APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS
According to Shoghi Effendi's constitution for the second International Baha'i Council, the second International Baha'i Council will evolve in four stages, becoming a world court, an elected body of the supreme tribunal that will bring peace to the world and finally blossom into the Universal House of Justice.
This four stage plan of evolvement from embryo into adulthood is patterned after the principle for Baha'i government as set forth by 'Abdu'l-Baha inThe Secret of Divine Civilization. 'Abdu'l-Baha writes:
The world of politics [government and administration] is like the world of man; he is a seed at first, and then passes by degrees to the condition of embryo and foetus, acquiring a bone structure, being clothed with flesh, taking on his own special form, until at last he reaches the plane where he can befittingly fulfill the words: "the most excellent of makers."[35] Just as this is a requirement of creation and is based on the universal Wisdom, the political world [of government and administration] in the same way cannot instantaneously evolve from the nadir of defectiveness to the zenith of rightness and perfection. Rather, qualified individuals must strive by day and by night, using all those means which will conduce to progress, until the government and the people develop along every line from day to day and even from moment to moment. (SDC, pp. 107-108).
The first stage of the second International Baha'i Council, following the constitution and blue-print of Shoghi Effendi is that of the appointed body. The council members of the appointed body, according to the explicit holy text of 'Abdu'l-Baha as interpreted from the Book of Revelation constitute the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Dr. Leland Jensen) and are, therefore, subject to appointment and removal by the Lamb only and no other person, body or entity. These 12 apostles along with the president are the initial directors of the second International Baha'i Council. The establisher of the Baha'i Faith, the Lamb, Dr. Leland Jensen, is the sole incorporator.
The second stage shall mark the second International Baha'i Council's development into a fully recognized World Court with the membership remaining that of the appointed body of the twelve apostles of the Lamb that are the twelve gates and twelve foundations of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, the Law of God, according to the explicit text of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
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35 Qur'an 23:14.
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In the third stage the body shall become the elected body of the Supreme Tribunal that shall bring peace to the world, the head, president, remaining an appointed position according to page 14 and page 12 of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. At this time the following provision of page 14 of the sacred Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha may be initiated:
Should any of the members commit a sin injurious to the common weal, the guardian of the Cause of God [the president] hath at his own discretion the right to expel him, whereupon the people must elect another in his stead." (W&T, p. 14).
If found to have committed a sin injurious to the common weal either by confession or by judgement of the Council, the president then hath at his own discretion the right to expel. In the final stage of fruition of the effloresce of the elected body of the Supreme Tribunal into the Universal House of Justice, this aforementioned provision of the Will and Testament will be the procedure for election, removal, and replacement at that time.
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