULFILMENT BELOVED GUARDIAN'S TEN YEAR PLAN STOP ACCORDANCE INJUNCTION WILL TESTAMENT 'ABDU'L-BAHA, CALL UPON FRIENDS EVERYWHERE SHUN REMEY AND ANYONE ASSOCIATING WITH HIM OR ACTIVELY SUPPORTING HIS CLAIMS STOP CONFIDENT COMMUNITY MOST GREAT NAME UNITED WHOLEHEARTED CONDEMNATION THIS LATEST ILL-FATED ATTEMPT DISRUPT GOD'S HOLY CAUSE WILL EMERGE TRIUMPHANT STRENGTHENED GALVANIZED ISSUE FORTH WIN REMAINING GOALS GLORIOUS WORLD ENCIRCLING CRUSADE STOP CABLE MESSAGE ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES.

HANDSFAITH

AUGUST 3,1960

BELOVED GUARDIAN'S GLORIOUS EPISTLE GOD PASSES BY CLEARLY STATES HOLY CAUSE CONSTANTLY SUBJECT CRISES GIVING RISE GREATER VICTORIES STOP HISTORY DEFECTION DISTINGUISHED BELIEVERS FOLLOWING ASCENSION FORERUNNER FAITH SUPREME MANIFESTATION CENTRE COVENANT NOW REPEATED AFTER ASCENSION PRECIOUS SHOGHI Effendi THROUGH MASON REMEY'S DEFECTION HIS PREPOSTEROUS UTTERLY UNFOUNDED CLAIMS STOP PROTECTION BELIEVERS FROM ACTIVITIES MISGUIDED MISCHIEF MAKERS GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY REPENT NOW REQUIRES EXPULSION FAITH REMEY'S HENCHMEN JOHN CARRE BERNARD FILLON, MONEER DARAKHSHAN JOEL MARANGELLA JACQUES SOGHOMONIAN DONALD HARVEY JOHN BYERS IN FRANCE AND MARY WILKIN UNITED STATES STOP HENCEFORTH ANYONE ASSOCIATING THESE PEOPLE OR SUPPORTING REMEY CLAIM LIKEWISE CONSIDERED COVENANT BREAKER STOP CONFIDENT FAITHFUL DEVOTED BODY BELIEVERS MINDFUL INFINITE BOUNTIES PRAISES SHOWERED BELOVED GUARDIAN WILL DEMONSTRATE THROUGH UNITED ACTION IMPREGNABLE SOLIDARITY ARISE ACHIEVE GLORIOUS GOALS GODINSPIRED CRUSADE STOP CABLE MESSAGE ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES.

HANDSFAITH

Replies expressing gratitude for and approval of this action are now beginning to come in from the National Spiritual Assemblies.

Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, cut short a much-needed rest after her exhaustive tour of the United States and Canada when we informed her of the sudden death of our dear co-worker Horace Holley, and flew back from Canada as soon as she could arrange her travelling plans. Bill Sears, who had planned to visit some of the European centres prior to our Bahji meeting, hastened his arrival after being informed of Horace's death, and got here three days before Ruhiyyih Khanum. Faizi, (whose return entry visa held him up) arrived a few days later. Their report made it clear that responsible believers were considerably puzzled and distressed by the lack of action from the World Centre in expelling what had obviously become a most active and threatening group of Covenant-breakers. In addition to this, the American National Spiritual Assembly, in whose area this poisonous material was being most widely circulated, cabled us as follows:

JULY 18, 1960

CONSIDERED JUDGEMENT OUR ASSEMBLY ACTIONS TAKEN THUS FAR BY HANDS HOLY LAND INADEQUATE DEAL DECISIVELY SATISFACTORILY NUMEROUS BELIEVERS ATTRACTED REMEY CLAIM STOP SITUATION FRAUGHT CONFUSION DOUBT DANGER STOP RESPECTFULLY URGE DEFINITE DRASTIC IMMEDIATE ACTION HANDS DECLARING REMEY VIOLATOR SAME FATE ALL THOSE CONTINUING SUPPORT HIM DEVOTED LOVE.

WOLCOTT [SECRETARY]

We all knew after the passing of our beloved Guardian false claims would surely be made; but we never dreamed they would come from one of ourselves, from a Hand honoured by both 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi History has repeated itself once again, and from the text of that glorious epistle God Passes By we are assured that any crisis this may momentarily precipitate in Bahá'í affairs will inevitably be succeeded by a resounding victory and a great forward surge in the work of this holy Faith.

We need not tell you how difficult has been this whole series of events for those serving here at the World Centre!

You can well imagine. In the midst of this crisis, with four Custodians absent --Milly Collins and Leroy Ioas for reasons of health and Ruhiyyih Khanum, and Faizi, on specific missions --our very dear co-worker Horace Holley, suddenly died. As you know his heart was in a state where this could have happened at any moment during the past years. For a few days he had felt too weak to get up and be about, but his condition did not lead us, or his physician, to believe his death was imminent. On the evening of the 12th of July he collapsed on leaving the bathroom and died immediately. A very beautiful and moving service was held in the hall of the Master's Home; and less than twenty-four hours after his passing we laid him to rest in the Bahá'í Cemetery, right near the graves of Dr. Esslemont and the Afnan who built the 'Ishqabad Temple. We are deeply grateful to Bahá'u'lláh that we had the valued, mature and wise advice of dear Horace during the most difficult period of this whole Remey affair and that he was able, through his example and counsels, to render at the end of his life yet another great service to the Faith he had worked for so constantly, with such outstanding distinction and devotion, and for so many years --a Faith whose Guardian had heaped upon him so many honours. May God in His mercy give each one of us an end as blessed as his!All this has made us feel very keenly, and we know the same feeling is in your hearts too, that we must draw ever closer to each other-we who were chosen by our beloved Guardian, poor and unworthy though we are, to carry on his work, to serve as Hands of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and help crown with victory this latest stage in the unfoldment of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Divine Plan. Our essential unity, the love we have for Shoghi Effendi and in his love for each other, must grow daily stronger, so that we can fulfil our primary function of protecting and propagating the Cause of God. We feel our forthcoming Annual Meeting will inevitably, after this serious onslaught on the Faith and the Institution of the Hands, be productive of great results for the forthcoming year, and that we will be assisted to make truly inspiring plans for the tremendous work that lies ahead of the entire Bahá'í world during the closing years of the Crusade.

All this has made us feel very keenly, and we know the same feeling is in your hearts too, that we must draw ever closer to each other-we who were chosen by our beloved Guardian, poor and unworthy though we are, to carry on his work, to serve as Hands of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and help crown with victory this latest stage in the unfoldment of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Divine Plan. Our essential unity, the love we have for Shoghi Effendi and in his love for each other, must grow daily stronger, so that we can fulfil our primary function of protecting and propagating the Cause of God. We feel our forthcoming Annual Meeting will inevitably, after this serious onslaught on the Faith and the Institution of the Hands, be productive of great results for the forthcoming year, and that we will be assisted to make truly inspiring plans for the tremendous work that lies ahead of the entire Bahá'í world during the closing years of the Crusade.

We are eagerly looking forward to your arrival here. As soon as possible we will send you the agenda for the meeting. Now that this defection of Mason and the handful of his supporters (about 15 people in all, some of them wives of the chief dissidents) has been put in its proper light before the Bahá'í world, we can go on to other matters for which there has been no time during the past critical three months when we were investigating the situation, studying Faizi's detailed reports on the condition in France and answering a tremendous amount of correspondence pouring in in connection with winning the Crusade goals, Mason's claims, and so on.

We ask you to pray for all of us, but particularly for the health of Ugo and Bill; the former is slowly recovering from a very grave infection contracted during his tour of Central America, the latter has just left for a sanatorium in Europe to care for a disturbing liver condition seriously impairing his health. Our dear fellow-Hand Musa Banani; has suffered a stroke and is at present in a hospital in Frankfurt receiving medical care for his paralyzed right side. We ask your ardent supplications on his behalf. Please also pray for the improvement in health of Milly, Leroy and Enoch.

In the holy Shrines we always supplicate for all of the Hands, as you know, and beseech Bahá'u'lláh's confirmations, protection and grace.

With deepest love,

In the service of the beloved Guardian,

HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND 

August 3. On this date in 1960, two cables sent by the Custodians listed some of the prominent believers in Mason Remey's calling them "Remey's henchmen" and declaring them Covenant-breakers as well as "anyone associating (with) these people."

August 3. On this date in 1960, two cables sent by the Custodians listed some of the prominent believers in Mason Remey's calling them "Remey's henchmen" and declaring them Covenant-breakers as well as "anyone associating (with) these people."

First cable...

To All National Spiritual Assemblies, c/o BAHAI WILMETTE

AUGUST 3, 1960

BELOVED GUARDIAN'S GLORIOUS EPISTLE GOD PASSES BY CLEARLY STATES HOLY CAUSE CONSTANTLY SUBJECT CRISES GIVING RISE GREATER VICTORIES STOP HISTORY DEFECTION DISTINGUISHED BELIEVERS FOLLOWING ASCENSION FORERUNNER FAITH SUPREME MANIFESTATION CENTRE COVENANT NOW REPEATED AFTER ASCENSION PRECIOUS SHOGHI Effendi THROUGH MASON REMEY'S DEFECTION HIS PREPOSTEROUS UTTERLY UNFOUNDED CLAIMS STOP PROTECTION BELIEVERS FROM ACTIVITIES MISGUIDED MISCHIEF MAKERS GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY REPENT NOW REQUIRES EXPULSION FAITH REMEY's HENCHMEN JOHN CARRE BERNARD Fillon, MONEER. DARAKHSHAN JOEL MARANGELLA JACQUES SOGHOMONIAN DONALD HARVEY JOHN BYERS IN FRANCE AND MARY WILKIN UNITED STATES STOP HENCEFORTH ANYONE ASSOCIATING THESE PEOPLE OR SUPPORTING REMEY CLAIM LIKEWISE CONSIDERED COVENANT BREAKER STOP CONFIDENT FAITHFUL DEVOTED BODY BELIEVERS MINDFUL INFINITE BOUNTIES PRAISES SHOWERED BELOVED GUARDIAN WILL DEMONSTRATE THROUGH UNITED ACTION IMPREGNABLE SOLIDARITY ARISE ACHIEVE GLORIOUS GOALS GOD-INSPIRED CRUSADE STOP CABLE MESSAGE ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES.

HANDSFAITH

[CABLE]

Second cable...

AUGUST 3,1960

BELOVED GUARDIAN'S GLORIOUS EPISTLE GOD PASSES BY CLEARLY STATES HOLY CAUSE CONSTANTLY SUBJECT CRISES GIVING RISE GREATER VICTORIES STOP HISTORY DEFECTION DISTINGUISHED BELIEVERS FOLLOWING ASCENSION FORERUNNER FAITH SUPREME MANIFESTATION CENTRE COVENANT NOW REPEATED AFTER ASCENSION PRECIOUS SHOGHI Effendi THROUGH MASON REMEY'S DEFECTION HIS PREPOSTEROUS UTTERLY UNFOUNDED CLAIMS STOP PROTECTION BELIEVERS FROM ACTIVITIES MISGUIDED MISCHIEF MAKERS GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY REPENT NOW REQUIRES EXPULSION FAITH REMEY'S HENCHMEN JOHN CARRE BERNARD FILLON, MONEER DARAKHSHAN JOEL MARANGELLA JACQUES SOGHOMONIAN DONALD HARVEY JOHN BYERS IN FRANCE AND MARY WILKIN UNITED STATES STOP HENCEFORTH ANYONE ASSOCIATING THESE PEOPLE OR SUPPORTING REMEY CLAIM LIKEWISE CONSIDERED COVENANT BREAKER STOP CONFIDENT FAITHFUL DEVOTED BODY BELIEVERS MINDFUL INFINITE BOUNTIES PRAISES SHOWERED BELOVED GUARDIAN WILL DEMONSTRATE THROUGH UNITED ACTION IMPREGNABLE SOLIDARITY ARISE ACHIEVE GLORIOUS GOALS GODINSPIRED CRUSADE STOP CABLE MESSAGE ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES.

HANDSFAITH

July 26. On this date in 1960, the Hands of the Cause of God sent a cable to all the National Spiritual Assemblies announcing "Mason Remey (a) Covenant-breaker expelled (from the) Faith."

July 26. On this date in 1960, the Hands of the Cause of God sent a cable to all the National Spiritual Assemblies announcing "Mason Remey (a) Covenant-breaker expelled (from the) Faith."

To All National Spiritual Assemblies, C/O BAHA'I WILMETTE

JULY 26, 1960

ENTIRE BODY HANDS OBEDIENT PROVISIONS WILL TESTAMENT CENTRE COVENANT COMMUNICATIONS BELOVED GUARDIAN ENJOINING THEM PROTECT HOLY CAUSE ATTACKS ENEMIES WITHIN WITHOUT ANNOUNCE BAHA'I WORLD MASON REMEY COVENANT BREAKER EXPELLED FAITH STOP ACTION FOLLOWS LONG PERIOD PATIENCE FORBEARANCE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN HIM WITHDRAW SHAMEFUL PRETENSION SACRED STATION GUARDIANSHIP CONSTITUTING HERETICAL CLAIM CONTRARY EXPLICIT PROVISIONS WILL MASTER STOP DESPITE UNIVERSAL REPUDIATION DENUNCIATION BY ALL HANDS INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES REMEY CONTINUING AGITATE UNFOUNDED CLAIM ACTIVELY SEEKING CREATE DIVISION RANKS FAITHFUL SOW SEEDS DOUBT HEARTS BELIEVERS UNDERMINE ACTIVITIES INSTITUTION HANDS CHIEF STEWARDS DEDICATED FULFILMENT BELOVED GUARDIAN'S TEN YEAR PLAN STOP ACCORDANCE INJUNCTION WILL TESTAMENT 'Abdu'l-Bahá, CALL UPON FRIENDS EVERYWHERE SHUN REMEY AND ANYONE ASSOCIATING WITH HIM OR ACTIVELY SUPPORTING HIS CLAIMS STOP CONFIDENT COMMUNITY MOST GREAT NAME UNITED WHOLEHEARTED CONDEMNATION THIS LATEST ILL-FATED ATTEMPT DISRUPT GOD's HOLY CAUSE WILL EMERGE TRIUMPHANT STRENGTHENED GALVANIZED ISSUE FORTH WIN REMAINING GOALS GLORIOUS WORLD ENCIRCLING CRUSADE STOP CABLE MESSAGE ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES. >[CABLE]

Charles Mason Remey was an early and active Bahá'í who, along with Howard C. Struven, became the first Bahá'ís to make a complete circuit of the world. He was the architect for the Bahá'í Houses of Worship in Uganda and Australia, and Shoghi Effendi approved his design of the unbuilt House of Worship in Haifa, Israel. Mason Remey would later become a Hand of the Cause, the president of the International Bahá'í Council, and after Shoghi Effendi's death, a claimant to the office of Guardian.

Mason Remey based his claim to be the second Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith the idea that by appointing him as President of the International Bahá'í Council, the embryonic form of the Universal House of Justice which would be led by the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi had in fact implicitly named him as the second Guardian. Mason Remey's claim was largely rejected with several notable exceptions, including five members of the National Spiritual Assembly of France led by Joel Marangella. The remaining 26 Hands of the Cause unanimously declared Remey and whoever followed him Covenant-breakers.

July 18. On this date in 1960, Charles Wolcott, Secretary of the NSA of the U.S. cabled the Custodians about "numerous believers attracted (to) Remey claim situation fraught confusion doubt danger."

July 18. On this date in 1960, Charles Wolcott, Secretary of the NSA of the U.S. cabled the Custodians about "numerous believers attracted (to) Remey claim situation fraught confusion doubt danger."

JULY 18, 1960

CONSIDERED JUDGEMENT OUR ASSEMBLY ACTIONS TAKEN THUS FAR BY HANDS HOLY LAND INADEQUATE DEAL DECISIVELY SATISFACTORILY NUMEROUS BELIEVERS ATTRACTED REMEY CLAIM STOP SITUATION FRAUGHT CONFUSION DOUBT DANGER STOP RESPECTFULLY URGE DEFINITE DRASTIC IMMEDIATE ACTION HANDS DECLARING REMEY VIOLATOR SAME FATE ALL THOSE CONTINUING SUPPORT HIM DEVOTED LOVE.

WOLCOTT [SECRETARY]

Born in Flint, Michigan on September 29, 1906, Charles Wolcott was a music composer who had a career in various Holywood film studios. In 1953 he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. In 1960, when he was elected secretary of the National Assembly, he resigned from his position at MGM Studios and moved to Wilmette, Illinois. In 1961 he was elected to the International Bahá’í Council and moved to Haifa, Israel. He was elected to serve on the newly formed Universal House of Justice in 1963, a position he held until January 26, 1987 when he died in Haifa.

July 7. On this date in 1960, the Custodians wrote to all of the Hands of the Cause of God concerning "the Remey matter" asking "support the recommendations for immediate expulsion of Mason and announcement of this to the believers."

July 7. On this date in 1960, the Custodians wrote to all of the Hands of the Cause of God concerning "the Remey matter" asking "support the recommendations for immediate expulsion of Mason and announcement of this to the believers."

To the Hands of the Cause of God throughout the World

CONFIDENTIAL

In accordance with our principles of procedure, the Hands in the Holy Land have the duty and responsibility of calling the Annual Meeting of the entire body of the Hands. After consideration of all factors, we have chosen the period October 18-27 as the dates for this year's Conclave, with the understanding that the time will be extended if necessary. Before this meeting we will as usual send to each Hand a tentative or suggested agenda for consideration.

It has been recommended that this year a special effort be made by all the Continental Hands to arrange for visits to as many Bahá'í centres as possible on their way to or from the Conclave. We feel that such visits at this time will have great influence in unifying the friends and deepening them in their understanding of the Covenant. We urge each Hand to work out as extensive an itinerary as possible.

You have been kept informed of the main developments to date in the Remey matter through our various communications, but we feel the time has now come to refer to the entire body of our fellow-Hands the information, views and recommendations received from various individual Hands calling for further action.

As most of you undoubtedly know, Mason has followed up his original proclamation with other documents including one entitled "The Question of the Guardianship", and another document which he calls his first "Encyclical" to the Bahá'í world. In the latter document he definitely classifies all of the Hands as violators, calls upon the believers to abandon their activities in support of the plans announced by the Hands for the remainder of the beloved Guardian's Crusade, to withdraw their financial support of these activities, and directs them to turn to him alone for guidance and instructions. He is distributing these documents widely, and his leading supporters are writing to the believers, urging them to investigate the Remey claim and accept his station as the second Guardian of the Faith. We are enclosing for your information a copy of another communication which we have just sent to all National Assemblies, calling upon the friends to refrain from any association with those who support Mason's claim.

In France, the reconstituted National Assembly has taken action depriving the five disloyal former members of that Assembly of their voting right and membership in the Community.

We wish to report that our representative, Mr. Faizi, recommended expulsion of the disloyal individuals in France, who in his view are suffering from a real spiritual illness. He was joined in this recommendation by Dr. Giachery, but the other two European Hands, Mr. Balyuzi and Dr. Muhlschlegel, did not concur; therefore the European Hands as a body did not recommend expulsion. The attached excerpts from communications received in Haifa will give you their views and recommendations, and those of Mr. Faizi.

All of you will recall that at our first Conclave a formal action was recorded, giving the Hands in the Holy Land the responsibility for expelling people from the Faith, but only on recommendation of the Continental Hands concerned, after investigation by them. Thus in the case of the disloyal members in France, the Hands in the Holy Land were bound by the action of the majority of the European Hands in not recommending expulsion at this time.

With regard to Mason himself, since we had no instructions covering defection by one of the Hands of the Cause, we have felt that any action in his case beyond the steps already taken, should be by the body of the Hands itself. In view of the increasingly insistent recommendations received from the Hands now in the Western Hemisphere calling for Mason's immediate expulsion, we believe this question must now be referred to the body of the Hands for advice and decision. Attached are copies of their views and recommendations.

To these we wish to add our own view that Mason's claim and activities in opposition to the decisions and Plans of our beloved Guardian, constitute a basis for expulsion from the Faith, because they are in fact a protest against the decision of Shoghi Effendi in not appointing a successor to him as the Guardian of the Faith. Our Beloved did not make such an appointment because to do so in the circumstances with which he was faced would have been a violation of the Sacred Texts; thus his nonappointment of a successor upheld the Text of the written Covenant of God. This was explicitly stated in the Proclamation issued from our first Conclave in which we said that "no successor to Shoghi Effendi could have been appointed by him". This Proclamation was signed by Mason, who now states in one of his documents that he has known for the past twelve years that he was to be the second Guardian of the Faith, and the successor to Shoghi Effendi in that station!

We believe that Mason's claim and activities fall within the warning and injunction contained in these words of the sacred Will and Testament of the Master: "It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His Word and will become a manifestation of the Centre of Sedition. Beware, beware, lest the days after the Ascension (of Bahá'u'lláh) be repeated when the Centre of Sedition waxed haughty and rebellious and with Divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself and perturbed and poisoned others. No doubt every vain-glorious one that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, will he seize upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the gathering of the people of Baha) My object is to show that the Hands of the Cause of God must be ever watchful and so soon as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the Guardian of the Cause of God, cast him out from the congregation of the people of Baha) and in no wise accept any excuse from him. How often hath grievous error been disguised in the garb of truth, that it might sow the seeds of-doubt in the hearts of men!"

As you know, there are many other passages in the Will and Testament more strongly condemning Covenant-breakers, in which it is said they should be cut off from the Community of the believers, shunned and avoided entirely.

The questions now referred to you, our fellow-Hands, for decision are:

(1) Whether you wish to support the recommendations for immediate expulsion of Mason and announcement of this to the believers, or

(2) Whether you wish action on this whole question to be deferred until the Conclave in October.

We request you to study this letter and the attached recommendations carefully and prayerfully, and then send us your reply immediately by cable.

We send you our warmest greetings and loving prayers.

In the service of the beloved Guardian,

HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND

Excerpts from Communications Received from Various Hands Containing Comments and Recommendations on Mason Remey's Status (and that of his chief supporters).