ANNEX 6
Paris, 22 May, 1960
Dearly beloved Friends,
This is not just a letter from your National spiritual Assembly, but rather a communication from individual Bahá’ís, being the five majority members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France, who have, as such, recognized and accepted Mason Remey as the Second Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.
We owe you an explanation for our actions taken as of the May 7, 1960. Facing evidence of a split within the French Bahá’í community and to avoid any antagonism, we have maintained the status-quo of your National Spiritual Assembly which, for the moment, is the most neutral attitude. In doing this – knowing that all resignations, in accordance with Bahá’í administration, within the National Spiritual Assembly, must be accepted by this Assembly by majority vote - (Article six of the statutes of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France) – we have deposited inside the (open) mail-box of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France, in the secretariat of the National Bahá’í Centre, our respective resignations in sealed envelopes, addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France.
Until the second Guardian, Mason Remey, asks for your National Spiritual Assembly to resume its activities (Article 9 of the statutes of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France), we will serve as intermediaries between yourselves and him.
Herewith attached is the first in a series of Encyclical Letters that your Guardian sends you. In addition, we are attaching a copy of the legal statutes which apply to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France registered with the Government of this country.
(signatures)
Donald Harvey Joel Marangella Bernard Fillon
Monir Derakhchan Jacques Soghomonian
P.-S. Here is the account of the state in which we have left the National Bahá’í Centre of the Bahá’ís of France during the evening of May 7 - 8, 1960. (the Centre is permanently leased to the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Paris, and it is for this reason that it is impossible to lock up).
1. All the papers and material belonging to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Paris were in evidence and left in the open in the Secretariat.
2. The library belonging to the National Spiritual Assembly was closed and locked and the key deposited within the safe.
3. All the stock of paper and material of the Secretariat of the National Spiritual Assembly remained in the locked cupboard transferred there for this purpose, and the key was deposited within the safe.
4. The two cupboards containing records of correspondence and documents of the National Spiritual Assembly were locked, the key was deposited within the safe.
5. All of the legal documents, the bookkeeping, the petty cash, the cheque book, etc. have been deposited within the safe, the keys being in the possession of, respectively, Mr. Donald Harvey, treasurer, and Mr. Fillon, secretary. Naturally, this safe has been locked.
6. The resident (Mr. Donald Harvey), who had, among other things, been in charge of the storage of files left behind only the archives, and moved his personal belongings out of his room,.
7. The two typewriters, the two mimeograph machines (Gestetner) and the alcohol for copying, had been left in good order in one corner of the Secretariat.
8. In the drawers of the desk of the Secretariat there remained a small stock of ordinary and air-mail envelopes, with the letterhead of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France, as well as an important stock of various envelopes without letterhead.
9. The official stamp [ seal ] of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of France has remained inside the safe.
10. The Centre has been left cleaned and in good and proper order as well as the kitchen.
All correspondence can be forwarded to:
Donald Harvey, P.O. Box, Le Vesinet - S & O.